September2016
Review Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice (3DS eShop)
Turnabout Traveller
There's never been a lawyer who's captured the hearts of gamers quite like Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney. That's not only because Capcom's Ace Attorney is perhaps the only Bar-based game to hit the big time, but also because of the excellent writing, memorable characters, satisfying gameplay, and fast-flying 'Objection!'s that...
August2016
Review Final Fight (3DS eShop / SNES)
Not quite the final word
In the late '80s and early '90s gamers gathered around arcade cabinets instead of playing from the comfort of their own homes, and one of the biggest draws in arcades of the day was undoubtedly Capcom's Final Fight. When Final Fight released for the Super Nintendo in the early '90s, some gamers weren't very pleased with it,...
Review Street Fighter Alpha 2 (New 3DS / SNES)
The eShop has Alpha too
There are a few Virtual Console options for New Nintendo 3DS-owning Street Fighter fans such as a speedy Street Fighter II, a sixteen-character Street Fighter II and this eShop release that stands out on account of not being Street Fighter II. Released in 1996 this SNES port of Street Fighter Alpha 2 may have been overlooked...
July2016
Review Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (New 3DS / SNES)
Super solo fighter
The New Nintendo 3DS is a nifty device with a number of great games available, but as everyone knows something cannot be considered a true games machine unless you can play Street Fighter II on it. Thankfully Capcom has stepped in to save New 3DS owners from the taunts of ZX Spectrum, Atari ST and CD32 gamers by bringing the game...
Review Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting (New 3DS / SNES)
Speedy fighting on the go
Ever since SNES games were announced as coming to the New Nintendo 3DS it seemed inevitable that Capcom would jump at the chance to flog us Street Fighter II again and - sure enough - here it is. In a surprise move they've skipped the World Warrior port and moved straight to Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, released...
Review Mega Man X (New 3DS / SNES)
Mega Xcitement
The Mega Man games provided people with enjoyable action-platforming and Capcom was happy to keep producing more and more of them to be purchased and played. 1993 (at least in Japan) saw the release of the sixth NES game in the series, but also the start of something new. Following Virtual Console releases (and a compilation) of the...
Review Monster Hunter Generations (3DS)
One to sink your teeth into
Monster Hunter Generations is, at its core, a celebratory release. With the franchise now past a decade old and starting to make notable sales progress in the West, this entry combines areas and characters from across those ten years with some new ideas. Nintendo gamers that have been following the series since Monster...
Review Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (New 3DS / SNES)
Move over, Maximo
These days, it's in vogue to bemoan Mega Man's absence from the gaming scene. Mega Man, however, is not the only franchise Capcom has forgotten; one of its more egregious crimes is leaving the mighty Knight Arthur himself by the wayside. Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts is a classic SNES title and one of the hardest games on the platform...
June2016
Review Mega Man 7 (New 3DS / SNES)
The worst Mega Man is still good
Mega Man 7 is a game that came at the wrong time. By the time of its original 1995 release fans were a bit beleaguered by continued rapid-fire releases, and interest had shifted from the portly robot that could to his slimmer, cooler younger brother - Mega Man X. If you've played one Mega Man game, you'll be...
February2016
Review Mega Man Legacy Collection (3DS)
In the year 20XX...
In the year 20XX, the robot hero Mega Man is in a strange place. For whatever reason, Capcom seems to think of the storied series as something of a relic of the past - something that inspires nostalgia and reverence, sure, but not a franchise that could compete in today's world of gritty shooters and action titles. Mega Man...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar / Gregar (Wii U eShop / GBA)
One last network battle
Mega Man Battle Network 5 changed a few things around for this series, but was mostly quite similar to its predecessor. Deciding to go for one last hurrah on the Game Boy Advance, Capcom created a sixth Battle Network game. Don't expect any big surprises though; it's still quite similar to its peers. After spending the...
December2015
Review Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel & Protoman (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Playing it safe once more
While many would argue that Mega Man Battle Network 4 brought with it some unwelcome changes, Capcom did not seem to pay much heed to fan complaints. Indeed, the fifth (!) entry is a fairly by-the-numbers sequel, featuring little in the way of changes or additions and is mostly similar to its predecessor. Mega Man villains...
August2015
Review Onimusha Tactics (Wii U eShop / GBA)
The Oni put the feud in feudal Japan
Onimusha Tactics was originally released 12 years ago, in 2003, for the Game Boy Advance. Developed and produced by Capcom, the same company that made the Onimusha series on the PS2, Tactics's gameplay and individual story deviates from the originals but retains a similar plot (involving the Onimusha and battling...
July2015
Review Final Fight One (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Still the One?
It's fair to say Capcom was on a roll in the late '80s and early '90s. During this period it pushed out some bona-fide classic pieces of software, including 1989's seminal coin-op brawler, Final Fight. Indisputably one of the finest side-scrolling beat-'em-ups ever created, it joined a rush of similar coin-guzzling titles including...
Review Super Street Fighter II: Turbo Revival (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Ryu on Wii U (again)
1991's Street Fighter II is a game that got people very excited and led to a surge of interest in the fighting genre. It's also a game that got updated a lot — new moves, new characters, new speeds... — while being ported to numerous home consoles and computers. Several of those ports have seen a Virtual Console release...
June2015
Review Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun & Blue Moon (Wii U eShop / Game Boy Advance)
Nothin' but net
In every long running game series, there's always "that" one game which greatly splits the fanbase. Usually due to a major overhaul of an aspect that flies in the face of series tradition, these black sheep games typically are wrongfully seen as a bad or disappointing release simply because they did something different. Mega Man...
Review Mega Man Zero 4 (Wii U eShop / Game Boy Advance)
The battle for Neo Arcadia
After three enjoyable Mega Man Zero entries, Capcom just had to sneak in one more. Released extremely late into the Game Boy Advance's life - after the Nintendo DS had already been released, in fact - Mega Man Zero 4 is the final game in the series and mostly follows along with the previous three titles. Once again...
May2015
Review Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue & White (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Gotta bust 'em all
The Mega Man Battle Network series was a brilliant idea from Capcom to offer a refreshing and unique departure from the classic action platformer, while still delivering a colourful and engaging gameplay experience. Though it wasn't the first time the Mega Man series flirted with becoming an RPG, it was by far the most...
Review Mega Man & Bass (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Here comes the bass
A brief bit of history on Mega Man & Bass. A few years after Mega Man 8 notoriously became a Playstation and Sega Saturn game, Keiji Inafune - the series' creator - felt that he still owed one more game to children that had not yet upgraded to next gen hardware and still owned only the Super Famicom. Technically a spin-off...
April2015
Review Mega Man Zero 3 (Wii U eShop / GBA)
(Mostly) Zero changes
After releasing the previous two Mega Man Zero titles and having them almost universally liked, it would've been crazy to end the series there; so, naturally, Capcom produced Mega Man Zero 3 for the Game Boy Advance. Just as before, the game follows the events of the previous instalments pretty directly. Picking up two months...
February2015
Review Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Slightly less than super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
Once upon a time when arcades were vibrant and 2D platform games were all the rage, Capcom struck gold with the original Ghosts 'N Goblins. The legendary tale of Sir Arthur and his quest to save Princess Prin Prin from demons was a huge success, but also notoriously difficult. Super tough from the off, in...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 2 (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Casting a wider net
The world as portrayed in the Mega Man Battle Network series is so ridiculous and yet so outlandishly awesome that it's hard not to adore. In our boring reality, if your toaster doesn't work it means you're pretty much out of luck. In the Battle Network world, it more likely means you need to upload your virtual companion into...
Review Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)
Digging its claws in
Monster Hunter is a pivotal franchise for Capcom, consistently delivering the company's biggest sales and securing its profits; it's a phenomenon in Japan. Elsewhere, however, it's a respectable success without truly flourishing, succeeding in capturing a relatively small, dedicated audience but struggling for mainstream...
Review Mega Man Zero 2 (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Zero times two
Just one year after Mega Man Zero, Inti Creates released a sequel for the Game Boy Advance spin-off. That might sound a bit quick, but Mega Man Zero 2 is no mindless cash-in. It took the sturdy foundation set by its predecessor and built upon it in impressive ways, while also smoothing out the rough edges. On top of that it wove an...
January2015
Review Breath of Fire (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Dragon its heels behind the competition
The age of the 16-bit RPG is well-remembered, and many iconic titles from the time are still cherished by fans to this day. From Final Fantasy III to Chrono Trigger, the genre showed genuine growth through some shining examples of emotive storytelling mixed with addictive gameplay. Not one to miss out on all...
