October2018
Review SEGA AGES Thunder Force IV - The Mega Drive's Most Impressive Shmup Hits Switch
Like greased lightening
While the series has its roots on Japanese computers and there have even been entries on the SNES, PlayStation and PlayStation 2, Thunder Force has always felt like a Sega series – and as of 2016, that's officially the case as the company now owns the rights to all of Tecnosoft's back catalogue. It's perhaps unsurprising...
Review SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog - Feel The Need For Speed (Yet Again) On Switch
But how many versions do you really need?
If you're a gamer of a certain age, then you're bound to have played the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Even if you weren't a Mega Drive / Genesis owner back in the day, the Blue Blur's blistering debut has been ported to a wide range of Nintendo systems over the years, including GameCube, Game Boy Advance,...
September2018
Review Valkyria Chronicles 4 - A Sublime Strategy Experience On Switch
At ease, soldier
Suffice to say, the release history of Sega’s Valkyria Chronicles series has been uneven, both in terms of quality and availability. After the original game — which is due to arrive on Switch later this year —successfully kicked the series off on home consoles, the sequel only saw a release on PSP, while the third game (also...
July2018
Review Sonic Mania Plus (Switch)
Faster than ever
Editor's note: This review is based on our original Sonic Mania review, as penned by our erstwhile editor Tom "Please no, not another terrible 3D Sonic game" Whitehead. It has been adapted and added to by Damien "Sonic 2 was the clearly the best" McFerran.In certain circles of chatty online gamers, Sonic the Hedgehog is often a hot...
Review Shining Resonance Refrain (Switch)
A hit single
In 2014, Sega released Shining Resonance on the PS3 exclusively on Eastern shores, much to the chagrin of many overseas fans of the company’s long-running RPG franchise. Given the long history of Japan-only releases in the series, Shining Resonance seemed unlikely to receive a localisation, which made it all the more surprising when...
April2018
Review Football Manager Touch 2018 (Switch eShop)
Like playing Ronaldo at centre-back
Even the best footballers in the world need to be placed in an appropriate system if they are to thrive. Put Lionel Messi at defensive midfield in a hard working long ball team and you'd undoubtedly still experience moments of supreme quality, but you wouldn't get the best out of him. That's an appropriate analogy...
November2017
Gotta go fast
Sonic Forces has found itself in a rather tricky position at launch; some of the build-up to the game’s release suggested a potential flop in the making. Early impressions from the game’s demo and previews told a story of apprehension, and the fact that most review codes were sent out so incredibly late suggested that even...
August2017
Review Sonic Mania (Switch eShop)
Sonic is back to his best
In certain circles of chatty online gamers, Sonic the Hedgehog is often a hot topic. SEGA and Sonic Team has taken its mascot on some wild rides over the past 20+ years, stepping into 3D 'modern' Sonic, attempting a return to 2D with Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and dividing opinion, and blurring the lines (with some success) in...
April2017
Review Puyo Puyo Tetris (Switch)
Switching up the Tetris formula
Tetris is a classic almost as old as gaming, having first released in 1984 before making its first appearance on Nintendo hardware in 1988. Puyo Puyo is comparatively new, but has a legacy all its own. Back in 2014, Sonic Team got the idea of fusing the two popular franchises into something new, and thus Puyo Puyo...
September2016
Review Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (3DS)
Lukewarm
Sonic the Hedgehog is a mascot still loved by many, but which is continually fighting to hit top form once again. The Sonic Boom spin-off franchise is an interesting case and point - despite a successful animated series and a reasonable 3DS platformer, in the eyes of some it'll remain tainted by a shoddy Wii U game. That's not entirely...
July2016
Review 7th Dragon III Code: VFD (3DS)
Very Fine Dragons
3DS owners have watched the pocket-sized portable become something of a treasure trove of JRPGs over the past few years; ATLUS in particular has showered the system with Etrian Odyssey and Shin Megami Tensei titles, Square-Enix introduced the Bravely series, and Nintendo's stepped back up to the plate in helping to publish...
June2016
Review Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)
Taking home the bronze
Although carnivale looms neon bright on the horizon, the party may already be winding down for Sonic and Mario. From snowy peaks to sandy shores, these former rivals are back for another collection of sporting mini-games in celebration of the Rio 2016 Olympics, and while they won't have to deal with the political turmoil or...
April2016
Review SEGA 3D Classics Collection (3DS)
New Age nostalgia
For millions of kids around the world in the late '80s through the '90s, there was no greater debate than SEGA vs Nintendo. Schoolyards were home to impassioned debates about which company's box was the best. Everyone knows who won the war long term, but few know of some of the truly classic titles SEGA fans enjoyed during those...
Review Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (3DS)
Fails to make it on the podium
Much like the real life counterpart, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games has a gargantuan of hurdles to overcome. Don't get us wrong, the problems in the 3DS version are much smaller and have less implications than dealing with politics, diseases and pollution. But being the fifth entry in such a popular...
October2015
Review 3D Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (3DS eShop)
Hogging the limelight
It's difficult to believe now, but there was a time when Sonic the Hedgehog games were good. Like, really good. Sega's recent efforts have been average at best, tragically bad at their worst (with a few exceptions here and there, mostly on handheld formats). Sonic the Hedgehog 2 falls into the series 'really good' period and so...
September2015
Review Hatsune Miku: Project MIRAI DX (3DS)
Chart-topper
To those who know her, she needs no introduction: Hatsune Miku is a star. To those who don't, she definitely requires some explanation: Hatsune Miku is a 'virtual idol' and the world's most popular Vocaloid, a personification of a software synthesizer given background, personality, and a constant stream of songs to sing by composers and...
August2015
Review 3D Gunstar Heroes (3DS eShop)
Holding out for a hero
Gunstar Heroes charged onto the Sega Mega Drive in 1993, significantly marking the début of quirky developer Treasure - having been formed from ex-Konami staff wanting to go it their own way. Often seen floating near to the top of many 'best game ever' lists, Gunstar Heroes is a bona-fide classic of the 16-bit era that's now...
July2015
Review 3D Streets of Rage 2 (3DS eShop)
Grand Upper
There was a time when playground arguments didn't revolve around resolutions, framerates or what PewDiePie's favourite toast topping is. In the early '90s it was simple; which is the best: Final Fight or Streets of Rage? Final Fight was, for a time, exclusive to Nintendo and jealous Mega Drive owners glared with envy at their smug...
May2015
Review 3D Thunder Blade (3DS eShop)
Get to the chopper!
There was a time in the late '80s when Thunder Blade machines were a fairly common sight in amusement arcades. Yet even with a decent amount of distribution it was never in the same league as its close cousins; the instant visual assault from Sega's flashier and more exciting looking games such as Out Run, After Burner and Space...
April2015
Review 3D Fantasy Zone II (3DS eShop)
Let me be your fantasy
Fantasy Zone II was developed and released for the Sega Master System back in 1987. Unfortunately the limitations of the console (the original Fantasy Zone was built on Sega's more powerful System 16 arcade hardware) crippled the design aspirations; admirable attempts to include new gameplay elements weren't successful and...
March2015
The beautiful journey
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing. For people of a certain age Out Run represents days long past, a wonderful era when arcades reigned supreme and home systems paled in comparison. During this time, many valiant attempts were made to produce a home version of Yu Suzuki's 1986 driving masterpiece. However, the 'Super Scaler'...
February2015
Review 3D Fantasy Zone (3DS eShop)
Blow your mind in a fantasy zone
One of the first 'cute 'em ups' following Konami's Twinbee, Fantasy Zone first launched in Japanese arcades in 1986, but is better known in the west for its decent Master System conversion. Iconic protagonist Opa-Opa also sneaks in cameo appearances in many Sega games, most recently as a playable character in Sonic...
January2015
Review 3D After Burner II (3DS eShop)
The need for speed
Classic ports always fare better when handled by a team that approaches the source game's legacy with the utmost respect, and without a hint of hyperbole 3D After Burner II is a truly exceptional retread. Developer M2 has worked wonders with this re-release of Sega's 1987 arcade cabinet, presenting a faithful port that captures...
December2014
Review Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)
Not as Sonic doomed
Unlike its Wii U counterpart, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on 3DS is an experience that is much more reminiscent of a traditional Sonic game. It takes place with a 2D perspective and your goal is to get to the finish in typical Sonic style — unlike traditional Sonic games however, it's not quite as simple as that. Sonic Boom:...
November2014
Review Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)
Sonic Doomed
Sega's once-venerable Sonic the Hedgehog series has become a bit of a punchline in the gaming industry in recent years. With entries ranging from decent to mediocre to horrible, each new release is met with trepidation and well-earned cynicism. Sonic just hasn't been fully on top since his 16-bit heyday, and while his original 3D...
