Retro News
June2008
Will you master the warp gate or lose it all in this technoplasma fuelled shooter?
There has been no shortage of hype surrounding the release of High Voltage's new Tempest-style shooter Gyrostarr. The only problem with having that kind of hype is that the game ultimately has to attempt to live up to it. After complaints of Star Soldier R, the first...
Review Alone in the Dark (Wii)
Spooky goings on in Central Park, would you like to know the truth behind the light?
Atari has taken it upon itself to resurrect Alone in the Dark, the quintessential survival horror game. It's been over 7 years since the last game in the series, not that it matters as this latest incarnation writes an entirely new contemporary story. The game's...
Review Cocoto Fishing Master (WiiWare)
Is this fish a keeper, or should it be thrown back in the water?
The Cocoto “franchise” is a strange one. After cluttering game aisles everywhere with rather generic sounding titles like Kart Racer, Platform Jumper and Tennis Master, the series has come to WiiWare with a bizarre take on virtual fishing. Developed by Paris-based Neko...
Review Block Breaker Deluxe (WiiWare)
Can this Arkanoid clone match the block-breaking fun of its predecessors?
Arkanoid clones were two-a-penny many years ago, particularly on home computers; however gamers have not been treated to many games like this in recent times. It would seem the timing is perfect for Gameloft to bring the first game in their successful cell-phone based Block...
The highly stylised adventure game Okami paints its way onto Wii, but is it a masterpiece?
Okami (Japanese for "wolf"), first released in 2006, was one of the few convincing reasons to still own a PS2. Capcom soon realised that a Wii port would be a good idea, the combination of Wiimote and Nunchuk could perfectly suit the games drawing...
Review Fatal Fury 2 (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Street Fighter 2 it ain't
Although the original Fatal Fury was undoubtedly one of the best challengers to square up to Capcom’s Street Fighter 2, many would argue that SNK’s franchise didn’t really get into its stride until the sequel was released. Improving on the first title in practically every way possible, Fatal Fury 2 was one of the...
Review Nebulus (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
Weird things are happening on Planet Nebulus.
Nebulus (known as Tower Toppler in the US and Castelian in its NES and Game Boy incarnations) is another title from Hewson that is memorable largely due to its idiosyncratic presentation. The game is particularly noted for its striking visual design, and justifiably so, as it takes the basic structure of...
Review Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Virtual Console / Master System)
In Miracle World you'll have to contend with the evil Janken the Great, who will send his henchmen and monsters at you to thwart your progress.
Following the incredible success of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros series, Sega decided that it too needed a platform game with an identifiable mascot. The result was Alex Kidd in Miracle World, which...
Review Last Ninja 2: Back with a Vengeance (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
The Ninja, known as the Mystic Shadow Warriors, were the elite fighting force of Ninth Century Feudal Japan.
The second instalment of the Last Ninja trilogy transports Armakuni to New York, where he must confront the evil Shogun Kunitoki once more. Your travels are once again displayed in a flip screen isometric format, as you explore the...
Review My Pokémon Ranch (WiiWare)
Is this WiiWare release a Dude Ranch or a Dud Ranch?
My Pokémon Ranch follows the franchise’s long, tumultuous history of 3D games with questionable design choices and narrow appeal. Unfortunately, this WiiWare offering is one of the worst offenders due to its strictly passive “gameplay”, ineffectual features, and obtuse design. In fact, MPR...
Review Dig Dug (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Do we dig it?
Pac-Man wasn't the only popular arcade game Namco made. Aside from Galaga, Mappy, and others, there was also Dig Dug. In Dig Dug, your objective is to dig through the earth's soil and eliminate the monsters lurking within it. You can move through the soil (Thus creating tunnels) by simply moving around, but defeating the monsters is...
Review Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Oh baby!
Let's be honest, a platformer built around a tiny baby and his rattle doesn't exactly beam with potential from the start, so it's no small wonder that this game was originally rejected by Nintendo of America at the time it was submitted for release in the US. But if you look at screenshots of Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa and prematurely dismiss...
Review Magnetica Twist (WiiWare)
Does the intuitive Magnetica Twist have hidden depths that make it something to shout about?
It was always likely that WiiWare would provide the perfect platform for the criminally overlooked puzzle genre. These games have always been popular, but given their nature they are often unfairly ignored when sitting next to higher-profile releases such as...
Is this worthy enough to be remembered in the shoot-em-up hall of fame?
Protöthea originally started life as a PC game, developed by Digital Builders back in 2005. It pretty much went unnoticed at the time, so it seems like a strange choice for Ubisoft to use for its debut on the Wii as there's little here in the way of innovation other than the...
Spielberg takes time off from resurrecting Indy to bring us the Wii’s very own version of Jenga
When someone like Steven Spielberg puts his name to a product you know you really should sit up and take notice. The world renowned director of Jurassic Park, ET and countless other films that have made a small fortune at the global box office,...
Review Ninja Combat (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Ninja Combat is a scrolling beat 'em up featuring, as the title suggests, ninjas.
One of the first releases for SNK’s Neo Geo console, Ninja Combat is unsurprisingly a little rough around the edges. Graphically it’s not really a massive leap up from the likes of the SNES or Megadrive/Genesis (bear in mind that when this game was first published...
May2008
Review Burning Fight (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
A poor mans Final Fight
In the early days of the Neo-Geo SNK tried its hardest to cover all of the potential money-making bases of arcade and home console gaming. Fatal Fury catered to the one-on-one fighting crowd, NAM 1975 was an Operation Wolf clone with a difference, and Burning Fight clearly looked towards Capcom’s Final Fight for...
Review Samurai Shodown (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
VICTOLY!
SNK became something of a fighting game factory in the early ‘90s, releasing titles like Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury to capitalize on public interest in the genre that had been kick started by a certain 2D fighting title from Cacpom. However, Samurai Showdown (or Samurai Spirits, as it was known in Japan) marked a real change of pace...
Namco invite us all to Happy Ski mountain for a spot of skiing, Wii style.
We Ski appears speedily from over the cliff face just as Nintendo release Wii Fit with the now infamous Balance Board, which can, and should, be used whilst playing We Ski. At first glance We Ski might sound like just another skiing game with bolted on Balance Board controls,...
Review Family Table Tennis (WiiWare)
Will table tennis fans rally behind this challenger to Wii Sports?
Family Table Tennis is the first WiiWare game to directly compete with Wii Sports and Wii Play -- two games that almost every Wii owner already has. So, is it a waste of your hard earned Wii Points, or a fun, new experience that can be enjoyed alongside Wii Sports Tennis? Read on to...
Review City Connection (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Driving round a bend
City Connection was a moderately popular arcade game in the early '80s. The game stars you as a rather strapping young man driving around the world to paint the roads white in order to prove he's been there. Doesn't make much sense to us, but hey, whatever floats his boat! While doing so you must watch out for cars (including...
Review Paradroid (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
The droid crew of a galactic space freighter have turned against their masters and eradicated every human crew member!
Legendary amongst C64 fans, and one of the highest rated games of the time, Paradroid’s depth of gameplay has kept it a firm favourite over 20 years later. Loosely categorised as a shoot-em-up, this description belies the subtle...
Iron Man? Pssht. More like Tin Can!
Iron Man is one of those games that is just mediocre in everyway. It’s not broken but instead it’s simply no fun to play. From the mundane level design to the sloppy graphics, Iron Man is playable but no fun at all. It’s almost exactly what we expect from a movie tie-in. Based on the recent movie release,...
Review Critter Round-Up (WiiWare)
The animals aren't the only thing that stink in this mediocre WiiWare release.
Critter Round-Up has been branded by many people as an animal-themed version of the classic arcade game Qix. While that description isn't too far off the mark, there's more to it than simply boxing in area on the screen, but unfortunately it's not enough to keep this...
Review Dr. Mario Online RX (WiiWare)
Zany pill-popping madness with Nintendo's favourite son.
Dr. Mario was the perfect NES game. A bold, simple statement to start this review, but never has a sentence rang so true in the ears of our peers. This was a game that combined mad colours, infectious soundtracks and a delightful twist on the classic Tetris formula and is (in our opinion) the...
Is this Toki Tori's grand comeback or is our feathered friend best left forgotten?
In 1994, the relatively unknown Dutch company, Fony, released a quirky little game called Eggbert for the MSX home computer. The system was never really all that popular outside Japan, but a few European countries (the Netherlands included) had quite a big fan base...
Review Star Soldier R (WiiWare)
Does Star Soldier R have enough fire-power to satisfy shooter fans?
The shoot 'em up genre has been lacking for many years now, so it's no real surprise that shooter fans have been anxiously awaiting Hudson's newest entry in their Star Soldier series. WiiWare seems like the perfect fit for a good old-fashioned space shoot 'em up, but many fans have...
Review Sky Kid (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
We're not kidding
Sky Kid is a NES port of the arcade game with the same name. You play as the Red Baron or Blue Max, both famous World War I pilots. Your mission is to fly through hordes of enemy formations, pick up a bomb, and drop it on the enemy's headquarters or main weapon. It is noteworthy that in this game, unlike most shoot 'em ups, you go...
Review Gley Lancer (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
In the year 2025, a war breaks out between humans and a hostile alien race.
The Virtual Console certainly isn’t short of 2D shooters. We’ve seen some excellent (and not so excellent) examples of the genre come and go, but most of the games we’ve experienced so far are retro classics and will have been familiar to fans already. Gley Lancer, on...
Review Digital Champ: Battle Boxing (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Digital Champ Battle Boxing is a first-person-perspective boxing title that plunges players into the raw intensity of the ring!
When it was first released in 1989 Digital Champ caused quite a stir. Boxing games up to this point had been graphically modest affairs; Punch Out! was (and some would say, still is) the title of choice for prospective...
Review Star Parodier (Wii Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Cute'em-up.
Star Parodier is not only one of the best cute'em-ups ever created, it's also one of the best shooters ever made as well. Combining sugary sweet visuals, a stunning musical score, and some of the most responsive play control ever found in a shooter, Star Parodier proves that video game spoofs can be every bit as good, if not better, than...
Review Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (WiiWare)
Is this a game fit for a king or a pauper?
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, is the first WiiWare game from SquareEnix and they obviously spared no expense in putting this title together. Instead of pitting you in the fighting role, as in most normal Final Fantasy titles, this game puts you in the role of King and allows you full...
Review Defend Your Castle (WiiWare)
XGen takes a Flash game favourite and gives it a lick of WiiWare coloured paint.
Some time ago XGen Studios released a free Flash version of Defend Your Castle which unwittingly spawned a small following of loyal defenders. The game was unquestionably entertaining, but here at WiiWare World we don’t want to waste our time encouraging carpal tunnel...
Step on up to the Wheel of Fortune
TV Show King makes us wonder what the difference is between a video game and a regular game. We're aware that they’re judged by different criteria; for instance, no one complains that Monopoly hasn’t updated its look in about fifty years, while the control scheme of Hungry, Hungry Hippos would be lambasted by...
Review V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack (WiiWare)
Is success on the cards or is this game serving up a bum deal?
Is the gamble worth it? That is a valid question when looking at what this game has to offer for the 700 points you'll be paying for it. As you can tell from the title alone, the only game featured here is the well-known Blackjack, and in that respect it may seem a bit bare-bones. But as...
'Once you pop, you just can't stop' is proved to be true in this excellent WiiWare launch title.
Pop, as the title suggests, is a game where you pop bubbles. But don’t be fooled by the deceptive simplicity of this idea; there’s more to it than might be apparent at first glance. First of all, Pop has a timer that counts down; if you don't pop...
Is LostWinds the innovative platformer Wii fans were hoping for, or just a lot of hot air?
Let's face it, the Wii has already had its fair share of below-average platformers, so it comes as no surprise that, despite the enormous amount of hype surrounding Frontier Development's LostWinds title, Wii owners have approached the game with a certain...
Review Metal Slug (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Overthrow General Morden and win back the stolen weapon!
This game might be a bit redundant - seven of the games in the Metal Slug series were already released on the Wii in collective form as Metal Slug Anthology. However, none of the games on that disc allow for classic controller use, so if you desperately want to use it, then you have no choice...
Review Break In (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
A bit of a break from the norm of Naxat Soft's other games.
Break In could have been a great game where you could play a burglar trying to steal some precious jewels; instead it is pool game simulator. These games used to be ten a penny in the arcade halls of old so it is only fitting that some home conversions were made. I am no expert on the game...
Review Cho Aniki (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Idaten or Benten are celestial warriors who are out to bring an end to the tyrannical rule of the emperor of Planet Builder.
The Japanese are often accused of creating some seriously weird and wonderful videogames. While this reputation is often underserved (with games like Jet Set Willy, Western developers are just as guilty of producing bonkers...
Review Renegade (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
A beat-em-up best forgotten
Technos' Double Dragon became a household name and River City Ransom gained rave reviews from all and sundry, but people often forget that the company also released Renegade on the NES, forming what many fans deem to be a classic trilogy of 8-bit fighting games. Sadly, Renegade is easily the worst of this trio. Although...
Review Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Gordon the Gofer
This is an almost arcade-perfect port of the arcade version of Gradius II, which was also known as Vulcan Adventure. Konami made no compromises in choosing the PC Engine’s Super CD format to release this game on, and the music sounds better than ever as a result. Sadly this never made it to the west as a TurboGrafx-CD game, so...
Review Final Soldier (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Once again its your job to protect the Galactic Empire from an alien invasion using nothing but your trusty starfighter.
There were basically three Star Soldier releases for the PC Engine/Turbografx-16 system, not counting the cute 'em up spin-off Star Parodier. Two of those releases, Super Star Soldier and Soldier Blade, saw a release in the US...
April2008
Review World Games (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
Look out, world. Here we come!
After the well received Summer and Winter Games, Epyx turned their attention to various events from around the globe and brought us World Games. As before, you have the choice of which events to play, and can compete with up to 8 players (each picking a country to represent). Only two of the eight events allow for...
Review Double Dragon (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Single Dragon
Double Dragon is a classic NES game that was immensely popular in its day, so much so that it led to a string of sequels. Predictably the NES conversion of the arcade original made some compromises and changes to the game, so the question is whether it stands up well in the current day. In terms of differences from the arcade version,...
Review The Last Ninja (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
The evil Shogun Kunitoki has long envied the powers of the Ninja brotherhood and would do anything to acquire their knowledge.
Critically acclaimed at the time, and still praiseworthy today, The Last Ninja sees you exploring several superbly detailed environments on your quest to defeat the evil Kunitoki. Picking up weapons along the way, you...
Review Phantasy Star III (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
As Rhys, the crown prince of the Orakian kingdom of Landen
By the time Phantasy Star III was released the series was well on its way to becoming a solid favourite with Western Sega fans, having already become pretty famous in its homeland Japan. With the third game Sega decided to make some sweeping alterations, but the core gameplay fundamentally...
The most difficult game we’ll ever have to review
Why? Simply because there are a number of angles and routes we could take to determine the final verdict. Those different routes would end up giving extremely different verdicts and so it is from this point of the review that we have to pick our destination carefully. To get straight to the point:...
Review SEGA Bass Fishing (Wii)
Grab your rods boys, it's time to fish.
SEGA invite you back once again into the world of arcade rehashes, bringing one of its more bizarre titles of the 90s onto the Wii. SEGA Bass Fishing which landed on Dreamcast in 1999 was a direct port of the some-what successful arcade game of the same name. With the appealing control possibilities of Wii, it...
Review Impossible Mission (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
During the past three days, key military computer installations of every major world power have reported security failures.
Impossible Mission is highly regarded as one of the classic Commodore 64 titles, particularly impressive given that it was one of the earliest games released for the system. The considerable success of the game led to numerous...
Review Fantasy Zone (Virtual Console / Master System)
Take command of the spaceship Opa-Opa and blast your way through various fantastical levels as you try to take out all the enemy bases in each stage.
Fantasy Zone is one of those great forgotten franchises from the 8-bit/16-bit era that enjoyed lots of attention back in its heyday but tends to be ignored these days. Featuring the exploits of the...
Review California Games (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
California knows how to party.
The fifth game in Epyx’s highly respected multi-event sports game series, California Games offered just 6 events, as opposed to the 7 or 8 of previous instalments. That’s not to say it suffers as a result, because some of the new events arguably have a lot more depth than, say, sprinting or weight lifting. As in...
Review Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! (DS)
Brains. Yum.
Picture the scene; you’re happily going about your business one day when suddenly a vast armada of evil alien Brain Thingys descends from the sky and rapidly proceeds to zap your friends and relatives with deadly lasers. Those they don’t fry to a crisp they turn into mindless robots via malevolent mind-control, and order them to lay...
Review Bases Loaded (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Not quite a home run.
To herald the start of the new baseball season in the USA, it seems fitting that Bases Loaded should get a Virtual Console release. When this was first released on the NES twenty years ago there wasn’t really much that came close to it. The simple, yet innovative gameplay struck a home run with baseball fans all over the...
The way of the warrior is one of balance and harmony.
Wolf-san! EA invite us to join them in the secret ancient world of the Japanese Ninja. Bringing together a handful of mini games, the developers aim to train your senses in the martial art to help you reach a higher power. The way of the warrior is one of "balance and harmony". The...
Review Yoshi's Cookie (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Mmmm, cookies!
Another Mario puzzler? Say it ain't so! Like Yoshi (Mario & Yoshi in Europe), Yoshi's Cookie is less well known than Dr. Mario and Wario's Woods, mainly because, well, it's not that interesting. To its merit, it's not another falling block puzzler. In fact, this is one of the more unique puzzlers on Virtual Console. The objective...
Review Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (Wii)
Right on target, or way off the mark?
Konami's flagship Pro Evolution Soccer (Winning Eleven in other territories) series really caught the gaming world's attention with its fourth release, a beautifully playable and engrossing take on football. Since then it's become even more popular, and now rivals EA's FIFA brand in the sales stakes. However,...
Review Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer (DS)
The biggest Japanese RPG series you've never heard of gets a new lease of life on the DS
ChunSoft’s Mystery Dungeon series (better known as Fushigi no Dungeon in its native Japan) has been running for more than a decade and has become linked with other famous videogame brands such as Pokemon, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Amazingly, despite the...
Review Wonder Boy (Virtual Console / Master System)
Small Wonder
Wonder Boy was one of the first games I got for my beloved Sega Master System. Having played the original arcade game on seaside weekends of my youth it seemed amazing to have such a faithful conversion of the game in my bedroom at the time. The hero of the game, Tom-Tom isn’t known for providing in-car navigation, rather he is...
March2008
Review Uridium (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
15 Super-Dreadnought ships have invaded your galaxy, each looking to steal a different precious metal.
Uridium is a much loved classic amongst Commodore 64 enthusiasts. Well known for its fast-paced gameplay and unique game mechanics, at least some of that reputation is deserved. Designer Andrew Braybrook was known for his idiosyncratic but...
Review Cruis'n USA (Virtual Console / Nintendo 64)
Put pedal to metal and hang on for a wild ride across the highways of America!
One of the first games to be announced for Nintendo’s 64-bit console, Cruis’n USA was given a fair amount of attention when it was first released; for the 32-bit generation, driving games that had established the credentials of rival machines (Ridge Racer for the...
Review International Karate (Virtual Console / Commodore 64)
It's karate time!
You could almost hear the groans of disappointment when this game was announced for the Virtual Console, simply because the sequel, "International Karate Plus", is so legendary. But that's a disservice to the original, as it is a strong game in its own right. Those looking for a quick pick-up-and-play brawler will be...
Review Guilty Gear XX Accent Core (Wii)
Make sure you've got your Classic Controller handy for this one
Few genres possess the stubborn nature of the 2D fighter. Whereas other game types evolve over time and strive to incorporate new and innovative features that not only make them easier to play but also more enjoyable, the 2D brawler is perfectly content to remain static. But before you...
Review Powerball (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Who will be the powerball champ?
This forgotten futuristic sports game by Namco undoubtedly takes some inspiration from Speedball 2, which was really popular at the time. The basic premise is that Powerball is a futuristic sport that takes the brutal elements of rugby or American football and mixes them with soccer. You can play as eight different...
Review King's Knight (Virtual Console / NES)
In the kingdom of Izander, the fair Princess Claire has been kidnapped by a foul and insidious dragon, and it is the mission of four brave fighters to save her.
Since the inception of the Virtual Console, fans have been waiting hopefully for many must-have titles; people usually have one game they’re especially fond of and would like to see given...
Review House of the Dead 2&3 Return (Wii)
Ah House of the Dead, welcome to the Wii.
Since it's inception in back in the 90s SEGA's "House of the Dead" has arguably become the next biggest zombie series behind Capcom's infamous Resident Evil. SEGA's decision to bring the zombie-fest to the Wii comes as no real surprise since recent successful releases of other "light gun"...
Ninja Reflex is essentially a minigame collection in the same vain as Brain Training, Maths Training, Sight Training, Potty Training and Learn-To-Walk-With-Nintendo. Ok so I made the last two up but you get the idea.
The only real exception with Ninja Reflex is that instead of teaching you everyday things, this game teaches you how to be a ninja –...
Review Mega Turrican (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
The Machine has enslaved the galaxy under its tyrannical rule.
I know what you’re all thinking: why have another Turrican title on the Virtual Console when we’ve only recently been blessed with the delights of the sublime Super Turrican – especially when you consider these 16-bit titles look very much the same? However, while it’s true that...
Review SEGA Superstars Tennis (Wii)
Sega’s next sporting smash hit?
It seems his recent athletic clash with Mario has rubbed off on Sonic: here he is with fifteen friends in a brightly coloured, special move-filled variation on good old lawn tennis, not unlike the plumber’s N64, Game Boy Advance and Gamecube outings, on the surface at least. This isn’t a simple formula rip,...
Otaku assassin Travis Touchdown finally lands on European shores - has the wait been worthwhile?
When you fire up a game and see that the loading screen proudly proclaims that ‘Punk’s not dead’, you know you’re in for something of an unorthodox experience. The enigmatic Suda 51 and his team at Grasshopper Manufacture are arguably one of the...
Review Spelunker (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Going underground
Spelunker is a blast from the past. It started out life on home computers such as the Commodore 64 and was eventually ported to the NES. The game’s protagonist is tasked with working their way down a giant cave to find the great treasure that is rumoured to be hidden within the depths. Along the way, perils such as water, uneven...
Review Super R-Type (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
The BYDO Empire is back!
That naughty Bydo Empire! You would have thought they would have learnt their lesson last time when a solitary R-9 craft kicked their butt so badly. Alas, they are back and wreaking havoc wherever they go. Time for you to save the universe, again! Super R-Type was one of the earlier games released on the Super Nintendo. It...
Review Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
Perhaps the greatest game of this generation? Hmm... maybe, just maybe.
Smash Bros.? What's Smash Bros.? If you are a Wii owner asking that question, you'll get many funny looks from other gamers that wonder where you have been the past ten years. Super Smash Bros. is perhaps Nintendo's most successful franchise (in terms of sales per game) in the...
Review DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Doremi Fasol Latido
If you ever read a list of the top 10 platform games on the SNES you will more likely than not see favourites such as Super Mario World and Yoshi’s Island hogging the top spots with DK Country following closely behind. Sadly, DoReMi Fantasy would rarely feature in such a list despite a modest loyal following in the gaming...
Review Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
More Puyo Puyo fun for the Virtual Console.
We’ve already experienced the first Puyo Puyo title on the Virtual Console, although you may not have noticed as the western version was retooled as Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. As far as laying down the foundations of the Puyo Puyo franchise, it’s not a bad game at all, but it was undoubtedly...
Review Bleach: Blade of Fate (DS)
Finally - a fighting game DS owners can be proud of
Although the DS has witnessed some truly amazing titles in its lifetime, one genre that has singularly failed to translate effectively to the format is the fighting game. While the PSP has experienced some particularly impressive brawlers (despite its woeful d-pad which is put firmly in the shade...
News Hardware Focus - Commodore 64
In 1982, TIME magazine named the home computer as its annual "Man of the Year".
It was a non-specific award, given to home computers in general, but looking back, it could be argued that the Commodore 64 deserved the accolade more than most; although TIME had no way of knowing it back then, the C64 went on to become the best-selling home computer...
Review Bleach: Shattered Blade (Wii)
Death Gods, Swords, and Lots of Hair Gel- Yes, its Bleach!
Its not very often you see a game where the main character is a bad-ass orange haired Death God- who's Japanese name, correct me if I am wrong, is 'Strawberry'- wielding a sword embedded with a soul. And its not very often that you see me create such a poor lead-in to a review. So let me cut...
Review Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii)
What an odd craze that swept the gaming world...
Guitar Hero has led the way for music games into the mainstream and has shown there's more to this genre than Dance Dance Revolution and StepMania. Harmonix, previously working with RedOctane and Activision, developed Guitar Hero for the PlayStation 2 oblivious to the incredible amount of popularity...
Review Super Turrican (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
You are Bren McGuire, on a United Planets Freedom Forces mission to save the peaceful planet Katakis from the Machine.
Ever wondered what happens when a Western developer takes inspiration from the Japanese and decides to create a ‘run and gun’ game with flashy graphics, amazing special effects and killer gameplay? Well wonder no more, because...
February2008
Review Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)
Not Kirby's finest hour
Since the first Kirby game, we've seen our puffy pink friend in a series of high quality platform adventures (not to mention spin-offs) up until the release of Kirby 64 back in 2000. Despite predictably rendering Kirby's world in 3D for the first time, true to form for a N64 outing our pals at HAL Laboratories have retained...
Review Psychosis (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
This is a side-scrolling shooter played in a world created from the mind of a twisted demon.
The PC Engine/TG-16 is a machine that is famous for its wide and diverse range of shooting titles, but Psychosis (also known as Paranoia in Japan) is one title that you might not be familiar with, despite the fact that it was deemed worthy of a Western...
Review Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Wii)
Sonic, grab your hoverboard there's a race to win!
Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off racing series, Sonic Riders, returns in the form of "Zero Gravity", a sequel to the 2006 original. Unlike your standard racing game, SRZG actually has quite alot of story. Sonic and friends have been alerted about crazed robots from "MeteorTech"...
Review Asterix at the Olympic Games (Wii)
Asterix joins the race for Olympic glory, can he and Obelix gain the gold medal?
With Beijing hosting this years summer Olympic games it was no surprise that a number of Olympic themed games have appeared on this years calendar. Atari must of been kicking themselves when SEGA released Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, pretty much claiming all...
Review River City Ransom (NES)
Big trouble in River City
Street Gangs — known as River City Ransom in North America — is a strange game. It's one of many in the extremely popular Japanese "Kunio-kun" series, which started in the arcade and is still going strong today, with the latest instalment being on the DS. Every game in the series has the same main character, Kunio, but...
Review Transformers: Decepticons (DS)
Transformers: Decepticons is practically the same game as the Autobots edition told from the angle of the “evil” Starscream as opposed to the “heroic” Optimus Prime.
All the gameplay flaws are present (see our review of Transformers: Autobots for the full details) the only difference being you are treated with a whole new set of cut-scenes...
Review Transformers: Autobots (DS)
I, like most other Transformers fans was pretty upset to hear that my “backpocket interest” was to be thrust into the mainstream once again.
Having loved The Transformers since I was very young sometimes it’s pretty irritating hearing all the tweens talking about something you’ve loved so much longer than them. It must be some kind of...
News Five GameCube Games That Should Come To Wii
Wiivival
Given the GameCube's wonderful back-catalogue, here are five games we'd love to see come to the Wii. The PlayStation 2 had already run away with the “console war crown" a good year or so before the GameCube's launch and Nintendo's box never really packed any kind of punch worthy enough of denting Sony's dominance. With Microsoft...
Review Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
One sequel too many
Ninja Gaiden is practically a household name now thanks to the fantastic Xbox title and the very promising (not to mention gory) next-gen sequel. The NES original is still fairly well known and fondly remembered, but the two 8-bit sequels are more obscure. If you’re one of the many people that weren’t aware of this third NES...
Review Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS)
Mario and Sonic are back sooner than you think in the DS version of SEGA's biggest hit in 10 years.
With Beijing only a few months away SEGA (finally) bring us the handheld dose of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, a game that wasoriginally to be released along side the Wii version in November. Better late than never, that's what we say. Mario...
Review Phantasy Star II (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by fans
The original Phantasy Star never really had the impact it deserved, mainly thanks to the fact that its host platform - the Sega Master System – failed to sell in significant numbers in the US. The series would have to wait until the introduction of the Genesis/Megadrive before it would gain...
Review Lords of Thunder (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Lords of Thunder is a side-scrolling shooter that has you take on the role of a legendary warrior, blasting enemies to heavy-metal tunes.
TG16 fans thought they’d died and gone to heaven when Gate of Thunder was published for the system. A shooter of truly epic magnitude, it rocketed the underrated machine to the top of the pile when it came to...
Review 42 All-Time Classics (DS)
The problem with compilations is that as a general rule of thumb, they tend to feature a handful of good games, with the rest being a load of all tat just there to make up the numbers or act as padding.
It's even worse if you come across some of those packs that boast over a thousand games, only to discover that actually, there are probably ten...
We know what you are thinking.
You have looked at the score at the bottom of the page, noticed that it is quite high and wondering how on earth a Sudoku package could possibly be rated so highly. The answer is that it isn't the Sudoku that holds our interest, it's the rather well hidden mode of picture puzzle that has us gripped, otherwise known as...
Review Metroid Prime Pinball (DS)
Morph (pin)ball
“Chalk and cheese” is a phrase usually used when comparing two objects of juxtaposing qualities. Such a phrase could be applied to the titles “Metroid Prime” and “pinball”, so it's quite a compliment to developers “Fuse Games” that it merged these two contrasting entities into an enjoyable DS game. Metroid Prime...
Review Columns III: Revenge of Columns (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Oooh it's the revenge of Columns - I'm really scared!
Sega’s answer to Tetris is back once again. The first Columns has already been released on the Virtual Console and Sega never bothered to port the Columns II arcade game to the Megadrive/Genesis, so we swiftly move on to Columns III. While not terribly innovative in terms of concept, the...
Review Operation Wolf (Virtual Console / NES)
Operation initiated! Rescue the prisoners!
Operation Wolf was a massive hit in arcades when it was released in 1987. Although the concept of light gun games wasn’t a new one, Taito’s imposing arcade cabinet (replete with uber-cool replica Uzi) certainly made a lasting impact on gamers worldwide. Predictably, it was ported to pretty much every...
News Hardware Focus - Sega Master System
When Nintendo announced that the Virtual Console would be supporting the Sega Master System console you can bet that there were a fair few American gamers scratching their heads in a rather quizzical manner.
The console was a complete failure in the US thanks to a combination of poor marketing, terrible distribution, woefully misjudged software...
January2008
Let love be your energy in this forgotten Gamecube gem
Initially a game on the ill-fated 64DD add-on, Doshin the Giant puts you in control of the titular yellow fellow, and charges you with the care of an island of tribesmen and women. How you care for them is left entirely up to you. As a friendly sort of god, Doshin is capable of gently raising...
Review Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Street Fighter made super
Gazing back into the mists of time, you can’t help but be amazed that Capcom managed to get everyone so excited about each new Street Fighter II update. On the Virtual Console alone we’ve already had two versions of the game, and now here’s the third! Thankfully, the improvements between the first SNES release and the...
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