Author Profile
- Username
- daveisbored
- Articles
- 173 (171 reviews)
- First Article
- Wed 8th, April 2009
- Avg. Review Score
- 7.0
- Find Them On
- Twitter/X • YouTube
Review Spin Master (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Short but sweet arcade action
The fiendish Dr. De Playne has taken Johnny’s treasure map and his girlfriend Mary. A globe-trotting adventure follows as you attempt to get both back, either by yourself or with the help of a friend who is given control of the identically handling Tom. Despite featuring different characters and a more modern...
Review Blue's Journey (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Unremarkable trip
Pollution caused by the Daruma tribe is causing great harm to the planet Raguy and it’s up to you as Blue to partake in a platforming adventure to defeat this menace and save the Princess Fa. There was no shortage of platformers in the 1990s, but one appearing on the Neo Geo was unusual and with its leaf-stun mechanic and ability...
Review Zed Blade (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Energetic tunes and score chasing shmup action
With these ACA series releases Hamster has ensured that those seeking a retro-gaming fix on Switch have had a steady stream of Neo Geo titles to choose from. As standard, each one comes with useful options to tweak difficulty, remap buttons or play the Japanese version of the game (titled Operation...
Review Super Sidekicks (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
International so-so Soccer
Although primarily known for its fighters, the Neo Geo did host games in a number of other genres and indeed Hamster’s ACA releases have included puzzlers, run and gun titles, shooters and a golf game. Now they bring us football (or "soccer" if you're reading this in North America) simulator Super Sidekicks. The aim of...
Review Aero Fighters 2 (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Awesome Shmup action
Aliens are causing trouble all over the world and it’s up to you to stop them. There’s a variety of colourful characters for you to pick from including a baby, a head-in-a-Jar and a dolphin (no, really) as you take to the skies to save the day. With frantic play, some great music and a dose of the quirky, Video System’s...
Review Samurai Shodown (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Weapon-based wonder
Pick from one of twelve characters, fight one-on-one against the others (and your clone) en-route to a ridiculously-dressed final boss character. Sounds standard fare for a '90s fighting game, but with its 18th century Japan setting and the combatant's use of weapons, Samurai Shodown offered something quite different. If playing...
Review Fatal Fury Special (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Fatal Fury II' Special Champion Edition
With tweaks to the controls and a refined version of the two-plane fighting system, Fatal Fury 2 was a big improvement over the first game in the series, but SNK clearly felt it could do better. Taking a leaf out of Capcom’s book, it went away, added in some stuff and came back with this updated version:...
Review Metal Slug 2 (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Slow Vehicle – 001/II
For those seeking enjoyable run and gun action the first and third Metal Slug games are already available on the Switch’s eShop and now Metal Slug 2 gets the ACA treatment, faithfully recreating the sights, sounds and feel of the original game. Unfortunately, this also includes the extreme slowdown. It doesn’t take much...
Review Gunbarich (Switch eShop)
Ball batting brilliance
A 2001 arcade title, Psikyo’s Gunbarich is now available to purchase from the Switch eShop. A Breakout/Arkanoid-style game, the aim is to bat a ball around the screen destroying all the blocks to move on to the next stage where there is a new arrangement of blocks for you to remove. Along the way there are hazards to mess...
Review Strikers 1945 (Switch eShop)
Classic arcade blasting fun for all
Currently there is no Virtual Console on the Switch, but there are still a few options for those seeking ye olde gaming thrills, such as Namco Museum and the various Neo Geo ACA releases. Now Zerodiv is adding to Switch owners’ retro choices by bringing a number of titles from the Psikyo back catalogue to the...
Review The King of Fighters '99 (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Enjoyable, skip-able fighting fun
Since its beginning the three-vs-three Team-Battling shenanigans of SNK’s The King of Fighters series provided enjoyable fighting action. Each instalment added and tweaked things, culminating in the superb “Dream Match” ’98 edition. This was followed unsurprisingly by The King of Fighters ’99, which...
Review Final Fight 3 (New 3DS / SNES)
Metro City rampage
It was a mistake to come back to Metro City, Guy realised. With the Mad Gear gang defeated he'd hoped for a pleasant day where he could catch up with people, but instead he finds himself in a tricky situation. Stood in the Mayor's office, he's trying desperately not to comment on Haggar's ridiculous ponytail. He can't take it any...
Review Final Fight 2 (New 3DS / SNES)
Samey sequel (sans selling point)
When Final Fight arrived on the SNES it had problems. The port of the side-scrolling beat 'em up classic looked reasonably close to the arcade title, but it cut out the industrial area, the two-player option and playable character Guy as well. A second attempt was made with Final Fight Guy that saw the Bushin ninja...
Review Mega Man X3 (New 3DS / SNES)
Flawed finale
It was 1995 or 1996 (depending on where you lived) and for the third year running Capcom released a Mega Man X game on the SNES. Further games in the series would follow but whilst X's 1-6 would arrive on the GameCube in Mega Man X Collection, Mega Man X3 would be the last in the series for the SNES and now presumably the New Nintendo...
Review Mega Man X2 (New 3DS / SNES)
Extra X
Thanks to 16-bit visual loveliness and some new moves, the first Mega Man X stood out from the many 8-bit Mega Man games that had popped up on the NES and Game Boy. Released the following year, this sequel may lack the freshness of that first title, but Mega Man X2 still provides the expected action-platforming fun, backed by some great...
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...
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 Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Wii U eShop / DS)
New features and more circle-capture adventures
The Oblivia region has tidy beaches, clear seas and lots of sunshine; it's a pleasant place to be whether a human or one of the many free-roaming Pokémon. Things have changed recently, however, with many Pokémon abducted by a villainous gang known as the Pokémon Pinchers (no, really) and it's up to...
Review Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (Wii U eShop / DS)
New region, new Pokémon, similar circling action
During the Pokémon Ranger games you spend a lot of time wandering around catching Pokémon. Captures are different from the main series, however, as Poké Balls are ditched in favour of Capture Stylers, requiring you to use the touch screen to draw circles around the Pokémon with your stylus. The...
Review Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (New 3DS / SNES)
Awesome ape action
Well, here we are again – ape platforming shenanigans from Rare in a game bearing the lengthy packaging title of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble. Thanks to previous Virtual Console releases, all six of Rare's 2D Donkey Kong titles are available on New Nintendo 3DS; with the changing Kong lineup helping to keep...
Review Contra III: The Alien Wars (New 3DS / SNES)
Portable blockbuster
The year is 2636 and some aliens have popped over to earth for a visit. At first it seems they are putting on a fancy light show but then buildings start exploding and the alien wars begin! Contra III: The Alien Wars is a run and gun classic full of action as you "attack aggressively" in an attempt to defeat those pesky...
Review Super Punch-Out!! (New 3DS / SNES)
Thinking with your fists
Thanks to the standard Virtual Console suspension and restore point functions any SNES re-release on New Nintendo 3DS can be played in whatever sized chunks are allowed by your free time and battery life. There are, however, some that work particularly well as a handheld title, such as this game - a game so exciting it needs...
