Latest Reviews of Arika Games
Review Endless Ocean: Luminous (Switch) - A Meditative Marine Milieu, But Incredibly Shallow
Endless, unfortunately
There are a whole bunch of, well, let's say 'Wii-centric' video games from the history vaults that, in theory, seem like they might be a bit of fun to revisit on Nintendo Switch. You know the sort of thing, usually pairing some new-fangled/novelty control scheme with an activity you'd never tried in a game before; making...
Layer scrape
Back in the mid-1990s, when Capcom was feeling pressure from 3D fighters like Tekken and Virtua Fighter, they published their own 3D version of Street Fighter called Street Fighter EX. It was actually outsourced to a company called Arika, founded by ex-Capcom employee Akira Nishitani, who had previously worked as a designer on Street...
Review Super Mario Bros. 35 (Switch) - A Six-Month Jolt Of Life For An Iconic Classic
The sweetest plumb
The original Super Mario Bros. has been officially re-released no fewer than 19 different times over its 35-year history. From graphical updates (Super Mario All-Stars) to handheld upgrades (Super Mario Bros. Deluxe), to various Virtual Console re-releases and most recently its inclusion in Switch Online’s NES catalogue, if...
Review Tetris 99 (Switch) - A Revolutionary Take On A Puzzle Classic
Apex who?
If you’d have asked us, just a few days ago, for a comprehensive list of video game series which we could imagine in a 'Battle Royale' format, Tetris would have been right at the bottom. Splatoon could be a good shout with a lot of tweaking, and maybe even an ultra-cruel Pikmin showdown – heck, we’d even put Nintendogs higher in the...
Review Dr. Luigi (Wii U eShop)
Just what the doctor ordered?
Nintendo ends the Year of Luigi with Dr. Luigi, a puzzler that feels more like a green, L-shaped re-skin of the Dr. Mario series than a true sequel, due to its identical gameplay, much of the same music, and simplistic visuals. Fortunately, Luigi proves to be just as good a doctor as his more experienced brother, and...
Review 3D Classics: Urban Champion (3DSWare)
3D Classic, huh? Well, they're half right...
You really have to feel bad for the team assigned to updating Urban Champion. After all, it's not a game that's very fondly remembered; in fact, you're unlikely to find many positive reviews at all, even from when it was new. It's also a stretch to say that it set the framework for fighting games to...
Review 3D Classics: Excitebike (3DSWare)
Very Excite
Excitebike was never about throwing pies. Sometimes we forget that. The game's first sequel, Excitebike 64, was a near-racing sim, with at-the-time cutting edge, realistic graphics, and a plethora of tricks and combos — no doubt a response to the massive popularity of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater franchise, while the two Excite games for...
Review Bust-A-Move Universe (3DS)
Burst bubble
Bub and Bob may have started out capturing foes with their crazy dinosaur bubble breath by day and moonlighting as arcade puzzle game stars, but the latter of which we can only imagine to be the more lucrative field as it morphed into their full-time job. It's easy to see how this happened: Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble is incredibly fun...
Review Metal Torrent (DSiWare)
Bullet hell with training wheels
Most gamers are familiar with "bullet hell" shooters: shoot-'em-ups with so many enemy projectiles that over half the screen is covered in them at most times. Despite this, however, many Western gamers haven't actually played any (as a lot of them are Japan-exclusive) and only know them from YouTube videos...
Review Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep (Wii)
What lurks beneath?
2007’s Endless Ocean was a true original: a diving game that made little attempt to be a game, basing most of its gameplay around just touching fish. As part of the Touch Generations range it clearly appealed to enough aspiring divers to merit a sequel, but it’s certainly changed from the inviting warm waters of the Manaurai...
Latest Arika Articles
News Arika Officially Developing New Entry In 'Tetris: The Grand Master' Series
"Coming in 2025"
If you need more Tetris in your life, Arika has announced it's signed a license agreement for a new Tetris game. It's been confirmed it will be a new entry in the developer's 'The Grand Master' series and is arriving at some point in 2025. According to a translation of Arika's official PR, the new title is based on the concept of...
News Surprise! Hamster Is Bringing The Hardest Tetris Series To Switch eShop Next Week
Tetris: The Grand Master joins Arcade Archives
If you think you've played all the Tetris games, think again! The Japan-only 1998 title Tetris: The Grand Master will be receiving a Switch eShop release next week on December 1st. Hamster Corp will be adding this Arika title to its well-known Arcade Archive series, so there's a good chance there'll be...
News Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash Adds "Next Generation Of Netcode" In April Update
New and improved
Update [Fri 1st Apr, 2022 04:45 BST]: This latest update for Fighter EX Layer: Another Dash is now live. Here's a trailer showing it off in action: Original article [Tue 22nd Mar, 2022 03:25 GMT]: When Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash made its debut on the Nintendo Switch last May, we described it as a solid Street Fighter EX...
News Capcom, SEGA, SNK, And More Are Back In The Ring For A Third Fighting Game Roundtable
Round 3... fight!
The third iteration of the Japan Fighting Game Publisher Roundtable kicks off on 21st March! Starting at 3:00 pm JST - that's 6:00 am UK time, so make sure you've got your coffee - the live stream will feature members of Arc System Works, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Arika, SEGA, and SNK, who will discuss all things beat 'em up and...
Random Tetris: The Grand Master Home Port Announcement Revealed By Announcement Delay
Well, that's one way of doing it
Tetris: The Grand Master is a series of really hard Tetris games developed for arcades by Japanese company Arika – and it looks like they're finally coming to home consoles. The news broke following a tweet from Arika vice-president Ichiro Mihara, who stated that the official announcement of the ports was supposed...
Video Remembering The 3D Classics NES Range On Nintendo 3DS
The "definitive way" to play these retro releases
Remember when Nintendo got Arika to bring a bunch of NES games to the 3DS? These games were part of the short running series known as the 3D Classics line, which contained six games like Kirby's Adventure and Kid Icarus, and even had a stereoscopic 3D enhancement. The series kicked off with 3D...
News Western Switch Release Date Of Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash Has Changed Yet Again
Update: Less time to wait, though!
Update #3 [Thu 29th Apr, 2021 11:35 BST]: The western release date has been changed again – but it's good news! The previously proposed release date of May 27th has been changed to May 20th. Update #2 [Fri 16th Apr, 2021 01:00 BST]: If you've been wondering what's going on with the release of Fighting
News Skullo Mania Joins The Cast Of SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy
"Enter the Skullolady"
The roster in SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy continues to expand. Leading up to the game's release earlier this month, SNK unveiled Square Enix's Thief Arthur would be added as a DLC fighter. In the latest trailer announcement, "Skullo Mania" - crossing over from Arika's Fighting EX Layer - has now be
A surprise catch
Take a moment to reflect on the Nintendo Wii generation and you’ll likely remember Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii and perhaps even Wii Fit. One title made available early on in the system's life that didn’t get as much attention was the scuba diving game Endless Ocean. Originally released in Japan as Forever Blue
News Dr. Luigi announced for Wii U eShop
The Year of Luigi continues
During today’s Nintendo Direct presentations it was announced that Dr. Luigi will be coming to the Wii eShop. Based on the classic puzzler Dr. Mario, Dr. Luigi also requires players to line up colour-coded pills to destroy viruses. Dr. Luigi offers an original mode called 'Operation L' where the pills are, of course,...
Nintendo Download 24th May 2010 (North America)
Games!
Metal, Poker, "Saucy Jack" and Circuits for DSi and Art Style, Viruses and Monkeys on the Wii this week in North America DSiWare: Metal Torrent (500pts – Nintendo) – Nintendo dips its toes into the bullet-hell shooting arena via developer Arika's latest DSiWare game. This has been out in Japan for a while and was published in Europe...
Nintendo Download 7th May 2010 (Europe)
Darts and Fantasy on the Wii; stories, shooting, bricks and music for DSi this week
Virtual Console: Final Fantasy (600pts NES - Square Enix) --The one that started it all and was never released in Europe has finally arrived on our shores. Of course as a Hanabi Festival release it's 100 Points dearer than what our North American and Japanese cousins...
First Impressions Aa Mujō Setsuna
Lots of flash; not much substance
Nintendo isn't exactly known for publishing shooters, much less shooters of the "bullet hell" variety, but that's exactly what we have here. Developed by Arika and recently shown at the Nintendo Media event in North America as Metal Torrent, Aa Mujō Setsuna is certainly one of the most graphically...
News New Endless Ocean 2 Videos and Screens Surface
The sequel to 2007's swim 'em up looking mighty fine.
With all the excitement of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, you may well need a bit of a sitdown and some relaxation, which is handy really as Nintendo have just released a batch of new screenshots and a freshly caught video of Endless Ocean 2: Beautiful...
News Arika Officially Developing New Entry In 'Tetris: The Grand Master' Series
"Coming in 2025"
If you need more Tetris in your life, Arika has announced it's signed a license agreement for a new Tetris game. It's been confirmed it will be a new entry in the developer's 'The Grand Master' series and is arriving at some point in 2025. According to a translation of Arika's official PR, the new title is based on the concept of...
News Surprise! Hamster Is Bringing The Hardest Tetris Series To Switch eShop Next Week
Tetris: The Grand Master joins Arcade Archives
If you think you've played all the Tetris games, think again! The Japan-only 1998 title Tetris: The Grand Master will be receiving a Switch eShop release next week on December 1st. Hamster Corp will be adding this Arika title to its well-known Arcade Archive series, so there's a good chance there'll be...
News Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash Adds "Next Generation Of Netcode" In April Update
New and improved
Update [Fri 1st Apr, 2022 04:45 BST]: This latest update for Fighter EX Layer: Another Dash is now live. Here's a trailer showing it off in action: Original article [Tue 22nd Mar, 2022 03:25 GMT]: When Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash made its debut on the Nintendo Switch last May, we described it as a solid Street Fighter EX...
News Capcom, SEGA, SNK, And More Are Back In The Ring For A Third Fighting Game Roundtable
Round 3... fight!
The third iteration of the Japan Fighting Game Publisher Roundtable kicks off on 21st March! Starting at 3:00 pm JST - that's 6:00 am UK time, so make sure you've got your coffee - the live stream will feature members of Arc System Works, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Arika, SEGA, and SNK, who will discuss all things beat 'em up and...
Random Tetris: The Grand Master Home Port Announcement Revealed By Announcement Delay
Well, that's one way of doing it
Tetris: The Grand Master is a series of really hard Tetris games developed for arcades by Japanese company Arika – and it looks like they're finally coming to home consoles. The news broke following a tweet from Arika vice-president Ichiro Mihara, who stated that the official announcement of the ports was supposed...
Video Remembering The 3D Classics NES Range On Nintendo 3DS
The "definitive way" to play these retro releases
Remember when Nintendo got Arika to bring a bunch of NES games to the 3DS? These games were part of the short running series known as the 3D Classics line, which contained six games like Kirby's Adventure and Kid Icarus, and even had a stereoscopic 3D enhancement. The series kicked off with 3D...
News Western Switch Release Date Of Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash Has Changed Yet Again
Update: Less time to wait, though!
Update #3 [Thu 29th Apr, 2021 11:35 BST]: The western release date has been changed again – but it's good news! The previously proposed release date of May 27th has been changed to May 20th. Update #2 [Fri 16th Apr, 2021 01:00 BST]: If you've been wondering what's going on with the release of Fighting
News Skullo Mania Joins The Cast Of SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy
"Enter the Skullolady"
The roster in SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy continues to expand. Leading up to the game's release earlier this month, SNK unveiled Square Enix's Thief Arthur would be added as a DLC fighter. In the latest trailer announcement, "Skullo Mania" - crossing over from Arika's Fighting EX Layer - has now be
A surprise catch
Take a moment to reflect on the Nintendo Wii generation and you’ll likely remember Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii and perhaps even Wii Fit. One title made available early on in the system's life that didn’t get as much attention was the scuba diving game Endless Ocean. Originally released in Japan as Forever Blue
News Dr. Luigi announced for Wii U eShop
The Year of Luigi continues
During today’s Nintendo Direct presentations it was announced that Dr. Luigi will be coming to the Wii eShop. Based on the classic puzzler Dr. Mario, Dr. Luigi also requires players to line up colour-coded pills to destroy viruses. Dr. Luigi offers an original mode called 'Operation L' where the pills are, of course,...
Nintendo Download 24th May 2010 (North America)
Games!
Metal, Poker, "Saucy Jack" and Circuits for DSi and Art Style, Viruses and Monkeys on the Wii this week in North America DSiWare: Metal Torrent (500pts – Nintendo) – Nintendo dips its toes into the bullet-hell shooting arena via developer Arika's latest DSiWare game. This has been out in Japan for a while and was published in Europe...
Nintendo Download 7th May 2010 (Europe)
Darts and Fantasy on the Wii; stories, shooting, bricks and music for DSi this week
Virtual Console: Final Fantasy (600pts NES - Square Enix) --The one that started it all and was never released in Europe has finally arrived on our shores. Of course as a Hanabi Festival release it's 100 Points dearer than what our North American and Japanese cousins...
First Impressions Aa Mujō Setsuna
Lots of flash; not much substance
Nintendo isn't exactly known for publishing shooters, much less shooters of the "bullet hell" variety, but that's exactly what we have here. Developed by Arika and recently shown at the Nintendo Media event in North America as Metal Torrent, Aa Mujō Setsuna is certainly one of the most graphically...
News New Endless Ocean 2 Videos and Screens Surface
The sequel to 2007's swim 'em up looking mighty fine.
With all the excitement of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, you may well need a bit of a sitdown and some relaxation, which is handy really as Nintendo have just released a batch of new screenshots and a freshly caught video of Endless Ocean 2: Beautiful...