November2012
Thundercats, noooo!
Perhaps we were foolish to get our hopes up about Thundercats. It is a licensed game, after all, and while that's not a universally bad thing, it should by this point at least make us think twice. Then again, it's Thundercats! The original cartoon is an enduring classic, the recent reboot was surprisingly good, and the...
February2012
Review One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP (3DS)
Half an adventure, unlimited boredom
Tremendously revered in Japan, yet – like the vast majority of animé — enjoying more of a cult following in the West, One Piece follows the story of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates in their tumultuous quest to locate the titular treasure. After a lengthy history of translation to video games, the...
January2012
Review Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy (3DS)
Nintendo finally lands its true Ace Combat title
When it comes to the long running Ace Combat series, Nintendo’s been stuck in the hangar bay with only the forgettable Ace Combat Advance releasing on GBA. For all those who’ve missed out on the excellent aerial dog fight action all these years, this disservice has finally ended with Ace Combat:...
December2011
Review Tales of the Abyss (3DS)
Abyssmal?
In the nine months or so that it’s been on sale, the 3DS has had a number of obstacles thrust upon it, but one major problem for early adopters to lament has surely been the distinct lack of quality software available, with only a handful of truly great games seeing release. Of course, in the last few weeks that’s picked up somewhat,...
Review Power Rangers Samurai (DS)
Go go Power Rangers
Centuries ago, dark forces threatened to destroy civilisation in Japan. The danger was thought to have been destroyed by a clan of fearless warriors wielding power symbols that had been passed down for generations. Now these dark forces have returned to finish the destruction they started so long ago, and the survival of Earth...
November2011
Be prepared for economy class... if you're lucky
Since the launch of the Wii and the success of its pack-in title Wii Sports, it seems that there isn't a major publisher or developer that hasn't had their finger in the mini-game collection pie. Most of these copycats have either been inoffensively average or outright terrible. In fact, when it comes...
July2011
Review 3D Classics: Xevious (3DSWare)
Xevious goes 3D
When Xevious first hit arcades back in 1982, it became known for its odd visual style and unique sound effects. Now, after a number of releases on various platforms over the past 30 years, the game now makes an appearance on Nintendo's 3DS system via the eShop. While being able to take the game with you on the go for those quick...
Review Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (DS)
This hunter should become the hunted
Solatorobo: Red the Hunter isn’t a game title that is likely to storm to the top of the sales charts. There are no well-known franchise names, no mainstream marketing campaign, and no hint of generic, dull gaming characters and designs. Being a Japanese action RPG, this game is different from the vast majority...
More is less
Whenever a title advertises a unique, never-before-seen element, the test of whether it's a true innovation or a simple gimmick largely comes down to whether it improves gameplay. DualPenSports is built around one such thing: two oversized plastic yellow styluses are included in the case. But, wait, the 3DS has a single-touch interface,...
March2011
A familiar lap around the track
Namco’s Ridge Racer series has often been criticised for being a relic of a bygone era, a driving game that clings to outmoded arcade sensibilities and refuses to step into the super-realistic world inhabited by the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo. The irony is that when Namco Bandai attempts to take the franchise...
April2010
A monster disappointment
Kaiju Busters (or "Monster Busters" as its effective English translation goes) is just one in a long line of monster-based video games that we don’t often get to see in the West. This handheld effort from Bandai Namco inevitably draws comparisons with Capcom’s massively popular Monster Hunter games, and in that...
Review Mr. Driller: Drill Till You Drop (DSiWare)
All driller, no filler
Mr. Driller has become quite a beloved arcade puzzler over the years and after a solid WiiWare release, it seems Namco Bandai thought it might be time for the game to make an appearance on DSiWare as well. Now puzzle fans looking for a little arcade digging action can enjoy the game on the go and with a nice added set of...
January2010
Weird doesn't even begin to describe it
Someone has stolen your stash of muscle-pumping creatine! Quick, assemble the burliest speedo-clad men, women and polar bears in town, chase the thief through walls and bury them under a pile of men! Dash, pose, flex! Muscle March is the kind of game that doesn't really need a review because everything you...
August2009
Review Mr. Driller W (WiiWare)
Drill, baby, drill!
That Mr. Driller W would be among the better puzzle games on the WiiWare service was somewhat of a given. It's a close relation to Dig Dug - a classic arcade series if there ever was one - and its own line of releases spans more consoles than you might have known existed. Mr. Driller has a long, rich and well-established history,...
July2009
Review Namco Museum Remix (Wii)
Something classic, something new, Namco we love you!
In recent years purveyors old arcade games have seen fit to repackage them into "Greatest Hits" collections. Namco first had their Museum series on the original PlayStation in a series of six volumes (cleverly one for each letter of the name "Namco" and then a Japanese-only...
May2009
Does Namco's Klonoa remake manage to capture the magic of the original Playstation release?
Before true 3D platformers became all the rage, 2.5D platformers began showing up on Sony's Playstation console during the 32-bit era. These games featured 3D visuals, but kept the player on a 2D pathway through the game. This would allow developers the...
March2009
Review The Tower of Druaga (Arcade)
Scale a skyscraper to rescue your lost love in The Tower of Druaga.
The Tower of Druaga is a moderately infamous arcade game. As the knight Gil (Who is really Gilgamesh) you must work your way up a gigantic 60-floor tower to rescue your beloved princess Ki from the clutches of the evil Druaga. Each floor is quite literally a maze - Your objective on...
Remember the timeless classic, Galaga? Say hello to its successor, as the arcade version of Gaplus hits Virtual Console!
When Galaga first burst onto the scene back in 1981, it garnered almost instant popularity due to its intense shooting action and almost endless level of variety and challenge. Gone were the days where a fixed group of aliens...
It's a cat-and-mouse game like no other as you take control of Mappy, a brave police-mouse.
Arguably the most popular game in the first batch of arcade releases, Mappy follows the formula of other succesful titles of the time, including Namco's own Pac-Man - Your job is to collect objects while avoiding all enemies. The premise is that a gang of...
September2008
Review Mario Super Sluggers (Wii)
Mario plays rounders
Baseball, a sport that we Europeans don't really care to understand, is the scene for the latest Mario Sports title. Developed by Namco on behalf of Nintendo, can Mario (in probably his last game of 2008) and his buddies do enough to make the game a little more exciting? Anyone who's familiar with previous Mario sports games...
August2008
Review Splatterhouse 2 (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Rick, once again encounters the Terror Mask and must use its powers to rescue his beloved Jennifer.
Rick is back! After the Terror Mask from the first Splatterhouse comes back and tells him his girlfriend (Who seemingly meets an unpleasant fate in the first game) can still be saved, Rick puts on the mask again, and goes back to the remains of the...
June2008
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...
May2008
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 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...
March2008
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...
