April2018

  • Review Dragon Blaze (Switch eShop)

    Imagine dragons

    By the year 2000, Psikyo’s TATE shmup design was already established as the de facto template for the genre and with several hits already under its belt, it's hard to imagine many more gimmicks could be added to the tried and tested formula. So what if it added a few dragons into the mix? The Demon King has risen. The Sun and the...

  • Review Tengai (Switch eShop)

    The only way is shmup, baby

    From the western title you might not be immediately aware that Tengai’s full Japanese title is Sengoku Blade: Sengoku Ace Episode II. This is, in fact, the sequel to Psikyo’s very first game, the brilliant Samurai Aces. But with only a few familiar faces returning and a complete change of shmup orientation style, did...

January2018

  • Review Zero Gunner 2 (Switch eShop)

    Impressive chopper

    The Switch has become something of a treasure trove of retro goodness, with companies like Hamster and Zerodiv bringing a host of old-school classics to the eShop on a weekly basis. For shooter fans, Nintendo's console is a real goldmine, with Blazing Star, Pulstar, Strikers 1945 and Gunbird already available for download. Now,...

December2017

  • Review Gunbird (Switch eShop)

    More shmup fun for Switch

    Earlier this year Zerodiv brought some excellent shmup action to the Switch in the form of Psikyo’s Strikers 1945. Having rummaged around in the developer’s back catalogue, the publisher is now bringing Gunbird to the eShop, a similar proposition with a shared range of options (and the added ability to record video...

August2017

  • 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...