Retro - Timeline
Friday12th Jul 2024
News Rainbow Island Sequel 'Parasol Stars' Finally Gets Modern Console Release For Bargain Price
And it's out now
ININ Games has brought us a digital release of the third game in TAITO's Bubble Bobble series — Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III. The game launched on the Switch eShop yesterday, 11th July 2024, and marks the first time the game has been ported to modern consoles. This modern port of the 1991 classic has many things...
Feature Legendary Starfy 101 - A Brief History Of TOSE's Adorable Platforming Star
Now playable on Nintendo Switch
With all three GBA Starfy games — which were originally released only in Japan — now available to play on Switch with a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, we're updating and republishing this brief introduction to the little star which originally went live a whopping 15 years ago. Enjoy! Since...
Thursday11th Jul 2024
News Obscure '90s Mascot Platformer 'Aero The Acro-Bat' Makes Surprise Return
Coming to Switch in August
It seems like we're in the age of weird, oft-forgotten platforming mascots making a return. We say that because today, Ratalaika Games announced that "the bat is back!" No, not that bat — Aero the Acro-Bat. The circus performer will be making his grand return on Switch (and all other consoles) on 2nd August 2024...
Thursday4th Jul 2024
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online NES Game Ranked
All the NES games, ranked by you
Updated with seven new NES titles: Urban Champion, Golf, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Mach Rider, The Mystery of Atlantis, Solar Jetman, and Cobra T
Friday28th Jun 2024
Guide Atari 50 Game List - Every Playable Game In The Anniversary Celebration, Expanded Edition
All 110 games, plus info on the upcoming expansion
When Atari and Digital Eclipse launched Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration on 11th November 2022, we honestly thought that the compilation would be left well alone in the coming months. Heck, it already boasted over 100 playable games and five separate timelines providing players with an...
Friday21st Jun 2024
Feature 9 'Mature' Games We'd Love To See On Nintendo Switch Online's New N64 App
Rated M for 'MOAAAAAR'
The arrival of Rareware's classic Perfect Dark and Acclaim's Turok: Dinosaur Hunter via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack was a very welcome announcement in the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. Both titles are the first entries in Nintendo's new, separate N64 app with a 'MATURE 17+' label. Following on from the Japanese...
Review Perfect Dark (Nintendo 64) - Perhaps Not Perfect, But Still A Remarkable Achievement
Suck it, Bond
This review was originally published in March 2010. We're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack N64 library. From its debut in 1997, developer Rare and the terrifying digital avatar of Pierce Brosnan ruled over the console shooter space with the Nintendo 64 tie-in of a...
Wednesday19th Jun 2024
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance (GBA) Game Ranked
All the GBA games, ranked by you
Updated with Densetsu no Starfy 1, 2, and 3. Remember, this is a dynamic, reader-ranked list based on each game's User Rating in our database. The order is therefore subject to real-time change as those ratings fluctuate. Enjoy! Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers have instant access to a small but...
Tuesday18th Jun 2024
Expansion Pack expanded
As part of the 18th June Nintendo Direct, Nintendo has announced the arrival of four new games for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. Game Boy Advance titles Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords and Metroid: Zero Mission will be available later today as part of the GBA library. And Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and...
Saturday15th Jun 2024
Review Glory Hunters (Game Boy) - A Glorious 8-Bit Throwback With Some Rough Edges
Achievement Unlocked: Wait, wrong console
With such a wealth of homebrew and aftermarket games releasing for old Nintendo hardware, we thought we'd check out one of the most promising examples in this neo-retro Game Boy review. To reiterate, Glory Hunters isn't available on Switch, though we'll be sure to let you know if that situation ever changes...
Friday14th Jun 2024
Soapbox Game Boy Tetris' True Genius Was Teaching A Generation How To Play Video Games
Building gaming literacy one tetromino at a time
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Tim thinks back on 35 years of Tetris on the Game Boy and considers how it taught a generation — multiple generations, in fact — how to play...
Video Donkey Kong '94 - The 101-Level Sequel To Arcade DK
It's on like (101 stages of) Donkey Kong
14th June 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Donkey Kong for the Game Boy's Japanese release. It's one of the finest games on the system and a hybrid arcade port/spin-off that ushered in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series which recently came to Switch. In honour of the occasion, we thought we'd highlight this...
Sunday9th Jun 2024
Guide Best Star Wars Video Games, Ranked - Switch And Nintendo Systems
You sort the padawans from the poodoo
Remember, this list is not set in stone but is governed by each game's User Rating in our database. Add your own score (out of 10) to any entry to exert your influence on the order. The release of Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker back in 2019 may have 'ended' Star Wars as we'd known it for the...
Friday7th Jun 2024
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy (Color) Game Ranked
All the GB and GBC games, ranked by you
Now including all the Mega Men from the June 2024 update. Enjoy! Remember, this list evolves as users rate the games within, so head to the game profiles and rate them out of 10 if you'd like to see the rankings below alter. Enjoy! Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles first arrived on N
News Homebrew Games Summer Showcase 2024 - Celebrating 120 Titles Across 15 Platforms
NES, SNES, Game Boy and Virtual Boy titles featured
Although the game industry is all about moving forward, there are still many talented individuals and teams out there developing titles for past-generation systems. That's where the 'Homebrew Games Summer Showcase' comes in - celebrating new games on retro consoles and classic handheld devices...
Saturday1st Jun 2024
Talking Point How Do You Define 'Retro'?
10 years? 20? Anything older than two console generations?
If you're reading this, you're getting older. Right now, at this moment, you're older than you were when you started reading this sentence. And this one. No, you can't go back and read it again to get younger. Time marches on, so thank you for spending your precious seconds on this silly...
Thursday16th May 2024
Guide What Is EGGCONSOLE? - Full Game List, PC-88, MSX2 On Nintendo Switch, Best Games To Start
Every EGGCONSOLE game on Switch eShop
The Switch has been a boon for retro gaming enthusiasts for a while. Hamster's huge Arcade Archives series has felt right at home on the console, but late last year, a new retro rerelease series entered the fray EGGCONSOLE is a series of Japanese home computer games that are being ported to Switch by retro...
Tuesday14th May 2024
Random Sakurai's Game Storage Solutions Are A Sight To Behold
Cabinet envy
Masahiro Sakurai's latest YouTube video has us looking at our measly game collections in shame as the legendary designer has given a full rundown of his storage solutions for just about every cartridge/disk size that you can think of. It should come as no surprise that this is a man with a beefy games collection (even if he has said...
Monday13th May 2024
Soapbox Paper Mario's Ms. Mowz Taught Me How To Appreciate (And Steal) The Little Things
THIEF
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Kate discusses one of Mario's criminal — and criminally underrated — pals... Sometimes I suspect that, in another life before this one, I was a thief. In this life, I'm a relatively...
Sunday5th May 2024
Soapbox 'Revenge Of The Sith' On DS Is Still Top-Tier Star Wars Gaming
Heart Palpatinetions
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim celebrates Revenge of the Fifth with a DS throwback... You felt it, didn't you? A disturbance in the Force. Over on Coruscant, Darth Sidious has called for the execution...
Sunday28th Apr 2024
Poll What's The Best SaGa Game? Rate Your Favourites For Our Upcoming Ranking
Romancing the polls
The SaGa series is one of the most unique franchises to come from RPG behemoth Square Enix. Often known as Final Fantasy's "weird" cousin — though that's a little bit reductive — SaGa was created by Akitoshi Kawazu, one of the game designers on Final Fantasy II, which is often considered the odd one among the Final Fantasy...
Wednesday24th Apr 2024
Feature Why Play Final Fantasy VII Remake When You Could Play FFVII 'Demake'?
"more than just pirate versions"
You’re probably aware of Square Enix’s lengthy and somewhat lavish efforts to remake the 1997 game Final Fantasy VII. The second instalment of this ambitious remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released just recently, and we’re still likely to be years away from any sort of conclusion. But you might not be...
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online N64 Game Ranked
All the N64 games, ranked by you
Updated with Perfect Dark and Turok: Dinosaur Hunter following the June 2024 Nintendo Direct which introduced the separate 'Mature 17+' version of the Switch's N64 app. Remember, this is a dynamic, real-time ranking of every available N64 game playable as pa
Sunday21st Apr 2024
Feature 10 Game Boy Deep Cuts That Aren’t On Nintendo Switch Online
And should be
The Game Boy turns 35 years old today, and we've been running features over the past couple of days celebrating the handheld and its games. Today, Nile digs up 10 lesser-known gems in the system's remarkable library. 35 years ago, the Game Boy changed handheld gaming – not because it was powerful, but because it wasn’t. Premised...
Saturday20th Apr 2024
Feature Meet Four Developers Making Brand-New Game Boy Titles In 2024
35 years and stronger than ever
The Game Boy turns 35 years old on 21st April 2024, and we'll be running several features over the next few days celebrating the system and its games. Today, George speaks with four talented individuals keeping the candle burning for the DMG-001 in the 21st century... The humble Game Boy may be turning 35, but that...
Guide 50 Best Game Boy Games Of All Time
Old Boy
Remember, several of these Game Boy titles are now playable on Switch with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. You can check out the full list here: <related ids="144934"> Friday 21st April 1989 — the day that the Game Boy launched in Japan. 35 years ago the video gaming landscape would be forever changed as Nintendo opened up...
Friday19th Apr 2024
Feature Evolving With Pokémon: How The Games Helped Me Navigate A Confused Childhood
This coping mechanism was super effective!
The Game Boy turns 35 years old on 21st April 2024, and we'll be running several features over the next few days celebrating the system and its games. Today, Tim thinks back on how Pocket Monsters came to his aid in his formative years, and how the series that started on Nintendo's iconic portable would...
Review Kudzu (Switch) A Delightful, Leafy Ode To Link's Awakening And The Game Boy
It'll grow on you
Kudzu came to this reviewer during a significant birthday celebration. The day was filled with echoes of our past. There was the music on the radio – uncanny remixes of early-to-mid-90s techno songs that used to hype up pre-teen candyfloss-fuelled visits to funfairs. And there was Kudzu and its unsubtle similarity to all-time...
Thursday18th Apr 2024
Guide Best First-Party Game Boy Games
Nintendo-developed Game Boy games, as ranked by you
21st April 2024 marks the 35th anniversary of Nintendo's Game Boy. Over the next few days, we'll be publishing various features to celebrate three-and-a-half decades of the humble handheld. We kick things off with this reader-ranked list. Remember, this is based on each game's User Rating in our...
Friday29th Mar 2024
Review F-Zero Maximum Velocity (GBA) - The First Portable F-Zero Still Holds Up
Back to the future
This review originally went live in 2014, and we're updating and republishing it to celebrate the game's arrival in Switch's Game Boy Advance library via Nintendo Switch Online. Ah, F-Zero. The futuristic racing series that’s so fast that even Nintendo lost track of it for years. Since it released the Japanese exclusive...