Konami Game Reviews
Review Skate or Die! (Virtual Console / NES)
Hop on your board and take part in five extreme skate events!
Long before the Tony Hawk’s franchise made skateboarding games mainstream the cool kids got their kicks on Skate or Die for the NES. The action begins in Rodney Recloose’s skateboard shop. He’s a crazy middle-aged dude with a blue Mohawk who organises different event such as...
Review Blades of Steel (Virtual Console / NES)
With sharpened blades and a lethal stick, you slash into a rink surrounded by thousands of screaming fans.
Blades of Steel, much like one of Konami's other NES sports games, Double Dribble, was loved all over the world back in the day. Double Dribble didn't hold up that well, so you may wonder how its ice hockey has fared. Actually, it has aged...
Review Cybernator (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Don't be a Cybernator hater
The Japanese have a real love for big robots that hasn't entirely crossed over into the West. Thankfully Cybernator (AKA: Assault Suit Valken) - a follow up to the Megadrive Assault Suit Leynos/Target Earth - made the jump from East to West and remains one of the more memorable SNES shooters. After the mission-based...
Review Double Dribble (Virtual Console / NES)
Double Dribble is a 5-on-5 basketball game for the NES, based on the 1986 arcade game of the same name.
This is the first basketball game to come to VC, and unfortunately for us, it's not very good. While Double Dribble was fairly popular back in the day due to the graphics (There are some cutscenes with fairly detailed stuff, like a crowd marching...
Review Axelay ( / Super Nintendo)
Who said the SNES couldn't handle shmups?
Regardless of the fact that it was released fairly early on in the life of Nintendo's 16-bit console, Axelay remains one of the best looking and most impressive shooters available for the format. Employing a similar format to Konami stable mate Lifeforce, Axelay switches between a vertical and horizontal...
Review Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Simon's flawed quest
Castlevania was a smash hit. Despite the difficulty of the game and its lack of quality in some areas it was loved worldwide and proved very popular. It was a no-brainer for Konami to create a sequel. Perhaps borrowing ideas from Nintendo (Super Mario Bros. 2, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, etc.) the game is very different...
Review Super C (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Super Charged
After Konami's maddeningly hard Contra/Probotector proved immensely popular, obviously it wasn't going to sit around and not make a sequel. Super C/Probotector II puts you in the role of the same heroes once again as you try to take out alien scum. This time they're possessing humans to attack you. The game's got practically the same...
Review Gradius III (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Vic Viper is back to rid the galaxy of evil.
Gradius III was one of the first SNES shooters and to be perfectly honest, it shows. Graphically the game is fairly bland (although the same could be said of the coin op original), the sound is nothing special and when things get hectic there's some terrible slowdown. Regardless of these points, the...
Review The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Go go Goemon
You might be forgiven for dismissing this mysterious game at first glance, but give it a chance and you might find a fantastic game with amazing depth. Kid Ying and Dr. Yang are on an adventure to save Princess Yuki who has been kidnapped by counterfeiters. By traveling through different Warlock Zones in Japan, Kid Ying and Dr. Yang are...
Review Castlevania (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Introducing Belmont
The first NES Castlevania was like a breath of fresh air when it was first released. Capcom's spooky, but cartoon-like Ghost 'n' Goblins was the closest thing on the market, but Konami's game was a little more mature and serious. The gothic feel for which the series has become famous for is all present and correct, and the...
Review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Virtual Console / NES)
T-U-R-T-L-E POWER!
Turtle mania was sweeping the world when this came out in 1989. That's probably why this game was so popular despite it being an unfair bag of dog's droppings! So popular was the franchise that Nintendo even bundled the NES with this game in Europe replacing the mighty Super Mario Bros cart. It's easy to see why so many...
Review Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)
Konami's evergreen vampire hunting series drops by for a second bite on the Nintendo DS, but can it maintain the blistering pace set by Dawn of Sorrow?
Those of you lucky enough to have experienced the sublime Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow will no doubt be very excited by this latest release for the Nintendo DS. Once again Konami have settled on the...
Would you like to use a device that could lift up objects beyond your reach? Konami thought you would..
It's an interesting concept, an anti-gravity 'gun' that can lift heavy objects and throw them about the place. In Konami's first game for the Wii, you can cause havoc in a house and then start trashing the streets! In the game's world, there are...
Review Contra III: The Alien Wars (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Run 'n gun
Konami really went all out with this title, the third instalment to the Contra series (or Probotector to gamers in the PAL regions). The development team at the time must have relished the challenge of developing on the Super Nintendo as this is one of the more impressive games on the system; the experience is a good deal bigger and...
Review Gradius (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Konami's classic shooter series takes off
It's so hard to review a game like Gradius. This is a near-legendary title and has inspired a franchise that has sold millions, not to mention the spin-off series Parodius and countless other clones. But when reviewing classic retro titles, you have to judge if this game is still worth playing today...
Review Super Castlevania IV (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Castlevania goes super
Every now and then you play a game that simply changes your life. To me, Super Castlevania IV is that game. I recall playing it at a friend's house and regardless of the slow pace of the first few levels, it had a real impact on me. The game was quickly purchased and hasn't left my collection since. If your Castlevania...
Review Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS)
Another handheld Castlevania?
Since the release of the absolute classic Symphony of the Night on the Playstation, the Castlevania series has metamorphasized from the original side scrolling action/platformers to sprawling adventures games, packed to bursting point with collectables, enemies and areas. Recent 3D incarnations have been incredibly hit...
