Latest Reviews of UFO Interactive Games
Review Raiden Nova (Switch) - A Fun But Limited Twin-Stick Twist On A Shooter Favourite
Nova say Nova Again
Some in the UK may know comedy TV personality Adam Buxton, who was once the counterpart of Joe Cornish in the Adam and Joe Show (1996-2001), and, as recently as 2020, was still guesting on popular Channel 4 panel shows. Nowadays, he's more well-known for The Adam Buxton Podcast, but in 1999 he walked into a London-based video...
Review Raiden IV x Mikado Remix (Switch) - Another Astoundingly Good Shmup For Switch
Mix it up
Back in the late eighties when 2D shooting games were a dominant form rather than a somewhat niche genre, a particular kind of shmup became very popular indeed. While the likes of Capcom’s 1942 certainly set the groundwork, the success of Toaplan’s separate 1987 arcade releases Twin Cobra and Flying Shark made hard-nosed, unembellished...
Purple homing laser destruction for the whole family
It is hard to believe that Seibu Kaihatsu’s legendary Raiden shmup series graced Nintendo platforms a single time on Super Nintendo, twenty-seven years ago. But do all good things come to those who wait? We find out as Moss and UFO interactive grace the Switch with the 'Director's Cut' of Raiden...
Review Johnny Impossible (3DS eShop)
Mission: Intolerable
Johnny Impossible is a bad game. We'd be perfectly happy to leave the review at that sentence, as it does actually tell you everything you need to know, but Johnny Impossible is so interestingly bad that we need to say a lot more about it, if only to achieve some sort of closure. Having made his eShop debut in Johnny Kung Fu,...
Review Chuck E. Cheese's Alien Defense Force (DSiWare)
In space, no one can hear you regret your purchase
Earlier this year, DSiWare had the misfortune of becoming home to Chuck E. Cheese's Arcade Room. A joyless collection of five dull mini-games and additional gimmicks such as achievements and an outfit customisation feature, the game was a disappointment in nearly every possible way. Now we have a...
Review Smart Girl's Playhouse Mini (DSiWare)
Empty house
It’s no easy task setting out to create a game that is wholesome and fun while maintaining an educational aspect. Unfortunately for Smart Girl’s Playhouse Mini, fun seems to have jumped ship, and all you’re left with is a too-sweet edutainment title with very little actual gameplay on offer. Touted as a collection of mini-games...
Review Johnny Hotshot (3DS eShop)
A total misfire
From the studio that brought us such eShop disappointments as Zombie Slayer Diox, Samurai G and clear game of the year contender Chuck E. Cheese's Arcade Room, we now get a Western-themed mess called Johnny Hotshot. And it manages to feel almost consciously terrible. The story of this game is irrelevant, but since the developer saw...
Review Puzzler World XL (DSiWare)
My God, it's full of puzzles
Based on a popular brand of pencil-and-paper puzzle collections, Puzzler World XL is the latest release from developer Ideas Pad. It doesn't stray far from its digital cousins or its analogue ancestors, but fans of classic puzzles will find an excellent companion in this expansive, well-rounded package. First and...
The "G" is for "garbage"
UFO Interactive's eShop releases seemed to be on a slow but steady progression towards quality, with Johnny Kung Fu almost breaking through this underwhelming barrier. But then along comes Samurai G to pee in everyone's cereal. Samurai G is like being presented with a spoon and a bowl full of live bees: just one look is...
Through the Past, Darkly
Before Retro Pocket, Game & Watch fans were poorly served. If they wanted to enjoy those early Nintendo forays into gaming, they were out of luck. There was no way for gamers to get their hands on recreations of those originals, short of picking up the Game & Watch Collection, of course. Or its sequel. But apart...
Latest UFO Interactive Articles
News Twin-Stick Shoot 'Em Up 'Raiden NOVA' Launches On Switch This October
Update: Physical release confirmed
Update #2 [Wed 18th Sep, 2024 03:00 BST]: It's been confirmed a physical version of Raiden NOVA will be released for the Switch. It will be arriving at some point in November this year. Once again, the digital version of the game will arrive on the Switch eShop on 31st October 2024. Update [Sat 14th Sep, 2024...
News Raiden V Is Getting A Physical Release On Switch, But Don’t Dilly-Dally
One print run, and that’s it
Raiden V: Director’s Cut is coming to Switch – we knew that already and are are sufficiently excited about the prospect – but it has now been confirmed by publisher UFO that it will be getting a physical release on the system, too. The catch is that the release will be a single print run, so once it’s gone,...
News Shoot 'Em Up Raiden V: Director's Cut Rated For Switch In Taiwan
Save earth, again
Another incoming Switch release has been revealed by a classification board. This time it's the Moss-developed shoot 'em up Raiden V: Director's Cut. It appears the enhanced title, based on the 2016 Xbox One release, has been classified by the Digital Game Rating Committee of Taiwan. The series began in 1990 and like all good...
Nintendo Download 15th November 2012 (Europe)
Falling blox, hotshots, ninjas and a magical whip
It's Monday, but it's also time to turn that frown upside down. The European Nintendo Download update news is here, and it's full of handheld goodies for you to enjoy. Wii misses out, unfortunately, but we do have a highly anticipated sequel on the 3DS eShop, a teeth-grindingly difficult NES...
Nintendo Download 8th November 2012 (North America)
Paper Mario, Pokédex, dress up witches and dragons
It's that time again, when we drop everything we're doing to fire up the 3DS eShop, DSi Shop and maybe, on occasion, the Wii Shop. Yes, it's the Nintendo Download update, and this week has a mixture of retail treats, a demo and some lesser known download titles. Let's get to it. 3DS Download...
News LCD Gaming is Resurrected in Retro Pocket on DSiWare
New downloadable title channels the spirit of Nintendo's Game & Watch range
Nintendo's Game & Watch series was the precursor to the Game Boy and introduced many fledgling players to the concept of portable entertainment. The simplistic yet addictive LCD games captivated a generation, and they're due for a comeback courtesy of UFO Interactive's...
Nintendo Download 6th September 2012 (North America)
Balloon popping, puzzles from Nikoli, princely acrobatics and crazy hunting
It's time for another Nintendo Download update, and we reckon that no-one should be able to complain of a lack of variety. We have two new 3DS eShop titles, a stone-cold Super NES classic on Wii Virtual Console and a wacky sounding DSiWare title. Check out the details below...
News Balloon Pop Remix Rated for 3DS
Extra 3D popping included?
Nintendo's download platforms haven't been lacking for match-3 puzzle titles, and Balloon Pop Festival from UFO Interactive was one of quite a few on WiiWare. That said, it was a thoroughly decent, colourful title that earned a respectable 7/10 in our Balloon Pop Festival review, though it seems that it was only released...
News Zombie Slayer Diox Trailer is Dead Musical
A rhythmic slash-fest
UFO Interactive has officially confirmed that its next eShop title, Zombie Slayer Diox, will be released in North America on 22nd March. It's a rhythm-action game that sees the hero slashing through waves of zombies to a hard-rock soundtrack: not your typical eShop release. The developer has wasted little time since its last...
News Twin-Stick Shoot 'Em Up 'Raiden NOVA' Launches On Switch This October
Update: Physical release confirmed
Update #2 [Wed 18th Sep, 2024 03:00 BST]: It's been confirmed a physical version of Raiden NOVA will be released for the Switch. It will be arriving at some point in November this year. Once again, the digital version of the game will arrive on the Switch eShop on 31st October 2024. Update [Sat 14th Sep, 2024...
News Raiden V Is Getting A Physical Release On Switch, But Don’t Dilly-Dally
One print run, and that’s it
Raiden V: Director’s Cut is coming to Switch – we knew that already and are are sufficiently excited about the prospect – but it has now been confirmed by publisher UFO that it will be getting a physical release on the system, too. The catch is that the release will be a single print run, so once it’s gone,...
News Shoot 'Em Up Raiden V: Director's Cut Rated For Switch In Taiwan
Save earth, again
Another incoming Switch release has been revealed by a classification board. This time it's the Moss-developed shoot 'em up Raiden V: Director's Cut. It appears the enhanced title, based on the 2016 Xbox One release, has been classified by the Digital Game Rating Committee of Taiwan. The series began in 1990 and like all good...
Nintendo Download 15th November 2012 (Europe)
Falling blox, hotshots, ninjas and a magical whip
It's Monday, but it's also time to turn that frown upside down. The European Nintendo Download update news is here, and it's full of handheld goodies for you to enjoy. Wii misses out, unfortunately, but we do have a highly anticipated sequel on the 3DS eShop, a teeth-grindingly difficult NES...
Nintendo Download 8th November 2012 (North America)
Paper Mario, Pokédex, dress up witches and dragons
It's that time again, when we drop everything we're doing to fire up the 3DS eShop, DSi Shop and maybe, on occasion, the Wii Shop. Yes, it's the Nintendo Download update, and this week has a mixture of retail treats, a demo and some lesser known download titles. Let's get to it. 3DS Download...
News LCD Gaming is Resurrected in Retro Pocket on DSiWare
New downloadable title channels the spirit of Nintendo's Game & Watch range
Nintendo's Game & Watch series was the precursor to the Game Boy and introduced many fledgling players to the concept of portable entertainment. The simplistic yet addictive LCD games captivated a generation, and they're due for a comeback courtesy of UFO Interactive's...
Nintendo Download 6th September 2012 (North America)
Balloon popping, puzzles from Nikoli, princely acrobatics and crazy hunting
It's time for another Nintendo Download update, and we reckon that no-one should be able to complain of a lack of variety. We have two new 3DS eShop titles, a stone-cold Super NES classic on Wii Virtual Console and a wacky sounding DSiWare title. Check out the details below...
News Balloon Pop Remix Rated for 3DS
Extra 3D popping included?
Nintendo's download platforms haven't been lacking for match-3 puzzle titles, and Balloon Pop Festival from UFO Interactive was one of quite a few on WiiWare. That said, it was a thoroughly decent, colourful title that earned a respectable 7/10 in our Balloon Pop Festival review, though it seems that it was only released...
News Zombie Slayer Diox Trailer is Dead Musical
A rhythmic slash-fest
UFO Interactive has officially confirmed that its next eShop title, Zombie Slayer Diox, will be released in North America on 22nd March. It's a rhythm-action game that sees the hero slashing through waves of zombies to a hard-rock soundtrack: not your typical eShop release. The developer has wasted little time since its last...