Set in an alternate, distant future, the player is cast in the role of detective Axel McCoin, a burnt-out detective who regularly uses the fictional drug Spark to cope with extreme pain caused by his failing bio-implants. Mostly dismissed by his superiors, Axel (cool name ) gets embroiled in a series of murders that hint at a larger conspiracy…
Priced extremely fairly, Westild’s law is a top-down shooter that casts you in the role of a male or female bounty hunter (the gender can be changed at any time) as they take on bounties from the Westild town sheriff, all the while upgrading their abilities, guns, and skills.
Developed by KO.DLL BZZZT! is truly a love letter to the classics of the genre and also brings its own brand of charm and sauce! Bzzzt offers up a fast-paced, precision platforming experience with the game clearly being designed to be accessible to both newcomers and veterans of the genre with its perfectly pitched variation of difficulty levels.
The ten games included are Bubble Bobble (1986), Rainbow Islands (1987), Rastan Saga (1987), Rastan Saga 2 (1988), Dead Connection (1992), Cadash (1989), Champion Wrestler (1989), Runark (1990), Warrior Blade (1991), and Thunder Fox (1990).
After playing the game, I feel pretty confident in saying that this is a title that will be raising its head again in my GOTY article in a few short weeks.
Mark your calendars for December 10th, 2024! TAITO Milestones 3 will be available both physically and digitally, reviving ten beloved TAITO games from the late '80s and early '90s. This collection, created in collaboration with HAMSTER Corporation, promises to bring players back to the golden era of arcade gaming.
Pre-orders for the digital edition start today, while pre-orders for the physical edition are already available. Take advantage of a 10% discount on early digital pre-orders until the official release date. Go check your Nintendo eShop for more details and secure your copy now!
Whether you're teaming up in the iconic “Bubble Bobble”, embarking on a heroic journey in the legendary Rastan series: “Rastan Saga”, “Rastan Saga II” and “Warrior Blade”, or experiencing the freshly added “Dead Connection”, TAITO Milestones 3 offers something for every retro gaming enthusiast. Notably, Dead Connection will be making its home console debut, adding a unique twist to this collection.
Prepare to relive the magic of arcade classics with TAITO Milestones 3 - a must-have for both nostalgic fans and new players alike.
A perfectly timed release for the spooky season, Camp Sunshine is a game made in RPG Maker that admirably captures the 16-bit era. Whilst however, it scores highly for mood, sound design and setting, issues with the core gameplay take the wind out of its sails a little.
Beyond GalaxyLand is a 2.5D adventure-RPG where you play as Doug, a high-schooler transported to Galaxyland, a solar system of zoo-like planets.Alongside his pet guinea pig, Boom Boom, Doug navigates this vibrant universe to uncover the truth behind Earth's destruction by an entity called The End. The game blends humour and serious themes, featuring unique characters like Martybot, a self-deprecating robot, and Boom Boom, who evolves throughout the journey.
Luckily, patch 1.1 was released and completely annihilated all the issues that I was having with the game, transforming it into a title that will be with me for a long time. In fact, I don’t even really need to cover this game as my handsome, suave editor Rich is already covering it on PC (I can feel a pay rise coming on – ed), but I want to talk about it so much that I’m writing this review anyway, purely to spread the word and share my love of it. So yes, I liked it a lot.
Rich dons his gi and enters the digital dojo as he plays The Karate Kid: Street Rumble which is a beat 'em up game that follows the storyline of the original three Karate Kid films. Players control Daniel LaRusso as he moves to California, faces off against school bully Johnny Lawrence, and learns karate from Mr. Miyagi. The game features retro visuals and focuses on gameplay, including minigames that capture iconic scenes from the films. While it offers nostalgic value, the gameplay can become slightly repetitive over time.
That said, the show must have been on a hell of a lot, as the moment I booted up the game and heard that theme, even I was surprised how much of the show I remembered, from the voices, character names and family members, it all came flooding back. Heck, maybe I did watch it more than I can recall! Or perhaps it was such a cornerstone of culture at the time that it just permeated my very being.
The vibrant music, tasty pixel art visuals, and platform-based side-scrolling action presented in super-smooth 8-bit fashion all had me twirling my moustache in anticipation, but upon actually playing the game – it became clear that there were too many factors working against my enjoyment to really make this a keeper.
