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This review originally went live in 2015, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of EarthBound Beginnings in the Nintendo Switch Online NES library. If you were an early adopter of EarthBound fanaticism in the West, you likely caught wind of a previous title made for the Famicom. Translated into English and perfectly playable, it oddly never made it to retail release on the… → Read More
This review originally went live in 2017, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the addition of Paper Mario to the other N64 games on Nintendo Switch Online. Can we take a moment to appreciate just how gloriously wacky it is that a game like Paper Mario exists in the first place? This is an idea that followed in the footsteps of Super Mario RPG, the Square/Nintendo collaboration which… → Read More
After 25 years, the Kirby universe has enough material to fill a Hyrule Historia-like compendium (hint, hint). Many games along the way have added little quirks and abilities to shake things up, but Kirby’s Blowout Blast takes a decidedly throwback approach by channelling the veteran hero’s first game. Blowout Blast strips Kirby of copy abilities, giant mechs, animal companions, Air Ride… → Read More
Of the sports games in the N64 era, Excitebike 64 feels left out of conversation more often than siblings such as Wave Race 64 and 1080° Snowboarding. Perhaps its release later in the console's life cycle didn't give it as much time to gain traction in people's memories, or maybe it's drowned in the limelight of its inspiration, the original Excitebike. Whatever the reason, it doesn't detract… → Read More
The history of video games where animals play in traffic is a very staggered one. Frogger hit the scene in 1981, then nary a croak was heard from any other property until 2014's Crossy Road gained mobile popularity. Dangerous Road on the 3DS eShop borrows a lot from its Crossy counterpart, but is unlikely to leave its splat on history. Dangerous Road contains two ways to hit the road: Goal Run… → Read More
An often overlooked strength of the 3DS eShop is the way it can serve as an unexpected harbour for under-the-radar gems. We likely never would have touched Yumi's Odd Odyssey without the eShop, nor seen a contemporary remake of Steel Empire. Add to these ranks Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure, which originally saw light on the PC in Japan before hitting the PSP in 2006. Why is a remastered port… → Read More
The economy can be a merciless force, even if you're a malevolent being bent on world domination. The Devil, finding the life of a salaryman just isn't cutting it with his plans, leaves his job and buys an apartment out in the surprisingly picturesque projects, hoping to raise an army of monstrous tenants to storm the globe. Yep, that's the premise of Unholy Heights, a game of money management… → Read More
Nintendo is certainly no slouch when it comes to platformers. Mario, Kirby and DK all provide superlative experiences, but there's still plenty of room for newcomers. Rynn's Adventure: Trouble in The Enchanted Forest has the colour and whimsy to fit in with a top class of platformers at first glance, but could stand to be a bit more steady on its paws. A bit of a Disney vibe runs beneath the… → Read More
A few generations ago, puzzle games had a prominent presence on home consoles. Brimming with individual personality, many could be relied upon to offer some fun single- or multi-player play. You don't see as many of these games any more. Puzzle games have migrated more towards mobile platforms, a large number swirling together into a miasma of ho-hum match-3 jewels and bubbles. Tumblestone would… → Read More
If you want colourful battles, video games have long been a good place to find them - at least in many cases. Colour has long shown us which barrels explode, which enemies take more hits, and where exactly our turf is. Chroma Blast takes the colour of competition and strips it down into a simple, abstract package. Players control a diamond-shaped "ship" composed of four differently coloured… → Read More
Classic arcade styles have stood the test of time, making them ideal subjects for experimentation. Combine two in a certain way and you might just make a delicious chocolate/peanut butter combo of fun. The retro concoction of INVANOID, however, is a different matter. INVANOID combines the downward travelling foes of Space Invaders with the ball-and-paddle mechanics of Arkanoid. Players control a… → Read More
So why did the duck cross the water? In SPLASHY DUCK, it's to grab a bunch of coins before colliding with a whale. So, uh, now you know? SPLASHY DUCK is another addition to the RCMADIAX line of simply designed score attack games. The player guides a duck endlessly swimming a vertical channel in the middle of the screen. When the duck hits the rubber band-like barriers on the top or bottom, it… → Read More