Brilliant
Here we have all the games in the Brilliant Section.
🥇Game of the Week
Brilliant Mega Drive
Shoot Em Up
Going back to the halcyon era of the crack MD developer Wolf Team and re-releasing this 1992 space-based, side scrolling shoot em up. Genki thought we had mis-spelled its Mega CD sister title Sol Feace all these years, but Sol Deace only made it to North America on cart form apparently. The chip tunes alone are something to behold and the waves of enemy swarms judged perfectly by the developers before the boss rush.
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
The legendary 16 and 32Bit shoot em up Sonic Wings gets rebooted for a revival flight in this updated retro reunion with the cityscapes looking superbly rotoscoped. The plane theme is done too perfection with a variety of planes and pilots to add to the explosion excitement, all looking very militaristic in TATE mode.
Brilliant Switch
A Bit Special
Two of the most collectable Saturn games rightfully revived by City Connection for more to savour their femme fatale charms.
Advanced Variable Geo has Battle mode where you can take on anyone, or Story mode full of scene setting cinematics where you play as Yuka chan. Very tasty graphics improving over the Super Famicom prequel. Also includes special moves that can only be utilised when on your last legs, evening up one sided bouts.
Saturn shooter Steam Hearts is a sizzlingly hot and saucy shmup brought to the table by the talented Giga. A heady combination of steamy cut scenes and frantic shoot ’em up action is the sort of fan service you can expect in Japan. Genki is grateful that the gameplay is more rewarding than Divine Sealing on the Mega Drive adopting an overhead perspective with shifts in style to keep things fresh. Thankfully the ship can take seven hits before biting the dust which is welcomed with the sheer volume of enemy fire as are the tight controls. A turbo boost can zip the ship through a tight squeeze to the pulsating beats to the soundtrack with a tap on the pad leaving a feeling of great satisfaction to have left behind the enemy hordes. The cut scenes come after defeating an end of level boss which are interesting characters to say the least. The Saturn version had full two player mode and makes good use of the machines 2D powers.
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Beautiful gaming world looking straight out of a Miyazaki anime such as Porco Rosso with all manner of flying contraptions that keeps the action fresh. In the Mega Drive version players had two vessels to choose from: the land bombing plane or the air mine depositing Zeppelin each whose advantages must be weighed against the needs of the mission ahead. Lovingly presented in a wartime movie style, the overall package oozes quality of a bygone era now lovingly brought to the burgeoning roster of Switch shooters.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Mega Drive
Action
The original cart is a rather rare side scrolling beat ’em up from Kemco with solid 2D visuals and gameplay that they don’t make quite like they used to. Each character has their own special move – the hand grenade can certainly have its use at times. Simultaneous two player mode adds to the enjoyment of this very playable romp.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Super Famicom
Action
The original cart is a rather rare side scrolling beat ’em up from Kemco with solid 2D visuals and gameplay that they don’t make quite like they used to. Each character has their own special move – the hand grenade can certainly have its use at times. Simultaneous two player mode adds to the enjoyment of this very playable romp.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Soundtracks
Soundtrack
Three vinyl record disks in a fitting tribute to the side scrolling beat ’em up’s fabulous score. Thirty five tracks to savour – the ultimate getting ready for a night out album, hopefully without recreating the fight scenes!
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Kiaidan 00 was a rare PC Engine title even back in the day, so its happy days many can discover its power laser rays. Final Zone II is a gritty run and gun overhead scroller – you can almost taste the metal of the grenade pin in your mouth as you pile in all guns blazing. Browning is also of the PC Engine stable along side Legion, which shows Telenet’s fair hand at shoot em ups.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Figures
Figure
1/48 scale colour resin kit tribute to the Game Arts Famicom shoot em up that featured a mecha style robot that can transform into a space ship with formidable, and much needed, laser. The mecha kit also features a mini tribute to the space ship. A real work of fan devotion from cult publisher Beep Japan.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
The line-up reads like the tattooed sleeve of an arcade veteran: Zero Wing, Hellfire, Slap Fight, VV, Tatsujin, Tatsujin Oh/Truxton II, Vimana and Daisenpu. Serious shooting action from the days of no consumer compromise and it makes no apologies for it. A true pleasure to sample those not previously released outside the arcades. Just grateful its not 100 Yen a pop with Genki’s success rate.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Gamecube
Action
Classic title from a golden era of gaming where players take on the role of knight tasked with clearing mazes. Set apart by Namcots flair for appealing sprite graphics and some fine gameplay blending quick thinking and fast pacing to create a title as loved today in updates such as this and on virtual consoles.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Switch version and eagerly awaited shmup port of the Naomi board based Dreamcast blast that also found a home on the 360 and PS2. The crux of this shooters story is the ability to capture enemy ships and either use them as a shield or send them spinning off out of control with a deft joypad flick. The home version includes the original arcade mode, along with a story, arrange and training modes plus the chance to tweak with the controls and screen dimensions. Story mode adds speech to the levels along with various endings depending on which character the player selected. Arrange is a mish mash of the arcade and story modes that must be completed on a measly single credit.
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Standard version of the eagerly awaited shmup port of the Naomi board. The crux of this shooters story is the ability to capture enemy ships and either use them as a shield or send them spinning off out of control with a deft joypad flick. The Switch Enhanced version includes plenty of extras over the Dreamcast original, like the PS2 port. Story mode adds speech to the levels along with various endings depending on which character the player selected. Arrange is a mish mash of the arcade and story modes that must be completed on a measly single credit.
Brilliant Switch
Shooter
Amiga fans in the UK used to drool over Turrican with its inspirational rock soundtrack pushing the gamer on to new heights of its run and gun (and sometimes roll) platform action. This fine compilation also includes the much coveted Super Turrican of Super Famicom fame. Anthology One contains Turrican, Turrican 2, Super Turrican, Super Turrican Directors Cut, Mega Turrican Score Attack and Anthology Two contains Turrican 3, Mega Turrican, Mega Turrican Directors Cut, Super Turrican 2 and Super Turrican Score Attack. An awful lot of blast for your buck.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Figures
Figure
Charming anime figure to brighten up any desktop only available in Japan as an arcade coin-op prize, until now.
🥇Game of the Week
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Conversion and handing over the torch from the Dreamcast to keep the world of shooters illuminated. Jaw dropping, smoothly animated visuals and attention to detail in smoke plumages and tumbling shrapnel, not forgetting the immense explosions. Arming your copter with a second weapon option as well as targeting adds a tactical aspect to the military themed, vertically scrolling shmup action.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Gamecube
Sports
Minna no Golf style graphics with fine attention to detail such as the rainbow after the shower and weather sound effects adding to the uber kawaii look and feel good factor, yet its the unique control system untilising the analogue stick to make shots that makes Wai Wai head the leaderboard. Proper course design with realistic 3D so you can visually judge the run of the greens. And the cussing and yelping of the players helps endear you to the game further. Four player mode with just a single controller too.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Mech robots scrapping it out in this conversion of the rare Saturn shooter Wolf Fang. Seemingly inspired by Cybernator on the Super Famicom with the of the era obligatory FMV to establish its 32bit pedigree. The Assault Suits Valken influence can be seen in the tiny humans on screen such as when you have to hit the ejector seat from the mech but still battle bravely on. The mech attributes can be set which makes a big difference to your in-game powers. Skull Fang is an old school vertical scrolling shoot ’em up with arcade roots in its Data East heritage. All very nicely presented as you’d expect from a Japanese title. Tough, but not too unforgiving for grizzled shooter heads.