New Arrivals - Games & Hardware
All the latest games, hardware, figures, merchandise, gaming magazines etc that have recently arrived in store are here. Use the filter below to select your console and narrow your search
All new arrivals. Use the menu to narrow your search.
GameBoy Advance
RPG
Miyamato’s masterpiece deserves every superlative ever heaped on it, yet it remains as humble as lead character Link. A wonderful story that shines bright like one of the torches in the castle’s darkest, dank gaming dungeons. Miyamoto’s dream world turned into a gaming reality for all to behold. The finest RPG ever? Looking superb on the GBA. And 4 Swords is also a pleasure, never a chore with great use of the GBA link when entering a confined area. Dazzling in four player mode.
Sega Saturn
Board Game
Draws strongly on Japanese culture with traditional, cheery tunes filling the air as Momotarou makes his way round the gaming board. Features a fine opening sequence as our hero takes on the giant Kabuki mask wearing Momotarou monster.
Sega Saturn
One on One Beat Em Up
In 2D combat the Saturn could take on and beat all comers. Spidey with his sticky webs and web swinging specials versus the giant Hulk (taking up a third of the screen) is every Marvel fans fantasy. Blackheart towers over adversaries adding to the dark, heinous feel in contrast to the positive Captain America who can lose his shield in combat if not careful. The fluid animation on the squid like tentacles of alien Shuma Gorath is a delight, shame it can’t do much to stop Dr Doom making full use of the play arena’s height. Compatible with the RAM cartridge to give smoother animations, yet non-essential.
Dreamcast
Shoot Em Up
Developed by Takumi who produced Gigawing, Mars Matrix encourages you to build up piles of cash to upgrade to new weapons. Collecting in succession has a multiplier effect encouraging paint scorching near-misses. Only grizzled shmup veterans need apply, but the shield option does provide some respite – especially when it fires back enemy projectiles or even doubles as a smart bomb; not without a price of course. And its due to this recharge period that the shield must be tactically used. Lovely Battle Garegga proportion attention to detail with molten shrapnel wizzing past.
Dreamcast
Action
Full of Sega’s arcade prowess making it to the DC via the Model 2 arcade board with a few cosmetic enhancements. Multiple routes are possible but this is just like its Hollywood counterpart Die Hard in that action comes above all else.
Dreamcast
Action
Eye catching arcade wizz converted with style and panache to the Dreamcast maintaining the dark, tragic, gothic feel of the arcade big brother. Requires a steady nerve and fast trigger finger. A real blast in two player.
Dreamcast
Sports
From the Virtua school of wrestling comes this well executed special with tag options and plenty of wrestlers to choose from. The presentation is smooth with plenty of flashbulbs going off as the wrestlers ham it up as they head for the ring. Grappling is never dull with the array of specials on offer.
Famicom Cart
RPG
Gorgeous sprite levels and sounds lift this up to rival Zelda as one of the finest action RPGs on the Famicom. But its perhaps the more unnoticed level design that is worthy of higher praise and elevate this to seminal status.
Sega Saturn
Shooter
Tricky controls at first, but thats the real beauty of this mech sim as the training mode eases you into the cockpit soon you’ll have mastered the buttons giving a great feeling of acomplishment as you lay waste to other mecha. The controls also feel clunky like the weight of the machine adding to the realism. Clever use of lighting and weather effects keep the realism whilst reducing the draw distance and visually its a joy to behold.
Sega Saturn
Stimulation
Red label warning in this hentai adventure known as ‘The People of Nonomura Hostpital’. One for the nurse fans then. These kind of games don’t get translated for Western markets, so if you wish to play invest in a kanji dictionary!
Sega Saturn
Puzzle
Clear the screen of coloured blocks by detonating them in chains to reveal the picture behind capturing various cityscapes and world-famous locales. Tactical thinking is required to generate the right chains and clear the screen. Strangely compelling.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
The full title translates as “The schools spooky rumoured Hanako has appeared!” The action takes the form of slickly animated cartoon sequences in a simplistic style such as with Maruko chan. The colouring is dark and atmospheric with Hanako just a quick phone call away from giving help. But beware of wrong numbers summoning the spookier ghosts.
Sega Saturn
Shoot Em Up
Up there with the best of Saturn blast fests, which is no mean feat. Unique lock on system allows you to unleash untold destruction. Massive bosses. Clever sprite scaling makes for a great looking Tokyo to fly over as enemies scale in and out of range. Lovely attention to detail as shrapnel plummets to earth.
PS2
Action
A fine stealth title as Lupin once again goes after the loot and Fujiko uses her booty. Creeping past infra red beams and sneaking by guards is the order of the day as whilst it is possible to fight, its best not to draw too much attention. A delightful series and worthy gaming translation. Just try not humming the theme tune.
Playstation
Sports
Massive title in Japan as the driver steers a massive truck against a rival firm to be the first to deliver the consignment. The ‘Battle’ of the title comes from the dirty tricks required to cut off the rival driver to win the race. The ‘Art’ comes from the delightful designs that can be added to the truck with a few bob in your pocket complete with flashing chilli lights for the dashboard – a sign of good taste on the highways of Japan. Creative truckers can also spend some time creating their own designs. Full title: ‘Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu: Art Truck Battle.’
Playstation
Sports
Captures the baton from the original Ridge Racer and runs on fumes passing the race girl and plenty of other sleek cars even with time for a quick look in the rear view mirror (albeit probably just to check their hair.) Continues the excitement of a new generation of gaming felt at the time.
Super Famicom
Shoot Em Up
Actually a port of ThunderForce III the seminal Saturn and more Mega Drive title of this era. Richly detailed mode 7 backgrounds compete for your attention amongst the swarms of enemy vessels. Not quite up to the mighty source material of ThunderForce III, but not much is.
Super Famicom
Platform
Rockman represents a pre-Beckham era when gamers were gamers and men were men. And Rockman is a real man: despite his diminutive appearance the level of obstacles in his way put him up there with Arthur in Ghouls and Ghosts in terms of tough nuts. Sprinting along collapsing platforms and getting stuck into the latest despot to block his path without so much as a sigh. Rockman, we salute you.
Super Famicom
Sports
Futuristic Super Famicom classic with jumps, power boosts and plenty of mad machines such as Hot Violet, Stingray and Crazy Horse making it a great gaming universe.
Super Famicom
One on One Beat Em Up
Conan style fight fest with plenty of swords, axes and scantily clad ladies to battle against. Sammy has a good arcade heritage and the mechanics see that it shines through here.
Super Famicom
Sports
Nothing too flash: the Willy Thorne of the pool genre. Not that it doesn’t dazzle at times and its not just the glare off the hot spot, but the fine ball mechanics and presentation. A very accomplished Super Famicom table game.