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Here we have all the games in the email040826 Section.
Sega Saturn
A Bit Special
Lets Saturn owners set up their own aquarium and sit back and relax as the fish manoeuvre swimmingly well around the tank, slowly transfixing the viewer; all set to relaxing music.
PS2
Sports
Cel shaded race fun with the comic book style graphics bringing the joy back to racing. The unusual graphics, whilst bringing to mind Initial D, also serve to permit a fast frame rate thereby adding to the thrills and spills. All egged on by the cheesy voice actor who may have been hired from the Daytona series and you have a recipe for fats race track frolics.
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Brings to mind the beautiful 16 bit era of shoot ’em ups with its pastel shading all the bells and whistles. Detachable boss limbs, arachnoid bosses, scaling in and out adversaries and what looks like extras from the Salamander series – there are many a nod from its knowledgeable developers to what has gone before in the shoot ’em up fraternity.
PS2
RPG
Plenty of freedom of movement and no random battles as you can see the ogres coming as Capcom makes some bold decisions to keep the franchise’s Breath minty fresh. Some fan boys had their noses point out of joint with Capcom’s save facility: a token is required for a proper save. Whilst there is a temporary measure, it can only be used once so it prevents wiping over any unfortunate turns of events. Life like character design – thats if you live in a new age anime world, but the players are totally believable and soon have you immersed in their world.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Taking the original Reboot that sought authenticity to the original and cutting a bit loose on the broomstick with a new character, extra multipliers, graphical shift and the highly amusing enemy capture adding much hilarity. Gaming veterans Beep reveal their retro tattoos and it’s a young witch on a broomstick. A fine series to go back to, especially such a relatively unknown version.
PS2
Sports
Pursuit, escort and destruction missions available for those with a steady nerve and a good eye for cornering. Thrills and spills a minute with the ultimate RPM.
Miscellaneous Games
A Bit Special
Coin-op crackers dominate this Arcade Collection and its great to see the Egret getting the reciprocation it deserves from the gaming cognoscenti. Technos Japan and Data East finest are on board: Double Dragon, Kunio Kun, Mysterious Stones, Bogey Manor, Xain’d Sleen’a, Chelnov, Dark Seal, Edward Randy, Boogie Wings and Wolf Fang 2001. Some strange sounding titles, but they play like a retro dream.
PS2
RPG
Fine history to this hard hitting mech series right from the Super Famicom days and the fifth installment sees it reach a real epoch with a superbly realised 3D world. As you’d expect with Square the attention to detail is immense and moody, sometimes grim lighting effects add to the destructive, apocolyptic atmosphere. Liberal use of the flamethrower soon brightens things up, but Genki loves the feel of the chunky gattling gun ripping through mecha metal.
Nintendo Hardware
Accessory
A small device for the GameBoy Pocket, Light or Color allowing users to get an extra boost in charge without using up batteries. The unit plugs into the charger (not supplied) and soon charges up to give extra gameplay time.
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Switch
Platform
A dream compilation for Genki as we idolise the Mystical Ninja and this mighty compendium contains thirteen of Goemon’s back catalogue to celebrate the series’ fortieth anniversary. So much gaming joy on one tiny cart and with so many titles, there’s a good chance many will savour at least a few of them for the first time. Brings a tear to the eye!
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Switch
Shoot Em Up
Switch update of the Playstation classic with 70’s Robot Anime Geppy X gets the shmup treatment and what a treat it is for shooter heads and anime fans with each of the eight episodes being a small chapter in the story with anime introduction, closing sequences and even some bonus material complete with superb voice acting. Captures the retro feel of the source anime very well with a nostalgic feel to proceedings and chunky feel to the robot controls. Horizontally scrolling with a directional switch button and big, bold sprites. Also taking a hit stops your energy bar charging up for a super shot in a nod to the hardcore shmup fraternity.
PS2
Action
A cracking action title with appropriate name as or heroine storms around town looking for small perches to hide behind, rearm Time Crisis style and then let rip using the cursor and some serious sub machine guns. The combination of freedom of movement and a nice cursor system for the shooting work a treat. Theres something cool about the seemingly serene heroine of the title in full motion giving it some to the bad guys. The arenas are nicely varied and the DVD gets you in the mood.
Miscellaneous Hardware
Accessory
This fine selector allows gamers to keep their AV cables tidy and avoid having to pull out cables by simply switching between them.
PS4
Shoot Em Up
Battle Garegga, Feveron, Kingdom Granprix plus Ketsui with the M2 gadget feature gives even the most grizzled shoot em up veterans plenty to get their teeth into, providing they remove the grenade pin in there already. The PS4 seems to have taken on the Xbox 360s mantle of master of shooters.
Brilliant Switch
Shooter
Few will forget their first blast on Kikikaikai. The initial barrier was to be able to pronounce it to the local importer in the pre-internet days. And despite being just the early nineties, few gamers were sufficiently cross-pollinated with games of its ilk to understand the ensuing cultural chaos. Not that it requires understanding with fast paced shooting fury the order of the day. Yet a randy raccoon tanuki friend that can deflect shots with his tail did raise a few eyebrows. The Shinto inspired Japanese blaster draws on mythology as necks extend inexplicably and one-eyed umbrella ghosts hop past. Cultural references aplenty all in a luscious sprite-based world driving gamers on to see more. Unrelenting pace as you the priestess battle against all the evil of underworld armed with nothing more than a purification branch. A Super Famicom classic well-worthy of this fine update and hopefully new and old audience with new playable characters. Known in the West as Pocky and Rocky Reshrined.
PS2
Sports
Colossus wrestling game with a huge amount of wrestlers to select across a wide variety of disciplines making this a firm fan’s favourite. Gameplay involves basic strikes and more complex grappling with the joypad being manipulated in the way players want their opponents head to twist. With so many moves, wrestlers, costumes – even intro music there is a lot here to keep the determined grapple fan pinned for the count.
PS2
Sports
Colossus wrestling game with a huge amount of wrestlers to select across a wide variety of disciplines making this a firm fan’s favourite. Gameplay involves basic strikes and more complex grappling with the joypad being manipulated in the way players want their opponents head to twist. With so many moves, wrestlers, costumes – even intro music there is a lot here to keep the determined grapple fan pinned for the count.
PS2
A Bit Special
Players trace patterns to launch attacks. The more elaborate the pattern, the more powerful the move, like a fighter. Full title: Bakufuu Slash Kizna Arashi.
PS2
Shooter
More serious than some of Namcos light gun games on the PSX, but well executed with a precision on the collision detection a Ninja would be proud of. Shurikens reign in and a quick trigger finger is essential to keep on top of the stealthy assailants. Quick paced and Namcos arcade heritage stands it in great stead to make such titles with aplomb.
PS2
Simulation
A good license to add much to the pachinko genre as steel balls tumble to many aggressive sounding threats and grim looking outcomes from the Mad Max of the anime world. This is the updated Special Edition with even more shouts of ‘Kiai.’
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant PS2
Action
Even by the epoch defining Japanese standards, this limited edition really raises the bar with the customisable figures coming with a display case. Not forgetting the game of course as the mecha suits are put through their paces with seamless anime cut sequences and more speed lines than a bumper edition of Shonen Jump.
Gamecube
RPG
This online simulation card battle game features over 400 types of cards, including enemies and items from the PSO series.
PS2
Simulation
Help bring up your own little princess in this rather under subscribed genre. But the little princess also has demon blood in here, which explains the odd tantrum. Originally a success on the PC Engine and Saturn, looks ace on the PS2 with character designs by Naoto Tenhiro.
Sony Hardware
Handheld
A very sleek version of the 2000 series PSP handheld which looks great in terms of perfect curvature and crisp, bright display. Ergonomically deserving of an award.
Sony Hardware
Handheld
A very sleek version of the 2000 series PSP handheld which looks great in terms of perfect curvature and crisp, bright display. Ergonomically deserving of an award.
Sony Hardware
Handheld
A very sleek version of the 2000 series PSP handheld which looks great in terms of perfect curvature and crisp, bright display. Ergonomically deserving of an award.
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Switch
Shoot Em Up
Much loved series with so many projectiles, you may find your retinas trying to move in different directions to each other. More coloured bullets than a chameleon too, but hopefully that makes them easier to see. The well respected series combines traditional shooting action with modern generation graphical gee-whizz to create spectacular, pyrotechnical results. Game on!
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Much loved series with so many projectiles, you may find your retinas trying to move in different directions to each other. More coloured bullets than a chameleon too, but hopefully that makes them easier to see. The well respected series combines traditional shooting action with modern generation graphical gee-whizz to create spectacular, pyrotechnical results. Game on!
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Gameplay has a tactical nature with the ability to use three different orbs. Ginormous bosses worked the original version to near meltdown, especially the mode 7 capacity, but both the 2D or optional 3D sprites and polygons are chucked around screen effortlessly here. Not for the weak willed, R-Type has old school difficulty to match its gameplay. But its ace to know many more can now know its charms.
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Switch
Shoot Em Up
Gameplay has a tactical nature with the ability to use three different orbs. Ginormous bosses worked the original version to near meltdown, especially the mode 7 capacity, but both the 2D or optional 3D sprites and polygons are chucked around screen effortlessly here. Not for the weak willed, R-Type has old school difficulty to match its gameplay. But its ace to know many more can now know its charms.