email121225
Here we have all the games in the email121225 Section.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Much-cherished Milestone shoot ’em up gets a Switch reboot and there are Hitchcock overtones for this crow related shooter. Utilises power ups for the shot, sword and shield giving it a strategic element. Known as also ‘Crows’ and ‘Karous’.
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Switch
Shoot Em Up
Much-cherished Milestone shoot ’em up gets a Switch reboot and there are Hitchcock overtones for this crow related shooter. Utilises power ups for the shot, sword and shield giving it a strategic element. Known as also ‘Crows’ and ‘Karous’.
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.
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Super Famicom
Platform
Redesigned packaging to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of this still stunning Super Famicom platformer with gothic overtones, stunning shafts of sunshine and fleeting shadows. A rare SFC title in the mould of such sublime titles as Demons Crest and Nosferatu with a twist of the graphical skills of the Actraiser teams. Some of the in-game assailants and bosses are more than a bit twisted looking like they just broke out of the Splatter House. The main hero can thankfully upgrade his skills as the supernatural bosses are dispatched – all the way up to the big hoedown with the Demon King. And these transformations help even if the concept of becoming a demon to beat them doesn’t sit too nicely when surrounded by such creepy creatures.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Mamoru Kun has a dedicated following from its Xbox 360 days and its easy to see why with appealing artwork, colourful characters and pick up and play shooting gameplay that hides devilish edge. Well worthy of reviving for the Switch – a haven for shoot ’em up fans.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Mamoru Kun has a dedicated following from its Xbox 360 days and its easy to see why with appealing artwork, colourful characters and pick up and play shooting gameplay that hides devilish edge. Well worthy of reviving for the Switch – a haven for shoot ’em up fans.
Super Famicom
RPG
A lesser known masterpiece from the Big N that sadly never made it to the West. Based on a mythical treasure chest known as Marvellous, the player takes on the challenge of locating it with a team of young lads. Each has their own merit such as being nippy and able to squeeze through gaps, or being strong and able to lift large boulders or tall and able to reach high spots. Unfortunately a band of rogue pirates are also in pursuit of the treasure too. Brilliantly carried out with that Nintendo child like charming view of the world. Before long you’ll be drawn in and think nothing of chatting to chimps in underground caves…
Sega Hardware
Accessory
A wonderous add on to the Mega Drive Mini in this Mega Adaptor which allowed owners of the proper, full release version (rather than this toy one) to play Master System (Mark 3) games on their Mega Drive. As such, it comes with eleven dummy Mark III carts and also a Sega My Card. But alas, this is just for fun.
GameBoy Original
Shooter
A similar title to Kikikaikai with its scrolling shooting action, Shinto priestess and many references to Japan of old in lanterns, Oni bosses and hopping, one eyed umbrellas. In the GB game however the action is force scrolled along, but this is a fine little blast for fans of a Japanese flavoured broth with many varied ingredients thrown into the stock. Ninjas, a Shinto priestess, a Buddhist priest rumbling along dispatching feudal adversaries in ancient Japan: Genki would love to claim the glory, but if we were let loose on a project, this wouldn’t be far off. Think Kikikaikai for the GameBoy. Known in Japan as Tenshin Kaisen.
🏆Sizzler
Nintendo DS
RPG
Anything that the hand of Studio Ghibli touches screams animated gold and this emotive RPG is no exception. Right from the start Oliver sheds a tear wishing his mother would return and its the emotional investment in this exquisitely animated adventure that makes it so worthwhile. The accompanying Magic Book contains simple drawings that can be copied onscreen to unleash powerful attacks in the Final Fantasy style battle sequences. Miyazaki’s characters seem to almost transcend language and speak from the heart. Unless of course we are just trying to gloss over this being Japanese language… Yet should this fail to make a translation, to miss out on it would surely be the more heinous crime…
🏆Brilliant!
Switch
Shooter
Four fabulous shooters from the coin-ops of old whose charm would no doubt lure you in through the tobacco smoke and neon. Operation Wolf needs no introduction and its sequel Operation Thunderbolt is also included which is like Wolf but as driven along in a 4×4 wheel drive. Space Gun is also a light gun game, but with self-explanatory out of this universe setting. Night Striker is a real gem cherished by many of the Playstation and Saturn as what looks like Michael Knight’s KITT car takes on the role of drive and gun blaster.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Platform
Tomba is full of mischievous spirits and tumbles around on screen belly laughing, riding around on unsuspecting creatures, balancing on ledges whilst peeking round the corner in fine, early 2.5D platform fashion. Full of innovation and sheer gaming joy that makes the series a really treasured retro romp now revived from the Playstation original to make the Switch.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Spend a week with the girls of Pandora’s Dream: a beautifully animated adventure set in the height of the muggy Japanese summer.
Mega Drive
Shoot Em Up
With only 5,000 copies of the original print rumoured to be in circulation, this is one of the rarer titles for the Mega Drive and the price in Japan of the original often reflects this. Not merely collectable for its low print run though – its the finest shooter on the Mega Drive. The heroine of the title is a witch named Cotton, on a mission to find out why all the sweets have been poisoned. But it times it may seem like Cotton has had a strong dose of dental gas, such are the colourful, almost psychedelic nature of the graphics with genre defining effects. Smashing bosses, clean, creative anime cut scenes, original ‘chase view’ perspective, yet true to its title with free movement – this title is the best example of what the Mega Drive architecture can produce. Michelangelo would surely approve. Thankfully collectors can now own it and not just watch the original with tea cup on Antiques Roadshow.
PC Engine Hardware
Memory Card
128k of memory to free up the systems internal memory and to be able to swap saved games around amongst fellow collectors. Has a battery low warning light in a nice touch.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
R Type tread boldly into the unknown world of 3D in its Playstation incarnation and delivered superb graphical gee whizz to go with luscious lighting effects. The weapons system uses auto targeting which can be a real blessing when things are starting to get a bit hairy. The revamping of the game shows what a seminal release it was.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Luscious anime adventure mixing love and war. Ogami returns from the Imperial Navy to lead Hanagumi and their steam powered contraptions. (Very) Big in Japan.
Dreamcast
A Bit Special
Unfortunately the Dreamcast servers are now down meaning emails can’t be sent, but this is still a nice collectable for fans of the Sakura Wars series. Also includes a very snazzy movie disk of ‘Sakura Wars 3’.
Soundtracks
Soundtrack
Heroes, heroines and hamsters show off their singing prowess in this tribute to the fine developer Success’ back catalogue of soundtracks, full of toe-tapping, paw-pounding loops.
Dreamcast
One on One Beat Em Up
Superb fighting series and worthy follow up which was never going to be as great a leap forward as between the first and second instalments.