Recommended
Recommended games and hardware - our favourites from the last couple of weeks.
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.
GameBoy Advance
Action
Update of the 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.
PS2
Shooter
Gungrave Overdose proves you can’t have too much of a good thing with its overhead third person perspective adding to the gameplay and adrenalin. Not that it need cranking up: the tension is high from the very off with the introduction. The story is full oof twists and intrigue – not that there’s much need to ponder it. Top end (Red) Entertainment.
Famicom Cart
Action
Cherished action RPG that takes a martial arts theme skilfully blending tough looking avatars, hit points and actual fight sequences in the martial arts mecca Temple of Shaolin itself.
Nintendo DS
Shooter
A National Treasure gets a worthy update to hopefully woo more with its charms. Full of tongue in cheek humour as you’d expect from this developer and some very funny English translations. Huge title with plenty of levels and even a level editor for the DS version. Cunning counter attack method involves waiting until your ship is in imminent danger before launching the counter, and the results are the more spectacular depending on the level of danger. And based on the experience of past competitions, Treasure have made data transferable via sound so that another DS can upload it or even it can even be sent onto the net for the real high rollers.
Famicom Cart
Action
Players ride on bikes like the speeders from Return of the Jedi and try to knock opponents into the on screen traps, such as laser beams. The speeder also has a gun to shoot itself as the screen forces the battle onwards.
Playstation
RPG
Konami’s cult Mirumo world looking mighty fine on the Playstation with four adventure quests to savour full of brightly drawn fairies, luscious green backdrops and plinky plonky chip tunes matched and blended perfectly to the in quest action.
PS2
Action
Eidos goes out on a limb to show the Tomb Raider developers diversity in creating an almost Nintendo-esque shepherding game. Animals need guiding back to their pen, but certain creatures will sink in water or be unable to jump adding to the lateral thinking of the shepherd. Very enjoyable and underrated.
🏆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 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.
Famicom Cart
Board Game
A fine collectable and curio for the Famicom combining board game and video game in one very fine package. The attention to detail in the production is staggering as up to four players traverse the game world and board map simultaneously.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Famicom Cart
Platform
The Nyankies instead of Yankees comes from the sound a cat makes in Japanese. Captures a cheesy Eighties feel with ease as the cat heroes swing through downtown Manhattan. The game is full of innovative touches such as hoover feet and being able to grab on to platforms, Bionic Commando style. Known as Rockin Kats in the West and also abbreviated to NY Nyankies.
Dreamcast
Sports
Sega Rally really captured the reason why fans spend their Sunday mornings avoiding careering vehicles in off-the-beaten-track forests: power sliding round hairpin bends with wheels spinning to kick out on the home straight. Sublime.
GameBoy Advance
RPG
Nintendo demonstrates its lighter side in this Japanese tongue in cheek take off of the RPG obsession amongst gamers. Set in America with unique, cartoon-like graphics reminiscent of Charlie Brown and his chums. Known as Earthbound in the West.
Dreamcast
Action
Violent realisation of the manga world with good pacing and nice presentation. One almighty sword makes this the mother of all hack and slash titles complete with soundtrack fit for slaying.
Dreamcast
Shooter
Sega does Bond with some fine tongue in cheek humour as you choose from two sleek spies to take out the bad guys in a flurry of trigger finger action in classic light gun style. Has a few moments to interrupt the trigger happy action though, such as a chance to shoot a key or bunging up a toxic gas leak which keep you on your toes and alter the games course. Not too many gun games on the DC making this one to really savour especially in two player mode.
Playstation
One on One Beat Em Up
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.
Dreamcast
RPG
Beautiful action RPG – think a 3D Princess Crown with an elliptical world, with fine attention to detail and platform action sections with tight jumps and steady nerves a prerequisite. Subtitled ‘Arsia in Day Dream.’
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Super Famicom
Shoot Em Up
Graphically pleasing with liberal use of colour as you guide Willow on her broomstick quest for wish-granting sweets accompanied by her fairy friend Silk. Success is rewarded with an appropriately off kilter end of level tea break. Intriguingly Willow gets to select her favourite weaponry before the offset and in game Silk can be used to attack along with the fire dragon, star frenzy or lightning assaults depending on which crystals have been collected.
PS2
Sports
Puritans will head straight for the Arcade mode with its accurate and unforgiving top down conversion of the vintage coin op. Those less familiar with the original will find much fun and frolics wading around in the Grand Prix mode which features the ability to power up to a massive mobile, or to increase jump potential. Ambulances smash their way through the drivers to get to stricken drivers and there are more on screen calamities than Wacky Races. A fine claret that has matured to near arcade perfection.