Recommended
Recommended games and hardware - our favourites from the last couple of weeks.
PC Engine HU Card
Action
Any title combining ninja’s, kunoichi (female ninja’s), shadowmen, snipers and fire ninja’s can’t be bad. Ninja Warriors is a fine conversion of Taito’s late eighties coin-op smash with the only feature lacking being the Darius style three sectioned screen.
PC Engine HU Card
Action
Packed with cultural references in the form of geta wearing devils, machine gun wielding octupuses and Chinese lions. Play as the phallus shaped Honey. Hopefully the designers had the ancient Japanese clay ‘Haniwa’ images in mind when designing this action title which uses a clever pseudo-3D. Well ahead of its era.
PC Engine Super CD ROM
Sports
Pretty difficult to track down as the games star and biker gang look-a-like Kunio Kun has a strong following. Various track & field events spiced up by the ability to throw punches, bottles and even bowling balls during your rivals attempts.
Famicom Cart
Simulation
That early twinkle in Lucasart’s eye can be seen here in the walking tentacles of Maniac Mansion. Fun touches throughout the game as players explore the bizarre mansion keeping a keen eye out for clues and unusual items to aid progression.
Famicom Cart
Action
Genki lacks the will power to resist a retro game that comes with gaming mat and plastic mallet to bash to moles that appear on screen on the corresponding spot on the game mat. Great fun and a wonderful kitsch release. Title translates as Super Mole Bashing.
Mega Drive
Action
Captures the prohibition era feel of the gangster flick well as Mr Tracy goes after the mob. The levels scroll along and the tommy gun and old knuckle sandwich are used to progress. But an eye must be kept on underground activity in the background as gangsters take pot shots at our main man. The machine gun is used to take up an into the screen perspective to dish out some rough justice to these shady background scene shifters. Enjoyable bonus levels ensue where the quick witted private eye must distinguish between good and bad in a split second and dispatch one of them using the A, B or C buttons depending on their position. A nice film tie-in.
GameBoy Advance
Platform
Famicom Mini Series capture the imaginative packaging and the unforgiving, old school gameplay of the source material from the Nintendo Famicom Disk Drive – never released outside Japan. The Series was commissioned to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Famicom or NES. Old school barrel jumping action reminiscent of the playground smash Game & Watch title.
PSP
Sports
Sony turns its fair hand to tennis with its more familiar to the golf world Minna No engine. The sun shines as wide-eyed players tackle a variety of courses with patchy grass being one; and an array of locales such what looks like a university. The RPG mode is great fun and players can customise their outfits to add to their distinction.
PSP
Sports
Keeps up the series impeccable presentation with the cute characters, over the top reactions to success or defeat and some devilishly designed courses looking ever so stunning on the small screen. You can almost feel the sun on your back teeing off on a sunny day with the birds singing. Thankfully includes a putting practise mode to hone your skills on. Best shots can be saved too a la Virtua Striker allowing you to show off your eagle. Perfect way to whittle away long journeys. Known also by its English name of Everybody’s Golf.
Dreamcast
Sports
From the Rage stable, playing in a similar vein to the Striker series. A good, solid, professional effort – the Gareth Southgate of the Dreamcast football world.
Playstation
Action
Genki had to face the death sequence scene a few too many times, but it is a case of trial and error at times as players tackle the puzzles. But at the end you end up kicking yourself at the solution that was staring them in the face all along. The challenge if more forgetting the death sequence scream.
XBOX
Action
Samurai slasher less cerebral than the ‘Biohazard’ series, but the beautifully realised feudal Japanese world draws you in.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Plenty of extras from the original Nightruth release including drawings and anime. Subtitled Explanation of the Paranormal.
Nintendo DS
A Bit Special
A Japanese to English dictionary, great for those studying Japanese.
Super Famicom
A Bit Special
Fighters History, Joe & Mac 2 (aka Congo’s Caper) and Super Birdie Rush. So a good package of fighting, sport and platforming: a simple platforming romp to match the bright primary colours used to create the platforming, prehistoric world complete with pterodactyls and power ups. Yet data East have a certain coin op je ne sais quoi that shines through brightly bringing this game to life with a plethora of fun. Known in Japanese as Tatakae Genshijin 2. Subtitled Rookie no Bouken
Sony Hardware
Memory Card
15 block memory card with additional data when used with various titles including: Final Fantasy VIII, Street Fighter Zero 3, Crash Bandicoot…
Merchandise
Merchandise
A fine gift that came with those sharp enough to preorder the PS4 title. Includes an artbook tribute to its pasty chic along with DLC and CD with the games tunes. Known as Caligula Effect in the West.
Soundtracks
Soundtrack
Two delightful disks with one hundred and five tracks to stir memories of Hyrule and uplifting moments in the Zelda games and want you to jump bare back onto a horse and ride off on a mission. A Cub Nintendo release making it a little exclusive which is a shame as many would lap up this aural experience of the highest order.
Mega Drive
Action
Good bit of chopper action as the Mega Drive shifts a few polygons around with admirable aptitude. Straight forward missions make for unambiguous, action slanted gaming. A real classic of Western gaming also released on the Atari Lynx.
Soundtracks
Soundtrack
Based on the DS version of Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy maintains its ability to keep its orchestral score as high as its stunning visuals
Nintendo DS
Puzzle
Don’t let the saccharine sweet, pastal graphics deceive you – this is one mean Mr Driller. Drill deep down before your oxygen runs out. Easy to pick up, but prone to that just one more go mentality where minutes become hours. You have been warned.