Recommended
Recommended games and hardware - our favourites from the last couple of weeks.
SNK Hardware
Controller
No need to fix this pad – it certainly isn’t broke fitting like a glove with fine layout. Feeling good on fight titles.
SNK Hardware
Controller
No need to fix this pad – it certainly isn’t broke fitting like a glove with fine layout. Feeling good on fight titles.
SNK Hardware
Accessory
SNK artwork is always worthy of further admiration and these four stickers are no exception. Used to decorate a Neo Geo Mini to show allegiance to your favourite game or fighter.
PS4
Action
The legend returns to the PS4 to bring joy to the many devotees who never lost hope of a revival of their flame for Ryo and his quest to avenge his fathers death. Albeit not a sequel, but fingers crossed for a successful release and the momentum that would create. Said to be the originator of open world exploration, the towns and cities look beautiful and the characters in them are either charming or despicable. And we need the less savoury street vermin for Ryo to dispatch. It wouldn’t be the same laying into the fine folk. And the fight system, based on the Virtua Fighter engine, is still purring like a treat, now also coming with the choice of fighting style.
Mega Drive
Platform
A projectile spitting and fire breathing ape makes for a versatile character to take on the imaginative platforms and bosses inspired by Buddhism and certainly harder to credit end of level adversaries. A very fine MD platformer and well sort on the system. Also known as Toki.
GameBoy Color
Simulation
Sequel to the popular Super Famicom version, this handheld update takes a card-based combat approach. Great characters in the Hudson mould. Subtitled The Miracle of The Zone.
PS4
Shoot Em Up
A remix of Cruisin Mix which maintains the madcap spirits of the original Saturn version in its updated Classic and Arcade modes. The sprite style harks of a retro era, yet the mechanics are the latest gleaning model. Veterans will appreciate the chance to sharpen their claws on the Time Attack mode and can even choose their desired BGM to get the juices flowing. Players can also choose different characters, including from the well known Tatsujin.
Super Famicom
A Bit Special
Super Chinese World, Super Ultra Baseball and Hiryu no Ken Golden Fighter make up the three titles on Volume One. A good mix with sport covered by the baseball. Then there’s Super Chinese World jammed full of Chinese cultural references, or at least Chinese culture from a Japanese perspective, it can be pretty zany at times. And finally Golden Fighter is a fighting fit conversion of the one on one coin op bruiser with story mode and versus mode. Good blend of bare hand boxing and slight of hand weaponry making this a solid and entertaining package.
Merchandise
Magazine
A tribute to the crack unit that was Toaplan and its beast Ultimate Tiger. Definitely the A-Team of shooter stables. The art is exceptional bringing the action and explosions to life. Also features Musihimesama, Under Defeat HD, Steel Empire (MD) and little know Windows shooter Valhellio.
Soundtracks
Soundtrack
Available exclusively to members of the Square Enix community and of course Genki, this compilation includes some of gamings finest scores that really send a tingle down the spine right to the tips of your toughened gaming fingertips. Toe tapping tunes and stirring scores from Final Fantasy IV, Legend of Mana, Star Ocean and even a rare recording from the 97 Tokyo Game Show of Einhander.
Nintendo DS
Action
Club Nintendo exclusive but the ghost memberships were well worth the effort when playing this wee belter. Strangely expansive for a give away title (well for those with the required points) with atmospheric rain lashing down on the Goemon style towns through which our samurai be suited players stroll. Plenty of opportunities to test martial arts ability soon prevail with the mic being used to issue commands to your player such as kick or punch. Players can also transform into a lycra suited sentai with the feel of plenty of cheese and ham as in Ouendan as the over the top transformations take place. Multiplayer only for two or three players and players must work in true Wa harmony to beat the bad boss.
Famicom Disk System
Action
A game a few decades ahead of its time as the hero charges head on into the 3D scrolling screen giving adversaries a wide berth and making long jumps that would put Chris Tomlinson to shame. The end of level boss requires a bit of the old school shooting skills to be tested as Square defines another genre early in its development. Known in the West as 3D WorldRunner.
Mega Drive
Shooter
Overhead perspective strategic action blast in which espionage is the order of the day as enemy bases are sabotaged with bombs placed in the correct position within the time limit. Ammo is limited but the emphasis is more on stealth as Konami’s more famous title implemented equally well with varied levels of guard AI. A two player cooperative mode is very cunningly implemented and much more enjoyable than many two player competitive modes.
Super Famicom
Shoot Em Up
Old school shooter with big, bad bosses filling up most the screen that require taking down bit by bit. The unique feature is the ability to be able to shift altitudes to avoid confronting the meaner looking machines gunning for you which adds a nice tactical element to the battle. An enjoyable blast.
Playstation
Sports
Mario Kart tribute with the PlaySation’s hardware getting a good work out spinning the course around on screen. The levels are full of fun with sea and beach based sunshine level looking particularly good in Micro Machines style overhead view. Then there is also the battle mode. The use of fighting like Road Rash as player pass helps it dig its own niche.
Miscellaneous Games
Shoot Em Up
A vertical scrolling shooter from master blasters Sega with clever programming and tasty chip tunes. Can’t go wrong with Sega’s hertitage.
GameBoy Original
Simulation
Captures the fun of taking print club pictures which dominated the arcades of Japan. Features can be tweaked in capturing a dream sticker. Also known as Purikura Club Pocket.
Dreamcast
Shooter
All the frills of the arcade on this home version. Alas a giant snipers rifle may not have proved the most practical so is sadly missing. But other than that, this is a fine light gun game that works a treat on the standard controller as the sight is zoomed around the screen before zooming in for a better look. That is a better look when the power has not just been shot out in the claustrophobic, near darkness levels. The tactical element is grand too with adversaries being taken down through hotel windows within the time limit to preserve the peace. And some fine Bond like tunes.
Sega Saturn
Puzzle
Cuteness as only the Japanese know how, ‘Puyo Puyo’ style gameplay which is great fun in two player mode.
Game Gear
RPG
The final release of the four part series on the Game Gear never made it overseas and always seems in high demand from collectors. It is based on part A of the A.R.S. PC versions, yet the story has been re-jigged. Yet its not just down to coming late in the handhelds cycle that this instalment is in demand: Compiles composed hand and slick presentation is present throughout as it guides you by the hand through its 3D dungeons like a kind Carbuncle. The Bakeshon of the title is a pun on the Japanese pronunciation English word vacation, with “bake” meaning ghost…
Dreamcast
Sports
Whittle away a few peaceful hours on Lake Paradise trying to land a big bass renowned for their fighting ability. Tactical choice of lure is essential as you cajole the bass to take the bait. Once you have a bite the line tension gauge must be carefully monitored to stop the line from snapping. Arcade and DC original modes to select with the latter being far more forgiving than the arcade mode in which you must land sufficient weight within the time limit to you move on to the next stage. Failure to bag anything will leave you gutted.