Shop
Here we have all the games in the Shop Section.
Playstation
Sports
Very fast as our mach speed mean machines seem to positively stick to the track as players whiz round the varied and colourful course in this popular PSX game well worth its nostalgia. A real test of driving skill with the cartoony handling adding to a title not taking itself too seriously and the fun in the sun shining through as a result.
PS2
Action
Unfortunately Genki’s only run in with a biker gang was when sat on a push bike. Still it was nice to see a few faces missing from class. The underground, midnight bike scene has many devotees in Japan as many a sleepless night will attest. Plenty of Yankee style attitude and covers a niche genre very aptly, as you’d expect from D3.
PC Engine HU Card
Sports
Overhead perspective racing game where competitors jostle for position. Get left too far behind and rather than scroll out you get bumped up to the pace automatically. However too many bump ups and you have to retire. Slick presentation and prize money to buy upgrades, but multiplayer is where its really at.
Super Famicom
Simulation
A board game with plenty going off in the meantime as players move round the board to be suddenly part of an indoor long jump challenge or part of a wacky game show. Some superb mini games, if you can cope with whatever cultural baggage you may be carrying into them. The board is also well represented in isometric form with some finely drawn characters full of expression.
Playstation
Puzzle
Don’t let the cute graphics deceive you – this is one mean Mr Driller. Drill 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.
GameBoy Advance
Puzzle
Devilishly addictive gameplay and perfectly suited to the GBAs dimensions. Colourful graphics with cute sprites mask a real tough bruiser at its core, but failing to make the grade is always the players fault and never the gaming engine. Good eggs.
Complete with registration card. Couple of light box dents.
Gamecube
Puzzle
For the uninitiated Mr Driller must suffer the threat of repetitive stress injury and frantically drill from the surface to the goal. Drilled blocks of the same colour collapse presenting a hazard so careful thought is the order of the day. But at the same time limit is set by depleting oxygen reserves. The lovely sprites mask a truly hardcore experience when freebased from its graphical candy, but when its so easy to get into and so sweetly coated it’s a true pleasure to drill deeper. Features a world tour with themed levels from around the globe (and a fine Indiana Jones tribute) and a frantic multiplayer mode where up to players race to the goal. Plenty of extras too and smooth presentation.
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.
PC Engine HU Card
Shoot Em Up
A great little cartoony shooter that allows free movement in the helicopter complete with under carriage feet.
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Shoot Em Up
Lesser known arcade shooters from cult classic Cave. Not the sort of casual stroll by and drop in a coin type game though with some serious projectiles heading the players way relentlessly. Great fun though to rescue the captured little piggies and the games have distinctive styling which will be enjoyed by the savvy coin op guru. Good value package revived for the Switch by City Connection.
Switch
Platform
The beautiful, timeless anime look of Valis is revived to celebrate her thirty-fifth anniversary and the gameplay is just as wholesome and rewarding now as it has been on many a retro platform over the decades. Valis parts one to three show the bishojo is definitely back.
Nintendo Hardware
Multitap
The Twin Tap cant be used on its own, and must be used with the Multi Adaptor Auto. It doubles the capacity of each joypad port on a Multitap Auto when used in conjunction with it.
Nintendo 64
Sports
Impressive sense of speed and decent draw distance as sharp reflexes are need to combat the tight corners and keep your bumper ahead of the opposition. The feel of Sega Rally is in there: perhaps no surprise given the team that developed it contained some break away members of that mythical programming team.
XBOX
Action
Mech based shooting game where you are the hunter and the hunted. Allows a selection of weapons depending on the situation of the mission – some requiring great haste to take down the enemy android in time. Tight, intuiative controls making good use of the shoulder buttons for speed control. Really enjoyable to zip through the stunningly realistic skyscrapers at mach speed. Some nice bonus extras to unlock help you to strive to meet each goal.
GameBoy Advance
RPG
Set in a Japanese high school where Tokyo is experiencing a few strange goings on since the arrival of alien invaders. Plenty of slick cut scenes as you’d expect being based on an NHK anime. Lots of fun, bizarre mini games too. Known in Japanese as Gakuen Senki Muryo.
Nintendo DS
Action
An off-beat beetle battling title from Sega in which players look after a fairly sizeable insect such as a helmet beetle. Other beetles can then be challenge to bouts with entertaining techniques and secret specials used to take down the rival bug. Although insect collecting is more acceptable in Japan, this sort of game could see the phenomena spread. Known in Japan by its full title of Kouchuu Ouja Mushi King Greatest Champion e no Michi DS.
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Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Mushihimesama was developed by the hardcore’s most coveted Cave and welcomed to the Switch with open arms. Yet the love of the developer by it hardened crew is rarely reciprocated as cruel patterns of projectiles spray across the screen – a hard love that’s for sure. The title translates as Insect Princess and a genetically enhanced horde of creepy crawlies await the pretty princess. As you’d expect multiplier mayhem awaits those prepared to go easy on the smart bombs with the seasoned vet soon clocking up massive scores.
PS2
Action
The feudal Japan setting in the winter months makes the visual pyrotechnics stand out as players soon discover you are no ordinary samurai. Koei is a real master of such action titles and Genki kowtows to a fine developer. Known as Warriors Orochi in the West.
Super Famicom
Platform
Platform title based in feudal Japan with luscious period setting graphics setting the moody tone nicely for supernatural adversaries that draw on Japanese folklore and mythology. Armed with a trusty spear Imoto is charged with rescuing Shizuka with some kind assistance from the deities in the form of power ups. Full Japanese title ‘Kousoushinrai Densetsu Musha.’
XBOX
Shooter
So named from the flash of light from the barrel when the sniper pulls the trigger in this fine shooter with accuracy and stealth paramount to progress. Very exciting in terms of building the pressure – similar to the seminal Goldeneye on the N64.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
A monolithic hit on the PC appealing to non gaming gamers with its simple interface and lack of gaming knowledge required to enter its mists. Has an eerie atmosphere that builds as the puzzles increase in difficulty.
Famicom Cart
Platform
Blobby accompanies your quest to free the bonnie princess and his abilities to transform into a key or a trampoline cannot be undervalued in a platform game. Some clever conundrums and tight fixes to negotiate. Also known as Fushigina Blobby.
Super Famicom
Puzzle
Players zip around screen in their space ship looping around the on screen blocks to keep the screen clear, in this intriguing twist on the Tetris formula, full of X Files style UFO conspracies.
Super Famicom
RPG
European style fantasy RPG with sprites and attention to detail befitting of the most enchanting of European pageantry. Enix was the main rival to Square in these heady sixteen bit RPG days and games such as Mystic Ark show the talent of the team in this exquisite expedition.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
A wealth of avatars and animation from the epic anime opus to bring this series to life on the Sega Saturn and run rings around the opposition.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Space exploration in the epic style mecha games demand with tidy avatars to crank up the tension like an intergalactic soap opera.
Super Famicom
Sports
Plenty of thrills and oil spills in this overhead F1 treat backed by legendary racer Nakajima. Rev heads will rejoice at the fast paced action. Popular on the Mega Drive too.
Mega Drive
Sports
Plenty of thrills and oil spills in this overhead F1 treat backed by legendary racer Nakajima. Rev heads will rejoice at the fast paced action.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Dreamcast adventure starring the Samurai Spirits Heroine Nakoruru in a quest that takes players deep into her world and keeps in fitting with her role in the savvy SNK scrappers. The snowy Hokkaido wilderness is the inspiration for the setting of the Ainu Nakoruru’s adventures whose ancestors were the original inhabitants of Japan.
PS2
A Bit Special
Namco certainly has a back catalogue worthy of raiding as this compilation remonstrates: Mr. Driller, Kaze no Klonoa, Tekken, Ridge Racer and Ace Combat 2. As you’d expect souped up visuals and slick presentation with movie clips and artwork from the games. Play the games as the makers intended.