Shop
Here we have all the games in the Shop Section.
Famicom Cart
One on One Beat Em Up
Pre-dating Street Fighter, this title puts player as a street brawler up against not only an opponent, but also falling objects from the inhabitants of the building above where the scrap ensues. This can also be a bucket of glitter should your opponent be defeated. Timing is everything. Vintage, Nintendo gameplay, a veritable claret of classic gaming.
PC Engine CD ROM
Simulation
Ataru seems destined for many ominous days as the priest Cherry often predicts. Caught between Lum and Shinobu and half the members of his school class (the female ones) only chaos can reign. Great digital comic game for fans of the very popular anime series.
Merchandise
Magazine
The handheld special featuring the legendary Nintendo Game & Watch titles plus other LCD handhelds from other companies. Also includes articles on the interchangeable handhelds such as the Game Boy, Game Gear, PC Engine GT and Lynx. Further features include games with 3D dungeons amongst a host of retrospective snipets.
Playstation
Simulation
Three girls must save the earth from marauding aliens with the help of their mech suits and you. Popular sci fi title in Japan due to the high quality of the anime based cut scenes and exquisite audio.
Virtual Boy
Puzzle
Complete with the usual modes to adjust the speed and number of starting lines, but its the horizontally scrolling mode making full use of the VB’s 3D capabilities where this version really excels. Having to think about whats going on around the corner really adds a new element to the Tetris formula.
PC Engine CD ROM
Platform
Stunning anime cut scenes mixed up with frantic platform action. A must for game headed anime fans.
PC Engine CD ROM
Platform
Amazing anime cut scenes with a femme fatale cast mixed up with furious platform action.
PC Engine CD ROM
A Bit Special
A fan disk and quite a rare one at that which compiles the animated cut scenes from three of the Valis releases on the PC Engine in Valis II, II and IV. In between sequences the narrator explains what is going on (bearing in mind the sequences are out of the context of the game.) A real treat for Yuko devotees. Subtitled Laser Soft Visual Collection Volume 2.
PS4
RPG
Gorgeous graphical style like a watercolour with backgrounds that seem to seep and move as sleekly as the onscreen fight scenes. The combat interface is superb and Square Enix has maintained the series status as one of the many jewels in its crown as king of the genre with this regal release.
Playstation
RPG
Enchanting RPG from those skilled craftsmen at Enix that flew in the face of the expected mould of the genre with free flight between villages and dungeons and horizontally viewed exploration like in Princess Crown. All exquisitely executed with panache and distinct graphical style.
PS2
RPG
A high-budget update of the popular Playstation title which demonstrates Square Enixs grasp of the PS2 architecture. Rousing orchestral soundtrack and plenty of emotional thrills and spills for fans of the Square Enix stable. Subtitled Silmeria.
Sega Saturn
One on One Beat Em Up
Subtitled: Darkstalkers’ Revenge. The Saturn was made for titles of this ilk: wonderfully balanced characters hammering it out in 2D bliss. You can feel Capcom’s spark return in this Saturn classic.
Sega Saturn
One on One Beat Em Up
Subtitled: Darkstalkers’ Revenge. The Saturn was made for titles of this ilk: wonderfully balanced characters hammering it out in 2D bliss. You can feel Capcom’s spark return in this Saturn classic.
Sega Saturn
One on One Beat Em Up
Final part of the series on the Saturn sees strides made to improve the play mechanics over Vampire Hunter and includes the exquisite death moves. Incredibly fluid animation with Capcom squeezing out every iota from the Saturn and Ram cart to bring the arcade experience home.
Playstation
RPG
With a mightily impressive full 3D polygon world, Konami produced a sleek RPG to cast a spell over Square. But as all good RPGers worth their hit points know it’s the story where such titles flourish or fall on their sword and the crack Nagoya team has come up trumps again. Full of tactical, strategic battles with a sense of foreboding and menace that all is not well in the Vandal Hearts world.
Playstation
RPG
Isometric RPG that has supreme attention to detail in the levels such as the blue, translucent flame lamps. The quest has many ups and downs matched by an incredible orchestral score to make every emotion more intense.
PC Engine CD ROM
Simulation
Arcade mahjong game converted to the home system with mild RPG exploration elements and more bunny ears than the Playboy mansion.
PC Engine Super CD ROM
Simulation
Space based strategic battle simulator with tidy lift music whilst setting up troops and weapons, but more dramatic rock to crank up the tension once the battle commences, with dramatic avatars to back it up.
Sega Saturn
Action
Multiplayer madness as up to six players battle it out in jeeps using various over the top weapons to destroy each other’s vehicle. Lots of graft has gone into coding the visuals which look great as the screen zooms in and out, not quite as slick as the intro mind. But the gameplay is a real hoot too.
PC Engine HU Card
Platform
Mightily impressive, mega mechs with multiple scrolling backgrounds delivering a titanium title for any Hu Card collection. The players robot can take to the skies along with being fitted with a weapon on each arm and a macerating machine gun mounted on the bulk. These stats can also be souped up through successfully progressing and where to improve becomes a critical issue with some mean, marauding bosses in wait.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Serious looking machinery and gruffer looking blokes make up the into to this military simulation with the commands in English making it accessible for those who like to take their crack team behind enemy lines and follow the plan through to fruition.
Virtual Boy
Shoot Em Up
Assume control of the Rangnarok ship in the battle to regain control of a rogue space colony. 2D vertically scrolling blast fest given a 3D element by the ability to shift between different planes. Relatively short, but the usual shields, weapon and pod power ups and detailed backgrounds make this a blast worthy of the Hudson Soft brand.
Sega Saturn
Sports
Well crafted kick around with four player mode a scream, although as such unlikely to be contributing much to the Respect campaign. Utilises world teams and the game engine has a good balance of arcadey feel with varied goal scoring.
PC Engine HU Card
Sports
Reminiscent of ‘Big Run’ on the Super Famicom in that both were the first driving games released for their respective systems and both cover the Paris – Dakkar Rally. Complete with Eiffel Tower sprite of course!
Merchandise
Magazine
Very professional publication covering the retro scene with info on PC Engine, Saturn, Dreamcast, Playstation, Nintendo, Atari and the Mega Drive amongst others.
Merchandise
Magazine
Cover Feature on Dragon’s Lair 2 with a complete guide to released Intellivision games with a photo checklist. The ‘Made in JapanEfeature is based on the rhythm action scene covering titles such as Cool Cool Toon and Jam, Vib Ribbon and cross genre releases. Sega RPG expert Working Designs is treated to a release profile.
Merchandise
Magazine
Sega Saturn special. An article on Major Damage – a little known canned Saturn title along with a top five Saturn release list. The Made in Japan article focuses on the Saturn, along with a feature on the Saturn, phtoto checklist on US boxes, article on soundtracks plus general reviews.
Soundtracks
Soundtrack
Superb tracks from the Sonic Wings series with the initial release, the sequel, Sonic Wings 3 and Sonic Wings Limited all included that really give you a lift and put a spring in your fire fingers.
Gamecube
Action
Capcom continues its highly original schedule with this cel shaded movie maker. Wacky action hero Joe must keep beating the bad guys in order to keep the cameras rolling with plenty of directors tricks up his pink lycra sleeve such as slow down and speed up for when things get a bit hairy.
Gamecube
Side Scrolling Beat Em Up
Drawing on retro super heroes clad in Lycra and the great tradition of transforming into the ultimate hero found in Japan come Viewtiful Joe. The cel shaded look suits the over the top retro ham perfectly, almost as good a fit as Joes costume. And the large play areas allow players space to play their game to try and take down their opponent with as much style as the game itself. Highly commended for being fresh and fun.