Switch
Here we have all the games in the Switch Section.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
The legendary 16 and 32Bit shoot em up Sonic Wings gets rebooted for a revival flight in this updated retro reunion with the cityscapes looking superbly rotoscoped. The plane theme is done too perfection with a variety of planes and pilots to add to the explosion excitement, all looking very militaristic in TATE mode.
Switch
Action
All-action soundtrack to keep players eyes wide open in order to thrive and not just survive the velocity fest as Sonic whizzes over twisted 3D roads. Yet Sega nods to the rich 2D heritage of its hero and the side section platform skill sections will raise the pulse of gamers of a certain vintage. Seamless presented as you would expect with fine cut-scenes.
Switch
Action
Running a space station is quite a complicated conundrum at times, so if feeling stressed, maybe head for the entertainment decks with its funfair and cat cafe? The bio deck is prone to the occasional extra terrestrial invader, but its all in a days work.
Brilliant Switch
A Bit Special
Two of the most collectable Saturn games rightfully revived by City Connection for more to savour their femme fatale charms.
Advanced Variable Geo has 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.
Saturn shooter Steam Hearts is a sizzlingly hot and saucy shmup brought to the table by the talented Giga. A heady combination of steamy cut scenes and frantic shoot ’em up action is the sort of fan service you can expect in Japan. Genki is grateful that the gameplay is more rewarding than Divine Sealing on the Mega Drive adopting an overhead perspective with shifts in style to keep things fresh. Thankfully the ship can take seven hits before biting the dust which is welcomed with the sheer volume of enemy fire as are the tight controls. A turbo boost can zip the ship through a tight squeeze to the pulsating beats to the soundtrack with a tap on the pad leaving a feeling of great satisfaction to have left behind the enemy hordes. The cut scenes come after defeating an end of level boss which are interesting characters to say the least. The Saturn version had full two player mode and makes good use of the machines 2D powers.
Switch
A Bit Special
Two of the most collectable Saturn games rightfully revived by City Connection for more to savour their femme fatale charms.
Advanced Variable Geo has 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.
Saturn shooter Steam Hearts is a sizzlingly hot and saucy shmup brought to the table by the talented Giga. A heady combination of steamy cut scenes and frantic shoot ’em up action is the sort of fan service you can expect in Japan. Genki is grateful that the gameplay is more rewarding than Divine Sealing on the Mega Drive adopting an overhead perspective with shifts in style to keep things fresh. Thankfully the ship can take seven hits before biting the dust which is welcomed with the sheer volume of enemy fire as are the tight controls. A turbo boost can zip the ship through a tight squeeze to the pulsating beats to the soundtrack with a tap on the pad leaving a feeling of great satisfaction to have left behind the enemy hordes. The cut scenes come after defeating an end of level boss which are interesting characters to say the least. The Saturn version had full two player mode and makes good use of the machines 2D powers.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Beautiful gaming world looking straight out of a Miyazaki anime such as Porco Rosso with all manner of flying contraptions that keeps the action fresh. In the Mega Drive version players had two vessels to choose from: the land bombing plane or the air mine depositing Zeppelin each whose advantages must be weighed against the needs of the mission ahead. Lovingly presented in a wartime movie style, the overall package oozes quality of a bygone era now lovingly brought to the burgeoning roster of Switch shooters.
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Beautiful gaming world looking straight out of a Miyazaki anime such as Porco Rosso with all manner of flying contraptions that keeps the action fresh. In the Mega Drive version players had two vessels to choose from: the land bombing plane or the air mine depositing Zeppelin each whose advantages must be weighed against the needs of the mission ahead. Lovingly presented in a wartime movie style, the overall package oozes quality of a bygone era now lovingly brought to the burgeoning roster of Switch shooters.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Granada, Psychic Storm, Gaiares and Avenger make for a roster well-worth revisiting and not just for vintage gamers. Gaiares will delight many yet to sample its charms, yet all stand tall in this fine back roster from cult cracker Telenet.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Granada, Psychic Storm, Gaiares and Avenger make for a roster well-worth revisiting and not just for vintage gamers. Gaiares will delight many yet to sample its charms, yet all stand tall in this fine back roster from cult cracker Telenet.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Kiaidan 00 was a rare PC Engine title even back in the day, so its happy days many can discover its power laser rays. Final Zone II is a gritty run and gun overhead scroller – you can almost taste the metal of the grenade pin in your mouth as you pile in all guns blazing. Browning is also of the PC Engine stable along side Legion, which shows Telenet’s fair hand at shoot em ups.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Kiaidan 00 was a rare PC Engine title even back in the day, so its happy days many can discover its power laser rays. Final Zone II is a gritty run and gun overhead scroller – you can almost taste the metal of the grenade pin in your mouth as you pile in all guns blazing. Browning is also of the PC Engine stable along side Legion, which shows Telenet’s fair hand at shoot em ups.
🥇Game of the Week
Game of the Week Switch
Shoot Em Up
Flying Shark, Fire Shark, Tiger Heli, Ultimate Tiger, Out Zone, Fixeight, Batsugun and Dogyuun make up the dream team for the first instalment of crystallised, sheer shoot em up fun with Out Zone and its sequel Fixeight being run and gun to give blasting variety. A real pleasure to get introduced to the others with Dogyuun being an arcade exclusive we had yet to encounter. Not that Genki would have been brave enough to drop in a few hundred Yen coins to be subjected to public scrutiny of ones shooting tactics.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
The line-up reads like the tattooed sleeve of an arcade veteran: Zero Wing, Hellfire, Slap Fight, VV, Tatsujin, Tatsujin Oh/Truxton II, Vimana and Daisenpu. Serious shooting action from the days of no consumer compromise and it makes no apologies for it. A true pleasure to sample those not previously released outside the arcades. Just grateful its not 100 Yen a pop with Genki’s success rate.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
A mouth watering compilation of Flying Shark, Sky Shark, Fire Shark and Wardner no Mori in various Famicom, Mega Drive and Arcade incarnations to savour. Fire Shark shows Toaplan in fine fettle with the player taking the controls of a fighter plane with some stupendously powerful weapons to pick up and power up including the gratifying flamethrower in this WWII airborne shooter. Brash, big sprites and nice attention to detail at ground level with soldiers running around and vehicles getting stuck and no hint of slowdown. Just watch the reverse, gunner. Wardner no Mori is no stranger to Mega Drive fans and adds nice variation in this solid platform game set in a spooky forest where the lead man shoots fire from his fingers to scythe through to a cinder the evil ghouls and demons lying in wait. Strangely compelling in spite of the coin op based, money grabbing difficulty requiring pixel perfect jumps.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Ensuring future generations understand why ‘All Your Base Are Belong To Us’ with Zero Wing leading the assault, backed up more than admirably by Hellfire: the arcade machine from the vintage year of 1989. Also released on the Mega Drive and PC Engine, the anime cinematics and ripe old gameplay with selectable shot direction and the possibility to have two players simultaneously a feature to write home about of its era. One unique feature of Zero Wing the tractor beam that allows you to suck up enemy vessels into your ship to fire them out again or use them as a shield. Then the bonus Horror Story is a real treat for fans of the era: a delightful B movie horror feel to this platform shooter complete with ghosts that look like rejects from Mr Vampire and priestess on floating clouds from Chinese Ghost Story on the oriental themed level one with spooky musical score. The main character looks like the lead from Slime World and can be joined by a friend for two player co-operative play. Further delights include the ghost ship level. A rare non-shooter release from Toaplan, but this conversion has preserved the characteristic difficulty.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Switch version and eagerly awaited shmup port of the Naomi board based Dreamcast blast that also found a home on the 360 and PS2. The crux of this shooters story is the ability to capture enemy ships and either use them as a shield or send them spinning off out of control with a deft joypad flick. The home version includes the original arcade mode, along with a story, arrange and training modes plus the chance to tweak with the controls and screen dimensions. Story mode adds speech to the levels along with various endings depending on which character the player selected. Arrange is a mish mash of the arcade and story modes that must be completed on a measly single credit.
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Standard version of the eagerly awaited shmup port of the Naomi board. The crux of this shooters story is the ability to capture enemy ships and either use them as a shield or send them spinning off out of control with a deft joypad flick. The Switch Enhanced version includes plenty of extras over the Dreamcast original, like the PS2 port. Story mode adds speech to the levels along with various endings depending on which character the player selected. Arrange is a mish mash of the arcade and story modes that must be completed on a measly single credit.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Insane amount of projectiles on screen as the wee witches avoid the harmful ones whilst swooping on their brooms to grab the power ups needed to keep reciprocating the bullet barrage. Lovely graphical style to suit the witches theme.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Dream compilation for the new and old generation with the Famicom and Arcade versions of Tiger Heli: Toaplan show their flair for explosive onslaughts as players pilot the helicopter through 1942 style warfare based levels. Gameplay is well thought out and most importantly fair. A very solid Famicom shooter that lead to the Ultimate Tiger sequel, also conveniently included in Arcade, Twin Cobra, PC Engine, Famicom and mega Drive incarnations:
Vertically scrolling helicopter based blaster. Think 1941 with copters for planes. Taito once again showing its expertise in crafting very competent shooters. Also known as Kyukyoku Tiger.
Finally includes a bit of side scrolling fight action in Get Star for some light relief from the bullet barrage.
Switch
Conversion and handing over the torch from the Dreamcast to keep the world of shooters illuminated. Jaw dropping, smoothly animated visuals and attention to detail in smoke plumages and tumbling shrapnel, not forgetting the immense explosions. Arming your copter with a second weapon option as well as targeting adds a tactical aspect to the military themed, vertically scrolling shmup action.
🥇Game of the Week
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Conversion and handing over the torch from the Dreamcast to keep the world of shooters illuminated. Jaw dropping, smoothly animated visuals and attention to detail in smoke plumages and tumbling shrapnel, not forgetting the immense explosions. Arming your copter with a second weapon option as well as targeting adds a tactical aspect to the military themed, vertically scrolling shmup action.
Switch
Simulation
Brings to life the incredible strategy game and the attention to detail is truly stunning. Such hard-work is demanded by the hardcore fans and the resulting warriors and weaponry ignite the screen as brightly as the flame thrower.
Switch
Shoot Em Up
Mech robots scrapping it out in this conversion of the rare Saturn shooter Wolf Fang. Seemingly inspired by Cybernator on the Super Famicom with the of the era obligatory FMV to establish its 32bit pedigree. The Assault Suits Valken influence can be seen in the tiny humans on screen such as when you have to hit the ejector seat from the mech but still battle bravely on. The mech attributes can be set which makes a big difference to your in-game powers. Skull Fang is an old school vertical scrolling shoot ’em up with arcade roots in its Data East heritage. All very nicely presented as you’d expect from a Japanese title. Tough, but not too unforgiving for grizzled shooter heads.
🏆Brilliant!
Brilliant Switch
Shoot Em Up
Mech robots scrapping it out in this conversion of the rare Saturn shooter Wolf Fang. Seemingly inspired by Cybernator on the Super Famicom with the of the era obligatory FMV to establish its 32bit pedigree. The Assault Suits Valken influence can be seen in the tiny humans on screen such as when you have to hit the ejector seat from the mech but still battle bravely on. The mech attributes can be set which makes a big difference to your in-game powers. Skull Fang is an old school vertical scrolling shoot ’em up with arcade roots in its Data East heritage. All very nicely presented as you’d expect from a Japanese title. Tough, but not too unforgiving for grizzled shooter heads.
Switch
Shooter
Spiritual sequel to Genki fave Kikikaikai and full of the same bizarre cultural references that makes it seem like sheer madness, yet thankfully plays like a dream. One eyed and legged umbrellas await an opportunity to spring into action, kawaii little ghosts seek refuge from Super Mario World, Oni and long nosed goblins look on from the shadows under the gaze of Buddhist statues. And its great to be back.