A Bit Special
Here we have all the games in the A Bit Special Section.
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.
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
Super Famicom
A Bit Special
A fine compilation of retro goodness from Retro Bit That includes the sublime Joe & Mac 3, the action puzzler Magical Drop 2 and the pool game Side Pocket. A good balance to the roster of titles, all well-presented in Data Easts arcade style. But more should be playing Joe & Mac 3, even on the platform dominated Super Famicom.
Switch
A Bit Special
No one did over the top like SNK and it brings a tear to the eye to see these titles Neo Geo again: not that Genki had encountered Shock Troopers being so rare. King of Fighters 94, Metal Slug X, Garou Mark of the Wolves, Samurai Spirits Zero, Aso II, Rising Hero, Top Hunter, Top Players Golf, Savage Reign and Shock Troopers make up the very accomplished roll of honour.
Brilliant Switch
A Bit Special
King of Fighters 96, Samurai Spirits III, Fatal Fury, World Heroes Perfect, Last Resort, Sengoku Densho, Ninja Combat, Fire Suplex, Blazing Star and Baseball Stars 2 make up the roster of Neo Geo back-catalogue titles in this third tribute to the Rolls Royce of consoles. The shooters will stir interest: Last Resort well worth a blast and the Blazing Star was almost always out of most gamer’s financial reach, even back in the day, until now.
Brilliant Switch
A Bit Special
King of Fighters 2000, Art of Fighting, Last Blade, Ninja Commando, Joy Joy Kid, The Super Spy, Ragnagard, Neo Geo Cup 98, plus the star shoot ’em up Pulstar and the original Metal Slug. Enough to retire on for owners of the AES carts, this sublime selection will treat Switch users to some true coin-op classics. Just don’t try inserting the credit card memory card that was transferrable between home AES and arcade MVS versions.
🔜Pre-order
Preorder Switch
A Bit Special
The colossus SNK back catalogue is the gift that keeps on giving with no let up in quality as we hit the fifth instalment. The retro roster reads The King of Fighters 2002, Art of Fighting 2, Real Bout Garou Densetsu, Twinkle Star Sprites, Slash Rally, Burning Fight, Aggressors of Dark Kombat, Sonic Wings 2, Super Sidekicks and Cyberlip. The Future is now!
🔜Pre-order
Preorder Switch
A Bit Special
Including games never released on the home formats really gets the pulse racing for fans of cult developer SNK. This sixth instalment features: The King of Fighters 98, Samurai Spirits III, Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special, Last Blade 2, Over Top, Ultimate 11, Football Frenzy, Sengoku Densetsu 2001, Sonic Wings 3 and Operation Ragnarok (aka Zed Blade.)
PSP
A Bit Special
Clever use of word linking in the title as players get to savour the delights of the otaku’s Mecca (or should that be mecha?) That is Akihabara. Its possible to explore the game shops, electrical stores, anime haunts and obligatory maid cafes with authentic realism in terms of layout. Plenty of fliers and Aikiba info can be viewed. Battles also ensue and those taking a beating tend to lose their dignity instead of getting a cauliflower ear in an intriguing take on the Yakuza series, hence the title. A clever concept covering all bases and uncovering a few surprises.
Dreamcast
A Bit Special
A tribute to Tokyo’s brightest district that lights up to the God of neon and is full of devotees to all things PVC and video game related. This title used the sadly defunct Dreamcast net to allow players customized characters to battle it out about all things a good otaku should know. Clever use of the systems VMU too. Full title Akihabara Dennou Kumi Peta Pies!
Miscellaneous Games
A Bit Special
Not a game (though there is a quiz), but an educational compilation of various animals for younger ones to savour viewing. Giraffes, bears, dogs and monkeys are all in Kawaii form with plenty of footage of each.
Japanese title: PD Shuppatsu Doubutsu Tankentai.
Gamecube
A Bit Special
Something rather special from the Big N: an evolutionary title leading the way as ever. The goal is to become the animal leader by evolving into a beast with the ability to take on and defeat the current leader. To do this you have to attack other animals of the right sort required – a successful assault will allow you to evolve up the evolutionary scale. Yet progress comes at the price of being a bigger fish, so to speak, and catching the eye of the other predators out there. Appropriate music and even purple blood add to the emotional involvement of protecting your animal. Beautifully designed gaming world made entirely of cubes adding to the surreal feel of this off beat Nintendo cracker.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Successful series which enjoyed an update to the PS3 as players build up their reef with different species of fish. Swimming with the stingrays and clown fish is a relaxing pastime.
PSP
A Bit Special
Intriguing project that exudes Sony chic on the PSP. Basically a compilation of mini games pulled together on the premise of the rise in part-time work in modern Japan. Players save their very hard-earned cash to buy strange gashapons in the hope of unlocking another job, whilst chatting to their fellow part-time friends via the in game emails to pick up tips. An initial four games are available: catching baseballs to try and get up to a thousand. Putting pen caps on biros with an unhinged soundtrack to really feel the daily grind and mess with your sanity. Crossing the road frogger style avoiding the high speed cars. Finally counting pedestrians as they dart across a busy street. All executed with great style. A surprising unknown cracker in the PSP world.
PC Engine Super CD ROM
A Bit Special
Bizarre musical adventure game converted popular enough to be converted over to the Mega CD, starring monks, kimono clad girls and Frankenstien. Controlled by simple on screen icons such as look, touch and talk. Totally mad.
PC Engine CD ROM
A Bit Special
Quiz based gameplay in this compendium of information semi based on characters from Japanese mythology. The low age of the target audience make it a good language learning tool for intermediate Japanese language students.
Sega Saturn
A Bit Special
Bishojo means beautiful girl and there are plenty in this variety game that lets you sample many a mini game: from poker to roulette via black jack, spot the difference even mole bashing. Well presented with plenty of beauty pageant hostesses.
Gamecube
A Bit Special
Subtitled ‘A Wonderful Life’, Genki would rather not be running around after the horses, chicken and sheep everyday in this farm management game. Still the prospect of golden eggs helped Genki out of bed at the break of dawn. Freedom to visit others in town including the archaeologist, barmaid and little tree people (only after eating a special mushroom.) Miyamoto san would be proud. Highly original.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Subtitled ‘The Start of History’, one might expect more familiar titles than Son Son, Higemaru, Exed Exes and Vulgus. Exed Exes is probably the pick of the four, but with Son Son containing NHK Monkey’s exploits it will always be the apple of Genki’s eye.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Subtitled ‘The Start of History’, one might expect more familiar titles than Son Son, Higemaru, Exed Exes and Vulgus. Exed Exes is probably the pick of the four, but with Son Son containing NHK Monkey’s exploits it will always be the apple of Genki’s eye.
Gamecube
A Bit Special
Savvy, genre defying developer of Moon on the Playstation and Lack of Love on the Dreamcast turns his hand to little robots whose aim is simple: to please their owners. The wee robot will clean the house all just to see a smiling face of the owner and for a charge using the plug in their back. Various items allow the robot to further explore the giant house such as the copter to fly and the spoon to dig whilst remembering to bag a bit of moolah. As ever quite difficult to place in a succinct genre as it is to put down.
Playstation
A Bit Special
Three games in one, very collectable compilation to celebrate Chocobo’s tenth anniversary: Chocobo Stallion, Chocobo Racing and Dice de Chocobo. Genki can’t resist the charms of Chocobo Racing: even our stony features raise a smile when seeing the legs of the bird like creature whizzing along in this Mario Kart style racer. Shortcuts are great, when remembered that is. Well thought out and varied courses and some superb power ups. Whilst it may lack marks for originality, when the source material is so fine, who is complaining? Chocobo Stallion allows you to train up your chosen Chocobo from cute little fledgling to champion race stallion in this twist on the horse racing game.
PC Engine CD ROM
A Bit Special
A rare collectable featuring the animated sequences from the Cosmic Fantasy series compiled on the one disk. Coming under the Telenet label made this even more desirable to the PC Engine fanatic.
Game Gear
A Bit Special
The bizarre Crayon Shinchan world gets an appropriately off-kilter selection of mini games to savour in that unique graphical style like a child’s doodles. Great variety: from pumping balloons to a fun fair shoot out via digging for treasure on the beach.
PC Engine HU Card
A Bit Special
Paperboy style action in that you run around town on a bicycle or moped delivering items to the good folk, but freer than Paperboy as there is no forced scrolling. The bike needs pedalling via the joypad and is slower, but it doesn’t require fuel stops like the moped. As expected, its not a simple task of getting from A to B: the police, the obligatory oil slicks, traffic and obasan’s on mopeds conceive to hinder your progress. Known in Japan as Kattobi Takuhai Kun.
Sega Saturn
A Bit Special
Rumoured to be an exploration into the possibility of doing VF 3 on the Saturn, J-Pop music video editor for fans of the top selling artist. Involvement of the legendary AM2 on the project.
GameBoy Advance
A Bit Special
Possibly the cutest game we have ever seen, even by Japanese standards. The kawaii animal club tour town to complete mini games to progress. Subtitled Tama chan Monogatari
Nintendo DS
A Bit Special
Subtitled ‘How old is your brain?’, this whipped up a real storm in Japan. Simple tests utilising science that are fun to take part in, just not as much fun to get the results in Genki’s case.
Miscellaneous Games
A Bit Special
The DragonBall games are the most collectable on the Playdia system showing off its capabilities to stream animation with fine voice acting. This animated adventure doesn’t require too much intervention from the player, but seamlessly slips between one sleek sequence to the next in the fun and frantic saga. And its place as a hardware demo is unquestioned. This is the rarer of the DBZ releases being the Space Saga. Known in Japan as Shin Saiyan Jin Metsu Kaikaku Uchu Hen.
Dreamcast
A Bit Special
For the completist only as the Dreamcast online servers are now down making this email and web server of curio value only. Though there is a nice looking Shenmue picture postcard amongst others available recommending itself to thr true Sega aficionado.