Nintendo has a good history of reinventing its long-running series, adapting to the ever-evolving gaming landscape. Kirby, however, has remained more or less the same since copy abilities were introduced way back in 1991. Sure, most entries introduce their own gimmicks and there’s a plethora of spin-offs exploring different game mechanics, but Kirby: Star Allies is still surprisingly similar to Kirby’s Adventure in their core elements.
(more…)Mario Kart 8 first graced our living rooms in May 2014 on the WiiU. Introducing anti-gravity mechanics, improving on the previous iterations of customisation and even being updated with DLC this was set to be one of the best in the series. Fast Forward to April 2017 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (MK8DX) was released on the Nintendo Switch, packaged with the DLC tracks from the WiiU version and an improved Battle Mode with new stages, items and more to more closely imitate the original Battle Mode.. Almost eight years after its initial release, MK8DX is now the best selling Mario Kart title and takes its place as Nintendo’s third best selling game ever. But that wasn’t enough – In a move that surprised everyone, Nintendo recently announced DLC which will eventually add forty-eight new courses to the game. Releasing eight courses at a time, fans will see six waves between now and the end of 2023. With the first wave just released, see what we had to say about this in our review!
(more…)Strategy Role Playing Games (SRPGs) have seen a resurgence in recent years, and as a fan of the genre it pleases me to see companies like Square Enix creating brand new series such as Triangle Strategy. With a gleaming reputation for fantastic story driven Role Playing Games, anything developed by this company has the potential to be a hit. With that in mind, is Triangle Strategy the start of a new legacy?
(more…)Back in the heyday of Squaresoft’s prime, after the massive critical success of Final Fantasy VII and them leaving Nintendo in the dust in favour of the disc based Playstation, they were running every possible angle they could. While most of their outings were RPGs of various flavours, they did dabble into other genres. One such title was Chocobo Racing, their spin on the kart racer which Mario Kart made popular. While it never had the same lasting success as the plumber does, Square Enix of today is not one to turn down another opportunity. So here we are with the all new Chocobo GP, a fresh coat of paint on the old classic. Does it roll past the finish line with aplomb, or does it lag behind in last place? Find out in our review below.
(more…)The main draw of Gravity Runner is its aesthetics — the bright neon colors and synthwave soundtrack do wonders to sell the vibe and it works quite well in practice. It’s a sharp but intriguing contrast to the game’s premise — it puts us in control of an orange-clad astronaut running for his life from an ever-growing black hole. It’s all very surreal and I really do appreciate it. However, the visuals and sounds can’t save a game if its mechanics aren’t well-designed and polished, which is where Gravity Runner really misses the beat. It’s posed as a challenging, arcade-style, physics-based 3D platformer and well… It really is all of those things, for better or for worse.
(more…)Following on from their success with Gunstar Heroes, Treasure liberally poured their creativity into Dynamite Headdy. This is a side-scrolling 2D platformer following a puppet named Headdy on his quest to stop an evil puppet king taking over the world. His only weapon? You guessed it, his head. In an already crowded market, does Dynamite Headdy rise head and shoulders above the rest, or does it fall short?
(more…)Looks can often be deceiving. Take the grapefruit for example, it looks like such a refreshing fruit when cut open. It wasn’t until I had the first bitter bite that I came to the realisation that it was the exact opposite and no fruit can ever be trusted again.
Another example is Grapple Dog. At first glance, you may think this game is a relaxing and cute title that will be a relatively easy jaunt. The only true statement is how it’s cute (and I mean really cute), but it’s anything but easy and relaxing. However, the important question to ask here is ‘is it a good game’? Well, you can find that out by reading our review, after the break.
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