Matt Gander 
Around ten years ago, arcade management sim ArcadeCraft arrived on the Xbox 360’s unregulated XBLIG store. A shining beacon in a sea of trash, it was more than worthy of a full release on XBLA. Arcade Tycoon falls into the same genre, favouring tidy pixel art over ArcadeCraft’s 3D visuals, and just like ArcadeCraft it …
It’s funny how certain colour palettes recall individual formats. The unmistakable combo of pink and cyan for CGA, for instance. As the name suggests, 8-Colors Star Guardians + opts for a limited colour palette, recalling the humble ZX Spectrum. Whereas the Speccy was known for its hard as concrete platformers and mixed bag of arcade conversions, …
Next week is surprisingly busy for new games, especially given the time of year. This week has a few bits and pieces of note too, and the Switch eShop is busier still, with both The Monty Mole Collection and 8-Colors Star Guardians + due. After a few delays, Nacon’s War Hospital comes to PC, Xbox, …
Sonic is no stranger to a McDonald’s promotion, with several appearing over the years. This month the hedgehog’s face is plastering Happy Meal boxes in the UK once again, joined by Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. Sorry, Eggman fans. Twelve toys are available from January 4th until February 6th, taking the form of cardboard-style push-out construction …
Well, the Switch has certainly seen busier weeks. Quieter too, but not by much. A few new bundles are on the agenda. Tools Up! Ultimate Edition brings together the original co-op calamitous renovation party game, which garnered a lukewarm 62% Metacritic, with all 45 levels of the Garden Party DLC and a new PvP Mode. …
As the UK retail charts are a week behind, this week’s top 40 reveals what was purchased between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. There’s always a slight shake-up within the final chart of the year, with people gaining new consoles for Christmas mostly being the reason. Hogwarts Legacy managed to return to no.1, accompanied by …
If you’re currently scratching your head and wondering who Monty Mole is, it’s likely you didn’t grow up in the UK during the ‘80s. Monty was an 8-bit platformer mascot, usually found adorning the pages of ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 magazines alongside Dizzy and Jet Set Willy. This new collection for Switch brings together …
Sniff around the internet for a while, and you’ll find Dungeons of Sundaria described as “World of Warcraft without the world.” It’s an apt description as this hack ‘n slash role-player doesn’t have an overworld to connect its dungeon-like locations. Instead of rolling fields and such to freely explore, the game’s frontend comprises of dull, …
Last year was one for the ages for quality titles, with many gamers still debating what should be classed as the GOTY. This energy carries into 2024, with the end of January featuring a double whammy of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Tekken 8, both highly anticipated. Before that, there’s The Last of Us …
A few days later than usual, the UK retail charts have finally emerged from their Christmas slumber. It was EA Sports FC 24 that took the coveted no.1 spot. Peculiarly though, the FIFA replacement couldn’t top any of the individual format charts. Super Mario Bros. Wonder was the Switch’s no.1, Hogwarts Legacy topped the PS4 …
This top-down, twin-stick, Roguelike shooter stars a small robot with swappable body parts. It’s an idea that ties into the upgrade system perfectly, with each body part giving new abilities and having its own stats. Not only this, but they vary radically in size and colour too. Something is endearing about seeing the initially cute, boxy …
We’re well into the lull between Xmas and the New Year, and this week’s Switch eShop line-up reflects this. A bunch of games of dubious quality launched on Christmas Day, most of which have hefty discounts. A few manage to stand out from the crowd though. Space Papers: Planet’s Border appears to be a cartoony, …
Flynn’s Arcade has a pretty good batting average when it comes to their range of $5 Switch games. Their next release is a retro-style RPG with pixel art visuals, comprising of just eight colours. Turns out this fits into the theming incredibly well, with characters clearly based on a certain squad of monster fighting teens. …
Influenced by Evangelion, Gundam, and other mech-filled anime, HARDCORE MECHA – originally released on Switch, and now available on Xbox One – takes the form of a side-scrolling shooter with platforming elements. The SNES classic Cybernator (also known as Assault Suits Valken) is a reasonable comparison, only this is far more contemporary. Even the humble SEGA …
The Official PlayStation Magazine UK was renowned for putting the biggest and most anticipated PSone games on its front cover, usually alongside a demo disc with a playable teaser. A winning combo to help that month’s issue fly off shelves. Whatever was tipped to become the PSone’s next big hit almost certainly took the cover …