During the development of the Virtual Boy, Nintendo believed that its then-upcoming stereoscopic 3D system was so unique and innovative that no other manufacturer would be able to replicate its features. Unbeknownst to them, Tiger Electronics had taken note of the Virtual Boy’s design and functionality, clearly expecting it to be a bigger hit than …
Today marks the day many Nintendo fans never thought they’d see – the Virtual Boy, and a chunk of its library, are finally being added to the expanded Nintendo Switch Online service. The only downside is that you’ll need either the additional replica headset or the cardboard model to play, due to the failed system’s …
Back when High on Life 2 was revealed, word spread across the information superhighway of Bible Adventures’ inclusion – one of the NES’ more notorious bootlegs, often torn apart by YouTubers. Squanch Games hinted at other retro games “so bad they’re good” being included in their warped sci-fi shooter sequel too, remaining curiously tight-lipped. Play …
Throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Taito’s crime busting Chase HQ series rarely strayed from the limelight, gaining regular re-releases and sequels. This was particularly true of the 1988 arcade original, which ended up gracing 13 different formats. The ZX Spectrum version was especially well regarded, often cited as one of the microcomputer’s very …
Last November saw Rare’s mutant bashing beat’em up platformer Battletoads arrive not just on the Nintendo Switch Online Service but also on the humble Evercade via a new Rare collection. While it would have been neat to see the visually superior Mega Drive/Genesis version re-released, it was of course the 1991 NES original given a …
Possibly setting the tone for 2026, January sees a steady flow of Japanese RPGs and longer gaps between other major new releases. There are far fewer games than last January, that’s for certain. Things kick off with a console release of tinyBuild’s rooftop leaping post-apocalyptic camp builder I Am Future, along with eastasiasoft’s electrifying pixel …
Much like Pac-Man in the 1980s, Toaplan’s platforming mascots Nick and Tom – aka the Snow Bros. – never had a uniform design, with their looks changing depending on which publisher had them under their wing. We’ve seen the duo several times since the Toaplan treasure chest of classics was unlocked for plundering, and it’s …
The SEGA Saturn’s Sonic R and the N64’s Diddy Kong Racing have far more in common than both being mascot-led racers. In fact, their development cycles are uncannily similar, both starting as entirely different projects before changing direction and going on to headline the winter line-ups for their respective systems, against all odds. If that …
The Evercade range of retro devices has really hit a stride this year, with reports of certain cartridges hard to find and the likes of the Neo Geo Hyper Pocket selling out online. From its humble beginnings of cartridges featuring nothing but NES arcade conversions and whatever IP holders Piko were able to provide, it …
With the original Resident Evil becoming a runaway success almost overnight, there was no chance of Capcom leaving money on the table when it came to the highly anticipated 1998 sequel. Much like Mortal Kombat II, which we covered here, this bloody follow-up gained several belated conversions – with one even running five years behind …
After arriving in sticky floored arcades during June 1993, Mortal Kombat II quickly emerged to be a fan favourite. The epitome of a perfect sequel, it refined the original’s mechanics while adding five new characters to the roster and doubling the number of fatalities. The lore was also expanded, the tone slightly darker – and …
One of Rare’s better known NES games was 1990’s Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, a good looking and innovative isometric platformer that saw snakes Rattle ‘n Roll gobbling enough pellets to weight down a scale and exit a stage. The epitome of surreal (enemies included a giant hairy foot known as Big Foot, and what appeared …
Picture the scene. It’s the early ‘90s and the beginning of the summer holidays – six sweltering weeks at your disposal to do whatever you please. You’ve read the summer specials from both The Dandy and The Beano, and with no days out on the horizon, the only thing to fill the void until CITV …
Remember the Xbox 360’s peculiar assortment of RPGs? I’m not talking about the likes of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, financed by Microsoft to help change the console’s destiny in Japan, but rather European-developed RPGs such as Two Worlds, Risen, Divinity II, Venetica, and Arcania: Gothic 4. They’re connected not just by genre, more often …
The SEGA Saturn had one of the more peculiar game catalogues. More diverse than the N64’s library and with far less slop that the PS1, it largely consists of scrappy but reasonably faithful arcade conversions, a small selection of system showcases from SEGA themselves, a seemingly random bunch of third-party titles, and a wealth of …