Hamster acquires rights to Warashi Inc’s works, plus this week’s retro re-releases revealed

HAMSTER Corporation, purveyors of the weekly Arcade Archives series and the slightly more irregular Console Archives, have added another publisher’s works to their catalogue. Warashi Inc’s games will not only be coming to Arcade Archives and Console Archives, but can potentially gain outside releases through licensing. This means collections from other retro-focused publishers may be …

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Do You Even Forklift? review

Predictably, this physics-based puzzler starts off simple, giving players a chance to learn its controls and mechanics. More unpredictably, this grace period lasts far longer than it needs to. It isn’t until twenty minutes in that the first puzzle with a ‘fail state’ appears, and even then, the difficulty level thereafter remains low. In fact, …

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‘90s star Soccer Kid is coming back in time for the World Cup

The World Cup involves bringing the entire world together. Somewhat fittingly, Latin America publisher QUByte are bringing back the ‘90s platformer Soccer Kid – originally developed here in the UK by Krisalis Software. Soccer Kid Collection includes the SNES and MS-DOS versions, and will feature save states, CRT filters, screen size options, and a gallery of …

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Luna Abyss review

Welcome to the abyss. This moonbase megastructure was abandoned after being consumed by a force known as The Scourge. Now a prison, those incarcerated can knock a few years off their stay by taking on missions considered too dangerous for anyone else. This proposition tempts our heroine, Fawkes, a jailbird with a hefty sentence. It …

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Slots & Daggers review

There’s something very appealing about slot machine roguelikes. The mechanics of a gambling device translate well to the genre, lining up matching reels perfectly either for a huge payout or a damaging blow. The flashing lights, pitched sound effects, and chinking of coins are all pleasing to the senses too. Recently, CloverPit and Luck Be …

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Claymation-style action platformer Kidbash: Super Legend announced

Newborn publisher Acclaim are heading to the BITSummit expo in Kyoto, armed with two releases. The vibrant looking HYPERyuki: Snowboard Syndicate – inspired by SSX and Jet Set Radio – was announced several months ago, and is fast nearing completion. Kidbash: Super Legend meanwhile is a new acquisition, looking promising even in this early state. …

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ZOOL gains a new physical Mega Drive release this summer via 33 Games

Claiming that the ‘90s platforming mascot ZOOL is about to make a comeback would be hyperbolic, as the first game starring the ninja ant (from the Nth dimension) was re-released digitally not long ago, in addition to headlining the Evercade’s Gremlin Collection. Nevertheless, retro enthusiasts can add a new physical set to their collection this …

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Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Tales of Arise, Coffee Talk Tokyo, R-Type Dimensions III, and Bubsy 4D hit the Switch

So, there we were, ready to discuss LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’s positive critical reception, only to be hit with the sudden realisation that, unbelievably, it isn’t hitting the Switch 2 this week. The LEGO franchise has always performed well on Nintendo platforms, even sticking with the Wii U throughout its much-maligned life, …

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SUMMERHOUSE review

Back in 2021, the relaxed town-building art tool (of sorts) Townscaper hit PC and Switch, and more crucially, Xbox Game Pass. Now, five years later, comes SUMMERHOUSE – a similar chilled experience centred around creating cosy neighbourhoods, with a special focus on sun-drenched locations. While it isn’t available on Game Pass, which is the ideal …

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Rune Dice review

Many indie games in the roguelike genre can be considered unassuming. Rune Dice fits that bill, predominantly featuring a single screen consisting of a dice pit and little else. The same could also be said for the smash hit Vampire Survivors, with its diminutive crudely animated sprites. It’s not until playing these games for a …

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