When it came to Disney’s tie-in games, the priority was always to release them on formats children could access, rather than on the most powerful hardware. That’s why this retro collection begins in 1995 with a couple of late releases for the Mega Drive and SNES and ends with a late-2001 PS1 game. In both …
Despite development budgets and team sizes being far smaller in the ‘90s, it seems that the 16-bit market was more cutthroat than we realised at the time. This is evidenced by the vast number of games for the Mega Drive and SNES that were completed but never released, presumably due to the cost of producing …
Meet Davy. He’s a low-level zombie in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monsters that have left humanity on the brink. Davy isn’t like the ogres, lizard men and werewolves patrolling the crumbling surface, though. Not only does he refuse to eat humans, but he also has a reason to live after falling for a girl …
The PSP saw around 2,000 releases during its ten-year lifespan, the vast majority of which remain trapped on Sony’s humble handheld. Sure, many of these were merely bespoke versions of popular multiformat games, but you won’t have to look far to find an exclusive that has never been re-released. One franchise that managed to make …
Kalanoro is a harmonious thing. Not just because it’s about a music-playing Madagascan forest spirit, but also because it’s a Madagascan-developed game, being Red Raketa’s debut. The main antagonist in this adventure platformer is a capitalist witch from overseas, Raneny – which is the Malagasy word for mother, so perhaps there’s an excerpt on the cutting-room …
Ever get the feeling that you’re a bit thick? If the answer is no, boy howdy, have I got a game to test that confidence. Order of the Sinking Star is Jonathan Blow’s latest endeavour, and it melted my mind on an hourly basis. The set-up drops you into a top-down overworld, possibly the afterlife, …
Wasting no time – much like this introduction – this rhythm-based roguelike presents its protagonist, premise and combat system within its opening. Cello, a puppet, lands with a bump in a strange world. When she comes to, she discovers a pair of carelessly discarded, rainbow-hued xylophone blades. They are among a few novel instrument-based weapons …
Essentially Portal filtered through an anime lens, this puzzle adventure has you flipping gravity to walk along walls and ceilings, carrying size-altering jelly-like cubes to marked destinations, and leaping through portals that offer mind-twisting perspectives on the 3D environments. Alongside its themes of Japanese folklore, the game draws inspiration from the four seasons, while its …
In 1994, the arcade scene was enjoying a resurgence, fuelled by a double whammy of the monster success of one‑on‑one fighting games and the advent of 3D polygon‑pushing technology. Step into any arcade around this time and you’d doubtlessly be greeted by the likes of Daytona USA and Ridge Racer, along with the first entries …
I was immediately struck by how slickly presented NASCAR 26 is, with video introductions and all the official branding that you can shake a dipstick at. That plus Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd being the default music track in the playlist gives you some idea as to the target audience here. It’s been a …
Deduction games are in right now. We’ve had Curse of the Golden Idol, Duck Detective and The Roottrees are Dead in the last few years, all being massive hits. Now comes Little Problems with its own spin on the deduction formula. Firstly, what do we mean by a deduction game? Let’s do a little history …
The Amiga computer line had a lifecycle nothing short of turbulent. Despite the original model outclassing its competitors in 1987, quality software was slow to emerge. Then came the threat of piracy, the rise of Windows-compatible PCs, the arrival of the Mega Drive and later the SNES, the advent of DOOM and its sequel in …
It isn’t hard to imagine Minecraft Dungeons II having a bigger mandate than most projects based on an existing franchise. In addition to the need to adhere to Minecraft lore while implementing enemies and biomes fans will recognise, along with a fresh and suitably heroic world-saving storyline, the developers were clearly tasked with keeping things …
The Royal Writ is so called due to King Mikolt II, the ineffective ruler of the kingdom of Aranfold, who rather than act directly against those who his ruling council advise are causing trouble, is more minded to send a letter decreeing the course of action. This is secondary to the matter at hand, which …
History has a habit of repeating itself. As the humble Amiga entered its twilight years in 1995, British studio Vulcan released Hilsea Lido – a business sim in which you managed a quintessentially British beachside promenade, placing shops and stalls to keep sunburnt punters happy. Now, as the Switch approaches its tenth birthday, Boardwalk Builders …