292 public written reviews
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Video Review Written Review The Short Pros - Fun, challenging 2D sidescroller from Hudsonsoft - "Mister Higgens" is pretty much the best name for a hero ever - Hefty number of levels, powerups, and enemies - "Hunger" mechanic is new and nifty - Graphics are colorful and the music is catchy Cons - Three lives, no continues (except through a really obscure method) - Extremely difficult - No backtracking at all -…
Too long, didn't watch? Chubby Cherub is a nice chubby mess. As the first third-party game from Bandai, this thing's pretty much a wreck. A weird port of a japanese game, it's attempt to blend arcade style gameplay with a sidescrolling...floater? Jumper? Jump and floater? Anyway, it's an awful game with bad graphics, bad music, and poor controls. Not to mention you play a naked little boy whcih, in and of itself,…
The Short Pros - Act in REAL MOVIES! - A good 50 odd film clips to insert yourself or friends into - Playing the game with friends can be pretty amusing - Decent mix across genres, styles, and time - Can upload your videos online and share them with friends Cons - Kinect's video recording camera looks like absolute garbage, especially next to the movie clips - Doesn't do a good job cropping/trimming your images, and…
The Short Pros - Excellent Western interpretation of Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan . - Keeps the same addicting gameplay of the original with a ton of Western songs - Genres range from rock to pop to punk to...Jackson 5. - Sixteen missions with three secret missions add up to a lot of content - Keeps the same goofy premise, hilarious cutscenes, and absolute weirdness of the original Cons - Songs are all covers, and some…
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan The Short Pros - Excellent rhythm/music game on the DS - Soundtrack is a delightful mix from a variety of Japanese song genres - Premise is silly and stupid, and you'll understand it even if you don't speak Japanese - Multiple levels of difficulty allow for a long string of progression Cons - A bit heavy on the J-Pop - One of the slower songs is a good change of pace, but it comes out of…
Video Review Text Review The Short Pros - Excellent shmup set in World War II - Fight both in air and at sea! Bonus! - Upgrade and energy system provides a unique spin on the usual "one hit, one life" setup of these games - Controls are fluid and graphics rarely sputter, flicker, or slowdown - Lots of fun with good music and sound effects - An absurd twenty-three levels. Holy crap! Cons - Only one player -…
The Short Pros - Provides a decent atmosphere of dread - Gets at least one good jump scare out of you - The Slender Man mythos is a ripe and scary one to draw from - Made by one guy; that's pretty good - Sound design is fantastic Cons - Isn't actually all that scary; more boring than anything - Walking speed is absurdly, frustratingly slow - Whatever algorithm spawns Slender is poor and borderline broken - Running…
The Short Pros - Same WarioWare concept, only now with more twisting! - Specifically, twisting the GBA with the gyroscope included on the cart takes the place of the D-pad commands - Another 200+ minigames that vary from "awesome" to "dumb" - Same silliness in terms of story, progression, and gameplay - Unlocks are easier and funner to acquire - Adheres to the same strong formula set up in Mega Microgame$ Cons -…
The Short Pros - Tons of short, fast paced micro games - Game is addicting, quick, and perfect for short or long play sessions - Only uses the control pad and one button. That's simplicity! - Music and graphics are charming, with some games taking nods from old NES classics - Insane number of unlockables, including a full version of Dr. Mario - Story is absurd but fun, and the characters are charming - Seriously,…
The Short Pros - Fun beat-em-up that reminds me a little too much like Double Dragon - Awesome graphics, especially the backgrounds - Has the ability to punch backwards, which helps when you get surrounded - Pick up powerups, weapons, and more Cons - No two player option like the arcade version - Second level is obscenely difficult - Only four levels in total - Lose all your power-ups on death - Only two lives per…
The Short Pros - One of the first two player fighting games - I like the judge's stoic frown Cons - Controls are awful - Sound effects are bland (though I do like the tinny voices) - Almost impossible to know what you are doing - Graphics look awful, even for an early NES game Atop the cliff, the warriors prepared themselves. The Long Karate Champ is a trap. That's really all it is. You go to the retro game store…
The Short Pros - Perfect evolution of the Mega Man formula from the NES - New additions dashing and wall jumping add a whole new level to the series - Stages are a perfect blend of difficulty and reward - Replaying stages to find secrets is an absolute blast, especially since the stages are dynamic based on who you've defeated - Controls just like the NES Mega Man games, which is to say... perfectly - Absolutely…
The Short Pros - Fight through another batch of robot masters in a boss rush mode - Wider arrange of masters mixed up better across multiple games - Improved HUD and UI - Masters actually get unique stages this time around, which is appreciated - Enemies also get more advanced movesets when you knock down their heath, increasing the challenge - New playable character Duo. - Lets you actually pick the order rather…
The Short Pros - Fun, arcade "boss rush" across robot masters and minibosses - Covers bosses from Mega Man to Mega Man 7 - Three different batches of masters give you three different paths - Can be played co-op as Mega Man, Protoman, or Bass - Uses sprites from Mega Man 7 and looks pretty good Cons - Extremely easy...though for an arcade game this might be a plus - Robot masters between different scenarios don't…
The Short Pros - Excellent, empowering 2D stealth game - Wide variety of options lets you be both deadly an silent (hur hur) - Multiple scenarios and suits let you play as either a killer or a pacifist - Story is told through awesome cutscenes, and actually has a pretty cool twist - Perfectly paced, structured, and balanced - Challenges on each level add another level of excitement - Liberal checkpoints mean the…
The Short Pros - Fast paced, Frequency or Rock Band Unplugged style of gameplay - Play a bunch of awesome music without having to buy all the plastic instruments! - Comes with 25 songs that can be exported to Rock Band 3 for free - Utilizes all your DLC library from Rock Band , ramping up the replay value tremendously - Easy controls and a variety of powerups encourage variation and unique playstyles - Horrendously…
The Short Pros - Fun two-player puzzle game - Awesome music - One of the only two games in existence that supports R.O.B. the robot. Cons - Playing with R.O.B. is actually less fun than playing with another person - Because of R.O.B.'s handicap, the game is scaled down in difficulty and can be pretty easy - Extra mode, where you guide the sleeping professor, is extremely boring And now we have Gyromite ...or...…
The Short Pros - Another Tiny Toons branded platformer from Konami - Actually incorporates something original rather than ripping off Mario 3 or Sonic - Centering around a "sprint" mechanic is challenging yet also quite creative - Hefty amount of charm that follows the theme of the show - Multiple difficulty modes Cons - Buster's only attack is woefully underwhelming - Sprinting, despite having a meter, can be…
Read the full review Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose!
The Short Pros - Hard as nails platformer with a movie-monster theme going on - Surprising amount of blood, gore, and weirdness for an NES game - Fantastic music and graphics - Actually can be pretty creepy - Infinite continues Cons - Really difficult to the point of unfair - Playing as not-Bert (the demon you can transform into) sucks - Annoying empty rooms without bosses slow down the action - Some bosses are…
The Short Pros - Fun platformer on the Genesis with all the Tiny Toons dudes - And by "all" I mean "you only play as Buster" - A weird mix between Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World - Game is challenging but fair, making for an entertaining experience - Graphics look great, and the music is top notch - Bosses are fun and the game is just the right length - Tons of secrets to find - Passwords! At least they are…
The Short Pros - Fun, basic platformer - Very solid controls keep gameplay tight - Able to switch between a variety of 'toons from the show - Graphics are great, as is (most) of the music Cons - Quite difficult - Getting 1ups out of collecting carrots (coins) requires watching a lengthy trade in process - Only have one hit (unless you find a rare heart) and you are dead - The first few levels have the Tiny Toons…
The Short Pros - Unofficial sequel to the movie (of all things) where you shoot dinos - Lots of weapon choices, from lethal to non-lethal - Game plays a bit like Contra with dinosaurs, so I can dig it - Lots of stages and missions to choose from - Can be played two player Cons - Two players actually makes the game harder - Actually, in general this game is pretty tough, even on Easy - Shooting dinosaurs is not…
Read the full review Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues
The Short Pros - Has singles and doubles play - Can play two players - Set the stage for future tennis games, such as Mario Tennis Cons - Like the other launch sports titles, Tennis doesn't have much depth - Only singles or doubles and only individual matches. That's it. - Character moves weirdly fast and slippery for a tennis game - A fun diversion, but little more than that You should really just avoid most early…
The Short Pros - The absolute best version of the X/XX iterations of Guilty Gear (it would be changed in Slash following) - Insane roster of 22 characters plus 2 unlockable ones - Improved controls make Dust attacks as well as specials easier to pull off - Visuals look incredible - Game has a massive amount of content, including a survival mode, challenge missions, story modes for each character, and more - Combos…
The Short Pros - Fast paced, intuitive hockey game - Actual voice clips and grunts! TECHNOLOGY. - Different teams with different stats - Had a built in system for fights. Yes. Really. - Excellent arcade hockey action throughout - Best in-game ads in history - An absolute blast two-player Cons - No customization options for length of games, etc. - Lacked Ice Hockey 's ability to alter your character stats to…
Disclaimer: I am not a fighting game master. While I'd consider myself pretty good at some of them, I don't play competitively or know any serious level of strategy when it comes to the genre. These reviews are from the perspective of a beginner to intermediate level player, and thus I can't analyze them to the particular depth many fighting game fans would need. The Short Pros - The definitive collection of…
Disclaimer: I am not a fighting game master. While I'd consider myself pretty good at some of them, I don't play competitively or know any serious level of depth when it comes to the genre. These reviews are from the perspective of a beginner to intermediate level player, and thus I can't analyze them to the particular depth many fighting game fans would need. The Short Pros - Gorgeous, fast-paced 2D fighting game…
The Short Pros - First baseball simulator on the NES - Two players Cons - Only control the batter and the pitcher; outfielders are all automated - Actually, like 90% of this whole game is automated - Graphics and sound are dull and uninteresting - Considering how many other baseball games are on the NES, you can do much better Going back to the bare-bones NES launch sports games The Long I'll get this out upfront: I…
10,000,000 Buy it here. The Short Pros - Addicting fusion of puzzle and RPG elements, akin to Puzzle Quest - Gameplay is extremely fast and gives constant rewards - Upgrades, challenges, and perks further the push the "one more run" concept - Charming music and retro 8-bit style (if that style is a bit overdone) - No in-app purchases. Bravo! Cons - Can prove difficult at first, with runs only lasting a few seconds -…
The Short Pros - The first American football simulator on the NES - Was...simple? That's a plus, right? - Dive move when on defense turns your character into Superman - Can be played two-player, on both offense and defense Cons - Incredibly boring - Only really have two plays - Characters move excruciatingly slow - Receiver takes about two years to go across the line before a hike - Graphics are ugly and there is no…
The Short Pros - Perhaps the best space exploration game ever made - Masterful use of sound and graphics create a simultaneous sense of dread and wonder - Plethora of secrets and power-ups to find encourage replayability and backtracking - Bosses are exciting and difficult - Pitch-perfect pacing and level design that pushes you forward without ever actually telling you where to go - Excellent story that uses less to…
The Short Pros - Fun action-platformer that reminds me a bit of Castlevania - Big, good looking sprites and excellent background art - Music is also quite standout - Charging attack power is a cool idea that eliminates button mashing - Game strikes a good balance of difficulty from beginning to end - I dig the Greek-ish theme - Has BUILT IN CHEATS! Cons - Having a big sprite can lead to cheap hits - Many bosses and…
The Short Pros - High-speed action game where you can be a high-flying ninja/warrior/guy - Fast, with responsive controls, crazy maneuvers, and high-octane arcade action - Extremely satisfying once you "figure it out" - Has the whole "one more round" thing going on Cons - Has proven to be extremely polarizing - Music and graphics aren't particularly great - Extreme difficulty (and some cheapness) will turn many off…
The Short Pros - Fantastic revival/reimagining of the Metroid franchise after years of nothin' - Absolutely beautiful graphics and effects look great even to this day - Sound design and music is top of its class in every category - Manages to keep the Metroid feel while still being in a first person shooter perspective - Plenty of puzzle solving and exploration for the hungry Metroid fans - Scanning stuff in the…
The Short Pros - Remake of the original Metroid game for the GBA - Same basic levels, areas, and bosses but with refined controls and abilities - Manages to blend both nostalgia and modern conventions flawlessly - Difficulty setting is appreciated ( Metroid games tend to be easy...) - Exploration, atmosphere, and music are all kept intact - Can be sequence broke, which I missed from Metroid Fusion - Adds a bit more…
The Short Pros - Brought Metroid back to its 2D Exploration roots - Did something clever and unique with the Metroid formula in terms of combat and weapons - Fantastic music and atmosphere, the staple of Metroid games - A large space station to explore that opens up quickly - Beautiful graphics - The first Metroid game to actually have a "story" that was told to you rather than you making your own Cons - The story…
The Short Pros - Unique blend of funk and roguelike - A roguelike without most of the usual roguelike elements - Funny items, powerups, and dialogue - Soundtrack and characters are funky fresh - Randomizing levels makes each game unique - 2-3 hours a run make for a fun quick run - Two-player co-op is done flawlessly Cons - Main character movement speed is just slow enough to be frustrating - Randomized levels and…
The Short Pros - Fun, challenging dirt-bike action - Simple controls combine with unique tracks to keep the game fun - Race with or without other cars - "Programmable Series" meant you could make your own tracks to race on! Cons - No multiplayer - Only five tracks - US release didn't have a battery to save your custom tracks; they erase when you turn off the system The precursor to the Trials games The Long…
The Short Pros - More zany, weird platforming from the guys at Shiny - Did I say "platforming?" Add on isometric shooting, floating, and catching puppies - Humor is back and better (and weirder) than ever - The "snot grapple" adds some new platforming bits to the game Cons - Platforming controls as Jim can still be a little floaty - Jim's idle animation looks...odd - Some levels feel a bit unfair - SNES version…
Video Review Text Review The Short Pros - Original pack-in game with the Sega Genesis - Can be played two-player - Faithful to the original arcade game - You can turn into a variety of beasts, which is cool I guess Cons - Clunky and dull - Only has five levels - Stages are short and bosses are dull - Ugly graphics and music - No continues - Ultimately, does not stand the test of time "Welcome to your doom!" The Long…
The Short Pros - NES US launch game, and thus the first golf game on the system - Looks decent, with interesting "3D" ball effects while it's in the air - The first golf game ever to incorporate a "power meter," which has become standard ever since - Took all the best concepts from it and put them into NES Open Tournament Golf later - Mario is in it Cons - Only eighteen holes - No music. At all. - Doesn't assist in…
The Short Pros - Excellent two on two volleyball game from Ultra, the guys who did Skate or Die - Up to four players can play if you have a splitter, but it's a perfect two player co-op game - Ability to bump, set, and spike keep the game simple enough to pick up quick, but complex enough to keep you playing - Variable difficulty levels and options make the game very customizable - Tons of awesome small touches…
The Short Pros - Action game starting fat Russian fireball breathing crazy circus guy KARNOV - Fight dinosaurs, monsters, eye...things, fish and...yeah, it's pretty awesome - Feels kind of like Contra . If it starred a fat Russian dude - Music is decent - Use power-ups such as ladders and wings to find secrets - While it may not look like much, Karnov is a lot of fun - Infinite continues Cons - Controls can be a bit…
The Short Pros - Same crazy action with insane points and bullets from the original game - Actually saves on the Dreamcast version! Novel concept! - More ships with more features and options, as well as a new shield option - Bosses are crazier and weirder Cons - Changing the medals from bright pixalated gold to pre-rendered looking things makes them much harder to see - Looks uglier than the first game - Game has…
Read the full review Not as good as the first game, but still decent.
The Short Pros - Crazy bullet hell shmup - Has INSANE SCORES. Like seriously, it just gets ridiculous how many points it gives you - Fun Reflect Force mechanic makes the game a bit more manageable - Four ships, and the levels slightly vary on order depending on what ship you pick - Unlimited continues in the Dreamcast version - Can also customize number of lives and bombs in the DC version - One of my favorite…
The Short Pros - One of the most definitive JRPGs ever made - Combines the talents of industry greats: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, and artist Akira Toriyama - Beautiful graphics with a realized art style - Excellent music throughout full of memorable tracks - Unique gameplay system mixes the ATB system from Final Fantasy with combo tech attacks - Charming and interesting story with some…
The Short Pros - Faithful recreation of the breakneck arcade driving game - Fantastic graphics for the Dreamcast - Lots of settings let you tweak your experience to best suit you - Challenge modes are a nice break from the regular game - Very addicting, and also a lot of fun to just boot up and play a couple games - Music by The Offspring and Bad Religion really bring the late 90s vibe home - Seriously, this game is…
The Short Pros - Authentic to the arcade version - Reboot/rerelease of the NES Rampage - Three player co-op - Unlimited continues Cons - Monotonous - Repetitive in both gameplay and levels - Graphics and sound are ho-hum - Overall, doesn't stand the test of time Smashing buildings in 64 bits The Long Rampage World Tour is one of the only two arcade games my local Wal-Mart had growing up, the other being the…
