Akihabara Dennou Gumi Pata Pies!: Making a little go a long way

This game, based on a single-series 1998 anime of (almost) the same name, first caught my eye thanks to its bright yellow case decorated with a neatly arranged collection of the titular Pata Pies. The design exudes a sort of stylish confidence, unafraid of drawing attention to itself without actually going to the trouble of explaining … Continue reading Akihabara Dennou Gumi Pata Pies!: Making a little go a long way →

Z.O.E 2173 Testament: Fighting is a real pain in the IAS

First impressions of Z.O.E. 2173: Testament, also known as Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars, aren't what I'd call great. Could anything be further away from the series' roots than a strategy game for the GBA? Where's the high speed action and dramatically pointy Shinkawa-designed mechs? Where's the lore-stuffed story about a man and his accidental mec-ah. There we … Continue reading Z.O.E 2173 Testament: Fighting is a real pain in the IAS →

Elemental Gearbolt: Arcade shooting in an RPG world

[A quick but important note before we get stuck in: Everything written below refers only to the original Japanese version of the game, free from Working Design's later US alterations] I've long avoided Alfa System's Elemental Gearbolt and almost all shooters like it: why spend my precious time with light gun games featuring 2D sprite enemies when … Continue reading Elemental Gearbolt: Arcade shooting in an RPG world →

Chrono Trigger: If history is to change, let it change!

Saying something nice about Chrono Trigger doesn't take a lot of effort. Its quality and importance are so universally agreed upon that to even suggest it's anything less than utterly amazing would be considered controversial. And you know what? That universal opinion's right, on the whole. Chrono Trigger really is special. Then again, was it really ever … Continue reading Chrono Trigger: If history is to change, let it change! →

Densha de D Burning Stage: Hot [train] wheels

Densha de D: Burning Stage, the second game in this delightful (and unofficial) parody series combining Initial D and Densha de GO!, covers the characters and events of chapters 5-10 of the doujin manga of the same name. Don't worry if you've not been keeping up with everyone's favourite train-drifting tale though, because once again the game's pre-fight … Continue reading Densha de D Burning Stage: Hot [train] wheels →

Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol.16: Virtua Fighter 2

The back of Virtua Fighter 2's box is keen to highlight not only AM2's direct involvement in this port but also its extreme technical accuracy, leading with information on the game's oddball 57.5FPS refresh rate, precisely matching the arcade original. Even the tiny red-on-black text further down, explaining that OK, it's actually 60FPS because that's how TV's work … Continue reading Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol.16: Virtua Fighter 2 →

Mystic Ark Maboroshi Gekijyo: A mystical time at the phantom theatre

On the surface Mystic Ark: Maboroshi Gekijyo shares many broad similarities with Super Famicom RPG Mystic Ark: you'll spend a lot of time exploring strange worlds connected to each other via a hub area, those magical Arks once again play a central role, and the whole game is drenched in a distinctive fairytale atmosphere thanks to Akihiro Yamada's beautiful … Continue reading Mystic Ark Maboroshi Gekijyo: A mystical time at the phantom theatre →