Reader Review: Tokyo Xanadu EX+ (PS4)
Last year I reviewed a game called Tokyo Xanadu. I didn’t really like the game all that much, but one of my brothers showed a keen interest in it. So when the EX+ version of it came out and I got a review code for it, I decided to let him take a stab at it, so here is my brother Ben Woodman’s review of Tokyo Xanadu EX+ for PS4.
Kung-Fu Zoo (Boardgame)
Kung-Fu Zoo has players flicking animal-themed dice into an arena to score points and/or eliminate other players by knocking them into a corner pocket. A fast moving game of skill, with a healthy dose of luck, makes for a great game for younger kids even if it won’t have much staying power for older gamers.
Jurassic World Pinball (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Mobile)
Dinosaurs are rampaging on pinball tables in Pinball FX3 with Jurassic World Pinball. It’s available on nearly all current game systems, PC, and mobile devices, but reviewed on PS4 here. To play Jurassic World Pinball, first you need to download Pinball FX3 (Zen Pinball if you are on mobile). Pinball FX3 is free and acts as your hub. Then you can purchase and download tables separately.
Bridge Constructor Portal (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC, Mobile)
I just love the Portal games. They’re some of my most favorite puzzle platform titles and evil computer GlaDOS immediately became one of my top video game villains when I first saw her in Portal. And now Portal has teamed up with another puzzle game: Bridge Constructor, to bring you a new bridge building game with Portal themes. At first I wasn’t interested in Bridge Constructor, but after I heard there was going to be a Portal version, I got pretty interested in it after that. So much so that I reviewed the original game here. And I’m glad I did, as it helped me understand the Portal version better. Anyway, Bridge Constructor Portal is available for nearly all current game consoles, PC, and mobile devices, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Bouncy Smash (iOS)
Bouncy Smash is a free-to-play arcade style platform action game exclusive to iOS (reviewed on iPad here). The game has an unnecessary story about synthetic life forms being created in the future, and then revolting. So a new group of life forms is designed to stop them. You play as one of those life forms, a little round blue ball with eyes named Arlo. You kind of look like a Dragon Quest slime, or that character from the 16-bit Smartball/Jelly Boy games (and I wonder how the puppet YouTuber Arlo feels about the name). Anyway, all you need to know is that you’re a little blue ball bouncing around trying to hop on other balls in a game that’s like a cross between Buster Bros. and Joust.
Joe Jump: Impossible Quest (iOS, Google Play)
Dissembler (iOS, PC)
Now THIS is a good mobile puzzle game! It’s downloadable on iOS and PC, but reviewed on iPad here. The object in the main game is to swap colored tiles so you clear all the colors at the same time with no leftovers. The game does a good job explaining the rules as you go, and it’s very easy to pick up, but tough to master the trickier puzzles. There are about 70 puzzles in all, and around six or so are added daily, so it’s pretty endless.
Atomik: RunGunJumpGun (Switch, Mobile, PC)
The Fighters of Dissidia Final Fantasy NT
Dissidia Final Fantasy was one of my favorite games on the PSP. It was a fighting game featuring characters from the popular RPG series, and there were two of them on Sony’s first handheld. I always thought it would be neat if there was a version of Dissidia on one of the big consoles, so I was excited when Square-Enix announced Dissidia Final Fantasy NT for the PS4. I’ve been playing it recently, so here’s a blog about the characters and stages you can find in it, as well as some brief impressions of the game as a whole.
Button Men: Beat People Up (Boardgame)
Button men has players rolling to capture their opponent’s dice in a sort of alternate reality competitive Yahtzee. Players choose a Button Man that dictates their dice and any special powers and then alternate rolling dice to capture their opponents’ dice. Points are scored for captured dice and half points for one’s own dice that are kept through the end of the game. High score wins and another round is played in a best of three competition. Button Men is a fast playing, fun little game that is extremely portable.