Binging on Ninja Jajamaru!
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Posted on April 21st, 2023 by
Video game mascots come and go, and one such mascot that a lot of people have never heard of is Ninja Jajamaru. Clad in red, this ninja boy was kind of the mascot for the now defunct game company Jaleco. He appeared in mostly 8-bit games, but they span the range of genres from 2-D platformers to even RPGs! I’ve read that some of these games were even planned to be released in the US under different names, like Ninja Kid, but I don’t remember ever seeing them. Some of these titles could be played with the Nintendo Virtual Console service later on. And if you’ve ever played Retro Game Challenge on the Nintendo DS, the Robot Ninja HaggleMan games are a parody of Ninja Jajamaru. And now there are a couple of collections of Ninja Jajamaru titles you can download on the PS4 and Switch (reviewed on PS4 here). You can also buy physical copies of some of these games via this link. So let’s take a look at these collections!
UnderDungeon (Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on April 19th, 2023 by
You are a cat who has just started a delivery job. But it’s a very dangerous job because your delivery missions will take you inside 2-D dungeons, similar to the ones in Zelda games. You’ll have to solve puzzles, use tools and weapons, and defeat enemies to get paid. UnderDungeon also has a unique black and white graphics style that reminds me of games I used to play on our old Apple ][+. It’s available to play on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on April 17th, 2023 by
Raiden IV is a popular 2-D vertically scrolling shooter and a favorite among fans. It must be, as I’ve seen it ported to nearly every console since it’s release. Now it’s also on every current console and PC (reviewed on PS4 here). Not sure what the “x MIKADO remix” part means, but there are a lot of new modes, stages, challenges, and features, so maybe it’s one of those.
PowerWash Simulator (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on April 14th, 2023 by
Get into the Spring Cleaning spirit with PowerWash Simulator! Yeah they’ll make a game out of anything these days, won’t they? View the action in a first person shooter style perspective as you spray away dirt on vehicles, backyard patios, playgrounds, and much more! It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Tricky Thief (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S)
Posted on April 12th, 2023 by
You are a thief who must collect all the coins in the room and exit, all the while avoiding the patrolling police officers! Tricky Thief is a puzzle action game that’s like a cross between the sliding block puzzles from Zelda dungeons, mixed with the parts of Zelda games where you have to sneak past guards. It’s available on all current consoles, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Go! Go! Pogogirl (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on April 10th, 2023 by
A shadowy figure sneaks into a girl’s house and steals her prize-winning pogo stick! So the girl goes after her on another pogo stick! Go! Go! Pogogirl is a 2-D platformer where you’re constantly bouncing up and down on a pogo stick. It reminds me of stuff I would’ve rented back in the SNES days, or even something you’d see on the Game Boy Color. It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Princess Farmer (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC, Mobile)
Posted on April 7th, 2023 by
When I first saw this game, I thought it was yet another typical match three puzzler. I even tried to download it on my iPad first since that’s where these kinds of games usually go. But for some reason it wouldn’t work on my iPad, either because my device is too old or it needed a patch or something. But luckily the publishers of this game gave me a review code for the PS4 version, and I’m glad they did because I think this particular game works better on a console, that’s how different it is! Anyway, in the game you are a regular bunny lady farmer, until one day Mother Gaia comes down and gives you the power to transform into the Princess Farmer (it’s a bit of a Sailor Moon parody, there’s even a Tuxedo Mask character). Now you are strong enough to lift five vegetables above your head, and harvest them by matching three of the same kind, even if they are underground. With your newfound strength, you must harvest vegetables around the land to solve the mysteries of the forest.
emoji Kart Racer (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S)
Posted on April 5th, 2023 by
Because of the widespread use of mobile phones and texting, we see and use those little yellow happy face emoji icons all the time. They even made a movie about them, and when I saw it on Netflix I watched the first five minutes of it and then stopped! And now there’s a kart racing game with those icons (available on all current consoles but reviewed on PS4 here). Does it fare better than the movie? Well, you’ll just have to read on to find out.
Fury Fight: Gangster of City (Switch)
Posted on April 3rd, 2023 by
Fury Fight is a minimalist side scrolling beat ‘em up for Nintendo Switch. Choose between four characters and tackle dozens of short stages beating up thugs on city streets.
Pretty Girls Breakers! PLUS (PS4, PS5, Switch)
Posted on March 29th, 2023 by
Unlock outfits for cute anime ladies to wear while you swing a beam sword at a ball to break blocks in Pretty Girls Breakers! PLUS. Yeah it’s pretty much a BreakOut or Arkanoid clone. The PLUS adds new levels and game modes, but otherwise it’s more of the same from what I reviewed last year. It’s available on PlayStation systems and Switch, but reviewed on PS4 here.
