PHOGS! (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Stadia, PC)
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Posted on February 3rd, 2021 by
Does anyone remember the Nickelodeon cartoon CatDog? I was a little too old for it myself when it was on TV, but my brothers liked it. Anyway, it was a show about a creature with a talking cat head on one end and a talking dog on the other, and how they got along together despite being attached to each other inseparably. It was pretty weird. Well if they were ever to make a video game version of that show, PHOGS! would be about the closest thing to it! In PHOGS!, you play as a weenie dog with two dog heads on each end. So instead of a CatDog, it’s a DogDog. One or two players control each head separately as you wriggle around obstacle filled 3-D worlds, solving puzzles in areas based on three things dogs like to do most: sleep, eat, and play! The game is available on most current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Turrican Flashback (Switch, PS4)
Posted on February 1st, 2021 by
I love playing and writing about classic game collections and compilations. Usually I’m pretty knowledgeable about the games on collections because I love classic games, plus I’m old. But the games on this particular collection, I’m not as familiar with. Mainly because these games were more popular in Europe, and originated on computers that were more prevalent over there, like the Amiga. The Turrican series are run and gun 2-D platformer games and they were programmed by the same guy who did The Great Giana Sisters, which has an interesting history in its own right. Anyway, Turrican Flashback includes four games: Turrican, Turrican 2: The Final Fight, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican. The collection is available on Switch and PS4, but reviewed on Switch here.
Body of Evidence (Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on January 27th, 2021 by
Boy they’ll make a game out of anything these days! Body of Evidence is a 3-D first person game where you are tasked with hiding and getting rid of dead bodies in creative ways. Blech! It uses light puzzle solving and lots of rag doll physics, and is available on a couple of consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Unplugged: Machi Koro (Boardgame)
Posted on January 26th, 2021 by
One of my teenage son’s favorite games is Machi Koro. (Very) briefly, it is kind of like Monopoly with no board, but people can collect income for properties even when it is not their turn. The game is fast and fun, and I highly recommend it for family gaming and it is just now returning to store shelves over at Target (it’s continued to be available in game stores for some time.) Someone looking for a lighter-weight game to play during the pandemic should find Machi Koro an excellent choice.
PickLock (Switch, PC)
Posted on January 25th, 2021 by
Ditch the honest life and become a thief in PickLock. Featuring stylized blocky graphics, rob neighbors and businesses blind and use your ill-gotten loot to furnish your house, purchase new getaway cars, and even buy new houses in other countries! This stealth action game is available on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Pretty Princess Party (Switch)
Posted on January 22nd, 2021 by
You are a young girl just minding your own business in your backyard when suddenly a talking rabbit bumps into you and runs past. When you catch up to it, you see a portal to another world. When you step in, you are magically transformed into a princess in another realm with enchanted castles and more bunnies who can speak. The talking rabbit tasks you to use your princess magic to redecorate the castle and bring back its former glory. And you can play some mini-games, too. This is the only way to re-open the portal back to your world. And so begins your adventure in Pretty Princess Party for Switch!
Tanuki Justice (Switch)
Posted on January 20th, 2021 by
Tanuki are actual real life animals that look like raccoons but they are more closely related to the dog family. Sometimes they’re even called ‘raccoon dogs.’ They live in forests in Japan and other Asian countries, and these animals play a big part in Japanese myths and folklore. They’ve even seeped their way into video games, too! In some Mario games, there is a power-up called the ”Tanooki Suit.” And you know Tom Nook from Animal Crossing? Yep, also a tanuki. And now you can play as a tanuki ninja in Tanuki Justice, a Switch side scrolling platform action game that imitates classic arcade and console games from the mid-80s. It really reminds me of Kid Niki: Radical Ninja if any of you are old enough to remember that one.
Splashy Cube (Switch, Mobile)
Posted on January 18th, 2021 by
Splashy Cube is a minimalistic action game where you maneuver a cube through an ever collapsing obstacle course filled maze as you try to make it to the goal. I’m not sure what’s so splashy about it, but the game is available on Switch and mobile devices, but reviewed on Switch here.
Reader Review: My Universe: School Teacher (Switch, PS4, PC)
Posted on January 15th, 2021 by
There are many real life super heroes out there making this world a better place. Some include firefighters, police officers, and teachers. Teachers educate our kids and get them ready for the future, and do so much more that we don’t even realize. I’m proud to say my brother Jeff is a teacher, so I thought it would be neat to have him review My Universe: School Teacher, a game about that occupation. It’s available on Switch, PS4, and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Apparition (Switch)
Posted on January 13th, 2021 by
We all have guilty pleasures. You wanna know what one of mine is? You know those ghost shows on the History Channel or Travel Channel where paranormal investigators try to find evidence of hauntings? Yeah I know those shows are dopey and probably most of the stuff they find isn’t real or overly exaggerated for TV. But you know what? I like watching them anyway, I don’t care. Well now there’s a game on the Switch where you get to be a paranormal investigator in a first person adventure perspective. Is it any good? Well you’ll just have to read on to find out…if you dare!
