Spelunker Party! (Switch)
1 Comment
Posted on November 29th, 2017 by
Spelunker was an 8-bit 2-D platformer game where you explored caves, avoided obstacles, and gathered treasures. It came out in the US, but gained more popularity in Japan, probably because it was one of those easy to play yet hard to master games, and it came out when the Famicom (Japanese NES) was big. You can even find Spelunker references in other Japanese media, like anime cartoons and video games like Taiko no Tatsujin (Taiko Drum Master). There’s even been a few remakes and rereleases of the game, and I’ve reviewed a few of them. Such as Spelunker HD, which was one of the first games I reviewed on the PS3, and Everyday Spelunker, a mobile version of the original game. Now cave exploring is back as a downloadable title on the Switch with Spelunker Party!
Brawlhalla (PS4, PC)
Posted on November 27th, 2017 by
Over the past year or two, there’s been a free-to-play fighting game that’s taken the PC world by storm. I know because I’ve seen it at recent PAX shows I’ve been to. And now it’s available on PS4 and Steam as well! All are still free-to-play and supposedly cross-platform online as well. Brawhalla is a cartoony four player fighting game that resembles Super Smash Bros. quite a bit (reviewed on PS4 here).
Semispheres (Switch, PS4, PSVita, PC)
Posted on November 21st, 2017 by
Try to simultaneously maneuver an orange sphere and a blue sphere to their respective exits in the puzzle-like game Semispheres. Most levels are a symmetric pair of boards, color coded to the spheres. Get both spheres to their own colored exit to solve the level. The standard relaxing music and lack of any time pressure combine to make a soothing puzzler suitable for on the go gaming.
(Switch version reviewed here.)
American Girl WellieWishers: Garden Fun (iOS, Android)
Posted on November 20th, 2017 by
AmericanGirl is a popular line of dolls for girls, and now there is a spinoff series called WellieWishers. The WellieWishers are a group of young girls who enjoy playing in their garden, taking care of animals, putting on shows and tea parties, and being kind to one another. And now your girls can join in on the fun with a free-to-play mobile app for iOS and Android (reviewed on iPad here).
Dungeon Dice (Boardgame)
Posted on November 16th, 2017 by
A rollicking series of dice rolls determine your fate as you fight monsters to level up and gain loot in Dungeon Dice. Despite the dice, the players have meaningful decisions such as when to push their luck, when to commit their nonrenewable resources, and when to burn resources just to punish (and/or annoy) the other players.
Dungeon Dice
Publisher: Potluck Games
Ages: 8+
Players: 2-4 (5 w/expansion)
Time: 20-30 minutes
(Review copy provided by Potluck Games)
Earth Atlantis (Switch, PC)
Posted on November 15th, 2017 by
An apocalyptic event has left the Earth 96 percent covered in water. Machines have evolved into sea-like creatures and it’s up to you to hop into your submarine and destroy them. Why? Who knows? But that’s just what you do in Earth Atlantis, a 2-D shooter with elements of exploration and strikingly unique visuals. It’s available to download on Nintendo Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Golf Story (Switch)
Posted on November 14th, 2017 by
Golf Story is an homage to my favorite golf game of all time, Mario Golf on my Gameboy Color. It combines standard videogame golf gameplay (choose clubs and aim given wind and course conditions, then time button presses to determine power and accuracy.) Part golf game and part RPG, Golf Story favors the casual golf videogamer, but more “serious” golf gamers should find the game worth their hard earned cash.
Beach Buggy Racing (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Mobile, PC)
Posted on November 13th, 2017 by
Beach Buggy Racing is a kart racer where a bunch of crazy drivers and their dune buggies compete in a tropical setting. It’s available to download on nearly all current game consoles, mobile, and PC, but reviewed here on the Switch.
Super Mario: Level Up! Boardgame
Posted on November 11th, 2017 by
Combining bluffing and voting, Super Mario: Level Up! has players vie to advance their secret Mario characters to the top of a spiffy 3D board and elect one of them the champion. A successful vote ends the round and players score based on the positioning of the characters shown on their secret character card. Repeat for a total of three rounds and the player with the most points is the winner. A fairly quick game, it rewards planning but players can take some risks to boost their score.
Super Mario: Level Up! Boardgame
Publisher: USAopoly
Ages: 8+
Players: 3-6
Time: 10-30 minutes
(Review copy provided by USAopoly)
Fluxx, the edumacational versions (Boardgame)
Posted on November 9th, 2017 by
The somewhat silly, chaotic game of Fluxx comes in a huge variety of themes. Math Fluxx and Chemistry Fluxx are now options that make a fun little game that combines learning with quick (chaotic) gameplay.
Chemistry Fluxx or Math Fluxx
Publisher: Looney Labs
Ages: 8+
Players: 2-6
Time: 5-30 minutes
(Review copy provided by Looney Labs)
