Boulder Dash Deluxe (Switch, Xbox, Atari VCS, PC, Mobile)
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Posted on October 25th, 2021 by
I’m such a staunch console gamer now that you might be surprised to learn that when I was a kid, I started out playing home games on computer. Our first PC was an Apple ][+, and outside of arcades, that’s where I played most of my games until I got an Atari 5200. One of the games I remember playing on that old computer was Boulder Dash. It was an action puzzle game that was kind of like Dig Dug in that you dug through the earth, collecting gems while trying not to get squished by falling boulders. And now you can revisit that classic with Boulder Dash Deluxe. It’s really just more of the same from Boulder Dash 30th Anniversary that I reviewed last year. It almost seems like an expansion pack in a way. But you get new levels, settings, and even stages taken directly from the classic game! It’s available for many of today’s current consoles, PC, and mobile devices, but reviewed on Switch here.
Knockout Home Fitness (Switch)
Posted on October 22nd, 2021 by
With candy and food holidays coming up like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, it may be a good time to beef up your fitness routine. Maybe with a video game? This exercise game takes many cues from Nintendo’s own Fitness Boxing series and adds martial arts moves, kicks, and stances into the mix. Choose a virtual trainer and do daily routines once per day, or try exercises that are around 3 minutes in length anytime you want. You can also track your progress on the calendar.
Gloomhaven (PC, MacOS, Boardgame)
Posted on October 21st, 2021 by
Several years ago, Glooomhaven burst onto the boardgame scene to wide acclaim. Quickly selling out and then reprinted, this boardgame currently sits at number 1 on the Boardgame Geek list of all-time best boardgames. It is a beast of a game, weighing in at about 20 pounds of cardboard, cards, and plastic miniatures. While the heart of the game comes in tactical battle scenarios, playable in an hour or two, the overarching story includes role-playing aspects like character growth and branching storylines to provide gamers with upwards of 150 hours of game time. As a “legacy game” the game includes envelopes and boxes that are sealed at first and are opened up as the game is played. While it has won the hearts of many gamers, a common complaint is simply how much time it takes to set up a new scenario. Cue… a digital version. Gloomhaven is now available in digital form on Steam and GoG.
Gleylancer (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on October 21st, 2021 by
There were many 2-D shooter games on the SEGA Genesis, but some of them didn’t even leave Japan. One of those was Gleylancer, but now you can play it as a downloadable re-release on nearly every current console and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
World Flipper (Mobile)
Posted on October 20th, 2021 by
I’ve always liked video pinball games, even when I was a kid. One of the video pinball games I remember on the NES was Pinball Quest. It stood out because it combined elements of pinball with an RPG fantasy quest game. Granted the game was super frustrating but the idea was neat and I’m surprised game makers haven’t revisited that concept more. But now they have with World Flipper, a free-to-play mobile game that combines both pinball and RPG elements (reviewed on iPad here).
Italy: Land of Wonders (Mobile)
Posted on October 18th, 2021 by
You have just taken a job as a lighthouse keeper in Italy, but it turns out to be more than that. You learn that you must collect sparks that keep Italy beautiful every night, with the help from some spirits of course. Gather these sparks by playing a puzzle maze game while you learn facts about Italy’s geography, architecture, food, culture, and landmarks. Not surprisingly, this game was actually published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, maybe to promote tourism or something? At any rate, this game is free on mobile devices, but reviewed on iPad here.
Let’s Have a WarioWare Get Together!
Posted on October 15th, 2021 by
WarioWare: Get it Together was recently released on Switch, so in honor of that, I wanted to write a blog about it! At first I thought about talking about all the games in the WarioWare series, but I did that last time a new WarioWare game came out, so you can just read that blog here if you want. Not much would’ve changed anyway if I did it again. But WarioWare: Get it Together has a focus on characters, so I figured I’d go over all the crazy characters in the series and how they play in this game! So let’s get started!
GLO (PS4, PS5, Switch)
Posted on October 13th, 2021 by
GLO is a minimalistic platformer where you are a square and must reach the exit depicted by an outline of a square. But the gimmick here is that most of the screen is pitch black, and only the small area around your square is illuminated. So you have to do a lot of blind jumps and careful maneuvering. GLO is available on PS4 and 5 as well as Nintendo Switch, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Hoa (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, PC)
Posted on October 11th, 2021 by
Anytime I review a game with hand-drawn graphics, the press release almost always says it’s “Ghibli inspired,” even if it looks nothing at all like a Studio Ghibli cartoon. However, Hoa is one game that definitely deserves that claim. Everything from the visuals, music, and overall themes are absolutely “Ghibli-esque.” In this very chill and relaxing 2-D puzzle platformer, you play as a forest fairy named Hoa. Although to me she looks more like a walking hat. Hoa has the power to bring back life to her land, which has been ravaged by machinery. The game is available for most current game consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Reader Review: World’s End Club (Switch)
Posted on October 8th, 2021 by
My brother Nathan loves games from NIS America, so he jumped at the chance to review this one. Check out his review of World’s End Club for Switch below! –Cary
