The Pop-Culture E-Zine
We love our video game reviews and descriptions to be short, sharp and most importantly, witty!
Luckily for us JB Hi-Fi staff have a knack to nail their game reviews and descriptions. Who needs to read pages full of text when you can just rock up at a JB Hi-Fi and get informed on the spot.
Here are (quite) a few JB staff write-ups that caught our eye today:
We have been playing pinball video games for over 3 decades and we still get a kick out of playing them. From Video Pinball on the 2600 to the awesome 21st Century Entertainment published pinball games (Pinball Dreams, Pinball Fantasies and Pinball Illusions) on the Amiga, this genre and its talented designers keep upping the ante on the realism. Granted, you can never replicate the real deal, but you can get close, very close!
With Zen Studios’ latest release on the Switch, Pinball FX3 (PinFX3), you get awesome realistic pinball gaming that can be played on your TV or in handheld mode. But wait, it gets better – the killer feature of PinFX3 on the Switch is that it can be vertically oriented to get the best vantage of the pinball machine being played. Unlike Pinball Arcade’s Stern Pinball, Zen Studios ensured that their game would take advantage of the Switch’s flexibility in screen orientation, thus making it the pinball game of choice to play on Nintendo’s premier console.
Horizontal vs Vertical!
There will be future tweaks to bring Pinball FX3 up to 60fps (it’s actually already quite quick, especially in handheld mode), things can only get better to what is already a solid package. With great licensed themes that are very reasonably priced (you can buy tables individually or in packs), it is a win win for the gamer craving their pinball fix.
So, how does the game play you ask? Well, again, the Switch is the perfect platform for a pinball game – shoulder buttons act as flippers, which are very responsive without any notable lag (in handheld mode). The ball physics are as close to mimicking real life pinball as you can get, and that is a good thing! The table design/layouts and the variations are so good, that we hope Zen Studios end up making some of these as real world machines!
Wishful thinking aside, each table is packed with modes and challenges to level up and customise your machine. This ensures that PinFX3’s replay value and longevity is guaranteed. Oh yeah, for those that love online play, you are in luck, PinFX3’s online features are awesome for some multiplayer pinball frenzy allowing you to get on high score leaderboards and participating in tournaments.
If you are into pinball, then we implore you to hit the eShop right now and download Pinball FX3. For those that want to try before they buy, you can download Pinball FX3 for free and try it out before you make decisions on purchasing additional themed pinball tables. Grab your Switch and get flippin!
Pinball FX 3 pinball table packs were kindly supplied by Zen Studios for this review
Zerodiv are on a roll with their Psikyo arcade conversions for the Switch. Their last effort, Gunbird proved so popular in the ausretrogamer office, we had to ban it during work hours! And it looks like Zero Gunner 2- is no exception to this rule – it is another classic shoot’em up that we will have to limit play time so work can be done around here.
Zero Gunner 2- (ZG2-) is a mouth-watering shmup that tests your flight and shooting mettle with a twist. What twist are we referring to? Well, ZG2- bucks the trend of being either a vertical or horizontal shooter by being best described as an omnidirectional shmup! This may put some noses out of joint with shmup traditionalists, but once you get the hang of it, it is damn cool. We found that this game suits the Switch’s handheld or tabletop mode perfectly. Actually, the game is awesome to play on a big widesceen TV too, but don’t expect the graphics to blow you away – they are functional, but you have to remember that this was a turn of the century shoot’em up that has now been spruced up for 2018.
Zero Gunner 2-’s gameplay is fast and furious. Since it is an omnidirectional shmup, enemies fly out from all over the screen at a rapid pace which ramps up the challenge considerably. Thankfully, you can decrease the difficulty to child-like, which we did. The control mechanic may also throw players off as you change directions you must also change direction of your firing. Unlike a twin-stick shooter, in ZG2- you must use the Y or A buttons to adjust your facing / firing direction, which can be disorienting until you get used to it. Having said that, the ZG2- control mechanic of changing your facing and firing direction is the hook, a point of difference for this game if you will. To survive and get further in this game, you must get to grips with changing directions quickly to dispatch all enemies coming at you. Some may think this as a gimmick, but we say it is a cool feature that sets Zero Gunner 2- apart from your traditional shooters.
Just like other shooters, you get a choice of gunships (three to be exact) which have standard auto-fire shots that are complimented by a special attack-shot which packs some punch! Your chosen gunship’s firepower can also be upgraded by collecting P-lettered tetrahedrons (P for Power!) which greatly help in dispatching enemies than the puny single-shot, thus ensuring steady progress.
The longevity of this game, which has 7 stages, is dictated by what you want out of it. If you want to play through each difficulty level (Very Hard is insane!) or if you are into chasing high scores or you just love having a blast with a mate in two player co-op mode, then this game is for you! If none of these interest you, look elsewhere, for everyone else starved of old school shmup action, GET TO DA CHOPPA NOW!
Price: AUD $9.99 – Nintendo Australia eShop
Available: January 25 2018
image source: Nintendo
Zero Gunner 2- was kindly provided by Zerodiv for this review.
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
Another multiplayer shooter title set in the “Alien” cinematic universe for consoles and PCs is in the works at game developer Cold Iron Studios. The developer was just acquired by FoxNext Games, part of 21st Century Fox.
Aaron Loeb, FoxNext Games president of studios, said in announcing the deal, “…all of us at FoxNext Games are thrilled to be working with them (Cold Iron) as they create an action-packed persistent world, steeped in the mysteries of this beloved ‘Alien’ universe.”
Loeb’s quote got me thinking: Is the “Alien” universe still “beloved”?
“Alien: Covenant” was a big disappointment at the box office. It doesn’t seem like the best time to invest in making a new “Alien” game. There needs to be a break from the “Alien” franchise for a while. I’m an “Alien” universe fan. “Alien 3” for Super Nintendo and “Aliens: Colonial Marines” for Xbox 360 are two of my all-time favourite video games. And James Cameron’s “Aliens” is one of the greatest action movies ever made.
When it comes to first-person shooter games, it’ll be hard to top “Aliens: Colonial Marines.” If FoxNext Games and the creative team at Cold Iron can create something as entertaining as “Colonial Marines” it’ll be a surprising accomplishment, but fans of the “Alien” universe are not demanding a new game. But if they make something fun and original, I’ll probably be buying it on the day of its release.
Lately, with the films “Prometheus” and “Aliens: Covenant,” I’ve felt a little burned by the franchise. I did find the third act of “Covenant” entertaining, but overall, it felt like forced storytelling by the legendary Ridley Scott.
Game play is key; although, could a new game set in the “Alien” universe tell a better story than some of the recent films? As an “Alien” fan, I’ll keep my hopes up that FoxNext Games can produce something distinctive.
image source: jonvilma.com
The video game industry has become an entertainment titan with budgets comparable to Hollywood blockbusters being funnelled into AAA releases and new ways to play.
From those that made gaming more accessible and affordable to the entrepreneurs who made it possible to make money live streaming and even those just in it for the cash, several incredibly savvy individuals have made a name for themselves in an increasingly saturated market.
Like them or loath them – you can find out more about the biggest gaming moguls below:
Video Game Moguls by ABC FINANCE LTD.
The big news of the day has to be the announcement of Nintendo Labo, a brand new build and play interactive experience for your Nintendo Switch! From piano to motorbike, a robot and much more, each Toy-Con comes to life when combined with the mighty Switch.
Don’t believe us, then check out the trailer below. Basically, this cardboard tech will tickle your creative bone, we just hope that it could somehow be integrated with our PinBox 3000 😉
Nintendo announced two Toy-Con kits (Variety and Robot) with a Customisation Set that will provide handy materials, like stencils, stickers and tape. Nintendo Labo kits will be available on April 20 in Australia. So, what’s the verdict?
image source: Nintendo of America
image source: Lil-Ausretrogamer’s PinBox 3000!
Let’s get one thing straight, we are lucky to have Dimension Drive! Why lucky you may ask? Well, it goes something like this – 2Awesome Studio made up of two Dutch ex-space engineering indiedev decide to go the Kickstarter route to raise funds to produce Dimension Drive. The Kickstarter ends up being wildly successful and after much celebration, it was found that they had been trolled! Hearts were broken.
Alas, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, 2Awesome Studio weren’t going to give up on their dream of producing Dimension Drive for us mad shoot’em up gamers. Actually, 2Awesome Studio pulled off a Lazarus of Bethany of sorts with Dimension Drive! Released on PC, Mac, Linux and the Nintendo Switch, this intense space shmup is no ordinary vertical scrolling shooter, it challenges the player to fight across two battlefields on a single split-screen! Sounds nuts yeah? Not really, this unique teleportation mechanic makes the game stand out from other traditional shmups you may be used to playing on the Switch.
With the teleportation jump feature, the player can instantly dodge waves of bullets, reach secret areas and the best part, surprise enemies – PEW PEW PEW, take that! Play solo or turn it up to 11 pilots with a local co-op partner to give your enemies hell when you team up on one screen, or split up to grab as much loot as possible. Unlock and power up a variety of weapons like the Flak Shotgun – an overpowered beast that blasts ships to atoms at point blank range or the burning wall of space death streaming from the flame-thrower like Plasma Torch. Master advanced techniques like the Drift Drive that lets you dodge bullets in a split second or even flip into Reverse Drive to hit enemies when they least expect it. You fight through a richly detailed sci-fi adventure which unfolds the secrets of the Dimension Drives, allowing you to climb the global leaderboards in four different difficulty modes ranging from Normal (for a balanced challenge) to Insane if you like living in a world of pain!
Dimension Drive is an easy shmup game to recommend for Switch players looking for a fresh take on an old school genre. This game can be tough, but it’ll ultimately rewards those that persist. Get Dimension Drive for your Switch (it’s only $19.99AUD) and do not reconsider – you have come way too far to surrender now! Pew pew pew!
image source: 2Awesome Studio
image source: Play-Asia
We often think about localisation of video games being one-way, Japanese to English, but what about localising English games to Japanese? There is also ‘Culturalisation’ of video games to consider too. All this and more is discussed in this excellent blog post on Play-Asia. Take a read!
What a way to start the new year with these awesome 80s metal posters from the ‘Electrifying the 80s‘ collection via Displate!
There are 14 metal posters in the Electrifying the 80s collection that will make your eyes pop! Here are a few to whet your 80s loving appetite…
image source: Displate
We are always told everything in moderation is good for you. Pfft, stuff that, RIVE: Ultimate Edition doesn’t do things in moderation – it’s full on from the get go!
Get your twitch senses ready, as Two Tribes’ final game, RIVE: Ultimate Edition is pure twin stick shooting mayhem on the Nintendo Switch!
RIVE: Ultimate Edition eases you into the game (sort of!) by blasting away asteroids (reminiscent of Atari’s Asteroids, with scrolling!), but that then gives way to some pretty hair-raising action as you manoeuvre your spider-tank with one stick and aim and shoot with the other. Sounds simple enough? RIVE ramps up the difficulty quite quickly (even in easy mode), but persistence is rewarded by etching away at each level – checkpoints do help with your progress. The mayhem onscreen may feel overwhelming at times, but you will get used to it as you hone in your skills at moving around and shooting. There is also some very cool banter between the rogue AI and your pilot, which will make you laugh with its cheesiness, but it helps to keep things lighthearted, as you will invariably have palpitations at the swarm of enemies that come at you like kamikaze pilots! The aim is to constantly be on the move, and power up your spider-tank to take out the rogue enemies.
RIVE goes an ‘Ultimate’ step on the Switch by introducing co-op/copilot mode. This takes advantage of the split Joy-Cons, allowing one player to pilot and another player to ‘man the gun’. Controls switch over when you die, leading to some chaotic and hectic gaming sessions. This extra layer, coupled with the HD Rumble effect makes the game even more enjoyable to play. And just another interesting titbit, we love the ‘Guru Meditation’ error message thrown in for good measure – a nod to the great Amiga 16-bit computer, many thanks Two Tribes!
As the saying goes, it’s great to go out on top. Seeing that RIVE: Ultimate Edition on the Switch is Two Tribes’ final game, they sure are going out in style and at the top of their game (no pun intended).
RIVE: Ultimate Edition is pure twin-stick shooting heaven. What a way to go out Two Tribes, you know how to get our hearts racing!
Hit the Nintendo eShop right away and get this!
Price: $12.75 (US/Canada) / £13.49 or equivalent (UK/EU/AU)
* RIVE: Ultimate Edition was provided by Two Tribes for this review