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Review: EPOS H3 Hybrid Headset

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We are the type that get freaked out by noise cancelling over-ear headsets. This is a personal preference, so when we received our Ghost White EPOS H3 Hybrid headset, we were eager to try them out on multiple platforms, from our current gen gaming consoles, Windows 10 PC, to our Android and iOS devices.

The beauty of the EPOS H3 Hybrid headset is that it has multiple connectivity options, so no matter if you are using it on PC, Mac, Xbox (One or X|S), PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch or any other Bluetooth compatible devices, the H3 Hybrid can be your one stop headset, so no more carrying different headsets for multiple applications. Being an EPOS product, you expect a premium gaming audio experience, which we can safely say the H3 Hybrid delivers. The high quality digital audio extends to mundane uses, like those daily never ending Zoom calls – which we must admit, our colleagues were quite in awe of our headset and wanted to know more about them, which speaks volumes of the design.

The EPOS H3 Hybrid follows on from the success of the recently released H3 wired closed acoustic headset, but amps it up with multiple connectivity options, a removable boom arm, simultaneous Bluetooth® for audio mixing, and a very importantly, a long-lasting battery for on-the-go Bluetooth® audio – unlocking the Power of Audio anywhere. This is where the H3 Hybrid really shined – we took it to task during our 8+ hour work day, connected via Bluetooth to our PC, which we had multiple Zoom, WebEx and MS Teams meetings. We also had music pumping throughout the day, which was tremendous to listen to with amazing acoustic clarity and deep base (via EPOS’ 7.1 surround sound) – our ears were truly in aural heaven! Our work colleagues also commented on how clear we came across in our calls, so that is testament to the detachable boom arm (main mic, with the secondary mic in the ear cup – which can be used when the main boom arm is detached). Even after all that work day punishment, the battery was still green, meaning we had heaps of juice left to use our H3 Hybrid headset on our gaming systems. According to EPOS, the headset provides 37 hours of Bluetooth audio (between charges), which is great, as we loathe to be charging stuff every day.

The headset feels like a quality product in your hands, but how do they feel on your head and over your ears. Well, we can say that they felt pretty good. We did find that after 3 or so hours of continuous use, we had to take them off to give our ears a break, which again, is a personal preference. The headset can be adjusted via its built-in stainless steel headband slider, so no matter the size of head, it can be adjusted to fit accordingly.

There is no doubt the H3 Hybrid is designed and aimed at gamers that want one high-quality headset that has the versatility to be used both wired with their preferred gaming platform and simultaneously or separately connected via Bluetooth for other uses, like using a 3rd party chat app on their smartphone while enjoying latency free in game audio on their PC, which it does with ease and does it brilliantly. The headset is available in Onyx Black or Ghost White, so not much choice in the colourways – but who needs a turquoise headset anyway?! Inside the package, you’ll find the headset, USB cable, 3.5mm console cable and the boom arm cover plate.

With its renowned EPOS engineered high quality build, multiplatform compatibility, simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity, dual microphones, EPOS Gaming Suite (Windows 10) compatibility and the detachable boom arm, the H3 Hybrid does feel like a next-level headset which we highly recommend you try out! Now, to connect these babies to our pinball machines……

The Details:

  • Make/Model: EPOS H3 Hybrid (review unit – Ghost White. Also comes in Onyx Black)
  • Compatible with: 
    • Wired: PC, Mac, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
    • Wireless: Bluetooth devices
  • Release Date: September 14, 2021
  • Price: $258.89 via Amazon

image source: EPOS

Disclaimer: The EPOS H3 Hybrid headset was kindly provided by Events Engine for this review.



RiMS Racing – Xbox Series X|S Review

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Title: RiMS Racing
Platform: PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™ and PC
Reviewed on: Xbox Series S

We have always loved racing games, be it in a car or motorbike. When it comes to motorbike racing games, we have enjoyed them all across each generation, with Super Hang-on, Super Burnout and Manx TT being some of our favourites. Fast forward to 2021 and racing games are so realistic, with the simulation being as close to lifelike as you can get without the danger and fear of breaking your bones.

Playing RiMS Racing on our Xbox Series S, we finally have a motorbike racing game where we can actually stay on two wheels to enjoy the action, thanks to its quick free play mode. We don’t mind simulations having lifelike handling, but recent racing games have been quite unforgiving in this aspect, which have turned us off them quite quickly.

RiMS Racing has the player covered with a choice of eight (8) of the fastest motorbikes in the world to choose from, one from each of the big manufacturers: Kawasaki, Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, MV Augusta, Suzuki and Yamaha. The lack of additional models may irk some players, but the attention to detail of each motorbike model is exceptionally good and realistic, right down to the scratches on your fairing when you stack your bike! The opportunity to earn credits to maintain and upgrade your motorbike from 500+ licensed parts sounds cool, but it can get quite overwhelming, where the player spends a lot of time dialling in their steed to keep it fresh and racing. We thought the mechanical aspect would be fun, and to some extent it is, but constantly working on your bike to make it handle better and go faster turned into a laborious exercise with the effort to reward ratio feeling quite low.

For players that want longevity in their racing games, RiMS Racing has you covered! The game has a career mode which comprises 70 events in each season, which is enough to keep you riding for some time yet! But wait, there is more! Racing against AI riders is fun, but there’s nothing like racing against other real peeps in multiplayer mode, adding another layer to RiMS Racing that will keep you coming back to beat your racing competition. The devil is in the detail, where RiMS Racing rewards riders that dial in their motorbike and hone in their riding skills, which almost guarantees the player being in contention for a podium finish.

There are a few gremlins in the overall RiMS Racing package, like the horrible pop-in of trees and other background elements, like the distinct lack of spectators in the stands. The game does run smoothly on the Xbox Series S, but graphically, MotoGP 21 is superior. We also got a bit frustrated in navigating its menus, which made us exit out from them more often than we would like to admit.

RiMS Racing’s saving grace is its option for free play mode which gets you on two wheels and rolling the throttle without the full-on sim fluff. While RiMS Racing has a fun and enjoyable racing mode, we can see casual players getting overwhelmed quite quickly of the motorcycle maintenance part of the game, which can lead them to give up. If this portion of the game could be tweaked and the other kinks ironed out, RiMS Racing has the potential to be a pretty decent racing game.


source: Nacon North America



Disclaimer: The Xbox Series X|S review code for RiMS Racing was provided by Homerun PR.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection – Review (Switch)

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The granddaddy of all of shoot’em ups, the legendary Space Invaders has come blasting to the west onto the Nintendo Switch (and PS4), so let’s take a trip down memory lane!

In celebration of the iconic arcade game by Taito, the Space Invaders Invincible Collection packs 11 games based around Tomohiro Nishikado’s shooter that kicked off the arcade golden age 40+ years ago. Before we go on, we better let you know which games made the cut in this collection – they are:

  • Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – original black and white arcade game
  • Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – original colour  arcade game
  • Space Invaders Part II (1979, Arcade)
  • Lunar Rescue (1979, Arcade)
  • Space Cyclone (1980, Arcade)
  • Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV aka: Super Space Invaders ’91 (1990, Arcade)
  • Super Space Invaders ’91 (1990, Arcade)
  • Space Invaders DX (1994, Arcade)
  • Space Invaders Extreme (2018)
  • Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE (2018)
  • Arkanoid vs Space Invaders (2016) – included as an additional download (not available at the time of this review!)

We were a bit puzzled with Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV, as it is the same game as Super Space Invaders ’91. Also, the inclusion of Lunar Rescue and Space Cyclone, both based on the Space Invaders arcade hardware, are an odd addition, but they are a welcome distraction from your standard Space Invaders action, even if they bear some resemblance to the classic shooter.

The vertically oriented Space Invaders games all have the option to rotate the Switch screen to Tate mode, which is a relief, as the screen is quite limited in landscape mode on those earlier arcade titles. Other features include scan lines (on the pre-2xxx games) to give you that authentic arcade monitor glow and feel, and a welcome option is the save / load, which is great if you get interrupted and want to save and come back to start where you left off.

The pre-2000 Space Invaders games (except Super Space Invaders ’91 for some reason) have two modes of play – normal, which is your standard rules arcade game; or challenge mode, which the player competes for the highest score with special rules for each game. After you have a game or two in normal mode, it is the challenge mode that will keep you coming back for more Space Invaders action. Being high score chasers ourselves, we love the challenge mode.

The conversions of all included titles are faithful to their originals, so we can’t fault the visuals, sounds or play mechanics, if you have played any of these games before, then you will feel right at home playing them on the Switch.

Space Invaders is an iconic game that is still fun for a blast 43 years after it debut in the arcades. This Invincible Collection on the Switch packs quite a few of the arcade games with a number of variations which are a lot of fun, especially Space Invaders Extreme, but the high entry cost (AU$99.99) to play Space Invaders and its variants on your Switch is a tad too steep. If you don’t have Space Invaders Forever and you are a hardcore Space Invaders fan, then this is the definitive collection to have, so grab it right away. For those of you that are on the fence, you may want to wait for a price drop to make this a compelling addition to your Switch games library.



Disclaimer: The Nintendo Switch review code for Taito’s Space Invaders Invincible Collection was provided by PR Hound.

Cotton Reboot! – Nintendo Switch Review

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Cute’em up or shoot’em up? Whichever way you look at it, Cotton Reboot! satisfies both with its extremely fun shmup elements onboard a witches broomstick wrapped in cutesy remastered HD graphics. But don’t let the cuteness fool you, as this is one wicked game!

Let’s not beat around the bush, we have been playing and have been fans of shoot’em ups (or lovingly referred to as shmups) for 40+ years, starting with Space Invaders, so seeing another classic 30 year old shmup get a contemporary console release is huge news! To the uninitiated, Cotton is a much revered and iconic series which appeared on many consoles and computers, beginning with the arcade port of Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams on Sharp’s X68000, PC Engine, PlayStation, right through to the the Neo Geo Pocket.

Finally PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch gamers can experience some Cotton action via Cotton Reboot! for themselves, with all the colour and fun gameplay. This Reboot! offers 3 game modes (including the original X68000 Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams) new features/options and 7 stages that highlight what a sprawling horizontal shoot ’em up should be like, with a dazzling array of onscreen cast and challenges. Oh yeah, it would be remiss of us not to mention the parallax scrolling, it is *chef’s kiss* superb!

At the heart of all shoot’em ups, regardless of their orientation (horizontal or vertical), is to use the protagonist, in this case, your young witch, Nata de Cotton, to dodge bullets, kamikaze enemies, bombs and other nasty objects while doing some pretty cool shooting yourself and powering up to inflict some serious damage, especially when battling end of level bosses! Did we mention Cotton loves Tea Time too? Well, she does, which she collects at the end of each stage.

Each shmup game has their means of powering up and Cotton Reboot! is no exception. The hook here is collecting power crystals (which are dropped by slayed enemies), but you need to be quick, as they drop off-screen if you are playing the X68000 game. If you play the Arrange game, the power crystals float, making it easier for Cotton to sweep in on her broom to pick them up. Crystals dropped by enemies can be fired upon multiple times till they change colour. Picked up crystals increase Cotton’s EXP gauge, powering up her main shot. As for the colour of the crystals, yellow and orange crystals increase the power of Cotton’s main shot, the blue and red crystals give Cotton lightning and firebombs, while in the Arrange-exclusive mode, green and purple crystals drop massive rocks and nukes, respectively. Oh yeah, another cool new feature is that bombs can be levelled up three times by collecting crystals of the same colour, increasing their destructive power – now you are playing with, erm, power! No shmup is complete without a side kick to help you through the game. In this case, you can enlist the aid of Silk, Cotton’s magical fairy friend who can summon up different configurations to easily mow down your enemies.

The action can become frenetic at times with the screen becoming so busy that it is easy to miss enemy shots which can down Cotton. We aren’t big fans of the bullet-hell shmup sub-genre, which Cotton Reboot! sometimes delves into, but luckily it doesn’t remain there for too long, but something to consider if you absolutely despise bullet-hell shooters.

Cotton Reboot! will satisfy both newcomers to shoot’em ups and those of us that have been playing these types of games for decades. Don’t be deceived by the cute and enchanting graphical presentation, this game is devilishly fun, atmospheric and addictive to play. At AU$59.99 (Switch eShop), it is on the expensive side, but if you want the best cute’em up, it is worth checking out. There is a reason this series is loved by many, it is that darn good.



Disclaimer: The Nintendo Switch review code for Cotton Reboot! was provided by PR Hound.

Mini Review: Within The Blade on XBox Series X/S

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We knew there was a good reason for buying the Xbox Series S console! With games like Within The Blade (WTB) by Ratalaika Games – a feast of ninja action with a retro flair, it hits the sweet nostalgic spot for us.

Within The Blade’s aesthetic is inspired by those sprites and pixels from the 8-bit day of ole, but with a polish for contemporary gaming systems. The retro style presentation of WTB and the easy to pick up and play are the strong suits for this game.

Within The Blade

WTB is a platforming hack’n slash, but the devil is in its details as your ninja encounters new and unique enemies which forces him to learn new battle tactics, improve the quality of weapons and learn new skills. Oh yeah, the blood and gore as your ninja hacks through each enemy is so visceral, so if you are squimish of the site of virtual blood and that squirting sound, then you may need a sick bag while playing WTB.

Game Features:

  • Over 100 types of weapons that players can find or craft
  • Branching skills to level up and master
  • Secrets to unlock, with epic items to find
  • Randomly generated levels
  • 5 unique acts with 5 levels
  • Distinct visual style, with a distinct medieval feel

Featuring 25 levels and some unforgettable boss encounters, players can also complete additional tasks to gain more experience and money to help level up their ninja. WTB ticks all the boxes for us, so if you like retro-styled ninja hack’n slash platformer games with a twist of RPG elements, then you should seriously check it out!

Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Developer: Ametist Studio
Platforms: Xbox, PS4/PS5 and Switch
Release: July 16, 2021
Price: US$10.99/€10.99/£9.99



Disclaimer: Xbox Series S/X review code for Within The Blade was provided by PR Hound.

Review: Waveshare GPM280 Portable Game System

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When it comes to emulating our favourite video games from years gone by, we have had a plethora of handhelds to get a hit of nostalgia, each having their own pros and cons. The latest emulation handheld to land in our office is the good looking Waveshare GPM280 Portable Games Console with Raspberry Pi 3.

Right from the Apple like packaging, we knew this one would be special to hold and play. Unboxing the GPM280 we were immediately wowed by its striking looks, which are a nod to Nintendo’s gorgeous Game Boy Micro Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition. Unlike the GB Micro’s metallic casing, the GPM280 case is plastic, with its sparkling metallic hue making it stand out and feeling comfortable in hand. The D-pad and four face buttons sit a tad high, so they will require further depressing compared to the GB Micro. This isn’t a bad thing, especially if you have not touched a GB Micro in a long time. If you have big hands, then you would be aware that the GB Micro was a crippling experience, so luckily the GPM280 is a larger unit, accommodating those of us with larger mits. The two shoulder buttons have a distinct click when pressed which we like quite a lot. In keeping with the GB Micro, the GPM280’s on/off switch, Select/Start buttons and volume rocker are in the identical positions as Nintendo’s cute little handheld, but just that tad larger (again, a good thing!). There is also a TF card slot near the 3.5mm audio jack. And before we forget, the package also includes a protective drawstring pouch, lint-free cloth, screwdriver and very importantly, a 32GB microSD card to get you started and a 5V 3A charger with an Australian plug – a nice touch indeed!

Powering the brain of the GPM280 is a Broadcom BCM2837B0 64-bit 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor (Raspberry Pi Compute Model 3+ Lite) with 1GB RAM, which is enough power to run most console and computing emulators from the second generation all the way up to the fifth gen with ease. Coupled with the processor is the impressively vivid 2.8″ IPS screen (640×480 resolution), with a laminated toughened glass panel capable of 60 frames per second and a 70% NTSC colour-gamut! We must admit, the screen is gorgeous in real life, so no photos will do it justice in this review. With a 1500 mAh battery, there is enough juice to keep you gaming on the go for a couple of hours before the next recharge.

Being Recalbox fans (Ed: nothing against RetroPie), we opted to go with it on our GPM280. The ease of use can’t be underestimated when it comes to setting up the system. Once Recalbox was up and running, we setup our system on our office WiFi, which allowed us to easily configure settings, monitor the hardware and very importantly, add our favourite games (ROMs) via our web browser – simple drag and drop and you are done! The GPM280 also has Bluetooth connectivity, so there is the option to add external controllers (Ed: due to time constraints, we didn’t test this feature. We will update this review when we do!).

The games truly pop on the GPM280

The quality and versatility of the GPM280 is quite impressive, but the critical question still remains, how does it play games? The short answer is, it plays them darn well and accurate. If you have clean ROMs, then you won’t experience any issues like choppy sounds or frame clipping like we did on a few of our Lynx and Nintendo 64 games. We also ran into button mapping issues on our Sega Genesis / Mega Drive games. Luckily, Recalbox has a plethora of options and settings to dial in things just right.

The already mentioned 2.8” IPS screen feels the right size and is quite clear and bright with the colour gamut making games pop and looking like they are being played on their respective systems on a CRT TV. We didn’t play any heavy text adventure games, so we can’t comment on how the system and screen fare with that gaming genre. For most of the classic titles we enjoy from the late 70s, 80s to the mid-90s, the GPM280 handled them with great accuracy and zero lag. The sound is handled by a built in speaker which does an admirable job. Another nifty aspect of the GPM280 is the power indicator on the Select and Start buttons, just like on the GB Micro – red/flashing meaning battery running low and green meaning you are good to game on the go! Speaking of gaming on the go, we got approximately 1.5hrs of continuous gaming before we had to recharge the 1500mAh battery – we just wish the battery lasted a tad longer.

Conclusion

The Waveshare GPM280 definitely impresses with its build quality and feel, grunty computing hardware and ease of use, but that all comes at a premium price. If you are in the market for a stylish compact gaming system that plays a heap of your favourite games from yesteryear without any issues, has media centre capabilities (via Kodi) and looks like the gorgeous Game Boy Micro Famicom 20th Anniversary Edition, only bigger, then the GPM280 may be for you. Game on!

Product: Wavershare GPM280 Portable Game System
Price: AU$244.55
Store: Small Devices

GPM280 vs Game Boy Micro

Dimensions – it’s a great size!



Disclaimer: The GPM280 handheld was provided by Small Devices for this review.

EVERCADE Retro Games Console – Review

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Evercade review
  • Product: EVERCADE Premium Pack – handheld + 3 classic gaming collections (37 titles)
  • Price: AU$159.95
  • Store: PixelCrib

A couple of years ago, we were quite excited to tell you all about a mysterious new handheld console that was like no other – the EVERCADE!

The EVERCADE handheld system was touted to be able to play multi-game retro games on physical cartridges from leading games publishers and console platforms. Since this news broke in early 2019, the EVERCADE has gone on to become quite popular since its release, garnering fanfare and glowing reviews from reputable online media outlets. Now it was our turn to take the EVERCADE for a spin and tell you what we think! First and foremost, some good news for our Australian readers, the EVERCADE is now locally stocked at PixelCrib!

PROS

 CONS
+ Officially licensed games on cartridges
+ Priced competitively
+ Expanding library of game carts
+ Collectability
+ Build quality		 – Arcade games (so far) are console ports
– Wait is too long for new cartridge releases
– Screen needs to be angled at times in poorly lit areas
 – Wish it came in black

Upon opening the package and holding the unit, our first impression of the intriguing EVERCADE was that it looked and felt like a much more expensive handheld – not quite like the Nintendo Switch, but that system commands a much steeper price. For the introductory price (AU$159.95), the EVERCADE Premium Pack definitely packs quite a lot; great build quality and three gaming cart compilations included to get you playing right away!

The EVERCADE Premium Pack is exceptional value

From a physical perspective, the D-pad and four face buttons feel great – with the buttons spaced well apart with no lag. We didn’t experience any hand fatigue or cramping while playing on the EVERCADE, so the experience was quite positive. The shoulder buttons weren’t used in any of the games we played, so we can’t really comment how well they fair with extensive gameplay – they definitely felt good when pressed, with a satisfying tactile click.



No handheld is complete without a good screen, and the EVERCADE’s 4.3″ display is no exception, with bright vivid video. However, we did find that we had to angle it at times when playing in a darker or a poorly lit room, but this small niggle was improved somewhat by bumping up the screen brightness to maximum. Oh yeah, the other screen option is the aspect ratio, with the EVERCADE providing both 4:3 (traditional ‘square’) 16:9 (scaled widescreen) – we found both screen ratios to be playable, with no discernible stretching when going from square to full-widescreen, so choose what best suits you.

The cartridges slot in from the top, behind the unit, with their top rounded shape completing the look of the EVERCADE. There is something quite satisfying when inserting and clicking in a cartridge. The EVERCADE’s volume buttons, 3.5mm headphone jack and mini-USB port are on the bottom, which are all well within reach. The top of the unit has the slide on/off switch, cartridge slot, shoulder buttons and mini-HDMI which allows for connectivity to a new TV with up-scaled graphics to HD (720p), making the old school games look pretty good on any new big screen TV. Obviously Full HD or higher would’ve been even better.

Specs

  • CPU: 1.2GHz Cortex-A7
  • Display: Horizontal 4.3-inch LCD screen, 480 x 272 pixels
  • Power: 2,000-mAh rechargeable battery
  • Ports: 1 x mini-HDMI out, 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 x micro-USB (charging)
  • Media: cartridges

Once you insert the game cart and turn on the unit, the interface is quite easy to use and follow. Games are started by pressing the start button and then within the game, you have the in-game menu which allows the user to load (a saved game) or save your current game, change the aspect ratio, language or quit the current game. The save game is a welcome feature, as it gives you the ability to see more of those harder retro classics without the need to restart from the beginning – it doesn’t feel like cheating. You can keep playing for up to 4 – 5 hours on the EVERCADE before it needs recharging – we just we wish it lasted longer.  But hey, you can play and charge if you want to keep going!

As eluded earlier, the Premium Pack comes with three cartridges; Namco Museum Collection 1 (11 games), Interplay Collection 1 (6 games) and the Atari Collection 1 (20 games). With 37 games to select from, you’ll definitely be kept busy right off the bat. We were quite chuffed to see that Blaze Entertainment secured the first ever western localisation of Mappy Kids on the Namco Museum Collection 1. There are now some 18 cartridges you can either buy or pre-order for the EVERCADE, so there is something for everyone! For the record, we can’t wait to grab the Atari Lynx and Data East Collections for now, as they are packed with games we know and love. The newly announced Codemasters Collection will be a winner too (released later in 2021).

With a number of well known publishers onboard, the EVERCADE isn’t short on game carts, with many more to come. Add the newly announced EVERCADE VS console into the mix and an ever-growing user base, and all of a sudden the value proposition for the EVERCADE becomes quite attractive. In the world of digital downloads, it is great to have a system that you can buy official physical game carts, with their cool game boxes and actual colour manuals – remember those?! The collector in us is quite giddy and satisfied with the collectable elements that the EVERCADE provides.

Verdict

The EVERCADE may not be for everyone, but its secret is in the use of officially licensed games released on physical media. With this key differentiation, we feel that the EVERCADE sits on its own in a category full of emulation-capable handhelds with not-so-official licensed games. With an enticing price point for the unit and games, the EVERCADE provides great value. If you haven’t done so, check out the EVERCADE and its growing library of games and then decide if it is for you – we bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

 

 

Disclosure: EVERCADE Retro Games Handheld System was provided by PixelCrib for this review.



Turrican Flashback – Nintendo Switch

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We have fond memories of playing Manifred Trenz’s Turrican on our Commodore 64 and later, its sequel, Turrican II on the Amiga. What we remember most fondly were the awesome graphics and Chris Huelsbeck’s brilliant tunes on the Amiga, which elevated this run and gun game to extremely addictive levels. Oh yeah, the other thing we remember was the difficulty level – it was totally off the scale, even rage inducing at times, but that just enhanced its charm.

In the decades that have passed since we first fired up Turrican, it was great to hear that the series was going to make it to new gen consoles, thanks to ININ Games, ensuring new gamers experience what we did some 3 decades ago, rage and all!

So what do you get in this new Turrican Flashback for AU$45.00 on your Switch (and PS4)? Well, you get 4 classic titles from the series, including; Turrican, Turrican II, Mega Turrican and Super Turrican. These are great inclusions, as the four games are faithful to their originals, but we would have loved to have seen the rest of the games from the series make it into this compilation. Aside from this little niggle, what is in Turrican Flashback will keep you well satisfied and possibly frustrate you if you aren’t used to extremely punishing game difficulty.

Oh yeah, you also get Chris Huelsbeck’s iconic scores, painstakingly programmed to ensure the highest quality playback of the original audio across the various sound chips Chris perfected. So we cranked up the volume and enjoyed the 7 minute chiptune that is “The Final Fight” in Turrican II! All of the tracks across the four games are darn classics and will give you a great dose of aural nostalgia!

Moving right along, because if you have played any Turrican title, be it on the C64, Amiga, Mega Drive or SNES, you know what this game is all about and you know what you are getting. If you haven’t played any Turrican game, it is in essence a run and gun game (just like Contra), with a lot of precision jumping, shooting and exploring the terrain from left to right, and up and down. It may sound basic, but the devil is in the overall detail, from the games’ graphics, sounds, music, control, to its easy-to-pick-up and play, but difficult to master premise – you’ll be hard pressed to fault Turrican, unless you dislike the run and gun gaming genre.

For those itching to know what extra tweaks and features are included, well there are quite a few! If you love the curvature and scanlines of old school CRT TVs/monitors, then using the display, scaling and shader features, you can customise the display to the way you remember it looking from all those years ago.

Remember how we said these games are rage inducingly difficult? Well, there is also a “Rewind” feature, which allows the player to rewind part of the game to learn the pattern and overcome the challenge being faced by trial and error. And for those who wish to come back to the adventure at a later time, the save states are there to let you pick up exactly where you left off – a very welcome feature indeed.

The reworked controls are welcome, making the games accessible, even if you haven’t played any Turrican game. All four games felt familiar, but each one presented enough unique gameplay content to have you exploring them for a long long time.

If you love run and game games with gigantic levels to explore, heart-stopping action with a lot of non-stop mayhem and huge boss fights, then you seriously need Turrican Flashback in your life! It is great to have an iconic series like Turrican make it to new consoles for all to experience, from those players that are new to the series, and those of us that have nostalgic ties to it – Turrican Flashback is a great blast from the past!

image source: ININ Games

 

Disclosure: Turrican Flashback [Nintendo Switch eShop code] was kindly provided by PR Hound for this review.

 

Creative BT-W3 Bluetooth 5.0 Audio Transmitter – Review

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It is quite amazing to think that modern gaming consoles don’t come with built-in Bluetooth technology to allow gaming from the comfort of your chair without any wires getting in the way!

We were on the lookout for ways to play our Nintendo Switch with our wireless headphones, and to be honest, there wasn’t much out there, till now! Creative have stepped in to fill the void with their BT-W3 Bluetooth 5.0 Audio Transmitter. The BT-W3 package comes with a USB-C adapter, USB-C-to-USB-A converter and an analogue mic which all work on PC, Mac, PS4 and the Nintendo Switch.

The versatility in its use was what caught our eye initially, from being able to use it on our Switch, to then using it on our Windows based laptop, it was all very easy to pair up and use our wireless headphones. Where the Creative BT-W3 truly shines is in its support of four different Bluetooth codecs – aptX LL, aptX HD, aptX, and SBC. Each of these codecs have their own strengths and are suitable for different uses, like the aptX LL codec being essential for lag-free gaming experiences, while aptX HD is ideal for music enjoyment. Codec selection is done at a press of a button on the USB-C adapter. Each codec has a unique light indicator, so you will always know which codec you are currently using.

Press the button to select from a choice of 4 different codecs!

To be able to use the analogue microphone on our Switch for some online gaming chatter, we had to download the HFP-off firmware to enable the function. This firmware update is necessary because the Nintendo Switch does not allow for input and output audio to be from different devices. Don’t stress though, as it is also quite easy to turn HFP back on by downloading and executing the HFP-on firmware.

To enable the analogue mic on the Switch, you will need to turn off HFP (which is really easy)

We put the BT-W3 through its paces on both the Nintendo Switch and our Window 10 based laptop, and we are happy to report that it worked flawlessly. We didn’t experience any lag or Bluetooth disconnections, which in this day and age of Zoom and WebEx meetings is an absolute must! It is early days in our use of the BT-W3, but we are impressed so far.

You may be asking yourself, do I really need this AU$64.95 contraption? Well, if you want to enjoy a lag free gaming experience on your PS4 / Switch or just want the versatility and quality without any wires, then you need the BT-W3 in your life. We were so blown away with the provided Creative BT-W3 that we went out and bought another one for ourselves – it is that good!

We were so impressed with the BT-W3, we had to get another one!

 

Disclosure: The Creative BT-W3 was kindly provided by Creative for this review. The second Creative BT-W3 was purchased by us.

 

Umihara Kawase BaZooKa – Review

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We absolutely loved Umihara Kawase back in the day on the Super Famicom (SNES). As much as we loved Super Mario World, Umihara Kawase seemed to be a breath of fresh air when it came to platform gaming, as it was something new and quite challenging. Fast Forward 25+ years, and the Umihara Kawase series has its latest entrant, Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!

If you like your platfom gaming action to be fast-paced, then look no further than Umihara Kawase BaZooKa! This single screen platform gem requires the player to clear the screen of enemies by performing combos with the bazooka and the awesomely helpful fishing rod. Each level has a coin target to collect, so once the player collects the number of coins required, they move on to another elaborate and challenging stage. It may seem simple and straight forward, but the devil is always in the playability.

Umihara Kawase BaZooKa! has a lot to offer to ensure its longevity, from a choice of 22 iconic characters that have special moves, to its Challenge Mode that comes packed with 40 stages. With each stage having its unique characteristics to overcome, like moving platforms, obstacles and quirky enemies, you’ll constantly be kept on your toes till the stage is cleared. There is a lot of enjoyment in this fast-paced battle action game, but where it’s most enjoyable is when you get a party of 4 playing in epic multiplayer versus battles, either online or offline! Oh yeah, for those that like chasing high scores and seeing their names on leaderboards, your wish is fulfilled too.

The graphics and sound package is slick and cutesy, which compliments the game play and fits just right in the Umihara Kawase series universe. The controls are straight forward and intuitive, but just in case you get stuck, there is a ‘how to play’ option which will have you blowing up, hooking enemies and collecting coins in no time.

The Umihara Kawase games series has come a long way since 1994, but the things that have not changed are that they remain refreshing, quite fun and very enjoyable to play, be it in single player mode or with friends. We can safely say that Umihara Kawase BaZooKa! has an abundance of fun injected and shines head and shoulders when playing with others, but it still remains fun when playing solo. The refreshing, fun and enjoyable gaming formula has not been compromised in this game, we love it! Now, time to grab our BaZooKa and fishing rod and get back to battle…