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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.

Celebrating The 35th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda

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Game and Watch: The Legend of ZeldaAfter this week’s Nintendo Direct, we are obviously most excited about the Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda announcement, with the green G&W beauty slated for release later this year (Friday, November 12 2021 to be exact)!

As part of its 35th anniversary celebration, this Game & Watch will let you play The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Game Boy version), and a special Game & Watch edition of Vermin (featuring Link)! Just like the Game & Watch Super Mario, this will have a playable clock and timer too!

At a cost of AU$79.00 (via Amazon), who is pre-ordering one? Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook to let us know.


source: Nintendo



Unleash Your Creativity With Nintendo’s Game Builder Garage

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Game Builder Garage NintendoLEARN TO MAKE GAMES FROM THE MINDS AT NINTENDO WITH GAME BUILDER GARAGE FOR NINTENDO SWITCH



NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol.1 – Nintendo Switch

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First impressions of games is always difficult. There is the initial excitement phase of playing something new and the more obvious one, you just need more time to play the new game to fully experience it’s features (and shortcomings) before you can be in any position to pen some sort of subjective review.

Well, lucky for us, our first impression of playing SNK’s NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 (NGPCS Vol.1) on the Switch is an overall positive one! To set the scene, we particularly played the two NeoGeo Pocket Color games, Metal Slug 1st Mission and Metal Slug 2nd Mission on both the real hardware and via the NGPCS Vol.1 on the Nintendo Switch.

Playing the Metal Slug games on the original hardware is great, especially using the clicky control stick on the NeoGeo Pocket Color handheld. However, playing it for any length of  time without the unit being backlit is a chore on your eyes. The same games on the Switch retain their original blasting charm, beefed up with a plethora of additional features, modes and ways to play and of course, the Switch screen is just so easy on the eyes. The Switch is suitable for these kinds of games, especially in handheld mode, but it’s flexibility in the way you play just makes this very compelling.

Our first impressions of the Metal Slug 1st and 2nd Missions on the NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 are very positive. You could go and look for a NeoGeo Pocket Color system and then hunt the the Metal Slug carts online, or you can save yourself the time and lots of $$ by grabbing this for your Switch!

image source: SNK Corporation

 

LEGO Ideas: Pikmin – Planter of Growth

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Another day, another cool Lego Ideas pitch based on a much loved video game franchise!

This time round it is Pikmin’s turn, with the Pikmin – Planter of Growth Lego Idea. If you are a fan of Pikmin (or Lego), then there is only one choice really – vote now!

source: Lego Ideas – Pikmin

 

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…