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Nintendo Switch Review: Tengai

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Whoa, Zerodiv are absolutely on fire! Their latest Psikyo shoot’em up conversion, Tengai (aka: Sengoku Blade: Sengoku Ace Episode II) is brutally hard and oh so damn satisfying all rolled into one. If you are into superb mid-90s shmups, then you can never have enough shmups in your Switch line-up.

Tengai is a brilliant mix of horizontal shmup action (there is lots to shoot here which quenches the shmup thirst) with the flexibility to tweak difficulty levels, and trust us, you’ll be setting it to monkey mode in no time! Once you pick your character from a roster that consists of a Monk (Tengai) that shoots beads, a Ninja Warrior (Sho) that throws blades, a female Ninja (Junis) who uses her knives and shurikens, Katana that uses lasers, and the shrine maiden (Miko), who uses ofuda cards, then it is time to hit the skies over medieval Japan and dispense some justice. Each character of course has their own power-ups, which are pretty zany, from Tengai’s hawk, Sho’s mirrors, Junis’ mongoose, to Katana’s magical spear and Miko’s water spirit, these souped up powers should be used sparingly to clear the screen of all evil-doers.

The level design is linear till you come to level 5 where you face off against every previous mid-boss one after another. If you manage to get past these mid-bosses a branching path is presented prior to reaching the final boss for that epic final battle. By this stage you may be patting yourself on the back, but that would be premature as this end showdown is a timed affair, so if you do poorly, you will get your character’s ‘bad ending’ instead of a complete victory.

The gameplay also has a number of nuances like contacting enemies won’t cost you a life. Instead, your character’s firepower is downgraded, which makes progress tricky. So the object is to dodge and weave past all of the yellow/orange bullets that regularly fill the screen. Thankfully, Tengai doesn’t feel like a full-on bullet hell shooter, but there is certainly a lot going on all around the screen. If you think you will get some rest during play to enjoy the scenery, then think again! This game is full on – in a good way.

The sprite art in this game is damn gorgeous and the parallax scrolling is oh-so-ever-smooth, meaning that your eyes will thank you for the visual extravaganza! Complementing the visuals is the cool and distinctly oriental soundtrack which completes the atmosphere of the game.

We do sound like a broken record when it comes to games from Zerodiv, but this shoot’em up seriously deserves to be at the top of your Switch library – it’s shmuptastic!

image source: Tengai – Nintendo eShop

Disclaimer: Tengai was kindly provided by Zerodiv for this review.

 

Bucket List Entry 24: Galloping Ghost Arcade

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Our Bucket List keeps getting longer and longer, so we thought it was time to revisit it and take stock of what’s in it. Upon going through the all important list, we had to bump the Galloping Ghost Arcade up the list, because you know, it has a ton of awesome retro arcade games (and a couple of pinball machines) we want to play!

We will be crossing off Bucket List : Galloping Ghost Arcade in the near future – it’s a done deal!

image source: Galloping Ghost Arcade website & Facebook

 

The 13th Doll – A Fan Game of The 7th Guest

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Return to the Stauf Mansion this Halloween with The 13th Doll!

Let’s cut to the chase – The 13th Doll is a licensed fan game developed by Attic Door Productions which takes place within the cult classic The 7th Guest universe and as such, we thought we’d let you, retro-FMV-loving gamers know about it (Ed: unless you already knew about this)! Oh yeah, the game is slated for release on Halloween (October 31st 2018) on Steam, PC, Mac, and Linux.

Where were we then? Ah yeh, the developer, Attic Door Productions has released their official announcement trailer, which you can check out below. Spooky stuff!


source: Attic Door Producitons

The game is a followup to the classic game, The 7th Guest, a puzzle based horror game set in the haunted mansion of eccentric toy-maker Henry Stauf. The game was a technological landmark upon release, as well as the followup sequel, The 11th Hour, and was one of the first games to show full motion video sequences.

The 13th Doll picks up right after the events of The 7th Guest, where the protagonist, Tad, now resides in a mental institution, a result of the traumatic experiences in The 7th Guest. A new doctor arrives in the asylum, and the pair embark on a journey to return to The Stauf Mansion to bring catharsis to Tad and cure him of his demons. Plans go awry, and both characters find themselves separated and in peril, as they try to unlock the mysteries of The 13th Doll.

Game Features:

  • Full Motion Video Sequences filmed with over 10 actors
  • 26 unique, new puzzles
  • 35 rooms in 3 environments; and
  • The return of actor Robert Hirschboeck, reprising his role as Henry Stauf!

If this tickles your spooky retro gaming FMV nerve, then you can pre-order the game right now!

image source: The 13th Doll

 

The Rise of Mr. Nintendo

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As Nintendo started to break into the U.S. market, they searched for a spokesperson with a true passion for gaming. They chose Howard Phillips, an employee working in the Nintendo warehouse. Little did he know that he was about to become a gaming legend!

Learn the entire origin story behind Mr. Nintendo in the Emmy® nominated series 8 Bit Legacy!


source: Great Big Story – 8 Bit Legacy

 

SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Coming To The Nintendo Switch

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This is HUGE news! Mark spring time (fall/autumn in the north) in your diary peeps, as the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection will be released on the Nintendo Switch.

For those of you that like their tangible games, there will be a physical SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Limited Edition that can be pre-ordered now via the SNK Online Store.

Just in case you weren’t aware, SNK made heaps of awesome arcade games in the 80s before they went really big with their Neo Geo. To whet your retro gaming appetite, here are the announced SNK games you could (Ed: should!) be playing on your Switch, with more to come:

  • Alpha Mission (arcade + home versions)
  • Athena (arcade + home versions)
  • Crystalis
  • Ikari Warriors (arcade + home versions)
  • Ikari III: The Rescue (arcade + home versions)
  • Guerrilla War (arcade + home versions)
  • P.O.W. (arcade + home versions)
  • Prehistoric Isle in 1930
  • Psycho Soldier
  • Street Smart
  • TNK III (arcade + home versions)
  • Vanguard
  • Victory Road (arcade + home versions)

The Limited Edition comes in a Collector’s Box with all the games plus the “Nostalgic Music Collection” soundtrack and the “40th Anniversary Art Collection” hardcover art book.

Let’s celebrate SNK’s 40th anniversary by turning up the excitement level to 11!

image source: SNK Online Store

 

Review: THEC64® Mini Computer

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The wait is finally over! If Nintendo can roll out their NES and SNES Mini consoles, then surely the greatest 8-bit computer deserves to have a Mini of its own. Roll out the red carpet, cause here comes THEC64® Mini!

So why would we want this C64 Mini when we already have ten original Commodore 64 computers and hundreds of games on tape and 5.25″ floppy disks? Well, the main reason is the convenience. The convenience here is that we can plug and play THEC64® Mini on our new Sony Bravia TV without concerning ourselves with tuning issues and also finding extra power outlets for the computer and disk drive. Yeah yeah, we know people will argue the “build your own Raspberry Pi with a 3D printed case”, but that sounds like a lot of effort to us.

Packaging:
Our first impressions of this unit is exactly the same impressions and feelings we had when we first got our Commodore 64 America’s Cup Family Pack edition in 1986 – “Holy Guacamole, this is ace! Look at the box and check out the cool games and stuff on the back!”. The added bonus here is that there is no John Laws caricature on the box, which is a damn good thing (Ed: Only Australians of a certain vintage will understand). You can tell you have a premium product by the quality of the packaging – and THEC64 Mini is packaged so good you won’t want to take it out.

So what’s inside the box you ask? Since you asked nicely, here you go:

  • THEC64® Mini
  • 1.5m wired USB joystick (with added function keys for game specific modes
  • USB charging cable (1.2m)
  • HDMI cable (1.2m) allowing full compatibility will all modern TVs
  • Quick Reference Guide

Build Quality:
Make no mistake, THEC64 Mini is on par, actually, it is even of a better build quality than Nintendo’s Minis! Yep, it is that good. THEC64 Mini main unit feels strong and durable, and it just looks like a shrunken C64 breadbin – it is super cute and detailed. There are no lose bits or wonky interfaces or shoddy buttons that feel like they will break at the slightest touch – everything feels polished and rock solid. This Mini should last just as long as the original C64 computers from 1982. Oh yeah, the bundled Competition Pro (CompPro) joystick is just as good, with a plethora of buttons to interact with the carousel menu and play games with. Thankfully the joystick is not microswitched, meaning you can play quietly while everyone is asleep (the fire buttons are a tad loud though). We just wish it was a TAC-2 instead of the CompPro – but that ain’t a biggie.

Entertainment:
THEC64 Mini comes with, surprise surprise, 64 built in games! Granted, there are a number of missing classics, like The Last Ninja, but hey, there is still enough awesome licensed games to satisfy even the most die-hard retro gamers.

Instead of getting all huffy about the games that are missing, let’s concentrate on the games that are in this cute little breadbin – we have, Armalyte, Creatures, Cybernoid I & II, Hawkeye, IO, Impossible Mission I & II, Nebulus, Paradroid, Uridium, Pitstop II and the awesome ‘Games’ series from Epyx, to name just a few. Oh yeah, there is an online keyboard which you can use for games that require keyboard input or you can attach an external USB keyboard to make things easier. And there are four save / load game slots per game, so use them wisely!

What we can say is that each of the 64 games are classics in their own right, with each of them getting favourable review scores back in the day. So instead of getting upset of what’s missing, enjoy what’s on offer! And if you really really want to add your own programs or games, then you can do so here, but be warned it is quite a cumbersome process.

Features & Flexibility:
Sick of playing the built games? No worries, if you prefer to type in your own programs, then THEC64 Mini has you covered. Just connect an external keyboard via USB and start typing in your BASIC listings – try doing that with your NES or SNES Classic Minis.

With the addition of the two USB ports, THEC64 Mini allows flexibility of connecting an external PC keyboard and also the bundled CompPro joystick. As mentioned previously, you can also load your own programs (or games) via this process.

The display is pretty much pixel perfect on any new TV. The Mini also has CRT filters and aspect ratio modes if you are longing for that true nostalgic look and feeling. The carousel menu is also intuitive and easy to navigate with the joystick with its functional buttons.

Unlike the original C64, the makers of THEC64 Mini have given their assurance that there will be future software / firmware updates via a USB flash drive. Future proofing such a device gives us confidence that THEC64 Mini will only get better.

Overall:
Without a shadow of a doubt THEC64 Mini has hit the mark. For those craving a mechanical C64 keyboard, then buy yourself an original Commodore 64, but if you look past this and connect an external PC keyboard to type in your BASIC programs, then you will enjoy this Mini. There are enough pre-installed games on this thing to keep even the most discerning retro enthusiasts happy.

If you prefer your original Commodore 64 computer, then keep playing it. For everyone else, check out this little convenient C64 beast, you won’t be disappointed.

The 8-bit micro-computing king is back, baby!

Released: March 29 2018
Available: JB Hi-Fi and EB Games
RRP: From $149

THEC64® Mini was kindly supplied by Five Star Games for this review.

 

Ah the 1980s, We Miss You So Much!

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Gotta share this video that was posted by video game history guy, John Anderson. Using John’s words, this is, “A 1981 TV news report by WMAQ-TV in Chicago about the makers of Defender (Williams Electronics) and inside the Midway factory assembling Pac-Man arcade cabinets (350 a day!)”.

Ah the 80s, we definitely miss you so much!

source: John Anderson via Twitter

 

The Most Accurate Arcade Diorama!

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Holy smokes! Just as we were scrolling aimlessly through our Twitter feed and were about to give up and shut the app, we came across xevious765_bt’s Tweet which almost made us choke on our own spit!

The (loose) translation of xevious765_bt’s Tweet is, “The arcade diorama was taken by a close female photographer, ‼＼(^o^)／ 📷 and the real feeling is different when I take it with a good camera of the one eye reflex! of ▽*) Course, the cameraman’s arm is good.”

Gotta thank their close female photographer friend for snapping these awesome pics. Oh, and to the creator of the arcade diorama, wow, talk about intricate detail – simply amazing!

[source: xevious765_bt via Twitter]

 

Sega Mega Drive Classics coming to PlayStation 4 and XBox One

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HOLD ME CLOSER SHADOW DANCER! SEGA MEGA DRIVE CLASSICS COMING TO PLAYSTATION 4 AND XBOX ONE

SEGA® Europe Ltd. has an Altered Beast™ of an announcement certain to create an Alien Storm™ amongst the Shining Force™ of retro SEGA fans out there, as SEGA® Mega Drive Classics™ is set to release for PlayStation® 4 and Xbox® One on 29th May, 2018.

The collection has over 50 retro classics to experience across every genre; arcade action, shooters, beat ‘em ups, puzzlers, old favourites and hidden gems, with a raft of modern features. These include online multiplayer, achievements, mirror modes, rewind and save states meaning players old and new should find revisiting these great games an absolute Sonic 3D Blast. Visit the Sega Mega Drive Classics product page for more details.


source: SEGA Europe

SEGA Mega Drive Classics is available to pre-order now. It comes complete with a double sided Golden Axe™ and Streets of Rage™ poster, identical to the ones you would have seen in the game’s 90s inspired retro gamer’s bedroom, the hub through which players can access the entire collection!

To Gain Ground™ on all the latest information about SEGA and the SEGA Mega Drive Classics visit www.sega.co.uk.

Go now, be the Light Crusader™ you always dreamed you could be…

PS: Oh how we wish Sega Mega Drive Classics would somehow materialise on the Switch 😉

image source: SEGA Europe

[PRESS RELEASE supplied by Five Star Games]