It's great when a developer tries new and interesting things with a familiar genre. Developer 17-Bit set out to create something special with Galak-Z: The Dimensional, its anime-inspired space shoot 'em up for the PlayStation 4. In a lot of ways the studio succeeded, because playing the game yields entertaining...

It felt strange playing Axiom Verge on my computer and not on the Wii U. Though there are a few things that separate developer Tom Happ's indie title from Nintendo's Metroid franchise, the core concepts are all present. That's not to say that this Metroidvania — or rather, Metroid-like —...

Nintendo 64 owners went nuts in 1999 when commercials for Donkey Kong 64 began airing on television. These advertisements featured live-action "footage" of people up in arms after seeing their city covered in fruit and nuts at the hands of Donkey Kong and his band of fruit gun-wielding pals. And...

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link showcased Nintendo's ability to try new things in the '80s. Though the game has its detractors, it remains a massively unique entry in the Zelda series and just a fine game on top of that. We never saw another Zelda like it, which is...

There's no debating that Super Mario 64 is one of the most groundbreaking titles in the gaming medium. Not only did the game mark a massive shift for the Mario franchise and for Nintendo, but it also helped inspire future 3D platformers, action-adventure titles, and many open world games. It's...

Glorkian Warrior: The Trials of Glork has a shaky history. Though it's one of the earlier titles to achieve Kickstarter success, developer Pixeljam Games ultimately needed more funds and was unable to deliver the game as expected. After taking on odd jobs, making a quirky platformer titled Potatoman Seeks the...

After spending time with two different versions of Citizens of Earth, Exophase has the final word on Eden Industries' quirky RPG. For more on the game, check out our previous review in progress. It's worth noting that the Wii U version has yet to be patched, so freezing and lengthy...

As an EarthBound fan, it's only natural that I jump at the opportunity to check out the latest RPGs influenced by Ness and company's grand SNES adventure. Games like Cthulhu Saves the World and Boot Hill Heroes instantly spring to mind, as does the recently launched Citizens of Earth, an...

Before there were perks and skill trees in shooters, there was just straight-up, in-your-face action. Developer Final Boss Entertainment is very clearly a fan of the genre's retro roots, opting to create an FPS that's simple to grasp and filled with raucous arcade craziness. Wrack isn't about leveling up, building...

You know, that Phil Fish is kind of a genius. When I first played Fez on Xbox Live Arcade, I didn't really see that. Of course, that could be because I didn't actually play all the way through. Recently, however, I got to the end of the PlayStation Network version...

Soulcalibur has always been one of Bandai Namco's standout franchises. That series, along with Tekken, delivers a robust yet approachable arcade fighting experience that's a sheer pleasure. It's no wonder the company wanted to test the free-to-play waters with its weapon-based fighter seeing how Tekken Revolution was actually pretty popular....

Sega went in a distinctly different direction with Sonic Lost World. While a lot of the series' familiar trappings are present — you've got annoying characters, lame cutscenes, and high speeds — the way that the game presents its mechanics is largely unlike anything we've seen from past installments. For...

There are some misconceptions surrounding Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. First and foremost, people seem to think it's vastly similar to something you'd see coming from the mind of Suda51. Hell, I was one of those people. Well, it's not. It's also not as accessible as you might think it is....

Imagine you're piloting an air fighter above the ocean. You sense you're going to die out there amidst the clouds, and that thought becomes a reality the moment you spot an enemy fighter. Things only get more intense when you see another enemy, followed by a group of enemies, all...

I don't say this often because it's not something I genuinely feel when I play many games these days, but I sincerely hope that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is some four-year-old kid's first game. Super Mario Bros. was my first game when I was four, and that experience really...

Strider was a pretty big deal when it first hit arcades and, ultimately, the NES and Genesis. While other versions of the game were also released, these particular editions are the ones most commonly remembered. Strider was subsequently followed up by two sequels (Strider Returns and Strider 2) and a...

Double Dragon: Neon originally launched on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2012. The game wasn't perfect, nor was it for everyone. That said, it effortlessly captured the spirit of the '80s and offered mind-gushingly joyous beat 'em up action to the point that it was easy to overlook...

It's no secret that the Toy Story franchise is pretty rad, and it's easily one of the greatest things to come from Disney and Pixar. If you don't think so, it's very likely that you don't have a heart, because we were all toy-loving kids at some point. That's why...

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past will forever be etched in Nintendo's history as one of the company's finest accomplishments. It's the type of game that issued in a new era for the famed fantasy action-adventure series. It was quite the pleasant surprise when Nintendo revealed that...

Disney's remake of The Lone Ranger wasn't exactly received all that warmly when the company decided to bring the franchise back earlier this year. The film was critically panned and has been the source of much ridicule. In that sense, it would be easy to disregard the Disney Infinity rendition...