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http://www.defunctgames.com The latest articles from Defunct Games. http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/261 Get ready for what is sure to be the year’s most polarizing Nintendo Switch Online update. Just in time for spring, Nintendo will be adding a bunch of war-themed strategy games to their subscription service on March 28th. I’m talking about Nobunaga’s Ambition, Lord of Darkness, New Horizons and Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire. That’s a whole lot of Koei, but the question remains: Are any of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Nintendo Power, GamePro, Fusion and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. I sure hope you’re planning three steps ahead, because this is going to be a very strategic episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew! Fri, 21 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1795 Depending on how much you like bullet hell shooters, Lilac 0 will either be the most exciting action game of the year or a maddeningly frustrating ordeal. I fell in love with the gorgeous pixel graphics, the minimal colors, the wide variety in locations and the deceptively deep gameplay. Made for the kind of gamer who loves a good challenge, this is a game that definitely won’t appeal to everybody. Despite constantly dying, I found Lilac 0 to be a rewarding and satisfying experience. I loved it, but this is one of those times where it pays to know what you’re getting yourself into before diving in. Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/260 Yesterday, I reviewed the new beat ‘em up based on the classic comic book hero The Phantom. It’s a lot of fun and you should check it out. But that got me thinking about the cartoon version of the Phantom that they released in the mid-1990s, set in a far-flung future where robots and evil inventors ruled the world. Phantom 2040 would go on to become an action game released on the Super NES, Genesis and Game Gear, and has a bit of a cult following these days. Now, you may be wondering, how does that old game compare? Well, to answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, Super Play and more classic magazines that reviewed this game back when it first came out. So get ready to see what others cannot, because this is a very purple episode of Phantom 2040 Review Crew. Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1794 I’m not sure the video game version of The Phantom moves faster than lightning and is stronger than a stampeding elephant, but don’t let that stop you from playing this thoroughly enjoyable brawler. Featuring beautiful hand-drawn graphics that look like they were ripped right out of the comics, this globe-trotting swashbuckler is full of cool locations to fight in and exciting car chases to survive. Unfortunately, the sluggish gameplay, repetitive enemies and frustrating bugs hold this game back, but fans of The Phantom, brawlers or both will be more than satisfied with this adaptation. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see Kit Walker don the purple suit in a video game. Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1793 If you’ve ever wanted a Star Fox roguelike, then Whisker Squadron: Survivor is about as close as you’re likely to get. This is a fun and exciting action game filled with random stages, tons of disparate power-ups and furry heroes with a lot to say. While I wish the boss battles were more impressive and the upgrade progression could have been sped up a bit, fans of this style of shoot ‘em ups will be impressed with the amount of modes and the variety found in this deceptively simple game. Whisker Squadron: Survivor is an easy shooter to recommend. Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/matchup/9 In this corner we have Virtua Fighter 2, the Saturn sequel to one of the most influential fighting games of all time. In the other corner, we have Tekken 2, Namco’s mega-popular 3D fighter that came to the PlayStation with even more characters and cinemas than the arcade original. These two games fought it out in 1996 to see which system would win the 32-bit war. But what did the critics say 29 years ago? Was it a hotly contested battle or was there a clear winner in this fifth-generation showdown? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Fan, Next Generation and more classic magazines that reviewed both of these fighters back when they first came out. Get ready to memorize combos and frame count, because this is going to be a brutal episode of Magazine Match-Up! Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/259 Get ready to celebrate Rare’s 40th anniversary, because our friends at Retro-Bit Publishing just announced that they will be bringing out brand-new, limited-edition collector’s sets for both R.C. Pro-Am II on the Nintendo Entertainment System, as well as the Game Boy version of Battletoads & Double Dragon. We’ve already talked about that Battletoads & Double Dragon game multiple times in the past, but we so rarely get a chance to talk about R.C. Pro-Am II, one of my favorite 8-bit games of all time. This upcoming release will not only include the physical cartridge, full-color instruction manual and a nice hardcover magnet box, but will also come with a set of holographic stickers. I may love this game, but what about the critics? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Nintendo Power and more classic magazines that reviewed R.C. Pro-Am II when it first came out. Get ready to stab-it and steer, because it’s time for another speedy episode of Retro-Bit Review Crew. Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/gameover/185 Long before he took on the Super Show or battled Dennis Hopper, Mario was the star of a 1983 Marvel comic one-off inspired by the construction site antics of the arcade game Donkey Kong. With today being Mario Day, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at Mario’s very first appearance in comic form. We’re going to dive into the history, the importance and, of course, the actual story, which gives us a glimpse into the world of Donkey Kong at a time before most of Mario’s lore was written. I sure hope you brought a hardhat, because you’re going to need one when we uncover the unexpected tenderness of Mario’s first comic book. Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/258 Last month, Nintendo only published one game for the Nintendo Switch Online – Wario Land 4. That turns out to be the first time that’s happened since last August. Now, only a few days into March, they’ve already doubled their output, giving us not one, but two games in a single day. That’s right, subscribers now have access to both 1994’s Donkey Kong and the puzzle game Mario’s Picross. Yeah, that’s cool news, but are either of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer & Video Games, Nintendo Power and more classic magazines that reviewed these games when they first came out. I sure hope you like smashing barrels and chiseling rocks, because this is another puzzling episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew! Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/egmranks/84 As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of six Suikoden games between 1996 and 2008, including all five of the main-series games, as well as the 2005 spin-off, Suikoden Tactics. That’s basically every installment that came out in the United States, which should make this a great list. What we’re going to do is count down the best and worst Suikoden games using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There’s no editorializing here, we’re just going to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to catch ‘em all, because this is what happens when EGM Ranks Suikoden. Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/gameover/184 Today we’re taking a look at the history and comic book adventures of Johnny Turbo, an ambitious three-part advertisement from Turbo Technologies Inc. that ran in the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro and Video Games & Computer Entertainment. This is the story of Johnny Turbo – the TurboDuo’s superhero spokesman. Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/257 For role-playing junkies, the wait is almost over. At long last, Konami is about to release the RPG compilation that fans have been begging for – Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars. While the title may be a little clunky, the important news is that both Suikoden and its sequel Suikoden II will finally be playable on modern consoles. That’s cool news, but are either of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Computer & Video Games and more classic magazines that reviewed these games when they were first released. I sure hope you like collecting heroes, because this is a very turn-based episode of Suikoden Review Crew. Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1792 While Turbo Overkill may not revolutionize the boomer shooter genre, you won’t mind because it’s so much fun. This is a fast-paced action game with a compelling science fiction setting and all kinds of futuristic moves and abilities to master. It’s also ambitious, constantly going out of its way to shake up the level designs and even the gameplay. What it lacks in visual polish, it more than makes up with exciting set pieces and moments that are so over-the-top that they belong in a big-budget Hollywood movie. More than anything else, Turbo Overkill is a fantastic reminder of what made those classic first-person shooters so great to begin with. Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1791 If you’re a fan of either typing games or survival horror, then Blood Typers is an absolute must-play. While it has some balancing issues to contend with, there’s a lot to like about this atmospheric mash-up. It looks good, it’s easy to control and there’s enough firepower here to satisfy fans looking for a little action, and it’s even better when you team-up with a friend online. Unfortunately, a difficulty spike towards the end will turn a fun solo experience into utter frustration and it sure would be nice if I could pause the game, but outside of that, Blood Typers has a strong concept that could use a little more refining. Tue, 25 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/egmranks/83 As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of thirteen games in the NFL Blitz franchise. This includes pretty every installment released on consoles, including the 2000 spin-off – Kurt Warner’s Arena Football Unleashed. While mostly comprehensive, the long-running magazine never got around to reviewing Blitz: The League II and the 2012 reboot from Electronic Arts. While that’s disappointing, I think you’ll agree that this is a solid list that goes over just about all of the franchise. What we’re going to do today is countdown the best and worst NFL Blitz games using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There’s no editorializing here, we’re just going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. I sure hope you brought a lot of padding, because these tackles are real when EGM Ranks NFL Blitz. Sun, 23 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1790 While it may not rise to the same heights as R-Type and Gaiares, X-Out is a fun shoot ‘em up with something unique to offer. Being able to fully customize your ships adds a lot of depth to what could have been a straight-forward action game, and I like how you can build new ships that act like extra lives. Unfortunately, it’s the very thing that I like the most about the game that ends up making it far too easy. There is an extra mirror mode that will give players a reason to play it a second time, but outside of that, there isn’t much bringing gamers back to this 36-year-old shooter. I’m happy that a whole new generation (including myself) will be able to experience this old school classic in one form or another, but X-Out: Resurfaced just can’t compare to the genre greats. Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1789 The Exit Project: Backstreets is an extremely simple game where the goal is to walk through either the front door or back depending on a bunch of anomalies. If that doesn’t sound like fun, then you’re right; it’s not. This is a boring, repetitive and ultimately pointless game that comes across as the type of thing that would be made by A.I. The game doesn’t even get points for its atmospheric tone and detailed alleyway. I can’t think of a single good reason to spend ten dollars on this clunker, especially when there are far better games at a fraction of that price. No, no, no, no, no! Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1788 Rift of the NecroDancer is an intoxicating blend of role-playing and rhythm gaming, giving fans of both genres a unique experience full of memorable characters and comical adventuring. With dozens of enemy types and variations, players have a lot to memorize and deal with on the note highway, giving even the biggest Guitar Hero or Rock Band fan a new challenge to overcome. Best of all, the music is phenomenal. Throw in some hilarious mini-games, a couple of boss fights and even user-created content, and what you have is an amazing adventure game that completely shakes up the rhythm genre in a lot of fun ways. Rock on, NecroDancer! Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/256 If you’re a fan of 16-bit sports games, then let me introduce you to the Accolade Sports Collection. This brand-new compilation sees Atari and QUByte Interactive teaming up to bring us five classic sports games from the early 1990s. I’m talking about both the Genesis debut of Hardball and the PC sequel, Hardball II, as well as Olympics-style mini-game collections like, Winter Challenge and the follow-up, Summer Challenge. Wrapping things up is the addition of Barkley: Shut Up & Jam, which has been retitled Hoops! Shut Up & Jam due to licensing issues. These are all well-known classics from Accolade’s library, but are any of them actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Video Games & Computer Entertainment, Mean Machines Sega and more classic magazines that reviewed these games when they first came out. I hope you have your jock strap ready, because it’s time for another bone-crunching episode of QUByte Classics Review Crew! Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1787 As the first Macross game to come out in the United States, Shooting Insight is disappointing. Instead of pulling us in and getting new players invested with a compelling story, the game seems more interested in spinning its wheels with pointless conversations that won’t make a lick of sense to anybody but the anime fans. And all that is before you discover how bland and forgettable the gameplay is. Between the terrible boss fights and boring backgrounds, there isn’t a whole lot to keep people going. Couple that with the $40 asking price and Macross: Shooting Insight is a tough game to recommend, even to the most hardcore shoot ‘em up fan. Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800