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http://www.defunctgames.com The latest articles from Defunct Games. http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/264 Did you know that it has been 134 days since a Genesis game was added to the Nintendo Switch Online service? Thankfully, that drought ends today with three classic 16-bit games straight from Sega’s vault, including the shoot ‘em up sequel Super Thunder Blade, the action-packed ESWAT: City Under Siege and the seminal two-player beat ‘em up Streets of Rage. That’s exciting news, but are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Mean Machines Sega, Mega Play and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready for another love it or hate it episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew! Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1801 Karma is an intriguing new adventure game that sets up a lot of compelling questions and one hell of a twisted mystery. It’s visually sharp, taking us from one surreal moment to the next, each more memorable and exciting than the last. Although it’s clearly inspired by 1984, Twin Peaks and maybe even The Cell, this debut release from Pollard Studio rarely feels like a rip-off. It paints its own dystopian world and offers a story that is appropriately over-the-top, given the outlandish set-up. Best of all, the voice actors manage to sell all of this with complete conviction. It could use a few more puzzles and there are times where it’s being surreal just to give us a cool visual, but I’m not complaining. Karma: The Dark World takes us on a roller coaster ride unlike anything I’ve seen before on a game console. Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1800 Games like River Towns make the job of being a critic extremely easy. While it is certainly influenced by classic titles like SimCity, Tetris and maybe even Rampart, this addictive new puzzler manages to stand on its own with a clever premise and a wide variety of challenges. Easy to pick up and learn, this is the kind of game that invades your thoughts and dreams when you’re not playing. And even when you complete the lengthy campaign, there’s still user-generated stages to tackle. You wouldn’t know it by the unassuming look and name, but River Towns really is one of the year’s best games. Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/263 If you watched Nintendo’s hour-long info dump about the Switch 2, then you already know that GameCube games are coming to the Nintendo Switch Online. That’s genuinely exciting news, but we’re going to save those games for closer to the system’s launch. For today, we’re going to look at a couple of oddball 3D platformers from the 1990s that are being re-released on modern consoles, namely Glover and Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. Yeah, those are a bit unexpected, but are either of them 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 to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Look, I know you were expecting me to talk about SoulCalibur II, but try not to be too disappointed by this episode of 3D Platformer Review Crew. Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1799 Atari’s newest Breakout update flips the classic brick-smashing game on its side. Literally. Breakout Beyond uses the wider screen to create longer and more complicated stages, complete with new obstacles and a nice variety of power-ups. Through 72 increasingly difficult levels (as well as a new infinite mode), this reboot takes what worked fifty years ago and updates it in some fun and clever ways. While a little repetitive and not quite as good as Shatter, Breakout Beyond is a must-have for fans of this style of action game. Recommended. Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/262 You would think that it would be impossible to miss a giant mech the size of a skyscraper, but that’s exactly what happened. While I was busy looking at those Koei strategy games on Nintendo Switch Online, I completely missed that three Armored Core games from the PlayStation-era were uploaded to PS Plus. I’m talking about the 1997 original, Project Phantasma and Master of Arena. That is genuinely cool news, but are any of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Fan, Incite Video Gaming and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Strap in, because this is going to be a slow and lumbering episode of PlayStation Plus Review Crew. Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1798 Shadow of the Orient is a throwback action game that fundamentally misunderstands what people liked about Ninja Gaiden and other action/platformers from the 8- and 16-bit eras. It looks good and I like the enemy designs, but you’re going to have to put up with a whole lot of cheap hits until you grind enough to upgrade your heavenly hero with new weapons and abilities. And even after you’ve done that, you’re in for a whole new batch of problems, including some of the worst slow down and freezing I’ve ever seen. The single-digit frame rate and inconsistent gameplay turns regular platforming challenges into rage-inducing death traps. It may look good, but you’re better off leaving this game in the shadows. Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1797 Genre fans who have been waiting thirty years to get their hands on this late-generation 16-bit shooter are in luck, because Rendering Ranger: R2 Rewind is a loving package that does an excellent job of bringing the action game to a whole new audience. By mixing run ‘n gun gameplay with traditional shoot ‘em up sections, this long-lost classic manages to stand out, even if it never hits the same heights as Contra III or Gunstar Heroes. I may have some issues with the gameplay and design decisions, but Rendering Ranger: R2 Rewind is a great re-release of a so-so action game. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1796 The case is afoot, and everybody is pointing the finger at Verity! Help her clear her name by finding clues, spreading gossip and maybe even pinning the crime on somebody else. But watch out, because this caper is full of fun twists and turns that you won’t see coming. While replaying the day can get a little repetitive after a while and some armchair detectives will solve the case long before Verity has all the information, Expelled is a wonderfully written mystery that is dripping with style. This Overboard! sequel is a great reminder that Inkle truly is one of the best developers working today. Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800 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