Super Spy Raccoon | Switch Review

High scoring arcade action returns in the guise of yet another Nintendo Switch ported 2D collect-a-thon platformer from the Flynn's Arcade label! This stealthy Donkey Kong inspired game known as, "Super Spy Raccoon" has you playing as the titular tie and suit wearing Romeo Raccoon as he goes about stealing intel from the game's super villain. 

This job, assuming you choose to accept it, entails dodging the view of lurking humanoid animal kingdom baddies while using cover, and an invincibility power-up to collect vanilla, and gold colored classified documents each worth a set amount of points. Collecting all of these clears a stage, and as per usual there are a series of themed stages with their own hazards, and guards waiting to spot the elusive Romeo as he goes about business. Getting enough points will net you a bonus life which is needed in this extremely challenging experience.

Cash Cow DX | Switch Review

From the makers of Donut Dodo comes another arcade classic in the making! This time around you control a normal or turbo speed cow miner with triple stats pertaining to performance who is out to collect all the moooney. Moooney are valuable diamonds of a gold and prism colored variety worth different cash values each. This cash count equating to score on the local leaderboards. By collecting large gemstones you can also briefly turn all the moooney in the stage into prisms for a set period of time. This done in tandem with a score multiplier that requires continuous collecting will further max out your payout. 

Satryn DX | Nintendo Switch Review

Flynn's Arcade nod to the Spectrum ZX era of indies that is, "Satryn DX" comes at us in a varied color palette with infinite replay value. This score focused arena shooter with twin-stick controls, 12 enemy types, boss battles, and the goal to save friends for score multipliers and upgrades asks little of the paying player. For $6.99 on July 18th you'll have your chance to nab this inspired classic arcade experience for the Nintendo Switch!!!

Goliath Depot | A Switch Review

Enter, if you dare, the Goliath Depot. A facility for sentient products that ought not be. As one of the resident workers, be it George, Georgette, or other staff your duty is to stop these pesky paranormal products from escaping to the customer. You do this by shutting doors, and kicking to the curb anything that would stand in your way. All to a timer, and against an unseen evil force.

Attack of the Karens | NS

Shmups meld with the roguelike genre in this meme made masterpiece that is, "Attack of the Karens". Taking the Karen meme and using it as the plot point for the futuristic retro inspired fight and flight efforts against city plaguing entitlement the game delivers comedic value in spades through textual conversation as well as fully voiced dialogue. This includes both the protagonist and the several cybernetic Karens. 

Alien Death Mob | Nintendo Switch

Coming at you like candy confetti this colorful homage to classic arcade games of old pits you, a lone savior of humanity, against the invading alien forces. This event taking place in 2032. A date that is yet to hit the real world, and may or may not foreshadow future events for us ... 

Whether or not it is foreshadowing such an event this twin stick bullet hell shooter has you facing off against alien mobs, and waves thereof. All across the globe, and as a single player experience. Using power-ups you face-off against the invaders netting a high score as your efforts are tallied. In two different modes of play you will effectively quell the invasion or die trying ... over and over again.

Murtop | Switch Review

Flynn's Arcade is at it again porting a new fangled retro/modern arcade experience to the Nintendo Switch. This time around their developer mashes up two well known retro gameplay gimmicks. Using the bomb blasting of 'Bomberman', and the mining mechanics of 'Dig Dug' they have created the perfect quarter munching challenge. Instead of inflating baddies you'll take control of a white rabbit named Murti with bomb dropping abilities who is hellbent on blasting the fool out of carrot thieving moles who are busy digging holes. Perhaps as a metaphor of the dangers of going down a rabbit hole, but I wouldn't dig too deeply into it ...

Saga of Sins | Switch Review

Staying true to the biblical origins of sin, and playing out like a living stained glass world, we find in 'Saga of Sins', a kingdom known as Sinwell that has been decimated by the black death. A plague brought on by sinners, and their lack of repentance. The only hope for salvation there being a returning crusader named Cecil. A man of tested faith who finds out from his master Ulric that the only way to rid his people of the plague is to enter their minds as demonic manifestations. Turning into a werewolf, a gargoyle, and a griffin as well as other beasts as he does so. Using their abilities to conquer nightmarish realms of Heironymus Bosch inspiration while obtaining the forbidden fruit therein. Each realm coinciding with the person's sin, and that sin in turn being of the seven deadly sort. 

As he does his best to resist the ongoing temptations of Satan that haunt him Cecil faces his own demons, and questions his own place in the balance of good and evil. Coming to terms with the truth by the end of it all. Is he truly doing God's bidding by haunting the people with demonic visions, or is he aiding the devil in his end goal? These are the questions that Cecil must find out for himself ...

The Legend Of Gwen | Switch

Speedrunning, precision platforming, and collect-a-thon goals are what you'll find in WIWI Games', "The Legend Of Gwen". This 3D witch versus evil adventure comes with minimal plot, and to the point gameplay with gated features locked behind an in-game paywall. Not a paywall in the real money sense, but a paywall wherein stars and crystals collected will open up new areas in the game's base hub. 

In total you'll find 7 uniquely themed moons with point marked stages, and boss battles. Each stage is a themed and timed event where speed running your way through to beat that timer will bank you some bragging rights if not rewards. While in each stage lives are limited, and items that must be collected specific in number. You'll find crystals, stars, and chests that when collected in full will grant you a 100% completion. Allowing you to not only move on to the next stage, but also to spend the items on base unlocks. Things like spells, and bonus mini-games that have their own rewards for effort rendered.

Spy Bros. | Nintendo Switch

Toaplan's erotic pixelated action platformer, "Pipi & Bibi's / Whoopee" gets a family friendly remake in the guise of RAWRLAB Games', "Spy Bros." for the Nintendo Switch. This lightly faithful recreation keeps the gameplay gimmicks intact while doing away with the erotic rewards for mastery. Gone are the skin revealing female photos, and the striptease for efforts rendered. Like 'Elevator Action', and it's obvious inspiration this building focused bomb runner that is 'Spy Bros.' has you stunning and evading enemies as either Pipi or Bibi while planting bombs at computer terminals before making a mad dash for the exit before time runs out. 

Shuttlecock-H | Nintendo Switch

EastAsiaSoft is at it yet again. Trying to lure in an audience of wayward weeaboos with lite Western Hentai in the form of a half-baked game. The old adage, "Sex Sells" comes to mind often with these types of releases, and I have no doubt it may still very will find it's buyers despite what I'm about to say. 

With "Shuttlecock-H" art and gameplay gimmicks are of base level indie design. Almost like asset flips. Low effort material with spicy content included for the thrills. In it the developer reverse engineers the shmup genre, and turns it into a collect-a-thon with a dodgeball focus. 

You basically collect groups of five hearts that appear onscreen for a limited time while dodging bullet hell that shoots by faster than your ship is able to move. There's a certain number of hearts to collect per stage, and a certain number of the series of five hearts that must be obtained for that perfect playthrough. Your only ways of achieving this is by dodging bullets, and other hazards while utilizing a boost mechanic that doesn't even seem to work.

Putrid Shot Ultra | Nintendo Switch

 Abhi Sundu's original 1bit arcade game, "Putrid Shot Ultra" comes to Nintendo Switch in all it's retro inspired roguelike glory. Taking hints from the new sub-genre that is "Vampire Savior", and the 1bit pixel designs of the Atari age we find a potentially trendy roguelike that banks on choices made, and skills applied. In it you are this nameless wizard. Yes, Harry, you are a wizard. Sorry ... As a wizard you take on an army of ancient enemies using spell casting and wand blasting. To the tune of a cooldown meter.

As the wizard you start off your perilous adventure by picking a starter spell that utilizes a shot usage system wherein the required number of shots fired will activate that spell. Be it a projectile, close combat, homing, orbital, or zonal style of spell. Through progress, and use of the tools of the trade you will face off against lesser enemy types, elites, and bosses in a stage to stage fashion using these stackable, and upgradeable spells rewarded unto you. Growing ever more powerful in the process the longer you survive. All while the 2D platforming arenas around you constantly change with new hazards, and new enemy spawning points. 

Lone Ruin | Nintendo Switch

Little info is given on the mysterious backstory of Super Rare Games' published title, "Lone Ruin", other than the fact that you are a masked magic wielding elvish explorer going into what looks to be ancient Persian style ruins. This is shown through a pixel perfect parallax cinematic intro in which the protagonist, cloak and all, stands before a glowing portal with fist raised and imbued with magic flames. The entire spectacle being a collective of pinks, purples, and blues. Something of which carries on over into the isometric 3D point of view in which the actual adventure begins. 

Knifeboy Rebooted | Switch Review

Coming from developer Runic Codes like a cryptic piece of pop art is the hand drawn video game "Knifeboy Rebooted". A cryptic conspiracy driven comic book hero style action adventure with light Metroidvania features, and speed running in mind. It is centered around a dude with a knife protruding from his forehead, and a dystopian community under the rule of tyranny. Move over Chainsaw Man cause you've got some competition now!!! ...

This mystery man, and living weapon who has been resurrected into the alien post-dystopian world as it's savior is there to make sense of himself, and the world around him. Through interesting characters of different races, and information gathered from various sources he slowly comes to terms with the fact that he was the one to put an end to the New World Order, and that Anonymous has risen to take their place. That in this sordid recollection every conspiracy theory imaginable is made manifest. From Free Masons to the Illuminati. All throughout the jointed yet disjointed world. A world filled with disheveled makeshift locales named as if they were borne of fringe conspiracy theories themselves. Places like Mountain of D.O.O.M., Twin Peaks, and Pirate Bay just to name a few. It is here that Knifeboy must find eight hidden Golden cogs, return them to Dr. J, and rediscover his lost memories in relation to those who seem to know him more than he does. It is in this discovery that he can then come to terms with the truth, and his role in that truth.

Donut Dodo | Switch Review

Harkening back to the age of arcades Flynn Studio's "Donut Dodo" brings to us a hi-score challenge that is somewhat familiar yet distinctly different. Featuring the eternal rivalry between baker Billy Burns, and the donut thieving Donut Dodo this collect-a-thon platformer brings to the table a formula most retro fans will be able to grasp from the start. An undertaking complete with a main antagonist in the form of Donut Dodo, and three enemies in the form of Sniffy, Stinky, and Ghastly. Taking the confrontation to carnival themed locales across the globe with different layouts joined together by platforms, ladders, ropes and other devices meant to help you avoid danger as you collect all the donuts so that you can reclaim the king of all donuts from Donut DoDo before moving on.

Orbital Bullet | Switch Review

In 4532 Columbus sailed the ocean blue ... just kidding, lol!!! In that dreadful year, however, someone was indeed setting out to conquer and that alien species was known as the Dread Corps. They had their eyes and hearts set on humanity's extinction, and humanity was already in a world of hurt. Suffering from their own population problems. Seems these last remnants of humanity had to up and arm themselves or face total annihilation. One such soldier, who in the heat of battle lost his life, managed to pull off a ghost in the shell moment and send his soul sailing right into a cyborg body. As fate would have it this lone soldier turned terminator is humanity's last hope, and it is he whom you will guide along alien worlds in search of the Dread Corps. and their leaders. Ultimately to stave off the impending doom.

Splatter - Zombiecalypse | NS Review

The world has seen some sh*t these days. From the threat of nuclear war to viral outbreaks one might not be too far off to expect a zombie apocalypse on 2022's bingo card. Hell, we all act like zombies with our eyes glued to the idiot box and smartphones as we consume mindless entertainment like a junkie looking for his next fix. High on dopamine, but short of critical thinking. Zombies, more or less. Even games have become a hot bed for these carnivorous cannibal corpses. 

This game, Splatter - Zombiecalypse, is no exception to that rule. As commonplace as it might be the zombie genre is always in season, regardless. Be it for Halloween or any other day of the year. Fitting in nicely, Splatter takes a top down twin stick shooter approach with story driven content, and arcade style additions meant to expand upon the game's core mechanics. At heart it is survival horror, but with a shooter angle set within a apocalyptic film noir scenario featuring a nameless protagonist who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Hell Pages | Switch Review

When it comes to the occult you have faux satanic, or really satanic as a measure of evil. On that scale of value Medusa Head's "Hell Pages" definitely lands itself in the latter category with thematic elements that blend ultra violent imagery with nudity for added shock value. It's one of those gaming spectacles where the selling point is actually that shock value. Wherein the developer pushes whatever envelope, and crosses the line drawn into the sand to see if it's enough to make bank.

In the midst of the mature display what is left is a basic shmup setup centered around demon summoning gone wrong. That and in-fighting amongst demonkind for the throne of the desolated world. The game's story, in this regard, starts off way back in 1981 in a cabin in the woods where some absolute morons summon some demons through a cursed book. Seeing the error of their ways in real time as a legion of demons tries to force it's way through into the mortal realm they invoke the help of evil Goddess Skintae (or whatever?) to seal those demons back up. As it often happens though in such predicaments the seal wears over time. As such 37 years down the road all hell breaks loose on Earth. Humans become slaves, and food to the warring demons as said demons fight over who gets the throne. This is where Bael steps in to put an end to the war, and claim his rightful place among his fellow fallen. 

HunterX | Nintendo Switch Review

Developer Orange Popcorn boldly brings to us an anime Soulsborne and Metroidvania hybrid done up in a 2.5D graphics style. A game about a devil hunter named Tsuki, and her sidekick devil pal, Marek. It follows the two protagonists as they descend upon a devil infested city overshadowed by a pink moon. Not immediately eluding to any prior plot points the journey forward is one of discovery wherein progress reveals what the hell is going on. As it were it seems Hunters were heroes of the Devil Wars. A group of individuals with occult powers that allow them to combat evil. Along with the aid of priestesses they do their bidding. In Tsuki's case she stumbles upon a city in ruins where hunters have mysteriously vanished. Thus Tsuki seeks answers through combat.

Rainbow Laser Disco Dungeon | Nintendo Switch Review

Playing out like a sentient AI's wet dream, 'Rainbow Laser Disco Dungeon' sees you combating a robot army in the year 2084 that has conquered mankind, and is hellbent on outlawing music and dance. A tool which the rebellious Dr. Dysco has weaponized for use against them. You play as a lone disco dancer sent forth to rescue said doctor so that the rainbow laser in his possession can be put to use. Using rhythm and guns you dance, and blast your way through a labyrinth of trap laden, and robot infested rooms which hold the keys to the exit as well as Dr. Dysco himself. 

As the music plays on shuffle so too do the pulse pounding techno-trance beats in sync with all of the moving parts of the elaborately constructed dungeon. Robots shoot to the rhythm, move to the rhythm, and supposing you can keep the beat better than them, will die by the rhythm. Disco dancing, as it were, is your and mankind's only hope for survival.