A.J. Maciejewski
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix takes a wonderful sequel that's full of arcade shooting fun and adds a stellar new soundtrack. Plus, the fact that you get everything that was in previous Raiden IV iterations is just peachy.
R-Type Final 2 is an excellent shmup and a worthwhile follow-up to one of the best shooters in the PS2's library. It could have gone a bit further to make it a more fulfilling experience but what's here is wonderful nonetheless.
Star Wars Pinball VR is an excellent package of virtual pinball fun that's unfortunately weighed down by an absurd amount of bugs and some inherent issues. Here's hoping that it'll be patched but until then, I'd wait before pumping quarters into this pinball game.
Returnal absolutely blew me away with its challenging combat, atmospheric exploration, amazing sound design, and rewarding campaign setup. Housemarque crammed a ton of elements into this experience and everything comes together brilliantly.
Playing Terra Trilogy took me back to a time when simply improving your skills and achieving higher and higher scores made for a highly entertaining gaming experience. If you also love this old-school approach to gaming, you definitely need this in your collection.
It's been a long time since Shantae debuted and it did so on very limited console hardware so it's impressive how well it has held up even though its sequels are certainly much more enjoyable. Oh, and this Switch release acts as a lovely time capsule for fans, too.
As one of the most underrated games from its generation, NieR can now find a new audience who are sure to appreciate its jaw-dropping story, pitch-perfect tone, and super-rewarding boss fights.
As a more traditional 2D fighter, Touhou Hyouibana: Antinomy of Common Flowers will scratch your itch for 1-on-1 combat and it features a lovely presentation as well. However, the lack of content and instructions is surely a tough pill to swallow.
Saboten Bombers is a quirky arcade hidden gem that anyone with an affinity for retro gaming should play. It may not be as good as similar games such as Rod Land or Snow Bros. but it's still a worthwhile offering.
As far as silly games where you mess with people go, Rain on Your Parade is a solid indie that's sure to make you smile.
Indies don't get much funnier than Say No! More with its goofy story, pitch-perfect presentation, and laugh-out-loud situations.
Party games don't get much simpler than What The Dub?! yet its hilarious moments make it a must-have for those who love to laugh.
From its quirky presentation to its frantic gameplay elements, Bamerang will make a good addition to any multiplayer gaming playlist.
Fly Together! is a colourful and funny little party game that features an impressive amount of long-lasting cooperative multiplayer fun.
Super Fowlst 2 proves that flinging a chicken around dangerous environments can be fun even if you're not Colonel Sanders.
Watching a chick fart as you answer trivia questions sounds like something straight out of Idiocracy but playing it is undeniably fun.
The Game is ON may do an excellent job at pointing out the absurdity of English idioms but its puzzles will likely make you frustrated.
If Poison Control smoothed out its combat and performance issues while adding more interesting complexity to its gameplay then it could be quite a fun quirky little game. As it is, it's certainly charming but definitely difficult to recommend.
If you're looking for an intuitive arcade shooting adventure with rewarding RPG elements and a satisfying sense of exploration then you'll love what Astro Aqua Kitty has in store. Just make sure you stock plenty of weapons to deal with its impressively tough bosses.
Pac-Man 99 is not only an excellent battle royale game; it's also a lovely homage to all things Namco with tons of charming themes to play with. Throw in some clever single player challenge modes and you're left with one impressive package.