A.J. Maciejewski
As if Beach Buggy Racing 2 wasn't a fun-filled enough game already, it now has plenty of Hot Wheels content. What's not to love?
Chroma Quaternion is a solid retro-style RPG that genre fans will enjoy, especially if you love lighthearted stories filled with delightful characters. From its clever role system to its unconventional MP-less combat, it's one unique and fun RPG adventure.
SaGa Frontier is one of the most unconventional RPGs you'll ever play and this Remastered version refines it without taking away from the original's charm at all. If you're up for something truly unique then you won't regret giving it a go.
Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack is a wonderful collection of 3 excellent games with oodles of additional content. If you still haven't played these delightful RPGs then you need to add this compilation to your collection.
Its gameplay is supremely rewarding and streamlined, its music is incredible, and it's genuinely funny at times. What's not to love?
Overall, I find it to be quite an inspiring tale of independence and determination.
Atelier Lydie & Suelle DX includes a brand new painting that actually allows you to explore a bit of the world from Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists which contains its own boss quests. It's awesome when they tie games together like this, isn't it?
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.