Connor Nichols's Reviews
Wizard Fire is standard fare for the Johnny Turbo Arcade line, continuing the exact same traditions of not allowing for DIP Switch changes and button controls, while the game itself manages to be a fairly run of the mill sequel to Gate of Doom. While the voice acting is impressive for the time and by far the most memorable part of the game, the gameplay experience itself isn’t really anything to write home about.
Still, this port isn’t flawless, and there are still dips and even resolution downgrades from time to time, but overall, this port is an excellent second-place to the PS4 version of the game, and Switch owners are in for the best action RPG experience out of the entire Nintendo Switch library to date.
Overall, a pretty solid rerelease, but like with prior JTA games, the addition of dip switch options would have made this a lot better
Super Burgertime is a good serving of Arcade hi-score chasing goodness. Not letting your score stay intact when using continues, focusing on simplistic yet addictive strategies and overall just being a fun entry in the Burgertime series certainly makes this rare home port of the obscure sequel all the more worth a purchase.
I think in the end it comes down from how Venture Kid just focuses on providing a fun time to the player, rather than thinking of a billion ways to throw cheap hazards at them or worrying about copying the limitations of the NES and having the game suffer because of it.
The only big, big thing this game is lacking is an in-game timer and local leaderboards to encourage speedrunning, as I feel that could help this game’s replay value just a bit more. Nevertheless, if you’re into metroidvanias and don’t mind the simplistic gameplay, this is a must-buy.
Sly Spy is a decent entry in the Johnny Turbo Arcade lineup, bringing a decent action game to home systems in a more cost-efficient method than the out of print Data East Wii disc. Like Gate of Doom, you won’t be able to adjust any of the DIP Switch settings, which means you can’t make the game easier or harder, rather annoyingly.
I can safely say that this Johnny Turbo Arcade port is very solid, and brings the game home for what appears to be the first time ever! It may not have the online features of the Arcade Archives series, and the features of the emulator could use a bit of work for future installments, the core game is still a lot of fun with friends, even if it’s standard as far as arcade games go.
Mutant Mudds Collection is a fantastic collection of two high quality platformers, both in one package. While the original Mutant Mudds Deluxe lacks the high quality level design that its sequel has, both games are lengthy, enjoyable experiences to 100%, and are well worth purchasing the Collection for that alone.
Steamworld Dig 2 is by far the biggest surprise from 2017, and while it took a while for me to get to this title in the queue, I’m really happy I eventually did, as this quickly became one of my favorite games to come out during the entire year of 2017! Expanding a concept that I saw great potential in three years ago, and letting it grow into a behemoth of a Metroidvania with lots of love and polish makes this game an adventure that everyone really should give a shot, even if you haven’t played the first one.
Super Ping Pong Trick Shot is a fun little physics game with a decent local multiplayer mode. There’s not much to this game outside of completing every single player level and their optional objectives, along with trying out the hectic multiplayer mode with a friend, so you’ll get a decent challenge out of it that’s well worth the $5 price tag.
While it does lack the engaging stories found within the Untold series, I was still surprised that I enjoyed the game just as much as I did with Untold, despite the lack of a developing plot. The little additions, from the improved character customizations, the in-dungeon sidequests and Union Skills also help to fit within the series, and I hope all of those features return for future installments.
Soldam is a very impressive remake of a fun Arcade gem, doing a great job at bringing an obscure hi-score chaser to the modern age. However, it didn’t really add much new stuff to the mix, and outside of the puzzle levels and the Plumidex, the only goal is to get a high score in single player over and over again. No online leaderboards, no VS COM mode, and the online community for this game is really, really dead despite the game launching several weeks ago.
Chicken Wiggle is a fun action platformer, with an average length Single Player mode and a moderately enjoyable level editor for you to be creative in. While this game does have one major advantage from the 3DS Mario Maker in that you can actually share your levels online, there really isn’t much of a point to the level editor outside of checking out some new levels every now and then to extend your playtime, but your mileage could heavily vary on the quality of the levels.
Considering the fun that can be had from local multiplayer, Arcade mode and the minigames, WindJammers is still a decent game to pick up if you’re a fan of arcade sports games. The trophies are really the only main objective outside of beating Arcade mode on the hardest difficulty and playing ranked matches online, so while there isn’t a lot of variety or depth to this game, what’s here is crisp and good old retro fun that’s worth a look.
This may be an OK game to pick up if you’re seeking out every strategy RPG on the 3DS, but for those looking for a good strategy RPG on the 3DS I recommend that you just stick to the Fire Emblem games, or if you’re just wanting a good RPG in general I insist that you check out Justice Chronicles instead, since Legna Tactica is as middle-of-the-road as you can get.
In conclusion, LifeSpeed is a pretty boring racer, with a really short story mode, no multiplayer to speak of and some tracks that go on a lot longer than they really should. While the controls are solid despite the auto-acceleration, and there is satisfaction from narrowly winning a race thanks to a helpful bomb, the game didn’t hold my interest for very long, and the decision to make the leaderboards score based just baffle me.
I had a blast with Puzzle Adventure Blockle. My only real gripe with it comes from the fact that you can’t skip a level that you’re stuck on, meaning that if you’re unable to clear one level at all, you can’t progress with the game whatsoever, which is a bit of a shame as the game could easily throw a roadblock at you later on if you aren’t prepared.
Shift DX is as basic as puzzle platformers can get, with the simple premise clearly meant for casual players who spend a short amount of time clearing levels while they’re out and about. It can get challenging at times, and the level editor does offer a world of opportunities via QR Code sharing, but for the most part once you get the hang of things and clear the main levels, there’s really no other reason to go back to this game outside of improving your records through the Challenge mode.
Still, for RPG fans looking for a fun strategy game with LOTS of content, or just someone wanting a long Switch game after having enough of Zelda, Disgaea 5 Complete is a must own, especially if you’re new to the series, since the story doesn’t connect with any of the prior games and you won’t need to worry about getting lost if you start here, or jump from an earlier installment like I did!