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Lost Reavers is bitterly frustrating. Not awful, not unplayable, but frustrating. There's a great idea in here somewhere - at times it even manages to shine through - but there's far too much awkward padding and grinding repetition without the depth of gameplay that keeps players coming back for more. The best thing about it may well be that it's free to download right now on the eShop, so there's every reason to give it a try and maybe even get a few friends together into a group. It's worth a shot, but we can't be the only ones who see the potential here yet mourn the lifeless end result.
There's no denying the fact that this budget-priced Wii U eShop title would be much better suited to mobile platforms, perhaps even as a free-to-play app; the classic challenge of bettering your score by blasting wave after wave of reptiles is Reptilian Rebellion's single allure. So, unless you're desperately seeking a game experience inspired by retro arcade gaming with a modern touch, this might be best left to conspiracy theorists.
Anyone who played the original Midnight should know exactly what they're getting into. It might have been fun to throw an extra idea into play somewhere, but the sequel still provides the same fun-if-not-perfect gameplay of the original. If you enjoyed your first round and ached for more stages, this is a no-brainer. Others who might be interested can freely dive in with either game.
Blockara is a fun concept, but it's dragged down by its presentation. Unlikable characters, poor voice acting and music and art that don't do it any favours are all negative points, but aren't enough to completely obfuscate the fun that can be had here. Blockara won't be fondly remembered, but if you have a friend that's good at puzzle games and you can put up with the rest of it, there's some enjoyment to be found.
The Wii U port for Super Meat Boy may not necessarily bring anything new to the table, but it's still an enjoyable experience. The new music is great. The level design is brilliant. The gameplay is difficult, yet satisfying. It's an excellent ode to original platformers, and a nice middle-finger to a lot of games that hold your hand throughout your experience. Super Meat Boy is trial by fire; here's hoping you make it out alive!
If you like match-3 puzzles the Queen's Garden is a good addition to your Wii U library; there is a lot of gameplay to be had for the price. However, if you are looking for the customization and social side of a gardening simulation game this will disappoint, as the 'garden' element leaves a lot to be desired.
Pocket Card Jockey is a relatively impressive effort from Game Freak, with terrific presentation, an abundance of charm and hugely addictive gameplay. For some players that's enough to make it a must-have, but there is a caveat - it's also poorly balanced, delivering a video game representation of the futility of compulsive betting. You can be the best player in the world and still lose, or have a mediocre round and win a minor race anyway. It inflates prices, sets ridiculous odds and makes you sweat for every reward, with your fates often in the hands of the pocket Gods. Yet it's addictive and fun, so you might not mind - for this writer, though, it left a tinge of regret at time wasted, where effort didn't seem to be rewarded.Pocket Card Jockey is absolutely worth consideration and will hook many gamers with its irreverent and addictive gameplay, but beneath its charming veneer is a cruel world of lost bets and unfair odds.
Sssnakes is a very basic game, and this can be a good or bad thing. It works well for those who might have limited time to play whilst on a commute, but for those who are looking for something to immerse themselves in it's definitely not that kind of game. For the low price of entry it's worth having on your 3DS just to relive the nostalgia of the Nokia version, but we would not expect Sssnakes to be one you rave to your friends about. It does not have the originality of other classic action puzzle games, and unfortunately the graphics and music do little to reel you in.
Epic Dumpster Bear is the epic adventure of a dumpster-diving bear as he attempts to battle against the evil corporation, and proof that you should never judge a book by its cover. The title sounds ridiculous, because the premise for the game is ridiculous, and everything looks ridiculous… but that's the charm. This fairly robust platformer does have some balancing issues but is hiding under a hilarious layer of ridiculousness and provides a surprising amount of challenge and fun. Plus, while you wait for levels to load, you get interesting little tidbits about bears. "Don't camp on the shore of a spawning stream".
A lot of the enjoyment is still left up to the player and their expectations, with little inherent substance to grab and keep direct hold of your attention for long. It's a difficult experience to pin a score on for this reason, but despite the improvements, we're still left wanting something more from any future installments.
It might seem a bit snobbish to harp so much on Dodge Club Party's style. There's not much wrong with the game itself when it comes to some limited quick and easy party fun, and there are people who may really fall in love with its new breed of retro look (more power to them). It just feels that the creative force behind Dodge Club Party had something more special in the Dot Arcade collection. The spark is still around, too; just take a look at the joyful writing and art in the electronic manual. It's disappointing that it couldn't better be portrayed this time around in the actual game, either with aesthetics or added variety.
Super Robo Mouse doesn't deliver the goods. There are other challenging, twitchy action titles on the Wii U eShop that provide a stronger presentation and are more fun to play. Save yourself a broken window and lost controller and spend your money on something else.
If Chasing Dead was a more polished product with all its issues ironed out, you might find a decent sci-fi zombie romp underneath all the mess. Perhaps the developer will go back and patch out all the issues one day, but as it stands Chasing Dead is best left on the shelves of the Nintendo eShop. Not recommended.
Draw 2 Survive actually does appear to have plans for more in its future. The developer is responsive on its Miiverse page, and additional modes such as Local Multiplayer and a single-person Story Mode have been promised as future free additions. As it stands now, however, Draw 2 Survive does not offer much more than the occasional waster of a few minutes' time. What it could provide, however, might make it worth keeping an eye on for when its content crosses the finish line.
Olympia Rising is a good platformer, but in such a saturated genre it needs to impress more than in does. The characters, story and visuals contribute to the positives, but more care needed to be taken with controls and hit points to make the game less frustrating. There is much to be enjoyed if you are able to look past the negatives, and if that's the case with you it is a worthy addition to your library.
Few games are heralded as true classics. Even fewer earn the distinction of defining a genre, or better yet, a generation. Sega 3D Classics Collection has a handful of these games gathered on a single cart. The emulators' robust feature set and extremely well implemented 3D make these games feel like much more than re-releases of old games.If you're a lifelong Nintendo fan, you owe it to yourself to see what those on the other side of the console wars enjoyed. You're in for a treat.
A grim example of a sequel that doesn't do enough to improve on the flaws of the original, Witch & Hero 2 mirrors far more than it should without bringing anything truly exciting to the table. Controlling two characters at once is an interesting challenge at first, but the game feels so creatively bankrupt that it becomes difficult to remain focused in anything other than small doses. If it really seems like something you'd enjoy then we could perhaps recommend it as a very simple time waster at a low price, but even in that category there are better options to be found on the eShop.
All told, Japanese Rail Sim 3D Journey in Suburbs #1 Vol. 4 is a noble attempt at educating players on a different part of the world while also giving them a look at what it's like to be driving a train. Unfortunately, its barebones gameplay and low quality footage of the surrounding environment overshadow the interesting trivia that can be learned. While fans of previous entries will find plenty to love, we'd recommend you pass this one up. Leave this train in the station.
Star Fox Zero may have experienced a rather turbulant flight to market but the end result has been well worth the wait, especially if you're a fan of the N64 instalment - and there can be few Star Fox fans out there who aren't.
Nintendo set out to build an experience centered around the GamePad with Star Fox Guard, and the result is a great little experiment — if a wee bit overwhelming. How much you get out of Star Fox Guard will ultimately depend on your tolerance for its particular brand of gameplay. Some may take to the tense onslaught like an Italian plumber to a mushroom, whereas others might play a few rounds and get completely exhausted. There isn't a whole lot of diversity in gameplay here, and in many ways what you see is what you get.What we see is a terrifying game wrapped in a charming coating with lots to do if you're so inclined. The main game is satisfying on its own, and throw in the excellent My Squad online mode and you've got yourself a party. Player beware; you're in for a scare.