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Monster Truck Championship may not have enough depth to be a mainstay in your rotation for months on end, but it makes up for that in other ways and should be viewed as a solid addition to your collection.
It may have taken over 30 years to come to fruition, but what the talented developers over at Retrosoft Studios were able to accomplish is everything I could have hoped for here. It's not perfect, but what RetroMania Wrestling was able to accomplish after a three decade hiatus has to be celebrated. Retrosoft Studios has slapped down the foundation for a wrestling arcade video game that should stand the test of time.
Monster Energy Supercross 4 is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Stadia
Full Ace Tennis Simulator definitely deserves to be in the conversation for the best tennis game you can currently play by excelling in the most important metric of all: being quite fun to play. When you get right down to it, none of the other bells and whistles matter all that much if a match doesn't have any excitement or difficulty, and Full Ace offers plenty of both. It may be lacking in some features elsewhere, but on the court Full Ace Tennis Simulator brings to life all of the strategy and intuition that are required to succeed in tennis.
I would consider Monster Jams: Steel Titans 2 an improvement over the first iteration, but I don’t believe it’s a large enough improvement to match what people were hoping for in the lead up to release.
As I mentioned before, DDS: CFB ’21 isn’t perfect, as some of the simulation results and the top 25 occasionally will have you looking at the screen with a bit of disbelief. However, it’s not enough to ruin the immersion and world that Wolverine Studios has created. It can also be a bit tough to understand the ins and outs of the game for newcomers, and that will create a bit of frustration for some.
The PS5 upgraded and enhanced version of MXGP 2020 is available now in the PSN store under the PS5 games section of the store.
The developers over at Unfinished Pixel did a tremendous job in June bringing us a fast and fun footy game. Bringing back the volleyball and tennis games and offering them in a bundle is even more of a win. While we often get caught up in the intricacies within FIFA and Madden, it's good every now and then to just have some fun. I had a smile on my face the entire time I played this game. That alone is worth $20 bucks.
MXGP 2020 is available now on the PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X-S, and PC.
Pure Pool is simple and bare-bones where it needs to be, getting out of the way and allowing users to just relax with a game of billiards, yet it's also complex and rewarding with a lengthy career mode and fun stats to track as you level up your player. Pure Pool is one of the best billiards games I've ever played in terms of both graphics and gameplay. I highly recommend you give it a shot.
Now, let me get back to my save!
In short, Madden is never as bad or as good as what forums or social media will have you believe, and they should never be used as the barometer. There have been some substantial improvements made with the generational leap, specifically on the gameplay front, and now it's up to EA to keep this train rolling.
Everyone else? Save your controllers. Those things are expensive.
Handball 21 does a nice job of doing the little things and making a noob like myself feel like a lifelong fan.
It's not a system seller, but if you're lucky enough to snag some new hardware and you're even just a casual soccer fan, it's worth checking out (especially because you can find the current-gen version for a cheap price and then just get a "free" upgrade to next gen).
NBA 2K21 next gen is a much better game than NBA 2K21 current gen. I instantly felt differences in almost every area I checked out. In saying this, there are still some areas of improvement needed. Some of the things were out of everyone's control due to the current pandemic around the world and a tight development schedule. Some areas of improvement definitely sit on the 2K team to correct, and some of them have been areas of concern for several years now. Let's hope that changes for the better are made to improve the next-gen experience for all.
Speed 3: Grand Prix is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. The game also can be played on next-gen consoles by simply downloading it to the console, but they are not optimized for either the PS5 or Xbox Series X. This review was via an Xbox One version of the game provided by the publisher.
As far as indie games go, Lonely Mountains: Downhill remains one of my absolute staples in my library and Eldfjall Island just adds to the experience. The physics-based experience almost always fills a void most other games can't for me. The need for patience and touch and care around every corner make for a white-knuckle experience, crossed with the unimpeded joy that comes from an absolutely flawless art design. Lonely Mountains: Downhill remains one of the best games on the market, and for $19.99, it should be a holiday buy this season.
Lastly, while I know that the relationship between EA and Nintendo has not always been the best - especially when it comes to sports games - the inability to find a way to get NHL 94 on to the Switch at this time feels like a crime against humanity. If ever a game was meant for the Switch, NHL 94 is the one.
As I mentioned previously, NFS isn't incredibly deep and has no real storyline other than progression and automobile unlocks/rewards. However, if quick feverish races and takedowns are your thing (still), then adding NFS: HP is a must.