Breakneck City – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Renegade Sector Games and published by Eastasiasoft, Breakneck City is a 3D action brawler with a focus on environmental interactions. With a low-poly style reminiscent of older titles, take to the streets solo or with a friend and bust some heads in this tribute to classic brawlers of the late 90’s. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5 and the Xbox family of consoles, links to each platform will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Breakneck City that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story.

Story – when the Ultra gang tries to burn down their favorite video store, Sidney Flintlock and Justine Jacobs head out into the streets to bust some heads. The ass kicking duo takes to the city, fighting their way through the street and clubs on their journey to take the gang down. The pair must use their skills to rid the streets of criminal trash, one bad guy at a time in true 90’s action hero style.

Gameplay – this title is a 3D action brawler that uses a style reminiscent of titles like Die Hard Arcade (Dynamite Deka) and Fighting Force. The sole objective of each level is to reach the stage boss, battling wave after wave of men that try to stop the player. When moving through the areas, barriers will appear to prevent progress and lock the player into a battle with the enemies that appear, only dissipating when all threats are eliminated.

The player has access to a basic move-set which features a punch combo, kick and two different jumping attacks. Alongside the simple moves that the player has at their disposal, weapons can be dropped by enemies at different points, allowing more damage to be done until the weapon breaks. There is also a gimmick that makes this title a little more unique are environmental interactions, a feature that can be used to quickly change the tide of battle.  

When fighting enemies, they can be knocked into walls and each other to deal additional damage. They can even be knocked into trash bins and cars, which can help to clear the tougher encounters quickly, which does help as foes can swarm the player quickly. There is also a dash skill that players can use freely, allowing them to move quickly around an area and dodge attacks. The dash can also let players interact with areas for new strategic options, but can be a hindrance at times.

Almost all of the ledges and rails in a stage can be vaulted over by dashing, which can cause the player to jump from areas they don’t wish to and take falling damage. This means that great care must be taken when using the dash to try and avoid enemies in a confined space, as the potential for disaster looms around every corner. There is even the potential for the player to clip out of bounds in some instances, trapping them with no way to escape but to restart from a checkpoint.

At the end of each stage is a boss battle, with an opponent that has their own unique fighting style, which include a boss that uses a bladed wheel and a boss that wields a set of swords. These fights can be very tough, with each boss having a lot of health which can take a while to run down. This is an unfortunate thing throughout the game, as it feels that enemies need to take much more damage than they should to be defeated.

There are some flaws with this title that do unfortunately detract from the experience. The camera can be uncooperative at times, moving and changing perspective during combat which can be frustrating. Enemies swarm the player regularly, attacking all at once and depleting the player’s health bar in seconds with almost zero recovery. This is made worse by the sluggish attack animations for weapons and kicks, which leave the player vulnerable to attack and rapid defeat.

There are enemies that can guard almost every attack thrown at them, with very small windows of opportunity to counter, which is a detriment to the flow of combat. These enemies must be hit with weapons or knocked into environmental hazards, which can become tedious and sap the fun from battles. Unfortunately, the 2 player is also affected by these flaws, with no change to the enemies or their number and slowdown caused by on screen effects.

These flaws are made a little more bearable by the inclusion infinite continues and a generous checkpoint system, but they do hamper this title. The way that enemies gang up on the player feels unfair, with no priority system unlike other action brawlers where enemies take turns to attack. But the game still functions well and can be entertaining.

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – this release has a strange controller set up that requires a fully featured controller to be played as intended. This is due to the movement and dash being on opposite thumb sticks, a weapon switch mechanic on the d-pad and skill buttons being on the face. The control method is unfortunate as it limits the use of third part controllers, like the Retro-Bit Saturn controller and arcade Sticks. There are no real issues when it comes to inputs in single player, but lag can occur in 2 player mode.

Difficulty – this game feels unusually difficult with enemies that swarm the player, environmental hazards that hurt everyone and the uncooperative camera changes. As mentioned above, there are generous checkpoints and infinite continues, but they do not make the game any easier. There aren’t many chances to regain health, so entering a fight before a checkpoint can be dangerous when at low health, with the risk of losing significant progress upon death.

Presentation – the visual style attempts to emulate the look of a PlayStation or Sega Saturn title, which it succeeds at well with models and environments that have that 90s charm. This 90’s aesthetic also extends to the story cutscenes, the low poly heads portraying the character next to the text on screen. The performance of the game is solid for the most part, with the only issue being the slowdown that occurs when some specific animations play out.

The music has that repetitive quality to it that burrows its way into your head, with a synth-wave and chiptune combination that compliments the aesthetic of the game well. Each stage has its own unique composition, with a beat that fits the environment and action well. There is a lack of voice acting, which does give the title the retro vibe that it attempts to pull off, with a few digitized grunts and traditional attack sounds rounding out the presentation.

Final Thoughts – when I first saw this title, what came to mind was the resemblance it had to the SEGA game Die Hard Arcade, with the low-poly look and character animations. This unfortunately added to the level of expectation that I had, leading to a little disappointment during play. The combat doesn’t flow as smoothly as I would have hoped, with slowdown from on screen effects and movement/attacks that feel slow, made slightly worse during coop play.

That’s not to say that the game isn’t fun, because there is a level of entertainment on offer that does make the game fun to play. However, I feel that the issues mentioned above in this review, do sap the enjoyment out of it when played over long periods of time. The control layout prevented use of a classic design controller, which I did find to be a disappointment as it betrays the style of gameplay it is attempting to emulate.

In the end, I give Breakneck City a final score of 3.5/5. The look and feel of this title is reminiscent of classic 3D brawlers of the 90’s, with a catchy soundtrack and low-poly/pixel art visuals. The gameplay has its flaws which do hinder the experience, but at the low price point it can be worth a purchase if you are into old-school brawlers. If you want to check this title out for yourself, links to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Sakura Santa – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Winged Cloud and published by Gamuzumi, Sakura Santa is the latest entry in the Sakura visual novel series, this time with a cute (and lewd) Christmas twist just in time for the holidays. This title is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. A link to the game will be at the bottom of this review if you want to check it out for yourself.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Gamuzumi for providing the copy of Sakura Santa that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Mature Content Warning: Sakura Santa has been rated Mature, as the title contains sexualized imagery, sexual themes and coarse language. If you are under the recommended age for this release, or find this type of content offensive, please proceed at your own discretion.

Now with the introduction out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story.

Story – Koji is spending his first Christmas alone, which has him feeling a bit down. After moving from home to go to his dream university, he has discovered that his life can be rather lonely. Feeling distraught, he wanders to the local shrine and makes a single wish, to have someone special to spend Christmas with. However, this wish causes quite the dilemma as he meets three unique girls, with each of them wanting to spend the days leading up to the holiday with him.

Gameplay – Sakura Santa is a traditional visual novel experience, following the adventures of the protagonist as he meets each of the three girls. The events that occur with each character are influenced by the decisions made by the player, following several story threads that lead to multiple endings. This means that a single choice can alter the outcome of a character route, with changes to the story being either positive or negative.

Like the majority of visual novels available on the Nintendo Switch, the plot threads that the player follows have special CG arts that will appear when specific event choices are chosen. Beware though, as events can be missed and the special scenes can be skipped, with important plot details being missed if the wrong choice has been chosen. This means multiple runs through the story are necessary to obtain all endings.

The variety of options available to the player, along with the different potential endings that can be reached add to the replay value that this release offers. The opportunity to see a new CG art scene, uncover potential romances and experience different storylines makes this a rewarding story experience. Having several  different outcomes makes this a rewarding experience, with narrative threads that don’t feel too long or short with each run.

Presentation – the visuals for this title is pleasing to the eye, with a cute and expressive anime style art that works very well for the story. The character designs, backgrounds and CG scenes are drawn beautifully, with some rather risqué art that can be unlocked and viewed later in the gallery. The music is pleasing and fits each of the story scenes, rounding out the whole experience even though there is a lack of voice acting, but that isn’t an issue.

Final Thoughts – I enjoyed my time with Sakura Santa, getting engrossed in the story and the festive themes that were present throughout. While this title may have its limitations, due to being a Christmas story I can still recommend it to everyone that enjoys a saucy visual novel. The artwork is beautiful like the rest of the Sakura series and this is another standout release from Gamuzumi, adding to their growing library of excellent releases.

In the end, I give Sakura Santa a final score of 4/5. This is another excellent Visual novel from the team at Winged Cloud, with beautiful visuals and an engrossing story that really pulls the reader in. There is a lack of voice work for the characters and the occasional typo, but they don’t detract from the overall experience. If you want to check this out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.

Please Note: there is a discount on Sakura Santa of 20% until January 5th 2022, so there is another little incentive to check this title out.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Clockwork Aquario – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Westone and Ratalaika Games with publishing handled by ININ Games/Strictly Limited Games, Clockwork Aquario is a once lost arcade game that has been released after almost 30 years. Take control of one of three heroes that are on a quest to stop the evil DR. Hangyo, who is hiding in the underwater city of Aquario. This title is available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, with a physical release available from Strictly Limited Games (stock is limited), links to all versions of the game will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Clockwork Aquario that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment and going straight into discussing the gameplay.

Gameplay – Clockwork Aquario is a side-scrolling action platformer, where the objective of each of the five rounds is to get to the end and defeat the Boss of that stage. At the start of the game, the player can choose one of three characters, with a co-op feature for those who want to play through the game with a friend. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, so experimentation to find the best fit is important.

The heroes that can be selected are Huck Londo, the ghost hunter, Elle Moon, the adventurer and Gush, the giant robot. When the player has selected their character, the game begins and an intro cutscene plays out giving the simplest visual explanation of the games mechanics. The player can slap enemies to stun/defeat them, pick up stunned enemies and throw them as weapons, making them explode after being thrown in any direction.

The player can also jump on enemies and even use their head to attack, giving a lot of flexibility to the gameplay and making battling enemies very satisfying. As well as the enemies that appear in the stages, balloons will be scattered throughout, giving players bonus points for throwing enemies at them and bouncing off of them. As this is a side-scrolling platformer, there are also hazards aside from the enemies that can hurt the player, including spikes and pitfalls.

The player can take up to two hits before losing a life, the first hit makes the players appearance chance with comedic effect and the second ends that life. When the player respawns, they can hover in the air as an angel and position themselves with temporary invincibility to get to a safe point. If all lives have been depleted, the player will have to use a credit to continue, with limited credits in most of the game modes that can be accessed.

There are a couple of ways to offset the need to use continues and keep yourself going on few credits, as the risk of game overs when learning to play is quite high. First to discuss are the health-ups that can be dropped from balloons and enemies, which will restore the player to full power. The second is the generous bonus lives that the game throws at the player, with a ONE UP meter that is filled by collecting character specific gems to grant bonuses.

The bonuses for lives and health-ups can be very important, as the boss battles for this game can be tough. At specific points during the stage and at the end, the player will have to fight boss enemies to progress. The mid boss battles are pretty simple, with themed enemies that can be defeated by throwing enemies at them or by jumping. The end of stage bosses are much tougher, with large bosses that each have their own unique gimmick, with the boss health shown on screen.

Clockwork Aquario is a challenging title with many hazards and pitfalls that can make it difficult for new players. However, there is a selection of difficulty options for players to learn the ropes and improve their skills. Here is a simple list of the difficulty options and game modes available to the player;

  • Training Mode – play through the first 2 stages to get used to the game mechanics, credits are unlimited, but the game ends after beating the second boss.
  • Easy Mode – play through the game with 9 credits.
  • Normal Mode – play through the game with 5 credits.
  • Hard Mode – play through the game with only 3 credits to beat it all.
  • Bonus Stage – a mini game that unlocks after stage 3 has been cleared. Play the bonus round mini-game that usually appears between stage 3 and 4 of the standard game. This can only be played two-player.
  • Arcade Mode – unlocked when beating the game once on any of the other modes. This feature allows players to access the service menu, change dip settings and look at the different parts of the Arcade Board. Use the shoulder buttons to add credits and enter service mode.

This title is very refined with a lot of precision movement required, which does unfortunately lead to one minor issue. The precision required to hit some enemies can lead to taking damage when getting too close to enemies, this isn’t a major issue but can be frustrating and lead to unnecessary deaths. Aside from this small flaw, the overall quality of the game and playability of the release is fantastic, with the minor issues being avoidable with multiple runs of the game.

The biggest incentive to play the game is to set high scores, with the high score for the player being remembered and added to the in-game leaderboard. Being an arcade game, the main objective aside from beating the game is to set the best score possible in few credits. There is a satisfaction to seeing a new high score, but unfortunately the only way to share your scores is to screenshot them, as there is no online leaderboard right now.

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control system for Clockwork Aquario is very simple and works fantastically, with only movement, a jump and slap button needed to take into account. There are no issues with input lag, with smooth precise inputs that work well with all control options, including the pro controller and Joy-Cons. However, the best way to play this title is with an arcade stick, giving that true arcade feeling that is perfect for this release.

Difficulty – as mentioned in the gameplay segment, this title is tough with a lot of hazards and dangerous pitfalls that can kill the player with ease. The boss battles can be very difficult and when learning the patterns can drain continues quickly. However, with time and practice, the challenge is beatable with the potential for a single credit clear. The difficulty can feel frustrating at times, but doesn’t punish the player too much with unfair deaths.

Presentation – this title was originally designed for the Sega System 18 arcade hardware, with graphical work that would have pushed the system to its limits. The visuals are beautiful, with fantastic sprite work and backgrounds that just pop with color. The animations and background details throughout the experience are smooth, with fluid movements that make this one of the best looking arcade titles to be seen in recent years. The game is perfect for play on the big or small screen too.

The soundtrack is a real treat to listen to with music from Shinichi Sakamoto, the legendary composer of the Wonder Boy franchise that gives this title its distinct Westone identity. The stage themes and boss music set the tone for the each challenge, with ominous but upbeat music for the battles against DR. Hangyo, contrasting with the exciting compositions for the stages. The only negative about the sound is that sound effects and voice samples can be a little muted, but that isn’t a deal breaker.

Final Thoughts – when I first heard about the revival of Clockwork Aquario a couple of years ago I was very excited, this was because the chance to play a lost game from decades before is rare. I was certainly not disappointed when I got my hands on this title. The action is precise and the general experience is very smooth, with fluid animation and reactive controls that work fantastically. It did take more than a few attempts to beat it, but I didn’t feel like it was a chore.

There is plenty of content on offer with the potential for a healthy fan community to grow, as there is a low barrier of entry to enjoy the title, but an unfortunate lack of online leaderboards. The fantastic soundtrack by Shinichi Sakamoto is available to listen to as a bonus feature, alongside a rearranged OST and gallery for fans to enjoy. I cannot recommend this game enough, it may have a couple of very minor flaws, but is one of the best arcade offerings in recent years and more than worth a play.

In the end, I give Clockwork Aquario a final score of 4.5/5. This long awaited arcade revival is a fantastic release, which embodies the heart and soul of the titles that came before it from Westone in the 80’s and 90’s. A wonderful side-scrolling platformer that was once planned as the arcade swansong for Westone, but is now more appropriately a celebration of their legacy.

If you want to check this title out for yourself, links to the digital release will be below as well as a link to the Strictly Limited Games store, but be aware that stock is very limited.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to Strictly Limited Store (HERE)

Boulder Dash Physical Release Announcement

Hello, I have yet more exciting news about an upcoming physical release for the Nintendo Switch from our friends at ININ Games, BBG Entertainment and PR Hound. Take a look below to learn more about this special release for the classic puzzler Boulder Dash.

ININ Games and BBG Entertainment are truly excited to announce a collection of all time classics in gaming history. The Boulder Dash® Ultimate Collection will release a boxed version of this bygone gaming experience that captivated the hearts of many gamers. The action puzzle retro classic will be available for Nintendo Switch in North America and Europe. 

The Boulder Dash® Ultimate Collection delivers both, the fresh 2021 relaunch, Boulder Dash® Deluxe™ and Boulder Dash® 30th Anniversary™ – now available for pre-order!

About this release

The original Boulder Dash® set a milestone in interactive gaming back in the ‘80s. For many players, regardless of age, the action puzzle adventures with Rockford™ were a challenge but also a delight to master. Loyal fans of this classic and new players alike can now take up the challenge again – Rockford™ is back in the awesome 2021 relaunch of this action-puzzle digging and collection game! 

Boulder Dash® Deluxe™ comes with some amazing new content, features and fresh graphics:

  • 180 all-new levels with advanced features!
  • Includes 20 levels from the original 1984 Boulder Dash® version
  • 9 exciting new worlds with high-end graphics, having their own, unique textures, go to Macmarnua Sea or Urath Castle – or back in time to the classic 1984 world with its caves
  • 15 new special opponents like Octopus, Shark Polar bear, and Snow tiger will keep your mind agile and you on your toes.
  • Full character customization of your game character Rockford™, e.g. shirt, pants, shoes, eyewear, headgear, hair, and facial hair

Boulder Dash® 30th Anniversary™

Guide Rockford™ and help him dig his way through spectacular caves and collect as many diamonds as required whilst avoiding the many dangers that surround you. Watch out for falling boulders, discover treasure chests, collect potent power-ups and unlock 9 other playable characters. 

Coming with family-friendly, pretty pixel-art style, it seems like a nice puzzle experience, but beware! One wrong move could end in disaster. Boulder Dash® offers an all encompassing challenge for all gamers – from newbies to hard-core players!

  • 280 all-new levels with advanced physics!
  • 12 Never-before-seen worlds, with new creatures with 3D animations!
  • Premium world by videogame legend Peter Liepa – with 20 of the most mind-bending levels yet!
  • New multicolored gem combos, treasure chests, rare collectibles and spectacular power-ups!
  • Play as Rockford™ or unlock 9 other playable male and female characters including Crystal™!
  • First Boulder Dash game ever to include diagonal walls and movement!

With this Collection, players get the ultimate Boulder Dash® experience – more than 400 levels across both games waiting to be mastered. There are several different beautiful game worlds to discover, created by the video game legend Peter Liepa, making his return to the game he created 30 years ago.

If you want to learn more about this release or if you want to find out where to pre-order it, you can find all the details at the ININ Games website (HERE).

Crawlco Block Knockers – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by CosmiKankei and published by Eastasiasoft, Crawlco Block Knockers is a love letter to the sexy puzzle games that were popular across Japan during the 90’s. Push color coded blocks to fill up the marked zones in groups of three or more, unveiling the images under the floor, with a range of modesty options. This title is a console exclusive for the Nintendo Switch. If you want to check out the game a link will be at the bottom of the review alongside a PlayAsia affiliate link if you wish to support the site with your purchase.

Disclaimer and Content Warning: before I get into the review, I want to say thank you to Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Crawlco Block Knockers used for this coverage. The provision of this title has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own. I also want to point out that this game is intended for mature audiences, there is strong language, nudity and sexual content featured throughout, so discretion is strongly advised.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story section and going directly into the game play to prevent spoilers.

Gameplay – Crawlco Block Knockers is a retro styled puzzle game that attempts to use a style similar to classic adult games from the 90’s. The objective for the game is simple, push, kick and drag blocks into groups of three or more. Each successful match will reveal more of the image below, with a selection of girls to uncover in various forms of undress. Gain bonuses for clearing the silhouette completely, but be aware that there are hazards that will try to get in your way.

During stages, blocks will appear randomly shown as color coded count downs, they can block your path, get in the way of attempted clears and even be destroyed a block is pushed as they spawn. As well as the blocks, enemies can appear (if enabled) moving around the edge of the play field. If the player pushes a block into an enemy, hitting the edge or cleared area the defeated enemy will clear spaces around it.

As the game progresses, the stages will become more intricate and introduce additional hazards for the player to avoid. These include blocks that can only be removed by successfully clearing the surrounding area and death traps that will kill the player. The challenge of these stages can appear daunting, however, taking some time to plan out the approach you want to take helps a lot. Clearing a stage with the entire silhouette uncovered will provide a bonus, uncovering the full image and adding it to the games gallery.

Alongside the standard stages, the player will also fight bosses in tense block pushing battles, with the objective of hitting the boss with the blocks to deal damage and drain their energy bar. Unfortunately, this is where the weaknesses of the game are most prevalent. During the boss battles and to a lesser extent the stages themselves, the player can get caught on the edges of blocks, leaving them open to being hit by the any enemies on screen.

Another minor issue was that the increased action can lead to easy deaths, due to the fact that boss battles have an element of bullet hell to them. The big boss enemies can attack the player with streams of bullets, making the action frantic and this can cause mistakes to occur. If the player loses all lives during a stage, the game is over but they can try again from the stage that they were at, this is frustrating during boss battles, but the ease that extra lives can be earned does balance this out a little.

The last thing I want to talk about is the accessibility and modesty features that the game has implemented. In game, the player can change the color and marking of blocks, this is useful for those who may suffer from an inability to see certain colors and increase the visibility of blocks on smaller screens. Finally, we have the modesty modes, if the sexual imagery is a little excessive for your tastes (or you want to enjoy the puzzles with younger players) then there is the option to obscure it entirely or simply cover the more intimate areas.

Now with the gameplay covered to an extent that I feel comfortable with, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the difficulty.

Difficulty – from the experience that I had, the game has a moderate curve to the difficulty in the early part of the game. However, the challenge can really ramp up during boss battles but there are systems in place that ease this. First, monsters can be turned off during regular stages removing them from the game. Second, players are able to skip some of the bosses, giving the opportunity to enjoy the game at the expense of completion percentages.

Controls – the controls are the biggest stumbling block with this release. While they are simple and try to give the feeling of a classic arcade game, this choice causes some issues with the gameplay. To push blocks is one button, to drag blocks is another but there is a combination button that allows quick push backs, which can occasionally cause missed inputs and errors. The movement has minor flaws too, as running around the stage can feel a little loose which occurs no matter how the game is played.

Presentation – the visual style for Crawlco Block Knockers is pleasing throughout the experience. The neon glow of the stages and the retro aesthetic of the pixel art work beautifully together. The portraits for the featured girls are done well, there are some images that look a little awkward but the overall quality of the fanservice is good. The sound design is a delight to listen to, with a vaporwave styled soundtrack that adds to the charm of the experience, giving the look and feel of a game made/set in the 1990’s.

Final Thoughts – I enjoyed Crawlco Block Knockers for the most part, but the fun was soured a little during the boss stages due to the slightly slippery controls and tendency to get stuck on the edge of blocks. Although the problems faced can be frustrating, the systems that the game has to ease the challenge allows for players to still enjoy the game at their own pace. Overall I can recommend this game to puzzle fans and those who enjoy fanservice, with the modest price point being a bonus.

In the end, I give Crawlco Block Knockers a final score of 4/5. A fun puzzle game that is dripping with the neon glow of the 90’s, there is a good variety to the selection of girls and secrets to unlock. The modesty modes and accessibility features implemented in the game are a nice touch, making it possible for the game to be enjoyed by everyone (with supervision of course if they are younger). If you want to check this game out for yourself, links to both versions of this title will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

PlayAsia affiliate Link (HERE)

Panorama Cotton Update

This is an update to my previous coverage of Panorama Cotton, I reviewed this game at the end of October and there were several issues with the title at that time. These issues have since been fixed and I want to provide an update to that review. I will only be addressing the sections that have discussed the problems faced during review, for the other aspects of the game you can find them in the original coverage (HERE).

Now I will be addressing the issues that were faced and at the end provide an amended score. So with that out of the way, let’s get into it.

In the previous coverage I provided of this title, I discussed issues that were prevalent in regards to missing sprite work and objects not appearing. Throughout the game, there were instances of hazards and enemies causing damage to the player while invisible. These flaws severely impacted the quality and playability of the game, causing unintentional spikes in difficulty which made the game unpleasant to play.

UNPATCHED ON THE LEFT. PATCHED ON THE RIGHT

After contacting both the developer and publisher about these issues, a patch has been deployed for both versions of the game in recent weeks. This patch fixed the problems that occurred with this release, with all sprite work rendering correctly and improving the overall quality of this port. Additionally, the physical version of Panorama Cotton on both PlayStation systems and the Nintendo Switch will have the patch on the cart/disc, meaning that there will be no need to download any fixes.

The punishing difficulty of the game has significantly lessened since the patch, making the entire game feel more balanced and is now as close to the original Mega Drive release as possible. By fixing the problems with the release, they have provided the best possible way for new fans of the Cotton series to experience a rare title that was originally exclusive to Japan.

This release can now live up to the potential that it had when announced, because it was severely hindered by the issues that made the game almost unplayable. But it can now be enjoyed properly, without feeling like you are being screwed over by invisible enemies and I am happy that the bugs were fixed. We can finally enjoy Panorama Cotton on a new system, without having to struggle through and be frustrated that we are dying for no reason.

UNPATCHED ON THE LEFT. PATCHED ON THE RIGHT.

I can now recommend this game to everyone that is a fan of Cotton and challenging shmups in general. I couldn’t make any recommendation while the issues that plagued the game were still present, but with this patch I have nothing stopping me from telling people they should play this game. If you are a fan of the little Witch that loves Willow Candy, you definitely have to check this game out.

My amended score for Panorama Cotton is 4/5. The game is still a challenge, but the fixes for the invisible sprites mean sudden damage and unfair deaths are no longer a constant source of frustration. This legendary title can now be appreciated properly on new hardware, while the Publishers and Developer can find redemption from what was a tragic failure at launch. This game is worth purchasing now it has been fixed, links to both versions below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Gynoug – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Masaya and ported by Ratalaika Games, Gynoug (originally called Wings of Wor in North America) is another classic Mega Drive/Genesis shooter that has been brought to modern consoles. You play as Wor, a winged warrior who has to combat the evils of Iccus, who are attacking the heavens, back to their home and destroy them. This title is available on all console platforms, with links to each version at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Gynoug that was used for this piece. The provision of this title has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be omitting the story segment and move directly into the gameplay.

Gameplay – Gynoug is a horizontal scrolling shooter set in a dark fantasy world, consisting of demons and steam powered technology. The player must battle hordes of enemies across five stages, a final boss rush and two gameplay loops, with grotesque bosses to overcome during the course of the game. As the players shoot down foes, items can be dropped from enemies that include magic and power-ups to help the player in their fight.

The power-ups boost the weapon strength and movement speed of the player, with two attack types that have their own power depending on their color. Magic is a little more complex in this title, with six defensive spells and two defensive abilities that have limited uses. In order to use the magic skills, players must collect scrolls with the letter on them corresponding to that spell. Each of the spells has its own duration, disappearing when they either run out or are switched for another.

The enemies will attack from all directions, with a lot of shots on screen at times which does cause slowdown at times (this happens in the original version too). The action is quite intense and frantic due to the amount of enemies on screen, with not only horizontal scrolling but some vertical movement too. One thing that is unfortunate about this title is the inconsistency with collision, as the environment may or may not hurt the player seemingly at random, which does detract from the experience at times.

During the main stages, there are two bosses for the player to combat. There is a mid-boss encounter half way through the stage, with a larger more challenging battle at the end of the stage. The battles themselves vary in complexity and difficulty, with some bosses having easy to hit weak spots and predictable attack patterns. However, the challenge does feel a little unbalanced at times, as some bosses will have well protected vulnerabilities and complex patterns that are tough to avoid.

Now since this is an emulated port, there are quality of life additions to the this title that make it more forgiving than originally intended. The improvements include cheats that grant unlimited continues, prevent power loss upon death and a rewind feature to correct mistakes. There is also the inclusion of save states so players can continue a previous game, as there is no battery back-up. These changes do mean that original cheat codes are omitted, but that really isn’t a big deal.

The overall quality of the emulation/porting of Gynoug is very solid, providing a good experience for players both old and new. Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the control scheme is very simple, with the three button control layout from the original Mega Drive translating well. The movement is precise with no issues when it comes to input lag, but when the player is at full speed it does get sloppy. Otherwise, this is a very well-polished title that is comfortable to play with any control set up. I do recommend using an official Sega controller, with either the Retro-Bit Mega Drive/Genesis or Saturn controller being the best choice.

Difficulty – Gynoug is a challenging game, with a lot of enemies bombarding the player with attacks, but it is well balanced. The game may appear tough when playing in its original form, with limited continues to use for the entire game, but with enough practice it can be beaten. That being said there are a variety of difficulty settings to fit the skill level of all players, alongside the new features like cheats and rewind making the title more accessible for all players.

Presentation – for a 16-bit release that is almost 30 years old, this game looks very good on the Nintendo switch. The visuals look good on either the Switch screen itself or through the Dock on a TV, with crisp sprite work and a graphical style that is a joy to behold. There are occasional issues with slowdown due to the amount of items on screen, but this doesn’t impact the game too much. The sound is nice and clean, with the chiptune soundtrack returning at the highest quality possible.

There is also the inclusion of visual filters, allowing players the ability to emulate the look of a CRT display on a modern screen. The filters include scan lines, aspect ratio changes and even altering the curvature of the screen. While these additions are a nice touch for this release, they don’t really add much to the overall experience and are just there as an optional extra.

Final Thoughts – I very much enjoyed playing this port of Gynoug, having played the original Mega Dive/Genesis version years ago. The emulation is fantastic, with quality of life improvements that make the game more accessible for all players. The core gameplay is solid, with the only issues being the slight inconsistency with collision and the difficulty of boss fights. I can happily recommend this title to everyone, whether you are a longtime fan of scrolling shooters or a new player.

In the end, I give Gynoug a final score of 4/5. This port of Gynoug is fantastic, giving a once forgotten title a chance to be appreciated by a brand new audience. The emulation is on point and the gameplay translates perfectly to the Nintendo Switch, being an excellent addition to the system library at a very modest price. If you want to check out this title for yourself, you can find links to each version below with a 20% launch discount.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4/5 version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Pretty Girls Panic! PLUS – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Zoo Corporation and published by Eastasiasoft, Pretty Girls Panic Plus is the latest entry in their Qix styled, anime girl puzzle series. The silhouette that is covering each image must be uncovered to progress, while avoiding enemies and hazards that get in the way. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4/5, with links to each version of the game being at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of pretty Girls Panic Plus used for this piece. The provision of this software has been not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Mature Content Warning: this title is rated mature, with sexual themes and partial nudity featured within. If this type of content is offensive to you or you are under the recommended age, please use your own discretion when proceeding further.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment as there is no plot for this title, so I will be moving directly onto discussing the gameplay.

Gameplay – Pretty Girls Panic Plus is a Qix style puzzle title, with the objective being to capture as territory on the field in order to uncover the image hidden below. Taking place over 40 stages with more than 20 girls, the player can select a partner from either Yu or Asahi. The partner will gain experience with each cleared stage and level them up, unlocking new outfits that can be equipped for them to wear during the game.

Before jumping into the action, the player must select a set of 10 stages with the first three options available from the start and a fourth unlocked for completing them all. Each round starts with the player on the edge of the board, moving outwards and drawing lines that connect to edges, capturing the image below. Capturing at least 80% of the play field will clear that stage, uncovering the image fully and moving on to the next stage.

During each stage enemies will spawn in at the beginning and move around the play field, taking a life if the player or an incomplete line makes contact with them or their attacks. The player is safe when they are on the edge of the field for the most part, but there are enemies that invade the safe zone. It must be noted, that enemies can be defeated by capturing them within areas that the player clears during play. However, enemies aren’t the only thing that can get in the way of uncovering the cute girls.

As the player progresses through the game, the player will encounter hazards and obstacles on screen that will have the potential to hinder the player in their task. There will be blocked off segments and panels that will have either a positive or negative effect when contact is made. The panels can speed the player up, slow them down and even kill them instantly, making for a very challenging experience as the panels can be difficult to navigate with enemies on screen.

Not only are there hazard panels on screen, but also power-ups that will appear randomly that provide various effects. The items include a speed boost, invincibility and even extra lives, but they don’t last very long so consideration of how effective they will be is important. When a set of stages is cleared, they will be made available to play in arcade mode which has the player play through all 10 stages with limited lives to try and set a high score.

As well as the arcade mode and dress up features, there is a gallery where the images of the girls that have been uncovered can be viewed and extra challenge features. First is the star system, where clearing a stage flawlessly on the challenge difficulty will give the player a star marker. While the star is a nice incentive on its own, there is also a leaderboard system that will submit the best scores reached for each level on challenge against the world. This adds a nice competitive edge to the gameplay.

There are a few downsides to this title unfortunately. Due to the size of the character sprites for the player there are some collision and visibility issues, with enemies and hazards clipping the edges of the sprites more often than not. The size of the sprite also causes visibility issues during tight sections, causing difficulty when trying to cut out precise segments of the field.

The last thing to discuss is the speed of character movement, which can kill the momentum of gameplay. There is one set speed for the player which feels like moving through mud, which also impacts the power-ups giving them little impact on the overall gameplay. There is a speed up function that allows the player to move across the edge of the field at a higher speed, but it doesn’t help make up for the slow movement in general.

Now with the gameplay covered, let’s move onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the controls.

Controls – the controls are as simple as they come. The character sprite is moved with the left side of the controller, with no issues in regards to input lag when playing the game in all play modes. The game can be played quite comfortably with a variety of controller options. These include the standard Joy-Cons, pro controller and most appropriately for this release, arcade/fight sticks for an authentic experience.

Difficulty – there is a gradually escalating difficulty curve in this release, with new hazards and challenges introduced as the player progresses through the game. It is balanced quite well, with two difficulty settings that are tuned to give everyone a chance to play the game. There is a difference between the two modes however, as the easy mode removes the score feature and omits the online leaderboard feature which does feel like a punishment.

Presentation – the visual style of this release is pleasing to look at, with beautiful anime style art for the portraits and partner characters. The sprites used for this title are simple enough with a slight comedic edge to some of them, with nuts, snakes and even fire breathing mushrooms. There is a decent soundtrack featured in this title, with bright piano focused melodies and synth compositions that work very well. Japanese voice lines are also included, but It doesn’t really add much to the title.

Final Thoughts – this is a very simple puzzle title, which I did have a lot of fun playing for this review. It is fairly simple and a bare bones experience at its core, but it does offer a lot of replay value with the leveling system and online leaderboards. While there are some flaws to the game, I can still recommend this title as it packs a lot of content into a relatively inexpensive package. If you like the Qix style puzzle games, then it is worth the low cost on digital storefronts.

In the end, I give Pretty Girls Panic Plus a final score of 3.5/5. This is a fairly simple Qix style puzzler, with a lot of pretty anime style girls, plenty of challenging stages to take on and an online leaderboard to challenge the world. For a budget release, there is more than enough content for players to justify a purchase of this title. If you want to check this title out for yourself, links to the game will be below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Panorama Cotton – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Strictly Limited Games and Ratalaika Games with publishing handled by ININ Games, Panorama Cotton is a port of the 1994 Japanese exclusive Mega Drive title by SUCCESS. This is the first time that Panorama Cotton has been released in the west, giving players a chance to officially play this title. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, with links to each version will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound who provided the copy of Panorama Cotton that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own. Please note that this was released alongside Cotton 100%, which you can read (HERE) and contains some of the features mentioned below.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment since there is no official localization of Panorama Cotton as of this review (but a localization patch is planned to release in the future). This release uses the original Japanese software, so I will be moving straight into the gameplay.

Gameplay – Panorama Cotton is a pseudo 3D rail shooter, with a third-person perspective similar to that of titles like Space Harrier and After Burner. As Cotton, the player must travel through several stages fighting enemies, collecting the gems that they drop and trying to avoid stage hazards. The stage design is unique for this entry in the franchise, with branching paths and psychedelic landscapes to traverse while maintaining the signature elements of Cotton gameplay.

There are two gameplay modes that can be played in this release, an original mode and score attack. Both modes have the same stages, bosses and core gameplay mechanics, with original being an arcade mode and Score attack being a high score challenge. After setting up the mode that is desired in the options menu, the game can start with a nice opening cinematic before going into stage 1.

Cotton can use a variety of skills to battle the enemies that will appear, using the traditional leveling system to power up Cotton to a maximum level of 5. The abilities that the witch Cotton can use are as follows;

  • Cotton Shot – the standard attack that cotton can use, firing bullets at a rapid rate that power up by defeating enemies and increasing her level. The power is lowered by taking damage, reducing Cotton’s level with enough damage being taken.
  • Silk the Fairy – Cotton’s companion Silk will hover around her, charging up Silk when the shot button is held down and sending her to attack when letting go of the button. Silk can be used to protect Cotton, with weak enemies having a chance of being defeated when making contact with her.
  • Magic – Cotton has access to three magic types that serves two purposes, offensive magic to deal damage and defensive to prevent damage. The magic is limited in its use as only one spell can be used at a time and it disappears when it runs out, with the only way to replenish it is to collect gems that match the color of that magic.
  • Speed – Cotton has three speeds that she can use when flying through the stages, with a slow, medium and fast speed setting. The speed setting that the player uses doesn’t just affect Cotton, but the scrolling speed of the stage and the speed of enemies on screen potentially increasing the difficulty of the game. Luckily, the speed of the bosses isn’t affected by Cotton’s speed.

The stages of Panorama Cotton follow the established formula of the series, with each stage having waves of enemies to fight, a mid-boss and a final boss to battle. The Tea Time bonus returns again, with the cups flying towards the screen for the player to collect when a stage is cleared. What makes this title different from others is the way that stages play out, as the different paths change the direction of the camera and even the orientation of the screen.

The action is frantic and enemies can appear out of nowhere, attacking from all directions which can lead to damage being taken without warning. However, Panorama Cotton differs from the previous titles as Cotton has a health bar this time, removing the fear of one hit deaths from sudden enemies. The health bar is depleted whenever damage is taken, but it can be replenished when meeting specific point milestones.

If the player loses all their health then that is it, the player gets a game over and must use a life (if they have one left) to keep going. The maximum number of lives that the player can have is six, with options that can make the challenge a little tougher. The game may appear rather short, but the diverging paths in stages, the score attack mode and the high score system in general adds replay value to this title.

Finally, I want to discuss the general changes to the game. When booting up the game, a menu will appear showing two options that can be selected. First, we have the standard mode, which adds save states, a rewind feature and cheats to the game. The second is challenge mode, which tries to be as close to the original version as possible, with completion of this mode unlocking cheats for standard mode.

The quality of life improvements are nice, but there are some serious flaws that ruin the experience of playing for the first time. Throughout the game there are instances where sprites are invisible, which includes enemies and obstacles which cause damage without warning. This is a major concern as players who don’t know that these exist will get hurt and not know why. I am unsure if this is an emulation issue or a software issue, but it makes the game borderline unplayable.

UPDATE – the issues mentioned above in regards to missing sprites have since been fixed, you can read more and get my thoughts on it in the update linked at the bottom of this review.

NINTENDO SWITCH VERSION
ORIGINAL MEGA DRIVE VERSION

Now with the gameplay covered, I will be moving onto the other aspects of the game starting with the controls.

Controls – the control method is simple, with three buttons for cottons skills and a button to rewind the game. There is no lag with the inputs and they are nice and responsive, being comfortable to play with any controller and button layout. The controls can be remapped to suit any playing style, which grants the player to use third party controllers like the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn control pad with ease.

Difficulty – the game is balanced well, if you are playing the original Mega Drive version. Sadly this version is unfairly hard because of the issues that it suffers from, even on the lowest difficulty it can be tough to get through. What makes this worse is that while trying to dodge enemies it is impossible to see the invisible barriers in the way, taking damage through no fault of the player. It will take hours for a new player to get used to the missing sprites and learn the safe spots.

Presentation – as Panorama Cotton is a Mega Drive title, the game really pushes what was possible for the system at the time. This includes the psychedelic color palette, pseudo 3D sprite work and different depth of field effects which look fantastic on the switch. The sound is pleasant and nice to listen to, with the chiptune music compositions retaining that signature Cotton charm. It is just a shame that there are visual issues that make sprites invisible, causing other sprites to flicker because of it.

Screen filters have been implemented in this release, allowing players to apply faux scan lines and imitate the look of a CRT screen. The inclusion of these options feels unnecessary as they don’t really add to the experience, with the darkened screen causing visibility issues if anything. There are aspect ratio options that change the size of the screen, but make very little difference when playing the game, with the default setting being the best.

Final Thoughts – I was so happy when I heard about Panorama Cotton coming to the Nintendo Switch, because I wanted people to be able to experience this game officially for the first time. It was like a dream come true, but in reality it was more like a nightmare. The graphical issues that this port is riddled with are atrocious, ruining any fun that could be had and soiling the legacy of this cult favorite in the Shmup Genre.

I cannot recommend this game, not in the way that it is now and I tried to tell the people involved that this was broken, but no one responded. The invisible sprite issue needs to be fixed, because it makes a fun challenge unfair and will leave a sour taste in the mouths of those who play it. For a game that has such a devoted fan base not only in Japan but in the west as well, Panorama Cotton deserves so much better than this. If the issues get fixed, then yeah it’s a good game but it isn’t worth it right now.

In the end, I give Panorama Cotton a final score of 2/5. This is a beloved game that has sadly been butchered, either through poor emulation or an issue with software, making what should be a fun challenge into something that is borderline unplayable and it needs to be fixed. I will only be adding links to the game below in the event that it is patched in the future, but I do not recommend buying it at this moment.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

UPDATE

Since publishing, an update for this title has been released to address the issues mentioned in this piece. You can find that update (HERE).

Cotton 100% – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Strictly Limited Games and Ratalaika Games with publishing handled by ININ Games, Cotton 100% is a port of the original Super Famicom exclusive shooter from 1994 by SUCCESS. This is the first time that Marchen Adventure Cotton 100% has been released in the west, finally allowing players to officially experience a magical chapter in the cotton franchise. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, links to each version of the game will be at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound who provided the copy of Cotton 100% that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment since there is no official translation for the game as of this review. This release of Cotton 100% currently uses an untouched version of the original Japanese software, so I will be moving straight into the gameplay.

Gameplay – Marchen Adventure Cotton 100% is a scrolling shooter and a follow up to the original Cotton Fantastic Night Dreams, which I reviewed the remake of (HERE). As cotton the player is tasked with traversing seven stages, fighting monsters and collecting the gems they drop, all while trying to survive with a limited number of continues. Cotton starts with three lives by default losing one whenever she is hit, additional lives can be earned with a maximum of 9 that can be set in the options menu.

Cotton can use a selection of attacks to battle the foes that she comes across, with the power of her attacks changing with a simple leveling system. The attacks that the little witch can use are as follows;

  • Cotton Shot – a standard bullet that can be fired at a rapid rate, with the power increasing as crystals are collected and Cotton is leveled up. The power can be lowered if the player is hit, potentially reducing Cotton’s experience level (this varies depending on difficulty).
  • Bomb – an explosive weapon that drops onto the enemy in an arc. The damage is increased by collecting gems dropped by enemies, with the power being dropped when the player is hit by enemies.
  • Fairies – a satellite that flies around cotton, with additional fairies being collected by defeating enemies that are holding them. A maximum of three fairies can be held and the player can use them to attack by holding the bomb button. If cotton is hit while carrying two or more fairies, a fairy will damage all of the enemies on screen before disappearing.
  • Magic – the last ability that Cotton has access to is offensive and defensive Magic, a set of three spells that can be used as long as the player has magic power. At the start of the game, cotton will have 3 magic uses with more being collected from enemies or when using a credit to continues. While there are only three spells that can be used at a time, the player can select from 4 different magic combinations before starting the game.

The stages are significantly more vibrant compared to the original title, made up of a mix of horizontal and scrolling sections, each with their own unique themes. The formula is mostly unchanged from the original Cotton, with each stage having a mid-boss appear partway through and then a big boss battle at the end. The Tea Time bonus when a stage is cleared also returns, where the player must collect as many tea cups falling from the sky as possible.

The game may feel short at only 7 Stages, but this is one of the greatest strengths that this game has. Being an arcade style shooter, the focus is on beating the game in as few credits as possible and setting a high score. The action is fun and frantic with enemy patterns that can be learned over time, which can push the player to try harder and go for that one credit clear. Cotton 100% is a challenging cute em up shooter and its simplicity adds to its charm.

Finally, I want to mention the general changes made to the game. There are two modes in this release, first is a standard mode that adds save states, a rewind feature to reverse mistakes and even cheats. Second is the challenge mode which is as close to the original version as possible, with completion of the game unlocking the cheats for standard. Please note, high scores are not saved and with no leaderboards, in order to record and share results the screenshot feature is the only option available.

Overall, the quality of life improvements are a nice touch and make the game more accessible for newer players, however they do come at a cost. Unfortunately, there are features that appear to have been removed from the original game, including cheat codes, a visual demo to watch cutscenes and the sound test. This is the only downside with the release, as the quality of emulation for this port is fairly high and provides the next best thing to owning an actual cartridge.

Now with the gameplay covered I want to move onto the other aspects of the game, starting with the Controls.

Controls – the controls for this release attempt to emulate the Super Famicom, but only the face buttons seem to be emulated as the secret codes are unavailable. There is an option to fully remap the controls, allowing all controllers to be used including third party offerings like the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn pad. The inputs are super responsive and there is no noticeable lag during play, with a comfortable and enjoyable experience no matter how it is played.

Difficulty – there are four difficulty options that are available in game, separated into Easy, Normal, Hard and Mania with the frantic action on screen getting more chaotic. The enemy patterns and boss patterns can be learned which does ease the difficulty curve. There are limited continues but the save state and rewind feature make this challenge more accessible, giving all players a chance to clear the game no matter the skill level.

Presentation – since Cotton 100% is a 16-bit Super Famicom title, there is extensive use of pixel art, bright colors and parallax scrolling but the foreground can get in the way. The visuals translate well to the Nintendo Switch, with the sprites looking clean and crisp in either handheld or docked mode. There are some moments of slowdown but those are also present in the original game. The sound is fantastic and has been emulated well, with no problems when it comes to the music or sound effects.

There are some visual filters that have been implemented, letting players apply CRT filters and scan lines along with an aspect ratio option. Unfortunately, these options add very little to the experience as they just darken the screen, with the screen size options to change the aspect ratio not working at all. I hope that this is fixed in the future, as there is a lot of hard work that has been put into the extra features and it has been confirmed that a Language patch is in the works.

Final Thoughts – I was excited when I heard that Marchen Adventure Cotton 100% was coming to the west officially for the first time. When I got my hands on the game it turned out to be a little bit of a mixed bag, as I was hoping to get a complete experience. However, the inability to access content like the visual and sound demo modes did put a downer on the enjoyment, making the whole package feel incomplete. The quality of life additions do make up for it a little.

I can recommend this game to fans of the Cotton series and Shmup/cute em up titles in general. Regardless of the missing features from the original, the gameplay is untouched and plays just as good as if it was on the original Super Famicom system. It’s a tough yet rewarding title that is more than deserving of finally getting an official release on western shores, making it a fantastic addition to any shooter fans collection.

In the end, I give Cotton 100% a final score of 4/5. This is a fantastic shooter that has been deserving of a western release for two decades, with fun yet frantic action and a unique charm that only the Cotton games possess. This is an excellent title that has found a good Home home on the Nintendo Switch. If you want to check this game out for yourself, links to both versions will be below along with a physical release.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)

Link to Official Website for Physical releases (HERE)