Lost Gems – Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast)

Hello and welcome to the final Instalment of Lost Gems for SEGA month, where I discuss games that have been lost, abandoned or simply taken away from distribution. This time to wrap the special celebration month, I will be covering a legendary title from SEGA and Smilebit. Taking heavy inspiration from a variety of 80s and 90s pop culture, with a futuristic twist, hit the streets on magnetic skates in Jet Set Radio for Dreamcast from 2000.

Disclaimer: while the game discussed here is no longer officially on sale, there are ways to obtain the game. This can be through the second hand market, or through unofficial digital roms/rips. I do not condone or promote piracy, so there won’t be any links to roms or rips of the game being covered.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience, then give my personal thoughts on the title. Please note, a HD remaster of Jet Set Radio was released on Steam and Xbox 360/PS3, but I will be only covering the original console release.

About the game

Jet Set Radio is an adventure game, set in an alternate version of Japan. Across Tokyo-to, street punks have been riding through the streets, using magnetically driven skates and tagging areas with graffiti. These skaters have been nicknamed “Rudies” by the people of Tokyo-to, due to the graffiti tagging and reckless behaviour. The metropolitan government and the Rokkaku group have joined forces, using their resources to try and crackdown on the skaters.

All of these events are relayed through DJ Professor K, the host of Jet Set Radio, a pirate radio station that plays non-stop hardcore music for his listeners. He also covers the ongoing turf wars between the graffiti crews, who each operate in the different zones of Tokyo-to. These gangs are The GGs in Shibuya-cho, the Noise Tanks of Benten-cho and the Poison Jam of Kogane-cho, but there are additional rogue groups and skaters in these territories.

At the start of the game, the player starts with Beat, the leader of the GGs and recruits Gum and Tab to join him. These three skaters, then encounter the Love Shockers, a rouge crew looking to take control of the GGs turf. During their attempt to reclaim the territory, the police lead by Captain Onishima appear, ready to arrest the skaters for their crimes. With this the adventures of the GGs go into overdrive, across the streets of Tokyo-to.

The gameplay loop for this release is separated into missions, where the core objective is to tag all of the areas in a zone. Across the areas of Tokyo-to, there will be rival graffiti tags that have been left behind, which need to be covered within the time limit. Graffiti can be sprayed in two ways, if they are small a single spray with a button press is needed. However, for larger tags, a series of analogue inputs pop up on screen, with success will lead to the area being sprayed.

To be able to spray graffiti, the player needs to collect spray cans which can be collected in two ways. The most common will be by collecting them from the streets, with some of them (alongside graffiti tags) being in hard to reach places. These can be reached by jumping on rails, grinding along them automatically if they land can land on them. The other way to get spray cans is by colliding with rival taggers, causing them to drop cans to pick up.

There are three types of spray cans that can be collected, with yellow ones providing a single graffiti use, Blue that give 5 uses and Recover cans, which restore stamina. The recovery cans are important, as there are several dangers to the skaters and their objectives. As the skaters travel through Tokyo-to, there will be water that they can fall into, cars that can hit them and other environmental hazards. But the most dangerous threat is the Police and Rokkaku group.

In the street stages, as the player covers rival tags, they will be pursued by the police, becoming more aggressive as more turf is captured. The standard police forces will try to chase down the Rudies, jumping onto them and draining their stamina. Alongside the standard police, there is the extremely aggressive Captain Onishima, who will try to blast the player with his revolver. The best way to stay safe is to run if the police turn up.

Then there are the heavies, from both the police and the Rokkaku group, with Attack Helicopters and even assassins will appear, trying the take the player down. Some of the threats can be taken down, tagging them with graffiti to render them harmless. This can be incredibly challenging but satisfying when successful. If the player is defeated, the will get a game over, allowing them to try again or return to the garage to prepare.

There is a second objective to the missions, which are to tag rival gang members. Having to chase them down across the areas and spraying their backs. During these encounters, the rivals need to be tagged multiple times as they try to escape, a counter will appear showing how many times they need to be hit. When all have been taken down, the stage is cleared. With each clear of a stage, the player will receive a rating and score based on their performance.

During the course of the adventure, there will be special Rival Showdown stages that will pop up. These are special battles where a challenge is presented, with the reward for completion being a new member joining the crew. There are several characters that can be recruited, but the player can skip them if they wish to, making them optional. If they are successfully added to the crew, there will be new graffiti added to the garage.

The last set of challenges to discuss are the trials, which are special side missions that will appear during the course of the game. These trials are split into three categories, each providing a different objective to complete. There is the Jet Graffiti, which is a time trial to reach and spray all of the graffiti points within a time limit. Then Jet Technique, where a target score has to be hit, and last is Jet Crash, which is a race against another skater to reach the goal.  

Inside the garage, the player is able to select the stage that they want, listen to music and change the graffiti that is used. Within the graffiti menu, the player is able to select from a variety of tags that have been unlocked, collected or even create their own. To be able to make a variety of different graffiti tags, using preset text and paint tools. The custom tags use up blocks on the VMU with different set amounts for the three sizes of small, Large and X-Large.

There was also a special internet system, which allowed players to access a variety of online services. These included accessing user generated Graffiti, allowing them to upload and download creations that can be used in game. Players could also access the Homepage for Jet set radio, alongside other features that were common with the Dreamcast online service. Sadly, these features have since become defunct, with the creations uploaded now lost.

Personal thoughts

Jet Set Radio is yet another game that I have been a fan of for a long time, having played the game on the original Dreamcast, Xbox 360 and Steam. I have returned to the game multiple times over the years, as it is one of those special games that is timeless. The art style is so distinct, the gameplay fun and the setting is so incredibly out there, which all comes together to make an unforgettable experience. Then there is the unforgettable soundtrack.

The various inspirations that the game is built on work together perfectly, creating something unique that didn’t feel confusing. Then there are the characters themselves, who have been so popular with players and SEGA themselves, that they have been featured in several crossovers. The most notable being the All Star racing games, with the distinct settings, music and lead characters Beat/Gum as playable racers.

I have a wonderful appreciation for this game, the legacy it has left behind and the sequel that was released on the original Xbox, Jet Set Radio Future. The game was also my introduction to in-line skates or rollerblades as they are otherwise called, making me want to learn how to do it. I tried to do it, but ended up giving up in the end, after many scuffs, scrapes and various injuries. But I still have a love for the sport thanks to Jet Set Radio.

There has been an enduring love for this game, leading to HD remasters, on both consoles and PC, but these were removed a couple of years ago. This has led to speculations of another re-release, alongside the announcement of a new game that is coming in the future. It makes me wonder what is going to happen, with some hope that they are going to do it right, as well as wishing the original will be able to return at some point.

Even with the popularity of the game, the original is still somewhat attainable on the secondary market. Both Domestically and internationally, the cost for the game is not as high as it would be expected, especially for a title that has received so much cult fame. It is entirely possible to be able to pick this game up, even on a tight budget, which is pretty rare in today’s climate. I do hope it becomes widely available once more though.

If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. I have Lost Gems, Retro Revival where I discuss re-releases and the occasional Gaming Oddities piece, where I cover weird and wacky titles. So stay a while and have a look around.

Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines – Steam Review

Overview – developed by Medallion Games and published by Super Rare Originals, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is the follow up to the breakout adventure about a Dog and his grappling hook. As Pablo, go on an interdimensional adventure to save the cosmos, accompanied by Luna, a mysterious pup that has a mastery of weaponry. This title is available on Nintendo Switch, Steam and Xbox Series, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Super Rare Originals for providing the copy of Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer Service. 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. I will be covering the game in a general way, as I don’t want to spoil some of the surprises that the game has for players. Please note, I will be calling the game Grapple Dogs for the sake of brevity.

Story – Pablo, the adventurous Grapple Dog sets off on an adventure with his friends, looking for a Cosmic Gateway that came to him in a dream. Upon discovering that it is real, Pablo and his friends are transported to a distant world, meeting the Beyonders who keep balance in the Cosmos. While exploring Vyr appears, invading the dimension to try and take over. During this invasion, Pablo is rescued by Luna, and now the two of them must stop Vyr and save the Cosmos.

Gameplay – Grapple Dogs is a fast paced platforming adventure, where the objective of each stage is to reach the goal and destroy the Goo Generator. Both of the characters share a single unified trait, they are Grapple Dogs, with the ability to use their grappling hook to swing from point to point. The grapple has a momentum system, where swinging and adjusting the length can allow for further leaps. They can also wall jump, allowing them to reach higher points.

The stages for this game have two distinct styles of play, split between Pablo and Luna. As Pablo is an acrobatic pup, he can run, jump and bounce across the various platforms. With each jump, Pablo tucks himself into a ball, which can allow him to slam down and break boxes below him, while also taking out enemies. Pablo can also use a punch, which allows him to dash across the ground, as well as the ability to break boxes in front of him.

Then we have Luna, who is a fearless run and gun warrior. She is tough and armed with a blaster called the Rattler, using it to break barriers, shoot down jars and take out the Goo Goons that appear. The player can control the gun, firing in all directions and there is also an aim assist, letting the player hit enemies in awkward positions. Luna can also dash, allowing her to cover gaps in either a straight line, or diagonally for enhanced manoeuvrability.

The gameplay is split between 6 worlds, each with multiple stages to challenge. There are two types of stages that can be challenged, with Platforming stages and challenge stages. When playing the Platforming stages, there are items hidden throughout them. These consist of three special Gems, as well as a chest with a special item inside. If the player can collect all of the items, they will unlock a special reward, the ability to pet Pablo and Luna during the ranking screen.

Alongside the standard platforming stages there are the special time trial challenges. These put the player on a special time based challenge, with three time limits for a medal. The challenges include destroying targets and racing to the goal, completing these challenges will provide the player with a medal and a Gem. The platforming stages can also have time trial stages, letting them challenge to earn medals for beating the target times.

There are stages that will have special gimmicks tied to them, Pablo can harness the powers of the elements. By picking up special gems, Pablo can interact with stage elements like electricity, allowing him to traverse dangerous environments. Then there is Luna, who can pick up special weapons like the flame thrower, which can burn away tangled thorny vines. These power-ups last for the stage they appear in, only lasting until the player reaches the goal or a set point.

Going back to the Gems, they are critical to the completion of the different worlds. Each of the worlds is made up of gates separated into different sub areas, connected together that Pedro’s friends sail through. The gates that lead to the different areas have Gem requirements, needing to hit the required amount before the player can pass them. By opening all of the gates, the player will be able to access the boss of the world.

Each of the worlds have a boss that either Pablo or Luna will battle, these are challenging encounters that will have multiple phases. During the battles, the Goo commander will have unique mechanics, making full use of the skills that the Grapple Dogs use. By defeating the boss, the player will be gain a piece of the Allkrystal, which will then open up the next area. After collecting all pieces of the Allkrystal, the player will be able to challenge the final boss.

Alongside the collection of Gems, the shards of the Allkrystal and the medals, there will be many fruits throughout the different dimensions. Collecting these fruits will be added to the total carried throughout the game. They do serve an important use, as Pablo’s girlfriend Toni operates a shop, where the player will be able to buy special items. The items are health increases, adding extra hits to Pablo and Luna, as well as special cosmetic items.

The cosmetics are split between Costumes and Grappling hooks. The costumes have designated variants for Pablo and Luna each, with different colors and even special variants that are unlocked later. The grappling hooks can be customised freely, changing them between both Luna and Pablo, with things like fruits, pointers and even emojis. This makes the game a little sillier and adding to the charm of the gameplay.

The last thing to discuss is the bonus content in this adventure. When set requirements are met, a new challenge will appear, containing multiple levels and challenges. These will be tied to the completion of the other worlds, with gates that require all of the Gems from a world to unlock. This set of additional stages enhances the overall value on offer for players, giving them something else to sink their teeth into alongside the main story.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – Grapple Dogs uses a relatively traditional control system, where the player controls the pups using the D-Pad or left thumbstick. For both characters, their quick movement skills, general platforming and grappling is handled with the face buttons. The weapons for Luna are controlled by the Right stick, letting the player aim across all 8 directions, shooting with the triggers. Pablo’s special elemental powers use the triggers, allowing for quick easy use.

Difficulty – in general, there is a pretty balanced and fair difficulty curve, with all of the stages being fairly easy to reach the end of. This makes it easy for players to get into the groove, but the real challenge comes from finding the Gems in a stage. Due to Gems being hidden, it can be hard to collect them all, leading to some frustration. But there is no definitive fail state, as death only causes a loss of fruit, and there are accessibility options to help players.

Presentation – this is an adorable game, using cutesy sprite work for the characters, with vibrant and colourful environments that are filled with charm. Everything flows as smooth as silk, with no issues in terms of slowdown or lag. There are cutscenes and interactions that are humorous and further add to the wonder. The sound is excellent, with Jazz Mickle providing the soundtrack, offering many memorable tracks and beats that really bring it all together.

Final Thoughts – sadly I missed out on the first Grapple Dog game, which I thought looked adorable and fun, so I was more than happy to get my hands on this sequel. The world presented is gorgeous and vibrant, offering a modern 2D platformer, with a unique identity, but feels inspired by classics of the genre. I have a great appreciation for unique platformers, both classic and modern, as there are many that feel very samey to most offerings.

There are a couple of very, very minor hiccups with the game, like the hidden items that can be difficult to find, as well as some tricky platforming. But I have to say, this is one of the better indie platforming adventures I have played in recent times. It is one of those games that can be a little frustrating at times, but can be beaten by everyone with a little time. So with that being said, I am happy to recommend this game to everyone looking for a fun platformer.

In the end, I give Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines a final score of 4.5/5. This is a very good and fun platforming adventure, with a cute and colourful cast of characters, an engaging play loop and lots of secrets to discover, all wrapped in an amazing soundtrack. This is a great choice for people looking to get into the platformer genre. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Xbox series version (HERE)

Gaming Oddities – Typing of the Dead (Windows PC)

Hey there, it is time for a special entry in Gaming Oddities, the relatively rare feature where I discuss the weird and wacky releases in gaming. In this feature I cover some of the more unusual games, with some of them being downright ridiculous. This time I will be covering a strange case of taking a popular game, making it something surreal. Let’s take a look at Typing of the Dead, a modified version of the classic SEGA light gun game by SmileBit for Windows, released in 2000.

Disclaimer: While the game here is no longer officially on sale, there are ways to obtain the game. This can be either through the second hand market, or though unofficial digital roms/rips. I do not condone or promote piracy, so there won’t be any links to roms or rips of the game being covered.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience, then give my personal thoughts on the title.

About the game

Typing of the Dead is an edutainment game, taking the classic zombie shooter and modifying it, replacing the shooting accuracy for typing proficiency. The story of Typing of the Dead follows the same events of the game used as the foundation. In the year 2000, 2 years after the incident at the Curien Mansion, an outbreak of creatures has occurred in Venice. AMS Agents James and Gary have been dispatched to restore the peace.

Using many of the elements of the original game, Typing of the Dead has been modified in a very unique way. Instead of shooting the zombies, the players must type out words that appear on the screen, with successful input killing the monster. To make this style of play work in a thematic sense, all of the AMS agents will have Dreamcast backpacks on. These super powered systems are a deadly weapon, activated by typing on the keyboard in front of them.

The complexity of these words will vary, with single words or short phrases to get into the action. But the further the player gets, the more complicated and challenging they become, with longer sentences appearing. But there will be times where the player needs to think quickly, as the people of Venice still need to be saved from the creatures. Typing the words that pop up when a civilian appears, can lead to a branching paths, as well at other points.

There will also be enemies that can throw weapons, with a typing prompt to deflect them. This adds elements of decision making to the flow of gameplay, as the enemies that throw objects, will sometimes leave after attacking. Due to this, players may need to decide if it is worth trying to defeat the enemy, or just hit the projectiles. There will also be multiple enemies on screen at once, requiring quick choices to be made.

At set points during the course of the game, the player will be challenged to complete special missions, like killing a set of number of zombies in a time limit. Completion of these missions will provide rewards, like extra lives and bonus points. Then there will be boxes that can be destroyed, holding special items that will affect the gameplay. These include weakening zombies, altering the look of things and many more.

If the player is unable to quickly type the required words or phrases, the will attack the player, taking a life away from them. The player has limited lives, leading to a continue needing to be used when all of them have been lost. But there is the ability to set the game to free play (via a password or unlock), allowing for the player to push through the game. At the start of the game, it is relatively easy to get to the first boss, but then the difficulty ramps up.

In the Boss battles, the player will fight the same bosses of the original game in a modified form. There will be additional mission elements, like only typing when the weakpoint is open, or entering extended sentences before an attack lands. There will even be quiz questions in boss battles, requiring the player to select an option from the on screen menu. Depending on some of the choices made, the ending that they player will receive may change.

The main game modes are Arcade Mode and Original Mode, where the player plays through the main stages of the game. In arcade mode, the player can select story mode or training mode, with the story playing out the same as the shooter. But the player can pick the stage they start at, with a level select. There is also a training mode, with a time limit attached to it, letting players practice their skills until the timer expires.

Then there is the original mode, where players can select a variety of enhancements to help during play. With these special effects, the gameplay will change and make it more unique with each run through the game. There will also be special unlocks and features for players to experiment with. In both modes, when a stage is cleared, the player will receive a ranking for that stage, letting them see how well they performed and entering their name on the rankings.

Alongside the standard gameplay modes, there are special modes that can be accessed, with some of them hidden behind unlocks. There is drill mode, where special mini games can be worked through, training to improve various skills. Each of the skills have three challenges tied to them, with a progress tracking system to check improvement. Once all of the exercises have been cleared, the player will be able to take a final exam.

Then we have the boss mode, where the player can challenge the bosses of the game, learning how to beat them in time attack challenges. The player has limited lives to get through these battles, making them more challenging. The final boss, the Emperor as well as other special challenges are initially locked, needing to clear all of the previous challenges to access them. There is a ranking system for all of these boss battles.

The last thing to discuss is the VS CPU mode, where players can take on AI controlled opponents. Playing through a single chapter of the game, the one with the highest score at the end is determined the winner. Each of the challengers in this mode have different typing skills, affecting the challenge of the stage for the player. Some of the opponents will be locked, needing to meet special conditions to unlock.

For those who wanted to play across the internet with others, there was a network mode, where players from across the globe can take on the challenges together. Sadly this is all but useless now, as the service was discontinued. However, with a little finagling it can be possible to play the game multiplayer. This can be by jumping through some hoops with emulation of the dreamcast, or through the original arcade version.

Personal thoughts

When I was a kid, I played a lot of House of the Dead 2, both on the Dreamcast and in Arcades whenever I saw them while on holiday. Due to this I gained a deep appreciation for the game, making one of my personal favorites that I still revisit to this day. Years after the first game came out, I first tried to play Typing of the Dead, having discovered it while looking for a way to play the original on PC, unaware that it had a Dreamcast release.

I first played the PC version with a copy I got from a friend, which I have backed up, duplicated and put on every PC I have owned since. I also managed to pick up an original Dreamcast Keyboard and a copy of the game, when they were more affordable. There is a unique charm that this game holds, taking a horror focused game and making it surreal. The axe wielding zombies use spatulas and squeaky hammers, alongside various comedic elements that have been added.

This is a pretty challenging game in general, as it relies on the physical capabilities of typing quickly and accurately. While I may be able to type at a competent speed in general, there is an anxiety and panic that follows this, leading to sloppy inputs and missed keys. This is most prevelant when trying to type the long strings of words, or anything that requires special keys. I have yet to be able to get to the end of the game without needing free play.

As a teaching tool, it is a fun way to practice typing and learning how to touch type. The extra modes away from the main Arcade/Original modes, provide excellent tools to learn and improve skills. There is even a system that tracks the weakest keys when a training drill is over, offering a chance to try again with words that address weaknesses. My favourite mode is the VS CPU, which is a fun challenge to try and test skills after drills.

Sadly this version of typing of the dead has been mostly forgotten, with only hardcore fans and speedrunners still playing the game. It is sadly no longer available on any platform, being replaced with Typing of the Dead: Overkill. However, it is passed around different circles and can be picked up for Dreamcast, Japanese exclusive PS2 and on PC. But the prices fluctuate quite often, leading to it being less than desirable to new players.  

While most games that fall into the edutainment genre are not great, I feel this is different, as it already has a solid game behind it. I enjoy this game, which makes it easy to recommend. It takes a great game, which was already cheesy with the wooden dialogue and voice acting, while adding a level of surrealism and humor. If you can find a way to pick this game up, then it is well worth the time and effort to get it going, but it does need a little work on windows 10/11.

If you have enjoyed this special feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. Alongside this rare special feature, there is the Lost Gems series where I often forgotten games, Retro Revival discussing re-releases on modern platforms. So stay a while and take a look around.

Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights – PlayStation 4 Review

Overview – developed and published by Eastasiasoft, Stormy Knights is the second instalment of the Tiny Pixels series, providing fun experiences at a budget friendly price point. In this entry, take the role of a knight on a quest to save the princesses of the realm, battling monsters across different locations. This title is available across all platforms, with a link to all versions of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Eastasiasoft for providing the copy of Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights 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 as this title is light on plot, so I will be going straight into discussing the gameplay.

Gameplay – stormy Knights is a real time action game, where the objective is to rescue the princess that is being held in each stronghold. As the hero, traverse a goblin fortress, the palace of the lizard queen and the feudal forest, all on a journey to the lair of the timeless one. During this journey battle the minions of each stronghold, fighting to reach the princess and the boss that is holding them. There are four stages in this game to clear.

This release has a pretty simple gameplay loop. As the heroic knight, you must battle enemies in side scrolling one-on-one encounters. This combat has a strategy feel to it, as the player must make tactical decisions, responding to the actions of your foes. The player has access to a limited moveset, which works in favour of the game. At the start there is the sword to fight enemies, the shield to block, a back step dodge and the ability to crouch.

With these moves, the battles have a back and forth strategic feel to them. As the enemies will advance and retreat, avoiding attacks or to get space for a ranged attack. The minions have limited attacks, each with their own unique tells, allowing players to learn their patterns. Some attacks can be blocked, whereas others must be dodged. The blockable attacks have the potential to stun enemies, leaving them open to counter attacks.

After defeating an enemy, the knight will transform into an orb of light, moving to the next section. During this transition, there will be coins hanging down, which can be collected by making contact with them. These are added to the total for the player, coming in handy at the end of a run. When the player reaches the end of the stronghold, they will encounter the boss, who is the strongest enemy of that territory.

In a boss battle, the player will face down a challenging opponent, with increased health and powerful attacks that will decimate the knight if they connect. Each of the boss opponents has three attacks, aside from the final boss of the run, who has even more power. These each have unique triggers, with ranged and up close strikes. Upon defeating each of the first three bosses, the princess will descend and reward the knight with a kiss and more coins.

Upon defeating the final boss, the player will get a completion screen, showing their stats including princesses saved, number of deaths and more. Speaking of deaths, the demise of the knight will more often than not be the reason for a run to end. When this or a completion occurs, the player will be allowed to use the coins collected to purchase skill upgrades. There are three different skill trees that the player will be able to improve.

The three skill trees are split between attack, defense and special. In the attack tree, the player will be able to improve their weapon, with upgraded combos and more damage. The defense tree allows players to improve their health, receive healing from a rescued princess and even give the shield special powers. Then there is the special tree, which unlocks the powerful lighting strike, a limited use power alongside special bonus effects to use in battles.

This set of skill tress will take some time to fully upgrade, so there will be numerous runs that need to be cleared. The most coins are available after defeating a boss, with many coins that can be collected. This can further be augmented by skill power-ups, providing the opportunity of an increase to the coins, with a 50% chance to get 2 and a 25% chance to get 3 coins. This gives some replay value for this release.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – There is a relatively simple to pick up input system for this release, with all of the required inputs on the screen. This is pretty handy as it allows players to quickly get into the action, which is good as it allows players to jump in any time and know what to do. However, there are moments where it can feel that the inputs aren’t responding correctly, which can be frustrating. There does feel like there is a delay at times, which may or may not be user error.

Difficulty – in general this may seem like a difficult game, with runs ending fairly quickly when trying to figure things out and learn attacks. But after spending some time to learn each enemy attack, the way bosses work and upgrading the skill trees, the difficulty is eased. The real challenge comes from deciding what skills to get, as some are more beneficial earlier than others. This gives the challenge a bit of a dynamic feel the more it is played.

Presentation – from a visual perspective, there is a lots of retro style to the use of color, pixel art and the way that the stages are designed. All of these elements come together, creating something that evokes nostalgia, while not relying on it. The pixel art is made well, with plenty of detail in the characters and environments. The sound is good too, which further adds to the aesthetic that the game tries to give, with good music and solid sound effects.

Final Thoughts – I enjoyed the first Tiny Pixels game (which can be found HERE), so I was interested in seeing what was next from Eastasiasoft. The gameplay of Stormy Knights is satisfying, offering an interesting and unique challenge. It was a little awkward to get started, but as I learned the timing of enemy attacks, everything slotted into play. There are some minor blemishes, but they do not significantly affect the overall experience.

From a quality perspective, this game is well made and has many elements that give it a unique feel. But it does feel a little too short at times, which is both a blessing and a curse at the same time. While it is good for speed play by having multiple runs done quickly, it may feel a little hollow upon complete victory, especially if it takes a while to get there. But as a pick up and play budget game, I am happy to recommend this to everyone.

In the end, I give Tiny Pixels Vol. 2: Stormy Knights a final score of 4/5. This is an interesting and solid retro style action game, with tactical play and a decent skill tree system, creating something that feels nostalgic but unique. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Nintendo Switch (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Link to Steam (HERE)

Pain-to-Win – Playtest Preview

Hello again, I have something a little different for today. I was able to get hands on with the playtest for Pain-to-Win, an upcoming ultraviolent 2D top down shooter. Developed and published by the a company using its namesake, take on the horrors of a dystopian prison world, featuring a cast of madmen and psychos. This title is inspired by games from the PSX-era of ultraviolence like LOADED and THRILL KILL, mixed with the gameplay of Hotline Miami.

Disclaimer: before I get into discussing this content, I want to thank Pain-to-Win for providing me with access to the playtest for their game, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this piece, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience of the playtest, then I will be giving some personal thoughts from my time playing the game. Please note, this game is a work in progress, so the details here may not reflect the final product.

About the game

Pain-to-Win is a top down ultraviolent shooter, taking place in a dystopian prison world, where the psychotic inmates are set loose. The player takes the role of an organ harvesting bounty hunter, who must hunt down the violent degenerates of the Megaprison. There is a varied cast of lunatics, including deranged killer clowns, masked killers and homicidal body-mod fanatics. Each of the characters has their own unique quirks, making them distinct.

This playtest has one character available to use, with a limited set of stages. The objective is to take down a set number of targets, collecting their brains and delivering them to the client. To achieve this the player must work through each level of the Megaprison, which consist of room clusters filled with enemies and loot to collect. The first room that players will experience is the start point, giving players a good chance to prep for the chaos ahead.

Combat is similar to many titles in the twinstick shooter genre, with the player controlling both the player and the weapon individually. When moving through the areas, the player can look around the area and get an idea of what is happening.  The player will be able to collect various weapons, including a range of melee and firearms. There are two slots for weapons, with the capability to dual wield some weapons, giving varied loadout options.

While navigating the areas of each level, the player can carry two weapons. All melee weapons can be used endlessly, whereas the firearms have limited ammo capacity. During the course of a run, ammunition will be scattered through the stages, hidden inside boxes that can be destroyed with melee attacks. If the player runs out of bullets and doesn’t have a melee weapon, they can still fight back using the alt attack to bash enemies with a gun.

Players can also find wrapped gift boxes, containing powerful power-ups, with the most important being the revival items. These special items will give the player more attempts to make it through, functioning as lives for the game. The player will get four lives when starting the game, but it will be up to the whims of the Megaprison if players get more. Other power-ups include more ammo capacity, reduced damage and improved healing.

On the subject of health, the player has a limited number of hits they can take before death. This will vary based on the enemy, weapon and the type of damage taken. If the player is unlucky, they can die instantly from powerful weapons and explosions. So some care must be taken when trying to navigate dangerous areas. The explosive boxes will appear around the levels, being set off when attacked so any stray shots may lead to disaster.  

Health can be replenished by picking up health boxes, with small and large to find. These are shown as medical test tubes for the small ones, as well as first aid kits for the large recoveries. The frequency of health pick-ups will vary, so it is important to pick them up only when needed. But if health is low, grab whatever health is available in the level. The amount of recovery that items provide can be affected by power-ups.

Inside of a level, the most common objective is to wipe out all of the enemies, with numerous dangers lurking around the corners of each room. The psycho inmates of each room are armed with deadly weapons, including powerful firearms and deadly melee weapons. Out of the common enemies that appear, the most dangerous are those who wield Shotguns and the Disc Cutter, portable buzz saw that will kill you in seconds.

The inhabitants of each level will try to hunt the player if they are alerted, chasing them down unless the player escapes. It is possible to get swarmed by some of the weaker close combat enemies, leading to a messy death. To help the player survive, there is a dodge roll that can be used, but be careful not to spam it as there is a chance the player can get themselves cornered. There will also be explosive objects, which will reduce everything to a bloody smear.

At the end of a level, the player will be able to exit through the door to get to the next stage. As the player gets deeper into the twisted labyrinth, they will encounter less hostile NPC characters. This is where coins come in, which are collected by destroying boxes and killing enemies. The coin tokens that are collected can be used to make purchases, as there will be NPC merchants wandering the prison. But not all of them will be in a hospitable mood.

The items offered by NPC merchants can aid the player, with power bonuses, upgrades and even extra revives that can be bought. The player can also reject an offered item, but this may enrage the merchant, causing them to attack the player. There are two ways to get out of the encounter, either by running away or killing them. It is also possible to encounter NPC characters that will give the player special items for free, side missions and more.

At points throughout a run, there will be gates that require key cards to be used. These will send the player to special alternate routes that are shown on the map as their color. The branch paths will also occur at crossroad points, with different NPC interactions that can occur, as well as a unique bounty target. Not all paths require keys, but those that do, may just have some grotesque secrets that are hidden within them, just waiting to be discovered.

The last thing to discuss is the boss fights, where the target is located, the player will be locked in an arena with them. There is only one rule that applies to these showdowns, kill or be killed. These psycho killers are powerful, armed with weapons that will completely devastate the player. Combat here is tense, with ammo that can be collected on the floors. Defeat them for great rewards, or be turned into nothing but a stain on the walls of the prison.

Personal Thoughts

The playtest provided a significant amount of content, with several path branches, character interactions and buckets of gore. I spent a couple of hours playing this, but I feel that I have barely scratched the surface of what there is to offer. The gunplay, action and general experience is a lot of fun, with smooth movements and reactive inputs. Unlike other games that use roguelite elements, it is possible to memorise aspects of the game, which I like.

One of the biggest issues with games that use roguelite elements is the difficulty, where it feels like the game is actively working against the player. Due to this, it can be off-putting to new players, as deaths and failures will feel unfair. But this game doesn’t suffer from that issue, as it is hard as hell, yet feels balanced. It also feels that every failed run can be a learning experience, where new info can be attained after each brutal dismemberment.

I will admit, I did not get to the end of the demo, getting completely destroyed numerous times. I only beat the one boss fight too, which felt like a fluke and sadly got annihilated soon after ending the run. However, even though I am not good at this game, it is something I will happily return to. I really enjoy this throwback to the era of 90s ultraviolence, where companies pushed the envelope to create a bloody and shocking spectacle.

This was a wild time where developers made the most of the limited hardware, employing as many tricks as they could to shock audiences. Sadly this style fell out of favour for a while, until games like Hotline Miami revived the interest in brutal violent top down action. I am grateful that this revival occurred, as I have fond memories of the inspirations that this game is built on. This makes me excited to see what is around the corner for this release.

The art style for the game has that gritty and dark feel to it, present in many of the mature graphic novels that gained notoriety for their brutality. This serves the game well as it emphasises the dark tone that the game wants to present, with the mechanical horror elements. There are cosmic horror influences here too, with details that invoke the feelings of insanity, decay and mental degeneration, further building the apocalyptic atmosphere.

Unfortunately however, there are some minor hiccups that this game suffers from. The controls for movement and aiming are a little awkward, especially at the start when using both controller and mouse/keyboard. It took some getting used to, especially when trying to escape the psycho killers hunting me down. More often than not shots were missed, or I would get stuck on walls, but this may just be user error and take some time to adapt to.

My experience overall was a positive one, there were frustrations when I got bad loot from the secret areas, or got killed by an enemy by getting trapped. Yet every single failure made me want to try again, pushing me to say “I can do this, just one more try” and diving back in. At the end of my time playing, I did not have one successful run, so there may be some things I have missed in this preview, but I can fully endorse this as one to watch.

Pain-to-Win can be wishlisted on steam (HERE), you can also find them on Twitter/X through the link (HERE). This game is currently in active development, so please be aware that images, video and even the content of this preview may not match the final product. Thank you for taking the time to check this out and see what else grabs your fancy.

Lost Gems – Guardian Heroes (SEGA Saturn)

Hello, it is that time again where I share another instance of Lost Gems with you, covering games that have been forgotten, abandoned or removed from distribution. This week is going to be a little different, as I am going to be covering a game that has been re-released, but was heavily altered when this happened. So with that said, it is time to look at the original Guardian Heroes, Developed by Treasure and published on the SEGA Saturn in 1996.

Disclaimer: while the game discussed here is no longer officially on sale, there are ways to obtain the game. This can be either through the second hand market, or through unofficial digital roms/rips. I do not condone or promote piracy, so there won’t be any links to roms or rips of the game being covered.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience, then give my personal thoughts on the title. Please note, Guardian Heroes was remade/remastered and can be obtained on Xbox platforms. However, there were changes to the game and the script itself, making it a very different experience from the original.

About the game

Guardian Heroes is a hack and slash brawler, set in a fantasy world of sword and sorcery. In this adventure, a group of adventurers encounter a mysterious sword, which may be the legendary sword they were searching for. While trying to relax for the night, they are interrupted by Serena, a royal knight who warns them that soldiers are coming to take the sword. During the commotion, their accommodation is set on fire and they flee.

After rendezvousing at a nearby graveyard, they are attacked by a mechanical soldier, leading to a desperate battle that seems to have no hope. Suddenly the legendary sword is struck by lightning, which results in the original owner rising from a nearby grave. This legendary warrior destroys the robotic foe with ease. The undead knight is a hero of legend, who’s resurrection has set in motion a series of events that will change their world forever.

There is a single player and co-op option, which is set at the beginning of the game, allowing for two players to work together through the adventure. The playable characters have their own strengths and weaknesses, which can make the experience significantly different with each play through. The characters in this game are based on classic fantasy archetypes, alongside high fantasy elements like robots and mechanical soldiers.

There are five playable heroes in this game, with four of them available from the start. The four core playable characters are Han, a former member of the Royal Knights who wields a sword. Next is Randy, a sorcerer who can use elemental magic, accompanied by a rabbit familiar. Ginjiro is a ninja with fast attacks and powerful thunder ninjutsu, with Nicole being the optimistic cleric that supports the team, using her magic to heal and defend.

The fifth character is Serena, who can be used after clearing the game for the first time. Serena is a powerful melee character that uses a sword and has several magical attacks. All of the characters have a light attack, heavy attack, magic and special moves, which can be used through fighting game style inputs. This is possible due to the Layer system, where there are three planes of movement, with a foreground, back ground and center layer.

This multi-plane layer system makes Guardian Heroes unique within the brawler genre, as there is a feeling of depth due to the position of the camera. With the layer system, there are no issues with lining up attacks, which is a common hindrance that brawlers can have. As this common complaint is remedied here, the action feels reactive and engaging. It is possible to get surrounded, so characters can guard attacks, as well as be able to use break attacks to get free.

A good way to deal with some enemies is to use magic. Depending on the character used, players can utilise a range of magical powers. These require Mental Power (shortened to MP) to be used, with powerful spells requiring more MP to cast them. But some care must be taken, as the player will be mentally drained for a moment, leaving them open to attack. To replenish MP, the player must land physical attacks on enemies.

The most unique element is the Golden Warrior, an undead hero that wields the legendary sword. He is an NPC companion that will follow the players throughout the game, acting as an extra party member. While the Golden Warrior cannot be controlled, players can issue commands that he will obey. There are offensive and defensive options, but the most useful is “Berserk” which will cause the Warrior to go on a rampage, using powerful magic powers to wipe out all threats.

Now this is not only a regular brawler, but also an Action RPG with a levelling system. As the player battles enemies, they will gain experience points and level up when milestones are met. The level increase doesn’t immediately affect the player, as each earned level gives the player stat points. When a stage is cleared, the player will go to the level up screen, where six attributes can be increased, including strength, health and magical power.

Next is the progression of the game itself, which has a branching path system. Throughout the story, there will be multiple choices to make. Each of these decisions affect the current run, with different stages, enemies and even bosses appearing. There are 5 distinct endings, but the path to reach them will be varied, encountering more powerful creatures and even hellish monsters. The branching paths add a lot of replay value, with 30 total stages to see.

The enemies that have been defeated will be added to Versus Mode. This is a battle mode where players can fight it out, in fights to the death or timed point based battles. This can have up to six players battling it out, capable through the use of a Saturn multi-tap. But this can also be played with CPU bots, offering multiple settings that can make these opponents more challenging. It is even possible to make all fighters CPU and watch them fight.

There are three difficulty settings, with effects tied to them. The standard difficulty is Normal, which gives 9 credits and is the recommended way to play. Then there is the Easy setting, which weakens the enemies and damage taken while increasing the number of credits to 99. Last is Hard, which is significantly more challenging, with only 3 credits to beat the game. Some rewards will be given if the player can get certain endings on Hard mode.

Personal thoughts

I have very fond memories of playing Guardian Heroes as a kid, spending many hours exploring the different paths and trying to unlock all the characters. This game is pretty special, as it is my earliest memory of an Action RPG, as I wasn’t one to have patience with turn based offerings at the time. The gameplay experience has that distinct treasure flavour, present in games like Gunstar Heroes and Mischief Makers, which I also played a lot growing up.

The mix of action brawling, fighting game commands, gorgeous and branching paths really make it stand out, as this is not something that was common at the time. The style of play has been recreated over the years, with Phantom Breaker Battle Grounds and Code of Princess. Code of Princess was made with involvement by the director/character designer and lead programmer, making it feel like a spiritual successor to Guardian Heroes.

There are some minor flaws to the game, with some minor slowdown that occurs when there are a lot of effects on screen. But this is due to the hardware limitations of the time, but these instances of lag are few and far between. In motion the game is a lot of fun, with plenty of action and a satisfying single player/co-op experience. The multiple endings that can be achieved, alongside the fairly large number of stages make this highly replayable.

It is perfect for a co-op game night, or just to play alone and try to see all the different paths, alongside secret challenges. But the fun doesn’t stop with the story mode, as the battle mode takes that chaos and knocks it up a notch. There is a total of 45 characters, with some of them being included as joke characters more than anything. The number of possible combinations is near endless, offering a chaotic time for any number of players.

From a visual perspective this game has not aged a day, with the spritework, animations and general flow of the game being as smooth as silk. Treasure use all of their experience with 2D art and really made the most of it, as the SEGA Saturn was a real powerhouse when it comes to 2D rendering. Then there is the soundtrack, which really gave it a distinct and unique identity, with heavy guitar riffs, Jazzy saxophone and imposing synth tracks.

Guardian Heroes was originally released in 1996, getting some critical praise but was fairly overlooked. 15 years later, there was a remake/remaster for the Xbox 360, which significantly changed aspects of the experience. These changes involve alterations to the controls, mechanics and most significantly the story, which was rewritten, altering the story in various points. Due to this, the experience doesn’t feel the same in the “updated” version.

I would love to see this game in its original form again, as the remake just doesn’t feel the same. Sadly, Guardian Heroes doesn’t get any attention from Treasure or SEGA, with the developer focusing on ports of games like Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga. The price is on the upper end for this release, so the remake may be the best alternative at this point. The 30th anniversary for guardian heroes happens next year, so there may still be some hope.

If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. I have Lost Gems, Retro Revival where I discuss re-releases and the occasional Gaming Oddities piece, where I cover weird and wacky titles. So stay a while and have a look around.

Cavern of Dreams – Nintendo Switch Review

Overview – developed by Bynine Studio and published by Super Rare Originals, Cavern of Dreams is a throwback platformer in the style of classic N64 adventures. As Fynn the dragon, embark on a magical quest to rescue their unhatched siblings, who have been taken by a mysterious villain. This title is available on the Nintendo Switch and Steam service, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank the rep who provided the copy of Cavern of Dreams used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. 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 – Fynn the dragon has discovered that their unhatched siblings have been eggnapped. He sets out on an adventure to rescue them, entering the Cavern of Dreams, meeting Sage the Keeper of the Cavern. Sage offers to help the little dragon, providing them with powers and guidance as they travel through the Cavern. Now Fynn must traverse the surreal landscapes of the Cavern of Dreams, rescue his siblings and stop the mysterious villain that took them.

Gameplay – Cavern of Dreams is a 3D platforming adventure, where the player controls the little dragon Fynn. Taking place in the titular Cavern, the player must navigate the weird and surreal locations located within. The main chamber is where Sage resides, introducing the player to the world and the functions of the game. This is the tutorial area, where the player will learn the base mechanics, getting used to the feel of the game.

Fynn starts off with a simple moveset, where he can run, jump, double jump and roll to gain high speeds. As the gae progresses, Sage will imbue Fynn with new powers to aid him in the adventure, with the first being the ability to use his tail as a weapon. These powers are unlocked by collecting Fynn’s unhatched siblings, with the first being in the main chamber where Sage resides. The skills are important, as they will help Fynn to solve the puzzles of the Cavern.

Scattered throughout the worlds of the Cavern, there is a total of forty eggs that can be collected. In order to collect the eggs, the player will need to explore the worlds, including a tranquil forest and a frozen kingdom. At set milestones during egg collection, Sage will ask Fynn to return to the main chamber. When interacting with Sage after one of these announcements, a new body part will be added to Fynn providing the next ability increase.

As the player moves through each of the areas, they will encounter the residents of the Cavern. These NPC characters will interact with Fynn, asking for assistance or relaying details about their own little part of the Cavern of Dreams. By assisting the residents with their troubles, new areas will open up in the world for Fynn to explore. This is also tied to the puzzle solving elements, as there will be platforming puzzles that need to be solved.

These can be pretty simple, where the player collects items and returns them to the resident in need. However, they will increase in challenge the further Fynn gets, with multiple steps that need to be done to complete them. To solve the puzzles, Fynn can pick up items to use as part of the exploration and puzzle solving. These include apples that will grow into climbable stalks, letting Fynn reach higher points to continue to explore.

Then there are the environmental puzzles, where the player will be given clues to be able to obtain the sibling eggs. These can be collected from the environment, with images, text and context details that can be found by looking around. By following the clues, players can destroy walls, open doors and activate stage elements to collect eggs. Some of the puzzles will be integral to completing others, like freeing a dumpling to use as a bounce pad.

Players can also encounter the Jester Shoes, which will allow Fynn to walk on air to reach out of the way places. Jumping will nullify the ability of the shoes, as the player can only walk on the air as if it is a flat surface. These are tied to a specific area, as they will leave Fynn if he strays too far from the designated zone. Making effective use of the Jester Shoes can make some puzzles much easier, but some careful platforming is still needed.    

The powers that Fynn will gain from Sage are important to solve puzzles. These include wings to be able to float and fly short distances, alongside a horn that can pierce the ground to uncover hidden items. With the addition of new powers, Fynn will be able to explore more parts of the Cavern of Dreams, opening new areas from the main chamber. This gives the exploration a fairly open ended feel to it, as some areas can be explored out of order.

There will be some backtracking needed at points, as areas that were previously unreachable in one area, will require abilities obtained later. This backtracking isn’t a downside, as it allows players to freely explore areas in new and interesting ways. For those looking for special things, there will even be out of bounds secrets that can be discovered. This adds a little something extra for those who enjoy going for 100% completion of a game.

Throughout the Cavern of Dreams, players will collect mushrooms, adding them to their carried total. These are an important resource, as some of the Siblings will hatch and when that happens, they will be hungry. Feeding the mushrooms to a sibling will not only make them happy, but will strengthen Fynn, making their heart stronger. As Fynn becomes stronger, they will be able to open special doors, allowing them to go deeper into the Cavern of Dreams.

Last to cover is hazards. Fynn is a gentle peaceful little dragon, so there is no combat in this game. However, there are still dangers that can harm him. These consist of sharp blades, environmental hazards and hostile entities in the areas. When Fynn makes contact with these elements, he will be thrown backwards, potentially falling into a pit. Thankfully, Fynn is unable to die and lacks lives, so there is no definitive failure state for this adventure.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – as an adventure platform, there are multiple buttons required to perform actions, such as rolling, jumping and even swimming. To help players perform some of the more tricky actions, there is a layout that allows easy use of multiple actions at once. During the game experience, new skills and abilities will be made accessible. As each new skill is made available, a tutorial prompt will appear to teach the new input to players.

Difficulty – this is not a very difficult game, as the majority of the puzzles can be solved with little trouble. There is also a lack of true danger, as there are no lives or health that needs to be worried about. This lack of a true failure state makes the experience more relaxed, as players can freely make mistakes without being punished. With these systems, Cavern of Dreams is an approachable and enjoyable experience everyone can enjoy.

Presentation – Visually, this game has that soft and chunky look, which is reminiscent of the N64 games that inspired it. The models, textures and environments used have that colourful charm to them, which is something that many games from the era had. Everything flows beautifully, with smooth movement and animation. This is all capped off with a wonderful soundtrack, offering a range of compositions that complement their surroundings.

Final Thoughts – When I was a kid, I played many of the collectathon games, like Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64 and Gex 3. So there is some nostalgia with the genre of platformer, which lead me to giving Cavern of Dreams a try. I am happy to say that Cavern of Dreams scratched that itch, but in a way that feels unique and fun. The world it takes place in, the characters and the general gameplay feels just right, with no cryptic or convoluted puzzles.

I struggle to find any faults with this game, it is well balanced and doesn’t try to emulate other titles, which gives it an identity of its own. I very much enjoy the motifs that were inspired by other games, but they don’t feel out of place. This is an approachable adventure which everyone can enjoy, offering a cosy and heart warming experience. so with all of that being said, I am happy to recommend this to anyone and everyone.

In the end, I give Cavern of Dreams a final score of 5/5. This cosy and wonderful adventure takes elements the genre that inspired it, creating something fresh and unique, with a colourful world to explore, charming characters and satisfying gameplay. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version is below.

Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Retro Revival – Sonic Origins Plus (Various Platforms)

Hello! I have the next entry in Retro Revival, where I discuss the classic games that have been given another chance on modern platforms. These can be in the form of HD remasters, emulated ports and roms that are part of collections. This week, I will be covering Sonic Origins, a collection of the original 2D platformers, remastered with new features and special content. This was brought to modern systems through Retro-Engine, releasing across all platforms.

Disclaimer: the games discussed in this feature have been purchased by me, so the opinions given within are my own. There has been no sponsorship of content within this feature. Links to the different versions of the game will be provided at the bottom of this feature where possible.

So with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. For this release, I will be discussing the general gameplay experience for the base game, then discuss the expansion before going into some history, providing my personal thoughts on it as a whole at the end.

SONIC ORIGINS

Released in 2022 following the success of the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, SEGA and Sonic Team worked with Studio Headcannon to create Sonic Origins. This was created to be the ultimate celebration of the original run of 2D Sonic games, containing Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic CD, Sonic 2 and capping off with Sonic 3 & Knuckles. These games have been fully remastered using the Retro Engine, creating true widescreen versions of these classic games.

In this package, there are two distinct play modes that players can enjoy, with Anniversary and Classic modes to select from. The Classic mode lets players enjoy the games in the original aspect ratio, with the original mechanics characters and lives. This offers as close to an original experience as possible for players. All four of the titles are playable in this mode, retaining their unique gameplay elements, with the ability to save progress.

Then we have the Anniversary mode, which offers a fully remastered version of all games. In this mode, players are able to experience these classics in a variety of new ways. The first is the introduction of brand new cutscenes, animated to tell the story that connects the games. This is followed by the introduction of upgraded gameplay mechanics, allowing Sonic to use all his skills across the series including the Drop Dash from Sonic Mania.

Players can also play most games as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, with the ability to have Sonic and Tails team up in some of them. There is a save file for each character, letting players freely play the game at their own pace. In Anniversary mode, the lives are replaced with coins, which are collected by getting 100 rings, completing challenges and hitting what would be life monitors. Coins replacing lives gives players infinite retries, with there being no definitive game over.

These coins come in very handy during play and outside of the game. In the special stages, if the player is unable to complete it and get a chaos emerald, they will be able to use a coin, letting them try the stage again. This can be done until either the player clears the special stage, or run out of coins and get kicked out. Away from the games, the coins are used to buy items from the special museum, which contains music, art and more.

If the player clears a game in anniversary mode, they will unlock Mirror Mode, which lets players play the entire game in reverse. This increases the replay value of the games, allowing players to experience them in an entirely new way. Then there are the other extra modes, like the Mission mode, where players will take on special challenges to get a ranking. The successful completion of missions gives the player coins to add to their total number.

The player can also challenge all of the bosses for each game, via the Boss Rush mode, where they will be given three lives to clear all bosses. This is a time trial mode, where the best time that the player gets will be added to the records. The last mode is Story, which stitches all of the games together, allowing the player to experience the game as a single complete experience. Story Mode follows the chronological order of games, playing as Sonic.

All of the games in the collection, for both Anniversary and Classic mode have rankings of each Act. There is also a leaderboard for Boss Rush and Mirror Mode, recording the best times for the player to add to the rankings. The inclusion of rankings and online leaderboards is a great choice, allowing all players to test their skills and compete. This can be a great introduction for those who may want to enter the Speedrunning scene for Sonic the Hedgehog.

When released, there were special DLC packs released as optional bonuses. These packs included additional wallpapers for the Classic Mode screens, special character animations and new missions. There was also a special pack that unlocked Mirror Mode at the start, making them accessible without clearing the games. Last is the Classic Sound Pack, containing music packs from Sonic Spinball, Knuckles’ Chaotix and Sonic 3D Blast.

SONIC ORIGINS PLUS

Released one year after Origins, SEGA released Sonic Origins Plus, a special enhanced version of the game. This was released as a special physical release, consisting of the game and a code for the PLUS content. It was also released as an expansion for the digital version, or as a special complete release. This new expansion brings all of the content that was released with Origins, containing all DLC, alongside additional content exclusive to this version.

The first and biggest addition is making Classic Amy Rose a playable character, with her own special abilities and super/hyper forms in Sonic 2 and 3. She has also been added to various elements of the game, with special sprite work that has been created for her. Classic Amy can use her Piko Piko Hammer, having a hammer dash that lets her run while swinging. She can also use the hammer when she jumps, expanding her jump ability.

Amy can be played in all games, giving players a brand new way to experience the classics. The Sonic CD game has also been updated, allowing Knuckles to be played. With this inclusion, there are new routes that have been added to the game, making it feel new and unique once again. All of the playable characters are now accessible across all games. This lets players take on the challenges of all four adventures across the game.

Then we have the special Game Gear collection, which contains all 12 of the Sonic games that were released on SEGA’s full color handheld system. These games are all emulated using a proprietary emulator made for this expansion. The stand out games here are Sonic the Hedgehog/Sonic 2 8-bit, as well as Sonic Chaos. Then there are the less popular releases like Tails’ Skypatrol and Sonic Labyrinth, which are fun but are vastly different.

Included with the Game Gear collection are Sonic Drift, Drift 2 and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, which offer 2 player gameplay. These games can be played in local multiplayer, allowing two players to enjoy these games. When playing in the two player modes, a second screen will appear for the player, emulating the link play capabilities that the original game gear possessed. This allows new players to experience these classic titles.

The expansion also includes updates to the games, with fixes to the Drop Dash, adding the original Knuckles in Sonic 2 screen and general changes. There is also a special celebration image, called the Surprise Illustration which is unlocked by completing challenges. The challenges to unlock the Surprise Illustration are tied to the Game Gear, Knuckles in Sonic CD and Amy Rose. Completion of the image gives a coin reward and details on all game cheat codes.

Personal Thoughts

Over the years, there have been many compilations and collections featuring Sonic the Hedgehog. These include Sonic Jam, Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Classic Collection, containing the classic games, often with Sonic CD excluded. But there was a period where Sonic 3 & Knuckles was missing from collections, which was speculated to be due to legal disputes. These issues were related with some music featured in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

While these issues have not been remedied, SEGA pushed forward with Sonic Origins, replacing the Mega Drive/Genesis music with remastered versions of Prototype music. This did lead to some negative responses, due to the popularity of the original soundtrack of the game. The overall quality of the replaced music doesn’t match that of the original or the Beta, but it is a serviceable replacement. Due to this, it is now possible to play all of these games in a single collection.

I abstained from picking up the original release of Sonic Origins, as I waited for a physical release. When the physical Origins Plus was released, I picked it up and was initially disappointed that the expansion was a code. However, this wasn’t that big of an issue as the content can be shared, with the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation allowing additional systems to use it. It is also possible to pick up the expansion if the game is used or buying digitally.

With the inclusion of the three modes, Anniversary, Classic and Story, this gives players multiple ways to experience these classic titles. Then there is Mirror Mode, which provides a brand new way to play, taking the familiar stages and making them feel fresh. One of my favourite additions was Classic Amy, which felt long overdue for her to be in a 2D Sonic game. She fits perfectly in these games, with her design being adapted from her Sonic CD appearance.

One of the first things I did when I picked up Sonic Origins Plus, was to play through all of the games as Classic Amy. This was a whole new experience for me, being able to play as a character that I had only ever seen in rom hacks. She has been given an excellent toolkit, taking her unique traits into account like the hammer, which extends to her super form. In Sonic 3, Amy can throw endless hammers in Super form, but all 14 emeralds are needed.

I had wanted to play as her in an official capacity, so this was one of the driving factors behind getting this. Then there is the inclusion of the Game Gear titles, as many of them are excellent by themselves, even if some suffer from screen crunch. This is an unfortunate issue that was unavoidable, as many of the games were reworked versions of SEGA Master System games. But they play just as well, even if there are some sound hiccups.

This is the definitive celebration of the classic 2D era of Sonic the Hedgehog, offering players the best possible way to play these classics. What makes this collection so important, is the fact that it is the first time ever that all games have been released together. It also marks the first time since 2010 that Sonic 3 & Knuckles was on consoles. However, the game was available for a while on Steam, being removed when Origins was announced.

If you are a longtime fan, a late adopter or are entirely new to classic Sonic games, this is highly recommended. The collection is rather inexpensive in a physical format, but the digital version can be a little more costly. If you pick up the physical version, depending on the region you get, there will be special reverse sleeves. These are based on the original box art for Sonic the Hedgehog, with the design based on the PAL, NA and JPN regional version of the game.  

If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. I have Lost Gems covering forgotten games, more Retro Revival features and the occasional Gaming Oddities piece, where I cover weird and wacky titles. So stay a while and have a look around.

Link to Nintendo Switch Version (HERE)

Link to PlayStation version (HERE)

Link to Xbox version (HERE)

Link to Steam version (HERE)

Lost Gems – Fighters Megamix (SEGA Saturn)

Hey there, it is time again for another entry in the Lost Gems feature, discussing games that have been abandoned and forgotten by time. This week, I am going to be covering a legendary crossover fighting game, which occurred three years before Nintendo released theirs. So let us take a look at Fighters Megamix, a crossover fighter from SEGA AM2 for the Saturn, released in 1996 featuring characters from Virtua Fighter, Fighting Vipers and more.

Disclaimer: while the game discussed here is no longer officially on sale, there are still ways to obtain it. This can either be through the second hand market, or through unofficial digital roms/rips. I do not condone or promote piracy, so there won’t be any links to roms or rips of the game being covered.

So with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general game experience, then providing my own personal thoughts on the title.

About the game

Following the success of Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers, SEGA were pushing forward with Virtua Fighter 3, their latest 3D fighting game. This title was planned for the SEGA Saturn, so SEGA AM2 developed Fighters Megamix, a crossover to promote their latest game. This title features the characters of Fighting Vipers and Virtua Fighter 2, alongside various guests from other AM2 games. The roster of this game was the largest at the time with 32 playable characters.

As this is a crossover fighter, there are two distinct styles that are present based on Fighting Vipers and Virtua Fighter 3, which was in arcades at the time. The game style is split between the characters, with characters in the roster being either Virtua style or Vipers style. For characters in Virtua style, they are generally lighter with reduced power, whereas the Vipers style has characters being heavier and stronger.

The combat system is pretty simple to use, consisting of a relatively easy to use 3 button input layout. These inputs are punch, kick and guard, which can be used in a variety of ways to create varied combo attacks. These buttons can also be used simultaneously for special power strikes, as well as throws that can deal big damage. When it comes to moves sets, the Virtua fighters are generally martial arts focused, with Vipers having varied fighting styles.

When using a Vipers style character, they will have armor that can be damaged, shown on screen as a segmented body. These start off solid green, with the top or bottom half flashing when enough damage is taken. If a power strike indicated by a flash of white lands, the weakened armor will shatter, increasing the damage that can be taken. If the player is defeated with power strike, there is a chance that any remaining armor will be destroyed.

This system also applies to the way that stages are used in the game. The Virtua stages are open flat stages, with near endless space to move within. Then there are the Vipers stages, which are closed arenas where fighters can be struck against walls for extra damage. These stages are themed to their characters, with a few exceptions, like the wrestler Wolf Harwkfield having a walled arena, even though he is a Virtua Fighter character.

There is another element of the gameplay that is tied to the arena stages. Just like Fighting Vipers, the fighters can be launched out of the walled arenas. This can be done through a power strike, which will send the character flying either through the wall, or bouncing off and being launched into the horizon. But that isn’t the only way to knock enemies out of an arena, as they can be knocked over the wall or even land on the edge, but this is pretty rare.

There is a default general gameplay setting for the fighting, with the option for Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers which can be chosen in the settings. These settings affect the general flow of gameplay, with the default being set as Fighting Vipers. This mode allows more powerful knockback from strikes, alongside air recovery. The Virtua Fighter setting gives all characters more height to jumps, as well as other minor gameplay tweaks.

Moving onto game modes, there are several options for players to select from. The main one is 1P Mode, which is this games arcade mode. In this mode, players select their fighter and then select a route called a Course. Each route consists of 6 regular stages and a final boss stage, which is against a locked fighter. This is how the hidden fighters are unlocked, as each cleared route adds them to the roster. There are four courses to start, 5 more to unlock.

As the player clears the routes, the roster will fill out with more characters. These consist of the many guests from various games developed by SEGA and AM2. There is Bark and Bean from Sonic the Fighters, Janet from Virtua Cop 2 and the kids versions of Akira/Sarah from the Virtua Fighter Kids spin-off. The most interesting are Siba, a cancelled character from the original Virtua Fighter and Hornet, the car from Daytona USA.

When a Course is cleared, the credits will play out showing the finishing blow for each stage. This uses the game engine to replay the end of each fight as the credits show. There will also be special images, with fully rendered CG arts tied to the Course that has been cleared. This is in place of the traditional style of endings for a character, with unique end themes for each route cleared. The CG images are added to a special gallery that can be viewed later.

After the credits have rolled, the player will be able to enter their name onto the rankings. There is a time record for each of the Courses to beat, with the best time added to the records. During the name entry for 1P Mode and the Survival Mode (discussed below), the end theme for Outrun plays out, further adding to the crossover experience. 1P Mode and Survival records can be viewed on the main menu, showing the time and character used for each record.

All of the unlockable characters can be used in the 1P Mode, but they will also be available for the other gameplay modes. These extra modes are Versus, Team Battle, Survival and Training mode. In Versus and Team Battle, players can battle humans or CPU opponents. Versus is the standard 1-on-1 battle, with Team being a battle with teams of up to eight characters. In both of these modes, the player can select the stage type they want, alongside other options.

Then we have the Survival mode, which is fairly different compared to most games that have this as a feature. It follows the standard mechanics, where players must defeat as many opponents as possible with a limited amount of health. But there is a big change, as there is a time limit to get as many wins as possible. There are three options with 3, 7 or 15 minutes as the time limit. The most wins are recorded for players to try to beat.

The last mode to cover is Training, where players can take on the challenge of performing all of a fighters move list. The player can practice all of the modes, letting them practice all of the inputs against the training dummy. All of the moves for the character will have any requirements to use them, like downed enemy, behind enemy and more. This training mode was very advanced for the time, as it tracked the cleared moves and showed the damage moves dealt.

Personal Thoughts

I grew up with Virtua Fighter, Fighting Vipers and many of the AM2 games, like Virtua Cop and Daytona USA. So Fighters Megamix holds a special place in my heart, as there are so many games that are featured and referenced within this. The inclusion of Rent-a-Hero, Bark/Bean from Sonic the Fighters and Hornet made this so cool when I was a kid. In the following years, I have gained an even greater appreciation for this release.

This was one of the biggest crossover releases where multiple franchises appear, with the only game I know of before it being The King of Fighters from SNK. This was years before Nintendo released their Super Smash Bros game, which makes it that much more important. The inclusion of the entire Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers roster was already good to start, but the special guest characters really knock it up a notch.

I have enjoyed this game since it was released, regularly starting it from scratch and playing through all of the Courses. I also enjoy being able to play the versus modes against the CPU, coming up with ridiculous face-offs, like the Janet from Virtua Cop fighting a Child version of Sarah. But one of my favourite things about the game is the replay value it offers, with the Training challenge, Survival Modes and 1P Mode time trials.

Fighters Megamix was quite a special title, with a fantastic amount of depth and content available. This makes it both surprising and disappointing that SEGA didn’t release another crossover, especially as they have multiple franchises to pull from. It would have been interesting to see the cast of Virtua Fighters and Fighting Vipers, clashing with those of Last Bronx and Streets of Rage. But SEGA have limited their fighting output to Virtua Fighter.

For those who are looking for a solid fighting game, then this is a good choice, especially for those who are looking for something to add to game night. The large roster makes for a lot of interesting match-ups, with both the Versus and Team Battle modes. This title doesn’t seem to have that much popularity, leading to it being largely forgotten. However, this works in favour of players as the price for both English and Japanese versions is fairly affordable.

Like with other Saturn games, I would love to see this game come back in some form, especially as there is an emulator for the system out there. Sadly, SEGA appears to have no interest in releasing this, or any of the other major games on the system. This is unfortunate, as Fighters Megamix is an important piece of history that should be experienced. Maybe SEGA will release this and other Saturn titles in the future, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a variety of games in reviews, provide special previews where possible and have regular features. There is Lost Gems, Retro Revival covering re-releases of classics and the occasional Gaming Oddities feature, where I cover the weird and wacky titles out there. So stay a while and take a look around.

Melody Ball – Steam Review

Overview – developed and published by GuangMoGame, Melody Ball is a simple yet challenging rhythm action game, with a unique two button gameplay system. As the music plays, tap or hold the button to hit the notes on screen along with the beat of the melody. This title is available exclusively for PC via the Steam service, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank GuangMoGame for providing the copy of Melody Ball used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. 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. There is no story for this release, so I will be going directly into covering the gameplay for this release.

Gameplay – Melody Ball is a relatively simple but challenging rhythm game, where the big gimmick for the game is that only one button is needed. The core loop of the game revolves around precision, where each note needs to be hit to complete the song. Just one button is needed to get started, as the first stages of the game have blue tap notes. Each button tap will move the ball to the next note, following the melody of the music.

As the ball bounces along the notes, each note tap must be timed perfectly, as a single late tap will cause the stage to fail. With each successful note hit, a prompt on screen will appear split between good and perfect. This will show the timing of the note hit, with an early input will say too fast. At the end of a song, the player will see how well they performed, showing the number of good/perfect inputs. This also appears if the stage is failed.

After a few stages, a new type of note will be added to the music. These notes are red hold notes, where the button has to be held when hitting the red, needing to be released when it reaches the blue note. These mix up the gameplay, increasing the challenge of the songs that appear. During the first few songs, the note patterns are rather easy following steady patterns with the melody. However, this will quickly ramp up during play.

When the player reaches later stages, the speed of inputs and patterns will significantly increase. These stages will have rapid input requirements, making it much harder to get to the end of a song. This can be a real challenge, but there are some special ways to try and keep the game going, with power-ups that are introduced during play. These are awarded for clearing the songs, being added for later attempts at stages.

These power-ups make the songs more interesting, increasing the variety of gameplay on offer. There are extra life abilities, a lock on the next note and showing the next. If the player clears all stages, a special high score skill is unlocked, granting the chance at massive scores. But this comes with a downside, where the stage will be failed if the player doesn’t get all perfect notes. This really ramps up the challenge and replay value.

The power-ups aren’t the only way to keep mixing up the experience, as there are cosmetic items that can be used. These skins change the way that the ball looks, with a jack-o-lantern, beating heart and even fuzzy soot balls, looking like the sprites from Spirited Away. The inclusion of cosmetic skins give the game more charm, keeping it pretty fresh. This is a positive as the general experience is rather short, with a limited number of songs in the core game.

Although the number of songs included with the game is limited, there is a special feature that makes the content of the game near endless. Included with this game is a song creator, where players can create their own custom levels. In this suite, the player can import a song in .WAV format, add notes and share their creations. This has the possibility to grow a large community, where players create and share their songs with others.

Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – there is a super easy to pick up control scheme for this release, where the player only needs to use one button. The suggested input for this game is to use the space bar, but upon activating the stage, any other keys can be used. This includes mouse clicks, arrow keys and there is even the possibility of adding special controllers. The variety of input options make this very accessible, allowing players of all capability to enjoy the game.

Difficulty – The difficulty curve for this release feels a little odd, as some of the songs are more challenging, whereas others are less challenging. This can be quite the spike in difficulty, especially when the tempo increases and rapid note patterns occur. There is an unfortunate issue when these spikes occur, leading to the chance for missed notes and failures. The power-ups can help, but the best way to succeed is practice.

Presentation – from a visual perspective, this game is pleasing to the eye, with cute cosmetics and artwork that is related to the different musical tracks. Each of the artworks is thematically fitting, with images that have a painterly look to them. Then there is the music, with melodies that are soft, fast paced and even one that has a heartbeat as a motif. The varied soundtrack works well, as it keeps the gameplay experience from getting stale.

Final Thoughts – I am an enjoyer of rhythm games, having grown up with games like Pop’n Music, Elite Beat Agents and Vib Ribbon. There is a deep appreciation for music games, so I enjoy trying out new and interesting releases in the genre. When I saw this I was intrigued by the premise of one button rhythm action, which is a concept that hasn’t been explored too much. It is easy to pick up, but can take some time to get through all of the songs.

There is a lot of fun to be had, as it is a really well made game, with some charming visuals. The game isn’t perfect, as there is some minor trouble when it comes to input timing, which may be a calibration issue. However, I was able to get all of the included songs cleared after a few attempts. I am also excited to see what the community comes up with for custom songs. I can easily recommend this to music game fans, as there is plenty to enjoy in a modest package.

In the end, I give Melody Ball a final score of 4.5/5. This is a charming and fun rhythm game, offering a unique gameplay system that makes the game accessible to all players, with pleasing visuals, a good selection of music and the ability to create custom levels. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to the game will be below.

Link to Steam version (HERE)