Older Updates
Nazo Puyo Jul 20, 2016
Our renewed Puyo Puyo article finally continues, with a prolific set of spin-off titles that focus on predefined conundrums to solve in place of the multiplayer antics of the mainline series.
Synnergist Jul 16, 2016
A cyberpunk FMV/point-and-click adventure that is technically a fascinating mess, but more often than not its shortcomings work accidentally in its favor.
ROM Hack Interview: FuSoYa Jul 16, 2016
An interview with the ROM hacker behind Lunar Magic, the level design program for Super Mario World.
500-Word Indies: Spirits of Xanadu Jul 16, 2016
A sci-fi horror exploration game, for those who can't get enough of System Shock or Dead Space.
Vectorman Jul 13, 2016
An action-platformer that is not only a worthy competitor to Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country trilogy, but also a game that perfectly encapsulates what 90s Sega was all about.
Warlocked Jul 10, 2016
A real time strategy game developed for the Game Boy Color, that's not only surprisingly good, but one of the best exclusive games on the platform.
Top 47,858 Episode 10: Crash Bandicoot 2, Ikaruga, NewZealand Story, Zoo Keeper Jul 10, 2016
Join the HG101 Alternative Rockers as they discuss bandicoot husbandry, orangey-black projectiles, and Mario's enduring bromance with Dogs Bower.
Fallout Jul 6, 2016
An exhaustive look at the legendary post-apocalyptic RPG series, begun by Black Isle Studios and continued by Bethesda, including its spin-offs and cancelled titles.
Pepper's Adventures in Time Jul 4, 2016
A cute and clever educational point-and-click game from Sierra, where you play a young girl and her dog, traveling back in time and fixing things that have gone astray in colonial America.
Broforce Jul 4, 2016
Do you love America? Do you love movies where muscular, poorly acting men shoot evil in the face? If you said yes to one of these two questions, you are going to love Broforce.
Pharaoh Rebirth Jul 3, 2016
An excellent Metroidvania from long-standing doujin studio Krobon, featuring a rabbit archaeologist exploring a pyramid.
Banner Saga 2 Jul 3, 2016
The follow-up to the tactical indie hit is technically more of the same, but that's not really a bad thing.
Paladin's Quest / Lennus Jun 29, 2016
A duo of grindy SNES JRPGs by Copya System, with some bizarre art design that's unlike anything the genre has seen before, and a characteristically strange translation.
Kaze no NOTAM Jun 28, 2016
A hot-air balloon simulator from Artdink, a minor developer perhaps best known for making experimental games that initially received a lukewarm reception, like Aquanaut's Holiday and Tail of the Sun. Kaze no NOTAM clearly falls within that same category of games, for better or for worse.
Samurai Shodown Slash Jun 22, 2016
An infinite runner for mobile platforms starring some of the characters from SNK's seminal fighting series. It was only released in Korea, though service has been disabled and is no longer playable.
Podcast: HG101's Top 47,858 Games Of All Time Jun 22, 2016
The adventures of Game Club 199X continue as the crew tackle their greatest challenge yet! The GC9X Super Fighting Animal Team discuss the games you nominate on Twitter, and then, using a series of complicated algorithms and dark sciences, give them a very official, very final ranking on a rapidly growing list. You too can nominate three games of your choice on Twitter at @GC9X! Will you be the one to nominate the greatest game of all time?
Dark Earth Jun 19, 2016
A post-apocalyptic steampunk RPG that had the misfortune of launching against larger titles like Fallout and Final Fantasy VII, this French-developed title has clumsy combat but a fascinating game world.
Your Weeky Kusoge: Quiver Jun 19, 2016
In the running of the sad title of "most mediocre Doom clone", Quiver was developed for low-spec systems, even though Doom could run comfortably on a low end 486.
Cosmic Cavern 3671 on Steam Greenlight Jun 18, 2016
The realm of early Japanese computer gaming is not widely documented, especially on the English internet, but it's something that we at HG101 take huge interest in. So that's why it's worth checking out Cosmic Cavern 3671, which was recently posted on Steam Greenlight.
Racing Lagoon Jun 15, 2016
Developed during Square's daring PS1 days, Racing Lagoon is a combination of an arcade racer and an RPG, inspired by the popular anime/manga series Initial D.
bit Generations Pt. 2 Jun 12, 2016
The second (and final, for now) part of this article covering the old school/artsy GBA games covers COLORIS, ORBITAL, DIGIDRIVE, and Soundvoyager.
Life is Strange Jun 10, 2016
Starring a young woman with the power to rewind time, Life is Strange's point-and-click DNA is easy to spot, but it turns all of these toward telling a story that's more about longing, regret, and ordinary life, than fighting an Evil Empire.
Video: Meeting with a Book Collector Jun 10, 2016
From the Untold History of Japanese Game Developers DVD. A meeting with a collector of almost every video game book ever. Includes a look through his absolutely massive library of stuff.
Video: A Look at the Japanese Game Preservation Society Jun 10, 2016
From the Untold History of Japanese Game Developers DVD. A look at the Japanese Game Preservation Society's laboratory in Tokyo, as guided by Joseph Redon. This organization works to preserve Japan's software, which, like software from all over the globe, was initially distributed on rather fragile medium.
Tumblepop Jun 7, 2016
A goofy, rainbow-colored single screen platformer from Data East, Tumblepop combines two popular arcade titles from the early 90s, Pang and Snow Bros. Also includes reviews of its spiritual sequels, Diet Go Go and Joe & Mac Returns.
Gone Home Jun 6, 2016
Causing a flurry of controversy when it was released in 2013, Gone Home is an emotionally impactful exploratory adventure game, one that kicked off the subgenre semi-derisively known as the "walking simulator".
Demon Front Jun 3, 2016
Taiwan-based developer IGS is primarily known for their PolyGame Master arcade hardware, and along with it, a whole slew of Final Fight-style beat-em-ups. Demon Front, release on 2002, veers away from that direction though, and instead pays homage/rips off SNK's Metal Slug.
Gangsters: Organized Crime Jun 1, 2016
This overlooked strategy game is essentially "SimCapone", a gangland simulator as deep and palatable as a barrel of bootleg rum. Also followed up by a less ambitious sequel.
Mortal Kombat May 24, 2016
A little late coming, but we've updated our Mortal Kombat article with coverage of Mortal Kombat X, as well as adding the new character bios to the first page.
Inventory: Mortal Kombat Klones May 24, 2016
Beyond giving us ten games and several spin-offs, Mortal Kombat also inspired a legion of clones, rip-offs, and homages. This article covers over thirty of these titles - any 2D fighter featuring digitized live action or CGI characters, or otherwise featuring extreme amounts of violence - including Time Killers, Way of the Warriors, and more!
Croc May 20, 2016
Argonaut, developer of the SNES Starfox games, pitched Nintendo an idea for a 3D platformer starring Yoshi. They struck it down. Frustrated, the team broke ties, continued to develop the game anyway, and created their own character: the wide-eyed crocodile Croc. While deriviative, it was a good alternative for those who wanted an N64-style 3D platformer, but didn't own an N64.
Omikron: The Nomad Soul May 19, 2016
The first game from well known developer David Cage, Omikron features David Bowie in the role of a central plot-moving character who interacts directly with the player, looking like and voiced by Bowie himself, and even contributed to aspects of its design and aesthetics.
Omikron: The Nomad Soul May 19, 2016
The first game from well known developer David Cage, Omikron features David Bowie in the role of a central plot-moving character who interacts directly with the player, looking like and voiced by Bowie himself, and even contributed to aspects of its design and aesthetics.
F-Zero (Part 2 of 2) May 2, 2016
The second (and final) part of our F-Zero article covers the beautiful F-Zero GX/AX, plus the remaining two Game Boy Advance games, which tied into an anime from around the same time.
Post Mortem / Still Life May 11, 2016
A trilogy of mystery adventure games from Microć»s, the stories mix together mystical elements, psychic flashes, and utterly tone deaf comedy in a way that somehow works.
Red Comrades Save the Galaxy May 9, 2016
A classic Russian comedy adventure game, the first in a series of nine, that has recently been translated into English and released on Steam. It's about Communists from 1918 thwarting an alien invasion, and it's goofy as hell.
Dolphin Blue May 8, 2016
It's Metal Slug meets anime Waterworld in this 2.5D run-and-gun released for the Atomiswave arcade board in 2003.
The Count Lucanor May 4, 2016
A loose take on the Spanish stories, done entirely in the style of a Studio Ghibli film (their comparison) and sprite based adventure games, with a bit of class from a classical soundtrack remade with chiptunes.
F-Zero (Part 1 of 2) May 2, 2016
Even though F-Zero is part of Nintendo's long list of franchises that are only dug out from their vault for new Smash Bros. characters and trophies, it used to be one of the big names identified with Nintendo in the 16- and 64-bit days. As one of Nintendo's launch titles for the Super NES, it was a showcase of the system's capabilities as much as it was a sharply designed game, and essentially codified what people would get and expect from a futuristic racer - insane speeds, rocket engines, crazy jumps, and murderous race tracks.
Actual Sunlight May 1, 2016
A darkly autobiographic tale of young man struggling with life, there are few games as beautifully, grossly human as this.
King & Balloon Apr 29, 2016
An early variation on Namco's Galaga, where you fittingly protect a king from attacking balloons.
ROM Hacker Interview: Red Comet Apr 26, 2016
Bobby Vandiver, better known as Red Comet, is an accomplished ROM hacking and the man behind Twilight Translations. He's released a number of English fan translation patches for games, including several Dragon Ball Z titles, two Gundam titles, and the beat-em-up Streets of Rage 3.
Cosmic Smash Apr 26, 2016
Sega's high minded, artistic title with an abstract technological aesthetic, even though it's really just "squash meets Breakout".
Techno Cop Apr 23, 2016
This driving/shooting game by Gremlin Graphics had the questionable honor of introducing explicit gore to home consoles, years before it became a big issue with Mortal Kombat.
Tattoo Assassins Apr 21, 2016
Data East's pinball division tried to make their own Mortal Kombat II ripoff with Tattoo Assassins. We say "tried" because the game technically never came out, but it's still a testament to the absurd excess of the 90s fighting game market.
Baraduke Apr 19, 2016
Gamers were shocked when Samus Aran revealed herself to be a woman at the end of Metroid, but technically Namco's arcade space shooter Baraduke beat Nintendo to the punch.
Ancient Domains of Mystery Apr 17, 2016
Ancient Domains of Mystery seems like a standard cRPG, and has many things in common with the genre: overworld map with towns and dungeons, quests, karma system. But the game is also a traditional roguelike with the level of complexity and difficulty similar to that of NetHack.
500-Word Indies: Cast of the Seven Godsends Apr 17, 2016
Developed by Italy's indie game scene, Cast of the Seven Godsends emulates arcade classics like Rygar and Magician Lord, though with visuals that resemble a high-res Amiga game.
Magic Kid Googoo: Annotated Longplay (4/7) Apr 17, 2016
In world 4, Googoo and Sese enter a realm above the clouds - but that doesn't mean the obligatory underwater and fortress stages are missing here.
The Dark Spire Apr 13, 2016
A first person dungeon crawler for the DS that directly replicates the feeling of the classic Wizardry titles, though with a stylish visual makeover.
JJ Squawkers Apr 12, 2016
An eccentric arcade side-scroller from Athena featuring two crow brothers and their fight against evil.
Mamono Hunter Yōko: Dai 7 no Keishō Apr 9, 2016
Based off the 90s anime OVA, this Mega Drive action game is reminiscent of Valis, though playing it feels like navigating an alien world that's hostile to your every move.
Your Weeky Kusoge: Family Dog Apr 9, 2016
In the early 90s, there were a number of "adult" cartoon sitcoms after the early success of The Simpsons. These were all terrible (except The Critic) but one of them, Family Dog, had such high expectations that it got an SNES game tie-in. Like the cartoon, it is quite substandard.
Pony Island Apr 6, 2016
A super creepy game about a piece of software that seems to be possessed by the devil. Not actually (technically) about ponies.
The Stanley Parable Apr 4, 2016
It's easy to get the impression that The Stanley Parable just wants to mess with you, but it's actually making a lot of clever points about the nature and meaning of interactive storytelling... while also trying to mess with you. A lot.
Magic Kid Googoo: Annotated Longplay (3/7) Apr 4, 2016
Things get a little tricky in world 3, so we're resorting to use of the expensive transformation that essentially breaks the game.
Seicross Apr 2, 2016
An unusual sidescrolling shooter where aliens chase you on hoverbikes across a vaguely Tron-like landscape.
Magic Kid Googoo: Annotated Longplay (2/7) Apr 2, 2016
In world 2 we try out some more transformations and meet a few very familiar obstacles. In preservation news: We've now determined who's going to dump the game, but there'll be a bit of a delay since we've decided to try out some old leads for another undumped cart before shipping it across the Pacific.
Jazzpunk Apr 1, 2016
No April Fool's Day joke this year (no lies!) but instead we're featuring this comical first person quasi-adventure game, which flirts with dadaist humor, but misses the mark as often as it hits.
Read Only Memories Mar 30, 2016
A recent indie cyberpunk adventure game, heavily influenced by the likes of Snatcher.
Inventories: Platforming games before Super Mario Bros. #03 - Joust, Pitfall!, etc. Mar 29, 2015
Tracing the history of the platformer genre before Super Mario Bros. Featuring Joust, Jungle King, Donkey Kong Junior, Springer, and Pitfall!
Double Dragon Mar 28, 2016
The brawl is almost over. Left standing are only a variety of spin-offs and crossovers, both official and unofficial, inmidst a rubble of misguided media tie-ins.
Magic Kid Googoo: Annotated Longplay (1/7) Mar 27, 2016
An unlicensed, rare and (so far) undumped Famicom game that was only published in Korea. Hopefully the bad video quality here will be obsolete soon, but until we manage to arrange the game's preservation, this longplay will be the most comprehensive footage you can find. Turn on annotations for explanations about the gameplay, development background info, and more.
GameClub 199X Home Video: Sonic CD Mar 27, 2016
We try something the same but different today as we talk over a playthrough of SEGA's lesser regarded Sonic the Hedgehog sequel. Joining KaL and Bobinator is Muteki, a near Academic level student of the Sonic games.
Your Weeky Kusoge: Operation: Body Count Mar 26, 2016
A terrible Wolfenstein 3D clone from Capstone that puts you against an army of Islamic terrorists.
Segata Sanshiro Shinken Yuugi Mar 25, 2016
Sega Saturn shiro! The tough guy Saturn spokesman may have sacrificed his life (in the ads, of course) to save Sega from their evil competitors, but his triumphant spirit lives on in this collection of minigames.
Nelly Cootalot Mar 22, 2016
A charming duo of adventure games, Spoonbeaks Ahoy! and the brand new The Fowl Fleet, starring a pirate lass, and developed by British comedian Alasdair Beckett-King.
Double Dragon Mar 21, 2016
As beat-em-ups lost their place in the spotlight, Double Dragon tried to jump on the Street Fighter II train, followed by almost a decade of nothing. The series got finally revived thanks to a long string of remakes, with varying results.
Blazing Star Mar 20, 2016
Hey poor player! Our week of Neo Geo shooter coverage finishes up with Yumekobo's Blazing Star, a quasi-sequel to Pulstar that shows off the muscle of SNK's hardware.
Pulstar Mar 18, 2016
Our Neo Geo shooter coverage continues with Aicom's Pulstar, which is an R-Type game in all but name.
Last Resort Mar 16, 2016
We'll be covering a trilogy of Neo Geo shooters this week. The first, Last Resort from SNK, borrows heavily from R-Type, along with appropriating some imagery from the Akira movie.
Double Dragon Mar 14, 2016
The struggle continues as the series takes a nosedive thanks to a few unfortunate outsourced games, but also experiences an almost-return to form with a tragically rushed reboot on SNES.
Assault Android Cactus Mar 13, 2016
Recently released on the PlayStation 4, this fantastic twin-stick shooter takes the classic template of Robotron 2084 and Geometry Wars, and fuses them with the scoring mechanics and bullets patterns of a modern Japanese shoot-em-up.
Blood Mar 11, 2016
The best game using 3D Realms' Build Engine, Blood has an unmistakable visual and atmospheric style that marries H. P. Lovecraft with Unforgiven and Evil Dead. It drops the player into the Roaring Twenties of a dilapidated America where violence is so over-the-top it's borderline parody. Also followed up with a not-so-good sequel.
Shardlight Mar 8, 2016
Back in 2012, Wadjet Eye Games and Wormwood Studios released Primordia, a post-apocalypse adventure about machines surviving the world man left behind. In 2016, Wadjet Eye decided to return to the wastelands with a more human story with Shardlight. Unlike Primordia's focus on black humor and existentialism, Shardlight is much more grounded and, well, human.
Double Dragon Mar 7, 2016
Hardcore Gaming 101 takes on the Lee brothers, but to avoid biting off more than we can chew we're gonna spread the fight out across the entire month. Check back every Monday this March to find us brawling our way through the series. For now we're starting with the initial two arcade classics and their many mutations across multiple platforms.
GameClub 199X Home Video: Fear Equation Mar 7, 2016
All aboard the spook express, it's a horror-ish Post Apocalyptic Train game. KaL is your conductor as he tries to basically cover how to actually play the game so that the whole damn thing makes sense. Oh, also there's a fog that makes your nightmares real and a lot of people die and I can't believe we didn't make a single math pun through the entire video.
Tail 'Gator Mar 5, 2016
Join Charly the 'Gator as he takes on Basso Gila in this action-platformer for the Game Boy from Natsume.
The Cat and the Coup Mar 2, 2016
A short look at a short puzzle game, based on "Operation Ajax", a coup staged by the United States and the United Kingdom during the 50s.
Shōjo Kakumei Utena Feb 28, 2016
The 90s anime Revolutionary Girl Utena offers complex messages about gender roles, romance, and sexuality. Unlike other licensed video game tie-ins, though, the Utena Saturn game isn't just a dating sim with the Utena name slapped on it, but rather it understand the show's values, and knows how to apply those values to dating sim conventions.
Video Review: Magical Chase Feb 26, 2015
Quest's adorable TG16 cute-em-up doesn't quite live up to the expectations of its high price tag, but it's a fun game with a great soundtrack and plenty of distinctive details. Read the written review here.
Now available! HG101 Digest Vol. 2: Taito Arcade Classics Feb 24, 2016
Warning! A new HG101 book is approaching fast! The second HG101 digest focuses on over thirty titles from Taito's diverse library, featuring Darius and Elevator Action, but also covering the likes of Rastan, The Legend of Kage, The Ninja Warriors, The NewZealand Story, Metal Black and more! Also includes over one hundred instances of nudity in 8 and 16-bit video games, and capsule reviews of 80 Japanese Super Famicom games. Now available on Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Sellfy, along with all other European Amazon sites!
Tao Feb 23, 2016
A JRPG that's pro organized religion? Does that exist? Find out on your spiritual journey through a weird future-fantasy world where the train is out so you have to ride a dinosaur to Moscow. By the developer who worked for Nintendo on Mother.
GameClub 199X Home Video: Assassin's Creed Mobile Feb 20, 2016
Bobinator (joined by KaL, Snarboo and MisterArgent) takes a look at Gameloft's 2D version of the first Assassin's Creed.
Planescape: Torment Feb 19, 2016
Some of the greatest writing ever in a computer RPG, set in one of the strangest fantasy worlds ever conceived.
Puyo Puyo Feb 17, 2016
Puyo Puyo was one of the earliest articles on Hardcore Gaming 101, so unsurprisingly it was completely outdated by now. So over the course of the next few months, it is going to be replaced by an entirely new, much more thorough article. This first part (re-)covers the mainline games of the Compile era.
Video: An Interview with Satoshi Nakai and Masayuki Suzuki (Success, NCS/Masaya) Feb 14, 2016
From the Untold History of Japanese Game Developers DVD (books available in the latest Storybundle). An interview with two developers, currently at Success, who worked at NCS/Masata on titles like Langrisser, Assault Suits Valken/Cybernator, and Shubibinman. Includes look at artwork from the Assault Suits games, along with an explanation of how parallax scrolling was programmed on the PC Engine.
Video: An Interview with Yutaka Isokawa Feb 14, 2016
From the Untold History of Japanese Game Developers DVD (books available in the latest Storybundle). An interview with Yutaka Isokawa, the creator of Pitman/Catman, and one of the members on the Namco team that created the neGcon controller, which was used for R4: Ridge Racer Type 4.
Shogun Warriors / Blood Warrior Feb 14, 2016
A duology of fighting games from Kaneko, which manage to rip off both Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat.
Timequest Feb 12, 2016
A time traveling adventure from Legend, the spiritual successor to Infocom's legacy. Originally published in the Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures.
Mystik Belle Feb 10, 2016
A cutesy platformer/adventure game hybrid with gorgeous pixel artwork, recalling classic British Spectrum games like Dizzy.
Dragon Dance Feb 8, 2016
San nin fai lok! Celebrate the Chinese New Year with this interesting take on the brick breaker formula for the Game Boy Color.
Sinistron Feb 7, 2016
A TurboGrafx-16 HuCard shooter influenced by R-Type, with a giant beak on the front of your ship that can be used as a shield or opened/closed to expand your fire.
ROM Hacker Interview: Nightcrawler Feb 6, 2016
Nightcrawler is one of the most prolific members of the ROM hacking community, the collection of hobbyists who tinker with old video games to transform them into new creations. His English fan translations include I'Max's Dual Orb II, Bullet Proof Software's The Magical Land of Wozz, and Alfa System's Emerald Dragon.
Albion Feb 3, 2016
A sci-fi fantasy RPG made by demoscene veterans that combines elements of both Western and Japanese genre conventions, with a great setting on a fascinating alien planet but somewhat tiring gameplay.
Sly Spy Feb 2, 2016
Data East's spy-themed side-scroller owes a very (very, very) huge debt to James Bond.
Tass Times in Tonetown Feb 1, 2016
This proto point-and-click adventure designed by Infocom alumnus Michael Berlyn takes you to a weird world where a dog is a newspaper reporter, everyone dresses in garish 80s new wave clothing, and a sinister real estate tycoon/monstrous animal hybrid is slowly terrorizing the town by setting up uncool housing developments.
Rise of Nations Jan 30, 2016
Brian Reynolds, lead designer for strategy classics Civilization II and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, created this RTS game, that succeeds in integrating elements from his previous turn-based work in a seamless, entertaining package.
Ultionus: A Tale of Petty Revenge Jan 28, 2016
A pseudo-remake of the Spanish Amstrad/ZX Spectrum side-scroller Phantis, this indie title features some absolutely gorgeous pixel artwork.
Inventories: The Hottest Characters in Gaming Jan 25, 2016
Characters with an extreme affinity for fire are common in video games, but there's been little in the way of heated debate regarding how well they complement the games they're in. We take a look at some of gaming's hottest characters to see whether or not their design, abilities and personality can really bring the heat.
GameClub 199X Home Video: Grand Theft Auto Jan 24, 2016
It's Crime Time in the legendary city of crime New Yo... Liberty! We went back and looked at DMA (now Rockstar)'s legendary original stealing cars and murdering tiny pixel people, GTA! Kal and Bob are joined by Kris Asick from Ancient Dos Games.
Tempo Jan 23, 2016
A forgotten attempt at a mascot platformer by Sega, which was off to an unfortunate start on the 32X and then further doomed to obscurity by peaking with a Japan-exclusive Saturn sequel.
500-Word Indies: Penarium Jan 21, 2016
Avoid nefarious traps in morbid circus to beat tough platforming challenges contained on a single screen, inspired by early arcade games.
Darius Jan 18, 2016
Taito's long-running innovative shooter series featuring a war against intergalactic flying fish. Although Darius was originally featured on HG101, the original article was written 12 years ago, and frankly, wasn't terribly good, so we've rewritten it almost entirely from scratch, both for the inclusion in HG101 Digest Vol. 1: Taito Arcade Classics and to cover the newly released Darius Burst Chronicle Saviours.
l'Abbaye des Morts Jan 20, 2016
An excellent homage to ZX Spectrum titles courtesy of indie freeware developer Locomalito.
E.V.O.: Search for Eden / 46 Okunen Monogatari Jan 17, 2016
Enix's EVO: The Search for Eden, a platformer focused around evolution, is a cult classic amongst SNES fans, but it's actually a sequel to an older, Japan-only RPG, 46 Okunen Monogatari ("4.6 Billion Year Story").
Deus Ex Jan 14, 2016
The legendary stealth/action/RPG cyberpunk saga about government conspiracies and biotechnological implants.
Bardbarian Jan 10, 2016
An unusual RTS / tower defense / action hybrid, starring a savage musician who commands his armies with the power of his instrument.
Video: Interview with Roy Ozaki and Kouichi Yotsui Jan 10, 2016
From the Untold History of Japanese Game Developers DVD. An interview with Mitchell (Buster Bros.) president Roy Ozaki and Strider creator Koichi Yotsui, where they also discuss some of Yotsui's other games, including Suzuki Bakuhatsu and Nostalgia 1907.
Blue's Journey Jan 9, 2016
One of the early Neo Geo titles, ADK's environmentally themed 2D platformer showcases the vibrant colors of the powerful system.
Your Weekly Kusoge: Rock-On Jan 6, 2016
The joke about this PCE shooter is that it does most certainly not "rock on".
ChainDive Jan 5, 2016
A Japan-only Playstation 2 cult classic, featuring high-flying, wire-slinging action, from some of the developers that would later work on Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
Video: A Visit to the Abandoned Hudson R&D Laboratory in Sapporo Jan 2, 2016
From the Untold History of Japanese Game Developers DVD. A visit to the abandoned Hudson R&D laboratory on the outskirts of Sapporo.
Werewolf: The Last Warrior Jan 2, 2016
Data East's NES side-scroller featuring a werewolf with blades for arms, mostly famous for infuriating games by switching the attack and jump buttons on the game pad.
Mad Motor Jan 2, 2016
A (most likely) unreleased arcade game by Mitchell and Data East, featuring a motorcycle riding punk who can turn into a werewolf...and may have been the origins of Data East's NES game released a few years later.
Bugaboo: The Flea Dec 31, 2015
Many of the genre structures and core concepts of how video games work that are taken for granted today took shape during the time after the American Video Game Crash of 1983. Bugaboo (The Flea), developed in Spain in 1983, is both unique and addictive thanks to the way in which the titular character navigates the game world.
GameClub 199X: TIE Fighter Dec 30, 2015
Do you have Star Wars fever? To the extent that you're willing to listen to HG101's talking heads discuss an old DOS game for over 90 minutes? Hey, when 49 episodes old you get, sound as good you will not.
GameClub 199X: Clive Barker's Undying Dec 30, 2015
The HG101 Mystery Hatchback pulls into the weed-ridden parking lot of Clive Barker's Undying, a pretty good horror FPS with a ghost-punching rock.
Last Mission Dec 29, 2015
This early Data East game is a take on overhead shooters like Thunder Force, Vanguard II, and Time Pilot '84.
Atomic Runner Chelnov Dec 27, 2015
Data East's Atomic Runner Chelnov stars a Russian superhero granted powers by a nuclear accident. Unique from other side-scrolling platformers, Chelnov sprints through each stage automatically, making it a forebearer to the modern infinite runner (though its levels aren't infinite). Most known for its (vastly improved) Genesis port, which was known in North America as Atomic Runner.
500-Word Indies: Enyo Arcade Dec 24, 2015
A "Parkour Shooter" that feels like a long lost Amiga game.
Your Weekly Kusoge: Elf Bowling Dec 24, 2015
The Flash game sensation (read as: fad) was popular enough to be ported to the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS, apparently believing that people would pay for stuff they could get for free online.
The Grinch (Game Boy Color) Dec 24, 2015
There were a few games released as a tie-in for the terrifying Jim Carrey movie rendition of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but the Game Boy Color version is a surprisingly decent stealth-action game in the vein of Bonanza Bros.
Undertale Dec 20, 2015
The Best Game of All Time, according to this year's GameFAQs poll. We felt it was a little too early to make that call (it got a runner-up spot in our 200 Best Games book), but this charming, offbeat RPG is still worthy of anyone's attention.
Earthbound (The Halloween Hack) Dec 20, 2015
Before Toby Fox made Undertale, he made The Halloween Hack for Earthbound, a dark take on Nintendo's SNES classic.
The Tale of Alltynex Dec 18, 2015
A trilogy of doujin shoot-em-ups developed by SITER SKAIN, inspired by Taito's Rayforce.
Level 22: Gary's Misadventures Dec 16, 2015
Sneak past your boss as a low level office drone in this funny but brutal stealth game.