What should people know about Suikoden?

By Jenni Lada // 8.7.1710.2.17

Whenever people talk about RPG series they would like to see make a comeback, Suikoden is often among the titles named. This Konami turn-based series is known for its massive character rosters, underdog stories where a newly form army challenges and triumphs against an established, opposing force and overarching storylines and concepts. It might be a little daunting, attempting to determine how to get into such a series. Well, we’re here to help you get into Suikoden!

3DS GB GBA GC Guide N64 PS1 PS2 PSP Wii

A beginner’s guide to Bokujou Monogatari: the best Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons games to play

By Jenni Lada // 7.17.178.21.17

The Story of Seasons series has reached quite a hallmark in regions outside of Japan this year. It has celebrated its 20th birthday! With the Bokujou Monogatari split happening in 2014, with Marvelous deciding to have XSEED work on localizations of future entries while Natsume retained the “Harvest Moon” name and began using it on a line of original games, it may be difficult to follow the course of the series. We’re here to help you figure out which farming simulations might be right for you.

* 3DS DS GBA GC Guide Mobile NES SNES Switch Wii Wii U

A beginner’s guide to Fire Emblem

By Graham Russell // 5.22.176.8.18

With the release of Fire Emblem Echoes and Fire Emblem Heroes, and Warriors on the way, this year has given Fire Emblem its time to shine. So where do you start if you want to get into the series? What’s the next step if you enjoy Heroes, and where do you go after that? We’re here to help you answer those questions.

GBA Guide

The bit Generations series is an import treasure

By Graham Russell // 11.3.1611.2.16

Western players are likely at least somewhat familiar with Nintendo’s Art Style games, downloadable WiiWare and DSiWare titles with a shared stark aesthetic and simple-but-addictive gameplay. They’re almost all worth checking out (though the names themselves are a nightmare to keep straight across regions), but did you know that they weren’t the first of their kind? Indeed, they were preceded by a seven-game lineup for the Game Boy Advance called bit Generations.

3DS Arcade DS GB GBA Guide NES PS3 SNES

A beginner’s guide to the wide world of Kunio-kun

By Graham Russell // 9.26.161.18.17

Want to get into the Kunio-kun series? Great! With a new English release, River City: Tokyo Rumble, releasing this week for 3DS, it’s a great time. But… here’s the thing. It’s really basically four series. Read on and we’ll help you get started!

3DS DS GBA PS1 PS2 SNES Vita Wii Wii U

Making sense of the Mystery Dungeon series

By Jenni Lada // 8.8.168.7.16

With Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon out on the Nintendo 3DS last year and Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate gracing Vitas two weeks ago, you may have developed a taste for tough-as-nails dungeon-crawlers. Roguelikes are on the rise. But then, when it comes to these Spike Chunsoft joints, they always have been.

DS GBA SNES

Advance Wars’ commanding officers create connections

By Jenni Lada // 6.10.166.21.16

The Wars didn’t always have commanders. Famicom Wars and Game Boy Wars sent Red Star and Blue Moon against one another, and that was that. You were some faceless commander, with no noteworthy backstory or specific skills. It’s only with Super Famicom Wars that distinct commanding officers made their debut, and it changed the series for the better forever.

DS GB GBA Guide NES SNES

The troubled history of Famicom Wars

By Graham Russell // 6.8.169.16.16

It’s weird to think of Advance Wars as some sort of series for importers. After all, we’ve seen the last four entries in the West, in some cases several years before they’re released in their original Japanese form. The last title, Days of Ruin, was released in the U.S. and Europe in 2008, after a breakneck localization process that saw completely different English names and conversations in the two regions. Japanese players could buy it… in October 2013. As a digital-only Club Nintendo reward. This is just the latest in the Famicom Wars franchise’s rocky, questionable release history, one sometimes affected by real-life conflict.

DS GB GBA GC Guide NES SNES Wii

A beginner’s guide to Advance Wars

By Graham Russell // 6.6.1610.24.16

While the Fire Emblem series is experiencing a renaissance, the same can’t be said for its longtime compatriot, Advance Wars. The other strategy franchise from Intelligent Systems has been dormant since 2008! Still, there’s a lot to love in its history, and until we’re given another new one, digging back into those older titles is the way to go. But where should you start? Read on.