Why are there so many Ys IVs?

By Jenni Lada // 5.13.197.24.19

Most series are rather straightforward. Once with numbered installments tend to have some semblance of order to them. However, when it comes to Nihon Falcom’s Ys, things get a little odd. There are four Ys IV games. People outside of Japan might not realize this, since only one of them was released worldwide. However, with Ys: Memories of Celceta about to make its PlayStation 4 debut, it seems like a good time to go over what happened and why there are so many Ys IVs.

SNES Video

Video: Cat reversi? Asameshimae Nyanko isn’t kitten

By Graham Russell // 4.24.194.22.19

Do you love cats? Do you have a deep-seated hostility toward cats? Asameshimae Nyanko somehow appeals to both of these sorts of people through a universal language: reversi. Watch!

3DS DS GB GBA Guide NES SNES Wii

A beginner’s guide to Kirby platformers

By Graham Russell // 3.12.193.12.19

Kirby’s been on a lot of extracurricular outings, but at heart, the pink puffball is still most at home in the side-scrolling world of running and jumping. So which should you play? Read on for our recommendations!

* Arcade DS GB Guide PC PS4 SNES Switch

The 7 essential Tetris games you need to play

By Graham Russell // 2.15.191.13.21

With two high-profile releases in recent months, Tetris is back in the public consciousness in a very real way. But there have been a ton of Tetris games over the years, and you don’t need to play them all to have a thorough understanding of the franchise.

You do need to play these ones, though. And we’ll tell you why!

SNES

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 is a brave experiment

By Jenni Lada // 1.10.192.4.19

The Fire Emblem games released in recent years tend to remain rather consistent. Each installment has gameplay that follows a similar pattern. You take on a map with enemies. You either escape the map or fulfill certain conditions to win. Weapons can be acquired as a reward after defeating a foe, from opening a chest or by stopping at a shop. There is always a weapon triangle, to help you determine which units to send against others. But some titles stood out for being different. Fire Emblem Gaiden was one, but no game went against the grain more than Fire Emblem: Thracia 776. This is a game that takes chances, forcing you to take chances too.

3DS DS GBA GC Guide NES SNES Switch Wii

Let’s look at Fire Emblem’s transforming races

By Jenni Lada // 12.3.1812.3.18

There are a lot of animal-people in the Fire Emblem series! These are different races who transform into actual animals in battle, while occasionally maintaining some of these features while in their humanoid forms. Hearing about laguz or taguel can be confusing, especially since these races are not universal and may only be present in a few select entries.

SNES Switch

Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden is a good fit on the Nintendo Switch

By Jenni Lada // 10.9.1810.7.18

The Nintendo Switch finally is giving people a chance to play older games on it. Those who subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online can play an array of NES titles. However, Bandai Namco has also giving folks a similar opportunity. The company has, as a Dragon Ball FighterZ pre-order bonus and offer for joining the Bandai Namco Latinoamérica email newsletter, doled out digital copies of Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden. While this is an older game, it fits really well on Nintendo’s newest console.

GBA N64 PS1 PS2 SAT SNES Video

Video: Dropping blocks and breaking hearts in Tokimeki Memorial Taisen Puzzle Dama

By Graham Russell // 9.12.189.11.18

The enormous popularity of Puyo Puyo in Japan caused many, many competitors to try their hand at creating a falling-block puzzle franchise, and there weren’t many to find as much success in gameplay and domestic longevity as Taisen Puzzle Dama, Konami’s attempt in the genre. Let’s take a look at a signature entry — one tied to another Konami franchise that found a lot of fans in its home country!

PS1 SAT SNES Video

Video: Learn about time travel (and English) in EMIT

By Graham Russell // 8.30.1810.26.18

Language learning is a big part of import games! If you can pick up better comprehension skills, a whole new world of games will open to you. So today we’re looking at EMIT, a game that helps you do just that!

Um, if you’re Japanese and need to learn English.

It’s a cool thing to check out, though! Do just that with us.