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!
Read more
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.
Read more
Octopath Traveler really blew up, didn’t it? The Nintendo Switch exclusive became a top eShop seller after launch and physical copies were so rare, Square Enix was issuing apologies and asking people to please consider a digital copy if they could not wait. It is a fun RPG to spend 40 to 60 hours playing. But, what if you already finished the game? What if you are ready to follow some new stories? Well, let’s help you find something similar to enjoy!
Read more
Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido released earlier this month! We say that because E3 makes June a busy time, and also because, if early reports are accurate, not a lot of players picked it up. This is not new for developer indieszero, making its decades-long mission delivering interesting, quirky games that may slip your notice! Let’s look at the team’s history and break down what you may have missed.
Read more
When Game Freak comes to mind, it is easy to immediately think of the company’s most popular series. After all, Pokemon is one of the most recognizable IPs out there. But the company is responsible for a lot more than that. In fact, in 1992 it released two incredibly odd games based upon the Magical Taruruuto-kun series. Each one has the distinction of being weird, yet easy to understand and enjoy.
Read more
It is a great time for fans of Square Enix’s SaGa series! Romancing SaGa 2 was ported to multiple platforms and released worldwide. SaGa: Scarlet Grace was the first new entry in the series in over 11 years when it was released on the PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2016. Basically, it feels like it is experiencing a renaissance. Which means it is a good time to review what makes it so special.
Read more
When it comes to dating simulations, there is one name that often comes up. It is Tokimeki Memorial. This Konami series has offered everyone an opportunity to return to high school and possibly find someone to fall in love with along the way. Unfortunately, it has remained a Japan-exclusive series. Let’s go over what you should know about this dating sim pioneer.
Read more
Secret of Mana is a game that is getting a lot of attention lately for various reasons. One is the Super NES Classic Edition. It is one of the games getting a second chance at attention as one of the included titles. The other is the recent remake appearing on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and PC. This is even before taking into account the mobile port of the original game that allows people to play it on Android and iOS devices. It is the sort of action-RPG people can not forget, and one of the reasons why is because of its unique battle system.
Read more
Prequels can be a rather precarious thing in the video game industry. If titles are set within a span of time too close together, there may be a concern as to whether or not people could get really invested when they already know the outcome. There is also a concern that adding too many mechanics or elements that are present in the prequel, but not the original title. It takes finesse to create a prequel that can engage people, pay proper tribute to the original game and include new elements, and fortunately Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is such a game. This is one of those instances where a prequel can stand solidly on its own.
Read more