Shadow of the Ninja Reborn... Reviewed: A Fresh Take on Retro 2D Gaming

Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn is a must-play for fans of 2D retro games. This 2024 release offers clean 2D pixel graphics, smooth animations, and engaging gameplay that pays homage to the original 1990 “Shadow of the Ninja.” Younger gamers, who often find retro games too stiff, will appreciate the fluidity of this title, reminiscent of classics gems like Metal Slug.

Storyline:

In Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn, you follow the Dark Assassins, Hayate and Kaede, from the Ryuha Shippu clan. Hayate, the future leader, and his senior, Kaede, embark on a mission not only for substantial rewards but also to liberate people from the antagonist’s tyranny. Hayate’s journey is as much about mastering his ninja skills as it is about controlling his temper, with Kaede ensuring he stays level-headed.

Gameplay:

The game features multiple modes, including the standard Arcade Mode and Time Attack Mode, where players can compete for the best times on online leaderboards (serving replay value for those craving competition).

Players can jump, attack, shadow step, and use various weapons and health items. The kusarigama allows for 360 degree long ranged attacks, you're able to wall run, suspend from scaffolding, stand on the handle of your blade for downward attacks mechanics add depth to the gameplay. Don’t forget to use your Ninjutsu attack when things get tough!

  Family Fun  

This game is perfect for family gaming sessions. While it supports two players, you can take turns, just like in the old days. Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn, is available for $19.99 on Switch, Playstation, PC Steam, and Xbox. Physical copies available... here.

Audio:

The music and audio effects in Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn evoke a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of Streets of Rage, Final Fight, and even stages from games like King of Fighters '93 (or possibly from '95, it's been awhile). The retro vibe is strong... in a good way + it feels fresh and exciting.

Price:

While more stages or a stage creation feature would be a welcome addition, Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn is a solid experience at $19.99. A price point of $14.99 might be a sweet spot in my opinion, but the game offers plenty of enjoyment for its cost.

Story 4 - You know the story (as mentioned above), but... if there were an actual (skippable) cutscene in place after the initial splash screens, that would be great. There is a cutscene, but... you have to wait at the title screen before it begins. How many people are going to actually wait around to see it, if they even know its there? Let the cutscene get it's shine.

Visuals 5

Audio 5

Price 5

4.75 out of 5 Cool Points

 + Sophi 

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FTS: Monster-Collecting-and-Fusing RPG Cassette Beasts Hits Play April 26 on Steam, Microsoft Store & PC Game Pass

Monster-Collecting-and-Fusing RPG Cassette Beasts Hits Play April 26 on Steam, Microsoft Store & PC Game Pass

Capture unique creatures and transform into them to battle in this open-world adventure, coming Spring 2023 to Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch

STOCKHOLM – March 29, 2023 – Raw Fury has announced that indie developer Bytten Studio’s Cassette Beasts, the creature-collecting-and-fusing, turn-based battling, open-world RPG, will debut on PC via Steam, the Microsoft Store, and PC Game Pass on April 26, 2023. It will arrive later this spring on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Xbox Game Pass.

Cassette Beasts puts a unique spin on monster-collector RPG adventures. On the remote island of New Wirral, people can use cassette tapes to transform into strange creatures and battle. You’ll need to explore the island and record a menagerie of mighty monsters to your trusty cassette tapes to gain their abilities and find a way home!

Discover over 100 awesome monsters to collect and transform into during turn-based battles. You can even combine two creatures together to make powerful new forms with shared elemental types, stats, and move sets using Cassette Beasts’ Fusion System! Some of your opponents have this ability, too, so you’ll need to get creative to win.

Side B Features:

• Transform into Monsters…with Cassette Tapes?! Faced with the constant threat of monster attacks, the residents of Harbourtown can fight fire with fire. Record a variety of special creatures, then play them back in the battle to take on their forms!
• Fuse Monsters Together: Merge with your companions’ monsters to transform into unique, fully animated fusions combining the strengths of both forms! There are thousands of creature-fusion combos to experiment with and discover.
• Explore a Rich Open World: Some monster abilities can be used in human form, which you'll need to get around, solve puzzles, and more. Glide, fly, swim, climb, dash, or turn magnetic in a colorful land brought to life with beautifully crafted monsters, ‘80s vibes, and a synthy soundtrack!
• Master a Deep Battle System: Use elemental chemistry to apply advantageous buffs or debuffs with your attacks, or even alter your opponent’s elemental type.
• Travel with a Diverse Cast of Companions: Never fight alone! Forge bonds with your partners and help them complete personal goals to become a better team. The strength of your relationship determines how well you’re able to fuse!
• Play Couch Co-op with Friends: Team up in local multiplayer for up to two players. Explore the open world, transform, and battle together as a duo!

 

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Blaster Master Zero 3

 

Blaster Master zero 3

The Pinnacle of Mutant Blasting Action Is Here!

Blaster Master Zero 3's hybrid of sidescrolling and top-down action is back for its 3rd chapter, and more intense than ever before! Series protagonist Jason travels to where the series all began, the planet Sophia, in order to save series heroine Eve in this final installment of the BMZ trilogy.

In the previous game, Blaster Master Zero 2, Jason and his partner Eve finally reach their destination, the planet Sophia, after a long and arduous journey through space. However, a new threat was already lying in wait for them upon their arrival.

Without warning, they were attacked, captured, and separated from each other by Sophia's military, the Sophia Force.

Jason's new journey begins on Sophia after he escapes from the Sophia Force base aboard his All-Terrain Battle Tank, G-SOPHIA SV, and begins his search for Eve.

- The finale of the "Jason Saga" is here!

From the depths of planet Earth, to outer space, and now beyond dimensional rifts, this charming intergalactic story comes to its epic conclusion!

- "Reverse" the situation with the VRV system to forge a new path forward!

Jason now has the power to cross over dimensions!

With the new "VRV system," venture into super-dimensional space and conquer tricky areas using the power of "reversal" as your guide.

- Powered-up Gameplay!

Enjoy increased combat flexibility with G-SOPHIA SV's new dual SP gauge system!

The totally revamped gun level system gives you access to 5 weapon types at all times that increase in power as you level up your gun!

React to both long-range and short-range attacks with ease using the new Multi-Counter System! Automatically activate the best Blast Counter for the situation with a single button press!

游戏开始！

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SONGBRINGER... the 2nd coming of 2D Zelda?!

I don't know about you... but in my opinion, 2D games have been kicking butt lately. I'm not talking sales numbers... what I am saying is that there are a number of titles that should not be overlooked simply for being 2D games... and SONGBRINGER is one of those games! For the veteran SDGT Ent supporters... you know variety is always something we push.

While the prevention of genre-burnout may be one of the reasons, supporting other genres is another and it helps us get gems we may have never considered if stuck on one genre. That said... if you're looking for something different but cool... check out the trailer, and if it tickles your fancy, check the game out at the link below (permadeath included)!

Some of you may be looking at the title and wondering what I may have smoked... while some of you may look at characteristics in the game and agree that there is a similar feel there. I look forward to seeing where things go from here (based on the game's success).

Get SONGBRINGER today.

Features

• Single-player action RPG
• AI or human-controlled second player
• Local co-operative two player mode
• Full gamepad support, including rumble
• Real-time combat
• 7 kinds of weapons including the nano-sword, boomerang-like top hat, bombs, blink orb, ghost sword projectile, lighter and kilo bombs
• Hundreds of unique items and power-ups
• Some items can be combined, for example: ghost sword + lightning cube = lightning sword
• Hidden items, secret entrances, secret pathways, bomb-able walls
• Over 30 different achievements
• A science fiction narrative featuring a space cutter named Songbringer, its crew, an ancient evil army, and a planet named Ekzerra
• Approximately 8-16 hours of gameplay per adventure, depending on thoroughness
• Procedurally generated overworld and dungeons
• A world contains: 1 overworld, 10 dungeons and 13 primary bosses
• Worlds are based on a six-letter seed; enter the same seed to play the same world on any platform, or enter a new seed to play something different
• World generator is handcrafted, creating worlds based on human-designed rules, blending the best of both procedural and bespoke game design
• Multiple NPCs, some of which are rare finds
• Dynamic shadows
• Full day / night cycle
• Reflective surfaces
• Original soundtrack
• Online leaderboards highlight the top players based on completion time, percentage of map uncovered and percentage of items found
• Roguelike-inspired permadeath option which gives a higher score on the leaderboard and allows for faster runs
• Support for multiple languages including: English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese-Brazil, Romanian, Russian, Swedish and Traditional Chinese

 Brought to you by the... Baby Fu Clothing Co.

From the Source: WayForward - Shantae and the Pirate's Curse... on Xbox One, March 16th (2016)!

If you've been looking for an awesome 2D platform adventure on the Xbox One... then you're in for a treat, because Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is headed your way March 16th, 2016!

Check out the post, and then read up on our game review at the link down below. Game on!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Valencia, Calif. –  2/26/2016 — WayForward is pleased to announce that Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is coming to XBox One March 16th!

Name: Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Publisher/Developer: WayForward Release Date: 3/16/2016 Platform: Xbox One Players: Single Player Price: $19.99 (25% off Pre-Order thru Release Week), Australia: 26.95, UK: 15.99, Europe: 19.99

Features Developed by WayForward - makers of Double Dragon: Neon, Ducktales: Remastered and the Mighty Switch Force Series! Character portraits by Mega Mandeveloper IntiCreates! Unlockable Pirate-Mode Xbox Live Achievements Multiple endings Epic original soundtrack by Jake “Virt” Kaufman

Ratings • PEGI (Europe): 12 (Violence, Sex) • USK (Germany): 6 • COB/OFLC (Australia/NZ): G (Very Mild Violence) • RAR (Russia): 6

The original indie darling is back in her biggest adventure yet! Critics are calling Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse the pinnacle of this fan-favorite series!  The sequel to Metacritic’s *handheld game of 2010: Shantae: Risky’s Revenge, boasts more than double the content, and acclaim from fans and press alike! She's still got it" -Destructoid 9.0 "...a must-play" -Nintendo World Report 9.0 "one of the most satisfying games I’ve played all year" - Hardcore Gamer 9.0, Gold Award "satisfying in every regard...guaranteed to please" -Pocket Gamer UK 9.5 "the pinnacle of the series" Wii Brasil 9.0 "an exceptionally well-crafted game that should not be ignored" -Nintendo Life 8.5 "stands above its retro-inspired contemporaries" –IGN

About Embark on a brand new adventure with Shantae, the hair-whipping belly dancing genie. When she loses her magic, Shantae must team up with her nemesis, the nefarious pirate Risky Boots in order to save Sequin Land from an evil curse. As a pirate, Shantae gains new weapons to advance her quest, slay monsters, battle epic bosses…and hopefully get her magic back in the bargain! But can she really trust her deadliest enemy? Beyond Sequin Land lie cursed islands and labyrinths each hiding a new piece of Pirate Gear - Flintlock Pistol, Pirate Hat, Scimitar, Risky's Boots, and even a Cannon. Upgrade Shantae's hair and weapons or unlock advanced Fighter's Moves. Locate maps, return lost Heart Squids, collect rare loot, and laugh out loud at the weird, wild, and wonderfully humorous cast of characters. SDGT Ent gives Shantae and the Pirate's Curse a... 5 out of 5! Click here for our game review!

From the Source: Sega - Sega 3D Classics Collection

Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Power Drift and Puyo Puyo 2... are easily the top games

in this collection for me. What about you? Sound off in the comments below.

+Nintendo, you should seriously consider achievements in the project nx home console and handheld OS. I can't stress this enough, because... it increases the life of games via various challenges we'd have to accomplish in order to be rewarded with something that adds to our collective rep.

Relive Nine O.G. Sega Games with the SEGA 3D Classics Collection!

Yo wassup dawg?! Remember loading up your SEGA Master System or Genesis with the raddest cartridge back in the day and playing for hours? Well, you may not be a kid anymore, but we've got the illest cure for your feelings of nostalgia, because the SEGA 3D Classics Collection will be released physically and digitally in the Americas! Sega will be hooking playas up with nine old school games -- that have been powered up with fresh new visuals and content by the fly M2 posse -- for the Nintendo 3DS system on April 26. (Alright, that's enough 90s corporate video game store training video, we apologize for subjecting you to it.) The SEGA 3D Classics Collection, available on the Nintendo eShop and in retail stores contains nine classic SEGA games originally released on SEGA's Master System and Genesis consoles:  Power Drift - A high octane sprite-based circuit racer. Puyo Puyo 2 - A head-to-head competitive puzzle game. Maze Walker - A 3D mystery adventure. Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa - A classic psychedelic scrolling shooter. Fantasy Zone II W - Fantasy Zone II W is basically an updated version of the game above. Sonic The Hedgehog - Control the iconic character in the classic fast-paced platformer. Thunder Blade - Helicopters, guns, missiles and explosions. What more do you need? Galaxy Force II - Save the galaxy in this space themed3D shoot 'em up.  Altered Beast - A beat 'em up set in ancient Greece.   You may have noticed that some of the games in the collection are already available à la carte only on the Nintendo eShop, and wonder why you need the SEGA 3D Classics Collection. Well, in addition to getting a physical release, the collection includes four games that haven't been released on the 3DS before (two of which never made it out of Japan!), and the total for the nine games clocks in at just $29.99/CA$44.99. So take a chill pill, quit trippin' yo, and check out these fly screenshots! (Sorry, we said we'd stop, and we didn't. Apologies again.)  The never-before-released-outside-of-Japan Power Drift will satisfy your need for speed. The other never-before-released-outside-of-Japan Puyo Puyo 2 will test friendships. Take a psychedelic trip, man, in Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa. Whatever you do, don't panic in Maze Walker. Unleash your beast mode in Altered Beast. Guess who has to save the Space Federation in Galaxy Force II.

Don't Drift Aimlessly - POWER DRIFT with Purpose in the SEGA 3D Classics Collection Nine Sega Classics (some unreleased!) Arriving on April 26for Nintendo 3DS IRVINE, Calif. - Jan. 21, 2016 - The best thing about classics is that they never go out of style, which is why SEGA of America is bringing nine classic SEGA games to the Nintendo 3DS™ system as part of the SEGA 3D Classics Collection. The best part - four of the nine classics are games that have never been released on the 3DS previously. For all of the included classics, developer M2 painstakingly recreated the experiences by breaking down the original games and powering them up with new visuals, game modes, and more to take full advantage of the Nintendo 3DS system. The SEGA 3D Classics Collection will be available in stores and digitally exclusively in the Americas for $29.99/CA$44.99 on April 26, 2016. Because it's a collection, the most prudent thing to do would be to list the games included, starting with the titles never-before-released outside of Japan first: Power Drift - This sprite-based circuit racer puts you head to head against other AI racers in a twisting, turning, jumping, looping race to the finish. Puyo Puyo 2 - This head-to-head competitive puzzle game is simple to learn, hard to master, and compellingly addictive. Compete against the AI or friends in local multiplayer. Note: because of the quirks of trying to localize a game hard-coded in Japanese, the game has been left entirely in its original language. English instructions are available in the included digital manual. Next, we have a pair of rarities not released on the 3DS before - true collectibles for the Master System enthusiast: Maze Walker - Originally designed for the SegaScope 3-D glasses on the Sega Master System, Maze Walker comes to life on the 3DS, faithfully reproducing the sense of depth as players try to escape the mysterious, twisting maze filled with unknown dangers. Originally released as Maze Hunter for the Master System in the West.  Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa - The sentient space ship Opa-Opa is back to defend its bases from evil (but cute!) invaders in the classic scrolling shooter. For SEGA history buffs, this version ofFantasy Zone II is the original Master System version. And for the previously released titles: Fantasy Zone II W -Fantasy Zone II W, which was originally created for the Master System, is the version of Fantasy Zone II upgraded to the graphical capabilities of the System- 16 arcade board with added 3D effects. You can enjoy it in 2 game modes with different rules. Sonic The Hedgehog - The evil scientist, Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik), has snatched the animals of South Island, turning them into robot slaves. Only the famed blue blur can defeat Dr. Eggman and rescue the animals from his vile clutches in the game that started it all for the fastest hedgehog - Sonic! Thunder Blade - In Thunder Blade, players control a helicopter and use guns and missiles to destroy enemy vehicles while flying between buildings, through caves, and into enemy bases. The re-mastered version boasts stereoscopic 3D visuals and adds a host of new features. Galaxy Force II - As the star pilot of the Space Federation, it's up to you to strap yourself into your TRY-X fighter and turn the tables on the invade forces of Halcyon and the Fourth Empire in this 3D shoot 'em up.  This remastered version has upgraded graphics with double the resolution of the original for a more pleasing aesthetic. Altered Beast - Summoned from the dead by Zeus, players in Altered Beast must shape shift into various beasts and fight off hordes of demons to rescue the captured Athena from the clutches of Neff. Offers local co-op multiplayer.