Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: 5pb./MAGES.
Publisher: 5pb./MAGES.
Release Date: December 7th, 2017 (NA)
File Size: 1.7GB

Review copy provided by 5pb./MAGES.

Well isn’t this a nice surprise! Out of nowhere 5pb. announced that they were porting the side-scrolling beat-em-up Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive to the Switch and be out in such short notice. This game was originally on XBLA (sans the Overdrive name) and later ported to Vita and PC, and then later to PS4 as Overdrive which came with paid DLC, alternate routes, and other enhancements. The Switch version actually is not only cheaper than the PS4 version, but now includes the DLC free of charge, but the alternate routes were omitted to prevent over complication (says 5pb.’s website). Another note is that like on PS4, the Switch version does feature online multiplayer… to be added in 2018 when Nintendo launches the paid online service, but the update will be free. So with that out of the way, how’s the game? Let’s find out!

Party Planet (Switch) Review

Title: Party Planet
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Teyon
Publisher: Mastiff
Release Date: December 12th, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Mastiff

Party Planet is a legit surprise release. This is the first retail release from Mastiff since Band Fuse: Rock Legends on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 way back on November 19th, 2013, so just over 4 years ago! Another interesting fact is that this game is developed by Teyon, who’ve had quite the history with Teyon, developing the Heavy Fire titles on Wii (as well as PS3 and 360) as well as the Remington (later retitled Outdoor Adventures) titles on Wii and 3DS. So this game is basically a revival of something commonly seen a gen ago but thought to never be seen again. Mastiff to Nintendo fans are very crucial in the fact that it was they who are responsible for Gurumin being ported to 3DS (check out my review of this!), literally doing something its creator Falcom would never do on their own (they famously hardly ever touch Nintendo hardware). Nintendo fans owe a lot to Mastiff in my opinion. I in particular am VERY grateful!

So Party Planet is here and just sort of came out of nowhere (initially leaked via GameStop’s website, the game’s exclusive retail release provider). It’s certainly different from Gurumin (sadly lacking a blue dude dancing to the killer beat of a boom box). So how did this mysterious game turn out? Let’s find out!

Stick it to the Man (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Stick it to the Man
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Zoink Games
Publisher: Zoink Games
Release Date: November 23rd, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Zoink Games

This game was by a company called Zoink Games, who’ve had a rocky time during the 2000’s. That’s because they were attempting to release a game called The Kore Gang. Initially being made for the original Xbox, the game ended up being cancelled. This changed upon the announcement that the game would be revived as a Wii game in collaboration with Snap Dragon Games. After numerous delays, it would finally come out at around 2012 in NA under Atari. The game got so-so reception, but one thing that shined was the talent behind the art, voice acting, and the like, which is credited to Zoink Games.

After that chapter was closed, Zoink Games attempted another Wii game called WeeWaa, that too got cancelled. Finally, they managed to create a new game and release it to the world all on their own on digital store fronts. This is that game. Initially released to a variety of platforms, including Wii U, it enjoyed positive reception and seemingly good sales with it. Today the developer is underway with a sequel/successor called Flipping Death, and another game called Fe (pronounced as “fee-uh”!), both of which are Switch-bound. But their first Switch game is indeed a port of Stick it to the Man. How did it turn out? Let’s find out!

Sonic Forces (Switch) Review

Title: Sonic Forces
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: November 7th, 2017 (NA)

It’s finally here, the long awaited debut of 3D Sonic for the mysterious NX that was announced alongside other platforms at the 25th anniversary party last year in July. We did get Sonic Mania on the Switch first, however for reasons unknown the existence of the Switch version wasn’t known until the Switch presentation back in January. So it’s here, and how did it turn out? Is it as bad as multiple reviewers and fans say it is? The answers in this review, may just surprise you!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch) Review

Title: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo EPD Kyoto
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: March 3rd, 2017 (NA)

Here’s something a little different, and by that I mean I now intend to publish more reviews of games NOT based on review copies but just games I’ve bought on my own and feel like reviewing!

Hey! Pikmin (3DS) Review

Title: Hey! Pikmin
Platform: Nintendo 3DS (played on a New 3DS)
Developer: Arzest
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: July 28th, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Nintendo

So here’s the latest collaboration between Nintendo and Arzest, the latter of which I happen to be a big fan of. This follows from Arzest’s two previous 3DS games with Nintendo, first being Yoshi’s New Island and Mario & Sonic at Rio 2016 Olympic Games on 3DS, the latter reuniting Naoto Ohshima with the very blue hedgehog he designed and co-created. So how does Arzest’s take on the Pikmin franchise fare? Let’s find out!

Sonic Mania (Switch eShop) Review

Title: Sonic Mania
Platform: Nintendo Switch eShop
Developer: Christian Whitehead/Headcannon/Pagoda Games/Tantalus Media (Switch version)
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: August 15th, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Sega

So here it is, the first true new 16-bit style 2D Classic Sonic game since Knuckles Chaotix. People were hyped through the roof when this was unveiled by Sega at the infamous 25th anniversary party a year ago in July. When you finally get the buzzing out of your ears, we’ll begin the review!

Puyo Puyo Tetris (Switch) Review

Title: Puyo Puyo Tetris
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Sonic Team / O-TWO
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: April 25th, 2017 (NA)

Review copy provided by Sega

Noah’s Cradle (3DS eShop) Review

Title: Noah’s Cradle
Platform: Nintendo 3DS eShop (played on a New 3DS)
Developer: Silver Star Japan
Publisher: Circle Ent.
Release Date: September 22nd, 2016 (NA), September 29th, 2016 UK/EU)
Price: $5.00/$7.00 (US/CDN), £3.99 (UK/EU)

Review copy provided by Circle Ent.

This review is so long overdue. For the longest time this game boggled my mind. Mostly it had to do with the customization system and how to explain it. Honestly a lot of the mechanics are extremely difficult to explain to be perfectly honest. I should point out that hardly any website out there ever bothered to review this game at least in the west (in fact Metacritic shows that NO ONE reviewed it at all), and honestly, I can see why.

I always intended to get this review done, but months and months passed and I never felt I could do it justice, since I’ve written numerous reviews already and I ALWAYS strive to be as detailed and specific as possible all while trying to give every game I review a fair shake. I honestly tried with this game, I truly did. believe it or not, I’m not even calling it a bad game per se! The word I think I’m looking for is overly complex perhaps. There’s a few key things to go through, and I’ll do my best.

Severed (3DS eShop/Wii U eShop) Review

Title: Severed
Platform: Nintendo 3DS eShop/Wii U eShop (played on both systems)
Developer: Drinkbox Studios
Publisher: Drinkbox Studios
Release Date: September 22nd, 2016 (NA and UK/EU)
Price: $13.49/$14.99 (US/CDN), £11.99/€13.99 (UK/EU), Cross-Buy (buy one version, get the other free)

Review copy provided by Drinkbox Studios

Today I’m reviewing the newest game by the creators of Guacamelee, and for those who don’t know, the Toronto developer Drinkbox Studios was formed by folks who were at Pseudo Interactive (who also were in Toronto), the creators of Cel Damage!

One thing to note is that Drinkbox seemingly did the 3DS and Wii U ports of Severed themselves, unlike with Guacamelee, which was ported to Wii U by Wii U veteran Broken Rules (creators of Chasing Aurora on Wii U and also And Yet it Moves on WiiWare). So it’s interesting to see Drinkbox develop the Nintendo versions of their game themselves this time around.