Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege Review (PS5)
Going back to the NES 8-bit days of Castlevania is not as easy as it should be. It’s doubly not as easy when something modern is made that way on purpose. Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege from developer Lillymo Games is a title that reaches back to the NES days when games like Castlevania ruled the earth. The joy and torture of those games back in the day relied on rigid controls, unforgivable and...[Read More]
Super Alloy Crush Early Access Impressions (PC)
Give me some 2D side-scrolling action with a hefty side of fun. Super Alloy Crush from developer Alloy Mushroom was just released into Early Access this past week. We have had the pleasure of digging into this game before, and now that it’s out in the open and updated, we’re back again with a new preview. While I could never be as precise or as eloquent as Will Silberman with this game, or preview...[Read More]
ZPF gets new lore trailer from Mega Cat Studios
Well, that looks like fun. Check out the official trailer below and feel free to break out that Sega Genesis. Pittsburgh, PA – January 31, 2025 – The spacefaring felines at Mega Cat Studios and shoot-’em-up savants at ZPF Team are thrilled to release a brand-new Lore Trailer for ZPF, the highly anticipated 16-bit shoot-‘em-up for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive. This latest trailer for the game, ...[Read More]
RetroRealms – Halloween and Ash vs. Evil Dead Review (Xbox Series X)
There was some charm that existed within 16-bit side scrollers. These types of games were very identifiable to the 90s gaming era and usually drove both the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo systems. Both systems were built on a high-quality 2D experience that drove gamers and profits, and which caused the great video game war of the ’90s to reach its zenith. Having been a huge gamer from the ...[Read More]
The Legend of Tianding Review
It has been a longggggg time since I’ve sat down with a side-scrolling action-adventure game and felt satisfied by its gameplay. Typically, they’re a dime a dozen with pointless narrative backdrops, where there is just enough story to push you through to the one-dimensional action. It’s amazing how people cannot balance story and action together to create something special. Thankfully, The Legend ...[Read More]
Andro Dunos II Review
Back in 1992, if you were well-off enough to afford a NEO GEO system ($699) and the games sold with it ($199-299 each – depending on where you bought them), then you probably would have heard of the side-scrolling arcade shooter Andro Dunos. It was certainly a game that was ahead of its time and found a comfortable place among a sea of arcade shooting experiences. For me, I couldn’t afford a NEO G...[Read More]
Shing! Review
Released by developer Mass Creation, Shing! Is a beat em’ up style, brawler side-scroller featuring ninjas versus orc-like “yokai”. As I loaded up the game, I was thrilled and extremely pleased with the exciting, hand-drawn animated sequence that served as an introduction to the world, your heroes, and your villains. It was just super cool and – to be frank – super badass. From the out...[Read More]
Freedom Finger
Shoo the kids out of the room, close your blinds, and prepare for a middle-finger ri— nope! Freedom Finger is a side-scrolling shooter that doesn’t apologize for its outrageous intentions, while at the same time presses the pedal to the metal with its badass rock music. Funny on the outside, complicated fun on the inside, and over before you know it. Not bad for a $14.99 price tag. Before we get i...[Read More]
3000th Duel arrives on Nintendo Switch
Seongnam, Republic of Korea –February 19, 2020– Independent games studio NEOPOPCORN Corp release the dark fantasy metroidvania 3000th Duel on Switch today. 3000th Duel is an obscure exploration-focused, side-scroller action RPG containing 150+ monsters and gigantic final bosses in a universe with more than 300 organically connected biomes. “3000th Duel features speedy and exciting battles against ...[Read More]
Dragon Marked for Death
Dragon Marked for Death is exactly what I thought it might be; difficult, yet good. It’s one of those side-scrolling platformers that was nice and pretty on the outside, but deceivingly deep and ‘Dark Souls’-esque on the inside. That said, let’s dig right into it. Upon loading up the game for the first time, it took me to a player select screen. A bit of a shoutout to the old school arcade experie...[Read More]
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots succeeds in mimicking those side scrolling beat-em-ups of yesteryear. With an anime-inspired art style, a fantastic chiptune soundtrack, and addicting gameplay, it’s hard to put down. The story is simple, with a focus on comedy, that gets out of the way for the gameplay, and aside from a few stages that feel a bit repetitive, its some of the most fun I’ve had in a si...[Read More]
Alto’s Odyssey gets a launch trailer
There’s something absolutely soothing about seeing this trailer in action. There’s a bit of Journey in there with a little bit of a 2D classic side-scroller for good measure. Regardless, I bet it’s darn good. Check out the trailer.