Today we’re all celebrating the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection,* a new retro compilation of all of SEGA’s Wonder Boy and Monster World games from the 80s and 90s released to mark the 35th anniversary of the series. Weird number, but who’s complaining? If you’re thinking that this review seems awfully familiar, there’s a very good reason, as ININ Games published a Wonder Boy Collection less than a
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There was clearly a lot of love that went into the making of Jitsu Squad – love for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, that is. Aside from the obvious inspirations and comparisons to TMNT, there are a plethora of other video game and pop-culture references throughout Jitsu Squad.* Naturally, some light spoilers will follow. Much like the aforementioned TMNT arcade game, Jitsu Squad lets you pick from four
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Gesundheit. ININ Games has announced that the retro-inspired brawler Jitsu Squad will be available on 9 December for PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. A digital-only release for Xbox is planned for a later date. Developed by Tanuki Creative Studio, Jitsu Squad is a 2D beat ‘em up featuring unique character designs, a hand-drawn 2D visual aesthetic, online and local co-op
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ININ Games recently announced that 2-D brawler Slaps and Beans 2 will be coming to consoles sometime in 2023. Developed by Buddy Productions and Trinity Team, Slaps and Beans 2 is the sequel to the irreverent first game starring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. The game was successfully crowdfunded in 2021, and will feature an improved combat system and the
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ININ Games recently announced that 2D beat ‘em up Jitsu Squad is scheduled to release later this year for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5 (in both digital and physical format). A digital-only release for Xbox is planned for a later date. Developed by Tanuki Creative Studio, Jitsu Squad is a fast-paced brawler featuring unique character designs, colorful graphics, and both
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ININ Games recently announced that inkle’s narrative adventure games 80 Days and Overboard! are both coming to the Nintendo Switch in a single, physical package. 80 Days is a reimagining of Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in 80 Days, but with a steampunk backdrop. Overboard! is described as a “reverse whodunnit” where players must find to escape a cruise
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Following up on their recent retro revivals for Ninjawarriors and Wild Arms, developer Tengo Project are back at it trying to breathe new life in a latent Japanese franchise with Pocky & Rocky Reshrined.* Unless you are a seasoned Super NES veteran (or a connoisseur of rare Game Boy Advance curios), it’s very likely that you’ve never played Pocky & Rocky game. Originally developed by
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My personal Wonder Boy Collection is already complete, as I like to think of myself as one of the Wonder Boy series’ biggest fans. My very first game (outside of the pack-in Hang-On/Safari Hunt) was the original Wonder Boy for the Sega Master System. While my brother picked up Alex Kidd in Miracle World (wise beyond his years), and my
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I can remember seeing the original Cotton in game magazines back in the early 90’s, and thinking how it looked like a game that I would probably enjoy. My favorite games were typically shooters (shoot ’em ups, in modern terms), and I thought the premise of a witch flying around and shooting on her broom sounded like a fun idea.
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Publishers ININ Games and Mebius recently released 2D bullet-hell shoot ‘em up Rolling Gunner + Over Power for the PS4. Directed by ex-Cave developer Daisuke Koizumi (Deathsmiles 2, Dondonpachi), Rolling Gunner has been available on Nintendo Switch since 2019, but this PS4 release includes the Over Power DLC which is bundled into the overall package. If you’re a physical game
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ININ Games recently announced that Cotton Fantasy will be released for Nintendo Switch and PS4 on 20 May, and is now available for preorder. Released this past December in Japan under the title Cotton Rock ‘n’ Roll, this Cotton Fantasy is intended to represent a full rebirth of the Cotton series. This certainly makes sense, as Fantasy the first new
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No Arkanoid, no Bubble Bobble, no Space Invaders, no Darius… How does one create a Taito Milestones arcade collection without those games? While some are available on other collections, it’s very strange to have a collection of classic, 1980s Taito arcade games without them (Fully acknowledging that the original Space Invaders was released in the 70s). Instead, Taito Milestones (published
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Natsume has partnered with ININ Games to release physical retail editions of Pocky & Rocky Reshrined for both PS4 and Nintendo Switch, with Natsume publishing in North America and ININ Games in charge of the European release. In addition, there are also plans for both a Limited and Collector’s Edition of Pocky & Rocky Reshrined from Strictly Limited Games, the
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ININ Games recently announced that the Wonder Boy Collection will be coming soon to Nintendo Switch and PS4 as part of the celebration of the series’ 35th anniversary. A digital version will be published by Bliss Brain, and Strictly Limited Games will release exclusive two retail editions: Limited and Collector’s Edition. The collection will include the following four titles: Wonder
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Publisher ININ Games recently announced that The Boulder Dash Ultimate Collection will coming to the Nintendo Switch in a physical edition. The collection will include both Boulder Dash Deluxe and Boulder Dash 30th Anniversary. Originally created in 1984 by Peter Liepa, Boulder Dash is an action puzzle game that has since seen a number of ports, sequels and reinterpretations across
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Guess which video game now holds the Guinness Book of World Records title of “longest time between a video game project start and final release?” Okay, that’s an easy one since we’re reviewing the game, but yes, it’s Westone Bit’s Clockwork Aquario, which began development in 1991 as an arcade game, and is now finally being released for the Nintendo
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Publisher ININ Games has announced that the Taito Milestones collection is coming soon to Nintendo Switch. Taito Milestones includes ten classic games from the golden age of arcades: the 80s (the best decade, after all). Here’s the official breakdown of Taito Milestones from ININ Games, followed by the list of games included (so far): Replay the classics with which it
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As part of Cotton’s 30th Anniversary celebration, ININ Games has announced an all-new game in the series: Cotton Fantasy. Developed by SUCCESS, Cotton Fantasy is a 2D horizontal shooter built from the ground up for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch (It will also be released in Japan under the title Cotton Rock ‘n’ Roll, FYI). This is the first new
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*Disclosure: A copy of Panorama Cotton was provided to The Splintering for the purposes of this review. With that disclosure out of the way, I would like to now say, “THANK YOU” to ININ Games for the review copy of Panorama Cotton! I enjoyed the heck out of this game! I guess I spoiled the outcome of this review up
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ININ Games has been on quite a roll while celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Cotton franchise. Originally created in 1991 for the Sharp X68000 computer (X68K), the first Cotton game helped to popularize the “cute-em-up” sub-genre of the 2D, side-scrolling shooter. The series would spawn several sequels, including a 1994 release for the Super Famicom (aka the Super Nintendo)
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To celebrate 30 years (!) of the Cotton franchise, ININ Games recently announced that Cotton 100%, Panorama Cotton, and Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute will be getting western releases soon. Specific platforms and a release date have not yet been confirmed. However, at least Nintendo Switch and PS4 are extremely likely, and the games will have to be released before
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Beginning life as a mobile game, WitchSpring 3 Re:Fine The Story of Eirudy is now available on the Nintendo Switch. Created by Kiwi Walks and published here in the United States by ININ Games, WitchSpring 3 is a fairly short (roughly ten hours), traditional turn-based RPG that has a great amount of charm. However, considering that you can get the
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To celebrate 40 years of the monumental Space Invaders franchise, Taito has partnered with ININ Games to release Space Invaders Invincible Collection, a compilation that features 11 sci-fi shooters from the Space Invaders series (or, in some cases, loosely tied to the series). Here’s the list of games included with Space Invaders Invincible Collection: Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – original
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Taito and ININ Games have partnered up to release G-Darius HD, a remastered port of 1997’s arcade title… G-Darius. Developed by M2, G-Darius HD will be available physically and digitally for Nintendo Switch and PS4 later in 2021 (that’s for both North American and European territories). While the Darius shoot ‘em up series dates back to the mid-80s (or as
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On Thursday, ININ Games announced that Cotton Reboot! will be released both digitally and physically on the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on 20 July in Europe, North America and Australasia (It’s been available in Japan since February). Developed by BEEP, Cotton Reboot! is a reimagining of the 2-D shoot-em-up originally released in arcades and later on the TurboGraphx CD and
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A beautiful, approachable, and engaging adventure with a lot of charm, Asha in Monster World is exactly the kind of game my early 90s self wished the games of the future would be.
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Game publisher ININ Games and developer STUDIOARTDINK recently announced that Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World will release in Western regions on 28 May for Nintendo Switch PS4. A Steam PC version is scheduled to release a month later on 29 June. Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a modern remake of Monster World IV, which was developed by
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Publisher ININ Games has released a new trailer for Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World, Studio Artdink’s modern update of Monster World IV. The new trailer is titled “Welcome to Monster World”, and it showcases quite a bit of the remake’s gameplay. You can check out the trailer for yourself below. Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World will launch for
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ININ Games has released the first teaser trailer for Clockwork Aquario, the final arcade game ever created by Westone Bit Entertainment. While the unfinished title was once believed to be lost after 1993, Clockwork Aquario was rescued from obscurity thanks to the efforts of German publisher Strictly Limited Games. Retro gamers familiar with Westone’s Wonder Boy series should immediately see
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The Ninja Warriors: Once Again is set to launch on PSN and the Nintendo Switch eShop on 25 July, though when it arrives, it will be under the new title The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors. A limited physical release will follow on 30 August from ININ Games. The Ninja Saviors is an updated remake of Tengo Project’s The Ninja
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The Splintering 