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32 Endings (Ep. 31) - It's the second to last day in our month-long adventure through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! We're almost done. Today we're looking at one of the strangest endings of all time. The Matrix: Path of Neo may not sound that unusual, but I assure you this ending will blow your mind. Find out what happens to Neo when you read the penultimate episode of 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 24, 2011

Tetris (Virtual Console)

Tetris is a lot of things. It's the game that single-handedly created an entire genre of puzzlers. It is still one of the very best launch games of all time. It's one of the few games that has yet to be improved by technology. This is more than present in the original Game Boy version of Tetris, developed by Bullet-Proof Software and published by Nintendo.

December 23, 2011

Batman: The Dark Knight Tosses

32 Endings (Ep. 30) - It's the 30th day on our trek through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! With the recent success of Akrham City and the hype surrounding The Dark Knight Rises, Batman couldn't be hotter. While it may not be as ambitious as Rocksteady's recent work, SunSoft's 8-bit Batman game quickly became one of the best superhero games of its era. Unfortunately, it had an ending that seemed to go against everything the Caped Crusader stood for. Find out what I mean when you punch out another episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 23, 2011

This Week in Defunct Games - Dec. 23, 2011

If it's Friday, it's This Week in Defunct Games! Today we're looking at a couple familiar names for two different consoles. Unfortunately, only one of them is the game you know and love. Up first is Tetris, the launch game for Nintendo's first portable. We follow that up with the pathetic reboot of Centipede for the PlayStation. One of these games is worth playing, the other is called Centipede!

December 23, 2011

God of War: The Fall of Kratos

32 Endings (Ep. 29) - It's the 29th day of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas. We're so close to the finish line. Today we're taking an excessive look at God of War for the PlayStation 2. Developed by the guy that brought us Twisted Metal, God of War proved to be one of Sony's biggest action games. The mix of gory violence and Greek mythology was enough to earn the game several sequels/prequels and a proposed movie. Now you can see Kratos' ultimate fate when you memorize today's episode of 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 22, 2011

Streets of Rage: Meet the New Boss

32 Endings (Ep. 28) - We're up the 28th day in our 32 Game Endings of Christmas. Today we're looking at another alternate finale, the so-called "bad ending" of Sega's Streets of Rage. While it may not look like much now, Streets of Rage was the game that out-brawled the great Final Fight. It also featured multiple endings, including one that is full of sinister goodness. Find out which one we chose when you read another episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 21, 2011

P.O.W.: Prisoners of War (PSP Minis)

You play a prisoner of war who is going to do everything it takes to earn his freedom and make these bastards pay. So many of the levels are designed with two-players in mind, it's a real shame the PSP Minis are still hamstrung by these limitations. While not a must-have, P.O.W. offers gamers a fun brawling experience with a location you don't normally see.

December 20, 2011

Halo 2: Let's Not Finish the Fight

32 Endings (Ep. 27) - It's the 27th day in our month-long look at the 32 Game Endings of Christmas. With less than a week to go, we're finally digging into some of the best endings of all time. Sadly, this Halo 2 ending is one of the worst. If you ever want to hear a nerd cry about being unfulfilled, get them started on the many, MANY problems associated with Halo 2's narrative. Find out what I'm talking about when you read today's episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas.

December 20, 2011

The Goonies II: Konami Takes Credit

32 Endings (Ep. 26) - It's the 26th day on our 32 Game Endings of Christmas adventure. Up next we have The Goonies II, the confusing second chapter for Mikey and the gang. Here you have to use your puzzle solving skills to save your friends and a mermaid. But there's more to it than that, involving an interruption by the company that made this terrible game. Find out why this is one of the most memorable game endings of all time when you pretend to read another episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 19, 2011

Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi

Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi is an incredible looking game that is marred by one of the worst fighting engines I've ever seen. If you're a fan of lengthy (and unskippable) conversations, fights that go nowhere and button mashing, then this is the game for you. It's as if the developers went in and took out everything that was good about past Dragon Ball Z games. You don't need Super Saiyan powers to know to avoid Ultimate Tenkaichi!

December 19, 2011

Dead or Alive 4: A Touchy-Feely Ending

32 Endings (Ep. 25) - It's the 25th day on our journey through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! So far we've covered a couple of sexy game endings, but none are like this. Just imagine the perverted musings that happen in the mind of a middle-aged creeper and you get Dead or Alive 4. Instead of tackling all of the endings, we'll take a look at this oddly memorable Lei Fang cinema. I'm pretty sure you'll understand why we are singling it out!

December 18, 2011

Super Mario Bros. 2: Waking Life

32 Endings (Ep. 24) - It's the 24th episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas. Today we're taking a look at one of the most controversial sequels of all time: Super Mario Bros. 2. Mario, the Princess, Luigi and Toad return for another adventure that is NOTHING like the first game. Of course, that's because this didn't start out as a Mario game. But that's neither here nor there, because Super Mario Bros. 2 has one of the most interesting endings in 8-bit history!

December 17, 2011

Blaster Master: Enemy Below (Virtual Console)

Released a dozen years after the original 8-bit NES game, Blaster Master: Enemy Below marked a return to form for SunSoft's misunderstood platformer. Part remake and part sequel, this Game Boy Color game managed to take the best elements and turn them into the game SunSoft wanted to make all along.

December 16, 2011

The 11th Hour: The Taste of Love

32 Endings (Ep. 23) - It's the 23rd day on our 32 Game Endings of Christmas, which means we're in the home stretch. There are less than ten episodes left until the big Christmas Day finale! Today we're taking a look at the oft-forgotten full-motion video puzzler, The 11th Hour. This Myst-clone is the sequel to The 7th Guest. Time has not been kind to this series, but this cinema still holds up as one of the craziest endings of all time!

December 16, 2011

This Week in Defunct Games - Dec. 16, 2011

If it's Friday it's This Week in Defunct Games! This week we only have one game to look at. Things are slowing down as we near Christmas. Nevertheless, we're here to review Blaster Master: Enemy Below, a completely misunderstood Game Boy Advance platformer from 2000. Is this the Blaster Master game you've been waiting for? Find out when you read another exciting episode of This Week in Defunct Games!

December 16, 2011

Mortal Kombat Sub Zero: Brrrrrr!

32 Endings (Ep. 22) - It's the 22nd day in our list of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! After riding a wave of success, Midway was compelled to do everything in its power to slow down Mortal Kombat's success. They did this by using full-motion video cinemas, bad gameplay and a laughable story that is only made worse by the casting decisions. This is one ending you have to see to believe. See how it ends in today's episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 15, 2011

Dracula X: Burning Down the House

32 Endings (Ep. 21) - It's the 21st day in our month-long look at the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Today we're looking at one of Konami's hidden gems. Dracula X: Rondo of Blood originally didn't get a Western release, instead it stayed put in Japan on a console few people owned. Since then it has managed to find its way to the States (in both a PSP game and a Wii port), finally giving Castlevania fans a chapter they completely missed. See how it ends in today's episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 14, 2011

Crisis Core: There Will Be Blood

32 Endings (Ep. 20) - It's day twenty on our slog through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Do you like cores? Are you into Final Fantasy? What about crisis? Even if you said no to all of that, we're still going to take a look at Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. It may not get the same amount of love heaped on the numbered sequels, but Crisis Core has proven itself to be one of strongest entries in the long running series. Find out how it ends when you steal the identity of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 13, 2011

Dragon's Lair: Love Conquers All

32 Endings (Ep. 19) - It's the nineteenth day on our trip through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Today we're checking out Dragon's Lair, the very first laserdisc game. This interactive cartoon was a big hit at the arcade, spawning countless ports (including a few that weren't cartoons at all). Now is your chance to see how this classic ends without memorizing the beats of the story. See why Princess Daphne was worth saving when you read today's episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 12, 2011

Tetris: This Game Has An Ending?

32 Endings (Ep. 18) - Is it already the eighteenth day in our month-long 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Today we're going handheld. That's right; we're taking a look at one of the best portable games of all time. I'm talking about Tetris, the pack-in game that introduced the world to the Nintendo Game Boy. Did you know this game has an ending? It does and you're about to see it when you read another episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 11, 2011

Ghosts 'n Goblins: Capcom Trolls Gamers

32 Endings (Ep. 17) - It's the seventeenth day in our month-long look at the 32 Game Endings of Christmas. It's usually here where things start to break down. But that's not the case this year, thanks in large part to this frustrating finale for the great Ghosts 'n Goblins. Think you have what it takes to survive Satan's twist ending? Find out now when you read another exciting episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 10, 2011

Metroid: Samus is Full of Surprises!

32 Endings (Ep. 16) - It's the sixteenth day of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! That means we're exactly half way through this laborious piece of garbage ... er, I mean amazing holiday celebration. Today we're taking a look at one of the most beloved sci fi games of all time: Metroid! This ending has big surprises. At least it did when it first came out, now pretty much everybody knows how it ends. And that's why it's a perfect selection for the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 09, 2011

This Week in Defunct Games - Dec. 9, 2011

If it's Friday it's This Week in Defunct Games! Apparently Nintendo was too busy launching their new firmware, because the Virtual Console got a week off. Thankfully Sony still has the hits coming, this time with a port of Final Fantasy VI. Do you seriously need an excuse to buy one of the best role-playing games of all time? If so, then check out my review in one of the year's last episodes of This Week in Defunct Games!

December 09, 2011

Metal Gear Solid: SNAAAAAAAAAAKE!?!?

32 Endings (Ep. 15) - It's the fifteenth day in our month-long trek through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Are you one of those people who have been emailing me demanding longer end cinemas? If so, then I have a doozy of a cut scene for you. Overly dramatic, long winded and full of anti-war messaging; it can only be one thing: Metal Gear Solid for the PlayStation. Find out why this game deserves to be on our list of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 08, 2011

The Beatles Rock Band: The End

32 Endings (Ep. 14) - We're fourteen days into the 32 Game Endings of Christmas. Are you ready for something completely different? For today's episode we are taking a trip all the way back to ... 2009? It's time for The Beatles: Rock Band, featuring one of the single best game endings of all time. You don't expect great game endings from rhythm games, but this is one release that bucks that trend. The 32 Game Endings of Christmas are always keeping you on your toes!

December 07, 2011

Sonic CD: Once More With Feeling

32 Endings (Ep. 13) - We're thirteen days into the 32 Game Endings of Christmas and boy do I have a treat for you today. After watching a bunch of boring endings full of text and pixels, today we're going to take a look at an ending that ditches all that. Sonic the Hedgehog CD doesn't need sappy dialog; it lets the cheesy song do all the work. Get ready for a rap/rockin' good time when we dig into Sonic CD's Japanese ending!

December 06, 2011

Contra III: Jimbo & Sully vs. Evil

32 Endings (Ep. 12) - It's day twelve in our 32 Game Endings of Christmas celebration. Up next we have one of Konami's biggest sequels, the action-packed Contra III: The Alien Wars. Watch as trained soldiers fight back alien swarms and test their upper body strength. Best of all, today's game ending is one of the few to feature an excited dog! All that and more when you tune into another exciting episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 05, 2011

J.J. & Jeff: Wait ... WHAT?!?

32 Endings (Ep. 11) - For the eleventh day of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas we've decided to shake things up a bit. For the past week and a half we've looked at normal games with traditional endings. Today we're bucking that trend and getting to the bottom of J.J. & Jeff. It may not be the most memorable ending of all time, but it's about time we all see what happens at the end of this crazy bong hit of a TurboGrafx-16 game.

December 04, 2011

Bad Dudes: Hamburgers on Ronnie

32 Endings (Ep. 10) - It's day 10 of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas and that can only mean one thing, it's time for Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja! Generally speaking, the stakes aren't real high in most old school brawlers. Both Double Dragon and Final Fight featured characters battling over women, and who knows what the Battletoads were up to. But Bad Dudes bucks that trend, tasking our heroes with saving none other than the President of the U.S.A.!

December 03, 2011

Adventure Island (Virtual Console)

Despite sharing its name with a 1988 NES game, Hudson's Adventure Island is actually a black & white retelling of Adventure Island II. Confused naming aside, Adventure Island sees Master Higgins frolicking around tropical beaches. The game is nothing more than a basic 2D platformer, where you guide Higgins through forests, caves and other dangerous locations.

December 02, 2011

Bionic Commando: Down Goes Hitler

32 Endings (Ep. 9) - It'd day nine of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Even by the late-1980s, most of the action game fundamentals were set in stone. We knew that every level would advance in order and you could always jump from platform to platform. Bionic Commando bucked that trend, forcing gamers to mix up the levels and use a grappling hook. The gimmick worked and Capcom's Bionic Commando became a personal favorite for many NES owning gamers. Check out this explosive ending on the ninth day of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 02, 2011

This Week in Defunct Games - Dec. 2, 2011

If it's Friday it's This Week in Defunct Games! Now that we've caught up with both the 3DS Virtual Console and the PSone Classics, it's time to get to this week's retro releases. Up first we have Adventure Island on the Game Boy, but it's not the Adventure Island you're thinking of. DarkStalkers also makes an appearance, though longtime fans may not like what I have to say about this disappointment. Find out which is which when we cover This Week in Defunct Games!

December 02, 2011

Flashback: The Quest for Closure

32 Endings (Ep. 8) - It'd day eight of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! The spiritual successor to Out of this World, Flashback: Quest for Identity still remains a science fiction masterpiece. Delphine Software offered a complex narrative at a time when most game stories fit on a single page of the instruction manual. Although the controls may seem archaic by today's standard, Flashback remains one of the most intriguing games of the 16-bit era. Find out how it ends in this eighth day of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

December 01, 2011

Last Week in Defunct Games - PSone Catch-Up