June 2014

June 30, 2014 Review Crew

Batman - The Video Game: What Did Critics Say Back in 1990&#

Episode #62 - Long before every summer was filled with big-budget comic book adaptations, there was Tim Burton's Batman. With an all-star cast that included Michael Keaton, Jack Nickolson and Kim Basinger, this ada...
June 27, 2014 Review Crew

Pit-Fighter: What Did Critics Say Back in 1991?

Episode #61 - Street Fighter II may have popularized one-on-one fighting games, but Pit-Fighter took it one step further with a three-person melee. It featured a kick boxer, a wrestler and martial arts expert, all ...
June 25, 2014 Review Crew

ActRaiser: What Did Critics Say Back in 1991?

Episode #60 - Released only a few weeks after the Super NES, ActRaiser quickly became the system's surprise hit. By mixing 2D side-scrolling action with Populous-style simulation, Enix managed to create a fantasy g...
June 23, 2014 Review Crew

A Boy and His Blob: What Did Critics Say in 1990?

Episode #59 - From the mind of David Crane comes A Boy and His Blob, the delightful open world puzzler for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. This 2D title sees players feeding their Blob jelly beans t...
June 21, 2014 Recapped

A Full Week of Final Fight

Episode #47 - If the streets have been more violent than usual, it could be because it's Final Fight week here at Defunct Games. This week the Review Crew looked at Final Fight 1, Final Fight 2 and Final Fight 3, a...
June 20, 2014 Review Crew

Final Fight 3: What Did Critics Say in 1995?

Episode #58 - Haggar is back ... again. After a two year break, Capcom decided to bring the brawler out of retirement for one last 16-bit adventure. Did Final Fight 3 send the beat-em-up off on a good note, or was ...
June 18, 2014 Review Crew

Final Fight 2: What Did the Critics Say in 1993?

Episode #57 - Haggar is back in Final Fight 2, the sequel to Capcom's popular Super NES launch game. Learning from the first Final Fight, Capcom has added new characters, locations and a two-player mode. But was th...
June 17, 2014 Help Wanted

Project: Should I Buy Your Game?

Episode #1 - Are you a game developer or somebody who works in game PR? Do you have a game to promote? Then we need to get you on Defunct Games' newest show: "Should I Buy Your Game?"...
June 16, 2014 Review Crew

Final Fight on Super NES: What Did Critics Say in 1991?

Episode #56 - Before Street Fighter II changed everything, Final Fight was the biggest brawler in the arcades. So when Capcom announced that the beat-em-up was headed to the Super NES, fighting fans were understand...
June 14, 2014 Recapped

Old School Magazines React to the First E3!

Episode #46 - Good news everybody: We all survived another E3. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft all announced new projects and the consumers seem excited about the next two years of gaming. But instead of looking towar...
June 13, 2014 Review Crew

Sewer Shark: What Did Critics Say Back in 1993?

Episode #55 - Overshadowed by Night Trap, Sewer Shark was the other full-motion video game to make the Sega CD launch. Featuring endless corridors and bad acting, this on-rails shooter wowed audiences with its uniq...
June 13, 2014 A Brief History of Gaming

The First E3: This Is How Nintendo Power Covered E3 in 1995!

Episode #35 - E3 may be over, but our week-long look at the very first Electronic Entertainment Expo is sticking around for one more day. For our final episode, we'll see the very first E3 through the eyes of Ninte...
June 12, 2014 A Brief History of Gaming

The First E3: How Electronic Gaming Monthly Covered E3 in 19...

Episode #34 - E3 week is almost over, but our week-long look at the very first Electronic Entertainment Expo rages on. Today's episode sees the E3 1995 through the eyes of Electronic Gaming Monthly, one of the most...
June 11, 2014 Review Crew

Tempest 2000: What Did Critics Say Back in 1994?

Episode #54 - While many consider the Atari Jaguar to be a mistake, the "64-bit" system did have a number of worthwhile games. Perhaps the best was Tempest 2000, the long-overdue sequel to one of Atari's greatest s...
June 11, 2014 A Brief History of Gaming

The First E3: What Did Next Generation Think of E3 in 1995&#

Episode #33 - Are you overwhelmed by the usual E3 news? Then join Defunct Games as they take a look back at the very first Electronic Entertainment Expo in 1995. This is day three of a week-long series that se...
June 10, 2014 A Brief History of Gaming

The First E3: How Die Hard Game Fan Covered E3 in 1995

Episode #32 - E3 week is here. But instead of looking at the newest and hottest games, Defunct Games is taking a look back at the very first Electronic Entertainment Expo. This is day two of our week-long series th...
June 09, 2014 Review Crew

F-Zero: What Did Critics Say in 1991?

Episode #53 - F-Zero has the distinction of being the very first racing game on the Super NES. It's a fast-paced single-player racing game unlike anything you've seen before. But was F-Zero well received when it fi...
June 09, 2014 A Brief History of Gaming

The First E3: This Is How GamePro Covered E3 in 1995!

Episode #31 - E3 week is upon us. But instead of looking forward to the big game announcements, Defunct Games is taking a look back at the very first Electronic Entertainment Expo. This is the first part of a week-...
June 06, 2014 Review Crew

Phantasy Star IV: What Did Critics Say Back in 1995?

Episode #52 - Phantasy Star IV was not just the End of the Millennium, but also the final 16-bit entry in the role-playing series. And with a $100 asking price, the end came with a steep barrier for entry. Were cri...
June 06, 2014 Clever Blog Name TK

Introducing the Defunct Games Blog (Working Title)

Episode #1 - This is a blog. Okay, so it may not look like your typical blog, but I am choosing to call it a blog nevertheless. I genuinely hate the term "blog;" it has always felt like a backhanded compliment. It...
June 04, 2014 Review Crew

Phantasy Star III: What Did Critics Say Back in 1991?

Episode #51 - Few role-playing games are as epic as Phantasy Star III on the Sega Genesis. Spanning 100 years and three generations, Sega's 16-bit RPG was a big deal in 1991. But did the game live up to its lofty a...
June 04, 2014 Freeze Frame

PSA: The PSP and PS Vita Are Not the Same System

Episode #92 - After nearly a decade, the PlayStation Portable's life is finally coming to an end. But some media outlets seem to think it's the PS Vita that is disappearing, not the 10 year old PSP. In this article...
June 02, 2014 Review Crew

Phantasy Star II: Were Critics into Sega's RPG in 1990?

Episode #50 - Forget dungeons and dragons, Phantasy Star II takes role-playing gamers out of the high fantasy world and throws them into a distant future. After a successful Master System installment, Sega decided ...
June 01, 2014 Recapped

A Full Week of Phantasy Star

Episode #45 - Defunct Games is proud to present a week of Phantasy Star coverage. We'll be spending the entire week seeing what critics thought of Sega's old school role-playing series. Was there one Phantasy Star ...