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Recent Articles on Defunct Games http://www.defunctgames.com The latest articles from Defunct Games. Death of a Wish http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1743 Hack and slash your way through the nightmarish world of Neo-Sanctum in Death of a Wish, the action-packed follow-up to Lucah: Born of a Dream. Using harsh and almost violent scratches to draw the details, this is an emotional journey that has a lot to say about religion, trauma and what it takes to heal. It’s also an intense action game that may look like a chaotic mess at times, but makes perfect sense and is extremely easy to get into. Harsh and unflinching, Death of a Wish is not only one of the year’s best games, but also an experience that will stick with you for a long time to come. Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Nintendo Switch Online: 2000s Critics Review F-Zero: Maximum Velocity on Game Boy Advance http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/214 Admit it, you thought we were done with the Nintendo Switch Online for March. But here we are, with just a few days left to go, and Nintendo surprises everybody with the long-overdue announcement that F-Zero: Maximum Velocity would be hitting the system this Friday. That’s really exciting news, but the question remains: Is this handheld racing game actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Next Generation and more classic magazines to see what critics thought when this game first came out. I hope you have a need for speed, because we’re hitting maximum velocity in this quickie episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 List of PlayStation Plus Classic Games http://www.defunctgames.com/psplus/1 Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 29 X-Men Games http://www.defunctgames.com/egmranks/68 As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of 29 X-Men games between 1989 and 2009. That includes a bunch of beat ‘em ups, side-scrolling action games and, of course, a whole line of Capcom fighters. This list will include a number of prominent team-ups, including the likes of Spider-Man and Captain America, but we are only including the games that are either branded as X-Men or feature multiple characters from the iconic team. What we’re going to do today is count down the best and worst X-Men games using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There’s no editorializing here. We’re just going to focus on what the critics said at the time. Oh, my stars and garters, you’re about to find out what happens when EGM Ranks the X-Men! Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Nintendo Switch Online: 1980s Critics Review River City Ransom, Wario's Woods, Kung-Fu Heroes & More http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/213 Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve done it. After nearly one-hundred episodes, we’ve officially covered every single game currently available on the Nintendo Switch Online service. That’s right, there are only six games left in need of getting the Review Crew treatment, and today we’re going to cover them all. I’m talking about old-school treasures like Baseball, Tennis, Wario’s Woods, Kung Fu Heroes NES Open Tournament Golf and River City Ransom. Sure, these games hit the online service years ago, but I still need to ask: Are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Computer & Video Games, GamePro, N-Force and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. So grab yourself a bottle of champagne and get ready to celebrate this very special episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1742 Although it’s missing a few key games, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is yet another fantastic video game compilation from Digital Eclipse. It tells the story of a video game rebel who used his quirky personality and eye for addictive games to stay relevant for more than fourty years. This interactive documentary and museum exhibit takes you inside some of his earliest games and shows you the highs and lows of the early days of the games industry. With more than fourty games and tons of extras, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is yet another great entry in Digital Eclipse’s Gold Master Series. Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 10 Dragon Quest & Dragon Warrior Games http://www.defunctgames.com/egmranks/67 As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of ten games in the Dragon Quest series. About half of these reviews came when the series was still going by Dragon Warrior in the West, and the rest is Dragon Quest and its various spin-offs. Unfortunately, as is often the case with a franchise that has been around this long, there are a bunch of titles Electronic Gaming Monthly failed to review, but they hit a lot of the classics and I think we have enough here for a fun (and surprisingly competitive) top ten list. What we’re going to do today is countdown the best and worst Dragon Quest games using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're just going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to stumble into a bunch of random battles, because that’s what happens when EGM ranks Dragon Quest and Dragon Warrior. Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Nintendo Switch Online: 1990s Critics Review Dr. Mario, Mario Tennis & Mario Golf http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/212 Surprise! Nintendo announced a whole bunch of Mario-related Game Boy games on March 10th, because it’s Mario Day. While it doesn’t include any of his more traditional adventures, this newest update does give Nintendo Switch Online subscribers a chance to experience the puzzle game favorite Dr. Mario, Mario Golf and Mario Tennis. That’s cool and all, but are any of these games actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, Computer & Video Games and more classic magazines to see what critics said back when these games first came out. So get those pain pills ready, because Mario going to get a real workout in this sporty episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Nintendo Switch Online: 1990s Critics Review Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus, Rygar, Xevious, Soccer & More http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/211 Of the fifteen games we still need to cover, nine of them were only reviewed by one magazine. That publication was Nintendo Magazine System, which was nice enough to offer up capsule reviews for many of these early games in their first issue. Instead of resorting to our usual format, I want to very quickly go through all nine of the remaining NES games reviewed by Nintendo Magazine System. This includes early classics like Donkey Kong, Ice Climber, Rygar, Kid Icarus and a whole lot more. I apologize in advance for the low-quality scans, but it’s the best I could do for this special episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 PopSlinger http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1741 It's hard to resist the style and charm of PopSlinger, a throwback shoot ‘em up now making its way to PlayStation and Xbox consoles. With strong characters and a story full of 1980s nostalgia, there’s a lot to like about this all-too-brief action game. Unfortunately, the shallow gameplay mechanics aren’t quite at the same level as the presentation. The soda-inspired weapons are cool in concept, but not all that different in execution, and there are a lot of weird gameplay decisions that feel like they were made at random. And then it just ends, right as it’s starting to get good. Maybe it’s because I’m not all that into soda, but PopSlinger failed to quench my shoot ‘em up thirst. Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 QuByte Classics: 1990s Critics Review Top Gear, Top Gear 2 & Top Gear 3000 on Super NES http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/210 Rev up your engines and prepare to be a little confused, because this week brings us the release of the Top Racer Collection from QuByte Interactive. Wait ... Top Racer? If you don’t recognize the game from that name, then it’s probably because this series is better known in the West by its former title – Top Gear. Now we’re getting a pretty cool collection featuring the original Top Gear, Top Gear 2 and Top Gear 3000, as well as a new game called “Crossroads” that mashes together some of the best elements, tracks and cars from the other installments. This upcoming collection will also feature a number of cool quality of life improvements, filters for a nostalgic experience, brand-new modes and even online multiplayer support. Don’t be thrown by the different name, because this is actually a really cool package that is a great buy for fans of these classic racers. With the full release just a few days away, I wondered what the critics thought of the Top Gear games back in the day. Were they actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Super NES Buyer’s Guide, GamePro, Super Play and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to race across the world and universe in this Top Racer episode of QuByte Classics Review Crew. Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 The Nintendo Switch Online Games That Weren’t Reviewed http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/209 In an attempt to cover every single game available on the Nintendo Switch Online, we’ve created a new page devoted exclusively to games that received zero English-language reviews. Sometimes it’s because the game came out before magazines were issuing reviews, while other times it’s because the game was a Japanese-exclusive until just recently. We’re going to recap and explain the situation for each of the review-less games in this brand-new episode. If you don’t see the game you’re looking for in the normal Review Crew episodes, then chances are good that it’s here. Sat, 02 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Nintendo Switch Online: 1980s Critics Review Ninja Gaiden, Balloon Fight & Vice: Project Doom http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/208 After releasing five games from Rare just one week ago, it’s another down week for the Nintendo Switch Online. That’s okay, because we still have a handful of Nintendo Entertainment System games that are in desperate need of getting the Review Crew treatment. This includes killer 8-bit hits like Ninja Gaiden, Balloon Fight and the oft-forgotten Vice: Project Doom. Yes, all of these games came to the Switch years ago, but I still need to ask: Are any of these games worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of GamePro, Mean Machines, Computer & Video Games and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to enjoy some early cut scenes, because this is a very cinematic episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Revenge of the Ronin http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1740/ I used to think that samurais were always exciting and cool ... and then I played Revenge of the Ronin. What should have been an action-packed road trip to the underworld is a slow and thoroughly bland experience that is every bit as boring as it is repetitive. With shallow gameplay and massive levels that are a pain to fight through, even the biggest samurai fan will quit the game long before seeing the underwhelming ending. I’m not sure who the coolest video game samurai is, but it’s definitely not Ren. Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Dead End City http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1739 Dead End City is the Mad Max shoot ‘em up we’ve all been waiting for. Set in a post-apocalyptic world filled with killer cars, this is a loving throwback to classic vehicular shooters from the 1980s. With plenty of characters, modes and bonuses to unlock, this simple action game will keep you going for at least a few hours. That said, the five stages are short and most shoot ‘em up veterans will have no problem beating the game quickly. Thankfully, the game is bursting with personality and gets all of the fundamentals right. Plus, you can throw cats at gang members. Who doesn’t want to do that? Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Slave Zero X http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1738 It’s not that I’m necessarily disappointed in this Slave Zero prequel, but rather am actively angry at it. This was a chance to actually improve on the original game’s terrible reputation, yet if anything, this bug-ridden throwback brawler actually made things worse. There were times when I spent more time watching the game crash on me than actually playing it, and in the rare times when I could get some momentum going, I was annoyed by the repetitive enemies and mid-level bosses. It’s clear that a lot of time went into making Slave Zero X, and that effort is completely overshadowed by a mountain of game-breaking bugs. This is not how you revive a franchise 25 years later. Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 9 Midnight Club & Smuggler's Run Games http://www.defunctgames.com/egmranks/66 As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of nine games in the Midnight Club and Smuggler’s Run franchises. While that may not sound like much, they managed to cover pretty much all of the major releases across both series. This includes all three of the Smuggler’s Run titles, as well as all of the Midnight Club titles, including the PSP port. Just about the only things missing are a couple of questionable Game Boy Advance ports and the various Remixes. Thankfully, they covered everything else, ensuring that we’ll have a fun (and surprisingly competitive) list. What we’re going to do today is count down the best and worst Rockstar racers using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're just going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. You better fasten your seatbelts, because it’s going to be a speedy episode when EGM Ranks Rockstar racers. Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Regency Solitaire II http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1737 We’re headed back to Edgerton for more scandals and drama. That’s right, it’s Regency Solitaire II, the surprisingly fun and fast-paced card game that turns traditional solitaire on its head. Get ready to clutch those pearls as Bella navigates her way through high society by clearing the table of cards, now with more power-ups and upgrades. While well-written and certainly fun to play, this sequel fails to expand on the original and feels like a step backwards after Grey Alien’s previous two combat-focused solitaire outings. Regency Solitaire II is fun and charming, but we’re starting to see diminishing results from this formula. Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Nintendo Switch Online: 1990s Critics Review Blast Corps, Killer Instinct, RC Pro-Am & More http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/207 When it rains, it pours. After 41 days, the Nintendo Switch Online drought is finally over. That’s right, starting today, subscribers to Nintendo’s online service will have access to five classic games from Rare Ltd., including the cult classic Blast Corps, R.C. Pro-Am, Snake Rattle N Roll, Killer Instinct and Battletoads in Battlemaniacs. Wow, that’s a lot of games, but are any of them actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Super Play, Die Hard Game Fan and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when these games first came out. Get ready to ride a wave of nostalgia with this Rare-filled episode of Nintendo Switch Online Review Crew. Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800 Geometry Survivor http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1736 Geometry Survivor is a dodge ‘em up that mixes the best elements of Vampire Survivor with Geometry Wars. It’s a throwback dual-stick shooter that ditches one of the sticks and forces the player to avoid differently-shaped enemies. The action is equal parts chaotic and exciting, especially when you’ve leveled up six different weapons all firing at once. However, once the repetition takes hold, it never lets go. This is a cheap game that is fun for a couple hours, but it’s in serious need of more levels and modes. While not as good as either Geometry Wars or Vampire Survivor, Geometry Survivor is still a good time that is worth five-bucks. Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800