http://www.defunctgames.com The latest articles from Defunct Games. http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1860 Finding Polka is a cozy new game that asks the question: What if Where’s Waldo had more fetch quests? With hand-drawn graphics and stages that are overflowing with silly characters and humorous scenarios, the visuals are almost overwhelming at times. That said, the simple missions are a bit on the easy side and the art style can sometimes make it hard to get around over-stuffed stages. But for those who can overlook these issues, you’ll be treated to a creative story that goes in some truly unhinged directions in the second half. And admit it, you want to know if Frendy and Jazz eventually find Polka. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1859 A loving tribute to games like GodenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, Agent 64: Spies Never Die delivers fast-paced espionage action that is both nostalgic and modern. While the initially intriguing story is a bit lacking and the game could use more gadgets, I doubt anybody will be disappointed with the well-crafted level designs, the spycraft missions and a treasure trove of fun game modes that extend beyond the 14-stage campaign. Throw in a fun multiplayer mode and free DLC and you have a truly impressive debut game from Replicant D6. If you love those classic Nintendo 64-era first-person shooters, then Agent 64 is an absolute must-play. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1858 A brutal, violent and often gruesome action game where wild animals control the urban jungle, Kusan: City of Wolves is a fast-paced action/shooter modeled off of games like Hotline Miami. With a twisted story full of evil characters and conspiracies, this is an instantly intriguing crime thriller with a cool hero who has the right moves for ever situation. Fans of the genre will love the depth of gameplay upgrades and abilities, but those who get frustrated easily may want to find their thrills somewhere else. If you’re looking for a challenge and don’t mind getting your paws a little bloody, you’ll definitely want to sink your fangs into Kusan: City of Wolves. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1856 K-pop superstars assemble! If you’ve ever wanted to manage your own all-girl pop band, then K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut is here to scratch that very specific itch. Find the right girls and put them through an all-singing, all-dancing bootcamp to transform them into reality TV stars. Sadly, the music takes a backseat to a game that seems more preoccupied with social connections and etiquette lessons. Between the weird turn-based battles and abrupt ending that stops right when the game is starting to get good, this game is bound to frustrate and annoy even the most hardcore K-pop fan. Who knew that the road to success would be this short and easy? Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1857 Don’t let the repetitive title fool you, Dragon Dragon Fire Fire Deluxe is the kind of throwback game that finds new and inventive ways to keep the old school action fresh and exciting. Through 200 single-screen stages, our dragon heroes set fire to the levels and bad guys, giving us a unique experiment that combines the best elements of Bubble Bobble and BurgerTime. It’s not especially long and many people will be able to beat it in a single sitting, but at only five dollars, you’re not going to feel letdown by Dragon Dragon Fire Fire Deluxe. Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1855 Great Scott! Lifted is what you get if you combine Rayman with Uncharted, all while sprinkling a little Back to the Future over the whole thing. While the time travel antics are fun, the puzzles and straight-forward platforming will leave experienced gamers wanting more. Younger gamers may enjoy the colorful characters and the many cinema scenes, but I suspect almost everybody will eventually grow tired of Ari’s incessant negativity. With too much yapping and not enough gameplay, Lifted is the kind of game that could easily get lost to time. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1854 Spanish developer Meteor Forge is onto something with this pinball/roguelike mash-up. With fun one-on-one battles and lots of perks, abilities and special balls to buy and collect, Runix makes a good first impression. Unfortunately, it won’t take you long to complete, revealing a disappointingly shallow experience with only three pinball tables and a small selection of enemies and bosses to kill. There are good ideas here, but Runix: Pinball Roguelike comes up frustratingly short where it counts. I would love to see a sequel, because there’s real potential here. Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1853 A once-forgotten 1990s gem, Biomechanical Toy is getting a second chance to shine some thirty years after it first came out. With a zany art style and over-the-top sense of humor, this run ‘n gun shooter is considered by many to be the “cousin” of Metal Slug. While the similarities are there, this pint-sized action game stands on its own with fun gameplay quirks and levels that you’ll want to explore. You’ll have to put up with cheap hits and an aggressive time limit, but fans of games like Contra and Gunstar Heroes will have a blast with Biomechanical Toy. Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1852 A stylish mix of Wild West action and supernatural thrills, Rose & Locket is the stunning debut from one of the most promising up-and-coming studios. Take down the seven deadly sins in one of the most visually arresting games of the year, complete with inventive platforming puzzles and multi-part boss fights that are to die for. This is an absolutely wild roller coaster ride full of surprising turns and incredible moments you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the kind of game you’ll want to play again and again and again. Rose & Locket is the reason why I love video games. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/329 Did somebody say McDonald’s? For more than eighty years, McDonalds has been delivering foods, folks and fun, as well as some incredibly creepy versions of Ronald McDonald. Back in the early 1990s, we saw a trio of games based on McDonalds’ iconic characters, including Mick & Mack Global Gladiators, McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure and M.C. Kids on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Yeah, those are definitely McDonald’s games, but were the critics loving it? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamesMaster, Die Hard Game Fan and more classic magazines that reviewed these games back when they first came out. I hope you wanted fries with that super-sized order, because this is McDonald’s Review Crew. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1851 Tank controls, limited inventory slots, questionable puzzles and some real iffy dialog, Flesh Made Fear is a video game checklist of everything you loved (or hated) about classic survival horror games. More than just a wannabe, this is a wickedly scary journey into a creepy city full of scientific experiments. The lengthy adventure takes us through a wide assortment of genuinely frightening locations, all while fighting off a bunch of horrifying creations. And with two characters with (slightly) different stories, there’s even incentive to play through this game multiple times. It all adds up to a fantastic survival horror game that does more than just copy the classics, it improves on them. Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/328 Attention everyone! This is an emergency episode of Review Crew! Last week, when I posted a look at the worst games on every console (according to Electronic Gaming Monthly) there was one game that really stood out – Killer Instinct on the Game Boy. The comment section was filled with people shocked the game was on the list, defending it as one of the Game Boy’s best fighting games, not the worst. With no Nintendo Classics being added this week, I wanted to dig deeper into this debate and see if Sushi-X was just the outlier or if the rest of the magazines hated Killer Instinct on Game Boy as much as EGM? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Nintendo Power, GamePro, Computer & Video Games and more classic magazines that reviewed this game back when it first came out. Get your combo fingers ready, because we’re dialing up a brand-new episode of Review Crew. Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1850 Inspired by the arcade games of the 1990s, 4PGP is a slick new racing game that will send you around the world to compete on fourteen different tracks. Manage hairpin turns and dangerous S-curves as you fight for first-place in several different modes, including split-screen multiplayer fun. Although it offers quite a few different tracks, the game still somehow manages to feel light on content. Despite a few issues with the control and lack of compelling modes, 4PGP is a racing game that ultimately delivers what old school fans are looking for. Just don’t expect a whole lot of depth. Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/327 Just in time for summer comes Gitaroo Man, the weird and wildly creative rhythm game first released in 2002 on the PlayStation 2. This cult classic will be the first of several PlayStation 2 games hitting PlayStation Plus over the next few months. That’s cool news, but is this game actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Edge, Game Informer and more classic magazines that reviewed Gitaroo Man back when it first came out. Get ready to hit all the right notes in this rockin’ episode of PlayStation Plus Review Crew. Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1849 Fans of arcade-style racing games are in for a real treat with Turbo Hatchback Time Attack, the sophomore release from Grumpy Pizza Games. Drift around corners, jump through speed hoops and barrel roll in an effort to win gold on icy mountaintops, coastal beaches, scenic forests and a neon city straight out of the 1980s. While it’s a little light on content and completely lacking any multiplayer modes, Turbo Hatchback Time Attack excels with fun gameplay, wonderfully-crafted stages and a nice variety of locations. We need more racing games like this. Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1848 If you’ve ever wanted to give it all up and live on a farm, then Dread Fields is here to knock some sense into you. This is a short and surprisingly effective horror game set in a single location. While the tasks are a bit repetitive and the visual style won’t be for everyone, the story is well-told and delivers multiple endings that will stick with you for a long time to come. At seven dollars, Dread Fields is both a steal and a reminder that you don’t need a dozen hours to tell a scary story. Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/326 A few months ago, we took a trip down memory lane by covering the Disney Afternoon Collection, which brought eight classic Capcom games to the Nintendo Switch for the first time ever. By popular demand, we’re back with a companion episode that looks at five Disney Afternoon games that were not included in the recent compilation. I’m talking about Gargoyles, Darkwing Duck on the TurboGrafx, Sega’s version of Bonkers and TaleSpin on both the TurboGrafx and Genesis. Yeah, those are definitely Disney games, but are any of them actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Turbo Play and more classic magazines that reviewed these games back when they first came out. I hope you’re ready to get dangerous, because it’s time for another animated episode of Disney Afternoon Review Crew. Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/325 Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo Classics, app, Donkey Kong 64, Expansion Pack, DK64, Nintendo 64, platformer, reviews, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Fan, Incite, Hyper, Next Generation, GamePro, Edge, 64 Magazine, Computer & Video Games, Hyper, Rare Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/courant/1847 Nitro City Racing is a simple game about driving as fast as you can on an impossibly straight highway, all while narrowly missing cars in an effort to earn a high score. Weave through traffic using a half dozen or so upgradeable cars and conquer a challenge mode that cycles the same five tasks until you give up. The sense of speed is pretty good and that highway is definitely straight, but Nitro City Racing is ultimately a shallow experience that you’ll quickly forget ever playing. Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.defunctgames.com/reviewcrew/324 Nicktoons fans young and old, time is running out to pre-order your copy of Rugrats Retro Rewind Collection on both PlayStation 5 and Switch. This is a brand-new collection featuring all of your favorite Rugrats in six different games, including Rugrats: Search for Reptar, The Rugrats Movie, Rugrats: Time Travelers, Rugrats: Studio Tour, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie and Rugrats: Castle Capers. Yeah, that’s a lot of Rugrats games, but are any of these actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power, Pocket Games and more classic magazines that reviewed these games back when they first came out. Get ready to fill your diapers, because it’s time for a very questionable episode of Limited Run Review Crew. Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 -0800