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Tetris DX
Close your eyes and its there. Lie trying to fall asleep and it’s there. Put a Tetris DX cartridge into you Game Boy and, believe it or not, it’s there. I’m talking about the Tetris mindset. Falling blocks possessing your mind, endlessly being fit into each other. This is what happens when you play Tetris (or any good puzzle game). It stays with you…. FOREVER! Not that that’s a bad thing, especially when it’s portable. Tetris DX is the best incarnation of Tetris I have ever played. There are four game modes (more one those later) on of which is very innovative. You also get color, something lacking from the…
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I’m not really a fan of the new show; I’ve only seen it a few times, but I’m definitely a fan of the old shows and the old games. I used to watch the old shows every chance I could when I was young, but it wasn’t until I was older, that I actually got chance to play the old games. I managed to get through those without much challenge and this is the same. There are plenty of enemies however, and depending on your difficulty setting, there can be even more.
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Gradius Collection
Vic Viper sets out on yet another journey to save the galaxy. For better or for worse, this time the journey is more of a repeat performance. In this PSP compilation, you can take on any of the legendary ship’s first 5 games: Gradius, Gradius II, Gradius III, Gradius IV, and Gradius Gaiden.
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Gitaroo Man Lives!
A few years ago, a friend of mine was telling me about a sleeper hit for PS2, Gitaroo Man that he spent all night playing with a friend of his. Being a huge fan of Parappa the Rapper, I was extremely interested in playing it. However, due to limited quantities from Koei, and my lack of a PS2, I never actually got the chance. Now that Koei’s ported their game to the PSP, I’ve finally gotten a chance to see what the buzz was about.
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Bust-A-Move Deluxe
If there’s one stereotype that the PSP consistently fails to break free of, it would have to be the one about how its library consists of little more than ports, sequels, remakes and compilation games. What? Were you expecting me to say this game breaks that stereotype? It obviously doesn’t – I mean, this is another sequel in the well-known Bust-A-Move series, which has crept its way onto several systems in the past. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, well, that isn’t really always a bad thing. Sure, Bust-A-Move Deluxe falls short in some areas, but it still delivers a nice take on the BAM series, as…
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Magical Drop Pocket
To be honest, this is probably one of the few games I’ll review for the NGPC that does have a background on the NeoGeo MVS system that I haven’t played before taking a crack at its portable equivalent. Seriously, I’ve never played any of the arcade versions of MD, period, though I have played Money Puzzle Exchanger, which brought about a company’s demise due to being a MD rip-off. Magical Drop Pocket’s a fun game, but even if it is an indicator of the arcade versions, it’ll never take MPE’s place…in my heart.
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Jeanne D’Arc
It seems that all I’ve been playing are SRPGs as of late. Jeanne D’Arc is the most recent that I’ve tackled. Like Final Fantasy Tactics before it, Jeanne benefits from a strong story that drives the gameplay ever upward and onward. It’s a good thing, too, because unlike Disgaea, there isn’t much post-game fun to mention. The first thing you’ll notice about this game is that it is absolutely gorgeous! In a genre practically defined by blocky terrain and low-resolution 2D sprites, Jeanne D’Arc is championing a fresh new look with fully rendered stages and a rather enticing 3D cel-shaded character approach.
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Rune Factory 4 Wants You To Be Prepared
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqnH1ZJ8ELw&w=540&h=405] XSEED Games wants you to know exactly what this game is about. As such, they are releasing a series of “how to” videos to help new players get accustomed to it’s rather unique gameplay. The video above is the latest. Click “Read More” or visit our YouTube page to see the first video that takes a look at the farming portion of the game. Prior to seeing these videos, I didn’t care too much about this title, but now, I’m excited for it’s release.
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Atomic Ninjas Survival Guide #1
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmvKfDsdzw4&w=540&h=304] This trailer is fresh off the cutting board and offers some insight into what exactly the game is about. I’m told that it’s the first of many trailers that will be designed to let you know exactly what you’ll be doing in this interesting brawler. I’ve also been fed some juicy bits of detail regarding the game. For starters, it will release “late September” exclusively for PSN. Grip Games will be showing the title at the upcoming Gamescom, so if anyone is roaming around Germany, go check it out!
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Big Sky Infinity
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBYhp2K5L3E&w=540&h=304] The sky is indeed infinite and it’s easy to get lost in the space shooter. I’m at a bit of a loss when I think of how to describe this game. You see, it’s hard to not include comparisons to other iconic shooters like Gradius, R-Type, and Raiden. Big Sky borrows heavily from all of these games as well as some more recent shooters like Geometry Wars and Super Stardust. That’s not to say that Big Sky is just a “me too” title. In fact, Big Sky takes bits of each of these games and combines those features into one cohesive unifying experience, with infinite replayability.
Handheld Gaming Reviews