Retro Games and Their Greatest Lesson
Remember the rainy days and long nights spent sitting in front of a small, glowing cube that weighed more than you while clutching a small rectangular controller? I do.
Games
Star Wars Classic Games Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy Headed to the Nintendo Switch!
It has been nearly eighteen years since release and almost a decade since my ‘Netbook Gamer’ retro-reviews here, but my love for the Jedi Knight games from Raven Software has not waned and I replay them at least annually. Now I will have to make more time for these playthroughs because Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy are coming to the Nintendo Switch!
Sega Announces the Genesis Mini with 40+ Games Onboard; Pre-Orders Now Available!
The 1980s & ’90s were an incredible time for video games with huge leaps in graphics and gameplay and controllers starting with the NES and leading into the launches of the PS2 and XBOX. In between we got some of the greatest console and game releases – NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and Sony Playstation.
Review: Wolfenstein Youngblood Is a Great Example of Everything Wrong with Modern Shooters
Are you considering buying the newly released multiplatform game Wolfenstein Youngblood? Please stop! Don’t do it! Let my purchase and playthrough serve as the warning beacon that saves you from unnecessarily wasting time and money on one of the worst shooters I have ever played, one that highlights some of the core issues with formerly great Bethesda Software and with current shooters in general.
Classic Shooters DOOM, DOOMII, and DOOM 3 Land on the Nintendo eShop for the Switch, Updated for iOS and Android
This week is QuakeCon, and aside from the usual huge sales at every PC game shop we got two big surprises! First, on the iOS store the classic DOOM has been updated for the first time in 6 years, released on Google Play for Android, and DOOM II has been released on both stores.
Pure Mahjong for Nintendo Switch Is a Pure Joy!
I have been a fan of Mahjong games since 1986 when I played Shanghai on the Apple Mac Plus, and so have been thrilled over the past several years to see many high-quality mahjong games released for smartphones, tablets and handheld game systems. Now the Nintendo Switch has been added to the list with the release of Pure Mahjong.
Pieces of the Galaxy Are Challenging Puzzles and Gorgeous Works of Art
There’s a reason the Pieces of the Galaxy Puzzles were funded on day 1 of their Kickstarter campaign. These challenging puzzles are made up of uniquely shaped pieces that come together to create stunning works of art. As I wrote in my initial post about the campaign, the collection includes 8 planets, the sun, the moon, and a mystery planet.
Pieces of the Galaxy Is a Gorgeous, Innovative Set of Puzzles on Kickstarter
Pieces of the Galaxy by HelloFish Creative Studios is a set of impressive puzzles where no two pieces are alike. These challenging puzzles are meant to de-stress and delight with high quality craftsmanship while building the planets in our solar system. These unique puzzles are now available for pre-order on Kickstarter with an estimated delivery date of January 2020.
PlayStation Classic Is a Holiday Flop, Gets a 40% Price Cut!
Back in September when we posted the announcement of Sony’s PlayStation Classic, there was a load of enthusiasm – which is easy to understand when you look back through the press release and list of included games.
Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition Comes to Android!
Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is a 2002 PC role-playing game (RPG) developed by Bioware as the follow-up to their classic Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, which is regarded as one of the greatest games ever made.
Classic Module ‘Darkness Over Daggerford’ Released for Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition
At the end of March, Beamdog Studios – the group responsible for bringing the Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale and other 90s classic games to the modern age – released an ‘enhanced edition’ of the venerable 2002 RPG ‘Neverwinter Nights’.
Gorgeous Game ‘Monument Valley’ Is Free on Android this week!
Monument Valley is a great portable game – it was Apple’s ‘ Game of the Year’ for 2014 and won countless ‘best game’ awards for iOS and Android that year. And while the sequel is also available, the original game remains beloved, and it tends to be the one I jump to more often than not.
Don’t Let mar10 Day Pass You by Without Bumkins’ Nintendo Baby Gear
Bummed you missed out on Mar10 Day (March 10th)? Fear not, because Bumkins has you covered with their line of Nintendo themed children’s merchandise. They’ve got everything from throwback Mario teethers to NES controller bibs. Now your kids can grow up on Mario just like you did back in the 80s. Starting at $5.95, your baby can be indoctrinated early.
Super Seducer Is a Super Creepy Game
I don’t normally cover video games for Gear Diary; they just aren’t on my radar. But this week we received a pitch for a video game that made me so angry, I’m pretty sure my women’s studies degree became sentient, broke out of the frame in my office, and is currently trying to escape the building to protest. I’m glad it can’t, though, because then the creator of the Super Seducer video game might hit on it.
Lego Star Wars Is Teaching My Kid to Think
I never grew up playing video games; my parents were fine with us playing at arcades or at friends’ houses, but we were absolutely not allowed to own a Nintendo or Sega at home. So I enjoy sharing video games with my 4-year-old son, as it becomes a bonding experience when he “helps” me play Sonic or Mario Run on my iPhone.
There’s No Streaming Console Better Than the NVIDIA Shield TV
If you are serious about cord-cutting, then I’m sure you’ve heard of Fire Stick and Roku, but let me just put it to you as simple as it can be: None of them can hold a candle to the NVIDIA Shield TV.
Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Adds Content from The Last Jedi, Including Porgs
When we reviewed Star Wars: Jedi Challenges last month, we expected that Lenovo and Disney would be pushing out new content for the system over time. They haven’t disappointed us, and have just announced that new content is coming that is inspired by Star Wars Episode 8 The Last Jedi.
Punch Bowl Austin Review: Can VR Gaming Work While Dining?
Now that the holidays are in full swing, and your home is cycling through visiting friends and family, you might find yourself trying to come up with a fun group activity that includes dinner. I’ll bet you’re thinking “it shouldn’t be this hard”, and you’re right! So, I’ve got the solution for you — Punch Bowl Social!
Stranger Things Game Will Get You Lost in the Upside Down
Stranger Things is coming in just a few weeks! If you live under a rock, “Stranger Things” is a horror-ish drama from Netflix that is an homage to the 1980s. It has evil scientists, parallel dimensions, plucky pre-teen heroes, and Winona Ryder screaming at Christmas lights. Now it also has a companion game, and it is incredibly addictive!
Super Mario Run Is on Android, But Is It Too Late?
Super Mario Run is on Android! Hooray! I downloaded it the second I got the Google Play notification, but by the time I finished the free levels, I went from “whoo hoo” to “meh” pretty quickly.
IOS/Android RPG ‘The Shadow Sun’ Is FREE for a Limited Time!
When The Shadow Sun launched in late 2013, I gave it a very positive review, noting that it filled a void of a mobile-focused RPG that was not a port from PC that offered a robust story and satisfying experience for PC RPG fans. In the review I said:
