Super Bomberman Collection review (PS5)

The latest re-emergence of Konami’s long-running maze-based party franchise in Super Bomberman Collection for PlayStation 5 is at once a nostalgic archive and a reminder of just how timeless its simple formula can be. Instead of a single narrative arc, this 7-game anthology stitches together the series’ defining 16-bit era and even brings former Japan-exclusive installments into the global spotlight for the first time. Across these entries, Bomberman remains a cheerful, largely silent protagonist whose sole mission is to clear grid-based arenas by placing bombs, opening paths, and outmaneuvering foes – a premise that’s never particularly deep but consistently compelling. Continue reading “Super Bomberman Collection review (PS5)”

Speedball review (PS5)

Rebellion’s Speedball for the PlayStation 5 arrives as more than a simple nostalgia bite: it’s a deliberate attempt to transplant a beloved arcade-sports classic into a modern competitive context, with all the promise and pitfalls such a project entails. The original Speedball and Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe were staples on the Atari ST and Amiga in the late 1980s and early ’90s, thriving on one-button joysticks, ferocious pace, and a visceral blend of futurism and sport – traits that defined a youthful era of gaming and left many players craving a worthy modern successor. Rebellion has consciously invoked that legacy here, embracing the high-octane, blade-edged aesthetic that fans remember, but the result on PS5 ultimately feels like a thrilling prototype rather than a fully realised evolution. Continue reading “Speedball review (PS5)”

GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition review (Switch 2)

GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition on the Nintendo Switch 2 arrives as one of the system’s first high-profile racing ports, and Feral Interactive’s effort to adapt Codemasters’ blend of accessible “simcade” racing for Nintendo’s hybrid console largely pays off. The core premise – heart-pounding motorsport across a wide array of disciplines with a hefty dose of content – remains intact, and the inclusion of all post-launch DLCs in the Deluxe Edition gives this version an impressive breadth right out of the gate, representing great value for money. The narrative centerpiece, the live-action Driven to Glory story mode, retains its cinematic flair here, serving more as an atmospheric prelude to the action than a deeply compelling drama. Its inclusion adds variety to what could otherwise feel like a pure succession of races, though players seeking a rich plot should temper expectations. Continue reading “GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition review (Switch 2)”

Street Racer Collection review

Street Racer Collection arrives on PlayStation 4 and 5 as a nostalgic time capsule, a compilation of four historical ports of the quirky 1990s kart racer originally developed by Vivid Image and brought to modern platforms by QUByte Interactive. At its core, Street Racer is a Mario Kart-like arcade racing experience built on an audacious mash-up of racing and direct combat – a blend that once felt fresh against contemporaries like Super Mario Kart but now shows both its ingenuity and its age. The collection’s premise – four versions of the same core game across SNES, Genesis (Mega Drive), MS-DOS, and Game Boy – underscores both its boutique appeal and its biggest limitation: you’ll get to play versions you never tried before, but ultimately they’re all the same game. Continue reading “Street Racer Collection review”

Release roundup: Northgard, Dino Land, Maestro & Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders

This latest roundup brings together a strikingly varied cross-section of recent releases, spanning genres, platforms, and design philosophies, yet united by a shared tension between legacy and evolution. From the refined strategic sprawl of a long-running RTS finding new definition, to the archival resurrection of a pinball relic, alongside VR expansions and minimalist downhill journeys released for new hardware, each of these titles grapples with how much to preserve and how much to adapt. What emerges is a collection that highlights both the enduring appeal of well-established ideas and the friction that arises when they are reframed for new audiences, offering a snapshot of how modern releases continue to negotiate nostalgia, innovation, and expectation. Continue reading “Release roundup: Northgard, Dino Land, Maestro & Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders”