Top 10 Puzzle Games #2 — The Obvious One
9 August 2014 5:28 pm |
Whew, at long last we're closing in on the finale for this extremely slow burn of a list. What a haul. I wish I could say that the wait has been worth it for this entry. That you're going to be totally startled and excited to read about it. But...it's actually the game that you absolutely knew had to show up somewhere here. I'm sure you're hooked now (or not), so read on to see what I mean. No way can you figure this one out from the pics (if you have at least one brain cell functioning). |
Best $15 You Can Spend Right Now — Shovel Knight
2 July 2014 9:44 pm |
Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games) was just released for the PC. For $15 you get the PC version, plus the Mac and Linux versions once they're available. That's a lot of versions for one price. While this site is primarily devoted to retro console games, there's nothing preventing us from stretching a little bit and recognizing awesome new titles on other platforms that feature games ascribing to the rock-solid gameplay of old-school titles. Shovel Knight deserves a full review, but in the interest of getting the word out sooner, and buying some time to pull together enough material for a proper review, here are some first impressions:
| —Immediately the gameplay of ladders and flick-between-screens has a Mega Man 2 feel. |
| —The combat mechanics (bounce via shovel) are reminiscent of Duck Tales's Scrooge. |
| —The pretty visuals (foreboding castle) and health items (pork chop?) are very Castlevania. |
| —Navigating between stages in the overworld looks like Super Mario Bros. 3. |
| —Interacting with other people in towns is kind of Zelda 2, but much less awful. |
| —This is really a platformer RPG in the spirit of Dragon's Curse. |
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In short, Shovel Knight combines the best aspects of many a great retro game in one great package. Sound to good to be true? Don't be shocked. WayForward Technologies' member Sean Velasco directed Shovel Knight, and WayForward has already done some killer old-school-feel titles like: Shantae (Game Boy Color), Contra 4 (Nintendo DS), and A Boy and His Blob (Wii). I haven't bene this excited about a platformer since Super Meat Boy. Check it out! |
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Arcade Reviews — Chicago's Emporium
26 June 2014 7:40 pm |
Vinny get's the day off for this update, thanks to freelancer Paul DeMarte having a very successful retro-video-gaming visit to Chicago. You probably already know how awesome this city is. The food. The music. The Blues Brothers movie (just the original, NOT the sequel). Well, it's about to get even better. Read on about one of the best video game bars (as well as a fantastic craft beer spot) in the country: Emporium. |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #3 — Before Orcs Vs. Humans, There Were Vikings
29 May 2014 3:55 pm |
Many a classic 8-bit and 16-bit title has been released in some sort of compilation or as a digital download for modern consoles. Sadly, this isn't one of them. What a damn shame, too. This is such an awesome, fun, clever take on the puzzle genre. Read full details in the Puzzle Top 10. |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #4 — Special Freezing Breath for the Win
5 March 2014 3:08 pm |
One of the best things about putting together lists like this is finding the hidden gems, games that few people ever played not to mention remember. This title comes from one of my all-time favorite developers, known much more for its contributions to the shoot 'em up genre than to puzzle games. Read on to find the latest addition to the Puzzle Top 10. |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #5 — Kind of Like Kirby, but a Different Genre...
1 February 2014 9:30 am |
You should be able to recognize the character pretty easily, but can you name the exact title? Can you even identify which system it's on? Big hint, you can create and save your own levels. Read on to learn more about this game that sits in the middle of the Puzzle Top 10. |
Back in the Saddle Again — Virtual Console / eShop Updates
3 January 2014 9:58 pm |
Happy New Year, everyone, and it's about time we resume bringing you the best guidance on the golden age of retro video games. You'll find that the various greatest game lists for consoles have been updated to account for what's currently available on the Wii Virtual Console, as well as the eShop for the 3DS and Wii U. From beat 'em ups to a cult classic RPG, there are quite a few excellent titles, and here are three of the very best: |
Puzzle and Dragons — A Freemium Addiction
25 August 2013 12:23 pm |
It all started with perusing usgamer.net, a relatively new video game website that totally rocks. I saw the innocently titled Puzzle and Dragons Review and gave it a quick read. Then I tried out the game on my iPad. Now it's nearly two months later, I've played it every day, and I've even had a few arguments with my wife about the amount of time I've been putting into this game. Naturally, all of this gaming has cut into my web site updates.
Moving right along, Puzzle and Dragons is awesome. You can get it for the iPhone and Android operating systems, too. While technically it falls in the freemium category of games, I don't think there's any real need to every pay. So far I'm doing just fine, without having spent a single dollar.
The game is a brilliant combination of Bejeweled puzzles (combat), Pokémon gotta catch them all (creature capture), and RPG (leveling up your creatures). There are also some light social networking elements, basically you can friend other players that are online and have their team leaders join up with you. If you like any of the above game elements, I highly recommend you check it out. It's kind of amazing to spend so much time on game that doesn't cost any money or include any advertisements. |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #6 — Babies and Blocks
23 June 2013 11:47 am |
What this Top 10 list really needs is another obscure Japan-only release, right? If you recognize the screenshots below, I'll be impressed. Note: This website doesn't condone burning babies. Read on to get the full story. |
They Don't Make Hardware Like They Used To — Xbox 360 Fail
27 May 2013 11:28 am |
According to a product review I just read, the Xbox 360 is a "good Game console and So good Graphics on each game. I played battlefield on Xbox 360 and it was terrific. Every steps I go in battlefield, it is so realistic that I am playing in the real life. Buy it. It is worth it!"
I beg to differ.
My Xbox 360 Elite died on Friday with an E74 red light of doom. This was a first for me. I also have a NES, RetroDuo, Turbo Duo, Model 1 Genesis + Sega CD, Sega CDX, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Wii, and Playstation 3. None of them have ever broken, and most of them have seen a hell of a lot more action that my deceased 360. What the hell, though, I like being able to use my 360 as a DVD player, so I figured it was worth exploring my repair options.
First step was to go to Microsoft's website to register my system in order to double-check its warranty. I tried that on Saturday and Sunday and was greeted with another red light of doom:
Gotta give Microsoft points for consistency. Perhaps there were so many people playing their Xbox 360 over the long weekend that they were breaking at record speed and Microsoft's web servers couldn't keep up?
I tried the website again today and it finally worked. Of course, my console was out of warranty. Nevertheless, I decided I'd be willing to fork over $99 to Microsoft for a quick fix. The challenges ensued. Even submitting my credit card information the proved problematic. Check out this prompt:
Despite the text above, my web browser was already enabled to accept cookies. The only possible hang-up was that I didn't have the "accept third party cookies" box checked. No way. Really? For all the times I've ordered stuff online successfully at other sites, Microsoft won't work unless I enable this obnoxious feature? I checked the box and Microsoft let me proceed.
I arrived at the final step of self-packaging up my Xbox and putting a shipping label on it. Microsoft provided a fancy .pdf with all sorts of pretty instructions. I received a confirmation email. One key element was missing: Where do I ship the damn thing? I couldn't find this information anywhere linked to my repair order. Even when I logged into for my repair status it would only handily told me that my package hadn't been scanned yet for shipping.
Then all of a sudden I found salvation. While checking my order status I found a "cancel order button." Hells yeah! What was I even thinking in the first place, rewarding Microsoft for their crap hardware design and planned obsolescence? Why did I even put up with all of the above bullshit? I'd much rather give some random person on eBay the business. |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #7 — Spotlight on Moai Statues
6 May 2013 8:21 pm |
Arcades Reborn — Denver's 2up Arcade and Tavern
23 April 2013 10:56 pm |
That the omnipresence of the arcade from the 80s has ended is obvious. Nevertheless, to paraphrase Mark Twain: The reports of its death are greatly exaggerated. In fact, there's a slow trend of new arcades—ones that serve alcohol and cater more to adults than kids—opening across the United States, from Barcade in New York City and Philadelphia to Insert Coin in Las Vegas. Apparently, this is a hip phenomenon in Denver as well, which now sports both 1up and 2up. Conveniently enough, Paul Demarte has thoroughly reviewed the latter. Next time you're in Denver, you know where you're going. |
Emulation — Guide to Playing PC Engine CDs on the Wii
7 April 2013 10:34 am |
My Turbo Duo has been going strong for over 20 years, but it's nice give it a break every now and then. It's also convenient—in terms of keeping cords under control—when one console can play the part of multiple different retro systems. With all that in mind, here's your complete guide to ripping TurboGrafx-16 (aka PC Engine) CD games and emulating them on your Wii. It takes some time to set it up, but it's worth it, since the Wiimote is a close approximation of the original Turbopad, and you'll find that all those awesome PC Engine games run almost flawlessly via emulation. |
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Retro Gamer Magazine — Discounted Subscriptions
24 March 2013 12:08 pm |
I challenge you: Find a monthly in-print publication with better retro gaming coverage than Retro Gamer. This magazine remains a fundamental resource for TimeWarpGamer, informing us about the greatest old-school games, and ensuring that our greatest games lists and Top 10s are as accurate and comprehensive as possible. The folks at Retro Gamer have been kind enough to extend some special discounts for subscriptions:
U.S. Subscribers — Save $23 off a one-year subscription |
U.K. Subscribers — Pay just 3 British Pounds for the first three issues |
Just click on the banner below and you'll be linked to a special subscription page at Retro Gamer where you can take advantage of these deals. Enjoy! |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #8 — Melting Flames
21 March 2013 7:46 pm |
Excellent, we're right on schedule to finish this list up sometime around late summer. Super Mario Bros. 3ish level selection? Some green-hatted dude dropping past an ice shelf. Extra points if you recognize this title already. It definitely falls in the hidden gems category. Read on to find out more about this enigmatic (and awesome) puzzle game. |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #9 — Most Inappropriate Title Ever?
7 March 2013 7:37 pm |
We're only at #9 and already it's all downhill from here, because this is the only title you'll find in the list—and hopefully anywhere on this site—where you suck and block your way to victory. This is not a joke. It's fo realz. Read on for the full story, if you dare... |
Top 10 Puzzle Games #10 — Trap Enemies to Bury Them Alive!
28 February 2013 8:55 am |
It's time to kick off another Top 10 list, this time looking at games that focus on puzzle solving. We'll start with a classic franchise that gets injected with a bit of a Bomberman feel. Read on for the full story. |
Guide to Playing Your Sega CD Games on Your Wii
31 January 2013 8:16 pm |
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Wii U — Finding Early Success with Indie Games
23 January 2013 9:23 pm |
Vinny doesn't have a Wii U yet. Paul does. Thanks to the latter, here's a refreshingly personal and original look at how the Wii U is performing at this early stage in its life with an emphasis on Indie titles—something that Nintnendo hasn't excelled in, well, maybe ever? Read on for the full story. |
Happy New Year — Never Forget the TurboGrafx-16 (aka PC Engine)!
1 January 2013 2:49 pm |
Let's start off the New Year with deeper coverage of the greatest console that ever flopped in the United States: The TurboGrafx-16 (known as the PC Engine in Japan). You'll find 11 new video reviews embedded for titles on the greatest TG-16 and TG CD lists. This includes the likes of a fairly unknown platformer starring Jackie Chan, as well as absolute monster classics like Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo and Ys: Book I and II. All these videos are by Chris Bucci, a man who not only has tremendous knowledge of the TG-16/PCE library, but who has great talent at making entertaining and insightful videos with high production value. Enjoy and Happy New Year! |
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