Sonic All-Stars Racing has been a great series, delivering arcade-style thrills on various tracks inspired by classic Sega franchises. Team Sonic Racing on the other hand feels like an incoherent mess. Whenever you see a franchise trying to shoehorn in some kind of teamwork element, you know they're running out of ideas.

Even before your first race there are ominous signs. Despite supporting four-player split-screen only three characters are available from the start, so two people have to be the same character. Way to think it through Sega! When browsing the racers there's a palpable lag when trying to select a character. The tracks are poorly designed. I expected the twisting casino tracks to be disorienting, but even the bright summer-themed tracks are cluttered and confusing. One course has you racing on a layer of pink mist and you can't really tell where you're going. A little restraint could have gone a long way. One track is called "Frozen Junkyard" and that pretty much says it all.

The weapons are useful but you'll probably have no problem naming their Mario Kart equivalents. Likewise creatures like the lava monster and desert worms seem awfully familiar. The races are engaging but the physics is suspect, as I noticed CPU cars changing speeds erratically.

The story mode is mildly enjoyable despite the inane dialog you can't skip fast enough. Two players can work together on the same team, unlocking branching tournaments, challenges, and survival modes. The team mechanic lets you pass items or give your teammates a boost via your slipstream. To be honest, it's all very confusing in the heat of battle.

Even Sonic Team Racer's split screen action is technically deficient. If you're used to playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo, 2017) the low framerate in this game is bothersome. Brent actually had the nerve to ask me if there was a way to unlock "smooth mode!" Team Sonic Racing feels like it was designed in a boardroom by executives. It isn't terrible but there's a palpable lack of fun. © Copyright 2019 The Video Game Critic.

If you pine for the side-scrolling beat-em-up goodness of the 90's, check out Shredder's Revenge. It begins with the kick-ass musical intro from the original cartoon series. The game's graphics and structure follow closely to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES, 1992). Some might say too closely. Up to six people can play at once, with Splinter and April O'Neil joining our four turtle heroes. That's one crowded couch!

The 16 levels (!) offer interesting New York City locations including a television studio, zoo, mall, and museum. It's funny to see the "foot soldiers" on the set of a cooking show! It's also amusing to see them working at computers with those old-fashioned thick monitors. I like how the pawn shop windows have piles of old-fashioned TVs in the windows, all showing different programs. In general however the stages are only minimally interactive and frankly kind of bland.

What keeps things interesting are the sheer number of moves at your disposal. The "how to play" screen demonstrates 21 moves, and good luck sitting through that! Still, it's fun to experiment. I love the devastating "super dive", and that "rising attack" is handy for flying foes. And of course there's the "fling attack" that lets you chuck foot soldiers at the TV screen. Always a crowd-pleaser!

Shredder's Revenge will immediately appeal to fans pining for the old days but the thrill wears thin. I feel like the game could have been tightened up, with shorter but less-repetitive levels. Working your way through the story mode is exhausting. The default skill level is too easy, so you'll want to crank up the arcade mode difficulty to "gnarly". High scores are not saved unless you're online.

The music has a bouncy 80's aesthetic including a cool rap song and a hair metal tune. The voice samples however ("I've got to focus") can get on your nerves. Shredder's Revenge does what it set out to do, which is resurrect the button-pounding, body-slamming 16-bit multiplayer mayhem. But instead of taking turtle power to the next level, it just feels like more of the same. A lot more! © Copyright 2022 The Video Game Critic.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection packs over a dozen games spanning the height of Turtle-mania from the mid-80's through the mid-90's. You get perfectly-emulated versions of two wildly-popular arcade games, along with two SNES, two Genesis, four NES, and three Game Boy titles. And there's a slew of bonus materials as the cherry on top.

I love the animated intro and digitized music of the original TMNT arcade game, but the fighting action gets a little repetitive and its sound effects lack punch. That said, there are fun animations like foot soldiers sliding down a wall you've thrown them against it. And you gotta love the old-school bosses that blink red when about to die.

Turtles in Time was a major upgrade, packing more spectacular moves, smoother animation, and improved audio. You can now execute shoulder charges, body slams, or hurl enemies directly at the screen! Interactive environments incorporate explosive barrels and gushing fire hydrants.

The SNES port of Turtles in Time is impressive. Though it only supports two players, you could argue it's more playable. The difficulty seems to have been tweaked and the scoring system is better. Hyperstone Heist is the Genesis version of this game, and it feels slightly scaled-back with a sewer stage replacing the rooftops. That said, it is extremely playable.

The NES titles include the original TMNT trilogy. The first is a basic side-scroller letting you control one turtle hero at a time. The second is a respectable port of the original arcade beat-em-up. The third takes turtle power to new heights with its bright arcade graphics, elaborate animations, and excellent all-around gameplay.

Tournament Fighters is a lame one-on-one fighter that attempted to capitalize on the success of Street Fighter II. The game is more impressive on the SNES than the Genesis, but still nothing to write home about. The NES version isn't going to cut it with those tiny fighters and two-button controls.

Rounding things out are the three black-and-white titles released for the Game Boy. For some, these will rekindle fond memories of long car trips, but the monochrome graphics and rough animation may be hard to stomach today.

The Cowabunga Collection lets you toggle the games between North American and Japanese regions. Some games let you enable nightmare mode, god mode, or select your stage. You can save your progress or even rewind at any time. Digitized boxes, manuals, and other materials are available for viewing. No matter how you feel about the games, you have to admit this is how to make a classic compilation. © Copyright 2022 The Video Game Critic.

If you've seen the film The Mummy (2017) with Tom Cruise, you know what a trainwreck that was. Like the movie, The Mummy Demastered doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Unlike the movie however, it's a lot of fun.

If any game deserves the "Metroidvania" moniker, it's this one. Its 16-bit style is used to maximum effect, conveying remarkable atmosphere with artistically-rendered scenery and eerie lighting. With fluid animation and simple controls, Demastered calls to mind the great Axiom Verge (Badlands Games, 2017).

What initially caught my attention was the game's pulse-pounding musical score. The title screen music was so good I just had to crank up the stereo. The brooding synthesized mix adds a sense of intrigue and is consistently great throughout.

The stages are consistent with the film, including a graveyard, subway, sewer, and underground laboratory. These locations sound typical but are rendered with a cinematic flair. The graveyard stage is a sight to behold with its decrepit gravestones and church looming in the moonlight. When it comes to gothic artistry this game gives Castlevania a run for the money.

The controls are terrific. Armed with a default machine gun, you hold the trigger to plant your feet and fire in eight directions. The jumping is dead-on, and thank goodness because the stages can be perilous. Platforms crumble beneath your feet and bats knock you off your ledge, sometimes into a pool of green acid! Fortunately health is ubiquitous and save points are well-placed.

Enemies tend to regenerate with annoying regularity, and there's nothing worse than accidentally ducking out of a room, only to return and find it repopulated. I could also do without the bone-throwing skeletons. Not only are they a shameless Castlevania rip-off, but these bastards throw with pinpoint precision. The exotic bosses exhibit easy-to-read patterns but take about a million hits to kill. When in human form The Mummy looks a lot like Michael Jackson.

The first time I used a continue in this game I was dismayed to discover my grenades were gone. I later discovered I had to go back and kill my "old self" (now a zombie) to restore my old gear. It adds a new wrinkle but can be aggravating. It seems original except for the fact that Dark Souls (PS3, 2011) has been using this device forever.

Despite some minor gripes The Mummy Demastered is extremely habit-forming. Great production values and sheer playability will hook you from the outset, and a nice sense of progression keeps you coming back. With excellent controls and atmosphere to burn, this modern platformer has the look and feel of an old-school classic. © Copyright 2021 The Video Game Critic.

I should have never played Axiom Verge (Badlands Games, 2017) because it set the bar way too high for retro titles like this. Exactly what I was expecting, Tiny Barbarian is an homage to the 8-bit days of pixelated graphics, parallax scrolling, and 2D hack-n-slash platforming. Each stage opens with a scrolling map a la Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Genesis, 1991) which is a nice touch. Your barbarian certainly is tiny, and I like the way he flexes his muscles when left without supervision.

The gameplay is simple as you hop and climb while slaying snakes, birds, and armed guards. The controls feel responsive and my new Pro Controller got a good workout. The directional pad is precise and much like Strider (Genesis, 1989) our hero can perch on the edge of a block and pull himself up. It's possible to execute a long lash or spin attack, but with no instructions I can't tell you how.

Tiny Barbarian is not as satisfying as it could be. Striking anything with your sword makes a lame "thump" sound, as if you're smacking someone with a wet sock. Slain enemies just sort of fall over when defeated. I would never advocate violence, but a little blood and gore never hurt anybody. The stages are colorful but what you see is pretty much what you get.

Frequent annoyances include enemies that repel attacks and skeletal hands that reach up from the ground. But the worst offenders are the birds or snakes that perpetually respawn, forcing you to rush through certain sections while absorbing hits along the way. Can a brother get a health icon?

Old-school references include the gnome from Golden Axe (Genesis, 1989) you can smack around for bonuses, and a God of War (PS2, 2005) inspired maiden scene. The animation has style and subtle humor. The problem is, Tiny Barbarian DX isn't particularly addictive and becomes progressively less enjoyable as you go.

What saves the day is its two-player coop. Trying to beat a stage with a buddy harkens back to the old sleepover days when you'd stay up half the night trying to conquer a hard level. And be sure to check out the Horde mode which challenges you to stay "king of the mountain" for as long as possible (usually under a minute). It won't win any awards but when it comes to old-school throwbacks Tiny Barbarian is legit. © Copyright 2018 The Video Game Critic.

The original Toejam & Earl (Genesis, 1992) had a lot going for it. It was one of the few Genesis titles to support split-screen and probably the first with co-op action. It had a trendy rap theme featuring two aliens decked out in hip-hop attire. Their goal was to collect the missing parts of their spaceship scattering over sprawling flat levels. The game also featured randomly-generated landscapes, providing nearly unlimited replay value.

As you wandered over platforms suspended in space you collected gifts that had random effects while dealing with zany characters like an opera singer, a hula girl, or Santa Claus in a jetpack. Back in the Groove is a faithful, high-definition version of the original. The problem is, all those gee-whiz features seem pretty ho-hum in 2021. The randomized levels all play pretty much the same, although some do feature snow, desert, water, or darkness.

The stereotypical characters and "gifts" tend to be so obnoxious you develop a tendency to avoid them. You just move from one level to the next trying to cover every inch of ground to fill in the maps. Entering an elevator lets you ascend to a higher platform level, but it's pretty clear this psychadelic "elevator ride" is just a glorified loading screen.

I got sick and tired of wandering around in this game. The rap theme feels played out and what game nowadays doesn't have a "weiner meter" or Santa in a jetpack? At least the surround sound is strong, with zany noises and voices coming from all directions. Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove is fine if you just want to sit back and chill, but if you're looking for excitement, this isn't your stop. © Copyright 2021 The Video Game Critic.

Updating the graphics of a classic game is easy, but getting the gameplay right is another story. Fortunately I can tell that Toki's designers actually understand what makes retro games fun.

Toki is not a one-for-one remake like Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (PS4, 2018). While certainly inspired by Toki Going Ape Spit (Genesis, 1991), this new Toki stands on its own. It stars a comical monkey that climbs, jumps, and spits projectiles. The rapid-fire spitting gives the action a shooting flavor and I love the ability to spit diagonally.

Toki faces a weird hodgepodge of enemies like bats, warthogs, spiders, ghosts, and... Frankenstein monsters? The hand-illustrated stages are beautiful with orchestrated music so clear it sounds like the musicians are in the same room with you. Toki not only lives up its its source material; it exceeds it! This game is crazy fun. Although the sprites tend to be large they rarely overcrowd the screen and the collision detection is forgiving. The jumps are floaty and you can fall from any distance.

The backgrounds look sharp but certain objects do have a way of blending in. Only fools rush in and Toki is living proof. Ghosts can materialize out of thin air and just because you're climbing down a vine doesn't mean there's a safe landing below. The rapid-fire shooting is very effective, especially on bosses. Sometimes to clear out a crowd of enemies you'll go into a butt-pouncing, rapid-fire frenzy. As with most classic 2D platformers Toki is a linear game. You get nine lives but you can go through them in a hurry. There are plenty of continues and half of the fun is trying to beat your high score.

Toki is a GameStop exclusive and it's good to see that store catering to collectors. The Toki Retrocollector edition comes in a box with all sorts of fun extras including a comic, art, and a little cardboard arcade cabinet to house your Switch. This Toki remake was crafted with love and care, so retro-minded gamers will want to secure a copy immediately. © Copyright 2019 The Video Game Critic.

I've been a Street Fighter II (SNES, 1992) fanatic since day one, purchasing just about all of its countless variations (super, turbo, alpha, etc). The only reason I passed up Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (2008) was because it was download-only. I guess good things come to those who wait... nine years!

I have to admit I'm loving the HD graphics. They add amazing detail while retaining the original distinctive art style. Ryu's moonlit temple and Ken's sunny yacht look gorgeous, and I love the sense of depth in Chun Li's market stage. The characters are so sharp you can actually see lines on Ryu's face! The original low-resolution graphics are available as an option, but they look downright harsh on a modern TV.

The original fighting lineup has returned along with newcomers Evil Ryu and Violent Ken. These guys seem suspiciously similar to their regular counterparts except they happen to be demonically possessed (it happens). The strategic one-on-one fighting feels just like the old days, but if you're used to cranking up the turbo setting it might feel a little slow. The improved clarity tends to undermine the collision detection, causing some obvious misses to be registered as hits.

The original musical score is back, but the remastered tunes sound a little less edgy. I'm pleased to announce Capcom has rediscovered their long lost "arcade mode" technology, and you can even rank in with your initials. Just be sure to crank up the difficulty to "master" (at the very least) because normal is ridiculously easy. It would be nice if the game kept a different set of high scores for each difficulty.

Playing with a Joy-Con controller takes some getting used to. I kept switching between the digital and analog directional controls but didn't feel completely satisfied with either one. By default heavy attacks are assigned to the right and left bumpers, but they are really hard to reach in the heat of battle. And why is it that when I pull up the move list I then have to select my character from a list? If I'm playing as Chun Li, just show me her damn moves! It's not that hard Capcom!

In addition to the standard online, training, and versus modes, Capcom tossed in two new modes of questionable value. Buddy Battle mode lets you team up with a friend (or CPU) to beat the living crap out of a CPU player. There's no score so it's basically just a novelty. Way of the Hado mode offers a first-person perspective as you execute Joy-Con motion controls to dispatch oncoming soldiers. The controls are so bad they feel like the worst Wii game ever. Ultra Street Fighter II is a lazy effort, but it's still worth owning, particularly if you haven't experienced this classic in HD. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.

Wallachia is the region of Romania which was (is?) home to the real Dracula: Vlad the Impaler. Reign of Dracula may look like a cheap Castlevania knock-off, but playing is believing. This side-scrolling platformer has the gothic charm you'd expect, but with a frantic run-and-gun style reminiscent of Contra (NES, 1988).

Wallachia's menu interface looks a bit clunky and sparse. Upon starting a new game, controls are presented in a rapid-fire manner. Umm - excuse me, can you please repeat that? Nope! During the course of the game large "up" arrows appear over people or chests. These are just prompting you to talk or investigate, but they give the impression something huge is overhead.

Despite modest production values Reign of Dracula excels in terms of raw gameplay. Your bow-wielding warrior princess forges over rainy countrysides, mountain ranges, flowery bridges, and well-fortified castles. It's great fun to take out stiff soldiers and nail icon-carrying birds flying overhead. Your rapid-fire arrows are awesome, especially when loaded with triple-shots or exploding arrows. The left bumper is used to "lock in" your position so you can fire all around.

The controls feel clumsy at times, like when you squat while trying to shoot downward, or vice versa. Large characters provide precious little room to maneuver, especially during boss encounters. Special powers are not easy to use, and there should be more checkpoints. That said, the game's quirks add to the challenge, making it madly additive.

Wallachia: Reign of Dracula is not the poor-man's Castlevania you might expect. It's brimming with beautiful landscapes, exceptional music, and non-stop twitch-shooting goodness. If you have a short attention span, buy this immediately. That's what my buddy Scott M. did after the very first time he played it. © Copyright 2021 The Video Game Critic.

Windjammers (Neo Geo, 1994) aka Flying Disc Game was an underrated sports title for the Neo Geo. It features two athletes competing on an enclosed court, attempting to hurl a spinning disc past each other for points. Despite the simple concept there's a lot of technique involved. You can carom the disc off the sides or lob it for two points if your opponent doesn't catch it. Directional pad movements allow trick shots that curve or catch fire.

The matches are short but intense, with upbeat music and vibrant arcade graphics amping up the excitement. There are several bright courts to select from, but you can't beat the sandy court with the tropical scenery. Windjammers is a great head-to-head game, but its single player arcade mode is fun too, letting you work your way through a series of competitors. There are even two bonus stages. One lets you control a dog running on the beach, leaping over sunbathers while trying to catch the disc. In another you knock down bowling pins.

It's nice to see Windjammers being exposed to a wider audience, but this is got to be the laziest port I've ever seen. They just plopped the 1994 game onto the Switch with no substantial enhancements or additions. The low-resolution graphics look pretty harsh and the Joy Con is a lousy substitute for those irresistibly tappable Neo Geo controllers. There are online leaderboards but local high scores are not saved which is unacceptable. Windjammers is an undeniably great game but it deserved better than this barebones treatment. © Copyright 2020 The Video Game Critic.

I've long been a fan of Windjammers (Neo Geo, 1994). A combination of Frisbee and Pong, this head-to-head competition boasts bright visuals and a simple premise. The original was previously re-released as a straight port for the Switch, but I was intrigued to see what a proper sequel could do.

Not much! Windjammers 2 looks like the first game with an HD makeover. The pixel art has been replaced with super sharp, semi-realistic graphics. Except for some some hotties along the edge of the beach court, there's not much eye candy - mainly due to the top-down view. There are ten competitors to select from, but none are particularly memorable.

The gameplay involves hurling a disc past your opponent, occasionally lobbing it to an open spot for points. The courts are all the same size and don't offer much variety. There are some new moves at least. If you press Y as the disc arrives you can perform a "deflection" move. Sometimes your player becomes engulfed in flame for no apparent reason, setting you up for a super shot. These flashy, hard-to-stop shots have a tendency to make the disc disappear and reappear in another spot like a magic trick. Not a fan.

The online play supports a fancy "rollback system", but I was more interested in the arcade mode. Here you face off against a series of CPU opponents in various venues. You'll need to master all the techniques and your reflexes must be razor sharp. It's pretty intense! Leaning the wrong way is often the difference between victory and defeat.

Bonus stages include the "beach run" from this original game, letting you control a dog racing down a beach to chase down a long throw. That's great, but the second bonus stage where you catch a series of rapid-fire discs is just exhausting. Points earned from these help earn extra continues.

I have mixed feelings about Windjammers 2. The visuals are clean but unspectacular and the gameplay feels gimmicky. I wish the developers had taken more chances, exploring new court configurations or perhaps a four player mode. For newcomers this game can be a revelation, but for everyone else it's just the first Windjammers with a fresh coat of paint. © Copyright 2022 The Video Game Critic.

Don't let its generic cover and budget price scare you; Winter Games 2023 is very, very good. I'd rate its stylish graphics as about PS3 quality with smooth white slopes, beautiful evergreens, and icy blue shadows creeping in. I love the soothing techno beats but that weak commentator has got to go! ("What a great day. Thanks to all the athletes...")

You can play the ten events individually or compete in various cups. High scores are not only recorded by skill level, but by individual players as well! I'm kind of mad my Switch limits you to eight profiles! Before each event you have the option of viewing the instructions by pressing X, but if you miss them you can usually get by by following the on-screen prompts.

Biathlon has you cross-country skiing through a scenic forest with some occasional target shooting. After about a minute my impatient friend Sudz exclaimed, "Okay, when do I get to shoot somebody?!" Curling is a sophisticated game of both skill and strategy. Despite accidentally bypassing the instructions, I was able to figure it out and it played beautifully. Both of these events clock in at under ten minutes, which is pretty sweet.

Downhill skiing and Super G convey an exhilarating sense of unbridled speed with simple shoulder button controls. Speed skating on the other hand threw me for a loop. I couldn't get into the rhythm or figure out the balance meter around the corners. Nothing's more embarrassing than getting lapped and then having to skate your final lap through a crowd of celebrating skaters!

Skeleton and Women's Bobsled both take place in a tube that runs through a quaint winter village at night. I love the cozy atmosphere under the lights! The sense of speed while careening down the tube is breakneck, punctuated by blur and vibration effects. Along the way you get glimpses of beautiful lights and snow-covered trees.

Ski Cross puts four skiers on the same course, navigating turns and jumping ramps. The jump-and-land controls are confusing. I want to tap A to jump, but the game wants me to hold it in. Snowboard Cross is very similar but more forgiving. Ski jump places you on top of one of those tall ramps, looking down at your doom. I like the shaking, nearly out-of-control feeling as you fly down the ramp, and the wipeouts are fun to watch.

Winter Games 2023 offers four-player split-screen whenever applicable. My biggest gripe is its ridiculously long load screens. I have discs that load faster! The single-player experience is tempered by no unlockables or world records to pursue. Of course, you can always try to beat your own personal records. If you're looking for some no-nonsense seasonal fun during an Olympic off-year, Winter Games 2023 has got you covered. © Copyright 2023 The Video Game Critic.

Contributed by DaHeckIzDat of the RPG Crew and edited by the VGC. Originally released for the Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles was arguably the waggle-box's most ambitious title. It was criminally slept on however, only recently getting the attention it deserves with its Definitive Edition on Switch. With a shiny new coat of paint, more sensible controls, and a few other minor improvements, this is easily the best way to experience the game.

Xenoblade Chronicles (XC) takes place in a world where the only habitable land is the remains of two continent-sized robots. Humans living there have nearly been driven to extinction by the robotic Mechons. When a Mechon attack leaves his hometown devastated, a young inventor named Shulk with visions of the future sets off with his friends on a quest for revenge.

The first area, Colony 9, is relatively small but looks amazing with a surprising number of nooks and crannies to discover. The Bionis Leg is a massive open field filled with quests and enemies. I spent hours on side quests so I could keep exploring. I was convinced I was going to give this game an A+, but unfortunately it wasn't able to maintain that momentum through a 60-hour story. The environments eventually begin to grow emptier and less alive. Later areas are linear with repetitive enemies, making them feel like a slog.

The surprisingly innovative combat is a combination of real-time and menu-based. Unlike Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3, 2011), XC manages to be both fast-paced and thoughtfully strategic. You only control one party member (mainly Shulk) and while you can move around freely, he will attack automatically. You're presented with a list of special attacks you can activate after a brief cooldown period. Strategy comes from proper positioning, since most special attacks will incur extra damage if landed from a specific angle.

Shulk's "visions" also play a part in combat. If a battle is not going particularly well, the gameplay will pause for a brief glimpse of the enemy's next move, allowing you to make proper adjustments. It's a neat little trick, but can become annoying as it brings the action to a halt just to inform me of something I could have predicted on my own.

I can't remember the last time I had such mixed feelings for a game. After an amazing first impression, Xenoblade Chronicles overstays its welcome, forcing me to enable easy mode so that I could bulldoze through the rest of the game. The story goes completely bonkers by the end. While not bad by any means, I was happy when it was finally over. © Copyright 2023 The Video Game Critic.

Few games scream "Halloween" like Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES, 1993). Not only did it spoof a wide range of classic horror films, its lighthearted graphics and amazing soundtrack put the SNES capabilities on full display. This perfectly-emulated reissue reprises all the fun sights and sounds of the original.

30 years later Zombies still looks like a million bucks. Presented in its original 4:3 ratio, there are no filtering options but they aren't needed. The tilted-overhead camera offers an ideal view of the lush scenery and comical monsters. Assuming the role of a kid (Zack or Julia), your goal is to rescue your clueless neighbors scattered around each stage while fending off monsters with water guns, silverware, popsicles, and other makeshift weapons.

Each stage is based on a movie like the Mummy, Dracula, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Stages tend to be mazelike, but finding keys lets you open doors and rocket launchers can blow holes in walls.

Two can play at once, but the fact that both must remain on the same screen may cramp your style. Pressing a shoulder button turns on a "radar" display, making it much easier to track down stragglers. The catchy soundtrack will have you humming along to each song. I remember creating mix-tape of those songs back in the day!

What's not to like? Well most of the weapons are lame. The water gun is my favorite but it doesn't work on all creatures, and cycling through weapons is awkward. Certain stages can be pretty brutal, like that hedge maze with all the chainsaw-toting Leatherfaces on the loose. I lost most of my lives in that one.

Ghoul Patrol is the sequel I had totally forgotten about - and for good reason! It lacks the charm of the original. The controls are bad and the stage layouts are aggravating. Instead of radar, there are "yell bubbles" like "Help!" and "I'm here" floating around. It really lacks the freshness and sense of wonder of the original.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors remains a timeless classic, and the ability to save in-progress means you might actually be able to conquer all 56 levels. Bonus material including digitized manuals, concept art, and even an interview with one of the developers. This is a fun package for Zombie fans, as well as those too young to enjoy this gem the first time around. Late Note: I just discovered that the 3D glasses packaged with this game are to be used with its little instruction manual. The images in the booklet pop out when wearing the glasses! Very cool. © Copyright 2022 The Video Game Critic.