Search found 14 matches for TAITO

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An Impressive Milestone Has Splashed Onto Switch!

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Developed by TAITO & Hamster Corporation, and published by ININ Games, with public relations by PR Hound, Taito Milestones II is a fantastic collection of Taito arcade classics that were classics in their heyday! But do these titles and this collection as a whole still hold up as great games today? We think so and here's why:



Taito Milestones II has a wide-array of enjoyable arcade games from Taito's back-catalogue including hits such as New Zealand Story, Metal Black, and Darius II, which as a whole are a much better selection than what we saw in the previous Taito Milestones collection. The games are perfectly emulated and run just as they did back in the arcades, but are quite bare-bones with very little bonus features and content which is a shame, but certainly not a deal-breaker by any means.

The controls are quite responsive and easy to learn which is always a good thing while the menus and UI are easy to navigate and read. The games on offer should give players dozens of hours of gameplay value, more if you like going for the highest scores you can!



As for the audiovisual-presentation, everything looks crisp and are well-emulated with a great frame-rate and no artifacting or screen-tearing which obviously is what you'd hope for in a premium retro game compilation title like this. The menu sounds are great as are the the sound effects and music in most of the titles. We feel the audiovisual-presentation in Taito Milestones II deserves a nearly perfect grade as it's exceptional for sure!



Bottom-Line: With a great selection of classic arcade titles with superb gameplay and excellent emulation, responsive controls, and an overall amazing audiovisual-presentation, Taito Milestones II for the Nintendo Switch is a good arcade game compilation and as such we give the software a good level of recommendation to all fans of retro arcade games!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

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#Review #TAITO #PRHound #Switch #Retail #Retro #Arcade #eShop

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Ray'z Your Hand'z In Excitement!

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Developed by TAITO and M2, published by ININ Games, and with public relations by PR Hound, Ray'z Arcade Chronology for the Nintendo Switch is a faithful port of three legendary TAITO arcade shmups that are among the best games in the genre as well as HD Remasters of two of the included games! Have these ports withstood the test of time, and how good are the two included HD Remasters? As always, continue reading our review to find out the answers to the all-important questions!



The overall UI presentation of the menus and in-game gadgets for the included games are clean and very informative which is a given if you know how TAITO arcade shmups operate, and we couldn't be more thrilled! The gameplay of all of the included games are faithful to their original arcade releases and still feel wonderful to play all of these decades later!

The games are quite action-oriented, but not bullet hell in nature, rather more in line with TAITO's other major Shmup series Darius, which we also reviewed the ININ collections for that series extremely favorably! The games also feature built-in achievements which is a nice touch for sure. The games also vary in length from about 30-45 minutes long to a whopping 3 hours in-length with multiple paths easily giving this collection 30+ hours of replay value for completionists!

The only downside to this collection is that it lacks bonus features such as artwork and other extras that other collections from ININ possessed, but it doesn't really negatively affect our opinions of the game all that much.



The games control amazingly well and feel as fluid as they did in the arcades way back when! As for the visuals? The games range from 2D to 3D, and look gorgeous with excellent enemy and ship designs, flashy and awe-invoking special effects, and gorgeous scrolling effects that have aged like fine-wine! The HD Remasters included really pop in HD with sharper image quality, and vastly improved backgrounds and special effects that look fantastic even by today's standards!

And lastly the games' soundtracks are as exceptional as they are varied and they fit the mood of what's going on on-screen extremely well. Overall the audiovisual-presentation is absolutely top-notch!



Bottom-Line: With flawless gameplay, excellent replay value, great controls, and a top-notch audiovisual-presentation, Ray'z Arcade Chronology for the Nintendo Switch is a must-have collection for any/all fans of the SHMUP genre and despite lacking some of the bonus features you'd expect from a collection of arcade classics such as this one, the games are so well-done that this one gripe just barely lowered our score of this otherwise perfect collection! As such we give Ray'z Arcade Chronology a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¾ 9.75/10

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#Review #RayzArcadeChronology #TAITO #ININ #M2 #PRHound #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PS5 #PSN #Shmup #Arcade #Retro

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Space Fish In 3-D!

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Developed by TAITO, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, G-Darius HD for the PS4 is a 3-D Polygonal arcade space shoot em' up in the long-running Darius series and the first one that was in 3-D. The original arcade release back in the 90's was amazing and while the PSOne port wasn't quite as good, it was still quite an enjoyable experience. Does this HD remaster live up to the previous iterations of the game? We think so, and we'll tell you why, so continue reading our review to find out!



The gameplay in G-Darius HD, is jam-packed with a robust power-up system, dozens of types of enemies, branching level paths, and epic bosses and mid-bosses that are sure to provide a challenge to all players. The games' zones vary widely and add a ton of replayabilty to an already content rich game, which is always a good thing. The game also features alien ship capturing allowing players to capture enemies or even mid-bosses and add them as an ally!

The difficulty can be challenging, but is fair and as for the controls, they work exceptionally well. The game also features loads of cabinet settings, screen settings, and an assortment of widgets that can display various information regarding the game on-screen which is a nice touch!



The audiovisual presentation is fantastic with detailed environments, gorgeous 3-D enemies, and crazy special effects that are actually quite impressive for a game released back in the late-90's. The soundtrack is also extremely enjoyable and fits the game like a glove! The sound effects and other audio is just as pleasing to the ears as well!



Bottom-Line: With excellent gameplay with tons of replayabilty, great controls, and a top-notch audiovisual presentation, G-Darius HD for the PS4 is a superb remaster of one of the first 3-D scrolling shmups released in the arcades and the amount of customization adds to the replayabilty of the game! Overall we give G-Darius HD for PS4 a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★½ 9.5/10

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#Review #TAITO #M2 #PRHound #ININ #SHMUP #Arcade #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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Invincibility = MC Squared!

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Developed by TAITO, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Space Inviders: Invincible Collection is the definitive collection for any fan of the nearly 45 year old franchise and has all the bells and whistles that arcade aficionados could possibly ask for! While the collection is super pricy, we do think it's well worth the cost, and here's why:



Hot on the heels of Space Invaders: Forever, is the fantastic follow-up collection, Space Invaders: Invincible Collection which is a massive collection of the earlier Space Invaders titles, including Majestic Twelve and Space Invaders '91! The first game is included in both black & white as well as in color with the same gameplay between the two, and yeah it HASN'T aged well at all with extremely slow-paced gameplay, but it's sequel Space Invaders II is much better and is also included in the collection. Majestic Twelve and Space Invaders '91 are the cream of the crop and will be what most players will sink their time into with unique missions, more action-oriented gameplay, and much more responsive controls than the previously mentioned games in this collection!

A few additional games are available that were also in the Space Invaders: Forever collection so there's no real need to mention them here as we already reviewed that collection. As for the menu and options, Space Invaders: Invincible Collection is loaded with cabinet options, including difficulty and screen settings, A.I. settings, cabinet backgrounds, and much, much more!



As for the audiovisual presentation, the games look and sound authentic and exactly how they did in the arcades which is definitely a nostalgic trip down memory lane if you grew up around arcades in the 80's and 90's! Each game also plays as it should with every little flaw and or detail displayed correctly so the emulation is spot-on!



Bottom-Line: With an excellent line-up of games with great gameplay, and a ton of nostalgia if you're a gamers from the 70's, 80's, or 90's. The U.I. is intuitive, with a ton of options allowing for a highly customized experience while the faithful audiovisual presentation will transport you back to simpler times when gameplay was king! Overall we give Space Invaders: Invincible Collection for the Nintendo Switch a nearly perfect level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★¼ 9.25/10

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#Review #TAITO #ININ #PRHound #Switch #Retail #eShop #Retro #Compilation

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Bursting The Waves of Adventure!

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Developed by TAITO, published by TAITO and M2, with PR by PR Hound, Darius Burst: Another Chronicle EX+ is a console port of the arcade title Darius Burst: Another Chronicle, and while it might not have as much content as Chronicle Saviors, it's every bit as enjoyable! Continue reading our review to find out why!



The gameplay in Darius Burst: Another Chronicle EX+ is split into several different modes, these include Original which is a traditional arcade experience through three branching zones. While fun, this mode is extremely short and has a limited number of zones, which means very low replay value can be found in this mode. Then EX mode which is basically a more challenging remix of Original Mode and is quite enjoyable if not a tad too similar to Original Mode.

Another mode is Chronicle Mode which has many missions and custom zones with specific goals that must be met. This mode is quite beefy and adds many hours of gameplay to the game. We highly recommend playing through Chronicle Mode for the best experience. Finally there's event mode which features all of the limited time Chronicle Mode events from the arcade release of the game which is exceptionally fun to play and quite difficult to boot. The only downside is that there are only around 20 missions in this mode so don't expect much replayability here.



The gameplay will be familiar for those who are longtime fans of the Darius series, with challenging waves of enemies, tough as nails bosses, and tight controls that are very responsive which is always important in Shoot 'em up titles! As for the audiovisual presentation, the game looks fantastic despite its age with impressive special effects, detailed enemies and backgrounds, and a rocking soundtrack that fits the hectic mood of the game!



Bottom-Line: With many fantastic and fun game modes, excellent gameplay, and a superb audiovisual presentation that has aged extremely well, Darius Burst: Another Chronicle EX+ for the PS4 is one whale of a shmup that no fan of the genre should let get away! We give the game a perfect level f recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

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#Review #TAITO #M2 #PRHound #Darius #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop #Shmup

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Invading Our Hearts Forever!

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Developed by TAITO Games, published by ININ Games, and public relations by PR Hound, Space Invaders: Forever is a handpicked collection of three superb games in the long-running TAITO shmup series, Space Invaders, but is it worth picking up in 2021? We think so and here's why:



The three games in the collection are quite varied and enjoyable with a multiplayer take on the original formula in Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE. It doesn't do a lot to reinvent the original Space Invader's gameplay outside of 4 player co-op and while a nice novelty it does grow tired fairly fast. Thankfully it is the weakest title in the collection, but it's still not bad for what it is and there is fun in short bursts, so it's still well worth booting up from the title select screen every now and then.

Arkanoid Vs. Space Invaders is a fantastic breakout and shoot 'em up hybrid of the two titular series and is a blast to play. This breakout clone has you reflect the invaders shots back to destroy them and each stage has a specific number of invaders to destroy to beat the level. Seems easy, right? Not quite as not only is there a time limit for each stage, but bricks and other obstacles will interfere with your ability to destroy the pesky invaders. A boss also appears every 15 stages and takes loads of hits to destroy and can often prove to be quite a challenge. Luckily the game is somewhat merciful as it offers power-up's, special attacks, and more that will be quite helpful in beating the game's more difficult stages. This game is definitely one you'll want to play most of the times you boot-up Space Invaders Forever as it is a fantastic and enjoyable title!

Space Invaders Extreme is a modern take on the original Space Invaders formula complete with power-up's, bonus stages, much more complex enemy waves and patterns, and a flashy new coat of paint which is absolute eye candy! The game is as addictive as it is fun and is easily the most enjoyable game in the collection and is well worth the price of the entire package even by itself!



The controls in the collection are silky smoth and quite intuitive and the menus are easy to navigate which is always a good thing. The lack of any sort of bonus content seen in previous ININ arcade collections is a bit of a letdown, but not a deal-breaker. As for the audiovisual presentation, the games are true to the originals, with zero emulation issues, the soundtracks are great, the visuals pop, especially in Arkanoid Vs and Extreme. The navigation menus are also glossy and are pleasant to the eyes!



Bottom-Line: With a great trio of excellent games filled with plenty of amazing gameplay, great controls, and a superb audiovisual presentation, Space Invaders Forever is a great game compilation that is sure to please the fans and as such we give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #TAITO #ININGames #PRHound #Arcade #PS4 #Retail #PSN #Switch #eShop

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Bubble Busting Fun Featuring Baron Von Blubba!

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Developed by Taito and ININ Games and published by PR Hound, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron Is Back is an expansion to the previously released, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends that adds a new mode with 50 additional stages to the base-game. What do we think about the new content? Continue reading our review to find out the answer to that question!



Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has frantic and highly enjoyable gameplay for 1 to 4 players where you must encase enemies in bubbles and then pop them to defeat said enemies much like in the arcade game back during the 80's. Bonus rounds are back and just as fun as ever, and there are tons of new power-ups to help you defeat your enemies. All in all, the game is a blast that faithfully recreates the nostalgic feel of the original Bubble Bobble. That said as good as the game is, the game is SUPER short and clocks in at less than half the length of the original "game-time not the number of stages" which is the main reason why this game isn't receiving a perfect score.

The entire Bubble Bobble classic arcade game is included in this title which we highly recommend playing! The difficulty is pretty easy and the controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions. As for the audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has colorful and detailed retro themed graphics that feel like a perfect blend between retro charm and modern flare and it really stands out. And the soundtrack is bubbly and cheerful which fits the game perfectly!

The new tower arcade game featuring Baron Von Blubba, the indestructible bone whale is a nice addition that adds a great deal of extra content to the game. It's basically a challenge mode and is far more difficult than the standard levels in the game. This new mode can be accessed from the arcade machine in the world hub, but only in hard mode. This new mode is also free for those of you who previously purchased BB4F on Nintendo Switch!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, flawless controls, and an excellent audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will have you hooked from the get-go, while the inclusion of the original 80's arcade game will keep you coming back for more! The only negative aspect of this game is that the new content is pretty short due to quicker movement and other adjustments and can be finished in a half an hour which does hurt the overall score of the game, however the additional content corrects most of the problems we had with the base-game so we give the game a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #Taito #PRHound #BubbleBobble #Arcade #Platformer #Action #Switch #Retail #eShop #PS4 #PSN

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Invaders From The Depths of Space!

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PR Hound has struck once again with another surprise announcement and it's another big one! TAITO has teamed up with Strictly Limited Games once again to bring the Switch title, Space Invaders Invincible Space to the west in physical form. There will be three limited editions available exclusively from Strictly Limited Games' website here. Sadly there is no digital version planned at present, but we'll let you know if that changes!

Here's the info regarding the collection from PR Hound's press release:

"Space Invaders is a founding block of video game history that filled the arcades. It is said that the game made 100 Yen coins scarce and defined the visuals and mechanics in the first decade of video games."

"Until this day, Space Invaders remains highly successful in the gaming industry as well as it is highly prominent in pop culture."

"Now the most complete collection on cart ever, the Space Invaders Invincible Collection, is heading to the West. It combines all titles from the Japanese standard and special releases on one cartridge, including Space Invaders DX (1994), Space Cyclone (1980) and Lunar Rescue (1979) - the limited Western collection even has the console port of the game Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders on cartridge, a unique title which was only available as a download code in the Japanese version. The experts from Gotch Technology have ensured a perfect and accurate realisation on consoles."



"The following games are part of the Space Invader Invincible Collection:

● Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – b/w

● Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – colour

● Space Invaders Part II (1979, Arcade)

● Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV (1990, Arcade)

● Super Space Invaders ’91 (1990, Arcade)

● Space Invaders Extreme (2018)

● Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE (2018)

● Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders (2017)

● Space Invaders DX (1994, Arcade)

● Space Cyclone (1980, Arcade)

● Lunar Rescue (1979, Arcade)"


"Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders (2017) is, for the first time ever, available on console. The game is a crossover of Arkanoid and Space Invaders and features gameplay elements from both games."

"To celebrate 40 years of Space Invaders, Square Enix and TAITO held an art installation and limited time event in Japan called “PLAY! Space Invaders”. For the event, TAITO, with Square Enix, created a huge version of the game “Space Invaders Gigamax” with a 7 meter  high by 15 meter wide screen. Now the game “Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE” will be available as part of the Invincible Collection."

"Space Invaders Invincible Collection Limited Edition



The Limited Edition for Nintendo Switch will contain all 11 games and will be available for 59,99€.


Space Invaders Invincible Collection Collector’s Edition

The limited Collector’s Edition for Nintendo Switch features:


● Soundtrack

● Arcade Book

● Sticker Sheet

● 4 Instruction Cards

● 6 Flyers

● Pin

● 4 Acrylic Art Cards

● Arcade PCB Box

● Collector’s box with magnetic latch"

"The Collector’s Edition will be available for €99.99.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection Ultra Edition



The limited Ultra Edition for Nintendo Switch features everything of the Collector’s Edition plus the ultimate Space Invaders Board Game and more special items. The Ultra Edition will be available for €149.99."



What do you think of this collection? Will you be getting it or would you rather waif to see if a digital release is announced at some point in the future? Be sure to let us know in our comments section below!

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#News #PRHound #StrictlyLimitedGames #TAITO #Collection #Shmup #Arcade #SpaceInvaders

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A Whopper of A Collection!

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Developed by M2, published by ININ, and localized by ININ, Darius Cozmic Collection Console is a collection of console versions of several of the flagship shoot 'em up's from the famous TAITO series Darius. Does the game hold up as a true masterpiece like the Arcade Collection of Darius that we recently reviewed? No, but it's still a good collection nonetheless and here's why:



This collection features several versions of a few different Darius console titles which have all of the great shmup action you'd expect from the series, only a bit shorter and more simplified than the arcade counterparts. You still must fight hordes of ships modelled after marine life, avoid hazards, collect power-up's for your ship, etc. As per usual the console titles in the series feature branching level progression with dozens of level possibilities, although the courses are a bit shorter and there are fewer of them when compared to the arcade versions. There are a couple of games that are console exclusive that make this collection worthwhile, but the lack of options compared to the arcade collection and the missing UI elements do make this collection the less exciting of the two, which is a shame because it could have been so much better.

The difficulty is ironically harder than the arcade collection due to the lack of being able to add infinite continues in the games, despite the games themselves actually being easier. The controls are quite easy to learn, but hard to master with a bit of a frame delay. It's nothing substantial or even bad, but it takes a bit of getting used to. Overall the gameplay and controls are solid in this collection!



The visuals in this collection won't wow anyone, but are quite good with great backgrounds, detailed character and enemy models, and great special effects for games of their time! The soundtrack is absolutely incredible and will have you humming for hours afterwards. The music not only fits the games well, but is extremely memorable! Overall the audio-visual presentation of this collection is great!



Bottom-Line: With solid gameplay and controls, and good graphics Darius Cozmic Collection Console will draw fans of the genre in and the amazing and memorable soundtrack will keep them hooked and coming back for more! We give Darius Cozmic Collection Console for the PS4 a good to great level of recommendation to all arcade aficionados and fans of shmups in general!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★½☆ 8.5/10

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#Review #M2 #PRHound #ININ #TAITO #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Shmup #Arcade #Console

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Battling The Aquatic Alien Menace!

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Developed by M2, published by ININ, and localized by ININ, Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade is a definitive collection of several of the flagship shoot 'em up's from the famous TAITO series Darius, but is it worth the price of admission? We think so and here's why:



The gameplay in this arcade collection is frantic high-octane borderline bullet-hell goodness that'll likely hook any fan of the shooter genre hook, line, and sinker! The included games are varied and there are several versions of each game aside from Gaiden that are from various regions or with updated gameplay. The gameplay is slightly different with each game, but the basic gist is you defeat hordes of enemies and avoid a myriad of obstacles and hazards and usually face a mid-boss sometime during each level and face a boss at the end. Defeating an entire wave of enemies usually results in a large sum of bonus points and sometimes leaves you a ship upgrade to boost your firepower, shield, speed, or grants you a powerful silver form with a massive boost in power!

Each game is divided into sectors and at the end of each level you can select one of two. This selection changes based on your previous decisions allowing for a playthrough typically around 6-8 of up to 26 possible courses depending on the game you're playing in the collection! The menu allows you to view online manuals of each game, change difficulty, starting lives, whether or not continues are available, and tons of HUD display options for the on-screen UI. Overall the game offers a considerable amount of customization for each game and is a much-appreciated aspect of the collection!



The difficulty of the games in this collection is tough-as-nails even on the easy difficulty setting, however the fact that you can add as many continues as you want going forward, it's pretty easy to beat the games, of course getting a competitively high score is another matter entirely. The controls are quite easy to pick up as expected from old-school arcade games, however the original Darius does have noticeably less responsive controls that take some time getting used to, but overall the collection is good in this regard.

As for the audio-visual presentation, the visuals aren't going to impress anyone in today's time, but the mechanical sea creatures that you fight in the games are quite unique and the aesthetics of the backgrounds are a step-above most games of that era. Darius Gaiden in particular looks absolutely amazing for an arcade game released in 1994. As for the audio side of things, the sound effects are of high quality and the soundtrack for each game is quite memorable and fits the games mood perfectly, overall the audio-visual presentation is nearly flawless in this collection.



Bottom-Line: With amazing gameplay, a flawless audio-visual presentation, and a myriad of options available for each game in this collection, any fan of the genre will take the bait and snatch up this collection and the controls work as they were meant to in the original arcade releases which will reel you potential buyers all the way in! We give Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade for the PS4 a great level of recommendation!

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Score: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

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#Review #PRHound #M2 #ININ #TAITO #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #Retail #Arcade #Darius #Collection

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In Console And Arcade Varieties!

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PR Hound has made yet another announcement and it's a good one as ININ Games and PR Hound are releasing two amazing shmup collections next week on PS4 and Switch in conjunction with TAITO Games! The two collections are Darius Cozmic Collection Console and Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade! Here's what PR Hound said in their press release:



“WARNING!”

"A Huge Collection of Classic Shoot-em-up Games is Approaching Fast!


The localised, digital, versions of one of the highest revered Shoot ‘Em Up game series in the history of video gaming are heading to the Nintendo eShop and PSN. The Darius Cozmic Collection Console and the Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade will be available on 16th June 2020.


Make it Simple, Make it Tough!


The Darius series pioneered horizontal Shoot 'Em Up games and was developed by the legendary TAITO Corporation. The first Darius game wowed arcade going fans when it was

released in 1986 with its dedicated dual-display cabinet, imaginative enemy designs and revolutionary sound design.


RoboFish!


The first Darius is set in a futuristic 2D world, where the player pilots a Silver Hawk craft alone, or with a second player, and shoots their way through enemy hordes, navigating tricky terrain and battling giant robotic sea creatures. Armed with missiles, bombs and a forcefield, which can be powered up along the way, the players must defeat the alien invaders through a series of branching ‘zones’ to be victorious.


Numerous sequels and ports followed over the years, setting new standards for Shoot 'Em Up excellence each time, from the outstanding soundtracks, to the unforgettable, aquatic-lifeform-themed boss design and the innovative branching paths at the end of each section


The Darius Cozmic Collection represents the classic 2D history of this iconic Shoot 'Em Up series. All games have been faithfully ported to modern consoles by M2 in Japan, so gamers can rest assured that these are absolutely high-quality ports with perfect performance - as one would expect from the retro game experts at M2."

The two collections and the pricing for each can be found below:



Console


Darius Cozmic Collection Console - Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4

This download collection includes 6 titles (9 versions) from the Darius home console series:

Darius II (Mega Drive, JP version)

SAGAIA (Genesis, US version)

SAGAIA (Master System, EU version)

Darius Twin (Super Famicom, JP version)

Darius Twin (Super NES, US version)

Darius Force (Super Famicom, JP version)

Super Nova (Super NES, US version)

Darius Alpha (PC Engine, JP version)

Darius Plus (PC Engine, JP version)


Price: 54.99€ / 44.99 GBP / 59.99 USD



Arcade


Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade - Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4

This download collection includes 4 titles (7 versions) from the Darius arcade series:

Darius (Arcade, original version)

Darius (Arcade, new version)

Darius (Arcade, extra version)

Darius II (Arcade, Dual Screen version)

SAGAIA (Arcade, ver.1)

SAGAIA (Arcade, ver.2)

Darius Gaiden (Arcade)


Price: 39.99€ / 34,99 GBP/ 44,99 USD



2D or Not 2D - Don’t Miss Out!



What do you think of these two collections of classic games? Will yo be downloading either of these two collections? Be sure to vote in our poll and leave us your comments below!

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#News #ININ #PRHound #TAITO #PS4 #Switch #PSN #eShop #Shmup #Collection #Arcade #Poll

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Bubble Bursting Fun!

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PR Hound has announced that Bubble Bobble 4 Friends for PS4 that releases this year will feature loads of new stages and modes not currently in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, but fear not. If you own the Switch version of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, the platform will be getting the new content in the form of DLC. What do you think of this news? Be sure to pop a bubble in our comments below!

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#News #Trailer #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #DLC #BubbleBobble #PRHound #ININ #TAITO

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Bub And Bob Are Back With Friends!

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Developed by Taito and published by PR Hound, Bubble Bobble: 4 Friends is a delightful throwback of the classic 80's arcade game, but does this new release live up to the original? We think so and here's why:



Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has frantic and highly enjoyable gameplay for 1 to 4 players where you must encase enemies in bubbles and then pop them to defeat said enemies much like in the arcade game back during the 80's. Bonus rounds are back and just as fun as ever, and there are tons of new power-ups to help you defeat your enemies. All in all, the game is a blast that faithfully recreates the nostalgic feel of the original Bubble Bobble. That said as good as the game is, the game is SUPER short and clocks in at less than half the length of the original "game-time not the number of stages" which is the main reason why this game isn't receiving a perfect score.

The entire Bubble Bobble classic arcade game is included in this title which we highly recommend playing! The difficulty is pretty easy and the controls are intuitive and easy to learn which is always a good thing in our opinions. As for the audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends has colorful and detailed retro themed graphics that feel like a perfect blend between retro charm and modern flare and it really stands out. And the soundtrack is bubbly and cheerful which fits the game perfectly!



Bottom-Line: With great gameplay, flawless controls, and an excellent audio-visual presentation, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will have you hooked from the get-go, while the inclusion of the original 80's arcade game will keep you coming back for more! The only negative aspect of this game is that the new content is pretty short due to quicker movement and other adjustments and can be finished in a half an hour which does hurt the overall score of the game, but even so we give the game a good level of recommendation!

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Score: 8/10

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#Review #Taito #PRHound #BubbleBobble #Arcade #Platformer #Action #Switch #Retail #eShop

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An Amazing Robot Shinobi Smackdown!

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Developed by Taito Games, a subsidiary of Square Enix and published by PR Hound, Taito's The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is a remake of a classic Taito arcade-style beat 'em up released decades ago during the golden age of arcades! How does this game stack-up to the competition of that era? Really well actually, continue reading our review to find out why!



The gameplay can be extremely challenging at times, but at the heart of Taito's The Ninja Saviors - Return of the Warriors, it's a relatively simplistic beat 'em up. That said the various playable characters offer a very different experience with different range and combos which adds a layer of replayability to the game, but also ensures that there should be a character to fit every gamer's playstyle.

The controls in the game are pretty tight, but some combos can feel somewhat awkward to pull off which can be frustrating at times. There's a wide array of vastly different enemies and bosses which well test your mettle in the game. The normal enemies during stage one require little strategy, but by stage two things get quite a bit more challenging.



Every boss is a challenge however, even the stage one boss really presented a serious challenge to us and the game literally took us a month to beat! While extremely difficult the game always felt fair in its mechanics and if you learn the patterns of the enemies you could make slow, but steady progress in the game and eventually beat it. This difficulty was a breath of fresh air in an era where most games are far too easy, it was nice to actually earn our victory through hard work and determination!

The audio-visual presentation in the game is decidedly retro with authentic 90's style graphics with a ton of attention to detail with amazing character designs and superbly designed levels with multiple layered backgrounds. The soundtrack is also top-notch with a wide-variety of tracks that fit the game perfectly!



Bottom-Line: With excellent and challenging gameplay, good controls that can be a bit tricky at times, and a superb audio-visual presentation that will bring back memories of the old arcades of yore, Taito's The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors for the PS4 is a great game that's well worth a purchase if you're looking for a challenge or enjoy retro-style arcade games or beat 'em ups! We give Taito's The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors a good to great level of recommendation!  

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Score: ★★★★★★★★¾☆ 8.75/10

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#Review #TheNinjaSaviors #Taito #SquareEnix #PRHound #PS4 #PSN #Switch #eShop #BeatEmUp #Arcade #Retro

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