PixlBit

Let’s start 2022 off right with some reviews I’ve written recently at GamerDad.com.  Please click on the reviews and read as many as you like, and maybe even post a ‘like’ or comment or two.  I’d appreciate it.  OK let’s begin!

Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon (PS4)

The indie game Shovel Knight has really gained fame since its release.  And for good reason, because it’s a great game!  The 8-bit styled 2-D platformer has gotten spinoffs with playable bosses, a Smash clone with Shovel Knight Showdown, and has even gotten kids meal toys at Arby’s!  And now Shovel Knight is starring in a puzzle action game!  Like the original title it’s based on, the game is fun but really hard!

Rune Factory 4 Special (PS4)

Story of Seasons, formerly known as Harvest Moon, is a popular long running series of farming life simulations.  They’ve also had spinoffs in the Rune Factory series.  These games combine the farming gameplay aspects with dungeon exploration and action packed battles in a fantasy setting.  Nearly ten years ago, I reviewed Rune Factory 4 on 3DS, and now it’s getting a re-release with added features for current consoles and PC (but reviewed on PS4 here).  In the game you can marry a selection of characters, and Farmer Man Cary is looking at either the pink-haired sleepy butler lady or the tough and strong knight lady.  Which do you think he should marry?

Inspector Waffles (Switch)

Waffles is a cat who lives in a world full of anthropomorphic animals, but mostly cats and dogs.  He’s an inspector who works for a local police station, but has been downtrodden after his last big case went south.  Now a nearby cat, Fluffy, has been murdered and Waffles is on the beat again.  With his newfound partner, snifferdog Spotty, will Waffles be able to solve the case and get back on his feet again?  You’ll find out in Inspector Waffles, a point and click adventure mystery game.  This one is really good and if you liked the old TellTale games before they started making ‘follow your nose’ Walking Dead titles, you should check this one out.

Marsupilami: Hoobaventure (PS4)

Marsupilami is a European comic book character who is a fictional animal with leopard like spots and a trademark super long tail.  And he says “Hooba” a lot.  Die-hard Disney Afternoon fans like myself might remember some trailer bumpers advertising the block with Marsupilami spelling out the Disney Afternoon logo with his tail.  And I remember Marsupilami having some shorts on the Saturday Morning Raw Toonage show (but I think they were pretty annoying).  But that’s all the notoriety that character has had in the US.  But in Europe he’s had comics, multiple cartoons, a movie, and tons of merchandise.  And now he has his own video game, a 2-D platformer very similar to Donkey Kong Country.  In the game, an evil pirate skeleton thing has hypnotized all the animals, and now it’s up to Marsupilami to stop him!

Tunche (Switch)

Tunche is a side scrolling beat ‘em up with roguelike elements and features South American myths and lore, which is something you don’t see much in video games.  Choose from five playable characters.  Four of which are kids from South America and the other is a guest star: the kid from A Hat in Time for some reason.  Indie games like to feature other indie game characters I guess.  Anyway, up to four can play couch co-op as you battle all sorts of creatures in the Amazon.

Mickey Storm and the Cursed Mask (PS4)

Mickey Storm and his family are visiting a new water park, but the evil Dr. Fisher kidnaps his parents and now it’s up to Mickey and his sister to save them!  Apparently their parents are also spies, so they’ve left them a backpack with all sorts of gadgets and a flying robot named B.U.D.D.Y. to guide them around the waterslide obstacles and save the day.  As you can guess, this game is really bad.

Horatio Goes Snowboarding (PS4)

Horatio is a little blue ball guy with a moustache and goggles and he wants to go snowboarding!  Guide him through the busy streets to the snowboard shop to pick up gear and then to the helicopter so he can ski down the mountain in this action game that takes elements from arcade classics like Konami’s Frogger and Taito’s Alpine Ski.  Although honestly I’d rather just play those instead.

Match Three Pirates II (Switch)

Help a kid build a pirate themed amusement park for his pirate friends in Match Three Pirates II.  I’ve never played the first game so I don’t know what’s improved or changed in the sequel, but it’s your typical match three puzzle game like Candy Crush or Bejeweled.  And it’s been done better elsewhere, too.

And that’s all for now!  Thanks for reading and posting ‘likes’ and comments on my reviews.  I really do appreciate it.  Hope everyone has a great 2022!  --Cary