Technically superior to the SNES version, and has some great voice samples. I'm quite surprised how close to this the SNES version actually is, and considering that it has more levels than this one, I think I might like it even more somehow.

Anyway, this is probably the pinnacle of the original Turtles arcade games. A simple but brilliant arcade beat em up experience. One of my favourites in fact.

Obviously it's designed to devour your 10p's so it gets a little spammy towards the end, but that can be forgiven when it's this fun. A great time, only surpassed by the better SNES port (and eventually Shredder's Revenge).

A welcome surprise and genuinely great game. Firstly, I really appreciated those opening tutorials. Turns out I've been using the air brakes wrong all this time (I went back to the SNES version a couple of hours after playing this, and I've never been better at the game). The mayhem of 99 players is a lot of fun, and not quite as difficult as initially expected. I was expecting a lot of pinballing, so to speak, but it's not quite that bad, especially with the addition of the spin move.

There's a decent selection of modes to try. I wasn't sure if I'd be any good on the harder tracks, but once you get into a rhythm and get used to the controls, even the harder modes are a lot of fun and offer a challenge beyond everyone keep choosing Mute City 1 in 99 mode.

The grand prix's are fun, and I'm looking forward to the Queen and King cups opening up. I've only managed to fully finish 2 though, and weirdly came 14th both times. The threat of elimination from finishing below a certain place adds to the pressure and gives it that extra edge, and makes finishing each race all the more sweeter.

I haven't managed to finish first place yet. Think I've managed 4th place. Although I have been in 1st during the race for approximately half a second. That was a great time.

The best thing about this, much like Tetris 99 (and Tetris in general I guess), is that I can stick it on for 5 or 10 minutes if I just want a quick thrill, and it might end up being an hour or two. A nice little surprise, a little treat, and a bit of optimism that the series has not been forgotten about.

I bought the Bioshock collection a bit ago, and after finishing the first two, I really didn't fancy starting another. And I'd heard that infinite was the worst of the three. Lots of online folk who clearly know better, laying into it for its terrible story and politics. I'm pretty sure it was not advocating white supremacy, in fact it was quite the opposite. And it makes killing the baddies a lot easier when they are pieces of shit.

As for the story, I found it much more interesting than the previous two, and I really liked the setting as well. Whereas rapture was interesting, it was too dark and gloomy to actually appreciate it.

The combat was much more satisfying as well. It was generally a more entertaining game and I am slightly annoyed at myself for putting it off for so long, but on the other hand, I'd been going through the annual game apathy period, and this did just the trick (enjoyed it a lot more than Starfield, which I'm really struggling to stick with).
I'm even enjoying the nice video of the singer and guitarist over the credits, and usually hate stuff like this. Anyway, third time's the charm. My favourite BioShock.

Quite a fun smash bros clone but has the depth of a puddle. I enjoy playing, but unless you're really into these characters, just stick with smash.

I only bought this with my ms reward points so I'm glad I didn't spend real money on it at least. But then it 7 quid(ish), so wouldn't break the bank either.

It's fine but very limited.

One of my favourite titles from the Sega Ages Switch releases that I've played. Extremely playable, constantly trying to better my previous race. Despite the small amount of courses available, it's still a fantastic racing game. Once you pick up on the timings, where you need to be and when, everything slots into place and it's down to yourself to make sure you don't fuck it up.

It's obviously upscaled for HD displays, but it looks cracking. One of the first polygonal arcade games but it's still wonderful and bright. The medium and hard difficulty courses are both great to drive through, although there's nothing more enjoyable than belting it over that iconic suspension bridge after just getting a check point and being treated to some of the games' unfortunately seldom used soundtrack.

A great time, and I'm pretty sure I only paid a couple of quid back when I bought it. Excellent pick up and play for just one more go.

Mario madness, indeed. I really enjoyed my time with this again. First time I have beaten the original, actually. I've played the Mario all stars version a gazillion times (when it's one of few games you have as a kid, you tend to go through the same ones quite often), but only really played this one on NSO and the Smash Bros demos on Wii U. And the one time my mum took me to a game shop in Humberstone where I played the display NES and this blew my mind.

Good fun. On to Super Mario Bros. 3, next.

Turtles in Time was one of my favourite beat em ups growing up. One of few games I had for my SNES so I played it a lot. This sequel (of sorts I guess) expands on the design and overall vibe of the classic Turtles game and delivers one of the best scrolling best em up games I've played since the glory days of Streets of Rage and Turtles games.

I wasn't particularly arsed about this as I thought it was just gonna be pandering drivel to be honest, playing on people's nostalgia for the old Turtles games and that era in general, but it's a genuinely great beat em up as well as reminding me how rad the ninja turtles are.

Can't wait to play through this again with my pals.

One of my favourite Tekken games. A great deal of fun, with a big roster of silly fighters. I always have a fun time when I fire up TTT2. I had a blast through arcade this evening for the first time in a while.

I normally play the Wii U version because of the fun outfits, but I was looking for but of fluff after playing Dark Souls II before hand, and this proved to be just the thing.

A decent amount of modes, fun, fluid gameplay. A good time.

Fantastic. Quite a learning curve to some of the activities, but otherwise an excellent game. A nice mix of farm sim and action RPG. And it has a really nice atmosphere as well.

In terms of value for money, this is one of the best games available. There's so much to do, I still have quite a bit to be cracking on with but I've decided to give it a rest for a while. I made it to Ginger Island and got married, 4 stars for the farm etc, and I had a hoot doing it all. And the amount of time I've spent on this is ridiculous. One of those 5 more minutes kind of games.

A lot of fun, and well worth the price it goes for.

I've been ever so slowly chipping away at this since the SNES NSO launched. Every now and then just dipping back in for an hour here and there, a few months apart. The dark world can be a real grind, and it's about halfway through that my play through became much more fragmented.

I think the last time I actually beat the game was when the SNES was still a current generation console. I've picked it up for pretty much every console it's been available on but that dark world hump always got me. But I persevered and had a really good time. In brief stages over the course of a couple of years.

It's still an incredible game. It still makes me go wow even after 30 years. It's such a great game with so many secrets and surprises and its roots grow into so many brilliant games to come. I can see why a lot of people say this is the best one (it isn't) and I will probably keep coming back to this until the end my time on this cursed earth.

But first, I think I might charge the 3DS and give a Link Between World's another play through.

Nothing more to add other than this game is fucking great. Visually stunning, lovely action RPG gameplay and cracking sound design.

However, I didn't finish it. I've played around 100 hours, and I'm spent. This game is brilliant in every way, but I have hit a wall. I dip back in every now and then but it's a struggle to get back in to the swing of things.

It's not you, it's definitely me. I couldn't get enough of these games at the beginning of the year. I finished Lords of the Fallen, Dark Souls and DS2 but maybe I've just burnt myself out.

This is easily GOTY though. No contest.

I noticed this was still in my playing section on here. I got up to the last boss and got annoyed so left it. I'm going through my backlog of stuff I want to complete this year, and this ain't one of them. But as I was at the last boss, thought I'd give it one last crack, and it probably took me 10-15 minutes of persevering, doing something I'm not sure was having any effect and just sticking with it.

I can assure you that I would not have stuck with it were it not for the save states and rewind feature on the Switch (I was playing this on the Megadrive app). Whilst I enjoy the first two or three levels, the last couple were fucking shit, no two ways about it. I like a challenge but these just felt like chance more than anything.

But I'll always enjoy that opening level. The music, the part platform, part pinball mechanics, an entertaining game for at least 50 percent of the time. I don't think think I'll ever bother trying to complete this one again.

It took me 7 seasons (although it's technically 6 as you take charge of your first game at the end of the 1st season) to not only win a playoff game, but make it all the way to the Retro Bowl. In that time, I managed to create a team using mainly draft picks that eventually became winners.

Players that won several end of season awards including MVP and player of the year for their respective positions. Players that I have nurtured and worked with to bring out their best. Sometimes they have an off day but still give it their all. A team that started off with 1 win to their name and ended up with top rank and 5 stars on both offence and defence. I could've ploughed all my money into a superstar to carry the team and hope for the best, but I decided the grind would be more rewarding. And it is. In a way I've grown attached to my team of rookies and developed superstars. It's taken a minimum of 18 games each season to finally reach the Retro Bowl and just to get there is reward in itself.

I was on the fence about this before I took the punt and bought it. I was big into Tecmo Bowl back when the NES NSO app launched and was hoping it would replicate it. However, you only play offence. All the defensive plays are simulated. This actually put me off at first. However, I had a few quid to spare and finally bit. It was an excellent choice as I was immediately hooked.

You're the coach and you also make the offensive plays in the game. Starting the team from scratch was great. You only worry about a select few players and the main coaches, as well as upgrading facilities etc, but it doesn't get too deep or technical. In fact the management aspect is rather shallow compared to most games with those features. But still fun enough to get something out of it.

Deciding who goes, who stays, joins and doesn't, what you do with the facilities and a few other bits is a nice little aside to the main bulk of the game, which is the football. It's probably the most simple and rewarding football game I've ever played. The mechanics are pretty basic and it's easy to just pick up and play. I've played a few Madden games in my time, and none have outstayed this (or Tecmo Bowl for that matter). It's extremely addictive, just one more game, oh dear it's gone midnight.

I've really enjoyed being head coach of this retro Green Bay and once my final game is played of this season, I'll put it to bed for a while. Yeah, I've not actually played the Retro Bowl final. It'll be done later on today. Either way, I'm gonna consider it completed. Win, I get the ring and the good ending. I may even move on to another team that's going through a rebuild and start again. But not till the real football season starts later in the year and I'm in the mood for it again. Lose, I'll consider it the bad end and leave it until I'm ready to play through an entire season again. Either way, this has been a fantastic sports title, which is easy to play, even if you have a basic understanding of American Football, like me. At less than a fiver on the Switch, I feel I've absolutely got my money's worth. A real highlight.