PikaPal
2006
Crap but the most entertaining kind of crap you could possibly discover. The king of all Dingo Pictures films with the most garbled translation possible, constant repeating music in the background and some random drunk hobo they got off the street voicing every character in the most slurred and stilted manner possible.
Get a couple of friends and this shit will turn into a blast in no time.
"Round of applause for the unbelievable poooorn!"
Get a couple of friends and this shit will turn into a blast in no time.
"Round of applause for the unbelievable poooorn!"
Nothing much too say about the gameplay as it's your usual Dance Dance Revolution/Dancing Stage stuff but what easily makes this a nostalgic treat is some of the cracking Disney remixes alongside some other licensed stuff this game has for the music line-up (and of course some Konami originals).
Some of the catchiest stuff ever and you'll no doubt be breaking a sweat with some of the harder songs too.
Some of the catchiest stuff ever and you'll no doubt be breaking a sweat with some of the harder songs too.
2001
Shockingly, one of the better game show to video game adaptations. The Weakest Link is pretty much on point when it comes to it's presentation and gameplay wise it's about what you'd expect from the show - answer a bunch of questions and hope to god you don't get voted off whilst Anne Robinson makes a bunch of witty comments.
It's very enjoyable when it comes to the multiplayer and even the silly comments from the contestants can be quite amusing at times (if for the wrong reasons).
Not the best game ever but certainly not the Weakest Link either.
It's very enjoyable when it comes to the multiplayer and even the silly comments from the contestants can be quite amusing at times (if for the wrong reasons).
Not the best game ever but certainly not the Weakest Link either.
2008
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters is a game that really hasn't aged well when going back to it but things could be made a lot better had they made a sequel. Instead they made Secret Agent Clank which came out a year later and proceeds to correct almost none of the problems that plagued that game and only exasperates the bad shit tenfold.
The story is borderline incomprehensible rubbish that apparently thinks that Clank IS a secret agent (even though in the third game he's just a fictional character in a TV show) and sees Ratchet being framed for a crime he didn't commit. Apparently everyone except Clank is stupid to not realise the red things on his head is a dead giveaway that he's being mind-controlled and it only gets more weirdly convoluted as it goes on.
Gameplay wise things haven't improved much. The weapons are still crap (and somehow even worse this time around) and the stealth sections get repetitive quickly especially if you're using Clank's takedowns.
Not helping in the slightest is the bloody terrible other gameplay segments that take up the bulk of the game such as the atrocious rhythm sections including a particularly awful one at the Casino. Ratchet's playable for a few arena battles at the prison he's been sent to but those grow old pretty fast as does the Gadgetbots levels. Special mention goes to Captain Quawk who despite the fact that he's playable for the first time, his levels go on for about 100 million fucking decades and any jokes that may have been funny are stretched past their breaking point.
This really should have been where big improvements were made for Ratchet and Clank's second PSP outing but instead High Impact Games fucked up big time and gave us the worst game in the series to date. Consider this agent shaken, stirred and a big load of Clank!
The story is borderline incomprehensible rubbish that apparently thinks that Clank IS a secret agent (even though in the third game he's just a fictional character in a TV show) and sees Ratchet being framed for a crime he didn't commit. Apparently everyone except Clank is stupid to not realise the red things on his head is a dead giveaway that he's being mind-controlled and it only gets more weirdly convoluted as it goes on.
Gameplay wise things haven't improved much. The weapons are still crap (and somehow even worse this time around) and the stealth sections get repetitive quickly especially if you're using Clank's takedowns.
Not helping in the slightest is the bloody terrible other gameplay segments that take up the bulk of the game such as the atrocious rhythm sections including a particularly awful one at the Casino. Ratchet's playable for a few arena battles at the prison he's been sent to but those grow old pretty fast as does the Gadgetbots levels. Special mention goes to Captain Quawk who despite the fact that he's playable for the first time, his levels go on for about 100 million fucking decades and any jokes that may have been funny are stretched past their breaking point.
This really should have been where big improvements were made for Ratchet and Clank's second PSP outing but instead High Impact Games fucked up big time and gave us the worst game in the series to date. Consider this agent shaken, stirred and a big load of Clank!
I remember enjoying this one a long while ago at a much younger age but after having gone back to two of the main PS2 games recently, I'm sorry to say that time has not been particularly kind to Size Matters in the slightest.
It still looks and sounds like Ratchet and Clank (although downscaled a bit to fit on a portable console) but it doesn't play particularly well mostly thanks to the weapons which aren't very good. They feel incredibly weak to use (even when they've been fully levelled up) and the enemies appear to be giant walking bullet sponges that can take you down in about 3 hits or so.
Most of the minigames aren't particularly fun either whether it's the awful racing sections with stiff movement and controls or the unusual Robot Wars/Battlebots part that Clank unexpectedly gets thrown in. All of which is topped off by the most bullshit bosses in the series to date (especially the last one) and a rather silly story even for the usual standards of the franchise.
There's a couple of cool moments especially when the title does deliver and you get to visit the inside of Clank's head but this really does pail in comparison to the PS2 games.
These sort of issues could have been improved on had they actually made a sequel of some sorts but nope instead we got Secret Agent Clank... and the whole world was worse off for it!
It still looks and sounds like Ratchet and Clank (although downscaled a bit to fit on a portable console) but it doesn't play particularly well mostly thanks to the weapons which aren't very good. They feel incredibly weak to use (even when they've been fully levelled up) and the enemies appear to be giant walking bullet sponges that can take you down in about 3 hits or so.
Most of the minigames aren't particularly fun either whether it's the awful racing sections with stiff movement and controls or the unusual Robot Wars/Battlebots part that Clank unexpectedly gets thrown in. All of which is topped off by the most bullshit bosses in the series to date (especially the last one) and a rather silly story even for the usual standards of the franchise.
There's a couple of cool moments especially when the title does deliver and you get to visit the inside of Clank's head but this really does pail in comparison to the PS2 games.
These sort of issues could have been improved on had they actually made a sequel of some sorts but nope instead we got Secret Agent Clank... and the whole world was worse off for it!
The first Ratchet and Clank was a very fun outing for the titular duo but then a year later comes the sequel Going Commando which improves on just about everything it possibly can.
The weapons are some of the most fun to mess around with and it's made even better thanks to the ability to upgrade them as the game goes on transforming them into weapons of mass destruction that could make even the fiercest of enemies cower like a whimpering dog. Your health system is much improved as well with a levelling up mechanic meaning that Ratchet's rocking more health than last time.
The arenas and space battles are a great addition to the series as well giving you the chance to face more battles and earn a lot more bolts. Even the controls are better with Ratchet being much more responsive and he can finally strafe as well for those little shoutout moments.
And once it's all done, you can do it all over again with Challenge Mode where the enemies get more tougher but the rewards even greater with more bolts and fiercer weapons.
With the fun levels and set-pieces combined, Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando makes for a superb sequel to the original game and one of the most essential games to have on the PS2. You really do owe it to yourself to check out this gem.
The weapons are some of the most fun to mess around with and it's made even better thanks to the ability to upgrade them as the game goes on transforming them into weapons of mass destruction that could make even the fiercest of enemies cower like a whimpering dog. Your health system is much improved as well with a levelling up mechanic meaning that Ratchet's rocking more health than last time.
The arenas and space battles are a great addition to the series as well giving you the chance to face more battles and earn a lot more bolts. Even the controls are better with Ratchet being much more responsive and he can finally strafe as well for those little shoutout moments.
And once it's all done, you can do it all over again with Challenge Mode where the enemies get more tougher but the rewards even greater with more bolts and fiercer weapons.
With the fun levels and set-pieces combined, Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando makes for a superb sequel to the original game and one of the most essential games to have on the PS2. You really do owe it to yourself to check out this gem.
2003
2003 was the year of change for the Worms franchise. Best known more for being a 2D game, Worms 3D had the massively big task of bringing these pink warriors of strategic war to the third dimension, thus bringing their never ending battle into a whole new light.
Although the reception tends to be mixed on this one with some liking it and others preferring the 2D games, I'm kinda sat in the middle with this one. It's nowhere near as good as the glory days of Armageddon and the camera can be a bit of a pain but I do think Team17 did a perfectly acceptable job with changing up the series massively.
Gameplay's still good and the Worms look exactly how you'd expect them to be with plenty more emotion and personality brimming from them. A good start to the 3D era although Worms 4: Mayhem would take things up a notch.
Although the reception tends to be mixed on this one with some liking it and others preferring the 2D games, I'm kinda sat in the middle with this one. It's nowhere near as good as the glory days of Armageddon and the camera can be a bit of a pain but I do think Team17 did a perfectly acceptable job with changing up the series massively.
Gameplay's still good and the Worms look exactly how you'd expect them to be with plenty more emotion and personality brimming from them. A good start to the 3D era although Worms 4: Mayhem would take things up a notch.
2001
Essentially acting as a expansion pack for the already superb Armageddon, World Party throws in a couple of extra content into the mix including some new missions and the biggest new addition to the series - the Wormpot which allows you to customise the game with all sorts of different varying conditions (for example you could combine Moon Gravity so that the worms can jump higher and have the weapons do more damage than normal), changing up each round of strategic mayhem.
It's just still just as entertainingly good as Armageddon was but if you're not too interested with some of this stuff then chalk it down to 4 stars.
It's just still just as entertainingly good as Armageddon was but if you're not too interested with some of this stuff then chalk it down to 4 stars.
1999
Worms 2 made many great improvements over the original with the cartoony art-style that made our Worm friends easier to see and the faster paced gameplay. However it was only ever released for the PC meaning that console owners were left out on the wormy mayhem for the time being.
Then two years later in comes Armageddon, the game that was originally supposed to have been the end for the small pink warriors but instead would usher in an array of new entries to come over the years including World Party two years later which acted as a expansion pack for this game.
No doubt though that Armageddon is still the absolute peak of pure pinky mayhem with it's incredibly fun gameplay, missions and of course the superb multiplayer making for a perfect game to get friends around and blow the big ol' shit out of each other.
It all makes for a good time and easily the best entry in the Worms series to date.
Then two years later in comes Armageddon, the game that was originally supposed to have been the end for the small pink warriors but instead would usher in an array of new entries to come over the years including World Party two years later which acted as a expansion pack for this game.
No doubt though that Armageddon is still the absolute peak of pure pinky mayhem with it's incredibly fun gameplay, missions and of course the superb multiplayer making for a perfect game to get friends around and blow the big ol' shit out of each other.
It all makes for a good time and easily the best entry in the Worms series to date.
1997
Bizarre Famicom bootleg game that's meant to be based on the Russian animated cartoon Nu Pogodi! but clearly seems to be knocking off Looney Tunes more with the off-model Bugs Bunny and the Wile-e-Coyote looking fella.
Really though that's all just mere window dressing for what is easily one of the absolute worst controlling platformers I've ever played. This bunny runs like he has a stick up his arse and the collision detection is just revolting. Have fun trying to get past some of the enemies cause this game somehow makes that an infuriating challenge.
Everything's thrown around in a wily-nily fashion like they just banged this up on a day and decided to spend the rest on booze and cigarettes. It's quite terrible honestly - even for bootleg standards.
Really though that's all just mere window dressing for what is easily one of the absolute worst controlling platformers I've ever played. This bunny runs like he has a stick up his arse and the collision detection is just revolting. Have fun trying to get past some of the enemies cause this game somehow makes that an infuriating challenge.
Everything's thrown around in a wily-nily fashion like they just banged this up on a day and decided to spend the rest on booze and cigarettes. It's quite terrible honestly - even for bootleg standards.
1997
About as Wheel of Fortune as a Wheel of Fortune game gets so if you love the show like me, you'll probably have some fun with it.
Too bad then this looks fucking appalling - like a cruel sick joke hidden in the form of a licensed game on the N64 of some sorts. Apparently the publishers for this (GameTek) were in their bankruptcy phase when this came out and it's very obvious that not much time was spent in the presentation department because it just looks so wrong with the wonky live action people and boring, plain sets.
But hey, they managed to squeeze in some FMV footage of Vanna White on a cartridge so that's cool.
Too bad then this looks fucking appalling - like a cruel sick joke hidden in the form of a licensed game on the N64 of some sorts. Apparently the publishers for this (GameTek) were in their bankruptcy phase when this came out and it's very obvious that not much time was spent in the presentation department because it just looks so wrong with the wonky live action people and boring, plain sets.
But hey, they managed to squeeze in some FMV footage of Vanna White on a cartridge so that's cool.
I am a massive sucker for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with it being one of my favourite game shows of all time and so I'm happily content to check out some of these games no matter how mediocre some of them can be and this 2020 offering from around when Jeremy Clarkson was making himself comfortable in the hotseat after he punched some guy in the face and got booted off of Top Gear a while back is exactly that. The best kind of mediocre that I can happily put on for a few minutes and put back down again.
It's Millionaire as Millionaire can get and they've managed to get the whole formula down to a tee with tons of questions from all sorts of categories. One thing that's pretty cool as well is the fact that after each game you can also unlock some actual quiz packs which is a neat little touch.
The presentation though is what really drags this down. The game itself isn't going to be known as a looker (might be nitpicky but also all versions are based on the French studio set for whatever reason) and the voice acting is bloody terrible. The constant dialogue from the contestants and the boring monotone clearly not Jeremy Clarkson or even Chris Tarrant host will have you instantly reaching for the Off volume in mere seconds.
It's obviously not a great game but as a game show loving aficionado it's somewhat harmless enough and at least doesn't reach Family Fortunes or Golden Balls levels of pure shit.
It's Millionaire as Millionaire can get and they've managed to get the whole formula down to a tee with tons of questions from all sorts of categories. One thing that's pretty cool as well is the fact that after each game you can also unlock some actual quiz packs which is a neat little touch.
The presentation though is what really drags this down. The game itself isn't going to be known as a looker (might be nitpicky but also all versions are based on the French studio set for whatever reason) and the voice acting is bloody terrible. The constant dialogue from the contestants and the boring monotone clearly not Jeremy Clarkson or even Chris Tarrant host will have you instantly reaching for the Off volume in mere seconds.
It's obviously not a great game but as a game show loving aficionado it's somewhat harmless enough and at least doesn't reach Family Fortunes or Golden Balls levels of pure shit.
For whatever reason this was called The Jungle Book 2 in the UK even though this game has shit all to do with the shittier sequel of the same name which always confused me.
Doesn't really matter much either way though as this is a shit puzzle game that gets old really quickly and doesn't have much in the way of fun. There's also an RPG-esque levelling up system that doesn't do anything for the game and the music is straight up terrible.
There is however something vaguely amusing about having the same upbeat joyful music playing in the background while poor Mowgli's running for his dear life to avoid being eaten by Shere Khan so there's that I guess.
Doesn't really matter much either way though as this is a shit puzzle game that gets old really quickly and doesn't have much in the way of fun. There's also an RPG-esque levelling up system that doesn't do anything for the game and the music is straight up terrible.
There is however something vaguely amusing about having the same upbeat joyful music playing in the background while poor Mowgli's running for his dear life to avoid being eaten by Shere Khan so there's that I guess.
A bit of a childhood game for me as I remember playing this one a long while ago via a double pack with Disney Princess of all things.
This platformer based on the incredibly amusing Lion King 1 1/2 (one of the better Disney DTV offerings) takes some inspiration from Blizzard's Lost Vikings where you constantly switch back and forth between Timon and Pumbaa as they go through the events of the film.
Nothing too amazing and it's over quicker than it starts but it's not a bad little game to pass the time if you've got nothing else better to do. Also this has very short clips from the film as a bonus and my young mind was always blown away by the fact that Vicarious Visions managed to put small video bits onto a GBA cartridge.
Granted it's not as big as say having the entirety of the first two Shrek films on the GBA but still...
This platformer based on the incredibly amusing Lion King 1 1/2 (one of the better Disney DTV offerings) takes some inspiration from Blizzard's Lost Vikings where you constantly switch back and forth between Timon and Pumbaa as they go through the events of the film.
Nothing too amazing and it's over quicker than it starts but it's not a bad little game to pass the time if you've got nothing else better to do. Also this has very short clips from the film as a bonus and my young mind was always blown away by the fact that Vicarious Visions managed to put small video bits onto a GBA cartridge.
Granted it's not as big as say having the entirety of the first two Shrek films on the GBA but still...
Donald Duck does a Crash Bandicoot and the results are fairly decent with this mildly amusing platformer that pulls every trick from the beloved orange marsupial's book from 3D levels to 2D-esque ones to running away from a random enemy ones although the hitboxes aren't all that great, some of the bosses (especially the final one) can be quite a pain in the ass and for some reason the PS2 and GameCube versions put you on a timer to get to the end of the level which the other versions don't, something I find to be a very odd choice.
Still it's pretty entertaining while it lasts.
Still it's pretty entertaining while it lasts.