The ZX Spectrum version of Total Eclipse was the first version of the game released.
Using the legendary Freescape Engine, Total Eclipse is an Egyptian-themed exploration/puzzle game set in a primitive 3D world. Primitive because it was one of the first ever games to allow games-players to explore a 3D world in this way, and it worked quite well, in spite of the low frame rate and slowdown.
Written by Jim Scarlett and published by Software Projects in 1984, Tribble Trubble was a minor hit at the time of release, garnering some critical acclaim (I remember it getting a Smash in an early issue of Crash magazine, which was a big deal) and doing okay sales-wise.
Looking at it now: it still has charm, and some appeal, and is still worth playing – if you like tearing your hair out trying to beat insignificant tasks… 🙂
This 2003 release from Nintendo is the first game in the WarioWare series. The WarioWare series is all about playing short minigames, that the player must complete in sequence, with the speed of the challenges increasing as the game progresses.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! is known as “Minigame Mania” in PAL regions, but I’m sticking to the original title here.
Continue reading WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!, Game Boy Advance
Mario Golf: Advance Tour was released in 2004 and was developed by Camelot Software Planning for Nintendo.
It is similar in many ways to Mario Tennis: Power Tour – it’s like an RPG with golfing elements – and it is a lot of fun to play.
Created in 2003 by Vicarious Visions, Bruce Lee: Return of the Legend is an excellent side-scrolling beat ’em up that presents Bruce Lee in the role of a martial arts student fighting an evil crime syndicate in revenge for the murder of his master.
It’s an excellent game too – surprisingly so.
Continue reading Bruce Lee: Return of the Legend, Game Boy Advance
Super Monkey Ball Jr. is a conversion of the classic GameCube game by Sega. It was first released in North America in 2002, and in 2003 in Europe.
From what I can tell, Super Monkey Ball Jr. was never released in Japan… That can’t be right… I thought the Japanese were (rightly) mad for Super Monkey Ball?!
The third and final Castlevania game on the Game Boy Advance, Aria of Sorrow was first published by Konami in 2003.
Development was again led by Producer Koji Igarashi (who had previously worked on Symphony of the Night), and the end result is another brilliant and varied mix of platforming and RPG, with challenging enemies and boss battles.
Continue reading Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Game Boy Advance
The second Castlevania game released for the Game Boy Advance, Harmony of Dissonance was published by Konami in 2002.
In this game you play as Juste Belmont, a direct descendant of Simon Belmont – the protagonist from the first Castlevania. And – for some reason – he has a blue glow around him, and a blue trail, that he leaves in his wake as he moves…
Continue reading Castlevania: Harmony Of Dissonance, Game Boy Advance
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon was the first Castlevania game released for the Game Boy Advance. It was developed by Konami‘s Kobe division and released in 2001.
Circle of the Moon was also a launch title for the GBA and went on to sell over one million physical units worldwide.
Continue reading Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Game Boy Advance
Based on the infamous horror/gun arcade game series from Sega, The Pinball of the Dead is a [wait for it…] pinball game with three different, horror-themes tables. They being: Wondering, Movement, and Cemetery – all based on locations from the first two House of the Dead games.
