Shinrei Camera: Tsuiteru Techou (Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir), to give it it's full title, is a spin-off from the Fatal Frame (Project Zero in PAL territories) series of games; Survival Horror titles based around the concept of defeating enemy ghosts using a special camera, this game takes that core concept and puts it on 3DS, with a heavy emphasis on the system's Augmented Reality capabilities. Does it make the transition to the handheld well or is this a title that only dedicated fans of...

After three PlayStation 3 entries, the latest Uncharted title – Golden Abyss – sees a release alongside Sony's brand new Vita hardware. Featuring two analog sticks and a bevy of touch and motion based controls, is this a title that can stand side by side with its console siblings or a case of one Uncharted game to many, especially as this is released a mere month after the third console entry?
Upon starting the game the player is immediately greeted with the familiar (the series theme music...

Do you love Wonton? Do you love shooting? Do you love the Kids A+ City Road Play Carpet Mat? If so then this is the iOS shmup for you. Wonton 51 hails from a combination of the aforementioned Play Carpet Mat, a healthy imagination and a liberal dose of Japanese game culture. A colourful and well-imagined world of soup, noodles and bullets is given a hint of back-story: your girl has been stolen and you need to prove that you are ‘dope’ enough to win her back. So you suit up in your giant ...

Senran Kagura is one of the first games to hit the 3DS in Japan that has seasoned importers and fans of the more niche aspects of Japanese gaming really bemoaning the inherent region lock on the system. Japan may have got the system (as well as games like Star Fox 64 3D) earlier than the rest of the world, but this is a game that has little to no chance of ever getting a Western release and as a result, will have importers curious.

For those who have managed to avoid coverage of...

BandaiNamco have a game engine that works, so they use it a lot. It tended to be limited on handhelds to the more powerful PSP in games like Macross Ace Frontier and Another Century's Episode Portable. The appearance of the 3DS on the market gave BN a new platform to explore/port to. Bringing one of their Gundam Battle games to Nintendo's new portable gaming device was an interesting move – making it an almost-release title even more so.

The 3D is very well done, particularly the lense f...

Super Monkey Ball was, for many, the shining light of the GameCube launch titles. Since then there have been updates, evolutions and additions to the formula that have met with commercial success but less critical acclaim. At first glance the 3DS launch title looks like it takes a back to basic approach to win the hearts of portable gamers, but is it too stripped back to bother with?
Unfortunately the answer is yes. The presentation, graphics and sound are excellent, AiAi and company...

It’s two o’clock in the morning and I’m struggling to sleep because as fast as I can stock them, toy blocks are selling out. I can’t quite work out why the people of my high-rise are so obsessed with buying toy blocks, but they are. At least I feel confident that as the tower grows I won’t find myself with a Ballard-esque nightmare on my hands, because the only thing the residents are interested in is toy blocks.
I stock the toy shop for the fourth time and put the game down beside my be...

de Blob Revolution is a puzzle game spin-off from 2008’s Wii platformer, taking its paint-based gameplay and mixing it with maze-style routing. Players are presented with a five-by-six square grid and tasked with navigating a route for Blob to the goal whilst saving as many Graydians as possible. This is achieved by passing over their spaces on the board, thereby covering them in paint and freeing them from the evil clutches of the I.N.K.T. Corporation. As Blob moves he leaves a trail of paint...

Killing Floor began life as a user modification for Unreal Tournament 2004 and was later picked up by Tripwire Interactive for development into its own, full retail release. It’s a co-operative first-person shooter for up to six players that tasks them with surviving a set number of enemy waves, each comprising a wide array of mutated and deformed freaks, before finally facing off against the Patriarch – a giant, mini-gun wielding, cloaking, beast of a final boss. The storyline is simple enough,...

Taking an established IP and strapping it on to another genre is a move usually motivated by money. Despite what many might think, they don't make Mario Golf games because the Italian plumber is the perfect candidate for that particular sport. It's because he is one of the most valuable symbols within gaming. By pairing a big brand name and another genre you attract a wider demographic. While there have been many great games – like the aforementioned Mario Golf – there have been just as many...