Brush up on your Rock, Paper, Scissors as Alex Kidd is back to save Miracle World all over again and this time he is dressed up real fancy.

Back in the late 80s, the days of perm-death in games, Sega was the king of home console (Nintendo gamers may dispute that though) and really made their mark in the homes of eager cartridge gamers with the Master System II.

Depending on the region a built-in game came with the console and that was Alex Kidd in Miracle World.

With it’s catchy soundtrack the 8BIT wonder became the delight and frustration of the time.

You are Alex on a mission to save the lands from the evil Janken.

Maze like Levels, varied gameplay, from platform adventure through to swimming, motorbike riding and helicopter flying… and boss fights with brutal and fierce, er, Rock, Paper, Scissors bouts.

Smash bricks, collect cash to buy in-game items, kill your varied foes with a massive punch or time-limited weapons and try not to die, which you will. A lot.

Stepping out of the 80s and time travelling to present day, Janken Team and Merge Games have released the remastered version.

With smooth near cell-shaded graphics and a remixed soundtrack of the originals, it’s the Alex Kidd for a new generation.

If you were a wide eyed kid gripping your three button Master System II controller back in the day and long for those pixeled 8BIT visuals, you’re in luck.

You can transition from the new version to the old school on the fly during gameplay.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX has been creatively and lovingly restored and re-worked not just by a development studio but from those that also loved the original and it shows.

A remaster I was both looking forward to but equally nervous that it would be ruined by a remake, it couldn’t have been remade any better.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is a challenge I’m up for and loving again some 30+ years later.

The post Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX (PlayStation 4) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Merge Games is excited to reveal the first official gameplay trailer for their open world, survival, online multiplayer, adventure game SMALLAND.

Arriving on PC in early access later this year. In addition to a brand new trailer reveal, Merge is delighted to announce that Smalland will be releasing on the Epic Games Store at the same time.

Epic users interested in playing in this giant world can wishlist Smalland right now.

Discover what became of the surface world as you and your comrades explore this vast open world. In Smalland players will be tasked with the expansion of their peoples’ territory across a wild, unforgiving, and ever-changing world where everything is overgrown by plant and animal life.

From the perspective of a tiny insect, players will experience life from the bottom of the food chain, foraging for resources from local flora and fauna to survive.

Players will climb skyscraper-sized trees, build rudimentary shelters (at the start), craft powerful armor with unique abilities, complete quests to aid their people, and discover seemingly abandoned locations now reclaimed by nature.

SMALLAND will have its next beta round at the end of July 2021. People hoping for the chance to participate should go to the official Smalland Discord.

SMALLAND is set to launch into early access this year on Steam and Epic.

The post SMALLAND Resurfaces With a New Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

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Since its initial release on the Master System in 1986, the Sega platforming classic Alex Kidd in Miracle World returns over three decades later in the form of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX!

Premiered live on the IGN Summer of Gaming Show on June 10th, Merge Games, in conjunction with the developer, Jankenteam, bring back the world of Alex Kidd to modern-day systems!

As well as including all of the original content and levels, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX catapults Alex Kidd into a new generation with striking art, improved boss fight systems and different modes! Extra levels will also be included, expanding the lore of the original title to bring a fresh dimension to Alex Kidd in Miracle World.

From Retro Mode which brings back the nostalgia from the Master System classic, allowing players to switch back to a recreated version of the original graphical style, to the new Boss Rush Mode which provides non-stop Rock Paper Scissors action, the DX version of Alex Kidd in Miracle World will include a wealth of extra content to expand on the original Master System version.

Comprising of an array of other updates such as improvements to combat, movement mechanics and new menu systems, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX adds a new level of fluidity to the original classic!

Can you return The Kingdom of Radaxian to its former glory and destroy the evil Janken the Great, who has turned every citizen of the kingdom to stone? Get ready to charge your Power Bracelet and save the kingdom on consoles and PC.

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The post Merge Games Revives a Platforming Legend appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Fatbot Games and Merge Games are pleased to announce the unique steampunk dungeon crawler Vaporum is on its way to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Arriving April 9th through to the 11th 2019, depending on platform, Vaporum is an award-winning grid-based, single-player dungeon crawler game that uses a first-person perspective in an original steampunk setting.

Prepare to fight – you’ll encounter many enemies along your path. Each type has a distinctive set of strengths, weaknesses, and attack and defense mechanisms, so you’ll have to employ different tactics to beat them. Choose wisely when equipping yourself with gear; weapons differ from one another not only by damage levels and appearance, but also in terms of their unique bonuses or behaviors.

Use a wide range of skills thanks to the gadget-based RPG system: direct attacks, area attacks, offensive and defensive buffs, etc. But be careful, because while they are powerful, they also drain your energy. Remember that some enemies are immune to certain types of attack, so you will have to figure out the best way to deal with every encounter the game throws at you.

Solve intriguing puzzles and level-wide objectives where you will need to use both your wits and reflexes. While most riddles are contained in a single room, progression objectives can span entire levels, or even multiple ones.

Instead of increasing the abilities of your human character, improve your exoskeleton. Equip yourself with various items and define your own playstyle. Change your loadout at any time to adapt to all kinds of unexpected situations. As your exoskeleton becomes more powerful by absorbing a special substance – fumium – from defeated enemies, you will be able to unlock useful areas of the exo-rig, gaining significant permanent attribute bonuses and passive skills. Simply put – prepare for tonnes of customization.

The game is inspired by old-school games like Dungeon Master I and II, the Eye of the Beholder series and the more recent Legend of Grimrock I and II.

The post Steampunk Dungeon Crawler ‘Vaporum’ Coming to Console appeared first on Shane the Gamer.