hg101

500-Word Indies: Sokobond

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/500wordindies/500wordindies-sokobond.htm

Another minimalistic puzzle game, this one makes you form chemical molecules to solve puzzles.

Burning Rangers

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/burningrangers/burningrangers.htm

Sonic Team's firefighting Saturn game has a great style and some fantastic lighting effects, though it's even more clumsy than your average 32-bit 3D platformer.

Book Review - Dungeon Hacks

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/vgbooks/vgbooks-dungeonhacksa.htm

David Craddock's new book explores the roots of the roguelike genre, how it was shaped by the ...

Clock Tower

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/clocktower/clocktower.htm

Human's groundbreaking series of horror games focuses on escaping from your stalkers, rather than trying to fight them. Also includes coverage of its Capcom-developed spiritual successor Haunting Ground.

Dead or Alive

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/doa/doa.htm

The fifth numbered episode of Tecmo's cheesecakefightingfest has been out for quite a while now, but we finally brought our series coverage up to date. Also includes more screenshots and slightly revised text for the older parts.

August 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

Pepsiman

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pepsiman/pepsiman.htm

Deliver the bounty of Pepsi unto thirsty souls, as you control the company's Japanese mascot in an on-foot racing game for the PS1.

Suzuki Bakuhatsu

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/suzukibakuhatsu/suzukibakuhatsu.htm

A Japan-only PlayStation puzzle game with really weird story sequences about a woman who keeps happening upon bombs in her everyday life and has to disarm them.

Princess Maker 2 (IBM PC English)

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/princessmaker/princessmaker2.htm

Gainax's famous daughter raising sim is fairly prolific in Japan, and the second one was almost released in English. This is the story of the unreleased IBM PC port.

The Princess Maker series is fairly expansive - there are several ports of Princess Maker 2 alone - though th...

Ring of Red

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/ringofred/ringofred.htm

Konami's answer to Front Mission, in Ring of Red, you command mechas in tactical warfare in an alternate history where Japan did not surrender during World War II.

Hebereke (aka Ufouria)

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hebereke/hebereke.htm

Western (or at least European) gamers might remember this Sunsoft mascot and his friends from the two falling block puzzlers that were localized in English, but in Japan the gang appeared in a wide variety of genres.

UPL Interview with Ryuichi Nishizawa

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/upl/nishizawa-interview.htm

UPL Corporation ("Universal Play Land") was at the forefront of the Japanese arcade development scene. Though relatively obscure outside of Japan, inside the country they are well known for classics such as Majou no Bouken: Ninja-kun, NOVA2001, Gomola Speed, and Penguin-kun Wars. Many of these are currently available for do...

Roadblasters

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/roadblasters/roadblasters.htm

Atari's classic car combat game is a mix of Pole Position and Spy Hunter.

Rollergames

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/rollergames/rollergames.htm

There are two Konami games based off the forgotten roller derby TV show of the late 80s, one a passable arcade game and the other an interesting beat-em-up/platforing hybrid for the NES.

Kuri Kinton

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/kurikinton/kurikinton.htm

This run of the mill Kung Fu Master clone from Taito generously "borrows" fighters from classic manga like Fist of the North Star and Dragon Ball.

Your Weekly Kusoge: Hooters Road Trip

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/kusoge/kusoge-hooters.htm

Who knew that a game purportedly featuring boobs would be so incredibly boring?

500 Word Indies: LYNE

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/500wordindies/500wordindies-lyne.htm

Instead of taking notes from puzzle classics, 

LYNE

 takes pages from pen and paper puzzles like Sudoku, creating a very simple series of puzzles that constantly find new ways to frizz out your brain and keep you hooked.

Gargoyle Games

Company profile on the British graphic adventure pioneers, who were most famous for the surprisingly fluid animation in their games. Includes extensive descriptions of Tir Na Nog, Dun Darach, Marsport and Heavy on the Magick, alongside quick looks at the company's many action games.

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/gargoylegames/gargoyl...

Toy Commander

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/toycommander/toycommander.htm

A Dreamcast action game where you wage a tiny scale war inside an ordinary home.

The Consuming Shadow

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/consumingshadow/consumingshadow.htm

The newest and best game by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, a roguelike survival horror adventure with Lovecraftian atmosphere.

Mutation Nation

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/mutationnation/mutationnation.htm

The Neo Geo wasn't exactly home to a huge number of a beat-em-ups, but this early title from SNK is a fairly decent one.

Inventories: 1980s Video Game Heroines (update)

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/inventories/80sheroines.htm

Our gallery of old video games with women in starring and (playable) supporting roles has been greatly expanded, now including more than 100 titles.

Your Weekly Kusoge: Ninja Golf

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/kusoge/kusoge-ninjagolf.htm

Ninjas and golf come together at last in this Atari 7800 title.

July 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hotlinemiami/hotlinemiami2.htm

The sequel to 2012's brutal indie stealth/shooter changes up the formula a bit, with mixed results.

Technobabylon

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/technobabylon/technobabylon.htm

Wadjet Eye's latest point and click adventure is a gorgeous looking cyberpunk thriller with three playable protagonists.

Crusader Kings

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/crusaderkings/crusaderkings.htm

A super deep medieval politics simulation with a somewhat dry presentation by Paradox Interactive that truly managed to shine with the second game.

Odallus: The Dark Call

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/odallus/odallus.htm

Developed by JoyMasher, the same folks beyond 

Oniken

, this gothic action game channels numerous 8 and 16-bit classics, particularly Dracula X and Demon's Crest, with its huge branching levels.

Your Weekly Kusoge - Bouncers

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/kusoge/kusoge-bouncers.htm

This combination 2D fighting/basketball game for the Sega CD from Dynamix sure is an interesting experiment...

Final Blow & Prime Time Fighters

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/finalblow/finalblow.htm

Two arcade boxing titles by Taito, five years apart, and a great example of the shift of the dominant aesthetic sensibilities in Japanese arcade games during that time period.