Happyfragger

Author: Lobster Shack

  • F-Zero X Review — Is Nintendo’s 1998 N64 Arcade Racer Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    F-Zero X Review — Is Nintendo’s 1998 N64 Arcade Racer Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Title F-Zero X
    Developer Nintendo EAD
    Publisher Nintendo
    Year 1998
    Platform focus Nintendo 64 original release
    Genre Futuristic racing
    Score 9 / 10

    F-Zero X still answers a very specific retro question in 2026: if you want a racing game that feels blisteringly fast, brutally clean, and refreshingly free of fluff, is this still one of the best to ever do it? I think yes. Nintendo’s 1998 N64 sequel remains one of the sharpest arcade racers of its era, and honestly one of the sharpest arcade racers of any era. It strips the genre down to speed, risk, and control, then trusts that those three things are enough.

    That confidence is why it still works. Where Crazy Taxi turns speed into cheerful chaos and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 turns mastery into flow, F-Zero X is harsher and more severe. It is about learning a machine, reading a track at absurd pace, and holding your nerve when the whole screen looks like it wants to throw you off the planet.

    Why F-Zero X Still Feels So Good

    The headline feature is still the sense of speed. Plenty of retro racers are fondly remembered as fast, but F-Zero X actually feels fast the moment you pick up the pad. The 60-frames-per-second presentation gives every bend, boost, and near miss a clarity that was extraordinary in 1998 and still feels impressive now. Once you understand how the machines grip, slide, and recover, the game becomes less about surviving corners and more about attacking them.

    I also love how little dead air there is. The tracks are full of loops, dives, narrow lanes, and cruel opportunities to ruin a perfect run. Combat is folded into the racing just enough to make every pack feel dangerous without turning the game into a gimmick. You are not just protecting your line; you are protecting your energy meter, your boost supply, and your entire race plan. That constant tension gives F-Zero X a nasty competitive edge that even great action games like Contra III would recognise.

    The machine roster still deserves praise too. Not every vehicle is equally approachable, but that is part of the fun. There is a real pleasure in finding the machine that matches your instincts, then nudging the acceleration/top-speed balance until it feels properly yours. Modern racers often bury personality under upgrade trees and unlock chores. F-Zero X gets to personality through handling.

    Where the Age Shows

    The obvious compromise is presentation detail. F-Zero X chose performance over scenery, and that trade still shows. The tracks are memorable as rollercoaster architecture, but the surrounding world can look sparse and abstract compared with prettier contemporaries. If you need lush backdrops and showroom car fetishism from your racing games, this is not that sort of experience.

    It can also be a demanding game in a way that will absolutely filter some players out. The speed is thrilling, but it is not relaxing. A bad line, a badly timed collision, or one panicked overcorrection can turn a strong run into scrap instantly. Multiplayer is brilliant in spirit, but the smaller view and extra chaos make it harder to appreciate the precision that makes the single-player Grand Prix so special.

    Why It Still Matters in 2026

    F-Zero X still matters because it is one of the purest examples of Nintendo making a game around movement first and almost everything else second. If you are searching for the best N64 racing game beyond Mario Kart, the arcade racer that still feels startlingly modern, or the retro speed game most likely to humble you and hook you in the same evening, it absolutely belongs near the top of the list.

    It also feels more distinctive now than it did in an era crowded with futuristic racers. The genre has thinned out, and that makes F-Zero X easier to appreciate as a design statement rather than just another late-90s speed machine. It is not trying to simulate real cars, impress you with brand licensing, or soften its edges. It just wants to go impossibly fast and see if you are brave enough to keep up.

    Verdict

    F-Zero X is still an essential retro racer in 2026: fast, demanding, mechanically elegant, and confident enough to let raw speed carry the whole experience. Its sparse visuals and unforgiving temperament keep it from being a universal recommendation, but if arcade racing is your thing, this is still one of the genre’s purest highs.

    9 / 10. If you want a retro racing game that still feels thrillingly alive rather than politely historic, F-Zero X is an easy one to recommend.

    • Play tip: Treat your energy bar as both health and strategy; a reckless boost can win a lap and lose a cup.
    • Play tip: If the speed feels overwhelming at first, focus on smooth steering inputs rather than heroic corrections; the game rewards calm more than panic.
    • Authority link: Wikipedia overview of F-Zero X
    • Authority link: MobyGames entry for F-Zero X

    When you go back to F-Zero X now, does the speed still feel liberating, or does it hit the point where pure velocity becomes a bit too much work?

  • New Xbox and Game Pass Games This Week: Halo, Mistfall Hunter, and More Releasing July 27-31

    New Xbox and Game Pass Games This Week: Halo, Mistfall Hunter, and More Releasing July 27-31

    If you are wondering what new Xbox games are out this week, the short answer is: quite a lot, and Microsoft has made sure several of the most interesting ones land inside Game Pass. According to Xbox Wire’s latest weekly schedule, the headline release is Halo: Campaign Evolved on 28 July, but the smarter reason to keep an eye on the week is the mix around it: a dark extraction RPG, a sharply pitched superhero comedy, and a pirate city builder that looks tailor-made for players who like sinking hours into systems.

    That makes this a useful week for Xbox players who do not just want one big franchise name. IGN and VGC both frame late July as a crowded cross-platform stretch, which makes Game Pass value and clear day-one hooks matter more than marketing noise.

    Why this week matters more than another Halo launch

    Halo: Campaign Evolved will get the biggest clicks, and fair enough: Master Chief still sells. We already broke down the launch timing, Game Pass access, and PS5 angle in our Halo: Campaign Evolved explainer. But if you only focus on Halo, you miss what Xbox is really doing here. This is a platform week, not just a single-game week.

    Xbox Wire marks Halo: Campaign Evolved, Mistfall Hunter, and Corsair Cove as Game Pass titles, giving Microsoft three very different flavours of “try this now” within four days. Players can jump from blockbuster sci-fi shooting to grim co-op extraction to a slower, systems-heavy strategy game without paying separately for each experiment.

    The biggest Xbox games releasing July 27 to 31

    The obvious anchor is Halo: Campaign Evolved on 28 July, bringing a modernised take on the original campaign with updated visuals, refined controls, and new prequel missions, according to Xbox Wire. If you are here purely for nostalgia with a cleaner coat of paint, that is the easy pick.

    The more interesting wildcard might be Mistfall Hunter on 29 July. Xbox describes it as a bleak extraction RPG where players scavenge, fight, and extract in a collapsing world. That pitch lands in a nice middle ground between Souls-flavoured atmosphere and co-op loot tension, and being on Game Pass gives it a much better shot at building word-of-mouth quickly.

    Then there is Dispatch, also out on 29 July, which sounds refreshingly less grim: a superhero workplace comedy from the writers and directors behind Tales from the Borderlands and The Wolf Among Us. The premise alone — managing ex-supervillains from a dispatch desk instead of punching buildings flat — gives it stronger personality than the average mid-year release calendar filler.

    Finally, Corsair Cove on 31 July looks like the kind of quieter Game Pass addition that can steal a weekend. Xbox pitches it as a pirate city builder with vertical construction, complex production chains, crew management, and naval raiding. That is a fairly specific flavour, but it is exactly the sort of “just one more hour” game subscription libraries are brilliant at surfacing.

    What Xbox players should actually watch this week

    If you want the safest bet, it is still Halo. If you want the game most likely to surprise people, I would watch Mistfall Hunter. If you want a weekend sinkhole, Corsair Cove has sneaky potential. And if you are tired of every release calendar sounding grimly self-important, Dispatch might be the one with the most charm.

    This is another reminder that Xbox’s current strategy is less about one box and more about subscription perks, PC access, and flexible discovery. We have already seen that in our Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC explainer, and this week’s slate feels like the same idea applied to new releases.

    The smart search question this week

    If you came here asking “what new Xbox games are out this week?” the most useful answer is not a giant store dump. It is this: the must-watch dates are 28 to 31 July, the clearest Game Pass draws are Halo: Campaign Evolved, Mistfall Hunter, and Corsair Cove, and Dispatch is the wild card worth keeping on your radar.

    That is a healthier mix than a lot of late-summer release weeks manage. One big franchise, one potential co-op obsession, one systems-heavy builder, and one oddball comedy is not a bad way to close out July.

    Which of this week’s Xbox releases looks like the one you would actually install first: Halo, Mistfall Hunter, Dispatch, or Corsair Cove?

    Sources

  • Contra III: The Alien Wars Review — Is Konami’s 1992 SNES Run-and-Gun Classic Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Contra III: The Alien Wars Review — Is Konami’s 1992 SNES Run-and-Gun Classic Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Title Contra III: The Alien Wars
    Developer Konami
    Publisher Konami
    Year 1992
    Platform focus SNES original release
    Genre Run and gun / action shooter
    Score 8 / 10

    Contra III: The Alien Wars still answers a very evergreen retro question in 2026: if you want a loud, difficult SNES action game that gets straight to the point, is this one still actually worth playing? I think yes — with a small warning label attached. Konami’s 1992 run-and-gun classic is still a tremendous adrenaline hit. It is fast, nasty, inventive, and completely uninterested in wasting your time. The catch is that it also expects you to meet it on its own terms, and those terms are often brutal.

    That tension is exactly why the game still matters. Contra III is not polished into modern smoothness, but it has a kind of arcade honesty that plenty of newer action games never quite manage. Every stage feels built to escalate pressure rather than show off bloat. Where Gunstar Heroes turns 16-bit chaos into a playful fireworks show, Contra III feels sterner and meaner. And where Mega Man X is all about precision and momentum, Contra’s thrill comes from surviving a battlefield that seems actively offended by your existence.

    Why Contra III Still Feels So Good

    The first thing that still lands is commitment. Contra III never half-steps into its premise. The explosions are huge, the bosses are absurd, the screen is constantly busy, and the soundtrack does its best to bully you forward. It feels like a game built by people who understood that action needs rhythm as much as spectacle. Stages shift between straightforward side-scrolling firefights and the famous overhead sequences, and even when those Mode 7 sections divide opinion, they stop the campaign from feeling mechanically flat.

    I also still love how direct the whole thing is. There is no fluff between the good parts because the entire game is the good part, or at least that is the design intent. Weapons matter immediately, enemy patterns need reading straight away, and boss encounters are memorable because they feel like tests rather than cutscenes with health bars attached. The ability to carry two weapons and swap between them gives the game just enough tactical texture without slowing its pace down.

    Where the Age Shows

    The obvious problem is difficulty. Contra III can absolutely feel exhilarating, but it can also feel punishing in a way that narrows its audience. Some deaths teach clean lessons. Others feel like the game reminding you that memorisation is part of the deal whether you like it or not. If you come in hoping for a relaxed nostalgia replay, this thing can swat that idea out of your hands very quickly.

    There is also some old-hardware strain visible in the presentation. The slowdown can get noticeable when explosions, enemies, and projectiles all pile up together, which is fittingly dramatic but not always ideal for a precision action game. The overhead stages remain the most awkward part of the package too. I admire them more than I love them. They add variety and technical flair, but they are less elegant than the side-scrolling material, which is where the game’s real magic lives.

    Why It Still Matters in 2026

    Contra III still matters because it is one of the cleanest examples of the SNES being allowed to act vicious rather than merely charming. So much retro conversation ends up orbiting comfort-food classics, but this game reminds you how exciting the era could be when it wanted to feel aggressive. If you are searching for the best hard SNES action game, one of the strongest retro co-op tests, or a run-and-gun that still feels genuinely intense, it absolutely deserves to stay in the conversation.

    It also works as a useful contrast piece next to other 16-bit greats. Shinobi III is smoother and more graceful. Streets of Rage 2 is more generous and immediately social. Contra III, by comparison, is a stress test. That is exactly why some players will bounce off it and others will adore it.

    Verdict

    Contra III: The Alien Wars is still one of the SNES library’s most ferocious action games: thrilling, memorable, and refreshingly free of dead air. Its harsher difficulty spikes, occasional slowdown, and less graceful overhead experiments stop it short of true all-timer perfection for me, but the core side-scrolling action still rules.

    8 / 10. If you want a retro shooter that still feels intense rather than merely historic, Contra III is easy to respect and, with the right mood, very easy to love.

    When you go back to Contra III now, does the difficulty still feel electrifying, or does it finally cross the line into old-school punishment for you?

  • Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC Games: Which Classics Are Available and Why It Matters

    Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC Games: Which Classics Are Available and Why It Matters

    Xbox has quietly dropped one of the more interesting platform updates of the summer: classic original Xbox games are now starting to show up on PC and supported handhelds through a new Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC program. That headline sounds niche at first glance, but the fine print is what makes it worth paying attention to. This is not just a nostalgia button. It is Microsoft testing a clearer answer to a question more players keep asking in 2026: if my library is digital, should it really stay trapped on one box forever?

    According to Xbox Wire, the feature launches in early release with four original Xbox games: BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and Fuzion Frenzy. They are available to buy on PC, included with all Game Pass plans, and in the friendliest part of the announcement, existing digital ownership carries over to PC and handheld play if you already own a supported title on console.

    Why this matters more than the first four games

    Let’s be honest: this first wave is not a killer lineup that suddenly forces everyone to install the Xbox PC app. Eurogamer made that point bluntly, and it is fair enough. But the bigger story is the direction of travel. Microsoft is treating backwards compatibility less like a nice console-only bonus and more like part of a broader Xbox ecosystem push across PC, handhelds, cloud, and whatever counts as a console next.

    That fits the shape of recent Xbox news on Happy Fragger too. We have already seen Microsoft experiment with access models in our Xbox free game streaming with ads explainer, and the company is still leaning hard on cross-platform reach with big launches like Halo: Campaign Evolved. Classic catalogue support on PC feels like the same strategy wearing a preservation-friendly jacket.

    What Xbox actually confirmed

    Officially, Microsoft says these games run through the Xbox app on PC and supported handhelds, including the ROG Xbox Ally range. The company is also adding extra PC-friendly settings instead of dumping old code on a storefront and hoping for the best. Xbox Wire says players can tweak resolution upscaling up to 4x, VSync, fullscreen and windowed modes, anisotropic filtering, anti-aliasing, and language and audio options. Achievements are not live yet for the first four games, but Microsoft says they are coming later this year.

    There is a practical catch, though: this is still a controlled rollout with a short supported-games list and Windows 11 system requirements. If you were hoping for an instant flood of backwards compatible Xbox classics, we are not there yet. Right now this looks more like a proof of concept than a finished vault.

    Should PC players care right now?

    Yes, but probably for the future more than the present. If you love game preservation, this is one of the more encouraging Xbox moves in a while. If you are purely shopping for something new to play this weekend, the launch list is more curious than essential. The real value is what this could unlock next: more original Xbox games, then perhaps Xbox 360-era favourites, all with cleaner access across devices you already use.

    Windows Central framed that part well by focusing on ownership and carry-over value. If Microsoft sticks to that promise, this could become one of the few genuinely consumer-friendly bits of platform strategy in a market that usually prefers subscriptions, delistings, and vague ecosystem talk.

    The smart search question players are asking

    If you landed here wondering “what games are in Xbox backward compatibility on PC?” the answer today is simple: four titles, all from the original Xbox era, with more promised later. The more useful follow-up question is whether Microsoft expands this quickly enough to make the feature feel real rather than ceremonial. That is the part worth watching.

    For now, the program is modest, but it points in a direction I like: fewer dead-end purchases, more device flexibility, and at least a hint that old games should not vanish just because hardware cycles move on. If Xbox follows through, this could end up mattering a lot more than its quiet launch suggests.

    What classic Xbox game would you want to see added next if Microsoft keeps expanding this PC compatibility push?

    Sources

  • Phantasy Star IV Review — Is Sega’s 1993 Mega Drive RPG Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Phantasy Star IV Review — Is Sega’s 1993 Mega Drive RPG Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Title Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
    Developer Sega
    Publisher Sega
    Year 1993
    Platform focus Sega Mega Drive / Genesis original release
    Genre JRPG
    Score 9 / 10

    Phantasy Star IV still sits in a very useful retro-gaming search lane in 2026: what if you want a 16-bit RPG that feels big, fast, and story-driven, but you have already played the usual SNES heavy hitters? Sega’s 1993 Mega Drive swansong is a brilliant answer. It has the scale people want from a classic JRPG, but it moves with an efficiency that still feels refreshing now. The pacing is sharp, the comic-panel storytelling gives it its own flavour, and the mix of desert sci-fi and old-school melodrama remains hugely appealing.

    What strikes me most on a replay is how little dead weight it carries. Where some revered 16-bit RPGs can feel a bit padded on return visits, Phantasy Star IV keeps nudging you forward. Towns are readable, dungeons are rarely overlong, and the battle system has just enough sparkle in its combo techniques to stop routine encounters from blending together. If EarthBound still wins on personality and oddball charm, and Final Fantasy VI still feels grander and more theatrical, Phantasy Star IV arguably does the best job of respecting your time.

    Why Phantasy Star IV Still Feels Special

    The setting does a lot of the heavy lifting. Plenty of 16-bit RPGs are easy to admire, but fewer feel this distinct at a glance. Motavia’s dusty settlements, cracked roads, ancient facilities, and uneasy blend of fantasy and science fiction give the game an atmosphere all its own. It is not just another swords-and-castles adventure, and that difference still matters. Even now, it feels like a world with history rather than a genre template.

    The presentation helps too. The manga-style story panels were a smart idea then and are still a smart idea now: expressive enough to sell key scenes, concise enough to keep the narrative moving. That same discipline runs through the whole game. Traversal opens up at a satisfying clip, party members arrive without endless delay, and the combination-technique system gives battles a rewarding layer of experimentation. It does not reach the time-travel ambition of Chrono Trigger, but it is close to that game in one important way: both understand that momentum is part of what makes an RPG memorable.

    Where the Age Shows

    Not everything has aged gracefully. Menu work can still feel a little dry, dungeon navigation is occasionally fiddly, and the random encounters can bunch up just enough to irritate when you are trying to follow the story. Some character moments also move quickly because the game is so determined not to stall. That briskness is usually a strength, but it can make a few emotional beats land a touch lighter than they probably should.

    If you come in expecting modern convenience, you will also notice the usual era friction: inventory management, limited feedback on some systems, and a need to pay attention rather than coast. None of that breaks the game, but it does remind you that this is an early-1990s RPG trying to do a lot on 16-bit hardware.

    Why It Still Matters in 2026

    Phantasy Star IV still matters because it solves a problem that retro players keep having. People want a classic JRPG that feels substantial without demanding endless patience, and this is one of the cleanest answers. It has proper adventure, memorable twists, strong music, and enough mechanical texture to stay engaging, but it does not drown those strengths in grind.

    It also deserves more love in the “best 16-bit RPG” argument. It may not dominate the conversation the way certain Nintendo and Square classics do, yet it absolutely belongs in it. If you are building a shortlist of retro RPGs that still play well for newcomers rather than just nostalgic veterans, Phantasy Star IV has to be near the top.

    Verdict

    Phantasy Star IV is still one of the most replayable JRPGs of the 16-bit era: stylish, focused, and unusually good at keeping its story and systems moving together. A little interface friction and a few thinly sketched beats stop it short of absolute perfection, but the world, pacing, and battle ideas have aged beautifully.

    9 / 10. If you want a retro RPG that feels faster and leaner than many of its peers without losing scope or atmosphere, Phantasy Star IV is still very easy to recommend in 2026.

    • Play tip: Experiment with combination techniques early instead of hoarding TP; they are one of the game’s best ideas, not an emergency-only gimmick.
    • Play tip: Talk to townsfolk after major story turns. The script is concise, but it often adds useful worldbuilding in small bursts.
    • Authority link: Wikipedia overview of Phantasy Star IV
    • Authority link: MobyGames entry for Phantasy Star IV

    Does Phantasy Star IV belong in your top tier of 16-bit RPGs, or do you think another Mega Drive or SNES favourite has aged better?

  • Xbox Free Game Streaming With Ads Explained: Who Gets the Test and Why It Matters

    Xbox Free Game Streaming With Ads Explained: Who Gets the Test and Why It Matters

    Xbox has started testing something that sounds bigger than it is at first glance: free game streaming with ads. The headline is obviously juicy, but the real question for players is simpler. Who actually gets this, what are the limits, and does it change how worth-it Xbox cloud gaming feels in 2026?

    Right now, this is not a full “free Xbox Cloud Gaming for everyone” launch. Microsoft says the test is limited to Xbox Insiders, only covers select games players already own, and caps sessions at one hour. Ads play before the stream starts rather than during gameplay, which is probably the one detail that keeps this from feeling instantly cursed.

    The big takeaway: Xbox is testing a cheaper path into its ecosystem

    The smartest way to read this is not as a replacement for Game Pass, but as an experiment in lowering the barrier to entry. If you already own a supported game, Microsoft wants to know whether a short pre-roll ad is an acceptable trade for instant cloud access on devices you already have.

    That matters more than it might sound. Xbox has spent the past couple of years pushing the idea that the platform is no longer just a box under your TV. Between Game Pass, PC support, and cloud play, the pitch is increasingly about access. We just saw that broader platform thinking in our look at Halo: Campaign Evolved’s cross-platform release and Game Pass setup. This new ad-supported test feels like another step in the same direction.

    What Xbox has actually confirmed

    According to Xbox Wire, the current rules are pretty clear:

    • the feature is being tested with Xbox Insiders;
    • players can stream select games they already own;
    • sessions are limited to one hour;
    • ads play before gameplay begins;
    • the test is optional, not a replacement for other ways to play.

    Microsoft also laid out five principles for the experiment, with the most important one being that ads should not interrupt gameplay. Good. If this had been mid-match pop-ups or pause-screen takeovers, most players would have written it off instantly.

    Why this could work better than players expect

    I actually think there is a real audience for this if Microsoft keeps the friction low. A short ad before a session is annoying, sure, but it is a much more tolerable annoyance than a subscription fee for people who only dip into cloud gaming occasionally.

    It could also be useful for older hardware owners. Xbox explicitly points out that cloud access can help Xbox One players run newer Series X|S-era games without buying new hardware immediately. In a year where Xbox keeps asking players to think more flexibly about where they play, that is not a small point.

    There is also a discovery angle here. If someone is curious about the wider Xbox library after trying a few owned games in the cloud, Microsoft still has a clean upsell path into Game Pass. That is especially relevant if you have been weighing what to queue next from the service anyway, like we did in our Xbox Game Pass June 2026 Wave 2 picks.

    The catch: this is still a test, not a revolution

    There are obvious limits. One hour is short. The supported game list sounds selective. And because this is Insider-only for now, most players cannot use it today even if the idea appeals to them.

    That is why the best traffic question around this story is not “has Xbox made cloud gaming free?” It is closer to: how does Xbox free game streaming with ads actually work, and is it worth caring about yet? For the moment, the answer is: interesting, promising, but not fully there.

    If Microsoft sticks to pre-roll only, keeps wait times reasonable, and eventually opens the option to more players, this could become one of the less annoying ways to broaden cloud gaming. If the ad load gets greedier, people will bounce off it immediately.

    Would you sit through a short pre-roll ad for an hour of cloud play, or does that still feel like a worse deal than just paying for Game Pass?

    Sources

  • EarthBound Review — Is Nintendo’s 1994 SNES Cult Classic Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    EarthBound Review — Is Nintendo’s 1994 SNES Cult Classic Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Title EarthBound

    Developer Ape Inc., HAL Laboratory

    Publisher Nintendo

    Year 1994

    Platform focus SNES original release

    Genre JRPG / turn-based role-playing game

    Score 9 / 10

    EarthBound still answers one very useful evergreen retro question in 2026: if you want an older RPG with real personality rather than pure museum-piece importance, is this odd little SNES favourite actually worth your time? I think it absolutely is. Nintendo’s 1994 cult classic still feels unlike almost anything around it — funny without becoming smug, sincere without becoming mushy, and weird in ways that feel deliberate rather than random.

    What keeps bringing me back is how confidently EarthBound refuses standard fantasy-RPG wallpaper. Instead of castles, crystals, and solemn prophecy sludge, you get suburbs, department stores, roadside diners, creepy little towns, and enemies that look like the kind of fever-dream nonsense most games would cut in pre-production. That freshness matters. Even alongside heavyweights like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI, EarthBound still feels distinct because its tone is the system. The comedy, the melancholy, the Americana pastiche, and the quiet unease all feed into why people still search for it now.

    Why EarthBound Still Feels Special

    The biggest strength is voice. EarthBound has one of the clearest personalities of the 16-bit era, and it does not need a thousand cutscenes to get there. A short conversation with a strange NPC, an item description, or a bizarre enemy sprite often tells you more about the world than a page of lore would in a more self-important RPG. The modern setting helps too. Telephone save points, cash machines, bicycles, shopping centres, and sleepy neighbourhoods make the adventure feel playful and specific rather than generically “epic.”

    I also think the battle flow has aged better than people sometimes admit. Enemies appear on the field, weaker threats can auto-resolve, and the rolling HP meter gives fights a lovely sense of momentum once you understand it. EarthBound is not as brisk or perfectly tuned as Chrono Trigger, but it is much less archaic than its reputation suggests. The soundtrack helps enormously as well: playful one minute, unsettling the next, and always just a little off-centre in a way that suits the game beautifully.

    Then there is the emotional trick EarthBound pulls. Beneath the jokes, it feels quietly lonely in a way many brighter retro RPGs do not. Towns can feel warm and uncanny at the same time. Dungeons often feel more uncomfortable than heroic. By the final stretch, the game earns a strange sincerity that still lands because it was never trying too hard to look important. It sneaks up on you.

    Where the Age Shows

    It is not frictionless in 2026. The inventory management is still a hassle, especially early on when every character seems to be carrying too much rubbish and not enough actual convenience. The combat can also feel slightly grindier than the game’s best defenders sometimes admit, particularly if you are coming in from more elegant SNES RPGs or modern remasters that sand away old pacing issues.

    There is also a fair argument that EarthBound’s charm does some heavy lifting for systems that are merely good rather than exceptional. The dungeons are memorable, but they are not always mechanically brilliant. The party members are lovable, yet they are sketched with more warmth than complexity. None of that kills the recommendation, but it does explain why some players admire EarthBound more than they love playing every minute of it.

    Why It Still Matters in 2026

    EarthBound still matters because it proves a retro RPG can age well through identity, not just polish. Plenty of old classics remain respectable. Far fewer still feel personal. EarthBound’s influence is all over later indie RPGs and offbeat narrative games, but the original still has its own atmosphere: stranger, sadder, and funnier than most imitators. If you are searching for the best quirky SNES RPG, one of Nintendo’s most distinctive cult classics, or simply an old game that still feels human under the nostalgia fog, this remains an easy recommendation.

    It also benefits from being easier to contextualise now than it was in the 1990s. Modern players are much more comfortable with tonal weirdness, genre playfulness, and games that mix comedy with discomfort. EarthBound looked out of step once. In 2026, it mostly looks ahead of its time.

    Verdict

    EarthBound is still one of the most distinctive RPGs on the SNES: funny, eerie, warm, and just awkward enough to feel memorable instead of polished into blandness. Some inventory friction and a little pacing drag keep it from feeling as immediately universal as the very best 16-bit RPGs, but its personality is still powerful enough to carry the whole trip.

    9 / 10. If you want a retro RPG that feels genuinely different rather than merely historically important, EarthBound is still one of the best cult-classic recommendations you can make.

    • Play tip: Use the rolling HP meter aggressively. If a fight goes wrong, quick decisions can save you before the numbers finish ticking down.
    • Play tip: Do not hoard every item. EarthBound gets much less fiddly once you accept that not every inventory slot needs to become a junk drawer.
    • Authority link: Wikipedia overview of EarthBound
    • Authority link: Nintendo Switch Online EarthBound page

    When you go back to EarthBound now, does it still feel wonderfully strange, or do its rougher old-school edges finally get in the way for you?

  • Splatoon Raiders Release Date and Gameplay: Why Nintendo’s Switch 2 Spin-Off Looks Like a Smart Summer Play

    Splatoon Raiders Release Date and Gameplay: Why Nintendo’s Switch 2 Spin-Off Looks Like a Smart Summer Play

    If you have searched “Splatoon Raiders release date” this week, the practical answer is nice and clean: Splatoon Raiders launches on 23 July 2026 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. The more useful follow-up, though, is why this spin-off suddenly looks like one of the smarter late-July picks instead of just a side project with good box art.

    According to Nintendo’s official store page, the game swaps the series’ usual competitive focus for a treasure-hunting adventure built around gadgets, island raids, and optional co-op support. That alone gives it a different lane from the usual multiplayer shooter chatter. If you liked Splatoon’s movement but never fully committed to the sweaty online loop, this looks deliberately aimed at you.

    Nintendo first framed the game during its summer Switch 2 push, which we touched on in our Star Fox Switch 2 release date breakdown and our Nintendo Direct June 2026 round-up. Now that launch week is here, the pitch feels much clearer.

    What Nintendo has actually confirmed

    The official setup is a little weirder than a standard sequel, in a good way. You play as a mechanic travelling with Deep Cut across the Spirhalite Islands after a rough landing, scavenging treasure while fighting off aggressive Salmonids. Nintendo says the game is built around customisable gadgets, multiple difficulty settings, and both solo and up-to-four-player help via online or local wireless.

    That co-op detail matters, but so does the part Nintendo stressed in its Ask the Developer interview: this is not Splatoon 4 wearing a fake moustache. The team describes Raiders as a way to turn the hectic energy of Salmon Run into a more focused single-player experience, with gadgets doing the heavy lifting instead of pure competitive pressure. That makes the game easier to explain to curious players who have bounced off the series before.

    Why this could be a better fit than a normal Splatoon sequel

    Honestly, the strongest hook here is not just “more Splatoon.” It is that Nintendo seems to understand that the franchise’s movement, sound design, and messy paint-slinging combat are fun even when you strip away the ranking anxiety. Raiders looks like an attempt to bottle that part of the formula for people who want momentum and chaos without needing to live in online matchmaking.

    The official product page also suggests more flexibility than usual. You can tune the combat difficulty, swap tanks and gadgets to match your play style, and call friends in if a stage starts getting rude. That gives Raiders a useful middle ground: approachable enough for curious Switch 2 owners, but still systems-heavy enough for players who enjoy tinkering with builds.

    What early outside impressions are saying

    The early critical read sounds encouraging. Eurogamer’s review calls the game a hectic delight and praises how confidently it leans into enemy swarms, gadget chaos, and constant forward motion. Metro’s July release preview also singled it out as one of the month’s most interesting launches, especially because it gives Switch 2 owners a fresh Nintendo exclusive instead of another safe sequel beat.

    That does not guarantee everyone will love it. A more chaotic, wave-based action game can absolutely overwhelm players if Nintendo overdoes the noise. But the broad shape of the pitch makes sense: familiar movement, friendlier onboarding, less PvP stress, and a release slot with room to breathe.

    Should Switch 2 owners keep this on the radar?

    Yes, especially if you want something new this week that is not just another giant open-world time sink. Splatoon Raiders looks like the kind of summer game that could quietly build a following because it answers a simple question well: what if Splatoon’s best-feeling mechanics were pointed at a more flexible adventure instead of a pure competitive grind?

    If Nintendo sticks the landing, this could end up being one of the Switch 2’s more useful exclusives: not the biggest headline machine, but the sort of game people recommend once they have actually played it. Are you more interested in Splatoon when it leans into solo adventure and co-op chaos instead of ranked multiplayer?

    Sources

  • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 Review — Is Neversoft’s 2000 Skateboarding Classic Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 Review — Is Neversoft’s 2000 Skateboarding Classic Still Worth Playing in 2026?

    Title Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
    Developer Neversoft
    Publisher Activision
    Year 2000
    Platform focus PlayStation original release
    Genre Skateboarding / arcade sports game
    Score 9 / 10

    Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 still answers one very evergreen retro question in 2026: if you want an older sports game that feels instantly fun rather than historically important, does this one still deserve the hype? I think it absolutely does. Neversoft’s 2000 sequel remains one of the sharpest arcade games of its era because it understands a simple truth: movement is the fantasy. The tricks, the score chasing, the hidden tapes, the gloriously silly gaps — all of it works because the board feels fast, readable, and satisfying in your hands within minutes.

    That immediacy is the big reason it still survives. Like Crazy Taxi, it turns a short burst of play into a genuine loop of risk, rhythm, and “one more run” obsession. Like Jet Set Radio, it bottles a turn-of-the-millennium cool that still feels charming instead of embarrassing. But THPS2 is the cleaner, more universal recommendation because the controls are doing so much of the work. Even if you do not care about skate culture, the game still sells speed, flow, and score greed beautifully.

    Why Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 Still Feels Great

    The obvious headline is the handling. The board never feels muddy, and the trick inputs remain wonderfully readable. Ollies, grinds, grabs, reverts-to-be in later games, manuals introduced here — it all clicks into a language of movement that is easy to understand and hard to master. You are not memorising combos in the abstract. You are learning lines through schoolyards, hangars, plazas, and bullrings, slowly realising how a good run can stitch the whole map together.

    That level design is still superb. Every stage feels like a toy box rather than just a backdrop. There are score routes for greedy players, clean objective paths for newcomers, and enough secrets tucked into odd corners to make exploration feel rewarding. The career structure also helps the game age well. Two-minute runs keep the pace aggressive, which means failure rarely feels punishing. You crash, you laugh, you restart, and suddenly forty minutes vanish.

    I also think the game’s tone has held up better than some of its imitators. THPS2 is loud, confident, and slightly ridiculous, but it rarely feels desperate to prove how extreme it is. It just gets out of the way and lets the systems shine. That matters in 2026, when so many sports games drown their best ideas in menus, currencies, and season-pass clutter. THPS2 still feels liberating by comparison.

    Where the Age Shows

    The biggest caveat is that later entries refined the formula in ways you may miss if you started there. The manual system opened the combo game up enormously, but this is still an earlier, tighter version of the series than the sprawling monster that followed. If your favourite memories are of longer combo chains and bigger create-a-skater toy boxes, THPS2 can feel slightly lean.

    Some of the goals are also more trial-and-error than elegant design. A few hidden items and gap hunts still have that old-school “how was I meant to know that?” flavour, especially without playground-era word of mouth. And while the soundtrack remains iconic, licensed music hits differently when you are playing through modern ports, emulation setups, or old hardware with different expectations around presentation and convenience.

    Why It Still Matters in 2026

    Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 still matters because it is one of the clearest examples of an arcade design loop with almost no wasted motion. The objectives are quick to read, the movement is fun before you are good at it, and mastery feels earned instead of bureaucratic. That is a rare trick. Plenty of games are deep. Fewer are this welcoming without becoming shallow.

    It is also still one of the safest answers to another useful search query: what retro sports game should I actually play if I do not normally like sports games? You do not need to follow skating, know the soundtrack by heart, or care about late-90s fashion. You just need to enjoy games that reward momentum and clever routing. On that level, THPS2 still sings.

    Verdict

    Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is still a superb retro recommendation in 2026: fast, expressive, addictive, and much smarter than its baggy-shorts image ever suggested. A few later-series improvements and some old-school obscurity keep it from feeling absolutely perfect today, but the core loop is still fantastic.

    9 / 10. If you want a classic skateboarding game that still feels joyful, readable, and dangerously hard to put down, this is still one of the best places to start.

    When you go back to THPS2 now, does it still feel like the series peak, or did a later Tony Hawk game finally outgrow it for you?

  • Halo: Campaign Evolved Release Date, Game Pass, and PS5 Details Explained

    Halo: Campaign Evolved Release Date, Game Pass, and PS5 Details Explained

    If you have searched “Halo: Campaign Evolved release date” this week, the useful answer is finally straightforward: Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on 28 July 2026, with early access starting 23 July for Premium and Collector’s Edition buyers.

    That alone would be enough to make this a notable summer release, but the more interesting part is how Microsoft is positioning it. According to Xbox’s official launch announcement, the remake is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud, Steam, and PS5, while also landing day one in Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. For a series that used to define Xbox exclusivity, that is still a little surreal.

    We touched on Halo’s reappearance during our Xbox Games Showcase 2026 round-up, but now the release is close enough that the real player questions are more practical: what do you actually get, is it on PS5, and is the Premium upgrade worth it?

    What Microsoft has officially confirmed

    The official pitch is a faithful remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved campaign with modern visuals, updated cinematics, refined controls, and a brand-new three-mission story arc called Operation: METEORITE. That extra campaign content is included in every edition, not locked behind the pricier versions.

    Microsoft also says the remake supports cross-play and cross-progression across Xbox, PC, Steam, and PS5. That matters more than the buzzword list makes it sound. Halo has always been strongest when it feels like a social game, and removing platform friction gives this remake a better shot at becoming more than a one-week nostalgia spike.

    Halo: Campaign Evolved editions explained

    The Standard Edition is the clean recommendation for most people. It includes the full game, Operation: METEORITE, and the pre-order cosmetic pack. If you already subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, the value question is even simpler: you do not need to buy the base game at all unless you want to own it outright.

    The Premium Edition adds up to five days of early access from 23 July, extra armour and weapon skins, a digital art book, a short story tie-in, and a retro-style digital manual. That is nice bonus material, but it mostly makes sense for players who know they are showing up at launch no matter what.

    The Collector’s Edition is the big fan bundle with the statue, Steelbook, prints, and physical extras. Importantly, this is one area where Halo fans got better news than some other recent blockbuster buyers. VGC reports that Halo Studios has confirmed the boxed Xbox and PlayStation versions will include actual discs, not just a code in a case.

    Why the PS5 version is the real talking point

    Honestly, this is the bit that gives the story its extra heat. IGN highlighted that one official cinematic trailer was even labelled as captured on PS5 Pro footage, which says a lot about where Microsoft is now. Halo is still an Xbox pillar, but it is also part of a wider multiplatform strategy that keeps getting harder to ignore.

    That does not make the Xbox version less relevant. If anything, it sharpens the reason Xbox players should care: Halo remains a prestige release that hits Game Pass on day one, at the same moment PlayStation players are being asked to buy in separately. If you have been weighing where the service still gives Microsoft a genuine edge, this is one of the clearest examples we have had all year. It also sits neatly beside the broader value conversation we looked at in our Xbox Game Pass June 2026 Wave 2 picks.

    So, should you buy or wait for launch day?

    If you are already a Game Pass subscriber, waiting for 28 July is the sensible move unless early access genuinely matters to you. If you are on PS5 or Steam, the question is more about how much you care about the extra missions and whether you want to be there for the launch-week conversation.

    The cleanest takeaway is this: Halo: Campaign Evolved looks less like a museum-piece remake and more like Microsoft trying to turn a legacy favourite into a modern, cross-platform event. If it sticks the landing, that is a much bigger story than simple nostalgia.

    Are you planning to jump in through Game Pass, or does Halo landing on PS5 make this remake more interesting than it would have been a few years ago?

    Sources