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It's that time again, as we're wrapping up the month of May with some sweet retro titles. Now we always make sure to keep things just a teensy bit action-packed for everyone while making sure not to go overboard. So life really is all about balance.

Speaking of balance, the three games we got on today's chopping block have equal amounts of action, adventure, and pure nostalgia for everybody. If you were a gamer in the eighties, nineties, or even the ancient days of the two thousand, we're sure you'll get these references. So sit tight for this blast from the past!

AQUA IPPAN

If you love heavy machine guns, laser guns, rocket launchers, and rescuing bearded guys from aliens, then you might be hyped for this homage by Division 六. Aqua Ippan is their love letter to everyone who's ever played or becomes a fan of the legendary Metal Slug franchise. It's side-scrolling, guns-blazing action with all the intensity and explosiveness you've come to know and love.

While it does come in a different art style, the overall aesthetic is just pure ‘90s  fun. There's humour, a bit of gore, and all the fun you can get from games like this. Categorized as a shoot 'em up platformer, Aqua Ippan is currently in development and is geared to be a two-player title. 

Pretty sure it'll be exciting to see how things pan out. So if you enjoy true arcade classics that pay homage to the Metal Slug with a sleek arm style, detailed animations and jazz fusion music, then it's best to keep your eyes peeled for Aqua Ippan.

FOREST OF ILLUSION

Now for something magical on the Commodore 64 that'll take you back even farther than your usual retro trip. If you played Castle of Illusion, World of Illusion, or Mickey Mania back in the day, then you are gonna be hyped for what Domkid is cooking. Yes, the same DomKid that's working on Castlevania: Maria Renard's Revenge. 

Forest of Illusion is a new title courtesy of the Scorpion Engine inspired by the aforementioned Mickey Mouse series. It has a few modern improvements, and things are looking good so far. It's in very early development, so there's not much to show, but there's a bit of info about going around.

Once it does come out, you can expect amazing graphics, parallax backgrounds, cute animations, and multiple enemy types. If you were a Mickey Mouse fan on the Sega Mega Drive, then Forest of Illusion is something to look out for.

MEGA MAN: THE SEQUEL WARS

Last but not least, we're getting a nice remake and tribute to everyone's favorite Blue Bomber. Yes, boys and girls. I'm talking about Mega Man. After crashing into the scene in 1987 for The NES, we've seen a long list of sequels and fan-made games, all of which are great. Mega Man: The Sequel Wars for the Sega Mega Drive aims to continue with the good old tradition, with polished retro visuals and fantastic modern gameplay.

While still in development, what we know so far is this is a homebrew remake of Mega Man 4, 5, and 6 influenced by the officially released Mega Man: The Wily Wars. The goal is a faithful recreation of the classics but with 16 bits and a brand-new soundtrack. So far, we have episode red, a full remake of the Mega Man 4 that features all of the original game content but with a few new features to keep things fresh for modern expectations.

Also, Protoman and Roll are joining in the fun too, so what's not to like? Since we're looking at a trilogy, we'll follow up with everyone once we get more info on the last two. Until then, go and check out Mega Man: The Sequel Wars episode Red on itch.io and show Woodfrog some love. 

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Another week, another set of badass retro games to satisfy your action-packed cravings. It’s like a routine we have here. Going hard or going home when it comes to anything that gets your blood pumping. Best believe no one’s going home just yet.

On today’s news desk, we’re showing the many versions of the Commodore some love, all in the form of epic fantasy, space-age technology, and something in between. Just because it’s old-school gaming doesn’t mean the concepts have to be. It’s all about striking that balance like we always do.

SPACE CAVERN BLASTER

First, we got a potential title for the Amiga 500, Atari SD, C64, Dos, and Sega Mega Drive. Yes, that’s a lot of consoles. Now the game in question is the latest tech demo of Space Cavern Blaster by Dotmos, and it’s pretty badass. The tech demo was an entry for Retro Platform Jam number six and has all the bells and whistles you can ask for in a gritty space-themed platformer.

While it’s still basically a tech demo, we’re looking at some promising mechanics and a nice Chiptune soundtrack to boot. There are plenty of colors to go around in spite of it taking place in space cavern, and that kind of contrast is always nice to see.

The plans for cross-platforming are still underway, and Dotmos is still working on a few bugs, like some music bugs. No sound effects on the C64 and other audio-related glitches one could come across. Still, it’s definitely an action platformer to look out for, especially if you’re into some sci-fi. But enjoy staying on earth like deep inside the Earth.

THE LAST DEFENDER

Now, a little something for the Commodore 64 that involves saving the world just the way you like it. LC Games is bringing out The Last Defender, a game where you not only need to blast away a hostile alien race with a laser rifle but you can also get blasted just as easily. As the player, you’re out to defend what remains of humanity while also keeping an eye on your energy supply. To stay alive, you’ll be avoiding everything from missiles and minds to shots from enemies looking to take you down. Not so easy to shoot everything when you’re the one getting targeted by, well, everything.

While there aren’t too many details about The Last Defender, we do get a bit of plot. Set in the distant year 2073, humanity’s last resistance is on the verge of collapse while in combat with a vastly superior alien force. You assume the rule of Earth’s last great hero tasked with destroying the invaders and saving the human race with a badass laser rifle.

SWORD AND SORCERER

Now let’s take a look at a brand new game for the Commodore Amiga. Think Legend of Zelda meets Dynasty Warriors, but it’s in the eighties. If this sounds like music to your ears, then maybe Sword and Sorcerer, a new Zelda-like by Pixelplop might just tickle your fancy. While it’s a Zelda like it has its own charm.

Instead of sprawling interconnected maps, we get a smaller action-packed stage where we swing our sword and blast a few dozen enemies with magic. Yes, I did say a few dozen because the game won’t wait for you to take a breather. The game is still in its early stages, so we’re bound to get new arenas where we can continue being badasses who like to bring the action.

So far, the number of enemies and verticality of the gameplay makes for an interesting time, no matter how chaotic it can get. We’ll be keeping our eyes on Sword and Sorcerer, so if you’re just as interested as we are, make sure to stay tuned.

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It's always nice to jump from one genre to another, especially when there's such an extensive library of retro games to choose from. This time, we'll be taking a look at three different games, all of which have their own little charms, especially when it comes to an overall fun factor. From fun arcade games to sweet platformers to fighting game classics. Best believe we've got you covered this week!

JACK DRAGON by PsychicParrot

Good news for any ZX spectrum players because it looks like PsychicParrot. Just release a potential Arcade Classic called Jack Dragon. It's a game where you must collect gems, dodge some bad guys, and go through a few action-packed levels like a cool ice dragon. Taking inspiration from the classic game BombJack, it is an easy variety of the old-school mechanics, only this time, you use ice instead of explosives.

Aside from the nice nostalgia trip, this version comes with three difficulties. All of which aim to give players a nice challenge. Those gem pieces won't collect themselves or be collected that easily. So if you want to stay cool and be a bit of a badass at the same time, Jack Dragon might be the perfect way to chill.

BONE DRY by KnifeGrinder

It's been a while since we got a nice Metroidvania, but this time we're coming through for the C64, brought to us by KnifeGrinder. Bone Dry is an upcoming side-scrolling adventure featuring Metroidvaina action with RPG elements. Inspired by Sega Genesis Classics like Monster World 3 and 4, we're looking at a game that might just tickle your fancy.

According to Knife Grinder, Bone Dry combines 16-bit year platformers and contemporary indie gaming, which we all know is a recipe for something cool. Currently, the game is being prototyped on PC, whether you're working engine, so things are going smoothly overall.

While it may take some time for the finished game to drop, Knife Grinder is totally psyched to be working on the game. You can best believe that anyone who's a genre fan shares the same level of excitement he has, and we can't wait for Bone Dry to make its grand entrance. 

KARATE CHAMP VS by JOTD

Updates to classics are always great, especially if it's an arcade fighting game for the Amiga. Data East Karate Champ was the pioneer in making the one-on-one fighting game genre the popular hit that it's become today.

Being one of the most influential games of all time, it's only natural that it would get a modern retouch. That being said, JOTD just dropped another work-in-progress update for Karate Champ vs, an Amiga version of the classic arcade game that involves kicking people in the face. Nice. Now since we're looking at it as more or less an update to the original, we can expect all the classical gameplay, but better.

The original game had players performing a variety of moves on dual joystick controls, and each match used a best-of-three-win format, just like fighting games today. Now, even though you could always go solo and fight to the top, multiplayer was always the appeal of every fighting game. It was always about the challenge, the competition, and showing your friends who is the best.

I mean, who doesn't like a little PvP, right? Overall, once this update for Karate Champ drops, you can guarantee that a few more bodies will drop too. On the TV screen, of course.

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If you’ve been following this series for a while now, you know that we cover whatever we can for as long as it’s on the retro spectrum. Consoles, games, and even events, we’ve got you covered. That being said, you should also know that we love action, especially in our retro games.

It takes center stage whenever a new title emerges, which happens today. So sit tight, and let’s roll!

RENEGADE RELOADED

Ocean Software dropped a classic beat-em-up for the Amstrad CPC, C64, and ZX Spectrum. And this was way back in 1988. Renegade was an action-packed classic with kick-ass gameplay where you and a friend could take the fighters out for revenge against a kingpin named Mr. Big. Now that may be in the past, but if you have an Amstrad CPC, you can be excited to know that a new release called Renegade Reloaded is coming out soon. And it is all the classic features the old school title has and more.

This version has various new features, like scrolling that was barely in the classic Renegade. We also get great new graphics, some new animation, and a different, more banger of a soundtrack. Geco is keeping things under wraps as the reboot is still a work in progress, but we’re keeping tabs on this one.

MIGHTY STREET FIGHTER

It is moving on to some more up close and personal combat. We have a little something for the Amstrad CPC 128K users. If you’re a fan of fighting games or part of the FGC, we know you’ve got your eyes peeled for Mighty Street Fighter, a game that’s been in the works and looks like a ton of fun. It’s a different take on Street Fighter and sports, a look that’s closer to the 1993 classic Mighty Final Fight. It looks pretty badass.

There isn’t much to say about the game, as most news is on Twitter. So far. It looks to have eight playable characters from the original Street Fighter franchise, many fighting styles, and even the ever-popular “Hadouken.” It’s a game worth looking out for, and once the action intensifies will be right smack in the middle of it!

FINAL FIGHT

Now for an all-improved, action classic coming out from the Commodore Amiga. Prototron is working on an enhanced version of the classic arcade game Final Fight for anyone who's picked up and enjoyed to beat-em-up. While the original game didn’t get much love in the 90s’, this modern remaster could change everyone’s perception. This might be because Prototron gave the game’s code an almost complete rewrite of what we’ll get as a fresher experience featuring a two-player mode with fan favorites Guy and Cody.

Aside from some new music, a few new features are in the works for the final game. This includes smoother gameplay. The game Sprite’s flipping if you face a different direction and some graphical improvement to suit the more modern fields we just might be craving for. We’ve come a long way since the Mega Drive and SNES, so this Commodore Amiga version might be the update we need. So lets all Final Fight enhance come out soon.

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