Yes, you read correctly: Burnout Paradise, the open-world, online-ad-pushing, Avril Lavigne-"Girlfriend"-blaring, achievement-flogging racing game from what feels like a mere moment ago, now qualifies for Retronauts coverage. No, I don't want to think about it, either.
ARCADE ARCHIVES NEO GEO
- Platform: Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One (worldwide)
- Price: $7.99 / €6.99 / £6.29
- Publisher: Hamster
What's this? The final canonical entry in Video System's wacky series of vertical shooters, released for Neo Geo in 1995; this game sees the cast being forced to helm WWII-era aircraft to take up the fight against the alien invaders, but the straightforward systems and ludicrous bosses are as over-the-top as ever (and, for some reason, set to the tunes of extremely '90s jungle drum'n'bass).
Why should I care? Aero Fighters 3 is ever-so-slightly easier than its more well-known predecessor — on the first loop, at least — and the branching stage progression systems offers a lot to see over repeat playthroughs, even though the stages themselves are much briefer.
Helpful tip: Two additional characters from other Video System games (Kotomi from Rabio Lepus and Captain Waffle from Spinal Breakers) can be unlocked via individual button codes; they require a little explanation, so for the sake of brevity, I'll direct you here.
OTHER
- Platform: Playstation 4, Xbox One, (worldwide)
- Price: $39.99 / €39.99 / £34.99
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
What's this? A no-frills current-gen remaster of the most recent (but still decade-old!) mainline entry in Criterion's white-knuckle driving series, repackaged here with redone post-processing effects, the occasional higher-resolution texture, a resolution bump up to 4K on PS4 Pro/Xbox One X and all the previously-released DLC content.
Why should I care? Burnout Paradise is neither the most representative nor the definitive Burnout game — the sandbox structure, while engrossing and immaculately-crafted, is a big shift away from the unadorned action of previous titles — but it's still more than capable of delivering the devil-may-care calamity that's absent from would-be successors like Forza Horizon... and if it sells, perhaps EA will finally, finally let Criterion make a new one. (The remaster itself is very slight, so consider the price more of an "online community repopulation tax".)
Useless fact: Infamous Grasshopper Manufacture auteur Suda51 was a self-confessed addict of the original Burnout Paradise, with over 700 hours logged.
- Platform: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC via Steam (worldwide)
- Price: $24.99
- Publisher: Capcom
What's this? The first three entries in Capcom's stylish, almost-too-camp demon-slaying 3D melee action series, originally released on Playstation 2 and later ported to PS3 and Xbox 360 with a 720p resolution bump and not much else, now available on PC and current-gen consoles with... a 1080p resolution bump, and not much else.
Why should I care? The finesse-heavy, kitchen-sink combat template established by Devil May Cry and refined to a sheen with Devil May Cry 3 spawned a throng of imitators but is still largely unmatched, save perhaps by DMC creator Hideki Kamiya's own Bayonetta series; you've undoubtedly played many games like these over the last decade and a half, but few that are even half as good. (That other game? Go ahead and skip it.)
Helpful tip: For the completionists out there, Devil May Cry 4 SE — the expanded current-gen port of the most recent canonical DMC game, itself a decade old — is currently heavily discounted on PSN right now.
DISCOUNTS & DEALS
- Platform: Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Playstation Vita, Playstation Portable (worldwide)
- Price: up to 75% off hundreds of Capcom-published titles until March 20
So, so many remasters, Capcom! Dead Rising 1, 2 and Off the Record, Okami , Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Puzzle Fighter HD Remix, damn near every Resident Evil game... and if that's not enough, they're doing big discounts on legacy collections (Mega Man Legacy Collection 1&2, Disney Afternoon Collection, Capcom Arcade Cabinet and more), franchise revival titles (Bionic Commando Rearmed, Strider, Ducktales Remastered) and a bevy of PS Classics, including a few you probably haven't thought about in a while (God Hand! Dino Crisis! Misadventures of Tron Bonne!) Cyberbots!)
BitBoy restock from gameboyphoto
- Platform: Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance (worldwide)
- Price: $100
I'm sure a lot of you Game Boy Camera fans read Jeremy's effusive review of the BitBoy SD card reader for Game Boy back in 2015 but were never able to procure one for yourself due to stock issues... well, here's your heads-up: the BitBoy is back in stock and now available in one of five colours, alongside other useful peripherals like the Game Boy Camera-flipping CartWheel catridge slot extender for GBA and replacement GB-to-GBC/GBA link cables.