Pulseman (Sega Channel) Retro Game of the Month June 2024

Selected by: tankMage

Pulseman, a rather obscure Sega Channel game, is this month’s winner. It’s not the best Sega Genesis platformer out there, but it has a lot to offer. The hero can shift between the real and digital world, which provides players with quite a bit of variety. He can also perform a variety of stunts, particularly his “Volteccer” dash which damages bad guys and allows Pulseman to cover long distances. Even better, plenty of old fashioned platforming fun to be had.

If there’s one thing that stands out about this game even eight years after I played it, it’s the graphics. Having been made by Game Freak, Pulseman looks a little bit like a Pokémon title. It also features some impressive backgrounds and animations as well as memorable bosses.

Click here for more on Pulseman.

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Visit our forum and nominate it. In December we will vote to decide which title will win Retro Game of the Year.

Xardion (SNES) Retro Game of the Month May 2024

Selected by: tankMage

Xardion is one of those hidden gems that almost never get any recognition. It’s also one of the few platformer/ARPGs available for the Super Nintendo. It’s easy to overlook this title due to the slightly goofy name and gameplay that feels very stilted at first, but give it a chance and you’ll find a very good game under its obvious flaws.

Players are given three mechs to control from the very start. While only one mech can be used at a time, each of them has its own uses and special powers. They also level up and become more powerful as the player defeats enemies. Xardion also featured some very interesting stages and cool bosses, so give it a try if you are looking for something different.

Click here for more on Xardion

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Visit our forum and nominate it. In December we will vote to decide which title will win Retro Game of the Year.

User Accounts and Forum Added

Visitors can now create their own accounts complete with profiles and avatars, via the Login/Create Account option on the main menu. A forum, which is also located on the main menu, has also been added. The comment section is open to all, but you will need an account to post on the forum. Right now the forum is under construction. Users can make reply to posts, create topics, and choose the Retro Game of the Month. More features are on the way.

Accounts are free and we do not share private user information, though forum posts and profile information can be viewed publicly.

Tecmo Bowl (NES) Retro Game of the Month April 2024

Selected by: Grover

Old sports games are often overlooked, but they are an important part of both gaming and sports history. Tecmo Bowl was one of the first American football games to be considered good and I have fond memories of playing this at a friend’s house. While the on-screen sprites were limited to only 9 players per team and there were only 12 teams to choose from, it was still fun thanks to a two player mode that allowed friends to face off against one another. Players could also choose from a few simple plays, which further added to the fun. From a sports history standpoint, Tecmo Bowl uses an interesting fusion of the NFL’s 1987 and ‘88 roster, creating a sort of hypothetical late eighties season that never happened. If you’re a football fan or someone who just likes 8-Bit gaming, this title is still worth playing today.

Click here for more on Tecmo Bowl

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Leave a comment below and it will be considered for next month’s award! Each winner will be entered into a contest for Retro Game of the Year in December and announced on the third week of the month.

We no longer use ads and trackers.

After careful consideration, I have decided to remove Google Analytics and Adsense from this website. Over the years I have become increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of monitoring traffic and serving ads to visitors. Most people (myself included) do not like ads and privacy has been an increasingly prevalent issue. This website was created for gamers and I believe it is only right to put the interests of my audience first.

While I will keep my opinions regarding the practices of big tech companies to myself, I will say RetroMaggedom Gaming is better off as an ad-free website that respects the privacy of its users. With this in mind, I’m permanently removing Google Analytics tracking and Adsense from RetroMaggedon.com and will not use similar services in the future.

~tankMage

Comments Temporarily Restricted

Spring must be spam season, because we’re getting a huge influx of fake comments. To combat this I’ve placed some temporary restrictions on our comments sections. This means it may take a while for your comment to appear (anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours) so don’t worry if your comment isn’t visible right away.

I hate having to do this, but spam comments almost always contain links to malicious sites and I would rather visitors be slightly inconvenienced than see something unpleasant happen to someone who accidentally clicked on a bad link. Spam also makes it difficult for real humans whi have something to say to get their message across, which is another reason why I put anti-spam measures in place. I would share a few choice words for the individuals behind this spam campaign, but the likelihood that they are even aware of the existence of this site is near zero, so I won’t waste my time.

The restrictions will be in place until the deluge slows down to its usual or trickle, which will hopefully only take a day or two. Once again, I apologize for this inconvenience.

Soul Blazer (SNES) Retro Game of the Month March 2024

Selected by: Cowboy Yojimbo

Soul Blazer is an underappreciated action RPG for the Super Nintendo that’s part of a largely forgotten spiritual trilogy which also includes Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma. In Soul Blazer the world has been rendered barren and lifeless, because a greedy king sold the soul of every living being to a demon called Deathtoll. Players control a servant of a being known as the Master, who has been tasked with reviving the world. Over the course of the adventure players will visit various areas, battle monsters action RPG style with sword and sorcery, and slowly free the inhabitants of the world.

Every area has its own story and cast of characters that gradually open up as the player frees NPCs from the clutches of Deathtoll. While most of the stories are simplistic, they help bring the game to life and add an emotional dimension to the hero’s mission as he makes friends along the way. The action is what really shines as this game is something of a fusion between Gauntlet and Legend of Zelda. Every dungeon is punctuated by a climactic boss fight that makes freeing the world all the more satisfying.

Click here for more on Soul Blazer

Would you like to see your favorite game win Retro Game of the Month? Leave a comment below and it will be considered for next month’s award! Each winner will be entered into a contest for Retro Game of the Year in December and announced on the third week of the month.