Retro Game of the Month/Year

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.

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.

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.

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.

Selected by: Rontro

Legend of Zelda has a long and storied history as a franchise, so it is no surprise that A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo is one of the first games to be awarded Retro Game of the Month. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the first game of the year. If you are into older video games, this title is a must-play. Link to the Past has some of the best dungeons, music, and gameplay in the entire series. It’s also a good example of what is often be called “Classic Legend of Zelda” from the days when the series was 2D. It’s hard to find much to say about this game aside from it being really good. If you want more details, check out the LttP home page:

Click here for more on Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

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.

Selected by: tankMage

Grandia was the first game I reviewed for this site way back in 2015, so it’s only fitting that it’s the first to earn the title of Retro Game of the Month. To be honest, I was not terribly impressed with Grandia when I first played it, but there’s something special about the cast and story that made it grow on me. Justin’s (the main protagonist) positivity and enthusiasm is infectious. He’s also kind of flawed despite being so well meaning, which was evidenced in some of his relationships. At the same time, Justin grew as a character and the ending is probably one of my all-time favorites.

The gameplay itself is pretty good, though it’s ultimately a standard JRPG at the end of the day. There’s a few parts that drag and the inventory system sucks. In fact fiddling with the bad inventory is one of the other things that stick out in my memories of Grandia. Luckily the gameplay is good enough that its flaws are outweighed by the things that make it fun, so give this title a go if you are looking for a lesser known PS1 RPG.

Click here for more on Grandia

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.