If you love retro games, you need to check out this killer Mega Man throwback

Every year, like clockwork, I end up playing one retro-style 2D game that gets its hooks in me. It’s not that I harbor a lot of nostalgia for the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis; it’s just that indie developers have gotten very good at both replicating and modernizing the fun of old-school platformers. So far in the 2020s, I’ve had a blast with Cyber Shadow, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, and now, Berserk Boy. The debut title from the aptly named BerserkBoy Games, the new retro release is a throwback to classic Mega Man games — something that’s probably clear from its title alone. In it, players shoot their way through colorful 2D stages filled with evil robots, platforming challenges, and special abilities that can help make mincemeat out of bosses. Sound familiar? At first glance, Berserk Boy may look like another dime-a-dozen pixel art throwback. While it might not offer much in the way of innovation, it does bring something crucial to the table: speed. In addition to taking notes from Mega Man, Berserk Boy feels equally indebted to Sonic the Hedgehog’s old Sega Genesis adventures. Movement is slick and fast-paced as I can quickly dash through the air and grind on rails to zip through levels. That’s important because those levels are meant to be replayed thanks to abilities. When I get a drill form, I’m able to go back to old levels and dig through patches of dirt to find hidden secrets. That can be tedious in a retro-style game that’s beholden to the clunky movement of old games, but the hyper-fluid mobility makes backtracking a breeze. That’s matched by some equally fast and satisfying combat. I can use my air dash to smash into enemies, allowing me to chain between robots and even use attacks for a bit of platforming. I also have an array of elemental forms at my disposal, all of which can be flipped between quickly with a radial menu. Each offers its own gameplay twist, like a ranged ice form that’s all about chucking kunai or close-range firepower that lets me drill into enemies. Much of my enjoyment has come from quickly switching between forms mid-battle and watching enemies explode in a colorful explosion of detailed pixel art. Even writing about Berserk Boy now, I find it hard to convey what separates it from other recent retro releases. Everything sounds by the book on paper, and it certainly left my head quickly after beating it, but I’m engrossed in it whenever I pick it up. Even when dipping into it casually to double-check a few features for this write-up, I found myself losing track of time as I blew through enemies. Even with decades of big-budget advancements in video game tech, nothing beats the simple spectacle of watching a robot get reduced to a fountain of chunky pixels, I suppose. Berserk Boy launches on March 6 for Nintendo Switch and PC. Steam Next Fest is here and you’re likely about to be up to your eyeballs in video game demos. There are plenty of promising indies you can try for free during the event, and we’ll coming at you with some recommendations as we uncover the gems. If you need a place to start, though, look no further than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown. The Turtles’ latest adventure is unlike any they’ve embarked on before. It’s not some form of beat-em-up, but a turn-based strategy game by I Am Your Beast developer Strange Scaffold. The tactics genre may sound like an odd fit for our reptilian friends on paper, but it works surprisingly well. That’s thanks to a new spin on the genre that gives players much more to do on a single turn. It’s a fast-paced tactics game that feels spiritually linked to the Turtles’ arcade days in ways you may not see coming. 2025 is already odd to a heck of a start. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a hit, we’re loving Civilization 7, and Avowed is just around the corner. Those aren’t the games I’m most excited about, though. My favorites games of the past month and change are all independent releases that I didn’t see coming. Rift of the Necrodancer, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, and While Waiting are all sitting at the top of my list currently. While big budget games are exciting, you should never sleep on the indies — especially because there are so many great ones coming soon. Last week, I demoed four upcoming games from Raw Fury, most of which will launch soon. The publisher may not be a household name like Devolver, but it’s quietly given us plenty of fantastic indies over the past decade, from Sable to American Arcadia. This year, Raw Fury has a few games in the works that are worth keeping your eye on. That includes a creepy ode to Silent Hill, a medieval tactics game, and a serious game of the year contender. Don’t take your eyes off these four games.
Blue Prince
Blue Prince Announcement Trailer It’s been a long time since Konami has given us a new Castlevania game. Sure, we’ve gotten some great rerelease collections to help scratch that itch (and a solid Netflix adaptation), but the series hasn’t pumped out a fully new game in over a decade. Thankfully, indie developers have stepped in to satiate that hunger. Games like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night serve as excellent alternatives that capture the spirit of Castlevania. If you’re looking for another game in that vein, you’ll want to give Blade Chimera a shot. It’s the exact jolt of whip-cracking, demon-slaying 2D action you’re craving.