Taito’s “Ray” series of vertically-scrolling shoot ‘em ups hasn’t seen nearly as many entries as their Darius series, but it retains a devoted following among fans of the genre. Comprised of RayForce, RayStorm, and RayCrisis, the Ray games are known for their lock-on mechanics that allow players to fire upon enemies in...

Heavenly Bodies from 2pt Interactive is a physics-based puzzle game in which players control astronauts as they attempt to repair a space station. The challenge comes from each of the astronaut's arms being controlled independently, as well as the zero-gravity physics of space. The game recently received a 4-player local co-op update that adds to the heavenly craziness. And for players who want more space adventures, the freshly launched "Cleanup" DLC adds an entire new space station to repair.

Remnant: From the Ashes was an enjoyable action RPG, so it's no surprise that it would get a sequel. To that end, Gearbox and THQ Nordic launched Remnant II this week. The sequel is said to play like an expanded version of the first game, promising lots of challenging shooting and 3 player online co-op. Does your co-op team have ...

Update 07/24/2023: As of Monday following the Friday launch, local multiplayer is now working on Xbox! We successfully played Bad Dudes and Double Dragon in co-op.

Practically every style of game gets a roguelike interpretation nowadays. Sometimes these roguelike takes are official series entries like Double Dragon Gaiden, and other times they emerge as games inspired by classics. That's the case for 30XX from Batterystaple Games. 30XX is the sequel to 20XX, and both games are heavily inspired by Capcom's Mega Man series. After spending a couple of years in Steam Early access, 30XX is finally graduating to full release status on Steam and also launching on Switch in August.

Given that Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, the latest game in the long-running beat 'em up series, is due out on consoles and PC on July 27, it's fair to say that many of us have come down with Double Dragon fever. A toy company called Syndicate Collectibles is preparing for that fever by revealing action figures of three Double Dragon characters that will be released next year. The toys were shown off at San Diego Comic Con, and they look pretty sweet.

We're huge fans of the Steam Deck around here. Valve's portable gaming device is only slightly larger than a Nintendo Switch, but it packs a massive punch and can run countless Steam games smoothly. Heck, I recently installed a 2TB SSD in my Deck so that I can take more games with me on the go. JSAUX is a company that produces numerous Steam Deck accessories, the latest of which include two RGB docking stations and an RGB backplate for the Deck itself.

We Are Screwed! is a Steam Early Access game from Rarebyte in which up to 4 local players work together to operate a spaceship while attempting to plug pipes that threaten to destroy the multiverse. It operates somewhat like an Overcooked or Manic Mechanics-style party game, but players get to see what's going on outside the spaceship while they frantically try to keep things running inside it. The new "Corrupted Rifts" update add challenging side missions set in twisted universes that will surely keep teams on their toes.

Blackout Protocol (update: now titled Section 13) is a newly-released roguelike from Ocean Dive Studio that combines elements third-person shooting, roguelike elements, and horror. Players take on the role of newly recruited security personnel for a corporation whose research base has been overrun by zombies and mercenaries. The game is built for 3-player online co-op, and it already plays really well, despite some balance issues.

Long before Bubble Bobble 4 Friends and Puzzle Bobble Everybubble, Taito released a unique pair of Bubble Bobble sequels that did not involve blowing bubbles: Rainbow Islands and Parasol Stars. After its inclusion on the Turbografx-16 Mini a few years ago, Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III is finally getting its own new release. The adorable platformer will be coming to Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch later this year courtesy of ININ Games.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Irem was a prolific Japanese game developer that produced numerous arcade and console hits. ININ and Strictly Limited Games have already announced Irem Collection Volume 1, a collection of single-player shoot 'em ups. Irem Collection Volume 2, however, features four games, all of which feature 2-player local co-op! The four games are GunForce (Arcade), GunForce (SNES), GunForce II (arcade), and Air Duel (arcade).

Barony is a first-person dungeon-crawler roguelike from Turning Wheel. It launched on Steam all the way back in 2016 and has evolved through numerous updates over the years. Despite the game's appealing Minecraft-like art style and deep RPG mechanics, it has never been available on consoles. Thanks to a successful Kickstarter, Barony is finally...