PS Minis Game Reviews
Review VT Tennis (PlayStation Minis)
VT Tennis is a bit like an out-of-season bowl of strawberries
Tasteless, but a passable reminder of the summer. Contrary to quick glance deceptions, VT Tennis is not Virtua Tennis. We're sure developers Virtual Toys would love you to make the mistake though. That's not to say they haven't tried to create the illusion, mind. Minutes after opening VT...
Review Angry Birds (PlayStation Minis)
Those with only PlayStation platforms available to them will find the Minis version of Angry Birds a perfect justification for their curiosity, but we'd urge some consideration first
The PlayStation Minis version of Angry Birds lacks features, despite coming in at a higher price. What's more, we're just not convinced the gameplay is all that great...
Review A Space Shooter For Two Bucks! (PlayStation Minis)
Two Bucks?
Frima's super self-aware A Space Shooter For Two Bucks hits all the right notes with smooth, space-blaster gameplay, a solid progression system and some comical, if cliche, dialogue. Frima's latest PlayStation Mini is probably the best they've released, but we can't help but feel like the game's title does it a disservice. Sure, the...
Review Blimp: The Flying Adventures (PlayStation Minis)
Blimp: The Flying Adventures is a simplistic navigation title built around a strong physics core
The first game Blimp: The Flying Adventures reminded us of was Crazy Taxi. Sure the game's two-dimensional, set in outer-space and puts you in control of a zeppelin rather than a taxi, but stay with us. It reminds us of Crazy Taxi because the core...
Review Who's That Flying?! (PlayStation Minis)
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
Who's That Flying? proves once again that Mediatonic are at the forefront of PlayStation Minis development. The game's fusion of different gameplay mechanics help to elevate the package beyond its simple "side-scroller" core. Lavish presentation and doses of genuinely comical self-referential humour compliment...
Review Widget's Odyssey II (PlayStation Minis)
Widget's Odyssey II is a simple little platform game with a decent narrative driving it
Sadly, the game's agonisingly short. What's a couple of quid worth? A pint of beer, perhaps. A ploughman's sandwich. Widget's Odyssey II will last longer than both, but not by much. The game picks up from the last Widget's Odyssey title. The adorably annoying...
Review Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter (PlayStation Minis)
Those who persevere with Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter will be rewarded with a satisfying experience, but the methodical pacing and lack of variety will not be to everyone's liking
Originally released for the PC in the last 1990's, Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter cashed in on the burgeoning hunting genre that was exploding at the time. Opting to meander...
Review Fly Fu (PlayStation Minis)
There's a bizarre and creepy charm to Fly Fu's presentation, but repetitive gameplay takes much of the sheen off the game's novelty
Fly Fu is weird. Invictus' side-scrolling brawler uses a combination of doodles and dead flies to make up its graphical style. It's certainly makes for a unique look, and it works better than you might think. Being...
Review Arcade Darts (PlayStation Minis)
Arcade Darts lacks the tactile response of arrow-throwing that's become a standard on touch screen platforms; but it works with the hardware it's got
You end up with an intuitive arcade sports title with plenty of replay value, even if the learning curve is a bit steep at first. Darts games are hard to make. If you give the player a cursor, they can...
Review Young Thor (PlayStation Minis)
Young Thor's another PlayStation Mini that transcends the quality of its peers
The game's relatively short, and the controls can be fiddly and unresponsive — but the action's rewarding enough to warrant the asking price more than twice over. Playing as Thor, the God of Thunder, you're tasked with the rescue mission of three Norn maidens who have...
Review Star Hammer Tactics (PlayStation Minis)
Star Hammer Tactics does its best Advance Wars impression with mixed results
The gameplay is solid, but the lack of variety and a downright depressing visual style detract from the overarching experience. Clearly inspired by Nintendo's own flag-ship strategy title, Advance Wars, Star Hammer Tactics is a simple turn-based title for the PlayStation...
Review 5-In-1 Arcade Hits (PlayStation Minis)
5-In-1 Arcade Hits stretches the definition of "arcade hits", but offers enough content to make it an enjoyable way to pass the time
5-In-1 Arcade Hits is not a compilation of Time Crisis, Crazy Taxi, WrestleMania, House Of The Dead 2 and OutRun. Sadly not. It's more a classic games compilation — meh, whatever, semantics. We could get caught up...
Review Vibes (PlayStation Minis)
Vibes is a competent rythmn game with a great visual style and a pretty varied track-listing
It's unlikely to hold your attention for longer than five minutes at a time, but afterall, this is what PlayStation Minis were designed for. Our favourite thing about Vibes is likely to be everyone else's least favourite: the tracklisting. This isn't a...
Review Tehra Dark Warrior (PlayStation Minis)
Tehra Dark Warrior does its best God Of War impression to admirable effect
It's not the instant classic you'd expect from an outing with Kratos himself, but the mechanics and ambition are enough to make it a viable distraction from all the Greek God murdering. The moment you see a needless dragon roaring upon a fortress wall, you realise Tehra Dark...
Review Coconut Dodge (PlayStation Minis)
Like its name, Coconut Dodge is simplistic as it gets: dodge the coconuts, collect the treasure
The key to its success, therefore, is its bold simplicity — after all, this is what Minis were made for, right? We have the utmost respect for Coconut Dodge's developers, FuturLab. Their website notes a torrid tale in which the recognised Flash studio...
Review Stellar Attack (PlayStation Minis)
Stellar Attack is the latest in a growing line of Minis to get its controls wrong
Which is a shame, because the actual gameplay's a clever puzzle based twist on classic arcade shooters. And the soundtrack's bangin'. Shall we deal with the bad first? There's a lot we like about Stellar Attack but there's one crippling problem that has hindered...
Review Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess (PlayStation Minis)
Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess defines the Playstation Minis service in a way that no release before it has managed
The underlying gameplay is simplistic enough to fit the micro-game service's ethos, while the production values feel whole-heartedly Playstation. An important release. The build-up to Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess...
Review Freekscape: Escape From Hell (PlayStation Minis)
Freekscape: Escape From Hell is never particularly astounding, but the platforming action is solid and varied enough to keep you interested throughout the game's duration
Hell's not a nice place. Not even if you're a demon. Take little Freek - a friendly little demon who hates the company in Hell. He wants to chill with the nice dude's in Heaven...
Review Hysteria Project (PlayStation Minis)
As an interactive experience, Hysteria Project is an interesting experiment
There's not really any gameplay worthy of discussion, so the product demands an open-mind. But with a price-tag no more expensive than a bottle of Dr. Pepper, those seeking something a little "different" might welcome the punt. Hysteria Project is a unique nod to...
Review Age of Hammer Wars (PlayStation Minis)
There's a definite charm to Hammer Wars' industrious Verne-esque presentation, but any hint of satisfaction is killed dead by the game's innovative but heavily flawed control mechanics
Still, developers iSquared should be acknowledged for their attempt. After several minutes with British developer iSquared's Hammer Wars, there's yet another strong...
Review NormalTanks (PlayStation Minis)
It can take a while before you get a feel for NormalTanks' control setup, but once you do you'll find a solid, action-oriented old-school shooter with some great feeling weapons, plenty of variety and pretty visuals
The first thing we noticed about NormalTanks is the sense of impact you get from shooting an enemy. This game is from BeatShapers, the...
Review Dracula: Undead Awakening (PlayStation Minis)
Dracula: Undead Awakening is a respectable nod towards classics like SmashTV, but the awkward controls cause some issues in this Minis release
With plenty of progression options, some fantastic graphics and a host of modes, you'd be forgiven for thinking Dracula: Undead Awakening was an essential Minis release. As it happens it comes agonisingly...
Review Cubixx (PlayStation Minis)
Cubixx is a surprisingly brilliant reworking of the 80's classic Qix
The presentation and soundtrack make for an intense, futuristic experience that can be enjoyed in short, sporadic bursts. As the name hints, Cubixx's twist on the classic Qix formula, is to have you cutting out the surface of pulsating polygonal cube. The cube pounds with the beat...
Review Circles, Circles, Circles (PlayStation Minis)
Circles is a brain-bending little puzzle-title that requires the application of simple mathematics to provide a deviously challenging experience
Fans of Sudoku are likely to fall in love with Circles pretty quickly. Like the popular commuter's past-time, Circles is very much inherent with the basic principles of maths. By rotating wheels of four...
Review D-Cube Planet (PlayStation Minis)
Despite some attractive presentation, D-Cube Planet is about as simple and old-school as gaming gets
Archaic puzzling aside though, there's certainly fun to be had here. D-Cube Planet is a neat little polygonal-puzzler that has you shuffling the placement of bricks around a maze, so that a hapless alien (we'll call him "Jeremy") can...
Review Echoes (PlayStation Minis)
Echoes is a deceptively simple, yet deviously difficult release, that will have you hooked for a few hours before you exhaust its lot
We really like Echoes. It's such a simple concept, that's been beautifully realised by developers Halfbrick. In essence, you control a hat and collect jewels. Well, that's what the perspective would have you believe...
Review Pinball Dreams (PlayStation Minis)
Pinball Dreams is exactly 3
2674% more awesome than the already excellent Pinball Fantasies. If you're already done fantasising over pinball, then perhaps it's time you started dreaming about it. This follow-up port of the classic Amiga pinball title, Pinball Dreams, is every inch as awesome as the 4/4 scoring Pinball Fantasies. In fact, we think...
Review Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam (PlayStation Minis)
Like a limited edition McDonalds meal, Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is a novel one-off that's tantalising despite its inflated price tag and health concerns
The health concerns in Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam's case are not related to weight concerns, but instead hand cramps. Y'see, before we get started we want to clarify our biggest gripe with Cooking Jam...
Review Pinball Fantasies (PlayStation Minis)
Three questions: Do you like pinball? Do you own a PSP? Can you go without lunch to pay for the game? If you answered all yes to our little questionnaire, then you really should be asking yourself why you're not playing Pinball Fantasies right now
Pinball Fantasies is an old game. Commodore Amiga old actually. But who the hell cares when it still...
Review Kahoots (PlayStation Minis)
Kahoots is a charming little game packed with personality
From the home-made graphics to the musical tutorials — it's all rather lovely. What do you get if you take Lemmings, add a dash of LittleBigPlanet, and season with Zoo Keeper to taste? No, it's not a joke; it's Kahoots — a charming PSP Mini from British development team HoneySlug. Kahoots...
