New Game Releases: January 26th-February 1st, 2017

With the eShop release of Flying Warriors, Little Ninja Brothers, and Kung-Fu Heroes, Nintendo is tripling down on unapologetically retro, martial arts themed gaming. But surprisingly, they aren’t the only ones bringing old old-school pugnaciousness in pixelated form. Arc System Works’ Double Dragon IV looks to deliver classic beat-up beguilement, uniting a number of developers from the original 1987 arcade game.

Header image: Sakura Agent, PC

PlayStation 4
Abzu (retail and PSN, $19.99)
Adventure Pop (PSN, $TBA)
Arcade Archives NeoGeo World Heroes (PSN, $7.99)
Dexed (PSN, VR, $TBA)
Digimon World: Next Order (retail and PSN, $59.99)
Divide (PSN, $TBA)
Double Dragon IV (PSN, $TBA)
Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers (PSN, $TBA)
Earthlock: Festival of Magic (retail and PSN, $29.99)
Hand of Fate: Deluxe Edition (PSN, $TBA)
Hitman: The Complete First Season (retail, $59.99)
Kill the Bad Guy (PSN, $TBA)
Knee Deep (PSN, $TBA)
Linelight (PSN, $TBA)
Skullgirls: 2nd Encore (retail, $39.99)
Star Wars Pinball: Rogue One (DLC, PSN, $TBA)

Wii U
Flying Warriors (eShop, Virtual Console, $4.99)
Little Ninja Brothers (eShop, Virtual Console, $4.99)
Kung-Fu Heroes (eShop, Virtual Console, $4.99)

Xbox One
Abzu (retail and XGS, $19.99)
Hitman: The Complete First Season (retail, $59.99)
Star Wars Pinball: Rogue One (DLC, XGS, $TBA)

3DS
Candy, Please! (eShop, $1.99)
Word Search 10K (eShop, $7.99)

PS Vita
Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers (PSN, $TBA)
Geki Yaba Runner (PSN, $TBA)

PC (via Steam unless noted)
Aliens Go Home Run ($3.59)
Crimson Trigger ($TBA)
Disgaea 2 PC ($17.99)
Double Dragon IV ($TBA)
Echo Lake ($9.34)
Learn Japanese To Survive! Katakana War ($TBA)
Love Ribbon ($8.99)
Rocketbirds 2 Evolution ($8.99)
Sakura Agent ($7.99)
Seinarukana -The Spirit of Eternity Sword 2- ($26.99)
Squake ($TBA)
Star Wars Pinball: Rogue One (DLC, $TBA)
Tales of Berseria ($49.99)
VRQB ($4.49)
Warcube ($8.99)
Wells ($TBA)

Robert’s Pick: Long before I become enchanted with a certain English songstress, another “Adell” thoroughly charmed me. The lead of Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories is a wonderfully likable protagonist, always honoring a promise and preferring to solve problems with awesome displays of brute force. Play through this week’s Steam release of Disgaea 2 and you’re poised to identity with the courageous character, as you persevere through the game’s thirteen charming chapters and succession of thorny, but persistently engaging battles. While the sporadic defeat might provoke you into quitting, there’s also a strong possibility of becoming hooked, pouring hundreds of hours into the game, and following Adell’s astute advice to “punch it harder this time”.