Bandai Namco Entertainment

RAD

Initial Release Date: August 20, 2019

Developer: Double Fine

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Genre: Action-Adventure, Arcade

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows

Why We’re Playing It: It’s no secret that the TrunkSpace team are fans of the ‘80s, and this game exudes totally tubular nostalgia. Even the actual gameplay harkens back to the old-school, arcade-style games that were top down action/adventure romps. So put on your jean jacket, hairspray that hair and wear your sunglasses at night while we dive into this session of Trunk Gaming!

What It’s All About?: You choose your teenage adventurer protagonist, grab your baseball bat and head into a post-apocalyptic world that has become a barren wasteland full of gnarly creatures that are hungry for flesh. The fate of humanity depends on you to traverse the radioactive landscape and spread life and heal the environment through the use of machines. This comes at a cost though, and your body mutates as you play, giving you either unexpected power or hindering side effects.

That’s Worth A Power-Up!: We’re a sucker for visually-striking and stylistic games, and “RAD” delivers on this front. From the retro electronic riffs to the gorgeous wasteland of a landscape, this game is a treat for your ears and eyeballs. Oh, and the random voiceover guy that proclaims your achievements with ‘80s buzz words will have you laughing as you smash those radioactive mutants to bits.

Bonus Level: At first play through it seems sort of like one dimensional gaming, and you’re not sure if there is much replay value. Once you clear the first few levels, you realize you’re just scratching the surface, and when you start teleporting from caves to different levels, things get wild. The game also has a random level generator, so you are literally never playing the same level twice. All we can say is clear your schedule, because once you download “RAD” you are going to be hooked!

And that’s why this game is a certified quarter muncher!

Game: Dragon Ball FighterZ

Initial Release Date: January 26, 2018

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Genre: Fighter

Plateform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

Why We’re Playing It: There have been great pairings in the past… peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, zombies and brains… but perhaps one of the best we have seen to date is the pairing of the best fighting game developer, Arc System Works, with THE best fighting cartoon, “Dragon Ball Z.” I mean where could you go wrong? We’ve always been big anime fans and a few of us have chibi Nendoroid figures of some of the Dragon Ball Z characters. It’s always had amazing fighting in the show so we’re excited to get a game based on it.

What It’s All About?: Whether you’re a Dragon Ball fan or not, a beginning gamer or a well-seasoned one… this game is worth checking out. It’s easy to just plug in, play and enjoy. If you’re a fan of the cartoon series, then you’re in luck, because they do the series justice and it’s literally like you’re dropped (and playing along) in the fight scenes from the show. Nothing is going to get you closer to being in the series unless you become a Super Saiyan yourself and get beamed into the TV ala Willy Wonka.

That’s Worth A Power-Up!: The game looks and sounds phenomenal. It has the traditional cel shading animation look to it, but there’s also a sense of depth and dimension. So, you’re playing 2D, but it has a third dimensional feel. The camera/screen will zoom in and out at times depending on the actions and distance between fighters, and this helps provide that next level of dimension. The sounds are crisp and land on cue along with punches or kicks to the face. The music is fast paced and keeps you in the fighting spirit and engaged. The only thing of note is that you may need a good SSD for PS4 console to store it on there, as it isn’t a small game by any means.

Bonus Level: Right out of the gate, we noticed that this a great fighting game for both beginners and veteran gamers. It’s very easy to pick up on the controls and the way that the game plays. There are no super long button combos to remember, so depending on what level of cartoon violence you find acceptable, the younger crowd can get in on this game as well and probably lay waste to the older gamers in the room.

And that’s why this game is a certified quarter muncher!

Game: Sonic Dash & Pac-Man

Initial Release Date: February 21st, 2018

Publisher: Sega & Bandai Namco Entertainment

Genre: Classic Arcade & Endless Runner

Platforms: Mobile Devices

Why We’re Playing It: Both Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man carry with them nostalgia and a rich gaming history. Many generations grew up playing these games in arcades and on consoles. Who knew that years down the road we would be playing those same games but on our phones and with better graphics? It’s enough to make Doc Brown say, “Great Scott!”

What It’s All About?: TrunkSpace is no stranger to crossovers, just check out our Trunk Funnies! This pairs two of our favorite gaming icons, putting Pac-Man in Sonic’s world and Sonic in Pac-Man’s world. Each game is essentially the same as it was before but with a twist on the storyline with the characters switching places “Freaky Friday” style.

That’s Worth A Power-Up!: New playing skins aside, these are still great games at their core. They are all-ages friendly, but be aware that there are in-app purchases if you hand your device off to the little gamers in the house. The graphics in “Sonic Dash” are gorgeous and the “Pac-Man” gameplay keeps the classic arcade feel you know and love.

Bonus Level: One nice feature to this game is that they offer “family sharing,” which means that up to six people can use the app and share it on different devices, allowing for any purchases made by the group to be carried over.

And that’s why this game is a Certified Quarter Muncher!