Articles – Page 2

REVIEW – “Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties” is both an improvement and a downgrade with some solid new stuff mixed in

by Andrew Farrell | Nintendo Switch 2 PC Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 03 Mar 2026

The Yakuza Kiwami games have always been a bit of a mixed bag. The first two felt like their cutscenes were simply slapped into existing games with some unnecessary systems, leading to them failing to actually feel like their original counterparts. The awkwardly titled Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, conversely, manages to mostly feel like its own game, but with an almost shocking amount of the original’s extra content completely replaced.

The Legend of Zelda: SmashPad’s Favorite Games

by SmashPad Staff | Features Nintendo 3DS Nintendo DS Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Wii Nintendo Wii U | 0 Comments | 02 Mar 2026

Nintendo seems to have forgotten about The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary, but we haven’t. SmashPad staffers and contributors were asked to provide their Top 5 Zelda games. We’ve taken those lists and turned them into the staff’s Top 10.

Win PAX East 2026 Tickets!

by SmashPad Staff | Articles Events | 0 Comments | 27 Feb 2026

PAX East 2026 is right around the corner, and we’re working with our Penny Arcade friends to give away five (5) tickets to the show in Boston! Find out how!

[Steam Next Fest] Hands-On: “inKonbini: One Store. Many Stories” is a cozy title that got me all nervous

by Danreb Victorio | Nintendo Switch PC PlayStation 5 Previews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 26 Feb 2026

This demo only gives you this one shift, and it doesn’t take long at all. You’re tasked with taking stock out of the back and putting it on the konbini sales floor, making sure everything at the store is in order, and then opening up shop. Simple, right? Oh, if you only knew.

[Steam Next Fest] Hands-On: “Vampire Crawlers” deals a wickedly irresistible hand early on

by David Rodriguez | Android iOS Mobile Nintendo Switch PC PlayStation 5 Previews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 26 Feb 2026

Put bluntly, Vampire Crawlers chokeslams boredom through a glass table. The demo is impressive in its simplicity, but requires a hell of a lot more of you than Vampire Survivors did. In that sense, poncle could be on track to deliver a follow-up worthy of its still budding name and elephantine reputation. Can their lightning strike twice?

[Steam Next Fest] Hands-On: Is “Cleaning Up!” really fun?

by Danreb Victorio | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Previews Steam | 0 Comments | 26 Feb 2026

The Steam Next Fest demo of Cleaning Up!, which you can play now, features four levels that provide just enough to get your feet wet. There’s an apartment, a castle, a museum, and a cafe, each providing a new gimmick to differentiate itself enough. Only one of these levels qualifies as challenging, but again, it’s a demo.

REVIEW – The return of “City Hunter” is welcome and historically meaningful, but lackluster for what’s on offer

by David Rodriguez | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 26 Feb 2026

With all this in mind, I can’t generally recommend City Hunter, but if you do want to see what TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine gaming had to offer by means of a cult product and you have a surplus of disposable income, have at it.

REVIEW – “Super Bomberman Collection” is one of the most explosively joyful shadow drops in recent memory

by Danreb Victorio | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 26 Feb 2026

When Super Bomberman Collection was unveiled during this month’s Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, I got wide-eyed. Ever since I got my hands on Mega Bomberman on the Sega Genesis during the unfortunate but memorable days of the Sega Channel (yeah, I’m that old), I’ve been a big Bomberman fan. Little did I know that game would end up being the high point of the series for me until now, more than three decades after I was introduced to it.

REVIEW — “Resident Evil Requiem” is a thrilling and chilling dual-sided romp

by Jon Yelenic | Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 25 Feb 2026

With grotesque scares as potent as its pulse-pounding action and puzzle-box level design as engaging as any given combat scenario, Resident Evil Requiem is an engrossing thrill ride throughout that hooked me from the start, and in true Resident Evil fashion, has kept me on that hook long after the credits rolled the first, second, and even third time.

REVIEW – “Disney Afternoon Collection” is out again for people who are Bonkers about having these games on Switch

by Kayla Merritt | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PC Reviews Xbox One | 0 Comments | 25 Feb 2026

Two new games, Bonkers and Goof Troop from the SNES, headline this release of Disney Afternoon Collection. Is it worth potentially double dipping if you already own this compilation on another platform just to get these two additional games? That depends on your nostalgia for the cartoons these games are based on. For everyone else, Disney Afternoon Collection is a great compilation of classic 8-bit games.

REVIEW – “Avowed” on PS5 is still a magical RPG despite initial reception

by Chris Penwell | PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 24 Feb 2026

I’m glad I was able to ignore the overall negative sentiment around the game and play the PS5 version of Avowed, which now has the anniversary update. The reason? Avowed is a unique RPG with thrilling combat and an intriguing storyline that features a God in your head.

REVIEW – “MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice” doesn’t do a meaningful series much justice

by Adriana Rodriguez | PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 24 Feb 2026

I really enjoyed my time with this. On the other hand, I’m not sure if I’d be able to recommend this if it wasn’t a game based on one of my favorite anime. It’s definitely for the diehard fans that know the source material and have been keeping up with the series for years. If it weren’t for some of the balancing issues, I wouldn’t have minded some of the painful flaws. Sadly here, if you remove one issue, another two grow in its place.

Category: Articles

REVIEW – “Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties” is both an improvement and a downgrade with some solid new stuff mixed in

The Legend of Zelda: SmashPad’s Favorite Games

Win PAX East 2026 Tickets!

[Steam Next Fest] Hands-On: “inKonbini: One Store. Many Stories” is a cozy title that got me all nervous

[Steam Next Fest] Hands-On: “Vampire Crawlers” deals a wickedly irresistible hand early on

[Steam Next Fest] Hands-On: Is “Cleaning Up!” really fun?

REVIEW – The return of “City Hunter” is welcome and historically meaningful, but lackluster for what’s on offer

REVIEW – “Super Bomberman Collection” is one of the most explosively joyful shadow drops in recent memory

REVIEW — “Resident Evil Requiem” is a thrilling and chilling dual-sided romp

REVIEW – “Disney Afternoon Collection” is out again for people who are Bonkers about having these games on Switch

REVIEW – “Avowed” on PS5 is still a magical RPG despite initial reception

REVIEW – “MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice” doesn’t do a meaningful series much justice

Latest Podcasts