It’s no longer a shock to see old games pop up on our modern systems, delivering new life to utter classics. The latest games to try and make the move are those from the old Psikyo label, as a triple threat of iconic shooters arrive on Xbox.
In place and available to purchase, download and play right now are three more games that originally made waves under Psikyo. It’s the City Connection team which are behind this latest shoot ’em up push to Xbox, with Gunbird, Samurai Aces and Samurai Aces III: Sengoku Cannon attempting to find some love in the modern era.
Each game will cost you £7.49 to purchase and from there you should expect some old-school gaming that will bring back a ton of memories.
So what do we have? Well, we’ll start with Gunbird and this is a classic Psikyo shooter. A vertical scroller, you’ll know exactly what you need to do here – shoot anything and everything that pops up on screen, dodging the bullets of enemies as you go.
There are slight amends to the usual genre tropes, with multiple characters to play as, various planes to fly and a magic mirror granting all your wishes.
An Arcade mode will keep you busy, as will screen filters, a Score Attack and the chance to play in two-player local co-op.
Samurai Aces follows that nicely, pretty much working the same game mechanics just with a few different takes. In fact, Gunbird and Samurai Aces are very closely aligned, so much so that playing one after the other should be for the best.
But then we have Samurai Aces III: Sengoku Cannon and this mixes things up massively, going from vertical shooting to that of the horizontal. Yep, that Samurai Aces franchise moved on leaps and bounds from the first to the third game.
It does however come to Xbox to continue the theme of the other games and all those gameplay elements we previously spoke of – Score Attack, local multiplayer and Online Rankings – are present alongside the character and plane choice.
There’s a decent chance that you’ll remember the likes of Gunbird and the Samurai Aces games with fond memories. if that’s the case, it’s probably you that City Connection are aiming for, with release on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Pick any of the games up from the Xbox Store if you are tempted – the bold links above will whisk you to the specific page you need. And be sure to let us know your thoughts once you do get hands on. The comments are below and we’re on the socials.
Gunbird Game Description:
Marion is a little great wizard in the big, big steampunk world of yet another Psikyo shooter masterpiece. GUNBIRD is a vertical-scrolling shooter game that first appeared in arcades in 1994. The game features a magical mirror that grants wishes and a massive cast of flamboyant characters! Enjoy interesting conversations between characters during special scenes and when bosses appear! Watch for subtle changes in dialogue between different unit combinations during 2-player mode, too! The game comes with options you can tweak to your liking. Pick your preferred difficulty, max lives, max continues, key controls, and more to make the game just right for you. Don’t forget about the new online rankings! Do you have what it takes to become the best GUNBIRD in the world?
Samurai Aces Game Description:
The shrine maiden and monk take to the sky in Psikyo’s debut game, in Psikyo’s debut game, a Japanese-style shooter with quirky aesthetics. Samurai Aces is a vertical-scrolling shooter game that first appeared in arcades in 1993. The first part of the stage is a randomly chosen layout. Enemy bosses move in unpredictable ways, adding to the player’s entertainment! “Psikyo Bullets,” the bullets that pursue you relentlessly, also make their first appearance in this game. Here is where the Psikyo shooting legacy began! Be sure to check out the drama skits between characters during special scenes! The game comes with options you can tweak to your liking. Pick your preferred difficulty, max lives, max continues, key controls, and screen orientation to make the game just right for you. Don’t forget about the new online rankings! Do you have what it takes to become the best Samurai Ace in the world?
Samurai Aces III: Sengoku Cannon Game Description:
Fire the exciting cannon shot! The Japanese-style shooter with quirky aesthetics is back for a third go! Samurai Aces III: Sengoku Cannon is a horizontal-scrolling shooter game that first appeared in arcades in 2005. One unique feature of this game is how the score multiplier goes up when you take down an enemy using the powerful cannon shot. Beat your own high score! The dramatic story attached to each character will entertain and delight! Put a stop the twisted plans of the shadowy Kishinshu and their puppet army! Pick your preferred max lives, max continues, key controls, and more to make the game just right for you. Pick a custom difficulty and stage in PRACTICE mode to train for actual combat. This mode will benefit beginners and experts alike! Don’t forget about the new online rankings! Do you have what it takes to become the best Sengoku Cannon in the world?