Bayonetta

Bayonetta was released in Japan in October 2009 and North America and Europe in January 2010 on both the PS3 and XBox 360. Developed by Platinum Games under director Hideki Kamiya and published by Sega, it's an all-out action game.

The Japanese box art for Bayonetta.

You take on the role of Bayonetta, a witch with some serious fighting skills and a zesty personality. When I first started playing this game I was genuinely surprised at how frantic the gameplay is. You are immediately thrown into a tutorial battle with lots of angelic enemies and the action is incredibly high-paced.

It took me a few minutes to get to grips with things but I instantly noticed how fun this game was. Bayonetta's high-heels are also pistols. So she is weilding four guns at once. Brilliant madness.

The battle system is easy to get to grips with but as more weapons become available it quickly becomes obvious that it's very rich, with hundreds of combos at your disposal.

As I said - epic boss battles.

Bayonetta is not a game to be taken seriously when it comes to the story and characters. The cast are wacky, the dialogue is at times rather funny, tongue-in-cheek and sweary. This isn't a kids game! It's also very gory and has moments which are truly over the top, but I think that's part of the charm here. Some of the stages which embrace older games and different genres really put a smile on my face, too. One of the stand out points for me though is just how epic the boss battles are. The sheer scale of many enemies and the smooth animations are very impressive.

When you put these elements together, what you are left with is a really fun experience accompanied by an upbeat and excellent soundtrack. However, it's not an easy game. There are secrets scattered throughout which offer a great challenge and you only unlock hard mode after completing the game on the already tricky normal setting.

My copy of Bayonetta on PS3.

Bayonetta 2 is set for release on Wii U despite Nintendo owners not having an opportunity to play the first game. It also means I won't have an opportunity to play the sequel! Bugger.

Either way, you can most likely find a copy of this game for your PS3 or XBox 360 at a reasonable price. I bought my copy of the game on a whim and it was a great decision.

Gary

Sonic Advance

Developed by Sonic Team/Dimps and published by Sega, Sonic Advance was released on the Game Boy Advance in 2001/2002. This was the blue blur's second appearance on a Nintendo console and his first original title on one. Sonic on Nintendo. Still crazy in the minds of some, I'm sure! However, Nintendo have become his most adoptive home without doubt.

Sonic approves.

Sonic games used to be absolutely brilliant. The original Sega titles are undoubtedly among the greatest of their genre but in more recent times, the hedgehog's outings have been less well received. I'm glad to say that Sonic Advance is really very good. 

You can play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles or Amy. Having the choice of different characters is fun and certainly gives the game great replay value as each character possesses some different moves. Of course, you'll also want to collect rings and finish zones in the shortest time possible so there are a few good reasons to want to play this game again.

There's plenty of speed, as you'd expect.

Sonic has his modern look here, which is something I have gotten used to but I do wish he was never so dramatically redesigned. The characters don't speak though, which is a good thing! Despite his appearance, this game does feel like classic Sonic. The level designs are nice and actually rather large. Visually it's really impressive and everything is vibrant and colourful,  from pinball machines to snowy peaks. Each zone has two acts and a boss at the end of each. As usual, Dr. Robotnik (I refuse to call him Eggman!) is up to no good. Also, the music is glorious.

Knuckles the Ace-chidna. I'll get my coat.

On top of the sleek platforming action, there's an additional game feature called Tiny Chao Garden, in which you raise a Chao. It features two mini-games and you use rings from the main game for purchasing fruits and a few other things to keep your pet Chao happy. I guess it's a nice little touch and a way to kill a bit of time between turns at the main game, and you can connect to two of the Sonic games on Gamecube if you wish to.

My copy of Sonic Advance. I love the Sonic Team logo!

Going back to Sonic and co. now, this game really is a joy. If it had been called "Sonic 4" I don't really think too many people would have complained at the time (Of course, we have Sonic 4 now, but that's a different story.). It's a challenging yet fun experience. Thankfully you gain a life when you collect 100 rings and you can find additional ones in power-up boxes scattered throughout the game. You'll be needing them!

This is a strong game and a worthy addition to the collection of any fans of Sonic and his pals. I look forward to getting my hands on Sonic Advance 2 & 3 in the future.

Oh, and here's a little trick. On the character select screen, highlight Sonic (He should be the default selection.) and press - up, right, down, right, L, right, R, right, A. You should hear the sound of a ring being collected indicating correct input. Enjoy!

Gary