Category Archives: Retro Gaming

The good old retro games!

Game News, Retro Gaming

Cotton Rock With You Launches 6 August on PS5 and Steam

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The Cotton franchise turns 35 this year, and SUCCESS Corporation is marking the milestone in style: Cotton Rock With You — Oriental Night Dreams launches 6 August 2026 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam). Full English subtitle support is confirmed, meaning Singapore fans can grab it without any language barrier — whether digitally on Steam or as a physical import.

Cotton Rock With You – Release Date Trailer (Japanese) — via Gematsu on YouTube

Cotton’s Sweetest Adventure Yet — A Japan-Themed Setting

The Cotton series has charmed shoot-’em-up fans since 1991, following the young witch Nata de Cotton as she chases her beloved Willow candy through fantastical worlds. For this 35th anniversary entry, developer Studio Saizensen swaps the usual magical-kingdom backdrop for the streets, shrines and scenery of Japan — giving the series a fresh look and feel that feels both nostalgic and new.

Studio Saizensen returns on development duties after helming the well-received Cotton Rock ‘n’ Roll: Superlative Night Dreams (2021), and the Japan theme feeds directly into the game’s visual style and stage design. Think torii gates, festival lanterns and traditional aesthetics rendered in the studio’s sharp, colourful anime art style.

Cotton and Silk in a story cutscene in Cotton Rock With You
Image courtesy of SUCCESS Corporation

Ten Characters, Sixteen Stages

Cotton Rock With You ships with ten playable characters — eight returning cast members from Cotton Rock ‘n’ Roll: Superlative Night Dreams, joined by two guest pilots new to the series.

Leading the roster is Nata de Cotton herself, whose magic shot changes type based on the crystal she collects mid-stage. Holding the Shot Button casts spells, and her bomb hits hard. Each of the returning characters brings their own distinct shot type and bomb, giving veteran fans reasons to experiment across runs.

Izuna from Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja on the character select screen in Cotton Rock With You
Image courtesy of SUCCESS Corporation

The two guest characters are Izuna from Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja and Psyva Ria from the Psyvariar 3 series — an inspired pairing of classic Japanese gaming properties. Izuna is a close-range fighter who attacks with blades and kunai: hold the Shot Button for Kunai Barrage (up to 99 hits), or the Special Button for Dimensional Slash.

Izuna close-up in a story scene in Cotton Rock With You
Image courtesy of SUCCESS Corporation

The game spans 16 stages: six selectable main stages, plus bonus and final levels. Story segments between shooting sections are fully voiced, with SUCCESS confirming they have expanded the adventure content beyond what Cotton Rock ‘n’ Roll offered.

How Singapore Fans Can Play Cotton Rock With You

The game launches with a generous language roster: English, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles are all confirmed. That makes the Steam version fully accessible as an import even without a Japanese account.

The standard edition is priced at ¥6,380; a limited edition at ¥11,880 bundles in an acrylic stand set of Nata de Cotton, an original soundtrack CD and an art book. Singapore PlayStation Store availability has not been confirmed, but the Steam version is expected to be globally accessible, and Play-Asia is stocking the physical edition for international shipping.

If you love Japanese shmups, import-friendly releases like Cotton Rock With You are exactly what the Switch 2 and Steam era has been good for. Catch up on more game news while you wait for the 6 August drop.

Game News, Retro Gaming

Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos Remaster Announced for PS5 and Switch

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If Croc was a part of your PS1 childhood, Argonaut Games just gave you another reason to smile. Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos — the 1999 sequel to the multi-million-selling original — is being remastered for modern platforms, and the announcement trailer is already out. This follows Argonaut’s 2025 remaster of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, meaning the little green croc is now a full franchise revival.

Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos – Official Announcement Trailer — via IGN on YouTube

Croc 2 Is Getting the Full Remaster Treatment

Croc standing on a dock in the sunny Sailor Village level
Image courtesy of Argonaut Games

The remaster picks up right where the 2025 original left off. Croc 2 expands the world considerably: instead of one island, you now roam a mainland split into four distinct villages — the coastal Sailor Village, the wintry Cossack Village, the prehistoric Caveman Village, and the mountaintop Inca Village. Captured Gobbos are scattered throughout, and Swap Meet Pete’s General Store returns to sell handy gadgets and teleport you between villages.

The move set has been updated too. Croc’s classic jumps and tail-spin are back, joined by a new triple jump that gives extra height in trickier sections. But the bigger addition is the sheer variety of how you get around: car races, speedboat sections, minecart runs, hang gliding, and even an airplane sequence are all in the mix across 40-plus levels of open-ended 3D platforming.

Croc racing in a small car on a lava-bordered track
Image courtesy of Argonaut Games

New bosses make their debut, including Soveena the Squid (whose ginger soda fixation makes her a coastal menace), Cannon Boat Keith (a skeleton-crewed pirate captain), and Flavio the Thermal Fish (who spits scalding water). The game promises updated visuals that preserve the original’s charm while modernising the look for current displays.

The Croc2pedia and Behind-the-Scenes Museum

Croc hang gliding through a glowing lava cave collecting crystals
Image courtesy of Argonaut Games

A highlight of the original remaster was its digital museum, and Croc 2 goes further with the Croc2pedia: a curated archive of full game design documentation, marketing assets, promotional merchandise, animation test videos, and 3D model galleries of characters, levels, and items that were cut from the original shipped game. Interviews with original Argonaut team members, remaster developers, and producers are also included. For anyone curious about how a classic 90s 3D platformer actually came together, this is a genuine treat.

Platforms — But No Release Date Yet

Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos is confirmed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. No release date has been announced. Singapore gamers with a PS5 or Nintendo Switch will be able to play it, and given that the original Croc remaster launched simultaneously across platforms in 2025, a simultaneous release seems likely here too. We will update when pricing and a release window are confirmed.

For more retro gaming revivals and new releases, keep an eye on our Game News and Retro Gaming coverage.

Game News, Retro Gaming

Truxton Extreme Is Out Now — A Classic Shmup Returns After 38 Years

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After 38 years of silence, one of the most beloved Japanese arcade shoot ’em up series is finally back. Truxton Extreme — known in Japan as TATSUJIN EXTREME — launched today, 30 July 2026, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and GOG. If the name Truxton rings a bell from your Mega Drive days or Singapore arcade visits in the late 1980s, that instinct is correct: this is the real deal, made by the original creator.

Truxton Extreme gameplay screenshot — fighter ship vs alien machines
Image courtesy of Clear River Games / Tatsujin

Thirty-Eight Years Is a Long Time to Wait for a Sequel

The original Truxton (TATSUJIN) dropped in Japanese arcades in 1988, published by Toaplan — the legendary Osaka studio behind DoDonPachi, Batsugun, and Zero Wing. It was a brutal vertical shooter with tight movement, weapon upgrades, and that unmistakable Toaplan DNA. Toaplan closed in 1994, and the series went dark.

Masahiro Yuge, one of Toaplan’s co-founders and the creative force behind the original Truxton, eventually founded a new studio also named Tatsujin. Partnering with Swedish publisher Clear River Games, he has spent years building what Truxton Extreme became: a full modern evolution of the franchise, fully rendered in 3D while staying true to the vertical-scrolling shmup roots that made the series iconic.

Truxton Extreme | Story Trailer — via Clear River Games on YouTube

What’s New in Truxton Extreme

This isn’t just a remaster — it’s a ground-up reimagining. The visuals jump to full 3D polygons, widescreen play field, and smooth performance (the Nintendo Life review noted zero performance issues on Switch 2 in both docked and handheld modes). The classic weapon roster — Tatsujin Beam, Thunder Laser, Homing Shot, Star-Mine Shot — returns alongside a new EX bar mechanic that lets you charge up and unleash supercharged shots when things get hairy.

Manga artist Junya Inoue (known for Btooom! and his work on DoDonPachi and Batsugun) illustrates a branching, comic-book-style story spanning 18 chapters. Players choose from three TATSUJIN pilots — Ash, Bergamot, and Cyrilla — each with their own motivations and arc within the narrative.

Truxton Extreme — 3D gameplay, multiple enemy types
Image courtesy of Clear River Games / Tatsujin

Modes for Every Kind of Player

Whether you want the full narrative experience or a pure arcade endurance run, Truxton Extreme has a mode for it:

  • Story — 18 chapters with comic-panel cutscenes, escalating enemy waves, and boss encounters
  • Arcade — traditional sequential progression with no hand-holding
  • Heart Starter — a beginner-friendly difficulty setting that actually lets newcomers enjoy the series for the first time
  • Team — local 2-player co-op (a first for the series) with shared resources
  • Arena — 2-minute score-attack for bragging rights
  • Pipiruville — a village-building collection mode for cosmetics

Eight difficulty settings across the board mean veterans can recreate the punishing quarter-eating arcade feel, while curious newcomers can actually finish the game.

Truxton Extreme — boss battle encounter
Image courtesy of Clear River Games / Tatsujin

Pricing and Where to Get It

Digital pricing is set at US$24.99 for the standard edition and US$29.99 for the Deluxe digital edition. Physical copies are priced at US$39.99 (PS5 / Xbox Series) and US$49.99 (Switch 2). For Singapore players, the game is available now on the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop — check your regional storefront for local pricing. Physical editions should be available through major game retailers and electronics chains.

Early reviews have been strong: Nintendo Life awarded it a 9/10, calling it “a thrilling return for a classic shoot-’em-up series” that “sets a new benchmark for how to bring back cult series of the genre into the current age.” High praise for any comeback, let alone one 38 years in the making.

Truxton Extreme — character artwork and pilot selection
Image courtesy of Clear River Games / Tatsujin

For Singapore shmup fans — and there are more of us than people expect — Truxton Extreme is the biggest genre release in years. Check out other retro gaming coverage and game news on GameTrader.SG.

Game News, Retro Gaming

Doraemon Famicom Classic Hits Switch 2 and PS5 Worldwide

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Everyone’s favourite blue robotic cat is finally reaching fans outside Japan. The 1986 Doraemon Famicom game — a million-selling classic that never received a global release — is out now on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 through Hamster Corporation’s Console Archives series, priced at US$7.99 / ¥800. This is Doraemon’s first-ever appearance on a non-Japanese storefront, and it is landing right as Singapore fans are deep in their Doraemon nostalgia.

Doraemon, Nobita, Shizuka, Gian and Suneo flying with the Take-copter
Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation

What Is the Doraemon Famicom Game?

Released by Hudson Soft (now Konami) in December 1986, Doraemon moved over one million copies in Japan, making it one of the Famicom’s best-selling titles of its era. The game stays true to the franchise’s core setup: a time-machine accident scatters Nobita, Shizuka, Gian and Suneo across three perilous dimensions — Space, the Haunts of Evil, and the Undersea — and Doraemon must use his himitsu dōgu (secret gadgets) to rescue them all.

The adventure unfolds across three chapters, each drawn from a beloved classic film: Nobita’s Space Pioneer, Nobita’s Great Adventure in the Mysterious Continent, and Nobita’s Undersea Castle. Gameplay switches between overhead action stages — the layout will feel immediately familiar to anyone who has played the original Legend of Zelda — and side-scrolling shooter sequences, giving each world a distinct pace and feel.

Console Archives Doraemon — via HAMSTER Corporation on YouTube

Exploring Space, the Haunts of Evil, and the Undersea

The Space chapter opens things up in overhead perspective: Doraemon navigates alien terrain, collecting gadget items that unlock new paths while avoiding an array of pixel enemies. The Haunts of Evil chapter then shifts the camera side-on for cavern exploration, darker and more intense than the cheerful box art might suggest. The Undersea chapter wraps the adventure beneath the waves, blending both perspectives for a climactic finale.

Doraemon top-down gameplay — navigating open terrain with enemies in the Space world
Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation

The score was composed by June Chikuma and weaves original tracks with arrangements of the anime’s iconic themes. Players who grew up humming the Doraemon opening will recognise the melodies immediately.

A 40-Year-Old Classic, Freshly Modernised

Doraemon gameplay in the Haunts of Evil — side-scrolling cave section with enemies
Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation

Hamster has applied the same quality-of-life treatment it applies to every Console Archives title. Customisable button layouts, rapid-fire toggling, multiple anywhere-save slots, a rewind function to undo painful deaths, screen layout adjustments, and an optional CRT TV filter for full retro atmosphere are all included. These additions make the game genuinely approachable for first-time players while keeping the original challenge intact for those who want it.

Available Now on Switch 2 and PS5

Console Archives Doraemon — original 1986 title screen as it appears on modern platforms
Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation

Console Archives Doraemon is live now on the Nintendo eShop for Switch 2 and the PlayStation Store for PS5, priced at US$7.99 / ¥800 (regional pricing may vary). For Singapore fans, this is the first legitimate, no-hardware-import way to play the Famicom original. Details are on the official Console Archives page.

For more on classic games making a comeback, browse our Retro Gaming coverage, and stay across all the latest in Game News.

Game News, Retro Gaming, Shop and Merchandise

LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade Set Launches 1 August at S$309.90

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If rolling barrels past Donkey Kong is burned into your childhood memories, LEGO just built you something worthy of your desk. The LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade (set 72051) is the brand’s official recreation of Nintendo’s iconic 1981 arcade cabinet — and it lands in Singapore on 1 August at S$309.90.

What Is the LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade Set?

The 1,367-piece build recreates the classic upright arcade cabinet in remarkable detail, complete with a functioning joystick, JUMP button, and a barrel-circulating mechanism activated by a side lever. Four distinct barrel types are represented — honouring the variety of obstacles that made the original game both infuriating and iconic.

LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade 72051 official box art
Official box art for LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade (72051). Image: LEGO / Nintendo

The reveal dropped via Nintendo of America’s social channels, with a trailer starring Steve Wiebe — the real-world Donkey Kong champion and subject of the acclaimed documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters — putting the finished model through its paces. The set joins a growing line of Nintendo-themed LEGO builds that has expanded steadily since the debut of LEGO Super Mario in 2020.

Watch the Reveal

Video: GameXplain — “LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade Revealed!”

LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade 72051 full product shot with all 21 barrels
The completed LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade with all 21 barrels in place. Image: LEGO / Nintendo

How the Interactive Mechanics Work

The barrel mechanism is the showpiece. A lever on the side of the cabinet sends all 21 barrels on a looping circuit — a tactile echo of the original arcade screen. Each barrel can be loaded individually, giving the model genuine replayability as a desk piece rather than a static trophy on a shelf.

The controller panel is equally faithful: the full-size joystick and oversized JUMP button recreate the feel of the real arcade deck, right down to the low-angle ergonomics that made Donkey Kong cabinets so distinctive in a sea of 1980s upright machines.

LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade barrel types and mechanism infographic
The four barrel variants and how the circulation mechanism works. Image: LEGO / Nintendo

Singapore Price and Where to Buy

LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade (72051) launches on 1 August 2026 and is available in Singapore through LEGO’s official Singapore store at S$309.90.

LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade joystick and JUMP button controller panel closeup
The working joystick and JUMP button on the arcade controller panel. Image: LEGO / Nintendo

Looking for more gaming and collectible releases landing in Singapore? Browse our Game News section for the latest.

Game News, Retro Gaming

Wario Land Joins Nintendo Switch Online — Game Boy Classics Live Now

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Nintendo Switch Online’s Game Boy library just got bigger. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 — the 1994 platformer that sold more than five million copies and launched its own franchise — is now playable on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 as part of the July 2026 classics update, live right now for all standard Nintendo Switch Online subscribers in Singapore.

All Four Games in the Nintendo Switch Online July 2026 Update

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 gameplay on Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy
Image courtesy of Nintendo

Three Game Boy titles went live on 8 July 2026 for all standard Nintendo Switch Online members:

  • Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994) — the headliner. Wario bulldozes enemies, shapeshifts with power-ups (Bull, Dragon, Jet and more), and hoovers up treasure across five worlds. This is the game that turned a Mario villain into a franchise star in his own right.
  • The Sword of Hope II (1992, Kemco) — a JRPG-adjacent adventure with branching dialogue and dungeon crawling. A cult pick for fans of early handheld RPGs.
  • Fortified Zone (1991, Jaleco) — a Metal Gear-flavoured twin-character action game where you switch between a soldier and a spy to infiltrate enemy bases.

All three are accessible through the Game Boy — Nintendo Classics app on Switch and Switch 2. Singapore’s Nintendo Switch Online subscription costs S$26.98 a year for an individual plan, and this update applies at no extra cost.

More gaming news on GameTrader.SG

Nintendo Classics – July 2026 Game Updates — via Nintendo of America on YouTube

GBA Expansion Pack Addition: Dr. Mario & Puzzle League

Dr. Mario and Puzzle League on Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance Expansion Pack
Image courtesy of Nintendo

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members get a Game Boy Advance addition too: Dr. Mario & Puzzle League (2005). This two-in-one cartridge packages the classic virus-clearing Dr. Mario together with Panel de Pon — known in this region as Puzzle League — each with multiple modes and two-player support now running over online play. It’s one of the denser value-for-money puzzle compilations Nintendo made in the GBA era.

Japan’s Bonus: Tomato Adventure from the Mario & Luigi Creators

Tomato Adventure GBA Japan-exclusive Nintendo Switch Online
Image courtesy of Nintendo

Japan’s Expansion Pack subscribers receive one extra title not available to other regions: Tomato Adventure (2002, GBA). It’s an action-RPG set in the tomato-obsessed Ketchup Kingdom, starring a boy named Demil fighting his way through bosses called Super Kids using a command-based battle system. The reason it matters: Tomato Adventure was developed by AlphaDream — the same studio that later created the Mario & Luigi series. It never made it outside Japan in 2002, and it remains Japan-only on Switch Online.

Singapore fans who want to experience it will need a Japanese Nintendo Account to download the Japanese Game Boy Advance — Nintendo Classics app and access the title there. Region-locked, but worth knowing about for retro completists.

Arcade Archives 2 TEKKEN key art — Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation
Game News, Retro Gaming

Arcade Archives 2 TEKKEN Launches Tomorrow — The 1994 Arcade Original Comes to Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series

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Hamster Corporation is kicking off its new Arcade Archives 2 sub-series with one of fighting game history’s most significant titles: the original 1994 Namco Tekken. The arcade ROM drops tomorrow, 25 June, on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, priced at ¥1,800 — roughly SGD $17–18.

The Arcade Original, Properly Preserved

Before the PlayStation home port, before the franchise sold tens of millions of copies worldwide, Tekken was a Namco System 11 arcade cabinet. Eight fighters, digitised backgrounds, and juggle physics that shaped an entire generation of FGC muscle memory. Hamster’s release preserves that ROM without modification — no balance patches, no additional characters, nothing that wasn’t in the original cabinet.

Arcade Archives 2 TEKKEN gameplay screenshot — Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation
Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation

What separates this from a barebones ROM dump is the new Arcade Archives 2 platform Hamster has built around it. The updated framework — launching with this title — adds Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) output for tear-free playback on compatible displays, a dedicated Time Attack mode, a rewind function for frame-perfect practice sessions, and global online leaderboards. It is, to date, the most feature-complete official release the original arcade Tekken has ever received.

Why It Matters for the SG Fighting Game Scene

The original Tekken arrived in Southeast Asian arcades at a moment when 3D fighting was still a novelty. Singapore game centres ran it alongside Virtua Fighter 2, and the character archetypes and combo logic that veterans first learned on that hardware never fully left the series. The sidestepping system wouldn’t appear until Tekken 3, but the core damage economy and the juggle-into-wall-oki philosophy that defines modern Tekken competitive play were already visible in the 1994 build.

For anyone active in today’s local Tekken 8 scene, this is a genuinely useful historical reference — and at ~$17–18, a far more accessible one than sourcing original hardware. It also lands at a pointed moment: Tekken 8 just confirmed its Street Fighter 6 Chun-Li crossover DLC last month, meaning players can now run the series’ entire 32-year arc — from System 11 cabinet to rollback-netcode PlayStation 5 fighter — without leaving digital storefronts.

Arcade Archives 2 TEKKEN key art — Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation
Image courtesy of Hamster Corporation

Official Trailer

At a Glance

  • Title: Arcade Archives 2 TEKKEN
  • Developer / Publisher: Hamster Corporation (original arcade by Namco)
  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
  • Release date: 25 June 2026
  • Price: ¥1,800 (approx. SGD $17–18)
  • New series features: VRR output, Time Attack, rewind, online leaderboards

No Singapore eShop or PSN regional pricing has been confirmed at time of writing. The title publishes digitally tomorrow — check your regional storefront for local pricing.

Source: 4Gamer.net

Game News, Retro Gaming

R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos Is Out Now — The 16-Year Wait Is Over

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R-Type fans, the wait is finally, genuinely over. R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos, the Unreal Engine 5 remake of both PSP strategy entries, launched today, 18 June 2026, in the West on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Published by NIS America, this is the first time either Tactics game has appeared on current-generation hardware — and critically, the first time R-Type Tactics II has ever been released in English.

R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos – Release Date Announcement Trailer — via NIS America on YouTube

Sixteen Years in the Making

R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate originally launched on the PSP in Japan in 2009 but never made it West. Developer Irem shut down its consumer games division not long after, and the sequel quietly became one of strategy gaming’s most notable localisation gaps. Granzella — the studio formed by former Irem staff — brought the franchise back with this full remake collection, and NIS America stepped in as Western publisher to finally close the English gap seventeen years on.

Both games have been rebuilt from scratch in Unreal Engine 5, far removed from the original PSP releases. The collection adds a brand-new post-game storyline on top of the original campaigns, meaning there is fresh content even for players who imported the Japanese version earlier this year.

What Is in the Collection?

The two games in the set share the R-Type universe’s distinctive aesthetic — humanity’s Space Corps versus the biomechanical Bydo empire — but play out as turn-based tactical strategy rather than the shoot-’em-up series it spun off from. Each campaign offers hundreds of ship units to deploy, branching mission structures, and the ability to play as both the Space Corps and the Bydo across separate playthrough perspectives.

  • R-Type Tactics I — remake of the 2007 PSP original, now in English with UE5 visuals
  • R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate — the 2009 sequel, in English for the first time anywhere
  • New post-game campaign — an entirely original storyline added for this Cosmos release

Platforms and Where to Get It in Singapore

The game is out today on all major platforms available in Singapore: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). A Limited Edition physical bundle — including a 2-disc soundtrack, conceptual art cards, and two acrylic stands (Rwf-9A Arrow Head and Bwf-1Dα Bydo System Alpha) — is priced at USD 79.99 via the NIS America Online Store. Standard digital pricing is available directly on each platform’s store. Note the Limited Edition for Xbox Series X|S is no longer offered; that version is digital-only.

Japan, Asia, and Korea players have been able to play since 12 March 2026 — so today’s Western launch fills in the last major release territory gap.

Last Words

R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos is a genuine occasion for strategy fans: a beautifully remastered pair of games that most Western players never got to experience properly, now on every current platform. For Singapore players with a PS5, Switch 2, or a capable PC, there is no excuse not to check it out — especially if you have ever bounced off the original shoot-’em-up series and wondered what the franchise looks like as a tactics game. It looks like this. Check out our Game News section for more launch coverage this week.

Game News, News, Retro Gaming

Onimusha: Way of the Sword — The Series Returns After 20 Years, Out 25 September

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Twenty years is a long time to wait. The last major Onimusha entry — Dawn of Dreams — released on PlayStation 2 in 2006, and the series went dark. Now Capcom is finally bringing it back: Onimusha: Way of the Sword releases on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 on 25 September 2026, and a free demo is live right now so you can feel the steel before you commit.

Onimusha Way of the Sword combat screenshot
Image courtesy of Capcom

Why This Is Such a Big Deal

For a certain generation of Singapore gamers, Onimusha is a PS2 bedrock title. The original 2001 game was a moody, atmospheric hack-and-slash set in a supernatural feudal Japan, and it became one of the system’s early standout hits in the region. Onimusha 2 and the Samurai’s Destiny sequel deepened the lore, and Onimusha 3 brought in Jean Reno. But after Dawn of Dreams in 2006, Capcom shifted its focus elsewhere, and the franchise fell dormant.

Way of the Sword is the first brand-new entry in nearly two decades. The stakes — and the hype — are real.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword – Official Release Date Reveal Gameplay Trailer — via GameSpot on YouTube

Setting and Story: Musashi vs the Genma

Way of the Sword is set in Kyoto during the early Edo period, in a dark fantasy version of the city where malevolent clouds of Malice have twisted the landscape and opened the gates to the Genma — supernatural creatures from the underworld. You play as Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s legendary swordsman, who picks up the mystical Oni Gauntlet and gains the power to slay Genma. As he fights through the haunted streets and temples of Kyoto — including a memorable stage set at Kiyomizu-dera Temple — Musashi searches for his reason to fight and unravels the mysteries of the voice that speaks to him through the gauntlet.

Capcom modelled the protagonist’s face on the late, iconic Japanese cinema legend Toshiro Mifune, which gives Musashi an immediately striking, cinematic presence.

Combat: Every Strike Counts

Onimusha’s signature swordplay is back and rebuilt for modern hardware. Core mechanics include parrying and deflecting incoming attacks, the Issen critical strike (a perfectly timed slash that deals massive damage), and the Reflex Combo system that rewards consecutive successful dodges. The Oni Gauntlet unlocks two supernatural modes: Oni Strength lets Musashi break through enemy defences, while Oni Agility enables wall-running and faster traversal through Kyoto’s environments. Absorbing defeated Genma’s souls powers up your Oni abilities and fills your stats — a mechanic series veterans will recognise immediately.

Producer Akihito Kadowaki described the goal as delivering “a wide variety of action sequences, including the ultimate sword-fighting mechanics that realistically capture the impact of every strike,” as detailed in the PlayStation Blog.

Onimusha Way of the Sword Kyoto environment
Image courtesy of Capcom

Free Demo Out Now — Try It Before 25 September

A free demo is available on PS5 right now, offering around 30 minutes of early story content. Completing and saving the demo also unlocks the Charm: Kubi Akari item when you play the full game. There’s no better time to see whether the 20-year wait was worth it — especially if you never played the originals and want to know what the fuss is about. Keep an eye on the Nintendo Singapore page for Switch 2 demo details.

Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses

Three editions are available at launch:

  • Standard Edition — base game (SGD pricing to be confirmed)
  • Deluxe Edition — includes the Deluxe Kit with cosmetic charms, outfits, and weapon skins
  • Premium Deluxe Edition — adds the Premium Kit featuring companion outfits, additional skins, and a digital soundtrack

Pre-ordering any edition unlocks the Charm: Lion Dog and the Sword Appearance: Sealed Curse skin — a clean bonus for day-one buyers.

Last Words

Whether you were there for the PS2 originals or you’re coming to Onimusha fresh, Way of the Sword looks like a serious revival rather than a cash-in nostalgia trip. Capcom has rebuilt the combat from the ground up, set it in a gorgeously moody Edo-period Kyoto, and put 20 years’ worth of franchise ambition behind it. Singapore gamers on PS5 can try the demo right now; Switch 2 owners should expect more info soon. The full game lands on 25 September 2026 — and it’s been worth the wait just to say that sentence. Check out our round-up of other gaming news for more from the Nintendo Direct.