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Top Classic Beat ’em Up Games That You Need to Try

Photo by Reno Laithienne on Unsplash

The series of posts regarding classic retro games continues, as the world of such games has been very generous to us! Even though a lot of young gamers nowadays wouldn’t conceive of playing retro games that were originally released for NES, SNES, or Sega Genesis consoles, those “ancient” games will remain forever in the hearts of older gamers.

Retro games such as those from the Double Dragon, Battle Toads, or MightyFinal Fight series have written history. The world of gaming nowadays would have probably been different if such games didn’t have the major impact they had back in the ’80s and ’90s.

Personally, I prefer long sessions of retro games from time to time, even though I mostly play what we now know as “modern games.” One of the reasons is that I grew up playing NES games such as Tank 1990, Super Mario Bros, Excite Bike, Battle Toads, and a lot more.

Streets of Rage

“Streets of Rage” is a beat ’em up game series developed by Sega and released for the Sega Genesis console. These games follow the exploits of three former cops: Axel Stone, Adam Hunter, and Blaze Fielding. Their mission is to clean up the crime-ridden streets of the city where they live.

Streets of Rage is a game series known for vibrant graphics for its time, tight controls, and immersive soundtracks.

Battletoads & Double Dragon

Battletoads & Double Dragon has easily been one of the best beat ’em up games for the legendary 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console. This was a crossover beat ’em up game in which you get to choose between five protagonist characters. You can be either a Double Dragon or a Battletoad member, and those characters come with their own fighting moves. The animations and gameplay mechanics particularly stand out for this game, as they were at a completely different level than what we knew so far in the gaming world of the NES console.

As you progress through the game, your job is to defeat hordes of enemies in all sorts of creative ways. There are even bosses waiting for you at the end of each level, while the final boss is the Dark Queen, who specializes in playing with fire.

Battletoads

Battletoads is another exciting beat ’em up game for NES that has delighted our childhood. However, this game is particularly hard to play, as the bosses and enemies will frequently give you a hard time. However, you’ll always have some aces up your sleeve as you play with Zack, Pimple, or Rash. Each of these Battletoads has powerful fighting techniques.

With each level in Battletoads, the game gets significantly harder, and your job will be to do your best to achieve victory. This game has also been highly praised and for good reasons. The action is great, the animation looks smooth and very alive to the point that the game doesn’t look like one created for the NES console, and the examples could continue.

Mighty Final Fight

Mighty Final Fight is another beat ’em up game that has a cartoonish and anime vibe. There are three protagonist characters that look as if they were taken straight out of anime. However, they possess exceptional fighting skills, and they won’t hesitate to teach some manners to various enemies who attack them in hordes. The boss battles are also present in Mighty Final Fight, giving an extra level of excitement to the game.

Depending on which character you choose to be, you will have the chance to perform different special moves on your opponents. Punches kicks, throws, and even energy waves exist in this game that can keep you glued to your console for hours.

Which one of the games mentioned above attracts you the most and why? Feel free to tell us in the comment section!

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Games

Gaming Without Steam: What Are the Advantages?

Photo by Hamed Taha on Unsplash

If you’re also never willing to ditch Steam when you want to run your favorite games, you will probably reconsider your decision after reading this article. We are not here to say that the Steam platform is useless, however, but we just want to pinpoint a few possible advantages.

Running a game like Counter-Strike 2 isn’t possible without having Steam installed on your computer, so if you’re a fan of the game, we’re clearly not saying that you should get rid of it and your Steam app from your PC! However, let’s check out a few potential benefits of running video games without Steam:

Privacy and data control

Running games without Steam may offer you greater privacy and control over your personal data. It’s understandable why you may be willing to prefer avoiding digital platforms that require account registration or collecting too much user data, as it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a conspiracy theorist.

If, instead, you choose to buy games from alternative platforms or even purchase physical copies, you can have greater control over your gaming experience and personal information. Too bad it becomes harder and harder to find games for PC on DVDs nowadays!

Offline play and ownership

Steam is known for offering features such as remote installation and cloud saves. On the other hand, playing games without having Steam installed and running can assure you a more traditional approach to both game ownership and offline play. Some players prefer physical copies of games or digital copies free of DRM that can be installed without having to rely on an internet connection or third-party platform.

For instance, a game such as Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is very beloved among Dragon Ball fans, and you can play it without having to install Steam or other third-party app. You don’t even have to wait for any updates, as the game is 17 years old.

No more annoying updates

Running games without Steam, especially some very old ones, will get you rid of those very frustrating moments when you first need to wait for a bulky update to install before the game itself launches. Such updates can even take half an hour, and they will most likely also take away your desire to play the game anymore.

A lot of modern games nowadays are frequently updated by their developers, which is why you will have to frequently run into big updates that take forever to install.

More diversity regarding platforms and online stores

If you finally make the big step of ditching your Steam app from your laptop/desktop PC, you need to know that you will thus have the freedom to explore a wider variety of platforms and even digital distribution stores. In other words, you will have the chance to explore Epic Games Store, Origin, GOG, Uplay, and more. Each of these platforms may have its own list of unique features that can help you out.

Competition and pricing

Competition among digital distribution platforms can cause competitive pricing and better deals in the case of consumers. Gaming without Steam can allow you to take advantage of discounts and promotions offered by various stores. And who on Earth doesn’t like to save some dough, right?

There’s much greater flexibility when it comes to gaming without Steam, not to mention the fact that, thus, a gamer can have control over his gaming experience. He can even explore alternative platforms.

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Games

Tower of Fantasy: Check Out the Redeem Codes for December 2023

Credit: Hotta Studio

Who doesn’t like to play open-world action RPG games? Probably, any gamer on the planet wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a title that falls into such a category, especially if that game is also free of charge. Well, today we propose you give ‘Tower of Fantasy’ a try, a game that follows that description precisely!

“Tower of Fantasy” came out in late 2021, and it qualifies as an MMORPG that can run on multiple platforms, such as PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, GeForce Now, and Windows PC.

Thanks to RockPaperShotgun.com, we are proud to share a list of active codes for “Tower of Fantasy” that are available for December 2023:

Expired codes:

TOFHALLOWEEN
TOFBRVIP
ITSUMOARIGATOU
KA5QN8CM
KA67KAYQ
KYOKAGETSUEI
LAK73P61
LAGCKK7X
TOF1STANNIV
TOF1STSPGIFT
0811GENTOU1ST
TOFINESGS2022
9AL4VC2X
9AN5X46Q
9AK7K8TD
GIFTVERA
ILOVETOF
MYTOFYEAR
TOFHAPPYBDAY
TOFHBD
TOFSEAANNIVERSARY
LETSGODOMAIN9
Link2Domain9
TOFGALAXY
YOUKINNOBAKA
0330konpekishinkai
24GRANDSEA
SONGKRAN2023
MIAGANBARUDESHI
PIPIPIPEANUTS
TENRAN1222ESUTA
SOCCERFAN
TOF2023
ht666
THEGRANDSEA
UA455ELX
UNCHAINED
TOF666
TOF888
9A98W5P0
9AA5GFYG
huanta520
huanta666
huanta888
ht520
SHIRLI0811NEMESIS
ZEKE0808MYOUKEI
LAH34NQM
LAJ9TK0R
ht888
YL666
YL777
YL999

How can you redeem codes

If you want to redeem codes for “Tower of Fantasy,” you must know that it is possible from within the game itself. However, you need to complete the tutorial first. After that, feel free to follow these steps:

  1. Launch the game.
  2. Hold “alt” for the mouse’s cursor to appear.
  3. Select the gift box icon that appears in the top right corner of the screen.
  4. Select the “Rewards” option, which appears at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Select “Exchange,” which appears on the left of the screen.
  6. Enter your code into the “Redeem via code” box.
  7. Hit the “Confirm” button.

That’s all you need to know about redeeming codes in Tower of Fantasy. Congrats!

“Tower of Fantasy” was developed by Hotta Studio.

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Games

How Video Games Can Benefit Your Mental Health

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

A lot of parents out there are worried that video games can make their children violent, aggressive, or prone to neglecting their homework. And you know what? That’s somewhat true as long as the child spends too much time playing video games and if he doesn’t receive a strong education at home. Otherwise, gaming can be beneficial for people of all ages, and we’ll immediately explain why.

Gaming is a form of entertainment, and no developer or publisher created a game in order to make someone become violent or aggressive. Most of the time, video games display aggressive behavior in order to show that those who don’t behave well in society will face their downfall sooner or later. As for the other video games, the developers and publishers simply don’t care, but that doesn’t mean that they encourage any kind of antisocial behavior.

Video games can actually benefit the player’s mental health, and here’s how:

Stimulating ambition and reflexes

Many times in video games, such as shooters like Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, or Sniper Ghost Warrior, the player needs to be extremely careful to shoot his opponents at the right moment. If he delays even a second, that can be enough for him to miss the mark and become the next target in the game. In a game like those from the FIFA series, on the other hand, you constantly need to be aware of your opponent’s moves and tactics, while at the same time, you need to apply yours at the right time. In other words, there’s a lot of strategic thinking needed to win a match in a FIFA game, which is another confirmation that video games stimulate your mind a lot.

The more you progress through an RPG game, for instance, the harder the game itself will become. If the current level isn’t enough for you and you need the game to become harder, don’t worry, as most video games offer you the option to increase difficulty. In other words, video games seriously stimulate the players’ ambition.

Reducing stress

A lot of those who like to play video games say that such a task induces them a state of relaxation, which will automatically reduce their stress. It’s a fact that stress is one of the biggest problems in our society, and it can occur because of countless factors: politicians, our jobs, our bosses, not getting paid enough, not getting the chance to succeed at the job, and many more.

Prolonged and chronic stress can also significantly impact both our physical and mental health, and that could potentially contribute to the development of various diseases. If you want a list of health conditions that have been associated with chronic stress, you can consider depression, anxiety, hypertension, immune system suppression, gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Guess what conditions such as depression or type 2 diabetes can do to you if you don’t treat it? Both of these two conditions can have serious consequences for a person’s health, such as contributing to severe complications that could even be potentially life-threatening.

You got the idea: playing video games can help you get rid of stress, while stress can lead to even worse conditions if you don’t take good care of it.

Ultimately, we must all be well aware that video games are useful only as long as you use them in the right way. Excessively playing video games would certainly not be a good idea in most cases. But excess, in general, is not good, regardless of what domain you apply it to.

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Games

Top High-Graphics PC Games That You Can Play With Only 2GB of RAM

Credit: Steam

The standards that people have nowadays when it comes to gaming are usually very high, as it’s hard to find a game that doesn’t have mind-blowing graphics. While these games will also usually take a toll on your PC’s hardware, there are still plenty of titles out there that impress the world with their amazing graphics and can be played without having some high-tech gear at your disposal.

High-graphics PC games that you can play even though you have only 2GB of RAM on your computer truly exist, and we’re not saying that you can find them in some parallel universe. They exist in our own physical reality, and we’re delighted to have the chance to mention some of them:

Sniper Elite V2

Sniper Elite V2 was launched in 2012, and it represents the beginning of some of the most amazing elements that make Sniper Elite a top-end series. This game was the bee’s knees at its time, and it qualifies as a tactical stealth shooter set in the German battlefields of the Second World War. You play as Karl Fairburne, an American sniper who needs to apply every dirty trick in the book to get his hands on the V2 rockets mission plan that the Nazis were ‘cooking.’

The Sniper Elite series is mostly known for introducing the so-called kill-cam, meaning that when your character fires a bullet with his sniper, you will see that bullet as it flies in slow motion and pierces the organs of your opponents. Sniper Elite V2 harnesses the kill cam very well. As you’ve already guessed, this game is not for the faint of heart.

Sniper Elite V2 can be played if you have at least 2GB of RAM and 256MB of VRAM on your GPU.

Sniper Elite 3

Launched in 2014, Sniper Elite 3 is the sequel to Sniper Elite V2, and it brings even better graphics than its predecessor. This time, Karl Fairburne will go to the dangerous fields of Africa, where he will encounter pretty much anything you can imagine in a large-scale war: lots of soldiers equipped with terrifying weapons (such as snipers and rocket launchers), mines, and even tanks. Besides his weapons, Karl also has some dirty tricks that he can use to lure his enemies directly into traps. Compared to its predecessor, Sniper Elite 3 is more focused on a stealth approach, as it is indeed feasible to make your way through the enemy’s territory without alerting anyone. However, it’s VERY difficult!

Sniper Elite 3 even takes the kill cam to a new level, adding more detail to the graphics that display a lot of gore and blood. That’s just the harsh reality of war, folks, so please don’t blame the guys from Rebellion for creating such an amazing game series!

Similarly to its predecessor, Sniper Elite 3 demands only 2GB of RAM and 256MB of VRAM for your graphics card.

GTA 4

GTA 4 represented a huge improvement over the predecessor GTA 3. Rockstar released their new game in 2008, where the main protagonist is Niko Bellic, a war veteran who came to Liberty City (a parody of New York) from Europe to hopefully live a better life. Along with his cousin Roman, Niko will get into all sorts of trouble in Liberty City, as he has a taste for adventure and danger.

GTA 4 offers a massive open-world, and it will work even on PCs that have 1.5GB of RAM. The graphics might not be as spectacular as other titles from this list, but they still represent a huge improvement compared to GTA 3.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (aka CS:GO)

CS: GO came out in 2012, being the successor of the legendary CS 1.6. The new game of the series was built on pretty much the same concept as its predecessor: you get to be part of either one of two groups: terrorists or counter-terrorists. You and your team need to kill all opponents of the other team. The first team that loses all of its members loses the round as well. Alternatively, if the terrorists plant the bomb and it explodes, they win. Counter-terrorists can also win the round if they find the time to defuse the bomb that was just planted.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive brings much better graphics than what we’ve seen in Counter-Strike 1.6 or in any other game of the famous shooter series. The 2012 game also brought new weapons and new maps, and it’s pretty hard to complain about anything this game has to offer. It is still played by millions today despite being a game that’s over a decade old.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive needs at least 2 gigs of RAM and 256 gigs of VRAM to run on a computer.

Mafia II

We may be subjective on this, but Mafia 2 takes the cake, as it’s most probably the best game on this list. Set in the mobster world of the ’40s and ’50s, the world of this game had amazing attention to detail from the devs. The guys from 2K Czech did a fantastic job for those times, as this game came out in 2010. That was 13 years ago, and even so, Mafia 2 had fantastic graphics and audio effects. Even the facial expressions of the characters look in accordance with what they speak in the cut scenes, while the shooting sounds extremely realistic and piercing.

In Mafia 2, the player puts himself in the shoes of Vito Scaletta, a war veteran from Europe who came to Empire Bay (New York), where he meets his good friend and partner in crime, Joe. Vito will rapidly start to climb the ranks of the criminal world, although such a path won’t bring him any peace and joy.

Mafia 2 needs only 1.5GB of RAM to be played on the PC.

Which one of the games mentioned here is your favorite and why? Feel free to tell us in the comments!

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