STACK #249 July 2025

GAMING PREVIEWS

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WHAT’S OUT THIS MONTH? No matter what style of game is your vibe, there’s sure to be something to get excited about amongst these fresh releases heading to JB this month. Words Amy Flower

EDITOR’S PICK DONKEY KONG BANANZA RELEASE DATE: Jul 17 GENRE: PLATFORM ACTION FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO The big guy is back! While Mario’s busy karting, Donkey Kong stars in a big new adventure that’s exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. Stumbling upon the Underground World, DK gets to have a smashing time travelling through all manner of amazing places, discovering more and more secrets the more that he breaks stuff. He can even grab great chunks of earth and use them to further his progress. Why? Well, villainous apes have stolen a horde of banana shaped diamonds! Donkey Kong isn’t alone in this quest, for he’s accompanied by Odd Rock, a helpful purple stone that acts as a guide. It’s giving us serious Super Mario Odyssey vibes, and as that’s one of the greatest games of all time, then we can’t wait to DK smash!

LEGACY OF KAIN: SOUL REAVER 1 + 2 RELEASE DATE: Jul 11 GENRE: ACTION ADVENTURE FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO Celebrating 25 years since its debut,

ROBOCOP: ROGUE CITY - UNFINISHED BUSINESS RELEASE DATE: Jul 17 GENRE: SHOOTER FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO Serve the public trust, protect the

the two Soul Reaver games – sequels to Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain – have been revived and remastered to look better than ever. From the people who originally brought us Tomb Raider , embark upon the journey of vampire-turned wraith Raziel, and exact revenge. This cool physical edition also includes a steelbook, two-CD soundtrack, and a soft-bound artbook.

innocent, and uphold the law in this sequel – billed as a “standalone extension” – to 2023’s superb Rogue City . The mercenaries have seized control of the OmniTower, so it’s up to you as RoboCop to take on elite mercenaries all the way up to the top, enforcing the law as only you can. Between them and new high-tech threats, there’s no staying out of trouble!

PATAPON 1 + 2 REPLAY RELEASE DATE: Jul 11 GENRE: RHYTHM FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO

SHADOW LABYRINTH RELEASE DATE: Jul 18 GENRE: PLATFORMER FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO Legendary arcade superstar Pac-Man is returning to our screens in a whole new – and wild – way. Our favourite little ball of chompy goodness becomes a weapon in this new 2D

Get ready for a whole lot of super-addictive “Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon”, “Pon-Pon-Pata-Pon” and more rhythmic strategy puzzling action with the return of two of the PSP’s mightiest games.

Yes, the first two outings in the series are back, updated for 2025 with multiple difficulty levels and other quality of life improvements. But the core gameplay remains, as you guide your funky eyeball people to Earthend.

action platformer, in which the player becomes Swordsman No. 8, and serves the will of the mysterious yellow orb Puck in a maze-filled world. This new angle on Pac-Man is giving us serious MetroidVania vibes – hooray!

TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER 3 + 4 RELEASE DATE: Jul 11 GENRE: SPORTS FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: YES

SUPER MARIO PARTY JAMBOREE + JAMBOREE TV RELEASE DATE: Jul 24 GENRE: PARTY FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: YES It’s time to party with the Mushroom Kingdom crew once again, in a huge Switch 2 update to the latest in the long-running board game-styled

We got right into boarding all over again when the first two Tony Hawk’s games were remastered back in 2020, now it’s time to

keep it up with the next two in the legendary series. Relive all the thrills, spills and top tunes in revamped editions that feature new parks, tricks, music, and more. With new and returning modes, and up to eight-player multiplayer, it’s shredding time – again!

series. Billed as the biggest Mario Party yet, we explore five new game boards, while two from previous series outings return, too. There are over 110 minigames, and the new Jamboree TV mode to really get Switch 2 players immersed in the action.

EDENS ZERO RELEASE DATE: Jul 15 GENRE: ACTION RPG FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO When Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mashima wound that manga series up, it was time for something different. That was space fantasy Edens Zero , and now it gets the 3D action

WUCHANG: FALLEN FEATHERS RELEASE DATE: Jul 24 GENRE: ACTION RPG FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: NO If Soulslike action is your jam, then please

pay attention! Become the titular pirate warrior Wuchang, who, struck by amnesia, must make her way through Ming Dynasty era Shu reassembling memories of her past while battling relentless waves of foes. Enhance your arsenal, master new skills taken from fallen fiends, and evolve to face any of many different endings, determined by choices made along the way.

Coming in AUGUST MAFIA: THE OLD COUNTRY (Aug 8) KIRBY AND THE FORGOTTEN LAND NINTENDO SWITCH 2 EDITION + STAR-CROSSED WORLD (Aug 28) METAL GEAR SOLID: SNAKE EATER (Aug 28) RPG treatment. Control any of Shiki Granbell and his friends as they embark upon a cosmos-spanning adventure that replicates the gorgeous art of the comic books, all put together with input from Mashima himself.

Answers: 1. Donkey Kong (Game Boy) 2. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain 3. PlayStation Portable (PSP) 4. 720° 5. Fairy Tail 6. Data East 7. Pac-Man 8. Nintendo 64

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52 JULY 2025

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