The Pocky & Rocky series has always enjoyed a cult classic status, with those in the know quietly celebrating each new game's release over the years. Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, which just launched today on PlayStation and Switch, seems to enjoy a fair bit more hype than usual. Perhaps Reshrined's colorful, hyper-detailed 2D artwork has something to do with it. The latest game in the top-down shooting series is quite a looker, and it also features an unlockable local co-op mode.

Bandai Namco's Taiko no Tatsujin is a delightful music game series featuring optional drum controllers. The series always makes for a great time; we had a blast with Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master on Xbox. Drumming with friends is even more fun than going solo, of course, which makes the release date announcement for Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival all the more exciting. When Rhythm Festival arrives on Nintendo Switch in September, it will feature 4-player local co-op.

Strange Brigade is a cooperative third-person shooter from Rebellion that doesn't get as much love as it should. Well, the Switch version of the game has at least earned a pair of upcoming physical editions from Super Rare Games. Collectors will be able to get either a standard physical edition or a fancy Steelbook. Considering that Strange Brigade has a fun, adventurous story and great 4-player online co-op, the only strange thing is how long it took these physical versions to come about.

If your summer has been going a little too slow, we've got some good news for you. Sonic Origins, the collection of Sonic the Hedgehog 1-3, Sonic and Knuckles, and Sonic CD, is here. It's an exciting collection because its super-speedy 2D platformers have all been remade in a new engine that adds widescreen support and other enhancements. As always, Sonic 2 features 2-player local co-op, and Knuckles is even playable now.

Final Vendetta from Bitmap Bureau and Numskull Games isn't the easiest beat 'em up around. In our co-op review, my number one complaint is the punishing difficulty. The game offers no continues, challenging players to reach the end on a single credit. As it turns out, though, each stage contains a secret life that can make reaching the horrendous final boss a fair bit easier. We're here to help with directions and screenshots for all the hidden lives!

Okay, so we've been neck-deep in TMNT: Shredder's Revenge for the past few weeks, causing us to miss a few of the latest iiRcade announcements. iiRcade, as all the cool kids know, is a home arcade platform for which users can buy individual games. Some of those games include RetroMania Wrestling, which just got a free update; the recently released Donut Dodo, a single-player game that plays just like a lost arcade classic; and several existing classics like Strikers 1945, The Ninja Kids, and FixEight that now support online co-op.

2022 is a banner year for beat ‘em ups, with GOTY contender Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Dawn of the Monsters, Samurai Riot, and River City Girls Zero (Switch version) already out, and the incredible-looking River City Girls 2 on the way. Throwing their hat in the ring are Bitmap Bureau and Numskull games, who ha...

Ever since the two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade beat ‘em ups from Konami, the heroes in a half-shell have epitomized co-op gaming. Sure, there have been solo titles (including an underappreciated Metroidvania entry from WayForward), but gamers clearly expect co-op from Turtles games. Some later-day cooperatives entries like Mutants in ...

We've been hyping both Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (the game from Dotemu and Tribute Games) and its soundtrack album from Kid Katana Records. Hey, a high-quality 6-player beat 'em up starring the Ninja Turtles is a big deal! Well, dudes, the wait is finally over (if you're buying digitally), because TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is now available on consoles and PC, and you can buy the soundtrack on digital music storefronts too. Let's kick some shell!

It seems like the wait for Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, the latest game in Natsume's Pocky & Rocky series, has been a long one. First announced for a Spring release, the game did come out within that time period - in Japan. Everybody else will soon have a chance to play too, though. ININ Games will publish Pocky & Rocky Reshrined for PlayStation and Switch on June 24. The game looks like a challenging and gorgeous sequel, so this is good news indeed. Let the celebratory wand waving begin!

Shoot 'em up is a genre that's pretty much always more fun with a friend, which is why we're pretty stoked for Dogfight: A Sausage Bomber Story from Hound Picked Games. The upcoming shmup will feature local 4-player drop in, drop out co-op - that's four times the fun! Dogfight features a silly sausage theme and colorful visuals, so it should be a great family game. There's a Steam demo out right now, and the full game is planned for consoles and PC by the end of the year.

Zorya: The Celestial Sisters is a cooperative puzzle adventure in which two sister goddesses, one of the sun and the other of night, must work together to restore the fallen sister's powers and return her to the sky. It's a co-op-only game that supports both local and online co-op, with the free base game acting as a friend pass as long as one player owns the full game DLC. Thankfully, the full game is currently on sale for quite cheap on Switch, making this a great time to grab a copy for some lovely mythological puzzle-solving.