Review Goodboy Galaxy / Witch n' Wiz (Evercade) - A Must-Have For Your Evercade

This new double pack for Evercade has a distinctly Nintendo-like feel to it, and that's not only because the two titles – Goodboy Galaxy and Witch n' Wiz – were originally designed to run on Game Boy Advance and NES, respectively.

Goodboy Galaxy is arguably the highlight of the pair. Crowdfunded to the tune of £203,929, it takes inspiration from the likes of Metroid and Cave Story and is described by its creators as an "exploration platformer". You assume the role of space-faring pooch Maxwell, who finds himself marooned on an unfamiliar planet when his ship is attacked. Your aim is to navigate each twisting, max-like stage and befriend a wide range of NPCs while acquiring unique abilities and using your jet pack and blaster to solve various puzzles.

Showcasing utterly gorgeous visuals and brilliantly animated cutscenes, Goodboy Galaxy is bursting with character, and, had it been released during the GBA's active lifespan, it would no doubt be spoken about in the same breath as Metroid Fusion and Drill Dozer. It's a very "Nintendo" game, with excellent level design, likeable characters and gameplay mechanics which both befuddle and entertain; sometimes, it feels as if you've hit a roadblock in the multi-route levels, only to find the solution and get that all-important hit of satisfaction.

Witch n' Wiz is perhaps a little weaker than its partner in this collection, but it's still a superb puzzle title for Nintendo's 8-bit system. The hook here is that you're able to rewind 100 moves into the past, so if you get stuck on one of the game's devious puzzles, you can backtrack until you discover the solution. New gameplay mechanics are introduced at a welcome rate, making this a brilliantly involving brainteaser when played over time.

This cart is worth buying for Goodboy Galaxy alone, but Witch n' Wiz makes for a fantastic bonus. Don't sleep on this one; it's a must-have for your Evercade.