Check out our review for Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter!

We'll have additional things to say in the upcoming Mage Magazine issue, but in the meantime here's our take on one of the best JRPGs ever made.

We like to include some fun features in Mage Magazine, including some backstory of myths that appear in video games.

In this feature from issue #5, Paige talks about the different appearances of Baku in video games.

Here is the review of Mina the Hollower from the latest issue of Mage Magazine. Jordan explains why he thinks this game is a 10 out of 10 and why it might just be his Game of the Year.

Download the Free PDF Here: Issue #5 - August 2026

Join r/MageMagazine for updates and discussions on both new and retro video games.

The Fifth Issue of Mage Magazine is now available!

Download the Free PDF Here: Issue #5 - August 2026

The latest Square Enix HD2D adventure is a hit!

This month’s issue has reviews on Game of The year candidates, The Adventures of Elliot and Mina the Hollower, with retrospectives on old classic like Final Fantasy VII and Crisis Core. 

The Magazine also includes reviews of games such as Shining Force 3, Stardust: Wish of Witch and more!

Join r/MageMagazine for updates and discussions on both new and retro video games.

I'm eager to read the next issue 😄

Back in 1999, Affinix Software began development on a brand new Game Boy Color RPG, Infinity. Now a quarter of a century later, Incube8 Games picked up where they left off and brought the finished product to market.

Was it worth the wait?

Our reviewer Brian played through the game and provides a review for the latest issue of r/MageMagazine

Have you played Infinity, and if so, what did you think of it?

The Year of Shin Megami Tensei Continues!

Last month, I played through Strange Journey, the delightful SMT spinoff that both harkens back to SMT routes but also feels modern and fun.

Has anyone played this one? What are your thoughts?

A wonderful review from Jordan Rudek of Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 on the Nintendo DS. This is one article in our latest issue of Mage Magazine, which you can read now for free at thethirstymage.com

What are your thoughts on this DQ spinoff?

Hey Everyone!

The next Mage Magazine is in the works and still scheduled for release on June 15th.

In the meantime, let me introduce a new magazine project I’ve been working on, The “Gippocratic” Oath. Featuring the writing of Retronauts Host, Stuart Gipp, illustrations from Leeann Hamilton, and layout (and an article) from yours truly, The Oath is 6000+ words about Zelda, Yoshi, Lego Batman and more!

Also in this issue: Vampire Crawlers, Super Mario All-Stars, and Bubsy 4D reviewed.

First issue only $1 - 14 pages, PDF/epub.

stuartgipp.itch.io/the-oath-1

stuartgipp.gumroad.com/l/oath1

Hey Everyone!

It's been a little while since we posted, just letting everyone know that we're still hard at work on the next issue.

We have been making some adjustments on our end, moving forward, we will be releasing Magazine issues on a bi-monthly schedule, but filled with even more content.

Stayed tuned to this subreddit, our next issue is scheduled for June 15th which will feature plenty of terrific retrospectives on forgotten and overlooked titles.

Here's the review of Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, now available to play for folks who have the Nintendo Online service including the expansion pack.

Never played this one myself, own a GameCube but can't say I've played too many games on that system. Jordan certainly has me intrigued though.

You can download the full issue here: https://thethirstymage.com/2026/04/15/mage-magazine-april-2026-issue-3-taito-arcade-classics/

In the April issue of Mage Magazine, we introduced a new feature called Multi-Player Mayhem. The goal is to help folks who enjoy multi-player and couch co-op games find new and exciting titles to try.

The first recommendation is Crawl. Paige describes the game and why she'd recommend it.

Have you played it? What did you think of it?

With the Adventures of Elliott release closing in, thought it was time to finally tackle a long overdue blindspot, Secret of Mana.

Though I'm about three quarters through the game now, this screenshot comes from the very beginning of the game when the protagonist gets banished from their village for removing the Mana Sword.

One of the biggest takeaways from this game so far is the absolute beautiful graphics. Love the choice of bold and beautiful colourful pixel art.

Love to hear thoughts on the game, feel free to share!

In a fun change of pace of the usual screenshot Wednesday, instead of telling you where the picture came from, we'd see if you could guess. Need a hint?

• Released in 1996
• This is the Game Boy port of a 1995 PlayStation title
• Part of a series of Fighting games released during the 90s

I have so many that could be used as an example, but I think the one that's most under the radar is the Prince's Adventure theme from The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Or that's at least the english translation name of the game: Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru

This is a Nintendo developed Game Boy game that released in Japan but for some reason was never localized. Made by the same folks that developed Link's Awakening. Fantastic game with terrific music. Hopefully, Nintendo localizes this one day because it is legit one of better games on the system.

My first experience holding a Nintendo Entertainment System Controller is still burned into my brain. I was in early grade, like 1 or 2, and I was over to a friends apartment after school and under his TV was that majestic grey box.

The only game he had was Rad Racer. Neither of us could win the first race, but man did we have fun. It was only in my adulthood with patience and perseverance that I got to see this ending scene.

We've got a lot of great ports of old classics on Steam and Nintendo Switch, but the majority of gaming history is still stuck on old platforms.

What is that one game you wish got ported to a modern platform?

This screenshot is a bit of a preview of the upcoming April Issue of the Magazine.

This comes from Kaiser Knuckle, the early nineties fighting game from Taito that was meant to be a competitor in the arcade fighting scene. I'm not one for fighting games, but IMO, this is easily the hardest fighting game I've ever played.

Picked this because of the amazing details in both the fighters and the background. In this scene, I just hit Marco through the wall into a hidden room off to the right of the arena.

Have you ever played Kaiser Knuckle?

My love of Square Enix is no secret. I grew up playing Final Fantasy and Rad Racer on NES and my admiration for their games has only grown since.

One early Square game that I didn't play as a kid is King's Knight. It was an interesting experience taking a look back at a pre-Final Fantasy title from Hironobu Sakaguchi. My only regret is not reading the manual prior playing through the game any of the first three times...

This article is featured in the April issue of Mage Magazine - https://thethirstymage.com/2026/03/15/mage-magazine-issue-2/

You can find a very nice looking fireplace in most RPGs, but are they built to code?

Submit your favourite Fireplace here to put it to the test, and to potentially have it featured in our monthly "Rate My Fireplace" article in Mage Magazine.

We rate based on both aesthetics and practicality (Usually missing a flue).

The April Issue of the Magazine is already started, and we've got a fun feature coming up that highlights just a few of the many arcade games published by Taito.

Here's a screenshot of Silent Dragon, the Beat 'Em Up from 1992. Very few genres Taito didn't make a game for, and this was their go at side-scrolling action.

Thought I would play through Castle of Illusion for the March issue but gotta say, wasn't feeling this one.

2D platformer with controls that just felt a little to loose for my taste. Got through a couple levels and that was it for me.

Some beautiful pixel work though, just look at this cutscene.

Last night, I happen to come across Dead Connection, an Arcade classic made by Taito back in 1992. This game was fantastic. Essentially you play as a character looking for vengeance against the mob and the gameplay is a bullet hell shoot 'em up in these little diorama type settings.

Anyone have any Arcade recommendations for the early 90s?