Platforms and price

Taxi Chaos 2 is available as a digital download for Microsoft Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch (or Switch 2), Windows 10 PC or greater (Steam, Epic Games; Loaded for possible discounts), and Sony PlayStation 5. All versions have a regular price of $24.99, except for Nintendo Switch, which is $34.99. Retail versions from Curveball Games are expected later this year.

I’m specifically reviewing the Nintendo Switch version, primarily on a Nintendo Switch 2.

The story: Taxicore

The game takes place in San Valeda, a sprawling, vertical metropolis that has been completely taken over by TaxiBot Corp, a mega-corporation that replaced all human drivers with an army of AI-controlled drones called “TaxiBots.” You play primarily as Vinny, the seasoned cabbie from the first game who had retired to a tropical paradise. His retirement is cut short when he is dragged back to the streets of San Valeda. Vinny teams up with Cleo, a tech-savvy influencer and second playable character, who needs his old-school driving skills to help launch a “human resistance” taxi company.

The villain is H.A.N.K., the rogue central mainframe controlling the TaxiBot fleet. H.A.N.K. views human drivers as obsolete and inefficient. As your reputation grows, he actively sends his fleet to hunt you down.

The story is structured around proving that “human intuition beats algorithms.” You aren’t just driving for fares, but are fighting for the right to stay on the road in a living city. As you complete a series of 12-minute “shifts,” which are the game’s campaign chapters, you earn cash to upgrade your taxi and company, slowly dismantling TaxiBot Corp’s stranglehold on the city. Of course, as the day progresses, H.A.N.K. gets more aggressive, deploying tougher enemies like “TaxiTanks” and blocking off routes.

Overall, the implementation is a bit tongue-in-cheek, so it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is good, although I wish the voice acting was just a touch more enthusiastic. As it is, it’s not quite as fun as it could be due to both that and some of the pacing. With that said, despite a bit too much repetition, I did appreciate the attempts at humor, even if they were nothing inventive or laugh out loud funny.

Visuals and audio: Nostalgic and simple

Visually, it reminds me a lot of the Sega Dreamcast version of Crazy Taxi, although with simpler texture work, which is hardly a compliment. There’s also a bit of polygonal pop-in here and there, along with frame rate stutters, which I found odd. In short, if you’re looking for a graphically rich title, Taxi Chaos 2 is not it. Its visuals are more nostalgic than modern. I usually don’t mind that, but in this case, I think more ambition in this area would have helped elevate the overall experience.

The audio is similarly toned down. There’s no licensed music, so you just get generic instrumentals. It’s a far cry from the high energy bangers from Crazy Taxi. Sound effects are similarly serviceable. Voices are generally clear, although again, some of the voice acting is a bit flat. And yes, they do pull some lines from Crazy Taxi.

Gameplay: Yeah, it’s Crazy Taxi with a story, combat, and jumping

The Story Mode features chapter-based progression and a light narrative with a defined ending. Arcade Mode features endless score chasing across time-limited shifts with global cross-platform leaderboards.

While Arcade Mode can be fun for quick gameplay sessions, Story Mode is where Taxi Chaos 2 is arguably strongest. Each chapter is reasonably short, with clear objectives, which keeps the overall pace moving along. Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is not as smooth as it could be.

Taxi Chaos 2’s greatest contribution to the genre is introducing light combat by crashing into enemies and lots of obstacles that need to be jumped over. These add refreshing play elements, but the obstacles sometimes make the city feel smaller than it should. Similarly, when you’re swarmed and surrounded by TaxiBots, you can sometimes be blocked in, which I found frustrating, although that’s arguably the point.

At its heart, the gameplay in Taxi Chaos 2 is still Crazy Taxi’s, so the comparison to those fare-based games is inevitable. They just play better and have more polish, even if they can sometimes feel even more repetitive than Taxi Chaos 2.

Ultimately, if you want more Crazy Taxi, then Taxi Chaos 2 offers exactly that, but doesn’t do much beyond that even with the welcome Story Mode and attempts at unique mechanics with the combat and platformer-like jumping.

Should you buy Taxi Chaos 2?

Despite obvious effort to elevate Taxi Chaos 2 beyond the core Crazy Taxi formula with a Story Mode and combat and jump mechanics, it still remains inextricably tied to that venerable franchise’s gameplay. Unfortunately, it not only can’t meet the lofty standard of the Crazy Taxi series, it also barely offers a reasonably compelling alternative for Crazy Taxi fans thanks to its lack of overall polish. While Taxi Chaos 2 might be worth adding to your library at a deep discount, particularly since there’s no easy way to get a Crazy Taxi title on modern systems – at least until Sega’s promised reboot comes out – it’s hard to recommend at its present price point for what’s on offer. Still, if you’re a Crazy Taxi fan, you at least have an option for a somewhat fun fix until something better comes along.

Score: 6 (out of 10)

The post Taxi Chaos 2 review: Less crazy, more depth appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

We’ll be providing reviews for some of these products going forward, but expect the same great quality as always from the company. And don’t forget about the Kith x Backbone collab.

Backbone is a cult-favorite for serious gamers and casual gamers alike; see below for specific product details on the lineup:

Backbone’s Xbox Edition – Starting at $99.99: From casual cloud play to pro-level performance. The Xbox Edition lineup includes options built for on-the-go Xbox gaming, with plug-and-play compatibility for Xbox Cloud Gaming and Game Pass, and a pro-tier model featuring precision sticks and hall-effect triggers for console-quality control.

Available at Backbone, Amazon, and Best Buy.

Backbone’s PlayStation Edition – Starting at $99.99: Designed in collaboration with PlayStation, featuring PS-style controls so players can jump seamlessly into Remote Play and top mobile titles with a familiar console feel

Available at Backbone, Best Buy, and Walmart.

Backbone’s Target Editions – Starting at $99.99 (Target Exclusive): Backbone’s cozy, limited-edition colorways available only at Target, including:

Limited Pink Edition – $169.99

Limited Purple Edition – $99.99

The post Backbone 2026 Lineup: New Xbox, PlayStation, and Limited Edition Mobile Controllers appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

The Nintendo Switch 2 crowned the console with the easiest games, based on player data 

• The Nintendo Switch 2 is home to the easiest games of 2025 so far, based on current retired rates and completions.
• The average game on the console has seen 1.9% of players stop playing it and 284 players completing it.
• In comparison, the typical Xbox One game has a retired rate of 3.2% and sees just 162 players reaching the end.
• Among the easiest Nintendo Switch 2 games released this year are Split Fiction, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and Hades II. 

A new study by video game asset marketplace Chicks Gold has identified which consoles have seen the most difficult new games this year, according to players. 

The analysis collated the following data points from HowLongToBeat across 100 games released in 2025: percentage of players who retired the game (retirement rate) and the number of players who have completed it (completion count).

The results for these games were then grouped and averaged based on which platforms the games are available on, with each console then given a final score out of 100 to indicate which has released the most challenging content this year.

Games analyzed included Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II, Mario Kart World, and Deltarune. Consoles considered were the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4 and 5, the Xbox One, and the Xbox Series X/S.

The Nintendo Switch 2 offers access to the easiest games this year, scoring just 11 out of 100, where 100 indicates more challenging content. The average game released on the platform this year sees just 1.9% of players retire it, and 284 players complete it. This is the lowest retired rate of any console in the study.

The easiest games released on the Switch 2 are as follows: Split Fiction (scoring 34.6 out of 100, where 100 indicates a higher difficulty level), Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (45.3), and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter (47.9 out of 100).

In comparison, the console with the most difficult games – the Xbox One – sees an average retired rate of 3.2% and just 162 players completing a title. Splitgate 2 was found to be the most challenging game released on the console, with a high 11.8% retired rate and just 21 players marking it as complete.

The second console with the easiest games is the Xbox Series X/S, scoring 50 out of 100 for difficulty. The completion count across games released on the platform is 329, while the retired rate is considerably higher than the Switch 2 at 4.2%.

Consoles ranked based on the ease of the average new game 

Discussing the study findings, Al Alof, CEO of Chicks Gold, said:

“These results indicate which consoles pose steeper challenges for players this year, with high retired rates suggesting either a game has proven too difficult for them, or they’ve lost interest in pursuing it further. Completion rates tell a similar story, and it’s interesting to see which titles players see through to the end.

“Gamers with higher skill levels may not be deterred by the ranking, but others who are looking for a relaxing experience may wish to opt for a console with easier releases like the Nintendo Switch 2. For the gamers who don’t feel at peace unless they’ve completed a game, the Switch 2 offers a more rewarding experience.” 

 The five easiest games on the Nintendo Switch 2 

Overall, the game title that proved the most challenging for players regardless of platform was FBC: Firebreak, available on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game has a high retired rate of 22.5% and has seen just 46 players mark it as complete to date.

At the other end of the scale, the easiest game released this year is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, the game holds a 1.4% retired rate and has a whopping completion count of 6,300.

-ENDS-

Methodology: Player data was analyzed via howlongtobeat.com, which allows players to catalog their games collection and share data. The following metrics were pulled for 100 games released in 2025: retired rate (%) and completion count.

Each metric was scored out of 10, added and multiplied by five, to calculate a final difficulty score out of 100. Games were grouped based on the consoles they’re available on and then averaged across the metrics, to reveal the average difficulty level per console. Full data for all 100 analyzed games is available on request. 

The post New study says Nintendo Switch 2 has the easiest games in 2025 appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

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• A new analysis of player data has revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 has had the best-received new game releases in 2025 so far.
• Player stats were pulled for 100 games released this year: number of people playing, backlogs, replays, percentage retired, and rating.  
• The Switch 2 scored best across every category, with the lowest retired rate and highest player rating for games available on the platform. 
• Xbox Series X/S ranked second and the PlayStation 5 was third, while Xbox One performed the worst across all consoles analyzed. 

A new analysis of player data has identified which games consoles have released the best-received new games this year so far – and which have let fans down.

The analysis came from video game asset marketplace Chicks Gold, which analyzed the following metrics from HowLongToBeat across 100 games released in 2025: number of people currently playing, number of backlogs, number of replays, percentage of players who retired the game, and percentage rating.

The results for these games were then grouped and averaged based on which platforms the games are available on, with each console given a final score out of 100 to indicate which has released the best content this year. 

Games analyzed included Hollow Knight: Silksong, Borderlands 4, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Monster Hunter: Wilds. Consoles considered were the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4 and 5, the Xbox One, and the Xbox Series X/S. 

On average, the typical game saw the following: An average of 79 people currently playing it, added to 260 backlogs, 2.6 replays, 3% retired, and a rating of 78%.

The Nintendo Switch 2 led by a landslide, scoring a perfect 100 out of 100 for average game reception this year. Of the 2025 games released on this console, each sees an average of 127 current players and appears in 328 backlogs, suggesting many more intend to play even if they haven’t gotten around to it yet.

The typical game released on the Switch 2 this year is replayed 3.9 times, and holds a retired rate of just 1.9% – the lowest of any console in the study. It also holds an average player rating of 82% – 5% above the study average (78%). 

Among the best-received games on the console this year is Hollow Knight: Silksong, despite a fairly high retired rate of 1.5%, Hades II, and Donkey Kong Bananza. 

Second is the Xbox Series X/S – which struggled to catch up to the Nintendo Switch 2 – scoring 39 out of 100 for new game reception. The typical game released on the X/S sees 80 people playing it at any given time, with 318 adding it to their backlogs.

The typical game also sees 4.2% of players retiring it, which is the highest rate of any console analyzed. It’s also 40% above the study average (3% retired). The average X/S game is replayed 3.2 times, and holds a 76% player rating.

Of the games that scored the best across the same metrics, the fan favorite Xbox Series X/S releases were found to be: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Split Fiction. 

Rounding out the top three consoles for new content this year is the PlayStation 5, scoring 36 out of 100. The typical new game attracts 77 current players, sits in 285 backlogs, and holds an average player rating of 77%. It’s also replayed 2.9 times, and is retired at a rate of 2.9%. 

The top-performing newly-released games available on the console also included Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Split Fiction, as well as Monster Hunter: Wilds and Deltarune. 

Consoles ranked by average reception for a new game released in 2025

At the bottom of the ranking is the Xbox One, scoring just 14 out of 100 for new game reception. Across the 100 games analyzed, just one-quarter (25%) were available on the console, with the typical game holding a player rating of 76%. 

The platform was largely let down by a high retired rate of 3.2%, and the number of replays at 1.6 – the lowest in the study. The typical game is added to 212 backlogs, and is being played through by 68 players at any given time.

Although the platform sees the least enthusiastic reception for a new game release, it does still offer some of the best-received games this year, including Hollow Knight: Silksong and Elden Ring: Nightreign. 

Overall, the game that saw the best reception across the metrics (number of people currently playing, number of backlogs, number of replays, percentage of players who retired the game, and percentage rating) was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, scoring 97 out of 100, followed by Hollow Knight: Silksong at 63.4, and Hades II at 57.4. 

The 10 best games released in 2025, based on player reception

The worst-received game of the 100 analyzed was FBC Firebreak, scoring just two out of 100. The game sees 23 current players, is in 48 backlogs, has seen no replays so far, holds an exceptionally high retired rate of 21.9%, and a low player rating of 51%. The game is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. 

Discussing the study findings, Al Alof, CEO of Chicks Gold, said:

“There’s a lot of discussion about which game releases fans are most eagerly anticipating throughout the year, but not much on how a game is actually received once players access it. And while some consoles are generally considered better investments than others at the moment, it’s clear that game reception differs drastically by platform and that the Nintendo Switch 2 is the best at the moment when it comes to actual gaming experience.

“It’s impressive that such a new console has dominated the ranking, and it suggests that Nintendo are well aware of which titles to prioritize on their new platform in order to offer players the best value for money. Meanwhile, the Xbox One isn’t really providing that much value in terms of new content this year so far.

“It remains to be seen how upcoming game releases affect the ranking, as the long-awaited GTA VI is rumored to be ‘the largest game launch in history’ and will be on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The Switch 2’s domination could be rocked by that – unless the games they release in the meantime continue to impress.”

Methodology: Player data was analyzed via howlongtobeat.com, which allows players to catalog their games collection and share data. The following metrics were pulled for 100 games released in 2025:

• Playing (current players)
• Backlogs
• Replays
• Retired %
• Rating %

Each metric was scored out of 10, added and doubled, to calculate a final reception score out of 100. Games were grouped based on the consoles they’re available on and then averaged across the metrics, to reveal the average reception per console.

The post Nintendo Switch 2 named console with best game releases this year – where does your favorite rank? appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

Some of my favorite current deals are Sid Meier’s Civilization VII for PC Steam at 43% off, Hogwarts Legacy for PC Steam for 80% off, as well as the Deluxe Edition for 78% off, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, also for PC Steam, for 44% off.

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Each multi-platform, multi-game collection includes:

• Polymega Game DVD
• Visual Companion
• Controller Reference
• Polymega Collection Sticker
• Collection Pin

Polymega® Collection Vol. 9 – STRIKERS 1945 includes: D-Day (arcade), Desert War (arcade), P-47: Aces (arcade), P-47: The Phantom Fighter (arcade, PC Engine), Strikers 1945 (arcade, PS1, Saturn), Strikers 1945 II (arcade, PS1, Saturn), and Strikers 1945 III (arcade).

Polymega® Collection Vol. 10 – BASES LOADED includes: Bases Loaded (NES, FC), Bases Loaded 2 (NES, FC), Bases Loaded 3 (NES, FC), Best Bout Boxing (arcade), Big Run (arcade, SFC), Cisco Heat (arcade), Goal! (NES, FC), Goal!! (FC), Goal! 2 (NES, FC), Hoops (NES, FC), Super Bases Loaded (SNES, SFC), Super Bases Loaded 2 (SNES), and Super Goal! (SNES).

The post Polymega Collections Volumes 9 and 10 now available – Strikers 1945, Bases Loaded, and more! appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

You can check out the current list of games in the entire Evercade library with my master list, found here. There are 582 titles on cartridge, not counting unlockables, with dozens more built into the various hardware. You can check out my IGN review of the Alpha Mega Man and Alpha Street Fighter bartops here.

The post Evercade announces three new cartridges, including NeoGeo Arcade 1, and two more Super Pockets! appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

You can check out the current list of games in the entire Evercade library with my master list, found here. There are 555 titles on cartridge, not counting unlockables, with dozens more built into the various hardware. You can also check out my IGN review of the recent Alpha Mega Man and Alpha Street Fighter bartops here.

The post Broken Sword Collection announced for Evercade, plus updated game list! appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

• Air Raiders (Atari 2600)
• Anteater (Atari 2600 (unreleased, based on Stern IP))
• Armor Ambush (Atari 2600)
• Astroblast (Atari 2600)
• Basketball (Atari 2600)
• Dark Cavern (Atari 2600)
• Desert Falcon (Atari 7800)
• Final Legacy (Atari 5200 (prototype))
• Frogs & Flies (Atari 2600)
• Hardball (Atari 8-bit (XE cartridge version))
• International Soccer (Atari 2600)
• Sea Battle (Atari 2600 (unreleased))
• Star Strike (Atari 2600)
• Super Challenge Baseball (Atari 2600)
• Super Challenge Football (Atari 2600)
• Swordfight (Atari 2600 (unreleased))
• Tower of Mystery (Atari 2600 (prototype))
• Video Pinball (Atari 2600)
• Xari Arena (Atari 8-bit)

The press release:

Today, publisher Atari and developer Digital Eclipse are delighted to announce the second DLC for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. Titled The First Console War, this new expansion showcases the saga of Atari’s first major competitor in the video game console space–Mattel’s Intellivision.

This second DLC is another major expansion to Atari 50’s catalog of content and includes 19 additional playable games and eight video segments that tell the story of Atari’s first major rivalry in the console market. Told through video interviews with M Network programmer Jane Terjung, video game historians Leonard Hermand and Mike Mika, and more, The First Console War delves deep into the video game console market’s landscape of the era and ultimately explains how and why Mattel made the decision to create games for its biggest competitor.

The DLC will be available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Series X|S, and PlayStation 4 and 5. Owners of the original game on the Atari VCS will receive the DLC content for free in an update to the game in early 2025.

The First Console War games list includes:

Air Raiders – 2600 M Network
Anteater – 2600 M Network (unreleased, based on Stern IP)
Armor Ambush – 2600 M Network
Astroblast – 2600 M Network
Frogs & Flies – 2600 M Network
International Soccer – 2600 M Network
Dark Cavern – 2600 M Network
Star Strike – 2600 M Network
Super Challenge Baseball – 2600 M Network
Super Challenge Football – 2600 M Network
Swordfight – 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
Sea Battle – 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
Tower of Mystery (unreleased prototype, recently rescued)
Video Pinball – 2600
Basketball – 2600
Hardball – Atari 8-bit (XE)
Final Legacy (prototype) – 5200
Xari Arena – Atari 8-bit
Desert Falcon – 7800

Here’s what to expect in the second DLC expansion: 

• Video interviews with M Network programmer Jane Terjung, Activision’s David Crane & Garry Kitchen (worked on/published for both platforms), homebrew programmer Dennis Debro, and historians Leonard Herman & Mike Mika
• A brand new timeline explaining the challenge to Atari’s VCS by Mattel’s Intellivision–the first major rivalry in console games
• 19 more Atari arcade classics, including rescued prototypes like Tower of Mystery and rare, unreleased M-Network titles like Swordfight, Anteater, and more

The First Console War DLC features additional interviews, more vintage ads, and even more never-before-seen historical artifacts, all interwoven to reveal the previously untold story of Atari and Mattel’s intense rivalry. Highlights from the timeline include unique and often overlooked innovations and hidden gems from the late 1980s, video interviews with industry professionals like Activison’s David Crane and Garry Kitchen, and much more!

The First Console War launches globally on November 8, in concert with the physical release of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 for $39.99. The physical release contains the original game and both DLCs.

A Steelbook version for Nintendo Switch, which will include Atari 2600 art cards, miniature arcade marquee signs, and an Al Alcorn Replica Syzygy Co. business card, will retail for $49.99 USD.

The post The official game list for The First Console War DLC for Atari 50 appeared first on Armchair Arcade.