iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#justbeatit Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 (arcade) Another great experience though, not quite as fun as the original for me. The upgrades felt more powerful in this one but the difficulty ramps up pretty good toward the end. The boss designs were great. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

#justbeatit Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi (arcade) This is on that higher level of shoot em ups I have a hard time with. Cool visual style and I loved the enemies designs. Controls felt good, the movement was quick but it's tough as nails. Still a good time though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

#justbeatit Mushihimesama (arcade) I knew I would get to this one eventually as its reputation precedes it and man did live it up to the hype. The visuals, the music, the gameplay, all top tier. Might be a contender for my favorite Cave game. Absolute banger! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

#justbeatit Battle Garegga (arcade) This is a cool shoot em up. I liked the ship selection and the soundtrack is bangin. Certain spots can get crazy with enemies. My only complaint is some projectiles are really small, they blend in with the background at times. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

#justbeatit Fever SOS (arcade) Another Cave shoot em up. A disco style presentation, which was ...a choice. Controls felt really good and the funky soundtrack was a cool change of pace. A bit too much going on for me, it was hard to see projectiles at times. Fun times. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

#justbeatit Au Revoir (PC) Stylish point and click that takes place in the future where people can have their consciousness uploaded into synthetic brains. PS1 style graphics, futuristic cyberpunk aesthetic, solid story with 5 possible endings. Cool game. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

#justbeatit Deathsmiles (Xbox 360) Haven't played since Magfest '24. Such a fun shooter with a banger soundtrack. Beat the regular arcade mode and regular 360 mode. Will definitely play the black label and arrange modes. Shout out to @captaindrachma.bsky.social @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

#justbeatit Knights of Valour (arcade) Decent beat em up based of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Sprite work was great and the enemy variety was nice but it doesn't do much else to be great. Some bosses just spam their special attacks which was really frustrating. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#justbeatit ESP Ra.De. (arcade) I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one more than Espgaluda but what a blast. I loved the theme of this one and shield/special attack felt great to use. Movement was smooth and the music was bangin. The bullet waves were ridiculous though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

#justbeatit Espgaluda (arcade) Another cool Cave bullet hell shooter. I really liked the kakusei mode mechanic since bullet slowdown was very helpful for me. The art is fantastic and I loved the backgrounds. Boss fights were very tough but manageable. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#justbeatit Metal Slug 4 (arcade) A decent entry in the series. They cut down the total game time in this one a bit which was appreciated. Usual villains with some zombies and robots mixed in. It seemed to ramp up the difficulty a bit more than the last few. Not bad. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#justbeatit Progear (arcade) I guess it's a beat. Did 3 runs. For not normally liking bullet hell style shoot em ups, I was really digging this. Something about the rhythm of it worked for me. The art style was great and controls were smooth. Maybe I just like Cave. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#justbeatit Wild West C.O.W. Boys of Moo Mesa (arcade) Very fun run and gun that captures the look and feel of the show pretty well. Quick playthrough with some nice variety like aerial levels. Boss fights were good too. A lot of charm to this one. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#justbeatit King of the Monster 2 (arcade) One of the most disappointing sequels ever. Bosses are cheap, feels like luck anytime you get a hit on them. Why do I have to fast tap the button anytime I get knocked down? Boss rush at the end was tedious. Shit game! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#justbeatit Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja (arcade) Take on a ninja gang as 2 tough guys with fingerless gloves to rescue president Ronnie. Solid beat em up for its time, getting the special kick to work is a bit janky but I liked this one. Music was decent. Passable game. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

#justbeatit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time (arcade) Another replay. Much more fast paced than the first arcade game which for me was an upgrade. I also enjoyed the soundtrack more in this and the time travel themed levels are a big standout. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

#justbeatit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game (arcade) Needed a replay to see where this fits in the ranking of beat em ups. Still a fun time, great nostalgia for fans of the original cartoon. Can be a little cheap with hit detection but fun nonetheless. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

#justbeatit Macross Plus (arcade) Solid vertical shooter in the Macross universe. Looks great and plays great. This is the 3rd or 4th shooter where I've completed the loop a few times but can't get credits because of the final boss. I'm taking credit for at least one. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

#justbeatit Neo Drift Out: New Technology (arcade) This game almost drove me completely insane but I had a great time with it. Isometric rally racing at its best. 3 iconic cars to choose from, 6 levels to beat and tough as nails in the later levels. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

#justbeatit Metal Slug 3 (arcade) More of the same formula. A little more polished and with aliens as the final protagonist. They really settled into what works at this point in the series and it's still a lot of fun but it drags on way too long this time. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#justbeatit King of the Monsters (arcade) One of those games I always saw at the arcade but never bothered to play. Solid fighter/wrestling game featuring familiar looking giant monsters. 12 levels is a bit too long as it starts to feel repetitive. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#justbeatit 1945k III (arcade) Not related to the 194X series but I tried it anyway and wow this game kicked my ass. Super fast-paced vertical shooter with enemies and bullets everywhere. Just when I thought it was going well, I died. Not for the faint of heart. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#justbeatit 64th Street: A Detective Story (arcade) Very cool beat em up! Two detectives fight their way through bad guys looking for a rich guy's kidnapped daughter. The music and sound effects were big highlights. Has a ton of charm and I'm here for it. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

#justbeatit 1941: Counter Attack (arcade) I really liked the way this plays. The movement feels great and power ups were good. It's a bit easier than the other games in the series. I really liked the level design in this as it adds corridors to navigate. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

#justbeatit 1944: The Loop Master (arcade) The follow-up to 19XX, the visuals were nice in this. Seemed like it cranked up the amount of craziness going on with a lot of bullets on screen but controls were smooth. Boss battles stood out for me. Pretty good. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

#justbeatit 19XX: The War Against Destiny (arcade) Had to check this one out. Taking place during a made up world war you play through 7 levels with a boss in each. Controls felt great, 3 planes to choose from, specials were great, chill soundtrack. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

#justbeatit 1943: The Battle of Midway (arcade) Solid vertical shooter that's a nice upgrade from 1942. Even being an early shooter, the final levels can get very chaotic. I liked the combo of sky levels mixed with lower ground levels. I liked it. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

#justbeatit Crossed Swords (arcade) This was an interesting idea. You're a knight going on quests to kill monsters terrorizing the kingdom. Behind the back wireframe style combat with rpg elements such as weapon upgrades. Solid game but extremely long for an arcade. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

#justbeatit Ken-Go/Lightning Swords (arcade) Not much I can say for this hack slash except it really sucks. Repetitive enemies, bosses take forever to kill and just not much variety. Jumping is with the stick and not a button. Final boss is boring. Avoid at all costs! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

#justbeatit Giga Wing (arcade) I've seen a few people in the Polymedia discord talk about this one. It's very tough. Some of the waves of bullets are just insane, especially towards the end. I like the way it controls and the shield mechanic was really neat. Cool game. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

#justbeatit Metal Slug 2 (arcade) Solid sequel with more vehicles, more enemies, bigger bosses. The addition of monsters and aliens was weird but cool I guess. I'm not sure if it's my rom or just the game but the slowdown is unreal bad, stull a good time though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

#justbeatit Metal Slug (arcade) I'm not sure which of these I've played, they all blend together. This one is solid, classic run and gun action. The vehicles are fun, gameplay is great. Some good ideas that I'm sure they expanded on in this series. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

#justbeatit Sengoku 3 (arcade) I went from loving this game to hating it. I liked the change in controls and racking up combos was cool but my god was this a slog to get through. Regular enemies take forever to kill, it has a lot of cheap deaths and it's insanely long. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

#justbeatit Sengoku 2 (arcade) Huge upgrade from the first game! This one controlled a lot better. The power ups and transformation actually felt useful. Having a sword at all times was nice and honestly felt a little OP which I appreciate. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

#justbeatit Sengoku (arcade) Repetition is a normal part of beat 'em ups but most I've played do a good job of keeping the action interesting. This is not one of those games. Way too long, hit detection is janky and the transformation felt useless. Average game at best. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

#justbeatit Final Fight (arcade) I've never played a Final Fight before this and have to say it's a good time. The controls feel good, the music is bangin. Tried all 3 characters and I think I'm a Cody guy. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

#justbeatit Ninja Baseball Bat Man (arcade) Absolutely insane beat 'em up with baseball as the overarching theme. Looks great, plays great. There's just so many wild things going on artistically. I'm not sure I fully comprehended every idea they put in it. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

#justbeatit NeoGeo Cup '98 (arcade) SNK just knows how to make sports games fun. Had a good time with this and won the World Cup with Spain. Didn't take long to get the hang of it. I liked the way the penalty shooting was done. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

#justbeatit Captain Commando (arcade) Pretty fun beat 'em up set in the future Earth of 2026. Reading up on this I didn't know it was so deeply tied into other Capcom franchises. I loved how ridiculous some of the enemy names are and the final boss is annoying as hell. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

#justbeatit Prehistoric Isle 2 (arcade) Not a bad shooter but it wasn't the best for me. Flying a helicopter and killing dinosaurs, pretty fun. The 3D graphics were cool to see. Enemies are a bit repetitive and there's a bit too much action on screen for my taste. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

#justbeatit GunForce II (arcade) A great follow up to the first game. This one plays more like Metal Slug and it feels like a huge upgrade. The vehicles were great, the weapons were great. Multi-directional shooting really made a difference. Had a lot of fun with this. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

#justbeatit GunForce (arcade) Pretty solid run and gun. Feels a bit like Contra where you're dodging a lot of enemy shots while chaos is going on. Short playthrough, controls feel good. Doesn't do a lot to separate itself but pretty fun. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

#justbeatit In The Hunt (arcade) Sidecrolling submarine shooter, sign me up. This was a blast! Gameplay is so fun, art looks great, music is great and there's just enough chaos to keep your adrenaline going. Top 10 arcade. Thanks to Burgerchamp for the recommendation. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

#justbeatit Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom (arcade) I'm not into D&D but thought I'd check this out. Decent beat 'em up that mixes in rpg elements which was neat. The sprites look great but my biggest complaint is the hit detection is awful. Solid game though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

#justbeatit Aqua Jack (arcade) I was getting frustrated with this one until I realized you have to let the auto fire do its thing which allows you to focus on dodging attacks. Pretty quick playthrough. I like the concept a lot. It has some jank but a decent experience. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

#justbeatit Aliens (arcade) I love the Alien franchise but this game is borderline trash. Pretty standard run and gun formula but the execution is average at best. Regular enemies deal way too much damage, the deaths are cheap, the bosses are forgettable. Meh @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

#justbeatit The Punisher (arcade) This game kicks ass. I liked the addition of having your handgun for certain areas. Brutally destroying anyone in your path as the Punisher was so much fun. The Kingpin fight is a pain but beatable. Good times! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

#justbeatit Battletoads (arcade) I've heard good things about the arcade version of this game and it definitely lives up to it. It has a ton of style and plays great. Nothing like grabbing giant vermin by the crotch and beating the hell out them. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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Jimmy Mook @jimmymook.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

#justbeatit Bucky O'Hare (arcade) A blast of a run and gun. I liked the level design, the art style was cool and the bosses were a lot of fun. Had to get this one in since I was one of the handful of kids that actually watched this show. This was a great time! @polykillpodcast.bsky.social

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