Charlotte, Author at Thumb Culture

Super Mario PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller Review

10Mar

By CharlotteNo Comments

Super Mario PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller Review

Pokémon Day was only a few short weeks ago and you may remember to celebrate it I reviewed the PowerA Charizard Storm Enhanced Wired Controller. Well, now it's MAR10 Day and you guessed it, I have another PowerA controller to showcase! This time it's the turn of the Super Mario PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller. More specifically the Mushroom Kingdom Pop Art edition! Here we go! What's your favourite Super Mario game to play? And did you know not at all scientifically playing a Super Mario game with a Super Mario controller improves your skills by eleventy-six points? It's true. My uncle at Nintendo told me. He lives in Canada, you don't know him. Design When this controller landed at TCHQ I was struck by the art work in the controller. The product pictures for the PowerA Enhance...

PowerA PAC-MAN Gaming Accessories Announced

4Mar

By CharlotteNo Comments

News & Updates

PowerA PAC-MAN Gaming Accessories Announced

PAC-MAN is without a doubt, one of the most iconic and enduring gaming franchises of all time. Which is why it's so exciting to reveal that PowerA has announced a partnership with Bandai Namco to celebrate the 45th anniversary of PAC-MAN! What does this mean? PowerA PAC-MAN special-edition gaming accessories of course! Ghosts of Gaming Past Details are extremely limited at the moment with only three pictures being released so far. So let's take a look at them first And that's all we've been teased with. Well, we do also know that the whole collab will feature fun iconic designs such as above and include accessories for both the Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms. That and you can sign up for inbox updates on the PowerA website. Waka Waka “PAC-MAN has been a cornerstone of gaming...

Pokémon PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller Review

27Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Pokémon PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller Review

Being a gamer means any themed gaming accessory is an automatic buy. Especially when it comes to Pokémon! And Pokémon Day gives us the perfect excuse to do just that, not that we need one! We recently reviewed the Fortnite version of the PowerA OPS V1 controller and now it's the turn of the PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller. Not just any the PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller either, but the Charizard Firestorm edition! I choose you! There is no doubt, with these aesthetics PowerA power up this year's Pokémon Day. And with the Pokémon Presents Live Stream going live later, who knows we may just get that much anticipated news about Pokémon Legends: Z-A. And what better way to play a new Pokémon game than with a new Pokémon controller? Without further ado, lets check it out. Design The...

20Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Tiny Garden – PC Demo Preview

Tiny Garden is an upcoming cosy game from developer Ao Norte and publisher Super Rare Originals. It also has a free demo in this month's Steam Next Fest. Thanks to the team over at Super Rare, we got access to that very demo a week early! Polly Pocket : Landscaper Edition Gameplay So what exactly do you do in Tiny Garden? Look after and grow your own plants in a small plot of land within a magical toy, obviously. The gameplay is actually that simplistic. Essentially the gameplay loop can be broken down into four simple steps: Grab a seed and bury it in the soil Turn the crank Collect plants Trade plants for other seed types or home accessories Of course you have to add in things such as customising your home area, changing your colourways of both your toy and th...

14Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

Features, LEGO

LEGO Art LOVE Set Review

The LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana is recognised around the world as an iconic symbol of the pop-art era. Today is the international day of love aka St Valentine's Day. And what better LEGO set to be sharing with you all today, then the LEGO Art LOVE (set number 31214). The set is available now from the LEGO website and will set you back £69.99. L is for the way you look at me Did you know this iconic art piece is actually celebrating it's 55th anniversary this year? That's a lot of love. And Mani Zamani, LEGO art Designer agrees saying “As a design professional and enthusiast, I have long admired Robert Indiana’s work. His artistic language has become synonymous with pop-art and LOVE in its many mediums represents this like no other.” It has been a personal honour to help bring this ...

Latest HYTE Persona 3 Reload Collection Launches

13Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

News & Updates

Latest HYTE Persona 3 Reload Collection Launches

Us gamers love a hardware and game IP collaboration. Afterall, who can say no to some shiny new hardware featuring your favourite characters? And boy do we have some good news to share if you're looking for a set-up upgrade! HYTE is teaming up with ATLUS once again to bring back its highly popular collaboration with Persona 3 Reload. Gearing up for a year-long celebration, the product line will feature the game’s cast and setting. HYTE Persona 3 Reload Y70 Case You may remember the 2024 HYTE Persona 3 Reload original Y60 case collaboration. This latest addition to the line builds on this iconic design with a new Y70 case. The case's chassis glass panels feature the game’s core cast and the in-game setting of Tartarus. Fans will be happy to see the influences don't stop there. With the ca...

Hello Kitty Island Adventure – PC Review

13Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

PC Reviews

Hello Kitty Island Adventure – PC Review

Hello Kitty Island Adventure has made it's way from mobile to the big screen. Developed and published by Sunblink, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is available now on Steam for £36. It's also available digitally on the Nintendo Store. I am a big Sanrio fan and let me tell you I have been counting down the days to be able to write this review! A tropical island for me to spruce up, this sounds familiar... Porting a mobile game to PC and console is always a big risk. Does this break the mould? If anyone can do it, it would be Hello Kitty and her pals. Right? Let's find out. Gameplay Hello Kitty may have studied to be a professional baker in France, but one thing is for sure, never trust her to bake cakes on a plane. Unless you want to end up stranded on an abandoned theme park island wi...

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Launched In New Layouts

5Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

News & Updates

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Launched In New Layouts

It's not often a press release lands in my inbox and has me feeling all kinds of wave of nostalgia. And then I came across the news that 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is now available in updated EU layouts including a UK layout! Retro Is The Future The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a love letter to the days of classic gaming. Retro styling really does come together with modern technology in this keyboard it looks amazing. Of course the fact it now comes in five new European layouts is also pretty amazing. These include: 8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard - N Ed. (German QWERTZ Layout) 8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard - N Ed. (French AZERTY Layout) 8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard - N Ed. (Spanish ES Layout) 8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard - N Ed. (Nordic NORD Layout) 8BitDo Mechanical...

5Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

News & Updates

VOIN Receives First Early Access Update

VOIN from solo developer Nikita Sozidar and publisher tinyBuild has received a fresh new update. The open world hack-and-slash action RPG is also currently on sale with a 20% discount during Steam’s Lunar Near Year celebration. The discount is available until the 9th February and makes the game just £13.40! Hurry, to Steam! So what's new? Thumb Culture writer Kyle originally checked out VOIN back in December, which you can read here. The game showed a lot of promise just a few short months ago and it's great to see it getting it's first update already. But what exactly can you look forward to seeing? Apparently a lot of community-requested changes, rebalancing, new gameplay features, and even monsters! We know everyone wants to know more about the monsters, so let's get into it. Gamepla...

4Feb

By CharlotteNo Comments

News & Updates

New HYTE x hololive Keycap Set Revealed

HYTE has announced a new collaboration with the hololive team. That's right you can now pre-order your very own hololive 4th Generation Keycap Set. The news comes ahead of the hololive upcoming 6th fes – Colour Rise Harmony and the SUPER EXPO 2025 . The official launch date for the keycap set is June 2025. V-Tuber Kawaii Keyboard Time HYTE is an official sponsor of hololive’s 6th fes SUPER EXPO 2025 and so it makes sense they would also team up for a hardware collab! The hololive 4th Generation Keycap Set will prominently feature hololive’s talent line up participating in 6th fes on March 8th-9th 2025, in Japan. These include Amane Kanata, Tsunomaki Watame, Tokoyami Towa, and Himemori Luna. You've seen them on your screens, now see them on your keyboard! Each hololive 4th Generati...