Essentially a lighthearted fantasy-themed role-playing excursion, 3D Dot Game Heroes is also a heartfelt interactive love letter to the most popular retro games. Crammed with nods to iconic releases from a time when photorealistic graphics were but a distant daydream, it's illustrated by a rose-tinted world of flag-draped castles and evil wizards, evoking children's picture books as much as a romantic view of the digital past.

These strange visuals are the most impressive attribute, and are in keeping with the cheery parody of the golden era of console titles, through the game's concept of "3D pixelation". As is the superb audio, which revisits the infamous bleeps of the past brilliantly. Despite this retro focus, 3D Dot Game Heroes feels contemporary but seems a little lacking in gameplay originality, a small price for an enchanting, superb release.