Latest Haul and Impressions: TurboGrafx-16 Edition
March 19, 2008 by Tim · Leave a Comment
Boy, I feel like I’ve been spending a lot of money on games lately. But between the 3DO Testing Station last month and this haul this month, that’s not far from the truth. In fact, it is the truth! And to think, I’ll be going to the Midwest Gaming Classic in a couple of weeks, too… Argh, good thing it’s tax refund season!
Anyway, the latest group of stuff contains Space Squash for the Virtual Boy, which I already reviewed, and four titles for the TurboGrafx-16: Air Zonk, Blazing Lazers, Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, and Parasol Stars. Between getting these four games just recently, Buster Bros. not long ago, and all the games I already had, I’m building a nice little Turbo collection. I love this system! Anyway, here are my thoughts so far:
- Space Squash (Virtual Boy): See the review. ($48 new, eBay)
- Air Zonk (TurboGrafx-16): A bright, colorful, cute-em-up in the spirit of Bonk, but in the future. This is a great little shooter that doesn’t take itself too seriously, so it’s hard not to have fun with it. The graphics are some of the best the Turbo has to offer, and the sound ain’t too shabby, either. (~$30, pcenginefx.com member)
- Blazing Lazers (TurboGrafx-16): Another shoot-em-up, but this one is a little more standard than Air Zonk. A little easy for the first half, but the difficulty ramps up later. It’s a vertical scroller and the graphics are solid but not stunning. The sound is good and even includes some (fairly muffled) voice samples. Just a good, solid game in general. (~$10, pcenginefx.com member).
- Keith Courage in Alpha Zones (TurboGrafx-16): This was a pack-in for the original TG16, but since I have a Turbo Duo, I never got to experience it. As far as pack-ins go… Well, NEC could have done better. It’s not a bad game, it’s just no Mario or Sonic, you know? Anyway, it gets trashed on a bit, but I’m having some fun with it. It’s better than I expected. I love the revolver-heads! (~$2.50, pcenginefx.com member)
- Parasol Stars (TurboGrafx-16): aka The Story of Bubble Bobble 3. If you like Bubble Bobble, you’ll like this game! And who doesn’t like Bubble Bobble? The play mechanics are different in that there’s no blowing bubbles — you use a magical parasol (yes, you read that right) to stun and throw enemies. It’s bright, extremely colorful, and ridiculously cheerful and appealing. (~$30, pcenginefx.com member)
The TG16 prices are estimates because I bought them as a lot. I assigned a price that totals what I paid, but divided according to their approximate individual value. All in all, I’d say this is one of my best hauls yet (and it better be, considering how much it all cost). I’m enjoying all of these games! Naturally, stay tuned for the full reviews of each (whenever those may come).
Oh, and one more thing. Given how much I’ve spent on games the last couple months, I’m putting a one month moratorium on new game purchases after MGC. Hey, maybe I’ll actually play all these!
Space Squash (Virtual Boy)
It’s a lot of fun when this happens. I’ve wanted Space Squash for the Virtual Boy for something like 10 years now — since a little after I got the VB. I never really bit the bullet because it’s an import-only game and was always kind of expensive. Then I packed up the system for several years and never really touched it. Well, I got it out a couple weekends ago, dusted it off, and started playing again. Naturally, that made me want to buy more games for the system (such is the plight of the classic game collector). Then, when some fairly reasonably priced new copies of Space Squash showed up on eBay (as they seem to be doing regularly now), I decided it was time. But would it live up to 10 years worth of anticipation? Surprisingly, yes! And maybe more!
RetroMacro (3/13/08)
March 13, 2008 by Tim · 2 Comments
It seems like I haven’t been posting much more than the games I’ve recently bought, and that can’t be too interesting (though hopefully the impressions are at least a little interesting, albeit short). Since it’s been a good six months, I figured it’s time for another RetroMacro! So here you go… Of course, click the pic for a bigger version and a fairly cryptic hint. And since it’s been a while, or if you’re new to the site, a RetroMacro is a zoomed in/cropped shot of something gaming related. It’s something you might be familiar with, but aren’t used to seeing in this perspective. Think you know what it is? Post your guess to the comments! (Tip: Post your comment as a reply to this post, not to the image.)
Latest Haul and Impressions: Buster Bros. & Battletech
March 7, 2008 by Tim · 2 Comments
Believe it or not, I’ve been pretty busy with retro gaming lately. I may not be posting much, but I’ve been playing a lot of my Turbo, lurking messageboards, and watching eBay like a hawk. My latest acquisitions are Battletech (Genesis) and Buster Bros. (TurboGrafx-CD). Battletech was a nice find, because someone at work posted to the internal classifieds that they were giving it away for free. Being the collector I am, I immediately put dibs on it! I was bummed to see that he took the poster that was included with the game and hung it up in his office, but hey, free is free. Buster Bros., on the other hand, was an eBay purchase. It’s a fun little game that turned out to be a pretty good deal — it’s in pristine condition. Anyway, here are my thoughts after playing them each a bit:
- Battletech (Genesis): It’s a top-down/isometric shooter reminiscent of the Strike series, but you pilot a mech in the Battletech universe. It’s a well-made game with nice graphics and controls, but wow! It is brutally hard! I still haven’t passed the first level! This one is going to take some serious playtime to dig into. (Free, from a coworker)
- Buster Bros. (TurboGrafx-CD): This is a fun little old-school arcade game. There are a bunch of bouncing spheres invading the Earth, wreaking havoc, and it’s your job to destroy them all. When you shoot a sphere, it splits into two smaller ones until, finally, the smallest ones can be destroyed. You get more points for shooting multiple spheres of the same size in a row, so you’re rewarded for filling the screen with tiny, hard to avoid, bouncing balls — it gets pretty hectic! The soundtrack makes use of the CD format, the graphics are simple but charming, and the gameplay is straightforward but challenging and addictive. ($5.17, eBay)
Anyway, I’m on a real TurboGrafx kick these days. I think I might flesh out my collection a bit… Of course, I should probably get around to writing some reviews before I do. But we’ll see about that! (My source for good screenshots is gone, so I’ve kinda been using that as an excuse not to write any lately ;))
Impressions: 3DO Edition (plus some Saturn and Neo-Geo)
February 12, 2008 by Tim · Leave a Comment
I got a handful of new games with my new 3DO testing station. After taking them for a quick spin, I have a few thoughts to share on each. Here goes:
- Alone in the Dark: I played and beat this game for the PC back in the day. Good stuff all around. I’m kinda looking forward to digging into this game again and reliving it.
- Ballz: What the hell is going on here? It’s some sort of proto 3D fighter, but it basically sucks. I dunno, whatever. It’s a little more interesting than most of the “me too” fighters from the 90s, but its gimmick falls flat.
- Battle Chess: Another PC classic ported to the 3DO. It’s chess, and it has fun animations to show the pieces doing battle as you play. Play 2-player or against the computer, play in 3D or 2D… That about covers it. It’s Battle Chess, so it can’t be too bad, but it moves along a little slowly.
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo: Technically impressive and with an improved soundtrack, it’s likely the best home port of the time. But it’s virtually unplayable with a regular 3DO control pad. I’m supposed to hit the Play button as part of normal gameplay? Seriously? No thanks…
- Way of the Warrior: Mortal Kombat rip-off. It’s another one of those dime-a-dozen 2D fighters from the 90s that had digitized characters. This one also happens to pretty much be a crapfest, much like the rest. It’s games like this that give the 3DO a bad name.
And some bonus coverage of non-3DO games I’ve also been playing:
- Super Baseball 2020 (Neo-Geo CD): Generally, the only time I will like a sports game is if it’s arcade-style and over the top. And if Super Baseball 2020 is anything, it’s arcade-style and over the top! Basically, it’s fast-paced futuristic baseball with robots and mines scattered throughout the field. Keep your robots in good mechanical condition and swing for the fences. Bright, colorful, and fun — I’m looking forward to playing more of this one.
- Virtua Cop 2 (Saturn): Virtua Cop 2 is like the original, but better in every way. More enemies to shoot, more civilians to save, better level design, branching paths, and more interactive bits to the environment. I’m liking it quite a bit, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a nice review in the near future.
Latest Haul: 3DO Testing Station and more!
February 11, 2008 by Tim · Leave a Comment
Alright, I admit it… I splurged. Last year, I started dabbling in homebrew for the 3DO, and while I did make some progress, I hit a wall pretty fast. I managed to get a couple simple demos written and created a nice development environment with the official SDK and a Mac emulator, but not much more.
The thing about the 3DO is that software has to be encrypted to run on it, and the problem is that the encryption tools are not part of the SDK — any software had to be sent off to The 3DO Company to be approved and encrypted before release. But now The 3DO Company doesn’t exist. D’oh. Without a way of actually running the demos I’d written on real hardware, there wasn’t much progress to be made. That is, unless I could get my hands on a 3DO Testing Station.
The 3DO Testing Station is a version of the hardware that was sent to developers for testing and is capable of running unencrypted software — there’s a small switch on the back to go back and forth between Encrypted and Unencrypted. So, if I wanted to write my own programs, I’d either have to crack the encryption (yeah, right) or get myself a Testing Station. I kept my eye on eBay for quite some time with an automatic search, and not much came up. Finally, last week, another one appeared (along with a handful of games) and I decided to pull the trigger. I paid a little more than I would have liked, but now I can stop searching and get started on some real projects. Hey, it’ll be a learning experience. It’s worth it, right?
On top of eBay, I also did a little shopping at another local game store I just discovered, Play N Trade Video Games. It turned out to be a pretty small store, and their classic selection was nothing compared to my favorite local store (see me gush about PrePlayed here) but it was still worth making the trip — I managed to snag a complete Virtua Cop 2 for the Saturn for a nice price. They also had Bubble Bobble for the Saturn, but it was $23.99, disc-only. I’ve been wanting that game for years, but not disc-only. I also got to overhear an amusing conversation between the clerk and a middle-aged man inquiring about the Atari Jaguar. The customer mentioned something about the Jaguar being “really rare” and about $100 on eBay. I almost felt like butting in to mention I had one, and that I got it brand new in the box for $25 several years ago, but decided that it’d be kinda… nerdy… for me to jump in with that tidbit.
And, finally, I also got issue #9 of Video Game Collector. This is a magazine I’ve considered subscribing to in the past, but never did. Luckily for me, the publisher was offering free issues over at the Digital Press forums several weeks ago, so I decided to take advantage of that. Can’t go wrong with free! Maybe I’ll pick up the back catalog…
In summary, here’s the rundown of everything I got in the last few days:
- 3DO Testing Station and games: This is the Testing Station hardware along with a nice, revised Panasonic control-pad. The controller is smaller, more comfortable, and has a much more responsive D-Pad. This one gives the Logitech controller a run for its money. Also in the package were disc-only copies of Alone in the Dark, Ballz, Battle Chess, Gex, Killing Time, Space Hulk, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Way of the Warrior, and Sampler #2 (with the much-needed memory manager). I already had Gex, Killing Time, and Space Hulk, and Sampler #2 is a demo, so that’s five new games to add to my “to review” list. $173 (+$25 shipping) on eBay.
- Virtua Cop 2: I really like the original, so I’ve been casually keeping an eye out for Virtua Cop 2. I wasn’t actively looking to get it, but when I saw it at Play N Trade for $4.99, I couldn’t say no! The case could use some cleanup, but it’s otherwise complete.
- Video Game Collector Issue #9: Ah, a whole magazine to indulge my video game nerdery! This issue even had a feature on one of my favorite topics — obscure consoles. The magazine could use some polish overall in terms of editing and layout, but it’s good fun for hobbyists. I’m considering getting the full back catalog + subscription bundle now. Free, via the Digital Press forums.
Impressions: The Lion King and F-Zero
January 23, 2008 by Tim · Leave a Comment
The only two classic games I’ve bought in the last several months are The Lion King and F-Zero, so is it any surprise that they’re the two games I have some impressions to report on? Not really… The real question is when I’ll get around to writing the next full review for the site! What game will it be? Nobody knows… Not even me.
- The Lion King (Genesis): A technical feat for the Genesis, this game is much better than I expected. The graphics and sound are top notch, but the gameplay leaves a bit to be desired. Some of the platforming segments are just frustrating, and it’s overall fairly short (I haven’t managed to beat the last two levels yet, though). Much harder than I expected, as well.
- F-Zero (SNES): I’m a huge fan of the rest of the series, so it’s only right that I spend some time with the original. The Mode 7 effects aren’t nearly as dazzling as they used to be, but a great sense of speed, smooth controls, and colorful, attractive graphics mean it stands the test of time very well. Overall, it’s a great deal of fun.
So there we have it… I was starting to feel the classic gaming bug again, and after rewiring my game room last night, it’s as strong as ever. Now that I have all my systems hooked up without any need to fiddle around with plugs behind the TV every time I want to play (ugh, that was such a pain), I have no excuse not to play more than I was!
Latest Haul: F-Zero, The Lion King, and More
January 19, 2008 by Tim · Leave a Comment
What’s this? A post to The Retro Review Project? I know, I know, I’ve been lax lately (okay, really lax), but sometimes gaming just takes a back seat to life. But I’m starting to feel the pull of the old consoles again, so here I am. The last four months have been slow, but I’ve made a couple trips lately to my favorite store in the world (Pre-Played on the west side of Madison, WI… Used games for systems dating back to the Atari, plus used DVDs, CDs, and books. What more could a geek want?). Here’s everything I’ve picked up since my last update in September:
- The Lion King (Genesis): I saw this, along with Aladdin and Mickey’s Castle of Illusion. I was tempted to get all three, but decided buying all those Disney games at once might seem a little fruity! Instead, I just went with The Lion King. This is one of my girlfriend’s old favorites, so I figured we could geek out together and play it. For $2.99, I couldn’t pass it up. Unfortunately, Aladdin and Castle of Illusion were gone the last time I went back to the store. Oh well, I’ll keep an eye out for them in the future.
- Dogbone Controller (NES): I’ve been wanting to pick up one of these controllers for a while, but never saw any outside of eBay. Once I started playing my NES more, I realized how awful the sharp corners on the standard NES pad really are. The store had a mix of standard, Advantage, and Max controllers, plus this one dogbone. I quickly snatched it up for $4.99.
- Nintendo Power Mints (Swag): The one thing on this list that didn’t come from Pre-Played, this is a clever little stocking stuffer my girlfriend got me for Christmas. It’s a tin of mints in the shape of an NES controller with the Nintendo Power logo. Apparently, Urban Outfitters carries them. I may use it as a DS game case once I’m done with the mints.
- F-Zero (SNES): I had F-Zero X for the N64, F-Zero GX for the GameCube, and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity for the GBA, but never had the orignal SNES launch title. That’s now rectified, at a reasonable $6.99 (cart-only).
- The Wizard (DVD): I normally just check out the game section when I go to Pre-Played, but last time, I took a look at the DVDs, as well. When I saw this on the shelf, my eyes got really wide, and I just said “Oh, woah!” I couldn’t resist — especially since I’ve been thinking about reviewing some old game-related movies for this site. I bought it with little hesitation, for $7.99.
I also picked up Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast, but since the DC doesn’t fit my definition of a retro/classic game console (yet), I’m not going to include that in my official list. This was a replacement for a copy that I lent a friend back in college, which I never got back! I also bought Final Fantasy (NES) and an FC Twin, but those were Christmas presents for a friend, so they don’t quite count for this list, either. Anyway, stay tuned… I should have some impressions and reviews on the way.
RetroMacro (9/7/07)
September 7, 2007 by Tim · 4 Comments
Alright, it’s been a while since we’ve done a RetroMacro, so how about a new one? Take a gander at the picture to your left and see if you can figure out what it is… I’ll give you a hint. It’s a controller! What? That didn’t help much? Well, sorry, I’m not going to give it away completely. That wouldn’t be any fun at all, would it? You have to figure out what system it is on your own. As usual, there’s a bit more of a hint if you click the picture. This one shouldn’t be too hard, though. I hope. Leave a comment if you think you got it!
Super Metroid: No, sir… I don’t like it.
September 4, 2007 by Tim · 10 Comments
This is going to be tough. I assigned myself the mission to complete Super Metroid before playing any other games, and I’m starting to regret it. I’m about halfway through the game, and I’m not having much fun. Things started out promising in the first couple hours, as I was making good progress and enjoying the combination of exploration and action. But now, further into it, it’s hitting on my biggest pet peeve in games — not telling me where the hell I’m supposed to go next.
I’m all for challenge in games, but I like the challenge to come from trying to figure out how to overcome an obstacle, not in how to find that obstacle in the first place. I feel like I have to re-explore the entire game every time I find a new powerup just to find that one hidden panel that’s now breakable, or that one door that I needed a stronger weapon to open. That’s not fun, that’s tedious. And all of this could be avoided if there was simply an indicator on the map screen to show when I had found all the exits in a room. Oh, that floor is bombable? Don’t show it as a white line on the map; that looks like every other floor that’s not bombable! Show it as a dotted line or something.
All this would be a little more acceptable if traversing the world was less frustrating, as well. The jumping controls are far too imprecise and have me yelling out “Oh, god damn it!” at virtually every precision platforming section. And don’t even get me started on wall jumping. That literally had me throwing my controller around the room today. Ugh.
I guess I can see the appeal of this game to truly hardcore gamers — the kinds of people who can sit and play a game for hours at a time, exploring every inch of a game’s world and patiently trying jumping sections over and over until they get it just right. But that’s just not me. Maybe it was when I was 12 or 13, but these days, I need my games to be a little less tedious. I had a headache when I stopped playing Super Metroid today. That’s not fun.
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