Retro Revisited

The Retro Game Review - May 2013

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:24:00 +0100

This month I take a look at three respected 2D platformers getting remakes, some fan translations, more Nintendo announcements than you can shake a large stick at, and much more.

This episode marks a whole year since I started the show, so thanks for everyone who’s watched and supported it - I really do appreciate it!

Thanks for watching.

The relevant links for this episode:

Mashin Hero Wataru Gaiden translation patch:
http://spookytornado.wordpress.com/pr…

Juvei Quest translation patch:
http://www.romhacking.net/translation…

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure translation patch:
http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?i…

ET ‘improvement’ ROM:
http://www.neocomputer.org/projects/et/

Retro Achievements website:
http://www.retroachievements.org/

Link where to buy Commodore 64 compilation cartridge with Nanako in Classic Japanese Monster Castle and Sir Ababol:
http://rgcd.bigcartel.com/product/sir…

More information on Project Unity:
http://www.made-by-bacteria.com/

Link to where you can download The Incredible Adventures of Moebius Goatlizard for the Commodore Amiga:
http://blackjet.co.uk/amiga.php?redir…

Updated ROM for Brett Hull Hockey on the Atari Jaguar:
http://reboot.atari.org/new-reboot/bh…

Solomon’s Key for the Commodore Amiga:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t…

Where you can buy Sturmwind for the Dreamcast:
http://www.redspotgames.com/shop/inde…

Link to where you can buy Blox on the Virtual Boy:
http://www.uncletusk.com/node/189

Banjo Kazooie and Tooie soundtracks (buy them!):
http://grantkirkhope.bandcamp.com/alb…

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

The Retro Game Review - April 2013

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:08:00 +0100

This month The Retro Game Review takes a look at a trio of retro themed pieces of hardware, some ROMs being released of sought after or forgotten games, a return of a NES favourite, and much more.

Please do like this video and subscribe to my channel if you can by the way - it helps me more than you can imagine!

Thanks for watching!

The relevant links for this episode:

Where to order a Black Label Neo Geo MVS:
http://analogueinteractive.com/black-…

Tyrannosaurus Tex (GBC) ROM:
http://www.nintendoplayer.com/unrelea…

Stalker (Amiga) ROM:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t…

Nemesis 2 (Master System) ROM:
http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewto…

Gensō Suikogaiden Volume 1 translation:
http://www.romhacking.net/translation…

Download the Super Metroid Symphony:
http://www.metroidorchestra.com/

Where to order Pyramid Plunder On The PC Engine Super CD-Rom2:
http://www.aetherbyte.com/pce_pyramid…

More information on F-Zero AX:
http://www.retrocollect.com/News/hack…

International Karate on the Amiga:
http://meynaf.free.fr/pr/index_en.html

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

The Retro Game Review - March 2013

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:19:00 +0000

This month The Retro Game Review looks at the progress of the Resident Evil 1.5 project, a remake of a beloved Amiga platformer, some ROM cartridge news, a fan translation, and a host of re-releases and ports.

Please do like this video and subscribe to my channel if you can by the way - it helps me more than you can imagine!

Thanks for watching!

The relevant links for this episode:

Resident Evil 1.5 demo:

http://tinyurl.com/arzgq5l

Buy the EverDrive N8:

http://krikzz.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=59

Buy the MegaFlash ROM SCC+ SD flash card:

http://www.msxcartridgeshop.com/

Makaimura Gaiden fan translation:

http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1794/

Buy Tempest for the Atari 5200:

http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1014

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

The Retro Game Review - February 2013

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:58:28 +0000

This month the Retro Game Review looks at Nintendo’s Virtual Console plans for the Wii U, Wind Waker in HD, the revival of the Satellaview, Tyrannosaurus Tex, a host of re-releases and ports, and much more.

Please do LIKE this video and SUBSCRIBE to my channel if you can by the way - it helps me more than you can imagine!

Thanks for watching!

The relevant links for this episode:

More information on the BS-X Project:

http://bsxproj.superfamicom.org/

BS-X Project - translated patch for the project:

http://superfamicom.org/blog/2013/01/and-its-here-already/

Commodore Amiga Music Collection Strix Memoria:

http://www.tantrumedia.com/strixmemoria/

Tales of Phantasia translation patch:

http://www.tales-cless.org/?page=tales

Fishbone on Virtual Boy:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4799&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

Faceball 2000/Midi-Maze on Virtual Boy:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4778&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

Bug Blasters on the Sega Mega CD:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261150135434&clk_rvr_id=446454581382

Star Strike on the Sega Mega CD:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261150135473&clk_rvr_id=446468833562

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

The Retro Game Review - December 2012

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:38:52 +0000

This month the Retro Game Review looks at the sad closure of Eurocom, the launch of the Epic Arcade Projects, a trio of fan translations, all of December’s notable re-releases and ports, some new homebrew titles, and the 25th birthday of a blue robot man…I forget his name.

Please do LIKE this video and SUBSCRIBE to my channel if you can by the way - it helps me more than you can imagine!

Thanks for watching!

The relevant links for this episode:

More information on the Epic Arcade Project:

http://epicarcadeproject.com/

Where you can but the Neo Geo X handheld:

http://www.funstock.co.uk/retro-gaming/neo-geo-x

Where you can buy the Neo SNK Arcade MVS Magic Key:

http://www.ic2005.com/shop/product.php?productid=135&cat=0&featured=Y

Streets of Rage 4 footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JtOIdgP7U44

Donkey Kong Country 3 OverClocked ReMix Album:

http://dkc3.ocremix.org/index.php

Fan translation of Momotarou Densetsu (Aka The Legend of Peach Boy):

http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1779/

Fan translation of Arabian Nights: Desert Spirit King:

http://www.au-ro-ra.net/index.php?page=antrans&lang=en

Fan translation of Choro Q 2:

http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1783/

Where you can buy Bound high for Virtual Boy:

http://www.planetvb.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4732&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

Ridiculous Reality for Atari XL and XE:

http://matosimi.websupport.sk/atari/2012/12/ridiculous-reality-final-version/

Cheril the Goddess for the ZX Spectrum:

http://www.mojontwins.com/juegos_mojonos/cheril-the-goddess/

Link to download Megaman’s 25th Anniversary Crossover title Street Fighter X Mega Man:

http://www.retrocollect.com/News/street-fighter-x-mega-man-capcoms-25th-anniversary-8-bit-crossover.html

Demo for fan made Mega Man 25th Anniversary title

http://jasoncanam.com/mm25.htm

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

'The Grinch' Revisited

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:07:56 +0000

Format- GBC

Genre- Action/Puzzle

A stealth title based on the Grinch - from the same development studio that made Metal Gear Solid? It almost seems too good a concept to mess up.

Good news - it is (or was). The Grinch works, and is the best game based on the titular green, hairy, Christmas hating villain. There’s admittedly not much competition, but this is still far above your average licensed fodder.

Some real thought has gone into it, and - although it’s far from perfect - it’s a surprisingly varied and tough title.

The core gameplay revolves around you playing as the Grinch (or occasionally his dog Max) and stealing a set number of presents in each stage.

Every level is made up of a few screens, and the only thing stopping you from snatching all the gifts are the Whos - and in Max’s stages, the Who’s guard dogs (I don’t remember THOSE from the cartoon/film/book).

As this is a game that’s aimed at younger children things are kept simple when it comes to getting round them though. Footsteps in the snow won’t arouse suspicion like in Metal Gear for example (just as well, considering the consistently wintry setting).

The Whos move fairly slowly, and as long as you aren’t standing in front of them you’ll sneak by undetected.

There’s a surprising level of depth for a GBC title though. As the Grinch you have a weapon you can use to stun your foes (considering what you’re doing ‘foes’ may be the wrong thing to call them though), and as Max you have a supersonic bark and can jump over the hounds. Crawling is also needed to get past certain obstacles.

You can even make the Whos and Hounds bump into each other when they’re chasing you too.

Being detected will happen, but avoiding being touched (meaning insta-death) is easier than you might think. Simply exiting the screen will reset everything, and outrunning your pursuers is something you can - and likely will - do constantly.

Even with these advantages, The Grinch is a tough game. The stages are fairly short, but die three times and you’re thrown back to the start of each one, with all the presents back in their rightful places.

This is enough leeway if you take your time, but the colourful visuals initially trick you into thinking you’re playing nothing but a kids game - and you may find yourself rushing into sections without thinking.

Although this works at first, you’ll eventually have to give some thought to your movements after the opening scenes (which have around 6 levels each).

This would be impressive enough for a licensed GBC title, but there are plenty of variables introduced through the game to keep you on your toes as well. Slippery ice floors, toy cars you have to drive, and multiple platforms just being a few of these.

The Grinch may have its flaws (there is a fair bit of repetition, and the controls do sometimes feel a little clunky) but it’s a genuinely admirable effort at making the cartoon/film/book into a game, and one of the best Christmas themed titles money can buy. Do you hear that, Santa Claus Junior?

Search for it on eBay / On GameFAQs

'Trojan' Revisited

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 19:11:14 +0000

Format- NES

Genre- 2D Action

With the Mayan predicted end of the Earth being avoided, it seems apt to take a look at a game with an apocalyptic setting.

This isn’t just a no-name title though, but a side-scroller developed by Capcom (yes, Capcom) - yet it’s a game probably few have actually heard of. So why is that?

On first glance this seems like a game that should be considered a must play on the NES. A pared down port of a fairly popular arcade cabinet, some clear 2D visuals, and an interesting set-up.

The post-apocalyptic world isn’t too detailed - this is the NES after all - but there’s enough to give the game a grimy, downbeat tone.

Even the hand drawn artwork and bold font on the cart all suggest Trojan offers a unique experience. One thing that does ruin things in terms of the atmosphere is the repetitive and irritating music, but you can’t have everything.

So it’s disappointing to discover that the game won’t be enjoyed by many nowadays due to the difficulty level.

To say Trojan is an unforgiving experience would be an understatement, and it demands more patience and effort that many (including myself) may be willing to give.

It’s one of those games that throws enemies at you from both sides of the screen constantly, so you’re having to attack and move all the time. There’s no let up.

[Above- Mmm, that’s some interesting artwork right there.]

For ways to defend yourself, you have a sword and shield - controlled by the A and B buttons respectively.

Sadly jumping is done by pressing up on the D-pad, which is always a unsatisfactory control solution in almost any game.

Despite this, defeating a lot of the enemies isn’t too hard. The standard foes (that look like knights) take one hit to kill, and pretty much just run straight into your blade.

It’s when projectile throwing enemies show up that things start to take a turn for the tedious, as simultaneously ducking, jumping, using your shield, and attacking the foes streaming towards you becomes a real pain.

Stages are very short, but each is ended with a small boss. These range from the easy to the seemingly impossible, but they do have attack patterns that you can learn.

That’s the only way to beat the game really - memorising enemies attacks and remaining incredibly patient. It’s very easy to get hit and lose your rhythm, and watch as your health bar dwindles away in the process.

The annoyance factor is increased by the fact you have just three continues - then it’s back to the start. Trojan is a merciless game, and i’ll be honest - I was unable or unwilling to cope with it for very long.

I still don’t despise it as much as I should though, perhaps as Christmas is getting ever closer.

It’s something about the concept and old school feel that still mean it’s not a complete failure, and for those looking for a rock hard action side scroller for your NES you could do a lot worse. For everyone else…it’s probably best avoided.

Search for it on eBay / On GameFAQs

'Jack Nicklaus Golf (GB)' Revisited

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 18:33:29 +0000

Format- Game Boy

Genre- Golf Sim

It’s bad and it hasn’t aged well. That’s all you really need to know about Jack Nicklaus Golf.

For those with a morbid curiosity i’ll try to explain why though. It definitely isn’t through the lack of options - there’s a surprising number of ways to play the game for solo and multiple players. A save feature is even present.

Even the presentation isn’t terrible. The title screen with the titular Nicklaus is a bit terrifying - he looks as if he’s had his eyes scooped out, and bears a resemblance to Halloween’s Michael Meyers as a result (“the blackest eyes, the Devil’s eyes”).

Add in the strangely jolly music and it’s all a bit unsettling.

You might never really recover from this strange start, as the game throws plenty of options at you - but never really explains how to play them.

This might not be an issue if it laid out the information you need on screen, but instead it jams it full of numbers that aren’t really relevant.

The game gives you the overhead view of the course first, and then - as you’d expect - a behind the golfer perspective.

So far, so standard. But what breaks the experience is the power bar. It’s a simple thing to get right, but the developer struggled to nail the basic rules here.

What you’re given is a power bar that looks vaguely as it should, but is not intuitive or easy to use.

It has several lines marked on it, but no indications as to how far the ball will go when you stop at each one.

What you seem to have to do it make sure you hit the bold black lines when the bar fills up or goes down - but there’s no indication that this is what you have to do, or (to repeat myself) how far the ball will go.

This becomes a real problem when you’re close to the hole. It just makes the whole game feel a tedious chore, and you subsequently find more things that annoy.

The way the game slowly loads the behind the golfer image is quite cute at first for example - but slowly starts to irritate.

What you’re left with then is a game that tries hard, but just isn’t worth any of your time nowadays. Unless you’re absolutely obsessed about Jack Nicklaus.

Search for it on eBay / On GameFAQs

'Super Star Wars' Revisited

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:16:46 +0000

Format- SNES

Genre- 2D Platformer

Usually putting something like ‘Super’ at the start of your game’s title is asking for trouble.

If there’s one system where titles got away with it it was the SNES however - Super Tennis, Super Castlevania IV, Super Bonk, Super Metroid, Super Mario All Stars, and so on.

Considering the system had the word Super in it that’s probably to be expected though.

Super Star Wars is another game to add to that list, although it’s perhaps more than a little cruel by today’s standards.

At first it may look like just another licensed 2D platformer, but there’s a surprising amount of care that’s been put into it - in terms of both being faithful to the source and the variety in its level design.

You start as Luke (although you control Chewbacca and Han Solo later on), and - as you’d expect - your main abilities are jumping and shooting.

The only awkward part of the otherwise tight controls is the way you perform the super somersault leap, which involves pressing up diagonally and the jump button.

With the SNES pad this is far more difficult than it should be, and having the option to just press the jump button twice to do it would have been welcome.

Still, there are far more things to worry about - namely the slew of enemies the game throws at you.

For the most part Super Star Wars doesn’t rely too much on tricky jumps, but simply chucking foes at you all the time.

Oh, and they respawn almost constantly. Which is always great.

Fortunately you do have the chance to upgrade your weapon throughout - a nice touch - but it’s relentless whatever you have to hand.

Once you grit your teeth (or turn the difficulty down - but it’s still hard) and get past these issues there’s a lot to love here though.

The first level isn’t great, set in a desert with enemy after enemy coming at you from all angles - but there’s some real variety not only in the locales, but the gameplay too.

You’re thrown in the landspeeder for the second stage for example, and - thanks to the SNES’s Mode 7 capabilities - are tasked with shooting a set number of enemies in a semi-3D environment.

It’s nothing groundbreaking, but diversions like this help break up the shooty-shooty-jump-jump action quite well.

The standard platformer stages themselves are well designed, and have a good mix of the confined (working your way through a labyrinthe vehicle) and the more open (jumping around near Cloud City).

What helps elevate the game even further is the presentation, which takes a gleeful approach to depicting recognisable character and scenes from A New Hope into the world of 16-bits.

The sound effects and visuals are consistently excellent, and they all help to immerse you into the game’s world.

So Super Star Wars is a very competent and well put together title then. It’s not quite super - the lack of any save system is an oversight, and it is a little unforgiving at times - but it’s definitely very good.

Search for it on eBay / On GameFAQs

The Retro Game Review - November 2012

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 09:04:43 +0000

This episode has a bit of a Christmas theme, with it being December and all. It covers the Neo Geo X handheld, new games for the ColecoVision, an English translation of Rhythm Tengoku, a couple of interesting Kickstarter projects, and much more.

The new quick-fire section makes an appearance too, with all the rest of the month’s notable retro releases covered. I did miss Vectrex Regeneration on iOS though…

Please do subscribe to my channel if you can by the way - it helps me more than you can imagine.

This episode’s links:

Where you can buy a Neo Geo X
http://neogeox.com/buy

Portable Mega Drive with Mega Man: The Wily Wars
http://www.atgames.us/Ultimate-Portable-Game-Player-GP2628-80.htm

The site which you’ll be able to buy the new ColecoVision and Coleco Adam titles
http://www.collectorvision.com/upcoming.htm

Where you can get the NeoSaveMasta V2
http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?238628-NeoSaveMasta-v2-AGAIN!-Ne…)

Rhythm Tengoku English translation patch
http://www.retrocollect.com/News/japanese-exclusive-game-boy-advance-release-…

The Amiga Works Kickstarter
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2059538678/the-amiga-works

The History of Ocean Software Kickstarter
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/47744432/the-history-of-ocean-software-by…

Donkey Kong Country 4 demo
http://dkc4.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/fala-galera-necro-toad-aqui-dessa-vez.html

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

'Tetris Worlds' Revisited

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:03:49 +0000

Format- GBA

Genre- Puzzle

Ah, Tetris Worlds. A much derided entry in the Tetris pantheon, but surely it’s not that bad?

There’s a cute cube character on the start screen, and the option menu has a cool swirling vortex to the left of it - a space theme goes quite well with Tetris after all.

The Tetris itself isn’t too bad either, with the hard drop and hold features present and correct.

In terms of the ‘Worlds’ in the title, it seems to mean anything though, with backgrounds varying from being based underwater, in space, and in forests. Still, they’re nice enough.

Soon the larger cracks start to show though, first with the fact that there are only two single player modes. Marathon and Ultra (two minute challenge).

Where’s 40 lines? Not here, evidently.

Instead both the modes allow you to play them in six different ‘styles.’ The first is standard Tetris. After this, things start to get a little shaky.

Sticky has the main blocks made of small parts, with bits of the same colour melding together. If they don’t stick together pieces just drop off down the well - it gives me the creeps.

Then there’s Fusion, where the aim is seemingly to surround small one square orange pieces with other blocks. It annoys me a great deal, but not as much as the last three styles do.

Hot Line marks the well with horizontal lines, and you have to…well…clear lines on those lines. I think. It’s irritating as all hell, and hard to explain without saying the word ‘lines’ about three times in each sentence.

Square forces you to make 4x4 squares with blocks. If you’re anything like me you have a specific way to play Tetris, and so having to change it to make 4x4 blocks is incredibly bewildering and unwelcome.

Cascade is the final mode, and i’ll be honest here - I have no idea how to play it, as the instructions were pretty unclear. I’ll assume it’s tosh though.

Still, five rubbish ideas can’t sully the classic, proper, and traditional way to play Tetris - right?

Sadly, developer THQ somehow found a way. It’s not the gameplay that’s ballsed up though - when you’re placing blocks in a well everything is fine and dandy.

The work put into the game around the main game is lamentable though. First off, the Marathon mode ends at level 15 - that’s it. You can’t get any further, you’re just given some half-hearted congratulations and booted off the well.

To pour salt into the L-block shaped wound, there’s no sign of a high-score table. Not even a high score. I am deadly serious.

I can’t even begin to express how lazy this is, and defeats any point of playing the game as a single player.

Yes, the original Game Boy Tetris had no option to save scores - but it at least had a number you could write down based on your speed and how many Tetris’s you created. Here, you don’t even get that. Just a number of lines and levels cleared.

After these facts become clear to you, you’ll realise the presentation is quite shoddy too.

You’re never usually looking at the backgrounds, but when you do you’re greeted by the sites of stiffly animated penguins, bears, and what looks like a rejected character design of the Predator.

Even the Cube character spins uncontrollably for no reason, almost like it’s on a hallucinogen. I can’t really blame them for trying to escape this poor excuse for a Tetris game through the use of hard drugs though.

So Tetris Worlds is a pile of balls. Tetris DX on the Game Boy Color is great. Take your pick.

Search for it on eBay / On GameFAQs

'Donkey Kong Country (SNES)' Revisited

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 21:57:14 +0000

Format- SNES

Genre- 2D Platformer

I was struggling to think of a game to revisit this week, as it somehow took me longer than it should to realise that i’d been playing Donkey Kong Country all week.

Devouring my evenings, the game sucked me in until I had finally managed to bash K Rool’s scaly head in.

So talking about it here is probably a good option. Sadly I have little I can really say that hasn’t been said a million times before though.

With that in mind i’ll try to sum up what the game means to me personally. As a kid I spent a lot of time at a local childminder, who fortunately had a SNES in their possession.

On this they only had two games as far as I recall - Donkey Kong Country 1 and 2. We played the second game most of time (it is the superior title), but I remember spending many hours with the original too.

My main memories are of the hidden sections (mainly reached by cracking open walls with barrels), and the animal sections with hundreds of shimmering golden collectibles spread out as far as the eye can see.

The overiding feeling I get playing it today is that it’s hard. I’d never got much further than the Kremcroc Industries world before, and I can see why.

It’s the type of difficulty which makes you want to keep trying over and over though - levels are never too long, and there are mid-stage checkpoints. The main thing that really sticks out today in terms of unfairness is the save system.

You can only save when you reach a Candy Kong stall - and so at the start of each world (of which there are six) you have to battle through a number of stages in row to reach one, making sure you don’t lose all your lives.

Although this could never be called an enjoyable aspect of the game, it does offer up a challenge that you don’t get from many titles nowadays.

The gameplay itself is often criticised for not living up to the graphics - which still look solid today - but I personally find that’s not the case.

Rare got a reputation for making collectathons in the N64 era (Banjo Tooie and Donkey Kong 64 are the worst culprits), but here there’s little of that.

Instead levels are simply designed, and usually revolve around a specific element or gimmick.

Hurtling down a track in a minecart, flipping lights on so you can make your way across increasingly dangerous platforms, grabbing tanks of fuel to keep a conveyor moving, running away from beavers pedalling stone wheels - there’s a large number of intriguing and interesting set ups to fight your way through.

Then there are the rotating barrel stages, which surely no-one truly enjoys. Still, they’re a Donkey Kong Country staple, and there are fewer better tests of your timing and reactions.

What really makes the game is the atmosphere it manages to create though.

Donkey Kong Country 2 was the superior game, but the original really nails a consistent tone throughout - whereas the sequel was all over the place in terms of locales.

The forest levels are damp and moody, ice stages are blustery and unforgiving, factory levels cold and emotionless - with these areas improved by both the visuals and the music. Oh, that music.

All the Donkey Kong Country games have great soundtracks, and this is no exception.

Playing an underwater stage from the game with the lights off, while this music plays and the rain thunders down outside - it’s an almost indescribable experience. If I hadn’t just described it that is.

The game makes some missteps of course. Sometimes it’s hard to complete stages without trial and error, and the bosses aren’t hugely creative (two of them are repeated, which is a shame) - but Donkey Kong Country is still as playable a game as you’ll find.

It almost defines what a videogame is for me - a challenging yet fair adventure that you can lose yourself for hours in. So yes, play this if you haven’t already. Especially as they’re just about to take all the DKC titles off the Wii’s Virtual Console.

Search for it on eBay / On GameFAQs

'Thunderbirds (GBC)' Revisited

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 19:28:08 +0000

Format- GBC

Genre- Shooter

Did you expect a Thunderbirds game to be good? No? Well there’s nothing you wouldn’t expect in this revisit then. You may as well head to the exit.

For the dedicated though, i’ll continue. Thunderbirds could potentially be an enjoyable enough gaming experience.

Enough vehicles/ships are available to potentially keep things varied, and the presentation could be enjoyably light hearted and humourous considering the show was centered around puppets.

But no. The developers ballsed it up good and proper.

Nothing feels like it has been thought through - it’s rarely fun, it’s rarely clear on what you have to do, and it’s rarely interesting.

You control all the Thunderbird vehicles, and you visit a lot of different locales. But instead of these being things to help the levels become interesting, it feels as if the developers just threw them in as bullet points for the back of the box.

There’s little fun to be had, with all the levels repeating similar objectives. These usually involve either shooting a specific number of things (generators, barrels, etc) or rescuing some people.

The first stage - where you play as the red thunderbird (a quick Google tells me it’s ‘Thunderbird 3’) - is a more traditional vertical scrolling shooter, but it’s an exception to the rule.

Now the variety in perspectives (side-on, overhead, vertically scrolling) and vehicle control schemes (Thunderbird 2 has Resident Evil style tank controls, Thunderbird 1 has a Sonic-esque inertia) are promising - but the level design kills the game.

Tedious fetch quests are made hugely frustrating by the muddled stage structure. You usually have the option to press B and have an arrow point in the vague direction you’re supposed to go - but this actually takes a point away from your health bar.

This wouldn’t be too bad, but considering the often tight time limits it dampens any fun and makes things feel a chore rather than a challenge.

Add in the largely dull presentation - the ‘introduction’ is nothing but a spool of text, and grainy still images punctuate levels - and you’re left with a deeply depressing experience.

The fact that the passwords are images is a pain too - especially as they’re images of ships that sometimes look very similar.

Ultimately it’s a shame this is so unenjoyable, as some of the groundwork is set for this to be a knockabout adventure - but instead it feels a largely uninspired title that’s best avoided.

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'A Bug's Life (N64)' Revisited

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:59:09 +0000

Format- N64

Genre- 3D Platformer

You know that reputation that animated film licensed games are absolute cack? Well, A Bug’s Life is a proud member of the club that has helped to maintain that reputation.

It’s a shambolic and depressing effort, that has aged as well as an ant infested sandwich. So it hasn’t aged very well, basically.

This might not be so deflating if it wasn’t developed by Traveller’s Tales - of Lego Star Wars fame. It wasn’t like they were rubbish back then either, developing the enjoyable Toy Story on SNES/Mega Drive and Toy Story 2 on N64/Playstation.

To be fair the game doesn’t start too badly (small mercies), even though the warning signs are staring you square in the face.

The main game mechanic is growing seeds, of which there are several varieties - such as mushrooms which can be bounced on, flowers that can be jumped up and weapon/power up spawning plants.

You can upgrade these type of seeds - making the plant they create more powerful (bigger flowers, fan plants that propel you upwards, etc) by collecting different coloured medals.

Now this in itself isn’t that bad an idea. Here though it somehow only helps levels descend into a cavalcades of tedium.

What could have been a mildly interesting gameplay mechanic in the right hands turns every other level into a tedious struggle that will never fail to bring your piss to a boil.

You find yourself going back and forth using different plants to collect another medal, and then using another set of new plants to find another medal - and so on.

It’s lowest common denominator design, and wasn’t particularly engaging back in 1999.

That’s not to say every level is like this though, with some having a more linear style. They are also awful - if not worse - thanks to the game’s main issue. The controls.

You might expect the game to look awful, and it hasn’t aged well in this area (the screenshot above is a lot clearer than anything I saw) - but the slippery and imprecise controls are what really age the game.

You play as Flik the ant, who acts nothing like an ant. Instead of sticking to surfaces he slips around with some of the most irritating inertia I have ever experienced in a 3D platformer.

After he jumps he slides on the surface he lands on, and this - coupled with some jagged platform edges - makes the dull levels far more frustrating then they should be.

That’s not to say the game is difficult. Death is a rare occurrence due to a large life bar (represented by a leaf being nibbled away - a rare nice touch) and the boss fights are lacking so little threat it’s embarrassing.

A Bug’s Life just generates frustration to a lack of effort. The developers clearly didn’t care much about how the game ended up, and it shows.

Sometimes it’s small things like in the town level, where playing cards make up platforms - yet they’re all the six of hearts, which just feels cheap.

The cutscenes - if you can call them that - are just fuzzy still images with text plastered over them.

Even the attempts to vary up the game with some fast-paced chase levels (getting away from a bird, or being chased by Hopper the grasshopper) are some of the clunkiest i’ve ever seen.

A Bug’s Life is a very poor game then, and one you should have avoided back when it was released (unfortunately as a kid I wasn’t so lucky) - but it should be given an even wider birth nowadays.

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The Retro Game Review - October 2012

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 23:06:52 +0000

Welcome to the latest episode of The Retro Game Review - it has ended up being two days late, but it is the longest video yet at a mammoth 5 minutes.

This month I look at several physical releases for the Atari 2600 and 7800, a spate of re-releases and re-imaginings on iOS and Nintendo systems, and a copy of the super-rare Air Raid being uncovered.

Thanks for watching! Please do subscribe and comment if you can as well - it gives me the spark to carry on…

This episode’s links:

Atari 2600 & 7800 games from AtariAge
http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/204178-new-atari-2600-and-7800-games-ava…

Pre-order the Super Game Module for the ColecoVision
http://opcodegames.com/sgm.htm

Buy Cavity for the Philips Videopac/Magnavox Odyssey 2
http://www.revival-studios.com/?page=136

Past episodes can also be found on my YouTube channel here.

'Klax (Game Gear)' Revisited

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:50:49 +0000

Format- Game Gear

Genre- Puzzler

As I rummaged in my Game Gear case this afternoon all I seemed to pull out were ports or scaled down versions of Mega Drive titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage and Columns.

Hiding at the bottom of the case was Klax though - yet it isn’t a title that ignites any excitement for me.

This isn’t really down to the game Klax itself - although it’s hardly the greatest puzzler in the world - but largely due to the fact the Atari Lynx version is almost the definitive handheld version.

One thing from the off that seems to emphasise this is that the game starts off with the intro line of ‘It is the nineties and there is time for…Klax.’

This is hardly the most commanding of catchphrases - perhaps ‘It is the nineties and it is time for…Klax’ would be a little better.

The Klax Wikipedia page does say that this is actually the game’s normal slogan though.

Perhaps Atari Games - the title’s usual developer (this GG version was from Tengen) were still bitter about the Lynx’s demise and intentionally wanted the catchphrase to be limp for this version. Who knows.

Moving onto the actual game, the basics of Klax are fairly easy to grasp - but there is some depth to the mechanics as well.

You control a bat at the bottom of the screen, and have to grab bricks that are falling down towards you.

Once these bricks have landed on the bat you can then place them in a 5x5 well at the bottom of the screen - with the aim being to line up at least three of the same colour either horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

When you do this they disappear - with these disappearances known as klaxes.

For higher scores you must organise the bricks so that combos can be pulled off, and…well, you know this stuff already.

What’s surprising is that this is a very bare bones style title, with the only real way to play the game to play individual missions one after another.

These include having to complete a set number of klaxes, get a specific number points, have to survice a certain number of bricks, and so on.

You can select which difficulty you can start this mode on, but that’s your lot.

Options such as your bat speed, brick palette colours, or the ability to turn the dropmeter (I don’t know what this is, admittedly) on or off are available - but no other gameplay variations are here as far as I can see.

You don’t even have the option to play the game with the Game Gear on its side, like you had to in the Lynx version.

Ultimately then, this is a solid version of Klax - but if you have an Atari Lynx (anyone?) that’s the version you should play first.

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'The Simpsons: Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror' Revisited

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 19:25:33 +0100

Format- GBC

Genre- 2D Platformer

With Halloween in just a few days it seemed a good time to revisit this one.

The majority of Simpsons games aren’t much good - we all know this. They may not be much good nowadays, but they were arguably even worse ten or so years ago - on average at least.

So the fact that The Simpsons: Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror (great title guys) isn’t that bad is a little bit of a surprise.

It’s not a work of art, but is fairly solid and - most importantly of all - tries to vary things up in terms of its gameplay.

Initial impressions aren’t great however, with the game opening with a maze like level that has you collecting keys and fuses - it doesn’t exactly feel much like a Treehouse of Horror style experience, and the enemies (bats, spiders, vacuum cleaners) are disappointingly dull.

Things do improve quickly though, with the next level having you play as a part fly part Maggie hybrid. The objectives - collect a number of trinkets and flick a specific amount of switches - are humdrum, but the fact you can fly is an interesting novelty.

In the next stage you’re then playing as Marge in a top down style shooter, blasting zombies. It’s nothing sophisticated, and the weapon you have isn’t particularly satisfying to use - but it gets a thumbs up for effort.

There are then a couple of 2D stages with Homer (which I admittedly couldn’t get to) and then an interesting destruction-focused stage where you play as King Kong Homer.

In terms of the variety of locations and game styles The Simpsons: NOTLTOH is above average then - but there are more than a few things holding it back from being anything near a hidden gem.

First is the music, which is best turned down or muted altogether. More importantly though, the controls - which include an oddly floaty jump and the way you’re asked to fire the sometimes ineffectual weapons - are a little off.

Perhaps the biggest thing that can be said against the game is that it’s far too keen to fit generic fetch quests (such as the aforementioned fuses) into the levels - whereas if it removed these the game might have become a more joyous experience.

So this isn’t frightfully bad then - but neither will it have you on the edge of your seat either.

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'Adventure Island Classic' Revisited

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 22:51:00 +0100

Format- NES

Genre- 2D Platformer

A strange almost-arcade experience, Adventure Island Classic is a slightly jarring experience when you play it nowadays.

It combines both traditional 2D platformer elements and fast-paced arcade sensibilities - but makes the mistake of not quite committing to either style.

You play as a caveman who must run to the right of the screens at all times, jumping over obstacles, throwing hammers at enemies and occasionally riding a skateboard at high speeds (pictured above).

This sounds simple enough, and it is. The real threat here is your health bar (if indeed that is what it is) at the top of the screen though.

Being hit by an enemy instantly kills you (unless you’re on your skateboard or have the temporary invincibility pick up), but your health bar is decreasing constantly - and the only way to keep topping it up is by grabbing the fruit scattered throughout the stages.

[Above- The character depicted here doesn’t look too much like the in-game sprite, to say the least…]

That is all there is when it comes to the core gameplay mechanics. Each level has a different setting, but you’ll simply be making more difficult jumps and avoiding more enemies in each. The basic set up never really changes.

This does help the game to have a simple and old school charm, but it also makes it feel horribly throwaway.

It feels almost like an endless runner in the style of Canabalt or Temple Run on modern mobiles - but less polished and (thanks to it having set levels) not so focused in terms of challenging you to better your high score.

To its credit the game is well presented and there are some enjoyable moments - namely when you get the skateboard - but there are equally plenty of times when maneuvering past packs of enemies while having to keep moving can be hugely frustrating.

Adventure Island Classic is a game that probably felt a bit basic when it was released in 1992 (in Europe) then, and the last twenty years haven’t been too kind.

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'Banjo Tooie' Revisited

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 22:00:00 +0100

Format- N64

Genre- 3D Platformer

For most games I revisit on here, it might (not) surprise you that I don’t complete them (if I did during my One-A-Day period then that would have been one hell of an achievement though).

For Banjo Tooie I made an exception though, and considering it took me just under 30 hours to complete that’s no mean feat. As a result I have a fair bit to say.

One of the most notable things it that the game starts badly. The game is initially overwhelming in terms of its size and design, and makes some questionable choices in terms of fan service.

For one Gruntilda stops rhyming early on - and seeing as this was part of what made her memorable in the first game, this choice doesn’t feel quite right. She rarely talks to you as you make your way to her lair like in the first installment either.

Second and most significantly are the worlds in the game.

As in Banjo Kazooie, you unlock each of them by completing jigsaw puzzles with the jiggys you collect - of which there are 10 in each stage - but when you enter the worlds there’s a major difference to the original.

They’re far too big. Gone are the tightly designed and packed to the brim worlds of the original, and in their place sprawling locales with multiple warp pads to help you travel across them.

Maybe that was perhaps to be expected, as Rare had already made a similar design choice in Donkey Kong 64 - but it’s still disappointing.

This is largely down to the way that the levels have been packed with - for the most part - fetch quests or backtracking, rather than anything significant or fun.

Everything seems to have been done with the thinking that it’ll make a good bullet point on the back of the box - rather than working things into the game in a enjoyable or original way.

[Above- Even the box isn’t as much fun as Banjo Kazooie’s]

Banjo and Kazooie can now split up! But for the most part this just means bombarding you with new moves that you’ll use once or twice, or for ‘stand on two switches’ puzzles.

You can play as Mumbo! But you only use him to stand on magic pads, where he then does some juju in dull and protracted cutscenes.

There are more moves! But there were already enough in the first game, so these only make the experience feel even more unwieldy (having five types of eggs is ridiculous). There are several occasions when you have no idea if you need to use a move you’ll learn in future worlds to complete a challenge either, which is hugely frustrating.

Worlds connect together! This is probably the best new feature actually - along with a train which you use to travel between worlds - but not enough is done to make it clear when you need to use these links.

Then there’s the fact that every level has a transformation available (through new character Humba Wumba). This diminishes the joy of them in the first game, where they were only every other world and were a bit of a novelty.

It doesn’t help that Rare’s policy of adding googly eyes onto things reaches breaking point here. A bolt as an enemy? Really?

Despite all these missteps Banjo Tooie is still - somehow - a good game. Not as finely crafted an experience as its predecessor, but clearly a huge amount of effort has still gone into it.

Many of the challenges are brilliant, and the actual parts which actually involve you completing a challenge - rather than standing on buttons or just using a specific move for a few seconds - are great.

There are stacks of mini-games, and there are a large number of amusing and challenging bosses.

The trademark British humour from Rare is still evident too, and the unique voices each character have are usually amusing in their own right.

Levels look fantastic for the N64 as well, with some creative highlights including derranged funfair Witchyworld, the contrasting hot and colds of Hailfire Peaks, and the Mario Galaxy style Cloud Cuckooland - a series of islands set high in the sky.

Doing things in Cloud Cuckooland influences previous worlds (including a bit of distressing bit of ice cube murder), which is undeniably impressive.

It goes without saying that the soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope is jaunty and memorable too.

Ultimately though, this can’t help but feel blubbier compared to the lean but tightly designed original - and hasn’t aged as well as a result.

Reach for an online strategy guide when things get tough though - Grunty Industries is a nightmare - and you can get more than a few hours of fun out of this.

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'Virtua Tennis (GBA)' Revisited

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 20:01:49 +0100

Format- GBA

Genre- Arcade Style Tennis

I know what you’re thinking. Virtua Tennis? What can this guy possibly say about that series that hasn’t already been drilled into my ears already?

Well this is Virtua Tennis for the Game Boy Advance. The good ol’ GBA. Not your average Virtua Tennis in the arcades or home consoles - you know, the ones that were good.

No, this is some weird half house experiment that won’t please really anyone. How can you possibly resist reading on?

Anyhow, a Virtua Tennis game hasn’t been released on a Nintendo handheld before or since this one, and perhaps that’s for the best.

Initially everything’s fine. Everything’s cool and dandy. Yes, that weird men/women hybrid Serena Williams is on the box (I know she’s a good person, and does work for charity - but, well, just look at her. Actually, don’t), but still.

All the main modes you know and possibly love from other better Virtua Tennis titles are here. Tournament, Exhibition, World Tour and Options. What’s that? Options isn’t a mode? Whatever.

Sadly things take a turn for the worse as soon as the player select screen shows up.

Serena and Venus Williams are the only real life players. Who are the these people?Andrew Carter? Rolf Svensson? Robert frigging Franco?!

Where’s Federer? Where’s Marcos Baghdatis? They didn’t even attempt to make weird half likenesses of real players. Very disappointing.

As for the tennis itself, it’s very strange indeed.

The game boasts 2D visuals, but still feels like a 3D Virtua Tennis game. You’d think this would be and interesting and kind of charming, but instead it’s just a very odd and awkward experience.

As people who have played Virtua Tennis before, you’ll know the game rarely allows you to knock the ball out of play. Instead points are usually decided by outright winners or you missing the ball (usually through an error).

This works in the 3D games, but here - where everything is 2D and well defined - it feels a little off. You can’t challenge yourself to make the lines like in Super Tennis, for example.

It all feels like something classic stuffed into an ill-fitting suit. It doesn’t feel quite right.

Perhaps when it was originally released it seemed a intriguing novelty, but nowadays - when better portable iterations of the Virtua Tennis series are available - it feels more than a little irrelevant.

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