After my first post announcing my intent to reclaim (or mostly reclaim) the portion of my collection I sold off in 2007, I really began pondering the sanity of this choice. As I've said before, my collecting instincts tend towards the chaotic, where I wander the thrift and garage sale landscape picking through boxes and endless shelves of junk for something new or at least something that looks interesting. Stalking ebay, Craigslist, and forums for stuff I wanted (instead of stuff I stumbled upon) was strange and a little uncomfortable. Sure, I could do it (I did it with the C64), but could I sustain the momentum over a long period of time? Could I be happy with this? I suddenly regretted my announcement. Just looking over the pricing of some of the titles in my list made me cringe and a little claustrophobic. How was I, one of the cheapest gamers on the planet, going to get out of this?
Continue reading 2007 Collection Revival - A Great Start
In 2007 I sold off a portion of my collection to fund my exit from Ford Motor Company. Part of the reason was due to the impending loss of over 50% of my wages as I went back to college to better myself (courtesy of the Ford Glass House). I remember the process being very easy and clinical. I pretty much cherry-picked most of the expensive stuff in my collection and sold it in a combination of ebay and to employees at the assembly plant I worked at. At the time selling that stuff was necessary, so I didn't let it bother me much. However, some of it was... painful.
Well, all that is past me now. I've thought long and hard and I've decided to try and reclaim part of it. I say part because I don't have any accurate records of exactly what I sold off, so I don't have any real idea of the scale of what I am getting into. Sure, I remember a good chunk of it, but I'll never remember exactly what games I had for the original Xbox, SMS, or PSX, but I do remember the big stuff (as well as some of the little stuff). Due to my inability to remember everything I'm going to treat this as a living document, and add to it as I remember, which is an almost daily occurrence.
Okay, enough of the why. Time for the how. I've set to compile a spreadsheet showing which games and consoles I remember having, how much they go for now, and if I want to pursue acquiring them again. My plan is to replace as much as is feasibly possible that I have listed on my 2007 spreadsheet, with some changes allowed here and there that will hopefully reduce some of the cost (getting Dragon Quest IV on NDS instead of Dragon Warrior IV on NES, for example). Some things I just won't be able to get back due to rarity (the Funcoland SOTN pre-order Music CD) and some of it I just don't feel the need to acquire again (Timex Sinclair 2068)
Outside of that I really don't have much of an idea how to progress. When I normally collect I don't do it with anything in mind. In fact, until I went on my hunt for C64 stuff most of my collection gathering was done by casually wandering into a game shop, thrift store, or garage sale with the goal of maybe buying something related to gaming. Now I apply what I learned during my sales stint with my current employer: gather pricing information in a targeted market, create fair market value statistics for that market, and purchase. On ebay there is a great deal of patience needed, as price fluctuations occur for seemingly no reason. One can view an item that sold for only a few dollars and only a few moments later ten or twenty times that price.
So what am I up against, you ask?
A2600
Blueprint
*Demon Attack
GB/GBC
*Final Fantasy Adventure
*Link's Awakening
*Metal Gear Solid (GBA)
GC
The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition
GEN
Might and Magic: Gates To Another World
Outlander
Todd's Adventures in Slime World
Warriors of the Eternal Sun
N64
?Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64, getting XBOX instead)
NES
Blaster Master
Destiny of an Emperor
Dragon Warrior III
?Dragon Warrior IV (Replacing with Quest IV on NDS)
*Final Fantasy III (JP)
Ghengis Khan
Guardian Legend
?Hillsfar
*Hydlide
*King's Knight
?NES Top Loader
Nobunaga's Ambition
Shingen the Ruler
Spelunker
PS2
Dark Cloud
Dark Cloud 2
Document of Metal Gear Solid
*Dropship
Gungriffon
I-Ninja
?Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (Metal Gear Collection might be a better choice)
?Namco Museum (Getting 50th on XBOX instead)
Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song
*Seek & Destroy
PSP
Activision Reloaded
EA Replay
Legend of Heroes
Legend of Heroes II
Legend of Heroes III
Namco Museum Battle Collection
Popolocrois
Sega Genesis Collection
Silent Hill Experience
PSX (looking over PS lists for additional titles)
Alundra 2
Arc the Lad Complete
*Blaster Master Blasting Again
Bushido Blade
Dragon Warrior 7
Front Mission 2 (JP)
Front Mission 3
Legend of Mana
Lunar The Eternal Blue Complete
Lunar The Silver Star Complete
Metal Slug (JP)
SaGa Frontier
SaGa Frontier 2
Threads of Fate
SAT
D
Grandia (JP)
King of Fighters '96 (JP)
Shining Wisdom
Three Dirty Dwarves
SMS
Sega Master System (Original)
(going through the VG Bible now to determine games)
SNES
Dungeon Master
?Earthbound
Inindo
Lagoon
Outlander
Populous
Soul Blazer
U.N. Squadron
Uncharted Waters
*Zelda: A Link to the Past
XBOX
*Breakdown
Conker Live & Reloaded
*Gunvalkyrie
MechAssault
MechAssault 2
Mercenaries
Metal Arms
Otogi
Otogi 2
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Simpson's Hit & Run
ToeJam and Earl III
The asterisk is there for games that I've already purchased or will be soon (I've been slowly adding to this article for a bit now), and the question marks are things that I may not get. Also, I don't necessarily want everything in that list, but rather just copied and pasted it from my spreadsheet. I'm going to create a new folder in my collection that will house the final list of games, then add and cull from at my leisure (also extremely useful while on the go with the RFG app). I might keep the spreadsheet for cost analysis, but I doubt it.
Now the acquisition. The cheap, low hanging fruit seems the smartest to get first (NES, Xbox, PSP, Gen), although I am trying to keep a close eye out for good deals for some of the pricier games (the Working Designs games, for example). What do you guys think?
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Posted on Feb 11th 2014 at 08:17:34 PM by ( bombatomba) Posted under C64 |
Note: I procrastinated far too long in putting this together - well over a week. It kind of bums be out since this was something I wanted to do for quite a while now. Anyway, I've since moved ahead with another "project," which I hope to put in my blog soon. Until then, this is the last of the "My Hunt of C64" blog entries.
I got a bunch more stuff from ebay, one part being an actual working C64 from an auction where it was listed as "dead." I was extremely excited, and immediately commenced to playing what games I had (on cartridge and tape, that is). Shortly after I received a C64 care package from our own Nupoile, then more gaming commenced. My current favorite controller is the Atari 2600 clone that comes with the Atari Flashback 3. It's basically a VCS controller with a bit more "give" in the movement, allowing for more gaming with less soreness (something that I've always had trouble with the original VCS joysticks).
From Nupoile:
Epyx Fast Load Cartridge
Radar Rat Race
Kickman
Frog Master
Speed Bingo/Math
From ebay and other sources:
1x Commodore 64 Breadbox (gray function keys)
1x C64 PSU
3x joysticks
1x 300ohm switch box
Tooth Invaders (loose)
Kickman (box and manual only)
Frogger (Parker Brothers, game and box)
Popeye (CIB)
Q Bert (CIB)
Skyfox (CIB)
Curse of the Azure Bonds (CIB)
Flight Simulator II (CIB)
The Captive (CIB)
The Magic Candle (disks only)
Times of Lore (disk only)
Since a good chunk of NA C64 games are on disk, I decided to invest in a working disk drive. After a bit of patience and research I managed to find someone who had several 1571 disk drives and was willing to return if needed (a requirement) and made the purchase. Unfortunately over the course of a week I went through this person's stock of disk drives before we discovered that none of them worked. However, this person was extremely understanding and gave me my money back (though he didn't want the drives back). Kind of sucky but at least I only lost time. Also I have some really great cartridge and tape games to jam on (Radar Rat Race and Tooth Invaders are extremely interesting, while I plan on making the music in Forbidden Forest a ringtone on my phone).
So is this the end of my C64 journey? The short answer is no. There are more than a few titles that I would like to get my grubby mitts on (Spare Change, Demon Attack, Blueprint, Jumpman, etc.), but I can say that the kind of mindless buying-spree I was on just recently is officially over. I have learned a lot of lessons about the C64 and even old computers in general. But I'm not done. There are just too many great games on the platform that I want to play.
First I would like to say that I have not gone to the pawns, though I did visit a few thrifts. After sifting through the tape bins, the vinyl (for old EA jacket-style cases), the books and magazines, the keyboard bins, looking through the "dump" shelves, and getting the cashiers to let me look through the games (reluctantly they do so) I didn't find anything. Not so bad, as I didn't think I would find success quickly.
I got a C64 (pictures coming in Small Scores, tonight or tomorrow, I swear!). Actually two from the same person along with a dataset, a 1541 (also working), as well as some tapes, books, and disks. I was told it previously belonged to a collector, and I could have the lot for a decent price. I snapped it up and took it home, brimming with excitement. Do you see where this is going? Well, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. After the kiddies were asleep I had a closer look at my new stash. Broken down:
1x CIB C64 Breadbox (gray function keys)
1x loose C64 Breadbox w/ no power supply (gray function keys)
1x Data.Corder (off-brand dataset)
1x 1541 Disk Drive with serial cable, Demo disk, and operators booklet
4x tapes (three games and one xx)
2x disks marked "Game Disk 1" and "Game Disk 2"
4x financial productivity programs (two unopened)
2x 300ohm switch box
1x 75ohm converter
1x Book called, "Commodore 64 Troubleshooting & Repair Guide" (guides and schematics)
Assorted programming books
First thing I opened the CIB C64, plugged it in, and power it in. I was greeted by the expected C64 screen with very strange flashing, multicolored text. Hmm. I plugged in the dataset and queued up Forbidden Forest. After the expected amount of time the game loaded and I started playing. The screen exibited the same flashing text as well as some sprites which slightly obscured the action. Hmm. The Internet suggests either a bad power supply (very common), or bad graphics chips. The power supply can be replaced, but I was cautioned against this, as most C64 power supplies are now serious fire hazards that tend to fry their own hardware. The chip is currently beyond my ability to fix. Not great in my case, really.
I decided to try the 1541 next. After reading the booklet I hooked it up and got it ready. Loading up a disk gave me a FILE NOT FOUND error. A quick Google suggested a drive alignment problem, a drive head that needs cleaning, or a mixture of both. That's fine, as I can do this quite simply. To be honest I didn't expect the drive to work, and had thought about investing later in a SD2IEC, which will solve the problem of the drive going out again while still providing realistic loading times (i.e., slow) for the disks. The only problem is this things must be imported from the UK and with shipping will cost about $80 USD. Does anyone experience with importing from Europe? Should I expect import taxes? At any rate this is a ways off.
Onto the second C64: I figured the only reason a person would have more than one C64 was because one was broken. I wasn't disappointed. Upon powering up the system throws a "Out of Memory at 0" error. The Internet suggests either bad RAM chips or a bad PLA. Either requires tools and skills that I do not currently possess (though from that I gather it's not hard). I did notice that the text does not flash colors like the other C64. Hmm.
I decided to call the person I bought the lot from. She was very nice, but firm on no returns, which was a little disappointing. In retrospect I imagine when she said working she meant it powers on. Well, that is my fault for not listening to the Lazy Game Reviewer and not buying from a collector I know. It also turns out the previous collector was her father, which judging by the age of the seller likely means this is stuff that belonged to a dead guy. Luckily I don't believe in that sort of thing, but still is a bit creepy (pasta).
With this information in hand I decided to really start looking for solutions. Turns out that the C64 community is quite thrifty and extremely resourceful. I came to this conclusion after reading through many forums where people recommend completely rebuilding stock C64 Breadbox power supplies, as well as nonchalantly telling each other to check the 4164 IC with the oscilloscope. Possible solutions would be to replace the RAM in the "Bad RAM?" unit with the RAM in the "Flashing Text" unit (assuming the RAM is the problem). At any rate, I will have another unit inbound within the week (also broken, but with a "humming" PSU, so who knows).
Conclusion? Well, I don't really have one quite yet (too early in the game). I will admit I am a little bummed out that both C64s are busted (maybe), but at least I got to load up a game (on tape!). I did manage to come up with a short list of possible next steps to help focus my efforts:
Possible next step #1: Sell broken C64s on ebay. This would allow me to partially recoup my losses and move forward to getting a working unit. In this scenario I would next be purchasing from a collector (whom is alive), so I could at least expect the system to work. I would also look into rebuilding C64 PSUs and purchase a soldering iron. Later, though. After I played some games first.
Possible next step #2: Purchase a soldering iron to fix at least one of the C64s. This will end up costing a bit more up front (a okay iron will cost $50) with no guaranteed returns. Especially if I nuke all three units. However, this could end up being better in the long run, as I could possible end up with three working systems. Seems unlikely, but who knows? Especially since I have that C64 repair guide. This step would have me playing my purchased games via the Vice emulator whilst working on a solution. Not ideal, but at least I will get to play some games.
Possible next step #3: I suppose a pessimistic person would have "give up" as their third step. Since I'm a realist I will put no such thing, and will instead simply put, "We shall see."
Thanks for reading.
I never owned a Commodore 64 (C64). I knew of the C64 back in the days of old, but it was that magical machine that took a long time to load up Blue Max, which was the only game that the kid across the street played (look but don't touch for me). Back in the days of yore I was a seriously minded arcade monkey. I didn't have any home systems save the O^2 and an Atari VCS and quite frankly didn't want anymore. My eternal hunt for more returnable bottles consumed the time not spent playing arcade games or running for my geeky life from bullies. I didn't have time to wait for Blue Max to load. Sure, there was something hypnotic about the sound the drive made, or that the games came on these thin disks, but nothing that could keep me from Tempest or Berzerk.
Fast forward until now and currently I have eight tabs open in Chromium: four for eBay (showing the newly listed games, the games I am bidding/watching, and the games ending soonest), two for RF Gen (one for this window and another in the database), and two displaying several homegrew accessories and options. All are related to the C64. The funny thing is that I can't really explain why I like this system so much. Is is possible for a person to be nostalgic for a system he/she never had or even really played? Apparently so. Personally I blame all that Retro Gamer Magazine I used to read, though I guess I should be grateful I never latched onto the Speccy in the same way, else I'd really be up a creek.
Anyways, on an almost yearly basis I get itchy for a C64. Normally it passes and I move on, but for some reason I decided to move forward and begin seeking out a C64 and it's gaming accessories (disk drive, data set). The only question is price and availability. For price I decided to draw up some metrics from eBay, as this seemed to easiest way to come up with a general fair market value. After all, I do this all the time at my work (computer remarketer), so how would this be any different? Turns out the answer is the difference between night and day. First, buyers on eBay seem to not discriminate the functonality of the item and will seemingly pay random amounts of money on stuff in auctions that were pulled from attics, garages, and basements with no hope of return if it doesn't work. I can't imagine doing that myself, so I gave up after only an hour of creating a spreadsheet and decided to leave eBay for software only. The price would just have to come to me in the wild, I reasoned. Plus, I get to keep it local, avoiding costly shipping fees for now.
So, with a new plan under my belt I approached the most prolific thrifter I know. Turns out he had beat me to the punch, and decided to make C64 stuff part of his regular rounds after hearing me blather on about the C64 once or twice. Despite the amount of time he'd spent looking the local and semi-local thrifts, he'd not seen one piece of C64 hardware or software. In six months. Or anytime in the near-past up to the time he threw away his broken C64, which was a decade ago. I don't mind sharing that this revalation took some serious wind from my sails. Still, spurred by the amazing myriad of games I saw on Youtube I decided to shift plans.
Normally about this time a normal person would have turned to Cragslist, and indeed I did. Managed to find a C64 for a nice price. The only problem is that my wife has expressly forbidden me to use Craiglist, due to some secondhand information from a friend who treated a stab wound victim related to Craigslist. And since I gotta keep Momma happy, I stay away from Craigslist (though it doesn't stop me from attempting to bribe my friends to get it for me, thus creating a loophole).
My new plan would continue to ask my friend to keep a close eye out whilst I try to hit the thrifts that he doesn't hit (or I think he doesn't hit). I have a strategy to look at the staff at the thirft and make a judgement call about my lieklyhood of finding stuff in that store. I'll supliment this when it warms up by hitting garage sales manned by old people and ask them as well as trying to make friends with the video game horder at the sort of local flea market. From what I understand he pretty much scoops up all the game related inventory from within the flea market, leaving little bits of sad scrap with crazy prices attached to it ($100 loose VCS with tangled cords, anyone?). Who knows, maybe I'll even venture into a pawm for the first time.
Next: Pawn shops and (more) Thrift stores!
Good afternoon all and welcome to the Observatory. I was listening to the latest episode of the Bomb Cast and heard something that caught my... ear, I guess. Hello Games, makers of such games as Joe Danger and Joe Danger 2, announced on the Spike Video Game Awards (re-branded as VGX), have decided to branch out from their roots to build a procedurally generated Adventure/Space Exploration game in the vein of... well, nothing. Well, it's sort of like Noctis, but there is also combat and what appears to be a very immersive galaxy filled with players (which is supposedly the actual size of a galaxy). I guess it's also a bit like a 3D version of A.N.N.E. in that you can freely move between in and outside of your ship (but without the awesome platforming), and... Never mind, here's the trailer.
There are games that do offer this type of depth, but of a sorts. Games such as Frontier, Noctis, Evocron, and BC3K let you descend to a planet and land (and in some cases disembark), but nothing quite on the scale of No Man's Sky, where it seems to offer the kind of planetary depth you find within an Elder Scrolls game, but with the ability to get into your spacecraft and ascend into space and travel interplanetary distances.
Needless to say I am very excited, though there are things that certainly make me a bit wary to jump onto the hype wagon after the crushing disappointment of X: Rebirth, and there are suggestions that this might not get an initial PC release, but still, the possibilities.
For those that feel like visiting the Spike website, they have posted the interview with Sean Murray, the Managing Director of Hello Games. It's short but enlightening. There is also some info on the 12/10/2013 episode of the Bombcast on Giant Bomb (right around 2:15:00, I think).
The game is still early, and there is pretty much no info about other than the sources I cited, which leaves pretty much everything else for speculation. Will this be the generation where we get a space sim release on the PS4 and/or XBone only? To early to call it, me thinks. What do you guys think?
[img width=700 height=437]http://imageshack.us/a/img51/9200/7q05.png[/img]
Long ago the land was conquered by the Drakkhen, which are large and slightly anthropomorphic draconian beings. Now their age is at an end, with the last being slain by a wayward knight. Or has it? A mysterious island is discovered containing a final holdout for Drakkhen princes and princesses, whom are rapidly raising armies to re-conquer the world. Naturally, the best thing to do is to send four mysterious neophyte adventurers to the island, which is laid over with hostile creatures and beasts (not counting the Drakkhen soldiers), with the hopes that war can be averted and the land brought back to peace.
Or rather, that is the best that I can ascertain from the short story in the manual of the PC version, which is full of what looks suspiciously like translation errors (which makes sense if you take into account the French origins of the game).
Drakkhen was always a bit of an oddity on the SNES. While it was marketed as an RPG, it clearly had more in common with what was happening on the 16-bit computers than the burgeoning 16-bit console market. With a mix of first-person, third-person, and some classic PC adventure elements, it was no doubt a turn-off to many would-be purchasers (despite having a photo on the illustrious SNES porn-like photo spread in issue 26 of Nintendo Power). While it's origins are on the Western 16-bit computers (Amiga and Atari ST, and later the DOS), something about the game really grabbed onto the Japanese imagination, where it was ported to no less than three different computers and one console: the FM Towns, x68000, PC-98, and finally the SNES (respectively). Surprisingly, the game play was largely untouched in the Japanese ports (save a few much needed refinements), though a great deal of (for the most part) excellent music was added, which really adds a sense of wonder and atmosphere to the Western originals. So after a great deal of research (even for me) I think I can identify the definitive versions of Drakkhen: the DOS port (best graphics) and the SNES port (for music and controls). Also, it just so happens that I now have both of those games...
[img width=700 height=437]http://imageshack.us/a/img818/6105/jir3.png[/img]
Like many of you, I was ultimately only familiar with the SNES version, and although I've never shied away from indulging occasionally in abadonware, through some strange coincidence I've never played the DOS version until now (although I've dipped into the CRPG Addict's playthrough). This will be my first actual playthrough. Thanks again, slackur! I didn't really intend this to be a versus, but since this my first real exposure to the DOS port (and likely most of yours), I'd like to point out some of the differences.
(Before we start, I'd like to apologize for the audio. I'm forced to use a desktop video capture until I can recover my FRAPs key. Sorry again!)
The first things I noticed were the graphics and the music. Research showed that most of the DOS versions are actually 16 color CGA, while through some quirk the version gifted to me by slackur was the 256 color VGA. Oddly enough the CGA port is the most colorful, while the VGA has a great amount of detail. Still, I wasn't ready for how detailed the DOS port was as compared to the SNES, especially considering the length of time between the DOS port and the SNES one (1989 for the DOS port and 1992 for the SNES one).
The sound is a different matter altogether. Where the SNES varies between bass-slapping synth-funk (character selection) and single keyboard dreamy compositions (pretty much everything else), the DOS version features more atmospheric music that is more typical of music found in DOS games during the early 90's. So, pretty much on the level in 1989 but not nearly as good as what would happen on the SNES.
Now for game play, where the biggest variance is. In both versions you roam the overworld in first-person, switching to a third-person mode when encountering either a random battle or a structure to enter. Once inside a structure or dungeon you can only move one of your party at a time, but you can choose whether this will move the one character from room to room or the whole party. It's a little awkward at first, but you get used to it quickly. Or you'll quit.
In the SNES version things run fairly smooth. Controlling with the SNES pad is easy with only a bit of awkwardness. Through use of clues gained from conversation and the in-game map and compass finding your next destination is pretty much a snap. In fact, once you've got the controls down and gotten a few levels under your belt (and learned how to run from battles), the game is pretty easy, and shouldn't take more than 5-10 hours.
The DOS version in comparison is incredibly brutal. No map, no compass. Basic directions are given and the player navigates directions by using the sun. In fact, the game pretty much tells you how things will be during the first few minutes, for if you head towards a structure in the distance after rolling your characters you notice a castle and drawbridge surrounded by a moat. Circling the castle in the moat is a shark. You will likely end up with a dead party at least two times until you get the timing of the shark down. In fact, even if you make it past the shark you will end up with a dead party multiple times before getting more than a few rooms into the castle! However despite all that, I keep booting the DOS version back up. There is just something about the game that keeps bringing me back, making me try different tactics to progress into new areas.
So in conclusion I hope I might have turned a few heads. Both versions of the game are pretty affordable, with the SNES version being the cheapest. Ebay prices seem to be around $6 or $7 (with shipping) with a complete version costing an additional $10. The DOS version is a little bit more, with copies either being in 5.25" or 3.5" disks, or CD-ROM (usually in part of a collection). Prices tend to be around $20 - $30. The best version is the VGA version, which is either on CD-ROM or 3.5" disk (I think), so go for that one if you can.
Now for some legal-ese. For all intents and purposes the DOS version of Drakkhen is abandonware, which if you are not familiar is just a blanket term for certain games that have either been forgotten by the copyright owners or just negligent towards enforcement. It's a little hard to tell, but it looks like Infogrames is still the rights holder for Drakkhen. I don't imagine this will end up on GoG any time soon, as the SNES port was really the darling version for most Western gamers. Still, if you download this game from an abandonware site be forewarned: Pretty much every version that these sites have is the EGA/CGA version, which I'm pretty sure is a rip of the of the 5.25" version of the game. It's still the game (and watercolored in CGA), but the detail and animation in the VGA are worth getting a copy if you really want to play it instead of taking it for a test drive.
Well, there it is. I've been procrastinating on doing this game for years now, and it I think it finally took slackur's gift to finally nudge me forward.
(I started this one a while ago, but I only came back to revise it after reading about Crab's "Unloved" series. You gotta bring that back, man.
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[img width=510 height=447]http://imageshack.us/a/img685/7343/csqtitle.jpg[/img]
Every game series seems to have a black sheep; a game that while may not be all together bad, is generally looked down upon compared to the rest of the series. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (CSQ) is not one of those games. Being an example of early non-linear game design on the NES, CSQ is packed with features that are commonplace in modern gaming, such as a day/night cycle, towns with conversant NPCs (who retreat indoors during the night), and a fair-sized world fully realized in 2D with no overworld movement. While the game certainly wasn't alone in the non-linear arena during it's day, it was certainly one of the more unique ones, featuring a story that is, well, dark and bleak.
[img width=510 height=447]http://imageshack.us/a/img580/6585/csqcurse.jpg[/img]
The game finds Simon Belmont, protagonist of the first Castlevania game, broken and wounded from his battle with Count Dracula. Seven years have passed, and the land has become a cursed place, full of roaming monsters and zombies. Transylvania's only hope is for Simon to take up his whip again, gather the scattered parts of Dracula, resurrect and destroy him once and for all.
What actually follows this is several parts unconventional game design and several parts bad translation (which in my opinion is the games worst "feature"). While the game has some typical "Engrish" statements that were common during the early days of the NES, CSQ's translation made the game quite difficult to beat, as the hints provided by certain townsfolk often made no sense, though in an interview on G Wie Gorilla one of the series creators, Koji Igarashi, revealed that the townspeople were "liars", deliberately dolling out bad information to an unsuspecting Simon (and CSQ players as well). Still, despite this the game remains very playable even to this day, possessing an atmosphere of doom that has never really been duplicated again in the series.
As far as game design is concerned, CSQ took many of the arcade-style aesthetics of the first Castlevania and "Nintendo-fied" them. Remember whipping candles to get weapons? In CSQ weapons have to be bought or found, with a few are in hidden locations. The points system is also gone (which served nothing more than providing extra lives anyways) and since the game world is linked together in a non-linear fashion, there are no traditional level bosses, opting instead for a design similar to Metroid, but with less verticality.
[img width=508 height=447]http://imageshack.us/a/img18/2741/csqengrish.jpg[/img]
Over the years CSQ has taken quite a critical pounding, and in some respects the critics are right. There are many flaws CSQs design that, in retrospect, may have been bad choices. The lack of direction, for example, can leave the player wandering the environments in confusion. One clue, the notorious "Deborah's Cliff" clue, requires the player to do... Well, no spoilers, I guess. Pundits have blamed the translation, though re-translation of the original Japanese game has revealed most clues add nothing helpful. Another common theme amongst haters is the difficulty, or lack thereof. In fact, once one figures out the vague clues provided by NPCs and found all the relevant hidden items, the game is ridiculously easy (though it will still take you a couple of hours to beat), with much of the remaining difficulty in either enemies taking advantage of Simon's "knock-back" flaw (that could drop you in the drink multiple times in a screen) or the strangely large amount of false blocks throughout the games' mansions. Also, things can be a bit grindy. In order to progress you will have to "farm" hearts (currency, remember) from enemies, which can take a while. In the first town alone you will need 200 hearts to purchase the required items (you start with 50). Granted, after the first mansion you'll have plenty of hearts, but if you have to continue you'll loose all of them (even though you respawn wright where you died). Yet even with that, in my opinion, CSQ manages to hold up better over time than the original Castlevania (and in some respects, better than Castlevania III) due to its original design.
So I beg of you, especially if you carry either an old grudge from childhood or one based on some no-talent dink from Youtube (*cough* angrynintendonerd *cough*) take another look. Approach it with an open mind old school-style (maybe even get paper and a pencil and make maps with notes) and if you do so, I think you'll find that CSQ is worth more than a short look by even the most jaded gamer.
One of my most favorite bored-at-work activities I enjoy doing is something I like to call "RFG Time Machine," which I named after the Wayback Machine Internet Archive (one of my favorite game-info research tools). For someone like me who has only been here a few years (though not active during large swaths of that time) this is a great opportunity to have a look back at the posts of past members as well as read into the trends of yesterday.
So how does one access the RFG Time Machine? I imagine there are many ways to do so, but I will simply go to the Edit Entries of the My Blog section of the website. Click on My Saved Drafts, and if you have a saved draft in that page, click on one of your headlines. You'll see your article draft pasted over a blog post of another RFG member, along with the replies (if any), that went along with it. It appears to be randomized as to whose blog and which post you appear over, but I do tend to see repeats. I think it helps that I have more than ten drafts saved.
How is this fun? If you look over to the right panel, you will see the Hot Entries for the blog post your draft is pasted over. The current one for one of my drafts is this one penned by Sirgin about Mega64 (which tragically no one commented on). Good stuff. Weird and sometimes embarassing (as only Mega64 can be), but still good stuff. Another quick one is this July 2009 look at Civ IV by logical123, who was a prolific blogger throughout 2009, but sadly has not written since (unless they were lost in the Great Database Crash). I also enjoyed most of his other articles, which I recommend.
Okay, so maybe I didn't show you something you would have though of as fun, but come on, at least it was interesting right? I know, I could have found stuff easier by looking through the Blogs themselves, but why? I primarily do it for the moment of discovery, which is also why I collect (and why I sometimes even play what I collect). So even if you have been here a while, take a look back. You might rediscover something you have forgotten, be it friend or moment.
Hello, everyone. Like many of you, I was pretty excited to see the Genre restructuring project when it was announced here on RFG. Once I got a look, I was a little worried. The Genre that contains many of my favorite games, the Space Sim genre, was absent. Suggestions and points proved fruitless and I was rebuffed. It seemed that the Vehicular Combat genre was destined to hold my beloved Space Sim games, no matter how strongly I felt about it. Once stopped and thought about the situation a bit more, I realized I may have been too hasty. Why don't you sit down for a moment. Pull up a chair, and I'll explain where I stand: Why the Space Sim doesn't work well as a genre, and why I think there should be a bit more clarity.
From this point on I could blab on about early Star Trek games and even Space Wars, but instead I'd like to focus on the two roots of the Space Sim genre, which are Star Raiders and Elite.
[img width=300 height=394]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Star-raiders-game-manual-cover.jpg[/img]
Star Raiders was originally released for the Atari 8-bit in 1979. You piloted a ship, the Atarian fighter, as you attempt to destroy the Zylon fleets before they destroy your space stations. The ship is controlled from the first-person for combat and hyperspace jumps, and you can switch to a grid map to help navigate between different points. All you have to do is hyperspace jump from sector to sector, destroying Zylon ships as you go. The game is fun and very straightforward, and is still very playable (even on the original Atari 8-bit).
While the influence can be felt more on the NES title, Star Voyager, than any other game, the influence can be seen in the LucasArts space combat games (X Wing, Tie Fighter), the main Wing Commander series, and Starlancer. The focus of such games have always action-oriented, though story elements and character development began creeping in during the early nineties, even as the original "exploration" elements were taken out. Was this the right decision? Probably not, in my opinion, but it certainly helped refine the genre.
So while these games are still generically referred to as Space Sim games (sometimes as a Space Combat Sim), they would fit quite neatly in the Vehicular Combat genre (maybe under a Space genre, given that so many of them take place in outer space).
[img width=480 height=598]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/Elite_org_cover.jpg[/img]
Elite, considered by some to be the first real example of a modern space sim, was released for the BBC Micro and Electron in 1984. While the game had plenty of stuff to blow up, you could also trade items (the manual often refers to your ship as a trading vessel) and engage in illegal activities, such as piracy. There are a total of 8 galaxies, 256 planets located in each galaxy to travel to, each with their own space station (and each randomly generated). While there is a main story (which in some cases requires you to literally go looking for it), there are also many other side missions and things to do. You can even skim fuel from the surface of a star!
From there things branched off. Unlike the games that where influenced by Star Raiders, there are many games in this genre that are not played from the first-person, but rather from a top-down view. Games such as Sundog, Starflight, and Star Control II, follow this trend. There are also hybrid games such as Space Rogue. Later titles include Wing Commander: Privateer, the Freelancer series, the X series, the Evochron series, and many more. Games such as the Battlecruiser series, Universal Combat, and Dark Star One share some trading elements from Elite, but tend to be more combat related that the others.
Games from this branch also tend to be referred to as Space Sim games, but are usually tagged with something like Trade, or Exploration. Me, I think the Sandbox is a little bit more accurate, given that freedom of movement and actions are a big part of what you can do (similar to the GTA and Elder Scrolls games).
Now, for those that are willing to endure it, I would like to share my personal journey through the Space Sim genre. The games included are only games that I have played, and following each synopsis I include what subgenre of Vehicular Combat I think it belongs in: Vehicular Combat (Space) or Vehicular Combat (Sandbox).
Game: Star Voyager
Platform: NES
Year Played: 1990
Star Voyager was the first game I rented, and my first experience with a non-Nintendo created game on the NES. To those taking notes you'll notice this game bears a very strong resemblance Star Raider (featured above), though certain functions had to be simplified for the NES controller (for the better, in my opinion). Regardless of that, the game, without a manual, is pretty much impenetrable, and even with guidance it can seem a little too abstract. You fly around through space, doing hyperspace jumps from area to area, fighting enemies while you search for upgrades to your shields and weapons. Not much, but still fun. On a personal level, this was the game that got me into space sim games. (Thanks for the vid, Crab)
Game: Star Trek
Platform: Arcade
Year Played: 1990
This was the first title I sought out after my experience with Star Voyager (at a local arcade called Red Baron). Oddly enough it was very similar to Star Voyager, though it was very limited in scope (though it takes nothing from the game itself). The vector graphics are great, however, though it certainly helped that I was a big Star Trek fan. The game? You fly around in space, blowing up Klingons with vector phasers. Good stuff.
Final Verdict: Vehicular Combat (Space)
Game: Star Control II
Platform: DOS
Year Played: 1992
While this game does have a versus combat mode, the main mode is very much a sandbox title. You follow a human survivor as he gathers up allies to battle the hated Ur-Quan Empire, explore a massive starmap filled to the brim with planets, converse with strange aliens, mine and sell materials, land on planets, and do a bit of ship combat as you progress. That part is particularly fun, as there are more than ten ships to fly (each representing a particular race), with each ship having a primary and secondary attack option. What sucked is that my friend who owned Star Control II would never let me play the sandbox mode unless I could beat him in the versus mode (extremely rare). Nonetheless, this only fueled my fire to go further down the rabbit hole. Great game. (Skip to 3:13 for the gameplay)
Final Verdict: Vehicular Combat (Sandbox)
Game: Wing Commander
Platform: SNES
Year Played: 1993
In the past this game was called a space sim, though later reclassified as a space combat sim. It follows the exploit of a group of combat pilots aboard the space carrier Tiger's Claw during the Kilrathi Wars. While the focus of the game is on space combat, there is quite a bit of story in between missions, allowing you to talk with many your fellow pilots as well as take a few turns on the combat sim machine. While some compain that the SNES version is dumbed down from the original PC title, I found the simplification of the controls refreshing and much more playable.
Final Verdict: Vehicular Combat (Space) (though can be quite sim-my)
Game: Starflight
Platform: Genesis
Year Played: 1994
A heavily enhanced port of a DOS game released in 1986, Starflight is arguably the most influential game for the Space sim genre outside of Elite. You hire and train a crew, take control of a derelict space ship from the future, and are tasked with saving the galaxy. Ahead of you thousands of planets and hundreds of thousands of planets, most of which can be landed on. From that point the choice is yours: Do you want to pursue the ends to the story? There are clues. Mine for precious minerals to upgrade your ship and lander? They are out there for the taking. My last time playing it I mined, upgraded my ship, loaded up with fuel and went off to explore the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
A ton of fun (and the reason I bought a Genesis!). A game that I still like to play every year or so and still manage to get a ton of play out of.
Final Verdict: Vehicular Combat (Sandbox)
Game: Universal Combat
Platform: PC
Year Played: 2004
Starflight managed to tide me over for almost a decade, but at some point I was hungry for more. Not just any sim would do, I needed something where I could explore, mine, trade, and fight (if necessary). A bit of research and I was pointed to a sale at Gamestop for two games promising the deliver.
Focusing on the advertisement, you will find the game promises multiple careers, stories, ships, and a large galaxy with over 1000 points of interest. Explore, mine, trade, and shoot at stuff. You can even land on a planet, set your mining vehicle on auto, and just run around like a goof and shoot at stuff. You can also pilot a massive battlecruiser and attack space stations. Sounds great, right? There is one tiny problem. The game is almost impenetrable from a gamer standpoint. The foldout Quick Reference chart, which contains a massive amount of information, must be memorized if you are even to fly from planet to planet. The HUD contains a massive amount of information, requires a military-level mindset to even begin to tackle. Don't know what the PEP is or why the light is flashing red instead of orange? You'll have to know to play the damn game. But that isn't even the games greatest sin, in my eyes. While options exist to explore, mine, and trade, there simply is no reason to do so, as all there is to do is to fly around, land on stuff, look at stuff, and then piss off an attacking ship and die. I hate this game.
Final Verdict: Vehicular Combat (Space) (it has sandbox elements, but the focus is on combat alone)
Game: X Series (X2, X3, Terran Conflict, Albion Prelude)
Platform: PC
Year Played: 2005-Current
This series is the reason I am writing this article. I stumbled across X2 on by accident on a Target clearance rack, and the rest was history. At first glance this title series might be mistaken for a combat sim with story elements (similar to Wing Commander), but once you start playing (and understanding the game) you start to see different. While there is a story (and in some cases more than one), the real meat-and-potatoes of this game is in the freedom. Want to trade? There is a massive economy and scores of different items to trade with, from wheat and energy cells to illegal items (drugs and slaves). Explore? There are over two hundred sectors, connected by jumpgates, some with hidden ships out in the fringes. Be a police officer? Get a police license (each of the five races has one) and patrol sectors, earning reward money for blowing up pirates and exposing smugglers. You can make money just transporting people across sectors (with the right ship setup). Later on you can assemble entire fleets of ships, organize and hire pilots to do trading runs automatically for you (my main games has nine traders, all doing runs simultaneously), buy and run space stations, and in later games build your own home base and complexes. This is one of the few series that I will buy on day one of release, confident that I will be satisfied.
Final Verdict: Vehicular Combat (Sandbox)
Currently I am immersing myself in PC games, from the old to the more modern. Among them are a ton of great looking space sim games, many of which would fall into the "Sandbox" subgenre that I am polling for. Games such as Sundog, Space Rouge, Wing Commander: Privateer, and Evochron Mercenary are intriguing sandbox-style space games, while DarkStar One and FreeSpace are great Vehicular Combat games.
Bomba's List is just that: a list. It's not really dumber and certainly not smarter than other lists on the Internet, but it is the only one that is titled "Bomba's List." Also, there are more commas and parenthesis used in my lists. Welcome to Bomba's List.
Ah, October. While I am normally a spring-centric person, this time of year always fills me with feeling of potential. Something to do with all the candy, I think. They even put it in the bags of popcorn my son brings home each Friday from school. Glorious! But while I do enjoy the viddles (hot tomato-basil soup), cold weather, and lack of lawn growth, I especially enjoy my own horror movie and game traditions. While I am a gamer that enjoys scary titles all year round, October is all about revisiting my favorites. There is just one problem: It's nearly the end of October! I've already plowed through and re-experienced all those wonderful horror classics, pruning a few games and adding a few more as I went. So here is my list of October Games for 2012:
Extermination - This game falls nicely between horror and "horror." A near launch title on the Playstation 2, it takes much of what makes the early Resident Evil games fun and mixes in some third-person action shooting, plus it all takes place in Antarctica, which as John Carpenter and H.P Lovecraft teach us, is a scary place. I didn't always like the game, but this year I found myself entertained. For a great look into this game I highly recommend Ack's excellent article (written two years ago!). My only beef with Extermination is the amount of backtracking near the end.
Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams - To those who have never experienced it, Silent Hill 2 represents one of the first moments that console gamers were treated to a truly adult storyline that was well written and well told, and did not include the general silliness that would often permeate console games of the time. Much like its predecessor, SH2 more or less eschewed "jump-scares" for a more psychological approach, using limiting vision, sound, claustrophobia, and random monster encounters to lull players into a sense of despair and doom. Multiple endings, general secrets (memory card trick, anyone?), and the story itself demand. For SH4 fans (they do exist!) watch for the tiny newspaper mention of main antagonist Walter Sullivan.
Resident Evil 2 - Hype for this game prior to release was not to be believed, save to those that lived through the insanity that followed the release of FFVII. Video game magazines, retail stores, and a burgeoning Internet presence of gaming websites were awash with buzz. There was even a demo disc, which with the aid of a Gameshark one could pick apart and play for weeks, foreshadowing what would happen with the MGS 2 demo only a few years later. And the game was pretty good too!
My greatest memory of RE2 wasn't of the gameplay, but during my time at Funcoland. The day they arrived in store we stacked them up on the floor behind the counter (one stack per register) so that we just needed to reach behind and grab the game and hand it to the customer.
Eternal Darkness - What hasn't been said about this game? Frightening, groundbreaking, and fun. Personally, I always felt that the media focused too heavily on the Insanity effect rather than what made the game good: An excellent Lovecraft-inspired story split up into chapters of the Tome of Eternal Darkness (that the main protagonist finds throughout the game), a good mix of ranged and melee weapon, and a magic system using runes that allowed for varying effects on the "stock spells." It's scary, too, with the best way to play it being all in one sitting at night with headphones on.
I think this will be the last year for Eternal Darkness for a while. I've played it every year since it's release, and any good horror film, too much repetition has dulled the edges off this game.
Silent Hill 1 & 3 - A landmark survival-horror game and it's canonical sequel. One is almost universally accepted as a top twenty of the most influential games of all time, and the other is mostly frowned upon. I'll let you work out which is which. SH1 took the survival-horror genre and turned it on its ear, putting more emphasis on the horror rather than the survival, with that horror being more of a psychological kind rather than the "cheap" kind (though there are a few of those sprinkled throughout the game). The visuals are quite dated on this game now, but to those who can look past this you will find an interesting and scary game well worth the time (and multiple playthoughs).
SH3 was a huge disappointment to many, and quite frankly after the bar SH2 set I can understand, since SH3 takes the more direct story approach rather than what happened in SH2. For those that dig, there are a ton of costumes, weapons, hybrid costumes/weapons, as well as an interesting storyline that questions our personal perceptions on good and evil. Fighting in this game is mandatory, but since the protagonist is gifted with a "side-step" move as well as some strafing abilities it's not too difficult.
On a more personal note, despite what I said earlier about ordering I always play SH1 and 3 together, and always before SH2.
Haunted House - Despite the games age (released in 1982) it is a recent newcomer to my October game list, thanks in no small part to my Dad's gift of an Atari Flashback 3 Plug N Play for my birthday this year. The game is simple, but includes all the hallmarks of a survival-horror game: tight, dark hallways with a limited cone of vision, limited ammunition (you can only carry one item at a time), and a generally creepy atmosphere make this game a permanent addition to my October game list.
Alan Wake - The second newest addition to my list, I discovered this title earlier this year after seeing it on sale at a closing Blockbuster Video. In one word: Superb. The use of sound to announce such things as approaching enemies and safe areas, as well as the ongoing narrative from the main character himself lends itself well to the atmosphere of the game. I've read more than one person bitching about either the combat or the finale of the game, but I personally have nothing to complain about. Regarding the combat it is simple, often forcing you to use hit-and-run tactics or a more desperate "last-stand" effort as you hold off enemies while you try to start a generator (to provide you with a safe area). The story is... the story. It provides closure to what happened during the game. Sure it can be a bit on the weird side, but then again what did you expect?
Well, that is the end of the main list. There are a few runners-up, as well as a few that were taken out for various reasons (mainly time constraints). As an addendum:
Silent Hill 4 - Taken out due to time constraints.
Deadly Premonition - Not added due to time constraints. Maybe next year.
Condemned 2 - Taken out. This game is so queasy and stressful that I just can't play it every year.
Friday the 13th - Taken out due to time constraints.
Amnesia - Will be added for sure next year.
That's it. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your month.
Today I mourn the passing of a few close friends. For years they have been with me, through good times and bad, and though at least one of them was responsible for more than one bad time, there were more good than bad, I think. That was confusing. Anyways, I know that all of them could be counted on for at least one reasonably good game.
I discovered their passing this morning as I worked on what I should have "on deck" in my revised gaming room (Room 1, v2). I had finally settled on PS2, NES, SNES, Genesis, T-16, and N64 (Dreamcast and Xbox are stationed in Room 2, v2). After fixing the mass of wire-spaghetti making sure the proper hook-ups were hooked up I discovered the tragedy. My Sega CD, Genesis model 1, and Turbografx CD had passed onto a better place. I did what I could, but in the end there was no saving them. They have gone Home, and I will have to come to terms with this on my own.
The viewing will be scheduled Sunday, September 15th at approximately 11 am EST. As per their last requests, games will be placed in their trays/slot. They will be Sonic CD, Final Zone II, and StarFlight (for the Sega CD, Turbo CD, and Genesis, respectively). The funeral has been scheduled to take place in my basement, where they will be entombed in my console display shelf (since they are inanimate objects) and dusted not less than once a month.
Goodbye, my friends.
[UPDATE] - It seems the Turbo CD isn't totally dead, but is unable to play CD games. It look like the CD drive gear has stripped out, which is the death knell for this particular system. Fortunately I can still play regular Turbo games on it (and through composite), so for now it will stay next to my SNES.
Well, the summer here in the good ol' U.S. is almost at an end. As I type this a cool breeze is drifting in through my dining room window for the first time in months, and while it has not officially ended (per se), summer knows that it's annual time is drawing to a close. While there may be more high temperature days left (at least in Michigan), it is assured that the nights will be cool and crisp.
I've turned 35. I own a house, lease a car, and have a full-time job. I'm married to a beautiful woman and have two smart and adorable children (one who is demanding cheese and "pink" milk at my leg now). I am still a gamer. Those four sentences felt good to write together. I am a gamer. Not was, but am. This morning I fired up, much to my distaste, Total Recall on NES. Fifteen minutes later I rode down a bunch of fools on my warhorse wielding a flanged mace in Mount & Blade on PC. I am a gamer.
Originally I wrote a short article after I finished Ironsword, but neglected to post it. This procrastination bit me in the behind, as I lost the photos when my phone took a crap on me last week. Disappointing yes, but at least I finished it. I will be deleting the original article, but for the record I did enjoy Ironsword, but I ended up missing the Spectrum-colored ( or coloured, if you please) mess with minimalistic backgrounds that was the first game. C'est la vie.
With that I now call a close to my Summer Game Challenge. While it was a failure in the end I feel that I accomplished more in finishing NES games than I have done in years. I plan on finishing Ultimate Stuntman this weekend (I've pre-played this one and am calling it an early finish), but the others I'll call a draw for now. I think next time I'll try for more variety instead of picking just a few games from two different platforms.
On another note, I've almost finished revamping my game room. While it still lacks the aesthetics of many of yours, it does have quite a more functionality than it did previously. I now have a "main" gaming area with a couch (another "Basement Find") and "SD" consoles hooked up to a 40" CRT, and a "gaiden" gaming area for "HD" consoles (Dreamcast, GC, and original Xbox) hooked up to a fairly powerful 22" LCD monitor. I still need to consolidate the wiring into something more reasonable (utilizing my college-trained wiring skillz), but everything is functional.
Adieu, everyone. I plan on putting something together for a very early Halloween, but I won't call it until it happens, I think.
Conquest of the Crystal Palace
Ironsword
Dr. Chaos
Total Recall
Ultimate Stuntman
Tombs and Treasures
Swords and Serpents
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Driver: San Francisco
When I found my Sega Genesis sign while cleaning up my basement I thought to put it in the "Small Scores" thread. I eventually decided against it, reasoning that since I had technically already scored it didn't belong (though I didn't think anyone would object). Now I'm really glad I abstained after finding my second (and final, likely) bunch of stuff. Starting off we have...
[img width=600 height=400]http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2813/zip1.jpg[/img]
A box full of Zip disks? Yep, for some reason I had collected a big box full of Zip disks. For the most part they are unopened and are mixed between the 100MB and 250MB variants (much more 100MB though). What am I doing with a box of largely unopened Zip disks? No idea. I'll Ebay them, I think. This is boring, I know. Next we have:
[img width=500 height=300]http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/3071/ar1s.jpg[/img]
A Xbox action replay disc. Like the Zip Disks, not really exciting, but what also was found (not in the pic, though) is my Xbox Action Replay USB interface, which means I can soft-mod my second Xbox (once I obtain a copy of the first Splinter Cell) so I can play Morrowind the way it was meant to be played: With less than 60 second loading times!
[img width=400 height=200]http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1043/fcommander1.jpg[/img] [img width=400 height=200]http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8974/fcommander2.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=400]http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7010/fcommander3.jpg[/img]
A strange light gun. Going by the connector (a DB9) it is either for the Atari VCS or the Sega Genesis, with the more likely choice being the VCS. Now I know that some of you already recognize it, but I had to do a bit of research. I ended up finding that the controller goes for a game called Spitfire Attack. I immediately noticed the missing parts (the massive sight and when I compared it with the pics on Atari Age, which kind of sucks but then I don't have the game either so does it matter? Hmm. I need to find some "C" batteries to see if it works. Next is:
[img width=600 height=400]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4200/t161x.jpg[/img] [img width=200 height=400]http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/6752/t162y.jpg[/img]
Two Turbografx-16 with power bricks and controllers. One of the controllers appears to be broken, while I'm not sure about the other one. Will have to test on Keith Courage (crossover!).
[img width=600 height=400]http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/9999/watergame.jpg[/img]
One of those water-hoop/ball games from a simpler time. I actually do remember buying this at a local thrift store. I originally thought it to be defective, as it was missing the plug in the bottom (or so it appeared), but it works fine anyways. I love these things. For my final find:
[img width=600 height=400]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/705/book1w.jpg[/img]
[img width=400 height=200]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/4461/book2am.jpg[/img]
This one is very personal. It is an old binder that I used to store maps, cuttings from magazines, and codes for video games. Flipping through this was a ton of fun. Hmm. Somehow I think suspect those Metroid codes won't work...
[img width=600 height=400]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5461/book3r.jpg[/img] [img width=600 height=400]http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4926/book4d.jpg[/img]
In the binder is a ton of strange crap. Pack in slips that came with my original T-16 and a invite to my local mall where Nintendo set up a ton of SNES demos as well as a dedicated Super Scope range.
[img width=600 height=400]http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/1356/book8.jpg[/img] [img width=600 height=400]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8574/book6o.jpg[/img]
Maps I drew of Lagoon for SNES (a gift from my Cool Aunt) and a crazy map of the Hundra Mountain section of a game (Crystalis?).
[img width=600 height=400]http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7697/book5p.jpg[/img] [img width=600 height=400]http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/4810/book7.jpg[/img]
Well, that's it. I can go back to pushing through Ironsword for my Summer Game Challenge. Yikes, and summer is nearly over!
When I first started this summer challenge I came had two simple goals:
1) Clear out my backlog
2) Play owned games I haven't touched before
The really expected to not have much fun with this. See, I'm a very chaotic person by nature, and I usually don't equate "fun-time" with structure. Structure is for the world of Information Assurance and Network Security, not free gaming time. With that in mind:
Conquest of the Crystal Palace
Simply put, I love this game. Of all the NES games I've played in my life, very few have elicited a response that I would call "joyous." I've enjoyed many of them, but I only return to a select few. From this moment on, Conquest of the Crystal Palace (CCP) will be added to this list, right next to Clash at Demonhead, Final Fantasy, and Super Mario Bros. 3.
A quick look tells me that only about 5% of us actually own the game. I wonder just how many have played it...
At a glance CCP doesn't stand out too much. From screenshots and advertising videos one can see that it is a action/platformer in the vein of - well many other NES games. The hero has a sword and a companion dog. Shades of Mega Man? Not really. The difference, as they say, is in the details. Like many successful NES games, action is mixed up just enough to make it interesting. Each level offers some sort of time-limited weapon drop and generally (but not always) some sort of healing item. These will drop from certain enemies only, making it just enough predictable. Along with that, every enemy drops varying amounts of money that can be used to buy healing items and magic-style weapons (all time-limited) from Kim, a pink-clothed anime character. Bosses are, for the most part, creative, but not overly so, and even in some of the stages falling down a pit will send you to the last "checkpoint" instead of killing you. Also, unlimited continues. It was almost as if the creators intentionally made a game that most NES gamers of the NES era could pick up, play, and conquer. In fact, the game difficulty only ramped up during one portion of the game: the maze-like section before the final boss.
Humor (be it intentional or otherwise) is present in small doses, from the faux news reports that Kim does to the goofy Russian dance the main character does after a boss fight. But there are also touches of horror. Stage 3 sees the hero in a very horrible hell-like place, where the background, made up of grotesque arms and faces, constantly writhes and screams silently in pain. Although any horror at this is tempered by the strange frog-creatures that spin around of what appear to be stripper poles. Yep.
Overall this was quite nice of an experience, and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for an excellent action/platformer to beat in a few days. So, here it is (my LCD monitor is annoyingly reflective):
[img width=700 height=393]http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/218/20120727185937446.jpg[/img]
Tip time. Yay!
- Don't forget you have a dog companion! You can select him (and the other items) by holding down and pressing "A". Just keep in mind that he has a finite amount of energy and if "killed" you will need to buy energy items for him at Kim's store.
- Having trouble with the some of the bosses? I played using my Advantage the second time through using Turbo. Made a world of difference. First game in a while I played through in one sitting (about an hour).
- There is a cheat available. Don't use it. Not that I have anything against that, but the game is easy enough without cheats.
- After you finish the game it starts you over in an "hard mode." Shades of Ghosts and Goblins? Who knows.
Next I think I'll tackle Ironsword. Despite the criticism I was a huge fan of the first Wizards and Warriors. Although Rare ditched the "super-contrast' color scheme in Ironsword and adopted Fabio as their mascot, I'm still curious. About the game, not Fabio.
For this entry
Conquest of the Crystal Palace
Ironsword
Dr. Chaos
Total Recall
Ultimate Stuntman
Tombs and Treasures
Swords and Serpents
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Driver: San Francisco
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