Being that my last entry was on June 19th, you've all probably been wondering just where on Earth I've been for the past month. Well, here's the story...
My life took an unlikely turn recently. I won't bore you all with the details, but I will say this. That turn has kept me VERY busy. In case your concerned, there's nothing to worry about, as nothing bad happened. It's just been very busy around here lately. But as you can see, I'm still alive. (No pun intended.)
Anyway, I do plan to keep the Blog going, but a lack of ideas recently hit me, and with the recent announcement of Mega Man Legends 3 being cancelled, I've started to boycott everything Capcom. Your probably thinking, how does that keep me busy? Well, I've been supporting a group on Facebook that's dedicated to bringing it back, and that has kept me busy as well.
Anyway, I'm open to EVERYTHING Retro now (Atari 2600 - Playstation 1), so if any of you have any ideas to help me get back to writing, please shout them out in the Comments. Thank you.
P.S.
The Wizard is NOT a bad movie!
Duke Nukem Forever does NOT suck!
And to top it all off, the Power Glove is STILL cool! 
[img width=640 height=467]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/2/563522_45536_front.jpg[/img]
Finally, we get to the SNES Stuff here at Finding Nintendo Version 2.0! We'll be starting with a review this time!
Beavis and Butt-head is a Platformer based on the hit TV Show of the same name. Released in 1994, it received mixed reviews. I found it entertaining and fun myself. Here's why:
Story: 3/5
"Beavis and Butthead want to go to a GWAR concert and the only problem is that
they don't have any money. They think that if they take pictures of themselves
doing cool things, they will be able to get in for free."
Yes, it's a pretty basic story, but I found it rather unique for it's time. Anyway, that's about it in terms of story.
Gameplay: 4/5
This is a Platformer with Action elements, as many of them have. You know, left and right, up and down, kill enemies with whatever means the game gives you. Still, who could argue with this tried and true formula? You move left and right, picking up weapons along the way to combat whatever comes your way, whether it be jocks, skateboarders, evil teachers, dogs, or whatever. The basic goal of each level is to get to the end, defeat a boss, then take a picture of yourself doing something cool to get into the GWAR Concert. There are many things you can do to complete each level, such as having Butthead jettison Beavis over obstacles to overcome them. For whatever reason, the Character your not controlling won't get hurt by obstacles.
Controls: 2/5
The Control Scheme is kind of annoying. Seriously, what kind of game makes you use X to run and B to jump? If you know your SNES Controller, you'll know that it would be annoying to do that.
Sound: 3/5
The Music is pretty good and sounds pleasant on the ears, but the Voice Clips sound awful. It boggles the mind, considering other SNES Games have Voice Clips that sound good. Anyway, more on the Music, it's mostly heavy metal, and if you like that kind of music, your in for a treat because, interestingly enough, 16 Bit and Heavy Metal mix well.
Overall: 4/5
This is an EXTREMELY fun game, but it's also really hard, so if you plan on playing it, get ready for a challenge.
Would I recommend it? Yes, I would, especially for people who love a challenge.
Screenshots:
This is ReddMcKnight, signing off!
As many of my friends know, I absolutely despise Critics and everything about them. They're stupid, and everyone agrees with them no matter what.
Where did this all begin? It began when I first read Gamespot's review of Mobile Suit Gundam Crossfire. They were completely harsh on this game, and because of they're review of it, everyone judged the game unfairly, when in reality, there is a fun game here.
My point is this: Whenever a Critic says something is bad, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE agrees with them, even if they're opinion is different. People would rather be wrong than be different, for whatever reason. It annoys the hell out of me how things work with these people.
Am I a Critic? Yes, I am. I review Games and Movies, but I differ in the aspect of reviews in that mine are opinionated and that very few people agree with them. Critics like IGN and Gamespot just put what the people want to see, as opposed to writing what they truly feel. In short, they don't know what the hell they're doing.
For example, did EVERYONE hate the House of the Dead movie? No. Did it get judged unfairly? Yes. Why? BECAUSE OF CRITICS!!...Sorry. Anyway, I really don't like critics, and that is final.
Disclaimer: This is just a rant. If your going to agree with me, fine. If your going to disagree, at least keep your argument civil and under control. I don't need any flame wars happening here.
Oh, and Duke Nukem Forever does not suck.
This is ReddMcKnight, signing off!
After a long hiatus, I am back at last. Why have I been gone? Recent events, such as a passing in my family, and events with friends, prevented me from returning sooner. All things considered, I'm actually doing alright. Now, enough about my life, onto the article.
The Power Glove: A controller (if you will), that is hated by everyone. Well, except for myself. As far as I know, it was only released in the USA and Japan, but have you ever stopped to think that there may be differences between the US's and Japan's? If you have, then your correct. There are differences. We'll start with some information and pictures:
US - Made by Mattel
JP - Made by PAX
[img width=700 height=283]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG2.jpg[/img]
US - Does not have Words or Symbols
JP - Does have Words and Symbols
[img width=456 height=706]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG3.jpg[/img]
[img width=666 height=529]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG4.jpg[/img]
US - Has white material inside
JP - Has black material inside
[img width=700 height=405]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG5.jpg[/img]
US - Uses NES Input
JP - Uses Famicom Input
[img width=308 height=382]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG7.jpg[/img]
[img width=440 height=410]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG6.jpg[/img]
US - Junction Box has logo and help-line Phone Number
JP - Junction Box has logo only
[img width=700 height=296]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PG8.jpg[/img]
But do the Gloves work differently from each other? Just a little bit. They both have the same Program Inputs for every game, but the big difference is this: The JP one works better than the US one. After testing several games with both, I found that the JP one was generally more reliable than the US one. The JP one has slightly better centering, and it's general functionality is better.
Well, that's it for this entry. This is ReddMcKnight, signing off!
[img width=640 height=911]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/8/587058_49845_front.jpg[/img]
Now, here's an interesting one. 1942 is a Shmup released by Capcom in 1986. It is set in the Pacific theater of World War II. The goal is to reach Tokyo and destroy the entire Japanese air fleet. The player pilots a plane dubbed the "Super Ace". The player has to shoot down enemy planes; to avoid enemy fire, the player can perform a roll or "loop-the-loop". During the game the player may collect a series of power-ups, one of them allowing the plane to be escorted by two other smaller fighters in a Tip Tow formation.
There's actually a Program in the Power Glove for this specific game. When you load it, your hand becomes the plane. By pulling your arm backwards, the plane moves downwards. By moving it straight ahead, the plane moves upwards. The Turbo-Type features of the Glove work really well with this game, allowing you to shoot down enemies quickly. It's also easy to move around, but dodging enemies may become difficult as your arm gets tired from moving around so much.
All the same, 1942 is really fun to play with the Power Glove. If you want to try it yourself, load Program 5 and off you go!
But wait! There's more to this entry!
[img width=640 height=913]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/3/563433_29025_front.jpg[/img]
Ah, The Legend of Zelda...a game we all know and love. It's fun, it's big, and it's become a classic. But how does it play with a Power Glove? Here's a little math for you: Power Glove + Legend of Zelda = No.
Why, you may ask? For one, Legend of Zelda requires accurate movements on the player's part to fight monsters and such, and since the Power Glove's centering features are kind of messed up, it makes it 3x as hard.
Even an Octorok is life threatening while playing with the Power Glove. I haven't been hit by one in YEARS, and using the Power Glove changed that. Still, it was definitely a unique experience using one with this game.
While I do love the Power Glove, this is one game that you do NOT want to try with a Power Glove. After trying it for myself and getting owned by a freaking CAVE (don't ask), I must say that this is one game better left to controllers.
Still, if you MUST try it with a Power Glove, it's best to use Program 1 for it. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did, but I personally don't think it's a good idea. The game is hard enough without using one.
Anyway, that's it for this entry! Thanks for reading! Keep an eye out for the next entry!
[img width=256 height=519]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/UForce.png[/img]
Today, I'm here to review the weirdest controller ever created for the NES, the U-Force. (Mine is pictured above).
The U-Force is a very unique controller for the NES that was created by Broderbund Software Inc. It uses sensors in the "screens" it has to perform actions on-screen in the game your playing. It has a "Power Bar" (The thing below the U-Force in my Picture) so it can be used for games like Punch-Out. It also has a "Control Stick" for other kinds of games. You can also use the U-Force without these items by folding it downwards so it sits flat.
So how does it work? Look at the picture and take note of the four red switches on the bottom-right of the U-Force. (The two black switches control turbo functions). By switching the four red ones to the right positions, the U-Force will enter a "Mode". There are six modes: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Each mode is used for a different kind of a game. One example is Mode A, which is good for 1942. To use Mode A, you would flip Switches 1, 2, and 3 upwards, and flip Switch 4 down. All the Modes, with the exception of F, are used in some way or another. F is not used because it was designed for the "U-Force Series" of games, which were never released.
But how well does it work? That depends on the game your playing. I found it to extremely difficult to use with Platformers like Super Mario Bros. On the other hand, for Games like Punch-Out and Rad Racer, it was very easy to use. I found it to be especially responsive with Rad Racer.
So how did the public take this thing? Not so well. Many people hate it. Myself? I love this thing, and I feel it could really be handy for playing certain games.
Well, that's it for this Review. Thanks for reading!
[img width=339 height=481]http://blogs.setonhill.edu/MikeRubino/TheWizardDVD.jpg[/img]
Today, I'm here to review the Movie known as The Wizard. Described by most as a "90-100 Minute Commercial for Nintendo", it's actually a lot more than that. It's a really good movie, but it's certainly not perfect. Here's why:
Story: The story is this, a Young Boy wants to go to California, but because of some emotional trauma, he can't get there alone. His mother puts him in a home, and his older brother breaks him out so they can get to California. They later find out from a girl that a Video Game Tournament, Video Armageddon, is being held in California. The older brother, Corey, finds out that his little brother, Jimmy, is good at Video Games, so to prove that he doesn't need to be placed in a home, he decides to enter him into the tournament and win the prize money. The girl, Haley, agrees to help them for half of the money, and they agree, which begins they're grand adventure to California.
Video Quality: Being an older movie, you wouldn't think that the quality of the movie would be that good, but it surprisingly is. The color is bright and clear, making this one pleasant on the eyes.
Sound Quality: The sound quality isn't as good as the video quality, but it's still good. It's just above average if you ask me. I don't have any samples from the movie, so you'll have to watch it if you want to hear it.
Fun Factor: This is definitely a fun movie to watch. While it does have some sadder, more emotional moments, it also has it's funny and heartwarming moments. It can also be cheesy at times, especially during the famous "Power Glove Scene". (Video at the bottom of this post).
Would I recommend it: Yes, I would, especially if you like Video Games. This is NOT a family movie though. There's lots of foul language, and a bunch of comic mischief.
Final Score: 8.0/10
2 Points taken off for:
1. Sound Quality
2. The sadder moments. I don't like sad movies. 
Well, that's it for this review. Thanks for reading.
Power Glove Scene:
NOTE: When I said I "had no samples", I meant of the DVD. I think this footage is taken from the VHS Tape.
[img width=700 height=243]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/4.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=437]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/3.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=362]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/2.jpg[/img]
[img width=659 height=284]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/1.jpg[/img]
Impressive, huh? I'm getting close to 100 Games!
[img width=700 height=439]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/100_0884.jpg[/img]
Today, I'm here to show you one of the coolest NES Controllers around! (The one in that Picture above is mine).
The Joycard SANSUI SSS Controller is very unique, in that it lets you use headphones while playing your NES. How does it work? You plug it in Controller Port 1, plug the Red Composite into the Red port on the right side of your NES, plug your headphones into the controller, and bam! You can now play your games without disturbing others!
That's not all it does! It also features multi-function turbo switches for the A and B buttons! If you look at the picture, you can see that the switches have three options: Normal, Turbo, and Super Turbo.
But wait, there's more! On the bottom of the controller, there is a "Sound Shift" switch. When turned on, the sound in your headphones will switch sides depending on what side of the screen your character is on! Neat, huh?
But wait! There's STILL more! It even has a volume slider if the sound is too quiet or too loud for you!
But how does it control? It does a very good job, actually. The controller is well built and durable, making it easy to play games. It has very good response time.
The controller was made by Hudson Soft Co.,LTD. It was made in Japan, but I'm unsure if it was made exclusively for them. It resembles a Famicom Controller, so it's possible, but due to the Famicom's lack of a Red Composite port, it's unlikely.
This thing is one of the best controllers for the NES ever made, and I personally love using it. I highly recommend this thing. That is, if you can find one.
This is ReddMcKnight, providing the Internet with cool stuff since 2002! See you next time!
[img width=700 height=436]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/TT360.jpg[/img]
Perhaps one of the most interesting controllers for the NES is the Turbo Touch 360 (The one you see above is from my own collection).
Created by a Company known as Triax, this controller is unique in that it features a Touch-Sensitive Control Pad, as opposed to a regular D-Pad. It also features turbo buttons for the A and B buttons.
But is this thing any good? I personally think, yes, it's alright. It's certainly not perfect though. Here's the 411 on this thing.
It was advertised as a superior controller to regular, first party ones (Commercial at the bottom of this post). However, a lot of people didn't like it for whatever reason.
Using it myself, I found it to be easy at some points, and hard at other points. A perfect example is "The Adventures of Bayou Billy". The Turbo Buttons are handy for fighting the extremely tough enemies, especially when it comes to the first "Street Fighting" Boss in it. Now the Driving Stages, on the other hand...I could not get through them to save my life. The directional pad is VERY sensitive, which caused me to drive the truck like I was playing Twisted Metal. Needless to say, I lost all my lives pretty quickly.
Now, for the street fighting stages, the directional pad is okay. It's a lot easier to maneuver around using it, as opposed to a regular controller, but it CAN get annoying sometimes, having nothing to rest your thumb on.
Would I recommend this controller to my friends? Yes, I would, but I would NOT use it for driving games, unless you like crashing. 
Well, that's it for this post! Thanks for reading!
Oh, and here's that commercial I mentioned earlier:
Well, it's been a long, rather tedious quest, but I FINALLY have a working NES.
As you all may remember from my previous "Hunt For NES" Post, I bought one that didn't work, despite it supposedly having a *new* 72-Pin Connector. Anyway, I finally bought a new Connector, and now it works flawlessly. Well, ALMOST flawlessly. I still have to depress the games to make them work, which kind of worries me, but it definitely works for the time being, and that's just fine with me. 
Well, excuse the short post, but I'm off to play Super Mario Bros. 3.
[img width=640 height=933]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/0/587550_39729_front.jpg[/img]
There are a lot of games you can play really well with a Power Glove, but one of the funnest ones to play with the peripheral is Rad Racer.
Rad Racer, or Highway Star, as it is called in Japan, is a Racing game developed by Square (Yes, you read that right. The King of 8/16-Bit RPGs made a RACING game). It is often seen as Square's answer to Sega's Out Run, another racing game. In Japan, it is one of the few titles for the system designed for use with Nintendo's Famicom 3D System peripheral for 3D experience. In 1990, Square followed up with an exclusive North American sequel, called Rad Racer II.
So, why use a Power Glove with this game? Well, for one, the Power Glove has a Program installed into it for this particular game. I guess the REAL reason one would try to use a Power Glove with this game though, is because in a movie called The Wizard, a Character called Lucas Barton uses the Power Glove to play it. It's very likely that a lot of older gamers saw this movie and that particular scene.
People often complain that the Power Glove's control is awful, yet in that scene in The Wizard, Lucas uses the Glove very well, and after trying it myself with this game, I must say that it does indeed work well. It may seem hard to control at first, but it becomes easier as you practice.
So, how exactly does it work with this game? Much like a steering wheel actually. You use your hand to simulate turning a steering wheel, and since your hand is (almost) always locked into a fist, your car will never stop. Sound bad? It's not! Your camera is ALWAYS behind the car, so you can always see if your coming up behind another car, giving you the opportunity to turn and evade them.
Well, that's it for this entry. Thanks for reading!
The President has been kidnapped by Ninjas! Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the President?
Ah, Bad Dudes...This game has a special place in my NES Collection, mostly because it's fun to play, but also because it has such a simple, yet somehow ridiculous story. Basically, the President of the USA has been kidnapped by Ninjas, and it's up to two "Bad Dudes" to rescue him. What makes this story so odd is that NO ONE, not even a Ninja, could approach the President without being shot. At least, that's what I think. Anyway, on with the review.
Gameplay: 3.0/5.0
This is a pretty basic Beat'em Up, but I still find it fun. You move left and right, punching and kicking enemies (In this case, Ninjas) to kill them. There aren't many moves, and the enemies are fairly weak, save for the bosses, but being Ninjas, they have some dirty tricks up they're sleeves, such as setting themselves on fire and then running at you at full speed. One trick I especially hate is when they throw spikes on the ground, which can be a pain to jump over.
Graphics: 3.5/5.0
This game has some decent graphics that are just above average. It's definitely nice to look at, especially the Japanese Version, as that version has the bosses taunt you before each fight with them, and they're faces look really good in 8-Bit. This was taken out of the US Version for whatever reason. I'm not sure why.
Control: 1.5/5.0
Ugh...the Controls...It feels like the buttons are incorrectly mapped, but wait! That's because they are! For more unknown reasons, the attack button and the jump button were switched around for the US release. Seriously, this is annoying, and it makes the game harder than it actually is.
Difficulty: 4.0/5.0
This game is hard, as I mentioned before. There is little that is easy about it, but I love a good challenge, so I didn't have a problem with this. One boss in particular, Stage 6's, is especially tough, as his hits can drain your health before you even know what's going on.
Overall Score: 4.0/5.0
It may seem like I was a little harsh on this game, but I really do like it. It's fun, and well worth any NES Player's time. The ending is lame as hell though. Still, the ending song "Hail to the Chief", sounds pretty cool in 8-Bit Sound.
Thanks for reading!
Fun Facts:
-There is an Arcade Version of this game.
-The Japanese Version is called "Dragon Ninja".
-In the Arcade Version, the President is named Ronnie. Most likely based off R. Reagan.
-The Arcade Version is MUCH more difficult than it's NES brother.
WHEW! I am back at last! After WEEKS without Internet Service, I am back and better than ever!
...Ahem. On with the story.
So I bought an NES with a BRAND NEW 72-Pin Connector installed, and guess what? It hardly, if ever, actually starts the Games I put into it. 
First, the seller sent me a badly damaged NES, and boy was I pissed. Naturally, I contacted the seller, and they sent me the right one, and when I turned it on, it wouldn't start the game. I noticed the blinking screen a lot, so I opened it and disabled the lockout chip, thinking that was the problem.
WRONG! That process eliminated the blinking screen, but the games STILL would not start. So here I am now, still hunting for a working NES. When will I learn to NEVER trust eBay Sellers, even when they have 100% Positive Feedback? Sheesh.
Anyway, if you thoughts, comments, or think you can help me with this, just shout out in the comments. Thanks for reading.
Did you know that in the 90s, a "Legend of Zelda" Game was released by Philips called Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon? After a botched deal between Nintendo and Philips to create a CD Add-On for the SNES, Philips got the (temporary) right to use some of Nintendo's Characters in they're games. As far as I know, 4 different games were created using the characters. One of them was Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon. It was a Side Scrolling Platformer much like Zelda II, but unlike Zelda II, the whole universe hates this game, and the other three games as well. Why? Like always, I have no idea. What I do know is that these games are fun to me, and I actually enjoy them. People say the Voice Acting is awful, the animation is awful, and the gameplay is awful, but I don't think so. As such, I did a whole LP (Let's Play) Series of Videos for The Wand of Gamelon. It was certainly tough, but I managed to play through the whole game. So, I now proudly present you with all the parts right here. Here we go!
Well, that's it. All 16 parts. I hope you enjoy watching it.
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