tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85795678155268044232024-03-20T08:12:16.809-07:00Classic Gaming BlogClassic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-26386229312067908792018-03-29T17:14:00.002-07:002018-03-29T17:14:54.293-07:00Time to say goodbye...... And hello!!!It's with a tear in my eye and an ache in my heart (although that might just be because I've had a very salty Chinese meal) that I write this, my final entry for my Classic Gaming UK blog on Blogger. The end is here, this is the final curtain, and all that.<br />
<br />
But it's not really the end, nor is it the final curtain. Instead it's just the end of the first chapter. I've decided that it's time to expand, to grow, to get bigger, and also to change my name. Well, my Classic Gaming UK name. So, Classic Gaming UK is becoming Retro Gaming Power, and rather than the site existing here, it'll exist at <a href="http://www.retrogamingpower.co.uk/">www.retrogamingpower.co.uk</a>. All of the entries from here will gradually be transferred to there, as well as new stuff which I've written but never published, mostly due to not getting around to sorting out screenshots of all things. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAO9uvdeRIBrexd8E4xHOjiKXHz50rQcDrKdTgxez1n88SNf72i9pQlvh88PyWDu0MK6T9zYeF4cUk8iZogp0JaCGw6qMHAhKtm2CI07mHPa9_qVsebamVdT_4T0w3j8y0lUp4YTN_xo/s1600/2018-03-30+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1589" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAO9uvdeRIBrexd8E4xHOjiKXHz50rQcDrKdTgxez1n88SNf72i9pQlvh88PyWDu0MK6T9zYeF4cUk8iZogp0JaCGw6qMHAhKtm2CI07mHPa9_qVsebamVdT_4T0w3j8y0lUp4YTN_xo/s640/2018-03-30+%25282%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The main purpose is that, as this site has always been about retro gaming, which is kind of timeless seeing as it's looking at stuff from the past, having a blog format that lists entries in order from newest to oldest kind of doesn't really work. I'd rather have a website which just allows you to select reviews of games, regardless of when I wrote them. As they're about old games, they'll be just as relevant if I wrote them now as if I wrote them five years ago. Plus I've always kind of wanted to capture the feeling of what it felt like to be a gamer in the 1980s and 1990s. So I've created my own website from scratch with the intention that it pays tribute to the type of magazines that we had around that period.<br />
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So, if you're one of the visitors, or even followers, of this site on Blogger, I thank you for being here, for reading my stuff and for helping me to grow the site. And I hope that you join me at <a href="http://www.retrogamingpower.co.uk/">www.retrogamingpower.co.uk</a> as I continue my exploration of the games from the past!<br />
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Thank you and Goodbye!!<br />
<br />
Classic Gaming UK<br />
2009 - 2018Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-43790874991773064912017-12-05T14:52:00.000-08:002017-12-05T14:52:06.053-08:00BioMetal - Super Nintendo review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtpyLeP3NVfZHrVWp-r_tEcVcvYLVK-Lsu9CDkeCW3kPvVZNTE768vTRs-jOr882AUpBe4mGml68oEI5qIpM6zjdZLKmOe8QJS_tJUMBzVM1cR6ai6kArzc8tNe9SZ2Ecuv1zxW4Wicc/s1600/2017-11-25+%252888%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtpyLeP3NVfZHrVWp-r_tEcVcvYLVK-Lsu9CDkeCW3kPvVZNTE768vTRs-jOr882AUpBe4mGml68oEI5qIpM6zjdZLKmOe8QJS_tJUMBzVM1cR6ai6kArzc8tNe9SZ2Ecuv1zxW4Wicc/s320/2017-11-25+%252888%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BioMetal's USA/PAL title screen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Game:</span> <em>BioMetal</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span> <em>Super Nintendo</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span> <i>Athena</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Publisher:</span> <i>Activision</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span> <em>1993</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Released on:</span> <em>Nothing</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now Available on:</span> <em>Nothing</em></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
One thing I've learned during my almost forty years on this planet is that developers of video games really don't like aliens. Why I don't know, but but whatever the reason is, programmers have a habit of depicting extra terrestrial beings as violent and aggressive, usually intent on harming Earth or representatives of said planet by sending wave after wave after wave of their own species to carry out death by bullets, lasers and whatever other projectiles they have hidden in their weaponry. It all started with Space invaders and has been the case ever since. Galaxian, Gradius, R-Type, Darius, Galaga, Xenon and Xenon 2, the various Thunderforce games, and countless others all followed in the footsteps of Taito's 1978 space-based shooter. In every instance, a whole compendium of alien beings are shown to be rather hostile. Maybe it's the first thing wannabe game developers are taught when they start coding club. The first rule of coding club is that aliens are evil. The second rule of coding club is that aliens are evil. Maybe they know something that the rest of us don't know. Maybe they hide secret messages about non-Earth-based creatures in the source code of games. Maybe it's just an irrational Donald Trump-like fear of strange creatures from far away places. Who knows?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39eSqCeGaH8ws_cP6b80OLQhJuU_iEjvKaotiTwPF0UwbugqYrd24s3zphklSE16gZMY5IGyL5c1f_2e-Sz6bALUleR9xPFtCbqFhKMFw1rbDNXSw95cT4gkY-Whyphenhyphenr096AW26cqJLkVE/s1600/2017-11-25+%252890%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39eSqCeGaH8ws_cP6b80OLQhJuU_iEjvKaotiTwPF0UwbugqYrd24s3zphklSE16gZMY5IGyL5c1f_2e-Sz6bALUleR9xPFtCbqFhKMFw1rbDNXSw95cT4gkY-Whyphenhyphenr096AW26cqJLkVE/s400/2017-11-25+%252890%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looks a bit like my Vax vacuum cleaner. Same colour scheme too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCt67KOVm9ng96Ka1luSa-XNkwgpIzDzh-Ck9-q93wWlaZGtW8PJUJI9u-JX9LzBB9HpRmLY60uto3lb9c17yhCTqJgQIuoJ0upZ-gzuGx52KlR_zI9xPiV1DH0YAxyUCv7SDdOD25Hw/s1600/2017-11-25+%252898%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCt67KOVm9ng96Ka1luSa-XNkwgpIzDzh-Ck9-q93wWlaZGtW8PJUJI9u-JX9LzBB9HpRmLY60uto3lb9c17yhCTqJgQIuoJ0upZ-gzuGx52KlR_zI9xPiV1DH0YAxyUCv7SDdOD25Hw/s320/2017-11-25+%252898%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alien types are spitting out spaghetti. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One other thing that those games also have in common is that, despite your own species having mastered space travel, so seemingly it must quite advanced and intelligent, whoever is in command of whatever mission you're about to embark on, seems to think that it's a good idea to put you up against the upcoming onslaught from the alien hoards in a piddly little spaceship with a shitty little gun. Oh, don't you worry, you can improve on that by picking up power-ups as you go on your journey. On your own. By yourself. Yes, that's how you win wars. Send you out defenceless and hope you find stuff to improve your odds of survival while you're in battle. Maybe it's a metaphor for, um, I dunno. Something.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TrBP-40VMcHlhXwIdDAZsjyKancB17HKonJoEnGMxeQ5pACoFUMFt5Q6vTUX7wgEwYsFCh1gPjV37WQmOuGhDENipggrzmwk5KlyXfaxVopkAmQ_knvmyuzuMjHnkwbV52Bp3vNWEBk/s1600/2017-11-25+%2528100%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TrBP-40VMcHlhXwIdDAZsjyKancB17HKonJoEnGMxeQ5pACoFUMFt5Q6vTUX7wgEwYsFCh1gPjV37WQmOuGhDENipggrzmwk5KlyXfaxVopkAmQ_knvmyuzuMjHnkwbV52Bp3vNWEBk/s400/2017-11-25+%2528100%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There must be a parking space here somewhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_auFHJ8K6BJidNr3Fedzq0BdDMklqobd42JJ34W4dLr98RVNCS6D7PzVzoUIAN1rzpx7nB0Bnfyslk0IeM0KEsVLuhuKVILQDRSuZy_O8uH0Tu81J7WvcZP7Vl70yyQfzgwp_WNWL7Q/s1600/2017-11-25+%252887%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_auFHJ8K6BJidNr3Fedzq0BdDMklqobd42JJ34W4dLr98RVNCS6D7PzVzoUIAN1rzpx7nB0Bnfyslk0IeM0KEsVLuhuKVILQDRSuZy_O8uH0Tu81J7WvcZP7Vl70yyQfzgwp_WNWL7Q/s320/2017-11-25+%252887%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woo-hoo!!!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
BioMetal for the Super Nintendo is no different from the many hundreds of other space-themed shooters out there. It features you in a piddly little spaceship with a shitty little gun, and swathes of angry and ugly alien types who want you dead. In fact, the game is about as generic as you can get. That is, apart from its soundtrack. Its soundtrack is as nineties as you can get, featuring music from the Euro chart-topping techno-masters themselves, 2 Untalented, I mean Unlimited. 2 Unlimited. Oh, how I used to make people laugh back in 1993 by claiming that 2 Untalented were at number one with their hit song, No Lyrics. No no, no no no no, no no no no, no no there's no lyrics. Hilarious.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TcjateqqfLRyDMiNIV1YYF3hw4WnPBlTm_Uht9vgljGrWEhz4lhnr-8RCBlfv6Xbjdfq-s1JncWktnmimYDH6IgTrFYTbao1VipM8F3e-_mHbIEGG4rhqKZZG4ZI3VUslzkuNn68RDI/s1600/2017-11-25+%2528106%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TcjateqqfLRyDMiNIV1YYF3hw4WnPBlTm_Uht9vgljGrWEhz4lhnr-8RCBlfv6Xbjdfq-s1JncWktnmimYDH6IgTrFYTbao1VipM8F3e-_mHbIEGG4rhqKZZG4ZI3VUslzkuNn68RDI/s320/2017-11-25+%2528106%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shot from the ending. Maybe I should check where I<br />insert these screenshots before inserting them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
BioMetal was released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo (or Super Famicom in Japan). The European and US versions of the game open with a static title screen featuring a spaceship and an alien in combat with each other. Or they may be in conversation. Or possibly both. Maybe in the future, humans and aliens settle their differences through confrontational conversation. Perhaps the UK and EU should take heed when trying to figure out whatever Brexit-related thing they're arguing over this week. Playing in the background is a not-too-bad rendition of 2 Unlimited's 1991 hit Get Ready For This. Americans may recognise the track as one used during many of its sporting events, especially baseball and basketball, and also in the movie Space Jam. However, as the title screen vanishes, the plot of BioMetal is revealed. And <span style="color: #741b47;"><b><<SPOILER ALERT!!!>></b></span> it doesn't feature baseball, basketball, animated Loony Toons characters, Danny Devito or Michael Jordan. Shame. Turns out that it also doesn't feature humans and aliens in conversation. Instead, it features the below, the actual full text of the plot behind BioMetal. Live and exclusive to this very website. And also in the game just after the title screen.<br />
<br />
G.C. 232<br />
(GALAXY CENTURY, THE YEAR 232)<br />
THE LONG SPACE WAR<br />
WHICH DIVIDED THE MILKY WAY IS<br />
FINALLY OVER<br />
AS A RESULT OF THE WAR,<br />
NATURAL RESOURCES ARE<br />
EXHAUSTED,<br />
FORCING THE MILKY WAY'S<br />
GALACTIC COUNCIL TO SEND<br />
A SPECIAL FLEET<br />
TO PLANET "UP457".<br />
THEIR MISSION -<br />
TO FIND RESOURCES<br />
<br />
DURING THE MISSION,<br />
THE SPECIAL FLEET WAS ATTACKED<br />
AND DESTROYED BY SOME UNKNOWN<br />
CORPS OF HALF-MACHINE,<br />
HALF-ANIMALES.<br />
THE GALACTIC COUNCIL NAMED<br />
THIS CORPS, CODE-NAME,<br />
"BIO-METAL" (BM).<br />
<br />
A COMPUTER ANALYSIS SHOWED<br />
THAT THE BM'S ARE INCREASING<br />
IN NUMBER.<br />
UNLESS THE BM PLANET IS<br />
DESTROYED WITHIN 32 HOURS,<br />
THE MILKY WAY WILL FALL INTO<br />
THE HANDS OF THE BM'S.<br />
THEY MUST BE STOPPED.<br />
<br />
ONLY ONE FLEET, "WASP", WHO IS<br />
TESTING NEW WEAPONS,<br />
IS CAPABLE OF REACHING "UP457"<br />
AND ENGAGING IN ACTION.<br />
THE GALACTIC COUNCIL SENT<br />
ORDERS TO USE G.A.M. (LIVING<br />
WEAPON THAT IS PRESENTLY BEING<br />
TESTED), TO BE LAUNCHED<br />
FROM "HALBARD" CARRIERS.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfut_XLuNi5NcS7UO8Y6LEQ_b599qX-at12CP8v0n63dPLn6xa1S48J5igr-_jvsIMevn6gsPZjAXNyMGmyinwzDPK8P8tMaytN1Fc2MLVUqYtRCuhO6NH_2kDTuzyWH-wlpTX0ni4cs/s1600/2017-11-25+%252892%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfut_XLuNi5NcS7UO8Y6LEQ_b599qX-at12CP8v0n63dPLn6xa1S48J5igr-_jvsIMevn6gsPZjAXNyMGmyinwzDPK8P8tMaytN1Fc2MLVUqYtRCuhO6NH_2kDTuzyWH-wlpTX0ni4cs/s320/2017-11-25+%252892%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Vax vacuum cleaner specs in full. Going to try to<br />find its plasma rifle in a bit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And, erm, that's the plot. How it's written above makes it look like it's a song. Maybe it's the actual lyrics to one of 2 Unlimited's tracks? So, from the story, we can deduce that the Milky Way has been at war, the Galactic Council wants to plunder the resources of a planet called UP457, and some half-machine, half animales, seem to have destroyed the Council's fleet. Did the Galactic Council not consider that maybe UP457 is a planet inhabited by the BioMetal species and the so-called BM's (with apostrophes in the incorrect place!) aren't too pleased that their resources are about to get harvested? Eh? Eh? If there's anything I learned from the movie Pocahontas, it's that indiginous populations don't like people coming over and taking what isn't theirs. As Pocahontas herself beautifully put it, "You think you own whatever land you land on, The Earth is just a dead think you can claim, But I know every rock and tree and creature, Has a life, has a spirit, has a name." Ok, maybe she was talking about the English attempting to colonise her people's land, but I bet the BMs would sing a very similar song.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2_kYjgonNVL00NgrngCAcsjeQNAAsRttU5Wr15cCangCBn1JmfyoYCflzN5gNJEmtdv1ttT9Yes3wxjBgo4zMbtC-uHeJzkg-ITOTr_gA8rEk_K9Kcp5ABtuh23pNDOXy5dXvC6bTuw/s1600/2017-11-25+%252889%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2_kYjgonNVL00NgrngCAcsjeQNAAsRttU5Wr15cCangCBn1JmfyoYCflzN5gNJEmtdv1ttT9Yes3wxjBgo4zMbtC-uHeJzkg-ITOTr_gA8rEk_K9Kcp5ABtuh23pNDOXy5dXvC6bTuw/s320/2017-11-25+%252889%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm exhausted too. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A bit of computer analysis reveals that the number of BioMetal aliens are increasing, and that they'll somehow take ownership of the entire Milky Way within 32 hours, unless you manage to destroy their home planet beforehand. It does make you wonder why, if it would only take 32 hours for the BioMetal populace to take over the Milky Way, why they haven't thought about doing it previously. Especially while the rest of the Milky Way were fighting whatever war they were fighting that resulted in their supplies becoming exhausted. They could have caught the galaxy unawares, launched an attack and become commanders of the galaxy in little over a day, Maybe the truth is that the BM's (gah!) are actually a peaceful non-aggressive species who only attack when idiots sent from the Galactic Council try to steal their resources. Maybe you are actually working for the enemy.<br />
<br />
Regardless of whether you're actually on the side of good or of evil, you take to the skies in your little spacechip, nicknamed Halbard, which is crewed by two, um, crew members. There's 25 year old Kid Ray, a pilot by occupation, whose blood group is B. Keeping him company is 21 year old Anita, a biologist whose blood group is A. Now, I understand sending Kid Ray to take on the aliens, what with him being a pilot and probably being able to drive the spaceship. But, what is Anita doing there? Does WASP not have anybody else more suitable? An engineer? A medic? Another pilot? Somebody with fighting experience? And why is the blood group important? Incidentally, in the Japanese version, Kid Ray is called David Onizuka and Anita is called Cynthia Matthews. Dave's still a 25 year old pilot, blood group B, and Cynthia is still a 21 year old biologist, blood group A. Of course, those who know their 90s techno bands, will know that the two main members of 2 Unlimited were Ray and Anita, so apparently in this game, you are controlling 2 Unlimited on their quest to defeat the species known only as BioMetal, or BM for short. So you could also refer to them as Bowel Movements, or Bobby Moore, or Best Man.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1tiwbBEs3v9_fPcYQBuwDoEOh7qXEVOvywHe7VW8qKUBOVDijuks6zyqEdzfpLJWN9zRaXoAV0TwZ8JoD6FB5vjAGieiJ3mLo1lWSKALlkdDqGCzcbTeM83eT61jU6bA6i0Vg5JgwDY/s1600/2017-11-25+%252893%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1tiwbBEs3v9_fPcYQBuwDoEOh7qXEVOvywHe7VW8qKUBOVDijuks6zyqEdzfpLJWN9zRaXoAV0TwZ8JoD6FB5vjAGieiJ3mLo1lWSKALlkdDqGCzcbTeM83eT61jU6bA6i0Vg5JgwDY/s400/2017-11-25+%252893%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your crew for the USA/PAL version of BioMetal, named after Ray and Anita off of 2 Unlimited</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCX3-bfmX5lhHfe9hSxjcmssEPIo34EQXVAW2BtrhAqkI6UHF3T65MCrKD0lnNGRjwhagWtXHYZk5sZXYJ7L856I5fQ43LQQ6pyNDl6QB50NV0Opjvdt48xHM5fCSGYhBk9hQl23cRzU/s1600/2017-11-25+%2528107%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCX3-bfmX5lhHfe9hSxjcmssEPIo34EQXVAW2BtrhAqkI6UHF3T65MCrKD0lnNGRjwhagWtXHYZk5sZXYJ7L856I5fQ43LQQ6pyNDl6QB50NV0Opjvdt48xHM5fCSGYhBk9hQl23cRzU/s400/2017-11-25+%2528107%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew in the Japanese game, with different names, same occupations and blood types, and paler skin.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pow pow pow! Beans appear to be flying everywhere.</td></tr>
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Within seconds of beginning your mission, you come under intense attack from the aforementioned Bowel Movements. If this game was actually reality, you probably would be having some bowel movements of your very own if you were to witness the horrors of the BioMetal alien beings. They really are ugly mofos. Even more ugly than <a href="https://classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/new-to-me-number-2-magic-pockets.html" target="_blank">Ugly Kid from Magic Pockets</a>. It does take a few goes until you are able to adjust yourself to figure out how to take on your enemies. Also only a few seconds in is your first opportunity to obtain some power-ups. These are carried by some, er, things. Not too sure what as you really don't get much chance to see them. But shooting them causes them to leave weapon canisters. These flick through various letters representing the weapons that you can use. Collecting multiples of the same one enhances your weapon. Hehe.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great balls of, er, something.</td></tr>
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Your Halbard can make use of three different types of main weapon, and three different types of missile. Collecting a canister displaying the letter "L" equips you with a laser which enables you to shoot laser beams directly ahead of you. Upgrading this weapon causes your laser beam to grow wider. Then there's a wave weapon, found inside canisters displaying the letter "W", which shoots a series of waves in front of you. This has a wider range than the laser, and although it fires slower, it shoots out multiple waves of waves, one after the other. Upgrading this will enable you to shoot the wave in front and behind you, the only weapon that has this ability. Finally there is the V weapon. Not sure what V stands for, but it fires plasma shots in two diagonal directions. Upgrading this increases it to a five-way weapon. Of the three weapons, you'd be best avoiding the laser as its rate of fire isn't great and as enemies will pretty much surround you, only shooting a narrow beam directly in front of you isn't much use at all. The V weapon is good when you're surrounded by several of the smaller enemies, but when it comes to larger and more powerful nasties, you'll need the wave.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbRf-7w-j8eCFiJVsK2VWRNi_sn7FYk9ngx94CKNwHOZ2Gl0Qdk6nmUb4bjpFdK9XJHTBGkQvZcQwHxAn7_h7RNiwWsE18u4ChTBAyESUWvrt_q-B7_1IcgGUXQAcgW1v5w5iKw2_OqE/s1600/2017-11-25+%252897%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbRf-7w-j8eCFiJVsK2VWRNi_sn7FYk9ngx94CKNwHOZ2Gl0Qdk6nmUb4bjpFdK9XJHTBGkQvZcQwHxAn7_h7RNiwWsE18u4ChTBAyESUWvrt_q-B7_1IcgGUXQAcgW1v5w5iKw2_OqE/s400/2017-11-25+%252897%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of level nasty throws ravioli. Mamma mia!</td></tr>
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As well as your main weapon, you fire out two missiles at a time. You can collect missiles that fire straight ahead (identified by "S" on their canister), in two arching angles (B), or, the only one you will really want, the homing missile (H). As its name suggests, this homes in on targets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05lCM8PpXBEvD5IL-Z5KDnRt2LxnkC6vDb9RZOs_nn51_j4THm7070yVrtPvIBSzrhjtj6aFJJ-jD2Rc4nqC6HBypwAPvsA1TDuHE6US0_DiQV4jEMVaWvr6xizXxfisNv1gDxS1-u-A/s1600/2017-11-25+%252899%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05lCM8PpXBEvD5IL-Z5KDnRt2LxnkC6vDb9RZOs_nn51_j4THm7070yVrtPvIBSzrhjtj6aFJJ-jD2Rc4nqC6HBypwAPvsA1TDuHE6US0_DiQV4jEMVaWvr6xizXxfisNv1gDxS1-u-A/s320/2017-11-25+%252899%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The G.A.M. (the blue ball thingies) in action. </td></tr>
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Finally, your Halbard also has the G.A.M., described in the game's plot as "Living Weapon that is presently being tested." I'm not too sure what a living weapon is, but it really is a useful thing to have on your spaceship. When I get a spaceship, I'm going to ensure it has a G.A.M. installed on it, although only if it's finished being tested. After my experiences with my Samsung Galaxy Note's dodgy battery, I'm not taking any chances. As you meander through the levels, your G.A.M. charges itself. Releasing the G.A.M. causes it to circle five balls around your spaceship. It has two modes - attack or protect. Attack will attack enemies that come into contact with it as it spins around your ship. Protect causes it to act like a shield and protect you from several of the game's enemies. It won't protect you if you collide into enemies or walls, or sometimes if they collide into you. And some projectiles can still penetrate your defence so it doesn't quite make you completely invincible. The G.A.M.'s charge depletes as you use it, so it's important to stop using it when you can so it can recharge. It's also possible to direct your G.A.M. in various directions so you can target certain enemies, or you can spread out its range of orbit from your ship, although this leaves you more vulnerable to attack. Getting the hang of the G.A.M. is essential to get you through some of the stickier patches in the game.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Gnx_iZ8Kmhg36CB73OPtOLBzql-gI-2Tlf2mQdlkClxy2qfJVwYdXzK4FwEiHtti__OoOr0KP1nheMPObYpLZow4ykhZmTy23QM56kNu-1B2FKOqmSlXJESreK5ODentpJgmIurvnNg/s1600/2017-11-25+%252896%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Gnx_iZ8Kmhg36CB73OPtOLBzql-gI-2Tlf2mQdlkClxy2qfJVwYdXzK4FwEiHtti__OoOr0KP1nheMPObYpLZow4ykhZmTy23QM56kNu-1B2FKOqmSlXJESreK5ODentpJgmIurvnNg/s320/2017-11-25+%252896%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enemies sometimes attack in a fancy formation that they've<br />been made to rehearse and perfect our of fear of humiliation<br />from their leader. Probably a bit like North Korea's army.</td></tr>
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The Super Nintendo wasn't known to have a massive offering of shoot 'em ups. If the console had one weakness, it was that its processor was slower than that of its competitors. Although it was able to excel in graphics, sound and fancy scaling and rotation effects, it apparently struggled a bit if it was asked to do too much. And as shoot em' ups feature a lot of stuff going on, it stands to reason that not too many games of that genre would be developed for it. That's not to say the SNES couldn't do shoot 'em ups, as there are a number of quality shooters on it. Just not quite as many as on other consoles. And they could still feature quite a bit of stuff going on in them. In fact, in the case of BioMetal, there is perhaps a bit too much going on. Throughout the game, you come under constant bombardment from enemy fire. Or just the presence of enemies. And some of the enemies are rather large, reducing the amount of space you have to manoeuvre around the screens. Sometimes the only way of getting through is to use your G.A.M. and escape from the chaos, although this would largely result in you running into something else somewhere else. In a way, it emphasises the importance of having the G.A.M. and understanding how it works, but it takes something of the fun out of a shoot em' up if all you're doing is running away when things get tough, rather than the battle being something you have a reasonable chance of beating through your shooting skills alone. Having to use it on occasions would be okay, but as the game progresses, it feels that you need to rely on it too often. Another issue is that when you are using the G.A.M. to help you out of sticky situations, the game suffers with slowdown. Yes, the SNES copes most of the time with what BioMetal throws at it, but there are times when its weaknesses show. Still, the slowdown actually makes bits of it easier, so it's not all bad. Unintentional perhaps, but useful.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitf3zN3auL14EFM1sFyVdsLYLhzpoE60E8pCzuJA7VWt0tKdHBqaRqZvgWilHDM9RH1UINui3IlkT7Dc9llc8vbI7emBUDPQuATT_UmfBZ6Je4Qr1KxI3Q7YTWvTM9VMROfQFsz7EWEz8/s1600/2017-11-25+%2528101%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitf3zN3auL14EFM1sFyVdsLYLhzpoE60E8pCzuJA7VWt0tKdHBqaRqZvgWilHDM9RH1UINui3IlkT7Dc9llc8vbI7emBUDPQuATT_UmfBZ6Je4Qr1KxI3Q7YTWvTM9VMROfQFsz7EWEz8/s320/2017-11-25+%2528101%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How dare you throw bananas at me! And blue things.</td></tr>
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Keeping with the theme of the game being about as generic as you can possibly get, each level features a boss at the end of it. And each one has its own unique attack pattern which means you can defeat them once you know how. Some of the end battles go on for far too long though. Once you know what you've got to do, you just have to keep repeating the same process until the boss nasty is dead. Fortunately, losing a life in this game puts you in exactly the same place as you die rather than having to backtrack and start again.<br />
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If you've played R-Type before, the end boss may seem a little familiar. In fact, a lot of the game feels like it is a rehash of R-Type. It features similar baddies, a similar difficulty level, three main weapons and missile types, plus a secondary weapon. On R-Type it is the little detachable bit that will go off and attack things for you, or offer a bit of defence if its attached to you. In BioMetal, it's the G.A.M..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7yUX6PqsAImpcbqT4m0gv70qUepon_gtsMGH2zxZ5Jmb2HWnur9Dl_WXBTiN2B8T8OTZDfsYniWirukALtXNznKq2B-OONrU79O2HPAEbOdXGEy2XbQtdMkz1LZSIvIV-YQ7W3kXdT0/s1600/2017-11-25+%2528104%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7yUX6PqsAImpcbqT4m0gv70qUepon_gtsMGH2zxZ5Jmb2HWnur9Dl_WXBTiN2B8T8OTZDfsYniWirukALtXNznKq2B-OONrU79O2HPAEbOdXGEy2XbQtdMkz1LZSIvIV-YQ7W3kXdT0/s400/2017-11-25+%2528104%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now where have I seen you before? Or was it your uglier brother?</td></tr>
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Although the graphics in BioMetal are mostly good, with some nice background effects early on, and some of the SNES' obligatory scaling and rotation tricks sprinkled throughout, they aren't always that attractive and seem a bit drab. Of course, the enemy aliens are meant to be ugly, but overall the graphics don't stick out and blow you away. That said, there is variety on offer in each level and plenty of detail, but nothing to make your jaw drop. Not that you'll have much chance to take anything in anyway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some fancy SNES graphical effects going on in the background here, with an effing great<br />big green laser thing coming from the mouth of whatever thing you're up against, distracting you<br />from the spectacle.</td></tr>
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As far as music goes, and as has already been mentioned several times, BioMetal's US and PAL releases saw it feature a soundtrack from 2 Unlimited. And although the renditions of some of their tracks are quite good, they don't really suit the game. Plus they all sound a bit samey. Now, I'm not sure if that's because the same tracks are reused in different parts of the game, or if it's because there really wasn't a lot of variance in 2 Unlimited's music, but after a while, you kind of want to hear something a bit different. I could imagine dance music working in a shoot em' up game, but in probably one with a different theme - not one featuring part-organic alien creatures. Probably something a bit more futuristic and colourful. I guess hearing familiar licenced music was quite a novelty back in 1993, and it's still interesting to hear it now, but it does grate after a while. The Japanese release has its own soundtrack. It's not memorable at all, but definitely suits the game better and isn't anywhere near as nauseating. Sound effects in both versions are the same, but sound a bit week, and some of the noises the larger enemies make when defeated or even when they're present on screen are very annoying. Maybe a few explosions would have been nice.<br />
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As well as soundtrack differences, there are some other changes that were made from the original Japanese release of the game. All of these are cosmetic. Some enemies flash a different colour when shot - blue in the Japanese version, green in the US/PAL version. The title screen appears before the background story in the US/PAL version, whereas it's afterwards in the Japanese version. The title screens are different too. Plus the skin tones of the two crew members are also different in each version.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs43TkTAorXDN-UjcicPlShNPxaKXd6AP_rYrbqjgqdDtiek1uOUzBx8odRlsHRxYPPIF1uZKGMUihjEkjZEMlee1MxsPykHrYmzGvTTZj-H4kuV9OkTKtIccz7l-5BYEy8Kw6bbgrwA/s1600/2017-11-25+%2528108%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1123" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs43TkTAorXDN-UjcicPlShNPxaKXd6AP_rYrbqjgqdDtiek1uOUzBx8odRlsHRxYPPIF1uZKGMUihjEkjZEMlee1MxsPykHrYmzGvTTZj-H4kuV9OkTKtIccz7l-5BYEy8Kw6bbgrwA/s400/2017-11-25+%2528108%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The title screen from the Japanese version of the game. Pretty, isn't it?</td></tr>
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Despite some of the criticisms above, BioMetal isn't an awful game at all. It is a game that takes a bit of practice, and offers a satisfying and meaty challenge, although its difficulty level means it can be frustrating in several places and it feels like there is an over reliance on shielding yourself to avoid confrontation which reduces some of the fun of it. It is probably one of the most unoriginal games to have been released for the SNES, and one of the most unoriginal shoot em' ups of all time, but it's worth a blast if you're into the genre. Or if you like listening to nineties dance tunes.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><b>RATINGS</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation </span>– 80%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A static title screen, static images accompanied by a scrolling story and wireframe images of your spaceship plus a couple of pictures of the crew. That's your lot. All pretty standard stuff. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics </span>– 74%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nothing that will make your eyes feel like they're being treated to anything special but they do suit the theme of the game. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound </span>– 70%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Using a soundtrack from a successful 90s group seems like a good idea, and the versions that the SNES produces aren't bad, but it doesn't really suit the game. Sound effects are average.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability </span>– 64%<br />You are thrown into the action pretty much straight away, and there really is no let up. Deaths are frequent, with there perhaps being a bit too much enemy fire to make the game enjoyable, plus the ability to G.A.M. your way out of situations is welcome but a bit too necessary.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">Overall </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">– 66%</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">A very very bog standard shooter. Unoriginal and bland but offers some fun, although there are much better shoot em' ups out there.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>VIDEO</b></span><br />
Here's footage of the game in action on Google's most excellent YouTube video entertainment service<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_TF7x9_vsfs/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_TF7x9_vsfs?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-45915004088828344322017-08-13T15:37:00.001-07:002017-08-13T15:37:11.102-07:00Action Fighter - Sega Master System review<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX30177529" style="background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1enOF_TXuLDrra7Ej_j7qfVqOBYzIcyGfl3fYvLqzctFMFCfLQuBr2s2o24MQSkdRUrPS_jCAyfs1DBdg4cEc2cTlvlbfhyzjm96oRMWLaOU-gI1gCG6ZU5pAIw6vbFSdqB0y1tx9Tjg/s1600/2017-08-13+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="762" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1enOF_TXuLDrra7Ej_j7qfVqOBYzIcyGfl3fYvLqzctFMFCfLQuBr2s2o24MQSkdRUrPS_jCAyfs1DBdg4cEc2cTlvlbfhyzjm96oRMWLaOU-gI1gCG6ZU5pAIw6vbFSdqB0y1tx9Tjg/s320/2017-08-13+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That car doesn't really look very suited to fighting action</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Game:</span> <em>Action Fighter</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span> <em>Sega Master System</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span> <i>Sega </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Publisher:</span> <i>Sega</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span> <em>1986</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Released on:</span> <em>Arcade, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now Available on:</span> <em>Nothing</em></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 8px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Is it a bike? Is it a car? Is it a plane? No, it's </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Superm</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">, </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">e</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">r</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">, Action Fighter. That's Action Fighter, </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">not </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Superm</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> Action </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Fighter</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. Action Fighter is one of the Sega </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Maste</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">r System's earliest games, a </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">conversion of an arcade game with the same name. It also app</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">eared on a few home computers too, </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">something I didn't know until I took a look at the Internet a </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">few </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">seconds</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> ago. Then again, I didn't even know it was originally an arcade game until Wikipedia informed me. Now I'm curious to see </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">what it looked like on other systems. Might find out after I've </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">writte</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">n this. I really don't know what's going on with the formatting on this page. Blogger seems to have a mind of its own today. </span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoAy7-9Vsg79j9gbItk_1moXm5ZBgWnJDjFETCun0GrNZc6WU7mv4mipq67RfmhPn90AhPEWoKa-AkCSJkA_E3sj4HZsgP4fhaNFy8JouFwSE2No3PY5QduevKHsgmUkahAFRt1YYIsQ/s1600/2017-08-13+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="760" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoAy7-9Vsg79j9gbItk_1moXm5ZBgWnJDjFETCun0GrNZc6WU7mv4mipq67RfmhPn90AhPEWoKa-AkCSJkA_E3sj4HZsgP4fhaNFy8JouFwSE2No3PY5QduevKHsgmUkahAFRt1YYIsQ/s320/2017-08-13+%25282%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What happens if I push 3? The game explodes?? I'll try that then</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Action Fighter is an overhead vertical</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ly </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">scrolling drive 'em, fly 'em, shoot 'em up. A Drflshmup to </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">give it its made-up modern name. The idea of the game is to </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">drive, fly and shoot things. I'm sure </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">there is a purpose for all of this reckless </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">behaviour</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">, and I'm </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">sure that purpose is explained in the </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">instruction manual or on the back of the box. So, seeing as my fancy has been well and truly tickled, I shall find out.</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Exactly why m</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ust I drive, fly and shoot things?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuf8tlJYAZy3qBjSUTJZYRaP7xAnNilCCEJIKuk1NLY6GInjvAKOaZQW9wkjXNoOzaxMepGoMT5QmC6Fk2nLgiSUGRBX3OsdOfhlrSM72UUMbJGUtbBWtpexj0Ovs6I-N5YC-uSlPo_Y8/s1600/2017-08-13+%252849%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="758" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuf8tlJYAZy3qBjSUTJZYRaP7xAnNilCCEJIKuk1NLY6GInjvAKOaZQW9wkjXNoOzaxMepGoMT5QmC6Fk2nLgiSUGRBX3OsdOfhlrSM72UUMbJGUtbBWtpexj0Ovs6I-N5YC-uSlPo_Y8/s320/2017-08-13+%252849%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hang On! Is that the bike from, er, what was it?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Hmmm, so according to the text on the European box, you "Take the mot</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">orcycle</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> from "Hang On," </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">equip it with </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">hi</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">-tech weaponry and give it the ability to transform itself into an air</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">craft or car - and </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">you've got ACTION FIGHTER!" Well I never, it's the Hang On bike</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">! I still don't know why it needs </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">equipping with hi-tech weaponry and or why it has the ability to tra</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">nsform</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> itself into other vehicles. </span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Maybe the American box has more info. Here is its text in full, and I'll put it in italics to make it stand out:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>Get ready to play a starring role in the incredible world of in</i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>ternational</i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i> espionage. </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>You receive five different assignments. All action-</i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>pa</i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>cked. And all extremely </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>dangerous. </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>Your secret </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>weapon? A vehicle that transforms into a dozen different deadly </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>devices. </i></span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i> </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>Your high-speed </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><i>motoscycle</i></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i> can turn into a </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><i>customised</i></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i> car</i></span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i> </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>and then into a sound-barrier breaking </i></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>jet plane. All in a matter of seconds. </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>The real test? To know when to use which weapon. Because the wrong mach</i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><i>ine</i></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>, at the wrong time, </i></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><i>can prove fatal.</i> </span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuVQOZ-It_FNi-0RkTtqDVfWJt7_BxXn1wfcP0nZoyK9cbObT2eTwBuhS1Jp4hzsZ08O30C6f8m8wx1qTPnS1kwLjEqowpRnOy7xlgrn3DelsK3OQtYqQIfPGiws2ibvtWSzKvZNb6Cs/s1600/2017-08-13+%252852%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="763" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuVQOZ-It_FNi-0RkTtqDVfWJt7_BxXn1wfcP0nZoyK9cbObT2eTwBuhS1Jp4hzsZ08O30C6f8m8wx1qTPnS1kwLjEqowpRnOy7xlgrn3DelsK3OQtYqQIfPGiws2ibvtWSzKvZNb6Cs/s320/2017-08-13+%252852%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That reminds me, I need to watch the People vs, OJ Simpson.<br />Everyone tells me how good it is</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Oooh, so it's espionage then? Spy games and the like. A bit like being a spy hunter of sorts? Original. </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">No m</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ention of the bike from Hang On though. </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Maybe being a vehicle used for spying, it doesn't want its </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">tru</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">e identity revealing. Instead, it's just </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">desc</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ri</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">bed as a motorcycle that can transform into a dozen d</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ifferent</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> deadly devices (nice use of </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">alliteration there, Sega!). Unfortunately, the box only ment</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ions two of the transformations, the car </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">and plane, and they are the only two in the game too. I </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">feel sho</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">rt</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">-changed now. What are the other </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ten, and why aren't they in the game? Why mention a </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">doze</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">n if you're not going to let us see them? </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">And what's all this bullcrap about knowing when to use which we</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">apon? Yes, you can switch from bike to </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">car and back to the bike if you want, but why would you? Once you've gained the ability to change to the car, you'll never ever go back to using the bike as it's horrible to control. </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">And </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">you change automatically from car to plane and back again de</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">pending on where about you are in the </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">level. Yes, I think that whoever wrote the box text hasn't actually p</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">layed</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> the game. </span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><br />
<span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEires5wPp2lfFyoYwjUdU6ELYqCTslLgYZl8krr1Sn0C3pZvaBDgfafdLcexqq1MrzOhK6DDWMyIWNxq6MGrOe5MWaYvyA-InthQUNLn1QDPXLGU944yRzC157UvD4IxGv9HwVT4kQgCDQ/s1600/2017-08-13+%252855%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="757" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEires5wPp2lfFyoYwjUdU6ELYqCTslLgYZl8krr1Sn0C3pZvaBDgfafdLcexqq1MrzOhK6DDWMyIWNxq6MGrOe5MWaYvyA-InthQUNLn1QDPXLGU944yRzC157UvD4IxGv9HwVT4kQgCDQ/s400/2017-08-13+%252855%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Two. Get back in formation. That is an order. Red Two!! Just you wait until we get back to base.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iI6_zI-wn0krb7fXzY0iYTZnbw2N1MRINVka9lxfedXC7NPCINzz6L9XPMw7ptYetUqI9T5kob5EfAMwsge8E-lrsQCOYqjweYVYw76h1IRUeG4wTUfnwGChRhYX4XviathjcOzdfC8/s1600/2017-08-13+%252851%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="759" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iI6_zI-wn0krb7fXzY0iYTZnbw2N1MRINVka9lxfedXC7NPCINzz6L9XPMw7ptYetUqI9T5kob5EfAMwsge8E-lrsQCOYqjweYVYw76h1IRUeG4wTUfnwGChRhYX4XviathjcOzdfC8/s320/2017-08-13+%252851%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your president certainly gets straight to the point. Either<br />that or he can't put together full sentences yet.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">But I have. In Action Fighter, after picking your name, a message</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> from the President of wherever </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">you are tells you to unleash fire and fury on whichever place has pissed him off. You then set </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">off on your little bike, whizzing along a road </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">at stupidly fast speeds, avoiding other road users - or just shoot</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ing them - and collecting letters. For </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">some reason, many of the vehicles you can destroy are ambulances. I did</span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">initially think that doing so </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">would result in some sort of penalty, but apparently not. The sick</span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">and injured are clearly not worthy </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">of your consideration, so need dealing with accordingly. There are quite a few parallels between this game and the modern-day policies of a certain orange President. You sp</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">eed up by pushing up on the d-pad, </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">slow down by pushing down, and fire with button 2. Every now and </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">again, you'll spot a Sega van. </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Driving into the back of it causes your vehicle to become enhanced with fast</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">er</span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">and more powerful weaponry. After you've </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">collected the letters A, B, C, and D, which apparently correspond to the four corner sections of your vehicle, your bike transforms into a car. T</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX30177529" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">he</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> car is easier to control than </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">the bike, but operates in pretty much the same way. You can switch from bike </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">to car and car to bike </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">by pressing button</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">s </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">1 and 2 at the same time. Go on to collect the letters E an</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">d F and your car will </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">eventually stop at a checkpoint, gain wings and take off. </span></span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f29f90b9-c557-4204-9800-55fbc73fd8a1}{209}" paraid="1575686241" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" xml:lang="EN-US">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-KxXt7MIpdb0gCi-YHvHQy1_x6PJ-8QksD-toAB2yQqXVX1gNfpSJsDtu3f6YMqPLQm4nd9V9Cf8F9WbXyix-ENzVjRcLgCtAlH0wKQVHCTgv9iwDFwcAqlOjp3CMOdjf4JBkdikN88/s1600/2017-08-13+%252856%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="754" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-KxXt7MIpdb0gCi-YHvHQy1_x6PJ-8QksD-toAB2yQqXVX1gNfpSJsDtu3f6YMqPLQm4nd9V9Cf8F9WbXyix-ENzVjRcLgCtAlH0wKQVHCTgv9iwDFwcAqlOjp3CMOdjf4JBkdikN88/s320/2017-08-13+%252856%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We'll fight them on the beaches, we'll fight them on their<br />freshly mown lawns.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">When in flight</span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">mode, the game becomes a </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">standard vertical shooter. Just shoot everything or dodge them. </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Button 2 remains your fire button, </span><span class="EOP SCX30177529" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">but button 1 becomes your bomb-dropping button. Use it to drop bombs on </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">objects situated on the </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ground or in the sea. This includes some of the end of level boss</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">es, which are the ones that your </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">President requested you to destroy. </span></span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX30177529" style="background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX30177529" style="background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f29f90b9-c557-4204-9800-55fbc73fd8a1}{245}" paraid="2082309667" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" xml:lang="EN-US">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">The game continues in the same way throughout the remaining lev</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">els, only sometimes you begin the </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">level as the plane which will the</span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">n </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">later become the car with the boss battles taking place on ground </span><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">rather than in the air. Eventually, once you've switched your vehicles around enough times, and used them to take out whichever nasties are stupid enough to get in your way, you'll complete the game. </span></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f29f90b9-c557-4204-9800-55fbc73fd8a1}{245}" paraid="2082309667" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" xml:lang="EN-US">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfk5FJ_FE3JFNX0_1aVfx2TIgLPHHrCifAjkFQuTK1RWoOlib-WwJjdpwy7VTpmG2M2SGlOVbYtwr-abcvrx6ViWnwstaRlJew-ut_oeB1WcELjCVCmsepjcDz6KPs46QsK-JLXzhOLw/s1600/2017-08-13+%252853%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="758" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfk5FJ_FE3JFNX0_1aVfx2TIgLPHHrCifAjkFQuTK1RWoOlib-WwJjdpwy7VTpmG2M2SGlOVbYtwr-abcvrx6ViWnwstaRlJew-ut_oeB1WcELjCVCmsepjcDz6KPs46QsK-JLXzhOLw/s400/2017-08-13+%252853%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magical transforming Hang On bike doesn't really look the most aerodynamic vehicle, even when it has wings</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xUDHsgxwADPHm-z6DrYDIxccl67RaSI_ytdKfstGwnTh4IJbuO2fBcuGLm9bLFLzc1TISm5YV2094-LiLxYn8EirZUl27d_mXzmPYMUear21WTXAojrAme3SR2R7ZccYkDLu0Qyz02M/s1600/2017-08-13+%252857%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="758" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xUDHsgxwADPHm-z6DrYDIxccl67RaSI_ytdKfstGwnTh4IJbuO2fBcuGLm9bLFLzc1TISm5YV2094-LiLxYn8EirZUl27d_mXzmPYMUear21WTXAojrAme3SR2R7ZccYkDLu0Qyz02M/s320/2017-08-13+%252857%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Hang On finds the 14th hole, but has put the ball in the<br />water hazard. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Action Fighter is very samey. Although changing from one vehicle to another should offer some variety in gameplay, both gaming styles are fairly similar to each other, and just repeat one after the other. As well as being repetitive, Action Fighter is also extremely tough. On the ground at top speed, it's impossible to react to the presence of other road users and to make turns when you need to. And constantly having to press fire tires out your fingers very quickly. Your vehicle does have auto-fire which works by holding down the fire button, but it fires so slowly that it's pointless. Of course, you can slow down, but you'll either slow down too much and need to speed up again, and then back down again, or you'll just decide to drive like a snail, which only results in you getting rear-ended. Finding that happy medium (Russell Grant?) isn't very achievable. The constant shooting, dodging, slowing down and speeding up, combined with regular deaths, just makes the game a pain in the ass to play. And when in the air, although you no longer have to deal with controlling your speed, you get bombarded with enemy aircraft and their bullets, some of which are hidden from view in the clouds. And those that aren't are hidden from view because of the Master System's flicker. You really have to shoot and hope. Kind of like having unprotected sex. Or perhaps not. Perhaps to rebalance the odds in the player's favour a little, a bit of variety to your firepower would have been nice. I don't mind hard games, but I don't like games that are only hard because they are unfair. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">The only saving grace in this game is that you have unlimited lives as you play against a timer. It starts at 999 and counts down. If it reaches zero before the end of the level, it's game over.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> The game really is a typical example of what early Master System releases were like, being just the same game on a loop. I can't even imagine it being much fun even if you do persevere with it and get good at it. Unless you have a weird ambition to become an Action Fighter master, it's probably not going to keep you entertained for very long.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-mLug8Orv29iSEixlxM_ZueielUDN5_Gc_YJpMOXCumKehpxXisLSCzaznAo7G2yMfpZB8RtGJ8tgvqx8CCnlxtTuk-qxg_akNE3BO9nOFs7zVikQRA8EEh7-Dg_z_H7xHT83BMLS-M/s1600/2017-08-13+%252858%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="759" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-mLug8Orv29iSEixlxM_ZueielUDN5_Gc_YJpMOXCumKehpxXisLSCzaznAo7G2yMfpZB8RtGJ8tgvqx8CCnlxtTuk-qxg_akNE3BO9nOFs7zVikQRA8EEh7-Dg_z_H7xHT83BMLS-M/s400/2017-08-13+%252858%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their are some enemies in those there clouds. Somewhere.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD61g0RDnBgLXPOjaiGo6ObDI4Yn6XDGPyM4PovtiIwGK4ZVE2Sq48nNXpTbknzfkZ3zYeC6Cun7yZ5gDsWWXvARxiRX6wafh9M2zaSK6MWF89ELC_QBl8_tJbs5ZRlCCvK3Ayh2Y-y4/s1600/2017-08-13+%252850%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="764" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD61g0RDnBgLXPOjaiGo6ObDI4Yn6XDGPyM4PovtiIwGK4ZVE2Sq48nNXpTbknzfkZ3zYeC6Cun7yZ5gDsWWXvARxiRX6wafh9M2zaSK6MWF89ELC_QBl8_tJbs5ZRlCCvK3Ayh2Y-y4/s320/2017-08-13+%252850%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have you seen my chopper? Hehe</td></tr>
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<span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">As far as graphics go, everything is nice and colourful and ok to look at, although the aforementioned clouds and flicker only add to the overall frustrations that the game seems only to happy to serve up. To offend your ears, two or three nasty-sounding tinkly "tunes" play in the background, They're not even good for Master System standards, and don't even sound in tune. And the sound effects are just awful. Like everything else in this game, the graphics style and music don't change as you play through it. There really is nothing that signifies to you that you are progressing through it. Even some colour changes would have helped a bit. And any change to the music would have been good. Maybe different notes. Or no notes. Yes, no notes at all would be best. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdAop7_-H4LBD4vAsbzgHEZFbxugbm-ldU6N-9HR7PwCziw69iFi2-Km90QbV_4EDtkp3By7boLfBpPFJtCoNDZR7i3r5f4th-Ke0_LV-cCTiSBA-18S7C_DbgwkaJD7qVLyeypHPAKE/s1600/2017-08-13+%252860%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="766" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdAop7_-H4LBD4vAsbzgHEZFbxugbm-ldU6N-9HR7PwCziw69iFi2-Km90QbV_4EDtkp3By7boLfBpPFJtCoNDZR7i3r5f4th-Ke0_LV-cCTiSBA-18S7C_DbgwkaJD7qVLyeypHPAKE/s320/2017-08-13+%252860%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can bog off if you think I'm carrying on <br />with this shite Mr President</td></tr>
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<span class="TextRun SCX30177529" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">So, um, yes, I can't think of anything else to add. That's Action Fighter. Pure garbage.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: "segoe ui", tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8px;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>RATINGS</b></span></span></span><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation </span>– 70%</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A car whizzes into the foreground, flashes its lights and the title is displayed. A few intermissions give you your objectives for each level, but there's very little else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics </span>– 65%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Graphics are ok. The roads are grey, fields are green, water is blue and the clouds are white. And they fudging hide enemy aircraft in them. I hate those clouds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound </span>– 45%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Turn it off. Turn it off now. Horrible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability </span>– 38%<br />At first, the game feels like it might be fun. But it quickly turns out that it isn't. It's not fun at all. It's hard, repetitive, frustrating and is about as enjoyable as visiting the dentist. Actually, my dentist is quite tasty so I don't mind doing that. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Overall </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">– 40%</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not the Master System's finest hour, or even 15 minutes. Quite horrendous. It might improve with practice, but there really are more worthwhile things to practice getting better at. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possibly the best part of the game, entering your name</td></tr>
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-18570018297372295842017-07-16T07:44:00.003-07:002017-07-16T07:44:46.709-07:00Tennis Games on the ZX Spectrum - Wimbledon Special: Part Three<div dir="ltr">
As I type this, the mens' final of Wimbledon 2017 is underway. Also underway is our continuation (from last year!) of our trawl through the archives to locate and play tennis games. Previously we have taken a look at <a href="https://classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/tennis-games-on-super-nintendo.html" target="_blank">tennis games for the Super Nintendo</a> and the <a href="https://classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/tennis-games-on-atari-consoles.html" target="_blank">Atari VCS/2600, 5600 and Lynx</a>. Waiting at the tee today is the ZX Spectrum. And in an attempt to have some order to things, we're going to go in alphabetical order today. Just five games are listed here. There are more for the Speccy, but these will do for now. The rest can wait until next year.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY14wmcPa6jxGfnHTmXpUW0mRdpl-mi2RpdnedzJVEjNZrU2CfS6lPAqPxwvIsi_5eVXam8us_sVxSx7m10M6C27SqabrEYR8ZZkTrFs_R4hGCtdZefkdDxv6kRj54p2l3gT172vb3Do/s1600/a2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY14wmcPa6jxGfnHTmXpUW0mRdpl-mi2RpdnedzJVEjNZrU2CfS6lPAqPxwvIsi_5eVXam8us_sVxSx7m10M6C27SqabrEYR8ZZkTrFs_R4hGCtdZefkdDxv6kRj54p2l3gT172vb3Do/s1600/a2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Adidas Championship Tie Break - Ocean (1990)</span></b></div>
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An overhead scrolling tennis game? A novel way to present the sport, but it doesn't really work here. The game gives you plenty of options for which kind of game to play, and a range of colourful courts to play on. You can even choose the weight of your racket, although I couldn't be bothered to play long enough to find out what effect this would have. The problem with this game is that you only get to see a small area of the court while playing. The screen follows the ball as it moves from one end of the court to the other. Fortunately your player always manages to find himself in the right position for you to return the shot, so it's just a case of correctly timing your racket swing. It's probably possible to do all manner of shots, but it never really feels like you're in complete control of what's happening. The sound is crap too. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsWW5ThKExY1RyxU4dsUonUkXv3oMdBEnqmEoOOGdh046BefI-OBmaM2TrElJ0tZtketa_sOdRhpaGCiSxmyGjf1gtye-whrCjgdoNcAFl9SxIsn7Vm04JgvbcC7zY_yHlAcDjE9Ioz8/s1600/a1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsWW5ThKExY1RyxU4dsUonUkXv3oMdBEnqmEoOOGdh046BefI-OBmaM2TrElJ0tZtketa_sOdRhpaGCiSxmyGjf1gtye-whrCjgdoNcAFl9SxIsn7Vm04JgvbcC7zY_yHlAcDjE9Ioz8/s1600/a1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR2VHPpk2mU-P6wAr7TKmEund2y8Cy7qeG4GXBDcM0rRIc0B0z_JKtFurzu0J-36WM6QKE_NCojuf0ZM884sHFVFg8q96i4nB4V16hXZ_3oE4steUfbTA2KCwGlsxK4s_XA_eBJ5d1lg/s1600/kt1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR2VHPpk2mU-P6wAr7TKmEund2y8Cy7qeG4GXBDcM0rRIc0B0z_JKtFurzu0J-36WM6QKE_NCojuf0ZM884sHFVFg8q96i4nB4V16hXZ_3oE4steUfbTA2KCwGlsxK4s_XA_eBJ5d1lg/s1600/kt1.png" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Konami's Tennis - Imagine (1986)</span></b><br />
This is quite a fun little game of tennis. There's no real faffing with options, with just a few menus to get through and then you're off. Your player is able to move freely around the court and there is a feeling of control when you have your shots, although it sometimes seems that pushing upwards when hitting the ball gives it a bit too much power and it ends up flying past your opponent and ending up out. The players don't change positions so you're always positioned at the bottom of the screen. Sound isn't amazing, just a weird boingy noise when the ball is hit or bounces. Graphics are good, although it might have been better if the players were drawn in black and not white. But, all in all, not a bad game.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Match Point - Sinclair Research (1984)</span></b><br />
An oldie but a goodie. Match Point is simple, basic fun. You can configure your game all from one simple screen, even give yourself and your opponent a name. Players are little stick figures, which move smoothly and fluidly around the court. Ball physics seem realistic and everything mostly works well in this game. Extremely polished and technically impressive, even compared with later games. If you want to play tennis on the Speccy, this is the game to go for!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">International 3D Tennis - Palace (1990)</span></b><br />
Oh, darn it! I've got my alphabet wrong! I comes before M. Oh well. So, International 3D Tennis is our next tennis game. Calling the game 3D is pushing it a bit. You can view the game from a variety of viewpoints which all kind of give a sort of three dimensional appearance, and your players are a bunch of triangles assembled to look like a human being. Their animation is fluid and again gives an impression of entering the third dimension. Gameplay is a bit slow-paced, although this is another one of those games where you are assisted by the computer, although not to a great extent, and higher difficulty settings reduce the extent of assistance. The viewpoints are interesting but more than likely you'll choose the standard one. There's quite a bit of depth on offer as you can play tournaments around the world, but the game feels like it's a bit of a novelty.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">International Tennis - Zeppelin (1992)</span></b><br />
One of the Spectrum's later tennis sims which shows in the overall presentation and quality. Fun and fast-paced and a good alternative to Match Point. Plenty of options give you a lot of ways to play the game. Sound is minimal but does the job. Graphics are also quite detailed, even if the background image makes it look like you're playing in a cave.<br />
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-91244993866603186132016-12-10T15:51:00.001-08:002016-12-10T15:51:15.753-08:00Olympic Gold - Sega Mega Drive/Genesis review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_U4aBVxRhlF2hkcJ2v1w1jJGFunGlf6LzRBq_Lgs0-NMSd_fINA2kkycosMl-ujMLZAtI5pRJpSCWNtUL7Y2LWnTJY14Fm01CFsBIwkl-1QZr218a0ckd1ri0SA73jJCtEpre2RbFcls/s1600/2016-12-10+%252816%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_U4aBVxRhlF2hkcJ2v1w1jJGFunGlf6LzRBq_Lgs0-NMSd_fINA2kkycosMl-ujMLZAtI5pRJpSCWNtUL7Y2LWnTJY14Fm01CFsBIwkl-1QZr218a0ckd1ri0SA73jJCtEpre2RbFcls/s320/2016-12-10+%252816%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A game about athletics sponsored by a sugary unhealthy drink</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Game:</span> <em>Olympic Gold</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span> <em>Sega Mega Drive/Genesis</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span> <em>Tiertex</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Publisher:</span> <em>US Gold</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span> <em>1992</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Released on:</span> <em>Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now Available on:</span> <em>Nothing</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span>Well, the Olympic Games are over now for another four years. Didn't we do well? Sadly, I wasn't chosen to participate in them this year but I'm sure this will change in time for the Tokyo games in 2020. Between now and then, I'll pick a sport that we aren't that great at, practice it, and then go to Japan to represent Team GB. Maybe I'll pick ping pong. We don't really do that well in ping pong, do we? There's a gap in our country's skill set there. I shall plug it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the meantime though, I've been having my own Olympic Games in the comfort of my living room. Oh yes, the sofa Olympics, featuring Olympic Gold on the Sega Mega Drive. Olympic Gold was released to coincide with the Barcelona games of 1992. It was also released on the Sega Master System and Game Gear. Olympic Gold was the first game to be officially endorsed by the International Olympic Committee, with a new one released for every summer and winter Olympics since then, although this year's Olympics only appear to have been attended by Mario and Sonic and their friends. Back in 1992, this would have been unthinkable. Mario and Sonic in a game together. Never!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Olympic Gold opens with a map of the world and the names of each previous host city flying out of their location in the world, plus the year in which they hosted. If anything, it provides you with a quick geography and history lesson. You then get to choose the language that you would like to play in and then it's on with the games.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">However, before you get to have a go at showing off your sporting prowess, a </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">recreation of the Olympic stadium’s electronic scoreboard is displayed on your screen. It has the ability of producing amazing state-of-the-art (for the early 1990s anyway) graphics and animations plus in-game menus and options too. It also displays</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> the scores, which is handy what with it being a scoreboard and everything.</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cuJ_DxpxS4gfrVbK5pdUyxA0ZaMOoAd2_0JTW9ZPckk224sZjNfuxrODplwdUvP3RCH5xNx4bUNBM93dH9fU054fM-jkx-9dxKN2ogJu40_anki0VjqfnQB96RkgQs8xLHDa4lyhVRI/s1600/2016-12-10+%25287%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cuJ_DxpxS4gfrVbK5pdUyxA0ZaMOoAd2_0JTW9ZPckk224sZjNfuxrODplwdUvP3RCH5xNx4bUNBM93dH9fU054fM-jkx-9dxKN2ogJu40_anki0VjqfnQB96RkgQs8xLHDa4lyhVRI/s320/2016-12-10+%25287%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The game's menu, on the stadium scoreboard. Clever, eh?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">From this magical multipurpose scoreboard, you can choose your in-game options. You can choose whether to p</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">ractice a specific </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">event, partake in a Mini Olympics, or go all out in the full blown Olympics. Mini Olympics simply lets you pick the events that you want to compete in, whereas Full Olympics requires you to compete in all of them. And by all of them, I mean </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">seven</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> events. Yep, just </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">seven</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. Those Barcelona Olympic</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">s</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> must have been over within an hour</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">of them starting </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">if the game is an accurate reflection of the real thing</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">. Nothing like the two week affair we had over in Brazil this summer. </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">You then get to pick your skill level – either crap, not-so-crap or superhuman – displayed in this game as Club, National or Olympic. Then you get to choose who you would like to play as. Each competitor represents a country, and you can’t switch your competitor’s nationality. Too much red tape, apparently.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYNzDmC4yBEeVk3yhv1nQrqHyarJufBCS5b0YOfC_jLQowCZXXzK3sdprIwjT57TFgY1gZNV5AYfNWYeTdxr-WvnYCSpr1F4Zp7OujgBXQP_Se-4uh5-XItTvdiGPTcBNfBcDVAeyK3o/s1600/2016-12-10+%25288%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYNzDmC4yBEeVk3yhv1nQrqHyarJufBCS5b0YOfC_jLQowCZXXzK3sdprIwjT57TFgY1gZNV5AYfNWYeTdxr-WvnYCSpr1F4Zp7OujgBXQP_Se-4uh5-XItTvdiGPTcBNfBcDVAeyK3o/s400/2016-12-10+%25288%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not really too sure what the difference between National and Olympic actually would be?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKGbB-Gh-IYxh9j_jKEjEizUUYrPqweWNhG-r2qWvLDMeceCyyCgf69nddUikv6LjDABKirPXyJap2K_fishrJDyRZvxVUAC9kWUf0I9nEIhMGHOL4rXNK_fYrwP1Y0C_-Liq8VuzUbI/s1600/2016-12-10+%252814%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKGbB-Gh-IYxh9j_jKEjEizUUYrPqweWNhG-r2qWvLDMeceCyyCgf69nddUikv6LjDABKirPXyJap2K_fishrJDyRZvxVUAC9kWUf0I9nEIhMGHOL4rXNK_fYrwP1Y0C_-Liq8VuzUbI/s320/2016-12-10+%252814%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
The opening ceremony is over. The flame has been lit. </div>
<div>
The flamelighter makes his way down the stairs with</div>
<div>
his hand on fire.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Regardless of what mode of play you have chosen, you are then swiftly thrown into the first event itself. Well, not so swiftly if you’ve chosen to take part in the full Olympics. You have to get through the Opening Ceremony itself first. Barcelona ’92 must have been on a tight budget, as it appears that all their Opening Ceremony consisted of was somebody lighting the flame and some doves being released. And not even a sign of that Freddy Mercury Barcelona song. Of course, you can always skip the ceremony by bashing one of your control pad buttons, something you’ll be getting used to as you play the game.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{159}" paraid="2000069334" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">So, what are the events and how are they portrayed in Olympic Gold? I’m glad you asked as I have the answers right here:</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR2qv-biow0TTXAciZekIHpVr-cLa1E3EjIFndedjAY3DRrG9qYc-Yag5u8ha45PUv1aD8XkSPAlyZGgP4Khzhk6G4IwKGJJ8GcdDi_WDZ5HRs7xWkvczUnSgwHlx5MZ6lXgreCBde2o/s1600/2016-12-10+%252811%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR2qv-biow0TTXAciZekIHpVr-cLa1E3EjIFndedjAY3DRrG9qYc-Yag5u8ha45PUv1aD8XkSPAlyZGgP4Khzhk6G4IwKGJJ8GcdDi_WDZ5HRs7xWkvczUnSgwHlx5MZ6lXgreCBde2o/s320/2016-12-10+%252811%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Run Forrest Run!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>100 </b></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Metres</b></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">: Pretty straightforward stuff, this. Run in a straight line for 100 </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">metres</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> as fast as you can. Usain Bolt is quite good at this. I’m not. Olympic Gold employs the good old technique of getting you to press buttons as quickly as possible, a la Track and Field. You need to alternate between button A and button B. The faster you do it, the faster your runner runs. If you feel that it makes a difference, you can press C at the end of the race to push your head forward a little bit with the intention that it crosses the line before the head of one your opponents. Unfortunately, there is no option to dive over the finish line. </span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG4OCZkkv4TKQDDfht9tl12s_w-frNJ9GTh1uUPiv3Ztf3Z2SP5Gx1fabfmIUqKK5RR9CGaEuQSnkzjSu56U0qx0l02jDObSXWmEF5_Hx57t3vaAfe7TlP6InnnOWk6ZNlCSo18Bd5Pc/s1600/2016-12-10+%252820%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG4OCZkkv4TKQDDfht9tl12s_w-frNJ9GTh1uUPiv3Ztf3Z2SP5Gx1fabfmIUqKK5RR9CGaEuQSnkzjSu56U0qx0l02jDObSXWmEF5_Hx57t3vaAfe7TlP6InnnOWk6ZNlCSo18Bd5Pc/s320/2016-12-10+%252820%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
The bloke in lane three appears to be hopping his way</div>
<div>
through the hurdles</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>110</b></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b> </b></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Metre</b></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b> Hurdles</b>: Similar to the above</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">but ten </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">metres</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> longer and </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">with the added inconvenience that some </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">imbecile has placed miniature bridges in your way. You can run through them, which slows you down and probably hurts, or you can jump over them, which is what the professionals do. I remember getting picked to represent my house group in hurdles in my school sports day back in 1995. I decided to go for a mixture of the two methods and came last. I don’t think I’d ever hurdled beforehand; I got picked simply because I was quite tall. In Olympic Gold, alternating buttons A and B gets your speed up, whereas smashing </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">down on C causes your ath</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">lete to launch himself off the ground in the hope that he’ll </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">gracefully glide over the hurdle in his way. What I found from playing this game is that I still seem to use the same tactics that I used in my 1995 Sports Day, with the same results. Maybe I need to change tactics.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVqd9g9e-Fp616_XtSe8Wk-PMZsN7TYkSsMzjl-iGWybcv07LlCOFlEhXzpeVK3TVmG_RxDlLnQiYpM618VxRB_QNcQAJg4uYGjDGI1r3-UmdnZTJ0d-SIvVcGANe28QjiPCQ8nNlzXw/s1600/2016-12-10+%252815%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVqd9g9e-Fp616_XtSe8Wk-PMZsN7TYkSsMzjl-iGWybcv07LlCOFlEhXzpeVK3TVmG_RxDlLnQiYpM618VxRB_QNcQAJg4uYGjDGI1r3-UmdnZTJ0d-SIvVcGANe28QjiPCQ8nNlzXw/s320/2016-12-10+%252815%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catch this!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>Hammer throw</b>: For this event, you spin round and around and around a number of times until you’re spinning so fast that letting go of the hammer that you are holding onto causes it to fling a great distance. The greater the distance, the better.</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Pressing C gets your spin cycle started, bashing A and B makes you go fast and faster, and pressing C again releases the hammer from your grasp. And then you can watch as it plummets to the ground just in front of you. </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">A bit of practice will result in the hammer going further, much to the crowd’s delight.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvDR0se3ezK6Aq06yELbPEVxjOISqm_NqOzRmU_qujVCVbhM0uU0O5akZvB4gAFDmH4YbWpnuE9oC0jyvnwEkizuPimpGyqNC25idpeNPWQBZMKo3V6Qq1Or7Pmcty0DexLYmGkDkTFE/s1600/2016-12-10+%252817%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvDR0se3ezK6Aq06yELbPEVxjOISqm_NqOzRmU_qujVCVbhM0uU0O5akZvB4gAFDmH4YbWpnuE9oC0jyvnwEkizuPimpGyqNC25idpeNPWQBZMKo3V6Qq1Or7Pmcty0DexLYmGkDkTFE/s320/2016-12-10+%252817%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D. Stead stares with intensity at Bully's prizeboard</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>Archery</b>: Now, I play darts every now and again but don’t understand why it isn’t an Olympic event. Watching darts on TV at the start of every January is my New Year treat – a bit like an extension to the festive season. I’m sure it’d go down well in the Olympics. T</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">he closest they</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> get to it is Archery, which I suppose is basically the same only with bigger darts. </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">And no Bully’s Special Prize for the bullseye. They should do that in the Olympics archery. Somebody gets a bullseye and Jim Bowen shouts from the background, “It’s a Bullseye! You’ll love eating your food with this. You’ve won a luxury cutlery set and case!” Do people still have special cutlery sets? My mum and dad had one in a massive case with a velvety cover that spent most of its time at the back of a kitchen cupboard. It only ever came out for Christmas dinner. Anyway, archery in this game just requires you to press C to pull back your arrow, the D-Pad to attempt to aim your shot, and C again to fire. What makes things slightly more challenging is that as you attempt to line up your</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> shot,</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> you </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">appear </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">to be a bit wobbly. The first few attempts aren't too bad, but you begin quivering like a jelly after go after go after go.</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> I’m not sure whether this is down to the strain on pulling back the arrow, or the wind, but it gives the event a whole new layer of complexity and excitement.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSRicSVLaLn_vqhJSO5ccOT5NTiNSxYsb8I-dryFHgnikHTos_2QSqhoq2iCvLd72Y_KJJKYQ48sx8v_E7cK7AaRxtd6SjbTiIsI4ISSOlFUSnfMnucEpIZdX7guigRh8XUaUQVAj60g/s1600/2016-12-10+%252819%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSRicSVLaLn_vqhJSO5ccOT5NTiNSxYsb8I-dryFHgnikHTos_2QSqhoq2iCvLd72Y_KJJKYQ48sx8v_E7cK7AaRxtd6SjbTiIsI4ISSOlFUSnfMnucEpIZdX7guigRh8XUaUQVAj60g/s400/2016-12-10+%252819%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stead appears to be aiming for the area between the targets. Doesn't bode well</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSc7e-YyEpHvFfv04rvSbh8dMwfZzP-TVM7hb6oHQ_djrpBmpfANBoSdvH8k7Y2Pd_1iGCtuhluiUQr3cfmaEGaSKQQPn4AfA3ywCiI3bokEm5qMOyj-lPv-krofHD1BqJz7RjmgqwVo/s1600/2016-12-10+%252824%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSc7e-YyEpHvFfv04rvSbh8dMwfZzP-TVM7hb6oHQ_djrpBmpfANBoSdvH8k7Y2Pd_1iGCtuhluiUQr3cfmaEGaSKQQPn4AfA3ywCiI3bokEm5qMOyj-lPv-krofHD1BqJz7RjmgqwVo/s320/2016-12-10+%252824%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not going to make it, not going to make it</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>High Jump</b>: Run a bit with a pole, and then use it to launch yourself into the air, hoping to get over a horizontal pole placed at a height and landing successfully on a cushion. This isn’t easy to pull off due to the weird combination of button presses that you have to master. It goes from being a button bashing challenge to a coordination challenge. In fact, it’s probably easier to do it in real life.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtIuulqPyk5PBePlCe61nW34Xo-QC3ErU46EPgmAPrnOe6YjX8wbdB4Np3dVhe3SRPV1JkBoA2ANvAxwFh8joOwBJegj5CTPGVNGYRAioQdp3WfqzWO0_p9UcU4gpj8Rc8csbovwbU4A/s1600/2016-12-10+%252827%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtIuulqPyk5PBePlCe61nW34Xo-QC3ErU46EPgmAPrnOe6YjX8wbdB4Np3dVhe3SRPV1JkBoA2ANvAxwFh8joOwBJegj5CTPGVNGYRAioQdp3WfqzWO0_p9UcU4gpj8Rc8csbovwbU4A/s320/2016-12-10+%252827%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stead dives elegantly into the blue waters below him</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>3 </b></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Metre</b></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b> Springboard diving</b>: Probably the best event of the game, although that isn’t really saying much. You need to complete a series of dives of different techniques. In practice mode, you can view a demo of how the dive is done beforehand so you know what buttons to press and when. There are a number of dives to master, so it really is a case of remembering each combination for each dive. Easy to do if you’ve just watched it, not so easy if you’ve just done a load of other events and have a memory like mine. Still, it’s quite funny watching your athlete hit the water on his belly. In main competition, all required dives are chosen for you, apart from your final one, so make it a good one. I suppose this event is the only one that actually rewards skill, even though it primarily requires you to remember button combinations. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiGQvcmS4aj4JCDpxv72z8gjmPrWb0FqPJ2M_KLGltCeJhbIUQNxhm8lnGiH76XksMOi27dhoMdgtmHGuXkKZpIMn7kketrkLecmUUgPk6LHWpl2ApYmlJG2nHR7YId4GtNYLpF3_cSQ/s1600/2016-12-10+%252829%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiGQvcmS4aj4JCDpxv72z8gjmPrWb0FqPJ2M_KLGltCeJhbIUQNxhm8lnGiH76XksMOi27dhoMdgtmHGuXkKZpIMn7kketrkLecmUUgPk6LHWpl2ApYmlJG2nHR7YId4GtNYLpF3_cSQ/s400/2016-12-10+%252829%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, he crapped that one up, didn't he?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwEGI_P5SK09H2QnA_jW-O-kCiQfrAzjAP3FuxX6OxNiuirkk7O20SYz-CSsTNWy3GWVW1TuY2TGCWd_JWNriUt-87CZJoAKw8ZF2Y_NFAby-AAi4qU3C_l4kvUUW8ID631Pn7cC4Ah8/s1600/2016-12-10+%252831%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwEGI_P5SK09H2QnA_jW-O-kCiQfrAzjAP3FuxX6OxNiuirkk7O20SYz-CSsTNWy3GWVW1TuY2TGCWd_JWNriUt-87CZJoAKw8ZF2Y_NFAby-AAi4qU3C_l4kvUUW8ID631Pn7cC4Ah8/s320/2016-12-10+%252831%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Just like my local leisure centre, only without a pensioner</div>
<div>
doing widths instead of lengths</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b>200 </b></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Metre</b></span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b> freestyle Swimming</b>: Similar to the running, only you don’t need to bash your buttons quite as rapidly, but you do need to get your timing right to flip yourself over to turn the other way when you approach the end of the pool.</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{219}" paraid="251888402" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">So, they are all of the events. Once you’ve completed an event in practice mode, you are taken back to the main menu where you can choose the event again if you want another go or pick something else. That’s a little something that niggled me. Why the game couldn’t just ask you if you wanted another go before taking you to the menu screen? In either of the Olympic Modes, there are usually multiple rounds of the same event. For example, in the 100 </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Metre</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> sprint, </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">If</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> you finish in the top three in the first race, you qualify for the final. You have the option of watching or skipping the second race which decides your other three opponents. And then all six finalists run in the medal race. In other events, your </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">score is totalled up after you’ve completed three rounds of it to decide the final scores and the medal winners. I'm not really sure how the high jump works. It just seems to go on forever until you mess up three times.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxntKG22cB-mcdFQTWYz61htByLFGo-c6eG98kKu2UpwTA8sl2NX-YHHDOktGb9GZwJMTh2KXrAufP0RbZbPBDu8LilHwmV33AK6v21VyvarLTGwm5qUj87iGk1QrBThuuxw9rQEFP9FQ/s1600/2016-12-10+%252810%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxntKG22cB-mcdFQTWYz61htByLFGo-c6eG98kKu2UpwTA8sl2NX-YHHDOktGb9GZwJMTh2KXrAufP0RbZbPBDu8LilHwmV33AK6v21VyvarLTGwm5qUj87iGk1QrBThuuxw9rQEFP9FQ/s400/2016-12-10+%252810%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Not sure whether this is game based on Barcelona '92 or Berlin '36. Could be the latter. Hitler himself is</div>
<div>
on the starting gun, and there is a distinct lack of diversity in the athletes.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">If you win an event, you are presented with the gold medal and a snippet of your national anthem is played. When I say you are presented with the medal, all you get is a screen with a picture of it in an open box. There are no podium posing and medal-biting shenanigans here.</span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYow28GO0m3DIgP_v9QmNRg8OIAqqwl-WJ5XctALtEWsUIMnb01wlr-AsWakzyB8dLxJrvU22b59lFxXPg1DUCVu5NOPjL6TzKtIzyGlwStye_iwOeBHyKkUjrXYwdS7bJxEJAQVr0fmk/s1600/2016-12-10+%252832%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYow28GO0m3DIgP_v9QmNRg8OIAqqwl-WJ5XctALtEWsUIMnb01wlr-AsWakzyB8dLxJrvU22b59lFxXPg1DUCVu5NOPjL6TzKtIzyGlwStye_iwOeBHyKkUjrXYwdS7bJxEJAQVr0fmk/s320/2016-12-10+%252832%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
GBR appear to have done suspiciously well in this games, with</div>
<div>
Pam Kidman topping the table. Zebedee Smirnov competed for</div>
<div>
EUN. Who's EUN? Ooooh, former Soviet countries apparently.</div>
<div>
No sign of China though.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">After you've completed all of the events, the final medal count is tallied up and the Olympic champion is decided. Woohoo! It really isn't that exciting, but there is a small bit of tension if you are doing well and want to maintain your position at the top of the leaderboard. Just a small amount. Nothing like the real thing. At least I don't think it's like the real thing. I'll find out in 2020 when I'm in the ping pong.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{225}" paraid="663972557" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">The problem with this game is the events aren’t really that much fun. I’ve never been a big fan of games that just require you to press buttons as fast as you can or </span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="SpellingError SCX40583382" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: inherit; background-image: url("data:image/gif; background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">memorise</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"> combinations, so this game just isn’t going to do anything for me. And I don’t think I’m the only one. Saying that, I do remember playing this game back in 1992 with a frien</span><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">d and quite enjoying it. But only for a short while. It wasn’t a game where we played through the whole Olympics and then said, “Let’s do it again!”</span><span class="EOP SCX40583382" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{228}" paraid="944734952" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5c3DR6NXNQDWAqs9zJ5eGdAY2UNA7NrlCXyUk80s5YGx9pIrE8PhF1wd7dhtJ7Lz8Qsnp90GOxY73itFx_fWbyQSkRSXRE2KhmADdcJEA-ikmBKHQ1G_138WR98qiR2beyTa1LffzhM/s1600/2016-12-10+%252830%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5c3DR6NXNQDWAqs9zJ5eGdAY2UNA7NrlCXyUk80s5YGx9pIrE8PhF1wd7dhtJ7Lz8Qsnp90GOxY73itFx_fWbyQSkRSXRE2KhmADdcJEA-ikmBKHQ1G_138WR98qiR2beyTa1LffzhM/s400/2016-12-10+%252830%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave Stead is late off the starting blocks. Will he make up time? Probably not.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{228}" paraid="944734952" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Presentation-wise, the idea of using the scoreboard to drive navigation through the menus was quite good, and was probably quite novel in its day too. In Europe, the game was sponsored by Coca Cola, so in between each event, the Coca Cola blimp sometimes goes past. That isn’t too bad, but what is annoying is that the “Always Coca Cola” jingle plays each time. I don’t really have anything against in-game sponsorship providing it doesn’t take over the game, but the tune just grates. When the game was originally released though, I thought it was amazing. I couldn't get over the fact that a video game had a familiar brand logo and jingle in it. I wet my knickers when I played James Pond: Robocod and there were Penguin chocolate bars on one level. Strangely enough, the American version of Olympic Gold didn't feature sponsorship. </span></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{228}" paraid="944734952" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcFtlqBnEkzi6Eklwl3chm3UfLDAi-FqXGMNRXtSKe4CKxPwkgKh8yf2YG86BLuat9hyQkPGtwbC4ma6BL9asQgFhfgmZQfPZalxiGqLlTc8FB9-aGLBiTLfO6ke_4LHp0uCWWhBBYJw/s1600/2016-12-10+%252825%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcFtlqBnEkzi6Eklwl3chm3UfLDAi-FqXGMNRXtSKe4CKxPwkgKh8yf2YG86BLuat9hyQkPGtwbC4ma6BL9asQgFhfgmZQfPZalxiGqLlTc8FB9-aGLBiTLfO6ke_4LHp0uCWWhBBYJw/s1600/2016-12-10+%252825%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcFtlqBnEkzi6Eklwl3chm3UfLDAi-FqXGMNRXtSKe4CKxPwkgKh8yf2YG86BLuat9hyQkPGtwbC4ma6BL9asQgFhfgmZQfPZalxiGqLlTc8FB9-aGLBiTLfO6ke_4LHp0uCWWhBBYJw/s400/2016-12-10+%252825%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wanna take a ride on my pole? Fnar fnar</td></tr>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX40583382" paraeid="{4b4396b1-b06c-4a61-acdc-a4f69d556fd5}{228}" paraid="944734952" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Graphics are functional and purposeful, but aren't really very nice to look at, appearing quite basic and somewhat 8-bit in style. In the events, each competitor is identical to each other. The only way of recognising your character is that you wear a different coloured outfit, a bit like when you forgot your PE kit at school and had to wear something from lost property. Sounds are average too. I've already mentioned the annoying Coca Cola tune, plus the rest of the in-event music is nothing to write home about, not that I've ever written about music that I've heard when I've written home. I don't think I've ever written home actually. Maybe I sent my mum and dad a postcard from Gran Canaria when I went on my first non-family holiday, although I doubt I wrote about the music there. If I did, I would probably have mentioned that DJ Otzi's Hey Baby (Ooh, Aah) song seemed to be on repeat play. One whole week of listening to that non-stop every afternoon around the pool. It drove me crazy it did. It was no wonder I had to keep wandering over to the all-inclusive bar for a drink. So, yes, the music in Olympic Gold wasn't up to much, playing away in the background as you hammer the life out of your control pad. Nor were the sound effects which were limited to short bursts of white noise to simulate crowd noise and a few other sounds. That said, they don't really intrude in the game's goings-on, and I don't really think they would have made the game any better even if they were amazing.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6UVQaXGc9W36a25bRXDMWEySFOA74JxGMJ0b8eJtlPx8zH6oOqneztdv8oY-OmVOcb0yrVTHYybYZ9FJC5shBxuPeFsPH-izi4scjC16_rao7O09rKffgI40ecNZ3U1KBoIu55JOWvw/s1600/2016-12-10+%252834%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6UVQaXGc9W36a25bRXDMWEySFOA74JxGMJ0b8eJtlPx8zH6oOqneztdv8oY-OmVOcb0yrVTHYybYZ9FJC5shBxuPeFsPH-izi4scjC16_rao7O09rKffgI40ecNZ3U1KBoIu55JOWvw/s320/2016-12-10+%252834%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Baby I'm a firework! One of those cheap ones from Asda</div>
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that they begin selling two months before 5th November</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US">Olympic Gold wasn't an awful game, and there is a certain amount of fun that can be had with it, especially with multiple players. The controls are responsive, but as the game sort of dictates that buttons need to be pressed as quickly as possible or in a certain order, it means that it isn't really that enjoyable to control. The seven events chosen for the game aren't the best or most varied, but when playing them through, you kind of want to get the event you're on over and move onto the next. In a way, you're wishing the game away. There really isn't any incentive to master the events so there isn't much replay value in it. Olympic Gold doesn't have any long-lasting appeal, and it's short term appeal is also limited too. Fortunately it doesn't take long to get through the whole thing, and then it's back in its box, or wherever it came from. Nowadays it's something to look back at more out of curiosity than as a game. Still, it was better than the next game based on the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><b>RATINGS</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation </span>– 78%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A digital scoreboard is pretty much all you see through most of the non-gameplay sections. But it's effective and works quite well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics </span>– 77%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fairly bog-standard graphics which don't really stand out in any way. Would have been nice to see a more diverse mix of competitors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound </span>– 72%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although the game features plenty of music and sound effects, the tunes that play in the background of each event are forgettable and the sound effects are rather lacking in quality. In European versions a horrible rendition of the Coca Cola jingle plays between each event which is nothing but an annoyance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability </span>– 73%<br />The game feels like it's going to be quite good at first, but the button-bashing nature of some events and memory tests of others soon reduce the fun factor. It's not too bad with multiple players though.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="TextRun SCX40583382" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-user-select: text; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">Overall </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">– 72%</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not a terrible first entry to the official Olympic Games series of video games, but not great either. The variety of events is limited, and the game just isn't something you'd have much desire to master. There isn't really anything to it to make it appeal. </span></div>
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-24676883783410672722016-07-05T14:48:00.001-07:002016-07-05T14:59:30.905-07:00Tennis Games on Atari consoles - Wimbledon Special: Part TwoIn the second part of our Wimbledon special, we look at more digital versions of tennis. Today we go through the games that appeared on Atari's consoles, from the Atari VCS all the way up to the Atari Lynx. We tee off by revisiting the Atari VCS.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tennis Games on the Atari VCS/2600</span></strong><br />
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Atari's wooden box played host to hundreds of games, most of which bore little resemblance to, um, anything. Still, it attempted to replicate tennis and the sport featured in three games. It probably featured in more, but I don't know what they are. Here are the three games that I do know.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Video Olympics - Atari (1977)</span></b><br />
Video Olympics was one of the launch games for the Atari VCS. It was basically Pong on a cartridge, with 50 variations on the theme which apparently mimicked such sports as football, basketball, ice hockey and, of course, in its simplest original two-bats-and-one-square-ball mode, tennis. Tennis without a net but with bouncy walls. At the time, there were countless consoles that played clones of Pong, with switches and dials and stuff to change the parameters of the game. Video Olympics was probably a way of Atari ensuring that its new VCS console was at least able to offer whatever was already on the market in one tidy package, providing pretty much every variation of Pong conceivable. The problem was, even in 1977, Pong and its many mutations were already old and dated. This game will provide some nostalgia value for, oooh, two minutes. Then you'll wonder how the video game industry ever got off the ground. Still, it's not too bad with two players. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beep. Beep. Beep. Deep sounding beep. Who needs sound effects when you can have subtitles?</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Tennis - Activision (1981)</span></b></span></div>
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</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">This is the first game on the Atari VCS to look like a real tennis game, getting released two years before the next one. It's fun at first but gets tedious very quickly. You can't swing your racket, meaning that it's a simple case of getting your player to be in the same place as the ball in order to return it. Unless you are able to catch the ball at the end of your racket, it ends up going straight back to your opponent which results in endless games. A good first attempt to bring tennis to the masses, but it hasn't stood the rest time. You can play it for yourself in your browser through</span> <a href="https://archive.org/details/atari_2600_tennis_1983_cce_c-858_4k">The Internet Archive's online console service</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink is beating blue. Gosh.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Realsports Tennis - Atari (1983)</span></b></div>
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Atari attempted to recreate tennis using a viewpoint which is still favoured today. They also even attempted to give you the ability to influence the kind of shot that you were trying to pull off, not that it really worked that well. This is actually a fairly fun game but like a lot of VCS games today, it gets boring pretty quickly. The graphics are quite good, although the music sounds a bit like somebody has been pressing random keys on their Casio keyboard. It is quite surprising that it took Atari until 1983 to release a tennis game for their console, five years into its life. Realsports Tennis is easily the best tennis game for the Atari VCS, but that's not saying much seeing as there are only three, and one of those is Pong.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those rackets look like the player's arms have come out of their sockets</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tennis Games on the Atari 5200</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black;">So, fans of tennis weren't too well served on the Atari VCS. What about the console's successor, the Atari 5200 Super System? Well, things got worse. There was just the one tennis game released for it. And that was.....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Realsports Tennis - Atari (1983)</strong></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This game is called Atari. No, Tennis. Realsports Tennis</td></tr>
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In addidtion to its release on the Atari VCS/2600, Realsports Tennis also appeared on the Atari 5200, a game designed to make use of the console's "fantastic" controller. You controlled your little man using the joystick, but aimed your shots using its number pad. Needless to say, the game is pretty much unplayable. You could ignore the keypad and just use the joystick. This just results in you having a playful knockabout with your opponent with never ending relays. Not quite as exciting but far less frustrating, although it's unlikely you'll ever win a point.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looks like an exciting game</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tennis Games on the Atari Lynx</span></strong><br />
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Oh well, seeing as nobody actually owned an Atari 5200, the fact that Realsports Tennis was so bad wasn't that significant. The Atari 7800 did even worse. It didn't even have a tennis game. Nor did the Jaguar. The Lynx did though. In 1993, Jimmy Connors popped up on Atari's rather splendid little battery guzzler.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Jimmy Connors Tennis - UBI Soft (1993)</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey Jimmy. I still don't know who you are</td></tr>
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Jimmy Connors's Tennis on the Lynx wasn't a bad little game. It lacked a lot of the realism of the SNES equivalent, opting for simplicity and accessibility instead. There are some frustrating elements to the game. Missing your serve results in a fault and you never get to serve from the far end. Not great, but not major criticisms. The graphics are good and the game also features some nice sampled speech. Of all of Atari's consoles, this is easily the best tennis game for them. That's not saying much though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRvAa7TAdF5yaB8zo2SVLZqsVDwOrZflR3xsWmlwROsI2sNQfhMbJMHHQJXwKWZppEMCbOLojUsrWKVxZZ41cJytc08UdykpcnkAz1btLpU9eQvclqbca9sf5VwXHYlH2l8N4khLKb6s/s1600/jclynx.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRvAa7TAdF5yaB8zo2SVLZqsVDwOrZflR3xsWmlwROsI2sNQfhMbJMHHQJXwKWZppEMCbOLojUsrWKVxZZ41cJytc08UdykpcnkAz1btLpU9eQvclqbca9sf5VwXHYlH2l8N4khLKb6s/s1600/jclynx.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not too sure what that yellow square is but it looks out of place on a tennis court.</td></tr>
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-29780563582271293872016-07-04T15:26:00.000-07:002016-07-05T14:53:03.693-07:00Tennis Games on the Super Nintendo - Wimbledon Special: Part OneIt's that time of year when the world's greatest tennis players gather at the All England Club in London to take part in the most famous bat and ball tournament of them all - The Wimbledon Championships. I quite like tennis, but unfortunately I'm not very good at it. It's highly unlikely that I'll ever find myself on Centre Court at SW19 in my PE kit with my racket and balls. But, I don't want to feel left out, so my plan is to partake in a few games of tennis from the comfort of my settee. Oh yes, I'm going to play a few tennis video games. All on one machine to compare and contrast. And the machine on which its tennis games are going to be rigorously compared and contrasted is the good old Super Nintendo. And first to the bat is Andre Agassi.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhZ4R6oJn6fKCq3Clix6QmHHThh2Q3QitAkHUSQJ4rtZ_rlx3hdX2o2o9FE0nlTb2RHJ8WSeJgnMNmAShI0sYRC2bAMUN26lhwPbc4cdZemJS4CP0QnPn9VJHIMugDfqHMbtjRcczW68/s1600/aa2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhZ4R6oJn6fKCq3Clix6QmHHThh2Q3QitAkHUSQJ4rtZ_rlx3hdX2o2o9FE0nlTb2RHJ8WSeJgnMNmAShI0sYRC2bAMUN26lhwPbc4cdZemJS4CP0QnPn9VJHIMugDfqHMbtjRcczW68/s1600/aa2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Call me Andre</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Andre Agassi Tennis - Tekmagik (1992)</b></span><br />
Agassi was one of tennis' biggest stars in the 1990s so it was inevitable that he would pop in a video game based on the sport. Andre Agassi Tennis was released on the SNES in 1992 and is quite a simple version of the game. It all looks a bit plain and feels a bit rough around the edges. Gameplay comes to a sudden stop after each point is won and the controls could have done with a bit of refining. It's a functional version of tennis, but a bit dull.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7guWgjJqfC5DyIVEjg0sXKxRtV8NZOGnIyPdcpoCypypolGEbuDyESwQEI8Z1-_HinZbHYuTxq_npkRww02KTCWUKRZfvHkDC0mUR45K60-QQR0KeD6s4b8BGdhE7B9AtSqI_M7UB8t0/s1600/aa.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7guWgjJqfC5DyIVEjg0sXKxRtV8NZOGnIyPdcpoCypypolGEbuDyESwQEI8Z1-_HinZbHYuTxq_npkRww02KTCWUKRZfvHkDC0mUR45K60-QQR0KeD6s4b8BGdhE7B9AtSqI_M7UB8t0/s1600/aa.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New balls please</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOZtntr5TY3XvMprFiTHSgW9f5Z4hgdE39LLPCio9RFL0Ah7bxGBgSkPe77YEh_6wetJfaZ8Fpq6PtJAerAvZMLIdnlnr7BFG3YWjcioxkFfK6LH-FP2Azz046hqlecB8cUnG-1uQFBA/s1600/dc1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOZtntr5TY3XvMprFiTHSgW9f5Z4hgdE39LLPCio9RFL0Ah7bxGBgSkPe77YEh_6wetJfaZ8Fpq6PtJAerAvZMLIdnlnr7BFG3YWjcioxkFfK6LH-FP2Azz046hqlecB8cUnG-1uQFBA/s1600/dc1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice motion blur effects there. Just lovely</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>David Crane's Amazing Tennis - Absolute (1992)</b></span><br />
How do you convince the public that your game is worth playing? Why, call it amazing of course. That'll trick them. Just like Sega and their "Great" sports game series for the Master System, most of which were turds. Despite what the titles says, David Crane's Amazing Tennis isn't amazing.. It looks and sounds fantastic, and initially it seems to control ok. But, it has one major problem. The court is viewed from a low perspective. Although this does immerse you more in the game, it makes it difficult to judge the depth of the court and to know where the ball actually is, especially when you're on the far end. You also don't have full visibility of the width of the court, which makes it hard to make use of all of it. Sometimes, your player isn't even on the screen as the camera follows the ball, not the player. It's nice to see developers attempting something different, but there's a reason why most tennis games use a more traditional angle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyK8iZNtAoqfprK7oxudB4Hm1iBwjvbiIu_VGEnWVSajwP2IIuLIFVfej1Z74IeSOskph6mfEzi5drkt56sENa2lO5N3sCOx4MhK0CLa6zQgAcAUWiSmwj4MMo6fxuTY7jUgdiwf2lwpY/s1600/dc2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyK8iZNtAoqfprK7oxudB4Hm1iBwjvbiIu_VGEnWVSajwP2IIuLIFVfej1Z74IeSOskph6mfEzi5drkt56sENa2lO5N3sCOx4MhK0CLa6zQgAcAUWiSmwj4MMo6fxuTY7jUgdiwf2lwpY/s1600/dc2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FootLocker!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpErfOqQNzfyyn5jjPFgJw0UaLCFBqdAqt62leCwG5Ob0JgXZsCmfbtxj6bId01rETfGyQ1U0s2NhViuNGCu2LGoYomrkRRcw7TkwzOaRMHVc_L3c0qxBELsOaKqmfFIDSlHKw6lSfpw/s1600/it2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpErfOqQNzfyyn5jjPFgJw0UaLCFBqdAqt62leCwG5Ob0JgXZsCmfbtxj6bId01rETfGyQ1U0s2NhViuNGCu2LGoYomrkRRcw7TkwzOaRMHVc_L3c0qxBELsOaKqmfFIDSlHKw6lSfpw/s1600/it2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starring a little person on his lonesome</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>International Tennis Tour - Taito (1993)</b></span><br />
Another game which uses a low perspective, although not quite as low as David Crane above. The court is also viewed from a distance, which gives better visibility of the gameplay, even if it makes the court look tiny. This is actually quite a fun game, and is much more forgiving than other tennis games, perhaps a little too forgiving. You somehow manage to pull off shots even though it clearly looks like you've missed the ball. The ball also seems to float over the net which makes things a bit easier. Worth having a look at if you're after an arcade-style tennis game.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27_EY5YjxHFLYTiFumUcruXowoly8lOs-E1vsToNTl0wRcIhv-DIJtEXulOXEUvsyh8pvzrg7JKY44dJEM3O0gkrHiCnyYYBW8H7YIvd1IGN8d0JqBUAz4ipsX92uBWhf5iGXvIFPLEE/s1600/it1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27_EY5YjxHFLYTiFumUcruXowoly8lOs-E1vsToNTl0wRcIhv-DIJtEXulOXEUvsyh8pvzrg7JKY44dJEM3O0gkrHiCnyYYBW8H7YIvd1IGN8d0JqBUAz4ipsX92uBWhf5iGXvIFPLEE/s1600/it1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close game between Carter and Iston</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQK0NIdMmmhClPUTu1IdrCJGGur-43XSr04zFhtAX85ySij_wDfHCy18xWv2GE49drhElIw1QDeNiNfrKQqVBwXmfaH2ltL167iym256LeBJNWLB8HN4Cx-Wd-Ul-C5KvJN9U9iyobH-E/s1600/jc2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQK0NIdMmmhClPUTu1IdrCJGGur-43XSr04zFhtAX85ySij_wDfHCy18xWv2GE49drhElIw1QDeNiNfrKQqVBwXmfaH2ltL167iym256LeBJNWLB8HN4Cx-Wd-Ul-C5KvJN9U9iyobH-E/s1600/jc2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it bad that I've never heard of Jimmy Connors?</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour - Ubi Soft (1992)</b></span><br />
If it's realism you're after, Jimmy Connors Tennis is the game for you. You can perform all kinds of shots with the many buttons available on the SNES controller, although I'm not too convinced that you're fully controlling what's going on. It isn't the most attractive of games to look at, but it plays a good game of tennis and has a surprising amount of depth. To get the most out of this game though, you do need to invest time and effort into it. It's not immediately accessible and getting to grips with the controls isn't easy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbU3gAAAGu-aCkU7CrjhFJdT47sq9CzdN7vHF0SL82xQchyphenhyphenXyjIdc7YQx5VVrBPG8VTzN3J_nLAfZZe0iJX26n09HvQtlmNIuHPyu_FkXD2q9egBTfMWMfM5-NRkgjlbp3kYbqsIs5AQ/s1600/jc1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbU3gAAAGu-aCkU7CrjhFJdT47sq9CzdN7vHF0SL82xQchyphenhyphenXyjIdc7YQx5VVrBPG8VTzN3J_nLAfZZe0iJX26n09HvQtlmNIuHPyu_FkXD2q9egBTfMWMfM5-NRkgjlbp3kYbqsIs5AQ/s1600/jc1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whoosh! 113 MPH!! You can really sense the speed in this screenshot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iQMRi7ZoUizQecc4TFQ8Lw0Gg59xvdYzwstdd5VyuyxvL8hHOSQqJ1vvICkjSX4-Z9AOtLJlmsB6XcmO0mCMrn-_b59YwuXgST6GAd7kXEK4xMzod1Uv4vXz1fzvo2-0dRSm-1TK1jk/s1600/st2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iQMRi7ZoUizQecc4TFQ8Lw0Gg59xvdYzwstdd5VyuyxvL8hHOSQqJ1vvICkjSX4-Z9AOtLJlmsB6XcmO0mCMrn-_b59YwuXgST6GAd7kXEK4xMzod1Uv4vXz1fzvo2-0dRSm-1TK1jk/s1600/st2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super. Just Super</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Super Tennis - Nintendo (1991)</b></span><br />
The earliest tennis game on the Super Nintendo, and easily the best. Super Tennis shows off some of the then-new console's 3D abilities, but these don't interfere with the game. The controls are responsive and the multitude of shots that you can pull off with the variety of the buttons feels natural. The game doesn't bog you down with statistics and options and suchlike. Instead, it just plays a great fun game of tennis. Super Tennis probably remained untouched as the best console tennis game until Virtua Tennis hit the Dreamcast ten years later.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5iFKkn_ojeFw6KPgjt5C4x2sVd4TATage4Zsj4GGJDRqMHb2-TBHrKomHhcDajBecGyyb31r3WOHSqWnBjadxFhLAR1HizxgJhGT9LJXtef04sDwPNccPWzZfNiR2qvgyy-A8GrZCok/s1600/st1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5iFKkn_ojeFw6KPgjt5C4x2sVd4TATage4Zsj4GGJDRqMHb2-TBHrKomHhcDajBecGyyb31r3WOHSqWnBjadxFhLAR1HizxgJhGT9LJXtef04sDwPNccPWzZfNiR2qvgyy-A8GrZCok/s1600/st1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick! Run away from that ball! </td></tr>
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<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-62731856123396021182016-04-27T07:06:00.001-07:002016-04-27T07:06:20.539-07:00Super Mario Land - Nintendo Gameboy review<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_Lam05pG1FanvajflOnIfY6mrksj_ZZP9XRBVSAzaNL35bJLIvS0Ikf45QEUzcE_fRJsXJ2JaN2fltX0StN5zpOX_PjkHw5W3Cd7bpFmVCO3RI-DTmmhOFqn2Z7efeX27d8WeVgACPc/s1600/sml1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_Lam05pG1FanvajflOnIfY6mrksj_ZZP9XRBVSAzaNL35bJLIvS0Ikf45QEUzcE_fRJsXJ2JaN2fltX0StN5zpOX_PjkHw5W3Cd7bpFmVCO3RI-DTmmhOFqn2Z7efeX27d8WeVgACPc/s320/sml1.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It'sa me!!!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Game:</span> <em>Super Mario Land</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span> <em>Nintendo Gameboy</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span> <em>Nintendo</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Publisher:</span> <em>Nintendo</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span> <em>1989</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also Released on:</span> <em>Nintendo 3DS (via Virtual Console service)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now Available on:</span> <em>Nintendo 3DS (via Virtual Console service)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If there's one thing you can be certain of in life, it's that within milliseconds of Nintendo releasing a new console, Mario has somehow got his mug onto some game for it. The Nintendo Gameboy was no exception, with our drainpipe dwelling friend making his miniature presence known in the 1989 game, Super Mario Land, before you had chance to say "Itsa me!" As with Super Mario Bros. on the Gameboy's bigger brother, the NES, Super Mario Land was a platforming affair, with Mario whizzing around levels, bouncing off enemies, headbutting boxes, collecting mushrooms, throwing balls of something or other, defeating enemies and rescuing princesses. But, although the formula remains the same, Super Mario Land does represent a slight departure from the norm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw-EyZdJk2j-5GL-ASceAFfKggl-jApcWbjfwxWTAKJWKTdQqfH3XNAo001EJuizNaRxe7CwI8nx8Rsd0cbbckgIujzdH6RzljEqt-A6wCSdb0J8o0eYx7Y2vuiL8fcmUYEseiq_WJrE/s1600/sml8.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw-EyZdJk2j-5GL-ASceAFfKggl-jApcWbjfwxWTAKJWKTdQqfH3XNAo001EJuizNaRxe7CwI8nx8Rsd0cbbckgIujzdH6RzljEqt-A6wCSdb0J8o0eYx7Y2vuiL8fcmUYEseiq_WJrE/s320/sml8.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does Daisy have a moustache?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As per usual, Mario is on a mission to rescue a Princess. But, this time around it's not the perpetually kidnapped Princess Peach that needs rescuing. Instead, Princess Daisy is the royal one who has got herself into a predicament of the being-held-hostage variety. Holding her prisoner is some evil being from space called Tatanga. Presumably Bowser, who is absent from this game, only has eyes for Peach so is happy for somebody else to kidnap other princesses. Unlike most Mario games, which take place in the Mushroom Kingdom, the action in Super Mario Land takes place in neighbouring Sarasaland, which is apparently a Kingdom made up of four countries. So it's similar to the United Kingdom in a way, only with better weather, fewer pubs and no Tescos. In fact, the whole universe of the Mario games could be some sort of commentary on contemporary geographical politics. The Mushroom Kingdom could be continental Europe. Sarasaland could be the UK. And, um, I don't really know where I'm going here so I'll go no further with my theory.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFn4y7EyR36xWNuLKkE81MFW2T5J2JPRbSwgFLdxfIC9w5VP38kUVRnnsTllOB04yu-avS6FWeDzld0bSLGWguSDc6QoHH0XsB5ckl2dM8LcgyAbqEC0PRvy-ispUHhedd2xScTk1rtFw/s1600/sml9.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFn4y7EyR36xWNuLKkE81MFW2T5J2JPRbSwgFLdxfIC9w5VP38kUVRnnsTllOB04yu-avS6FWeDzld0bSLGWguSDc6QoHH0XsB5ckl2dM8LcgyAbqEC0PRvy-ispUHhedd2xScTk1rtFw/s400/sml9.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really can't think of anything to add here</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Princess Daisy is the ruler of Sarasaland (surely she should be Queen Daisy), but as she's got herself kidnapped, it means that Tatanga is able to take control of the kingdom and do whatever the evil things are that evil space beings do. Urgh! That's a horribly written sentence. Maybe I'll rewrite it one day. Threatening to put a stop to Tatanga's evil deeds is good old Mario, on hand to defeat him and rescue Princess Daisy. When does he ever get chance to do any plumbing? He's either got a very understanding boss, or he works for himself. It's no wonder he has to keep appearing in video games. He's got to pay the bills somehow.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Fkv6dGSN3a53Qb9P4qi7SWqEE0-T4_HcLO4Vz7uf7f9o8THFW93smR8i-wItyx22lU9RSN7FCEitt0zTAaYW5JxQHKffcGxapMKMHy3U0yLlcfZkSJN6jxFnkF4YO5a15vU1tG08jlY/s1600/sml13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Fkv6dGSN3a53Qb9P4qi7SWqEE0-T4_HcLO4Vz7uf7f9o8THFW93smR8i-wItyx22lU9RSN7FCEitt0zTAaYW5JxQHKffcGxapMKMHy3U0yLlcfZkSJN6jxFnkF4YO5a15vU1tG08jlY/s320/sml13.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's an impressive nose you have there</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The game takes place over four levels, each with three sub levels with a boss at the end of the third. Each level represents one of the four countries of Sarasaland which, according to legend (AKA the internet), are named Birabuto, Muda, Easton and Chai. Birabuto is modelled on ancient Egypt, Muda is inspired by some place called Mu, Easton is based on Easter Island and Chai is influenced by China. Now, you may have heard of Egypt, Easter Island and China, but where in the world is Mu? Let's find out. Ooooh, who'd have thought that a review of Super Mario Land would turn into a geography/history lesson? Not me, that's for sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, Mu. According to the 19th Century explorer Augustus Le Plongeon, whose name translates as Gus the Plunger (perhaps not), Mu is a lost continent. Le Plongeon claimed that, once upon a time, Mu was located in the Atlantic Ocean. Refugees from Mu went to places like Egypt and central and southern America, resulting in the development of the Egyptian and Mayan civilisations in their respective locales, explaining their similarities despite their physical distances. Other "experts" believe that Mu was located in the Pacific Ocean, and was the common origin of civilisations that sprouted up all over the world. Wherever it was located, and whatever influence it had on the rest of the world, for some reason or another, it sank into the sea and has never been seen again. Poor Mu. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2D5wC-u3GpfZuG6ZNNM9zIQQZcOY6VNacBJhxZ3VzinTKyELeT5GiBiZHtznzcmIeazBClxsuWTm7IBRZaDkUE2illVLCNbz0KtHjEuKDL80WKsPkGAQkEzcuPtbZ7PW7xOZN34r9Dz0/s1600/sml2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2D5wC-u3GpfZuG6ZNNM9zIQQZcOY6VNacBJhxZ3VzinTKyELeT5GiBiZHtznzcmIeazBClxsuWTm7IBRZaDkUE2illVLCNbz0KtHjEuKDL80WKsPkGAQkEzcuPtbZ7PW7xOZN34r9Dz0/s400/sml2.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My head! I really need to find a better way of opening up these secret boxes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLLDH8o5t2EUwfxPgZC9RtpckyCfpxG7mUo1hxwCGUTXwUlA6HcV9UhpjPoH_HQlxE-xwnG6fpGTV59ITflAcBGuRuwAOUT7xF4nUil8L4qp1K-vHNw0RaPNYgZx5qnVy7LpR9PWDvMM/s1600/sml4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLLDH8o5t2EUwfxPgZC9RtpckyCfpxG7mUo1hxwCGUTXwUlA6HcV9UhpjPoH_HQlxE-xwnG6fpGTV59ITflAcBGuRuwAOUT7xF4nUil8L4qp1K-vHNw0RaPNYgZx5qnVy7LpR9PWDvMM/s320/sml4.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 points for pounding an enemy into the ground. Great!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Right, back to Super Mario Land where Princess Daisy is still being held captive and Mario hasn't even begun his adventure yet because I've been going on about made up places. Gameplay in Super Mario Land is mostly very similar to that of Super Mario Bros. for the Gameboy's bigger brother, the NES. Mario must go from left to right to reach the end of each level. He can travel at two speeds, going faster by holding down one of the two controller buttons. The other button makes him jump, with his jumps being higher and longer if the "run" button is being held down too. Mario can bang his head into blocks scattered all around the levels. Blocks marked with question marks contain coins, power ups, extra lives or invincibility stars. The first power up is a mushroom which causes Mario to grow, enabling him to smash up blocks that are made out of bricks, sometimes revealing extra goodies but usually just to satisfy his destructive tendencies. Or to clear a path. Being bigger also gives Mario an extra layer of defence, allowing him to come into contact with an enemy without dying. Instead, he just shrinks down to his tiny self.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As per usual, Mario has two modes of attack. He can jump on enemies or throw things at them. When Mario is at his tiniest, he is only able to defeat enemies by jumping on them. He gains the ability to chuck stuff after gaining the mushroom power-up to make him bigger, and then collecting a flower power-up. Mario can also use his throwing power-up to collect hard to reach coins. This is particularly handy in some bonus areas.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqODSYp8Cl5etl9HkmEO730TRtG4f_cBKoRaui5BMLfoOfHCC9_rajBLZWDJRSV_YkRa-TVs4yVL6o0PeNxyYQRrNrSD9GUHKz66y2XLtk6IRjyGHR0Xdr35NzDem_TLGjJiFDtgic83w/s1600/sml5.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqODSYp8Cl5etl9HkmEO730TRtG4f_cBKoRaui5BMLfoOfHCC9_rajBLZWDJRSV_YkRa-TVs4yVL6o0PeNxyYQRrNrSD9GUHKz66y2XLtk6IRjyGHR0Xdr35NzDem_TLGjJiFDtgic83w/s400/sml5.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coins coins coins!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjoR6EhKG3OFYhqOSUcIEHz3kKz5e-dgHOOzUXIj9ryPo_4fAdqE6NN80-5tkVA7L6ylIH9kzCglZDzwrQZLvPC8BzsY0W2QM-Tgy6UvmW5voqFMQbqJ2LxXOGrGu13skXdxrQNE9gAQ/s1600/sml16.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjoR6EhKG3OFYhqOSUcIEHz3kKz5e-dgHOOzUXIj9ryPo_4fAdqE6NN80-5tkVA7L6ylIH9kzCglZDzwrQZLvPC8BzsY0W2QM-Tgy6UvmW5voqFMQbqJ2LxXOGrGu13skXdxrQNE9gAQ/s320/sml16.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best bonus level ever!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh yes, Super Mario Land includes a number of bonus areas. These are usually found by going down some of the pipes that are a feature of all Mario games. It makes you wonder what the pipes are actually for. Did somebody over order them when they were setting up Mushroom Kingdom and Sarasaland’s drainage network? “’Ere, gaffer. We’ve got a shitload of pipes left over. What do you want me to do with ‘em?” “Oh, just stick them in random places in the ground. Nobody will notice them. And that dickhead plumber who never seems to get any work done will probably fall into them. He’s absolutely useless. I’m still waiting for him to fix the flusher on my shitter, but he’s either chasing after a bit of skirt from the palace who’s got herself kidnapped, go-karting somewhere, playing tennis, or just generally not doing what he should be doing. His brother’s no better. And they call themselves Super. Somebody needs to report them to Rogue Traders. They’re nothing but a pair of fraudsters.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ahem. So, yes, there are plenty of pipes all over the place, and Mario can go down some of them to enter bonus areas. They mostly contain coins, sometimes a power up or two, and little else. The only problem is that, to find them, you usually have to try each pipe, until you come to the one that you need. Obviously, multiple plays will result in you memorising which ones contain the bonus areas. Some pipes also contain enemies popping out of them. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYPnSUocqoT2OPCtmwoGxqcLrrT1HGKAK7pIvirobkf2ItOIUGeMpjZ7s5WzITzy2JrKiW8oqY3RYdQ6rBBQFnKqMSiGliigWTbmtxdYHhInQrfpdnWe-hNR11ulVwR-_iN5vPsVBhXs/s1600/sml3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYPnSUocqoT2OPCtmwoGxqcLrrT1HGKAK7pIvirobkf2ItOIUGeMpjZ7s5WzITzy2JrKiW8oqY3RYdQ6rBBQFnKqMSiGliigWTbmtxdYHhInQrfpdnWe-hNR11ulVwR-_iN5vPsVBhXs/s320/sml3.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extra Lives! Get yer extra lives here!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are also various parts of levels containing secret areas, usually at the very top of the screen, above the display itself. These will often contain more coins and power-ups, and sometimes serve as an easier route through the level as they’ll avoid you having to take on enemies. Getting to them isn’t always easy or obvious, but it gives you a bit of something to do if you fancy it. Finally, if you haven’t managed to accrue enough bonus items throughout the levels themselves, you can also enter a bonus room at the end of each level where you have to stop a rapidly flashing Mario (dirty pervert) on one of four platforms. At the end of each platform is a bonus – usually lives, sometimes a flower. Mario will collect whatever lies at the end of each platform, although his route may get altered by the presence of a ladder. It’s a bit like Russian Roulette, only not quite as exciting. Or deadly. As you can probably gather, it’s fairly easy to build up a load of lives, either by collecting enough coins (100 will do it), or 1-ups themselves. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who need R-Type when you have this?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In fact, the whole game itself is easy. It’s perhaps the easiest Mario game there is, and can be completed in about half an hour. End of level bosses don’t really pose much of a challenge at all. But, although it’s easy, it is fun. Lots of fun. Mario is a delight to control, and whizzes around the levels like a little flea. Breaking up the platforming elements are a couple of levels where Mario takes to the skies in a little plane to shoot down enemies. Again, these aren’t difficult levels, but they are fun. And this is one of the things that keeps bringing you back to the game. It isn’t one of those games that you play, complete, and never return to. You’ll find yourself returning to it time and time again, either to perfect your route, find all of the secrets, get a higher score, achieve a speed record. The game lends itself perfectly for all of these challenges but is also great if all you want is to enjoy a quick half an hour of quality platform gaming in its purest form.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0DfORUYQy63ID9V0mmgyVGhPLz1Cn_by1yens91m2-Unrsv6w7gkIZuBnByNtfC-t32DEaxg2RBUKOWpxbijvmgmzziCQ5iiEq_COfFNik3l6Mdy0p8d5zWayytvcV9XBPWqs-UP1Jo/s1600/sml18.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0DfORUYQy63ID9V0mmgyVGhPLz1Cn_by1yens91m2-Unrsv6w7gkIZuBnByNtfC-t32DEaxg2RBUKOWpxbijvmgmzziCQ5iiEq_COfFNik3l6Mdy0p8d5zWayytvcV9XBPWqs-UP1Jo/s320/sml18.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Die Tagana!!! You're no Bowser!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, the game was originally designed for a handheld console. But, it really does feel like a portable fully-fledged console game. The graphics are fairly minimal, but perfectly reflect the land on which each level is based, and the music is great with some fantastic and memorable little tunes. One of the tunes was even turned into a dance track and made it onto the hit parade. I remember watching it on Top of the Pops. Or was that Tetris? Perhaps both. Sound effects are also well-suited to the game. On the original Gameboy, due to the speed that the levels scroll, there was a bit of ghosting and motion blur, but this never really affected gameplay at all, and isn’t a problem when played on modern machines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you have a Gameboy, there’s a good chance that you already have this game as it is one of the must-own titles for the console. If you don’t have it, or you own anything that can play Gameboy games, you need to get this game. You need it. Show it your kids and grandkids. Show them this is what we did when games were in black and white. Or black and yellow.</span> <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>RATINGS</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation </span>– 80%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Typical Nintendo polish throughout. Nothing too exciting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics </span>– 81%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> The sprites are quite small and the levels are quite sparce, but they feel just right for the game, even though they feel a little non-Mario-ish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound </span>– 85%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some fantastic tunes, unique to this game, and accompanied by familiar and suitable sound effects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability </span>– 86%<br />Playable from the moment you get going, simple and easy to pick up with plenty of variety.</span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Overall </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">– 85%</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The game became a classic from the moment it was released. It isn't the hardest of games, but was the perfect title for Nintendo's then-new handheld.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>PLAYTHROUGH VIDEO</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">See the game from start to finish here</span></div>
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<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-28168793376756842732016-01-02T15:42:00.000-08:002016-01-02T15:42:46.868-08:00Back to the Future Part III - Sega Master System review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8rd4CtBmuDejlo6X5PhW8XqX5uH-2zRTbG64CVypFKFefqKIITqNO9Fc4hVsBE_fnPph-AXbJ6ZQ2Kf1FJn7nL5vpT49poqtrJWqDs51W7E4bhBA4lpT5w-vY7brIFypgtiwhAWZdAg/s1600/Capture1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8rd4CtBmuDejlo6X5PhW8XqX5uH-2zRTbG64CVypFKFefqKIITqNO9Fc4hVsBE_fnPph-AXbJ6ZQ2Kf1FJn7nL5vpT49poqtrJWqDs51W7E4bhBA4lpT5w-vY7brIFypgtiwhAWZdAg/s320/Capture1.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hehe. Probe.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;">Back to the Future Part III</i><br /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> <i>Sega Master System</i></span><br /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> <i>Probe Software/Image Works</i></span><br /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;">1991</i><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><b>Also released on: </b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><i>Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, PC, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis</i></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></b><i> Nothing</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On 29<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> October 2015, we officially entered the
future. That was the date that Marty McFly time travelled to in the 1989 movie,
Back to the Future Part II. To celebrate the fact that the present is now the
future, or the future is now the present, I’m going to treat myself to a
hoverboard. I believe Amazon are trying to shift a few. Conveniently, this
event also brings me onto this review. It’s not of Back to the Future Part II
though, as I played that game as a youngster and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.
Instead, it’s of Back to the Future Part III. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hmmmm, I think I got away with using that slightly tenuous
link to introduce this review. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIf0ttmVFM-K36eeEzYa-OM3LQUnJmcPnFqA5Z8dw6g6BVInJ77h3UVYS5wKbi-tdhp2lY1wAldQB69bI9TWDSSBrQBFmQF3nJrltIHvOVyiKQZzNe6CYaKXRLywSoN_P1czTWkdAhdg/s1600/Capture2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIf0ttmVFM-K36eeEzYa-OM3LQUnJmcPnFqA5Z8dw6g6BVInJ77h3UVYS5wKbi-tdhp2lY1wAldQB69bI9TWDSSBrQBFmQF3nJrltIHvOVyiKQZzNe6CYaKXRLywSoN_P1czTWkdAhdg/s320/Capture2.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nooooooo!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Back to the Future Part III is a game that typifies
everything that was wrong with games based on movies, games that were released
just to cash-in on a lucrative film license. It was released on a variety of
computers and consoles in 1991, including the Sega Master System. And rather
coincidentally, it’s that version that I’m reviewing here.<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I’ve never actually watched the movie in full, which is quite an
achievement seeing as it seems to be broadcast every other weekend on ITV2, in
between Jurassic Park and Scooby Doo. I have caught bits of it though - some of
the end, some of the beginning, some of the middle. I get the general idea that
it involves Marty going back to wild wild west times to rescue Doc Brown in the
past, and there’s a bit involving them needing to get their car fixed to get
back to the future. Or was that the first film? Could be both. After playing this
game, I don’t think it matters at all whether or not you have seen the film. It
appears to be loosely based on three scenes from it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yes, three scenes. That’s all. And each scene depicted isn’t
spread across multiple levels. You just get one level for each scene. If you’re
any good at mathematics, you’ll have probably worked out that this means that
the game contains only three levels. Three levels for £25, or whatever it cost
for games back then. A bargain. In modern money with inflation, tax rises and
suchlike, that’s probably about £180 now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But, it might just be that those three levels are three of
the best levels in any game ever made. In which case, it doesn’t matter that
there are only three of them. They are so great that you can play them over and
over again and indulge in their quality for all of eternity. Unfortunately the
reality is that they’re all a bit shit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMMFB50ZXwHfIXori2745DP9plpXMa_-ptooIuSojCQd4fafVzUSGP4pcPDG16Z3qogy0sncTYpCUxHBp4AKWEAm863yJXtnJ5l0y4mi6NQwFeCbrlpDDPzFbzdsV5abxKj1EsZIn0xg/s400/Capture3.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bang bang. That reminds me. Has Chitty Chitty Bang Bang been on this Christmas?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMMFB50ZXwHfIXori2745DP9plpXMa_-ptooIuSojCQd4fafVzUSGP4pcPDG16Z3qogy0sncTYpCUxHBp4AKWEAm863yJXtnJ5l0y4mi6NQwFeCbrlpDDPzFbzdsV5abxKj1EsZIn0xg/s1600/Capture3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Level one sees you controlling Doc Brown on horseback as he
chases after some woman called Clara who appears to be getting dragged away in
a horse and cart. It’s called a buckboard according to the game. To prevent her
from being dragged over the edge of a cliff, Doc must catch up with her by
leaping over hazards or shooting anything dangerous-looking, like cowboys and
birds. He can also collect items, although I haven’t got a clue what any of
them actually are or what they do. This level is extremely tough as you don’t
have time to react to the appearance of an enemy. Instead you have to remember
what’s coming up by playing the level over and over again. Additionally, the
controls require you to jump at exactly the right moment over chasms and
hazards to avoid your horse coming to a sudden stop and flinging you over his
head. Eventually you’ll get it, but it makes the level more a test of memory
than of skill.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHuXvmtQ-38CFjoxjavBhG3cB0Et5y4qQoK8m5MfDAV80r2QqOa7Qu1By_8Vu6rnOgWzZ8f7AkMKXvNkriNFuUaon9ZDuoYUJilkvg3OuESG72XcTCD75RlBgObPNOv3HOWmtNOKkWBI/s400/Capture4.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's for stealing my steak bake. And don't think you're getting away so easily either, other birdy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHuXvmtQ-38CFjoxjavBhG3cB0Et5y4qQoK8m5MfDAV80r2QqOa7Qu1By_8Vu6rnOgWzZ8f7AkMKXvNkriNFuUaon9ZDuoYUJilkvg3OuESG72XcTCD75RlBgObPNOv3HOWmtNOKkWBI/s1600/Capture4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></o:p> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A little box at the bottom of the screen displays your
progress in your rescue attempt of Clara, but you only appear to need to get
half way across the display to complete the level. Either the programmers got
bored and decided to end things at that point, or they forgot to come back to
add the second half of the level to it. Whatever happened, it’s probably not a
bad thing that such a horrible level appears to be over prematurely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToBwvYNA5reREZ_GHllq6xbuI5xvuCJvpRjCSP1cvv_Ry0htExMTMePe_K6giegifAXOMRnvQOS3KRJakg4OsQUNQtaWk0OmUg4Nj9L_Mo6_xnnlXtdQwLgmlwqp59147CxW2SyIDihU/s1600/Capture7.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToBwvYNA5reREZ_GHllq6xbuI5xvuCJvpRjCSP1cvv_Ry0htExMTMePe_K6giegifAXOMRnvQOS3KRJakg4OsQUNQtaWk0OmUg4Nj9L_Mo6_xnnlXtdQwLgmlwqp59147CxW2SyIDihU/s320/Capture7.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate tossing fun ahoy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Level two puts you in the time-travelling shoes of Marty
McFly. It features a wild west shootout where you have to take on gun-toting
cowboys by throwing plates at them. They might be custard pies, but whatever
they are, controlling Mr McFly is a chore. His movement is very clunky, with
the isometric layout of the level not making it easy to figure out which way to
direct him. You seem to be able to apply some sort of swerve to your plates,
but this only ever appears to result in them flying in every direction but the
one that you want. The trick is to work out the correct place to stand and then
throw your plate straight at your target. There are six enemies to take out
with your crockery, with each requiring two well-aimed shots to do so. After
you’ve done that, some bloke comes out of the saloon doors, firing badly at
you. A few more plates in his face and he’s defeated too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufMPNwp7DtahaLaUjgGV4vbjRkszr0BQr-4EYda_IWgsgnuZvjtH9a3-1Ip7vjYZozvlFmoxVa41kPhuima7gry8C_h2E0dwLnwqLl3Fi6ZXkJJV-Ed0ygJkCQCJcbQVZwOCvx77ab40/s400/Capture8.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck! Not you. The ducks. You stay standing, I've got to throw a plate at you!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufMPNwp7DtahaLaUjgGV4vbjRkszr0BQr-4EYda_IWgsgnuZvjtH9a3-1Ip7vjYZozvlFmoxVa41kPhuima7gry8C_h2E0dwLnwqLl3Fi6ZXkJJV-Ed0ygJkCQCJcbQVZwOCvx77ab40/s1600/Capture8.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></o:p> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIq8uH4A3hDzTR-JFD4sfo28QDW-EdN0iIb_Qstv2Nv6eGnxdDlt8UGHQeXsr2vxdTTG8rCAVljez0qb0YEH4fNi20r43BZxRQRLaVuaPzX6XAB3ey359ohwBw7ySvC9TBz3NG3CNdpk/s1600/Capture10.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIq8uH4A3hDzTR-JFD4sfo28QDW-EdN0iIb_Qstv2Nv6eGnxdDlt8UGHQeXsr2vxdTTG8rCAVljez0qb0YEH4fNi20r43BZxRQRLaVuaPzX6XAB3ey359ohwBw7ySvC9TBz3NG3CNdpk/s320/Capture10.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yawn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Onto level three, in which you, as Marty again, must make
your way along a speeding train, picking up what I assume are parts for your
car to get it up and running again. They look like little bars, so they’re
probably something for your car’s flux capacitor, or whatever it’s called. They
all add 11 points to a counter at the top of your screen, so when you get eight
of them, you have 88 points, which I guess represents the 88 miles per hour
that the Delorean needs to reach to be able to travel through time. Making
things harder for you are a choice selection of baddies. You can take them out
by throwing more plates at them. Where Marty is keeping these plates, and why
he seems to think they make good weapons, is a mystery to me. Maybe it’s
explained in the film. Perhaps I should watch it so I can make sense of such
things. If you’re not into throwing plates at people, if you time the
collection of the car parts correctly, a whiff of smoke comes from the train
and takes your enemies out for you. Time is very tight on this level, so it’s
important to get the job done as quickly as possible. Again, the controls
aren’t the most responsive, with it being all too easy to jump at the wrong
time, misfire, or just completely fall off the train. </span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfDjn7Npywz31k7Sl1gl-c9XN5m_eUoX8eoiNuqW0ZDWKNDZzIwIPc-ikttK4Ug_r7vrtGbhDUL0Mv9XqA2QGwEQu6SiCSQHRuCXOyi7ABLOcZAkkSS2PfdqeoIFZU7LRbtHvG8ps8go/s400/Capture12.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are you doing lion around there? Get it? Lion? Lying around! Never mind.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfDjn7Npywz31k7Sl1gl-c9XN5m_eUoX8eoiNuqW0ZDWKNDZzIwIPc-ikttK4Ug_r7vrtGbhDUL0Mv9XqA2QGwEQu6SiCSQHRuCXOyi7ABLOcZAkkSS2PfdqeoIFZU7LRbtHvG8ps8go/s1600/Capture12.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></o:p> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl_wUwfKEV97LZttCUceHv7TFyfEUEYrVSD7M6qHEewBcJvDHe7fP6NifyLeK7U30G1mMrHuYdmYNgBdNI2aYNG3jGZDbh9_qAtLgdeX8mvNNcSTtnT-7eIcCmXhTPuzQhyWFV95NLrk/s1600/Capture13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl_wUwfKEV97LZttCUceHv7TFyfEUEYrVSD7M6qHEewBcJvDHe7fP6NifyLeK7U30G1mMrHuYdmYNgBdNI2aYNG3jGZDbh9_qAtLgdeX8mvNNcSTtnT-7eIcCmXhTPuzQhyWFV95NLrk/s320/Capture13.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooh, the number 131. I'll mark it off my trains in games spotting list</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once you’ve got all of the bars and made it to the front of
the train, that’s it. No end of level boss, no big climax. You’re done. The
game is over. You’ve made it. Fini. The ending contains some sort of semi-inspirational
message about nobody’s future being mapped out for them and to make of life
what you will, the likes of which you see in badly-compressed images that
people share on Facebook. Sometimes with Minions. There’s a picture of the
Delorean flying off into the future too, and a bit of music. It’s not much of a
reward, but I suppose seeing as it only takes you five minutes to get to it,
you probably don’t deserve any more. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv8OkZQcBOxyd1kXlI_XZsEqcbnamuaAVzMTDgQJb1Ni62PDAa-aV0faS2PKOfdfVbF6PZt8ZkgCGidCOlIPTf3RcbdMOwxCe-QbXTnnGHp3QRQpfKW_v-gXxmbjitekq4gJuZ5t8SqNY/s320/Capture5.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drama! Action!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Graphics aren’t actually too bad for this game, comparing
quite well to some of the 16-Bit versions of the same game. They portray the
film’s wild west setting quite well, although that only really entails using a
lot of the colours yellow, orange and brown. A modified version of the Back to
the Future theme and the rest of the music is bearable but forgettable, and
sound effects do their job. But the main problem is that the game is just too short,
and isn’t enjoyable to play anyway. Level one is a memory test, level two
hardly requires any skill, and level three is a case of leaping from one
carriage to another, shooting enemies and collecting bars, being similar to
what you’d expect the first level of a game like Shinobi to be, only more
frustrating. The levels just feel like a series of mini-games, which was an
all-to-common way of adapting movies to video games. The sluggish controls
detract further from any fun that can be had with this game.<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dvwCDi2unvvh58oEVhF2Do-LT4ZAnZRvDKAKxSx1KZ56xSTpSzW3YbBNDVAfApAIbBmhuCPWYvarWhfmEp-2SA69iOBTDBX8IPp_lLNQeh7DVs2jJ0yjNfoJwuo5opJooGed2U16aHs/s400/Capture6.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind if I do Mrs Patmore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dvwCDi2unvvh58oEVhF2Do-LT4ZAnZRvDKAKxSx1KZ56xSTpSzW3YbBNDVAfApAIbBmhuCPWYvarWhfmEp-2SA69iOBTDBX8IPp_lLNQeh7DVs2jJ0yjNfoJwuo5opJooGed2U16aHs/s1600/Capture6.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bizarrely, from memory this game appeared to be quite
well-received on its original release. I’m know that the video game versions of Back to the Future Part
II were panned by critics, and rightly so because it’s garbage, but this one
seemed to be more highly regarded. I don’t know why though. It’s awful. If
you’ve got five minutes to spare, do anything but play this game. Phone your
mum, make a cuppa, read another article on this website, sit and meditate, find
pleasure in your own company. Anything but this. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSMbr4phmBABDSrILlOnk6R9rW2qs_2cZuL3-SOuAvmOX3BjUbdVnBBKDYxTiX_QJde8cMS6WbBwUamy_xo7H4GDdlk_7vMEFNUn4Us57Xmi8sAbA95v4I4U4ObiSXgbMLSKNWz52qiA/s1600/Capture14.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSMbr4phmBABDSrILlOnk6R9rW2qs_2cZuL3-SOuAvmOX3BjUbdVnBBKDYxTiX_QJde8cMS6WbBwUamy_xo7H4GDdlk_7vMEFNUn4Us57Xmi8sAbA95v4I4U4ObiSXgbMLSKNWz52qiA/s640/Capture14.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like and share if you agree.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>RATINGS</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">PRESENTATION: 65%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A lengthy introduction of still images and text explains
what’s going on, with similar intermissions between levels. The scenes are quite
well-depicted in these bits with characters looking quite similar to their
movie counterparts. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">GRAPHICS: 76%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Large sprites and detailed screen layouts which reflect the
game’s themes quite well, although it’s not always clear what some things
actually are.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">SOUND: 56%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Forgettable but inoffensive music. Sound effects are nothing
special too.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">PLAYABILITY: 33%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Frustrating from the start, a pain to control and, when
you’ve mastered it, you can play through it in five minutes, less if you skip
through the cut scenes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">OVERALL: 36%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The definition of the phrase “lazy tie-in”. Just three short
unenjoyable levels which are an insult to gamers and fans of the film. The only
thing I gained from it is learning what a buckboard is, and I’m not even sure
if the word was made up for the film or is a real word. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Can't be bothered the five days until ITV2 are due to show another repeat of the film? Watch me play through the game. It's almost the same thing, but only five minutes long!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XaL6WuWKYA4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XaL6WuWKYA4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-73044890625976800922015-03-28T06:13:00.003-07:002015-03-28T16:03:50.765-07:00Snapper - Acorn Electron Review<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15.39px; line-height: 21.55px;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r848HWJGKYwjZmckiHFh4Wey7ss7d_OdxdOQOsCtr-CIe6RNCkOTTqy94sCwVODczW16SBo8egeiZcsXSwQmMG20tF1AjpM8UHdrgp3ZfHPd8k5vyEW_0fqgVVRYHa4rB6SBkBMGBJs/s1600/snapper06.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r848HWJGKYwjZmckiHFh4Wey7ss7d_OdxdOQOsCtr-CIe6RNCkOTTqy94sCwVODczW16SBo8egeiZcsXSwQmMG20tF1AjpM8UHdrgp3ZfHPd8k5vyEW_0fqgVVRYHa4rB6SBkBMGBJs/s1600/snapper06.png" height="277" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Pac-Man but not as we know it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;">Snapper</i><br />
<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> <i>Acorn Electron</i></span><br />
<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> <i>Acornsoft</i></span><br />
<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;">1983</i><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><b>Also released on: </b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><i>BBC Micro</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15.39px; line-height: 21.55px;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.55px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></b><i> Nothing</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The eighties was the golden age of arcade games. It was also
the golden age of clones of those arcade games. These clones usually appeared
on home micro computers when developers and publishers weren’t able/couldn’t be
bothered to obtain the rights to do an official version. Snapper was the first
cloned game that I ever played. A “conversion” of Pac-Man for the BBC Micro and
Acorn Electron, Snapper was as spot on as you get. As I was the lucky owner of
an Acorn Electron, it was the version for that that I played. Over and over and
over again. I’ve still got it somewhere. I also think it was the first game I
played on that computer, after ploughing through what seemed liked thousands of
programs on the Introductory Cassette. I was blown away by the little
introduction on that, by how the letters spelling out Acorn Electron flew onto
the screen and then an acorn appeared. Still impresses me now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before I played Snapper, I don’t think I’d ever played
Pac-Man. Of course I knew of Pac-Man. I received my Electron for Christmas
1985, so Pac-Man was already out of nappies and just starting school. He was the
first big video game personality, so kids like me would have had an awareness
of him. So in a roundabout way (I know that’s a proper phase – it appeared in
my recently uploaded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EGDVLSpCvY" target="_blank">YouTube video of Wheel of Fortune</a>), Snapper served as my
introduction to Pac-Man. Apologies for the shameless plugging of my YouTube
channel there. But it’s well worth a visit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAUhMovL5xWZYuMOtv38HcI5dfgOqmEXWOtXtWcQnfZCsDqh7ichS4nCFZITbXPf2lsoMpnEM8CkNiqqIn_5RTKFIGw-LwlodQcx_ngsp80nzXLe3bRyDc24VlhrMJ3X6s68vxBvBEXU/s1600/snapper01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAUhMovL5xWZYuMOtv38HcI5dfgOqmEXWOtXtWcQnfZCsDqh7ichS4nCFZITbXPf2lsoMpnEM8CkNiqqIn_5RTKFIGw-LwlodQcx_ngsp80nzXLe3bRyDc24VlhrMJ3X6s68vxBvBEXU/s1600/snapper01.png" height="251" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loading screen! Get yer loading screens here!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While waiting for Snapper to load, you aren’t treated to
anything extra special. Just the typical Acornsoft loading screen. The game was
rereleased by Superior Software at some point, so that version might have a
different loading screen. It’s also won’t be anything special though. Sometimes
this is a good thing. I owned a number of games where it seemed like the first
half an hour of waiting for it to load was for it to display a loading screen.
Yes, Commando, you were one. And Superior Soccer. Wow, that was a shit football
game. Loved it at the time though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Once Snapper has loaded, you are presented with a basic but
functional intro screen, giving you a guide to the keys to press to make your
little Pac-Man clone explore the clone of the famous Pac-Man maze. Also
displayed are the keys to pause and reset the game, as well as turning the
sound on and off. And the key to start the game. Unless you like staring and
static screens, I’d advise you to press the key to start the game. This is
either the space bar or, if you’re lucky enough to own a joystick, the fire
button on it. I had an Acorn Electron joystick. It was probably the worst
joystick ever invented.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizE0DCE1fBIZ61rbhHKlEsxehhbwA-asZUsY2vY0_j1cHU6SNuf4BP3sselChKku7V8lmINWLt-sHeh97bgH8e6jvSih6nUul3LHlDMGDxwgpVLeG21UHPaSyL50Av8qk9-N97OJ55HCU/s1600/snapper02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizE0DCE1fBIZ61rbhHKlEsxehhbwA-asZUsY2vY0_j1cHU6SNuf4BP3sselChKku7V8lmINWLt-sHeh97bgH8e6jvSih6nUul3LHlDMGDxwgpVLeG21UHPaSyL50Av8qk9-N97OJ55HCU/s1600/snapper02.png" height="311" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That reminds me. I need to get another house key cut.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexelfseiLsA9V_0BBZPn46QieTbAxFJqQp6KQktCeYc1QdFqzAf6__21QUeoPE-Qews-Z6RAe4HmQ_n-NOl5kwnzU8BdqEsHfVTxTfde19LsYO462OAbNw9UjYgpCh9wUZqBgQxgD2UM/s1600/snapper04.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexelfseiLsA9V_0BBZPn46QieTbAxFJqQp6KQktCeYc1QdFqzAf6__21QUeoPE-Qews-Z6RAe4HmQ_n-NOl5kwnzU8BdqEsHfVTxTfde19LsYO462OAbNw9UjYgpCh9wUZqBgQxgD2UM/s1600/snapper04.png" height="261" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Fun-filled dot-collecting frolics</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After the screen has loaded and has been populated with
dots, power pills, ghosts and Snapper himself, a short intro melody plays. Not
the Pac-Man melody, but you can figure out where they got the inspiration from
for it. And then it’s on with the game. According to fokelore, in a very early
release of this game, Snapper looked identical to Pac-Man, and the ghosts
looked identical to the Pinky, Perky, Inky, Blinky, Bonnie, Clyde and Bluey, or
whatever their names were in Pac-Man. It appears that this infringement of
their IP wasn’t appreciated by Namco, so the characters’ likenesses had to be
changed. Wonder why they didn’t seem to mind that the rest of the game was so
obviously ripped off from their arcade original? Hmmm, anyway, so the Snapper
that everyone with an Acorn computer came to know and love featured a Pac-Man
lookalikey with legs and a hat. The ghosts grew legs and arms. If folklore is
true, an original copyright infringing Snapper is probably worth a fortune now.
Probably.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsUt4XfcCb-7XxTyXpg0yNR93R97WcolFTfkrEpWyOkzdR3sh3bnVx79982q9XQEfjWYfrK2qc8d3MTTM4zxOeCsk1Defwtco0KpZzVcohgCt7mgPYIjG0WzB7Ezn9ugkOXgrtO1w4SY/s1600/snapperbbc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsUt4XfcCb-7XxTyXpg0yNR93R97WcolFTfkrEpWyOkzdR3sh3bnVx79982q9XQEfjWYfrK2qc8d3MTTM4zxOeCsk1Defwtco0KpZzVcohgCt7mgPYIjG0WzB7Ezn9ugkOXgrtO1w4SY/s1600/snapperbbc.png" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snapper on the BBC before Namco noticed one or two likenesses with one of their games. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As a copy of Pac-Man, the idea of Snapper is simple and is
known by millions around the planet. Just in case you’re not one of those
millions, in this game you have to guide your character around a maze, collect
dots and avoid ghost people. If you come into contact with one, you lose a
life. But you can collect power pills (bigger dots) and chase after the ghost
people who will now have all turned dark blue, highlighting their
vulnerability. Catch one, and their eyes float black to the base in the centre of the
game to be stripped of whatever voodoo it is that makes them blue and
vulnerable. They return to their original colour and become fatal to the touch
again. Collecting one ghost gives you 200 points, a second gives you 400, a
third gives you 800 and a fourth gives you a whopping 1600 points. Of course,
while the ghosts are running scared, you can use this time to collect as many
dots as you can instead of chasing ghosts. The choice, as they say, is yours. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That’s about it. Every now and again, a fruit appears
towards the centre of the screen. Collect it for bonus points, or ignore if you
don’t feel hungry.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh017m_aIL53aAfUFenNg71dauVDkhpJv6EGKfLcOeyH3yFDq4Rbqjb9eHEWVZxpBOTXoLPO9SCdp6mDTZfxTVCG3mXy0hGF8gaRAioK2mgloxTHnG_sxXJws-W9YGLrVx3xXqfE-iBI1k/s1600/snapper10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh017m_aIL53aAfUFenNg71dauVDkhpJv6EGKfLcOeyH3yFDq4Rbqjb9eHEWVZxpBOTXoLPO9SCdp6mDTZfxTVCG3mXy0hGF8gaRAioK2mgloxTHnG_sxXJws-W9YGLrVx3xXqfE-iBI1k/s1600/snapper10.png" height="325" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snapper has a choice of ghosts or cherries to gobble. Looks like he's going to go for the cherries. I don't blame him.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The beauty of Pac-Man, and this very faithful clone, is that
everybody has their favourite way of playing it. Do you clear each quarter one
at a time, collecting the power pill as you reach the end of the quarter and go
to the next one? Or do you clear as much of the screen as you can and leave the
power pills for last? Or do you just go gung-ho and go for whatever dots you
can see? Or keep away from the ghosts as much as you can and take your time
around the level? Or lure the ghosts towards you, grab a power pill and then
scarper? It may be that you tactics change each time you play, or the further
you get into the game.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPDTW5YppbQrp8qQu9HzW-dlMJpwLBdLcu_oMkJ6-GiweWfjOJ78GRE3ywdNZRCztMXr1fDVANdPcx51HERnhkLFYUKQeBHUU4jED6BMBtL8uGIyWN8SljXU6pERKyT2BVVpO7fGXKCg/s1600/snapper07.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPDTW5YppbQrp8qQu9HzW-dlMJpwLBdLcu_oMkJ6-GiweWfjOJ78GRE3ywdNZRCztMXr1fDVANdPcx51HERnhkLFYUKQeBHUU4jED6BMBtL8uGIyWN8SljXU6pERKyT2BVVpO7fGXKCg/s1600/snapper07.png" height="259" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woo-hoo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, it’s a simple game, basically a virtual version of tig,
or tag, or kiss chase – although without the kissing. It gets tougher as you go
on. The ghosts, who leave you alone for much of the earlier levels, become more
aggressive and home in on you, and the length of time they are vulnerable after
collecting a power pill gets shorter and shorter.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of all the home conversions and clones of Pac-Man that I’ve
played, Snapper is perhaps the closest to the original. It gets the feel of the
arcade game just right, even with the change in character design. Snapper moves
responsively around the levels, which are splendidly reproduced with their blue
walls and not-so-secret tunnel all present and correct. The ghosts may have
different pre-defined routes in Snapper than their Pac-Man equivalents, but the
way they all have individual characteristics remains the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA8APrbN6cDqdRE6rtkYb9SjLe8sPr7Sgl2UiSdc4DrUbSrk5TkQwi4RvAv1B1O1ANHOP5RG_THTQ2k9LxxAJwmdGD63yMztM1Kit8C0nz1acKA1ywY5tr1Roka3csQEgxw3mt5lpq1w/s1600/snapper08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA8APrbN6cDqdRE6rtkYb9SjLe8sPr7Sgl2UiSdc4DrUbSrk5TkQwi4RvAv1B1O1ANHOP5RG_THTQ2k9LxxAJwmdGD63yMztM1Kit8C0nz1acKA1ywY5tr1Roka3csQEgxw3mt5lpq1w/s1600/snapper08.png" height="322" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're at the top! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There isn’t a lot to say about the sound. Apart from the
short pre-game melody, the only noises you get are from collecting dots, fruit
and power pills, and a siren when you’ve collected the latter while the ghosts
are vulnerable. The siren rises in pitch as the power pill gets closer to
losing its magical and mythical powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whether you will like Snapper will be down to whether you
like Pac-Man. It’s a fantastic clone of the game, adding nothing new to it.
Some changes had to be made just to keep Namco off Acornsoft’s backs, limited
just to character design and sound. The only things missing from the Pac-Man
arcade game are the intermissions between levels. But other than that, this is
just Pac-Man in a different outfit. And mighty fine it is too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>RATINGS</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation </span>– 50%<br />
Acornsoft’s earlier games were known for the lack of anything resembling a bell
or a whistle. The loading screen features Acornsoft’s logo and the title of the
game, and the title screen is white text on a black background with a list of
keys. It’s hard to fault it though as it does the job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics </span>– 78%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
The graphics really do bring the arcade game to your portable TV. The maze is
blue, the ghosts are all different colours, Pac-Man, sorry, Snapper is yellow.
And it’s fairly clear to work out what the fruits are too. Most of the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound </span>– 75%<br />
Like Pac-Man in the arcade, there is no music in this game apart from a short
pre-game melody, but there are suitable sound effects that play throughout the
game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability </span>– 76%<br />
Instantly playable, with tight responsive controls. The game runs at a good
speed and really does feel like an arcade game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Overall </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">– 76%</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
As close as you’re going to get to Pac-Man at home on a retro machine without
having your own arcade cabinet in your bedroom. A really good clone of a
classic arcade game. Of course, if you don’t like Pac-Man, you won’t like this. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">YOUTUBE VIDEO</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's Acorn Electron Snapper in action</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ujiKdZ63pPg/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ujiKdZ63pPg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-11848960672239013492015-03-25T15:39:00.001-07:002015-03-26T14:08:59.690-07:00HP Stream 11 Review - The Return of the Netbook?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVKBN2juwAj2NuPY1LTXr_FgnvHptzmQD1QercihHGlQ_z6r-rVIf-BQcVFU48b5b-4sOb5LK6oMh9fS-igCuoygDF_lcoGVrAh8YjCGsr6BA82waYKWZRn03RQ4we40ymIBUX0EnwKc/s1600/DSC_0514b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVKBN2juwAj2NuPY1LTXr_FgnvHptzmQD1QercihHGlQ_z6r-rVIf-BQcVFU48b5b-4sOb5LK6oMh9fS-igCuoygDF_lcoGVrAh8YjCGsr6BA82waYKWZRn03RQ4we40ymIBUX0EnwKc/s1600/DSC_0514b.jpg" height="287" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">About six or seven years ago, netbooks were the must-have
piece of tech (ugh! I hate that word! Why have I just used it?). These dinky
little lappies seemed to be the ideal solution for people who wanted to be able
to do basic computer-based activities while on the move - things like browsing
the world wide web, reading and writing emails, editing documents, playing
simple games – but didn’t want to have to carry a heavy and expensive
full-sized laptop around with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, the decline of the netbook was as rapid as its
rise. Arguably, this was largely to do with the arrival of the iPad and
countless similar devices running Android and other operating systems. These
shiny touchy-feely tablets attracted people who wanted something for casual
usage, things like browsing the web, reading and writing emails, editing
documents, playing games. You know, the target audience of the netbook. But, in
my opinion, which is of course important because this is my blog, I don’t
believe the fall of the netbook was just because of the invasion of tablets.
And I believe that, even today, netbooks still have a place in the market. Not
quite as big a place as they once had, but there’s still a place for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For me, netbooks never quite got it exactly right. And
tablets don’t really tick all of the boxes that a potential netbook user might
have on their checklist of things they want in a portable device. When they
first made their bid for stardom, netbooks marketed themselves on their value. Not
value for money, just value. In other words, they were cheap. But cheap doesn’t
always mean good. In the case of early netbooks, cheap meant nasty.
Manufacturers did whatever they could to keep costs low, cutting back in many
of the areas that made normal laptops expensive. They had low-spec processors,
a small amount of memory, poor graphics and hardly any storage space. Of
course, storage could be expanded through the use of memory cards, memory
sticks and external hard drives. And there was also the idea that things could
be stored online, although the scary world of easily storing things in clouds
was still a few years away from becoming a proper reality. And despite the fact
that they sold themselves as being little laptops, they were often surprisingly
heavy and bulky. It was only really the screen and keyboard that was small. The
actual casing of the device was often quite thick. Then there was also the
issue that several of them didn’t come with Windows. Instead, they had some
variant of Linux. And although Linux is a perfectly adequate operating system
and can be well-suited to the specs of these kinds of devices, it really isn’t
something that the general public want to have to use. My mum had an Acer
Aspire One during the first netbook boom. Her first complaint about it was that
she didn’t know how to work it. It ran Limpus Lite, a Linux OS specifically tailored for low-powered netbooks. She was
used to Windows, and because things were different, she didn’t like it. But
even when she began getting used to it, Linux just isn’t as user-friendly as it
should be. And the version included on her Aspire One was quite locked down. A
bit of faffing with it, admittedly fun for somebody like me with a bit of
interest in computers, freed up some of the functionality of it, but it didn’t
still make her jump for joy. And why in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, do you
need to type in nonsensical commands into terminal window to do basic tasks? Stuff
like unlocking certain features or even downloading other applications. And if
things went wrong, you were stuffed. Getting an error message saying that a
program you are attempting to install is unable to resolve its dependencies
means nothing to no-one – apart from Linux geeks. Leave that language in the
background, not in the main user interface. I suppose it was my own fault for
unlocking the locked-down parts of Linux. The screen resolution was also pants,
with you having to scroll left and right on websites to fully view them. Making
users scroll horizontally is a big no-no when designing websites, so having to do it because the computer you’re using just isn’t able to display web
pages properly is going to dampen the experience. I recently borrowed my mum’s old Aspire
One just to find out if it really was as bad as I remember it – it’s been in a
box since 2009 after about two weeks of usage. After I spent half an hour of getting
frustrated with it, it went back in its box. I just couldn’t get any pleasure
out of using it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeVG9-Pb-QIBlcqJTr90Vb8QKKuN_EEXDTGC0-NdwBM6DQ9YS_SpFbObDnkBbmlBjPFgKydy0ojE7LMZXKRXXZQqD8_OzpoHqUYmJFBQO_fNjvKRtnzoZ7TBrSlbc8IWCJtmv7Nv_1zo/s1600/DSC_0545b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeVG9-Pb-QIBlcqJTr90Vb8QKKuN_EEXDTGC0-NdwBM6DQ9YS_SpFbObDnkBbmlBjPFgKydy0ojE7LMZXKRXXZQqD8_OzpoHqUYmJFBQO_fNjvKRtnzoZ7TBrSlbc8IWCJtmv7Nv_1zo/s1600/DSC_0545b.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Acer Aspire One running Limpus Lite. Yuck!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Over time, netbook manufacturers seemed to address some of
the complaints above. They began sticking extra RAM and storage space in them,
made them look sleek, sexy and shiny, and through a special deal with Microsoft
to grab back some of the OS market share that they were losing to freebie
Linux, they installed Windows on them. But, these improvements didn’t come cheap.
Nope, netbooks suddenly got quite expensive, and appeared to retail for a price
similar to that of a standard laptop. One of the key unique selling points of
the netbook – its low price – seemed to vanish. At least this was the case when
I came to look at netbooks for myself, probably around 2010, 2011, I couldn’t
find one for less than £200, apart from second-hand ones, and there were very
few models still available.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fast forward to today. Here we are in a world where everyone
who wanted an iPad or similar has got one. Companies are falling over
themselves to offer free storage of your documents online, or obscene amounts
of storage if you pay them for it. But it seems that there is still a market
for cheap, low-spec PCs. I have an iPad and a Google Nexus 7 tablet. And
although I find them brilliant for casual usage (well, the Nexus 7 was
brilliant until Lollipop came along and buggered it up), I have an issue with
them for usage that isn’t quite as casual, but doesn’t require the use of a
high-end jumbo computer. For instance, I get the train quite often to work and
back and an ideal time to write entries for this blog is when I’m on that
train. Or even at work when I’m on lunch. Unfortunately, doing so on a tablet
just isn’t really that great an experience. Okay, so I can make notes on them
and expand on them when I’m at home at a computer, but I’d still like to be
able to power up an ultra-portable laptop, tap tap tap away on a proper
keyboard, and be productive when I’m out and about. Not to pass time by playing
Candy Crush Saga. What I need is a small no-frills laptop. A netbook in other
words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Imagine my joy then when I noticed an advert on TV before
Christmas for a laptop with an 11 inch screen, for less than £200. Yes,
imagine. I don’t need to imagine as I managed to get one, and I’ll be talking
about it in a bit. It seems that netbook-type devices have slowly been edging
their way back into the market. And until now, nobody’s really noticed. Not too
long ago, Google developed Chrome OS and manufacturers began producing
computers that ran it. These Chromebooks, as they like to be known, come in
different shapes and sizes, but it seems that the little ones are quite
popular. Running what is basically a web browser doesn’t require much computing
power. They also don’t need a great deal of physical storage space as just
about everything is done online. Applications are accessed online and documents
are also saved online. So Chromebooks can be produced quite cheaply. It’s
well-known that Google and Microsoft aren’t the best of buddies, and neither
likes the other encroaching on their territory. Through their Chromebooks,
Google are taking small bites out of Microsoft’s large share of the operating
system market. So Microsoft have retaliated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Part of the cost of a new PC is the OEM licence for
Microsoft Windows. This is usually paid by the manufacturer and passed onto the
consumer. To encourage manufacturers to produce laptops with Windows on them,
Microsoft have released a special version of it: Windows 8.1 with Bing. The
operating system, which is almost identical to Windows 8.1 without Bing, can be
installed for nothing (or next-to-nothing) by a manufacturer if the device uses
certain low-end processors, and as of February 2015, has a screen smaller than 14
inches. As this makes the PCs cheaper to produce, it means that these savings
can be passed on to the consumer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfKmCf7mPfE2JIloS0aKH6jNVtXu_ii2LmPrMXVTG7OtEj9HUhqAsl8ux0EJoULElRb7PMrwHTqa0TIb5zHVfBBbcB3rWs7-kHEliEJn7DoWVF0pObCNlNYLuNvBfP1moiiyL6HYBt2Q/s1600/DSC_0510b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfKmCf7mPfE2JIloS0aKH6jNVtXu_ii2LmPrMXVTG7OtEj9HUhqAsl8ux0EJoULElRb7PMrwHTqa0TIb5zHVfBBbcB3rWs7-kHEliEJn7DoWVF0pObCNlNYLuNvBfP1moiiyL6HYBt2Q/s1600/DSC_0510b.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enter the HP Stream series. This is a family of laptops from
HP with the Windows 8.1 with Bing operating system. The laptops come in 11
inch, 13 inch and 14 inch variants, and their cheapo operating system and
associated low specs, enables them to retail in the UK for £179, £199 and £229
respectively*. Ooooh, cheap, low-spec little computers? Sounds like we’re back
where we were about seven years ago!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">* prices were correct as of February 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, is the netbook back? Have HP got it right this time
round? Well, they’re definitely a lot closer to hitting the mark. After seeing
the TV commercial for the HP Stream, I decided to plump for the 11 inch
version. I already have a 17 inch laptop with pretty decent specs, so if I need
screen space and a bit more oomph to power whatever it is I’m doing, I’ve
always got that. In my eyes, the HP Stream would be the little alternative I
could pick up and use for anything else, and take on days out with me, and not be hampered
by the limitations of tablets. I ordered directly from HP just before New Year
as I’m eligible to get a little discount from them (I should note that I don't work for them though!), and was given a delivery
date of a two weeks later. A couple of days before it was due to arrive,
I received an email from HP telling me it had been delayed by a week, and was
given a voucher code for 20% off accessories. As it happened, the laptop turned
up only one day late, so the voucher code was a bit of a bonus. In fact, the HP
Stream 11 is just a whole streamload of bonuses, as we shall discover when I
decide to mention them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9uFdghg2NMFE36GKxhYlctLpv3wmLceZ7u-bDwV4PyZHOCtyBaIZpZijM-eWitDSTgLh3eTPidpp7eQSJQohM7UwMBR7lEj-p0wqDPfttsRqXVE7FCGD2zZ86-uVsnCU7zyvkVE8L4o/s1600/DSC_0509b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9uFdghg2NMFE36GKxhYlctLpv3wmLceZ7u-bDwV4PyZHOCtyBaIZpZijM-eWitDSTgLh3eTPidpp7eQSJQohM7UwMBR7lEj-p0wqDPfttsRqXVE7FCGD2zZ86-uVsnCU7zyvkVE8L4o/s1600/DSC_0509b.jpg" height="174" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">HP have decided to release their Stream-branded laptops in
two colours: blue and pink. One for the boys, one for the girls. Perhaps. Being
a boy, I went for the blue option, but was a bit wary of what it would actually
look like. Turns out I needn’t have worried. The colour of the laptop itself is
striking, but it doesn’t look tacky. It’s quite a deep blue, and I feel it suits
the device quite well. The HP Stream isn’t going to appeal to your serious
corporate type, but it’s not designed to do so anyway. That’s not to say it
can’t be used for serious business. It’s just that you might look a bit odd
whipping one out in front of the board of directors, unless you’re one of those
wacky types who likes doing crazy things to be ironic. But, the blue does suit
the device, and doesn’t cheapen it like I feared it might. The casing is
plastic, but is like a matt plastic, which again prevents it from looking and
feeling cheap. Also making the laptop look deceivingly more expensive than it
actually is, is the shiny silver HP logo on the back of the lid, and the words
Hewlett Packard printed at the back of its base. Oh yes, it’s a nice looking
thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things are equally as attractive inside. The blue theme
continues around the screen and keyboard, although around the keyboard there is
a polka dot effect and a gradient from dark to light blue. This sounds like it
would be awful, but again, it actually works quite well here. The keys are a
nice bright white with clear dark grey lettering printed on them. A trackpad
and the power button are also situated near the keyboard. The bezel around the
screen, which is quite wide, houses a webcam at the top and another HP logo at
the bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsojCx0I3eZfRFvZ7gaGtUw1U_5Hr25mCs-RGZZSdQGbSWdQkm2v2IkLnOP5usO_1kERFdNxyaLyDcsTZw58xwIVOBozCfjcC2s-hmNCRh_WmvzKVCznSqZjRZ_IDIBAnKNI9oj9yvjU/s1600/DSC_0517b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsojCx0I3eZfRFvZ7gaGtUw1U_5Hr25mCs-RGZZSdQGbSWdQkm2v2IkLnOP5usO_1kERFdNxyaLyDcsTZw58xwIVOBozCfjcC2s-hmNCRh_WmvzKVCznSqZjRZ_IDIBAnKNI9oj9yvjU/s1600/DSC_0517b.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The sides of the laptop are home to all of its ports and
slots, one for power, one for an SD card, two for USB, one for HDMI and one for
headphones. With the lid down, the laptop looks quite sleek and thin. It’s by
no means a Macbook Air, but it’s a step up from the bulky netbooks of old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But of course, looks aren’t everything. What matters is how
usable this computer is as a computer. And, fortunately, it’s very usable. As
has been mentioned already, installed on the HP Stream is Windows 8.1 with
Bing. Although Microsoft have discounted the cost of the OS, they haven’t
slimmed it down in any way. All they have done, and the reason that it has
“with Bing” in its name, is that Bing has to be set as the default search
engine. That’s it. The manufacturer isn’t allowed to change it. But you can,
and you more than likely you will. That’s if you can figure out how to. It
seems that Microsoft have done a little something in Internet Explorer which
throws up an error if you try to go into the “Add Search Providers” option and
add another search provider from the list that appears. There are other ways of
doing it, a quick Google will reveal how. Well, you'll be stuck with having to a quick Bing first to find out. Or you can just install Chrome and set Google, or whatever
other provider of search that you wish to use, in that. But other than that,
there is no other difference between Windows 8.1 with Bing and Windows 8.1
without it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Powering up your computer for the first time takes you
through the usual Windows set up, and to me seemed quicker than usual. The only
thing to be careful of is a little section about your privacy settings,
featuring options about what you do and don’t want to share with Microsoft
and/or HP. It’s no different to what you get on any other Windows 8 PC, so
there’s no need for me to go into it in any detail. Once you’re up and running,
you may notice a few bits of crap cluttering up the already limited space on
your hard drive, so it’s best to get removing the junk before you start using
your computer for real, just in case you accidentally remove something you
shouldn’t and need to start again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the first things you’ll notice, and probably the
first thing to disappoint you, is that the screen quality on the HP Stream
isn’t amazing. It is high definition, but the matte screen seems to give it a
bit of a filmy layer over the display, affecting the clarity and making things appear
slightly washed out. The colours are also not particularly vibrant and the
display itself can be quite dim. I use mine on its brightest setting, which
isn’t too bad, but in certain scenarios it could do with being brighter. Of
course, setting brightness to the max affects battery life, so don’t expect the
Stream to run all day if you like things nice and light. Issues with clarity
are more obvious when doing things like word processing, browsing the web.
Watching videos and viewing photographs isn’t too much of an issue, although I
could imagine it potentially being more of one on the models with larger
screens. The viewing angles are also not too great. Although this isn’t really
too much of a problem if you’re using the computer at a desk, it can be if it’s
on your lap and you shuffle around a bit. I used my HP Stream on a train (to
type some of this as it happens!), and found that the tray table and angle of
the seat in front of me prevented me from opening the screen as much as I would
have liked, so made it difficult to get a good view of what I was typing. However,
the resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels means that documents and websites are
displayed at a suitable resolution, so there’s no scrolling left and right to
view the entirety of whatever it is you’re looking at. The screen isn’t awful,
but it isn’t great. That said, the matte finish means there’s no reflection on
it, so it’s not all bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The keyboard is almost full-sized, and, unless you happen to
have a full-sized keyboard around to compare, you’d be hard-pushed to tell the
difference. Something that I like, which my 17.3 inch laptop lacks, is the fact
that the HP Stream has its own function keys, rather than having them shared
with the numeric row of keys. Typing on the keyboard is a pleasure, and I feel
that I can type at my usual rate, approximately two words per minute, just as
well on the HP Stream as on other keyboards. A lot of PC reviews mention
something about travel when talking about keyboards. I’m not sure what that
means, but I’ll say that this laptop’s keyboard has good travel, and hope that
that’s a good thing. As with the casing, the keyboard doesn’t feel cheap, and
compares well with what you’d find on more expensive computers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for the trackpad, this isn’t quite as brilliant. I’ve
never been a big fan of trackpads, preferring to use a mouse instead, and used
some of my 20% off accessories voucher to purchase a wireless one for this
device (thanks HP!). The trackpad on the HP Stream doesn’t change my opinion about
them either. Windows 8 is all about swipes and gestures and stuff. If you don’t
have a touchscreen device, which is the case with the HP Stream - although I believe that there is a touchscreen version of the Stream 13 - you can do
some of the gestures using the trackpad. Swiping from the right brings up the
“charms” menu (grrrr!), and I’m sure swiping from other places does other
things. But it’s a bit hit and miss when it works, and to be honest, wasn’t one
of Windows 8’s best features, so you’re unlikely to want to do it anyway. The
problem is, it’s sometimes possible to accidentally bring up a menu by the
trackpad misregistering an action as a swipe. Additionally, it doesn’t always
register what you have intended to do. Tapping the trackpad itself to open an
application sometimes appears to make the computer think you’ve tapped
elsewhere. You can however physically push down the bottom of the trackpad –
pushing down on the left is a left click, pushing down on the right is a right
click. I find it much easier to use this method to open applications and select
particular parts of a screen, even though you sometimes need to give it a good
push down, although I will always use my mouse where possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just like the netbooks of old, the specs of the HP Stream
aren’t the greatest. It has an Intel Celeron N2840 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 32GB
eMMC hard disk. The problem with the HP Stream is that, as it runs full
Windows, it is theoretically able to attempt to run whatever Windows
application you want to throw at it. <i>Attempt </i>is the key word here. Unfortunately, a lot
of Windows applications require better specs than the Stream possesses to run
well. Expect too much of it, and the Stream will disappoint. For day-to-day productivity
and web browsing, the Stream is brilliant. But if you want to start editing the
next Hollywood blockbuster or even play about with multi-layered photos in
Photoshop, you’ll be sitting twiddling your thumbs while the Stream decides
what to do. Opening up multiple tabs in your internet browser, or having
several applications running at the same time, will also cause things to slow
to a crawl. Saying that though, for the purposes I purchased my Stream for,
I’ve never really experienced any speed issues in regular use, and actually
find it a nippy little thing. I tested loading up a load of stuff simultaneously just for
the sake of this review, but it doesn’t reflect how I would actually use it.
Don’t be put off thinking that all you can do with the Stream is type
documents. The beauty of Windows is that there are many many applications out
there that don’t require much to get them going, which for retro gaming fans
like me, includes computer and console emulators. I’ve also found that websites
with online video like YouTube and Twitch run surprisingly well, even when
plugged into a TV set through a HDMI cable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While the processor and RAM can’t be upgraded on the HP
Stream, it is possible to add to the storage space. The device has a 32GB hard
drive, but you’ll find that about half of it is taken up with the Windows
operating system itself and a partition which I assume contains files to restore
things. You’ll probably begin with 17GB of usable space, but this will
quickly deplete as you begin installing other applications. One such
application that you’ll be likely to install shortly after taking possession of
your HP Stream will be Microsoft Office. Why? Because it’s free! The HP Stream
comes with a year’s worth of access to Microsoft Office 365 Personal. Office
365 is basically the full Office suite of applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint
and so on), but sold on a subscription basis instead of as a one-off. A year’s
subscription is usually about £60. The applications themselves get installed on
your PC, meaning that you can use them offline. You are also able to save any
documents onto your PC too. However, doing so eats into your valuable storage
space. So, what Office now comes with is the ability to save documents in the
cloud (this is standard on all current versions of Office, not just Office 365).
When you set up your PC, you are asked to set up a Microsoft account. This gives
you a OneDrive account, usually with the default allowance of 25GB of space,
which is fairly generous. Any documents you choose to save to the cloud can go
into your OneDrive account. However, once you activate your Office 365 voucher,
you’ll find that the allowance shoots up to 2TB, and Microsoft have recently
announced that they’ll be doing away with the storage cap completely. So,
technically you’ll have unlimited space to store whatever you want, and this
isn’t just documents you create in Office. It’s a generous offer, and goes some
way to solving the problem of a lack of storage space on the PC itself. Of
course, this is partly the reason the HP Stream exists and why providing a large
capacity hard drive isn’t essential. Microsoft want to encourage people to use
their cloudy offerings as standard, to compete with similar offerings from
Google who want the same from their Chromebook. However, you’re not limited to
online-only with the HP Stream. Apps are stored on the device and documents can
be saved to it too. It’s just that you can get a lot more space if you choose
to store things in the cloud. Additionally, you can increase the storage
available to you on the Stream with an SD card, USB memory stick or external
hard drive. Just remember that if you save something to OneDrive, you need to
be online to retrieve it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">HP also appear to throw in a bit of temporary extra storage
with Dropbox via one of the shortcuts on the desktop, so that’s even more
cloud-based storage for you to do what you want with it. How exciting. Of
course, if storing your private and personal documents online isn’t your bag,
then perhaps this won’t be the device for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The downside to all this temporary subscription stuff? It’s
temporary. Of course, you can extend your subscriptions to Office 365 and/or
Dropbox, but this costs pennies. If you choose not continue you memberships
after their free periods are up, you’ll still have some use of them. The amount
of storage in your OneDrive and Dropbox accounts will return to their default amounts.
You’ll still be able to access files that are stored prior to the reduction in
space, but you won’t be able to add additional ones until you've deleted enough to get you below the maximum space allocation, The Office installation on
your computer will be limited to being read only, although you will still be
able to access the online version of Office, and you can also now edit Office
documents through Dropbox too. So all is not lost. And you may decide that
Microsoft’s Office 365 is actually a good enough product to keep paying for, in
which case the HP Stream has served its purpose, both for you and for Microsoft
too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s already been mentioned that the HP Stream isn’t the
most powerful of computers, and if you try to throw too much at it, it’ll just
laugh at you. Internally that is. You can’t actually see or hear it laughing.
In fact, it’s pretty much a silent computer as it doesn’t have a fan. Hmmm, I
quite like how I linked from talking about the computer laughing at you to
mentioning its silent fan there. I’d claim it was deliberate but it was just me
spotting the opportunity and jumping on it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Despite its lack of fan meaning that the HP Stream can
operate without anybody knowing it’s even on, it does pump out some volume from
its speakers. A surprising amount of volume too. The speakers are under the
laptop, which does baffle me to an extent. Surely it would muffle the sound if
you're using the laptop with a cushion on your lap (can’t recommend this though –
might make it overheat! At least you won’t get burnt legs though). But the
sound is actually quite clear and crisp and loud. It uses HP’s DTS Studio
Sound. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it seems to work well in this
case. There isn’t much depth and bass to the sound it produces though. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before I distracted myself by talking about its fan and
sound, I mentioned that the HP Stream is no super computer. If you’re into your
games, as I’d expect you would be if you’re reading this blog, the HP Stream
will struggle with many of the more demanding (and not so demanding) current
games. It’ll just about cope with Minecraft, although that’s with the most
basic of settings. But, as this blog is primarily about old games, you’ll find that
the HP Stream is perfectly suited to old stuff. EA recently offered Theme
Hospital for free as part of its Origin service, and that runs perfectly on the
Stream. Emulators can be hit and miss, but this is more than likely down to
problems with settings or the emulator’s lack of Windows 8 support than the
computer itself. I’m still yet to get a Mega Drive emulator working properly on
my Stream. Kega Fusion refuses to go into full screen, although works fine
otherwise. Gens will work in full screen but the diagonals on my control pad
won’t work, which hampers many games (although that might be an issue with my
controller though). As for other systems, ZXSpin also doesn’t appear to like
full screen, whereas emulators like ElectrEM and VirtuaNES work great and MAME
is amazing. There are so many emulators out there though that there’s more than
likely at least one for each system you wish to emulate that will work fine on
the HP Stream. It’s just a case of downloading and trying them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a way, the HP Stream lends itself perfectly to retro
gaming. Despite the fact that back in their day, computer games could take
forever to load, old games do have that element of being easy to jump into for
a quick game. As the Stream lacks the space or the power to cope with games that
demand it, it sort of forces you to play older games. As it loads up pretty
much instantly and is so portable, you can be into a game within seconds. And,
unlike tablets, you’re not just limited to playing console games, either with
touchscreen controls (urgh!) or with a controller plugged into it if you have
the right accessories. Nope, you can also play hundreds and hundreds of computer
games with a proper keyboard. And it is actually such a pleasure to play them
on the Stream. I’ve been whizzing around Acorn Electron Chuckie Egg more in the
last few weeks than I have for years. It’s as if it’s a dedicated retro
computer, er, computer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s worth also mentioning the Windows Store. Although there
are nowhere near as many apps as there are in the equivalent online bazaars for
Apple and Android devices, there are still more apps than you’d ever need, and
all the main ones are there (Facebook, Netflix, etc). And as Windows 8 was
designed with tablets in mind, tablets which run on lower specced processors
like that of the Stream, a great many of the apps also work fine on it. Ok,
some are probably designed for touchscreen, but this may change as Microsoft
appear to be refocusing on Windows as a desktop operating system, with the
forthcoming Windows 10 reinstating some of the features that Windows 8 removed.
Whether the HP Stream will be able to cope with Windows 10 remains to be seen.
It may be able to cope with it, it just might not have the space to install it
though! As another incentive to draw you into the Windows Store to find out
what it has on offer, HP/Microsoft also throw in a £20 voucher to be spent in
the store on apps, games, movies, whatever they have going. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have I covered everything yet? Keys? Screen? Mousepad?
Usability? Camera? Ah! The camera! Yes, the HP Stream has a webcam. It isn’t
the greatest, being a bit grainy and not displaying images in the highest of definitions,
but if all you need it for is chatting to your mum on Skype, it’s perfectly
adequate. And Skype, which is preinstalled, does run well on the device. It might also be worth mentioning that your year long subscription to Office 365 Personal also gives you 60 minutes of Skype talk time. Of course, video calling to other Skype users is free, so i'm not sure what the 60 minutes actually does. I think it lets you phone people's phones from your Skype account.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for the battery, I've found that it usually lasts for between five to six hours between charges. I doubt that you'll be using the computer for long periods of time so this is pretty good going. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, all in all, as you’ve probably gathered seeing as this
review has gone on longer than some of the essays I wrote at university many
decades ago, I like my HP Stream 11. Yes, it has its faults. The screen could be
better, and I find that I don’t tend to use the trackpad when I can avoid it
(although that’s more down to me not liking trackpads). Apart from that, for
the purposes that I wanted the Stream for, it does exactly what I want it to
do. It fills that gap that tablets can’t, gives me the ability to be both
productive and have fun, and is small and light enough to be taken on journeys
with me. I probably wouldn’t use it as my main PC, but that’s because I have
other requirements for my main PC which the HP Stream just wouldn’t be able to
meet. But similarly, just as that other PC satisfies certain requirements, the
HP Stream satisfies other ones better. I can’t lug my main laptop onto a train
and carry it around with me all day. It also just doesn’t feel as immediately
available as the Stream does. For many people though, it could serve as their
main computer, as it can do a lot of everyday tasks, and it is available in
larger sizes too. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is it a Chromebook killer? Personally I think it’s better
than the Chromebook, just because of the fact that Windows is more versatile. You have access to a
much wider range of applications, and the fact that it doesn’t require you to be
online pretty much all of the time gives you much more freedom as to how you
can use it. Here in the UK, the Chromebook isn’t as big a deal as it is in
places like the USA, so it’ll be hard to see if the Stream has any real effect
on Chromebook sales. Over in the USA, the Chromebook appears to be most popular
in schools. As there is meant to be an education variant of the HP Stream 11 on
its way, it looks like HP are working on behalf of Microsoft to get Chrome out
of the classroom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Does the HP Stream signify the return of the netbook? This
is more difficult to answer. The netbook was the right idea at the time of its
original appearance, but just didn’t really work. I think a lot of people
purchased netbooks with higher expectations of what they were capable of. What
they ended up with disappointed them, and they just didn’t enjoy using them. As
soon as tablets like the iPad came along, which were undeniably much more of a
pleasure to use, people abandoned their
netbooks. It’s still true that tablets tick a lot of the boxes for many people,
and there isn’t a need for them to return to netbooks. But for others, tablets
are just a bit too casual. They need something in between a tablet and a
full-on all-singing all-dancing PC. And this gap can be filled by modern
netbook-like devices, devices like the HP Stream. The market for them isn’t
anywhere near as big as it once was, as it will continue to be dominated by
tablets and even large screen mobile phones, but there is definitely a market. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As a device by itself, the HP Stream is a great purchase.
When you consider that part of its cost includes the one year subscription to
Office 365 (worth £60), plus £20 to spend in the Windows Store, you’re actually
getting a laptop with full Windows for around £100. And a good looking,
easy-to-use, fairly nippy little laptop too. I can’t recommend one enough. As a standalone device, providing your needs aren't too great, it's well worth considering. And as a
companion device to whatever else you have, it’s almost perfect. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Phew! That took a long time to write! The computer is probably obsolete by now.</span></div>
Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-23616756324792427562015-02-18T12:59:00.000-08:002015-02-18T15:29:16.841-08:00The Legendary Axe II - PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 Review<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhks_BCF7Dk5i1LHqyJVew6hzBh3RDue9zMTbp7R3CEcb0NYI91BQjpXVihdpLtN3oSv1cNyFIddqmTE9iuXZsuoTuENQJUvn1gFGascwDe09aMVD84db3tbg5QHPU1NA7JbibgaESbuU/s1600/la01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhks_BCF7Dk5i1LHqyJVew6hzBh3RDue9zMTbp7R3CEcb0NYI91BQjpXVihdpLtN3oSv1cNyFIddqmTE9iuXZsuoTuENQJUvn1gFGascwDe09aMVD84db3tbg5QHPU1NA7JbibgaESbuU/s1600/la01.png" height="298" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a weird looking axe. It's as if it can't decide what<br>
it is. Am I an axe or a sword? I'll be both.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px; text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">The Legendary Axe II</i><br>
<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> <i>PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16</i></span><br>
<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> <i>Victor Interactive Software/NEC</i></span><br>
<b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">1990</i><br>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><b>Also released on: </b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><i>Nothing</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></b><i> Nothing</i></span></div>
</div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In a land dominated by home microcomputers back in the 1980s, it took a while for the console gaming market to really take off in the UK, and indeed over in the rest of Europe. Although Atari, Mattel and Coleco had all had a European presence since the dawn of the console industry, their machines were never really a threat to the mega-popular computers from Sinclair, Commodore, Amstrad and Acorn. It was only towards the end of the decade that things began to change. The Sega Master System and Nintendo Entertainment System both began to take some slices out of the home gaming pie as console sales started to pick up. Not wanting to share the market that they still dominated, Amstrad and Commodore attempted to release console-ised versions of their computers, the doomed Amstrad GX4000 and the equally ill-fated Commodore 64GS. For a variety of reasons, nobody was interested in them. Instead, they were looking to the future, to new more powerful consoles that were making their way from foreign lands in the East: the Sega Mega Drive, the Super Famicom, and the PC Engine.</span></b><br>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br></span></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Except, it seemed, that the manufacturers of these new machines of wonder weren't in any rush to get them over to Europe. After Europe had all but shunned consoles for much of the eighties, it seemed that Europe would remain at the back of the queue to get the shiny new machines. Sega and Nintendo held off launching their new machines for quite a while. The Sega Mega Drive finally made it to Europe in Autumn 1990, two years after its initial Japanese release, and the Super Nintendo didn't make it here until Spring 1992, almost two years after its release in Japan as the Super Famicom. But what about the PC Engine? Well, it appears that NEC, the company behind the tiny little console, weren't really that interested in the the European market at all, and didn't even release it over here. There was apparently a PAL version manufactured and distributed in very small quantities, but it hardly counts as an official release. Nope, if you wanted to play the PC Engine in Europe, you had to import one. So, why was this continent overlooked by NEC? And what did we miss?</span></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">
</b><br>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The PC Engine was NEC's first console, and it was in their home market that they initially partook in battle. The console was released in 1987, and their first opponent was Nintendo. The 8-bit Famicom (NES for westerners) had dominated in Japan for a few years by then, but was beginning to look old. Well, it had always looked old. The PC Engine, despite also technically being an 8-bit console, played more like a 16-bit machine and got off to a great start, eating into some of Nintendo's share of the market. In its home market, the PC Engine even outsold the Mega Drive, released the following year. Nintendo would claw back some of its portion of the market with the release of the Super Famicom in 1990, while Sega were never able to overcome either, remaining in third place in Japan. </span></b></div>
<b>
<br><div dir="ltr" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just as Nintendo had done with the Famicom a few years earlier, NEC wanted to take their new console over to America. Having had a successful stab a denting Nintendo's profits in Japan, NEC presumably thought they could do the same thing in the USA and decided to release their console there. However, Sega had similar plans, and they weren't going to let NEC get a head start this time. Both NEC and Sega released their renamed consoles, the TurboGrafx-16 and the Genesis, in America at about the same time. Sega already had a presence in America with their Master System console, but seeing as it only had a piddly percentage of the market, it hardly gave them any real advantage at all over NEC. What did give Sega the advantage though was a great marketing campaign. Sega's strategy seemed to be about demonstrating what the Genesis could do that its competitors couldn't, specifically Nintendo but they took shots at NEC too. As far as technology goes, the Genesis was clearly superior, and their marketing showed this. They were also keen to tap into a more mature market. The kids that had grown up with Nintendo consoles were now teenagers, and wanted something more edgy, more cool, not something for children. The Genesis was that console, not the Nintendo Entertainment System and not the TurboGrafx-16. Genesis had the sports licenses, the best arcade game conversions, and some unique original games were on their way too: Moonwalker, Castle of Illusion, Dick Tracy and of course a certain blue hedgehog. It was Sega, not NEC, that robbed Nintendo of a large chunk of their user base, and the market was split pretty much equally between Sega and Nintendo once the SNES arrived on the scene for the next few years.</span></div>
<br><div dir="ltr" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having had little success in the USA, it's probably likely that NEC took a look a Europe and decided not to bother. The PC Engine's release in Europe was rumoured to be around the time of the launch of the Mega Drive, and NEC probably expected to face the same issues when battling Sega in Europe. Probably even worse, seeing as Sega already had a success on their hands with the Master System in Europe. Sega had a more powerful console on its way, plus an already-established fan base.</span></div>
<br><div dir="ltr" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, had NEC decided to release the PC Engine in Europe in 1989, at a price of around £99, things may just have been very different. The PC Engine did get coverage in the European gaming media, just as the Mega Drive did, as an import device, and probably in anticipation of an official launch in the not-too-distant future. So video gaming fans had an awareness of its existence. It was seen as part of the new generation of consoles, more powerful than anything currently available. A head start over the Mega Drive would have made it the only console available of the new generation. And even when the Mega Drive launched, it's possible that gamers would have stuck by it. Europeans are known for their loyalty to comparatively underpowered machines. The ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Sega Master System all managed to maintain support well into the 1990s, years after the technology in them was ancient. The PC Engine may just have been another console that Europeans took to their hearts, and loved and supported. But we never had the chance to love and support it. Instead we had the now-legendary battle between the Mega Drive and Super Nintendo. But how different could that have been if the PC Engine was involved in it too? Sadly, we'll never know. Europeans never really got the opportunity at the time to experience PC Engine games for themselves. This has changed in recent years. Many PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 games finally made their official European debuts on the Wii's Virtual Console service, and can still be purchased for however long the service continues. And of course, there is always emulation. Dodgy as it may be, it really is the only way to play PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 games, games not available on the Wii and that would otherwise be lost to history. And as a console that failed to make it into Europe, it has a library of games that remain undiscovered by many people, including myself. So, to right these wrongs, I've decided to explore some of the console's games, in the hope of finding some hidden gems.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenVW9et5gQHRACvCBYeInpP7nO7GN1UiQZlxs-4KwbneplJuiOj1amkvIK3I-A8dLxMrEkYn071BqNx0ec0J1JIaw69igtsSucxHPuyQQUUg6QpGJwirN5QTRgLeY3pbW0dRlgo8qZzw/s1600/la05.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenVW9et5gQHRACvCBYeInpP7nO7GN1UiQZlxs-4KwbneplJuiOj1amkvIK3I-A8dLxMrEkYn071BqNx0ec0J1JIaw69igtsSucxHPuyQQUUg6QpGJwirN5QTRgLeY3pbW0dRlgo8qZzw/s1600/la05.png" height="299" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's got a good pair of gnashers. Could do with some<br>
whitening toothpaste though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First up, and representing a pretty good discovery straight away, is The Legendary Axe II. The Legendary Axe II is, as you've probably guessed, the sequel to The Legendary Axe. It's a sequel in name only though, as the two games are very different to each other. Some say that Legendary Axe II wasn't even developed as a sequel, it was a completely unique game that later became Legendary Axe II, probably as a way of making the most of the success of the first game. Regardless of whether or not it was developed as a true sequel, it is very different. I haven't played the first game, but from what I've seen and read about it, its tone is nowhere near as dark and depressing as that of its sequel. And it plays differently too. And the first game actually has a legendary axe in it. The Legendary Axe II does include an axe, but it's one of three main weapons, and probably the worst of those three.</span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwP_9kAKkS6y32i1qlFYdJ_YkMw5Op4iV4ZDA-iAFcNgAF2PWHbwM7wespuGilq6XOheTCvOxslrGvns1mRDQmcIFmyTLHVXryPRxKcloGzrkwJ2dU-_-vIFYq6__y59skpn2EWSXB4I/s1600/la04.png" height="372" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Sirius shows blue-haired bloke and red-haired chick his new sex toy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiO8nEKdWvVdNqb7jpjmJEcl3-qFagW4Zc0hV_IHI4zq8FjDEjTPcSMWgDi2vbsb7qoCJ3t3yPCiyOnh_jcRENRuzI9FYSOupMtTRxEbWXxgaKxAp23f35FzxAV-1N0BtNuGAySbwS2qo/s1600/la03.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiO8nEKdWvVdNqb7jpjmJEcl3-qFagW4Zc0hV_IHI4zq8FjDEjTPcSMWgDi2vbsb7qoCJ3t3yPCiyOnh_jcRENRuzI9FYSOupMtTRxEbWXxgaKxAp23f35FzxAV-1N0BtNuGAySbwS2qo/s1600/la03.png" height="298" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ow! My head! And why have I got a sword through my hand?</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The story behind the game, as played out on screen before your very eyes just before you begin your adventure, is that the evil Prince Zach has claimed the throne after the death of his father, King, er, um, Phil. You play the part of his better behaved brother, Prince Sirius, and must hack and slash your way through a series of side scrolling levels, to dethrone Zach. take charge of the Kingdom and run it in a goodly manner. I think that's the plot anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After watching the story unfold, you get on your way. You start off with a sword, and can collect items that defeated nasties leave behind to enhance its power, or other weapons if you feel like a change. As well as the axe mentioned earlier, there is also a morning star, whatever one of those is. A ball and chain I think. The sword is a pretty good all rounder, and is probably the weapon you'll use the most. The morning star has a good range and can attack in multiple directions. but isn't very strong. And the not-so-legendary axe is quite powerful, but has a short range, so isn't particularly brilliant. Other collectibles include bombs which when detonated, destroy everything on screen. These are usually most handy for the end of level bosses, but you don't really need to use them until later on in the game, so it's best just to save them up. You can also collect stars, moons and suns, which either give your energy meter a boost, fill it up to full fullness, or give you an extra life.</span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The thing behind the wall wants to get out. Not sure how he got there, and why his head and leg seems to be mispositioned.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstP2dinY9FS4JjKwhFpLwD8pULtmCjYLA1NvZAcJcA2D1P_mQ3nvntKKFKz4kLkpGAn2LT4WAyI9U-u6j6tjEgoEnhbde401xrttJOBhNvpOe7iQSxidVBPT_yVRtmmnoLZSPYMbN6ZU/s1600/la09.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstP2dinY9FS4JjKwhFpLwD8pULtmCjYLA1NvZAcJcA2D1P_mQ3nvntKKFKz4kLkpGAn2LT4WAyI9U-u6j6tjEgoEnhbde401xrttJOBhNvpOe7iQSxidVBPT_yVRtmmnoLZSPYMbN6ZU/s1600/la09.png" height="299" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's nothing more annoying than treading in gum. Is<br>
it yours? I'll whack you over the head with my axe if so.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Prince Sirius moves well to your commands, jumps fairly high and carries out your attacking wishes satisfactorily. He's not one of those characters that goes slipping and sliding off platforms and suchlike, and when he gets attacked, he doesn't get pushed around like whatshisface from Castlevania. He'll not be frustrating you at all, which is a good thing in a game like this. Enemies are also not frustrating either. They are plentiful, but the fight against them is always fair. The game moves along at a nippy pace too - it's not a plodding affair.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Legendary Axe II is a dark dark game. Not just in graphics, but in tone. It just feels sombre, threatening, depressing, oppressive and menacing. It's not the sort of game you'd play if you need cheering up. You'll play through some very dark, and often quite bizarre, levels. One level has a skeleton trapped behind the wall in the background, trying to escape through gaps in it, another sees you jumping from a platform of skulls to another platform of skulls. There is a level where you descend deeper and deeper through caverns of slime-covered walls. End of level bosses are equally as odd. One is a midget swinging a massive ball at you, another is a what appears to be a doll or young girl who splits into other young girls and then transforms into standard enemies from the game. In contrast to everything that has gone before, you end the game in some sort of futuristic maze. Rather than being attacked by the undead, your foes are robots. Finding your way through the maze is quite a challenge, and once you've managed it, you're faced with a rather tough end of game boss. Even the ending will baffle you. When you've completed the game and just as you take your seat on the throne, a woman appears to fly at you out of the blue with some malicious intent. Before you know what's going on, the end credits begin. If you play the Japanese version, she appears to have forgotten to put her clothes on too. </span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wsJnnoVpEL6cDyrWhOcbEXYfEwIx3ux1qM47rc57jJbnseFpxsZiF03NQUw77nbHb96gjdOqmfGporcCOKxJXtzvgxEbbUHs7kR5lOoxVJ-Q3QgvA5jx1UzSSC_TfD3_1YgGYCYbbk8/s1600/la10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wsJnnoVpEL6cDyrWhOcbEXYfEwIx3ux1qM47rc57jJbnseFpxsZiF03NQUw77nbHb96gjdOqmfGporcCOKxJXtzvgxEbbUHs7kR5lOoxVJ-Q3QgvA5jx1UzSSC_TfD3_1YgGYCYbbk8/s1600/la10.png" height="372" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxUFL7uBRie7LI7iWWvHqWjL5FhrBPcmwAbD9Dh_KzGkU739jXNtEBKQ_P5hZqOexUPXO3rpvF1dAIgbrr0e31hhyErFb9aWlE4u1aDrrtWD-cEO65R2yMuarWA2bsPLjEWDp6sWtvM4/s1600/la13.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxUFL7uBRie7LI7iWWvHqWjL5FhrBPcmwAbD9Dh_KzGkU739jXNtEBKQ_P5hZqOexUPXO3rpvF1dAIgbrr0e31hhyErFb9aWlE4u1aDrrtWD-cEO65R2yMuarWA2bsPLjEWDp6sWtvM4/s1600/la13.png" height="300" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I offered to babysit, and then the kids went all weird on me.<br>Never again.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Graphics in this game aren't particularly amazing, but they do get better as you progress through the game. Characters and other sprites are well animated and some of the end of level baddies are stunning. They definitely do the job though and portray the game's tone fantastically. Music is good too, definitely suiting the style of game, with melancholy organ-style melodies playing throughout.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The game does throw a good challenge at you but is beatable. It is similar in style to games like Castlevania, but isn't as ridiculously tough and unfair as that. However, it seems to lack Castlevania's charm and probably isn't something you'll want to come back to soon after completing it. The feeling of dread that characterises it isn't always going to appeal to somebody looking for a quick game to play. But it's fun nevertheless and is a good example of a game that us Europeans were deprived of. Shame on you NEC. Why did you spare us from such joys? Humph!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yuPR_shrVYBgHtBDPRv2SL90PNRJIqY7JNdIh3PEdsTE9D8xJni3Td9MdlAVziBp5B0DhsDO6URP9Q3ETRMNspsanlQYqWmwv2faQ8_VvjbAI6DASsWbJZnE45lkwRNhpVeLlKJi9ME/s1600/la14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yuPR_shrVYBgHtBDPRv2SL90PNRJIqY7JNdIh3PEdsTE9D8xJni3Td9MdlAVziBp5B0DhsDO6URP9Q3ETRMNspsanlQYqWmwv2faQ8_VvjbAI6DASsWbJZnE45lkwRNhpVeLlKJi9ME/s1600/la14.png" height="373" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ever wondered what Big Bird would look like without his feathers? Well wonder no more.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBroyeSkO3LP0DfGEHNlyFw3Jn1T0wScILompfrJsJ-pD4jOqrffKgbpKdfbN7ZYlceuxVcHoCwZZ3ujoaTPwR4uZNRdfy0aSOOF0-VqKd6W_XaFL2XV35UJWHWhV_mqocrIvrB8yfXrc/s1600/la22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBroyeSkO3LP0DfGEHNlyFw3Jn1T0wScILompfrJsJ-pD4jOqrffKgbpKdfbN7ZYlceuxVcHoCwZZ3ujoaTPwR4uZNRdfy0aSOOF0-VqKd6W_XaFL2XV35UJWHWhV_mqocrIvrB8yfXrc/s1600/la22.png" height="299" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Sirius has a rather odd looking toilet in his house.<br>The eye is actually the flusher, and a finger on the left hand<br>holds the toilet roll.</td></tr>
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<b style="font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">RATINGS</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">: 70%</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A simple main screen, no options to speak of, but the game begins with a short intro giving a bit of background to why you are doing what you do.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> 78%</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 15.1999998092651px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">Dark, dull, depressing, but in a good way. Great if you like the colours grey and brown. Animation is good, and end of level baddies are great. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound:</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"> 75%</span></span></span></div>
</div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">
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<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 21.546875px;">Atmospheric tunes and suitable sound effects. </span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> 80%</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 21.546875px;">Instantly enjoyable and stays entertaining throughout, although you probably need to be in the right mood to want to play it. Throws a good challenge at you but never feels unfair.</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Overall:</span></b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"> 78%</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;">A surreal, creepy little game, well worth seeking out if you have a PC Engine or TurboGrafx-16. </span><br>
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><br></span></div>
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</div>
</b><br>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">BONUS SCREENSHOTS</span></b></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Seeing as I spent most of this review going on about the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 and why it didn't make its way to Europe and not the game itself, I've got a few left over screenshots of the game. It's a shame to waste them, so here they are:</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br></span>
<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ikdL8bQOvcx_WAR8oT8qxMv8hcwsMts4XfHGRdP5qwXIOzJBucMBh7Gz5DcwCWO_PB4qvGPOg0F-4Z-mQ64Ksw8Vx3azOgY3ZHi4dTkJNrfBNMlLqOESqeCfOKT0piTsnfWhiCHPibI/s1600/la06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ikdL8bQOvcx_WAR8oT8qxMv8hcwsMts4XfHGRdP5qwXIOzJBucMBh7Gz5DcwCWO_PB4qvGPOg0F-4Z-mQ64Ksw8Vx3azOgY3ZHi4dTkJNrfBNMlLqOESqeCfOKT0piTsnfWhiCHPibI/s1600/la06.png" height="372" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It might look like Prince Sirius has just knocked out that nasty, but he actually fell over the rock on the floor. Sirius is<br>actually levitating for no apparent reason.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQpMO_nBD9YA1xKxWvQ2he7VeLVmhyphenhyphenonsX6zmNRGpXaFGUEcq34ZcQSDZ87P40PHJAVHxGDN9EkyaRp3HfOhnyHL-ZC5LzLWCspsAULtN3KKnbzMA-gebiuDRjU9IE3nwmXzNW-9YMLE/s1600/la07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQpMO_nBD9YA1xKxWvQ2he7VeLVmhyphenhyphenonsX6zmNRGpXaFGUEcq34ZcQSDZ87P40PHJAVHxGDN9EkyaRp3HfOhnyHL-ZC5LzLWCspsAULtN3KKnbzMA-gebiuDRjU9IE3nwmXzNW-9YMLE/s1600/la07.png" height="373" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop it! That tickles!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSUfuv55Lrk78XSPCINt0RrjCIGiRa2mc1oI5bVvcGpgrnKh7PNKgusaafCJwTy6y1hrNBooJNixJSwZhPvJhZbE_jNGHdATaJzGPrvihHMk6shf4oKaM8I2l1teS2suGnOIn_FPdx78/s1600/la11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSUfuv55Lrk78XSPCINt0RrjCIGiRa2mc1oI5bVvcGpgrnKh7PNKgusaafCJwTy6y1hrNBooJNixJSwZhPvJhZbE_jNGHdATaJzGPrvihHMk6shf4oKaM8I2l1teS2suGnOIn_FPdx78/s1600/la11.png" height="375" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parp!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really don't know what to say here. Except, why doesn't Prince Sirius wear many clothes. I'm sure<br>most royal types don't wander around semi-naked. At least I hope not. Urgh! Prince Charles in his undies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Achoo! Yes, that's snake snot there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parp! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roboman gives Sirius the finger. Bad Roboman.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sirius camply scarpers with one of Pat Butcher's earrings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still scarpering, still with Pat's earring. But in a disco where only one light works.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sirius meets Zach, his evil brother, sitting atop a, um, don't know what.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When toilets attack</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After defeating Zach, Sirius takes his place on top of whatever it is. All of a sudden, a lady launches<br>herself at him. What happens next? Who knows?<br><br><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: small;">The Legendary Axe II - The Video</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh yes, as a special reward for getting your way through this review, you can watch the game in action from start to finish. Enjoy!</span></span></div>
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-3291979952788589662014-09-22T14:47:00.002-07:002014-09-25T12:40:39.544-07:00Tomorrow Never Dies - Sony PlayStation review<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxad82yIeSB3tKeihDmx1-uWQ5O9nUgXhcSYXvMzjfF1Zgx5ahT_icOqNTgA_QeuSGhgrVkE_C2ViSmRbnBjzlEgCZP-loRaLfc5JWnFD9Miu785VDxJlC5XvabNeDhPZ1aSLExKyiHrs/s1600/jb2.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxad82yIeSB3tKeihDmx1-uWQ5O9nUgXhcSYXvMzjfF1Zgx5ahT_icOqNTgA_QeuSGhgrVkE_C2ViSmRbnBjzlEgCZP-loRaLfc5JWnFD9Miu785VDxJlC5XvabNeDhPZ1aSLExKyiHrs/s1600/jb2.jpg.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Tomorrow Never Dies! Lots of black here.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Tomorrow Never Dies</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Sony PlayStation</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Black Ops Entertainment/Electronic Arts</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">1999</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Also released on: </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><i>Nothing</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></b><i style="color: #222222;"> Nothing</i></span></div>
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Games based on movies have never had it easy. They're a bit like politicians and journalists. Even before you know anything about them, you are suspicious of them, distrusting of their real purpose, wary of their intentions. What is their agenda? What do they really want? Do politicians just exist to make the country a greater place and to demonstrate the power of democracy? Of course not! Do journalists just want to report the news with impartiality and objectivity, and not push forward their own beliefs and motives? Don't be daft! Do video games based on films just happen to be developed because the movie's plotline makes a great idea for a highly enjoyable game, a game that will be treated with love and care to be the very best it can be? Nope, not at all! Movie tie-ins are just there either to cash in on the movie they're based on or promote it. Regardless of whether the game is good or bad, it'll sell anyway. And this explains why most are average at best. The most infamous movie-licensed game is E.T. for the Atari VCS/2600, and is a good example of why they get such a bad reputation. Atari invested heavily on rights and (over)-production of cartridges but neglected to ensure that the game on them was any good. They ignored the ideas that the film's director, Steven Spielberg had for a game, gave its developer less than six weeks to put something together and skipped the playtesting. What they ended up with is what is often declared the worst game ever made. Although it truly is terrible, it definitely isn't the worst, but it's one of the most high profile bad games that exist. Even though the game didn't sell anywhere near as many copies as Atari expected, possibly the trigger that ignited the Great Videogame Crash of 1982<sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">TM</span></sup>, the game still sold really well overall, shifting 1.5 million copies and being the fifth best-selling game for the console. These sales can only be attributed to fact that the game was based on a hit movie. It certainly wasn't because the game itself made people want to go out and buy it. And this fact alone is the reason why gamers have certain reservations about video games based on movies. "Lazy tie-in" was a phrase often used in reviews of movie-based video games. It's as if publishers and developers didn't feel they needed to put the effort in to making a great game. It would sell anyway.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E.T. on the Atari VCS. A terrible game, but probably<br />
more well-known than most movie-based games.</td></tr>
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Sometimes the fault isn't just down to complacency on the part of the people making the game. Sometimes the source material was to blame. Some films just don't translate well as video games. Again with E.T., how the hell were you meant to turn the film into a videogame? Time and time again, films with inappropriate plots or themes were turned into games. Examples include A Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Jaws, Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Last Action Hero, Cliffhanger, The Mask, the Back to the Future trilogy, Beethoven's 2nd, Days of Thunder, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Wayne's World, and countless others. A way of trying to adapt the film into a game was to loosely base the game on the film. Sometimes they were so loose that it seemed like the developers hadn't even watched the film. Maybe they'd stared at a promotional poster for five minutes and then began beavering away at a game based on what they saw. But, having the freedom not to have to stick so strictly to the film would mean that there's a good chance that the game might actually be playable. Wouldn't it? Sometimes, yes. But mostly, no. There was still a feeling that the developers weren't giving it their all and they just put out half-arsed attempts at games. Even so, there were some games that did turn out to be fairly good despite barely resembling the films on which they were based. Jurassic Park on the Mega Drive was one. The only thing it had in common with the movie was that it featured dinosaurs, but it was still quite playable nevertheless. Even better was the arcade version. Alien 3 for the Mega Drive, SNES and Amiga was not bad too, as were certain versions of Ghostbusters. And what about The Addams Family? All good fun.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldeneye on the N64. Great stuff.</td></tr>
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But, of course, there were the rare occasions that a movie tie-in completely worked. Not only did the game stay faithful to the plot, but it also captured the tone, themes and style of the film too. Graphically it resembled what you could see on the big screen, and its soundtrack was either directly lifted from or heavily inspired by the film's score. It really was like playing an interactive version of the movie. Disney's Aladdin on a variety of consoles and computers is a good example. Spiderman 2 on the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Gamecube is another. But there is one movie to game, um, game that stands out as the pinnacle of movie to game games. It's so well-known, that it is somewhat a cliché to name it as the ultimate movie tie-in. But name it I will. It's none other than Goldeneye for the N64. Not only is it a great movie conversion, it's also one of the console's greatest games. Based on Pierce Brosnan's first outing as 007, the game allowed you to control the suave secret agent in a first person shooter that revolutionised first person shooters. Brilliant on its own, it was in multiplayer mode that the game really shined. Up to four players could play hide and seek and shoot the crap out of each other for hour after hour after hour. Even though time hasn't been kind to it and it looks quite dated now, once you get past the slightly awkward controls it's still a fantastic blast today.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7ZuywvaNAaoNwKbINJqw9kuHS2WkfxQna1HumHBARs-Wy3O4UzjF_6_WNoEuK3Ox_HU4zNZ0lD9x_FQ0TLJ5pIaWPU9fSTMU02E9us2_IEmbH-LNgV1defsguctXSVwWIg0AR_8uLxk/s1600/jb1.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7ZuywvaNAaoNwKbINJqw9kuHS2WkfxQna1HumHBARs-Wy3O4UzjF_6_WNoEuK3Ox_HU4zNZ0lD9x_FQ0TLJ5pIaWPU9fSTMU02E9us2_IEmbH-LNgV1defsguctXSVwWIg0AR_8uLxk/s1600/jb1.jpg.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can almost hear the James Bond theme just by<br />
looking at this image. Oh, actually, I've left the game<br />
running in the background and it keeps playing.</td></tr>
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The problem I had at the time was that I didn't own a N64. In fact, I only knew one person who did have one. Well, it wasn't his. It was his brother's, and we'd have to hope he wasn't in to get a go of it. This meant that I didn't get as much Goldeneye game time as I would have liked. So imagine my joy when I found out that the next James Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, would appear on the PlayStation. If it was at least as good as Goldeneye, I'd be in for a treat. I assumed that the developers would simply take Goldeneye's winning formula, make enhancements where needed, and they'd have another hit on their hands. Nothing could go wrong.</div>
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But it did. For some reason, somebody somewhere must have thought that a good way to repeat the success of Goldeneye was to ignore what made it great and try something else. My initial reaction to playing Tomorrow Never Dies back in 1999 was one of disappointment. I can picture myself sitting there now, playing through the first level, and shouting "Why???!! Pierce Brosnan! How could you do this?" Still, I stuck with the game, and did actually begin to enjoy it. Or tolerate it maybe. Although it wasn't Mr Brosnan's fault, I still blamed him for being a bad James Bond in this game. "You were so good in Goldeneye. Why not in this? I'm disappointed in you. I never liked you in Mrs Doubtfire either."</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBWPcMJ2u6OtL_ns_BJTctG4BNRQOazphJgWz0aoxWnhAkX6Y87eXo7LB8VTLFjpcMHje9AYf0NEnhI-ldZWQD9hG-q_XzoYUJyyEfp2Y7oAqkCRs8hR1KCNyYjQpaP5mCjr0HnVInTo/s1600/jb4.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBWPcMJ2u6OtL_ns_BJTctG4BNRQOazphJgWz0aoxWnhAkX6Y87eXo7LB8VTLFjpcMHje9AYf0NEnhI-ldZWQD9hG-q_XzoYUJyyEfp2Y7oAqkCRs8hR1KCNyYjQpaP5mCjr0HnVInTo/s1600/jb4.jpg.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely shades of lilac here. </td></tr>
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Mr Bond's mission in Tomorrow Never Dies is to investigate and eventually take on media mogul, Elliot Carver, the owner of newspapers and television networks. Somehow, he is able to print the news of events before they happen. And it just so happens that these events appear to be causing tensions between China and the United Kingdom. Is Carver somehow involved in making these events happen, and if so, why? Perhaps he runs the Daily Express. They always appear to be trying to predict the news. Well, weather-based news, and how we're either going to have the hottest summer or the coldest winter since records began. They never get it right though. And I doubt that non-existent heatwaves or big freezes are going to cause us to get into some kind of war with China. Anyhow, Tomorrow Never Dies is one of my favourite James Bond films, but it's a while since I saw it last, so how the film actually goes is somewhat hazy. The game, released only on the PlayStation, is split into ten missions, each representing scenes from the film. It sticks fairly closely to the plot, I think, using a combination of full motion video footage from the movie and in-game computer animated scenes to tell the story. Before each mission, M gives a quick overview of Bond's task to come. Overall, the general presentation is quite good. It begins with the MGM lion roaring over its logo and then the franchise's famous gunbarrel opening sequence over the James Bond theme. This is all followed by a cinematic intro video featuring excerpts from the game and the film. It really does feel like you're about to be part of the movie. I'll look at how the game actually plays in a bit, but one of the highlights is the inclusion of the movie's opening credits after the completion of the second mission, featuring the obligatory nearly-naked women dancing all over the place over Sheryl Crow's fantastic Tomorrow Never Dies record. It comes to something when one of the best bits of a game is pre-filmed opening credits and a song. Pre-game and in-game menus are also well-presented, looking crisp and polished and well-suited to the game.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZqQgckyclxBcU-C_wNVFfQ-IHUMfD-6BQ_kX7dijfBfSii9iPrhxlP1lyVmXOe8h_vc4-7lXashihG5E0dOZnNX0L6aUQkkLII-7leDccllK4vrAJfFTRbByeMBn1AFeu15BfFJx2hI/s1600/jb3.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZqQgckyclxBcU-C_wNVFfQ-IHUMfD-6BQ_kX7dijfBfSii9iPrhxlP1lyVmXOe8h_vc4-7lXashihG5E0dOZnNX0L6aUQkkLII-7leDccllK4vrAJfFTRbByeMBn1AFeu15BfFJx2hI/s1600/jb3.jpg.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's on the menu? I'll have the New Game for starters, and maybe save room for Options.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7I815RuGaIvI_8gHnSws6STOj04qUanfEK1Wle9slpIK8JYN-8CaYNltgZflrbuKBJMQqNSG5x3wKpJkg11nhoCNmAofN7FVnzCiZEobRkzFHwfz4nWs7E6hpwIDIKu5opouS4uRPwE/s1600/jb5.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7I815RuGaIvI_8gHnSws6STOj04qUanfEK1Wle9slpIK8JYN-8CaYNltgZflrbuKBJMQqNSG5x3wKpJkg11nhoCNmAofN7FVnzCiZEobRkzFHwfz4nWs7E6hpwIDIKu5opouS4uRPwE/s1600/jb5.jpg.jpg" height="217" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We appear to have a very isolated snow flurry here. Good<br />
job it's not on the Sky dish. Completely mucks up the picture<br />
does snow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While presentation is good when you're not playing the game, things aren't quite as great when you are playing it. Graphics are very rough around the edges, blocky, dull and barely resemble the locations that they are meant to represent. The first level is probably the exception, which doesn't look too bad, but that's probably because it's mostly a snowy landscape and I don't suppose snow is too difficult to draw. But as you progress through the game, you really have to use your imagination to fill in the gaps in the locations as it looks like the graphics designers decided to give up half way and went home. One level, set in a hotel, sees our hero paying a visit to the bar to have a chat with a bartender. A bar that seems to be made up of one very long bar counter, a couple of chairs and not a lot else. Behind the bar is a large kitchen which is just a series of counters alongside a wall. The graphics just don't capture their settings, instead causing them to feel a bit empty. To me, they seem to create a strange atmosphere. In a way, they remind me of Atari VCS/2600 games. You know what the graphics are meant to be of, but you have to draw them in your mind to "see" them. Additionally, there is a lot of pop-up, choppy and jerky animation and framerate, wobbly backgrounds and, urgh, it's just not good.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiTbGV0AUd3Jf9RVTfr69H7caybCBu0YHFHLJvOKos_m0Qc0-qUX-OxrwmxgSf4xaVybVEdc5LxogRI_g4Me4XUoV0bNdjE2h35PvafB8mU0mhblkNZvPjI6AFqtm4JC7hbKkAqCPWI4/s1600/jb20.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiTbGV0AUd3Jf9RVTfr69H7caybCBu0YHFHLJvOKos_m0Qc0-qUX-OxrwmxgSf4xaVybVEdc5LxogRI_g4Me4XUoV0bNdjE2h35PvafB8mU0mhblkNZvPjI6AFqtm4JC7hbKkAqCPWI4/s1600/jb20.jpg.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James staggers to the bar after having had a few too many shaken but not stirred beverages.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7QLlAver4XLRH2Ezb1uLHNPjxF3VQysW7hPsodOQX1CgsQzZYlHjAp7ijo5FF0XFgZUe5CL9z1Grn4_VIBKalRm_0qCUaGsjopsECXBz6YQ-XN7Elkb9GjMWgkYvTSY-TFLhnUimc9Q/s1600/jb12.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7QLlAver4XLRH2Ezb1uLHNPjxF3VQysW7hPsodOQX1CgsQzZYlHjAp7ijo5FF0XFgZUe5CL9z1Grn4_VIBKalRm_0qCUaGsjopsECXBz6YQ-XN7Elkb9GjMWgkYvTSY-TFLhnUimc9Q/s1600/jb12.jpg.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paris gives Mr Bond a slap. The wallpaper is covered by<br />
pictures of Elliot Carver and the old Internet Explorer logo.</td></tr>
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Soundwise though, things are much better. In addition to the original James Bond theme and Miss Crow singing her song, the game makes use of atmospheric remixes of the Bond theme and other secret agenty-sounding music. It all works rather well and is one definite positive of the game. Sound effects are good too, although the voice acting is rather average. In the game, James Bond is voiced by a Pierce Brosnan soundalike rather than the actor himself. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiE40k7xbTdeMngfQx8mA_ybWj65D5bMSCDtTGenY9P_PTy5UhsMDubqV5E1PvFRNPNSpQXOedEwkMnwnodEQakDetYKeW0DW2G495K3mUBg_Mxh30_9xgwKLSpBjRrrIro1zm2ZPdWw/s1600/jb8.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiE40k7xbTdeMngfQx8mA_ybWj65D5bMSCDtTGenY9P_PTy5UhsMDubqV5E1PvFRNPNSpQXOedEwkMnwnodEQakDetYKeW0DW2G495K3mUBg_Mxh30_9xgwKLSpBjRrrIro1zm2ZPdWw/s1600/jb8.jpg.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James is pretending that he's on the phone to somebody. I do that sometimes. Great way of avoiding conversations.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ut9xC4rUiluvySka7YAw2uBA7B_5SYDON5aVU9lXYKPgeJFsonrXlqsJY5I1pxElZOwMI3ySemGu9qZ_iokgneDS821H3muqMnxGNcdtMA43UszDlOKVTvQjYKydq4khor2IoJm2-Ww/s1600/jb11.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ut9xC4rUiluvySka7YAw2uBA7B_5SYDON5aVU9lXYKPgeJFsonrXlqsJY5I1pxElZOwMI3ySemGu9qZ_iokgneDS821H3muqMnxGNcdtMA43UszDlOKVTvQjYKydq4khor2IoJm2-Ww/s1600/jb11.jpg.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure why I picked this screenshot.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow Never Dies uses a third-person viewpoint rather than the first-person view of its predecessor. This change seems to take something away from the feeling that you are James Bond. You're watching him rather than being him. The game does sometimes kind <u>of</u> switch to first person, but only when you're in a tight corner and the camera has to do it out of necessity so you can see where you are and where you're going. Once you're in a more open area, it's back to the standard third person view. Bond himself isn't the easiest person to control. His movement is rather rigid and awkward. Collecting weapons and ammo, usually dropped by enemies, requires you to walk over them. But quite often you'll find yourself walking to the left of them, or to the right, or around them in a circle. Basically anywhere but where you want to go. Sometimes you have to back up enough so you can line up your target collectible and walk in a straight line to it. It reminds me a little of a drunk person taking a walk up to their front door with their key pointing at it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEHHRZKFfHhVVlcYi3yC8wEQr8KnMcvQFxTpLFhAt1lS0lk8UVZ6_fNO7nIZPyBQcjrYMOVPf9AdwFy7pjXFkUWx2DFHWilh7xGa5wtpGga91pLI-4gwA2a2LaMN7sPnB4hDxjHmtMkg/s1600/jb13.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEHHRZKFfHhVVlcYi3yC8wEQr8KnMcvQFxTpLFhAt1lS0lk8UVZ6_fNO7nIZPyBQcjrYMOVPf9AdwFy7pjXFkUWx2DFHWilh7xGa5wtpGga91pLI-4gwA2a2LaMN7sPnB4hDxjHmtMkg/s1600/jb13.jpg.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Bond's sneezes are quite explosive.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_ZAJEvFdZbx5uTJkT307I3LqX1vGgtMXmx_9C_jBjYjwxdk8FVss7r2Wx3KV8Q2k4CeLpfl8Zdo18qoBaK6bDvU-yGuDmrtiGOPOLNhdlHCY3iD_HsBpji1ag5-NCEsb0u6diMDWdvM/s1600/jb17.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_ZAJEvFdZbx5uTJkT307I3LqX1vGgtMXmx_9C_jBjYjwxdk8FVss7r2Wx3KV8Q2k4CeLpfl8Zdo18qoBaK6bDvU-yGuDmrtiGOPOLNhdlHCY3iD_HsBpji1ag5-NCEsb0u6diMDWdvM/s1600/jb17.jpg.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I see you baby, shakin' that ass. Yes, you! In the trees!</td></tr>
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If you're able to get James Bond to go where you want him to go, he is able to pick up a variety of weapons during his missions. Firing these is a simple case of pressing the fire button. If you want, you can bring up a gigantic target thing to assist you with aiming. The problem with this is that you can only really target an enemy when you're close enough to them. And by the time you've got your enemy targeted, they've noticed you and begun shooting at you. You do get the opportunity to use a sniper rifle, but this still has the same problem. You can zoom in a bit and target an enemy from a distance, but shooting at them quite often does nothing. So, you creep a bit closer. Aim again and fire. Still nothing. By the time you're close enough to them for your bullets to have an effect, the tip of your rifle is probably touching your enemy's nose and you're standing right in front of them in clear view. It makes the sniper weapon almost pointless, and removes the element of stealth from the game. And for a game that's meant to be about a spy who goes about his business secretly, this isn't good. It's best to leave the game to auto-aim on your behalf, but even this is flawed. Although the auto-aim will lock on the closest enemy, as soon as another one appears, it'll flick to that enemy. Changing weapons, although it isn't difficult, pauses the action. And switching to your special weapons, things like cameras, gadgets, med kits and remote detonators, requires you to go to another menu within the weapon selection menu. Again, it's not difficult, but is needlessly fiddly. Surely there were other ways to make weapon and gadget selection more fluid and natural.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4r-6cbZWl_GGYapHjI8C1sCJ1DAXBttAYQoP1bUHZ4xNXxXiKeeomL9AqzkLVUCIgCbY2B-CT-hd4PALTsEdw4SzgBb1EyoX8OqtwMI5d_TKqpdv3H9Kaq1glbFq6204cfn_0PqfIAM/s1600/jb15.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4r-6cbZWl_GGYapHjI8C1sCJ1DAXBttAYQoP1bUHZ4xNXxXiKeeomL9AqzkLVUCIgCbY2B-CT-hd4PALTsEdw4SzgBb1EyoX8OqtwMI5d_TKqpdv3H9Kaq1glbFq6204cfn_0PqfIAM/s1600/jb15.jpg.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After accidentally causing a computer to explode in PC World, James needs to get out of the store quickly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why are there filing cabinets outside?</td></tr>
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The enemies in the game do pretty much the same thing throughout. They aren't the brightest of baddies, although they can be quite annoying. From a distance, they are harmless. But, when you get closer to them and they spot you, they usually being walking towards you. Obviously, whoever is controlling them seems to have the same controller issues that you have, as they seem to walk in zig zags. While doing so, they'll be firing at you. As mentioned above, using the manual aiming system is useless here as the little bastards don't keep still. So, just auto aim at them and stop them in their tracks. You can strafe and roll about using the L2 and R2 buttons, but this can just make things more difficult for yourself as you'll probably find that your auto-aim has locked onto somebody else and the person you were originally aiming at is firing at you from elsewhere. Yes, this is another of the game's annoyances. It sometimes happens that an enemy that you can't see will begin firing at you from a random location. If you're on the move, turning around just isn't that easy. The only way to do it properly is to stop and then turn and spin around until you can spot whoever it is who's shooting at you. Sometimes, by the time you have, he's shot you that many times that you die. There are times as you're progressing through levels and clearing enemies from your path, that more just turn up behind you and begin firing. If the controls were better, this wouldn't feel as unfair as it does. And if the game was a stealth game, like it's meant to be, you wouldn't be wandering about it the open as much as you end up doing to leave yourself vulnerable to sneaky attacks from behind.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzD_sOQ2AD4hKXoCP5qOUaWJWywFwI-pLN5_tm3S3xhtW5W6CsObCO2yJi8s4FVFowqGnQ9X3N0YL8KJyEZC0mEf1QFcaRO5sxrWNvnk5_n68bnkDDZ9f5t0J25I9UA3l9-MRrWYgUXE/s1600/jb6.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzD_sOQ2AD4hKXoCP5qOUaWJWywFwI-pLN5_tm3S3xhtW5W6CsObCO2yJi8s4FVFowqGnQ9X3N0YL8KJyEZC0mEf1QFcaRO5sxrWNvnk5_n68bnkDDZ9f5t0J25I9UA3l9-MRrWYgUXE/s1600/jb6.jpg.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Ski Sunday, with a bit of arty lens flare.</td></tr>
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Although the game is mostly a third-person shooter, it does attempt to include some Bond-ish malarky. Place a bomb here, take photographs there, locate something in a filing cabinet here, find somebody and get information from them there, and so on. The problem is, there isn't enough of it. It just doesn't feel secret agenty enough. Just walk around, shoot people, walk a bit more, shoot more people, watch a snippet from the film, and repeat. Even a couple of levels included for variety, a skiing level and a driving level, do little to shake and stir things up enough. The skiing level is nice enough, but just requires you to ski down a mountain. You can attempt to knock some baddies off their skis, but attempting to do so usually leaves you worse off, so it's best just to focus on the skiing which isn't really that exciting or difficult. Similarly, the driving level is just as uninspiring. You just drive around, swerving all over the road like a drunk, firing at cars in order to kill them. Yep, that's how it's described. You get told how many cars you have left to kill. It just isn't fun. These two levels could have been so much more.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFmOIXe6mmGrX4VQ7_BJR2QO_kncqx9qgjSLBZWMnzSxci-fxauB4SuysSBbTDLNylMtT9JxsnUCGkHblQubWSunkQHxum0MLQgPgqBivrDWwbNg2Af9zZwqMvnOOE2E2WJhgjjTpWdI/s1600/jb18.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFmOIXe6mmGrX4VQ7_BJR2QO_kncqx9qgjSLBZWMnzSxci-fxauB4SuysSBbTDLNylMtT9JxsnUCGkHblQubWSunkQHxum0MLQgPgqBivrDWwbNg2Af9zZwqMvnOOE2E2WJhgjjTpWdI/s1600/jb18.jpg.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get killing those cars! Throw a missile at them or something.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The British are notoriously bad tippers. This displeases<br />
bar staff.</td></tr>
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Playing through this game just gives you more and more reasons to be annoyed. You'll set off alarms, sometimes by destroying certain objects, killing certain enemies or entering certain locations. But, the alarms don't seem to do anything apart from make an annoying noise. And, bizarrely, they stop after a short period of not alerting anybody to anything. The two modes of play, Agent mode and 007 mode are identical, except that enemies in 007 mode are harder to kill. Why not change things up a bit for the harder mode? You'll find that, just when you need a med kit to replenish your energy, your secondary item is something else, and by the time you've figured out which button you're meant to press to get into the menu for the item selections, you've died anyway. But worst of all, where the hell is the multiplayer mode?! I mean, multiplayer is what made GoldenEye the N64 must-have game. It was a no-brainer not to include it in Tomorrow Never Dies. It's a bit like releasing a new Call of Duty game today but deciding to leave out the multiplayer element. It just wouldn't happen. Okay, so you could only realistically use two controllers on the PlayStation, but even this would be acceptable. Two is better than just one.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGoElonwFwo2qDcgRlZa8VlZcaHQ6uYax5u-uf0iiEM1SIuWNRgJ2vAd-tQALWCZJm1ACdamfEy28GrAVC8uErLV7Gxrn7jFzgvCgHbSpi2c_iQh2eb18t2fDT8NxN82xL-XY3VgwzlA/s1600/jb16.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGoElonwFwo2qDcgRlZa8VlZcaHQ6uYax5u-uf0iiEM1SIuWNRgJ2vAd-tQALWCZJm1ACdamfEy28GrAVC8uErLV7Gxrn7jFzgvCgHbSpi2c_iQh2eb18t2fDT8NxN82xL-XY3VgwzlA/s1600/jb16.jpg.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She doesn't look happy. You're not getting any tonight James.</td></tr>
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Despite the criticism above, Tomorrow Never Dies isn't completely awful. It isn't that great either, It's just totally average. It is fairly playable for a while once you get used to the controls, and the way that it tells the story makes you want to progress through it. The main problem with Tomorrow Never Dies is actually Goldeneye. On its own, Tomorrow Never Dies is just your typical lazy movie tie-in. The developers put a lot of effort into using the movie license, making good use of footage from the movie and the soundtrack. But, like countless other games based on films, the game itself is lacking and uninspiring. Now, had Goldeneye not existed, this wouldn't have been too much of a problem. Tomorrow Never Dies would have been just what was expected. Nobody would have got their hopes up too much for the game and nobody would have been surprised with what they ended up with. However, Goldeneye set a benchmark. It proved that, with the right source material and given the right treatment, some films can be turned into great games. And it looked like James Bond movies might just contain some of the right ingredients - a suitable plot line, characters, enemies, settings and scenarios. It's just a shame that the care and attention that went into developing Goldeneye didn't get put into Tomorrow Never Dies too. Was this down to the fact that the two games were released by different publishers and produced by different developers? Rare developed Goldeneye for Nintendo, whereas Black Ops Entertainment developed Tomorrow Never Dies for Electronic Arts. We all know the reputation that Electronic Arts had for relying on big-name franchises and licenses to sell games, rather than the games themselves. After the success of Goldeneye, Electronic Arts won the video game rights to the James Bond franchise, and it looked they were all too eager to abuse, sorry, use it to its full potential. Tomorrow Never Dies just feels like it was an attempt to cash-in on the movie. Perhaps it was even an attempt to cash-in on the success of the Goldeneye video game. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who owned the game expecting it to be similar to Goldeneye. And I'm sure I wasn't the only person to be disappointed with Tomorrow Never Dies, and shocked to find that it didn't even contain anything resembling a multiplayer mode. Maybe it would reappear for the next Bond game, The World is Not Enough. Hmmmm.... nope, apparently it doesn't. Oh well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1uRCgBC5ga4DlwiS7evqFgIWthI_4oFvOh1AhUqlj2N4k-lMHvKoBzArySYWr2wrMb_1BEGR5qa_M0SAGfWlqT3_tB27ALCUP5000A5PqkyEQStbxdh7lBw5rZ85EkKMNHtif2VGDTs/s1600/jb10.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1uRCgBC5ga4DlwiS7evqFgIWthI_4oFvOh1AhUqlj2N4k-lMHvKoBzArySYWr2wrMb_1BEGR5qa_M0SAGfWlqT3_tB27ALCUP5000A5PqkyEQStbxdh7lBw5rZ85EkKMNHtif2VGDTs/s1600/jb10.jpg.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phwoar! Boobies! </td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">RATINGS</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">: 85%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Overall presentation is quite good, with intros and opening credits from the film itself and well-designed menu screens and intermissions.</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 60%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Ugly but functional. </span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 80%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.546875px;">A good use of the film's theme tune, with remixes and other spy-style music used to good effect. Pretty good sound effects but average voice acting.</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 65%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="line-height: 21.546875px;">Takes a bit of getting used to, and isn't the most fun you'll ever have with your PlayStation, but it might keep you good for a short while. </span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Overall:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 63%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A bog-standard third-person shooter. Lacks the element of stealth, no multiplayer. Unfortunately will always exist under the shadow of Goldeneye and forever be compared with its superior N64-based predecessor.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.1999998092651px; line-height: 21.5599994659424px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh crap...</td></tr>
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-18151686234376983942014-07-14T13:37:00.005-07:002014-07-14T13:37:52.506-07:00Robocop (Arcade Version) - Review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfm13H_U6ESDrvvdmpiv17eKzL5nVlx3l7OzAGmrmtvOKtQdInaCpqq1LHdf6qkpBZ9WWwL0iWkCVCfAGklsqezPCPJJ0YkQ9TYwDe_Igk9bls3wSp1p3pOZcb_t_d5ij-xDqEXUTA7A/s1600/r1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfm13H_U6ESDrvvdmpiv17eKzL5nVlx3l7OzAGmrmtvOKtQdInaCpqq1LHdf6qkpBZ9WWwL0iWkCVCfAGklsqezPCPJJ0YkQ9TYwDe_Igk9bls3wSp1p3pOZcb_t_d5ij-xDqEXUTA7A/s1600/r1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's RoboCop. The game of a movie also called RoboCop.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">RoboCop</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Arcade</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Data East</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">1988</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Also released on: </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><i>Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, Apple II, DOS, MSX, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Gameboy, TRS-80/Tandy Color Computer, ZX Spectrum </i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RoboCop fires fried chickens at some bloke in a window.</td></tr>
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I've never watched any of the RoboCop films. I'm not sure why. I'm sure they're great films, but they're not something I've ever felt like making the effort to view. Maybe if I was flicking through the channels looking for something to watch and one of them happened to be on, I'd give it a go. But it's not something that has happened yet - perhaps it will one day. I get the general idea that the films feature a robot who also happens to be a cop, or a cop that is actually a robot. And I guess the robot copper goes around doing his policeman duties to uphold the law and protect civilians, such things like arresting criminals, catching roadhogs, giving directions to folk who happen to be lost, taking statements and doing paperwork.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd85fbUAOfyjw058Iier6wtNmhNUYkRoPs8T2xUIiOSF2jl_BntWLBDnyqQNx9QminVxnVTnMsMCSVYGvweFUmDDTjOj3asidIUyprQPesqdGLYnB0MjQxpYf8-hqzn9D0wF0189IEkrA/s1600/r3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd85fbUAOfyjw058Iier6wtNmhNUYkRoPs8T2xUIiOSF2jl_BntWLBDnyqQNx9QminVxnVTnMsMCSVYGvweFUmDDTjOj3asidIUyprQPesqdGLYnB0MjQxpYf8-hqzn9D0wF0189IEkrA/s1600/r3.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The video shop here has a rather extreme way of getting back unreturned VHS rentals</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9_8N_wB49FTkeLzQ5G2hei9VRFWm5KDWG2bqLfuPir-u3R0tjjKGAwMiZdQXhjY-584z3_BJ-Q97aFYDo5fsLjWQ5rYOQHCVmiZ8_QXKxaYA-4zD072R8Nw-CfseqnM1XpNpmrRQG8E/s1600/r4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9_8N_wB49FTkeLzQ5G2hei9VRFWm5KDWG2bqLfuPir-u3R0tjjKGAwMiZdQXhjY-584z3_BJ-Q97aFYDo5fsLjWQ5rYOQHCVmiZ8_QXKxaYA-4zD072R8Nw-CfseqnM1XpNpmrRQG8E/s1600/r4.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooof! Right in the conkers!</td></tr>
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When RoboCop was first released, I would have been nine or ten. Too young to legally watch the film, although as it was the first film to be scrambled on Sky Movies, and as we had Sky but didn't initially subscribe to Sky Movies, I was fascinated to see how the film would appear scrambled. So I watched the first few minutes of a scrambled RoboCop, until I realised that I was being a bit weird. Back then, RoboCop was cool. Kids at school had RoboCop flasks and sandwich boxes. I had a Mr T flask and a Garfield sandwich box. They wore T-shirts featuring RoboCop and spoke his famous sayings, saying things like "You're move, creep," and, um, that's it. They also said things like "Hasta la vista, baby!" but that wasn't from RoboCop so it's kind of irrelevant. I suppose what I'm trying to get across is that, once upon a time, RoboCop was a hugely influential franchise, and even those who couldn't or didn't see the film, were aware of its presence. So when I came upon the RoboCop arcade machine in some place, I had to have a go of it. Oh yes, even I knew that RoboCop was cool. And I'd be cool too if I pretended to be RoboCop for a moment or two, policing the streets of Detroit and doing whatever it is that a RoboCop does.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FSbRV1YlQrGJ7SA8zSVjI0ko0xHWT9kyD58CgOp-4Pi9qGWo0ojqNZhyphenhyphen0eUMmm9tMmJgxRHhtmUqBlX-2EbbYNfy11Yg5A_MV8AtxQHEZY1Wz2e4iGOsYTK0OgF9Rd1EnvFjwKPrUV8/s1600/r5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FSbRV1YlQrGJ7SA8zSVjI0ko0xHWT9kyD58CgOp-4Pi9qGWo0ojqNZhyphenhyphen0eUMmm9tMmJgxRHhtmUqBlX-2EbbYNfy11Yg5A_MV8AtxQHEZY1Wz2e4iGOsYTK0OgF9Rd1EnvFjwKPrUV8/s1600/r5.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A damsel in distress calls for help. Meanwhile man in a window is keeping watch.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-riOxiK8nLbVwXM7uWYAx8lPqR8G862iUVQFQYxAJRthp73EXSPEejaiPBgiUPqvrxyvFIsUvK80GRJQFXIDjX8tbF6Eghq9_wGYYBEFhvSeISAtP0M61hzmPKXkQGBqlIRyhgcaICs/s1600/r6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-riOxiK8nLbVwXM7uWYAx8lPqR8G862iUVQFQYxAJRthp73EXSPEejaiPBgiUPqvrxyvFIsUvK80GRJQFXIDjX8tbF6Eghq9_wGYYBEFhvSeISAtP0M61hzmPKXkQGBqlIRyhgcaICs/s1600/r6.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not enough space in the van? Just ride on its roof.</td></tr>
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One thing I remember about playing RoboCop as a kid was that it I didn't last very long. I enjoyed it, but my 10p go was over within a short space of time. I'd sometimes splash out and slip another 10p coin into the machine to get a little further, but I think I realised that I was never really going to get very far into the game without needing a lot more money. But, in these modern days of freeloading and playing what you want as much as you want, I decided to revisit RoboCop. Armed with a virtual pile of 10p coins, ready to be inserted whenever I died, I powered up RoboCop, the arcade game, and readied myself for some cyborg crime fighting fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLdhy-rvIjsJNRYceEAiQWNGeOkrHS7mE8K4X9emuJGdXXNCEKJUuOh_tnCoI8Ez9JGQMkllmYEfaX4puv-SQViYh6TBX_yqTlVXzQuFWCzNIOVIDXuupGEqORrWYK8LKKZ35mx442to/s1600/r8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLdhy-rvIjsJNRYceEAiQWNGeOkrHS7mE8K4X9emuJGdXXNCEKJUuOh_tnCoI8Ez9JGQMkllmYEfaX4puv-SQViYh6TBX_yqTlVXzQuFWCzNIOVIDXuupGEqORrWYK8LKKZ35mx442to/s1600/r8.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rather than using the crusher thing to crush cars, this junk yard gets people to jump on them. It's slower but much cheaper.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMod28XNF4edm5y7-y8CAuIESIajCx7lLHACQrK3bSrxA2vpaLBzDTV0YOUxUFA8XpAcHM6YGzLGlgd9zsFlo0XZzIF1dKuKjnbWwpQPPYf5evlj-hVM3dQmxmET6ZZ5FMj8E0wP1ORqE/s1600/r9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMod28XNF4edm5y7-y8CAuIESIajCx7lLHACQrK3bSrxA2vpaLBzDTV0YOUxUFA8XpAcHM6YGzLGlgd9zsFlo0XZzIF1dKuKjnbWwpQPPYf5evlj-hVM3dQmxmET6ZZ5FMj8E0wP1ORqE/s1600/r9.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throwing a balloon at the Hulk.</td></tr>
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RoboCop is a side-scrolling run and gun game with beat em up elements. According to Wikipedia, the computer game rights to RoboCop were held by Ocean, so Data East had to license the game from Ocean to produce the arcade game. This meant that an arcade game publisher had to acquire rights from a computer game publisher to make the game. Usually it was the other way round. Oooooh!<br />
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The action in RoboCop takes place over seven levels, interspersed with a couple of bonus levels. The game remains pretty much the same throughout. RoboCop wanders through the levels shooting just about anybody who gets in his way, bar a few hostages who he can free by shooting their captors. He can fire in eight directions: up, down, left, right and diagonally. When up close with an enemy, he can give them a smack with his metal-clad arm. RoboCop's standard gun has unlimited ammo, but he can pick up collectables to enhance his weapon. These do things like fire laser-like bullets, multi-directional ammo and the usual kind of stuff. However, these usually come with limited ammunition. There's always a downside to your fun, isn't there? RoboCop can also pick up other guns with more explosive and devastating firepower. Enemies fire at you from all directions and different enemies have different attacks. You'll get used to the attacks quickly, but things also become relentless quite quickly with numerous enemies positioning themselves everywhere. They aren't difficult to defeat, but it's clearing them all off the screen that's the issue. Even so, with a bit of skilful firing, ducking and diving, you can put paid to their hostilities in quite a satisfying way. A boss battle awaits you at the end of each level. Again, once you've learned the patterns and their weak points, defeating most of them isn't difficult, although some of the later ones really do hammer your power bar. During the boss battles, you can also see your enemy's power bar, so you know how close your are to defeating it. This is the earliest game that I have seen this feature in. Or maybe Castlevania was earlier?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0BrNkjAMIMnsfIqVDz7ZOJYGwvC315KMEv9G9zlG-ZC9CEOedUXwZV8Usze56-8R27bLQEgpkX4sCzt6eOuFEIrVX_-r5Ve9P4kovrAil6IwMLF33R_wVZiNlu8bqsQKmEJ_z28xXss/s1600/r10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0BrNkjAMIMnsfIqVDz7ZOJYGwvC315KMEv9G9zlG-ZC9CEOedUXwZV8Usze56-8R27bLQEgpkX4sCzt6eOuFEIrVX_-r5Ve9P4kovrAil6IwMLF33R_wVZiNlu8bqsQKmEJ_z28xXss/s1600/r10.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My, what a big ball you have.</td></tr>
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A bonus level features twice in the game. This is a chance to earn some extra points, get some target practice and increase your power capacity. The bonus level takes the form of a shooting gallery with you simply having to fire a targets within a set time limit. It's nothing too challenging, or that exciting to be honest.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCARN2CjE9KR75Ct36jXVipaT1QNRy9uSHqddO4_mVPybkBMoQrg61qfy8v50a4iCBdwXeZFpCI4VsrLbuzUnYC_YD7uB-RruzxcxM4zf2H4V-eWbso93YTiAgAsjExX-empdAjIpFEq8/s1600/r7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCARN2CjE9KR75Ct36jXVipaT1QNRy9uSHqddO4_mVPybkBMoQrg61qfy8v50a4iCBdwXeZFpCI4VsrLbuzUnYC_YD7uB-RruzxcxM4zf2H4V-eWbso93YTiAgAsjExX-empdAjIpFEq8/s1600/r7.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target practice. Not a lot else to say really.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvtZuA66C9U7addwRRMwotbuqWul-9qFx6UxD9f6fOXjY33DwJfca5E3_mXGTGGLGUJ6xM4YE1GLNS7e2EzJQ7GsrrQDiwQzp3Z0VfXyIKOnmeAmzyBNO-fDwh482Uxg55Kquu05df-A/s1600/r11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvtZuA66C9U7addwRRMwotbuqWul-9qFx6UxD9f6fOXjY33DwJfca5E3_mXGTGGLGUJ6xM4YE1GLNS7e2EzJQ7GsrrQDiwQzp3Z0VfXyIKOnmeAmzyBNO-fDwh482Uxg55Kquu05df-A/s1600/r11.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man in the window has got his pals to help out.</td></tr>
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Most of the early levels scroll left to right, with the last couple of levels going upwards as you make use of lifts to get higher in a building. These are probably the game's worst levels. After a fast-paced action-packed build up, the final two levels are a bit of a letdown. You clear a floor of enemies and what appear to be armed security cameras. Then you take a lift to the next floor up to repeat the process. And you do this over and over again. Ignoring the tedium of the last couple of levels and their never-ending lifts, the game is pure and simple arcade gaming with little to divert your attention from just getting on with firing in all directions and ridding the levels of enemies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7QJ3GnQvW9tiVr3trDXySJgrQN_jCDCWrj55YCn_BAQTlvB-qhzj-k9GXe4MXtU6VCXWWSRkcXVtj_dQxXYVrXpuri0iMpdPJ0kP_EInk_31WFwzjNqCdHNFi5BLuXZu3hl0Gd6UbOTI/s1600/r13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7QJ3GnQvW9tiVr3trDXySJgrQN_jCDCWrj55YCn_BAQTlvB-qhzj-k9GXe4MXtU6VCXWWSRkcXVtj_dQxXYVrXpuri0iMpdPJ0kP_EInk_31WFwzjNqCdHNFi5BLuXZu3hl0Gd6UbOTI/s1600/r13.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There appears to be some kind of weird orgy happening on floor 4F. Better stay where you are Robocop.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIssVhiIpNLdBEjE3YAppvvsalFmKCRsYTEY1_AsdZheAAag88RmGNpyv4l9VVC6IrR_ftC6rZZIope0mZ09wlPio2UurzzfDav0QZuXhMMFxd-KiFQNQTe2M-DJSvXMKaeoQ_lJ5vauo/s1600/r12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIssVhiIpNLdBEjE3YAppvvsalFmKCRsYTEY1_AsdZheAAag88RmGNpyv4l9VVC6IrR_ftC6rZZIope0mZ09wlPio2UurzzfDav0QZuXhMMFxd-KiFQNQTe2M-DJSvXMKaeoQ_lJ5vauo/s1600/r12.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's one big tin opener. </td></tr>
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Presentation and graphics are great. Each level captures its scene well, and quick intermissions tell the story. Characters are all well animated and are also quite big and bold. There is a bit of slowdown when the action gets too intense, but this is quite rare. Although dark and moody, the graphics also have a fair amount of colour in them to give vibrancy to each of the levels. The soundtrack is also fantastic, with music and sound effects that really suit the style of game. There is also a good amount of sampled speech in the game, with RoboCop saying his famous sayings and generally being quite a chatty robot cop thing. Oh yes, this is a game that showcased some of what the technology at the time could do. It was nothing extra spectacular, but was very good.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JO92lftvt72nY2yj0bdUVHET5QCVH9KTvmMeYi86VsTgGjzmrDRCLgxh-n0anwt__XkNztE4tuY11Ees_hCm3HxgsdxhW7G_mpWDsVLxWt9gnNsKqdWQ_qDn2cDKx7ADBcV8xWL4_gY/s1600/r14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JO92lftvt72nY2yj0bdUVHET5QCVH9KTvmMeYi86VsTgGjzmrDRCLgxh-n0anwt__XkNztE4tuY11Ees_hCm3HxgsdxhW7G_mpWDsVLxWt9gnNsKqdWQ_qDn2cDKx7ADBcV8xWL4_gY/s1600/r14.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CCTV is a bit over the top here. But that little city model looks cute though.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eAAC4dGuQJJ-lprVz8lIgAJQkPqhXsOoHzUb8KtEnai550dTVt_-OzCDGHyne89almDI99AuEsaDqKXiJKygGWx2-eyxHVQcFonpbqtIKoTtshncom4VLOTuZZR-VmiZWKvcsQterj0/s1600/r15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eAAC4dGuQJJ-lprVz8lIgAJQkPqhXsOoHzUb8KtEnai550dTVt_-OzCDGHyne89almDI99AuEsaDqKXiJKygGWx2-eyxHVQcFonpbqtIKoTtshncom4VLOTuZZR-VmiZWKvcsQterj0/s1600/r15.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reminds me of a meeting room at work. Without the deadly<br />robot though. And less of a view.</td></tr>
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RoboCop plays well. Controls are simple and responsive, with shooting, jumping and firing working as it needs to. Being made of metal, RoboCop isn't able to jump that high and isn't the quickest of movers, which can get a bit frustrating when you want him to get out of the way enemy fire. A slight frustration is that the direction he's aiming in sticks sometimes, so you have to re-aim to hit your required target. Another problem with the game is that, especially later on, you can lose your life within seconds of continuing. Although this was obviously so people getting towards the end of the game would spend more money and continue, it does sometimes feel a bit unfair. It's as if you're not given the chance to use skill to battle yourself out of a situation, instead you're paying your way out of it. Keep hitting continue and you'll slowly but surely get through. That said, the game isn't impossible and you can get quite far on one life if you try, something I just couldn't do when I was younger. RoboCop is definitely a quality arcade game, better at the beginning than towards the end. It's completely mindless and lacking in depth, but it offers a good fix of running and gunning action if that's your thing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFZmFSGkrrP__TciEkpOwqoaoqvxZ2QQ5-f6_uZOnDlBWBQzssF6W75sN5Oh7sUvwvplq_OvDTKhsKEB8gaXxHL-ZGLfMgKlmbqH0XjkPYL7CVEx8KwrlDJQyqwAv9a1sULMZ28BnxYY/s1600/r17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFZmFSGkrrP__TciEkpOwqoaoqvxZ2QQ5-f6_uZOnDlBWBQzssF6W75sN5Oh7sUvwvplq_OvDTKhsKEB8gaXxHL-ZGLfMgKlmbqH0XjkPYL7CVEx8KwrlDJQyqwAv9a1sULMZ28BnxYY/s1600/r17.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's all over and the end. Boohoo!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">RATINGS</span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">: 81%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">The opening parts feel suitably cinematic and set the scene well. There are screens that tell the story but blink and you'll miss them.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 85%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Detailed, crisp and well animated graphics. The last few levels are a bit of a let down though.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 85%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.546875px;">Great. The game features a great soundtrack and high quality sound effects. </span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 77%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="line-height: 21.546875px;">Instantly playable but RoboCop does feature some frustrating elements which prevent it from being amazing. The last few levels are tedious and ruin a good build up. </span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Overall:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 78%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A solid arcade game, and a good movie tie-in. Not perfect, and it's not something that you'd regularly return to, but it's fun when you do.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OIpC7YQRR14?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-39232131371635661882014-07-10T14:29:00.004-07:002014-07-10T14:30:12.741-07:00Great Sports on the Sega Master SystemFairly early on in the life of the Sega Master System, Sega released a series of sports simulations to entertain armchair atheletes. In the order of the alphabet they were Great Baseball, Great Basketball, Great Football, Great Golf, Great Ice Hockey, Great Soccer and Great Volleyball. Of course, claiming that anything's great usually means that it isn't, with the obvious exception of Great Britain, which is great. And possibly Great Yarmouth. As for Sega's "Great" sports games, it would have been much more truthful to call them Not-so-great Baseball, Bloody Awful Basketball, Absolutely Shite Football, Below Par Golf (see what I did there!?), Pucking Unplayable Ice Hockey, Crap Soccer and Terrible Volleyball. But doing so might have hampered sales somewhat. Even so, Sega did sometimes mix up the names a bit. Some games were apparently "Great" in one country but not in another, or games went under the same title in different countries, but were actually different games. Join us as we look back at this not-very-famous series of games to remind ourselves of why some games are sometimes best left in the past, and also attempt to make some sense of their names.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvCTenkVmhjKGz0J-5UZZWiHRYrjur7ih-AYkmTFOv5ioJfka_cVIEYMYMB_trTVhvH5m92zIWj5-Fcn7Vsh_mkrhoG3w8Za9R5ZWcnHBlVxMXu8tC3LunDgPORVXAj4v8syfNm2Xb04/s1600/baseball.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvCTenkVmhjKGz0J-5UZZWiHRYrjur7ih-AYkmTFOv5ioJfka_cVIEYMYMB_trTVhvH5m92zIWj5-Fcn7Vsh_mkrhoG3w8Za9R5ZWcnHBlVxMXu8tC3LunDgPORVXAj4v8syfNm2Xb04/s1600/baseball.png.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penalty! Referee! Oh, wrong sport.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Baseball</span></b><br />
To be fair, Sega's version of America's favourite bat and ball game wasn't that bad. It's certainly not great by any stretch of the imagination, but is at least moderately fun for a short while. Getting into a game is nice and quick, perhaps a little too quick as before you know it, somebody is throwing a ball at you at 100 miles an hour. There's no need to faff around with options and team selections, parameters, preferences and all manner of crap like many sports games of today require you to do. You simply choose a team from the A or the N league, whatever they are, pick a pitcher and away you go. As per the rules of baseball, you take it in turns to bat and pitch. Three strikes and you're out. Oh! So that's where the saying comes from! Well I never. The view when pitching and batting is from behind the pitcher, and looks quite impressive too. When the ball has been batted into whichever random direction it wants to go, the view switches to an overhead one, allowing you to see the playing field, and the little players running around the bases. There are actually two modes of play, one which allows you to control the fielders, and one which doesn't. Things get a bit fiddly when trying to control the fielders, so it's best to let the computer do that so you can concentrate on throwing the ball back to the bases, and to each other, and back again. The game is peppered with little samples of speech, some of which sounds like it is actually based on real words. The crowd noise sounds like a jet engine taking off though. Little tuneful ditties break up the action, and give a jolly feel to the game. The graphics are also quite good. I'm not sure if pushing the d-pad in any direction when pitching or batting actually has any effect on the ball, but pressing it anyway makes you feel like you're contributing some skill to the game.<br />
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This version of Great Baseball was released in Europe and the USA. An earlier game also called Great Baseball was released in Japan. It was a bit slower-paced and didn't utilise the behind the pitcher viewpoint, but it was fairly similar otherwise. Japan also receive a modified and much improved version of the European/US Great Baseball, which was known as The Pro Yakyuu: Pennant Race.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeCC2FPYzTX1_HfUYJ3qz5-xsmcBykAkPryQESSG-3z9LjIfFMNScs4n6wtR6V3U7q8r6SLbxuAVuCw7JKrXqIWdjVWMTKWC1x9GWW7J9E18T2zKeGehMjG8e26VIkynXk-SjuawfH9M/s1600/baseball2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeCC2FPYzTX1_HfUYJ3qz5-xsmcBykAkPryQESSG-3z9LjIfFMNScs4n6wtR6V3U7q8r6SLbxuAVuCw7JKrXqIWdjVWMTKWC1x9GWW7J9E18T2zKeGehMjG8e26VIkynXk-SjuawfH9M/s1600/baseball2.png.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rounder! Rounder! Rounder! Rounder!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLXeVNdjll-QfkgWLyj7pYdcMwQfsULUTcb_zdVTD1cLLUEABQdAYKLBHF8_-tqqhbVYQqxTwaIe0qAbnedJHIDbduZsAcqdEx6pjdkI7eRh_KT-kQLS6NeJbW7gLT93KnPZFuScD_PQ/s1600/basketball2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLXeVNdjll-QfkgWLyj7pYdcMwQfsULUTcb_zdVTD1cLLUEABQdAYKLBHF8_-tqqhbVYQqxTwaIe0qAbnedJHIDbduZsAcqdEx6pjdkI7eRh_KT-kQLS6NeJbW7gLT93KnPZFuScD_PQ/s1600/basketball2.png.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exciting!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Basketball</span></b><br />
So, we've had rounders. Now netball. As with most of the "Great" games, there is minimal setup required to get you started with a game. In Great Basketball, options are pretty much limited to choosing whether you are playing by yourself or with a chum, and then choosing a country or countries to represent. A nice little national anthem plays for each nation you pick. Gameplay is arcade-style in, er, style. It's fairly easy to score points, and the game is quite fast-paced, but it's just lacking in variety and any sense of excitement. The ball feels a bit floaty and there is no real skill involved in throwing the ball. It's also too easy to foul other players. Sometimes you can manage it without even pressing a button. A tune plays throughout the game which isn't actually that annoying, although it sounds like the snippets of speech have been sampled from some extra-terrestrial species. They definitely don't represent anything heard on this planet. Graphics are colourful although it's often difficult to make out who's who. Again, like Great Baseball, Basketball is fairly fun to play for a short while, and is quite enjoyable with two players, but not necessarily because it's a good game. It's one of those so bad it's good kind of games.<br />
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There were no weird naming shenanigans going on here. Great Basketball was Great Basketball everywhere, apart from Brazil where it was Great Basket.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vXpjcIFtpcYm1c5fCULKTn_LOa1gciQPgI8-QwMP6Ov895MH9Q-3tqqypHjVu3ETAqFw9M8gQfS7pA269ZvCqPflL6W19_SFIrV7IOVv5texOsZUo-OQBkWQwVkCIGRL0Fz3yNPxKhI/s1600/basket1.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vXpjcIFtpcYm1c5fCULKTn_LOa1gciQPgI8-QwMP6Ov895MH9Q-3tqqypHjVu3ETAqFw9M8gQfS7pA269ZvCqPflL6W19_SFIrV7IOVv5texOsZUo-OQBkWQwVkCIGRL0Fz3yNPxKhI/s1600/basket1.png.jpg" height="247" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The USA are beating URS. URS? Ursula? Oh! USSR.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROvJVivdp0MYG2RH6O0pf9xHfs-8kDjFqICJ21KNvOziy0Myix5WO9P_1APcdNecpsxkcQgAG3O6de-s63n_AQ32Rb-0zMzknPano4Mfsbe9fDNkZHQ0mD3jPhpRMggah9rX8f6YgYzM/s1600/football1.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROvJVivdp0MYG2RH6O0pf9xHfs-8kDjFqICJ21KNvOziy0Myix5WO9P_1APcdNecpsxkcQgAG3O6de-s63n_AQ32Rb-0zMzknPano4Mfsbe9fDNkZHQ0mD3jPhpRMggah9rX8f6YgYzM/s1600/football1.png.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hut hut! Twenty-eight! Fifty-six! Time out!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Football</span></b><br />
This is Sega's attempt to bring American Football to owners of their 8-Bit box of tricks. They really shouldn't have bothered. It's terrible. There's a choice of what are probably made-up teams from the good old A and N leagues again, and that's about it. In one player mode, you only appear to be able to play in offence, and picking your tactics is a case of waiting for the formation selection screen to scroll through each formation, stopping it when it highlights the one you want. That's if you can figure out how to stop it. I can't, so I just have to wait until it gets to the last one. Surely it wouldn't have been difficult to program some sort screen with manually selectable menus. Gameplay itself is limited to either running with the ball, or throwing it to somebody else and letting them run with it. Okay, that's pretty much what American Football is, but in reality the sport is usually much more interesting than it sounds. The problem is, this version of American Football just isn't much fun to play at all. The sport itself is very much stop-start, but there's too much stopping and not enough doing anything in this game. Oh well.<br />
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The same version of Great Football under the same name was released worldwide. Poor world.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiNaCt8RxizycrDvkDFkOQlPVF5DTHS6xr5b1LuTWXZdvv5hF_-y7uofFznKUvdOhvOyv48o5MhgrZrJKVKAJ98AqtojZG_te-u_mUmMZcXZK9cR7pjPF6WEk9mGXoW6bnKtZXwdrwaY/s1600/football2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiNaCt8RxizycrDvkDFkOQlPVF5DTHS6xr5b1LuTWXZdvv5hF_-y7uofFznKUvdOhvOyv48o5MhgrZrJKVKAJ98AqtojZG_te-u_mUmMZcXZK9cR7pjPF6WEk9mGXoW6bnKtZXwdrwaY/s1600/football2.png.jpg" height="246" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like a load of firemen in a field of sheep.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHNOS1X8RK4Ea22L606RZ9A4vGymmWdOr8EOzIvNP3_-M7oJpzaINmBjs5EE3eecjOsW_LUlpl8FFMdDL6OuZ46uztvsYOoh5gg-ZIbkgWyzi-rxZO9owDr2J9RarwbLTJ4lm6fQCKNI/s1600/golf1.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHNOS1X8RK4Ea22L606RZ9A4vGymmWdOr8EOzIvNP3_-M7oJpzaINmBjs5EE3eecjOsW_LUlpl8FFMdDL6OuZ46uztvsYOoh5gg-ZIbkgWyzi-rxZO9owDr2J9RarwbLTJ4lm6fQCKNI/s1600/golf1.png.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fore!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Golf</span></b><br />
Probably the best of the Great series of games, which isn't really saying much. Great Golf is a fun, if simplistic, round of the Royal and Ancient game. It features two modes of play, Stroke Play and Match Play. Stroke Play is your typical get-around-the-course-in-as-few-shots-as-possible mode, whereas Match Play, which requires a minimum of two players, sees the winner declared based on who wins most holes. There's also a club selection screen. Graphics and sounds are average, with the viewpoint from behind the player taking a short while to display, and sound featuring a few effects, short tunes and the odd bits of sampled speech. Gameplay itself allows you to check the wind direction and speed, set your club, stance, direction and power. That's about it. The ball appears a bit floaty, and if you're playing solo, things get dull quite quickly. Incidentally, this was the very first Master System game I ever owned other than the built in Hang On and Safari Hunt, and I have fond memories of playing this with family and friends. Great days.<br />
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This version of Great Golf is the version released in Europe and the USA. An earlier game with the same title was released in Japan, but failed to make it out of Rising Sun land. It was an isometric version of the sport. The European/US version of Great Golf was released in Japan as Masters Golf.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgII1SIaRl51fyLyUAtlWiiI_sQwLegkbuJhMVCY3EpocLD9AzKRZUkG5kpA-Q7SOXwLWDFF3x-THTc8ANj8XE0YmJSkMv45PqB1NYk-OBubS2BpbNIGbpDnYgdJdq46gth_JxBwH0K860/s1600/golf2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgII1SIaRl51fyLyUAtlWiiI_sQwLegkbuJhMVCY3EpocLD9AzKRZUkG5kpA-Q7SOXwLWDFF3x-THTc8ANj8XE0YmJSkMv45PqB1NYk-OBubS2BpbNIGbpDnYgdJdq46gth_JxBwH0K860/s1600/golf2.png.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enough of this shit. Get me to the nineteenth hole.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20Er3Dpdn0s_DOsq3TSB3bjo4-dXn1qtKrMpBCRGR5hyA2uENZXaeGYdNutJ7huOm0lHkHRfNSf72Rz-0hcIqxdtbml2onYRsLNVV4SlLvURATPuEruCN76r8yuqEF0gTber6KZ8uup8/s1600/icehockey1.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20Er3Dpdn0s_DOsq3TSB3bjo4-dXn1qtKrMpBCRGR5hyA2uENZXaeGYdNutJ7huOm0lHkHRfNSf72Rz-0hcIqxdtbml2onYRsLNVV4SlLvURATPuEruCN76r8yuqEF0gTber6KZ8uup8/s1600/icehockey1.png.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No it isn't.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Ice Hockey</span></b><br />
There's not a lot I can say about this. It's only compatible with Sega's crappy trackball controller, the Sega Sports Pad. If you don't have one, and probably 99% of Master System owners didn't, then this game was useless. Apparently it's not much better even with the correct accessory. Things don't sound or look that bad, although you can't really go wrong if your task is to draw ice. But how it actually plays is anyone's guess although I'll bet our cat on it that it doesn't play well. It mystifies me why somebody didn't think to make the game work with the Master System's standard controllers, you know, the ones that came free with every console, therefore the ones that everybody owned. Bizarre.<br />
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Fortunately, Europe were spared of the horrors of Great Ice Hockey as it failed to get released there. It did get a release in Japan and the USA.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKssR7pYKoiXne0T1nIqJUIFdKKlwad9bZ5O9u3OlPkT-fB1mRDo96k9WoEtLhxdT95mchPD44rHPmFCrKAYELAPUwu7rTr_ONXQm4H4aWXRIZelVowJrOrzTlQeo8hXS3ixoIJIk5dvM/s1600/icehockey3.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKssR7pYKoiXne0T1nIqJUIFdKKlwad9bZ5O9u3OlPkT-fB1mRDo96k9WoEtLhxdT95mchPD44rHPmFCrKAYELAPUwu7rTr_ONXQm4H4aWXRIZelVowJrOrzTlQeo8hXS3ixoIJIk5dvM/s1600/icehockey3.png.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where the puck's the puck? Oh, who cares. I can't even play this game.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7xHOGhvwNcg_prD73I2pd5wkGdBwFL2oA8ZNhNKl94QtXTo1RGoItbFMbfuaNK-mlXhVL1ACoDzuYy2uyEsg51sefS0IL5Na9A16E3GlAzARXNXCDapAPPIihRVXP7I7sEcwkoXmYuM/s1600/soccer1.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7xHOGhvwNcg_prD73I2pd5wkGdBwFL2oA8ZNhNKl94QtXTo1RGoItbFMbfuaNK-mlXhVL1ACoDzuYy2uyEsg51sefS0IL5Na9A16E3GlAzARXNXCDapAPPIihRVXP7I7sEcwkoXmYuM/s1600/soccer1.png.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of effort went into designing this title screen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Soccer</span></b><br />
Sega managed to turn the Beautiful Game into something quite horrible here. You control your players up and down a pitch and attempt to tap the ball into a goal using a terrible aiming system. Your players move slowly and are unresponsive, and they don't seem able to keep control of the ball. As accurately as this reflects England's 2014 World Cup team, it just isn't much fun at all. Like all of the Great games, getting into the game is quick and easy. But having simple and accessible menu screens does little to redeem things. Graphics are depressing, the sound will offend your ears and you'll be turning this game off within minutes of turning it on. Do I not like that.<br />
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Again, there were two versions of Great Soccer. This time around, Japan and Europe received the vertically scrolling Great Soccer game mentioned above. The USA's version of Great Soccer was equally as bad, but scrolled horizontally. It was released in Japan and Europe as World Soccer, and released again in Japan as Sports Pad Soccer, compatible with the Sega Sports Pad.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDemJn7q_Jd0XRkHFRdjrEalbIzXog9FHTABFARiOiZgBtAWjfudBov1q_gEzzeTZxsbgqmlvC1JVTRcKUPDvxElJaI-_YuRpeDmdXW1_-nhUr9-mWjYEOvRmcsjUxO6PZEudgE6Sdj80/s1600/soccer2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDemJn7q_Jd0XRkHFRdjrEalbIzXog9FHTABFARiOiZgBtAWjfudBov1q_gEzzeTZxsbgqmlvC1JVTRcKUPDvxElJaI-_YuRpeDmdXW1_-nhUr9-mWjYEOvRmcsjUxO6PZEudgE6Sdj80/s1600/soccer2.png.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He shoots! He scores! He wants to play something else!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0HchOIce880oMH_t76IMBCoItpYI1PLqMPPPBChRWTZhtwVbA5Yd3s84phsX5i9h6gvtpNHuCMnWKC_Z6jFdCzcUoxShccQideAWeniIW5wOV5lWbjRUaQKPe1zxy-9dqTQYHZeZhto/s1600/volleyball1.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0HchOIce880oMH_t76IMBCoItpYI1PLqMPPPBChRWTZhtwVbA5Yd3s84phsX5i9h6gvtpNHuCMnWKC_Z6jFdCzcUoxShccQideAWeniIW5wOV5lWbjRUaQKPe1zxy-9dqTQYHZeZhto/s1600/volleyball1.png.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice colour scheme here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Great Volleyball</span></b><br />
I really wish I hadn't chosen to try to play through these games. The best of the bunch probably was Great Ice Hockey, but that's only because I couldn't get it to work so didn't have to play it. Fortunately, we've reached the final game, Great Volleyball. Unfortunately, it's just as unplayable as the rest. Things sounds ok and look nice and cartoony, but it's hard to control what's happening. I'm never really sure what player I'm controlling, and he just seems to do what he wants, rather than what I want him to do. You have a team of six players, but sometime you are controlling three of them, sometimes one. And the rest of the team that you're not controlling doesn't appear to want to help out. It's confusing and, once again, not fun. The worst thing is that these games would have originally retailed for about £20 each. Maybe more. The complete set would have set you back £140. That depresses me.<br />
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Great Volleyball was the same game in all markets. It was crap everywhere.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN6rSZqcfQQ24OxlXveanMAG6vhzrnfwg50Wv6QYPlDgC7_rVaO9uIykN9tcX0mJYgspvLWFFq20eXgABxpiafYnAhwTA6hpvQwCcZ3VZTsuGlbOxononpY60a2tnOduQ3jYSsZN-NKo/s1600/volleyball2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN6rSZqcfQQ24OxlXveanMAG6vhzrnfwg50Wv6QYPlDgC7_rVaO9uIykN9tcX0mJYgspvLWFFq20eXgABxpiafYnAhwTA6hpvQwCcZ3VZTsuGlbOxononpY60a2tnOduQ3jYSsZN-NKo/s1600/volleyball2.png.jpg" height="253" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the ball</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1SI9PkJK0KhLa8STByR9mbE_GOiqulcoKZy5MnwT7Qd2XwDFN5UVq0jFVieivi9h2LefVa6W1uWgYPT3mpSgaHLA1QxhGNdWd_z8ZYJgAquk9Wr8jsck46vC8a04fiuyeBpVCHm8EhY/s1600/tennis.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1SI9PkJK0KhLa8STByR9mbE_GOiqulcoKZy5MnwT7Qd2XwDFN5UVq0jFVieivi9h2LefVa6W1uWgYPT3mpSgaHLA1QxhGNdWd_z8ZYJgAquk9Wr8jsck46vC8a04fiuyeBpVCHm8EhY/s1600/tennis.png.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not great. It's super.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Anyone for Tennis?</span></b><br />
This series of games seemed to represent a number of major sports, but Sega don't appear to have served up anything for tennis fans. Or did they? Well, yes, there was apparently a game called Great Tennis. However, this was only in Japan. Great Tennis did make it abroad though. It was released in countries elsewhere on the planet as Super Tennis. Just the same as how the Great games weren't great, sticking Super at the front of something doesn't make it Super. Except for Super Gran Unsurprisingly, Super Tennis was a simplistic version of tennis. It's a bit fiddly to control, and the ball seems to be quite floaty, but it's not too bad.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIfvx_kSB_njmf4b53kBTBk3AVHXDGz_GAM5i0K-4GefO-ikhUliOTi1I8BOJZ14UQqiwgZyIiakjdrKDD2vQdVpOXThC7v7tAiFlRAH1Rfue96BcG8cYt_Qnz2rPEjH0PWWmKqseuTE/s1600/tennis2.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIfvx_kSB_njmf4b53kBTBk3AVHXDGz_GAM5i0K-4GefO-ikhUliOTi1I8BOJZ14UQqiwgZyIiakjdrKDD2vQdVpOXThC7v7tAiFlRAH1Rfue96BcG8cYt_Qnz2rPEjH0PWWmKqseuTE/s1600/tennis2.png.jpg" height="242" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You cannot be serious! We've got another 14 years to go until Virtua Tennis comes out?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-82849889357444293672014-06-01T06:44:00.002-07:002014-06-01T06:44:30.084-07:00A quick update, new YouTube vids!For those who don't know, Classic Gaming UK have a YouTube channel where I attempt to demonstrate my gaming prowess on games of old. Our channel can be found here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/classicgaminguk" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/classicgaminguk</a> or by searching for classicgaminguk on YouTube.<br />
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Most of the videos are playthroughs of games, although there are some other old things that may be of interest to people into, er, old things. So far it's limited to old TV adverts, continuity and the like. I have been quite quiet on YouTube recently though. Partly because the redesign and integration with Google+ confused me, and partly because my upgrade to Windows 8 and then Windows 8.1 seemed to bugger up all of the stuff I had set up on my computer for creating videos. They'd either be choppy, blocky, jerky, or just not working at all. I've also recently changed to a new, more powerful, computer, and after a bit of work and effort, seem to be able to make videos again. So, I've decided that a way to bulk up the catalogue of videos in my channel but not to have to spend forever making them, and to also get to play a variety of games too, is too feature videos featuring just the first levels of games. This will give a taste of what the games have to offer, and may even lead to me discovering some hidden gems that I'd like to go further with - maybe even to attempt to complete and feature a full preview. First up is level one of R-Type, a game I recently reviewed. <a href="http://classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/r-type-zx-spectrum.html" target="_blank">http://classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/r-type-zx-spectrum.html</a>. The review was of the Spectrum video, but the video is from the arcade game. Recording Speccy games is still not working quite right for me!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jWcV1QYiqO0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-48456343430518399472014-05-16T14:03:00.003-07:002014-05-16T14:03:48.341-07:00Burnin' Rubber - Amstrad GX4000<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yjVdjr34G8VoupZ71p6uCdHaypg3R0dK0xCZmFRbIDo4oS72mVKTayZwq6DMCDEcYkr7IVe2L16cO8-mA0KDccrRRk2glFfDqpub7_ZhK2WcKmV-8xJ2XdxHenMuYaQ6aSgvZyxy4Zw/s1600/br1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yjVdjr34G8VoupZ71p6uCdHaypg3R0dK0xCZmFRbIDo4oS72mVKTayZwq6DMCDEcYkr7IVe2L16cO8-mA0KDccrRRk2glFfDqpub7_ZhK2WcKmV-8xJ2XdxHenMuYaQ6aSgvZyxy4Zw/s1600/br1.png" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're fired!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Burnin' Rubber</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Amstrad GX4000</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Ocean</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">1988</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Also released on:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Amstrad 464 Plus, Amstrad 6128 Plus</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Available now on:</span> </b><i style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/gx4000_Burnin_Rubber_1990_Ocean" target="_blank">Internet Archive</a></i></span><br />
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The Amstrad GX4000 is remembered for two reasons. One, it was a complete flop and two, it had Burnin' Rubber on it. Burnin' Rubber was the GX4000's most popular game, mostly because it was the game bundled with each console. Yep, all 300 of the console's owners were able to enjoy the delights of Burnin' Rubber, an arcade-style racing game designed to showcase some of the abilities of the GX4000.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgj25auu0a32LJN_3YlW6aMYyrAyo1SSCAbqNyMbTfnmIGEAWHwk7Y-Fi75DBMP2DeTr0HSgvBEbIaPXvCIeOcu4qbQED57TtBx9jeINJfIpPsUys-bffAw_Dbl1pcgEzMjxX7aPO3lY/s1600/br3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgj25auu0a32LJN_3YlW6aMYyrAyo1SSCAbqNyMbTfnmIGEAWHwk7Y-Fi75DBMP2DeTr0HSgvBEbIaPXvCIeOcu4qbQED57TtBx9jeINJfIpPsUys-bffAw_Dbl1pcgEzMjxX7aPO3lY/s1600/br3.png" height="242" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooh, I can feel the excitement building up just sitting here staring at this screenshot.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY8tr-ASvdmWR21H5b2iZJBtqHWWvLEob2KaomN6ZsFKQqnj6Ene2k49gBgqSsczzUn4TVEj_Kc-9nr-SKz_ZftJq-9sRKp0idgiGhK62oVfeTGt6EhLk2ZijSarS05Un_n44X0r4tCI/s1600/br4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY8tr-ASvdmWR21H5b2iZJBtqHWWvLEob2KaomN6ZsFKQqnj6Ene2k49gBgqSsczzUn4TVEj_Kc-9nr-SKz_ZftJq-9sRKp0idgiGhK62oVfeTGt6EhLk2ZijSarS05Un_n44X0r4tCI/s1600/br4.png" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smile! There are plenty of other quality games available<br />for this console. Oh, wait. There aren't. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For those who don't know, or those who want reminding, the GX4000 was Amstrad's attempt to enter the console market, and the only British console in video game history. An 8-Bit console released in 1990, it was clearly designed to compete with the Sega Master System and Nintendo Entertainment System. However, its launch was around the same time as the European launch of the Mega Drive and the Super Famicom's Japanese launch, so it was sharing shelf space, and competing for interest, with much superior consoles. Added to that was the fact that many of its games were rereleases of earlier Amstrad CPC games that were available on tape at a fraction of the price of the GX4000 cartridge version. Even games programmed specifically for the GX4000 weren't up to much, and most felt a bit like computer games rather than console games. Unsurprisingly, the console didn't generate much interest, its price was slashed weeks after launch before the machine was pulled completely after only a few months. Hopefully Sir Lord Alan Sugar did a few firings after such a disaster.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidahk-8swgMq_e3zIcmAlb-lR-oRkZ1U15Oru2GAbq-4PsXedSjzUjyhlsaJGQk-fUFlzIbnheqkwL3yY082JGJlp5I16nvpPqCBU_b5oIU3cDsg0h6oXLwqd08ZSLtZKELaOKlIjstBQ/s1600/br6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidahk-8swgMq_e3zIcmAlb-lR-oRkZ1U15Oru2GAbq-4PsXedSjzUjyhlsaJGQk-fUFlzIbnheqkwL3yY082JGJlp5I16nvpPqCBU_b5oIU3cDsg0h6oXLwqd08ZSLtZKELaOKlIjstBQ/s1600/br6.png" height="241" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's some weird voodoo magic thing going on with my car here..</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7NtaBSJC_rdz4FZ2Dq9uGBfglXjWMhqunb3mzRkdk5OQZaSM6cOOxaQ4intYntlnK5QQxq3kPGTe9gK_U_TLbzHZ5mnJNtSN9ahnmics99KJALJyEkCn9DF_dKZVxc_3ziRQMlW4C3Y/s1600/br8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7NtaBSJC_rdz4FZ2Dq9uGBfglXjWMhqunb3mzRkdk5OQZaSM6cOOxaQ4intYntlnK5QQxq3kPGTe9gK_U_TLbzHZ5mnJNtSN9ahnmics99KJALJyEkCn9DF_dKZVxc_3ziRQMlW4C3Y/s1600/br8.png" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signs for Ocean and a tunnel. Who knows what continent<br />lies at the other side?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Even so, the GX4000 is remembered with a certain amount of fondness in some quarters and has achieved something of a cult status. Burnin' Rubber is often regarded as one of its better games. This is probably due to the fact that there was crap all else available for the console. But even on its own merits, just as a video game, it's meant to be quite good. So, shall we take it for a spin? Eh? Anybody there? Oh right, I'm typing this, not talking to anybody. I'll imagine somebody has said yes then and boldly go onto another paragraph.<br />
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So, the idea of Burnin' Rubber is simply to drive a car. Begin with a qualifying lap, and then go onto burning dust and eating rubber for real. On starting up the game, the game's title blazes its way onto the screen over a animated tyre-like pattern. The first thing you need to do is change the controller layout. By default, the game is set so that pushing up on the d-pad accelerates, down brakes and the two control pad buttons control the gears up or down if you're playing in manual. The game is much easier if you set the buttons to accelerate and brake and use up and down to control gears. Or ignore the gears and stay in automatic, which is what I do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQTNPmjB88N4wTtVm04J9xCmhLgnHefXOEQCEMgcF84lbH6VxU4brh3bGbaV0Zl40bDnY-8pn-_U2NiCwrCGLlfQLK3RTzdetDxTsmhqXD7zYwgQ_RE0QYSen7AMI_eZaF5tMUNUxGWw/s1600/br12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQTNPmjB88N4wTtVm04J9xCmhLgnHefXOEQCEMgcF84lbH6VxU4brh3bGbaV0Zl40bDnY-8pn-_U2NiCwrCGLlfQLK3RTzdetDxTsmhqXD7zYwgQ_RE0QYSen7AMI_eZaF5tMUNUxGWw/s1600/br12.png" height="241" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even before the days of Instagram, games like these featured filter effects that make it look like it was made in the 1970s.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woohoo! 7th!</td></tr>
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As already mentioned, you need to complete a quick lap to qualify for the main race. The qualification race is a good way of getting used to the game, but when you've done it once, it seems a bit pointless. Regardless of your qualifying position, it doesn't take long in the main race to get past the cars in the other qualifying positions. Initially your car feels a bit sluggish to control. It doesn't appear to move instantly to your commands. I guess power-steering was still a luxury optional add-on in 1990. Building up speed is also a bit laboured, and using your brakes or going around tight corners results in you losing the speed you've built up and having to get up to speed again to make the most of the straights. But after a while, controlling the car does become quite natural, even quite realistic, albeit sometimes frustrating. If you're not going too fast, colliding with a car just results in you being nudged to the side slightly. But hit one at speed or any of the objects inconsiderately placed at the side of the road will result in you spectacularly flipping over and flying through the air before magically landing in the exact position you need to be in to continue your race. Rather handily, you car doesn't come to a complete stop when either kind of collision happens, meaning you don't have the issue of having to start up again from being parked. It's the little things like this that make a difference to the game, the sort of things that frustrate you in other racing games.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NpN3-808-ein8ct7xZ4_8Hmp2rKlb1JKiWZVq0Bj_yJdGbwF-vuzy87lSzaDTAJOtmkRdrgsvzbU64g9s-GtmShL_LvJVF0SnGf3IAi1T4Qm3AHNQEEkV2sGLNCZuYzqgxaOJTSh4Nw/s1600/br5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NpN3-808-ein8ct7xZ4_8Hmp2rKlb1JKiWZVq0Bj_yJdGbwF-vuzy87lSzaDTAJOtmkRdrgsvzbU64g9s-GtmShL_LvJVF0SnGf3IAi1T4Qm3AHNQEEkV2sGLNCZuYzqgxaOJTSh4Nw/s1600/br5.png" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit of a grey moment here. Nice tree though.</td></tr>
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Other vehicles can be a bit of a nuisance. Some will just decide to make a random movement across the road purely to get in your way whereas others seem to have a habit of breaking down in tunnels, so it's important to try to avoid them.<br />
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Graphically, the game is quite good. The GX4000 was able to display quite a number of colours on screen and had a large pallet to choose from so Burnin' Rubber, being a launch title, shows some of this off. The game is supposedly set over 24 hours and as you progress, day turns to night, night becomes day again and the colour scheme changes to reflect this. It does give the feeling that you're progressing nicely through the race as you pass through each part of the day. Cars, backgrounds, roadside objects are all nicely drawn and the scaling of sprites and items works well. The game isn't the fastest out there, but you do definitely feel a sense of speed when you do have the opportunities to put your foot down. All of the on-screen information you need is nicely laid out and everything feels polished and well-presented.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, what a feeling! When we're dancing on the ceiling </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that Cameron and Clegg? Or the Pet Shop Boys. Perhaps<br />they're the same thing.</td></tr>
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Sound however is another matter. The intro music and menu screen music is great, but in game effects are horrible. Your car's engine makes quite a nasty noise, which continues throughout the game. There are some effects from when you overtake or get overtaken, but you really need to keep the sound down if you have any respect for your ears. That said, there is a certain "depth" to the sound - things just don't sound as tinny and high-pitched as other 8-Bit games.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglntWgPDcs6IADf2mVSPdgLSQA6R20e-fdHAqCs7K8Mq2jX3eFA6yJrI4iDim8xYYVLwxZYnXQK6O8vyadUf-azd7FD2AYkamwCR3sTdX8PcPe4aRVIG90zOR_K4HjMJ9dJP5Wnwemo2Y/s1600/br15.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglntWgPDcs6IADf2mVSPdgLSQA6R20e-fdHAqCs7K8Mq2jX3eFA6yJrI4iDim8xYYVLwxZYnXQK6O8vyadUf-azd7FD2AYkamwCR3sTdX8PcPe4aRVIG90zOR_K4HjMJ9dJP5Wnwemo2Y/s1600/br15.png" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close, but not close enough. Not close at all actually.</td></tr>
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Burnin' Rubber is not a bad game at all, and is quite a good launch game. It has some faults but is definitely one of the better 8-Bit racing games. I was initially put off by the game's sluggish controls and lack of oomph, but felt myself getting drawn into it as I continued to play it. I'm not sure it would really have much longevity, but it's a game I'd be happy to come back to for another go from time to time. It's just a shame that factors at the time meant that the GX4000 was doomed from the start as it had the potential to be quite a good machine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">RATINGS</span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">: 79%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Well presented throughout. Large text fills the screen when needed, the title screen is basic but does the trick, and the menu system is simple and effective. Nothing special but very professional.</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 83%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A good use of the GX4000's pallet with changing colour schemes, detailed sprites and good crash effects, as well as nice smoke effects. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 50%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.546875px;">Good music, sadly lacking in game, replaced instead by horrible engine noise.</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 78%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.546875px;">Ironically given it's name, Burnin' Rubber is a bit of a slow burner. It doesn't instantly appeal but grows on you if you stick with it and turns out to be rather fun.</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Overall:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 79%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A good example of what the GX4000 could potentially do. Sadly tarnished by the console's reputation but a decent game overall. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Begone! And don't forget to look for your missing apostrophe!</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><br /></span>Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-2907583751130183322014-04-01T14:33:00.004-07:002014-04-02T13:31:23.972-07:00R-Type - ZX Spectrum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">R-Type</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>ZX Spectrum</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer/Publisher:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Electric Dreams/Activision</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">1988</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Also released on:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Arcade, MSX, Amstrad CPC, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64, Atari ST, PC Engine/TurboGrafx, Sega Master System, Nintendo Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Sharp X68000, Sony PlayStation, XBox 360, mobile phones, iOS, Android</i></span><br />
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R-Type is one of the iconic arcade games of the 1980s. Tough as boots, hard as nails, solid as a rock, you only stood a chance of completing it if you had the eyesight of a hawk and the reflexes of a cat. Or if you happened to be a hawk or a cat with a penchant for playing arcade shooters. As was the tradition back then, successful games tended to find their way out of the arcades and into the homes of computer and console gamers the planet over. R-Type was no exception and was ported to a multitude of machines. Rather remarkably, each conversion was actually rather good. The PC Engine/TurboGrafx game is generally considered to be the best of the bunch, and one of the best games on the system itself, while a splendid version for the Sega Master System was also highly regarded. But it's the ZX Spectrum port which is probably most deserving of praise. As well as being a bloody good version of the game, its existence is something of a technical marvel, pushing Mr Sinclair's baby to its limits and getting it to do things that he probably never thought possible.<br />
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The objective of all versions of R-Type is outlined in two lines of text: "Blast off and strike the evil Bydo Empire." No detail is given about what the Bydo Empire is and what it does that makes it so evil. But, striking it involves pitting yourself against a plethora of angry and aggressive alien types over a series of levels. The fact that the Bydo Empire appears to have such an antagonistic arsenal seems to confirm that it is most definitely up to no good, so must be evil.<br />
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You take on your enemies in your piddly little spaceship. Well, it looks piddly when compared with the enemies you come up against, especially some of the end of level bosses. But, as with any video game spaceship, it's possible to collect upgrades on your travels to greatly enhance your firepower, turning it into some space-based super destructive light and laser show. You can also power up your beam by holding down the fire button. Letting go of it unleashes a mega blast. A unique feature in R-Type is a collectible pod-like thing. This can be attached to the front or back of your spaceship, offering a smidgen of protection from enemy fire. Or it can be detached and sent off to destroy some of the hostiles that you can't be bothered to destroy yourself. When detached, it is invincible but it leaves you vulnerable. It added a touch of strategy and tactical play to the game. One of the key strengths of R-Type was that, although it was a difficult game, it didn't feel impossible. Your progress through the game is slow, as you eke your way through a level. You play a bit, die, play it again, die again, play again, try a slightly different route, get a bit further, die again, use the same route again, get a little further, die again, and repeat over and over again until you've eventually got your route, the enemy patterns and your tactics memorised to get you through a level. And there's something very satisfying about seemingly being able to fly through the level like a pro, taking out wave after wave of enemies and maxing out your spaceship with power-ups aplenty.<br />
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Translating an arcade game to the Spectrum inevitably leads to compromises, but Bob Pape, the man given the task of converting R-Type, did a spectacular job in retaining as much as he could from the arcade version of the game. The graphics are detailed and colourful with no obvious colour clash. Even if there was, there's so much going on that you probably wouldn't notice it. Sprites are recognisable from their arcade counterparts and the effects when firing from your powered up spaceship are remarkable. Special credit must be given to the end of level bosses who are just as fearsome as they are in the arcade original.<br />
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The sound in the game is a bit pants. There are no background tunes, although if there were, they'd more than likely be terrible. There are a couple of bits of music which play just before the game begins and when you die, and sound a bit like the phone in 24. But in game sound effects are limited to a put-put-put when you fire, and squelchy noises when you hit an enemy. Other bloops and bleeps and noises make up the rest of the effects. They're inoffensive but not great, but I guess more prominent sounds would get on your nerves after a while.<br />
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Most important though is that the game feels like the real thing. The Spectrum version isn't a game loosely based on R-Type - it is R-Type. The original R-Type was all about finding a route and planning your strategy based on what you've learned when attempting it before. And the Spectrum version is the same. The hard bits are still hard, the easy bits (well, easier bits) are still easier. The same enemies appear in the same places, and you have to clear a path in the same way. R-Type is famed for its difficulty level. It was from the eighties when games were tougher and gamers were real men. Or butch women. Throw anything at them and they'd tackle it. None of this modern-day microtransactiony crap where you can buy your way through a game. Ok, we'll ignore the fact that most arcade games could be played to the end if you kept shoving more 10p coins into them and continuing each time you died, which I suppose is actually a microtransaction. Hmmmm, anyway, Like the arcade version, R-Type on the Spectrum is a tough nut, and some might find its difficulty level offputting. Sticking with it does reap rewards, but there's nothing more frustrating than getting your spaceship maxed out to the nines only for you to get shot in the ass by a rogue bullet and having to return to the game with your standard setup. Later on in the game, the going gets extremely tough unless you have a bit of extra help from your weaponary. This isn't really a fault of the conversion, and it's exactly how all other versions play, but it's one of the reasons why R-Type isn't everybody's cup of Yorkshire Tea. There is a bit of slowdown when too much is going on, and it sometimes feels like frames go missing as a way of the game trying to keep up with the action so it loses some of its fluidity. Responsive controls are a must for a game like this and in this version, the controls are fine, although you really need to play it with a joystick or control pad to prevent getting your fingers all a-tangle. One issue, again inherited from the arcade version, is that your spaceship moves a little too slow. Sometimes, an almost-certain death stares you in your face. All you need to do to avoid it is move a little to the right. But, your spaceship just doesn't seem to want to move quick enough. Of course, quicker movement would probably result in less control over it, so perhaps its speed is just right. Who knows?<br />
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So, R-Type on the Speccy is a great conversion, and a must-have game for any Spectrum collection. Looks great, sounds shite, plays great. But, there is a problem. And this affects many games converted from arcades to home machines in this modern world of emulation and rererereleases and suchlike. Why would anybody play it today? The whole point of porting the game to computers like the Spectrum was to bring the arcade game to home audiences. The truth is that, although it was a fantastic port of R-Type, the arcade game is much better. And when it's now possible to get hold of the arcade game itself either through official rereleases or through other methods usually involving MAME and a visit to your favourite ROM-hosting website, there is little need to play a conversion of it. You can just play the real thing. The Spectrum version is definitely worth taking a look at and is a great game in its own right, but unless you're the sort of person who wants to complete every version there ever was of R-Type, you'd only really have a go of Spectrum R-Type for curiosity's sake. In a similar way, both the PC Engine/TurboGrafx version and the Sega Master System version were released on the Wii's Virtual Console service. The PC Engine version was clearly the better one, so why would anybody who wanted to play R-Type on the Wii opt to download the Master System version? And, on that note, I shall end my review. I'm kind of depressed now. I've convinced myself that all home conversions are pointless if they don't improve on the arcade version. Wish I'd never have mentioned it now.....<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">RATINGS</span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">: 80%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">The Spectrum makes a great attempt at emulating the arcade's iconic title screen, continue and high score screens, and things are consistently well presented throughout the game. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 95%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Fantastic graphics which show the intrinsic details of the alien worlds and their inhabitants, with plenty of colour and some amazing effects. Some of the Speccy's best.</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 55%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">No music, but the sound effects are adequate. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 82%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Challenging initially, but the game lures you in and holds your attention as you know that on each attempt, you can get a little further by finding the optimum route through each level. Importantly though, it's great fun. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Overall:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 85%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A Spectrum classic, and a fantastic conversion of a great arcade game, but slightly redundant today when you can just play the arcade game instead. </span><br />
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.Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-29659511481928680622014-03-15T07:20:00.002-07:002014-03-15T15:22:38.243-07:00Road Fighter - Nintendo Entertainment System<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road Fighter - sounds exciting!</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Road Fighter</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Nintendo Entertainment System</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Konami/Palcom</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">1991</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Also released on:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Arcade, MSX</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Nothing</i><br />
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I've always been interested in bad games. Not because I get some perverse pleasure out of attempting to play them. More that I'm fascinated by what makes them so bad. Is it down to poor design or bad controls? Is it too easy, too hard, totally unfair, completely unfathomable or simply not any fun? What was the reason for games that were so clearly terrible still managing to find their way into shops? Why did nobody at any part of the process between the first code being written to the game being put onto a disc, tape or cartridge say "This is complete shite!" and attempt to stop things from going any further. Was it corporate greed, bad planning, ridiculous deadlines, publisher arrogance or contempt of their customers? In the case of Atari, famous for releasing two of the more notorious bad games, Pac-Man and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial for the VCS, it was probably all of the above. Yes, Atari's apparent "policy" of passing any old garbage off as a video game was partly responsible for the entire gaming industry pretty much imploding in the early 80s in the USA. Arguably, they were helped along this path of self-destruction by Coleco and Magnavox who also appeared to allow their Colecovision and Intellivision consoles to play host to countless cartridges of crap. The inevitable collapse resulted in most console manufacturers exiting the industry, with Atari remaining as the sole survivor, but much smaller and much poorer than they once were.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji_7RrTdN7GC3KoL78YP5NM0pe_-i86sw1YlDHAMRIjimLIT6gSJHwh4Oeod7cHcwsCX-PXxWDQqRnCR31XECoZgU9V7L6Wjchwls52G4ho7c6olo8fcSr1CnQnUsDZbDueIiCAkITf8/s1600/NES.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji_7RrTdN7GC3KoL78YP5NM0pe_-i86sw1YlDHAMRIjimLIT6gSJHwh4Oeod7cHcwsCX-PXxWDQqRnCR31XECoZgU9V7L6Wjchwls52G4ho7c6olo8fcSr1CnQnUsDZbDueIiCAkITf8/s1600/NES.png" height="217" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nintendo's Fun Box</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Filling the void and arriving in America as the saviour of the video game industry were Nintendo with their exciting new grey box of fun, the Nintendo Entertainment System, with Mario and his Bros. in tow and lots of other fab games. The NES quickly became the console that all the kids wanted - mostly because it was the only console available. And to prevent a repeat of what had gone before, Nintendo made the most of their monopoly by restricting the activities of the publishers who wanted to release games for their console. All games had to be released on cartridges manufactured by and purchased from Nintendo, only five games per publisher could be released a year, and the publisher couldn't release the game on a competitor's console for a couple of years. Satisfy the big N and you'd get a gold star slapped on your box signifying that Nintendo had given it their Golden Seal of Approval. As a consumer, this meant that every game released for the NES was going to be of high quality, didn't it? Well, no, not entirely. Although the seal of approval gave consumers the impression that Nintendo had given the game their thumbs-up and that the massive grey cartridge that they had in their hand contained something special, the reality was that the seal was just a way of saying that the publisher had kept to Nintendo's rules. As restrictive (and later illegal) as they were, it can't be denied that Nintendo's measures did definitely result in a marked improvement in the quality of games released and prevented publishers from taking the piss and just shitting out code and claiming that it was a game. The NES is still regarded as one of the best consoles in the history of the gaming industry, and that is largely down to the fact that it had some amazing games released for it, games that remain classics today. This was surely down to Nintendo's tight controls. But, they didn't completely prevent the odd turkey from getting out. Road Fighter, released in 1991, is a good example of a game gone bad. It's also a good example of what happens when publishers find a way around Nintendo's rules, and why the rules were there in the first place. Mean Machines, the UK's most popular console magazine in the early nineties, reviewed the game and gave it a rating of 9%, making a point on the issue's front cover that the magazine contained the "Worst Game Ever". Over two decades later, I still hadn't got around to experiencing the alleged horrors of Road Fighter. Until now. But after taking it for a spin, I have to say that it definitely isn't as bad as the review made out. It's by no means a great game, but it certainly isn't deserving of its 9% score.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">Road Fighter is a conversion of an arcade game with the same
name. Developed by Konami in the mid eighties, the arcade game was an overhead vertical scrolling driving game from an era of when overhead
vertical scrolling driving games were all the rage. The idea is simply to drive
along a road, avoid other cars and get to the end of the course before you run
out of fuel. Once you're out of fuel, it's game over.</span><br />
<div class="Body">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
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<div class="Body">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10ZG-_QgqhgYa1_I0A6alewZ2MGtbBH5puEqYPcsuZGnuErB04i7o_bdNYXhdA_aygGfFR-6wnaJgHLz998G_iGwP6y0Cgr9Y-MFM9Dr_FoTBW2EoMUrO7LU1y9cBiDEpWMrfdg0HsWg/s1600/Road+Fighter+(E)+%5B!%5D+201403151346343.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10ZG-_QgqhgYa1_I0A6alewZ2MGtbBH5puEqYPcsuZGnuErB04i7o_bdNYXhdA_aygGfFR-6wnaJgHLz998G_iGwP6y0Cgr9Y-MFM9Dr_FoTBW2EoMUrO7LU1y9cBiDEpWMrfdg0HsWg/s1600/Road+Fighter+(E)+%5B!%5D+201403151346343.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ever get the feeling you're the odd one out?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The NES conversion remains faithful to its arcade parent in that
it also requires you to drive along a road, avoid other cars and try not to run
out of fuel. Sounds like my typical drive to work. There are only two
tantalising options to choose from, representing easy or hard but called level 1
and level 2 just to confuse you. Once you've picked your level, you're onto the
open road. After the starting beeps have beeped, your opponents race off, leaving
you behind to start your car and build up speed by pushing down the accelerate buttons. You have a choice of two speeds, slow or fast. Slow in this game is apparently 222 kilometres an hour. Fast is a super speedy 400 km/h. One button allows you to drive "slowly", the other makes you go faster. You can move your car left or right using the d-pad. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3y6WrxHrQ4k9jfs6ZJ89OODCclmEHtCaZyIh-5Yz5i0n7ymewXCyzZGFmqpd-6j2P2Jsli5Xk3zuG9T-IVRS5scPK8t2sA7POrc1XmSvZj3YActFsEGKT8PUjdh6aaNMkZhXUwuogj0/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151347019.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3y6WrxHrQ4k9jfs6ZJ89OODCclmEHtCaZyIh-5Yz5i0n7ymewXCyzZGFmqpd-6j2P2Jsli5Xk3zuG9T-IVRS5scPK8t2sA7POrc1XmSvZj3YActFsEGKT8PUjdh6aaNMkZhXUwuogj0/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151347019.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vrmmmmm....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In most cases, cars just let you pass them. But, some of the
drivers are twats and decide to block your way as you approach them to
overtake. They tend to drive blue or red cars. The blue cars are probably BMWs and red ones are Audis. Yep, definitely reminds me of my commute to work. Colliding with other
vehicles usually results in you spinning off to the side of the road, which causes you to explode when you reach it. But your RAC membership helps you to
get back on the road in no time - virtually instantly - ready for you to
continue your journey. It is possible to stop your car from spinning out of control after an accident by steering in the opposite direction to the one you're going in straight after having a bump. It's not easy, but might make the difference between you getting to the end of the course or falling short. You see, the car you're driving appears to be the most fuel
inefficient car in existence and loses fuel at an alarming rate. Collisions, their often inevitable explosions and the time it takes to get back on the track and back to full speed are the main drain on your fuel. Fortunately,
rainbow coloured cars carry fuel and driving into them replenishes a small
amount of fuel. Not by much, but if you collect enough, you should have just
enough to get you to your destination. Unfortunately, driving up the backsides
of rainbow cars tend to be the BMW-driving shitheads so getting hold of fuel
can sometimes be a risky manoeuvre. Superman sometimes makes a bizarre cameo
appearance, flying along the track. He awards extra fuel and points. Or maybe just points. Usually I'm so in awe by his random appearance that I don't really know what he actually does.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
At first, the game feels a bit unfair. Your car just doesn't seem
to have enough fuel to complete your journey, so collecting replenishments is
essential. Of course, the game wouldn't be that challenging otherwise so it's a
bit of a moot criticism. Once you get used to dodging the drivers who appear to
be intent on getting in your way and master the art of refuelling, the game
becomes much more tolerable and getting from one level to the next is quite
achievable, if not entirely fun.</div>
<div class="Body">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPEYPoRXjnhHWl03R15oCVnERfyzJbdm7ocp8wRVZE9zwL8tFnU1O1FYeuIKWRxkw-Y2LV2vLFcDalHkni1m3-kqP4Tj06d8igVUIYMCVEdfxVmvAxwx0Ec7fQ_I_97O6vMjXMlXZKFw/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151347578.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPEYPoRXjnhHWl03R15oCVnERfyzJbdm7ocp8wRVZE9zwL8tFnU1O1FYeuIKWRxkw-Y2LV2vLFcDalHkni1m3-kqP4Tj06d8igVUIYMCVEdfxVmvAxwx0Ec7fQ_I_97O6vMjXMlXZKFw/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151347578.png" height="375" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the end with 1 drop of fuel left. Now, how am I going to get it to the garage to fill up?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYZHnFD_WJ08NPYVEMh4BYFMFyRA5ZCQTPxt1c2sTLGPidYWsHQwwK_kGP1GJeSrbM4h6ClQZz_-3ecQ88QaCGSQyTS6wuHdbcT_p72LBAiaHcXeUi3edSS0XI1PTiYwpr38AAwH4kcU/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151346554.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYZHnFD_WJ08NPYVEMh4BYFMFyRA5ZCQTPxt1c2sTLGPidYWsHQwwK_kGP1GJeSrbM4h6ClQZz_-3ecQ88QaCGSQyTS6wuHdbcT_p72LBAiaHcXeUi3edSS0XI1PTiYwpr38AAwH4kcU/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151346554.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaboom!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Presentation is quite lacking with just a static title screen to
welcome you when switching on the game and just text on a black background when
picking your options. Its uninspiring but it does the job. Similarly, the graphics aren't
amazing but do change for each course although are more reminiscent
of early NES games than something released in 1991 (there's a reason for this, to be revealed later). The same can be said about
the sound. A tune plays at the start of the first track and when you get to the finishing line of each one, but throughout the game itself, it's just your engine noise and a few effects when overtaking BMWs or Audis, collecting rainbow cars or colliding with something. The engine noise gets a bit grating quite quickly.</div>
<div class="Body">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZgYRpDWM0nMOowmGML7Z8WhSkZliOGjKl7D5ef7R8Mzpveci3EeD_oLDQaWnLcy4j8BjyMGICCX2CbTRef4kGs3nO1WI5xwR9d7vBhmfCAfJ7ceJxhK-TO8af8jhJF5S2ok-Hre933Y/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151348339.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZgYRpDWM0nMOowmGML7Z8WhSkZliOGjKl7D5ef7R8Mzpveci3EeD_oLDQaWnLcy4j8BjyMGICCX2CbTRef4kGs3nO1WI5xwR9d7vBhmfCAfJ7ceJxhK-TO8af8jhJF5S2ok-Hre933Y/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151348339.png" height="375" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get the rainbow car for extra fuel!! I do that in real life too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
It takes a while to speed up and you definitely
don't feel like you're doing the 400 km/h that the speedo says you're doing, but there is a sense of speed and the game scrolls upwards quickly and smoothly. The
controls are also fairly responsive as you direct you car, although your car appears to move sideways rather than turn into the direction that you send it. Importantly the controls aren't too sensitive or under sensitive.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYZHnFD_WJ08NPYVEMh4BYFMFyRA5ZCQTPxt1c2sTLGPidYWsHQwwK_kGP1GJeSrbM4h6ClQZz_-3ecQ88QaCGSQyTS6wuHdbcT_p72LBAiaHcXeUi3edSS0XI1PTiYwpr38AAwH4kcU/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151346554.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYZHnFD_WJ08NPYVEMh4BYFMFyRA5ZCQTPxt1c2sTLGPidYWsHQwwK_kGP1GJeSrbM4h6ClQZz_-3ecQ88QaCGSQyTS6wuHdbcT_p72LBAiaHcXeUi3edSS0XI1PTiYwpr38AAwH4kcU/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151346554.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Already done this screenshot, haven't I? Oh well,<br />
here it is again. Kaboom!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, what exactly is wrong with the game? Basically, it's too short and isn't really much fun. There are only four courses and it's possible to complete them in about five minutes. The problem is that it is just an upwards scrolling avoid-em-up. Yes, it can be seen as a test of skills and reactions, and the game does reward skilful playing. But, although it doesn't feel like too much of a chore to play it, it just doesn't endear itself to the player in any way. It doesn't look or sound great, the red and blue cars wind you up, as do the hazards like oil slicks or pot holes in the middle of the road. Collisions result in frustration if you don't manage to salvage things before your car spins out of control and off the side of the road. It's also not easy to avoid a collision. Both buttons are used to accelerate your car, so you don't really have any brakes. The only way of slowing down is by letting go of one of the acceleration buttons. Also, your fuel depletes depending on what speed you're going at. Staying in slow gear the whole way means you lose fuel at a slower rate. So, you can quite easily get to the end of each course by just driving slowly. It makes the game easier, but takes some of the enjoyment out of it. What enjoyment there is in it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBvZSZkcfZu8y5DRkU5N5LxyOzATb_4pNnMU1ArgGP-iw6dJcbN2dyyyWVLqHwbXOT957oVp0XAfb7PrrWGLw7JbSRMvVXPlkqiwzW35qfQD670vzVZoT3VchxkZJkyStsdkhWA6ZYVw/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151349124.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBvZSZkcfZu8y5DRkU5N5LxyOzATb_4pNnMU1ArgGP-iw6dJcbN2dyyyWVLqHwbXOT957oVp0XAfb7PrrWGLw7JbSRMvVXPlkqiwzW35qfQD670vzVZoT3VchxkZJkyStsdkhWA6ZYVw/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151349124.png" height="375" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red car and the blue car had a race. And a truck and a yellow car did too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Road Fighter isn't completely unplayable and will provide a bit of fun and challenge for a short length of time. After two or three goes though, you'll have either completed it or given up and begun looking for something else to play. If you ever need a game to define the word "average" then Road Fighter would be it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0mpF99gf0GPrZYMkMdP2Mpwd3qwfcHMhQVqOCWkKKOZib0aTsEnOSeMzGLMJMyiVlijqx7q8K51rIn0u26u224J5Jq7dJifuSCtLkyEn6hi4JtBNCZd0hsgLZ96T9OBc2girfekjQHU/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151349339.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0mpF99gf0GPrZYMkMdP2Mpwd3qwfcHMhQVqOCWkKKOZib0aTsEnOSeMzGLMJMyiVlijqx7q8K51rIn0u26u224J5Jq7dJifuSCtLkyEn6hi4JtBNCZd0hsgLZ96T9OBc2girfekjQHU/s1600/Road+Fighter+%2528E%2529+%255B%2521%255D+201403151349339.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadworks and nobody doing any work. Typical!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">RATINGS</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Presentation</span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">: 30%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A dull title screen is all you get, with in-game presentation lacking. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 40%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">The sprites are small and lack suitable animation, and the backgrounds and tracks are uninspiring. Scrolling is fast and smooth though.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sound:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 45%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A couple of tunes introduce and end games, the rest of the game is made up of average sound effects. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Playability:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 55%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Frustrating at first, but there is a feeling of satisfaction once you get to grips with the game and manage to get to the end of a course with fuel to spare.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Overall:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 50%</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Definitely not the greatest NES game ever released, but certainly not the worst. Playable in small doses but not as enjoyable as it could have been.</span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwZcdb1bRvpngv2GZyavcnt7s-wSF5TAIdoBbCBRY4nCeLww77RLi6LQuIstnaFvURi59BPeVYNa1nJsS6HCzsvEg9x4bpdqC6-mpvo_FwwG_wKBOvmXoI-hLG_PLUK3qjdJUP38wMao/s1600/Road+Fighter+(J)+201403151413550.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwZcdb1bRvpngv2GZyavcnt7s-wSF5TAIdoBbCBRY4nCeLww77RLi6LQuIstnaFvURi59BPeVYNa1nJsS6HCzsvEg9x4bpdqC6-mpvo_FwwG_wKBOvmXoI-hLG_PLUK3qjdJUP38wMao/s1600/Road+Fighter+(J)+201403151413550.png" height="299" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The title screen from the game's first release.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">BREAKING THE RULES</span></b><br />
Earlier in the review, I mentioned something about Road Fighter being a good example of what happens when publishers find a way around Nintendo's strict licensing rules and why those rules existed in the first place. One of the restrictions that Nintendo placed was that publishing companies could only release a limited number of games for the NES a year, usually five. In theory, this would mean that the publishers would ensure that their games were top notch so that they could maximise sales. It would also give the NES a library of good quality games. One way of getting around this rule was by publishers setting up multiple companies, and producing games under that name. Konami set up Palcom (which later became Ultra) which doubled the number of games they could release. Konami were the developers of the Road Fighter arcade game, but released the NES conversion under their Palcom label. Incidentally, although it wasn't released in the USA and Europe until 1991, the game had actually been programmed and released in Japan for the Famicom in 1985. So, not only did the cheeky beggars use a loophole in Nintendo's licensing policy to allow them to release more games, they used their extra allowance to rerelease substandard games that they'd made years earlier. In a way, it proved that Nintendo were kind of right. A company being less limited in the number of games they can release would result in them being more likely to release crap games.</div>
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<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-82648059428969621362014-02-01T14:00:00.001-08:002014-02-01T14:04:12.625-08:00Super Adventure Island - Super Nintendo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A massive sign blocks the only way in to Adventure Island </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Game:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Super Adventure Island</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Super Nintendo</i><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Hudson Soft</i></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">1992</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Also released on:</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> <i>Nothing</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Wii Virtual Console (800 points)</i><br />
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It's 2014 and the new generation of console gaming is finally with us. Once again, the three main contenders - Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo - have put forward their offerings for this latest bout. It's still very early days, way too early to predict a victor. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both appear to have got off to great starts and seem to be pretty much neck and neck, while the Wii U, even with the advantage of a year's head start, seems to be wandering around aimlessly like somebody's drunk uncle, not sure of its place or purpose, hoping that somebody will figure out that it is a brand new console and not just a variation of the original Wii.<br />
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New technology brings new capabilities, and this will undoubtedly mean that games become more realistic. This isn't just in terms of graphics, gameplay environments, physics and suchlike. Oh no. Developers are adding more depth to the characters in their games, giving them multi-faceted personalities and a greater variety of traits. They want gamers to become more emotionally involved in games, immersing themselves in the world of the characters that they are controlling - characters with human-like flaws, complexities, prejudices, their own set of morals - good or bad. The characters may not always be likeable, but as they possess more real personalities, gamers are likely to be able to empathise with them and understand how and why they behave in the way that they do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master Higgins is toast if he doesn't make these jumps</td></tr>
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Of course, I've been empathising with video game characters for years. Master Higgins, of Adventure Island fame, is one such character I find myself relating to quite easily. You see, Master Higgins appears to frequent Adventure Island with a bizarre amount of regularity. It reminds me of my childhood when, no matter whether it was the summer holiday, Easter, half term or just a random weekend, I seemed to find myself at a caravan site in North Wales. My mum and dad having a holiday home there was probably something to do with it. I'm sure my adventures in North Wales weren't anywhere near as exciting or treacherous as Master Higgins' are in Adventure Island, but they probably come close. We once nearly got stuck in a flood near Cricceith, and I remember getting lost in the sand dunes on the beach once. I even very nearly had my very first kiss while there. And, this story of youthful romance even has a retro gaming element to it. It was the summer of 1992, and I'd spent three weeks on holiday there. I was at a special age, 13, nearly 14. And I became aware that I'd noticed a young lady with long dark hair while wandering around the arcade of an evening. I also noticed that she appeared to have spotted me too, and it became quite apparent that we spent much of the three weeks there giving each other knowing glances. On the final night, I was standing at a 5p-a-go fruit machine with a friend, watching him pump his pocket money into it in the hope he'd win the £2.50 jackpot. Behind me was the Out Run machine, and standing at it was the girl with long dark hair and her friend. All of a sudden, the friend walked over to me and asked me if I'd "go with" long dark haired girl. I froze on the spot. Back then, I didn't really understand what to "go with" somebody meant. I muttered something about having to go home the next day, which got the response "So?". After what felt like hours of standing there, wanting to say yes but not sure exactly what I'd be letting myself in for, the girl walked back to her friend at Out Run and they went away. And that was it. For years I kicked myself about the missed opportunity. Oh well. Yes, even in the romantic misadventures of my youth, retro games seem to feature. In fact, this wasn't the only time. A few years later, a <a href="http://classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/new-to-me-number-three-excitebike.html">Nintendo Entertainment System and Duck Hunt</a> hampered another opportunity.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worst date ever....</td></tr>
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Back to Adventure Island where it appears Master Higgins had more luck with the ladies than I did, seeing as one of the reasons for him going there time and time again was to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. Unlike my visits to North Wales, which have never (yet) been depicted in a video game, Master Higgins' visits to Adventure Island were immortalised in a series of games for a range of consoles, namely the NES, SNES, Gameboy, PC Engine, Wii and even the Gamate. Today we'll be looking at his first appearance on the SNES which went under the title Super Adventure Island because it was the fashion at the time to slap Super to the beginning of titles for games on the SNES. But before we do, let's take a quick look at Adventure Island's convoluted, complex but not-really-that-interesting origins.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonder Boy - Adventure Island's spiritual ancestor</td></tr>
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Adventure Island began life as the arcade platform game Wonder Boy, which featured Tom-Tom's quest to rescue his girlfriend. Being named after a sat nav, Wonder Boy easily found his way to home computers and consoles with ports appearing on the Spectrum, Amstrad, Commodore 64, SG1000, Master System and Game Gear. Hudson Soft acquired the rights to produce the game for the Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System but legend has it that they decided to change the main character. Instead of featuring a nappy-wearing toddler named after a not-yet-invented satellite navigation system, it instead featured a caricature of Hudson Soft's PR man, Takahashi Meijin. They also decided to change the game's name to Adventure Island (for Westerners anyhow - in Japan the game's title translated as Master Takahashi's Adventure Island). However, seeing as the legend in this case is Wikipedia, there's a good chance that it's wrong. Other sources suggest that, although Hudson Soft acquired the rights to the game from Wonder Boy's developers, Escape (now Westone Bit), they didn't acquire the rights to the name and its main character, which were owned by Wonder Boy's publisher, Sega. Whatever happened, Adventure Island on the NES was basically Wonder Boy with a different name and without Wonder Boy himself and with a small number of creative changes. It's not quite as good a conversion as the one for the Master System, but it's not bad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throwing an axe at an innocent looking snail in Wonder Boy (arcade version)</td></tr>
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Despite their shared beginnings, Wonder Boy and Adventure Island went on to become two independent franchises - kind of. Whereas subsequent Wonder Boy games contained more role-playing elements, Adventure Island's sequels mostly kept to the arcade platform style of the original. Wonder Boy was first followed by Wonder Boy: Monster Land in the arcade in 1987, which like its prequel received conversions for home computer and consoles aplenty, mostly under the name Wonder Boy in Monster Land, sometimes with a Super at the beginning of it. In Japan, the Master System conversion was named Wonder Boy: Monster World and was the beginning of the Monster World franchise. As with the NES conversion of Wonder Boy, Hudson Soft's conversion of Wonder Boy in Monster Land, this time for the PC Engine, featured different characters and a different name, becoming Bikkuriman World with characters based on those in a Japanese anime. To confuse things further, Hudson Soft's mobile phone port of Wonder Boy in Monster Land in 2005 was called Super Adventure Island, not to be confused with the SNES game with the same name that I'm meant to be reviewing here. I'll get there eventually.<br />
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Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair was the third and final Wonder Boy arcade game, appearing in 1988. It was converted for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1990 and PC Engine/TurboGrafx in 1988. Hudson Soft handled the PC Engine conversion and this time tampered with the name by just calling it Monster Lair. In Japan, a Master System sequel to Wonder Boy: Monster World (the one known elsewhere as Wonder Boy in Monster Land) was developed. It was to be known as Monster World II: Dragon's Trap. However, as the Master System had been dropped in Japan, the game didn't get a release over there until it later appeared on the Game Gear in 1992. But, over in Europe, where the Master System was still a big seller, the game did get released in 1989 under the title Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap. It really is one of the Master System's greatest games. Hudson Soft, once again, had their mitts on rights to this game, releasing it on the PC Engine as, um, Adventure Island. Gah! In the US for the Turbografx, it became Dragon's Curse.<br />
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After two different Wonder Boy III games, Wonder Boy's fifth appearance was on the Mega Drive, where, in 1991, he appeared in Wonder Boy in Monster World in the USA and Europe, and Wonder Boy V: Monster World III in Japan. The game also appeared on the Turbografx-CD as The Dynastic Hero. The game was also released on the Master System in Europe in 1993, keeping the name Wonder Boy in Monster World. The final game in the Wonder Boy/Monster World series was Monster World IV, a Mega Drive exclusive released only in Japan in 1994. The Wonder Boy name had been dropped from the title, and the game's main character was a girl. Monster World IV finally made it to Western shores in 2012, appearing on the Wii's Virtual Console service. Since its appearance there in 2012, no more Mega Drive games have been released on the Virtual Console.<br />
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So, that was Wonder Boy. I have a headache now. Fortunately, Adventure Island's history is slightly less complex, especially if we ignore the fact that some conversions of Wonder Boy sequels had Adventure Island in the titles. A couple of sequels followed Adventure Island on the NES, namely Adventure Island II and Adventure Island III. A fourth game appeared in Japan for the Famicom, apparently the last official Japanese Famicom game to be released. Two Adventure Island games appeared on the Gameboy, Adventure Island and Adventure Island II. Adventure Island was based on Adventure Island II for the NES, and Adventure Island II was based on the NES game Adventure Island III. Super Adventure Island and Super Adventure Island II appeared on the SNES. Super Adventure Island was released on the SNES after Adventure Island II on the NES so is the third home console Adventure Island game. The fourth was New Adventure Island for the PC Engine/Turbografx. Super Adventure Island II on the SNES went down the role playing adventuring route of the Wonder Boy sequels. This was Master Higgins' final console appearance until he returned in Adventure Island: The Beginning for the Wii in 2009. Coincidentally, I returned to the holiday park of my childhood in 2009 too. And this kind of brings my whole point about empathising with Master Higgins full circle and concludes my quick but possibly inaccurate summary of the Wonder Boy/Monster World/Adventure Island series.<br />
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One of the best things about the Wonder Boy and Adventure Island games is that many of them are still available to play on several of the latest consoles. Pretty much all of the Wonder Boy games are available on the Wii Virtual Console, along with the Adventure Island games, while some of the Wonder Boy games make appearances on the Xbox and PlayStation online services.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally rad skateboarding skillz here dude</td></tr>
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So, after an introduction which went on much longer than I anticipated, it's finally time to join Master Higgins for his first 16-Bit based trip to Adventure Island. The story begins with Master Higgins and Tina sitting atop a tree, gazing at the stars. While Master Higgins occupies himself by rubbing his head, the evil Dark Cloak casts a spell on Tina and turns her into stone. Angered, Master Higgins waves his fist at Dark Cloak as he flies away. A rather large bird picks up Master Higgins and whisks him off to Adventure Island so he can make his way to Dark Cloak's castle and give him his comeuppance. Tina remains at the top of the tree in her stone-like form. That's the plot, a plot which is clearly so great that the writer of it gets first billing in the end credits. Forget about the graphics designers, programmers, musicians and so on. Their talents are nothing compared to that of the author of the story behind Super Adventure Island.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the reason why sealions shouldn't hold their breath.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing a tree covered by snails. Nasty things snails.<br />
Totally destroyed my strawberry plant last year.</td></tr>
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Master Higgins arrives at Adventure Island unarmed, but he quickly picks up an axe which he can throw around at will. And at snails and other such creatures. At first, you can only throw one axe at a time but collecting more axes scattered around the level increases its throw rate and power. At maximum power, the axe turns a purple glowing colour and can even destroy rocks. But that's not all. You can also exchange your axe for a boomerang. The boomerang is handy for attacking enemies from long range and above or below you. The axe remains good at short range. Conveniently, the game tends to ensure that the best weapon for the task ahead is usually made available to you just when you need it. Handy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojLRe94K6LUaPpML3Ey8KpmlJk8xDxbjJPa2icsF-RzFZX8dsD292EhZB2RQIRgseSWGeYpmV6M6qiM4JsFr0epl-KuIt-2yOArHuFyaDuyA2AC3RYF0Dum1w19CcCo-xRSKEDCikvK4/s1600/a12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojLRe94K6LUaPpML3Ey8KpmlJk8xDxbjJPa2icsF-RzFZX8dsD292EhZB2RQIRgseSWGeYpmV6M6qiM4JsFr0epl-KuIt-2yOArHuFyaDuyA2AC3RYF0Dum1w19CcCo-xRSKEDCikvK4/s1600/a12.png" height="347" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An end of level baddie with a light saber. Or glow stick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSIV6CQdkPYXBLnfi-YxTRnhSomF8Z6WS3kAVdl73ovDf5nPN9YdON5bK6RwBek9Mo8T9eg1_nw3HXZGX4_7oIU-TifSc11PVLp0hgGEPYhVOsA5lUzALpfJyoZZypz0jsVkYMsVWcSc/s1600/a13.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSIV6CQdkPYXBLnfi-YxTRnhSomF8Z6WS3kAVdl73ovDf5nPN9YdON5bK6RwBek9Mo8T9eg1_nw3HXZGX4_7oIU-TifSc11PVLp0hgGEPYhVOsA5lUzALpfJyoZZypz0jsVkYMsVWcSc/s1600/a13.png" height="279" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's gone mighty chilly on Adventure Island, and Master<br />
Higgins has only packed his grass pants.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unlike the original Adventure Island/Wonder Boy, it isn't possible to make Master Higgins run faster by holding down the fire button. This can cause a few frustrations when making longer jumps as you don't get chance to build up speed and go for it. It also sometimes feels like although you've timed a jump well, you actually fall short of your target, usually resulting in your death. It is possible to do high jumps by holding down when you jump and this becomes quite easy to pull off when you get used to it. Alternatively, for greater speed, a skateboard is sometimes made available to you. Unfortunately, you can only go in one direction on it and it doesn't usually take you long until you lose it by colliding into something. If you do manage to still have it by the end of the level, you aren't able to take it onto the next.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZI5tD01nfzwa71ARIYnFvaWXEWk-YjtVmndGMKihdwO_TKi93S_Vv8A1xXsD0gzbTs-ldLMvhScCdkBP96swf6AMwFTSCkIKYipBIHWHH0yaUGhoy5oyqlaNw2y3LqAM_rEunBho6x2s/s1600/a06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZI5tD01nfzwa71ARIYnFvaWXEWk-YjtVmndGMKihdwO_TKi93S_Vv8A1xXsD0gzbTs-ldLMvhScCdkBP96swf6AMwFTSCkIKYipBIHWHH0yaUGhoy5oyqlaNw2y3LqAM_rEunBho6x2s/s1600/a06.png" height="347" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Special stage a go-go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOD-rEnnSe1cgBHi_uKR3Vg_vKap_V5aCTe6jYXQ1pWeX1PMxGcIxSUdyAgCgE3Kq9DBDawhde7oTx0v5B6mWfVfHDqk_mw-pYh1AqVH62_y6oGGhRZB4nS_ePCTBG20CKGhq8Yyx_Eo/s1600/a07.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOD-rEnnSe1cgBHi_uKR3Vg_vKap_V5aCTe6jYXQ1pWeX1PMxGcIxSUdyAgCgE3Kq9DBDawhde7oTx0v5B6mWfVfHDqk_mw-pYh1AqVH62_y6oGGhRZB4nS_ePCTBG20CKGhq8Yyx_Eo/s1600/a07.png" height="278" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the belly of a beast. Looks like he's been eating <br />
pinepple and kiwi, and eels.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Super Adventure Island is split over five stages each containing three areas plus a boss bottle. Most levels are your typical left to right side scrolling affairs, although there are a couple of upwards scrolling and swimming levels, plus that old platform game favourite, a mine cart level. There are also special stages available, although accessing them appears to be by throwing your weapon into an empty space - good luck remembering where you found the special stages when trying to locate them again! Each level, area, or whatever you want to call it is different to each other in appearance- no two levels are the same. Even so, the game does feel a bit repetitive as the basic format remains the same throughout. Run, jump and smash the crap out of the weird and wonderful creatures of Adventure Island with your axes and boomerangs. Each level is also quite short, with most (once you get used to them) taking only a minute or two to get through. This means that you don't really get the opportunity to feel immersed in the theme of the level that you're in - it just seems that you're passing through them. The end of stage boss battle is varied for each one, but they remain consistent in that they're all a piece of piss to beat. The only one that offers any challenge is the final one, but this isn't a battle as such as it doesn't require you to use any weapons. A battle of wits and skill maybe. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfhFXrt929VA8ulJC7JDfUd-uQqlTRxaDhyphenhyphenZOSYwohz_vtboclq22VigFOtEbmf4fme_t4-Du9vsStp6NMyWFjWbWMiteOJ50QVmQ3Or2pYN2dYY6bL1oDZcAbRE1RWNk5wq2P_jMJl4/s1600/a10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfhFXrt929VA8ulJC7JDfUd-uQqlTRxaDhyphenhyphenZOSYwohz_vtboclq22VigFOtEbmf4fme_t4-Du9vsStp6NMyWFjWbWMiteOJ50QVmQ3Or2pYN2dYY6bL1oDZcAbRE1RWNk5wq2P_jMJl4/s1600/a10.png" height="348" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The obligitory mine cart level. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8Cg_63jXwqsU5xBjyLR_sL2tf9K0GqFOTCHbwGqdHB14P9ZuowfAYrdc8K9OAF4UcOriO7iKAv0BO29Da27iLD7tnN3y1Eg7bG4YVpWUltF7B9Lz5_pEXxHRq24sqUcuzidFe4KHy6I/s1600/a09.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8Cg_63jXwqsU5xBjyLR_sL2tf9K0GqFOTCHbwGqdHB14P9ZuowfAYrdc8K9OAF4UcOriO7iKAv0BO29Da27iLD7tnN3y1Eg7bG4YVpWUltF7B9Lz5_pEXxHRq24sqUcuzidFe4KHy6I/s1600/a09.png" height="278" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting a foe in the forest. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The graphics in the game are great, and remain consistently high throughout. Levels are colourful, sprites are large and detailed and everything looks the part. Music is also fantastic too and is more representative of early nineties dance and R&B than typical videogame music. The man behind the tunes was none other than Yuzo Koshiro, better known for composing the famous soundtrack of the Streets of Rage games. Overall, the game feels very polished, and doesn't bother itself with unnecessary intermissions and cut scenes. It just keeps to the arcade game style of Wonder Boy. In a way, this is one of its problems. It perhaps feels too much like an arcade game for a console. It's addictive (if a little frustrating at first) and easily draws you in, but it doesn't last long at all. You'll keep coming back for more because, each time, you get a little better at it. But, once it's completed, there isn't really any return value. And playing it through doesn't give you a feeling of being part of an adventure in a series of engrossing worlds. It's great that the game tries not to repeat the themes of levels over and over again, but you just don't have time to even feel part of a level before you're on to something completely different. You can have the game done in half an hour, which simply isn't good value for a game that would have cost you £40 on release. It's undoubtedly a fun little game which looks and sounds great, but it's frustrating in parts, a bit too short and it isn't really that captivating. Nowhere near as captivating as my holidays in North Wales were.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRmnxvKlq54qHW21aowb_HLt8H2gqEmpfoz2Bq0VOLO-D6k5S9P9wZSYQDnSpSZJuGB2sOmgFwILmkRfiZ-aLPMk-tMEstPAtkgC8kh5QDCuEp1ADXJe10Yyxa2esAzUWG6vlKT_imdg/s1600/a14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRmnxvKlq54qHW21aowb_HLt8H2gqEmpfoz2Bq0VOLO-D6k5S9P9wZSYQDnSpSZJuGB2sOmgFwILmkRfiZ-aLPMk-tMEstPAtkgC8kh5QDCuEp1ADXJe10Yyxa2esAzUWG6vlKT_imdg/s1600/a14.png" height="348" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After years in the spotlight, Dumbo turned to a life of drugs and drink and general rebellious activity. Here he is at <br />
a particularly difficult stage in his life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAhEsp1D0yWwm_SNR_hUtMO5bcCFHgPSzO9Lw8Tb4CYJFgexf1dphylTZ5OuYIM49xbmg1AtLF2GE5WLKWSY0d2bZSAGFhSOy00PY6m0JsBSb85QxmIvNdyqUWq5xWX0PRReo75XGyvc/s1600/a11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAhEsp1D0yWwm_SNR_hUtMO5bcCFHgPSzO9Lw8Tb4CYJFgexf1dphylTZ5OuYIM49xbmg1AtLF2GE5WLKWSY0d2bZSAGFhSOy00PY6m0JsBSb85QxmIvNdyqUWq5xWX0PRReo75XGyvc/s1600/a11.png" height="279" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>RATINGS</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><b>Presentation</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">: 80%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A title screen and animated introduction are all there really is presentation-wise, but this feels right for the game. Less is more as they say. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #990000;">Graphics:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 85%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Although they don't push the SNES's abilities too much, the game features large colourful sprites and a great variety of graphics which represent each level's theme well, although the graphic designer's efforts are a little wasted as you don't get chance to look at them for very long. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #990000;">Sound</span>:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 90%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A selection of funky tunes plays throughout the game and add some coolness to the game. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #990000;">Playability</span>:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 80%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">The game feels a bit clunky at first, especially if you're used to controlling the main character in the original Adventure Island/Wonder Boy, but once you're used to it, it becomes quite an enjoyable game to play. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"><span style="color: #990000;">Overall</span>:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> 82%</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">A true arcade-style platform game. Not the greatest SNES game, and probably a bit too linear and short to retain your attention, but most definitely worth a look.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Super Adventure Island playthrough on YouTube</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Oh yes, not only have I spent forever trying to write this review, I've also played the game through, recorded it and uploaded it to YouTube. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-nrFpYFGgpc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-76255507142726283962013-09-07T16:02:00.000-07:002013-09-10T14:32:11.610-07:00Psycho Fox - Sega Master System: Retro Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYLE-DF8esEMAwu0NzBEMVqtxjw3zTE5tzaguVdAODQIYvi4pJ_11BqS8YD_KY8dXnzk_yn0tmGXyZKE4u_-zF-qlEhMHDfOBB7IPItQxL5uQdQIeY0WIc5BXWPxmprHnM8C8kvCrNOw/s1600/pf.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYLE-DF8esEMAwu0NzBEMVqtxjw3zTE5tzaguVdAODQIYvi4pJ_11BqS8YD_KY8dXnzk_yn0tmGXyZKE4u_-zF-qlEhMHDfOBB7IPItQxL5uQdQIeY0WIc5BXWPxmprHnM8C8kvCrNOw/s320/pf.png" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Game:</strong></span> <em>Psycho Fox</em><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></strong> <em>Sega Master System</em><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span></strong> <em>Vic Tokai, Sega</em><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></strong> <em>1989</em><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Also released on:</strong></span> <em>Nothing</em> <br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></strong> <em>Nothing</em><br />
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Many people associate the Master System with Alex Kidd. Some associate it with Wonder Boy and some even associate it with Sonic the Hedgehog. Each character featured in multiple games for Sega's 8-bit machine, but there was another platform star whose appearance on the console was well-received at the time and is remembered by those who knew him with fondness today. That character was Psycho Fox who featured in a game which bore his name in 1989.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTaEM8d6VXC9wskwCXb5EEwH0iow0aev5WC6O6EuuwhfTGLvQmtrEbEUCdI2Ljhyphenhyphenitve17rEY08lSgscVEfeLRH71dgcVE7hBv9gvZkYu6r5jeVOWLo9tc_tHNAcBggXqQ5xq-NnAoho/s1600/pf2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTaEM8d6VXC9wskwCXb5EEwH0iow0aev5WC6O6EuuwhfTGLvQmtrEbEUCdI2Ljhyphenhyphenitve17rEY08lSgscVEfeLRH71dgcVE7hBv9gvZkYu6r5jeVOWLo9tc_tHNAcBggXqQ5xq-NnAoho/s320/pf2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Psycho Fox throws the bird.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As with most platform games, it's Psycho Fox's job to rid the world of some troublemaker who has some dastardly plan to do bad stuff. I'm sure the troublemaker and his intended bad stuff is described in the instruction manual somewhere, but I really can't be bothered to find out. The text on the back of the box just talks about Psycho Fox being "an adventure game centering around the entertaining and thrilling escapades of a very special fox", who "ventures into many strange worlds to conquer the strange beasts and boss monsters he encounters." It then goes on to say the same thing in other European languages. Well, at least I think it's the same thing. There could actually be six completely different descriptions of the same game on the boxes for European releases. The text on the box for the US release is slightly less generic and asks if you're bored of rescuing princesses, sick of dungeons and "mother brain". What the fudge is "mother brain"??!! It basically suggests that, if so, Psycho Fox is the game for you. It also talks about the world needing saving from Madfox Daimyojin. It also asks if you've heard of Zizo Zizo or Poola. Apparently these are some of the unheard-of enemies that you'll encounter. I suppose they wouldn't be able to be described as unheard-of if you'd actually heard of them. Oh yes, we need more analysis of the descriptions of games from their boxes in the future.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Uuzx9DHI5odb94BOYKzeLUh61uVj2zWUwMAfxVkWCjKjo6J37r3rR-GrP_WioyRnwu4oX04mkQKvxPm_gkb82chjmtCSYXOUHgxhyXryH9zM5lgAxXIV3Aei2gCa5gMkdMaflHByTew/s1600/pf4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Uuzx9DHI5odb94BOYKzeLUh61uVj2zWUwMAfxVkWCjKjo6J37r3rR-GrP_WioyRnwu4oX04mkQKvxPm_gkb82chjmtCSYXOUHgxhyXryH9zM5lgAxXIV3Aei2gCa5gMkdMaflHByTew/s400/pf4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What on earth?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, the game itself. Psycho Fox must travel through many strange worlds to defeat Madfox. Although the strange worlds don't actually appear that strange - there's your usual desert, ice, cloud, underground levels on offer here - some of the creatures that inhabit the worlds are very bizarre, and there are some unique ideas in the levels to set the game apart from its contemporaries.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfi_TKvIuWhCfkGQorKtz2yfRccaqR_P8YxKt8Y714Ao8zkHculSxHIvRgEV3Hu3vtgUokEukKEAJfO8VN2190cdDAxrZZcHwlEZ4me3A7rfp0Mcn3fqujcuuikegxszXwXB5qGQ3Z0I/s1600/pf5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfi_TKvIuWhCfkGQorKtz2yfRccaqR_P8YxKt8Y714Ao8zkHculSxHIvRgEV3Hu3vtgUokEukKEAJfO8VN2190cdDAxrZZcHwlEZ4me3A7rfp0Mcn3fqujcuuikegxszXwXB5qGQ3Z0I/s320/pf5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Invincibility a go-go.</td></tr>
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As his name suggests, Psycho Fox is a bit of a nutter. Like Mario, he can defeat enemies by jumping on them. But, unlike everybody's favourite Brooklyn-based plumber, Mr Fox is not content to just bounce on nasties and move on. He can land on enemies multiple times, pounding on them again and again until they are buried deep underground. If a semi-buried enemy tries to get out, just jump on it another time to make sure it doesn't try to escape again. Alternatively, Psycho Fox can just walk up to an enemy and punch them in their face. Or, if the enemy is too far away, he can throw a bird at them instead. Yes, even for a fox, Psycho Fox seems quite disturbed. The bird that Psycho Fox throws at enemies is called Birdfly. You can find Birdfly in eggs scattered around the levels. Being a fox with clearly psychotic tendencies, Psycho Fox cracks open eggs by thumping them. After being thrown, Birdfly will loyally return to Psycho Fox, ready to be thrown again. Maybe Birdfly is a bit of a hardnut too. Birdfly also acts as a shield. Usually if you collide with an enemy, you lose a life. But if you're carrying Birdfly, he will vanish but allow you to retain your life. Finding Birdfly again is a simple case of smashing open more eggs and hoping he's in one of them. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1yparilgttjpB0hLSTre7YMoPZnk9TZguJXdINaO-kTk9uwSoEOrQu0CxREA9NWHHH8QVvn9272AkoLJURABi2qBG9Ma85HGgyStMLcetFhjmmzOSw4yCKXeKYXKT4OsY0RN83QsDrg/s1600/pf6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1yparilgttjpB0hLSTre7YMoPZnk9TZguJXdINaO-kTk9uwSoEOrQu0CxREA9NWHHH8QVvn9272AkoLJURABi2qBG9Ma85HGgyStMLcetFhjmmzOSw4yCKXeKYXKT4OsY0RN83QsDrg/s400/pf6.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spray that insect thing with insect spray and it'll buzz off.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsx4AstBuOl31Fak3To1LSmcLZ8Ab31ulRGZzaXlWMNq1qGmgAR4pUyowE0fy_tuwmCisQliFk45xY-JyfNVsSYU9PY0YDrR7l-gRYiNaWoZu_9aBV2uh8LUwQT4YQVn2gEAfBeMR74Q/s1600/pf7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsx4AstBuOl31Fak3To1LSmcLZ8Ab31ulRGZzaXlWMNq1qGmgAR4pUyowE0fy_tuwmCisQliFk45xY-JyfNVsSYU9PY0YDrR7l-gRYiNaWoZu_9aBV2uh8LUwQT4YQVn2gEAfBeMR74Q/s320/pf7.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Psycho Fox as Tiger on level three</td></tr>
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It's not just Birdfly that you can find in eggs. Other eggs contain special items, extra lives or bags of money. But not all eggs contain Brucie Bonuses. Some eggs are empty, while others contain enemies. The sneaky beggars! The special items that you collect get stored in an inventory which you can access by pausing the game. The items to choose from in this screen are a Psycho Stick (which also goes by the name of the stick of the Shinto Purification - ???!!), a straw effigy and a potion. Using the effigy makes the screen go wibbly-wobbly and destroys all enemies on the screen. The potion makes Psycho Fox invincible for a short period. And the Psycho Stick, or the Shinto Purification thingy, allows you to transform Psycho Fox into another animal: a hippo, monkey or tiger. Each animal has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, the hippo is slow, doesn't jump as high, but has an extra-strong punch, useful for breaking down some otherwise indestructible walls. The monkey jumps high while the tiger runs fast. Psycho Fox in his foxy form is a good all rounder. You will remain as the animal you've changed into for as long as you wish to. Just use another Psycho Stick to change into something else.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipu5c1enTCEYSpRBV-Fj6JzuFEvv_EOCca_C4H9zi76_B6ZhrxB_ftPK0WYhBQWmBApsc8hZrK-GnmbGipghn6JjoWf1PHa9mBUE4SZBcuRINF3PTb1izxzvzYOn_jgBDsVH4hUfcMoVI/s1600/pf3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipu5c1enTCEYSpRBV-Fj6JzuFEvv_EOCca_C4H9zi76_B6ZhrxB_ftPK0WYhBQWmBApsc8hZrK-GnmbGipghn6JjoWf1PHa9mBUE4SZBcuRINF3PTb1izxzvzYOn_jgBDsVH4hUfcMoVI/s320/pf3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonus level! Get yer bonus level 'ere!</td></tr>
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So, what about the money bags you collect? Well, after each round, you get to gamble it away. In a quick bonus round, Psycho Fox is presented with 5 pathways. At the end of each pathway is a prize. You have to choose which pathway to send Psycho Fox along and will win the prize at the end of the path. As you can collect multiple bags of cash on your way, you can bet on multiple paths. Or you can place multiple bets on one path. So, if you collect five bags of cash, you can bet on each path which guarantees that you win each prize. Be warned though, because one of the prizes is a boobie prize. Not a pair of tits, but a hole which Psycho Fox will fall down if he reaches it. All that happens if he does is that he doesn't win anything for that path, but will still win the prizes at the end of any of the other paths he reaches. The prizes that can be won are the special items found throughout the game plus an extra life, or the chance to play on a number stopper thing (apparently it's a shrine). Whatever number you stop it on will grant you that number of lives. And depending on how many bets you placed on that path, the number of lives you get will be multiplied. The bonus round is a fun little interlude and gives you the opportunity to build up a healthy number of lives. Get lucky and you can get up to 25 extra lives on the bonus round.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bouncing around on level 5. That thing to above left of Mr Fox is blowing air which will push him to the right. </td></tr>
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Levels are split into three rounds with a boss at the end of each third round. For some bosses, you are provided with an item to help you to defeat them. This may be a pesticide spray or an air gun. Some are defeated using more traditional means, and the end battle is a good old 8-bit battle of wits and skill. Unfortunately, each boss - including the final one - only requires three hits to be defeated, so the battles don't tend too last long at all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOpWhIMGGG-X8Q23JBpmSfWtKEOpoVF6GOkI4OAHyFz7B5QisFU32kjWLcTE5xbgJI6ogzggJU67x4vjBX8ZMu7dFTGDOdHxpmwtkPjkZmcJfAx7aTKM3arP1CDbpslcdWH0456uYZXI/s1600/pf9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkOpWhIMGGG-X8Q23JBpmSfWtKEOpoVF6GOkI4OAHyFz7B5QisFU32kjWLcTE5xbgJI6ogzggJU67x4vjBX8ZMu7dFTGDOdHxpmwtkPjkZmcJfAx7aTKM3arP1CDbpslcdWH0456uYZXI/s320/pf9.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barney the dinosaur has a problem with bees.</td></tr>
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Each level in Psycho Fox is full of colour and cartoon-like in appearance, with everything well drawn and animated. The music is of a good standard too, well-suited to the game, although the last few levels seem to use the same tunes for some reason. It is one of the better-looking and sounding Master System games. But it's also good fun to play. At first, Psycho Fox feels a little sluggish to get moving, gradually building up speed as he goes along. And if you play the game cautiously, it will feel quite slow and frustrating to play as you never get the chance to get up to a good pace. It's best just to go for it, running, jumping and thumping your way through the levels and hoping for the best. But even following this strategy can be a pain as it's simply not possible to maintain it. All too often, Psycho Fox will come up against something which will stop him in his tracks and cause him to have to slow down. And when Psycho Fox goes slow, he goes real slow. Heaven knows how I used to play this on my PAL Master System back in the day, but I do remember loving this game! There are also a lot of blind jumps in the game. They don't often lead to deaths, but it would be nice to be able to make informed decisions about where you want to send the crazy fox next. Repeat play does reap rewards though, as the more you get used to the levels, the easier it is to remember what is coming up, and the more fun the game becomes.<br />
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There are some nice touches to the game. A way of getting over a large body of water is to build up enough speed and running into it. You'll find that whichever character you're controlling will skim on its ass across the water. Apart from the hippo who just falls in. Well he does whenever I try. There is a wind level with wind blowers which suspend your character in the air, and bendy poles which you can run and jump into which fling you off at speed, height and distance. The key to making the most of these is to hit them as fast and as high as you can. There are also the usual platform game features, such as bridges which fall away as you walk over them and steps that turn into slides, or statues that come alive. There are also hidden bonus stages. These are usually found accidentally by throwing Bird Fly into what appears to be empty space. Bird Fly will hit a point in the emptiness, causing a crack to appear. Throwing him a couple of times will cause the crack to become a hole (should have gone to Autoglass). Go into this hole and you'll find yourself in a secret level. In a blatant copy of Super Mario Bros, Psycho Fox (or Psycho Hippo, Monkey or Tiger) can go down a tube which will bring him out in another level. It's possible to get to the final level in the game through a secret level found in the first level of it. Bit pointless though, but it's possible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh2Zm2_DeaHfGxyuyNhbbkl1MX1IzXqgqImiPgcmBw6WmeewF49hbDrNjUUSrBAXZVOWnkBrTlr3JUU1KTnAhZv8uNxQ8rtgYb6AWHsOB93YKOAp5U4BQJJwJSLhMf0brojK9bT5qsUY/s1600/pf10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh2Zm2_DeaHfGxyuyNhbbkl1MX1IzXqgqImiPgcmBw6WmeewF49hbDrNjUUSrBAXZVOWnkBrTlr3JUU1KTnAhZv8uNxQ8rtgYb6AWHsOB93YKOAp5U4BQJJwJSLhMf0brojK9bT5qsUY/s400/pf10.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmm.... Not a lot to say here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIWAPhnsN8ueoLvj4rD9xEOIsABP6bJEwEJUe5p4TayL7RER_25S5jVlQKnbZEOYk8wAxEUiAO1uGjeoCA2xgICyELK7UKp5DbJrYyXwCKOGS_iZ1vJTQDF41OVT0VEnrYyWmdnfd2sc/s1600/pf11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIWAPhnsN8ueoLvj4rD9xEOIsABP6bJEwEJUe5p4TayL7RER_25S5jVlQKnbZEOYk8wAxEUiAO1uGjeoCA2xgICyELK7UKp5DbJrYyXwCKOGS_iZ1vJTQDF41OVT0VEnrYyWmdnfd2sc/s320/pf11.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final battle with Madfox. Get him!</td></tr>
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Psycho Fox isn't a hard game, nor is it that easy, but the abundance of extra lives and unlimited continues means it is possible to complete it fairly quickly with a bit of persistence. It never gets to the point of being insanely difficult or with any parts where you can get stuck for days without being able to figure out how to get any further. Despite being a bit sluggish at first and having some blind leaps of faith every now again, it doesn't feel too unfair to play. It really is a great title, looking, sounding and playing well, and it's a shame that Psycho Fox didn't go onto have further adventures or achieve greater recognition as he certainly deserved it.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>RATINGS</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Presentation</strong></span>: 90%<br />
<span style="color: black;">A bright, cartoon intro screen and a high level of presentation throughout. A great ending sequence too.</span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Graphics:</span></strong> 92%<br />
Some of the Master System's best. Colourful, well-defined and varied.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Sound</span>:</strong> 85%<br />
It wasn't easy to make the Master System sound good, but this game doesn't make it sound bad at all.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Playability</span>:</strong> 83%<br />
Takes a little bit of getting into due because of its initial sluggishness and frustrating collisions with enemies that you don't see coming, but becomes much more fun the more you stick with it. The game features plenty of variety, surreal enemies and lots of great ideas which are mostly well-implemented. <br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Overall</span>:</strong> 84%<br />
An often over-looked Master System gem. <br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Being a psycho on other consoles</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hWij8eSLc_jmh8WdJ88Zvg1jvxElkvJUnJSrtDGXPwxOQsgrGulWopEZvQrnZLW_icngu0t0O1GYDHWnQuD-naC_gwD76pVwCHr8zlNjsrxpAX1JH8-AR2iTmkf6EhIznwWWd0ECdkE/s1600/kk.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hWij8eSLc_jmh8WdJ88Zvg1jvxElkvJUnJSrtDGXPwxOQsgrGulWopEZvQrnZLW_icngu0t0O1GYDHWnQuD-naC_gwD76pVwCHr8zlNjsrxpAX1JH8-AR2iTmkf6EhIznwWWd0ECdkE/s320/kk.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kid Kool. Pure turd on a NES cart.</td></tr>
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Psycho Fox was a Master System exclusive and the character has never appeared anywhere else. But, the game itself did. Kind of. Games were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Mega Drive by the developers of Psycho Fox which were so similar in design and in gameplay that they are pretty much Psycho Fox in different clothes. And with different level layouts. Kid Kool was the NES version. But it's pretty much unplayable. Kid Kool is able to land on enemies and pound them into the ground, just like Psycho Fox. He is also able to collect a Bird Fly-like creature, although obtaining him seems to be through random luck, and he can throw him around at enemies. But there is no punch ability, and the game has a weird vertical scrolling feature where if you go to the top of the screen, rather than the screen following you and scrolling upwards, it flips upwards. So, if you happen to jump quite high, the screen flips up and then back down. There are too many blind falls and, urgh, the game is just a mess.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyqZ7TNay802yWhgpml3PaydZS0WDWdhV_phEtI_oaeu4r9SwXCaJk1D9rwPSAPQ2dyXGQ2T7PwdAd8QLOCkIKby7Jyn8P_r8RlI5Uhu2jEjLSmul-K9492EYXckpbQeg6bU4tIlQyfY/s1600/mhat.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyqZ7TNay802yWhgpml3PaydZS0WDWdhV_phEtI_oaeu4r9SwXCaJk1D9rwPSAPQ2dyXGQ2T7PwdAd8QLOCkIKby7Jyn8P_r8RlI5Uhu2jEjLSmul-K9492EYXckpbQeg6bU4tIlQyfY/s320/mhat.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wacky Japanese Mega Drive remake of Psycho Fox.</td></tr>
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The Mega Drive was home to two reprogrammed versions of Psycho Fox. Both were actually almost the same game, just with different graphics and characters. In Japan, the game was Magical Flying Hat Turbo Adventure. In the west, it was Decap Attack. The Japanese version appears to be based in the Middle East and, like Psycho Fox, features colourful, cartoony graphics and similar bonus stages. As it was based on a Japanese anime, the rights of which weren't obtained for a western release, Magical Flying Hat Turbo Adventure became Decap Attack. This used a horror theme instead. Graphics were less colourful, more in fitting with the game's theme, and the music was changed too. But the gameplay remained pretty much the same. Both games though are highly playable and are worth looking out for. Decap Attack is regularly rereleased on Mega Drive compilations and on download services. You can get it as part of the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and as individual downloads on Steam and through Sega's own website. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAZR7jRbFswemPUtY_Oj2D5QvhVqj8q15Z0fE1rmJqmdQTt4O0h0V_B9y9ux8fW7Z-k9pBpudIQ4jn04BUeBD4R5dGbMtG3GUY3ZE9P_olaxJgQz7FinqD6sS1cuPVLwMgI4bT2OPsW4/s1600/da.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAZR7jRbFswemPUtY_Oj2D5QvhVqj8q15Z0fE1rmJqmdQTt4O0h0V_B9y9ux8fW7Z-k9pBpudIQ4jn04BUeBD4R5dGbMtG3GUY3ZE9P_olaxJgQz7FinqD6sS1cuPVLwMgI4bT2OPsW4/s400/da.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The more horrific Western Mega Drive/Genesis remake of Psycho Fox </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYql-qP4jxPQriNJTcMh2M75V9mlK48KU7Z87IKO10L1W5Wt8f6-_x5PvnmtqzYCg_x6yDsWjctk1eFN5wnq2c6ArpcM_qvg39b9B0ubTQx7xIhS2E4NuefAmPy5On3Iwx4kip3MeabBc/s1600/pfbra.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYql-qP4jxPQriNJTcMh2M75V9mlK48KU7Z87IKO10L1W5Wt8f6-_x5PvnmtqzYCg_x6yDsWjctk1eFN5wnq2c6ArpcM_qvg39b9B0ubTQx7xIhS2E4NuefAmPy5On3Iwx4kip3MeabBc/s320/pfbra.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Back to the Master System, where Psycho Fox saw a rerelease under another guise. In Brazil, where the Master System was massive and is still fairly popular, Tec Toy updated the game in the mid-nineties to feature characters from a comic book series. The game was called <em>Sapo Xulé: Os Invasores do Brejo</em> and in it Psycho Fox became a frog while the other characters were a pig, turtle and a mouse. Despite the character changes, the game played identically to the original.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Playthrough video</strong></span><br />
Here's a video of me playing Psycho Fox from start to finish, and amassing a huge number of lives in the process, mostly down to a flukey go on the bonus level.<br />
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-43830345837835085472013-08-08T15:16:00.001-07:002013-08-08T15:16:24.153-07:00Right Royal Retro Baby GamesTo celebrate the birth of Prince George, the first child of Duke and Duchess Cambridge and the boy who will one day be King, here are some right royal retro games featuring babies. But not royal ones.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999;"><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Brat</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999;"><em>Atari ST, Commodore Amiga (Image Works, </em></span><em><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999;">1991)</span></em><br />
Released for the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga, Brat is a baby who needs direction, and probably some love and affection. If not, he'll probably get some sort of attention deficit disorder and in twenty years time will become some sort of vigilante computer hacker. In this game, Brat walks in a straight line on a suspended landscape. It is your job to ensure that he doesn't fall off the floating world that he inhabits or come a cropper by hitting any of the obstacles that get in his way. You do this simply by placing objects on his route, mostly direction arrows which tell Brat which direction to take, but there are some other items to place which can be used to combat some of the obstacles. The game is a bit like an isometric Lemmings, quite a simple idea and well-presented, but unfortunately hard and frustrating to play due to being very unforgiving if you make mistakes. Brat is also one of those annoying kids wearing sunglasses, a leather jacket and a sideways baseball cap, a style that has never ever been cool.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Jack the Nipper</span></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #999999;">ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, MSX (Gremlin Graphics, 1986)</span></em><br />
Taking the role of a trouble-making toddler, you get to explore various comic-book style locations with the aim to cause as much madness and mayhem as possible. If Grand Theft Auto was a 8-bit computer game featuring babies, then this would have been it. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck</span></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #999999;">Commodore Amiga, Amiga CD32, Sega Master System, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Gear, Mega-CD (Core Design, 1993)</span></em><br />
A side-scrolling platform game featuring Chuck Rock's son. He doesn't quite have his dad's belly yet so defeats enemies using a club. Pretty standard platform fare from a time when pretty standard platformers were abundant. The graphics and sound are great as you'd expect from a Core Design game, but the game itself was lost amongst its competition so is probably not so well-remembered.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfiK1jwjg2Th9EblAXwRuY2o8pHzaD-KLL-SWqVN5JsK8UXdyoifjRsG0elEZkASpGqTE1PCRZSZ6slf35auO4tE5hW16xAJ8UeNpJbLxxvcozULvhKIBkhbRuouAj3EvYUUJM79we4A/s1600/b7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfiK1jwjg2Th9EblAXwRuY2o8pHzaD-KLL-SWqVN5JsK8UXdyoifjRsG0elEZkASpGqTE1PCRZSZ6slf35auO4tE5hW16xAJ8UeNpJbLxxvcozULvhKIBkhbRuouAj3EvYUUJM79we4A/s320/b7.png" width="320" /></a><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Wonder Boy</span></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #999999;">Arcade (Sega, 1986), Sega SG-1000. Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear (as Revenge of Drancon in USA), ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Mobile Phone, Wii Virtual Console (rerelease of Master System version)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #999999;">Also released as Adventure Island on Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX, Gameboy Advance, Gamate, Gamecube, PlayStation 2, Wii Virtual Console (release of NES version)</span></em><br />
We're not sure if Wonder Boy is a baby or just a kid who hasn't yet been potty-trained. Whatever he is, he roams dangerous landscapes wearing a nappy while throwing axes at enemies and beheading end-of-level bosses like some sort of crazed loon in a quest to rescue his girlfriend Tanya. On his journey, Wonder Boy picks up fruit and milk for energy and dolls for bonus points. Sega's Wonder Boy was a fantastically playable arcade game which was converted to consoles and computers aplenty. It was renamed Adventure Island and slightly altered for the Nintendo and MSX. Both Wonder Boy and Adventure Island then continued as two separate gaming franchises with numerous sequels. Whereas Wonder Boy follow-ups became more adventure-based, Adventure Island sequels stuck to being arcade-style platformers. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Sims</span></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #999999;">PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, GameCube (Maxis, Electronic Arts, 2000, 2003)</span></em><br />
EA and Maxiseseseses' life sim gave gamers the ability to direct virtual human beings through their day-to-day lives. From the mundane events like emptying the bin and going for a wee (or just leaving them to piss themselves) to major life events like getting a job or building an extension on your house to turn it into a games room. Another large part of the game was forming relationships, especially romantic relationships. You could get your Sims to fall in love by flirting, chatting, telling jokes, dancing or attempting a sneaky kiss. Once your Sims had taken that first step in the path of romance, it doesn't take them long to decide to have a baby. After making the decision, the conception, pregnancy and birth happens in seconds and a baby in its basket suddenly appears in your front room. The game then becomes all about looking after your virtual sprog, feeding, changing and cleaning them in the hope that the authorities don't come knocking to take it away. So, if you want to imagine what life is like for Will and Kate, create your own make-believe Royal couple and get them to have a baby.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGUWqXx91Lp3MS1yO6o_rYBRw_pFviVUxVpC9-pP0bjjCUw73gfNTgWhUj1dN7qvdkpmbKaQSnhSnCNt2nRjScfclzYR30un9rp5PqeFVm_RJQLTn1ruKdyE17B6BA34visVnMCI9wqc/s1600/b10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGUWqXx91Lp3MS1yO6o_rYBRw_pFviVUxVpC9-pP0bjjCUw73gfNTgWhUj1dN7qvdkpmbKaQSnhSnCNt2nRjScfclzYR30un9rp5PqeFVm_RJQLTn1ruKdyE17B6BA34visVnMCI9wqc/s320/b10.png" width="320" /></a><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Baby's Day Out</span></strong><br />
<em><span style="color: #999999;">Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (Hi-Tech Entertainment, 1994)</span></em><br />
According to movies in the 1990s, parents were shite. They always seemed to forget their kids. The McCallisters managed to lose Kevin twice in two Home Alone films, and in Baby's Day Out, some infant went for a jolly by itself. I guess anyway. I've never actually seen the film in full. A game based on the film Baby's Day Out was programmed for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis but was never released. In fact, the game was never actually finished, but what does exist of it - you can find it online if you know where to look - is a heap of stinking crap that probably couldn't have been salvaged and turned into anything worth playing. It might explain why a completed version was never put onto a cartridge. The idea of the game is to guide Baby to the exit of each level. You do this by controlling what looks like an angel, who opens doors, moves objects, and basically makes the route safe. The controls are horrible, gameplay is completely unintuative, the graphics dull and depressing, and I don't think there's any sound to speak of. Or I'd forgotten to turn on my speakers when I played it.<br />
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-49029062535328865472013-07-19T15:42:00.000-07:002013-07-19T15:42:18.406-07:00Neighbours (Commodore 64) - TV Tie-ins: Number Two<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2ItKmYMmhSsyZm3fL2QI9l-w7J6YrzjZv4XFnwTYFVdk1BoqK4M8AKHC0QT8L7D4kc28wzDIt8MRox5iLLy6QYSyEue17De47X262Orxf8qMTxP7V2g29XVu10hcy-xAGaN9G1c02jo/s1600/n5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't come the raw prawn with me, ya flamin' gallah!</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Game:</span></strong> <em>Neighbours</em><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Format:</span></strong> <em>Commodore 64</em><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developer:</span></strong> <em>Impulze</em><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Year Released:</span></strong> <em>1991</em><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Also released on:</strong></span> <em>ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga</em><br /><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now available on:</span></strong> <em>Nothing</em><br />
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Neighbours, everybody needs good Neighbours. With a little understanding, you can find the perfect blend. And so on. Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, <em>everybody</em> watched Neighbours. They might not admit it but, every evening at 5.35pm, after Children's BBC had finished, millions of people tuned their television sets to BBC One to find out what the residents of Ramsey Street had been up to. This was the era of Madge and Harold, Mrs Mangle and Bouncer, Jim, Paul and Lucy Robinson, Helen Daniels, Jane and Mike (played by Guy Pearce) and of course, Scott and Charlene, played by a young Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue. The show was so popular that in one year the entire cast were invited to star in the Royal Variety Performance, and a range of merchandise was produced to cash in on its success. There were annuals, board games, jigsaws and computer games. As this website is dedicated to old video games, we'll focus on the computer game version of Neighbours, specifically the Commodore 64 version. Maybe I should start Classic Annuals UK where I could look at old annuals. Before we continue, let's remember the Neighbours theme tune and opening credits.<br />
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Ah! Memories! So, how do you transfer a soap opera into a computer game? Easy! Turn it into a racing game! And to ensure it accurately reflects the fact that it's based on a soap from the land down under, include kangaroos and emus as some of the obstacles. Strewth, there's no stereotyping in this game! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott appears to be getting over-friendly with a kangaroo. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9d1TBG8_e32LEzXmGZCXBmN9OZDOPeaEU06ctuTR2TcwxQt6QQnn5Z3cg5jzdrhoUS554SASNtjWXFCQ5ZjE6OSxMfYwuVgOF4ZqZbS35ZeatmsQwE_KY-xjv4yyVxQXgStCDXUpg5Y/s1600/n2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9d1TBG8_e32LEzXmGZCXBmN9OZDOPeaEU06ctuTR2TcwxQt6QQnn5Z3cg5jzdrhoUS554SASNtjWXFCQ5ZjE6OSxMfYwuVgOF4ZqZbS35ZeatmsQwE_KY-xjv4yyVxQXgStCDXUpg5Y/s320/n2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">G'day! Welcome to my garage.</td></tr>
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The game opens with a SID rendition of the show's theme tune and a rather plain intro screen. I guarantee you that you'll sit and listen to the full theme tune while trying to remember the words to it. Or maybe that's just me. Afterwards, you pay a visit to Scott Robinson's garage. This is where you can pick from up to four other Ramsey Street residents to be your competitors and either a slow, medium or fast skateboard. There is also a small car and a kangaroo on the floor of the garage, partially covered by a sheet. As we know, every Australian keeps a kangaroo in their garage. Usually next to their barbecue, a crate of Fosters, a boomerang, and a hat with corks dangling from it. You can choose to cover the car or kangaroo with the sheet if you wish. Concealing them will prevent them from appearing in the game.<br />
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The characters you can pick as competitors are Lenny (who?), Henry, Matt (not sure who he is either) and Mike. Apparently Lenny could be Charlene. I don't ever recall her being called that but according to a Neighbours website, it was her nickname. You learn something new everyday, don't you? As the game was released in 1991, I don't think Mike, Henry, Scott or Charlene were still in the programme then. I even think their pop careers had taken a nose-dive too by then.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj4eOzv53_61-MqGExb4IPZQ8kbmrNFBZg84SE1olzCDMA2tHN-HBYdb7Iy-9XfuWlCEB6deJtU5AfWD8lTRwuil0SzU1FOn_XbmdtyIir_r8UwZrVImrd1YtkxbVMfuySOSBW3Vsr3A/s1600/n3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj4eOzv53_61-MqGExb4IPZQ8kbmrNFBZg84SE1olzCDMA2tHN-HBYdb7Iy-9XfuWlCEB6deJtU5AfWD8lTRwuil0SzU1FOn_XbmdtyIir_r8UwZrVImrd1YtkxbVMfuySOSBW3Vsr3A/s400/n3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rack off you dag. Bouncer appears to be in this screenshot. The filthy mongrel!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSy-viJ81JS8EWn_gtSTEUoEgMU8VVPGRuzM1pLjLqjzLcZK8_I70S4bl_-XR8_m1RZyemkFaLpqtxsBEHzu0Rvgd3_F0llOoUj-NxEgJMW6lJzeExyeyfjZR3x7-UBLDTn3XxiBGC7E/s1600/n4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSy-viJ81JS8EWn_gtSTEUoEgMU8VVPGRuzM1pLjLqjzLcZK8_I70S4bl_-XR8_m1RZyemkFaLpqtxsBEHzu0Rvgd3_F0llOoUj-NxEgJMW6lJzeExyeyfjZR3x7-UBLDTn3XxiBGC7E/s320/n4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott meets an emu in Ramsey Street. Crikey!</td></tr>
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After you've chosen your opposition, a skateboard and decided what to do about your kangaroo, it's time to hit the road. It seems that in a long-forgotten episode, the Ramsey Street youngsters have been out and turned said street into a race track. They also appear to have rearranged the street, making it appear more like a maze than the cul-de-sac familiar to viewers of the TV show. Yourself as Scott Robinson and your competitors line up and begin racing. Rather bizarrely, each competitor has a different mode of transport. You use the skateboard that you picked earlier, and another of the racers also uses a skateboard, but the other competitors use a go-kart, bicycle and what looks like a lawnmower. Not that it really makes any difference to the race itself. Movement around the course is quite fluid although a bit fiddly at first, especially when taking corners. The idea of the game is simply to come first in the race, but making life more difficult are obstacles and the fact that you have to ride through pairs of markers. If you miss the markers, you need to go back on yourself to go through them. Depending on what you did in Scott's garage with your sheet, the obstacles include Mrs Mangle's dog Bouncer, Mrs Mangle herself, open manholes and manhole covers, and kangaroos. Oh yes, not only does every Australian keep a kangaroo in their garage, they also roam suburban streets. Here's a quick fact. In Neighbours, Bouncer, the dog, was paid more than the human actors! He was actually called Bouncer in real life too. That's two things I've learned today.<br />
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The best way to describe the gameplay is that it's a cross between Micro Machines, Paperboy and Horace Goes Skiing (or any skiing sim for that matter). Colliding too often results in you losing energy, with your energy bar represented by the Neighbours logo which loses colour as it depletes. If you win the race, you go onto another race where you face more obstacles and hazards, a redesigned street, and pairs of markers that are harder to get through. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG597U0tNjWlONMU8lNLOTgoWXsH_LGisSBqTxIWN-MFs49XvY9uvmBVj8rOcRUkxRZhbOZue-b3f5clP3fnJUMYZqp6sNqRn4Rt4cM6-gYlgko5zyTCB8o0t9vFQfEaIH22sKFIg1qlM/s1600/n6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG597U0tNjWlONMU8lNLOTgoWXsH_LGisSBqTxIWN-MFs49XvY9uvmBVj8rOcRUkxRZhbOZue-b3f5clP3fnJUMYZqp6sNqRn4Rt4cM6-gYlgko5zyTCB8o0t9vFQfEaIH22sKFIg1qlM/s400/n6.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe this was Lassiter's and Daphne's coffee shop. And that's Australia either side of it in case you need reminded where Neighbours was set.</td></tr>
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The race itself is quite fun, but also frustrating. Collisions happen regularly, forcing you back a bit, and break up the flow of the game. If I was any good at the game, this probably wouldn't be a problem. The main problem though is that the street race feels more like a mini game than a full game. Although the game uses Ramsey Street as its setting, and includes the soap's characters, it feels that the game's link to Neighbours is tenuous to the extreme. Translating a soap opera to a computer game is never going to be easy, which is why there are very few other (if any) soap tie-ins, but more could have been made of the licence than just making a racing game with it. I'm not sure how, but a series of mini-games may have worked better. Maybe some sort of pool game in Madge's swimming pool, or trying to smash the windows of the houses by playing cricket in the street as featured in the opening titles (should I really admit that I remember that part from the show's opening?). Or trying to find out how many times you can play truant from Erinsborough High before Fisher expels you? Mr Fisher was Home & Away, wasn't he? Oh well. Anyway, yes, the game just feels like it's missing something and doesn't really capture the feel of the TV show that well. No matter how many kangaroos they insert into it. <br />
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The graphics do their job but aren't really that attractive and appear quite blocky even for a Commodore 64 game. Apart from a rendition of the theme tune, there's no other sound to speak of. Maybe the SID chip was exhausted after producing such a musical masterpiece. All in all, Neighbours isn't a terrible game but it's by no means a great game. It plays alright for a short period of time, but doesn't really maintain your interest and can feel a bit of a chore to play. It's quite simply a lazy tie-in, which doesn't represent the show it's based on at all well.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>RATINGS</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Presentation</strong></span>: 60%<br /><span style="color: black;">A rather plain title screen, and not really anything going on in between action. </span><br /><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Graphics:</span></strong> 65%<br />
Dull and blocky and don't really represent Ramsey Street that well.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Sound</span>:</strong> 55%<br />
The rendition of the Neighbours theme tune isn't too bad, but there isn't any other sound to speak of.<br /><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Playability</span>:</strong> 65%<br />Quite fun at first and gets a bit better when you've got used to the controls, but it doesn't maintain your interest and doesn't draw you in for repeat plays.<br /><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Overall</span>:</strong> 65%<br />A lazy attempt to cash in on the popularity of the television show. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Neighbours in other neighbourhoods</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcv__-t1YN4vfr8tQeV_vqIN591bE6ZX2f1reTbn6ILqO3LJLtotsvvP92yzjy0_FfizmCH0GomFdimVFfnH7QcYZcn-3qTDiE5DXvNz93iuStyea5cm9LoKAfMYrLHklzjkHMrg5IVc0/s1600/n7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcv__-t1YN4vfr8tQeV_vqIN591bE6ZX2f1reTbn6ILqO3LJLtotsvvP92yzjy0_FfizmCH0GomFdimVFfnH7QcYZcn-3qTDiE5DXvNz93iuStyea5cm9LoKAfMYrLHklzjkHMrg5IVc0/s320/n7.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussies on the Speccy! Strewth!</td></tr>
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As you'd expect, Neighbours wasn't a Commodore 64 exclusive. Instead, the residents of Ramsey Street found their way onto other computers too. Namely, the ZX Spectrum, Commodore Amiga and Atari ST. The Spectrum version was absolutely awful. With even more fiddly controls than the Commodore 64 version, a horrible version of the theme tune and barely recognisable sprites, you'd be throwing the overpriced cassette onto the barbie within minutes. On the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga, things were a little better. The graphics are much improved, which probably goes without saying due to them being on technically superior machines, and there is a greater variety of enemies and obstacles which make better use of their source material, but the controls are still too fiddly and it just isn't easy, or that fun, to play at all. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opening screen on the Amiga version. Looks just like the TV show.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traffic cones, cars in the middle of the road, some kid playing with his remote control car. Give me Summer Bay any day.</td></tr>
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<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-79595415645230684392013-07-13T13:54:00.000-07:002013-07-13T13:54:25.990-07:00Games for the SummerIt's now summer and unbelievably the Sun is shining and the temperature is high! However, you can be certain that the current good weather won't last long and we'll be forced back indoors soon enough. But here are a few games that might help to extend the season a little longer.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>California Games</strong></span><br />
Enjoy some totally rad West Coast activities in this collection of cool Californian sports. On offer is surfing, BMXing, roller skating, Frisbee throwing, skateboarding and, um, bag kicking. Released for just about every available computer and console in the late 80s and early 90s, the game was an instant hit. Played today, it reflects its era and the trends of the time very well. Gnarly dude.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMipEShIvJKL_0jW-kiNN_aWIGk3DLBWvU1FeNVgrBWmyEsaEUjOiolGx1cQJsTmLIsfS3PLC2LjgC7aWniiT9YtQKJ2UXeLRzlhmmPEUbOPUFReTyoNjfD9v4XsH7IuyL68J9PU5Ii78/s1600/cg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMipEShIvJKL_0jW-kiNN_aWIGk3DLBWvU1FeNVgrBWmyEsaEUjOiolGx1cQJsTmLIsfS3PLC2LjgC7aWniiT9YtQKJ2UXeLRzlhmmPEUbOPUFReTyoNjfD9v4XsH7IuyL68J9PU5Ii78/s400/cg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NES: Just about to pull off an awesome turn on the half pike. Failed miserably though.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Punchy</strong></span><br />
The British seaside wouldn't be the same without Punch & Judy, and the violent politically incorrect puppet show is the basis of Punchy, a computer game released for the Spectrum, Amstrad and a few Commodore computers by Mr Micro. In it, wifebeater Mr Punch has kidnapped Judy's baby and it is down to you, as Bobby the policeman, to rescue it. The game is basically a clone of Hunchback (it was nearly called Hunchy) and wasn't a bad version at all, although time hasn't been good to it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_UftipaT6InH_8wS3Y0G7Qpdk7jF_MEzRIWfX2kXA5SPl8szr5I-pU9J514qONGCtVttJDf-WpcErbLc9_xRs-Yh2IXTXqyBUrrV-04QzPnothDOLa7iYC51-EEZMFY1CqygWksNCf0/s1600/punchy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_UftipaT6InH_8wS3Y0G7Qpdk7jF_MEzRIWfX2kXA5SPl8szr5I-pU9J514qONGCtVttJDf-WpcErbLc9_xRs-Yh2IXTXqyBUrrV-04QzPnothDOLa7iYC51-EEZMFY1CqygWksNCf0/s400/punchy.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectrum: That's the way to do it! This game even features speech. Or something claiming to be speech.</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Cool Spot</span></strong><br />
A platform game featuring 7-Up's mascot Cool Spot, who was based on the red dot in the logo of the fizzy drink. Well, its American mascot. We had shitty Fido Dido over here. And a game that made no reference to 7-Up at all. Although not technically a summer game, it had a summery feel to it, starting and ending on a beach, and Cool Spot wore sunglasses throughout his adventure. Cool Spot was released on the Super Nintendo, Sega Master System, Nintendo Gameboy, Commodore Amiga and Sega Mega Drive. <a href="http://www.classicgaminguk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/new-to-me-number-6-cool-spot-super.html">A review of the SNES version is available here.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZ2xhqdLXyivQI-vX8xZWDGVmbgPH09mzfH8HdhLT6d1CnwzweknNG50O3gDv6fGD03BRavyvT_BYFd4OfJ3KEdELIjSqBPDBRGr2asDNj256bCrAnwIikfeVLEf4xmpwO2CMP90ciMc/s1600/spot4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZ2xhqdLXyivQI-vX8xZWDGVmbgPH09mzfH8HdhLT6d1CnwzweknNG50O3gDv6fGD03BRavyvT_BYFd4OfJ3KEdELIjSqBPDBRGr2asDNj256bCrAnwIikfeVLEf4xmpwO2CMP90ciMc/s400/spot4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SNES: It's those lobsters in pants again.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Theme Park</strong></span><br />
If queuing for hours for a ride at Alton Towers just doesn't appeal to you but you wouldn't mind having the chance to run the place, then Theme Park might just be the game for you. Released in the mid-90s for a heap of computers and consoles, this management sim saw you setting up and managing your very own fairgrounds. The game was great fun and even had a few sequels which are also worth a look at too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-70Y11oGw7RG-tgJ28ur-JWhF8VE5xr4Buz_zy8TJbhSqKT78-e3TKQ02olet1bFTS2NRuanHoFI6qCy9hCHqPiMNIpphFDotmnSgLKBCdWg4NplVxsgIn9L4Mntvx21nCr4Au40SW3I/s1600/themepark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-70Y11oGw7RG-tgJ28ur-JWhF8VE5xr4Buz_zy8TJbhSqKT78-e3TKQ02olet1bFTS2NRuanHoFI6qCy9hCHqPiMNIpphFDotmnSgLKBCdWg4NplVxsgIn9L4Mntvx21nCr4Au40SW3I/s400/themepark.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PC: Roll up! Roll up! Get yourself a Mr Whippy here, and then throw up all over my park!</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude</span></strong><br />
Released for the Sega Mega Drive and Game Gear only, Greendog was a platform game featuring a cool surfer dude on a treasure hunt to release a curse. It was an average platformer, released at a time when Sonic the Hedgehog was dominating the scene, but featured a groovy little Calypso soundtrack. Something to fill a bit of time on a Sunday afternoon perhaps. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iDgKNc5BR8TgdNWJyFtD5cswVElqsycfeUAcEo8AsL6K3VyGMNdj84k7lwtYl4aW2psJ5hE-ve7_X_o3-x54q3WBIPu-8Mb1GjYoyKQmggR_uDXgJbdBCK7ANyrld3AsxoKfNw426zU/s1600/gd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iDgKNc5BR8TgdNWJyFtD5cswVElqsycfeUAcEo8AsL6K3VyGMNdj84k7lwtYl4aW2psJ5hE-ve7_X_o3-x54q3WBIPu-8Mb1GjYoyKQmggR_uDXgJbdBCK7ANyrld3AsxoKfNw426zU/s400/gd.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mega Drive: Greendog doesn't even have a steak bake to waft around, but the birds are after him anyway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Dead or Alive XTreme Beach Volleyball</strong></span><br />
A volleyball game for the original Xbox featuring ladies in skimpy bikinis with breasts which appear to bounce of their own accord. Probably not a great game to put on when you've got the in-laws over, but a surprisingly good volleyball sim. Its sequel for the Xbox 360 features a bundle of mini games. It's basically California Games for pervs. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtk-IiZYA3xEvAxxf37d17i7MddKF7ETdRk1CMz1nJsKhjWBBXYpmS42ZKnHl4_kzceceTZjqwguPsI3QqUMYKUkaaDTd5nYcSVIWo4cMhzeQZo8pyjTa70kvmsOP_fODy3U9UXSYZGGg/s1600/doa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtk-IiZYA3xEvAxxf37d17i7MddKF7ETdRk1CMz1nJsKhjWBBXYpmS42ZKnHl4_kzceceTZjqwguPsI3QqUMYKUkaaDTd5nYcSVIWo4cMhzeQZo8pyjTa70kvmsOP_fODy3U9UXSYZGGg/s400/doa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xbox: Fun in the Sun with some beach babes.</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Out Run</strong></span><br />
Nothing beats driving along the coast with the roof down, and in Out Run you get the chance to do just that. Out Run is the ultimate sun-soaked racer, featuring colourful visuals and a timeless summer soundtrack. The arcade version from 1986 was ported to the Spectrum, C64, Amstrad, Atari ST, Amiga, PC Engine, Xbox, PS2 and Gameboy Advance. It is also one of the few games to have been released on the Sega Master System, Mega Drive, Game Gear, Saturn and Dreamcast! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJHoUUIb3fixza98ZtQvXIsi2pbLtEQtAakiTh0rSL1SY2oYW46f8SKWGt-X_4Yde-gMbwQNMWqBZN5wJNqlRiyFFV_RYq4W-zQO5ZnwR_kMBo4B5NqWDzqhN76I6nfDXNuzxs-bE4-s/s1600/outrun.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJHoUUIb3fixza98ZtQvXIsi2pbLtEQtAakiTh0rSL1SY2oYW46f8SKWGt-X_4Yde-gMbwQNMWqBZN5wJNqlRiyFFV_RYq4W-zQO5ZnwR_kMBo4B5NqWDzqhN76I6nfDXNuzxs-bE4-s/s400/outrun.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arcade: Mr Flagman is about to wave you off. </td></tr>
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<br />
<br />Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579567815526804423.post-70102638377099901482013-06-22T14:50:00.002-07:002013-06-22T14:50:28.724-07:00Retro Review: CarVup - Commodore Amiga<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7SFdXHzSbmOcXFTTrVDb9yXeMZOa4i7ichQVteqR8ArFS63NtE5gOG8tqmIpY-NHZ_PJAdeua9DrWLToNOr8-WwBueD6x8Vae1oK9X_IasjWTsyGf2noaVRJ_LGODiKrMzVS1OqyRx4/s1600/carvup1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7SFdXHzSbmOcXFTTrVDb9yXeMZOa4i7ichQVteqR8ArFS63NtE5gOG8tqmIpY-NHZ_PJAdeua9DrWLToNOr8-WwBueD6x8Vae1oK9X_IasjWTsyGf2noaVRJ_LGODiKrMzVS1OqyRx4/s320/carvup1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CarVup's title screen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: #cc0000;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000;"><strong>Game:</strong></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><em>CarVup</em><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Format reviewed:</strong></span> <em>Commodore Amiga </em><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Developed by:</span></strong> <em>Core Design</em><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Year of original release:</strong></span> <em>1990</em><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Also available on:</span></strong> <em>Atari ST</em><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Available now on:</span></strong> <em>Nothing</em><br />
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Core Design are perhaps most well known for creating the Tomb Raider games. By combining 3D action adventuring with puzzle solving and introducing a young lady with a massive pair of bazookas as its main character, Tomb Raider was an instant hit. Undoubtedly, the presence of Miss Croft alone probably helped shift a few copies. The success of the Tomb Raider games means it's all too easy to forget what Core Design did before Lara Croft blasted her way into the bedrooms of teenage boys across the world. So, this seems like as good an opportunity as ever to refresh our memories.<br />
<br />
Before Tomb Raider's appearance and Core Design's resultant 32-Bit world domination, the Derby-based outfit were perfecting their art on the home computers of the 16-Bit era. They produced games aplenty for the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST, and even dabbled a bit in games for consoles too. Products included Chuck Rock, Rick Dangerous, Thunderhawk, Jaguar XJ220, Corporation and Asterix amongst others. Today's game of choice is CarVup, a title released in Europe only (apparently) for the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST in 1990.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkIXNFKsKMlaFtVXaPFMSx7-zNMocPO42EHYaUfthLfZv8vjuEW25CYd4ZtyyHDvRtaosYQ5MZf8p1JgxDOkLnX2ar1tizkaVJ0Mu8Y_2FBShQYNAVsTTwRwqSKFpKQZjUX-0kx2xQjY/s1600/carvup3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkIXNFKsKMlaFtVXaPFMSx7-zNMocPO42EHYaUfthLfZv8vjuEW25CYd4ZtyyHDvRtaosYQ5MZf8p1JgxDOkLnX2ar1tizkaVJ0Mu8Y_2FBShQYNAVsTTwRwqSKFpKQZjUX-0kx2xQjY/s320/carvup3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He flies like a bird in the sky. That's a song, isn't it?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgWJGEQff8xFt97-ft7L2xSQx-MN-nBqqMRavnw8qGVSFjkpMchOo5can2xNkbiO4QgCCGoacyYwxKRO0gIDWyyWBakH6ZS5Ust9X5SJ7nX5fddz7D2WSCEacoXIDObzZO6igJyt1ckM/s1600/carvup2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgWJGEQff8xFt97-ft7L2xSQx-MN-nBqqMRavnw8qGVSFjkpMchOo5can2xNkbiO4QgCCGoacyYwxKRO0gIDWyyWBakH6ZS5Ust9X5SJ7nX5fddz7D2WSCEacoXIDObzZO6igJyt1ckM/s320/carvup2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instructions! Instructions! Get yer instructions here!</td></tr>
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CarVup is a side-scrolling game featuring a car called Arnie. The idea of the game appears to be to free animals from traps. Not sure who's set the traps or why, but it's probably some weirdo without whom the world would be a better place. Animals are freed simply by completing each stage. Stages are split into six levels and to complete a level, Arnie must travel across each platform in them. Once he has driven over each section of the platform, it changes appearance in some way to indicate that Arnie has already been there. Once all the ground on the platforms has been covered, it's onto the next level. Each level wraps around, meaning that if Arnie continues to move in the same direction, he'll arrive back where he began. Controlling Arnie is simple. You can move him left or right, and press fire to make him jump. Hold up to do a high jump, down to perform a small jump, or left or right to perform a long jump in the respective direction. All manoeuvres are simple to pull off but essential to master to get to each part of the level to clear them. Arnie can't fall off platforms, and just turns and travels in the opposite direction when he reaches the end of one unless you direct him otherwise.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx88jWEy23dxVFCa8pf9QrKPOM1aRmx0qCkkHE8jBl6Ry7qbnIJsnhkbkUPASfbUu8BMRm5zaz01jO2sq4AKx9NWKaADgLCH9IUYVf5p3sBlapThNqEbBGW9PFR4mnG7JpFyTsQQfQlw/s1600/carvup5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx88jWEy23dxVFCa8pf9QrKPOM1aRmx0qCkkHE8jBl6Ry7qbnIJsnhkbkUPASfbUu8BMRm5zaz01jO2sq4AKx9NWKaADgLCH9IUYVf5p3sBlapThNqEbBGW9PFR4mnG7JpFyTsQQfQlw/s320/carvup5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Towards the bottom of this screen is Turbo. Turbo is evil.</td></tr>
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Getting in Arnie's way are a number of enemies which he must either avoid or defeat with collectable weapons. These enemies vary depending on the theme of the stage although they all do pretty much the same thing. The first level, set in a building site, features things like wheelbarrows, barrels, and diggers. Level two has a horror theme and features zombies, bats, mummies and ghosts. Other level themes are garden, country and western, musical, toys and prehistoric with characters that mostly suit each level, although there are some slightly surreal exceptions. Space Invaders in the prehistoric stage for example. <br />
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Defeating the enemies can be done by collecting weapons which drop from the sky on each level. There is quite a variety of weapons which mostly appear to resemble car parts. Most of the weapons are deployed automatically when an enemy comes into position. For example, if you have the gun and are driving towards an enemy, the gun will fire. Another weapon will destroy an enemy above you, so if you drive under it, it will release and fire at them. Weapons can also be deployed by pressing space. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnAh2PJyAlWMTTVL6Pd5Qn1Kck5wvBKIW-Ga2nuucq1nV5xZ2AcDJ2ZWlJV9e_yuOQBGTXqub84XV7n-RyseVxK_lWHc5q8FUlZFi5fPD2_nYShm9zulerPXhOknX3XSqrkzWK5DiG7g/s1600/carvup4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnAh2PJyAlWMTTVL6Pd5Qn1Kck5wvBKIW-Ga2nuucq1nV5xZ2AcDJ2ZWlJV9e_yuOQBGTXqub84XV7n-RyseVxK_lWHc5q8FUlZFi5fPD2_nYShm9zulerPXhOknX3XSqrkzWK5DiG7g/s320/carvup4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those ghosts look awfully familiar.</td></tr>
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It's not just weapons that drop from the sky. There are also fruits, letters and other power ups. Fruits simply give you points, letters spell out words - either BONUS which gives you extra points or EXTRA which gives you an extra life - and power ups do things like freeze all the enemies in the level, turn them into Pac Man-like ghosts, or transform them all into carrots. Also on most levels is what appears to be a monkey man pulling a face at you, who doesn't do any harm but bounces around the level when hit. And then there is Turbo. Turbo is a demon-like thing who appears if you take too long clearing a level. He is indestructible and fatal to the touch but serves as a way of speeding you up.<br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There are no end of stage bosses. The sixth level in each stage is just an opportunity to collect points. The only boss is on the final level and takes the form of a head bouncing around it, and can be defeated using weapons that appear during the battle. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ksHT4OkE4y_oSIUk2DLlvLqqOD5p8pMA2SUaSC1KJO72nhp77JXE75Ix5BlhfyTHgJ14FNHB4ZULgnBWxvXJHB2DSh8S-6Mkr2MCXrHWISwZiCf23-n_XLs56lef7zUy5t11SXC7OKU/s1600/carvup8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ksHT4OkE4y_oSIUk2DLlvLqqOD5p8pMA2SUaSC1KJO72nhp77JXE75Ix5BlhfyTHgJ14FNHB4ZULgnBWxvXJHB2DSh8S-6Mkr2MCXrHWISwZiCf23-n_XLs56lef7zUy5t11SXC7OKU/s320/carvup8.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somebody isn't happy.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxoaYHGpzDUh6PMaw-DFdsYoHTAVVIwUIeE_O0g2TgLIinb4e2kG6ltPftvi-3EiZiqC7aGOyOFe_Sw7HUZUwFjhMXa4iCOgtInR2gpZynhi5bYHoAKr6u-PzKp-UYXFwWPuIuJDcuHY/s1600/carvup6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxoaYHGpzDUh6PMaw-DFdsYoHTAVVIwUIeE_O0g2TgLIinb4e2kG6ltPftvi-3EiZiqC7aGOyOFe_Sw7HUZUwFjhMXa4iCOgtInR2gpZynhi5bYHoAKr6u-PzKp-UYXFwWPuIuJDcuHY/s320/carvup6.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brrrr,,,, the Ice Age was a cold time. I'm sure some of the<br />
graphics in this level also appear in Chuck Rock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
CarVup looks and sounds fantastic. Each level captures its theme very well and features a large variety of well-drawn and animated sprites, including Arnie himself. Levels are very colourful and the changing types of themes and their associated backgrounds and platforms means that a game which is actually quite samey throughout, doesn't really feel it. A special mention must go to the music which is amazing. Jolly upbeat tunes maintain the frantic nature of the game. If you don't want music, you can listen to sound effects instead which complement the game well and feature clear samples, including voice samples.<br />
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CarVup is a great computer game. It is incredibly easy to pick up and there is something satisfying about having to cover all ground to clear each level. It's a completionist's dream, although the never-ending appearance of fruits might send you crazy if you have particularly obsessive completionist tendencies! As each level is quite short, it really is just a case of covering all the ground as quickly as possible, taking out enemies en route and so on. As it is basically the same thing throughout, the game risks become dull, but the short levels and changing themes prevent this from happening. It starts off easy but gets quite challenging with you having to keep your eyes peeled to make sure you don't accidentally jump into an enemy when finding parts of the levels to clear. It really is a game which represents its era very well. So, if you're looking for a Core Design game that doesn't feature a lady with a pair of excessively large boobs as its main selling point, then it might be worth taking CarVup for a spin.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnXXRfGqKAhbPP467Wg4L61qSsfj7F2b5Mo-52aCPHW5tir56uvnWQuaTV_8LRnsgHPO9gXeUzhSaxcb2jYfjeVMPtwPELnrC-pviRNztE7Qo5yQVvLOflY5SrPideIuVFmyibWdzEFs/s1600/carvup7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnXXRfGqKAhbPP467Wg4L61qSsfj7F2b5Mo-52aCPHW5tir56uvnWQuaTV_8LRnsgHPO9gXeUzhSaxcb2jYfjeVMPtwPELnrC-pviRNztE7Qo5yQVvLOflY5SrPideIuVFmyibWdzEFs/s320/carvup7.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilarious joke ahoy!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>RATINGS</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Presentation</strong></span>: 85%<br />
<span style="color: black;">A static title screen, a list of instructions and controls and a high score table are all the game has intro-wise, with short animated intermissions between levels. They're all neat and polished and do the job well.</span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Graphics:</span></strong> 90%<br />
Colourful, crisp and bright. Varied sprites and attractive levels make the game look great.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Sound</span>: 90</strong>%<br />
Three fantastic in game tracks and some intro music, or great sound effects with sampled speech are all a treat to the ears.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Playability</span>:</strong> 85%<br />
Fun to play, simple to get into to with good responsive controls.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Overall</span>:</strong> 87%<br />
Pure 90s style fun<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">VIDEO FROM CLASSIC GAMING UK'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">View CarVup in action here:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Classic Gaming UKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939486559949839476noreply@blogger.com0