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Hey RF Generation Users! And Newcomers! Sorry been a while since a blog and I promise an RPG one but this one is pretty interesting on its own and it's a Game Hunt! Okay my partner in crime my brother went and did a little eBay shopping. The stuff he bought and sorry no pictures for the earlier items this is a blog about the "pirate carts" here in a bit. Started off with Mega Man x4 on the Sega Saturn for $20.00. Second item bought was Arc The Lad Collection on PS1 complete in MINT Condition!!! And for only $44.00!!! Unbelievable!! Then he bought some other little items here and there. Big ONE Lufia: The Legend Returns on Game Boy Color BRAND NEW NEVER BEEN OPENED!!!! It is selling for new on eBay for $150 or higher and he got it for $60.00!!! What a steal haha. Anyways...there were a few more things but he was on a Game Boy & Game Boy Color binge and in one lot he decided to buy a bunch of games for like $22.00. The Lot came with a few games in and a few games out of their boxes nothing out of the ordinary but the main reason he wanted the lot is because it had 32 and 36 in 1 Game Boy carts. Well we get the stuff in the mail and know and behold we get a 230 in 1 cart as well no label on it just a blank cartridge.
So this past couple of months have been great buying and we will be buying more in the coming months. When I get some money from school I will be going on a shopping binge for old school and pre-order Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Special Edition!! Well our next blog will be about RPG's and that is were the picture of Lufia will come in.
Here we go folks the pictures of the might "pirate carts".
Picture 1: The 36-In-1 In Box Front (There is no instructions only the game cart and the box)
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/100_1987.jpg[/img]
Picture 2: The 36-In-1 In Box Back
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/100_1994.jpg[/img]
Picture 3: The 32-In-1 In Box Front
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/100_1989.jpg[/img]
Picture 4: The 32-In-1 Box Back
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/100_1995.jpg[/img]
Picture 5: The 230-In-1 Cart
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/100_1986.jpg[/img]
Picture 6: All 3 Pirate Carts
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/100_1993.jpg[/img]
Well I hope you all enjoyed these little treasures. Keep an eye out for more blogs. Hope to make the main page someday.
So, you want to hear a Story, eh? One about Stealth, Deception, Guns, Elves, Orcs, and a Cyber Matrix? Then you've come to the right place. Where to begin...
Shadowrun was developed and published by FASA Corporation from 1989 until early 2001, when FASA closed its doors and the property was transferred to WizKids, which was founded by people from FASA. It started as a Tabletop RPG.
The Shadowrun world is cross-genre, incorporating elements of both cyberpunk and urban fantasy. Unlike in a purely cyberpunk game, in the Shadowrun world, magic returns in 2011. Among other things, this causes humankind to split into subtypes, also known as metatypes. Some of these metatypes take the form of common fantasy races. Likewise, some animals have turned into familiar monsters of past fantasy and lore and both monsters and human magicians have regained magical powers. By the second half of the 21st century, in the time the game is set, these events are accepted as commonplace. Man, machine, and magic exist in a world where the amazing is among the most common and technology has entered into every facet of human (and metahuman) life.
There's more to Shadowrun though. It also had 4 Video Game releases, each one being developed by a different company:
1993 Shadowrun (Beam Software, SNES)
1994 Shadowrun (BlueSky Software, Genesis/Mega Drive)
1996 Shadowrun (Group SNE, Sega/Mega CD)
2007 Shadowrun (FASA Interactive, PC and Xbox 360)
Each game, being developed by different companies, had very different Gameplay, with the Genesis Version being cited as being closest to the original Tabletop RPG. It's also my personal favorite. Anyway, here's a brief synopsis for each game.
[img width=640 height=462]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/588651_40382_front.jpg[/img]
[img width=260 height=226]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/gfs_40382_2_2.jpg[/img]
The first Shadowrun Game was released for the SNES, and it...it wasn't very good, at least not in my opinion. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. It felt like I should be playing with a SNES Mouse, as opposed to a controller. I couldn't even get past the beginning. It does however, have the honor of being the first Shadowrun Video Game, so I guess that's something...maybe.
[img width=640 height=897]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/366854_57114_front.jpg[/img]
[img width=320 height=224]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/gfs_57114_2_1.jpg[/img]
Now we're talking! This is my favorite game in the series, and for good reason! As I mentioned before, this one is the most faithful to the Tabletop RPG, and it's just plain fun to play! I can't say enough good things about this game! I wish it hadn't ended! Plenty of sidequests, a cool main quest, some good gameplay variety, and then some! I would rant on, but it would take forever, so I won't.
[img width=640 height=545]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/919216_27062_front.jpg[/img]
Shadowrun for the Se...Mega CD. Why the Mega CD? Because it was only released in Japan. I know absolutely NOTHING about this game, nor could I find any screenshots for it. Sorry about that.
[img width=640 height=899]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/929196_68798_front.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=393]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/929196_20070601_screen015.jpg[/img]
Several years after the release of the Mega CD Version of Shadowrun, it returned to the Video Game world for one more round, this time as an FPS. For whatever reason, many people absolutely hate this game, but I thought it was pretty cool myself, and it's not like it's unfun. Thanks to it's unfair judgement though, it was the last Video Game in the series. Stupid critics. They probably didn't play the game for 5 Minutes before casting judgement on it.
So, what happened to the Shadowrun Tabletop RPG? As far as I know, it's been struggling for sales lately. I doubt it's even being made anymore, which is pretty sad. There was also supposed to be another Shadowrun Video Game in the 90s, but it was cancelled.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
[img width=378 height=500]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/62617529_e9957554a6.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Space Cavern
Year: 1981
Publisher: Apollo, Inc.
Developer: Apollo, Inc.
Designer: Dan Oliver
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 3 = scarce
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 -2 (turn-based)
Average Cost: approx $1 - $5 loose
Also Available On: exclusive to the Atari 2600
Tagline/Description: "You command an intergalactic starcruiser that has landed on a mysterious planet riddled with smokey caverns and inhabited by savage Electrosauri whose horns generate deadly electro-molecular charges. The Elecrosauri stalk you, their horns crackling and sizzling. If even one blast of energy strikes you, your skeleton will glow as you disintegrate. Warning: Beware the shaggy marsupods [last sentence added for blue cartridge version only]."
Space Cavern is a very simple space shooter created by Apollo Games. Apollo only officially released 10 games for the 2600, which does not include three (3) unreleased prototypes and an original (and very rare) version of Shark Attack called Lochjaw, that was removed early on from the shelves due to a lawsuit claiming that it's title was too similar to the movie "Jaws." Two versions of Space Cavern exist, a red box/cartridge and a blue box/cartridge. Neither version is more rare than the other, the blue version was released by Apollo later only as a means of cutting costs by using a simpler and more cost-effective color palate.
[img width=331 height=260]http://www.atariage.com/2600/labels/l_ApolloNormal.jpg[/img]
[img width=333 height=259]http://www.atariage.com/2600/labels/l_ApolloBlue.jpg[/img]
Unlike the more popular Atari space shooters, in Space Cavern, you do not control a ship fending off enemy starships in outer space, but instead, command laser wielding astronauts who have crash landed on an alien planet. Sounds cool right? Well, that's certainly the draw. Apollo was masterful in their marketing; if you don't believe me, take a look at the cover art for such super lackluster games as Lost Luggage, Infiltrate, or Final Approach (heck yeah a game about landing planes). I mean what early 80's video game playing kid wouldn't want to buy Space Cavern after seeing it in the store? Badass cover art - check! Cool description - check! Being hit by deadly "electro-molecular charges" and disintegrating - I don't even know what the hell those are, but DOUBLE CHECK!!!! The reality is that Space Cavern isn't all that great, but for an Atari fiend like me, it isn't all that bad either.
[img width=225 height=225]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSww8HMNGeaF8ASX8LNB4IBSMrtSQGNmhPlSuqUzOR9rjm7YJI7&t=1[/img]
(Apparently someone took out their frustrations for being duped by this game.)
There are three (3) enemies that commonly fill the sky of Space Cavern and they are collectively called Electrosauri; however in my adolescence, they were affectionately named: egg beaters, toilets, and scissors -- I'll let you figure out which enemies fit these descriptions. By pressing the orange button, your astronaut fires his laser into the sky and is awarded 115 points (wow, random) for each Electrosauri he/she shoots down. These particular enemies are fairly colorful and typically either bounce in an up and down pattern or diagonally across the screen. When you zap one, they change to a pale blue and actually fall from the sky, which is pretty creative. After 20,000 points, smaller and much harder to hit versions of Electrosauri appear in the sky; at each 20,000 points you are also awarded an extra life.
The only other enemy in the game is the Marsupod (200 points each), which are dull gray in color and come out of the caves from the left and right corners of the screen. Since the orange button only allows you to fire into the sky, your must press the joystick up or down (up = left: down = right) to fire at and dispense with Marsupods - pushing the orange button to fire left to right is not necessary. Though you'll fire the wrong way several times, recovery time from firing is quick and becomes second nature after continued play.
There are 48 variations of gameplay, which can be set to adjust the number of participants, the number of Electrosauri that appear in the sky at one time (4 max), the presence of Marsupods, the random angles of enemy lasers, and the difficulty (i.e. speed of the enemies).
Space Cavern is tough to review, since I get a bit nostalgic when returning to play it (**see eggbeater, toilet, scissor discussion above). The controls are perfect for the 2600 system, since you only use the four (4) main directional positions on the joystick and the fire button. The sound effects are pretty good: shooting down an Electrosauri sounds like R2-D2 speaking in tongues and blasting a Marsupod is rather blunt and effective. There is really nothing that bad about this game, other than the replay value. Let's face it, there's not a whole lot going on in this game, and after about three to four rounds, you'll probably want to put it away if you are playing it alone. As far as Apollo releases are concerned, I'd put Space Cavern at the top with the Pac-Man clone, Shark Attack. If you're a serious collector, or just a casual 2600 gamer, the small price tag makes Space Cavern worth picking up.
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89 (this video does not represent the more difficult setting which includes Marsupods) **
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 4
Graphics: 2
Sound Effects/Music: 2
Concept: 3
Replay Value: 2
Cart/Box Art: 4
Overall Score: 2.83
Hey all. As of today, my Blog is updated to include an extended focus on other Video Games, not just Nintendo. Expect some stories and other cool stuff soon!
Oh, and here's a preview of my new Sprite Comic. I call it: "Pokemon Redux"...Yeah, I know it's a lame title, but that's the best I could think of. It's late, and I'm tired. I'll be throwing in a new comic with every other blog post. This first one will tell you the premise of it. Anyway, that's all for now. I'll be posting another entry tomorrow morning.
[img width=506 height=428]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PokemonComic1.png[/img]
As you can see, I haven't updated in a few days, which is quite unlike me. I've been pretty busy lately, selling stuff at a Flea Market, which took me forever to get through, what with getting ready for it and all. I've also had a friend over at my house for the past few days.
Anyway, I have an announcement: After a LOT of thinking, I've decided to extend my Blog to other retro games, not just Nintendo. The occasional newer game might pop in somewhere, but only if I think it's REALLY good/unique/innovative/etc.
Some were against it, and some told me to do whatever I want, but I've thought hard about this, and I've decided to go through with it. Don't worry. Retro games will still be my main focus. I just enjoy so many different games, that I'd like to extend my focus a bit.
Anyway, that's it for now. Also, if your looking for a good Video Game song to listen to, check out this Remix of the Moon Theme from Duck Tales. It...Kicks...Ass. 
DUCKS ON THE FREAKING MOON!! 
[img width=250 height=347]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/bf/U-005-S-01590-A.jpg[/img]
Specs:
Game: Entombed
Year: 1982
Publisher: U.S. Games
Developer: Western Technologies
Designer(s): Jeff Corsiglia & Tom Sloper
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 4 = scarce+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2
Average Cost: approx $3 - $8 loose
Also Available On: 2600 only
Tagline/Description: "You and your team of archeologists have fallen into the "catacombs of the zombies." There's no time to look around; these guys are after you, and they mean business! Your only salvation is that you have discovered the secret to the "make-break." Grab them, and you can break through walls when you get stuck, or create a wall behind you - if you are being chased. The longer you survive, the faster you have to move. Explore alone, or two archeologists can work together or compete in a frenzied trek through the catacombs."
There was probably no more diverse or stranger catalog of games than the fourteen (14) titles released by U.S. Games, a subsidiary of Quaker Oats (uhhhh....yeah), for the Atari 2600. Like several other companies (i.e. Purina, Johnson & Johnson, etc.), but with a larger volume than most, the Quaker Oats Company tried to cash in on the video gaming craze of the early 80's. Titles released by U.S. Games include:
Entombed;
Sneak n' Peek (a game of hide and seek);
Space Jockey (a horizontal, UFO shooter);
Word Zapper (a spelling shooter);
Commando Raid (a parachuting android shooter);
Eggomania (a Kaboom clone where you can fire back);
Piece o' Cake (a cake decorating game);
Picnic (a fly shooter);
Raft Rider (a river rafting game);
Gopher (a vegetable protecting game, similar to Activision's Oink!);
Squeeze Box (a prisoner trying to escape a constantly closing Tron MCP Cone);
Towering Inferno (a firefighting/rescue game);
M.A.D. (an improved version of Atlantis); and
Name This Game (an octopus shooter).
[img width=299 height=208]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tCCK5wYrFr4/TMWPms5g3lI/AAAAAAAACA0/J8idkdOHPB0/s1600/608quaker-oats1.jpg[/img]
While some believe that a few of these games are among the worst titles for the 2600, I'd have to say that the overall catalog is pretty creative and solid (and fairly cheap). Where else can you fend off an octopus and fill your diving tank with air from a guy with long, flowing hair in a speed boat?
Entombed is another of these strange games in which you control an archeologist trying to escape a zombie-filled catacomb. While navigating a random, vertically scrolling maze, your only defense from zombies and dead end walls is an item referred to as a "make-break." A make-break allows you to knock down a square section of wall or place a similar section of wall in an open area to fend off zombies (similar to Lock n' Chase). However, make-breaks are not abundant and are collected 3 at-a-time in the form of side-to-side moving rectangles, throughout the maze. Scoring in Entombed, for the 1-player game, is determined by how deep into the maze your archeologist goes. You are awarded one point for making it through an undefined section of the maze; there are no treasures to collect or points for killing zombies. As you might have noticed, scoring is not one of the stronger features of this game.
Another poor feature of the game is it's graphics. Zombies, which should be very cool, instead look like arachnids, your archeologist is merely a semi-mobile stick figure, and the make-breaks are, well, just blocks (a hammer, or some sort of device would have been cooler). There is no music and the only sound effects are a series of extremely monotone beeps (only when zombies are near) and an electronic gurgle when you pick up a make-break.
With all of its faults, Entombed is a pretty good game (yeah, stick with me here). I remember loving this game as a kid and playing it every time I went to my neighbor's house. When I saw it in a pawn shop several months ago I grabbed it up quickly, even though it had a bit of label damage. So what is it that I liked so much about this game? Well for one, I enjoyed the pace of the game (how it continues to get faster as you complete every level) and the frantic dodging/escaping from zombies while collecting make-breaks to ensure mobility; you lose lives by either running into a zombie or by being forced into the top of the scrolling screen when you are out of make-breaks and are unable to escape a dead end. The controls are adequate for a 2600 game, since your only movements through the maze are vertical and horizontal; however, setting make-breaks correctly in open areas to avoid zombies can sometimes present a challenge.
While the originality of the game is great, the best feature of Entombed has to be its 2-player option. In two player mode, both participants play at the same time, instead of the Atari turn-based style that is typical with most 2600 games. Two player mode can be played in two different ways (as determined by the participants): (1) you can battle against each other to see who can make it deeper into the maze (whoever dies first loses), or (2) you can work with each other, hoarding and best using make-breaks, to see how far you both can go. Being somewhat of an a%$, and torturer of my wife and friends, I tend to prefer the former.
Though there is nothing particularly exceptional in terms of graphics and sound in Entombed, the gameplay is fairly solid and the cost of the game is typically low. For a few bucks, Entombed should be worth heavy consideration if found in the wild.
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89**
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 3
Graphics: 2
Sound Effects/Music: 1
Concept: 3
Replay Value: 2
Cart/Box Art: 3
Overall Score: 2.34
[img width=300 height=432]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/Recca.jpg[/img]
Continue reading Unloved #?: Summer Carnival 92' Recca
You knew by the time I got to writing for my blog again, it'd be long-winded. So let's hope I get on a more regular writing schedule again so as not to store all this up...
Trials HD. Demon's Souls. The Etrian Odyssey series. Getting through New Super Mario Bros with four players and not strangling the person next to you.
Despite complaints along the lines of, "Video Games Today are Too Easy," there is still a consistent flow of releases earmarked specifically for their notable challenge. (Not counting the mental duress of trying to play through much of the Wii and DS shovel-ware.)
On the other hand, its now almost standard that a game ship with easier difficulties, and recently the concept of a player's avatar's death may be removed entirely.
No two recent games may represent this disparity better than Kirby's Epic Yarn and Super Meat Boy. Released only days apart, both titles are highly praised platformers with light puzzle solving and exploratory elements, and each sport bold or unique visual styles. Considering both of these games remove the traditional life count or continuing at a setback routine, on the surface both these games would appear to target the same audience.
In truth the design philosophy is radically different. While Super Meat Boy expects hundreds or even thousands of constant failures (read: avatar deaths) to happen in the course of learning how to overcoming tough yet fair levels, in Kirby's Epic Yarn death of the avatar isn't even an option.
Kirby's Epic Yarn can certainly be challenging, mainly due to the mechanic of loosing items upon mistakes such as touching an enemy, and those items are used to unlock other elements of the game. However, the main game itself can be simply played through to completion without any real fear of lost progress.
The distinct design philosophies of these two very different yet critically loved gameplay experiences show how difficulty in gaming can be used in a myriad of functional ways. Super Meat Boy is designed around the 'I can do this, just one more try' hook that develops into a frustrating but skill-developing addiction. Kirby's Epic Yarn celebrates the oft-used Nintendo approach of a game anyone can play, with extra challenges for those hungry for more.
The popular lament of a lack of gameplay challenge does have relevance. Demon's Souls, a recent PS3 release largely noted for its difficulty and what is often now referred to as an 'old school challenge', cleanly divided player interest because of such. Many critics and players lauded a game unafraid to require absolute precision, memorization, and expensive experimentation. Just as many people refused to pour the needed time into a game that had no options to play nice. Demon's Souls, like more current spiritual precursors Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry 3, made some gamers wax nostalgic for a time when options were limited, timing had to be exact, and progress only came about through pure effort and occasional luck. Others bemoaned the lack of now-expected easy settings, the unforgiving small timing windows of interaction, and frequent loss of progress.
Designing a game with the opposite intention creates not only division, but derision. 2008's Prince of Persia was highly praised over beautiful art direction, fluid animation, exceptional writing, and even great voice acting. Yet there was a persistent complaint often heard from critics and players alike: the player couldn't really 'die' in the traditional sense. Fall off a cliff or to an enemy, and the avatar 'magically' reappears, set back just a few steps before the misstep. This lead to a common gripe that the player couldn't really lose, and so any sense of challenge was completely void.
This latter response was quite surprising to me. While Demon's Souls tends to earn a begrudging respect even from its detractors, I rarely hear Prince of Persia defenders, instead of long-time gamers grumbling about their beloved Sands of Time trilogy being neutered. The 2008 version culled much of what annoys fans of platformers: having to reload lost progress. Mess up too much in the classic Sands of Time trilogy and you may get aggravatingly dumped to the last checkpoint or worse, the beginning of that story chapter, but never are you forced to stare at the title screen, with no recourse but to slog through the entire game up to where you lost. (Unless you just started, of course.) The 2008 variant simply removed the extra time lost in frustration, and dropped the player back in place to get correct what was just failed. By trimming out the downtime between failures and allowing the player to simply focus on overcoming the obstacle, ideally the player could better immerse themselves in the experience. Perhaps Prince of Persia suffered from trying to change too much at once; a play control timing more akin to a rhythm game, a story disconnected from the beloved series it continued, and gameplay with story mechanics surrounding a, AI co-operative relationship may have compiled too many changes to gamers who had since moved to Sony's less whimsical and more brutal God of War and its sequel.
Maybe I'm reaching, but the highly praised Super Meat Boy also features a continue system of respawning immediately after death and I've yet to read a complaint about said mechanic. (To be fair, life restrictions do factor in bonus levels, but not for necessary progress.) Now, the platforming in Super Meat Boy is inarguably more challenging than Prince of Persia, but the argument still holds: you only 'lose' when you turn the game off, since the only thing hindering your progress is giving up.
Which, of course, could be said of most video games. We may run out of 'lives' or chances to continue from our previous point of progress, but out of all of the video games ever made, only fewer than a dozen games out of tens of thousands do we lose the ability to simply start over and try again by design. The fun, the friction between an obstacle and our ability to overcome it, is where the greatest hook lies; for some of us, its Super Meat Boy's infuriating precision that we're convinced we can master. For Prince of Persia, its more about telling a fantastical story in which we play a simple, interactive part. One is like a sculpture, shaped from countless little cuts of avatar deaths until perfection is realized. The other, an interactive storybook whose greatest friction lies between the imagination of the player who's along for the ride and the game that's playing the narrator.
It's this latter field whose development often makes us 'traditionalists' feel as though aliens have invaded our turf, strange things like Farmville, Angry Birds, and Flower fighting to share space under the same umbrella of entertainment as Final Fantasy, Super Mario, and Starcraft. We often want to pretend that these 'casual' things aren't really games at all.
You know who I like to watch play games? The "Casual Gamer". Now there is a person who can enjoy the hobby. Unfettered by the expectation of new, better, harder, faster, the casual gamer goofs off, has fun, and gets on with life. They can spend $200+ on a Wii just for Wii Sports, and still get their money's worth because they don't really need anything else. For us 'hardcore', why would we be offended from someone else enjoying themselves? Maybe Bejeweled or Peggle will be the gateway, opening them up to the joys of LAN parties, Demon's Souls, Monster Hunter, and slipping in the verbal venom of online play. But if not, why should that bother us?
I stopped trying to convince my mom she needed surround sound because she was just as happy with a tinny radio speaker. It may hurt my technophile heart, but she's just so darn happy with what she already has. The Bilbos out there will bravely and nervously venture out unto the wild frontier of gaming, but there are thousands more hobbits just as content to live out their lives in simpler pleasures.
These folks don't have to 'earn' our respect. They don't have to grow up and into 'hardcore'. We're all in it to have fun, or should be. That'll be a different experience for all of us. Besides, spending more time with gaming and even with a game in particular doesn't mean we earned any more stature. I've been playing Battletoads off and on for literally two decades and I still can't finish it. I can't blame my mom for not being the type for that challenge. But Kirby? She can have a blast with a well designed game, and I can even play co-op with her and go for the real challenge of trying to gain more unlockables by not getting hit.
Then I can go home and play I Wanna Be The Guy. You know, to unwind.
[img width=700 height=525]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PowerGlove1.jpg[/img]
At long last, after 19 long years, it is mine...The Power Glove is finally mine!
I went to the Post Office this morning, as I had to mail something, and decided to pick up my own mail while I was at it. The woman there handed me several pieces of Junk Mail, a Small Package, and a Large Package. (The small one was The Wizard and Cloak & Dagger on DVD). I had a good feeling about the big one, and hurried home. Right when I got home, I opened it, and saw the thing...
[img width=700 height=525]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/PowerGlove2.jpg[/img]
I smiled so big, my face actually got stuck that way for a couple of minutes. Heh.
I brought up a FAQ on how to use the thing online, and proceeded to hook it up. I popped Super Mario Bros. into the console and switched that sucker on as fast as humanly possible.
It took some practice, not to mention trial and error to get used to the thing, but I think I'm getting better at handling it. To be honest though, I can see why people hated it: It's not the most comfortable thing in the world, and it's centering features are kind of messed up, but I enjoyed using it. It was DEFINITELY worth the money I paid for it.
Well, that's it for this post. Until next time, I leave you all with this...
[img width=700 height=525]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/ReddWithPowerGlove.jpg[/img]
"I love the Power Glove. It's so bad."
NOTE: Yes, that's really me, and yes, I really am that nerdy.
Thanks for reading!
NOTE: This game was played through an Emulator, something I wouldn't normally do, but I can't read Japanese, so I had to play the Translated J Release using an Emulator.
As you all know, I recently learned of Mad City, the Japanese Version of The Adventures Of Bayou Billy. While I do own the game, it's not in English, so I played the Translated Version through an Emulator. Here's the story:
Stage 1: Bayou 1
I began this stage fighting a few enemies, the only noticeable difference so far being that the enemies were weaker than in Bayou Billy. I proceeded to knock the crap out of them and move on. As I moved through the stage, I began to notice more differences, such as not having to fight Crocodiles, as was REQUIRED in BB. They were still there, I just didn't have to fight them. Anyway, after several weak enemies, I beat the stage.
Stage 2: Bayou 2
A shooting stage! Nice! Even better, I had 150 Bullets to shoot, as opposed to 100 in BB. The difficulty was about the same though as in BB, save for the boss, who took less shots to take down. Moving on...
Stage 3: Bayou 3
A real boss battle! It was the usual strong man, but despite his tough appearance, he was a total wuss. Granted, he did score some hits on me, but I still won the fight without losing any lives. With him beaten, I proceeded to the next stage, which surprised me yet again...
Stage 4: To The City 1
The first of the driving stages was much different than that in BB. For one, there was a time limit, and no meter to show you how far you were in the stage. The upside? There was a health bar now, along with the stage being shorter. It also seemed easier to hit the enemies with bullets and dynamite sticks. This stage completed, I moved on...
Stage 5: To The City 2
Another driving stage. Not much to say here, other than it was also easier than the BB equivalent.
Stage 6: Mad City 1
A street fighting stage again! Besides the usual easy enemies, one particular group seemed to be as tough as they're BB counterparts, but seeing as how the rest of the stage was easy, it didn't really matter.
Stage 7: Mad City 2
A shoot-out in Mad City! This stage actually got me a couple of times, once by normal enemies, and once by the boss. After I lost the 2nd time though, the boss was really easy because I had full ammo and health.
Stage 8: Outside The Mansion
This stage actually had me kind of worried, as I had no lives left by this point, and I was losing health fast because of the (somewhat) cheap enemies. In fact, by the time I had defeated the last enemy, I only had one health square left. I did manage to pick up a Whip though, which would help me at...
Stage 9: Inside The Mansion
All my health restored, I met with the Semi Final Boss and proceeded to beat him down. Strangely enough, his difficulty level was about the same as in BB. With 6/8 health squares left, I beat him and moved on to his robotic goons. They scored some hits on me, and even knocked my Whip away from me a few times, but I still won, and rather easily. Annabelle rescued, the game was finished in less than an hour.
I could have gone for the Bad Ending and ran away from Annabelle, but for whatever reason, I didn't. I guess I'm just a nice guy.
Anyway, I never got a game over, so I didn't get to experience the quiz mode. Ah, well. Maybe next time.
Thanks for reading!
The Adventures Of Bayou Billy...As many of you know, I recently completed this extremely difficult game. Anyway, this made me think of something. It reminded me that games in Japan are usually tougher than they're US Counterparts. Seeking an even greater challenge, I bought the Japanese Version, titled "Mad City" on eBay, and proceeded to put it into a Famicom-To-NES Adapter, which I got out of my copy of Gyromite. After doing this, I booted the game up, only to be greeted with a great shock: Mad City was way easier than Bayou Billy! "Why?!" I thought to myself. "Why would Konami do this to us?!". The only conclusion I can come to is that some sadist at Konami got the bright idea to teach us American Gamers some kind of harsh lesson. Mad City is so EASY compared to Bayou Billy that it's not even funny. I also learned that some content was taken out of the US Release, such as:
A Quiz Mode
Extra Endings
Easier Driving Stages
Some Graphic Changes
There's even an option to let the player end Billy's relationship with Annabelle at the end! I guess I can kind of understand why that was taken out, but there was no excuse for Konami to remove the rest of the content. Anyway, that's it for this rant. I just found this to be very shocking.
Thanks for reading!
[img width=400 height=484]http://www.atarimania.com/2600/boxes/hi_res/jawbreaker_cart.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Jawbreaker
Year: 1982
Publisher: Tigervision
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Designer: John Harris
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 5 = rare
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2 (turn based)
Average Cost: approx $20 - $30 loose
Also Available On: Atari 400/800, Atari 5200 (homebrew), Apple II, Commodore 64, Commodore VIC-20, TI-99/4A, and Tiger stand-alone version (gameplay may differ for each system)
Tagline/Description: "You're loose in a candy factory! Quickly move the chomping set of teeth to eat up all the candy bars. Be careful, the happy faces may get you! Clear the screen and it's time for some quick hygiene - a tooth brush will clean your teeth to get you ready for your next romp through the candy factory. Tigervision fun at its sweetest."
Imagine if Pac-Man and Turmoil for the 2600 had a love child, that child's name would be Jawbreaker. Jawbreaker is essentially a Pac-Man clone and earlier versions of it on the Atari 400/800 verify this accusation (see picture below). Though Atari never went after Tigervision for infringement, rumor is that they were in heated discussions with Sierra On-Line (the developer) for their very similar 400/800 version. All 400/800 Jawbreaker games were also replaced by a version similar to the 2600 version referred to as "Jawbreaker II." Though similar in many ways to Pac-Man, I believe that Jawbreaker for the 2600 stands on its own and adds a new spin to videogaming's most well-known icon.
Jawbreaker for the Atari 400/800 (look familiar?)
[img width=384 height=240]http://retro-pc.com/images/jawbreaker.jpg[/img]
In Jawbreaker, you control a set of chomping teeth and you must maneuver your way through a horizontal maze eating candy dots, while avoiding the jawbreakers. Although the concept is similar to Pac-Man, in Jawbreaker, the horizontal walls of the maze are constantly in motion and offer only limited escape by traveling through openings in these walls (as opposed to Pac-Man's stationary maze). The goal of Jawbreaker is to devour all of the candy on the screen and you can also gain additional points by eating a "power bar," which strengthens your teeth and allows you to devour the jawbreakers for a limited time. If you are successful at finishing a board, you are rewarded with a comical, yet voracious, toothbrushing to prepare you for more candy eating. Jawbreaker, like the few other "dental hygienic" games on the 2600 (see Plaque Attack (Activision) and Tooth Protectors (DSD/Camelot), reminds us that it's okay to eat like gluttons, as long as we follow up with keeping our choppers nice and sparkly.
Jawbreaker for the Atari 2600
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89**
What I like most about Jawbreaker are the controls and the fluidity of the game. Though movement in the game is limited to up, down, and side-to-side (perfect for the stiff 2600 controls), the action is fast-paced and you really have to be able to take in all of the movements on the board very quickly. The jawbreakers and escape openings travel at various speeds and one must not only pay attention to the line you are currently on, but also those directly above and below you. If your mouth comes in contact with a jawbreaker, you not only lose a life, but your teeth are also shattered and actually drop out of your mouth. The teeth dropping, the creepy, smiley faced jawbreakers, and the toothbrushing at the completion of each level add a fun and comical element to the game. Also, Tigervision cartridges are colorful, have a unique look, and are fun to collect, since they add a nice rainbow of coloration to your normally bland, black stack of rectangles; Jawbreaker being a distinctively bright, candy apple red color.
Like the majority of the 2600 catalog, Jawbreaker is played for points. Since the gameplay is so simple and easy to grasp quickly, I've enjoyed hours of playing this game with friends and competing for highest score. For many of you who were disappointed with the port of Pac-Man on the 2600 like myself, I can highly recommend this game as a suitable substitute.
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 4
Graphics: 3 (should I even be rating this category, it's Atari)
Sound Effects/Music: 3
Concept: 3 (not original, but fun none the less)
Replay Value: 4
Cart/Box Art: 4
Overall Score: 3.50
**Since this is my initial blog entry, please comment and feel free to let me know what features or qualities about this game, or the others I will review, that you would like to know more about. Any suggestions or constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated. Thank you**
[img width=256 height=363]http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z51/jswaykos/madden2003.jpg[/img]
Finished Madden 2003. This game was a lot funner than the previous two. Receivers do a lot better of turning around and looking for the ball and there are many new catches. One thing on defense that was great is that when on defense you can now zoom out before the snap and get a better view of the field and see what the assignments are for all the defenders. While choosing a play you cannot look at the computer sift through it's plays like in 2001/2002. You could never tell which play the computer would select but you could easily see the formation. The fields and stadiums look a lot more real. Now instead of every field having green concrete they actually have grass. New player animations as well. Overall this game has improved a lot since 2001. One thing I've noticed about the games is that it's easy to stop the run, or maybe I just have a great defense. My defense has been ranked #1 in the NFL for rushing yards against all the three games so far.
Week 1: Vs Steelers - W 42-0
Week 2: Vs Jets - W 73-7
Week 3: Vs Chiefs - W 77-7
Week 4: Vs Chargers - W 66-0
Week 5: Vs Dolphins - W 38-6
Week 6: Vs Packers - W 31-7
Week 7: Vs Bye
Week 8: Vs Broncos - W 77-7
Week 9: Vs Bills - W 59-0
Week 10: Vs Bears - W 70-0
Week 11: Vs Raiders - W 63-0
Week 12: Vs Vikings - W 77-0
Week 13: Vs Lions - W 63-7
Week 14: Vs Bills - W 77-0
Week 15: Vs Titans - W 84-14
Week 16: Vs Jets - W 49-0
Week 17: Vs Dolphins - 70-3
Regular Season Record: 16-0
Patriots Real Record in 2000: 9-7
Playoffs:
Divisional Round: Vs Steelers - W 49-10
Conference Round: Vs Colts - W 56-10
Super Bowl: Vs Rams - W 42-13 (Rams Vs Me for the 3rd straight season)
Play Off Results: Super Bowl Win
Patriots Real Play Off Result in 2002: Did Not Make The Play Offs
Outscored Opponents(W/ Playoffs): 1,016-58(1,163-91)
[img width=209 height=298]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1359.snc4/163180_179103645440856_100000236649378_548900_7957985_n.jpg[/img]
Overall Record (W/ Playoffs): 48-0(51-0)
Overall Outscored Opponents (W/ Playoffs): 2,202-285(2,588-346)
2002 Game Blog:
http://www.rfgeneration.c...thon-Madden-2002-1569.php
I've been a member of RFGeneration for almost a year now and have noticed that there have been no reviews posted on Atari games or pre-NES systems (If there have been posts, I must have just missed them, and I offer my apology). I assume that the limitations of these posts are more likely due to the age of the majority of our members and as a result of sites, like AtariAge, who cater more to this topic and of which many of our members are also participants. I'm not saying that our younger members don't appreciate and enjoy Atari and pre-NES systems, I'm just saying that there may be a lack of familiarity (i.e. growing up during the age of Atari) for them that may cause them to be reluctant to post about these games. I certainly wouldn't know where to begin in reviewing an XBox game, since I don't own any of the systems and the system is basically foreign to me.
As a result, I have decided to do a weekly/bi-weekly blog that reviews familiar and maybe not so familiar titles for the 2600 and, the NES contemporary, 7800 system (I currently lack a 5200 at the moment, but may include games for this system at a later date.) Please let me know if this blog might be something that you might be interested in and feel free to send in requests for games that you would like to be reviewed. I'll try to be as unbiased as I can in my reviews, but with that said, my first entry will be on one of my favorite games for the Atari 2600, "Jawbreaker" by Tigervision.
"BUCKY! Captain Bucky O'Hare!"
I doubt too many people heard these words on Saturday Mornings in the 90s, as it wasn't exactly a popular Cartoon. Based off a comic book, Bucky O'Hare is the story of a Green Rabbit who fights Toads in Space. So, why am I posting this in a Blog about Nintendo Games? Because it got an NES Game!
[img width=279 height=384]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/Buck_Ohare_cover.jpg[/img]
I first played this game on my Brother's NES at my Dad's House when I was just a kid. I loved every minute of it. I have not played it since, but I'd love to get another chance at it. As I recall, it was a very fun game, and I spent loads of time playing it. Sadly, I could never beat it, as I was just a kid, and it was pretty challenging.
Anyway, the NES game was not the end of Bucky, because as I mentioned before, he had his own cartoon, which sadly, only lasted 13 Episodes. Bucky would not give up that easily though. As if to offer resolution to his Cartoon Series, an Arcade only sequel to the Cartoon Series was released, which details his Final Battle against The Toad Menace.
[img width=222 height=295]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a136/DarkTheThief/buckyua.png[/img]
The Arcade Version was also developed by Konami, but because of it's different story, it was not a port of the NES Game. Like I said before, it was a sequel to the Cartoon Series, and even featured the Voice Actors from the Cartoon, which was pretty cool.
So, what has become of Bucky since his final battle with the Toads? According to Wikipedia, a 3D Cartoon was produced by the original Comic Book Author. Yes, I did neglect to mention that Bucky started as a Comic Book Hero. Sorry!
Anyway, I would really like to play the NES Game again. If anyone has a copy for sale or trade, could you send me a PM or leave a comment on this entry? I'd appreciate it.
Thanks for reading!
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We are a community of collectors, gamers and the likes, and some of us enjoy to let the world know what is on our mind. For those members, we have the community blogs, a place where they can publish their thoughts and feelings regarding life, universe, and everything. Some of those members might even choose to write about gaming and collecting! Whatever they write about, you can find it on their blog. You can either see the latest community blog entries in the feed you see to the left, or you can browse for your favorite blog using the menu above. Interested in having your own blog hosted on RF Generation? It's rather simple, first be a registered member, and then click the "My Blog" link that you see in the navigation above. Following those two steps will certainly get you on your way to blogging.
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