So, what you playing at the mo? Retro Edition

Retr0gamer

Finished Kamui last night (well credit fed). It's a really great Layer Section clone, highly recommend it and it's usually on sale on steam with its two equally great follow ups.

Worztron

Snare (1989). I got it with my C64 back in Xmas 1990. I still have the C64 but prefer to play it on an emulator. It's a gem of a game.

https://www.lemon64.com/?mainurl=https%3A//www.lemon64.com/games/details.php%3FID%3D3205

https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Snare

eddhorse

I loved Snare, it was on the Mind Benders pack that came with the C64.

It was tough as nails though.

Worztron

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117631461#Comment_117631461

Yes, it was very tricky. :)

Playing Ecco: The Tides of Time on the Mega CD. That soundtrack. 😮

Retr0gamer

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117634285#Comment_117634285

Must get around to that. Finished the First Ecco recently and it's so much better on Mega CD with the QOL improvements.... except they didn't change the final stage bullshit.

I loved Tides of Time on Megadrive but got stuck at a part in a time before gamefaqs existed.

I've started Ace Combat 2 last night. Massive improvement over the first game, which was already great for a launch window game.

Fully textured ground now and more ground level detail makes it a lot more interesting. Also it supports the PS analog stick which also means it supports dualshock which makes for a much better controlling experience.

CiDeRmAn

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117635921#Comment_117635921

I loved the first two games, when they released on the Playstation.

The original is a lot better than you might think, but you have to play it on hard, as easy/normal is waaay too simple.

I would have loved to have played it in the arcades, anyone come across that, back in the day?

Retr0gamer

It's a game I would have avoided as flight sims in my head said too complex. I actually took no notice of Ace Combat until Ace 7 because of the same thing. Thankfully I took a punt on Ace 7.

Andrew76

@Retr0gamer - Any chance you could go back to your old avatar pic? 😁

Retr0gamer

I knew this would happen. I'll try and find that picture, just for you.

Retr0gamer

That's the best I can do for you on short notice.

Andrew76

@Retr0gamer - fair play to you! 😁

Now if we could only bring back :pac: ...

Gamer Bhoy 89

Trying my damnedest to play Super Mario Bros. 3 and I just can't get good at it. I panic too much. I was never that good at platformers to begin with but Mario Bros. is probably my kryptonite. I love it and hate it at the same time.

Retr0gamer

Ignore the people that grew up with a NES that say the mario games are easy. They really aren't!

o1s1n

I have some Switch eshop vouchers burning a hole in my pocket and am looking for something to buy. Kind of annoyed that big digital sale is over!

I've never actually played Skyward Sword but remember retr0 saying it's not that great and am a bit wary of spending full whack on it. Kind of intrigued by a Zelda game I've never played before... what do you reckon? anyone think it's decent?

The other option is to wait until Neo: The World Ends with You on the 27th when it comes out, however I'm half tempted to pick up a physical copy of that as I've a feeling it'll be worth a few bob down the line.

Anything else out there folks are enjoying that someone like me with a pertinence for older titles might like?

Retr0gamer

It's worth playing. Just very disappointing.

All the articles defending the game are saying the issue with the game is that the motion controls were rubbish but that's nonsense. I found them great. The game is just really badly paced, it's too long and exhausting as everything in the game is a dungeon. It really needed down time to break things up.

Colonel Panic

There's just so much padding between dungeons, which are genuinely great to be in. But, you must get three things to unlock a thing and get two more of the thing to do the dungeon. Coupled with a patronising and crap sidekick character... Ugh...

It's like the preamble in Twilight Princess before each dungeon taken to the nth degree.

I'm going to buy It myself as some point, but it's the worst Zelda. (which makes it still a good game)

Colonel Panic

Retrieve some parent attic loot today. Nights, Galactic Attack and Panzer Dragoon Zwei as well as a FILTHY 3D controller - now cleaned up. And in the end I couldn't resist putting on nights after the missus and boy went for a nap!

o1s1n

Five hours into Skyward Sword and actually really enjoying it! I have the motion controls switched off as to be honest I was banjaxed tired after the first few fights. It works quite well with the right analog stick as the sword controls instead.

I'm not nearly far enough into it yet to be annoyed by any of the above niggles so we'll see how it is in the long run but happy with it so far.

Its nice seeing so many traditional Zelda things that were chopped from BOTW...and a few things that made it over like the stamina wheel. (I thought that was a new feature in BOTW!)

Retr0gamer

Started playing Ape Escape. I both love and hate it. It's way more frustrating than I remember.

It's a fun take on Mario 64 on the PS1. The PS1 had no hope of taking on a Mario 64 style game. Ape Escape is way more janky and the levels are tiny. But the ape capturing mechanic differentiates itself from Mario 64. The apes have great personality and are fun to chase after and catch.

The frustration comes from the controls and camera. Ape Escape was designed to show off the new dual shock controller. So the left stick is for analogue movement and the right should be for camera, right? Right?

Nope. The right analogue stick is used to control the gadgets that all require analogue control to use. Now this makes the gadgets really fun to use but the camera is the old school click a button to center it behind the character. It causes no end of frustration as the camera is awful. It's also constantly looking at the ground to try and keep the frame rate up.

Sony obviously didn't have a clue how to use the second analogue joystick they stuck on the controller initially but I'm kind of glad Sony Japan studios did something so creative with it.

It's these types of games that really make me lament Sony closing their Japan studio recently as these were the types of games that made the playstation so special and not the assassin's creed knock offs they are producing now.

o1s1n

Interesting you mention that about Ape Escape, that's exactly how Skyward Sword controls with the right analogue stick being used for sword control.

Similarly, it was quite jarring at the start as I kept trying to look around with the right stick and instead keep drawing the sword.

Have to keep using Z targeting to look forward. Did eventually get used to it, just feels a tad archaic!

It really shows you how standardised dual analogue stick controls have become, not a lot of experimentation with them anymore.

Retr0gamer

To be fair it's not the worst solution. It just really sticks out in ape escape because the camera logic isn't great. The N64 did it a lot better but then the N64 had the processing power to do it.

The camera pointing down constantly to keep the framerate up is what throws the camera so much.

I can deal with it in most games. Sure ninja gaiden uses it, it's just particularly bad on ape escape.

Still love the game.

Retr0gamer

Current Ape Escape Progress:

25% complete

Current Mood:

Going to bed furious over the camera.

Burzum

Playing Star Trek Voyager Elite Force on the ps2, not the best but have played worse,would like it more if the option to invert up/down was available.

Inviere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117695506#Comment_117695506

Seeing this I went and installed both EF1 and 2 for pc there, relatively painless getting them running under Windows 10. Never played EF2, so look forward to giving it a go. Completed EF1 back on release, decent enough for its day.

Retr0gamer

Finished Ape Escape but going back to 100% it. It's got some great ideas and there's a lot of fun to be had but my god the camera is infuriating. People complaining about Mario 64's camera need to shut up and watch their entitlement. The Mario 64 camera is great for a game of it's vintage because Ape Escape shows just how awful it could have been.

Also speaking of Vintage shooters, I got sick of waiting for an official release of No One Lives Forever so I installed the fan release of the game. The game has issues with AMD cards, you need to install a glide driver but once you do it's perfect.

This one passed me by on release but I can see why it's so well regarded. Dodgy 90's stealth mechanics aside, it's one of the finest FPS games I've played with some really great writing.

Inviere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117702670#Comment_117702670

I done the same recently enough strangely, & it's an interesting read as to why you can no longer pay money to buy these games - https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/no-one-will-sell-no-one-lives-forever-so-lets-download-it

(The link above does contain download links, but again, there's no valid way to buy these games and their ownership seems so spaghettified this unofficial way to get them is the ONLY way to get them.)

Gamer Bhoy 89

Played a handful of games today.

Tiny Toon Adventures | Mega Drive

Decent platformer. Wasn't a huge fan of the way gravity holds you down like an anvil when you jump unless you hold the jump button in. Letting it go belts you back to the ground otherwise. It took a bit of getting used to.

Atomic Runner | Mega Drive

Haven't played this game in years. A fairly unknown auto-scrolling shooter. Very challenging as well. I don't know if I ever got past level 2. Like many shmups of its type you can increase your firepower, collect different projectiles from enemies, and of course, die in one hit. I'd love to seek out a legit copy at some stage, it can be very addictive.

Bubsy | Mega Drive

Yeesh... I used to love this game as a child, somehow. I used to rent it all the time. Memory has not served me well with this one. I knew for years after that it was not very well liked but I refused to believe it. I've played it lots of times over the years but only for a brief moment each time. I decided to give it a proper go today and see how far I could get. Nah, this game is hot garbage. Everything kills you. The levels have no rhyme or reason. And his wise-cracks get annoying after the 10th time hearing them. Maybe I'm being too harsh, and perhaps I'm just garbage, like I usually am with platformers.

Super Mario Bros. 3 | NES/Switch

This is a game I'm taking my time with. I am in love with it. This is the third Mario game I've made a solid attempt to beat. The first being SMW and the second being the original. Gonna be a hard toss-up between this and World, TBH. So far this is magnificent. I originally tried to beat it in one sitting but my lack of attention kept getting the better of me, so I'm utilising the save states. That's what it's there for I suppose.

Overall I'm not really sticking to anything I'm just having fun playing different games - trying out some I never bothered with in the past. Gave Boogerman a quick go as well but that'll have to be a game I'll probably sit down and play properly. I love the look of it.

I also have Onimusha Warlords installed onto my PS4 for when I decide to jump onto it.

I really haven't given much time to play much of any new games this year. I think the newest game I've played to the end has been Mass Effect Legendary and even then, those are remasters of 9-13 yr-old games. Enjoying my retro fever as of late.

Retr0gamer

Atomic Runner/Chelnov is an awesome game. The megadrive version is a fantastic remake.

o1s1n

Have to say, I am absolutely loving Skyward Sword. Am about 15 hours in and starting to see some of the niggles coming through, especially the whole 'to get into this dungeon you need to find X, but X is made up of parts W, Y, and Z which you need to dowse to find in three separate locations etc etc' (actually reminds me of The Witcher 3's mid section which drove me insane)

Despite this, it's just an enjoyable game. The Dungeons are really well put together with a great sense of scale and pace. Only down side I can say at the moment is it's quite easy, I think this is really just down to me not using motion controls.

Also been playing about with the Contra collection on the Switch. Was playing some Operation C for the original Gameboy last night. Really impressive game which I don't think I've played before, amazing how much they squeezed into a GB cart.