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So, what you playing at the mo? Retro Edition

CiDeRmAn

Me, I'm playing a bit of Metal Slug X, Micromachines, Einhander via PSP and about to play some Daytona on the Saturn, anyone else?

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accensi0n

Been playing The Bugs Bunny Blowout on the NES, completed it there. I had been referring to it as 'Birthday Blowout' in my head, but just realised thats what its called in North America, but they removed the 'Birthday' in Europe for some reason.
The game gets better as it progresses, the final boss is a bit disappointing though, he was the easiest to beat.

End screens after completing it:

Shapey Fiend

90's Super GT looked so slick, so early, it's a wonder it got held up so much. Probably got bogged down trying to do it on loads of platforms. Should have just gone Steam to start with then port. Sega should have bought the bloody thing it looks 10x prettier than that new Daytona update they're flogging.

wheresmahbombs

PS1 emulation isn't quite working out for me. I tried Crash Bandicoot on ePSXe to no avail. I wanted to give that a go before SotN by the very chance that I would have trouble getting the latter to work, and I really didn't want that. In RetroArch's case, the PS1 .bin files aren't being detected.

Inviere

wheresmahbombs wrote: »

In RetroArch's case, the PS1 .bin files aren't being detected.

You need cue files for those bin files. Beetle HW in Retroarch run most everything I throw at it (some games brilliantly, others, not so much), though that said, PS1 emulation still has a ways to go. It's improved a lot over the last 8/12 months.

o1s1n

As I'm usually at least one gen behind of current consoles, I finally got around to picking up Super Mario 3D World for the WiiU. It's definitely as good as the hype made it out to be. Absolutely love it.

My only criticism, and it's not really a criticism, more a lack of tech, but the lack of 3D that you have in 3D land really takes something away from it. Feels like it should be a game with 3D capability.

wheresmahbombs

Inviere wrote: »

You need cue files for those bin files. Beetle HW in Retroarch run most everything I throw at it (some games brilliantly, others, not so much), though that said, PS1 emulation still has a ways to go. It's improved a lot over the last 8/12 months.

I just found the .cue file for SotN. BTW, what's SotN like with Beetle PSX HW? Might give it a go tomorrow if it emulates well.

CiDeRmAn

o1s1n wrote: »

As I'm usually at least one gen behind of current consoles, I finally got around to picking up Super Mario 3D World for the WiiU. It's definitely as good as the hype made it out to be. Absolutely love it.

My only criticism, and it's not really a criticism, more a lack of tech, but the lack of 3D that you have in 3D land really takes something away from it. Feels like it should be a game with 3D capability.

The game has taken some flak for not being Galaxy 3, but it really works as a SMW series sequel.
A lot of folk didn't enjoy the 3D of the handheld and so the full console experience of the console title wasn't hurt by its inability to display in 3D.

I do think that, like the maligned Sunshine, 3DWorld will benefit from a more objective POV with time, while we can simply be satisfied with knowing we are 100% right, that it's a great game!

Retr0gamer

3D world has some of the most generous post game content with it giving you even more new levels than the base game. In fact I feel the game doesn't really reach its full potential until the tougher post game stages.

o1s1n

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

The game has taken some flak for not being Galaxy 3, but it really works as a SMW series sequel.
A lot of folk didn't enjoy the 3D of the handheld and so the full console experience of the console title wasn't hurt by its inability to display in 3D.

I do think that, like the maligned Sunshine, 3DWorld will benefit from a more objective POV with time, while we can simply be satisfied with knowing we are 100% right, that it's a great game!

After the initial hype and novelty of 3DS 3D, I didn't care too much for it either, but I found Mario 3D Land was a great example of how it's not only just a visual trick, but actually (at least IMO) enhances that game.

There was something that just clicked between the diorama type levels and the sense of space that 3D can bring. It really aided with Mario's movement too. Would have been great to experience that in 3D World too, but alas, no 3D on the WiiU.

CiDeRmAn

o1s1n wrote: »

After the initial hype and novelty of 3DS 3D, I didn't care too much for it either, but I found Mario 3D Land was a great example of how it's not only just a visual trick, but actually (at least IMO) enhances that game.

There was something that just clicked between the diorama type levels and the sense of space that 3D can bring. It really aided with Mario's movement too. Would have been great to experience that in 3D World too, but alas, no 3D on the WiiU.

I think this is key, and delivered the same kind of experience that Luigi's Mansion brought on both the GC and later 3DS titles, that sense of a tangible place just beyond the screen surface, like the display is a window onto a world of form, rather than a set of fancy polygons of little real substance.
Dark Souls achieved the same thing, I think Riddick on the Xbox was similar too.
Once upon a time it was cool to see a game making use of the latest tech, so you have filled polygons, shaders, voxels even, and the visible presence of these effects somehow added to the experience and probably brought us to where the PS4/Xb1 are now.
Other games, like the one's mentioned and often on the Nintendo wanted to use the available power to build worlds instead, to use the tools as a palette, paints and brush, rather than a statement of console heft.
Never more so prevalent in a literal sense, with Okami on the PS2 and Okamiden on the DS, by Capcom.

Retr0gamer

You do know that Luigi's Mansion on the GC was built to take advantage of 3D TV technology which the gamecube was meant to support. It's probably why it went for a similar diorama style.

wheresmahbombs

Inviere wrote: »

You need cue files for those bin files. Beetle HW in Retroarch run most everything I throw at it (some games brilliantly, others, not so much), though that said, PS1 emulation still has a ways to go. It's improved a lot over the last 8/12 months.

I've been playing SotN with Beetle HW and it's playing grand, just not without some graphical oddities.

Inviere

wheresmahbombs wrote: »

I've been playing SotN with Beetle HW and it's playing grand, just not without some graphical oddities.

If they're too distracting, try a dedicated PS1 emulator like ePSXe. Beetle HW will become the defacto PS1 emulator in time, it's not quite there yet, but it'll get there.

wheresmahbombs

Inviere wrote: »

If they're too distracting, try a dedicated PS1 emulator like ePSXe. Beetle HW will become the defacto PS1 emulator in time, it's not quite there yet, but it'll get there.

I don't mind the artifacts too much, and I'm having some difficulties with ePSXe, so I'm fine with Beetle HW for now.

Relikk

Regarding PS1 emulation and SoTN, I've never had any issues playing it on XEBRA. Seems like a pretty solid emulator.

Inviere

Relikk wrote: »

Regarding PS1 emulation and SoTN, I've never had any issues playing it on XEBRA. Seems like a pretty solid emulator.

Must take a look. Do you know if it plays nice with Launchbox?

Relikk

Inviere wrote: »

Do you know if it plays nice with Launchbox?

No idea, I'm afraid.

wheresmahbombs

Relikk wrote: »

Regarding PS1 emulation and SoTN, I've never had any issues playing it on XEBRA. Seems like a pretty solid emulator.

I've heard of it, looks great. It seems to emulate like a carbon copy of the PS1.

CiDeRmAn

All this emulation talk... I wonder if a name change isn't in order.....

Inviere

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

All this emulation talk... I wonder if a name change isn't in order.....

Or a subforum

accensi0n

Ok, to get back to some non emulation.

Went back to super mario bros, completed it there. I did use the A + Start option to restart the same world you die on though when I got to world 7. I'm sure I'll have another go in the future at a run through without getting a Game Over screen.

I started using a CRT telly I got a while ago as well, doesn't come out as well on my camera phone compared to the LCD PC monitor:

Going to start on some flight games for the NES next, not sure why but got a real craving for playing flight simulator games recently. Bought Stealth ATF, Captain Skyhawk and Ultimate Air Combat. Played them all for about 10 mins each, Stealth isn't the best but really like the other 2.

accensi0n

Been playing battletoads on the NES, didn't own the game before but have a very hazy recollection of playing it as a kid, can't remember where though. Just completed the turbo tunnel level there, it's not as bad as people make out, after you've had like 20 goes at it to get it down. I used the warp at the start of level 1 to skip to the turbo tunnel so I could retry it over and over without having to spend time getting through levels 1 and 2.

Had been playing those flight sim games I mentioned in the last post as well, completed Captain Skyhawk but didn't get a pic of it as the end screen went away before I could get my phone from the other room

accensi0n

Small break from the frustration that is Battletoads to play Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, got a loan of it from a friend. It's a fun game, the controls seem very tight and responsive. Beatable in a short amount of time as well, still has it's moments though that mean you wouldn't be able to complete it on a first go without losing any lives, where you need to fire boxes before you even see the enemies.

Some end screens:

morkish

Was just playing through Simpsons arcade, getting a bit further each time (only 1 credit a go, have to copy the days of that last 20p coin in your pocket!)

Definitely one of the better Konami games, great fun playing together too. They didn't quite nail the intro sequence from the cartoon, musics a bit off, I think they have a cabinet in that new token place?

Shapey Fiend

They've got one in the Barcade in Cork anyway.

Noel82

Might get scolded for this! Completed Earthbound, it's a nice game but it's plagued by problems. If you take it purely on it's RPG elements the game is pretty flawed, in the early part of the game in caves there's situations where you can easily become trapped between enemies and unable to heal or get away from them rendering your progress worthless. Then there's the menu and inventory system - it might be the most infuriating thing about the game, it's the worst item system I've seen in a 16-bit rpg so far. You are constantly trying to make more space and time and time again you get the message your inventory is full.

Another annoying part of the game is the awful amounts of slowdown, there is no reason for a snes rpg in 95 to suffer so badly from this. FF6 villages were full of NPC's moving about and the game never dropped a single frame, but here everytime there's a few NPC's or enemies on screen the frames crawl. Graphics don't mean much to me but it's hard to argue that the game doesn't look outdated even by snes standards. Another criticism is the PSI system, there's many times in the game deep in "dungeons" where you are relying on butterflies to randomly show up to replenish PSI.

It's still a good game overall, the quirkiness, dialogue and music are all great. The story is average but still unique since it's in a modern setting. Overall I'd give it a 7 - it's not a game I'd play without save states and I likely won't play it again. Again like in my previous reviews I'll compare it FF6/Chrono Trigger and it falls well short of even challenging those games.

Retr0gamer

Didn't have much trouble with the gameplay in the game. Found the game very easy once you get out of the starting areas. Can only imagine it's tough if you skip a lot of battles. In fairness the battle system is standard dragon quest stuff although the rolling health meter is used in interesting ways during the game. As for the inventory, items aren't that useful so I found just keeping it relatively empty is fine.

Storywise though I think it's way ahead of the likes of Chrono Trigger and FF6. In fact I'd put it up there with Silent Hill 2 as pretty much one of the very few examples of videogame narrative that can stand toe to toe with the best other mediums off. FF6 and Chrono Trigger are standard fantasy/sci fi fare (told extremely well) but Earthbound is very different. It's a game designed to evoke feelings in the player. Read up on it, it's a lot deeper than the surface layer narrative. Some people think it's just weird and quirky but there's a lot more to it.

As for the slowdown, Earthbound is actually a far more advanced game than the likes of Chrono Trigger and FF6. There's a hell of a lot more underlying systems in play when walking around. It does lead to a lot of slowdown but I think it leads to a more interesting fleshed out world than a few NPCs that move randomly based on a seed value.

Noel82

Fair points, I'd disagree on the story being better than FF6, but I don't think it's a bad game at all. I know what you're trying to explain about how deep the emotional stuff is, the coffee and tea breaks were really thought provoking. I did feel that attachment throughout and really liked it. I just remember when I finished FF6 I couldn't get it out of my head for days, IMO it's one of the best games of all time so it might be unfair comparing it against other snes rpgs.

Playing Lufia 2 now, skipped the first one. It's excellent so far and maybe a bit underrated? It's very much in the mold of FF but with Zelda type strategy elements.

Retr0gamer

Oh Lufia 2 is incredible. I'd recommend just playing the start of the first game. Lufia is a bit basic but the start of that game is essentially the end of Lufia 2. It sounds like it would spoil the game but it really adds to the story and it's such a unique way to tell a story.

Also there's a relationship between some characters which is something I've not seen in a game before. It's not the usual case where you know two characters are meant to end up with each other. It's something far more complicated and brave. Xenoblade did something similar but I feel Lufia 2 did it way better and it's surprisingly and realistic.

It's way ahead of its time and a shame more people don't recognise it.

eddhorse

Still cracking through Demon Souls, progress slowly being made.
Killed Phalanx, Tower Knight, Armour Spider, Flamelurker, Vanguard, Adjudicator.