So, what you playing at the mo? Retro Edition

o1s1n · 28-11-2023 11:21AM

The arcade game is absolutely gorgeous and sometimes it's hard to believe it came out in 1989.

I played the Megadrive version a lot back in the 90s (could never get very far) and the music always stuck with me. Was lovely hearing it again last night while I screamed at an arcade machine for a couple of hours.

As Retr0 said, it's fairly easy to get your hands on the arcade game so stick with that.

I have to say, the jump mechanics in it are mad. Every time I died it was 100% my fault, but at the same time I don't think I've ever just jumped down pits and died in a game so many times in my life. Even when I knew the pit was there - straight down the hole I go 😂

Retr0gamer · 28-11-2023 11:48AM

The jumping is a feature of Capcom games that all their games seem to have. I think it's due to Tokuro Fujiwara since he was a mentor to Capcom. Every action you take you have to commit to and you are locked into an animation or place until it's finished. You see it in everything from ghouls 'n ghosts, bionic commando all the way up to Resi 4, devil may cry and monster hunter. I've never seen it explored before in a dissertation but to me it's a Capcom House style.

McDermotX · 28-11-2023 12:13PM

Gaming's lowest moment - seeing and playing the Amiga version of Strider in the computer club in the Ormond Quay Hotel

Conversely, zip forward a year, and the arcade near came home with that devastating MD conversion.

Retr0gamer · 30-11-2023 11:02AM

Finished Mister Mosquito last night. Really fun game that's a lot better than the budget would suggest. I'm going to continue with new game plus as it's all the same levels but the dialogue changes as you are now terrorising the family during the summer and the dialogue is pretty amusing.

One bad point is that the game is a bit, well, racist. The voice actors for the husband and wife put on pretty bad Japanese accents that I'd say have dated badly but I don't think it was acceptable even back when Mickey Rooney did yellow face in breakfast at Tiffany's.

o1s1n · 30-11-2023 11:46AM

I've never actually watched Breakfast at Tiffany's - Jesus that's bad!

Usually this is my main point of reference for Mickey Rooney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyUTK-Fu9j8

Retr0gamer · 04-12-2023 06:03PM

Finished up Beyond the Labyrinth, a stunning looking 3DS game that Konami never released in the west. Usually this is because the game isn't any good but in this case it's baffling because it's one of the best RPGs on the system. It's a dungeon crawler at heart with a simple battle system to understand that gets more complex as it adds more layers as the game progresses. The music is top tier and while the story is t much to write home about it's got some great character development.

Thankfully there's a fan translation. I know the 3DS library is awash with jrpgs (and probably way too jrpg heavy) but this is definitely one to try out and work hacking the 3DS for. Just a helpful note that theres issues with the fan translation where character names won't appear unless you do some changing of the system and rom region and change them to Japanese.

Inviere · 04-12-2023 06:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121454015#Comment_121454015

As in a full on system region change? It's not exactly difficult, but not trivial either from what I remember.

Retr0gamer · 04-12-2023 07:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121454097#Comment_121454097

It was really difficult but it's much easier now. It was pretty much going into one of the programs installed as part of the hack and updating it in a menu.

Inviere · 04-12-2023 07:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121454270#Comment_121454270

Ah cool. I changed my LL into an XL and I remember it came with some risks of bricking etc. Thankfully it was grand, but sounds like it's easier now

Retr0gamer · 04-12-2023 07:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121454491#Comment_121454491

I updated my 3DS to the latest hacks and they've made things a lot easier. Also backed up my nand in the process.

briany · 04-12-2023 08:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121200573#Comment_121200573

I remember playing that in the early 90s as well but it was on the C64. My older brothers had gotten a lend of that computer along with a bag of game tapes and that was one, along with Dizzy Down the Rapids, Operation Wolf, Paperboy and WWF Wrestlemania.

Retr0gamer · 04-12-2023 10:39PM

New Zealand story is one of those games that never really gets mentioned or has a bad name because of the yanks. It got a not very good NES port. It's a great arcade game that got excellent European home ports. The C64 version is great but the Amiga version is excellent and was bundled with some Amigas.

Quigs Snr · 04-12-2023 11:56PM

I only ever played the C64 version… but something tickled my brain when you said Amiga version is excellent.. so I had a look in the game room and there it is, hiding on top of my A600. Must fish it out and have a go at the weekend.

I also noted a DS version in my collection too. I am going to assume it’s awful but if anyone has played it, let me know.

Tom Mann Centuria · 05-12-2023 05:41PM

Nevermind :pac:

o1s1n · 06-12-2023 11:27AM

Spent four hours playing Pokemon Yellow on the Analogue Pocket on Saturday. Never really played a Pokemon game before so fairly late to the party.

Really great game to try out the new system, it looks absolutely gorgeous on the big screen.

Was intrigued to see it actually game Gameboy Printer functionality.

Retr0gamer · 06-12-2023 01:04PM

Speaking of analogue pocket I put the 3DS down and started up links awakening DX a game I've.... Don't hate me, never beaten before.

I know loads about it but never say down and finished it while owning it multiple times. I own the switch remake but I feel the old Gameboy version just feels a and works better.

o1s1n · 06-12-2023 01:43PM

I totally get what you mean.

The limitations of the Gameboy make the original version feel impressive and big beyond the hardware it's on, whereas playing it on the Switch it feels a bit like a short, sparse Zelda game that's missing a lot of elements.

Retr0gamer · 06-12-2023 02:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121461422#Comment_121461422

It just kind of feels better to me. Think it's that fact it's a stable 60 fps on gameboy.

Retr0gamer · 12-12-2023 11:19AM

Im past the furthest Ive gotten in links awakening and it's just amazing what Nintendo achieved on such meagre hardware.

o1s1n · 12-12-2023 11:24AM

Particularly amazing when you realise it's still better than a lot of AAA games released today 😁

Retr0gamer · 12-12-2023 12:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121485949#Comment_121485949

Especially with all the moaning about Spiderman 2 being game of the year. Fine game and all but it's no links awakening. In fact I can't think of any year it would even be considered game of the year let alone 2023 which might be the strongest year for good games in 15 years.

Inviere · 12-12-2023 02:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121485922#Comment_121485922

Hang on, you talking about the Switch? Or the Game Boy? 😁

o1s1n · 12-12-2023 02:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121486559#Comment_121486559

😁

Both great examples actually as to why power isn't everything. Still happily playing my Switch over the monstrosities that are the PS5 and Xbox whatever the feck the latest one is called.

Retr0gamer · 12-12-2023 02:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121486559#Comment_121486559

Reminds me Ive to pick up Mario wonder and Pikmin 4 this week.

Retr0gamer · 12-12-2023 02:45PM

I was also playing pilotwings last night while the analogue was updating and stuff.

I'm severely stuck on the 4th set of objectives, particularly the parachute one. The other 3 objectives are tough but doable but I've yet to land the parachute and there's no point continuing if you don't land it as you have to be near perfect in the other 3 to pass. The landing spot is pretty small and in the middle of a body of water and there's also a pretty strong wind as well to complicate things.

Thought it would be handy enough as Arino managed to finish it on a Game Centre CX episode but I guess I'm not even as good as a middle aged Japanese comedian.

o1s1n · 12-12-2023 02:46PM

Mario Wonder really lives up to it's title. It's been a long time since a game has put a big beaming grin across my face again and again. Just a great great game. I've burst out laughing a good few times throughout.

Retr0gamer · 13-12-2023 01:08AM

I'm a dope. There's nothing wrong with the pilotwings parachute controls, I'd just forgotten how to play the game. Pressing back on the dpad slows your forward momentum making it much easier to find tune a landing.

Anyway I sat down to an evening of pilotwings and managed to beat. There was loads of frustration but it never felt like it was anything but my fault. The first four stages aren't too bad as long as you aren't a Muppet like me and remember the parachute controls. They end in a fun little shooter section with an Apache helicopter.

Beating this opens expert pilotwings, four more stages that are way more brutal. The challenges are slightly harder but made more difficult with weather effects like much stronger wind, ice and rain. The difficulty however isn't insane. If you mess up a stage you can go for the bonus stage on the parachute or rocket pack stage which gives you a chance at the extra points you need. If not then just play the level safe. Saying that I beat the final set of challenges by the skin of my teeth by getting the exact number of points I needed.

There's a final Apache stage at the end which is riddled with missile silos. I believe you are rescuing Mario's brother Luigi in this stage as I seem to remember it from game center cx but it looks like it was removed from the SNES version.

It's a real gem on the SNES, it might be a tech demo but they it's a game I could see myself replaying a lot with friends of I owned it back in the day.

o1s1n · 17-12-2023 04:09PM

Started up an English translation of Front Mission 5 on the PS2 today. About two hours in now and really enjoying it, really surprised it never made it to the west. Feels like a big budget game, absolutely lovely looking. Reminds me a bit of Metal Gear Solid 2 visually.

Gameplay wise it feels very like Valkyrie Chronicles.

Retr0gamer · 18-12-2023 12:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121506262#Comment_121506262

I've played a good bit of it and got distracted. It's fantastic. Front mission 3 is an absolute gem on the ps1 but when front mission 4 came out it was a big disappointment and then never made it to the EU. FM5 went back to the gameplay of FM3 and was so much better. To me it feels like shining force with mecha, quite simple but loads of fun.

DaveyDave · 18-12-2023 02:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121506262#Comment_121506262

I've always heard the name of the series but literally never knew what it was, I must check it out. I wouldn't mind getting into a turn based RPG, haven't played one since Advance Wars (or Pathway to Glory on the N-Gage!)

So, what you playing at the mo? Retro Edition

Comments