DuckTales: The Quest for Gold Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2019-11-18 | Developed by Incredible Technologies and published by Titus in 1990Although I was a fan of the cartoon show I loved this game even more! This a new recording, with better video quality and few things I missed on my original play-through.The premise is simple: help Scrooge McDuck win enough treasures from around the globe to be crowned as Dime Magazine's duck of the year.From wildlife photography to spelunking, each location on the game map features a mini-game that can lead to riches untold, if only you can overcome the challenges therein.CreditsCoding: Jeff Sargent, Frank Schwartz, Bill ZielinskiGraphics: Tim Skelly, Susan Svoboda, Denise WallnerMusician: Kyle Johnson, David Thiel#ducktales#disney#retrogaming
Earth Defense Force Longplay (SNES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-10-18 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: JalecoPublisher: JalecoYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I've yet to play the original arcade version of Jaleco's horizontal STG, but the SNES adaptation of this early 90s shooter seems a pretty decent. It seems pretty close to the coin-op in terms of design, albeit with a few differences. There are more weapons available to choose from when equipping your ship in the loadout sections between stages, and the stages themselves are different. The graphics in this home adaptation are, in my opinion, actually better than the coin-op, featuring some great use of colour and multiple layers of parallax, although there's also a fair degree of slow-down and sprite-flicker when the screen gets busy, something the original doesn't suffer from.As with the coin-op, much of the game's strategy is based on selecting a weapons and equipment loadout best suited to dealing with the types of enemies you'll face in the following stage. For example, rapid-firing seeker bullets are great for dealing with swarms of smaller craft with low health, while the laser is better suited to punching through the armour of larger opposition. The power of these weapons ranks up throughout the course of the game, rather than by picking up any kind of power-up tokens.Earth Defense Force isn't a bad shooter, all things considered. There's a decent number of stages to get your teeth into, and experimenting with all the different weapon loadouts and determining the best way to tackle each stage means the game has more longevity than some counterparts. The fact it looks nicer than it's coin-op counterpart is also a plus, so I reckon EDF on SNES is definitely worth a blast.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:00 Stage 105:20 Stage 209:20 Stage 314:40 Stage 420:15 Stage 524:25 Stage 630:44 Ending
Brute Force Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-10-13 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Leland CorporationPublisher: Leland CorporationYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The only game produced by Leland I'd ever played prior to this video was Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road, and I'd definitely never even heard of Brute Force, let alone played it. That alone was sufficient to spark curiosity about this game, and it proved to be quite fascinatingOn the surface, this beat 'em up looks and feels a lot like Konami's Crime Fighters. The locales, graphics, and much of the action seems to be inspired by that particular title. You fight your way through seedy city streets, slums, subways and other places you wouldn't want to walk alone at night, taking out bad dudes with fists, feet, pipes, sticks, trash cans and more. The environments feature destructible elements, often hiding power-ups and other weapons, and the game is so much more interesting as a result.Another game which Brute Force reminded me of was New York Warriors. This was released on the Amiga in 1990, but also in arcades under the Arcadia brand, which was an offshoot of Mastertronic, which made the ill-advised decision to try and release coin-ops based on the Amiga hardware. New York Warriors is itself heavily inspired by The Warriors movie, plus any number of classic 80s action flicks.The parallels don't stop there. It struck me as I played through Brutal Force the similarities between this and the original Postal, released on PC in 1997. The perspective from which the action takes place, art style and gameplay, especially once you get hold of ranged weapons, felt oddly similar. Both games are based on the premise of reodculously over-the-top violence, although Brute Force isn't weighed down by the morale baggage with Postal saddled itself.All the similarities between Brute Force and the games which came before and after are probably coincidence, but it's cool to wonder whether one influenced the other. As to whether Brute Force is a decent game, it was actually a lot better than I was expecting; things become a lot easier once you arm yourself with a weapon, and things start to make sense once you get to grips with the controls. For those of you who've never even heard of this before, go check it out - it's pretty cool.Related Longplays & Videos---------------------------------------------------- Crime Fighters Longplay (Arcade): youtu.be/2ExcUivESk8- New York Warriors Longplay (Amiga): youtu.be/SSNgg7zY-LgChapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:05 Stage 106:07 Stage 209:34 Stage 316:53 Stage 421:37 Stage 528:09 Stage 633:23 Stage 728:23 Stage 8
Gun.Smoke Longplay (NES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-10-11 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: CapcomPublisher: CapcomYear of Release: 1988Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The NES conversion of Capcom's six-gun shootin' arcade game is excellent. Everything from the original is present and correct, and plays as well as can be expected. The objective is the same as most shoot 'em ups: blast through waves of enemies, taking down an end-of-level boss, then progressing to the next stage. Capcom worked around the limitation of the NES controller's two-button limit by having the player tap A and B buttons to shoot diagonal right and left, while tapping both simultaneously shoots straight ahead. It's a solution which works well enough, and I had no real complaints.As with other NES arcade conversions, there's a sprinkle of new features and added value to warrant the price tag. This includes the ability to purchase additional weapons and power-ups from friendly townsfolk, including shotguns, a magnum revolver and, somewhat curiously, a fully automatic machine gun. You also can't fight the end-of-stage boss until you collect a wanted poster, either through finding one hidden in the current level, or buying one from the shop. These change's aren't ground-breaking, but welcome nonetheless.There's not much else to say about Gun.Soke, other than it's a great home conversion. It's simple, easy to pick up and play, and feels just like the arcade. If you enjoyed the coin-op, this is worth checking out.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:12 Stage 104:25 Stage 207:43 Stage 312:49 Stage 417:07 Stage 520:20 Stage 6
Lightning Swords Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-10-06 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: IremPublisher: IremYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Also know as Ken-Go, Lightning Swords is a side-scrolling platformer by Irem, which evokes undertones of Ninja Spirit and Shinobi. You assume control of "Blue Dragon", a samurai-style warrior possessed of superior sword skills and much agility, who embarks on a quest to seek revenge for the death of Princess Orchid, who is seen to be slain by a troupe of nefarious individuals in the game's intro.Whereas most games of this type generally focus on ranged combat, the sword is your principle form of both offense and defence. Tapping the attack button unleashes an arcing slash with your blade, which hits anything in front of the hero, while holding down the attack button will start charging a more devastating wave attack, which unleashes as wave of energy capable of hitting enemies at range. You'll also enter a guard stance during the charge sequence, which can deflect enemy projectiles and attacks, and much of the game becomes one of timing to block and unleash attacks to overcome the majority of the game's perils.It's possible to upgrade your weapon's power by collecting swords dropped by more powerful foes, and you'll want to be on the lookout for tokens which refill the timer at the bottom of the screen. The time limit is as aggressive as the actual foes you'll face, so you need to be pushing forward continually. It's also interesting to note that collecting any power-up or item you collect bestows a brief moment of invulnerability, which can be used to great advantage; this is a tactic which can really help in later stages of the game when you're trying to deal with environmental hazards and legions of foes, often simultaneously.This wasn't a game I'd ever heard of before, but I was pleasantly surprised. Despite some slightly cludgy controls and jumping, this was an interesting take on the side-scroller genre. It looks and sounds great and, given some time and practice, worth persevering with.Information & Trivia---------------------------------------------------- Ken-Go (Japanese title)Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:27 Stage 103:50 Stage 205:52 Stage 307:56 Stage 410:23 Stage 513:55 Ending
BioMetal Longplay (SNES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-10-04 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: AthenaPublisher: ActivisionYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------An average shoot 'em up that feels heavily inspired by R-Type, BioMetal features some decent graphics and visual effects, although doesn't leave much in the way of lasting impact. This is a by-the-numbers affair, shooting waves of bio-mechanical enemies, navigating occasionally precarious terrain and obstacles, and taking out oversized end-of-level bosses.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Intro02:14 Stage 104:46 Stage 207:59 Stage 311:12 Stage 414:36 Stage 519:57 Stage 623:21 Ending
Gemini Wing Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-29 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TecmoPublisher: TecmoYear of Release: 1987Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Another coin-op who's existence I only knew about through the C64 and Amiga home conversions, Gemini Wing is yet another mid-to-late 80s vertical shoot 'em up which I never actually saw in the flesh. It's pretty representative of the era in terms of design, but it tries to set itself apart from its contemporaries through its approach to power-ups.Unlike similar games, the special weapons in Gemini Wing are all one-shot consumable items. These "Gun-Balls" appear as round tokens adorned with an icon depicting the type of shot or special which will be unleased when activated. The tokens bunch up behind your craft when collected, with the one closest to the tail end of the ship being the next to be fired. The usefulness of these weapons varies, and some players will have certain preferences as to which offer the most benefit, and prioritising exactly which tokens you want to grab in favour of others becomes a major part of the game. Certain mid-tier enemies will even spawn with a trail of Gun-Balls that change when shot, allowing savvy players to stock up on their favourite weapons.On a graphical level, Gemini Wing is fairly typical for the time period. There are plenty of colourful sprites filling the screen, and the artwork and backgrounds are nicely detailed. I don't think it's up to the level of Konami's A-Jax (covered a couple of weeks back), but the insectoid enemies are all pretty cool to look at. The Cronenbergian spaghetti-and-meatballs morass of a boss at the end of level 5 suggests the The Fly, released a year prior, may well have been an influence here.In the wake of games like DoDonPachi, it can be difficult going back to these comparatively primitive games, but they still hold relevance. The concept and designs would filter down into subsequent products, and I would suggest Gemini Wing is one of the more direct influences on Xenon 2: Megablast, one of the most popular shooters on the Amiga, and it's significance is should probably be judged more by it's influence on the genre as a whole.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:20 Stage 103:00 Stage 205:50 Stage 308:30 Stage 411:44 Stage 514:40 Stage 623:45 Ending
Titanic Blinky Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-27 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Zeppelin GamesPublisher: Zeppelin GamesYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------In the 12 years I've been creating videos for YouTube, I'd never managed to get around to covering the game which introduced me to the Amiga, so I decided it was high time to right that wrong. Titanic Blinky holds special significance for me because I unwrapped this on Christmas morning back in 1991 and, when I saw the label on the box was for CBM Amiga and not Commodore 64, I thought my mum had made a mistake. Clearly, it had been intended to arouse some suspicion as to what the big present under the tree was, but I failed to understand the significance. A few hours later, I was the owner of an A500+ and Cartoon Classics pack bundle, and the rest is history - 1991 was the best Christmas ever.As for Titanic Blinky, this sequel to Blinky's Scary School is an unremarkable platformer with some obtuse puzzle elements. The plot is some barely comprehensible gibberish involving an oil billionaire who's kidnapping a scientist, forcing him to use his research to develop a weapon capable of transforming objects into completely random objects via the use of psychic energy. Blinky is sent aboard the Titanic, freshly raised from the bottom of Ocean and functioning as said billionaire's floating base of operations, to cripple the weapon and save the world from certain doom. What this boils down to is roaming around a series of interconnected screens, shooting enemies with your gun and collecting items to unlock the way forward. Little of it makes any actual sense, so it would have been a real help if the game gave some guidance as to what you were supposed to do; you'll eventually figure it out, but it's hardly obvious.As a budget game, I guess £7.99 wasn't too egregious a price to ask for this, but for most people, I suspect this was rather forgettable experience. For me, it's a constant reminder as to what wonderful parents I had - thanks mum and dad!Information & Trivia---------------------------------------------------- Sequel to Blinky's Scary SchoolChapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode02:42 Gameplay14:30 Final Boss15:26 Ending
Lightbringer Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-22 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TaitoPublisher: TaitoYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------With the release of Rastan in 1987 and Cadash in 1989, Taito was certainly at the forefront of creating coin-op experiences based around "Sword and Sorcery" and High Fantasy. Lightbringer (also known as Dungeon Magic) represents an evolution of the ideas from those earlier titles, introducing better graphics, audio, and increased depth to a genre which, in my mind, always seemed to be at odds with an industry focused on taking your money as quickly as possible.For what is ostensibly a beat 'em up, the game uses a somewhat unconventional isometric viewpoint from which to view the world. The game is divided into three separate "scenarios", which I suppose are analogous to D&D campaigns, each of which focus on adventuring through an expansive dungeon with multiple paths to the end goal. Furthermore, there are locations, NPCs and treasure that can only be accessed by certain character classes, so this is definitely a game with longevity.On the subject of classes, the character you choose has a big impact on your adventure, and these fall broadly within the typical D&D archetypes. Cisty, an elven archer, excels in ranged combat and is the most agile of the group, whereas as Ash can equip a variety of shield to deflect incoming blows and has access to various elemental weapons throughout the game. All four characters have their own unique play-style, special moves and equipment, so there should be something for everyone to enjoy. Your adventurer will increase in power. stamina and combat prowess throughout the course of the game by slaying monsters and looting treasure, so hunting for secrets and loot caches can yield substantial rewards, should you have the time to do so.Moving on to the combat mechanics, these should be familiar if you've ever played a side-scrolling brawler. Tapping the attack button unleash a series of strikes with your equipped weapon, which can be chained into combos to deal increased damage to the foes you'll face. Holding the attack button down will charge up a special attack which generally knock enemies down or have some added utility, and melee-focused characters can also pick up and throw enemies and heavy objects. I don't think the combat is as satisfying as other fighting games, mainly because the enemies are far too prone to blocking and counter-attacking for my liking, but it's not bad.I had assumed, incorrectly as it turns out, that Lightbringer was released after Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom, but the reverse is true. This means that, in my mind at least, the significance of Lightbringer in the evolution and conceptualisation of the "action RPG" genre is greater than I had supposed. It's a clear step-up in terms of graphical fidelity and sophistication over Golden Axe and Rastan, and features basic puzzles and interactive environments, which would become a staple in future games. It's an impressive game, one I intend to come back to in the future - it's impossible to discover everything in a single playthrough, and with the choice of three other characters and alternative routes, I've only just scratched the surface of this action RPG.Information & Trivia---------------------------------------------------- Dungeon Magic (alternative title)Chapters---------------------------------------------------0:00:00 Attract mode0:05:00 Scenario 10:23:14 Scenario 20:41:18 Scenario 31:09:30 Final Boss1:11:53 Ending
Treasure Island Dizzy Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-20 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: The HighlandersPublisher: CodemastersYear of Release: 1989Plot from Game Manual---------------------------------------------------Dizzy was looking forward to the round-the-world cruise. When he told the other Yolkfolk about the good deal he found, they wondered just what lay ahead of him...Dizzy enjoyed the cruise at first. The captain, Long John Silver, was a lovely old bloke with a kindly manner, good at insulting and degrading the fare paying punters. He was well balanced - he had parrot on one shoulder and a chip on the other. Dizzy thought he would organize a game ofcricket on the aft deck. In a fit of blinding stupidity he used LJ's spare leg collection as makeshift stumps, and when they were lost overboard he was made to walk the plank! That was how he came to find himselfgently poaching on the silent, sun-kissed beach of a seemingly deserted island...He had to somehow find a way back to the Yolkfolk and lodge his compensation claim with the travel agent....Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------No-one could have predicated an ovum wearing boxing gloves would have become the unofficial mascot for the British 8-bit gaming scene during the 1980s. Love him or hate him, Dizzy was one of the most recognisable video game brands in the UK, starring in an exhausting number of adventure games and other spin-offs. The eggy protagonist would also feature prominently on Amiga and Atari ST, albeit his 16-bit adventures featured fully upgraded visuals, with his Treasure Island adventure being the first.As per the plot, DIzzy must find a way off the island on which he has been marooned. This involves collecting items to solve various puzzles and, for those who want a real challenge, collecting 30 coins to get the final ending message. While the principle design remains unchanged, all of the items you'll find in your travels have a purpose; the "red herrings" from the Spectrum original have been removed and some puzzle/item combinations redesigned. For example, the glass sword used to "unlock" an area underneath a gravestone has been replaced with a more conventional "gravedigger's shovel", which makes far more sense.Unfortunately, something from the original version which does remain intact is the annoying inventory system. Collected items occupy one of three available slots, although cycling through items always causes the uppermost item to be dropped on the ground when it leaves the window. This makes the underwater sections particularly tricky because you must ensure you don't accidentally drop the snorkel whilst grabbing other items from the seabed. I guess these design decisions are why Dizzy games are like Marmite: you either love them or hate them. It doesn't matter how good the visuals are if the underlying game is a bit of a dud, and given the sheer amount of backtracking, not to mention you have but a single life in which to beat the whole game, it's difficult to work up much enthusiasm for Treasure Island Dizzy, regardless of how many bits are involved.Ultimately, the developers deserve credit for trying to improve on the original design, but you still have to be of a certain mindset to enjoy this kind of game. Sadly, I'm not one of these, with the game doing little to satiate my desire to just poach the little weeble.Related Longplays & Videos---------------------------------------------------Treasure Island Dizzy Longplay (C64): youtube.com/watch?v=bLKE5PlEerkChapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:20 Main gameplay26:47 Ending
A-jax Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-15 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: KonamiPublisher: KonamiYear of Release: 1987Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Not to be confused with a popular brand of bleach, A-Jax is yet another late 80s coin-op I'd never heard of before. Having played through the game, I reckon it's something of a hidden gem from around that time; the game demonstrates the capabilities of Konami's arcade hardware, featuring some really cool sprite scaling and rotation effects.The bulk of the game is your typical top-down vertical shoot 'em up, with the player blasting air and ground targets with an assortment of weapons. You shoot down targets with your primary weapon, or take out tanks, turrets and buildings with your bombs; the floating reticule on-screen indicates where your bombs will land and, something of a neat touch, updates to indicate targets which the bombs can actually hit. I have to say, this is the most visually appealing and engaging of all the shooters of this particular era I've played - it looks and feels several years ahead of its time. In fact. my only real complaint is that only a couple of the weapons on offer, namely the "Vulcan" and "Triple" are of any real use, and you'll struggle to complete most of the levels unscathed if you use anything else.Following the destruction of an end-of-level boss, the game's perspective shifts to a third-person, pseudo-3D section. Here, you're flying a fighter jet "into the screen" while waves of planes and other hostiles try to take you down. It's not quite up to the sheet spectacle of Sega's After Burner (which I suspect Konami must have been trying to outdo here), but it's still an impressive effect, nonetheless. In one section, an alien fortress begins to loom on the horizon, scaling and rotating to give the impression of you getting closer; it's an effect as clever as it is convincing, and it still manages to look really quite impressive.For 1987, A-Jax seems to me to be a technical tour de force in the overcrowded shooter genre. It looks and sounds great, plays really well, and is easy to recommend. While I might not have heard of this game before, it's definitely made my list of favourite shoot'em ups - go play it.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:23 Stage 103:18 Stage 204:17 Stage 308:07 Stage 411:20 Stage 512:11 Stage 616:44 Stage 719:54 Stage 8
Predator Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-13 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Source SoftwarePublisher: ActivisionYear of Release: 1989Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------13 years ago I subjected myself to playing through what is arguably one of the worst video game adaptations of a movie ever created. The C64 version of Predator is painfully slow, sluggish, incomplete shambles of a game, with the PAL version rendered unbeatable due to omission of a functioning log trap to beat the titular Predator. Over a decade later, I figured I'd finally built up sufficient courage to tackle the Amiga port. It surely couldn't be any worse than the original C64 game, could it?The short answer to that question is "no", it's not any worse, but it is equally as bad. The 68000 CPU, Copper, extra memory and graphics capabilities of the Amiga made precious little difference to this absolutely dumpster fire of a game, simply because the game design is absolutely identical to the C64. The player assumes the role of Major Alan "Dutch" Schaeffer, the solve surviving member of an elite special operations unit sent on a rescue mission into the heart of the hellish jungles of South America, taking out local guerrilla forces, whilst discovering the grisly fate of his fallen comrades.Understandably, the designers needed to take liberties with the original movie script to make the plot fit within the mechanics of a video game from this era, but the execution is lamentably poor. Enemy soldiers open fire before you can even see them, whittling down your limited health bar in seconds, filling the screen with bullets that you can barely see, let alone avoid. The various guns you can collect from your fallen comrades are all functionally identical, with no defining characteristics, other than a different graphic displayed at the top of the screen. Hand grenades are of little to no use, given their explosion radius is laughably small, and getting close enough to an enemy to even land a successful hit is pretty much suicide. Running out of ammunition during the first three levels means you might as well restart the game from scratch, because getting close enough to melee enemies is equally pointless.As for the Predator, it looks as laughably poor as it did on the C64. The blocky brown splodge of a sprite is replaced with an ash grey version, which looks even worse. It looks absolutely nothing like the iconic alien hunter from the film, with it's featureless dome head and grey skin making it more like the Xenomorph from the Alien franchise than a fearsome Yauja warrior. As with the Commodore 64 version, bullets and grenades have absolutely no effect, so you're forced to drop your gun and punch it in the face until it decided to wander off. It's impossible not to take damage during these sections, so your only hope of beating the game is to make sure you don't lose any of your lives before the final confrontation.Speaking of which, the Amiga version does at least feature a working log trap, although you'd be forgiven for missing it, given the graphics for the pulley and log look like just another part of the background scenery. You need to stand in precisely the right spot to raise the log, then time your pulls so when the log is fully raised, it comes crashing down on the Predator's head. You only have a limited number of chances to master the timing before you run out of lives and the game ends.So there we have it. The Amiga version sucks just as badly as the C64, which is probably a worse state of affairs, given the superior capabilities of the platform. The only redeeming feature here is the music during the title sequence, which is quite atmospheric, but it in no way redeems this awful adaptation of what is one of the greatest 80s sci-fi action movies of all time.Related Longplays & Videos---------------------------------------------------Predator Longplay (C64): youtube.com/watch?v=-_QMGqWVKPAChapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Intro music02:50 Stage 106:53 Stage 210:11 Stage 313:21 Stage 415:40 Ending
3 Count Bout Longplay (Neo Geo) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-08 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: SNKPublisher: SNKYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The popularity of professional wrestling exploded during the late 80s and early 90s, and its rise to prominence was certainly felt in the video game industry. Despite the lack of any kind of official liencense, 3 Count Bout undoubtedly takes many of its aesthetic cues from what was happening in the WWF (the precursor to WWE) at the time, and does a decent job of capturing the razzmatazz surrounding some of those classic pay-per-view events of yesteryear.In terms of mechanics, players select from a roster of combatants running the gamut of video game stereotypes (fast-but-weak, powerful-yet-lumbering), then spend the next three minutes attempting to slap, kick and suplex opponents into submission. Each fighter has a series of special moves, plus an assortment of slams, which can only be executed by winning a clinch. These occur when wrestlers attempt to grab each other at close range, which instigates a few seconds of frantic button mashing to build sufficient power to overcome the opponent. If successful, the victor can perform a powerful body slam or piledriver, the most effective means of draining an opponent's health. It's also possible to ascend and leap off the turnbuckles, rebound off the ropes, and even take the fight outside the ring itself. Victory can be achieved by pinning a wrestler after exhausting their stamina sufficiently, causing them them to tap out, or force a ring-out; how you win is up to you, just know that the game is going to be constantly working against you, so figure out the strategy which works best and stick to it.This is all pretty typical fodder as far as this sort of game is concerned, so SNK tried to add some extra spice to the proceedings. As you can see from the video thumbnail, there's a darker side to the proceedings. Each professional bout is followed by either a fight-out in a disused warehouse, or wrestling ring with electrified ropes. These matches include an assortment of weapons to use, including a wire-wrapped baseball bat, stun gun, and the usual array of wooden crates to hurl in the direction of one's opponent. The handheld weapons impose a massively telegraphed wind-up animation whenever you use them, however, leaving you massively exposed to a counterattack, which makes them more trouble than they're worth.As far as wrestling games are concerned, 3 Count Bout is pretty good. The graphics are excellent, especially the wrestlers themselves, and the overall presentation is commendable. Winning grapples and slamming your opponent induces waves of palpable excitement, and there's enough variety in the available roster of moves and interactivity with the environment to keep one's interested.However, the game isn't without its faults. It's not uncommon for coin-ops with grapple systems to simply have the CPU player win every single clinch, regardless of how much you waggle the stick or bash the buttons, a real pet hate of mine. 3 Count Bout is guilty of this; I found myself getting slammed, despite having clearly won the grapple, but it's not as egregiously unfair as, for example, King of the Monsters 2. There were also occasional instances where opponents continued to break out of pins, even though their life bar had long since been exhausted, and way the game prevents any kind of pinning next to the ringside proved to be a constant annoyance.While it might have some issues, 3 Count Bout remains a wrestling game worth playing, especially in multiplayer, where the gripes about the grappling system no longer apply. It looks and sounds great, and while it might lack any kind of official license of endorsements, it remains a compelling choice. If the prospect of muscular men dressed in close-fitting lycra taking turns to stuff each other's face into the canvas is your kind of game, you could do worse than this.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:40 Player select02:07 Match 103:55 Match 205:55 Match 307:20 Match 408:43 Match 510:53 Match 612:50 Match 714:08 Match 816:01 Match 918:08 Match 1020:00 Ending
Gunstar Heroes Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-06 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TreasurePublisher: SegaYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------When it comes to technical showcases, Gunstar Heroes ranks as one of the most impressive Genesis games of all time. I don't think I've ever played a game which subjects the player to such a assault on the senses as this run-and-gun shooter, a game which is the very epitome of the genre. It delivers all the sights and sounds of a 16-bit arcade experience in the comfort of one's own home, and would have made for a compelling experience, had a coin-op version ever been considered.There's a paper-thin plot setting up the next 90 minutes of explosions and destruction, which is basically stop a tyrannical empire from acquiring a series of mystical gems and subjecting the world's population to a life of slavery. Only Gunstar Red and Gunstar Blue, the two player-controllable characters, are capable of putting a stop to the empire's dastardly machinations, and it's going to involve a LOT of shooting an explosions. The game is divided into distinct stages, each containing distinct enemies, special set pieces, not to mention a formidable end-of-level guardian. These can be tackled in any order the player wishes, but mastering each stage is crucial to beating the the whole game.In terms of core mechanics, the game plays much like a souped up version of Contra and it's numerous sequels; not entirely surprising, given that this was created by a group of former Konami developers. Players can shoot in eight different directions, grapple and throw enemies, scale walls and hang from underside of certain platforms, which results in some incredibly fluid and dynamic moments during play. Despite having been seen in similar games, the lack of slowdown and sheer relentlessness of the pace at which the action unfolds is quite unique.The defining aspect of the game, however, has to be the weapon system. Players can carry up to two different weapons at once by collecting power orbs, and the effects of these can be combined to produce an incredibly versatile arsenal. Combining a beam laser with a homing projectile yields a homing laser which can be great for dealing with swarms of low-ranking troopers or bots, but the loss of control as to which enemy is targeted can be a major hindrance against certain bosses, so choosing the best loadouts for different encounters becomes a major part of the game. It's even possible to boost the power of single weapon by holding two orbs of the same type, although the loss of versatility is rarely worth extra damage.Gunstar Heroes received acclaim from most of the gaming magazines at the time, earning review scores above 90%. It's easy to see why, because the game is a masterclass of technical proficiency and game design. The difficulty might put off some players looking for a more casual experience, but there's no denying Gunstar Heroes is an enduring classic that's just as much to play today as it was 30 years ago.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Octapolis Longplay (C64) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-04 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Jukka TapanimäkiPublisher: English SoftwareYear of Release: 1987Plot (from Game Manual)---------------------------------------------------By the year 3897, the Galactic Imperium was mightier than ever. One by one, it had swallowed up all solar systems and alien races. The dreaded fleets of the Imperium were feared all over the Galaxy, and with good reason: one fully armed battle cruiser was enough to blow upa whole planet. No one was strong enough to resist the power of the Imperium.Except for a small defiant planet which had eight towering cities rising above its barren surface: the planet of Octapolis. Its secret weapon was one of enormous mental power. In the vicinity of theplanet, the most valiant enemy space warrior became a bumbling idiot and even the most sophisticated artificial intelligence began to contradict the Laws of Robotics.The Imperium hadn't attacked the planet of Octapolis for centuries. To space pilots it was just a black spot on the space map, the Zone of the Evil Eye, as they called it. No one even dared to talk about Octapolis any more, but in the deep secrecy of the Galactic Intelligence Agency (GIA) a most cruel and desperate series of experiments were carried out. They kidnapped innocent space pilots,and sent them inside the zone, and hoped that somehow, somewhere, they could find one who has immune to the immense mental power of Octapolis. If they could only reduce it just a little, then a gallant battle cruiser could get close enough to wipe out the planet. It took GIA 200 years to find such a pilot - YOU are that pilot!!Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------My first experience with the games of the late Jukka Tapanimäki was Zamzara, a technically proficient and engaging shoot 'em up given away on a Commodore Format Power Pack tape in the early 90s. I loved Zamzara, so when I learned Jukka had also created Octapolis, I was keen to see what it was all about.The game is really a hybrid of shoot 'em up and platforming genres, with each stage divided into two sections. A stage commences with a shoot 'em up section heavily inspired by Sanxion and Uridium, both iconic C64 games, where the player needs to wipe out waves of enemy craft until permission to dock with the enemy installation has been granted. The top half of the screen shows a side-on perspective, which should be used to adjust the vertical height of your craft to hit incoming ships. The bottom half shows a top-down view of proceedings, which should be used to navigate and eventually land on each installation.Having docked with the enemy base, the game switches to a flick-screen platforming mode. The objective here is to traverse a series of interconnected rooms, each containing multiple platforms, the majority of which are patrolled by aliens or robots that will kill you on touch. Some of the smaller enemies can be dispatched with zap from your handy ray gun, but larger ones are impervious to damage and must be avoided. The key to success here is to plan the safest route through the room, carefully timing your jumps between platforms so as not to fall foul of their hostile inhabitants, and making doubly sure not to fall to your death off the bottom of the screen.Octapolis is hardly original in terms of its design, it's impressive that Tapanimäki not only coded a proficient clone of Sanxion, but produced all the sprites and artwork as well. I think £10 for the tape version was probably a little bit pricey, given the game's repetitive nature, but it's a polished product for sure. Zzap!64 magazine awarded the game 86% in 1988, which I think is a fair appraisal - not a classic, but a polished and playable game from a developer who probably doesn't get as much recognition as he deserved.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:30 Gameplay15:50 Ending
Legion - Spinner 87 Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-09-01 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: NichibutsuPublisher: NichibutsuYear of Release: 1987Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The title of this game might not exactly roll off the tongue, but I reckon this vertical shoot 'em up from Nichibutsu is a bit of a hidden gem. It reminded me of Namco's Dragon Spirit, although I think this is the better game.Firstly, I think the graphics are awesome. There's a surprising level of detail to both artwork and animation, including animated tank tracks on enemy ground vehicles, and shadows for everything from aircraft to buildings, really giving everything a sense of perspective.Secondly, the power-up system is actually pretty innovative for the time. Any ground troops you liberate will occupy vacant gunner positions on the four corners of your craft, providing covering fire in a arc that surrounds your craft. Further more, additional troops you collect can be transferred to one of the flying rescue vehicles -- indicated by the red cross -- for bonus points; you need to reverse your craft so the rear tailgate is positioned over the front of the rescue vehicle, at which point you'll see the tiny soldiers hop on over, for which you'll receive a healthy number of bonus points.As for the core game loop, it's pretty standard stuff. You shoot air and ground-based targets, turrets and other defensive structures. Certain zones give you the option to take "shortcuts" to other areas, although I think this just gives some variance to the order in which you tackle the levels, rather than skip them completely. It's certainly a challenging game, but definitely one worth trying.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:15 Gameplay20:15 Final Boss
Super Methane Bros Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-30 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Apache SoftwarePublisher: Apache SoftwareYear of Release: 1994Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------A relatively late commercial release for the Amiga, I vaguely remember playing a cover disk demo of Super Methane Bros, or seeing it in some kind mag preview. It's very much inspired by Bubble Bobble, featuring single-screen arenas full of enemies to defeat, bonuses to collect and secrets to discover. It's not exactly original, but I have to confess, it's a game I have a real soft spot for; Apache Software gave away a PC conversion of this for free on their website during the early 2000s, and I have to confess I spent a good proportion of my time at work playing this, rather than doing anything useful!To differentiate itself somewhat from Taito's classic, here you trap monsters within clouds of sulphurous fart gas, rather than bubbles. Entrapped meanies must then be sucked up into your gas dispenser and propelled into a wall or solid surface to defeat them permanently; doing so within certain time limit will cause playing card to appear, and collecting the ace of each suite unlocks a bonus screen where even more points can be accrued. Most levels feature a special bonus item, such as a turbo injector to increase the speed at which you can dispense gas, fireball launchers and other upgrades, and certain levels contain secret switches which allow you reach seemingly inaccessible treasure chests.If I have one criticism of the game, it's the fact it runs so slowly. The CD32 release wasn't exactly speedy, but OCS version turns into a major chug-a-thon on the A500 when the screen gets busy. There's a noticeable delay when trying to move or fire your gas cannon, which can lead to some frustrating deaths beyond your control. I'm not sure whether the game was written in 68000 ASM, or whether it used AMOS/some other intermediate language, which could explain the slowness.Still, the speed isn't enough to dampen my enthusiasm for the game - it's still a great little arcade-style title. Fans of Bubble Bobble and Rod-Land should definitely check this out.Related Longplays & Videos---------------------------------------------------Super Methane Bros (Amiga CD32): youtube.com/watch?v=fJlWJSKCoSIChapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Syvalion Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-25 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TaitoPublisher: TaitoYear of Release: 1988Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------As another of Taito's more obscure coin-op releases, Syvalion is also one of the more interesting. You control a fire-breathing wyrm through a series of hazard-filled mazes in a race against time, which might seem simple enough until you factor in the trackball controller. The control scheme makes perfect sense when you think about it: you require both speed AND precision to beat most of the games levels, and with a trackball you're less likely to achieve both without plenty of practice.As for the levels, there are various spike traps, lava pits and patrolling enemies to watch out for. Some of these can be destroyed with a liberal application of your dragon's flame, although this has but a limited amount of charge, and must be regenerated between uses. Additional weapon power-ups and other bonuses can be found nestled in hard-to-reach alcoves within the levels, but you risk losing precious time finagling the rotation of the dragon in order to reach these. Bagging them certainly makes the end-of-level bosses easier, mainly because you'll be spending most of the time getting out the way of their charge attacks, or dodging the plethora of projectiles coming your way.Despite being relatively short, Syvalion is actually a really cool game. Beating the levels and managing to snake your way through the constantly twisting and turning tunnels of each level is both stressful and rewarding, and the visual aesthetic is extremely cool. The control scheme and more niche game design means it never received any kind of home conversion to my knowledge, so it's worth taking the time to play it, should the opportunity arise.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:50 Instructions01:00 Stage 102:00 Stage 203:24 Stage 304:55 Stage 406:48 Stage 509:00 Ending
Double-Wings Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-23 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: MitchellPublisher: MitchellYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Although Pang is probably the most memorable game to have ever been produced by Mitchell, it did produce a range of other arcade titles, including this foray into the shoot 'em up genre. It's your typical early 90s shooter with all the things you'd come to expect from this kind of game by now, although I think it looks a little bit bland in terms of visuals.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Undercover Cops Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-18 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: IremPublisher: IremYear of Release: 1992Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I recorded this a few years back, uploaded it and then totally forgot about it, but I guess better late than never! Undercover Cops is a sensationally good-looking beat 'em up, featuring pixel art by, I suspect, the same artist who worked on In the Hunt and Metal Slug. In fact, for 1992, I might go as far as saying this is best-in-class for visuals, at least in this genre. The world and enemy design has a grimy, post apocalyptic vibe to it; I feel inclined to get a tetanus booster just looking at it!As for the gameplay, it's not bad. It's your typical side-scrolling brawler, featuring everything you'd expect. including combos, grapples, specials, collectible weapons, and, of course, pavement food. It doesn't beat The Punisher for sheer, unadulterated fun, but it's still worth playing.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Little Samson Longplay (NES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-16 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TakeruPublisher: TaitoYear of Release: 1992Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Attractive and quirky platformer where you unlock additional playable characters the further you progress in the story. Each has their own abilities, strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out which to use and when is a major aspect of the game.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
96 Flag Rally Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-11 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Promat Co.Publisher: Promat Co.Year of Release: 1996Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Once again, I dived into the darkest depths of the arcade obscura, and landed upon a 96 Flag Rally, a game that's fascinating for all the wrong reasons. The core game is a blend of Namco's Rally-X and Pac-Man; you drive around a maze-like city grid, collecting flags and avoiding other vehicles on the map. The lack of originality extends far beyond the game's concept, for virtually everything about this game, other than perhaps the code which drives it, has been borrowed or stolen from elsewhere.Starting with the glaringly obvious, all of the building graphics have been stolen quite brazenly from classic PC strategy titles popular at the time. Gleaming skyscrapers of Simy City 2000, Roman amphitheatres of Caesar II, and stone castles and wooden shacks of The Settlers II are shoehorned into a game which, on reflection, look completely out of place.It doesn't stop there, however. The billboards which adorn the periphery of the city grid feature advertisements, logos and promotional materials for real-world products. There's an advert for what looks like Citizen Promaster wristwatches, Welch's fruit jam/jelly, not to mention the Vermont Pub Brewery; a quick Google image search for the latter confirmed the source, because the logo is absolutely identical. These have obviously been scanned in from magazines or other sources, and were in no way officially endorsed sponsorships from the brands and businesses from which these were stolen.All of this begs the question, exactly how much of the game is original content? I have my doubts about the authenticity of the anime girls who pop at various points throughout the game, and some of these have almost certainly been sourced from external media. I have to wonder whether any of the people who worked on this game also worked on Air Attack, another arcade title released that same year which equally brazen in theft of graphic assets from classic PC strategy games.Moving away from the dubious nature of the artwork, I guess the game is functional enough to offer a few minutes of enjoyment if you happen to like Pac-Man. Of course, this was released over a decade after the yellow pill muncher's arcade debut, which makes this all a bit hard to swallow in 1996. It's also got some weird bugs when using the turbo boost, which can occasionally send the game into a glitched-out mess, which is the final nail in the coffin for the game.Related Longplays & Videos---------------------------------------------------Air Attack Longgplay (Arcade): youtu.be/3uhbUQHj0DkChapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Mercs Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-09 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TiertexPublisher: U.S. GoldYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Tiertex garnered a great deal of criticism for the various arcade conversions to home computers over the years, but they're not universally terrible. This port of Capcom's spiritual successor to Commando proves to be a playable and, day I say it, maybe even fun experience. It has most, if not all the levels from the arcade, the same weapons and power-ups, and the pilotable vehicles even make an appearance. Controls are responsive, sound and music reasonable, and the graphics are highly detailed and pretty close to their arcade counterparts.Of course, it's not perfect. I have two main bones to pick with the game, the first of which is the inconsistency of the collision detection in relation to the hitbox surrounding the player sprite. It looks as though the detection is based on the bounding box, rather than the sprite itself, which makes avoiding damage quite difficult. The second issue is the amount of damage taken, which seems wildly inconsistent; coming into contact from a jet of flame or rocket explosion can result in instant death, even when on full health, which can be particularly annoying.With that said, I didn't hate the Amiga version of Mercs; it's a actually a lot better than most of the arcade conversions on the system. It's got the looks, most of the feel, and no real glitches I could detect; if you like Mercs, you could do worse than this.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Big Fight: Big Trouble in Atlantic Ocean Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-04 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TatsumiPublisher: TatsumiYear of Release: 1992Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Another entry from the arcade obscura, Big Fight is quite clearly an attempt by Tatsumi to ride the coattails of Capcom with this thinly-veiled "homage" to Final Fight. Go straight, hit things, eat pavement food, and just generally try to stay alive are the order of the day here.Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many layers of parallax scrolling you cram into the game if the core loop isn't any fun, which this really isn't. It's neat that you get the chance to play as each of the end-of-level bosses after you unlock them, but the inconsistency in the balancing and mechanics makes many of them pointless.The best thing I can say about the Big Trouble is the weirdness of the characters makes it worth a play, but it's just a poor imitation of the game it's imitating. If you want actual fun, go play Final Fight instead.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode02:23 Stage 106:39 Stage 213:33 Stage 320:18 Stage 425:08 Stage 532:05 Stage 640:25 Final Boss44:12 Ending
Vroom Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-08-02 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: LankhorPublisher: LankhorYear of Release: 1992Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------When it comes to the Amiga, the machine had some genuinely impressive racing games. Lotus Turbo Challenge 2, Crazy Cars III and Jaguar XJ220 proved the machine could handle 2D sprite scaling racers just as well as the console competition, and were probably the three titles most synonymous with the genre, and among the most popular.But what if I told you there was another contender? One which you may have never heard of, let alone played. I'm definitely one of those people, and it's real shame, because Vroom is one of the best games in its class.I was more familiar with Lankhor's Jerome Lange adventure games, particularly Maupiti Island, but they were also responsible for Vroom. This take on Formula 1 racing is genuinely impressive, boasting great visuals, a selection of tracks to choose from, arcade and simulation racing modes and, best of all, it runs as a decent pace on the A500.The buildings which adorn the track -- pit lanes, bridges and such -- appear to be made from vectors, rather than sprites. The roadside furniture, player cockpit and opposing vehicles appear to be sprites, although the game does something very clever with the latter when you look closely. Get up behind another vehicle and you'll notice the perspective of the car changes as you weave left and right, resulting in a really convincing 3D effect, probably the best I've seen in this kind of game.When it comes to game modes, Arcade Mode (seen in this video) has you racing each of the six circuits in turn, with the objective to pass as many cars as possible before the end of the race; you need to pass the requisite number of opponents to qualify for the next race, else it's game over and back to the main menu. By contrast, Racing Mode aims to be more of a simulation. Each race starts with a qualifying session, where your lap time determines your position on the starting grid. The races operate like real-world F1, where you'll want to finish the race in as high a position as possible to earn more championship points.The game mode you choose also affects the handling of your car, and it's with this aspect that the game lets itself down. Whenever you turn into a corner you'll notice your car tends to rebound off the inside of the rumble strips to try and keep you on the track, provided you're not driving too fast. This system is far less forgiving in Racing mode, and, somewhat weirdly, the game seems to take over the steering when you're in the middle of corners. It's really quite disconcerting -- it feels like you're just operating the gas peddle and the game is handling the driving for you. I couldn't get on with this arrangement using the joystick controls, and mouse mode was borderline useless, so I went back to the Arcade mode, which behaves perfectly.If the controls weren't quite so weird in Racing mode, Vroom might well have been the best racing game on the Amiga, or at least in the top three. If there had been an option to play the Racing mode with the arcade handling, this would have been absolutely perfect. As it stands, arcade mode is still great fun, and I have no hesitation in saying this is one of the best driving games on the Amiga, well worth taking for a spin.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Hayatos Journey Longplay (Sega Genesis) [Homebrew] [2024] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-28 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Master LinkueiYear of Release: 2024Download: master-linkuei.itch.io/hayatos-journeyGame Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------One of the most prominent homebrew developers for the Genesis in recent years, Master Linkuei (twitter.com/masterlinkueibr) has finally released Hayato's Journey for the classic Sega console. Powered by Erik Hogan's (Earok) Scorpion Engine, the game is a love letter to the classic Shinobi arcade and home console releases, plus a few sprinkles of Ninja Gaiden for good measure.You must hack and slash through multiple levels of non-stop action, rescuing hostages and taking down end-of-level guardians before proceeding to the next zone. It's all remarkably impressive, runs almost flawlessly, and aside from some ill-fitting and occasionally unaligned level scenery tiles, you wouldn't necessarily know this wasn't an original title. It also has some suitably fitting music by Edmo Caldas, which sounds really cool.What makes the game even more interesting is the way combines assets from other classic games and repackages them into a a new form which, if you weren't familiar with the source material to begin with, you probably wouldn't realise. Some backgrounds are clearly taken from Revenge of Shinobi and Shinobi III on the Genesis, while others -- and I can't be 100% sure about this -- look similar to The Astyanax. Leave comments if you recognise which games the sprites and other art assets are from - it would be cool to figure it all out.Overall, this is a really solid release and a lot of fun. My only complaint is the collision detection on some of the bosses feels a little bit off, but this is seriously impressive stuff - definitely worth checking out.Information & Trivia---------------------------------------------------- Developed using Earok's Scoprion EngineChapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Crazy Cars III Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-26 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Titus SoftwarePublisher: Titus SoftwareYear of Release: 1992Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The last of what I'd consider "the big three" when it comes to racing games on the Amiga, Crazy Cars III is the third entry in the much maligned series. Given that the first two games were so poorly received, it's surprising Titus didn't jettison the Crazy Cars brand from the outset. They eventually rebranded and relaunched the game under the moniker "Lamborghini: American Challenge" in 1993, throwing in a multiplayer mode for good measure. However, Crazy Cars III is the original incarnation and the version I owned, so I wanted to longplay this version first.The objective of the game is to compete in a series of head-to-head races across the United States, earning cash to enter additional races, upgrade your vehicle, and purchase an entry pass into the divisional championship race. Starting in division 4 and ending in division 1, you'll need supreme driving skills and a hot-rod to match, as you take on championship competitors, local petrolheads, not to mention state police and highway patrol cars ready to pounce on anyone breaking the speed limit. Entering a race featuring named drivers gives you a chance to earn extra cash by betting cash on who'll come first. Opponents will be less inclined to throw down bets if your ride is tricked out with all the upgrades, but bagging the pot is a nice top-up to whatever winnings you earn from the race itself.The cycle of winning races to earn cash to upgrade your car is pretty addictive, and there's considerable variety in the number of races to enter, environments to drive, and hazards to encounter. The underlying racing engine and controls are excellent, equal to the best on the Amiga, although the way your car drifts through corners takes some getting used to. It's also a bit of a slow-burn - it isn't until you've unlocked better tyres and faster top speed that the game really comes into its own; the game is a real blast from division 3 onward.Although Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 remains the pinnacle of Amiga driving games in terms of refinement, Crazy Cars III has the most longevity by far. It looks great, runs exceptionally well on a 1MB A500, and is just brilliant fun. Watch closely, and you'll notice the horizon raise pixel-by-pixel as you progress through each race, conveying the sense that you're actually getting closer to whatever is in the distance; an exceptionally neat touch. Being saddled with the Crazy Cars brand was a complete disservice to one of the best racing games on the machine - it's a technically accomplished title, up there with the best of them - go play it!Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Intro01:45 Division 446:36 Division 31:14:11 Division 21:39:21 Division 12:05:42 Final race2:07:01 Ending
Master of Weapon Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-21 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TaitoPublisher: TaitoYear of Release: 1989Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Somewhat innocuous vertical shoot 'em up by Taito, Master of Weapon is an inoffensive, but ultimately rather bland example of its kind. It's the usual case of blowing up enemies and collecting power-ups, adorned with what I'd describe as grey and uninspiring graphics.Master of Weapon sees the return of the ground-based attack mechanism, popularised by Namco's Xevious, where it's possible to unleash your craft's air-to-ground ordnance on enemies below you. Given that the majority of the game is set in urban cityscapes, seeing buildings come crashing down as you unleash thermo-nuclear death from above is relatively cool.Master of Weapon isn't actually a bad game, just one that I didn't find particularly entertaining. It's difficult to stand out in such a crowded genre, and this was just middle-of-the-road for me.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:48 Stage 101:25 Stage 204:15 Stage 309:37 Stage 413:00 Stage 520:00 Stage 622:10 Ending
ESWAT: Cyber Police Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-19 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Creative MaterialsPublisher: U.S. GoldYear of Release: 1991Plot from Game Manual---------------------------------------------------Criminals are running amok, law and order no longer exists in Cyber City. Only ESWAT (Enhanced Special Weapons and Tactics), the elite division of the Cyberpolice, are capable of restoring peace.First, you've got to prove yourself by facing the dangers of the streets as a regular SWAT cop. Survive your missions-impress your superiors-earn your stripes and then, if you are still brave enough, you just might enterthe ESWAT squad. Armed with a cybernetic exo-suit and equipped with the latest firepower weaponry, including duo laser-cannons, you will be guaranteed to make even the most hardened punk quiver in terror but ... They'll be waiting for you - armed to the teeth and ready to do battle to the end.ESWAT - it's your only chance to even the score!Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I realised I hadn't experienced a truly crap arcade conversion for a while, so I thought I'd change things up by taking the Amiga version of ESWAT for a spin. There was no question in my mind that this was going to be bad, and I wasn't wrong; it's a rotting garbage fire of the highest order.Starting with the graphics, there's been a vague attempt to recreate the sprites from the arcade. The legs and bodies of the enemies look somewhat like their coin-op counterparts, but something went very wrong from the neck upwards. Our beat cop hero has a pale, featureless mug with a pair of pixels for eyes and a straight line for a mouth, giving him a vacant and somewhat soulless expression, not unlike myself as I played through this nonsense.Faring little better is the gameplay. The single button joystick control scheme severely hampers the experience, making it ridiculously awkward to aim upwards, jump, or navigate between higher and lower platforms. The collision detection is just a mess, and the developers made the whole thing next to impossible by limiting how much damage you can do to the end-of-level bosses within a given time window. As you can see from this particular run, I died due to a timeout on the final boss because the stupid game deliberately fails to register damage. As for the bosses, most of them are conspicuous by their absence; those from the on-foot sections are present, but later levels often end prematurely, so you never actually see the guy you were pursuing.The final insult in this digital dog pile of a game is that it has no ending. You kill the final boss, and it takes you straight to the high score screen without any kind of recognition you beat the game. Even in the absence of a cutscene, most games at least had the decency to at least show some text congratulating you for beating the game, but ESWAT doesn't even have the decency to give you that.In summary, the Amiga port of the Sega coin-op has no redeeming features whatsoever. It looks, plays and sounds terrible, and there's really no excuse for any of this because there are plenty of Amiga games which demonstrate the machine's capabilities. Sadly, ESWAT clearly isn't one of them.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Eight Forces Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-14 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TecmoPublisher: TecmoYear of Release: 1994Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Fairly typical vertical shoot 'em up in terms of features, although it feels a little behind the curve in terms of visuals and overall production values. By far the biggest issue with this is the difficulty, principally caused by the underpowered weaponry of the player's ship, relative to the ridiculous damage sponges which account for most of the enemies you face. The final insult is the fact your weapon's top level of power lasts for a limited time only, which is just silly.For these reasons I failed to find much in the way of enjoyment here. The second loop -- something which the game didn't need -- removes virtually all of the gun upgrades and smart bombs, making Eight Forces an unenjoyable slog.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Loop 118:05 Loop 2
Rick Dangerous Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-12 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Core DesignPublisher: FirebirdYear of Release: 1989Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Bit of an Amiga classic, Rick Dangerous is unashamedly difficult, continually sucker-punching players with hidden traps and hazards that lurk behind every Quechuan-themed pillar and stoney vault. It's as much a test of memory as it is dexterity; progress comes only by remembering where each of the traps and triggers are located, then figuring out how to circumvent them.This is a game that delights in its frustrations and revels at the anguish it will cause, laughing up its sleeve with each time you die. As such you have to learn to lean into the game's malevolence and take it in your stride.I think it's fair to say that the likes of Spelunkey and Super Meat Boy have a bit of Rick Dangerous DNA in them. You'll keep coming back for one more go, a curious testament to such a gruelling design.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Mars Matrix Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-07 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: TakumiPublisher: CapcomYear of Release: 2000Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------If you enjoy a good bullet-hell shooter, then Mars Matrix will be right up your street. It's a visual tour de force based on Capcom's CPS2 arcade hardware, although the game was developed by Takumi, rather than Capcom themselves.Unlike other games where new weapons are collected from destroyed enemies, Mars Matrix takes a different approach. Weapon upgrades are earned as your ship ranks up, and ranking up involves collecting gold spinning cubes to earn EXP points. Enemies often leave gold EXP cubes behind when they die, but it's possible to earn many more by using your ship's shield move to capture enemy projectiles, then fling them back at the enemy. Projectiles striking an enemy will typically turn into an EXP cube, so you'll want to get good at this to rank up your ship guns as early as possible.And you'll definitely want to get the best guns early because this game pulls no punches. It's as tough as any other bullet-hell shooter out there, and you'll need all the help you can get in the later stages of the game. Although only a couple of pixels around the cockpit of your ship actually register collisions, navigating a path through the onslaught of pink and blue plasma bolts is a perilous endeavour; this is not a game for the faint of heart.Visually, the game is a real peach. The sprites and backgrounds are a mix of pre-rendered CG and traditional pixel art, but the CG is a lot cleaner and better aliased than other games of this type. Overall, it's a stunning looking shooter, one that's worth playing, even if it's just to admire the spectacle.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
TechnoCop Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-07-05 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Imagexcel/Gray MatterPublisher: Gremlin GraphicsYear of Release: 1988Plot (from Game Manual)---------------------------------------------------You're a Technocop. a member of the most elite crime-fighting force in the country called theENFORCERS. Your mission is to capture, at any cost, ruthless criminals who paralyse thecity unless you stop them.Before you start on your journey, you are equipped with the latest crime fighting equipment. At your disposal are a computer wrist watch, a high power criminal radar locator, a snarenet gun and a .88 magnum pistol and you will be driving the force's newest high speedpursuit-and-destroy vehicle - The VMAX twin turbo interceptor.You're on your way to thwart the operations of a sinister organised crime empire knownthroughout the world as Death on Arrival (D.O.A.). Speed down treacherous highways.encountering attacking D.O.A. cars. Use the extensive weaponry built into your car to destroythem. Depend on your criminal locator radar to tell you there is a crime in progress. givingyou the time needed to arrive at the scene in order to apprehend a vicious criminal. Rush tothe scene to make it, but don't lose control of the car and avoid getting hit by attackingD.O.A. cars!Once there, your crime computer shows you the face of a wanted D.O.A. criminal on thescreen. Your assignment, as you leave your car to enter the building where the criminal waslast reported seen, is to capture him dead or alive as instructed by the crime computer.Using your criminal radar locator and computer wrist watch, you carefully search through amaze of dilapidated interiors of the building to find the culprit. Just getting around thebuilding is tough enough, with broken floors to fall through if careless. Worse yet, D.O.A.thugs abound, eager to wreak havoc on your search. Be careful!Once you've successfully completed that assignment, get back into your VMAX and drive onto your next assignment.Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------TechnoCop is one the first Amiga games I ever played when I got my A500+ back in 1991, and is title I've been meaning to revisit for some time. Don't mistake this as anything close to resembling an endorsement for the game because it's really rather rubbish, but the graphic violence on show was certainly an eye-opener to an impressionable 9-year old.The game is principally divided into two sections, the first of which sees you driving your post apocalyptic cop car along ribbons of highway, blowing away criminals with your hood-mounted cannons, endeavouring to reach the scene of the next crime being committed. Upon arrival, you must navigate your way through maze-like slums and tenements, taking down all and sundry with your large-calibre hand cannon, collecting evidence, and trying to take down the resident gang leader. The instruction manual makes everything sound far more exciting than it actually is. In reality, this is just a slow, jerkily scrolling port from the Atari ST, with punishing difficulty, irritating level design, little variety, non-existent music, mediocre sound, and just being crap all round. The only thing of any note is the way bad guys explode into a twitching paste after being shot, but the novelty wears of really quickly. It's just an achingly dull game which could have been so much better.Interestingly, the designer for this game is same Rob Anderson who would go on to create Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight, one of the BEST games on the Amiga. From humble beginnings...Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Nemo Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-30 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: CapcomPublisher: CampcomYear of Release: 1990Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------One of Capcom's arcade releases which passed me by entirely, Nemo turned out to be a surprisingly decent experience. The game is based on the anime movie Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. The night-time dreams of the young Nemo carry him to the world of Slumberland, ruled by King Morpheus. Morpheus informs Nemo that he is destined to be the heir to the throne, but warns him to never open a secret door hidden inside a specific cave. Doing so would unleash the horrors of "Nightmare Land" and, you guessed it, Nemo can't help himself but open said door, leading to all kinds of chaos. With King Morpheus kidnapped, Nemo and companion Flip the clown must put things right, defeating the nightmare creatures and rescuing the king.Firstly, I wasn't even aware of the film, let alone the arcade game, so I'm not sure how closely the game follows the plot, but it seems reasonably accurate, at least based on summaries of the plot. The game is a standard sideways scrolling platformer, in which players must whack bad guys as they appear, grab power-ups and bonus points, and generally try not to die. Nemo carries the King's staff, which can despatch enemies with a short-range shock spell, whereas Flip whacks enemies with his cane. The range of attacks can be improved by collecting spell parchment contained in the various treasure chests that pop out of the ground, but there are no other weapons as such. I wouldn't say this is the most memorable of Capcom's arcade titles from this period, but it's good fun. The graphics and animation are top draw, and I guess this would have looked pretty exciting out on the arcade floor. I have no real complaints, other than some of the end-of-level bosses are a bit too tanky, so give Nemo a try; it's solid, uncomplicated fun.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:22 Stage 103:45 Stage 206:10 Stage 308:50 Stage 414:10 Stage 519:10 Stage 624:18 Ending
Paramax Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-28 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: CrossTechnicsPublisher: KingsoftYear of Release: 1992Plot/Instructions (Translated)---------------------------------------------------In the game you can pick up some items including:- Floppy disks and gold bars to extend time- Bombs that give a bonus at the end of the level (If the time is up you shouldn't collect more as they will explode when touched.)- Hourglasses that extend time- Shoes that allow higher jumps- Weapons to increase shooting power- Extra lives (labelled "1UP")- Smart bombs that eliminate all enemies on the screenGame Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I'd never heard of Paramax, but comments on Lemon Amiga suggested it was an overlooked platform/shooter which, at least at first glance, looked similar to Turrican and Jim Power. Given that the instruction manual and reviews listed over on Hall of Light are all German, I suspect this didn't get a wide distribution, and I don't think this ever came out officially in the UK.The gameplay, such that it is, is passable run-and-gun platformer with some decent graphics and a couple of cool tunes, but there's precious little content on offer to warrant a full-price release. It's only in the third and final level you encounter any of the game's extra weapons, or get the impression that the developers had tried to construct a proper level. The first two have very little content of structure, other than some enemies to shoot. Even the manual seems to lack any kind of story or plot, simply explaining some of the mechanics.Paramax feels like a Public Domain game which got a bit of extra polish, slapped on a disk and shipped to retail. It's not terrible, and shows some promise, but it's simply too under-developed compared to its contemporaries.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Red Heat Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-23 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Special FXPublisher: OceanYear of Release: 1989Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------How time flies. I covered the C64 version of Red Heat almost a decade ago, which proved to be a laughably awful beat 'em up of sorts with burly brown men duking it out in the nude.The Amiga version is basically identical to the all the other versions, with the exception that it looks prettier. It retains the narrow game window where only the top half of the characters are displayed, and the gameplay involves little more than repeatedly punching bad guys when they appear. Unlike the C64 port, Danko actually gets to use a gun in later levels, as do most of the enemies, but it's the same crap game with better visuals.On the subject of which, the graphics ARE genuinely impressive. The move to 16-bit definitely gave resident Special FX artist Karen Davies to put her talent to use. The pixelated representation of muscular dudes, particularly those during the sauna stage, are highly detailed, and the on-screen representation of Schwarzenegger is a a good likeness. The backgrounds are almost entirely statics, but they're highly detailed, with some amusing nuances and designs that add some levity to an otherwise dull and repetitive experience. This is all comes crashing down, however, when you witness the laughable depiction of Belushi's Art Ridzik during the briefing sections which preface each level; his mouth and bottom jaw opens and closes in a yapping style reminiscent of South Park's Terrence and Philip, and is so utterly crap that it would have been far better if it had remained a static image.Sadly, "crap" sums up the entire game. Kung Fu Master did the same thing 5 years earlier, and you could see the character's legs! In fact, the C64 version is probably the better and more playable version, thanks to the machine's support for hardware scrolling. The Amiga version is clearly just another Atari ST port, lumbered with jerky animation and twitchiness, with no specific machine optimisations. Just awful!Related Longplays---------------------------------------------------Red Heat (C64) youtube.com/watch?v=J7KKWEONjLoChapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Macross Plus Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-21 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: BanprestoPublisher: BanprestoYear of Release: 1995Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Reasonable shoot 'em up with big explosions, power-ups and the rest of the usual stuff you'd expect to find in a game like this. It's party piece is the ability to swap between agile space fighter and flying robot forms, trading manoeuvrability for power and versatility.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Steel Gunners 2 Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-16 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: NamcoPublisher: NamcoYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I recently covered Steel Gunner on the channel and found it to be a visually impressive, if overchallenging target shooting experience. What surprised me was that Namco put out sequel the following year, so I figured I'd fire it up and see what could have possibly changed within the space of a year.Not much, is the answer; the story, setting and plotline are pretty much identical to the original game, with the only real difference being the foot-soldiers you're gunning down are biomechanical, vat-grown hybrids, rather than the robots from the first game. Aside from the fact these enemies die in fountains for red bio-juice, not to mention the occasional appendage flying off in the process, there's little to tell this apart from its predecessor.My personal take on the original Steel Gunner was it looked great, but the difficulty was far too punishing to be genuinely fun for a solo player. Steel Gunner 2 continues that trend, although I felt it was perhaps a little more generous in the number of missiles handed out as part of the end-of-level resupply sequence. The graphics are still excellent, and the use of multi-layer parallax and gradient-shaded ground layer make this one of the most convincing faux 3D environments using sprite scaling so far, perhaps even being the best of them until the arrival of Sega's Alien 3: The Gun a few years later.Again, Steel Gunners 2 is probably a lot better as a co-op experience than it is solo, so bear that in mind if you decide to check it out. It looks and sounds great, but you really need to have taken your precognition pills and a course in tactical speed-shooting if you hope to get through this in one piece.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:22 Stage 103:50 Stage 207:15 Stage 311:25 Stage 416:15 Stage 520:07 Stage 6
Last Action Hero Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-14 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Bits StudiosPublisher: Sony ImagesoftYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Despite being one of big Arnie's more divisive movies, I actually quite enjoyed Last Action Hero. Sure, it's nowhere near the giddy heights of Predator or Terminator 2, but it's a reasonable enough outing for the former Mr. Olympia, despite its flaws. Unsurprisingly, various games based on the move launched about the same time as the cinematic launch, but I'd never played any of them until now. Unfortunately, I wish it could have stayed that way. This has to be one of the worst excuses for a game I've ever played, and I'd have been seriously cheesed off if I'd paid good money for this back in the day.The "game" is split into a series of sections based on scenes from the movie. These alternate between crap beat 'em up and crap driving sections, offering absolutely zero entertainment value. In fact, the title should have been Lost Action - Zero, because the "action" went AWOL, that's for sure. The fighting sections involve little more than repeatedly punching the same 3 enemies over and over until the game decides to let your progress, only to repeat the process. The piece de resistance has to be the rooftop fight where you have to punch -- PUNCH! -- rockets back at a helicopter to blow it up. Utter crap!Just to rub salt in the wounds, the main sprite looks absolutely nothing like Jack Slater/Arnold Schwarzenegger. I would hazard a guess the developers didn't have the rights to use his likeness because you never see Slater's face in any of the cutscenes and his presence is completely absent from the title screen. All we have is some balding dude in a camel-coloured coat and red shirt who looks like a rather sweaty nightclub bouncer instead of the musclebound mega-movie star.With absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever, this should never have been released. A more fitting title would have been "Lost Action - Zero", because this an experience completely devoid of action or fun.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Baby Jo in Going Home Longplay (Amiga) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-09 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: ImagexPublisher: LoricielYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Stranded in the middle of nowhere, poor Baby Jo finds himself in a predicament. Armed with little more than a rattle, this pint-sized trooper must find his way back home to mummy, in this visually attractive platform game for the Amiga. It's your typical affair, collecting items for points and reaching the end of each stage without succumbing to the various nasties which roam the landscape.Whilst this is certainly a bonny wee baby in terms of looks, the gameplay reeks worse than a stinking diaper. The game goes to town in punishing you every step of the way, making for a really poor experience. Not only does Baby Jo have extremely limited health, you have to seek out feeding bottles to keep him fed, else you'll lose life. Ammo for your rattle is limited, and worst of all, collecting bonus items causes Jo to wet his pants, reducing walking speed to a crawl. Collecting a fresh nappy solves the problem, but it's just idiotic that the game actively punishes you for picking things up.If all of this wasn't bad enough, the jerky scrolling is the final nail in the coffin. This appears to be a straight port of the Atari ST version, with no optimisations for the Amiga custom chipset. With Turrican already out, Amiga owners expected more from these kinds of games, but this fails to deliver and is best avoided.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Title screen00:22 Stage 109:17 Stage 223:50 Stage 337:10 Stage 4
Last Duel Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-07 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: CapcomPublisher: CapcomYear of Release: 1988Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Another game from Capcom's back catalogue I wasn't familiar with, Last Duel bears a striking similarity to LED Storm/Mad Gear. LED Storm underwent various revisions and prototypes before final release, and one of those revisions which was ultimately dropped was a version which included the player's car being able to shoot bullets. That concept was eventually scrapped, but the fact Last Duel looks, feels and plays very much like a version of LED Store AND has shooting, whether this game was born out of those early prototypes?Regardless, Last Duel is a straightforward arcade blast: blow up enemies; grab power-ups; make it to the end of the stage without dying. I love the visual style of artwork and colour palette, which is much more vibrant than other Capcom games of this period.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Knights of Valour Longplay (Arcade) [4K] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-06-02 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: IGSPublisher: IGSYear of Release: 1999Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The golden age of the arcade was definitely in the rear view mirror at the turn of the Millennium, but manufacturers were still developing and turning out new coin operated experiences to lure in the punters. Knights of Valour, a side-scrolling brawler from Taiwanese developer IGS, is one of the later tranche of releases; it's definitely quite the looker! This heavily inspired by Capcom's Dungeons & Dragons coin-ops, although the 14th Century Chinese mythos setting is clearly aping Dynasty Warriors, another Capcom arcade release.Much like Capcom's DnD games, KoV features an RPG-lite mechanic where characters gain experience defeating enemies, eventually levelling-up to become more powerful. There's also a variety of ancillary weapons to collect, ranging from daggers to firecrackers, plus an assortment of magical items. When used, the latter can unleash powerful spells which damage, stun, or otherwise confound nearby enemies. Not all characters can use all weapons, however, which can be a consideration when it comes to both choosing which fighter to select, as well as which route to take through the game.Speaking of routes, this is one of the game's major facets. Most of the levels feature branching paths through to the end boss, each featuring different encounters, sub-bosses, loot, and more besides. Searching for secret exits in the background of each area can take you well off the beaten track if found, providing the opportunity to gain more experience points and treasure, but at the risk of losing health or lives in the process. Some of these routes are exclusive to specific characters, so it's rare that any two playthroughs would ever be completely alike.Of course, the core game is still a beat 'em up, and for a game of this considerable length the inherently repetitive cycle of fighting enemies until they fall over best be really good to keep players engaged. Each character can churn out a series of swipes and slashes with their weapon by tapping the attack buttons, even chaining in the occasional special with Street Fighter-esque directional input on the joystick. Defeating enemies gradually fills up a power meter which, when full, can be used to activate a power mode, enhancing all damage output and enabling the execution of screen-clearing super moves, provided you have enough gas in the tank. Unfortunately, the power gauge takes too long to fill up between uses, and because you'll want to keep it in reserve for bosses, it doesn't get whole lot of use. This means you'll be repeating the same combos time after time for the vast majority of the game, which makes for really dull experience. This would have been so much better if the game featured some form of grappling or throwing mechanic, but the final result is just utterly dull beyond the first 10 minutes or so.This is a real disappointment because the game looks absolutely phenomenal. The artists at IGS did stellar work on this game, with beautifully animated sprites and highly detailed backdrops centre stage; the presentation is equal to the best from both Capcom and SNK in terms of pure pixel artistry and, in short, looks an absolute peach. It's just a shame the core game loop is so monotonous; with more variety, this could have been an absolutely killer title.Video Notes--------------------------------------------------- - Audio is bugged from 58:50 to 1:04:21 (seems to be a common issue with the original version of the game)Chapters---------------------------------------------------0:00:00 Attract mode0:00:45 Stage 10:08:50 Stage 20:23:20 Stage 30:39:54 Stage 40:52:42 Stage 5 (audio bugged)1:04:32 Stage 61:14:20 Stage 71:31:32 Ending
Wonder Boy in Monster Land Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-31 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: WestonePublisher: SegaYear of Release: 1987Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------The original Wonder Boy is one of those weird arcade classics which were popular at the time of release, although with it's fruit-munching, platform-hopping, skateboarding shenanigans, its popularity was perhaps something of an enigma. It's very much of it's time, more akin to the likes of Pac-Land and other basic side-scrolling platformers that were popular at the time.When it comes to sequels, it's usually the case that developers stick with the formula which made the original successful, dump the stuff which was bad, and generally iterate and improve on the original. That clearly didn't happen when Sega and Westone produced Wonder Boy in Monster Land, which goes in a completely and unexpected direction.This is one of the earliest examples in a really weird sub-genre of, for want of a better description, action RPGs, which started to become popular, due in part to the success of Atari's Gauntlet. Wonder Boy in Monster Land retains the side-scrolling, platforming of its predecessor, but has the player killing monsters for gold coins, buying spells and upgrade from shops dotted throughout the levels, killing bosses for weapon and armour upgrades, and more besides. It's a brave departure from the original game, but the end result is something of a triumph. Action RPGs, particularly Diablo and all of its various incarnations, is one of my favourite genres of game; there's something about the constant upgrade cycle of killing enemies for loot, buying bigger and better weapons to kill even bigger monsters which just appeals to me. Admittedly, WIML is a very linear experience, but there's enough of that game loop on show that meant I really enjoyed my time with this. In fact, it's the very template on which Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (AKA Monster World II) is based, which was one of my favourite games on the Sega Game Gear.As with many of these coin-op RPG hybrids, I think they make far more sense as games for the home market than they do the arcade. You'll need at least 40 minutes to play this through to completion, which is a length of time that seems amazing incongruous to the setting of a noisy, smoke-filled arcade. Perhaps the culture and arcade scene in Japan was different to that of the UK, insofar that the environment was conducive to such a prolonged experience, which may explain why the game never received an international release, at least not in its arcade form. The English translation shown in this video is derived from the 2005 Virtual Console release, complete with interesting translation text, but it does at least allow a wider range of players to experience what is, in my opinion, an excellent game.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Steel Gunner Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-26 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: NamcoPublisher: NamcoYear of Release: 1990Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I'm quite partial to a decent lightgun shooter, so when I stumbled across Steel Gunner online I thought I'd give it a shot. Blasting waves of cyborg droids and hover tanks looked super cool, and being from Namco it must surely be fun, right?In terms of aesthetics, it's definitely up there with the best of them. The artwork and sprite scaling effects are consistently excellent, which makes this one of the best in class for the period of its release. Sound and music are also fantastic, with sampled audio, music and plenty of rumbling explosions. In short, it definitely captures your attention.As for the gameplay, I was less impressed. This game is HARD and offers little in the way of concession or assistance, no power-ups. Unlike similar titles in the genre, there's no visual cue -- either through flashing or some kind of telegraphing animation -- to indicate when an enemy is going to shoot. This makes the experience particularly fraught because the only way to survive is to learn where and when enemies appear, and to be an absolutely crack shot. There's also a perceptible lag between firing your gun and the projectile connecting with whatever you were aiming at; I found I had to lead targets to drop the shots where they needed to land, which takes some getting used to.In my opinion, Steel Gunner would be much more enjoyable in co-op mode with a friend. Twice the cover and twice the firepower would make things considerably more manageable, but the solo experience just feels frustrating. I can't say this issue is unique to Steel Gunner; it is a coin-op after all, designed to relieve you of your cash, but having some power-ups or extra weapons to make things a bit easier would have been a welcome addition.Chapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode01:10 Stage 104:30 Stage 208:30 Stage 312:19 Stage 415:00 Final boss
Mega Man X Longplay (SNES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-24 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: CapcomPublisher: CapcomYear of Release: 1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------One of Capcom's best-loved franchises made the leap to 16-bit in 1993 with the release of Mega Man X for the SNES. The game stars X, a more advanced successor to the original Mega Man, who must hunt down a series of rogue Reploids, powerful mechanical beings with special powers, which now threaten humankind.The game sticks rigidly to the tried-and-tested formula of its forebears. X must first fight through each of the game's stages to acquire new weapons/power-ups, then play through them again using said abilities to defeat various bosses which would have previously been nigh-on-impossible without, unlocking progress toward the game's final climax. It's a variation of the "Metroidvania" school of design synonymous with the series, which works well enough.Of course, with the transition to 16-bit comes vastly superior graphics and sound. To say that the visuals are a big step up from the NES titles in the series is an understatement, and while I wouldn't go as far to describe them as best-in-class, the overall aesthetic, coupled with top-notch animation, gives the game a genuinely cartoon/anime vibe. The later ports of the game to the PlayStation and PC are a further step-up, but as far as the SNES is concerned, it's pretty cool.On the subject of fun, which is the whole point of video games, I think series veterans already invested in the franchise will probably enjoy this more than neophytes, such as myself. That's not to say newcomers won't get enjoyment from this, just that I think you'll get more out of this if you've played at least a few of its 8-bit predecessors.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Arrow Flash Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-19 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: ITLPublisher: Renovation ProductsYear of Release: 1990Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Not a shoot 'em up I'd heard of before, Arrow Flash isn't going to win any awards for innovation. It's a relatively by-the-numbers horizontal shooter with the usually assortment of upgrades, end-of-level bosses and everything else common to the genre.The game does try and mix things up by allowing the player to transform between fighter and mech-suit mode. The fighter has a narrower cone of fire and has a blastwave as a special weapon, whereas the mech has a wider angle of fire and can initiate what I fiess is the titular "Arrow Flash", turning itself into a glowing death hulk that can kill enemies on contact.The reality is that these two modes don't really offer a huge variety in terms of gameplay. I didn't find there was much need to use the special abilities all that often, with the regular weapons being powerful enough in most cases. What we're left with is a game with some nice parallax scrolling and cool demoscene-style tricks, but fairly mundane gameplay.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
The Adventures of Batman & Robin Longplay (SNES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-17 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: KonamiPublisher: KonamiYear of Release: 1994Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Warner Bros. animated series starring the Dark Knight was pretty influential when launched. The talents of Mark Hamill as Joker and the late Kevin Conroy as the titular hero helped solidify the series as one of the best of it's generation.As for video games, there were several. I'm familiar with the Sega Genesis game, created by Clockwork Tortoise, but I'd never played the SNES version. It's a completely different game, handled by Konami, and incorporates more adventure elements than its Sega counterpart.The game is split across multiple stages, each requiring Batman to hunt down one of his many arch nemeses. Joker, Penguin, Riddler and other classic villains show up throughout the game, and Konami did a first-rate job in the art and animation department. The aesthetics of the show have been captured pretty darned well, and there are some cool graphical tricks showcased during some of the end-of-level encounters.Unfortunately, the gameplay is, in my opinion at least, rather dull. The combat lacks the visceral nature of Batman Returns, another Konami SNES endeavour, and the meandering museum and Riddler maze stages offer too little in the way of variety when compared to how big they are. This results in something which feels more Damp Squib then Dark Knight, which is a shame -- with better combat, more variety in terms of enemies and a bit more action, this could have been really great.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Ta*o Taido Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-12 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: Video SystemPublisher: Video SystemYear of Release:1993Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Another game to pop up on my socials which I thought weird enough to warrant a long play is this versus fighting game from Video System.The developers opted to use a combat system with just two buttons. Executing special moves is as simple as holding down both buttons, waiting for your character to power up, then pushing the joystick in one of the eight different directions and let go of the buttons. The direction of the stick on release dictates which type of move is executed, but this is all rather moot when they're all equally crap. In fact, the combat in this game is just terrible, period.Ta*o Taido is a long way from Street Fighter or Fatal Fury in its production values. Some of the character art is reasonable, but is then let down by poor animation, most of which seems to involve stilted pirouettes and cartwheel-esque flailing. There's not much to recommend this, and there are plenty of better games to play.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Rolling Thunder Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-10 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: NamcoPublisher: NamcoYear of Release: 1986Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Although familiar with Rolling Thunder, I hadn't really appreciated just how refined the gameplay of Namco's platformer really is. Sure, it's difficult as heck, but the general flow of the game -- shooting bad guys with split-second timing before ducking into cover behind a convenient door -- is actually really satisfying. Use of the upper and lower play areas is key to avoiding the neon-coloured goons which besiege you on all sides, so quick reactions are the order of the day.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-05 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: SNKPublisher: SNKYear of Release: 1986Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------I had a number of comments following the publication of my Ikari Warriors longplay suggesting I check out its sequel, Victory Road. Released the same year as the original Ikari, the sequel is a genuine oddity, shaking off its milatarstic trappings for demons and high fantasy. I guess the closest analogy I can think of by modern standards is something like Call of Duty: Zombies or Sniper Elite: Zombie Army; essentially taking an existing franchise rooted in reality, then taking the underlying mechanics and tech and replacing the setting with something completely unrealistic.As for the plot, our heroes from the first game are returning home when their aircraft gets caught up in a mysterious storm, catapulting them through space and time. Now trapped in some parallel dimension, they must fight their way through legions of demons and alien enemies in order to defeat an evil being known Zip Zang.In terms of gameplay, Victory Road isn't too disimilar to the original; this is still a vertical scrolling run-and-gun shooter involving shooting waves of enemies, using the same rotary joysticks to change your character's aim. This time around, however, players now have unlimited ammunition (including grendaes), so you can now spam as many bullets and explosives as possible, which is just as well; the sheer number of enemies you'll face means you'll wear the attack buttons to nubbins and grind the control stick to powder within the first five minutes of play. There's a far greater variety in terms of primary weapons on offer, each with their own distinct benefits, including a sword with the power to deflect enemy projectiles. The driveable tank is replaced with a suit of armour, providing extra protection for a limited time, although it offers no other discernible benefits.Taken on its own merit, Victory Road is decent vertical shooter, albeit one of the most hardcore experiences of its generation. The original Ikari Warriors was already one of the toughest games on the market, but this sequel is in another league altogether; the legions of regular enmies are bad enough, but you'll be frequently teleported to static arenas and forced to fight increasingly dangerous sub-bosses. Going into Victory Road, I think you'll have a better time knowing it's a rough ride, otherwise you'll likely just bounce off this somewhat wacky sequel.Related Longplays & Videos---------------------------------------------------Ikari Warriors (Arcade): youtu.be/er0uLLUb_ucChapters---------------------------------------------------00:00 Attract mode00:47 Gameplay29:43 Ending
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Longplay (NES) [QHD] AL82 Retrogaming Longplays 2024-05-03 | Game Info---------------------------------------------------Developer: KIDPublisher: TaxanYear of Release: 1991Game Review & Impressions---------------------------------------------------Based on the classic line of Hasbro action figures, G.I. Joe on the NES is pretty standard run-and-gun platformer. The game plays out across a series of missions which involve shooting up a whole bunch of Cobra minions and hunting for time bombs in some seriously maze-like environments.Each mission starts with character selection where a pre-defined squad leader and two other troopers chosen by the player get dropped in behind enemy lines; characters have their own unique weapon, plus varying levels of stamina, jumping ability and base attack power. One of the game's major features is the ability to swap between any of the three troops at any time. This allows players to take advantage of their special abilities, as well as level up their favourites to become even more potent.Although it's not the best looking game in the NES library, the gameplay is reasonable enough. There are tons of levels to complete, so there's plenty to get your teeth into, although those levels requiring you to disarm all the bombs within the time limit can be rather frustrating, especially later levels which feature numerous fake walls and pieces of scenery. If you're a fan of the toys and enjoy games like Ninja Gaiden, this might be up your alley.Chapters---------------------------------------------------TBC
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