AL82 Retrogaming Longplays | Battle Bakraid Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] @AL82RetrogamingLongplays | Uploaded 1 year ago | Updated 1 day ago
Game Info
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Developer: Eighting
Publisher: Eighting
Year of Release: 1999
Game Review & Impressions
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A fairly late sprite-based shooter, this spiritual sequel to Battle Garegga is actually quite a decent title. It has "bullet hell" tendencies for sure, although nothing as extreme as Do Don Pachi.
Players get to equip their craft with various multi-shots, satellites which can be moved independently of the main ship, plus a limited stock of swarm missiles that help even the odds when the going gets tough. There's also a charge-up super spread attack on hand for dealing with enemy squadrons and behemoth-sized bosses.
Overall, the graphics and and sound are pretty decent. If you enjoy a good shooter, go check out Battle Bakraid.
Chapters
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TBC
Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Eighting
Publisher: Eighting
Year of Release: 1999
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
A fairly late sprite-based shooter, this spiritual sequel to Battle Garegga is actually quite a decent title. It has "bullet hell" tendencies for sure, although nothing as extreme as Do Don Pachi.
Players get to equip their craft with various multi-shots, satellites which can be moved independently of the main ship, plus a limited stock of swarm missiles that help even the odds when the going gets tough. There's also a charge-up super spread attack on hand for dealing with enemy squadrons and behemoth-sized bosses.
Overall, the graphics and and sound are pretty decent. If you enjoy a good shooter, go check out Battle Bakraid.
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC
![Battle Bakraid Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/y2GGRf0pGIU/hqdefault.jpg "Battle Bakraid Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Eighting
Publisher: Eighting
Year of Release: 1999
Game Review & Impressions
A fairly late sprite-based shooter, this spiritual sequel to Battle Garegga is actually quite a decent title. It has bullet hell tendencies for sure, although nothing as extreme as Do Don Pachi.
Players get to equip their craft with various multi-shots, satellites which can be moved independently of the main ship, plus a limited stock of swarm missiles that help even the odds when the going gets tough. Theres also a charge-up super spread attack on hand for dealing with enemy squadrons and behemoth-sized bosses.
Overall, the graphics and and sound are pretty decent. If you enjoy a good shooter, go check out Battle Bakraid.
Chapters
TBC")
![Knights of Valour Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yCcicVGEMfI/hqdefault.jpg "Knights of Valour Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: IGS
Publisher: IGS
Year of Release: 1999
Game 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; its definitely quite the looker! This heavily inspired by Capcoms Dungeons & Dragons coin-ops, although the 14th Century Chinese mythos setting is clearly aping Dynasty Warriors, another Capcom arcade release.
Much like Capcoms DnD games, KoV features an RPG-lite mechanic where characters gain experience defeating enemies, eventually levelling-up to become more powerful. Theres 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 games 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 its 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 youll want to keep it in reserve for bosses, it doesnt get whole lot of use. This means youll 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. Its 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 mode
0:00:45 Stage 1
0:08:50 Stage 2
0:23:20 Stage 3
0:39:54 Stage 4
0:52:42 Stage 5 (audio bugged)
1:04:32 Stage 6
1:14:20 Stage 7
1:31:32 Ending")
![Syvalion Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yFPxBDejYfI/hqdefault.jpg "Syvalion Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Taito
Publisher: Taito
Year of Release: 1988
Game Review & Impressions
As another of Taitos 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 youre 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 dragons 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 youll 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 its worth taking the time to play it, should the opportunity arise.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:50 Instructions
01:00 Stage 1
02:00 Stage 2
03:24 Stage 3
04:55 Stage 4
06:48 Stage 5
09:00 Ending")
![Blazing Lazers Longplay (TurboGrafx-16) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yQQCMNXMgGo/hqdefault.jpg "Blazing Lazers Longplay (TurboGrafx-16) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Compile
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
The TurboGrafx/PC-Engine isnt a console I ever encountered growing up, so getting to experience the back-catalogue of games has been one of the most interesting aspects of this channel to date. There are some great titles on the platform, and Blazing Lazers isnt just a great TurboGrafx game, its one of the best vertical shoot em ups on a home console.
Blazing Lazers has great graphics for the time, not to mention 9 different stages of non-stop action to burn through. However, what really steals the show here is power-up system. I dont think Ive played a game with such a diverse range of options, which adds to the appeal.
There are 4 main weapon types available, each with multiple upgrades that change the spread, strength and corresponding shot pattern. These weapons can be upgraded even further to their ultimate form by collecting an F container, allowing you to unleash some truly devastating firepower. Changing weapons or changing shield types does come with a cost, however, removing side-shots and ultimate fire mode if activated. In general, the best strategy involves finding a combination of upgrades you enjoy and works across a variety of scenarios and stick with it, rather than keep swapping.
When it comes to recording, there are so many games which have been a total chore to play through, but Blazing Lazers is one of the few which was a genuine pleasure. If you enjoy a good shooter, this should be top of your list.
Chapters
TBC")
![96 Flag Rally Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ymwu2E4Nt0w/hqdefault.jpg "96 Flag Rally Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Promat Co.
Publisher: Promat Co.
Year of Release: 1996
Game Review & Impressions
Once again, I dived into the darkest depths of the arcade obscura, and landed upon a 96 Flag Rally, a game thats fascinating for all the wrong reasons. The core game is a blend of Namcos 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 games 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 doesnt stop there, however. The billboards which adorn the periphery of the city grid feature advertisements, logos and promotional materials for real-world products. Theres an advert for what looks like Citizen Promaster wristwatches, Welchs 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 munchers arcade debut, which makes this all a bit hard to swallow in 1996. Its 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): https://youtu.be/3uhbUQHj0Dk
Chapters
TBC")
![Baby Jo in Going Home Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zC7UKpJyErU/hqdefault.jpg "Baby Jo in Going Home Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Imagex
Publisher: Loriciel
Year of Release: 1991
Game 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. Its 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 youll 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 its just idiotic that the game actively punishes you for picking things up.
If all of this wasnt 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 screen
00:22 Stage 1
09:17 Stage 2
23:50 Stage 3
37:10 Stage 4")
![Bullet Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zL6ATF4deAY/hqdefault.jpg "Bullet Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Year of Release: 1987
Game Review & Impressions
Certainly not a Sega arcade title I was previously aware of, Bullet is a twin-stick shooter that feels something akin to a mash-up of Robotron and Escape from the Planet of the Planet of the Robot Monsters.
The game supports up to three players simultaneously, depending on the cabinet, and the objective is as simple as blasting your way through hordes of enemies en route to the end-of-level boss. Its possible to power up your blaster by standing on charging stations located throughout the level, which youll definitely want to do whenever possible; shooting your gun drains the weapons batter and will eventually power down again, shooting more slowly and with less range.
Overall, its a decent enough game. Certainly not the most exciting, nor memorable thing Sega ever produced, but it technically robust, and would offer a few minutes enjoyment for those who decided to deposit a quarter.
Chapters
TBC")
