AL82 Retrogaming Longplays | Chevy Chase Longplay (Amstrad CPC) [QHD] @AL82RetrogamingLongplays | Uploaded 1 year ago | Updated 12 hours ago
Game Info
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Developer: PAL Developments
Publisher: HITEC Software
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
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It's fair to say that there are some howlingly bad racing games on the Amstrad CPC. The conversion of OutRun is appallingly bad, let down by performance that's so sluggish it's measured in seconds per frame. However, there are also some remarkably decent exceptions, and I consider Chevy Chase -- terrible pun-based naming aside -- to be a real diamond in the rough.
PAL Developments pretty much focused exclusively on budget releases for the 8-bit home micros during the 80s and 90s, and this cheap-as-chips racing game puts most of the full-price efforts coming out of other software houses to shame. It looks great, moves at a decent lick, and is extremely playable too! Sure, the monotone buzz that passes for engine noise isn't going to win any awards for sound design, but this is an excellent little racer, definitely one of the best for the CPC.
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC
Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: PAL Developments
Publisher: HITEC Software
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
It's fair to say that there are some howlingly bad racing games on the Amstrad CPC. The conversion of OutRun is appallingly bad, let down by performance that's so sluggish it's measured in seconds per frame. However, there are also some remarkably decent exceptions, and I consider Chevy Chase -- terrible pun-based naming aside -- to be a real diamond in the rough.
PAL Developments pretty much focused exclusively on budget releases for the 8-bit home micros during the 80s and 90s, and this cheap-as-chips racing game puts most of the full-price efforts coming out of other software houses to shame. It looks great, moves at a decent lick, and is extremely playable too! Sure, the monotone buzz that passes for engine noise isn't going to win any awards for sound design, but this is an excellent little racer, definitely one of the best for the CPC.
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC
![Chevy Chase Longplay (Amstrad CPC) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_4_w37qI6z4/hqdefault.jpg "Chevy Chase Longplay (Amstrad CPC) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: PAL Developments
Publisher: HITEC Software
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Its fair to say that there are some howlingly bad racing games on the Amstrad CPC. The conversion of OutRun is appallingly bad, let down by performance thats so sluggish its measured in seconds per frame. However, there are also some remarkably decent exceptions, and I consider Chevy Chase terrible pun-based naming aside to be a real diamond in the rough.
PAL Developments pretty much focused exclusively on budget releases for the 8-bit home micros during the 80s and 90s, and this cheap-as-chips racing game puts most of the full-price efforts coming out of other software houses to shame. It looks great, moves at a decent lick, and is extremely playable too! Sure, the monotone buzz that passes for engine noise isnt going to win any awards for sound design, but this is an excellent little racer, definitely one of the best for the CPC.
Chapters
TBC")
![FIFA International Soccer Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_PUTkv-RMxM/hqdefault.jpg "FIFA International Soccer Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Electronic Arts
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
Sports games have never really been my bag, but for someone like me, who has barely any interest in football, FIFA International Soccer was one of the few games in the genre Id consider playing.
While there had been plenty of attempts at creating a computerised version of the beautiful game, FIFA represents something of a watershed moment. Still a far cry from the annualised cash-grabbing juggernaut it would eventually become, the original is an incredibly accessible, not to mention highly polished interpretation of the sport, managing to appeal to aficionados and novices alike. Theres a decent number of options on offer that can tailor the gameplay to offer both arcade or simulation-oriented experiences, variable pitch and weather settings, team formations and more. The player control scheme is excellent, allowing you to assume control of the closest player to the ball easily enough, while lobbing, passing and shooting are controlled by the A, B and C buttons on the joypad, with the strength of the shot increasing the longer the button is held.
Football fans more versed in the sport may have a different opinion, but for a complete novice like myself, FIFA serves as an excellent entry-point. It looks and sounds great, and the overall experience is a highly positive one. The series would blow up in a way no-one could imagine, not always for the better, but credit where its due - FIFA International Soccer is an excellent virtual game of footie.
Chapters
TBC")
![GunMaster Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_YJ7eX2MapY/hqdefault.jpg "GunMaster Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Metro
Publisher: Metro
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
Another obscure fighting game which Id no knowledge of prior to recording, GunMaster is an arena-based fighting game where players face off against a boss and cohort of enemies, all of whom must be defeated within the time limit. I suppose this is mashup of Renegade meets Gunstar Heroes, albeit with much improved graphics and additional mechanics.
One of the main features is the ability to choose the stages/bosses you fight in any order. Each boss has a difficulty rating, represented by a series of stars, and although some of the encounters do reflect the difficulty, others can be easier or more difficult, depending on your familiarity with the controls.
Speaking of which, your fighter can initiate various punches and kicks, as well as initiate special attacks via stick and button combos; if youve played Streets of Rage 2 or 3, youll know how this works. Its also possible to whip out a handgun for long range attacks, and even this has a special, if you can figure out how to execute it. Theres also an undocumented move called Bloody Dance, left for the player to uncover; the input sequence is revealed in the end credits, but its really not worth it - its extremely difficult to pull off reliably, and it has stupidly telegraphed wind that means most enemies will hit you before it even executes fully.
I wasnt sure what to expect from GunMaster, but this turned out to be pretty fun. It looks a lot like something Capcom would have produced and is as equally as polished in the visual department. The gameplay is tight and the bosses sufficiently varied to warrant several replays.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
1:24 Battle 1: Solder Ore
2:26 Battle 2: Leo
3:50 Battle 3: Cancer
5:20 Battle 4: Capricornus
7:05 Battle 5: Redumber
8:50 Battle 6: Taurus
10:15 Battle 7: Aquarius
12:26 Battle 8: Turquiose
14:04 Battle 9: Aries
16:04 Battle 10: Tolmarine
18:14 Battle 11: Pearl & Onyx
19:40 Battle 12: Gemni1 & Gemni2
21:20 Battle 13: Virgo
22:45 Last Battle: Queen Dia
24:25 Ending")
![Nemo Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aCqVMwgVHiM/hqdefault.jpg "Nemo Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Campcom
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
One of Capcoms 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 cant 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 wasnt even aware of the film, let alone the arcade game, so Im 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 Kings 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 wouldnt say this is the most memorable of Capcoms arcade titles from this period, but its 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; its solid, uncomplicated fun.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:22 Stage 1
03:45 Stage 2
06:10 Stage 3
08:50 Stage 4
14:10 Stage 5
19:10 Stage 6
24:18 Ending")
![Dogyuun Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/adUP_gBHCLc/hqdefault.jpg "Dogyuun Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Toaplan
Publisher: Toaplan
Year of Release: 1992
Game Review & Impressions
If youre a fan of shoot em ups (who isnt
?), then I suspect Dogyuun will be right up your alley. It looks amazing, and is reminiscent of the likes of Truxton, which is no bad thing.
For one, it has a selection of power-ups which can be tailored to suit your play-style. For example, the starting cannon can be combined with a speed-boosting agility upgrade, bestowing a pair of mini lasers in addition to improved maneuverability. Other cannisters install homing lasers on your craft, but you can only have a limited number of these on-screen at any given time, and its easy to get overwhelmed when swarmed by large numbers of smaller enemies.
Theres a good number of levels to get your teeth into, bristling with enemy fighters, mid-level corvettes, plus the usual end-of-level behemoths to conquer. The Japanese version, shown here, includes an ending cutscene after beating the final boss, but then launches straight into another loop.
Dogyuun is a tough game, but its certainly one of the more accommodating shooters out there - this is definitely worth a look.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:16 Stage 1
03:56 Stage 2
07:55 Stage 3
11:08 Stage 4
14:45 Stage 5
18:23 Stage 6
22:18 Stage 7
36:04 Ending
#retrogaming #longplay #arcade")
![Guardian Force Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ayl_NmrMgAs/hqdefault.jpg "Guardian Force Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Success
Publisher: Success
Year of Release: 1998
Game Review & Impressions
Visually impressive pseudo-3D top-down shooter, in which you pilot a hover tank through level after level of blasting action. Your path through the level is predetermined, but the changing direction of travel means youll need keep an eye on your six, because enemies will sneak up on you when you least expect it.
Given your a tank, youll need to rotate your crafts turret to maintain a line of sight on encroaching threats. This adds additional complexity to an already demanding game, but its a challenge with persevering with - this is a really cool blaster!
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
02:24 Stage A
07:54 Stage B
11:59 Stage C
18:25 Stage D
23:43 Stage E
27:31 Stage F
34:35 Stage G
41:05 Ending")
![Nosferatu Longplay (SNES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bJEQ-fgqCQ0/hqdefault.jpg "Nosferatu Longplay (SNES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: SETA
Publisher: SETA
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
The spooky season is upon us once again, and for this years ghoul-inspired longplay shenanigans, I decided to take a look at Nosferatu. Id been aware of this curious SNES game for some time, and it had always intrigued me, so I though it was time to don my vampire-hunting togs and dive in.
The plot is as simple as they come: heros girlfriend kidnapped by vampire; must rescue. You delve into various crypts, navigating the perilous corridors, avoiding traps and despatching monsters with your unexplained, but fortunately not-insignificant martial arts prowess. Where this idea came from, I can only guess; maybe theres a smidgeon of influence from Braindeads Father I kick arse for the Lord McGruder?
To wit, the game packs an awful lot of combat moves and combos, perhaps too many. Spin kicks, shoulder barges and flying knees are on offer, although the simplest and most effective method of attack is to rely on your three-strike combo. The rest of the moves are rather difficult to pull off, if Im honest, particularly the flying knee, which I think I only managed to execute once during the entire game.
When it comes to the level structure, Id always imagined this to be a Metroidvania affair, but its actually a Prince of Persia clone. The level designs, clambering up and down platforms, traps and general mechanics are directly influenced (copy and pasted) from Jordan Mechners classic. The only real difference with Nosferatu is that levels of scroll both horizontally and vertically, rather than use series of static rooms. The power-up system, collecting different coloured crystals from chests to restore health and increase combat ability, are also instantly familiar.
Having completed the game, Nosferatu wasnt what Id expected. Im a big fan of PoP-inspired games, and although I had some fun with this, I had hoped for something a little more involved. The enemies, a fairly limited assortment of zombies, bats, Frankensteins monsters and mummies are all rather wrote and uninspired. It also doesnt help that most of the levels in the game are rendered in a washed out sepia palette; it does little to convey any real sense of foreboding or gothic horror, and is a far cry from the infinitely more mature Splatterhouse 2 on the Genesis. I suspect Nintendos aggressive stance on maintaining its image as a family-friendly company partly explains this.
Happy Halloween!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:30 Stage 1
08:00 Stage 2
15:17 Stage 3
24:01 Stage 4
30:28 Stage 5
39:02 Stage 6
46:48 Final Boss")
![Octapolis Longplay (C64) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bKjK3ta7Xi8/hqdefault.jpg "Octapolis Longplay (C64) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Jukka Tapanimäki
Publisher: English Software
Year of Release: 1987
Plot (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 up
a 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 the
planet, 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 hadnt 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, its 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 games repetitive nature, but its 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 doesnt get as much recognition as he deserved.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:30 Gameplay
15:50 Ending")
![Disneys Aladdin Longplay (SNES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bQVG4JKQrDg/hqdefault.jpg "Disneys Aladdin Longplay (SNES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
One of the final tranche of traditional 2D animated movies, Disneys Aladdin was a huge deal when it came out. The late and much missed Robin Williams star turn as the Genie is one of the main reasons for the films enduring appeal, and probably explains why I actually bothered to watch this back in the day; Id really outgrown this kind of stuff at this point.
Unsurprisingly, games based on the movie were soon to follow. Virgin Games handled development of Aladdin for the Sega Genesis, while Capcom was on point for Nintendo and the SNES. Despite being based on the same source material, both games feature completely different levels and mechanics; despite both being platform games, theyre quite different. While theres no denying the quality of the artwork, presentation or sound, I think Capcom stuck too rigidly to the formula they used when designing most of their platform games for the SNES: this is The Magical Quest wearing Aladdin pants.
The game follows the adventures of street urchin Aladdin and his primate pal Abu as they leap, somersault through side-scrolling platforming levels based on scenes from the movie. While the main objective in each stage is to simply get to the exit, completionists will want to be on the lookout for 10 ruby gems secreted throughout; some of these are located off the beaten track, and require careful combing of the level to uncover. Levels typically end with a boss fight of sorts, which are usually defeated by bouncing on their heads.
Dont get me wrong, the SNES version of Aladdin is a quality production by Capcom - the presentation is exemplary, although youd expect nothing less of a game based on a Disney franchise. The problem is, this just lacks the flair of the Genesis version; this just feels too safe and by-the-numbers. The involvement of real Disney animators, not to mention the ever-so-slightly more mature theming (Aladdin gets to clobber bad guys with a sword) of the Genesis version means it just appeals to me more than Capcoms game.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:52 Stage 1
09:49 Stage 2
15:19 Stage 3
19:14 Stage 4
24:46 Stage 5
29:53 Bonus stage
32:11 Stage 6
38:44 Final boss
39:56 Ending")
![Daley Thompsons Olympic Challenge Longplay (C64) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bUUll-ssDmA/hqdefault.jpg "Daley Thompsons Olympic Challenge Longplay (C64) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Ocean Software
Publisher: Ocean Software
Year of Release: 1988
Game Review & Impressions
I recorded a longplay of Daley Thompsons Decathlon, the first game from Ocean starring the celebrated decathlete, not too long ago and, its fair to say, my hand and wrist almost broke from the ludicrously frantic joystick waggling that ensued. I undertook the challenge at the request of @zappedpast3297, only to discover they meant the OTHER Daley Thompson game, namely this particular beast, which means I was about to get really sore all over again...
Olympic Challenge is yet another game based on the Track and Field template set out by Konami, where the player must compete in a series of athletic events to earn the best times, scores and achievements possible. Events include 100m sprint, javelin, shot-put, discus, not to mention the ludicrous 1500m long distance. Every event involves waggling the joystick from side to side to build up power or speed, guaranteed to grind your Zipstick microswitches into dust. Events like discus and javelin also involve pressing the fire button and timing angle of trajectory to hurl said objects the furthest distance possible, and pulling this off after battering the heck out of your waggling arm is easier said than done.
If Im honest, Daley Thompsons Olympic Challenge is just a prettier version of the previous game, but one thats really devoid of any innovation. Theres a series of training sections at the start of the game that involve, you guessed it, lots of waggling, which serves little purpose than to pay lip service to Lucozade, the first of the games official sponsors, while an utterly pointless pre-amble to each event involving selecting the correct pair of Adidas training shoes, the second. Its all nicely presented, but its dull and frustrating experience with occasional bugs thats just unrewarding to play.
Video Notes
- Pole-vault event glitched after beating the maximum possible bar height
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:50 Training mode
04:22 100 Metres
04:43 Long Jump
05:21 Shot Put
06:20 High Jump
08:50 400 Metres
09:51 110 Metre Hurdles
10:19 Discus
11:30 Pole-vault
14:48 Javelin
16:21 1500 Metres
18:38 Medal Ceremony")
![Vice: Project Doom Longplay (NES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c-Ds77G77Uk/hqdefault.jpg "Vice: Project Doom Longplay (NES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Sammy
Publisher: Sammy
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Also known as Gun-Dec in Japan, Vice: Project Doom is slickly-produced side-scrolling run n gun platformer with a plot thats borderline unfathomable. Its a tale of clandestine corporations, bio-engineering and cloning, wrapped in a layer of detective thriller mystery thats often difficult to comprehend.
Ever-so-slightly wacky story aside, the game is definitely worth checking out. There are plenty of levels for players to get stuck into, including occasional vertical shoot em up and on-rails shooting sections that serve to add some variety to overall ensemble.
The bulk of the game is comprised of side-ways scrolling platform sections where the player, a detective or secret agent-style character, must traverse hazardous environments, despatching enemies with a variety of weapons that include a gun with strangely limited range, grenades, and a weird energy sword/light sabre device thats probably too powerful for its own good.
With its excellent graphics, solid gameplay and production values, Vice: Project Doom is well worth checking out.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:46 Stage 1
03:43 Stage 2
05:46 Stage 3
08:39 Stage 4
10:26 Stage 5
14:30 Stage 6
18:36 Stage 7
21:38 Stage 8
24:53 Stage 9
28:46 Stage 10
30:26 Stage 11
35:44 Final Boss
37:12 Ending
#nes #retrogaming #longplay")
![Blackthorne Longplay (PC DOS) [4K] [Gravis Ultrasound]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cW8VtB2qhC8/hqdefault.jpg "Blackthorne Longplay (PC DOS) [4K] [Gravis Ultrasound]
Game Info
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Interplay
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
I forget precisely when I became aware of Blackthorne for the first time, but I believe it must have been at least a couple of years after Blizzard hit the big time with the likes of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. The game was developed originally for the SNES (Silicon & Synapse/Blizzard was still a console-focused studio at this point), with the PC conversion launching the same year; even back then, it was weird to play an arcade-platformer by a studio which would become so famous for its RTS and ARPG games.
When it comes to game design, its obvious Blackthorne borrows heavily from both Prince of Persia and Flashback, perhaps more so the former than the latter. Although Blackthorne and Flashback both focus on gun-based combat, the mechanic of ducking into the shadows of the background to avoid enemy fire feels more analogous to the parry and counter-based sword fighting of Prince of Persia.
Whilst Blackthorne certainly isnt original, to Blizzards credit, its a thoroughly decent PoP-alike. Its the typical Blizzard high fantasy themes involving humans, orcs and other demonic beings, although the concept of a human armed with a shotgun transported from Earth to a parallel dimension to do battle with otherworldly foes has more than a whiff of Army of Darkness about it.
If you enjoy this kind of game, Blackthorne will almost certainly be right up your alley. Gravis Ultrasound support meant that PC owners lucky enough to own one of these coveted sound cards got to experience a dramatic and rousing musical score, making the PC edition of the game the definitive way to experience the game.
Video Notes
- Recorded with Gravis Ultrasound MIDI
Related Longplays & Videos
Blackthorne Longplay (SNES): https://youtu.be/ycm0rBGKnk0
Chapters
00:00 Tutorial & Intro
04:11 The Mines
28:40 The Forest
1:03:44 The Mountains
1:42:45 Sarlacs Keep
2:18:20 Final Boss
2:19:46 Ending")
