AL82 Retrogaming Longplays | Dragon Saber Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] @AL82RetrogamingLongplays | Uploaded 9 months ago | Updated 4 hours ago
Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
When I played through Dragon Spirit recently, I had no idea there was actually a sequel. Intrigued, I set about recording a longplay of Dragon Saber, only to find it's -- unsurprisingly -- more of the same, only MUCH harder. The game retains the same air-to-air and air-to-ground combat mechanics of its predecessor, but the number of weapons available to the player is expanded, although my personal opinion is that at least half of these are useless and more likely to get you killed if you pick them up.
For some added context, the game typically introduces a new weapon with each additional stage you reach. Each weapon can be fired in rapid succession, but it can also be charged up for a special attack, which, in theory, can be used to deal with some of the tougher enemies you'll face. On the default difficulty setting the enemies soak up a lot of damage, which means the weapon power-ups which focus on versatility, such as the screen-wide lightning attack, simply can't destroy enemies quickly enough.
On the subject of default difficulty, the version I played seemed to give the player a single life in which to beat the game, which is just crazy. Other videos online show the player with two lives from the outset, so this can obviously be configured. The sheer number of enemies, the end-of-level bosses, player sprite hitbox, not to mention scenery and associated environmental hazards that will kill you instantly only serve as a real turn-off.
Dragon Saber looks really cool and has an excellent electronica soundtrack, and I really wanted to like it, but aside from some enhanced graphics, it's both too difficult and too similar to its predecessor to recommend.
Related Longplays & Videos
---------------------------------------------------
Dragon Spirit Longplay (Arcade): youtu.be/8Lw-vn1yyJ4
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC
Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
When I played through Dragon Spirit recently, I had no idea there was actually a sequel. Intrigued, I set about recording a longplay of Dragon Saber, only to find it's -- unsurprisingly -- more of the same, only MUCH harder. The game retains the same air-to-air and air-to-ground combat mechanics of its predecessor, but the number of weapons available to the player is expanded, although my personal opinion is that at least half of these are useless and more likely to get you killed if you pick them up.
For some added context, the game typically introduces a new weapon with each additional stage you reach. Each weapon can be fired in rapid succession, but it can also be charged up for a special attack, which, in theory, can be used to deal with some of the tougher enemies you'll face. On the default difficulty setting the enemies soak up a lot of damage, which means the weapon power-ups which focus on versatility, such as the screen-wide lightning attack, simply can't destroy enemies quickly enough.
On the subject of default difficulty, the version I played seemed to give the player a single life in which to beat the game, which is just crazy. Other videos online show the player with two lives from the outset, so this can obviously be configured. The sheer number of enemies, the end-of-level bosses, player sprite hitbox, not to mention scenery and associated environmental hazards that will kill you instantly only serve as a real turn-off.
Dragon Saber looks really cool and has an excellent electronica soundtrack, and I really wanted to like it, but aside from some enhanced graphics, it's both too difficult and too similar to its predecessor to recommend.
Related Longplays & Videos
---------------------------------------------------
Dragon Spirit Longplay (Arcade): youtu.be/8Lw-vn1yyJ4
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC
![Dragon Saber Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CjQ_B_DOYUI/hqdefault.jpg "Dragon Saber Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
When I played through Dragon Spirit recently, I had no idea there was actually a sequel. Intrigued, I set about recording a longplay of Dragon Saber, only to find its unsurprisingly more of the same, only MUCH harder. The game retains the same air-to-air and air-to-ground combat mechanics of its predecessor, but the number of weapons available to the player is expanded, although my personal opinion is that at least half of these are useless and more likely to get you killed if you pick them up.
For some added context, the game typically introduces a new weapon with each additional stage you reach. Each weapon can be fired in rapid succession, but it can also be charged up for a special attack, which, in theory, can be used to deal with some of the tougher enemies youll face. On the default difficulty setting the enemies soak up a lot of damage, which means the weapon power-ups which focus on versatility, such as the screen-wide lightning attack, simply cant destroy enemies quickly enough.
On the subject of default difficulty, the version I played seemed to give the player a single life in which to beat the game, which is just crazy. Other videos online show the player with two lives from the outset, so this can obviously be configured. The sheer number of enemies, the end-of-level bosses, player sprite hitbox, not to mention scenery and associated environmental hazards that will kill you instantly only serve as a real turn-off.
Dragon Saber looks really cool and has an excellent electronica soundtrack, and I really wanted to like it, but aside from some enhanced graphics, its both too difficult and too similar to its predecessor to recommend.
Related Longplays & Videos
Dragon Spirit Longplay (Arcade): https://youtu.be/8Lw-vn1yyJ4
Chapters
TBC")
![RoboCop Versus The Terminator Longplay (SNES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D5Hj9KZRmEo/hqdefault.jpg "RoboCop Versus The Terminator Longplay (SNES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Interplay
Publisher: Virgin Games
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
Prior to recording this longplay, the only version of RoboCop Versus The Terminator Id played/owned was the Sega Genesis. Its not a particularly innovative game, but the depiction of crumbling dystopia, giving way to eventual battles against Skynet and its army of endoskeleton nightmares, was good fun. I loved the graphical style, particularly the way enemies got blown apart in gory, pixelated chunks, was very cool.
Moving over to the Super NES, Id expected the game to be the same. Given Nintendos stance on violence and market positioning as being the family-friendly option, Id expected the violence to be toned down compared to the Genesis, but I hadnt been expecting quite the number of changes as there are.
The levels between the two versions are broadly similar, and follow a similar arc, but Interplay, who handled development of this particular version, felt compelled to layer on some dull and pointless exposition through the use of comic book-style cutscenes. I get that the origins of the RoboCop and Terminator crossover stem from this medium, but I just found these sections dull, overly long, not to mention occasionally confusing.
To be honest, the gameplay isnt much better. From the level design to the enemies you face, everything feels dull and by-the-numbers. The game is competently programmed for sure, but at no point did I feel like I was having a good time. The SNES version shoehorns in a couple of first-person sections with some Mode 7 trickery, but again, its devoid of any real fun.
I need to go back and play the Genesis version to make sure Im not mis-remembering things, but having slogged my way through the drudgery of the SNES port, Id still plump for the Sega version over this. Presentation, graphics and suchlike are perfectly decent, but this could have been so much better.
Related Longplays & Videos
RoboCop Versus The Terminator (Sega Genesis): https://youtu.be/3stHvQ2OAz8
Chapters
TBC")
![Wonder Boy in Monster Land Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DCm1EIBqaOE/hqdefault.jpg "Wonder Boy in Monster Land Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Westone
Publisher: Sega
Year of Release: 1987
Game Review & Impressions
The original Wonder Boy is one of those weird arcade classics which were popular at the time of release, although with its fruit-munching, platform-hopping, skateboarding shenanigans, its popularity was perhaps something of an enigma. Its very much of its 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, its 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 didnt 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 Ataris 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. Its 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; theres 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 theres enough of that game loop on show that meant I really enjoyed my time with this. In fact, its the very template on which Wonder Boy III: The Dragons 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. Youll 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")
![Master of Weapon Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E0ENexjiHUk/hqdefault.jpg "Master of Weapon Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Taito
Publisher: Taito
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
Somewhat innocuous vertical shoot em up by Taito, Master of Weapon is an inoffensive, but ultimately rather bland example of its kind. Its the usual case of blowing up enemies and collecting power-ups, adorned with what Id describe as grey and uninspiring graphics.
Master of Weapon sees the return of the ground-based attack mechanism, popularised by Namcos Xevious, where its possible to unleash your crafts 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 isnt actually a bad game, just one that I didnt find particularly entertaining. Its difficult to stand out in such a crowded genre, and this was just middle-of-the-road for me.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:48 Stage 1
01:25 Stage 2
04:15 Stage 3
09:37 Stage 4
13:00 Stage 5
20:00 Stage 6
22:10 Ending")
![Steel Gunners 2 Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EFyfCJtm66k/hqdefault.jpg "Steel Gunners 2 Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Year of Release: 1991
Game 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 Id 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 youre 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, theres 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 Segas 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 mode
01:22 Stage 1
03:50 Stage 2
07:15 Stage 3
11:25 Stage 4
16:15 Stage 5
20:07 Stage 6")
![A-jax Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F1kWnzzYxEg/hqdefault.jpg "A-jax Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Year of Release: 1987
Game Review & Impressions
Not to be confused with a popular brand of bleach, A-Jax is yet another late 80s coin-op Id never heard of before. Having played through the game, I reckon its something of a hidden gem from around that time; the game demonstrates the capabilities of Konamis 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 Ive 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 youll struggle to complete most of the levels unscathed if you use anything else.
Following the destruction of an end-of-level boss, the games perspective shifts to a third-person, pseudo-3D section. Here, youre flying a fighter jet into the screen while waves of planes and other hostiles try to take you down. Its not quite up to the sheet spectacle of Segas After Burner (which I suspect Konami must have been trying to outdo here), but its 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; its 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, its definitely made my list of favourite shootem ups - go play it.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:23 Stage 1
03:18 Stage 2
04:17 Stage 3
08:07 Stage 4
11:20 Stage 5
12:11 Stage 6
16:44 Stage 7
19:54 Stage 8")
![Enduro Racer Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FtulOhJ05BM/hqdefault.jpg "Enduro Racer Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Year of Release: 1986
Game Review & Impressions
Segas super scaler tech meets dirt bike racing in a game which, if Im honest, feels rather lacklustre when compared to other super scaler games. It lacks the raw speed thrills of Hang-On, and OutRun beats this for entertainment value any day of the week.
I guess experiencing a sit-in version of this in the arcade might have been more exciting, but this didnt really do it for me.
#enduroracer
#retrogaming
#sega")
![Potty Pigeon Longplay (C64) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FuIUHtfdPUk/hqdefault.jpg "Potty Pigeon Longplay (C64) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Antony Tony Crowther, Ben Daglish
Publisher: Gremlin Graphics
Year of Release: 1984
Game Review & Impressions
One of the earliest games Tony Crowther created for the fledgling Gremlin Graphics, I was keen to check out more of the C64 programming wunderkinds back catalogue.
The objective of the game is to help Percy, the titular potty pigeon, construct a nest in the boughs of a tree by collecting twigs lying in the middle of a main road. Speeding motor cars risk turning you into a pigeon-shaped smear on the tarmac if youre not careful, and rival birds, planes and other airborne nasties mean the skies are no safer. Successfully constructing the nest awards you bonus points for time remaining on the clock, then propelling you into the next level, increasing the number of enemies as you progress. Theres no actual ending Im aware of, just the typical quest to attain ever-increasing high scores.
Speaking of scores, its possible to bag bonus points by literally crapping on the cars as they drive past. Destroying a car with a dollop of pigeon poo seems like rather extreme, but actually landing one of these defecatory dung packages on target is harder than it looks. Later levels introduce an additional foe in the guise of a bounding dog, and you can crap on this too!
I wasnt expecting too much from this, if Im honest, but I was surprised at how compelling this proved to be. Timing your swoops to grab the twigs from the ground without dying is really tricky, but theres a surprising sense of satisfaction when you manage to pull it off. Coupled with some impressively quick scrolling and astute technical presentation, its not a bad arcade game at all.
Chapters
TBC")
![Shatterhand Longplay (NES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FyNL8VA0PKQ/hqdefault.jpg "Shatterhand Longplay (NES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Natsume
Publisher: Jaleco
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
If theres a developer you can trust to deliver a fun third-party experience for the NES, its Natsume. This side-ways scrolling Gaiden em up (is that an actual genre?) is well worth checking out.
Firstly, instead of blasting enemies with the typical array of guns you usually see in a game like this, enemies must be defeated with your cybernetically enhanced fists. Grabbing a power-up capsule will bestow you with even greater fist-smashing capabilities, although this will be lost if you take too much damage.
In addition to your regular melee attacks, special tokens can be collected to unlock special abilities. Each token has a different symbol, and collecting 3 of these will initiate a special attack, which varies on the combination of token symbols collected. This is a pretty cool feature, adding an element of strategy; you need to decide whether you want to grab each and every token you find, or hold out for a particular combination that will help against the challenges ahead.
Overall, Shatter Hand is a fun platformer, and the whole cyberpunk aesthetic gives the game its own identity. Its a tough nut to crack at times, but well worth persevering with
Chapters
TBC")
![Arbalester Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GYJZMJthdzU/hqdefault.jpg "Arbalester Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: SETA
Publisher: Jordan Information Service
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
A rather repetitive vertical shoot em up with an incredibly repetitive musical score, Arbalester is a plodding take on the likes of Capcoms 1942. The graphics are reasonably well realised, and dog fighting with flying fortresses over the ocean is quite cool, but the game is really just too dull to recommend.
Oh, and it also has a slight problem in that the programmers appeared to omit offset calculations on your shots when moving your craft; they move relative to your position, which is just daft.
Chapters")
![Santa Claus Jr. Advance Longplay (Game Boy Advance) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Gb2U3WK5sJg/hqdefault.jpg "Santa Claus Jr. Advance Longplay (Game Boy Advance) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Neon Studios
Publisher: JoWooD Productions
Year of Release: 2002
Game Review & Impressions
I was looking for inspiration for a suitable festive game to cover this holiday period, when I stumbled across this particular title. I remembered JoWooD created the Industry Giant games on PC back in the early 2000s, so I was curious to see what Santa Claus Jr. was like - was it be any good, or would it be mediocre gaming fodder left to lingering at the bottom of the Game Boy bargain bin?
As a matter of fact, I was very pleasantly surprised. Santa Claus Jr. Advance is a no-nonsense, simple platform game thats ideal for kids; it looks stunning, and the fact it contains so many levels means this would have made a great accompaniment for anyone receiving a Game Boy Advance in their Christmas stockings. The game is actually a sequel of sorts to Santa Claus Jr., which launched on the Game Boy Color only a year prior - the two games are similar conceptually, the Advance version is a massive step up in terms of graphics.
Story-wise, a wicked witch has turned Santas toys into viscious monsters and its up to young Nick to aid Santa in delivering presents to children scattered around each of the games 36 levels. Each stage contains a set number of presents to deliver, and whilst I dont think its mandatory to find all the children, completionists will probably enjoy scoring 100% in each area. Its great to see the designers include a series of tutorial levels to help explain the mechanics and controls to the player, and Id recommend plaything through these before embarking on the main adventure.
Speaking of controls, the only real gripe I have is with the game is the double-jump mechanic. Because you need to release and depress the jump button to bounce higher on balloons and certain platforms, its too easy to trigger the double-jump and waste star power used to power your abilities. Its just a little bit fiddly, which becomes more problematic in later levels where levels feature more hazards and are generally more maze-like.
This isnt a Mario-beater, but I enjoyed my time with the game. The graphics, colour palette and general gameplay reminded me of James Pond II: RoboCod, and I dont consider that a bad thing. If youre looking for family-frieldly platformer this Yuletide, Santa Claus Jr. Advance is worth a look.
Merry Christmas!
Chapters
00:00:00 Title screen
00:00:30 Tutorials
00:03:46 Main game
01:19:03 Final boss & ending")
![Metal Slug 3 Longplay (Neo Geo) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HCSiCRwrc7g/hqdefault.jpg "Metal Slug 3 Longplay (Neo Geo) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: SNK
Publisher: SNK
Year of Release: 2000
Game Review & Impressions
Set an number of years following the antics of Metal Slug 2, series antagonist General Morden tries, once again, to overthrow world governments with another display of military might. Having allied himself with a force of extra-terrestrial invaders, Modern hopes their combined forces will deliver the knock-out blow to world order he has so desperately longed for.
Unfortunately, the aliens have other ideas, betraying Morden, taking the despotic General hostage and leaving his forces in disarray. With humankinds existence on the line once again, Marco and Tarma of the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force, assisted by Eri and Fio of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. special intelligence force, engage in a series of frantic run-and-gun battles with mutant crabs, bile-spewing zombies, not to mention ray-gun toting jellyfish xenomorphs, in a bid to save Earth from certain destruction.
Given the mainstream adoption and relative maturity of 3D by 2000, the Neo Geo, a console already a decade old by this point, somehow managed to extend its life, carving out a niche by specialising in what it does best. That niche is some of the best 2D sprite-based pixel art to ever grace our monitors; Metal Slug 3 looks absolutely incredible.
In terms of new features, Metal Slug regulars Marco and Tarma are joined by series newcomers Eri Kasamoto and Fiolina Fio Germi, boosting the total number of playable characters to four. New mechanised Slug vehicles are added to the mix, and branching paths are added for the first time, providing players with different routes through each of the games levels.
The gameplay mechanics, however, remain unchanged. Every level consists of blowing up legions of enemies with increasingly ludicrous weapons, rescuing hostages, and dealing with some of the most ludicrous end-of-level bosses ever conceived for a video game. Its pure, unadulterated Metal Slug which, by itself, is no bad thing.
However, I think its fair to say that, in the quest to give the game a sense of identity, Metal Slug 3 is a less cohesive experience overall. The series was always somewhat off-the-wall, but the inclusion of zombies, mutant crabs, not to mention the weird ice cave full of yetis and war mammoth, all feel out of place. The sense of fighting against an alien menace is absent right up until mission 4, thus feeling like yet more daubs and random brush strokes that fail to coalesce into any meaningful image on an already-saturated and gaudy canvas. The second-to-second play is great fun, but the sheer amount of random stuff in this game does it no favours, at least in my opinion.
In conclusion, Metal Slug 3 is an exceptionally stunning game and definitely worth playing, but the late arrival of the aliens as an actual threat result in a game with an incongruous narrative that feels slightly jarring. Its a fun game, just one that, in my opinion, could have been better.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:57 Mission 1
07:01 Mission 2
16:22 Mission 3
23:55 Mission 4
32:53 Mission 5
1:04:34 Ending
#metalslug3 #neogeo #retrogaming")
