![Exosquad Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD] @AL82RetrogamingLongplays](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yAsa_yQ5vJE/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Novotrade Software Kit
Publisher: Playmates Interactive Entertainment
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
The game is based on the animated cartoon series of the same name, first broadcast in the US in 1993. I have no recollection of this series airing on UK television at the time, so the characters, plot and general significance were somewhat lost on me. Info online indicates the series being set in a future where humans have begun colonising and terraforming other worlds, yet the rising of various pirate clans proves to be an existential threat to humanity at large, and must be dealt with.
The video game adaptation created for the Sega Genesis sees players taking control of members of Able Squad, a team of "exoframe" pilots, and the main focus of the TV show. Exoframes are large mech suit/exoskeletons, piloted by a human operator, and designed for battle. They come equipped with various weapon systems, missiles and plasma guns, all capable of dissolving space pirates into molten slag. You'll get to operate different frame types throughout the course of the game, with each unit being the focus of a specific level type.
The first of these sections is an After Burner style piloting section that involves manoeuvring your mech around the screen, avoiding incoming missiles, flying through fields of space mines, and shooting anything else that gets in the way. Visually, it's really quite impressive , with the whole background layer tilting on the Y-axis, but is let down massively by the oversensitive controls. The shape and size of the exoframe also makes avoiding mines far tougher than it should be, and I found the best strategy was to just keep moving in random directions and hope I didn't take too much damage.
The second level type is a side-ways scrolling shooting stage where the player plods along, stopping occasionally to destroy enemies and obstacles when they appear on the screen. A pair of yellow reticules displayed in front of the suit indicate where the left and right arm cannons are aiming, and you can tilt the aim up or down to deal with enemies at different levels of elevation. Again, it's technically quite impressive, with the various individual sprites used to create the exoframe assigned different priorities, occluding one another to give an impression of depth. It's just a shame that the gameplay is rather dull and boring.
The final level type pits two pilots against each other in a one-on-one close quarters battle involving punches, kicks, slams, plus the occasional plasma blast and missile salvo for good measure. It's a basic beat 'em up section that, to its credit, manages to convey the size, weight and general heft of the exoframes, although the slowness of animations means that every animation is overly telegraphed, leading to combat which is slow and rather cludgy. The simulated 3D using overlapping sprites is, once again, quite impressive, but it's just not particularly fun to play.
And that's the general takeaway from Exosquad. Despite some impressive visuals, the three level types are either dull, uninspiring, or too frustrating to enjoy. It doesn't matter how good the visuals are if the underlying gameplay isn't up to scratch, and that's the biggest problem the game has. There's also a huge amount of boring exposition to sit through between levels, which is more depressing when you come to realise what comes next wasn't worth the wait. It's a real shame, because I think this could have been quite a decent title if there had been more variety in the level design and mechanics. The reality is, I suspect this got tucked away in a draw after the first couple of games, then largely forgotten.
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
0:00:00 Attract mode
0:02:10 Intro
0:06:38 Stage 01
0:08:49 Stage 02
0:12:51 Stage 03
0:15:55 Stage 04
0:18:28 Stage 05
0:15:16 Stage 06
0:27:43 Stage 07
0:36:05 Stage 08
0:41:40 Stage 09
0:45:22 Stage 10
0:46:32 Stage 11
0:49:52 Stage 12
0:53:53 Stage 13
0:57:05 Stage 14
1:02:14 Stage 15
1:04:50 Stage 16
1:09:57 Stage 17
1:16:50 Stage 18
1:21:53 Stage 19
1:25:01 Stage 20
1:28:42 Ending
Game Info
---------------------------------------------------
Developer: Novotrade Software Kit
Publisher: Playmates Interactive Entertainment
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
The game is based on the animated cartoon series of the same name, first broadcast in the US in 1993. I have no recollection of this series airing on UK television at the time, so the characters, plot and general significance were somewhat lost on me. Info online indicates the series being set in a future where humans have begun colonising and terraforming other worlds, yet the rising of various pirate clans proves to be an existential threat to humanity at large, and must be dealt with.
The video game adaptation created for the Sega Genesis sees players taking control of members of Able Squad, a team of "exoframe" pilots, and the main focus of the TV show. Exoframes are large mech suit/exoskeletons, piloted by a human operator, and designed for battle. They come equipped with various weapon systems, missiles and plasma guns, all capable of dissolving space pirates into molten slag. You'll get to operate different frame types throughout the course of the game, with each unit being the focus of a specific level type.
The first of these sections is an After Burner style piloting section that involves manoeuvring your mech around the screen, avoiding incoming missiles, flying through fields of space mines, and shooting anything else that gets in the way. Visually, it's really quite impressive , with the whole background layer tilting on the Y-axis, but is let down massively by the oversensitive controls. The shape and size of the exoframe also makes avoiding mines far tougher than it should be, and I found the best strategy was to just keep moving in random directions and hope I didn't take too much damage.
The second level type is a side-ways scrolling shooting stage where the player plods along, stopping occasionally to destroy enemies and obstacles when they appear on the screen. A pair of yellow reticules displayed in front of the suit indicate where the left and right arm cannons are aiming, and you can tilt the aim up or down to deal with enemies at different levels of elevation. Again, it's technically quite impressive, with the various individual sprites used to create the exoframe assigned different priorities, occluding one another to give an impression of depth. It's just a shame that the gameplay is rather dull and boring.
The final level type pits two pilots against each other in a one-on-one close quarters battle involving punches, kicks, slams, plus the occasional plasma blast and missile salvo for good measure. It's a basic beat 'em up section that, to its credit, manages to convey the size, weight and general heft of the exoframes, although the slowness of animations means that every animation is overly telegraphed, leading to combat which is slow and rather cludgy. The simulated 3D using overlapping sprites is, once again, quite impressive, but it's just not particularly fun to play.
And that's the general takeaway from Exosquad. Despite some impressive visuals, the three level types are either dull, uninspiring, or too frustrating to enjoy. It doesn't matter how good the visuals are if the underlying gameplay isn't up to scratch, and that's the biggest problem the game has. There's also a huge amount of boring exposition to sit through between levels, which is more depressing when you come to realise what comes next wasn't worth the wait. It's a real shame, because I think this could have been quite a decent title if there had been more variety in the level design and mechanics. The reality is, I suspect this got tucked away in a draw after the first couple of games, then largely forgotten.
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
0:00:00 Attract mode
0:02:10 Intro
0:06:38 Stage 01
0:08:49 Stage 02
0:12:51 Stage 03
0:15:55 Stage 04
0:18:28 Stage 05
0:15:16 Stage 06
0:27:43 Stage 07
0:36:05 Stage 08
0:41:40 Stage 09
0:45:22 Stage 10
0:46:32 Stage 11
0:49:52 Stage 12
0:53:53 Stage 13
0:57:05 Stage 14
1:02:14 Stage 15
1:04:50 Stage 16
1:09:57 Stage 17
1:16:50 Stage 18
1:21:53 Stage 19
1:25:01 Stage 20
1:28:42 Ending
![Exosquad Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yAsa_yQ5vJE/mqdefault.jpg "Exosquad Longplay (Sega Genesis) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Novotrade Software Kit
Publisher: Playmates Interactive Entertainment
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
The game is based on the animated cartoon series of the same name, first broadcast in the US in 1993. I have no recollection of this series airing on UK television at the time, so the characters, plot and general significance were somewhat lost on me. Info online indicates the series being set in a future where humans have begun colonising and terraforming other worlds, yet the rising of various pirate clans proves to be an existential threat to humanity at large, and must be dealt with.
The video game adaptation created for the Sega Genesis sees players taking control of members of Able Squad, a team of exoframe pilots, and the main focus of the TV show. Exoframes are large mech suit/exoskeletons, piloted by a human operator, and designed for battle. They come equipped with various weapon systems, missiles and plasma guns, all capable of dissolving space pirates into molten slag. Youll get to operate different frame types throughout the course of the game, with each unit being the focus of a specific level type.
The first of these sections is an After Burner style piloting section that involves manoeuvring your mech around the screen, avoiding incoming missiles, flying through fields of space mines, and shooting anything else that gets in the way. Visually, its really quite impressive , with the whole background layer tilting on the Y-axis, but is let down massively by the oversensitive controls. The shape and size of the exoframe also makes avoiding mines far tougher than it should be, and I found the best strategy was to just keep moving in random directions and hope I didnt take too much damage.
The second level type is a side-ways scrolling shooting stage where the player plods along, stopping occasionally to destroy enemies and obstacles when they appear on the screen. A pair of yellow reticules displayed in front of the suit indicate where the left and right arm cannons are aiming, and you can tilt the aim up or down to deal with enemies at different levels of elevation. Again, its technically quite impressive, with the various individual sprites used to create the exoframe assigned different priorities, occluding one another to give an impression of depth. Its just a shame that the gameplay is rather dull and boring.
The final level type pits two pilots against each other in a one-on-one close quarters battle involving punches, kicks, slams, plus the occasional plasma blast and missile salvo for good measure. Its a basic beat em up section that, to its credit, manages to convey the size, weight and general heft of the exoframes, although the slowness of animations means that every animation is overly telegraphed, leading to combat which is slow and rather cludgy. The simulated 3D using overlapping sprites is, once again, quite impressive, but its just not particularly fun to play.
And thats the general takeaway from Exosquad. Despite some impressive visuals, the three level types are either dull, uninspiring, or too frustrating to enjoy. It doesnt matter how good the visuals are if the underlying gameplay isnt up to scratch, and thats the biggest problem the game has. Theres also a huge amount of boring exposition to sit through between levels, which is more depressing when you come to realise what comes next wasnt worth the wait. Its a real shame, because I think this could have been quite a decent title if there had been more variety in the level design and mechanics. The reality is, I suspect this got tucked away in a draw after the first couple of games, then largely forgotten.
Chapters
0:00:00 Attract mode
0:02:10 Intro
0:06:38 Stage 01
0:08:49 Stage 02
0:12:51 Stage 03
0:15:55 Stage 04
0:18:28 Stage 05
0:15:16 Stage 06
0:27:43 Stage 07
0:36:05 Stage 08
0:41:40 Stage 09
0:45:22 Stage 10
0:46:32 Stage 11
0:49:52 Stage 12
0:53:53 Stage 13
0:57:05 Stage 14
1:02:14 Stage 15
1:04:50 Stage 16
1:09:57 Stage 17
1:16:50 Stage 18
1:21:53 Stage 19
1:25:01 Stage 20
1:28:42 Ending")
![Ninja Commando Longplay (C64) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yCjx_u5C1hk/mqdefault.jpg "Ninja Commando Longplay (C64) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Zeppelin Games
Publisher: Zeppelin Games
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
For a budget game released in 1989, Ninja Commando isnt too bad. This run-and-gun style affair feels oddly reminiscent of Chelnov (Atomic Runner), with an emphasis on leaping and avoiding obstacles as much as blasting enemies.
Beating each of the games 8 stages is a simple case of reaching the extreme right of the level to reach the exit, albeit one fraught with peril. Enemies emerge from doorways and, after a brief grace period, will kill you if you come into contact with them, so you need to stay on your toes. These bad guys can be killed by jumping on them, or by shooting them with one of the weapon upgrades they drop periodically. These range from shuriken, which is pretty weedy, to machine gun capable of mowing down pretty much anything standing in your path.
Sadly, the game suffers from surprisingly unresponsive controls, which spoils the enjoyment somewhat. Your ninja dude has a propensity to jump almost half a second too late, and youll find yourself plummeting to your death at the bottom of the game screen on a regular basis. Its a shame, because I thought this game, for the most part, was actually pretty cool.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:43 Stage 1
04:24 Stage 2
07:04 Stage 3
09:52 Stage 4
12:43 Stage 5
15:36 Stage 6
18:15 Stage 7
21:26 Stage 8
24:00 Ending")
![Soldier Girl Amazon Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yJRtt8R3GBk/mqdefault.jpg "Soldier Girl Amazon Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Nichibutsu
Publisher: Nichibutsu
Year of Release: 1986
Game Review & Impressions
A gruelling top-down shoot em starring a female protagonist whose attire looks somewhat reminiscent of Lynda Carters portrayal of Wonder Woman, Soldier Girl Amazon is fairly typical for games of this type from this era. You must blast your way through wave-upon-wave of alien and mutant enemies, collecting weapon power ups and bonuses, and generally trying to stay alive.
Of all the collectibles, the ride-on hover bike is by far the most important. It allows the player to take extra damage, increases offensive capabilities by way of a spread of projectiles, and can be upgraded multiple times to form a small tank. The downsides to using the vehicle are the loss of mobility and fact you present a much larger target for enemy projectiles. Youll want to keep the vehicle intact for the end-of-level bosses, but doing so is a real challenge.
As with other games of this era, Soldier Amazon Girl has no ending, endlessly looping through the various stages until you die. If you enjoy a good high score challenge game then this might be worth a couple of plays, although its ultimately forgettable.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:40 Gameplay")
![Mad Motor Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] [Unreleased Prototype]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yLmvMaQQFqY/mqdefault.jpg "Mad Motor Longplay (Arcade) [QHD] [Unreleased Prototype]
Game Info
Developer: Mitchell Corporation
Publisher: Mitchell Corporation
Year of Release: 1989 (unreleased)
Game Review & Impressions
Rummaging in the closet of games which never made it to market, Mad Motor is certainly an odd thing. The attract mode is the only coin-op Im aware that flips the bird on any prospective player, telling you this a game with an attitude problem. Its a blend of Mad Max post apocalyptica featuring warring motorcycle gangs and mutants, into the midst of which the player is thrust. The objective of each stage is to batter opposing riders and vehicles into submission using a pair of wrist-worn blades until they eventually explode. You can leverage these explosions to lift your bike into the air, which will cause extra damage to other enemies when you land on them.
The player character also has something of a dark secret. When reduced to the final unit of energy within the current life, he turns into a hulking demon of devastating power. Its s kind of final gambit state where the extra power might just be sufficient to help pull through a difficult situation, but as theres no way to recover health that I could determine, its usefulness is actually rather limited.
Although the aesthetic is cool, I can see why the game got canned. The truth of the matter is it doesnt play very well, and this is due in large part to the lack of perceived damage you do to many of the enemies. It wasnt until later in the longplay I realised that what the game expects you to do is kill the weaker enemies with your blades, then use the ensuing explosion as a springboard and to dunk on top of the more powerful enemies with your bike. Even then, enemies like the armoured knights are incredibly dangerous and difficult to tackle, and the game feels poorly balanced in general. The final spear-twirling samurai boss and its pet dragon is a case in point, one which is virtually impossible to defeat.
Maybe with a few tweaks and a round of rebalancing Mad Motor could have been a decent coin muncher. The graphics are great and everything moves at a decent lick, and the design of the enemies is pretty cool all round; medieval knights jousting atop 1000cc seeds is certainly not a common sight as far as games are concerned, nor is a massive gorilla hanging from a helicopter. Its all genuinely quite interesting stuff, just not especially fun to play.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:11 Stage 01
04:29 Stage 02
08:12 Stage 03
11:57 Stage 04
13:33 Stage 05
16:35 Stage 06
20:37 Ending")
![CT Special Forces Longplay (Game Boy Advance) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z4FHyTW54v0/mqdefault.jpg "CT Special Forces Longplay (Game Boy Advance) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: LSP (Light & Shadow Production)
Publisher: LSP (Light & Shadow Production)
Year of Release: 2002
Game Review & Impressions
Metal Slug is one of my favourite arcade games, so when I saw pictures of CT Special Forces, I couldnt wait to try it out. This visually impressive run-and-gun has some great visuals and art direction, a cool soundtrack, and appears to ape one of the best games in the Neo Geo library.
Whats not to like?, I thought...
Well, it turns out this game is actually rather dull! Its classic side-scrolling territory where you blast bad guys with an assortment of guns and gizmos, all wrapped up in some SAS special forces trappings. Each level has an objective involving arresting, killing or blowing something up, but the moment-to-moment action during combat the very thing which holds this type of game together is really boring. Theres little variety in the way of enemies, and the weapons you have to fight them with are either too weak, or just bland and unsatisfying.
Book-ending the side-scrolling stages are sections where you pilot a gunship, blowing up tanks and building from an overhead view. Again, theres really very little to these sections, and they go on for way too long. It wasnt until the second of these sections I realised the gunship also came equipped with rocket pods, and while theyre certainly more potent than the choppers cannon, theyre not necessary to beat the level.
I came away from CT Special Forces feeling particularly underwhelmed. It looks great and has the framework for a really cool shooter, but theres just not enough content or variety in the levels or mission objectives to make you want to keep playing. The game did receive a number of sequels, so Im curious to see whether theyll be any better.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:41 Stage 1-1
05:39 Stage 1-2
11:13 Stage 1-3
16:28 Stage 2-1
20:23 Stage 2-2
27:13 Stage 2-3
34:11 Stage 3-1
39:25 Stage 3-2
43:19 Stage 3-3
47:45 Stage 4-1
51:52 Stage 4-2
58:47 Stage 4-3
1:04:10 Ending")
![Neighbours Longplay (C64) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z6T9VR_qCYo/mqdefault.jpg "Neighbours Longplay (C64) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Ian Copeland
Publisher: Impulze (Zeppelin Games)
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Tuning in to watch the life and times of the residents of Ramsay Street is something Im sure multiple generations can attest to. The long-enduring Australian soap opera focusing on the lives of families living in a relatively middle class suburb ran from 1985 to 2025, a staggering total of 40 years, before eventually being cancelled for real. The show famously served as a launch point for pop stars Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Natalie Imbruglia, and storylines included the usual teen existential crises and dating woes, while the adults committed adultery, or people disappearing at sea in mysterious circumstances, only to turn up safe and sound several years later.
Under its Impulze label, Zeppelin games thought to capitalise on the shows popularity by releasing a Neighbours video game for the C64 and other home computers of the era. The premise is Scott Robinson and friends decides to hold a race around Ramsay Street, avoiding obstacles and watching out for other members of the ensemble cast who look to spoil their fun. To complete the race, not only must competitors complete the set number of laps, but they must also ensure they pass through each set of flashing gates to ensure the lap is considered valid. Falling off your skateboard or colliding with obstacles reduces your remaining energy, so youll need to collect the weird unidentifiable grey splodges on the ground to restore health.
The problem the game has is its completely unsuitable material for a video game of this kind. The dearth of innovation and creativity means that Zeppelin was reduced to adding a bunch of stereotypical iconography to try and convey to the player that the game is set in Australia. Kangaroos and emus wander the asphalt sidewalks and roads as though it were a common occurrence, and I wouldnt have been at all surprised if the Ramsay Street residents had all been wearing cork hats and packing boomerangs. Its just an achingly dull soapbox racer that has to rely on not-so-subtle cultural references to try and convey, nay hammer home, that you are in fact in Australia, and this is, indeed, Ramsay Street. The net result is a boring game that really wasnt worth anyones money or time, and is best avoided.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:40 Stage 01
03:35 Stage 02
05:06 Stage 03
06:44 Stage 04
08:25 Stage 05
10:16 Stage 06
12:07 Stage 07
13:40 Stage 08")
![Chopper I Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zApwThZ2mpU/mqdefault.jpg "Chopper I Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: SNK
Publisher: SNK
Year of Release: 1988
Game Review & Impressions
Released in 1988, Chopper I is a rather innocuous shoot em up that features, in my opinion, some of the best pixel art seen in games of this, considering the time of its release. The addition of a motion blur effect to the rotation of chopper blades, plumes of smoke as the jets of your rockets ignite, not to mention the ground shadows of the teeny-tiny troopers running along the ground, are nuances and kind of attention to detail which still werent exactly common place.
The actual gameplay isnt too shabby either, although is largely representative for the genre as a whole. Players blast through waves of jets, helicopters and ground forces hell-bent on their destruction, taking down end-of-level bosses, then proceeding to do it all over again in the next stage. You also better enjoy this sort of thing, too, because with 12 stages set of two loops, Chopper I is a pretty long game. Beating the second loop to see the somewhat lacklustre ending is going to take time, patience, not to mention a whole sack of coins.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:27 Loop 1 - Stage 1
04:05 Loop 1 - Stage 2
08:00 Loop 1 - Stage 3
11:34 Loop 1 - Stage 4
15:08 Loop 1 - Stage 5
18:40 Loop 1 - Stage 6
22:37 Loop 2 - Stage 1
26:26 Loop 2 - Stage 2
30:41 Loop 2 - Stage 3
34:19 Loop 2 - Stage 4
38:07 Loop 2 - Stage 5
41:50 Loop 2 - Stage 6
45:05 Ending")
![Busou Keiji: Cyber Cross Longplay (PC Engine) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zhES92mXMDk/mqdefault.jpg "Busou Keiji: Cyber Cross Longplay (PC Engine) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: ITL
Publisher: Face Corporation
Year of Release: 1988
Game Review & Impressions
Busou Keiji Cyber Cross is one of those games with a cool-sounding title and pretty graphics that look good for screenshots, and the impressionable sucker I am decided this was worth checking out when it popped up in my socials. This horizontal scrolling fighter has undertones of Kung Fu Master and Altered Beast about it, spiced with some Manga superhero undertones. Youre out to save the world from the dastardly Dr. Nosumi, who has unleashed an army of insectoid and robotic creatures in an effort to conquer the world, and its up to you to stop them.
Right from the off, Cyber Cross proves to be familiar territory. You simply keep moving to the right and despatch anything and everything that dares to stand in your way. Flying drones have a chance to drop a power-up token when destroyed, and these can be collected to increase your powers. The first of these will transform you into the powerful Cyber Cross mode, and subsequent glowing orbs will bestow you with weaponry of different types. You get to wield a power sword, shoot a ray gun, or sling a particularly useless boomerang; all of these have a special overcharge ability that can be unleashed on enemies for extra damage, and certain weapons have more utility and effectiveness on certain types of enemies. Levels culminate with a fracas against an end-of-level boss, and you know the drill: hit it until it falls over.
The chief problem with Cyber Cross is just how mind-numbingly repetitive it is. The backgrounds and enemies might differ somewhat, but the overall experience changes very little throughout its entirety. It isnt until the final level that the game decides to pull the trick of having you enter doors and fall through holes in the floor to try and find the correct path through to the final area. Taking a wrong turn inside the enemy base forces you to slog through a dingy tunnel, before spitting you back outside and forcing you to repeat much of the stage. It might have been acceptable to pull this stunt if the game was interesting enough, but it simply isnt. The single blippy-bloppy tune constituting 99% of the total music in the game is sure to send you to sleep, even if the gameplay doesnt, repeating ad nauseum throughout each of the six main stages.
What I had hoped would be an exciting experience proved to be a bland and dull trudge-fest. Cyber Cross isnt bad as such, but punching the same enemies and listening to that one damned tune on repeat for 30 minutes was in danger of putting me in a catatonic state. Play it by all means, but keep an adrenaline shot and industrial quantity of Lava Java coffee within easy reach when doing so.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:56 Stage 01
04:32 Stage 02
07:29 Stage 03
11:35 Stage 04
15:05 Stage 05
20:45 Stage 06
30:11 Ending")
