AL82 Retrogaming Longplays | Macross Plus Longplay (Arcade) [4K] @AL82RetrogamingLongplays | Uploaded 3 months ago | Updated 23 hours ago
Game Info
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Developer: Banpresto
Publisher: Banpresto
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
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Reasonable shoot 'em up with big explosions, power-ups and the rest of the usual stuff you'd expect to find in a game like this. It's party piece is the ability to swap between agile space fighter and flying robot forms, trading manoeuvrability for power and versatility.
Chapters
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TBC
Game Info
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Developer: Banpresto
Publisher: Banpresto
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
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Reasonable shoot 'em up with big explosions, power-ups and the rest of the usual stuff you'd expect to find in a game like this. It's party piece is the ability to swap between agile space fighter and flying robot forms, trading manoeuvrability for power and versatility.
Chapters
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TBC
![Macross Plus Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pPx2BY4K3gk/hqdefault.jpg "Macross Plus Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Banpresto
Publisher: Banpresto
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
Reasonable shoot em up with big explosions, power-ups and the rest of the usual stuff youd expect to find in a game like this. Its party piece is the ability to swap between agile space fighter and flying robot forms, trading manoeuvrability for power and versatility.
Chapters
TBC")
![Mercs Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pT7PLLo8l7A/hqdefault.jpg "Mercs Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Tiertex
Publisher: U.S. Gold
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Tiertex garnered a great deal of criticism for the various arcade conversions to home computers over the years, but theyre not universally terrible. This port of Capcoms spiritual successor to Commando proves to be a playable and, day I say it, maybe even fun experience. It has most, if not all the levels from the arcade, the same weapons and power-ups, and the pilotable vehicles even make an appearance. Controls are responsive, sound and music reasonable, and the graphics are highly detailed and pretty close to their arcade counterparts.
Of course, its not perfect. I have two main bones to pick with the game, the first of which is the inconsistency of the collision detection in relation to the hitbox surrounding the player sprite. It looks as though the detection is based on the bounding box, rather than the sprite itself, which makes avoiding damage quite difficult. The second issue is the amount of damage taken, which seems wildly inconsistent; coming into contact from a jet of flame or rocket explosion can result in instant death, even when on full health, which can be particularly annoying.
With that said, I didnt hate the Amiga version of Mercs; its a actually a lot better than most of the arcade conversions on the system. Its got the looks, most of the feel, and no real glitches I could detect; if you like Mercs, you could do worse than this.
Chapters
TBC")
![Isolated Warrior Longplay (NES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pcHWBsqewf4/hqdefault.jpg "Isolated Warrior Longplay (NES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: KID
Publisher: VAP
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Id never heard of Isolated Warrior until it popped up in my socials feed, but it certainly piqued my curiosity. What attracted me to this was the art style and unusual viewpoint, and it makes for an interesting game.
Essentially, this is a not-quite-vertically scrolling shooter. You must blast your way through waves of enemies using your laser gun, which has two methods of fire. Spread-shot gives you a wider angle and coverage of fire, but lower damage, while straight-shot is stronger and more focused beam, but youll need to move around more to line up shots. You also get fire bombs, also upgradable, which can be used to clear out the screen of lower ranking enemies, as well as activate secret portals hidden throughout each stage.
Isolated Warrior isnt particularly innovative in terms of gameplay, but its a decent enough shoot em up, boasting some cool visuals. The overall aesthetic reminded me of Core Designs Skeleton Krew, although this came much later. Overall, not a bad game - worth checking out.
Chapters
TBC")
![Masters Fury Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pyUJvB3pKDI/hqdefault.jpg "Masters Fury Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Unico
Publisher: Unico
Year of Release: 1996
Game Review & Impressions
Despite being one of the lesser known fighting games out there, Masters Fury is really just a half-baked knock off of Street Fighter II, with some elements of SNKs King of Fighters series thrown in.
The roster of fighters is a weird Mr Potato Head affair, where combatants, costumes and fighting moves are stuck together to create these weird mashups that seem oddly familiar. Kill Ruki is a great example, sporting a Guile-esque haircut, but dressed like King from KoF, but possessing animation and moves oddly reminiscent of M. Bison; its all extremely odd, to say the least.
On the subject of graphics, it seems the game has an internal resolution of 384 x 224, but applying the typical 4:3 aspect ratio changes this to 384 x 288, which results in all of the artwork being stretched vertically, which ends up looking plain weird when compared to the raw 1:1 internal resolution. This is most pronounced when comparing the victory screen artwork showcasing the character portraits - they look wrong in 4:3.
As for the gameplay, its just a clone of Street of Fighter II, sans the polish and professionalism of Capcoms game. This isnt terrible, but the controls and collision detection are simply too unpredictable, resulting in a game that just feels unrewarding to play.
Chapters
TBC")
![Thunder Dragon 2 Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qC3_fXXjQG0/hqdefault.jpg "Thunder Dragon 2 Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: NMK
Publisher: NMK
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
I already covered the original Thunder Dragon on the channel, and found it to be a decent-enough shoot em up with an interesting weapon power-up system. The sequel doesnt stray too much from the formula of the original, although the decision to replace the various weapon systems from the first game with a single upgradeable spread-shot means its not the most innovative of sequels.
Even so, its a decent looking game with enough shooting action to satisfy most arcade fans - not ground-breaking, but still worth a shot.
Related Longplays & Videos
Thunder Dragon (Arcade): https://youtu.be/bD_ikTxPdRM
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:11 Stage 1
02:14 Stage 2
05:18 Stage 3
08:27 Stage 4
11:34 Stage 5
14:47 Stage 6
17:44 Stage 7
21:02 Stage 8
25:39 Ending")
![Double Dragon II: The Revenge Longplay (PC Engine CD) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qcm3y8Fb1is/hqdefault.jpg "Double Dragon II: The Revenge Longplay (PC Engine CD) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Technos
Publisher: Naxat
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
The first Double Dragon arcade game is one of my favourite side-scrolling brawlers of all time, and its sequel, isnt half bad either. Like its parent, Double Dragon II received conversions to just about every computer and console available at the time, including the PC Engine CD, a far more niche format. Arriving roughly four years after the coin-op, its pretty late to the party, with Double Dragon 3 already launching in 1991.
Right off the bat, its worth noting that nothing has changed significantly in terms of overall design. You move around the screen, duffing up bad guys and gals with fists, feet, plus assorted weapons that include a shovel, chain whips, and a steel wrecking ball. However, this isnt really a conversion of the arcade, more an amalgamation of features from other DD II ports released over the years. The art style is closer to Super Double Dragon on the SNES, although many of the character designs have been taken from the NES port. Levels are also redesigned, also borrowing heavily from the NES, albeit with the advantages of a 16-bit colour palette to give the environmental art and backgrounds an overhaul.
The other notable feature of this particular port are the anime-style cutscenes and audio dialogue, which break up each of the game levels. Sadly, theres no English dub or subtitles available, but I would guess most folks already know the games backstory via the arcade and other media coverage. These scenes are almost certainly part of the game data, given the absence of noise an macro-blocking that would plague any actual FMV from this era. I assume the CD is actually hosting Redbook audio for music and dialogue, rather than any video.
Overall, the PC Engine CD version of Double Dragon II is a competent beat em up; it looks cool, plays well, and the cutscenes at least differentiate this from all the other versions out there. That said, it feels a little behind the curve, given that even the cartridge-based Sega Genesis and SNES consoles both feature games which exceed this in presentation and technical nuance, without the need for an expensive CD drive; I would argue Streets of Rage 2 and 3 are better brawlers, and Super Double Dragon does everything this does and more. I think most people who play this will have a good time, but the niche format and lack of standout features means it struggles against the competition.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
04:28 Stage 1
09:15 Stage 2
13:58 Stage 3
18:14 Stage 4
23:18 Stage 5
29:54 Stage 6
32:19 Stage 7
36:34 Stage 8
40:59 Stage 9
42:36 Ending
#doubledragon #pcengine #retrogaming")
![Hayatos Journey Longplay (Sega Genesis) [Homebrew] [2024]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qz6McI2kJEc/hqdefault.jpg "Hayatos Journey Longplay (Sega Genesis) [Homebrew] [2024]
Game Info
Developer: Master Linkuei
Year of Release: 2024
Download: https://master-linkuei.itch.io/hayatos-journey
Game Review & Impressions
One of the most prominent homebrew developers for the Genesis in recent years, Master Linkuei (https://twitter.com/masterlinkueibr) has finally released Hayatos Journey for the classic Sega console. Powered by Erik Hogans (Earok) Scorpion Engine, the game is a love letter to the classic Shinobi arcade and home console releases, plus a few sprinkles of Ninja Gaiden for good measure.
You must hack and slash through multiple levels of non-stop action, rescuing hostages and taking down end-of-level guardians before proceeding to the next zone. Its all remarkably impressive, runs almost flawlessly, and aside from some ill-fitting and occasionally unaligned level scenery tiles, you wouldnt necessarily know this wasnt an original title. It also has some suitably fitting music by Edmo Caldas, which sounds really cool.
What makes the game even more interesting is the way combines assets from other classic games and repackages them into a a new form which, if you werent familiar with the source material to begin with, you probably wouldnt realise. Some backgrounds are clearly taken from Revenge of Shinobi and Shinobi III on the Genesis, while others and I cant be 100% sure about this look similar to The Astyanax. Leave comments if you recognise which games the sprites and other art assets are from - it would be cool to figure it all out.
Overall, this is a really solid release and a lot of fun. My only complaint is the collision detection on some of the bosses feels a little bit off, but this is seriously impressive stuff - definitely worth checking out.
Information & Trivia
- Developed using Earoks Scoprion Engine
Chapters
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![Sword of Destiny Longplay (Commodore 16 Plus/4) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sDAEa8asbcU/hqdefault.jpg "Sword of Destiny Longplay (Commodore 16 Plus/4) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Micro Projects
Publisher: Gremlin Graphics
Year of Release: 1985
Coding: Jason Perkins
Game Review & Impressions
My cousin owned a Commodore 16 and I remember Sword of Destiny being among the collection of cassette tapes in her collection. Although I never got to play it back then, I remember being fascinated by the cover - the Grecian-style Myrmidon with gleaming sword looking mightily impressive, or at least it did to my three year-old self.
37 years later, I decided to finally check out the game for myself and, as Ive found with a number of C16 titles, actually pretty smart, in spite of the machines limitations.
The objective of the game is to help Kelok, a fallen warrior, find piece in the afterlife. Kelok was killed by the evil warlock Xorphas, who decided to add insult to injury by stealing Keloks heart, before casting him into the underworld.
Taking control of Keloks spirit, you must traverse the Abyss of Death in search of sanctified objects which will unlock the way to salvation, finally allowing Kelok to rest in piece. The abyss is divided into multiple screens, some of which are blocked off by temporary walls. To remove the wall, youll need to find a glowing object in one of the screens nearby, but knowing where to look and actually reaching said item are two different things.
Kelok has limited amount of energy Astral Power in which to complete his quest, and this is consumed by attacking, using air vents to propel himself through the air, as well as coming into contact with enemies which inhabit the abyss. The deeper Kelok descends into the abyss, the more damage monsters will do. Energy can be regained by destroying monsters, but their erratic movement patterns can often result in you losing additional energy through squandered attacks.
To complicate matters further, jumping into anything - monsters or scenery - will cause Kelok to change direction mid jump. This mechanic means youll need to be extra careful when navigating platforms, else its all too easy to find yourself at the bottom of yet another deep pit from which youll need to escape.
The game might look simplistic, but Sword of Destiny is actually a pretty cool title. Allowing the player to top off their health by destroying enemies is quite innovative for the time, and although it might seem like youre navigating a maze, its actually quite linear. If you owned C16 or a Plus/4 machine, this isnt a bad little arcade platformer to get your teeth into.
Information & Trivia
- Game restarts after completion on a higher difficulty level
Video Notes
- Played through the game once to completion then stopped
Related Longplays & Videos
Chapters
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![Varth: Operation Thunderstorm Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sh2Q3v0Sst4/hqdefault.jpg "Varth: Operation Thunderstorm Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year of Release: 1992
Game Review & Impressions
Released in 1992, this vertical shooter from Capcom is cut very much from the same cloth as the studios earlier 194X series of shooters. The switch to Capcoms more powerful CPS arcade hardware means Varth benefits from a big upgrade in the audio-visual department; it looks fantastic!
A good shooter needs a robust and diverse set of weapon upgrades to succeed, and Varth has those in spades. Main weapons include screen-clearing multi-shot and focused laser cannon, whilst R-Type inspired satellites can be collected during gameplay, which orbit the players fighter, bestowing a variety of missiles that will seek out enemies and generally do extra damage. Youre also given a choice as to whether the satellites should be located in fixed positions to the left and right of your craft, or whether you want the ability to rotate them. Rotation affords far more tactical options, and would be the option Id plump for, but it adds an extra level of complexity to a game thats already rather hectic to begin with.
The final weapon in players arsenal is the Mega Crash, or smart bomb to you and me. The type of MC unleashed is dictated by the type of main weapon held by the player when activated, but all variants are typically explosions or conflagrations of a size designed to clear the screen of enemies, providing some much-needed breathing space. Youre limited to a maximum of 3 MCs at any given time, but these recharge periodically after use; the fact youre not reliant on collecting tokens to restock these bombs means youre actively encouraged to use them, not stock pile them for precisely the right moment as other games do.
In most respects, Varth is an excellent game. It has all the ingredients necessary for a top-notch blaster, and the gameplay is as compelling as it is tough. My one criticism is the fact its so darned long; with 30 stages, youll need to sit at the machine for an hour if you hope to actually complete it. Other than that, this is a great game from Capcom, one definitely worth checking out.
Chapters
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![Gun.Smoke Longplay (NES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sxJRZyx4Qfo/hqdefault.jpg "Gun.Smoke Longplay (NES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year of Release: 1988
Game Review & Impressions
The NES conversion of Capcoms six-gun shootin arcade game is excellent. Everything from the original is present and correct, and plays as well as can be expected. The objective is the same as most shoot em ups: blast through waves of enemies, taking down an end-of-level boss, then progressing to the next stage. Capcom worked around the limitation of the NES controllers two-button limit by having the player tap A and B buttons to shoot diagonal right and left, while tapping both simultaneously shoots straight ahead. Its a solution which works well enough, and I had no real complaints.
As with other NES arcade conversions, theres a sprinkle of new features and added value to warrant the price tag. This includes the ability to purchase additional weapons and power-ups from friendly townsfolk, including shotguns, a magnum revolver and, somewhat curiously, a fully automatic machine gun. You also cant fight the end-of-stage boss until you collect a wanted poster, either through finding one hidden in the current level, or buying one from the shop. These changes arent ground-breaking, but welcome nonetheless.
Theres not much else to say about Gun.Soke, other than its a great home conversion. Its simple, easy to pick up and play, and feels just like the arcade. If you enjoyed the coin-op, this is worth checking out.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:12 Stage 1
04:25 Stage 2
07:43 Stage 3
12:49 Stage 4
17:07 Stage 5
20:20 Stage 6")
![Pop n TwinBee Longplay (SNES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t3mEnkHzrkE/hqdefault.jpg "Pop n TwinBee Longplay (SNES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Palcom Software
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
I recall seeing clips of Pop n TwinBee on TV and in magazine previews at the time of its release, and even then, I was struck by just how gorgeous the game looked. The pastel colour palette, cutesy art style, not to mention the plethora of sprite warping and transformation effects on show, make for one of the best looking video games on the SNES, at least in my opinion. The game was only released in Japan and Europe at the time, with no official U.S. release at all. Quite why one of the better shooters on the system didnt get a release Stateside seems rather odd to me - maybe Konami figured it wouldnt find an audience.
I suppose this is a possible theory, given how weird it is. Blasting wandering pineapples and bunches of grapes is a far cry from aliens, monsters, and the typical kind of enemies you usually see in this kind of game, but despite its quirkiness, this is a very cool shooter. Each stage involves blasting legions of both air and ground-based enemies with an assortment of weapons, with various power-ups and upgrades on hand to give you the edge. Shooting those fluffy white clouds found throughout the levels causes a bell to be jettisoned into the air, and these changes both the colour of the bell, as well as which power-up youll receive once collected. For example, green bells equip you with an additional follower/side-shot, while pink bells grant a damage shield, which both damages enemies on contact and allows you to soak up some extra hits.
Despite its cute n cuddly aesthetics, Pop n TwinBee can be a fiendishly tough game at times. Later levels literally swarm you with enemies, so youll need speedy reactions if you hope to survive, something the sometimes garish colours and cycling background animations can make particularly difficult. Theres so much going on at times that its quite easy to lose sight of your own craft in the ensuing chaos.
Pop n TwinBee is an excellent shoot em up that looks amazing, so if youre up for a challenge, definitely give this a shot.
Chapters
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![Crisis Force Longplay (NES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tmRX_rvUeow/hqdefault.jpg "Crisis Force Longplay (NES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Released in 1991, Crisis Force is an impressive arcade shoot em up which really shows what the NES is capable of.
At its core, Crisis Force is fairly typical in terms of core mechanics, but its the weapon system which sets it apart. Essentially, there are two weapon configurations available to the player, which can be upgraded or alternates between by collecting red or blue tokens dropped by enemies. The active weapon system then dictates which shot patterns and configurations are available for use, which can be cycled at will. Its a neat system, adding variety to the gameplay, as well as allowing the player to choose weapons which suit their play-style.
In addition to regular guns, collecting 5 special tokens will cause the ship to transform to a superior form, with shield barrier and upgraded weapons for a limited period. Taking damage will reduce the length of time this form is in effect, so make use of it while you can.
Overall, the game has excellent presentation, boasting top-notch visuals. If you enjoy a good shooter, be sure to check it out.
Chapters
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