Why Shmuptopia Leaving Is A Loss For The Shmup Community Psymage Arcade 2025-10-08 | Dace from Shmuptopia released a farewell video recently on his channel, after going dormant for a while. Shmuptopia had been one of my favorite shmup channels on Youtube, and I was fortunate to be interviewed by him back in 2023 as part of his Meet The Player series when I still more of a shmup Youtuber mostly dedicated to gameplay. In this video, I break down why I think he'll be missed but also the challenges of being a shmup Youtuber. Dace and his channel will be missed by the shmup community.00:00 Shmuptopia Is Leaving Youtube00:44 A Class Act On and Off Camera02:48 He Did More With Less06:07 Great Shmup Content07:22 Being A Shmup Youtuber Isn't EasyShmuptopia's Farewell Video: youtu.be/c5DPXgt31PU?si=SjcUO_zUxuMtVaMh
Deus Ex Remastered Looks Like TRASH! Stick With The Original! Psymage Arcade 2025-09-28 | Deus Ex Remastered was announced recently and it looks bad, really bad so far. One of the greatest games of all time is getting disrespected by Aspyr, a company that does not have the best track record lately with remasters. So in this video, I break down my disgust with what we've seen so far from the remaster and why we shouldn't trust Aspyr Media with this one. Just get the original PC version (Deus Ex Game Of The Year Edition) and mod it with something like New Vision or some other texture pack. There are plenty of Deus Ex mods out there by the way. 00:00 This Remaster Looks BAD!01:48 Don't Trust Aspyr03:59 Get The Original and Mod It!
The Next Video Game Crash Is A HOAX! Dont Believe The Hype! Psymage Arcade 2025-09-24 | The next video game crash was supposed to be coming a couple of years, but I'm still skeptical over a year after I made a video pushing back against the hoax. This video game crash hoax, which is what I consider it to be, is still being pushed by some prominent Youtubers who are often ignoring key facts that show the video game industry doing better than people realize. It's one of the biggest false narratives in gaming Youtube in recent memory, and you'd have to be crazy to think the video game industry is dying if you're looking at the bigger picture beyond layoffs.00:00 Where's The Crash01:05 The Industry Is Still Making Money02:17 Publishers Are Making Money04:56 Casuals Still Love AAA Gaming07:52 Don't Buy Into False NarrativesVideo Game Industry Numbers 2024:https://www.pocketgamer.biz/us-video-game-spending-hit-593-billion-in-2024-led-by-mobile/gamerant.com/best-selling-video-games-2024Microsoft Gaming Successes:tweaktown.com/news/99856/xbox-delivers-record-breaking-21-5-billion-revenue-amid-slight-hardware-decline/index.htmlgameworldobserver.com/2025/07/31/over-the-year-microsofts-gaming-division-earned-more-than-23-billion-thats-a-recordEA Growth:https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ea-sports-fc-madden-have-ea-posting-full-year-growth-despite-sleepy-q4variety.com/2025/gaming/news/ea-sports-apex-legends-sales-electronic-arts-earnings-1236473474Capcom and Konami Doing Well:simulationdaily.com/news/capcom-financial-results-q4-fy2024gamedeveloper.com/business/capcom-hits-new-record-for-sales-and-profits-in-2023-2024-financialstechraptor.net/gaming/news/konami-financials-2024-25Ubisoft Still Struggling:finance.yahoo.com/news/ubisoft-reports-first-quarter-2025-154000344.htmlEmbracer Group Restructuring:gameshub.com/news/news/embracer-group-splits-three-companies-2639390techradar.com/gaming/embracer-group-sells-off-saber-interactive-studios-and-assets-including-games-like-space-marine-2-and-knights-of-the-old-republic-remakegamesradar.com/tabletop-gaming/asmodee-to-saddle-over-usd920-million-debt-as-parent-company-splits-in-2025Playstation Doing Well:gameworldobserver.com/2025/02/13/sony-gaming-profit-q3-record-mau-ps5-75m-units-soldPC Gaming Stores:pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/2024-was-steams-best-year-ever-of-users-buying-newly-released-games-but-i-wouldnt-celebrate-the-end-of-the-forever-game-era-just-yethttps://www.gamesmarket.global/publishing/store-breakdown-epic-games-store-tops-dollar1-billion-in-2024-but-3rd-party-sales-fall-further-fc36f33a685441a844cb51dbcb7cf526cdprojekt.com/en/wp-content/uploads-en/2025/03/management-board-report-on-cd-projekt-group-activities-in-2024.pdfGame Played: Streets Of Rogue
Fanboys Gone Mad: The Rise of Self-Brainwashed Gamers Online Psymage Arcade 2025-09-10 | My friend @SpidersSTG made a small video calling out some issues with Shinobi Art Of Vengeance only to get hit with a brigade of Shinobi fanboys in the comments section. It was embarrassing not so much for Spiders but for the fanboys who showed a lot of brain rot, rage, and cope. But delusional fanboys are becoming more and more prevalent, even from my experiences on this platform. So in this video, not only do I talk about what happened to Spiders recently but also, I break down the self-brainwashing of gamers thanks to online echo chambers, often of their own doing, and why this is different from yesteryear's fanboys. A bit more of a rant than usual from me, but this really bothered me more than your typical fanboys.Oh, and there were even more cringy comments than shown in the video as well as on Steam and Reddit. See below.All of SpidersSTG's Shinobi videos:youtube.com/watch?v=pnPWPxMEDx8youtu.be/M0uP-oD87v0?si=3o63h5KcRtidj0oWyoutube.com/watch?v=XQVchK7SXjgyoutube.com/watch?v=9-vvx6VzMDIReddit Cope: reddit.com/r/CharacterActionGames/comments/1n3fi9y/since_people_in_here_are_trying_to_say_shinobi_isreddit.com/r/SEGA/comments/1n3gvcf/how_accurate_is_this_clip_to_the_rest_of_the_gamereddit.com/r/SEGA/comments/1n50iv6/for_everyone_yesterday_coping_hard_shinobi_aovSteam Fanboys Lose It:steamcommunity.com/app/2361770/discussions/0/59290668697976375400:00 Shinobi Fanboys Trolled My Friend And Failed01:37 How The Fanboys Get Self-Programmed Today03:17 Too Delusional To Be Trolling06:04 It Used To Be Harder To Be A Fanboy09:56 Why These Fanboys Won't Change
Elevator Action [Game Boy] - First Loop 1CC 111,250 pts Psymage Arcade 2025-08-25 | Did you know that Elevator Action got a sequel on the Game Boy, before Elevator Action Returns? Yep, and I just beat the first loop of it. I'll probably make a discussion video about this one in the future because there's plenty to say about this one compared to the arcade original, but it got bonkers near the end. I was down to my last life for the last part of the final stage, but I got through it somehow. This playthrough was done on my MiSTER FPGA setup. The palette is Silver Shiro. 00:00 Intro00:28 Stage 1-103:41 Stage 1-207:02 Stage 1-311:15 Stage 1-415:42 Stage 1-521:18 Stage 1-627:42 Final Boss (Clutch)28:20 Stage 2-1 (Loop 2 Begins)31:40 Stage 2-234:33 Stage 2-3
Looking Back At Hexen and Why You Should Play It Today Psymage Arcade 2025-08-20 | During Quakecon, Hexen got a surprise remaster thanks to Nightdive Studios along with Heretic as part of the new Heretic + Hexen collection. I got it for free on Steam since I alreadyad the old releases of Hexen and Heretic in my account, so I had to jump right in and it reminded me of why I love this game so much. So I'll be discussing how I got into Hexen a long time ago, what I think made the game special, as well as the Nightdive Studios remaster. 00:00 A Surprise Remaster!00:41 How I Got Into Hexen02:53 Amazing Atmosphere For 199505:27 Pushing The Doom Formula Forward07:59 RPG Elements, But Still A Shooter10:17 The Flaws11:58 Nightdive Studios Nailed It!Where To Buy:store.steampowered.com/app/3286930/Heretic__Hexengog.com/en/game/heretic_hexenxbox.com/en-us/games/store/heretic-hexen/9nc7nrd0cm11store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10012903nintendo.com/us/store/products/heretic-plus-hexen-switchSources/Guides:heretic.fandom.comdoomwiki.org/wiki/Entrywaygamesradar.com/phil-spencer-wants-to-see-classic-fps-hexen-return-and-the-system-shock-remake-dev-wants-to-do-it-my-team-are-very-well-suited-for-the-job
Nobody Should Support Limited Run Games Using DRM on ROMs! Psymage Arcade 2025-08-10 | Limited Run Games got caught using DRM on ROMs yet again with the Earthion Steam release, and gamers seemed to notice it pretty quickly once the unencrypted ROM got out there on the internet. However, Earthion isn't the first time they did this and in this video, I'll break down why this fairly recent practice of embracing DRM on digital release is not just terrible but hypocritical.For those that follow my channel closely, you will hear things that I've said in the past. However, I wanted to flesh those thoughts out a bit more and get it all into one video instead of having these takes being spread out between a couple of different videos prior.00:00 Earthion Wasn't The Start Of LRG's DRM Problem01:16 DRM Hurt Customers But Doesn't Stop Piracy03:41 The Hypocrisy Of LRG Using DRM on ROMs06:39 The Flip Flop Makes It So Much WorseSources/Further Reading:limitedrungames.com/blogs/news/retro-replay-interviewheypoorplayer.com/2022/09/17/pax-west-2022-an-interview-with-limited-run-gameshorrordna.com/features/interview-with-the-coowner-of-limited-run-gamesexputer.com/interviews/limited-run-games-physical-release-demand
Earthion ROM Cracked In A Day! Limited Run Games FAILED Again! Psymage Arcade 2025-08-04 | Earthion came out on Steam last Thursday well thanks to Limited Run Games and Ancient (led by Yuzo Koshiro) before consoles, but people were wondering if it included the ROM or not. Well, yes and no. Unfortunately, Limited Run Games hid the ROMs in a game.bin file that was initially encrypted, similar to some recent re-releases of Rendering Ranger R2 and Ninja Five-O, but people were able to decrypt the ROM by the next day and soon the Earthion ROM ended up out there "in the wild" so to speak. Pretty embarrassing for Limited Run Games, adding another blunder to a long list at this point. Keep in mind that Earthion is supposed to be a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive release with physical copies coming out down the road. So in this video, I talk about this latest botch on the part of LRG and why it's bad not because they're being anti-consumer again but because they're just bad at it. Ultimately, they should just sell us the ROM but that clearly doesn't seem to be happening here. 00:00 Earthion Is Out and So Is The ROM Now!01:25 Limited Run Games Fails At DRM Again!03:14 Should Devs Even Trust LRG With Digital?05:12 Are Paying Customers Second Class Citizens?
Analogue 3D Delayed Again. What A Disaster! Psymage Arcade 2025-07-20 | Analogue 3D delayed again? Can't say that I'm that surprised at this point, but it is disappointing and when you look into it a bit, it doesn't make much sense. Can we really trust the tariffs excuse? So in this video, I break down the delays and how Analogue is dropping the ball. I'm so glad I didn't preorder this one, and now I trust this company even less.If you want an FPGA N64 console, look into the MiSTER FPGA project or wait for ModRetro's M64 whenever that comes out.Gameplay footage was recorded off of my QMTech MiSTER FPGA running NFL Blitz 2001 on the N64 Turbo core.00:00 More Delays!00:54 Analogue Deserves The Blame02:37 Why Not Show Off The Console?03:57 The Competition Is Getting StrongerSources: analogue.co/announcements/analogue-3d-shipping-by-july-2025-pocket-white-restock-pocketos-and-duoos-firmwartomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/analogue-3d-nintendo-64-remake-delayed-again-tariffs-blamed-for-shipment-pushback-to-late-augustwhitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-continues-enforcement-of-reciprocal-tariffs-and-announces-new-tariff-rateshttps://x.com/analogue/status/1945166565114081648modretro.com/pages/m64Music used: US Golf 95 - Son Of Medusa
The Truth About Brazil Fighting The Anti-Consumer Nintendo EULA Psymage Arcade 2025-07-16 | Brazil is taking on the new anti-consumer Nintendo EULA as a public consumer watchdog group in the country called Procon-SP filed a complaint recently against Nintendo out of concerns about Nintendo banning Switch 2 consoles without justification. However, there's a bit more to this story that the news headlines are suggesting so I break down the realities of this situation. 00:00 Nintendo Doing More Nintendo Things00:50 Brazil Objects To The Anti-Consumer EULA02:04 This Has Never Been A Good Market For NintendoSources: gamespot.com/articles/brazil-takes-issue-with-nintendo-bricking-switch-2s/1100-6533039pcmag.com/news/warning-buying-used-switch-games-on-facebook-could-land-you-a-banhttps://www.procon.sp.gov.br/nintendo-procon-sp-cobra-mudancas-contratuais-e-alerta-para-riscos-de-empresas-sem-representacao-no-brasil/tomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/after-just-12-days-nintendo-is-already-nuking-switch-2-consoles-for-players-caught-using-mig-flash-popular-cartridge-allows-switch-1-games-on-the-new-console-but-users-say-theyre-only-using-their-own-romsgamedeveloper.com/business/nintendo-exits-the-brazilian-market-citing-high-import-dutiesnintendolife.com/news/2020/09/nintendo_switch_launches_in_brazil_with_more_than_100_games_available_day_onehandwiki.org/wiki/Engineering:Famiclone
Griffin [Sega Game Gear] - ALL Clear 68,900 pts (Full Game) Psymage Arcade 2025-07-14 | Griffin is a run n gun/shmup released for the Game Gear exclusively in Japan in 1991, published by Renovation Game and developed by Telnet Japan. This game was known for being kind of expensive on the second-hand market, but it recently got re-released on modern consoles and Steam. Honestly, once people get to play this one, they'll realize that it's way too easy for a run n gun. Even a more casual players should be able to chew through this game without many continues. Gameplay-wise, I would compare it to Jackal on NES but more cramped. It is very generous with pickups, whether it be powerups, extra health, bombs, or even extra lives. You can take quite a few hits before dying. It allows you to switch between three weapons: a regular shot, a sub shot that fires over walls, as well as a special weapon that fires slowly but is very powerful and has splash damage from the explosion. The regular shot is the only one that can fire in all eight directions as it lines up with your movement. There is a vertical shmup stage in Stage 3 of the first loop, but that stage gets cut from the second and final loop and honestly, it's pretty weak anyway. Thankfully, it's even easier than the normal tank stages. Speaking of the second loop, it's hardly any different from the first loop outside of the shmup stage missing and the final stage having different enemy placement. The controls felt good overall, but having to pause to switch weapons killed the pace quite a bit at times. The graphics are solid, especially for an early Game Gear game. The cramped perspective didn't turn out as badly as I had expected. For an older handheld game, you could do a lot worse than this one. Also, the video quality is a bit lower than usual by accident, but I still feel like it came out alright after watching it myself. Steam link: store.steampowered.com/app/3387410/GriffinSwitch release: nintendo.com/us/store/products/griffin-switchPS4 release: store.playstation.com/en-us/product/EP0896-PPSA26109_00-GRIFFINRATAGAMES00:00 Intro00:11 Stage 1-103:24 Stage 1-206:31 Stage 1-310:00 Stage 1-416:06 Stage 2-119:48 Stage 2-223:41 Final Stage
Why We Need Hard Video Games Today (And Always Will) Psymage Arcade 2025-07-09 | Hard video games have been a thing for as long as video games have been around. But today, it feels like a lot of games are just a bit too easy. So in this video, I discuss why video games used to be harder (remember NES hard and arcade games stealing your quarters?) as well as why games need to be hard even today. Note: This is my first time editing in Kdenlive. There are still some things I'm learning how to do, but it is at least working on my Linux PC unlike OpenShot.00:00 Intro00:39 The Role Of Arcades In Making Hard Games03:13 Why Home Console Games Used To Be Hard06:04 The Competitive Gamers That Seek Challenges07:56 Failure Is The Greatest TeacherSources/Further Reading:thatshelf.com/the-restart-ecco-the-dolphin-1geniuscrate.com/the-science-behind-game-difficulty-why-we-love-a-challengepolygon.com/24023080/tetris-record-kill-screen-beat-nes-blue-scutipolygon.com/features/2013/1/9/3848592/total-carnage-confusing-ending@Chinopolis playthrough of Tatsujin Ou and his commentary video with @AKTANEARCADE:youtube.com/watch?v=bhWNlIHPgp4&tyoutu.be/qdLZ0y0xc0U?si=21SJ84U8svejD9O6
Why I Dont Trust Limited Run Games and Strictly Limited Games Psymage Arcade 2025-06-11 | Limited Run Games and Strictly Limited Games are the two biggest companies in the limited edition physical games industry. However, this whole portion of the video game industry has a less than stellar reputation with gamers today in large part because of the failures of these two companies so in this video, I talk about the different kinds of controversy that they have brought upon themselves over time and why I ultimately don't recommend buying from either of them, or similar companies for that matter such as First Press Games. 00:00 The Rise Of Limited Edition Games01:09 Will You Get Your Game On Time Or Wait?05:01 Premium Prices, Bootleg Quality?10:02 Limited Run Games And Their DRM HypocrisySources: timeextension.com/news/2023/10/strictly-limited-games-issues-statement-on-lengthy-shipping-delays?utm_campaign=related-articles&utm_medium=web&utm_source=nintendolife.com&utm_content=in-articlenintendolife.com/features/strictly-limited-responds-to-switch-delays-and-discontent-and-details-an-ambitious-targetlimitedrungames.com/blogs/news/limited-run-shipping-initiatives-2023timeextension.com/news/2025/05/limited-run-and-retro-bit-under-fire-for-using-recycled-chips-in-shantae-advancetimeextension.com/news/2025/02/this-cartridge-is-a-tiny-time-bomb-limited-run-accused-of-selling-carts-which-can-damage-your-nesopencritic.com/news/12568/limited-run-issues-recall-for-rugrats-cartridges-that-might-brick-your-nesretronews.com/limited-run-says-sorry-for-mistakenly-selling-cd-rs-as-genuine-3do-gamesconsolemods.org/wiki/3DO:3DO_Model_Differencessiliconera.com/lrg-announces-d-the-game-3do-cd-r-disc-replacementtimeextension.com/news/2024/07/two-months-after-shipping-cd-rs-to-customers-limited-run-games-still-hasnt-issued-replacementstimeextension.com/news/2024/10/limited-run-co-founder-claims-selling-cd-rs-to-customers-was-always-the-ideaGames shown:Rayforce from Ray'z Arcade ChronologyMecha Ritz Steel RondoMega TurricanD (DOS Version)Jurassic Park 2 (Game Boy)
The Stupid Debates That Hurt The FPGA Gaming Community Psymage Arcade 2025-05-28 | I got my MiSTER FPGA setup earlier this year and I enjoy it. I have it hooked up to my TV and it's great. However, there are unfortunately some stupid debates that are still taking place in the FPGA Gaming Community that need to end. So in this end, I break down why we shouldn't be arguing over things such as whether FPGA is emulation and whether input latency is really that bad for software emulators. Whether you own a MiSTER or an Analogue console like the Analogue Pocket or Super NT, there's no need to be an FPGA fanboy when you have a lot of great things going on like the new Sipeed FPGA console, new MiSTER FPGA cores, and no shortage of great games to enjoy.00:00 Intro00:50 Addressing Why FPGA IS Emulation06:17 The Truth About Software Emulation And Input Lag09:14 The Good Things Happening In FPGA GamingGame Bub blog about FPGA vs software emulation and more: eli.lipsitz.net/posts/introducing-gamebubTime Extension panel about FPGA and software emulation:timeextension.com/features/fpga-vs-software-emulation-which-is-best-we-asked-four-experts-to-find-out$69 Sipeed FPGA Gaming Console:giznewsdaily.com/sipeed-tang-console-play-snes-sega-mega-drive-for-69RetroArch Run-Ahead:docs.libretro.com/guides/runaheadNewer MiSTER FPGA Cores: forums.atariage.com/topic/375340-jaguar-fpga-core-gets-huge-update-almost-all-games-playableyoutube.com/watch?v=XA-zXWLPSlo
Land Of Illusion [Sega Master System] - 1CC Playthrough Psymage Arcade 2025-05-25 | Land Of Illusion on the Sega Master System was a sequel to Castle Of Illusion, released in 1993 by Sega in PAL regions and later in Brazil. It also got a Game Gear version that saw a release in North America and elsewhere. Both versions originally came out within a month of each other.This game is a lot bigger than Castle Of Illusion and pushes the Master System to its limits. It features an over world map kind of reminiscent of Super Mario Bros 3. The difficulty is also a bit higher than its predecessor, but it is still not a difficult game outside of a few sections here and there like the second half of the Sand Castle stage and the final stage. You unlock new abilities after beating certain bosses, which the game does a good job of testing your knowledge of the further you get into it.I did this playthrough before my run of Castle Of Illusion and it was also done on my MiSTER FPGA. I did not go for all the stars because it would have involved a lot of backtracking, but doing so does give you a secret ending. Definitely one of the best Sega Master System games either way.00:00 Intro00:15 Forest 01:13 Lake 02:56 Blacksmith's Castle06:13 Lake Revisited07:47 Castle Ruins13:07 Tiny Cavern14:59 Flower Field16:13 Toy Workshop20:55 Palace Ruins24:49 Craggy Cliff27:11 Desert31:26 Good Princess's Castle35:53 Sand Castle42:32 Island Stage44:20 Phantom's Castle48:55 Final Boss
The Sad Reality About Nintendos EULA And Their Anti-Consumer Ways Psymage Arcade 2025-05-21 | The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming soon and now, there's a new end user license agreement from Nintendo, with some new outrageous stipulations such as bricking systems for any unauthorized usage, which is anything Nintendo doesn't like. Bricking systems has been a thing that users of CFW have worried about for a while, but Nintendo has been on an especially nasty anti-consumer streak for the last year or two, which I discuss in this video. Nintendo is more than willing to say the quiet part out loud nowadays instead of being secretly anti-consumer.00:00 New System, New EULA01:12 Nintendo Bricking Systems Isn't Necessarily New02:48 More Anti-Consumer Than Ever Before?Switch 2 and EULA Stories:nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/nintendo-switch-2-launches-june-5-bringing-new-forms-of-game-communication-to-lifeforbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/04/02/nintendo-switch-2-flips-the-switch-on-80-90-gamesign.com/articles/nintendo-switch-2-accessory-prices-have-gone-up-and-fans-are-feeling-the-price-bumphothardware.com/news/nintendo-eula-update-brick-consoles-arbitrationlaptopmag.com/gaming/nintendo-gamechat-switch-2-privacyNintendo's Anti-Emulator Crusade:nintendowire.com/news/2024/02/27/nintendo-sues-yuzu-emulator-creators-for-potentially-circumventing-software-encryptionpolygon.com/24090351/nintendo-2-4-million-yuzu-switch-emulator-settlement-lawsuitnintendoreporters.com/en/news/general/sudachi-repo-faces-dmca-takedown-developer-to-counter-nintendos-claimarstechnica.com/gaming/2024/03/switch-emulator-suyu-hit-by-gitlab-dmca-project-lives-on-through-self-hostingkotaku.com/ryujinx-switch-emulator-android-zelda-totk-piracy-1851662440Nintendo vs Palworld Links:nintendolife.com/news/2024/09/nintendo-and-pokemon-file-lawsuit-against-palworld-developer-pocketpairnintendolife.com/news/2025/05/palworld-dev-announces-disappointing-game-changes-resulting-from-nintendos-lawsuitOther Sources:mynintendonews.com/2025/05/02/nintendo-confirms-theres-an-issue-with-system-update-20-0-0-bricking-some-consolesdexerto.com/tech/nintendo-goes-on-piracy-warpath-suing-liberiashop-mig-switch-at-the-same-time-2804871wololo.net/2024/10/09/nintendo-switch-modchip-and-migswitch-reseller-responds-to-nintendo-lawsuit
The Great Divide Between Hardcore Gamers And Sports Gamers Psymage Arcade 2025-05-14 | Do gamers hate sports games? Well, some of them do, especially some of the hardcore gamers out there. So in this video, I explore the divide between hardcore gamers and sports gamers and give my overall take on it. This is intended to be a follow up on my video about the death of arcade sports games. In fact, this discussion was inspired by a response to that particular video.00:00 A Comment Inspires A Video00:41 Why Some People Hate Sports Games03:01 Who Is The Average Sports Game Fan?05:46 The Divide And Where I Stand
Castle Of Illusion [Sega Master System] - 1CC Full Game 128,480 pts Psymage Arcade 2025-05-07 | Castle Of Illusion wasn't just a Genesis game. It was also on the Sega Master System and a different game to boot. I beat this one on one credit and got just about all of the secrets, including plenty of 1-UPs and hidden treasure chests. This is definitely one of the better platformers on the console and would get an excellent sequel in Land Of Illusion, exclusive to the Master System and Game Gear. Also, this and Land Of Illusion are the first two Sega Master System playthroughs I've done on my QMTech MiSTER FPGA, which I got earlier this year. It feels extremely responsive playing on it and looks great with a little bit of scanlines applied in post-processing. The Land Of Illusion playthrough is coming soon, and there may also be a separate discussion video reviewing both games. I may also make another video just on my thoughts on the MiSTER FPGA so far. 00:00 Intro00:30 Stage 104:22 Stage 207:35 Stage 312:26 Stage 418:51 Stage 524:49 Final Stage
Who Killed The Arcade Sports Game? Psymage Arcade 2025-04-30 | What happened to the arcade sports game? Well, I've been thinking about that on and off for a while, as I was a big fan of games like NFL Blitz, NBA Hangtime (part of the NBA Jam series), as well as NHL Hitz 2003 growing up just to name a few. I still love these games to this day. So in this video, I'll break down what I think happened to the genre and why we probably won't see a high profile arcade sports game anytime soon.Note: Near the end of the video, when comparing arcade sports games to arcade racing games, I forgot to mention the Forza Horizon series as one of the few arcade racing franchises remaining. However, it's also open world so it's certainly not a traditional arcade racer. I still stand by my overall point about both genres not being all that prominent anymore.Games shown:Wayne Gretzky's 3D HockeyNFL BlitzArch RivalsNBA HangtimeNHL Hitz 2003Madden NFL 200500:00 Intro00:39 EA Sports Isn't The Main Culprit01:49 League Executives Hate These Games03:47 The Death Of Midway Games05:51 The AAA Gaming IndustryArticle About The NFL Almost Stopping NFL Blitz From Being Released: vice.com/en/article/how-in-the-hell-did-nfl-blitz-ever-get-madeThe NFL Told EA Sports To Keep Late Hits Out Of NFL Blitz Revival In Early 2010s:kotaku.com/nfl-told-ea-sports-to-keep-late-hits-out-of-blitz-5861115Videos About The Demise Of Midway Games:youtube.com/watch?v=s1WPUwAs08Y&pp=ygUMbWlkd2F5IGdhbWVzyoutube.com/watch?v=53qZHD2lR6kGames Published And/Or Developed By EA in 2001 vs 2024:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Electronic_Arts_games:_2000%E2%80%932009en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Electronic_Arts_games:_2020%E2%80%93presentMusic used:Tim Six - Winter Solstice Drone
Super Mario Bros 2 [NES] - 1CC Playthrough (Two Warp Strategy) Psymage Arcade 2025-04-16 | Super Mario Bros 2 is the odd one out of the Super Mario Bros games, mainly because it wasn't originally a Mario game. I hardly played it as a kid even when my brother still had Super Mario All Stars on SNES, but I decided to give it another shot back in 2023 with the original NES version and at the end of that year, I did this playthrough. I like using the 2 Warp strategy because it skips some of the weakest sections of the game IMO and makes getting to the end of the game within a single sitting much more feasible. This run is almost all Mario and Peach, with Luigi only used to get to the big warp in World 5. I don't like Toad lol. Also, the controls are quite slippery, even with a slower character like Peach, contributing to quite a few mistakes of mine. I find the movement to be worse than something like Alex Kidd In Miracle World on the Master System, but it was the 80s before developers truly perfected controls for 2D games. I never felt 100% comfortable whether I was playing this game on a controller, my main fightstick with the Golden Lever in it, or even my mixbox setup which oddly enough felt worse for this game than the other two options. The run went really well until the final world as I avoided deaths until 7-1, but that's when the run got sloppier. That being said, I still finished with plenty of lives. It's a good game but definitely the weakest of the three Super Mario Bros games on NES in my opinion.00:00 Intro00:17 World 1-102:10 World 1-204:54 World 1-305:42 World 4-107:34 World 4-209:48 World 4-314:14 World 5-117:19 World 5-220:08 World 5-320:39 World 7-126:14 World 7-233:13 Final Boss (Success)35:40 Ending
How A Digital World Changed Gamers and Gaming Forever Psymage Arcade 2025-04-02 | Originally, I was going to discuss whether gamers today are becoming "video game spectators" by watching other people play video games instead of playing them. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the truth is much more complicated. The real story is that gaming media has changed dramatically and has become as robust as the actual video games are. So in this video, I'll be discussing these changes I've seen in gaming in my lifetime and why we should be concerned about kids growing up with gaming today.00:00 Intro01:33 Being A Gamer Before Social Media08:49 The Digital Age Changed Gaming Media12:22 My Concerns For Generation AlphaSources/Further Reading:https://www.gamesindustry.biz/new-report-claims-gamers-spend-more-time-watching-videos-about-gaming-than-playing-gamesforbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/03/21/gaming-the-system-how-a-gaming-journalist-lost-his-job-over-a-negative-reviewtwitchtracker.com/statistics/watch-timehealth.clevelandclinic.org/too-much-screen-time-harmful-for-kids-development-especially-those-under-age-5medium.com/@jakgab/hooked-on-scrolling-the-science-behind-tiktoks-addictive-design-e743adf6b6f1forbes.com/sites/edwardsegal/2024/06/16/why-the-social-and-verbal-skills-of-some-gen-z-workers-have-declinedMusic Used:Virtual Dream Plaza - 破片
The Hidden Bad Ending In Salamander aka Life Force Psymage Arcade 2025-03-19 | Salamander aka Life Force is an arcade shmup known for combining horizontal and vertical scrolling stages in the same game, but did you know that it had a secret "bad ending" that the game does not explain? Well, in this video, I discuss the "bad ending" and how I discovered it, as well as the problem with it. I'm sure it's not the only game from back in the day with something like this, but it is certainly an interesting find and is actually kind of cruel on Konami's part. 00:00 Intro00:39 What Is The "Bad Ending"?01:57 The Problem With It
The Most Underrated Game From The Golden Age Of Arcades? Psymage Arcade 2025-03-05 | The Golden Age Of Arcades was a time of innovation and hardware dominance for arcade gaming. Some games from this era went a bit more under the radar than others, but Alpine Ski might be the most underrated arcade game of them all from this time period. So in this video, I discuss why I keep coming back to this one and why it holds up pretty well even to this day. This might also be the most underrated Taito arcade game, which is saying a lot considering their long history. 00:00 Intro01:28 Simple But Effective Gameplay03:32 Clever Use Of RNG04:52 Scoring Is Awesome10:35 The Flaws13:01 How To Play It At HomeArcade Archives and Taito Milestones releases:nintendo.com/us/store/products/arcade-archives-alpine-ski-switchstore.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0571-CUSA15874_00-HAMPRDC000000001nintendo.com/us/store/products/taito-milestones-switchGameFAQs page for the game:gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/584095-alpine-skiTaito SJ MiSTER FPGA core that supports Alpine Ski:github.com/MiSTer-devel/Arcade-TaitoSystemSJ_MiSTerStrategyWiki page: strategywiki.org/wiki/Alpine_Ski
Alpine Ski [Arcade] - First Time Getting To Loop 8! 187,904 pts. Psymage Arcade 2025-03-02 | I've played a lot of Alpine Ski, but I would always get stuck on Loop 7. But recently, I had a breakthrough run that was good enough to get me to Loop 8 and a new high score of 187,904 points! I'll be posting a much bigger discussion video soon about this game, so be on the lookout for that. This run was done on the MAME Current core in RetroArch.00:00 Intro and Loop 102:05 Loop 204:02 Loop 306:09 Loop 408:09 Loop 510:07 Loop 612:16 Loop 714:14 Loop 8
The Simple Guide To Beating Zanac On NES Psymage Arcade 2025-02-19 | Zanac is one of the most well-known shmups in the NES library, but it can be a bit intimidating to newcomers unaware of its mechanics. In this video, I discuss my favorite approaches to playing this game based on my personal experiences, which includes my playthrough that I posted recently. This video will cover the special weapons as well as some of the secrets that you need to know about. This video should be useful for anyone who wants to learn how to beat Zanac. One additional note about Special Weapon #3: when I said ground enemies, I was referring to blocks and fortress pieces. It can take out some ground turrets, but it tends to not go through things that aren't other ships. 00:00 Intro00:43 Favorite Weapons04:29 Take What The Game Gives You!07:18 You Don't Need A Maxed Out Main Shot08:55 Learning Enemy Patterns Over Strict Routes12:47 The Reality Of RankSources/Further Reading:StrategyWiki page for the game: strategywiki.org/wiki/ZanacGameFAQs guide to Zanac: gamefaqs.gamespot.com/nes/578335-zanac/faqs/27551Hardcore Gaming 101 article: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/zanac
Salamander [Playstation 1] - First Loop 1CC Playthrough Psymage Arcade 2025-02-12 | Salamander, also known as Life Force in North America, is a shmup created by Konami as a spinoff of the Gradius series and released originally in 1987. This is one of the first games to combine both vertical and horizontal scrolling sections in a shoot em up. I originally beat the first loop of its sequel, Salamander 2, back in 2023, and I decided to play this one on Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus on PSX just like I did with the second game. This run went pretty well until Stage 6 where I had an unexpected death. However, I did manage to no-miss the rest of the stage including the infamous escape scene. I haven't practiced the second loop much, so I ended up dying at that point. I may create a discussion video about this one as I have quite a bit to say about it. It has its strength but also weaknesses that have caused the game to age a bit more poorly than it should have. This run was played on default settings. 00:00 Intro + Stage 102:29 Stage 204:08 Stage 306:13 Stage 408:02 Stage 509:54 Stage 613:43 Loop 2 (2-1)
Why Gun Frontier Was A Game Changer For The Shmup Genre Psymage Arcade 2025-01-29 | Gun Frontier is a bit obscure even among Taito arcade games, but it was a unique shmups in a lot of ways that seemed to become more and more influential over time, inspiring future games such as Battle Garegga. So in this video, I discuss how Gun Frontier helped to change the shmup genre, some of its flaws, and my approach to doing my one credit clear of the game which I had posted earlier this month. Special shout outs to @JaimersSTG @Chinopolis @M_Knight_Jul and @CPS42069 because their runs were helpful for learning how to play this game well. Highly recommend their channels. This game is available on PS4/PS5 and Switch thanks to the Arcade Archives series from Hamster:store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0571-CUSA34261_00-HAMPRDC000000001nintendo.com/us/store/products/arcade-archives-gun-and-frontier-switch00:00 Intro 01:28 A Master Class In Presentation05:30 Surprisingly Small Hitbox06:32 Unconventional Bullets08:53 Bomb Fragments!09:52 Less Memo and Lack of Gradius Syndrome11:38 The Complex Rank System Explained15:51 The Flaws Of This Game19:18 Tips For 1CCing The GameSources:Shmups.Wiki page on the rank system: https://shmups.wiki/library/Gun_Frontier/Advanced_RankJaimers run: youtube.com/watch?v=Ii96536yzWo&tInterviews with Takatsuna Senba regarding Gun Frontier:shmuplations.com/gunfrontiershmuplations.com/takatsunasenbaMusic used:Duff Egan - Can Life PrevailMathias Grassow - Epilogue
Zanac [NES] - 1CC Full Game Playthrough Psymage Arcade 2025-01-19 | Zanac was originally created by Compile for the MSX but was eventually ported over to the Famicom in 1986 before making its way to the NES overseas the next year. This game is known for having one of the most intricate rank systems seen in a shmup up to that point and performing extremely well for an NES shmup, featuring little to no slowdown. This is a game I've played on and off for many years but after beating Gun Frontier on one credit, I figured I'd come back to this one since it also has quite the rank system. I think that was a good choice, because this game seemed to click with me a lot better this time around than before. This run went pretty well overall. I had another 1CC recorded prior for this game, but there was significant stuttering early on in the recording so I did another run. While I failed to keep my main shot powered up to the max for long periods of time and had some deaths here and there, I finished with plenty of lives to spare. 00:00 Intro + Stage 104:39 Stage 207:10 Stage 311:38 Stage 417:21 Stage 522:21 Stage 627:38 Stage 731:41 Stage 837:13 Stage 944:17 Stage 1050:42 Stage 1157:41 Stage 1201:00:03 Final Boss + Ending
The Crazy Story Behind My Newest Modded Fightstick Psymage Arcade 2025-01-15 | I bought a modded Virtua Stick High Grade recently off of eBay. However, this simple purchase became a much bigger modding project than I expected due to some unexpected problems with the fightstick. So in this video, I discuss what's in this VSHG at this point as well as the story behind these modifications, because the story behind this modded fightstick is a bit odd to say the least. But I am very happy with the results and I learned a lot from this experience. Note: This was not a scripted video so there are a bit more pauses than usual. I filmed this on my Android phone, which doesn't have the greatest camera. Also, my fightstick was positioned a bit too far away so that's why it looked I was struggling to reach at times lol. 00:00 Intro00:31 What's Inside Of It At This Point03:39 The Story Behind This Fightstick13:02 What I Learned From ThisScanline City's VSHG video: youtu.be/0zeIiN_2fzM?si=h8O8NoOT9Ai8wqOlMain Parts Featured:Odin V2 WASD Mod: etsy.com/listing/966780358/odin-v2-the-drop-in-fightpadSitong ST-M4 30mm buttons with Raptor MX switches: aliexpress.us/item/3256807862307404.htmlSanwa 18mm Pushbuttons: focusattack.com/sanwa-sdm-18mm-pushbutton-whiteSeimitsu 24mm Button: focusattack.com/seimitsu-ps-14-d-24mm-pushbutton-white-blackGP2040-CE PCB: focusattack.com/gp2040-ce-v5-6e-usb-b-usb-c-open-source-multi-console-fight-boardNeutrik adapter: focusattack.com/neutrik-nausb-wb-ab-usb-feed-through-black
Gun Frontier [Arcade] - 1CC Full Game Playthrough (Good Ending) Psymage Arcade 2025-01-06 | Gun Frontier was an arcade shmup created by Taito and originally released in 1990. This was the first of two shmups produced by Takatsuna Senba, the other being Metal Black in 1991. This is one game that has haunted me for many years. Whenever I first played Taito Legends 2, this was the game that beat me down the most. Even worse, I had no turbo fire back then. But after getting a lot of 1CCs under my belt and learning more about the game's rank system, I decided to come back to this one for the 1CC and I'm glad I did. One of my biggest shmup achievements so far, if not the biggest. Extremely proud of how this run went. I only had two deaths on this run, one on the Stage 2 Boss and one in the canyon section of Stage 5. I may create a discussion video talking about this game in the future. Not only is this a hard shmup, but it is ahead of its time in many ways. Autofire was used, 30HZ (technically 29HZ due to a GP2040CE bug) and 10HZ in particular. Tapping of a non-turbo fire button was used extensively as well.00:00 Intro00:17 Stage 102:16 Stage 205:59 Stage 309:30 Stage 412:46 Stage 520:19 Final Stage21:54 Ending
The Most Infuriating Game Boy Game Ive Ever Played? Psymage Arcade 2025-01-01 | The Game Boy had some classics, but it also had some serious duds and games that were held back by glaring flaws. Bram Stoker's Dracula is a game that could have been good on Game Boy, but Probe Entertainment blew it and created a game that's not only disappointing but downright unfair to players in a way I've never seen before. So in this video, I break down my frustrations with this game and why it became yet another failed movie game from the 90's.00:00 Intro01:12 Misleading Difficulty Options02:26 First Impressions Are Deceiving04:10 Input Eating/Unresponsive Controls06:10 Blind Jumps And Limited View08:23 A DEATH LOOP That Kills Runs14:12 1CC and Speedrun NotesMore Information:Speedrun.com page for the game: speedrun.com/bram_stokers_dracula_gbOOB Glitch guide: speedrun.com/bram_stokers_dracula_gb/guides/ecrtbHard Mode WR speedrun: speedrun.com/bram_stokers_dracula_gb/runs/zqdwjgrmMobygames page: mobygames.com/game/45367/bram-stokers-dracula
Bram Stokers Dracula [Game Boy] - No Death Playthrough Psymage Arcade 2024-12-25 | Bram Stoker's Dracula was a popular horror movie released in 1992, based on the 1897 novel Dracula, that got quite a few different video game adaptions soon after. The 8-bit console and handheld versions are pretty much the same game with some obvious differences in terms of graphics, while the 16 bit games were all different. As far as I know, all of them were published by Sony Imagesoft and Psygnosis. I have the Game Boy version from 1993, and I'll be talking more about this game in depth in a future because there are a ton of problems with this game. This game, like the NES, Game Gear, and Master System versions, was developed by Probe Entertainment. I did beat this game a few times with no continues on Hard Mode, including this No Death run. Somehow, even though this wasn't intended to be a speedrun, it was only about two or three minutes off from the World Record for non-glitch playthroughs on this difficulty. 00:00 Intro00:17 Daytime 100:41 Nighttime 101:48 Daytime 203:09 Nighttime 205:58 Daytime 308:04 Nighttime 312:00 Daytime 413:14 Nighttime 417:40 Daytime 519:14 Nighttime 524:00 Daytime 626:09 Nighttime 629:30 Daytime 731:15 Nighttime 733:56 Ending + Credits
What The SuperSEGA FPGA Should Have Been (Instead Of A Scam) Psymage Arcade 2024-12-18 | The SuperSEGA FPGA system gets more and more sketchy the more we hear from the SuperSEGA team. However, this project didn't have to be an obvious scam. So in this video, I'll discuss how an FPGA Sega console could have been done in the current FPGA gaming landscape, especially since the Analogue Mega SG is no longer in production, and why Sega should consider using FPGA technology for future mini consoles. 00:00 Summary Of The SuperSEGA01:49 A More Realistic FPGA Proposal06:12 Sega Should Consider FPGASources/Links:SuperSega Youtube channel: @SuperSegaFPGAyoutube.com/@SuperSegaFPGAVideo Game Esoterica (highly recommended): youtube.com/@VideoGameEsotericatimeextension.com/news/2024/11/supersega-boss-rocks-up-in-his-lamborghini-to-beg-for-your-pre-order-cashtimeextension.com/news/2024/12/to-the-shock-of-absolutely-nobody-sega-is-trying-to-shut-down-the-supersega-fpga-projecttimeextension.com/news/2024/11/confusion-reigns-as-supersega-pre-orders-get-charged-for-the-full-amountModRetro crediting MiSTER: modretro.com/pages/downloadsGames Shown: Sonic The HedgehogCrazy TaxiFlickyFantasy Zone IISonic Triple TroubleEcco The DolphinHang OnChoplifterMusic:Shima33 - window shoppingNoveau Life - Start Lifeslowerpace - フラクタル形式
NFL Blitz [PC] - Insane Shutout Win vs Rigged AI Psymage Arcade 2024-12-15 | NFL Blitz is one of the greatest arcade sports games of all time, if not the greatest. While later games in the series would add new gameplay elements, the original game has aged like fine wine outside of the small playbook and not being able to get on fire. The PC version in particular was just about arcade perfect from a graphics standpoint, with the only issue being the slightly wonky diagonal movement because this version was made with keyboards in mind. It works fine nowadays on modern Windows and even Linux via WINE as long as you use the latest version of NGlide. NGlide can even upscale the game while maintaining the 4:3 aspect ratio.But anyways, this is the first shutout in this version of the game that I've done in a long time, if I've even done one. I've scored a lot more points before, but shutouts are not common in this game against the AI. However, there were quite a few close calls and things that went comically wrong. The rubber band AI was not happy that I was shutting down its offense throughout the game. It tried to rig the game but did not succeed. The ending in particular is must-see stuff as even I didn't expect it. Notes: For some reason, the audio here is a bit louder than my usual gameplay footage. My apologies ahead of time. I have no way to control the audio levels in game, and this is straight gameplay footage with no edits. Also, this was played on default settings. 00:00 Intro00:19 First Half04:12 Second Half08:23 Final Stats
The Weirdest Arcade Port On The Sega Genesis/Mega Drive? Psymage Arcade 2024-12-04 | There were a ton of arcade ports for the Sega Genesis (known as the Sega Mega Drive outside of NA) back in its heyday. Some were really good, and some were not so good. However, there's one port that's quite bizarre and that is The New Zealand Story on Sega Mega Drive, a Japanese exclusive from 1990. So in this video, I'll break down what makes this port weird, what it does have in common with its arcade counterpart, whether it's good or not, and how to play this game well for speedruns and one credit clears. One small note: I forgot to mention the fact that this version lacks a map like the arcade version does. This does make routing a bit tougher in the Mega Drive version.00:00 Why This Port Is Weird04:43 Why Did Taito Do This?06:40 What This Port Has In Common With The Original08:17 Is It Worth Playing?09:57 Tips For One Credit Clears And SpeedrunsSources/LinksHelpful Blog About This Version: retrootakudensetsu.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-new-zealand-story-mega-drive.htmlHardcore Gaming 101 Article: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/newzealand-story-theDumplechan's double heaven and triple heaven speedruns of the arcade version: youtu.be/GC-xOmjwnWY?si=fM4olTgo5TYGMs63youtube.com/watch?v=R6bjxqw0jaoMega Drive version speedrun: youtu.be/a-2PyGQvlIk?si=NI1YvwBAbYfqyBV3Music featured:Monodrone - それはただの気分ですMonodrone - ヘッドラッシュslowerpace - 星の創造
The New Zealand Story [Sega Mega Drive] - 1CC Playthrough with Warps Psymage Arcade 2024-12-01 | The New Zealand Story is one of Taito's most iconic platformers along with Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Island. This game got a port on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1990, but it was a Japan exclusive. I did two 1CCs of this version, one without the warps and one that does use warps. This is the one with warps and was several minutes quicker as a result. This one went mostly smooth outside of a few deaths late in the run, one of which was almost unavoidable on 3-3. I will be doing a follow up discussion video about this game soon, so be on the lookout for that. This is not your typical arcade port. Note: Autofire was used on this run.00:00 Intro00:18 Round 1-100:47 Round 1-201:16 Round 1-302:36 Round 1-406:18 Round 2-106:52 Round 2-207:56 Round 2-308:44 Round 2-410:25 Round 3-112:55 Round 3-213:45 Round 3-316:48 Round 3-417:20 Round 4-118:41 Round Final + Ending
Epic Games Cool With The Internet Archive? Yes! Psymage Arcade 2024-11-20 | Epic Games finally addressed the situation involving the old Unreal games that were de-listed almost two years ago. They recently sent out a statement to PC World saying that people can download the original Unreal and Unreal Tournament from the Internet Archive for free. So in this video, I talk about this nice surprise and why more companies should do similar moves. Note: I mentioned OldUnreal in my video as a download source. To clarify, that site's downloader for each game pulls from the Internet Archive and then installs the game while applying patches to make the game work on modern systems. 00:00 Intro00:41 A Great Decision By Epic Games03:34 Why Don't More Companies Do This?Sources:msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-original-unreal-is-free-online-epic-games-says-it-s-fine/ar-AA1u9Puchothardware.com/news/two-classic-unreal-games-are-now-free-on-internet-archive-and-epic-is-cool-with-itrockpapershotgun.com/classic-shooters-unreal-and-unreal-tournament-are-now-free-and-preserved-on-the-internet-archiveLinks:archive.org/details/gt-unreal-1998archive.org/details/unreal-tournament-completeoldunreal.com/downloadsGames Shown: Unreal Tournament (PC)Rayman (Playstation)Madden NFL 97 (Sega Genesis)Joust (Arcade)Music:slowerpace - タイムループCat System Corp - Department A
The Biggest Problem With Sega Delisting Classic Games Psymage Arcade 2024-11-13 | Sega is delisting over 60 games from various different platforms such as Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation. This includes the Sega Genesis And Mega Drive Classics releases on Steam, Sega Genesis Classics on Nintendo Switch, NIGHTS Into Dreams, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and even more obscure releases such as Sonic The Fighters on Xbox. So in this video, I discuss how Sega is getting it wrong with this move so far.00:00 Intro01:07 Where Sega Went Wrong03:42 How Sega Should Have Handled ThisFull List Of Games Getting Delisted: support.sega.com/hc/en-gb/articles/29776767664145-SEGA-Classics-FAQ#h_01JBWBDET2BT55YPJKK0K537Z0Other Sources:eurogamer.net/sega-delisting-over-60-classic-games-from-virtual-stores-including-jet-set-radio-and-crazy-taxipcgamer.com/epic-is-delisting-almost-every-unreal-game-but-making-unreal-tournament-3-freetheverge.com/2023/6/6/23751392/epic-unreal-tournament-3-x-steam-removed-listingsstore.steampowered.com/news/app/400020/view/3383920059422790737Games Shown In Order:Sonic 3D BlastGunstar HeroesJet Set RadioUnreal TournamentCrazy TaxiAsteroids (Atari 2600)Columns (Sega Genesis)Doom 3Ecco The DolphinMusic Used:slowerpace - liminal playground2814 - 赤い夜明け
How Nintendo Missed The Mark With Nintendo Music Psymage Arcade 2024-11-06 | Last week, Nintendo announced Nintendo Music, a music streaming service dedicated to your favorite Nintendo soundtracks. Unfortunately, it seems like this service has quite a few problems so far, so I'm going to break down why this is a missed opportunity so far. This is probably an afterthought for a lot of people compared to the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, but this could have been a lot better even at launch and makes me question Nintendo as a company yet again. Note: I am trying something a bit different here with the format. i.e. not doing the usual gameplay footage. Whether you are a new viewer or long time viewer, any constructive criticism is welcome.00:00 Intro00:52 The Few Positives01:46 The Problems That Can Be Fixed03:45 Nintendo Is Still Anti-ConsumerSources/Links: nintendolife.com/guides/nintendo-music-app-every-game-soundtrack-included-how-to-download-all-systemskotaku.com/nintendo-sheet-music-musicnotes-takedown-dmca-1851547320geekwire.com/2022/nintendo-goes-after-music-focused-youtube-channel-with-more-than-500-copyright-strikesdigitalmusicnews.com/2020/12/09/nintendo-music-youtube-copyright-strikesplay.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nintendo.znba&hl=en-USapps.apple.com/us/app/nintendo-music/id6466376604Music used: Mneumonic45 - Shepard Dogs
The Problem With Hard Mode (In Some Games) Psymage Arcade 2024-10-30 | When done right, hard mode in video games can be a great challenge that pushes the player to achieve excellence while still being fair. However, hard mode is sometimes just an exercise in frustration and a big mistake in certain games. So in this video, I'm going to break down some examples of the latter, based on my personal experiences playing hard modes and hard games in general over the years. I'll get into unintentional design flaws as well as more deliberate ones such as input reading in fighting games.00:00 Intro00:36 Hard Mode Exposes Design Flaws06:27 Fake Difficulty Is RealGames shown in order:Unreal Tournament (PC, map is AS-Overlord on Godlike difficulty)Cool Spot (Sega Master System)Timesplitters 2 (Gamecube)Final Soldier (PC Engine, Expert Mode)Mortal Kombat IIStreet Fighter 2 Champion Edition (accidentally said Championship Edition in the video)The King Of Fighters 94Art Of Fighting 2Gradius (via Gradius Collection on PSP)Sources/Further Reading:Article about fighting game AI today: gamesradar.com/future-fighting-game-aiTV Tropes Entry on Fake Difficulty: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FakeDifficultyArticles about SNK Boss Syndrome: atrociousgameplay.miraheze.org/wiki/SNK_Boss_Syndrometvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SNKBoss
Cool Spot [Sega Master System] - Hard Mode Any% Speedrun 41:40 Psymage Arcade 2024-10-27 | This is the first ever speedrun on Youtube of Cool Spot on the Sega Master System done on Hard Mode. Cool Spot got a port to the Sega Master System in1993 after the more well-known Sega Genesis version, but it was only released in Europe as far as I know. It's actually a very impressive port from a technical standpoint, as the graphics are well beyond most Master System games. The only catch is that it runs at 20-25 FPS instead of 50 or 60 FPS, though the frame rate stays pretty consistent. It is a bit more zoomed in because of the lower resolution, but not as bad as the Game Gear version in this regard. The 7 Up references this game is known for are removed in this version because Spot was not the mascot for 7 Up in Europe. As far as gameplay goes, it translates pretty well here to the Master System. Controls are fine overall. The main issue with this game is the giant hitboxes. Spot has a very big hitbox and just about everything else does as well. Plus, there are quite a few blind jumps here and there. I'm actually going to talk more about this game and its hard mode exposing the limitations of the game in an upcoming video I'm working on about difficulty in games. The Hard difficulty makes it to where you have to grab at least 90% of the red coin before you can free your friend at the end of the stage. This forces you to not skip large chunks of the levels.As far as the run goes, this is my first no death speedrun and my best time so far. I saved quite a bit of time by avoiding the bonus stages via just collecting what I needed in terms of coins to finish each stage. There is no special ending for doing the bonus stages to begin with, as their main purpose is to grant players continues by spelling VIRGIN (UNCOLA in NA versions of the game). I did have some small mistakes here and there like going toward some dead end spots of stages when I know better, so there is some room for improvement. I could have ended the last stage a bit more cleanly as well. But a speedrun is a speedrun, and nobody else has done a speedrun of this version of the game on highest difficulty. Hopefully, this will inspire some speedrunners to give this version of the game a shot and on this difficulty. I guess this is the World Record for now until someone else beats it.Note: Time was measured from the beginning of the Stage 1 screen to the Level Completed screen popping up at the end of the final stage. No intro in this video because I wanted to show the unedited recording as is.00:00 Intro00:23 Stage 104:48 Stage 210:29 Stage 317:30 Stage 420:17 Stage 523:40 Stage 631:05 Stage 736:50 Final Stage
Why Im Not Getting the Analogue 3D Psymage Arcade 2024-10-20 | I was excited when the Analogue 3D was first announced last year. However, things have changed a year later and I'm not planning to buy the system at this point. FPGA retro gaming has changed a lot in the last year so I'll talk about the increasing amounts of options in the market as well as some other concerns I have about the system at this point, such as the 8bitdo 64 Controller made for the system and Analogue not being a great company.Also, a special shoutout to @VideoGameEsoterica for his coverage of the MiSTER FPGA N64 core. 00:00 Intro00:57 More Options In The FPGA Market03:06 Concerns About The Controller04:21 Analogue's Business PracticesSources: Analogue 3D: analogue.co/3d8BitDo 64 Controller: 8bitdo.com/64-controllerAnalogue Pocket versions:analogue.co/editions/pocket-transparentanalogue.co/editions/pocket-glow-in-the-darkanalogue.co/editions/pocket-gbc-colorsanalogue.co/editions/pocket-aluminumarstechnica.com/gaming/2024/07/500-aluminum-version-of-the-analogue-pocket-looks-like-the-game-boys-final-formMiSTER Pi website: retroremake.coMiSTER Pi announcement: hackster.io/news/taki-udon-unveils-a-custom-mister-compatible-fpga-emulation-board-priced-at-just-99-6d2b6576aaaaQMTech article: retrorgb.com/qmtech-de10-nano-alternative-compatible-with-the-mister-fpga.htmlMusic used: t e l e p a t h - 強い願望
Outrun 2006 Coast 2 Coast [PC] - Heart Attack Mode Full Run (Goal B) Psymage Arcade 2024-10-16 | Outrun 2006 Coast 2 Coast is an amazing racer that I've been coming back to on and off this year thanks to the Outrun 2006 Tweaks mod. I decided to go back and play the Heart Attack mode of this game on the original Outrun 2 tracks. The purpose of this mode is to complete specific objectives, which reward you with hearts depending on how well you execute them. I had a very good run for the most part. There were some smaller mistakes that kept me from getting the AAA rank overall, but there were no wrecks or serious mistakes on my part either. Also, I am working on a larger discussion video at the moment, which I hope to have finished soon. 00:00 Intro00:41 Race05:27 Final Results and Credits
Steam and Proton Coming To Raspberry Pi, Phones, and Other Devices? Psymage Arcade 2024-10-02 | It was discovered recently that Valve has been testing Proton, their compatibility layer for playing Windows games on Linux, on ARM devices. While Valve has not made an official announcement, such a move could make your Steam library available on a lot more devices than just your x86-64 desktop or laptop. In this video, I discuss the significance of Steam possibly coming to ARM in the future. 00:00 Intro01:10 What This Means For The Raspberry Pi04:56 Phones and Tablets Have a Lot of Potential07:00 MacOS Can Do This Already, but Windows On ARM Needs It!08:59 The Significance In The Short Term and Long TermBenchmark Videos:Quake 4 via Box86 on Raspberry Pi 5 - youtube.com/watch?v=2uanl5QaTs4Dying Light on Winlator - youtube.com/watch?v=QVs1cnX_lmQSkyrim on Winlator - youtube.com/watch?v=YkssgcBo7wMThe Witcher 3 on Apple's M1 chip - youtube.com/watch?v=382sze6ywfcM3 Pro chip Gaming Benchmark video (several games) - youtube.com/watch?v=08z9UyjYaLQOther Sources:Story About Valve Testing Proton on ARM - tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/steam-likely-coming-to-arm-chips-with-support-for-hundreds-of-windows-games-valve-testing-arm64-proton-compatibility-layerStardew Valley through Steam on Orange Pi 5 via Box86 - jamesachambers.com/installing-steam-on-the-orange-pi-5-with-armbianBox86 Homepage - box86.orgWinlator Homepage - winlator.orgUsing the Game Porting Toolkit on Apple Silicon: macresearch.org/game-porting-toolkit-guideGames Shown:Half Life (1998)Unreal Tournament (1999)I chose these things because these games should be able to run fine if Proton came to ARM in the very near future. Music used: sonnov - Ƣĥ-Ã
Slipstream [PC] - Grand Tour Playthrough (Route 12, All Rivals Beaten) Psymage Arcade 2024-09-25 | Slipstream is a 2D racer created by Brazilian developer ansdor and released originally in 2018 on PC via Steam. This game is not to be confused with the Capcom racing game from 1995 of the same name. It takes a lot of inspiration from the Outrun series. In particular, it takes quite a bit of inspiration from the second Outrun game, incorporating a slipstream mechanic as well as a pretty similar drifting mechanic and a Rival system.The main mode of the game is Grand Tour, which used to be known as Arcade mode in prior versions of the game. This is structured like the Outrun, where you start out on a single section and once you get to the end of it, you start getting branching paths. Just like Outrun, you keep getting branching paths until you get to the fifth section, which is the last part of the run. You have a time limit and checkpoints as you would expect.The drift mechanics works similar to the one in Outrun 2. You get off the accelerator pedal while turning and hit the brakes quickly, then get back on the accelerator quickly. Since you don't have gears in this one, you can't shift down then back up to do this like you could in Outrun 2 or even something like Daytona USA. The slipstream mechanic does work a bit differently here. Instead of getting a speed boost as soon as you're in a car's slipstream, you charge it up until you spell out "Slipstream" and then you get a big boost. As long as you're in a car's slipstream, the boost will continue. This seems to work best as a catch-up mechanic after making some mistakes because if you're driving fast and clean, you will have difficulties pulling this off.It plays pretty well overall, especially if you play it with digital controls from a Saturn or Genesis style controller. However, this game sadly lacks a scoring system. Outrun 2 benefited so much from it, but this game didn't even bother with it even though the driving mechanics come from that game. The Rival system especially suffers because there seems to be no real incentive in passing all of them up in a run outside of getting an in-game achievement for it one time. That being said, this is a fun game to play. It controls pretty well, looks good, and the music fits the game pretty well. It does have some extra modes like a Grand Prix style mode that's similar to the old Top Gear games as well as Cannonball mode, which allows you to have a more customized checkpoint-to-checkpoint experience but without branching paths. Also, it is cheap, as it is only $10 when it's not on sale. It is even on modern consoles as of 2022. Slipstream on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/732810/Slipstream00:00 Intro00:23 Race06:21 End Results
Why The Pole Position Games Will Always Be Relevant Psymage Arcade 2024-09-18 | At this point, I have finally beaten both Pole Position games, and it's pretty clear that they paved the way for many racing games that came after. So in this video, I talk about how the Pole Position series made a big impact on the racing game genre.00:00 Intro01:12 Pole Position I And Its Importance04:15 Pole Position II Added To A Successful Formula09:31 The One Glaring Flaw: The Driving PhysicsSpecial shoutout to @DanielYamnitz , the Twin Galaxies World Record holder for all the courses in both games. I especially recommend his most recent World Record run of the Suzuka course in Pole Position II:youtu.be/Orwrw1ktGFM?si=M-N0g6q5DxvN-BexAlso, here are my prior runs that I've posted for both games:Pole Position I: youtu.be/kRvcyg2SEEcPole Position II Suzuku: youtu.be/f_2JemsSwXIPole Position II Seaside: youtu.be/SLl9dS6J1kgPole Position II Test course: youtu.be/LfSq6FNAfroPole Position II Fuji: youtu.be/P8nEMOKPRewMusic usedRidge Racer - Winner Game CreditsRidge Racer - Ridge Racerstekker - Original Badboy StylePrismCorp Virtual Enterprises - Outdoor Mall OdysseusSourcesTwin Galaxies records: twingalaxies.com/game/pole-position-iitwingalaxies.com/game/pole-position/arcadeInterview with Namco devs including Shinichiro Okamoto about Pole Position:shmuplations.com/earlyarcade
Pole Position II [Gamecube/Arcade] - Seaside Full Run 54,220 pts Psymage Arcade 2024-09-11 | I finally beat Seaside in Pole Position II! Prior to this, I had beaten every other course in the game and uploaded runs of each. After beating this one, I can say it's definitely harder than Test and Fuji but not as difficult as Suzuka. To be honest, the biggest turn in this one is a bit less risky than the big left on Suzuka and it's not too hard otherwise. Fun fact: Seaside is based on the Long Beach Grand Prix street circuit used by both F1 and IndyCar/CART in the past.I am considering creating a discussion video talking about both Pole Position game. Let me know if you'd like to see that. 00:00 Intro00:12 Qualifying01:04 Race
The Biggest Problem With My Local Retro Gaming Stores Psymage Arcade 2024-08-28 | I like going to my local retro gaming stores from time to time to see what they have. Unfortunately, there's one big problem with them, which is the lack of games lately. What has been happening to these stores? Why aren't there more great games in stock? In this video, I discuss this issue and why I think this is happening. I'm sure I'm not the only one affected by this. 00:00 Intro01:47 Where Are The Games?04:05 The Market Is The Market08:10 Ways To Fix This Situation?Sources/Further Reading:New version of DOOM coming to SNES via Limited Run Games: nintendolife.com/news/2024/08/doom-is-getting-a-new-and-improved-definitive-release-on-super-nintendoDonkey Kong 64 Prices: pricecharting.com/game/nintendo-64/donkey-kong-64WWF No Mercy Prices: pricecharting.com/game/nintendo-64/wwf-no-mercyAverage N64 Game Prices Over Time: pricecharting.com/console/nintendo-64Average Gamecube Game Prices Over Time: pricecharting.com/console/gamecubeAverage SNES Game Prices Over Time: pricecharting.com/console/super-nintendoGames shown in order:NBA Hangtime (SNES)Madden NFL 97 (Sega Genesis)Crazy Taxi (GameCube)WWF No Mercy (N64)Donkey Kong 64 (N64)Pokemon Silver (GBC)
The Must Play ROM Hack For Tetris on Game Boy Psymage Arcade 2024-08-14 | Tetris Rosy Retrospection is an awesome ROM hack for the original Tetris on Game Boy that I've been playing quite a bit over the last month. In this video, I discuss the most important changes this hack brings to the original game. Also, this video was partially inspired by the recent news of Romhacking.net shutting down at the beginning of the month, and this is definitely one of the best hacks I've ever downloaded from the site.Rosy Retrospection: romhacking.net/hacks/5813Rosy Retrospection DX: romhacking.net/hacks/8259UPS Online Patcher: romhacking.net/patch00:00 Intro01:25 The Biggest Improvements05:20 There's a Color Version!06:35 RIP Romhacking.netMusic used:Super Tetris 3 (SFC) - Main Theme: youtu.be/bQNGUwqdi-0?si=gK2UKkkGerKYGPgYTetris (Game Boy) - High Score: youtu.be/VsK0Ezwa-p0?si=nJygAmdV47jsGL_3
How Bomberman Has Survived Over 40 Years Psymage Arcade 2024-08-07 | Bomberman is an iconic video game franchise that has been around since 1983. Despite Hudson Soft, the original creator, no longer existing, the series is still going today under Konami. In this video, I discuss why Bomberman has endured in a tough gaming industry filled with competition.00:00 Intro01:47 Simple But Unique Gameplay03:33 Gameplay Over Graphics04:40 Robust Multiplayer Support06:36 The Formula Works!Music: Super Bomberman 5 - Where It All BeganGames shown in order: Wario Blast Featuring Bomberman, Bomberman 94, Bomberman GB2, Bomberman Land Touch, Bomberman GenerationOne small correction: Super Bomberman R has actually sold over 2 million copies worldwide as of 2021, even better than I said in the video: gematsu.com/2021/03/super-bomberman-r-sales-top-two-millionHardcore Gaming 101 pages on the series: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/series/bomberman
