AL82 Retrogaming Longplays | Skyblazer Longplay (SNES) [QHD] @AL82RetrogamingLongplays | Uploaded 8 months ago | Updated 12 hours ago
Game Info
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Developer: Ukiyotei Company
Publisher: Sony Imagesoft
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
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Not a game I was familiar with, Skyblazer is, I guess, something akin to Capcom's Mega Man franchise in terms of gameplay, albeit with a focus on sword and sorcery, rather than cyber-tech. Players progress through a series of stages, the order of which is at their own discretion, collecting new abilities and powers to unlock later stages, overcoming various enemies and environmental hazards along the way.
What really stands out here is the presentation. The artwork is superb; detailed sprites, decent animation and a wonderfully vibrant colour palette!
Chapters
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TBC
Game Info
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Developer: Ukiyotei Company
Publisher: Sony Imagesoft
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
---------------------------------------------------
Not a game I was familiar with, Skyblazer is, I guess, something akin to Capcom's Mega Man franchise in terms of gameplay, albeit with a focus on sword and sorcery, rather than cyber-tech. Players progress through a series of stages, the order of which is at their own discretion, collecting new abilities and powers to unlock later stages, overcoming various enemies and environmental hazards along the way.
What really stands out here is the presentation. The artwork is superb; detailed sprites, decent animation and a wonderfully vibrant colour palette!
Chapters
---------------------------------------------------
TBC
![Skyblazer Longplay (SNES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WuVccgaIOo8/hqdefault.jpg "Skyblazer Longplay (SNES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Ukiyotei Company
Publisher: Sony Imagesoft
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
Not a game I was familiar with, Skyblazer is, I guess, something akin to Capcoms Mega Man franchise in terms of gameplay, albeit with a focus on sword and sorcery, rather than cyber-tech. Players progress through a series of stages, the order of which is at their own discretion, collecting new abilities and powers to unlock later stages, overcoming various enemies and environmental hazards along the way.
What really stands out here is the presentation. The artwork is superb; detailed sprites, decent animation and a wonderfully vibrant colour palette!
Chapters
TBC")
![Strike Gunner S.T.G. Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XWzTpXvk28c/hqdefault.jpg "Strike Gunner S.T.G. Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Athena
Publisher: Tecmo
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
Yet another vertical shooter Id never heard of, Strike Gunner is an interesting entry chiefly because it forces players to choose their weapon/equipment loadout before each level commences. A piece of hardware remains active for the entirety of a single stage only, cannot be changed, and must be recharged by collecting power cannisters dropped by enemies. Certain weapons or shield mods are more advantageous when tackling certain end-of-level bosses, or dealing with certain formations of regular enemies, although this aspect of the game doesnt really begin to make itself apparent until the latter half of the game.
As for the rest of the game, its decent enough. Presentation is pretty good, if a little understated. Theres something tangible and gritty about the sprite artwork I found particularly cool, and the gameplay is OK, if not exemplary. This isnt a classic, but good enough for some fun.
Chapters
TBC")
![Wolfchild Longplay (Mega Drive/Genesis) [60 FPS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XzxtM_xUHCU/hqdefault.jpg "Wolfchild Longplay (Mega Drive/Genesis) [60 FPS]
Wolfchild Longplay (Mega Drive/Genesis) [60 FPS]")
![Little Samson Longplay (NES) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YJF-Y68_zww/hqdefault.jpg "Little Samson Longplay (NES) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Takeru
Publisher: Taito
Year of Release: 1992
Game Review & Impressions
Attractive and quirky platformer where you unlock additional playable characters the further you progress in the story. Each has their own abilities, strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out which to use and when is a major aspect of the game.
Chapters
TBC")
![Dimahoo Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YPFKPIyPmAk/hqdefault.jpg "Dimahoo Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Raizing
Publisher: Capcom
Year of Release: 2000
Game Review & Impressions
Ever since the mid 90s, vertical shoot em ups became progressively more complex beasts, layering additional mechanics with increasingly vibrant graphics to stay relevant. Dimahoo is no different in this regard, boasting some truly stunning pixel artwork, plus a game loop not too dissimilar to that to the later Ikaruga and similar titles, which involves additional strategy and skills on the part of the player.
To earn some truly preposterous high scores in Dimahoo, players need to power up their primary weapon bar through successive levels of charge. When the bar located bottom left for player 1 and bottom right for player 2 reaches level 8 and begins flashing, a brief period of overcharge can be activated. Destroying enemies with the force beam which manifests in front of the player ship at this point causes them to drop RPG-themed bonus items, including armour, food, potions and so forth. These items convey no special powers or upgrades, other than to award bonus points at the end of the level, not unlike the prize bonus system from Smash T.V.
Further leaning into its RPG trappings, Dimahoos enemies possess resistances to ice or fire attacks. If you want to maximise damage and increase chances of success, youll need to figure out which waves and bosses are vulnerable to a specific element. Its worth noting its not a total bust if you have the wrong element type equipped, just that things take a bit longer to kill.
Of course, you dont have to bother with any of this if you dont want to. Unlike some of the later Raiden games, Dimahoo doesnt punish you if you fail to reach a certain score level. In fact, players can even choose to stick with the default weapon type and forgo the specials system entirely, if they so wish. The default weapon lacks the overcharge ability, but does damage all enemies equally; theres no way to revert to the default weapon once collecting a fire or ice token, other than dying, but its an interesting option nonetheless.
Stunning to look at, Dimahoo still holds its own, even in a world where gaming had gone almost exclusively 3D. Capcoms CPS-2 arcade hardware, on which the game is based, does a sterling job throwing huge numbers of sprites around the screen with nary a drop in frame rate. Coupled with engaging gameplay mechanics and excellent controls, Dimahoo is definitely worth revisiting today.
Chapters
TBC")
![Rick Dangerous Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YQwvMttyLkw/hqdefault.jpg "Rick Dangerous Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Core Design
Publisher: Firebird
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
Bit of an Amiga classic, Rick Dangerous is unashamedly difficult, continually sucker-punching players with hidden traps and hazards that lurk behind every Quechuan-themed pillar and stoney vault. Its as much a test of memory as it is dexterity; progress comes only by remembering where each of the traps and triggers are located, then figuring out how to circumvent them.
This is a game that delights in its frustrations and revels at the anguish it will cause, laughing up its sleeve with each time you die. As such you have to learn to lean into the games malevolence and take it in your stride.
I think its fair to say that the likes of Spelunkey and Super Meat Boy have a bit of Rick Dangerous DNA in them. Youll keep coming back for one more go, a curious testament to such a gruelling design.
Chapters
TBC")
![Super Methane Bros Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YRHt8HsmkYQ/hqdefault.jpg "Super Methane Bros Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Apache Software
Publisher: Apache Software
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
A relatively late commercial release for the Amiga, I vaguely remember playing a cover disk demo of Super Methane Bros, or seeing it in some kind mag preview. Its very much inspired by Bubble Bobble, featuring single-screen arenas full of enemies to defeat, bonuses to collect and secrets to discover. Its not exactly original, but I have to confess, its a game I have a real soft spot for; Apache Software gave away a PC conversion of this for free on their website during the early 2000s, and I have to confess I spent a good proportion of my time at work playing this, rather than doing anything useful!
To differentiate itself somewhat from Taitos classic, here you trap monsters within clouds of sulphurous fart gas, rather than bubbles. Entrapped meanies must then be sucked up into your gas dispenser and propelled into a wall or solid surface to defeat them permanently; doing so within certain time limit will cause playing card to appear, and collecting the ace of each suite unlocks a bonus screen where even more points can be accrued. Most levels feature a special bonus item, such as a turbo injector to increase the speed at which you can dispense gas, fireball launchers and other upgrades, and certain levels contain secret switches which allow you reach seemingly inaccessible treasure chests.
If I have one criticism of the game, its the fact it runs so slowly. The CD32 release wasnt exactly speedy, but OCS version turns into a major chug-a-thon on the A500 when the screen gets busy. Theres a noticeable delay when trying to move or fire your gas cannon, which can lead to some frustrating deaths beyond your control. Im not sure whether the game was written in 68000 ASM, or whether it used AMOS/some other intermediate language, which could explain the slowness.
Still, the speed isnt enough to dampen my enthusiasm for the game - its still a great little arcade-style title. Fans of Bubble Bobble and Rod-Land should definitely check this out.
Related Longplays & Videos
Super Methane Bros (Amiga CD32): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJlWJSKCoSI
Chapters
TBC")
![Castle of Dragon Longplay (Arcade) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y_igD9YNLVI/hqdefault.jpg "Castle of Dragon Longplay (Arcade) [4K]
Game Info
Developer: Athena
Publisher: Athena
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
Also known as Dragon Unit, it wasnt until I started playing through the game that something in the back of my mind started to realise that there was something oddly familiar about this game, although I couldnt quite place it. When I looked the game up online I discovered that Dragon Unit was also known as Castle of Dragon, and it was at that point the penny dropped: I had played and recorded the NES version of the game several months ago. It turns out theres dipswitch in the arcade games BIOS controls which flips between the two titles, something which seems slightly odd when you realise its decoupled from the region settings.
Anyway, the coin-op version of Castle of Dragon is a real oddity; Ive never played anything quite like it. I guess the closest parallel which comes to mind is Rastan, or even Rastan II/Nastar, although its much weirder. Its essentially a side-scrolling hack and slash affair with platforming elements and boss fights, but what makes it so odd is the way the game literally shovels weapon upgrades and power ups in your direction at every opportunity. The non-magical weapons, such as axe and chain mace, are permanent, whereas the orbs which infuse your sword with spell-charged ranged attacks only seem to last for a limited period of time. Your knight is also equipped with a shield which can block certain projectiles and enemy attacks, and also wears a suit of armour to absorb damage. The armour visually degrades as it weakens, falling away to reveal our heros bare chest and furry loin cloth.
As to whether Castle of Dragon is actually any good, I cant say Id be inclined to deposit more coins beyond my first credit. The combat just doesnt feel particularly satisfying, and the electric guitar-infused soundtrack is terribly grating. This is the kind of game youd play out of curiosity, not because youre looking for a good time.
Related Longplays & Videos
Castle of Dragon Longplay (NES): https://youtu.be/jCFN7n8fnm8
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode (no sound)
01:00 Stage 1
02:56 Stage 2
03:52 Stage 3
05:02 Stage 4
06:55 Stage 5
07:32 Stage 6
09:20 Final boss
10:01 Ending")
![Gemini Wing Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yl2msJM5o8E/hqdefault.jpg "Gemini Wing Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Tecmo
Publisher: Tecmo
Year of Release: 1987
Game Review & Impressions
Another coin-op whos existence I only knew about through the C64 and Amiga home conversions, Gemini Wing is yet another mid-to-late 80s vertical shoot em up which I never actually saw in the flesh. Its pretty representative of the era in terms of design, but it tries to set itself apart from its contemporaries through its approach to power-ups.
Unlike similar games, the special weapons in Gemini Wing are all one-shot consumable items. These Gun-Balls appear as round tokens adorned with an icon depicting the type of shot or special which will be unleased when activated. The tokens bunch up behind your craft when collected, with the one closest to the tail end of the ship being the next to be fired. The usefulness of these weapons varies, and some players will have certain preferences as to which offer the most benefit, and prioritising exactly which tokens you want to grab in favour of others becomes a major part of the game. Certain mid-tier enemies will even spawn with a trail of Gun-Balls that change when shot, allowing savvy players to stock up on their favourite weapons.
On a graphical level, Gemini Wing is fairly typical for the time period. There are plenty of colourful sprites filling the screen, and the artwork and backgrounds are nicely detailed. I dont think its up to the level of Konamis A-Jax (covered a couple of weeks back), but the insectoid enemies are all pretty cool to look at. The Cronenbergian spaghetti-and-meatballs morass of a boss at the end of level 5 suggests the The Fly, released a year prior, may well have been an influence here.
In the wake of games like DoDonPachi, it can be difficult going back to these comparatively primitive games, but they still hold relevance. The concept and designs would filter down into subsequent products, and I would suggest Gemini Wing is one of the more direct influences on Xenon 2: Megablast, one of the most popular shooters on the Amiga, and its significance is should probably be judged more by its influence on the genre as a whole.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
00:20 Stage 1
03:00 Stage 2
05:50 Stage 3
08:30 Stage 4
11:44 Stage 5
14:40 Stage 6
23:45 Ending")
![Spark Man Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yv2vB_qHAaM/hqdefault.jpg "Spark Man Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: SunA Electronics
Publisher: SunA Electronics
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
Released in 1989, Spark Man is yet another of arcade gamings most baffling oddities. This side-scrolling run-and-gun shooter might look reasonable in still screenshots, but anyone whos played it will understand just how rubbish this is. The fact the game opens with a weird cutscene thats clearly meant to be some humorous interpretation of Michelangelos The Hand of God, except it involves some weird android being tickled on the nose, sets the scene for aptly for what is to follow.
The biggest influence by far is the RoboCop coin-op, with gameplay focused on shooting enemies on various platforms, not to mention level design and artwork paying more than just homage being paid to Data Easts game. However, there are plenty of other influences on display here, including Green Beret/Rush n Attack, enemy designs that look suspiciously similar to those from Rolling Thunder, and level graphics bearing uncanny similarities to Bionic Commando and Bad Dudes Vs. Dragon Ninja.
Unfortunately, SunA also forgot to take anything that made those games fun into consideration. The gameplay is terrible, enemy placement and AI abysmal, and generally too difficult to be even remotely enjoyable. The end-of-level boss involving shooting a bunch of guys hiding inside an armoured triceratops is just utterly stupid, not to mention near impossible to beat. Spark Man is coin-op jank of the highest order and should never have been released commercially.
I guess, if anything, the fact it exists means I get to make a video about this total oddity some 30+ years after its release.
Chapters
TBC")
![Arcadia Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yxo2rGOY_bc/hqdefault.jpg "Arcadia Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: NMK
Publisher: NMK
Year of Release: 1994
Game Review & Impressions
Another high-quality mid 90s arcade shooter, Arcadia might not do much different to that of its contemporaries, but if it delivers a solid gaming experience, does it even need to? Arcadia certainly has the looks, with tons of enemies and explosions filling the screen, and the end-of-level bosses are suitably interesting, all manner of cybernetically imbued anime samurai and bristling, Gundam-esque battlecruisers.
I dont really have much more to say about Arcadia, other than if you enjoy this type of game, this wont disappoint.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:00 Stage 1
03:10 Stage 2
05:00 Stage 3
08:14 Stage 4
11:05 Stage 5
14:35 Stage 6
16:32 Stage 7
19:30 Stage 8
23:40 Ending")
![P-47 Aces Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z8F-5kLfNFw/hqdefault.jpg "P-47 Aces Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
Game Info
Developer: Jaleco
Publisher: Jaleco
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
Diving into the extensive catalogue of coin-operated shoot em ups, P-47 Aces is another relative obscurity from Jaleco Id never heard of. This World War II inspired shoot em up looks and sounds pretty good, and whilst not quite to the standard of your typical SNK or Irem release, its fair to say Jaleco put a lot of effort into spit and polishing this particular production, at least from an audio-visual standpoint. The pastel backgrounds featuring snow-capped mountains, tropical jungles and lakes surrounded by pine forests look great, lending the game a unique visual appeal.
Before play commences, players are treated to a rogues gallery of the different pilots and accompanying planes that can be flown into combat. Kim Blair appears to be some kind of mashup of Kylie Minogue and Madonna, whilst Captain Uncle yes, they really called him that looks at least 20 years older than his bio would seem to suggest; looks a little bit like Donald Sutherland perhaps? Each plane is equipped with a different loadout of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance, plus a small armament of screen-clearing smart bombs, which youll most definitely be requiring.
Launching into the game proper, its your typical affair: waves of enemies, an occasional sub-boss, with a final showdown against a variety of howitzer packing behemoths gatekeeping the exist to the next stage. Blowing up enemies reveals power-up tokens that beef up your gun power and projectile spread; all pretty typical for this type of game.
For the first stage at least, P-47 Aces is a fairly decent experience, even fun, but that changes quickly after the first stage is done. Subsequent stages ramp up the difficulty, featuring more enemies that literally spew waves of projectiles of varying sizes and speeds in rapid succession, leaving you and your somewhat bulky plane sprite precious little room for manoeuvre. This is very much a hardcore game thats going to appeal to a hardcore audience - a casual experience, this is not.
Ultimately, the game impresses as an aesthetic showpiece, but its difficult to recommend it much beyond that. Stick it on free-play and you might get some enjoyment out of it, but the constant wall of enemies and projectiles results in an experience thats overbearing instead of being actually fun, which is, after all, what a video game is supposed to be.
Chapters
00:00 Attract mode
01:50 Stage 1
03:22 Stage 2
05:25 Stage 3
08:33 Stage 4
12:20 Stage 5
15:30 Stage 6
17:54 Stage 7
19:59 Stage 8
23:35 Ending")
