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[D.Lo]

Eh, gonna object here. I have the game, and I enjoy it, but there's really weird hit detection issues when jumping / walking onto a moving platform that is throughout the game and makes it more frustrating to play than it should be. It's hard to explain unless you actually play it, but it's a huge detractor, enough that I could see that being the reason Konami didn't release it in North America.

I'll disagree with you there, that's just a regular 8-bit issue, and not a major part of the game. Castlevania 1 and 2 (and even 3) have equally busted bits at various parts, none of Armana's bosses are anywhere near as broken as some of the Castlevania ones for example. It doesn't have the tightest controls of any game on the system, but the loose controls and platform detection are somewhat necessary for the flexibility the grappling hook offers, there are some awesome shortcuts that can be taken with the right jump and timing. It's a pretty amazing game for 1987.

Those letsplayers are super bad at it, and used the incorrect title (anyone who has a real copy would know it is Armana or Arumana not Almana, since the product code for the game on the cover and manual and disk is ARM).

But yes Nicol is pretty killer too, and a very tightly designed game. It's clearly a spiritual sequel to King Kong 2: Megaton Punch, it has the exact same structure and some graphics in common.

 

[SkyMasterson]

This weekend I spent a bunch of time working on the battery pack for the Virtual Boy I got a year or two ago. I got it at a good deal since they weren't sure it still worked or not. It didn't when I got it, and it seemed to be because of batteries having been left in the battery pack and them making a mess in there. I had originally cleaned all the parts I could see till they looked shiny and new but it still wouldn't turn on. I don't know what made me, but this weekend I got the bug to work on it again and this time just dropped the whole thing into some vinegar and left it sit for an hour or two. Rinsed it off, let it dry, and BAM working Virtual Boy!

I played some Wario and Mario Tennis and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed by them both. I feel like the system had a shit ton of potential that because it didn't sell well it never reached. Wario was really impressive to me, the way they handled the sprites having depth to them gives it this really cool effect. Obviously it's just multiple sprites set to different depths to make wario and other characters, but it just worked so well.

I really need to get a flash cart for this thing so I can try the Street Fighter and Mario Kart homebrew games for it.


Over the weekend I also went to a Toy Convention here in NJ with a friend and managed to find some decent game deals. I finally got a GC Memory Card 1019 for 3 bucks, and got really nice condition copies with manual of 8 Eyes, and Faxanadu for NES for 8 bucks each. Also traded my Panasonic FZ-1 3DO with a friend for one of his FZ-10s. Which I plan on 240p and RGB modding it.

Agreed!

I love the depth that most of the games have(in terms of visuals). I would have loved to have seen Nintendo bring a few other franchises on it before they called it quits.

I also find Red Alarm quite fun. Still want to pick up Galactic Pinball, Baseball and that's it for me with the VB(don't care to really play or pay for Jack Bros. haha).

 

[Celine]

Agreed!

I love the depth that most of the games have(in terms of visuals). I would have loved to have seen Nintendo bring a few other franchises on it before they called it quits.

I also find Red Alarm quite fun. Still want to pick up Galactic Pinball, Baseball and that's it for me with the VB(don't care to really play or pay for Jack Bros. haha).

Don't know if VB is region free but Space Squash is one of the best game on the system.

 

[BTails]

But yes Nicol is pretty killer too, and a very tightly designed game. It's clearly a spiritual sequel to King Kong 2: Megaton Punch, it has the exact same structure and some graphics in common.

Oh nice! I have a King Kong 2 cart already, that's a great game.

 

[Glowsquid]

I think VB Wario Land and Teleroboxer are cool because they're a tantalizing glimpse into an alternate reality where the N64 had high-quality 2D art like the saturn and ps1 did

 

[Shin Johnpv]

Agreed!

I love the depth that most of the games have(in terms of visuals). I would have loved to have seen Nintendo bring a few other franchises on it before they called it quits.

I also find Red Alarm quite fun. Still want to pick up Galactic Pinball, Baseball and that's it for me with the VB(don't care to really play or pay for Jack Bros. haha).

Yeah for sure on the depth. It does the kind of 3D I really like, where everything is set back and nothing comes out towards you (at least in the games I've played so far.)

Now that I've got it working I've got the bug to get more games for it.

Don't know if VB is region free but Space Squash is one of the best game on the system.

Thankfully it is region free.

 

[-KRS-]

So there was this retro game festival in my town today. Didn't think I'd find anything worthwile there since I don't collect PAL myself.

I certainly didn't expect to walk home with this:

All of them cheaper than standard ebay prices. I just couldn't pass them up.

Spoiler

I probably wouldn't have bought Ikki normally but the seller threw it in with the GB games for free.

 

[meppi]

That Spartan X art is fantastic!

 

[cyborgnumberblue]

I think VB Wario Land and Teleroboxer are cool because they're a tantalizing glimpse into an alternate reality where the N64 had high-quality 2D art like the saturn and ps1 did

That sounds like the best alternate reality.

 

[sixteen-bit]

So there was this retro game festival in my town today. Didn't think I'd find anything worthwile there since I don't collect PAL myself.

I certainly didn't expect to walk home with this:


All of them cheaper than standard ebay prices. I just couldn't pass them up.

Spoiler

I probably wouldn't have bought Ikki normally but the seller threw it in with the GB games for free.

Panepon <3

 

[RadarScope1]

So there was this retro game festival in my town today. Didn't think I'd find anything worthwile there since I don't collect PAL myself.

I certainly didn't expect to walk home with this:


All of them cheaper than standard ebay prices. I just couldn't pass them up.

Spoiler

I probably wouldn't have bought Ikki normally but the seller threw it in with the GB games for free.

Excellent! I really want Crisis Force.

 

[-KRS-]

Excellent! I really want Crisis Force.

It's been on my list for a long time as well, and when I saw this one I couldn't pass it up even though it made me go over my budget quite a bit... The box is in overall good condition with some shelf wear, but the cart, manual and inserts are really mint.

I think with this one off the list, the only shooter I still want to get for the Famicom/NES is Uchu Keibitai SDF from HAL which is also pretty expensive. And that one doesn't really seem good enough to warrant the price. So we'll see I guess. I certainly won't get that one CIB, if I do get it, that's for sure.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

This isn't even retro, but it's kinda sorta relevant to retro.

Guys, Sonic Mania is legit. Played it at PAX this afternoon, and it's excellent. Feels exactly the way it should, and the level designs (at least, what I played) is absolutely top-notch. It doesn't feel like a "hold right to win" simulator. There's speed, but then there's some serious platforming sections. And the game just constantly throws new ideas at you. Controls are great. Graphics look exactly how you'd want them to.

If the rest of the game reaches this level of quality, it's going to be awesome. This is the real Sonic 4.

 

[Tain]

This isn't even retro, but it's kinda sorta relevant to retro.

Guys, Sonic Mania is legit.

it's actually truly retro: a throwback game, not an old one

 

[Galdelico]

This isn't even retro, but it's kinda sorta relevant to retro.

Guys, Sonic Mania is legit. Played it at PAX this afternoon, and it's excellent. Feels exactly the way it should, and the level designs (at least, what I played) is absolutely top-notch. It doesn't feel like a "hold right to win" simulator. There's speed, but then there's some serious platforming sections. And the game just constantly throws new ideas at you. Controls are great. Graphics look exactly how you'd want them to.

If the rest of the game reaches this level of quality, it's going to be awesome. This is the real Sonic 4.

It surely looks like it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEfKC4sxTG8

Shame I own none of the platforms it's going to be released for. :/

 

[Rich!]

It surely looks like it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEfKC4sxTG8

Shame I own none of the platforms it's going to be released for. :/

Isn't it coming out on steam? You don't have a PC?

 

[sixteen-bit]

So hype for Sonic Mania. Would love a physical release, but I'm doubtful, lol

 

[Galdelico]

Isn't it coming out on steam? You don't have a PC?

Nope. Gaming on consoles (I stopped after PS360 generation ended, though), and working on Mac systems (never even looked into gaming possibilities on there, I'm sincerely not interested).

 

[Freddo]

I agree with you, the arcade ports on Amiga kind of sucked

That depends on the game. For example, I think the Amiga versions of Rodland and Pang! are quite superior to the arcade originals, especially when it comes to the music but the graphics is slightly better too IMO.

 

[Galdelico]

That depends on the game. For example, I think the Amiga versions of Rodland and Pang! are quite superior to the arcade originals, especially when it comes to the music but the graphics is slightly better too IMO.

Well, The Sales Curve and Ocean coders really were exceptions, back then. It's pretty fair to say 'good arcade ports' was the least well-represented category in the Amiga library.

 

[D.Lo]

Shame I own none of the platforms it's going to be released for. :/

Same here. I'm overall uninterested in the PS360 DLC that is the PS4Bone, and have only my Macbook for work etc. The Windows hegemony is completely broken for computing except for games, I have no need for Windows anymore for any productivity stuff, and am not buying and maintaining a windows partition just for the odd game my tiny laptop can run.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

Same here. I'm overall uninterested in the PS360 DLC that is the PS4Bone, and have only my Macbook for work etc. The Windows hegemony is completely broken for computing except for games, I have no need for Windows anymore for any productivity stuff, and am not buying and maintaining a windows partition just for the odd game my tiny laptop can run.

By/build a cheap desktop PC, hook it up to your TV. I assume you're not even interested in "high end" games, you could get by with very cheap hardware here... for Sonic Mania you wouldn't need much at all.

I'm still on 5 year old hardware (CPU/GPU) and there's really nothing I can't run; some of the more recent stuff (not games I'm even interested in) would probably be 30fps at medium settings at worst.

 

[D.Lo]

Well, apart from resolution Sonic Mania looks like it could run on a GameCube, so yeah maybe even my baby mac could run it. Not really interested in a PC. I'll probably get the second revision of the PS4 Neo in a year or two if Last Guardian is good.

 

[dubc35]

Same here. I'm overall uninterested in the PS360 DLC that is the PS4Bone, and have only my Macbook for work etc. The Windows hegemony is completely broken for computing except for games, I have no need for Windows anymore for any productivity stuff, and am not buying and maintaining a windows partition just for the odd game my tiny laptop can run.

ha, this is perfect. Exactly the same way I feel about the current gen.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

So hype for Sonic Mania. Would love a physical release, but I'm doubtful, lol

I think it'd be rad if the game came to NX. A new Sonic game on a cartridge? That would be cool.

 

[Khaz]

Earlier today I was looking at 3DOs, and now I'm looking at G3 iMacs. I swear this hobby is going to kill me.

 

[CrashPrime]

Is there a comparable experience to EmulationStation on android? Why is there a lack of front ends for android?

 

[PumpkinSpice]

Today I bought:

Sonic's Ultimate Collector's Guide to Classic Sega

 

[koopas]

Earlier today I was looking at 3DOs, and now I'm looking at G3 iMacs. I swear this hobby is going to kill me.

Tell me about it. Sega Saturn will bankrupt me

 

[noquarter]

Earlier today I was looking at 3DOs, and now I'm looking at G3 iMacs. I swear this hobby is going to kill me.

I was looking at them last week. Still not sure if I want to pull the trigger though. Also really would like an FZ-1, but the FZ-10 has less chance of breaking since it has less mechanical parts. Don't think I would get a Goldstar, but was thinking of that as well.

Then I started looking at NeoGeo AES and realized I should just stick to what I have. Aside from Metal Slug, and SamSho II, really don't care much for most NeoGeo games and the prices are really high.

Spoiler

Will probably get one next year, still have always wanted one...

 

[D.Lo]

3D0 is like last on my list. 480i only no thanks. I guess you can mod for 240p and RGB.

 

[Anth0ny]

So hype for Sonic Mania. Would love a physical release, but I'm doubtful, lol

I want a physical release




for Saturn

 

[Shin Johnpv]

3D0 is like last on my list. 480i only no thanks. I guess you can mod for 240p and RGB.

Make sure to get an FZ-10 when you do, from what I understand none of the FZ-1s have the video encoder chip that they have a data sheet for. So if you want to 240p mod it your best bet is an FZ-10 or I hear its common in the goldstars as well.

 

[D.Lo]

Make sure to get an FZ-10 when you do, from what I understand none of the FZ-1s have the video encoder chip that they have a data sheet for. So if you want to 240p mod it your best bet is an FZ-10 or I hear its common in the goldstars as well.

It's really pretty far down the list haha. The library feels a lot like 'worst of Mega CD and early western efforts Playstation/Saturn'.

That said I've got almost every platform at this point. Once you have Wonderswan and Cassette Vision and all revision of SG1000 I guess we're into 3D0/PCFX/Jaguar/FM Towns territory...

 

[noquarter]

Hmm, guess I went the opposite way, got a Jag/CD last year and am looking at 3DO before getting into stuff pre NES. I also play everything pre PS2/Gamecube on a CRT though with composite or S-Video, going for the original setup as much as possible.

 

[Teknoman]

I think it'd be rad if the game came to NX. A new Sonic game on a cartridge? That would be cool.

If they are actual cartridges and not those vita/3DS cards.

 

[D.Lo]

If they are actual cartridges and not those vita/3DS cards.

All carts are going to be those from now on, it's what makes carts viable again. Burned ROMS are just too expensive.

 

[-KRS-]

Today I bought:



Sonic's Ultimate Collector's Guide to Classic Sega

I like that "100% UNOFFICIAL" fine print.

 

[televator]

If they are actual cartridges and not those vita/3DS cards.

No way they wouldn't be based on modern flash card design. My only concern is if they suffer from capacity/data loss like SSDs do currently.

 

[Galdelico]

Same here. I'm overall uninterested in the PS360 DLC that is the PS4Bone, and have only my Macbook for work etc. The Windows hegemony is completely broken for computing except for games, I have no need for Windows anymore for any productivity stuff, and am not buying and maintaining a windows partition just for the odd game my tiny laptop can run.

Come at me, bro. I called it 'PS360 remastered', recently.
No disrespect for those who still follow new systems and get excited for new games, of course.

 

[Khaz]

3D0 is like last on my list. 480i only no thanks. I guess you can mod for 240p and RGB.

I'm in for the crazy FMV games though, so 480i is cool with me.

 

[Khaz]

No way they wouldn't be based on modern flash card design. My only concern is if they suffer from capacity/data loss like SSDs do currently.

Aren't they losing capacity because of constant read/write though? If the game is on a read-only partition (as it should, to prevent tampering), it shouldn't have any problem.

 

[televator]

Aren't they losing capacity because of constant read/write though? If the game is on a read-only partition (as it should, to prevent tampering), it shouldn't have any problem.

You could be right, though I wouldn't know. I'm not yet fully aware of all the small details of solid state memory.

 

[Shadowman16]

I came so close to finishing Mega Man without losing any lives today. Managed to make it all the way to the final boss before losing 1 life. I need to try another run but this time do one where I use the boss weaknesses (I used my default buster weapon for all the bosses bar the robot master boss rush at the end of the game). Still love replaying this game, a couple of bits is rough round the edges (those stupid flying platforms on Ice Man and Wily stage 1 are almost broken) but I still love it very much.

 

[-KRS-]

I still need to get a copy of MM1. I'll probably end up getting the Famicom version, since it's a bit cheaper than the US one.

You only use the default weapon? I can't even beat the game with the special weapons.

Edit: Come to think about it, I have only beaten MM2 and MMX. Probably the two easiest games in the series. I haven't played all Mega Man games though.

 

[Shadowman16]

I still need to get a copy of MM1. I'll probably end up getting the Famicom version, since it's a bit cheaper than the US one.

You only use the default weapon? I can't even beat the game with the special weapons.

Edit: Come to think about it, I have only beaten MM2 and MMX. Probably the two easiest games in the series. I haven't played all Mega Man games though.

I used special weapons in a couple of spots - using the M platform is required in a couple of places, and very useful in another couple thanks to useless moving platforms (I can do the disappearing platforms fine though without it). I used Cut Man's and Elec Man's weapon in a couple of places for lazy reasons but I'm an odd kind of MM player - I don't like using special weapons against bosses - I feel it makes them too easy so I only use the default weapon which makes boss battles more interesting (especially if your fighting someone like Yellow Devil). Its like a nice little challenge within each game, certain games are far more difficult than others - Mega Man and Bass for example is a right pain in the ass to do buster only for either character.

 

[Polioliolio]

Arumana no Kiseki (Miracle or Armana) + Bio Miracle Uppa are legit. I remember bootlegs of Bio in the early nineties titled "baby Mario" which happened to be my first run in with the game.

Haha me too!

A less popular rental store had it once. A display box made of paper, with "Super Mario Bros 4: Baby Mario" written on it. Curiosity had me and we rented it. I vaguely remember the "cartridge" being some weird blue thing with a ribbon on it to help you pull out the cartridge from the NES. Knowing what I do now, I guess it was probably a bootleg famicom cart plugged into a converter. Really fun game, never yet beat it. My sister still remembers it as Baby Mario, and the level where you eat your way through a cake.

It eventually vanished from the store, and I never knew it it was until I asked on an online forum as an adult, maybe it was here.

Anyway, when living abroad, i couldn't pass up picking up and actually owning it. Got the version on famicom cartridge complete in box.

Definitely a prize in my collection.

 

[IrishNinja]

had some friends come by for games last weekend, these early 20's dudes going nuts over the most random shit in my collection - word, you're excited over an MGS4 guide but not this clean-ass CIB bonanza bros?! kids these days

Today I bought:

Sonic's Ultimate Collector's Guide to Classic Sega

oooo what's that like

 

[PumpkinSpice]

had some friends come by for games last weekend, these early 20's dudes going nuts over the most random shit in my collection - word, you're excited over an MGS4 guide but not this clean-ass CIB bonanza bros?! kids these days



oooo what's that like

The latest Retro Gamer Bookazine. These are just sets of old Retro Gamer articles in a larger magazine format, with a nicer content/price ratio than a normal Retro Gamer issue. This one is the all Sega, mostly from Master System to Dreamcast.

I managed to get it at an Indigo in Canada so you might be able to find it locally.

 

[IrishNinja]

The latest Retro Gamer Bookazine. These are just sets of old Retro Gamer articles in a larger magazine format, with a nicer content/price ratio than a normal Retro Gamer issue. This one is the all Sega, mostly from Master System to Dreamcast.

I managed to get it at an Indigo in Canada so you might be able to find it locally.

damn...there's one bookstore out this way that carries RG, and they always sell out. that said, i managed to find a copy of the SMS/NES one last month, so i'll keep an eye out!