There is an excellent GI Biz article from Charles Cecil on maintaining Revolution's financial viability over the last 25 years and he made this quote I thought it was really insightful...
""I remember going to Develop last year, in 2024, and the old expression was, 'Just survive to '25'. And I remember standing up – and I made myself very unpopular – and I said, 'Why do you think we're going to go back to how it used to be?' It was so extraordinarily benign with Game Pass putting in millions and millions and millions, pumping up the industry. I said, 'Honestly, we have to find a new way to do business, because it's just not going to be the same.' And huge numbers of developers who did very well from the vast amounts of money being pumped into the industry just hoped it would return – but it won't."
Source: GIBZ
Maybe the age and more importantly viability of the AAA games industry is coming to a slow end?
Broken Sword 6 development also mentioned and current status.
I think you are right SNES CD would have been a success as Nintendo's console was hugely popular for the time in Japan and USA, it was still being sold in 1999 in mainstream stores like KB Toys with games.
Plus more importantly the software creators Square, Konami, Capcom, Hudson, Enix plus others and Nintendo themselves importantly really knew how to make it work and create amazing experiences...
Nintendo would have learned from Mega CD and PCE CD as well as kept an eye on 3DO...
The industry would have needed it to be a success...
This link has it all explained regarding real licensing issues with Nintendo/Sony..in comments the full Sam Pettus section/extract...
"Sony intends to broadly license it to the [whole] software industry]." This was anathema to Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi, who had no intention of letting Nintendo losing control over any part of the process. He conspired [tactically orchestrated I would argue = Deuteros] with Sony's rival Philips to publically humiliate Sony the following day at the show."
@retrophilion It's probably still the biggest videogame counterfactual there is, for sure the industry might be different.
If SEGA had more of a free ride early years SATURN style against 3D0 version 1.0 and Playstation and SONY went SOLO after breaking with Nintendo one hardware cycle down the line, in say 1997-99 it could be a totally different landscape if Dreamcast emerges against a 1st Gen 128 bit SONY machine and they are still learning to be a hardware provider...
Then again the security and learning experience of working with Nintendo from 92-95/96/97 could make SONY jump out gates even stronger in late 90s not 1994...
That extra motivation to broadside Nintendo was a key factor in getting everything up and running then doing things differently with licensees then using professionalism of their consumer divisions to strengthen the launch...
You might even be looking at a less strong Nintendo in terms of cornering their market right now...
Would SEGA have lasted past mid 2000s as a hardware manufacturer still given the issues between SEGA USA and SEGA Japan plus business sense, plus what would a 360 Era SEGA console even resemble?
Certainly a sliding doors moment for industry if SEGA were first to market over 360 and possibly Microsoft buy SEGA outright to kickstart own entry even (See 2000/2001 rumours)
In the end you just adapted to circumstances/hardware and the slow down gave you some hidden advantages in end plus was just a quirk of system but it was really bad in some early titles...Gradius III, even Area 88 plus some others, they got smarter programming wise by mid cycle...
That's a pretty good breakdown from what I recall from era especially the bit about CD caddies and I had forgotten not just Secret of Mana but Chrono Trigger was a CD title at first stage.
The whole "obfuscating paradigm" plus vaporware aspect as a marketing tactic to impede Mega/Sega CD sales while Nintendo worked out just exactly what they were going to do...and with which partner to side with if anyone is on the money...
Little bit pro SONY but cannot have everything...🫠
@slider1983 I enjoyed it on Amiga at the time got killed tons, played Super after got SNES never went back...
The Capcom Amiga US Gold Box Artwork was really well done as well for all their games, think it was the same artist...especially the Platinum Collection.
@MegaMel86 Never really heard much about this theory through decades...but it is an interesting one.
Do you have any links or is it just a theory?
Found this...from 80s
"In 1985, Nintendo, a rising star in the home video game console space, fought against Magnavox’s volley of lawsuits with the claim that Baer’s patent was invalidated by prior art. Years before Baer developed his idea, William Higinbotham at the Brookhaven National Laboratory built what is now believed to be the first video game, Tennis for Two, to run on an analog computer. Tennis for Two is clearly similar to Table Tennis in many respects, but the court found one crucial distinction: Higinbotham’s oscilloscope-based game—which actually dated back to 1958 and an era that no one would associate with video games—did not involve television signals, which was a key component of Baer’s patent and the video games at issue."
Here is the gumpf over the recent Streetfighter 2 E Honda stage alteration and reason...
"No official reason has been announced for the change, but the most likely explanation is that Capcom wants to avoid a negative reaction in other parts of Asia to the rising sun imagery. Particularly in China and Korea, vocal groups associate the symbol with the Imperial Japanese Army and World War II-era occupation. The issue is a complex one for many reasons, not the least of which is that although the Rising Sun flag was flown by the Imperial Japanese military, the symbol was neither created for nor exclusively used by the armed forces, and so it doesn’t have a necessarily militaristic or imperial feel to most Japanese citizens. Capcom, though, has apparently decided it’s not worth the risk of risking a backlash over Honda’s background, and so the sun has been scrubbed out of the mural entirely, even from the for-sale-in-Japan version of the games."
It was part the special photography set up at Mean Machines that showed the 16 bit games in all their glory, plus add the import scene so the unknown exotic factor.
Then having to wait each month for new games or screenshots plus amazing news then reviews or future snippets and tips!
I hold Amiga Format, Power, A.C.E., early Edge up to about a decade after 1993 launch under Brookes, Games X, Super Play and Mean Machines plus CVG and EGM then a few others as well like CU Amiga and PC Zone/Gamer, N64 magazine plus Zero, in high regard from that decade also...
Super Play is definitely the very best single format magazine though...
Did they use a variant of the "Blast Processing" strategy to open the doors of the said house that is all I want to know!
To be this good really does take ages!
Puts a new spin on "Do Me a Favour plug me into a Sega" and the "Sega Scream" though presumably created by said individual, or raiding squad on entry...
I assume the guilty party is sentenced to a Cyber Razorcut!
Genesis does what Nintendo don't most certainly!
I'll stop now.
Actually would have been perfect if raid was on 9th Sept as well. [Dreamcast 9.9.99]
Obviously Amiga and Atari ST fragrences will be twice as strong, pungent and aromatic as 16 bit over 8 bit...then the Falcon Archimedes and A1200 literally overpowering!
@Zenszulu Capcom would thus be throwing away guaranteed money if a reboot sequel is not created using Streetfighter 6 engine and digitised sprites! May as well release it on a new SEGA console as well to maximise sales!
@The_Nintendo_Pedant I loved the Dreamcast more as a second console to Gamecube for depth and variety of classics the Nintendo and SEGA combo was brilliant from 2001-2005
PS2 had MGS2/3, Gradius V, ICO, Last Guardian, Fantavision as stand outs or classics, and a few others eventually got sold in 2006/7, but held onto DC for 20-25 odd years...
@Damo Gamecube for me for same reasons nearly entirely. Dreamcast, PS2 and Gamecube combo having missed out on Sega Console from 98-2001 was amazing range, library and variety.
Getting Gamecube in Los Angeles one month after launch Christmas 2001 with Pikmin, Smash, Bluestorm and Rogue Squadron 2 was a spectacular launch line up from Nintendo.
I strangely want to get into collecting for OG XBox in the present though, having missed that console totally...especially more obscure gems like Crimson Skies.
Release a new version of Final Fight 3 please on SNES/MD/PC Engine those prices are now crazy for any version of that game after a huge spike pre and post Covid.
Great article, appreciate the concept art designs...
ToyBiz is fascinating piece of pop culture history due to the Mavel Link and Avi Arad...
"Toy Biz partially acquired Marvel Entertainment Group. In the late 1990s, Marvel Entertainment Group filed for bankruptcy and became the subject of a battle for control in bankruptcy court."
"The company was salvaged in 1997 and merged with Toy Biz in 1998. The new company became Marvel Enterprises, and Toy Biz became a division of the new company."
"He became the CEO of Toy Biz in the 1990s, was the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment and is the founder, former chairman and former CEO of the latter's successor, Marvel Studios."
"Since then, he has produced and sometimes written a wide array of live-action, animated, and television comic book adaptations."
● Gradius III
● Castlevania IV
● TMNT IV
● Pop n Twin Bee
● Sparkster
● Axelay
● Cybernator
● Sunset Riders
● Dracula X
● Lethal Enforcers
● Batman Returns
● Contra III
● Mystical Ninja
● Prince of Persia
● Tiny Toons
● Zombies Ate My Neighbours
Many more I have probably forgot as well, back when Konami was a AAA brand; reassuring a quality gaming experience.
Just banger after banger on 16 bit, then you have Megadrve (once the American market of Genesis grew too large to ignore) as well as PC Engine.
The secret invisible staircase with every power up, before the final boss battle with Dracula is still one of the ultimate hidden game secrets of all time as well!
Comments 382
Re: Ed Boon Pays Tribute To Retiring Audio Director Who Played "A Major Role In The Feel & Vibe Of Mortal Kombat"
@StyrofoamCup
Great post. It encapsulates how I feel about this westernised challenger to Streetfighter and the Mortal Madness that was the 90s.
Have you watched this?
Full 2hr official documentary
Insert Coin (2020) | Full Movie | Making of Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam & other 90s Hits
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7zx5GunyUS4
Re: Team Ninja Founder & Dead Or Alive Creator Tomonobu Itagaki Has Passed Away
One of the last great true gaming personalties.
RIP Tomonobu Itagaki
Re: McDonald's Is Teasing Something Street Fighter-Related, But Only In Japan
Sho Ryu Ken Special Deluxe Burger with Spinning Style Kick Fries and a Hado Ken Milkshake please!
Re: "Thanks To Everyone Who Played" - Donkey Kong Country And Banjo-Kazooie Designer Gregg Mayles Leaves Rare After 36 Years
@Masacheez
There is an excellent GI Biz article from Charles Cecil on maintaining Revolution's financial viability over the last 25 years and he made this quote I thought it was really insightful...
""I remember going to Develop last year, in 2024, and the old expression was, 'Just survive to '25'. And I remember standing up – and I made myself very unpopular – and I said, 'Why do you think we're going to go back to how it used to be?' It was so extraordinarily benign with Game Pass putting in millions and millions and millions, pumping up the industry. I said, 'Honestly, we have to find a new way to do business, because it's just not going to be the same.' And huge numbers of developers who did very well from the vast amounts of money being pumped into the industry just hoped it would return – but it won't."
Source: GIBZ
Maybe the age and more importantly viability of the AAA games industry is coming to a slow end?
Broken Sword 6 development also mentioned and current status.
Re: "Thanks To Everyone Who Played" - Donkey Kong Country And Banjo-Kazooie Designer Gregg Mayles Leaves Rare After 36 Years
Thanks for the memories Gregg.
Re: This Deep Sea Shooter Is Essentially A Horror-Themed Take On Star Fox 64
This looks pretty great I have to say.
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@Johnny_Arthur
I think you are right SNES CD would have been a success as Nintendo's console was hugely popular for the time in Japan and USA, it was still being sold in 1999 in mainstream stores like KB Toys with games.
Plus more importantly the software creators Square, Konami, Capcom, Hudson, Enix plus others and Nintendo themselves importantly really knew how to make it work and create amazing experiences...
Nintendo would have learned from Mega CD and PCE CD as well as kept an eye on 3DO...
The industry would have needed it to be a success...
This link has it all explained regarding real licensing issues with Nintendo/Sony..in comments the full Sam Pettus section/extract...
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/12/nintendo-left-us-standing-at-the-altar-shawn-layden-on-the-vengeful-birth-of-playstation
This was the key inflection point
"Sony intends to broadly license it to the [whole] software industry]." This was anathema to Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi, who had no intention of letting Nintendo losing control over any part of the process. He conspired [tactically orchestrated I would argue = Deuteros] with Sony's rival Philips to publically humiliate Sony the following day at the show."
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@retrophilion It's probably still the biggest videogame counterfactual there is, for sure the industry might be different.
If SEGA had more of a free ride early years SATURN style against 3D0 version 1.0 and Playstation and SONY went SOLO after breaking with Nintendo one hardware cycle down the line, in say 1997-99 it could be a totally different landscape if Dreamcast emerges against a 1st Gen 128 bit SONY machine and they are still learning to be a hardware provider...
Then again the security and learning experience of working with Nintendo from 92-95/96/97 could make SONY jump out gates even stronger in late 90s not 1994...
That extra motivation to broadside Nintendo was a key factor in getting everything up and running then doing things differently with licensees then using professionalism of their consumer divisions to strengthen the launch...
You might even be looking at a less strong Nintendo in terms of cornering their market right now...
Would SEGA have lasted past mid 2000s as a hardware manufacturer still given the issues between SEGA USA and SEGA Japan plus business sense, plus what would a 360 Era SEGA console even resemble?
Certainly a sliding doors moment for industry if SEGA were first to market over 360 and possibly Microsoft buy SEGA outright to kickstart own entry even (See 2000/2001 rumours)
Re: This Modder Is Making The Best Home Port Of Ghouls 'n Ghosts Even Better - And You Can Help
@KingMike Yeah know what you mean.
In the end you just adapted to circumstances/hardware and the slow down gave you some hidden advantages in end plus was just a quirk of system but it was really bad in some early titles...Gradius III, even Area 88 plus some others, they got smarter programming wise by mid cycle...
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@mganai77 Thanks for link.
That's a pretty good breakdown from what I recall from era especially the bit about CD caddies and I had forgotten not just Secret of Mana but Chrono Trigger was a CD title at first stage.
The whole "obfuscating paradigm" plus vaporware aspect as a marketing tactic to impede Mega/Sega CD sales while Nintendo worked out just exactly what they were going to do...and with which partner to side with if anyone is on the money...
Little bit pro SONY but cannot have everything...🫠
Re: This Modder Is Making The Best Home Port Of Ghouls 'n Ghosts Even Better - And You Can Help
I only played the sequel on the Platinum Collection for Amiga with Strider, Black Tiger and Forgotten Worlds.
Re: This Modder Is Making The Best Home Port Of Ghouls 'n Ghosts Even Better - And You Can Help
@slider1983 I enjoyed it on Amiga at the time got killed tons, played Super after got SNES never went back...
The Capcom Amiga US Gold Box Artwork was really well done as well for all their games, think it was the same artist...especially the Platinum Collection.
Re: This Modder Is Making The Best Home Port Of Ghouls 'n Ghosts Even Better - And You Can Help
Super Ghouls n Ghosts with slowdown removed and the PSP version are where it is at!
I think the GBA version has an arrange mode as well...
Lovely graphics and great music!
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@MegaMel86 Never really heard much about this theory through decades...but it is an interesting one.
Do you have any links or is it just a theory?
Found this...from 80s
"In 1985, Nintendo, a rising star in the home video game console space, fought against Magnavox’s volley of lawsuits with the claim that Baer’s patent was invalidated by prior art. Years before Baer developed his idea, William Higinbotham at the Brookhaven National Laboratory built what is now believed to be the first video game, Tennis for Two, to run on an analog computer. Tennis for Two is clearly similar to Table Tennis in many respects, but the court found one crucial distinction: Higinbotham’s oscilloscope-based game—which actually dated back to 1958 and an era that no one would associate with video games—did not involve television signals, which was a key component of Baer’s patent and the video games at issue."
Pretty good summary
https://www.thinkbrg.com/thinkset/ts-case-of-the-video-game-lawsuit-racket/
Specific...
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/707/717/1574608/
Although I see Phillips were still after Nintendo in 2014 for Wii and Wii U motion control patents...
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
There are a couple of columns with lots more detail on this topic one from 2015...
=110 comments even!
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2015/12/feature_what_if_the_snes_playstation_had_actually_happened#comments
This is most recent and has some good stuff in comments regarding SNES CD fiasco with SONY that birthed their main competition...
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/12/nintendo-left-us-standing-at-the-altar-shawn-layden-on-the-vengeful-birth-of-playstation
Fan Project to make SNES CD a reality
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/01/modder-behind-the-custom-sega-neptune-might-make-the-snes-playstation-a-reality
Plus a more recent one that was relevant...
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/03/turns-out-ken-kutaragi-has-a-nintendo-playstation-kicking-around-in-a-cupboard#comments
And these interesting EA/3DO/Hawkins snippets...
https://www.timeextension.com/features/flashback-sega-and-sony-almost-joined-forces-to-battle-nintendo-in-the-90s#comments
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/12/ea-founder-denies-giving-sony-the-idea-for-playstation
Re: Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror Is Officially Set To Get The "ReForged" Treatment
I just wish Revolution would make a few "new" adventure games once in a while!
Re: "Nintendo Has Made Serious Objections" - Last Ninja Collection Delayed On Consoles
Here is the gumpf over the recent Streetfighter 2 E Honda stage alteration and reason...
"No official reason has been announced for the change, but the most likely explanation is that Capcom wants to avoid a negative reaction in other parts of Asia to the rising sun imagery. Particularly in China and Korea, vocal groups associate the symbol with the Imperial Japanese Army and World War II-era occupation. The issue is a complex one for many reasons, not the least of which is that although the Rising Sun flag was flown by the Imperial Japanese military, the symbol was neither created for nor exclusively used by the armed forces, and so it doesn’t have a necessarily militaristic or imperial feel to most Japanese citizens. Capcom, though, has apparently decided it’s not worth the risk of risking a backlash over Honda’s background, and so the sun has been scrubbed out of the mural entirely, even from the for-sale-in-Japan version of the games."
https://japantoday.com/category/entertainment/rising-sun-removed-from-%27street-fighter-ii%27-background-in-game%E2%80%99s-latest-rerelease
Re: Anniversary: Mean Machines, The UK's Greatest Console Magazine, Turns 35 Today
@BionicDodo
It was part the special photography set up at Mean Machines that showed the 16 bit games in all their glory, plus add the import scene so the unknown exotic factor.
Then having to wait each month for new games or screenshots plus amazing news then reviews or future snippets and tips!
Better, simpler times.
Re: Anniversary: Mean Machines, The UK's Greatest Console Magazine, Turns 35 Today
@h3s
I hold Amiga Format, Power, A.C.E., early Edge up to about a decade after 1993 launch under Brookes, Games X, Super Play and Mean Machines plus CVG and EGM then a few others as well like CU Amiga and PC Zone/Gamer, N64 magazine plus Zero, in high regard from that decade also...
Super Play is definitely the very best single format magazine though...
Re: Anniversary: Mean Machines, The UK's Greatest Console Magazine, Turns 35 Today
Still need Turtles, The Megaman and Final Fight, an NFL one plus original Sonic then Star Wars plus Sonic 2 final edition of magazine. Curses!
But have a mint copy of SF2 Legendary review and pull out poster now and issue zero!
Still devestated let a complete set of Games X from Europress fall through fingers last month as well, as bad timing!
That era of early 90s gaming is still unmatched.
Plus here is a good link.
https://www.forgottenworlds.net/mean-machines-history
Re: Electronic Gaming Monthly Is Getting Its Own YouTube Documentary, Thanks To Game Sack And My Life In Gaming
This just reminded me no sign of delayed EGM compendium hardback yet, they keep adding stuff!
Re: Bitmap Books Next Release Aims To Be The "Definitive Book Of SNES RPGs"
Oh man I read this article, and I am down 40 quid!
Re: Castlevania-Inspired 'Lady Dracula' Promises A Transformative Take On The Classicvania Formula
Looks very good, for a NES 8-bit era game, now I want to play Nosferatu on the SNES!
Re: Company That Cleared Sega's Offices Of "Stolen" Nintendo Dev Kits Is A Charity, New Evidence Reveals
Did they use a variant of the "Blast Processing" strategy to open the doors of the said house that is all I want to know!
To be this good really does take ages!
Puts a new spin on "Do Me a Favour plug me into a Sega" and the "Sega Scream" though presumably created by said individual, or raiding squad on entry...
I assume the guilty party is sentenced to a Cyber Razorcut!
Genesis does what Nintendo don't most certainly!
I'll stop now.
Actually would have been perfect if raid was on 9th Sept as well. [Dreamcast 9.9.99]
Re: Random: C64 And Spectrum Fragrances Are Coming This Christmas, And They Don't Smell Like Body Odour And Sweaty Socks
Obviously Amiga and Atari ST fragrences will be twice as strong, pungent and aromatic as 16 bit over 8 bit...then the Falcon Archimedes and A1200 literally overpowering!
Re: After Burner Meets Devil May Cry In The Super Stylish 'Delivery Must Complete'
Oh this does look great, very Afterburner/Top Gun/Iron Eagle!
Re: The Best-Selling Sega Saturn Game In North America Might Surprise You (But Then Again, It Might Not)
@Zenszulu Capcom would thus be throwing away guaranteed money if a reboot sequel is not created using Streetfighter 6 engine and digitised sprites! May as well release it on a new SEGA console as well to maximise sales!
Re: Sega Takes Aim At Mario Kart By Recreating The Infamous Genesis "Blast Processing" Commercial From The '90s
I miss the tacit cold war marketing shenanigans of the 90s video game industry!
Re: The Best-Selling Sega Saturn Game In North America Might Surprise You (But Then Again, It Might Not)
@Zenszulu Must of been direct result of the quality of the game and 1994 movie with Van Damme! 😂
Re: The Best-Selling Sega Saturn Game In North America Might Surprise You (But Then Again, It Might Not)
Streetfighter the Movie at 11 in terms of units, did Capcom overproduce it or give it away?
All in all a remastered retro Mortalal Kombat-esque sprite version for next years Legendary film production is a must!
Re: Switch Isn't Getting A Virtual Boy Controller, So This Modder Has Created The Next Best Thing
Pretty neat never tried this controller, looks like a cross between a NES Bone or SNES and Gamecube prototype combined!
Re: Here Are The Best-Selling Dreamcast Games Of All Time (In The US)
@The_Nintendo_Pedant I loved the Dreamcast more as a second console to Gamecube for depth and variety of classics the Nintendo and SEGA combo was brilliant from 2001-2005
PS2 had MGS2/3, Gradius V, ICO, Last Guardian, Fantavision as stand outs or classics, and a few others eventually got sold in 2006/7, but held onto DC for 20-25 odd years...
Re: Here Are The Best-Selling Dreamcast Games Of All Time (In The US)
@The_Nintendo_Pedant Excellent RGB and VGA signal and display for sure on Dreamcast, looked like an arcade!
Re: Here Are The Best-Selling Dreamcast Games Of All Time (In The US)
@Sketcz Solid list here...
https://www.denofgeek.com/games/best-sega-dreamcast-games/
Plus Time Extension will have one hidden on website somewhere in Best of List series...
Re: Here Are The Best-Selling Dreamcast Games Of All Time (In The US)
@Damo Gamecube for me for same reasons nearly entirely. Dreamcast, PS2 and Gamecube combo having missed out on Sega Console from 98-2001 was amazing range, library and variety.
Getting Gamecube in Los Angeles one month after launch Christmas 2001 with Pikmin, Smash, Bluestorm and Rogue Squadron 2 was a spectacular launch line up from Nintendo.
I strangely want to get into collecting for OG XBox in the present though, having missed that console totally...especially more obscure gems like Crimson Skies.
Re: Here Are The Best-Selling Dreamcast Games Of All Time (In The US)
11 are Sports. 🤣
Re: Tatsujin's Upcoming Shmup Revival 'Truxton Extreme' Is Getting A Team Mode
This looks really really good..
Re: Fan-Made Genesis Port Of Final Fight Might Get Support For Three Players
Release a new version of Final Fight 3 please on SNES/MD/PC Engine those prices are now crazy for any version of that game after a huge spike pre and post Covid.
Re: "Can You Believe We Got Away With This?" - The Complete History Of Toy Biz's Video Game Superstars Line
Great article, appreciate the concept art designs...
ToyBiz is fascinating piece of pop culture history due to the Mavel Link and Avi Arad...
"Toy Biz partially acquired Marvel Entertainment Group. In the late 1990s, Marvel Entertainment Group filed for bankruptcy and became the subject of a battle for control in bankruptcy court."
"The company was salvaged in 1997 and merged with Toy Biz in 1998. The new company became Marvel Enterprises, and Toy Biz became a division of the new company."
"He became the CEO of Toy Biz in the 1990s, was the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment and is the founder, former chairman and former CEO of the latter's successor, Marvel Studios."
"Since then, he has produced and sometimes written a wide array of live-action, animated, and television comic book adaptations."
Re: The Making Of: Geoff Crammond's Formula One Grand Prix Series
Great article... recall the original release on Amiga/PC, then Ocean and DIDs EPIC being all graphics and no playability.
Hunter by Activision was very good though, a game often forgotten as a precursor to Body Harvest/GTA.
Re: "Rarest" Nintendo Famicom Game Found In US Retro Store For $12
Kudos to Pink Gorilla for taking this on chin.
Then making a marketing opportunity out of a pricing slip up as well in good spirits!
As others have said at least somebody will enjoy/play it now and be part of their collection!
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
@montrayjak
UN Squadron/Area 88 and Mystical Ninja plus Super Ghouls n Ghosts then Zelda III say hola!
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
@Espectro2410
If 2D great, if 3D not too fussed...
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
@nilcam Fangs for the gaming memories!
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
@Espectro2410 Genuine Question: What are Konami up to with Castlevania right now, in terms of releasing new games?
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
Looking at 16 bit SNES output specifically:
● Gradius III
● Castlevania IV
● TMNT IV
● Pop n Twin Bee
● Sparkster
● Axelay
● Cybernator
● Sunset Riders
● Dracula X
● Lethal Enforcers
● Batman Returns
● Contra III
● Mystical Ninja
● Prince of Persia
● Tiny Toons
● Zombies Ate My Neighbours
Many more I have probably forgot as well, back when Konami was a AAA brand; reassuring a quality gaming experience.
Just banger after banger on 16 bit, then you have Megadrve (once the American market of Genesis grew too large to ignore) as well as PC Engine.
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
The secret invisible staircase with every power up, before the final boss battle with Dracula is still one of the ultimate hidden game secrets of all time as well!
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
One of the best games of all time, coupled with amazing music, so scary I used it for Halloween one year, recorded onto a cassette tape from SNES.
The Metroidvanias do not compare for me, including SOTN and the GBA titles
Stone cold classic, like much of the early SNES run of games...
Perfect difficulty curve, and multi directional whip!
Re: Random: "Surely They're Trolling" - After The NES-Cart-In-A-SNES Debacle, The BBC Marks Windows 95's 30th With An Apple Mac
@Sketcz Sounds 100% plausible.
Cannot wait for the PC Engine CD 40th to just be a Sony Discman with NEC written in magic marker!
PS5 as a Neo Geo on side spray painted white this Christmas as well!
Re: Feature: "Like A Completely New Game" - The Untold Story Behind Prince Of Persia's Impressive SNES Port
Great article 10/10.
Deserves to be in a Time Extension Compilation Hardback Book.
I tried this again last year, for nostalgia, and my skills have totally slipped from the 1990s.