Diogmites

The unity here is awesome and the government so supportive… it’s sad the story in the UK is one of contrast to the Swiss.
Also, the Smaky series sounds lit!
Man, if i would have had a Pac Man level editor…
Great article, with interesting gaming history, and spotlighting a sterling example of taking steps to preserve it.
Now excuse me, i have a rabbit hole to explore by the name of Titor…

I checked the artist’s thread back on NL last night before falling asleep and clapped eyes on this box.
As i gazed upon it in wonder, i muttered an oath in testament to Zuljaras’ skill.
He’s always working on something, and it’s always something cool.

@Sketcz You’re welcome and thank you for the well wishes!

@Sketcz I actually replied with an explanation, then realised it begged more questions than it answered, and was way too long, so i deleted that and offered the solution you read.
Basically, i’m obsessive about my writing, and right now that’s exacerbated by my compromised vision. I haven’t been seeing well and had eye surgery this past week and i make a lot of mistakes, not only with spelling, but my reading comprehension has also taken a hit, as it’s quite uncomfortable to stare at a screen and read and write for any length of time. I also can’t focus on more than three words at a time. My vision will improve as the days pass, and in a month it should be stable enough for me to get a prescription for spectacles.
I can still game well. I have been doing it long enough, so i know what points to look at on the screen. And there is muscle memory. Sorry for the digression.
But without all that, i usually hate what i write shortly after typing it, and while i do edit, sometimes i just scrap the whole thing.

Damn. What a job to inherit! Abraham Kogan’s story, his thoughts before, during, and after all this, as well as his account of his time at Taito Brazil would be such an interesting read … I hope his life improved spectacularly as it seems like he was a nice dude.
Anyways, great article and thank you!

@Sketcz i copied most of it from my liked comments, so here it is. I delete a lot of comments.

@KGRAMR I see now it even reads that way. Thanks for the correction and extra info!
Excuse:I can’t see well for the moment, so reading/writing is a bit of a challenge.

Didn’t know Shigatake works for Vanillaware! It stands to reason, given his considerable talent. Love that old art of his! It’s awesome that Kazuyuki Nakashima kicked in some sweet DBR fanart!
Anyways , Devil Blade Reboot is an incredible shmup. Thanks for the cool follow up!

Note- i played retro mode (cuz Inferno is scary)today and really appreciate what Shigatake did with the reboot.

It’s sad an academic affair like this is apparently considered anathema by almost all of game’s media.
I really dig game’s history and i will make time to read any coverage on what was clearly a stimulating and awesome conference.
Thanks for covering this and i look forward to more!

I have been playing some unusually long (and amazing) shmups this year, so 6 levels sounds damn comfy right now.
Ooooh 2d rotating and scaling sprites…
I’ll probably pick this up soon.
Thanks for the review!

I love the smell of Milk Jet Battle in the morning.

@KitsuneNight I was always into transformers, but a friend had a handful of go bots, including both leaders.. cykill and leader 1? I recall reading a comic, but maybe that is a false memory…
I have history with Tonka as well, so it’s all interesting to read!
Sucks Hasbro is seemingly either unaware or doesn’t care about the GoBots brand.
Thanks again!

@KitsuneNight I liked Beast Wars and didn’t know there was a fighting game on the N64(a console i am familiar with) & PS1.
Thanks for bringing Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle(lol) to my attention. Glorious title.
So Hasbro would still need to license GoBot character designs from Bandai maybe?
I didn’t know Hasbro bought Tonka so long ago.
Thanks for the info and links!

I would play this.

I wish i could replicate the transforming noise with my vocals.
As kids, my clique adopted several methods of vocalizing transformers transforming.
The most common method, and one i first heard, was to use a soft “ch” sound repeatedly and in quick succession. And shortly after, hard “ch”s were used employing the same technique.
Later, a few of the more eccentric members of our crew, adopted the method of trapping air in the side of one cheek and then slowly releasing it through the same side of marginally pursed lips to create a vibrating sound. Similar to the sound of running one’s fingers along a comb’s plastic teeth, though it should be mentioned that this method was also and often used to mimic the sounds of human flatulence. When using fart noises as a simulacrum for transforming , one would vary the pitch and speed of the “farts” to more closely replicate the variance the show’s titular robots produced when changing. But, i was always a die-hard soft “ch”er.

Moving past this undeniably important digression, it is weird we have never gotten a Transformers fighting game or a GoBots vs Transformers (Machine Robo vs. Diaclone?) mashup fighter.

Anyways, Diepod looks to be doing great work here!

It’s good the Williams’ finally found a project they are comfortable with, and it looks like things are well underway.
I look forward to seeing the results!

Wishlisted on sight! This is an exciting prospect and it looks slick.

Desert Strike, though not an in-cockpit sim, had a feel of realism to me. The weight of the chopper was conveyed so well through how the controls handled, and the sounds it produced, say when one smacked the side of the building. That hum of rotor blades was constant.
According to a retro gamer interview, Designer Mike Posehn said Trip thought rescuing people in Choplifter “felt cool” and that’s how he got the project. It was inspired by the civil war in Lebanon, but during development the Gulf War broke out and media at the time connected it to that.

Anyways, thanks for spotlighting this, Damien!

I wouldn’t mind a Starfox collection on Switch.

I never watched this movie in theatres, mainly because i loathed The Wonder Years, so i saw it as an adult.
Not that bad really, all things considered. It was better than Joysticks.
Maybe.

@Sketcz When researching, Fenrir and MODE were the two most recommended for Saturn games and i appreciate the Fenrir recommendation. I will check it out further.

I’ll avoid the PITA rhea lol
Thanks for your help!

@Sketcz I just checked some price listings for Taromaru and nearly filled my drawers.
Oof. Sin and Punishment is cool as heck, but i can indeed imagine your experience in that mountain hamlet is one not easily forgotten or reconciled!
I’ve had a few missed opportunities and let some things slip through my fingers.
I don’t have an ODE but am researching. Terraonion has a MODE up for preorder that looks nice.
I’ll check out emulation. I haven’t been current on the scene for well over a decade, and hopefully there’s some nice options for me.
Thanks for the info, anecdote and bringing Shinrei Jusatsu Taromaru to my attention. It will be played!

I’ll be checking this out when i get to my PC. Thanks for the heads up!

I had a cousin who was really into the King’s Quest games and while his family lived a great distance from mine, we did visit occasionally and one of my favorite memories is of playing those early games on his computer.
He also had a Black Cauldron game that i believe Roberta worked on with Al Lowe.
I was quite young and we would usually get hopelessly stuck, but the fantasy aesthetic and fun writing always saw to it that we had a blast.
I did play King’s Quest: Mask of Eternity, and if i recall correctly, it didn’t blow my socks off, but i enjoyed playing through another of Roberta’s games.
I would totally be down for playing another King’s Quest (or whatever) game designed by Roberta.

That thing is beautiful to me.

@Sketcz I played Alisia Dragoon for the first time on one of the minis and it was a standout for me.
While i have never played Shinrei Jusatsu Taromaru, from the screenshots i just glanced at, i can tell you that Alisia is the better game. Anime chick with monster pets trumps Samurai battling demons every day. Though now that the words have left my fingertips, i actually feel it might be a draw.
Also, in the wiki i checked, it quotes a reviewer who compared it to Mystic Defender, which is another game i love, though i think the general consensus is that it is “ok”. Have you played that one? Apparently it is the sequel to a game called Spellcaster on the Master system.
Reflecting on these comparisons, i feel i’d really like Taromaru.
As i think on the Saturn more, i feel it might have made that era a little sunnier for me, as i was a staunch defender of 2d graphics at the time(now either works for me) and i never loved the ps1 or the N64(which i knew quite well). I’d say that era was my least favorite in gaming. Maybe the Saturn would have changed that, as i was a big shmup and fighting game fan as well as other genres.
Also, i read up on that Dragon Force game and it seems awesome.
I enjoy reading about your love for the system!

I’ve officially stopped calling the Saturn a failure, and now refer to it as a bronze medalist.
I’m converted (really!), but i need to get my hands on these games.
And i don’t like to work to set up my games anymore , so i need them to come in as convenient a package as possible. A Saturn mini is what i need!
I want to play the game that was named after our friend Bulkslash. Hey, was Code of Princess inspired by Crown Princess? They are like Guardian Heroes games, right? I’ve probably played most of the fighting games and shooters… though i need more Panzer Dragoon…
Hey, what- wtf- is that an Evangelion game!?

Of all these mags, the only one i’ve seen on the list in the U.S. is Retro Gamer, and i’m surprised to see it so low.. it’s one if the best, if not the best gaming mag i’ve ever read and i pick one up whenever i get the chance.
But i’ve never read any of the others so i can only wonder, and not complain.
In the US in the 80s there was a line of toy cars called Mean Machines and the title reminds of those.

@sdelfin I saw the game in magazines too, and then was able to rent it along with the Genesis, and had already beaten the game when i received the system for xmas.
I still played through it repeatedly though, but before i had made my decision to get the Genesis, i told myself i had to find another game that i wanted to play as badly, and that was Climax’s Shining in the Darkness.
As you mention, Spidey felt great to control and i agree. In particular, i thought they nailed the web-slinging movement of his, and sticking to walls was simple and intuitive.
I think i figured out that it was possible to slow M.J.’s descent by accident, but it’s possible i had read it in a magazine.
I liked the photography aspect too, though it was essentially just taking screenshots of enemies for in-game cash.
It would be great if there was a way to get the game commercially, but i imagine the licensing is all jacked up.
Sonic i didn’t even try(even though it was bundled with the system) until i had gotten tired of going through Shining and Spider Man , but when i did, i fell in love with it too.

Glad to read about your experiences with it and good to know i’m not the only fan!

The Spider Man game Jon worked on was why i got a Genesis. I was a comic fan back then and the game’s art style reminded me of Larsen’s run. I love that game still.
R.I.P. Jon Miller.

@RetroGames An epic, atmospheric piece! I always liked Birth of The People, which i think was the standard peaceful, over-world map music(not to mention the song in the sample video).
I think the last stage track was another fave.

For me, Yuzo Koshiro’s Actraiser music stands along stuff like Super Metroid , Technosoft’s stuff, Streets of Rage 2 and FF6 and Chrono Trigger as the cream of-the-crop of 16-bit era tunes.

@Damo Herzog Zwei is my favorite Genesis/MegaDrive game, and the time i’ve spent in the menu screen listening to greats like that catchy opening, Jagd Flieger, and others such as Slight of Hand, Sniper and The Super Fighter Invigorated Us probably equals the time i’ve spent playing it. It’s masterful stuff!

Actraiser, along with Herzog Zwei(Genesis/MD), Thunder Force AC(Arcade), Ninja Gaiden 2(NES) and Silver Surfer(NES), is one of my favorite game tracks OAT.
So i appreciate the selection.

Sweet sounds and thank you!

This is a difficult game and i am pretty sure i’ve never beaten it. That ship has probably sailed, but i will grab this classic and am still excited to be crushed by my enemies, driven before them, and to hear the lamentations of myself.

There was a time in my gaming circle where scapegoating one’s own controller after a poor performance would net a barrage of insults, unless one was holding a Mad Catz controller.
In that case, only sympathy was offered.
The new stuff is good though.

@OldManHermit For sure! The guy who’s character perpetrated the aforementioned crime reminded me of the main villain’s eccentric henchman in Escape from New York and it is the same dude, Frank Doubleday. And i recognized the assistant chick from The Fog.
Anyways, it was a wonderfully gritty film and i loved the evolving dynamic between the cop and the con. Great film! Thanks for the recommendation.
Also from my notes, this quote:
“You run this station like chicken night in Turkey!”
haha

@OldManHermit Emperor of the North is a hard one to track down , but i just saw the trailer and it looks like something i’d like so i’ll keep searching.
Also, i’m 32 minutes into AoP13 and just saw a kid holding an ice cream cone get blown away so maybe i’ll edit my earlier comment haha

@OldManHermit Didn’t see Escape until a few years ago and loved it. It was one of the few Carpenter movies i never saw in my youth.

Ernest Borgnine is great in Escape as Cabbie. Have you seen Disney’s The Black Hole? It’s a dark sci fi film from 1979 and Ernest is in it. I really dig it.

Still haven’t seen Precinct because stuff came up this weekend and i didn’t get anything watched or even played. But hoping to tomorrow night if i things go as planned!

Hey isn’t this the same company that demolished those two historical Atari buildings?
AI, lazinesss… nah my take is that they loathe games and gamers and enjoy antagonizing us.
Really, that’s my take.

Google likely was aware of what these buildings were, right? Someone surely raised concern?
As someone who reads a fair amount of industry history, and who’s first system was an Atari 5200, this news is profoundly disappointing.
These buildings are gone. Nothing physical can be restored to a satisfactory state.

It’s something that bears sharing , of course. Thanks for letting us know!

The setting is perfect for a battle royale! It’s a pity neither of these projects came to fruition. I bet there would have been a disproportionate number of players with Maggie skins.

Scott’s pitch mentions an F-22 which is interesting because Escape from New York takes place in 1997 and the Raptor’s first flight irl took place in the same year.

I didn’t get into too many mobas, but i would have been happy to try either of these projects had they made the journey to completed and published game.
Didn’t know there was a new film being developed.

Thanks for the news, Damien!

Glad this is coming to Switch. I like the retro anime style. I’ll check out that steam demo too! Thank you!

When drinking one’s own pee on tv was just a glint in the eye of Bear Grylls, Kevin Costner was doing it on the big screen in Water World.
Pioneer.

“Peter, are you naturally strong?”

“Um, i’m not really sure.”

XD

@Rozetta You’re welcome! 😀

@Rozetta I was a Fatal Fury fan before i became a KoF fan. I hope ‘98 is fun for you!
Also, i remember you told me you were a Langrisser fan, there’s an excellent article on its creation here.
https://www.timeextension.com/features/the-making-of-langrisser-warsong-fire-emblems-oft-ignored-rival

@Avol I actually had set out to purchase Neo Blood 1 way back when, but couldn’t find it, so settled on Neo Blood 2, and enjoyed it quite a bit.
I liked reading of your comment, and glad you had fun with Terry and Mai!

Sweet, ‘97 squeaking in at first!
I’m curious, does anybody here ever use Extra mode? I just play in my own circle, so i’m curious…
‘96 being above XIII(and many others) is not to my taste, but i am not going to drop my own score, as i still think it’s a great game.
I think i have a notebook somewhere with my KoF list, but i can’t access it right now. Here’s a loosey goosey top 5.
1.KoF XIII
2.KoF ‘97
3.KoF ‘98
4.KoF ‘02
5.KoF XV
I actually have really enjoyed the new 3d entires, but they haven’t had the staying power of the older ones. Probably cuz my regular opponents aren’t as enchanted.
That’s enough rambling… thanks to the author for compiling and writing and thanks to the rankers!

This was an interesting game, though their later efforts like, Stop Chasing the Dragon Coach, weren’t quite as effective.

@O_Ilusionista That’s awesome! That was a lifetime ago for me, but i have fond memories. I’m excited to check out your guys’ projects! 😀

The odyssey of Pistol Shrimp Games! I love that name and Free Stars looks promising.
The concept art is great too!
Congrats to these these two and i’ll keep an eye on this!

This looks fun and i’m going to check it out when i have time.
“Brazilian MugenTeam”.. This reminds me of M.U.G.E.N.. I forgot about mugen, i used to spend hours upon hours customising and creating in mugen back in the late 90s early 2000s. Been away from that scene forever.
Edited- asked a question that i realised was answered in the subheader so i changed it

There’s videos of guys restoring and refurbishing old systems online that i find quite satisfying to watch.
Great business idea and good to know these guys exist!