RetroGames

I remember getting some issues of this for a while. Don't have anything now though.

Actually looks pretty cool.

The whole Evercade idea is turning into something pretty special now that the bigger picture is coming into focus.

It's such a cool retro futuristic design.

It's welcome by me on the SNES.

Again, if someone told me this was an early PC Engine or Genesis game, I would totally believe it. Very impressive for the humble NES.

Still looking very slick.

It would be so cool if we could somehow get brand new re-releases of basically all the major SNES titles in physical boxed cartridge form to go alongside something like this, so you could purchase this and new games and know you'd have something that would be future proof for maybe the next 20+ years or whatever.

The original SNES games are all mostly in crap condition--more the boxes and stuff than the actual cartridges I guess--so, for someone like me, it's a bit off-putting to have such a slick new bit of physical hardware but only old shabby games to plug into it. It's also a hassle just getting them now anyway, because of the whole collector's scene and prices being bloated to unreasonable levels and such.

I just like both my physical games and console hardware to be in basically new condition and reasonably priced.

This is looking very nice.

@LowDefAl Ah, then that makes much more sense in context.

If the circle and cross are yes and no, I presume that means circle is yes and cross is no, so, shouldn't the cross be red and the circle blue (or actually green makes more sense here). I'd have had the triangle be blue, the square is fine as pink, the circle green and the cross red. I personally think that would make more sense. But it is what is is.

Just shows that these companies have always tried to abuse their position to make people who don't know the law do what they say without question. But at least some people do actually question some of the things these companies state as if they were absolute laws of the land.

I'd like to know who was threatening this guy and why?

Looks cool so far.

I get more of a Link to the Past and Stardew Valley [or Harvest Moon SNES] crossover with a little bit of Earthbound too vibe from the visuals though.

Of course, the actual gameplay doesn't necessarily have to match what I'm seeing at a surface glance.

Will be interesting to learn more and more.

@norwichred I don't know about other people, but I really don't want any of that crap in what is supposed to be a feel good nostalgic article about a beloved kids movie. Something one or more of the actors did outside of this movie is not related to why we're here reading about the making of The Wizard. I've had enough with people in modern times constantly turning everything into some serious reality-check "news" bulletin character hit piece or whatever. Save that kind of stuff for your endless crusades on all those "social" media platforms and the like. A simple dedicated retro gaming website celebrating all things retro gaming is not the place for it. For Christ's sake.

@GhaleonUnlimited It doesn't look like it based on this list:

https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_64_games_with_Rumble_Pak_support

Still, looks like whole lot of games do support it.

It's not a great movie, but it's just really fun seeing it build to the awesome reveal of Super Mario Bros. 3 and the end and basically the whole Nintendo World Championships section finale.

@jesse_dylan Ah, yes, you are correct. It basically looks right on the same level as DQ3. Lovely visuals there on SNES.

@GhaleonUnlimited When you use the N64 rumble with a game like GoldenEye 64, you realise it feels nothing like the crappy bzzzzz vibration that almost every single modern controller's rumble uses, which is more like a mobile phone vibrating and so unsatisfying imo. It honestly feels much nicer on N64, and more like an actual sensation of kickback. It's so satisfying for both single shots with the Walther PPK and also rapid fire with the RC-P90, and everything in between. I actually miss that kind of rumble and long for it in more modern controllers. I really want that and beyond in modern VR controllers for example. Maybe that's what it's like in the PSVR2's controllers, which are supposed to feel great with both the advanced rumble and resistive triggers, but I haven't tried them so can't say personally how satisfying they are. None of my VR headsets from the Rift CV1 to my Quest 3 have ever had rumble as good as the old N64 controller though, not for me anyway. I think that says a whole lot, given this was the first use of rumble in a gamepad like this (although it was a thing in some PC joysticks before then, most notably the Microsoft Sidewinder ones*, and actually even better than on the N64 controller at that).

PS. Here's a nice little video on the N64 rumble pack: https://youtu.be/JWQ3kJYdf_0?si=mpe4TytzsvFj-tmc and another one https://youtu.be/97_SBOC-I44?si=FEqJoVvojVoZTVjY

*https://youtu.be/MPqF1IuPsBE?si=rYnjr8RBTDcf2SI5

@GhaleonUnlimited Well, that's what opinions are all about. I'd personally pick a brand new N64 controller over the Saturn 3D controller any day of the week. It's especially cool that you can hold an N64 controller in each hand by the centre prong for dual analogue control in games like GoldenEye 64 and Perfect Dark imo--the first time dual analogue fps control was ever a thing, before even the PlayStation got in on it too. But, each person has their own tastes and preferences there. The one thing the Saturn pad simply does not get is any of the credit for being something special in the history of controllers from that generation. That entirely goes the N64 controller for even daring to give us analogue thumbsticks, multiple ways to perfectly play both old 2D and brand new 3D games, which was revolutionary for the time, awesome rumble support that I've yet to feel better on any controller since personally, the trigger button on the centre prong that really makes it feel like holding and shooting a gun, the four controller ports built directly into the console as standard, and even the choice of many different colours just for a little personalisation joy. If we're kinda getting back to the gist of the article, it's the N64 controller that's the one that deserves its rightful place and story in the history books there, and not just some afterthought copy of it. That's just my thoughts on that one thing mind you.

PS. My N64 analogue stick worked perfectly until the day I sold it years after first getting it. But I really do look after all my consoles exceptionally well, so maybe I am just very fortunate in that way.

PPS. You can't really judge the N64 controller based on modern kids not instantly knowing how to hold it properly, at least not fairly anyway. But the people who got it back in the day did get instructions on the three main ways to hold it*, so it's on anyone who didn't read the manual back then if they didn't figure out how to simply hold the thing properly.

*https://statics.vrutal.com/hm/2019/04/VRU_162413_por_si_alguna_vez_preguntaron_como_se_usaba_el_mando_de_la_nintendo_64_aqui_lo_muestra_el_manual.jpg

@GhaleonUnlimited For 2D I will always favour a classic d-pad, and I'll pick the patented NES/SNES d-pad above all. The SNES controller is also still my favourite 2D controller ever. And for 3D games I will always pick an analog thumbstick, of which the N64 was the one that started it all and still feels great to this day when you get a new one. The 3D Saturn controller was a reaction to the groundbreaking N64 controller, just as the PlayStation's Dual Analogue controller was too. They were both just learning from Nintendo's greatness there, and in some ways improving on it and others not. For a modern controller that does it all though, I'm still a big fan of the modern Xbox controllers, possibly with a slight preference for the Xbox One design, and have been a fan since basically the original Xbox' S controller. But that's just my personal take, and I'm sure others have their own too.

@mganai77 You're confused about what I meant.

It didn't stand out because great 2D was well within the capabilities of both of those other systems too, it was a natural and obvious evolution of what came before, and 2D really wasn't the in thing at that moment either. So, regardless of how well it holds up in retrospect, being great at 2D wasn't some USP of Saturn when it actually mattered.

Similarly, you might love its controller, but it's simply wasn't on par with the N64 and PlayStation controllers when all is said and done. It had one genre where someone could argue it was better suited, and the other two system's controller just outright trumped it in every other way. This is something that could be quite easily demonstrated with countless examples, both in terms of analysing the actual physical controllers and their various inputs, but also what new gameplay innovations and such were possible as a result and how well suited those controller were to them.

By almost every measure, the Saturn was a pretty obvious evolution of what came before and didn't do anything truly unique, new or special. It just did the things it did very well, but so did the other systems. And those other systems also did things that were far more impacting and important in the grand scheme of things at the end of the day.

That's what I mean when I say the Saturn didn't stand out: There's three consoles, one blew everything out the water and took the industry to new heights, one was a revolution and paradigm shift in multiple ways, and the other was simply a quality but pretty obvious next step for a next generation console.

It's okay for people to love the Saturn. It's fair to give it due credit for having some great games, especially some really brilliant 2D titles. But there's no serious debate to be had that it's somehow being cheated of its destiny or rightful heights in the history books or whatever by being remembered for being in third place in that console generation and having some great 2D games especially and little more of particular note.

Hey, I actually really like the Saturn and would rank some of its games very highly in the generation--love me some Sega Rally Championship and Panzer Dragoon. I'd also love to see Sega release a Saturn Mini for sure. But I'm just being honest here.

@Darknyht I don't think the visuals were up to this quality on those SNES versions though, right?

If that's the case, I would definitely love to see them looking this pretty.

Honestly looks pretty cool.

Boy does this look lovely.

Interestingly, I think it shows really how good a SNES version of such a game could have looked too.

Kinda wish that was on SNES, either then or now.

Edge was the "sophisticated" man's gaming mag at the time, but I would 100% put both Mean Machines and Super Play above it. They'd be my own top two gaming mags of all time. And mags like Maximum (shame that was so short lived) and C&VG would rank very highly too. Edge would possibly get the number five spot.

Basically, I think my top five would be:

1. Mean Machines
2. Super Play
3. Maximum
4. C&VG
5. Edge

@Uncharted2007 I would certainly be up for Saturn Mini.

I think you're maybe pushing your own narrative at this point, as if, what, there's some online movement going on to diminish the Saturn or something like that.

The vast majority of people I've seen online remember the Saturn in a perfectly reasonable, accurate, and actually positive way: It was a great little system, powerful but a pain to develop for and was held back technically somewhat because of that, had a bunch of great games and was especially solid when it came to 2D games, but it ultimately couldn't compete with the likes of PlayStation and N64 at the time in various ways and for various reasons, and therefore it came in third in the console war that generation. That's the story I see most people who talk about this system telling, which seems fair enough.

It's still absolutely a beloved classic console in the eyes of many, and one that probably could have been even more successful if a bunch of circumstances were different--but they weren't.

As I see it, history remembers these consoles exactly as they should: PlayStation utterly dominated the industry then, changed the face of the gaming landscape in many ways, was a brilliant system pretty much all round, had a vast library of games and many greats in there, and deserves all the praise it gets. N64 was truly revolutionary and paradigm shifting in multiple ways, gave us an amazing new way of controlling games and a handful of games that are still now widely regarded as some of the greatest and most important and influential in the history of gaming, certainly in terms of the 3D era and everything that helped define it, and, while it didn't get as much third party support due to the use of cartridges, absolutely earned its place in history. And Saturn was a great system in its own right, but, ultimately, it didn't really stand out in any major way when you put it side by side with those other two absolute giants. It was to the Genesis as the Genesis was to the Master System and the GameCube to the N64 imo, which is obviously more and bigger and better, but ultimately a pretty obvious evolution of what came before it and [very high quality but] standard affair really. Virtue Racing, Virtua Fighter, Sega Rally, etc, while great games, ain't gonna beat the likes of Super Mario 64, Zelda 64, GoldenEye 64 on N64, or Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy VII, etc, on PlayStation in the eyes and hearts of most gamers. And the Saturn's default controller and its only two controller ports can't compete with the N64's kinda huge deal controller that introduced thumbstick analog controls, the Z trigger, multiple ways to control games on a single controller that covered both old and new ways of play, rumble support, and four controller ports, or even stand toe to toe with the pretty standard affair and obvious evolution of the SNES controller but still great original PlayStation controller either.

The Saturn wasn't bad in any way, but it ended up third at the end of the day, and I personally see no issue or unfairness with the general online narrative around that in the slightest when you consider these systems, their capabilities, their control inputs, the games for them, and the circumstances of each system and the companies making them at the time and how they ultimately impacted the industry, etc.

What I personally do see though is a lot of Sega fans in recent times really getting on their high horse about so many things decades after the fact, and actually them being the ones trying to constantly rewrite and "correct" history as they see it. It's like they have some decades-old grudge to bear and all these "wrongs" to right or something. And they often seem to go at it with quite a hostile and attacking approach, like "Sega was right and you were all wrong, and your system and its games were never as good as you thought, so we will now try to diminish the competition decades after the fact, even spin false narratives and outright lie if we have to, and we have to educate you on how it really was and how everyone should properly see it now", and so on.

That's my recent experience online for sure in the last handful of years at least. But, hey, maybe I'm just not getting that story exactly as it is.

PS. I had a Saturn before getting a PlayStation and then ultimately settling on the N64, and I really enjoyed the Saturn. I absolutely loved games like Sega Rally Championship and Panzer Dragoon, and enjoyed quite a few other titles on it too. I certainly wouldn't complain if Sega made a Saturn Mini at some point, that's for sure.

An interesting little piece of history.

Looks pretty cool so far, and actually very nice for the NES imo.

I'm hoping he does a bit more on the SNES version than what he's mentioned to date and at least tries to get the visuals up to around the same level as the GBA and PC versions. Right now I think he's just using the NES visuals for the SNES port, but I think it deserves better than that. And, since he already has all the higher colour art for those other versions I mentioned anyway, it really would be disappointing if he doesn't try to at least get somewhere close to that level of visuals on the SNES version too. Fingers crossed.

Given we've not really seen anything specific for the SNES version that I'm aware of, it has a little worried about that version to be honest. Will it end up getting cancelled or something. Who knows.

Still, as it stands, I'm happy to hear it is so far coming to the SNES, which is a bonus for fans of that system.

This is the kind of thing were I'm like why can't I ever be this lucky!

If the dude gets the money, that's him a millionaire overnight.

@Diogmites Yeah, totally agree. Those picks are right up there as some of the very best of the generation.

Well that's kinda cool.

Outside of that, this game has some of the best quality music I've ever heard on SNES. Some of the very best of the 16-bit era actually imo.

I particularly love this tune: https://youtu.be/uaSzPReU2_E?si=h2lE2UJjisCHBEQP&t=79

Nice to see the ActRaiser music still getting some love.

@Axelay71 @Coalescence Yeah, I guess Nintendo ultimately decided it was too niche a use case and not worth adding a few pennies to the cost of producing each unit, which I can understand with this particular feature.

@Axelay71 Not sure this is one of those features that was particularly desired at any point for any home consoles to be honest. This is probably why the vast majority of them never bothered with it.

With Genesis, I think this was the only way to listen to the games in stereo back then via normal official means though, if I recall correctly, so I guess it made sense there. With SNES, I think you got stereo as standard through the TV via the normal official cables and connections, and even proper Dolby Surround sound in a few games too--if you were lucky enough to have a surround sound setup.

I had a Dolby Pro Logic setup back in the day on my Toshiba TV, and yet I didn't even realise I could take advantage of it with some of my SNES games. And that's a real shame, as I can only imagine how cool it must have been listening to games like Seiken Densetsu 3, Star Fox, Super Turrican 1 and 2, Castlevania IV, Gundam Wing: Endless Duel, Donkey Kong Country, Yoshi's Island, etc, back then in surround sound coming from a humble SNES.

Note: Online says those games I listed supported surround sound, either officially with a Dolby Surround sound license or unofficially, but I've not verified if that's true for all those titles myself. I know some definitely did though, as it literally says so on the title screens and such, like with Super Turrican 1 and 2 for example.

Well, this is certainly a rare find.

I'd say the Virtual Boy is a more infamous flop.

Looks like it would be a great fit for SNES.

The system's design is starting to lose its original charm and look a bit meh for me (to be fair, I think it's just those green buttons, that look baaad imo). And even then I always thought the original was a little bit of an ugly stepchild at that. But, outside of my opinion on the design of the physical hardware, I really do think these Evercade guys have done a great job with their whole concept.

Very nice re-release. Not a fan of the fluff "collectible" extra stuff in the box that's just wasting plastic and fit for landfill imo, but the main game cartridge and packaging and manual are all very cool. I'd happily see the entire SNES library re-released like this again (minus the fluff stuff).

It was a thing, and then it was gone, and now it's the next paradigm shift in gaming, entertainment and beyond in the making.

It was actually a good interview. And I like that there really was a sense of just basic respect for the art and hobby of gaming the whole time there. That's not always been the case. Nice to see we've come a long way.

Kinda wanna see this released as a rom now.

Very cool.

On a related note: If someone were to convert the original NES game to run directly on SNES, maybe infidelity for example, since this is something he's already done for a bunch of NES games and with pretty awesome results (https://archive.org/details/@infidelity), I think you'd be able to update all the pixel art to look pretty similar to this with full 16-bit colours there. I mean, it wouldn't be quite on par with these modern-retro visuals, because it would ultimately still be a NES game with added SNES colours, but it would just be rather cool to see it running on an actual original SNES like that.

Anyhoo, this new version of the game looks very nice.

Looking good so far. Will be interesting to see how the levels where he's running into the screen look, as I would imagine there's a bit more 3D geometry and stuff to handle there.

I really wish Nintendo would make a Game Boy Classic Mini.

Although, maybe what I really want is some mishmash system that looks just like the original Game Boy aesthetically but a little smaller and about half as thick, with a lovely modern backlit display, and probably even in colour so it can also play GBC games too or something like that. I'm not sure that's really a Game Boy Mini anymore, but if it were an official product with like 20-50 games built in or whatever, I think I'd get it.

Ideally, I'd actually want something that could play and had a bunch of GB, GBC and GBA built into one design. But at that point I really can't decide what would be the best way to go. Maybe a re-release of the seminal GBAS SP design [in black for me personally] with a stunning new display and a bunch of games from those various systems built in would be the answer.

I'm just imagining really.

@Damo Yeah, that [first part] was obviously their thinking on that one too.

Yeah, I can see how that would be a thing.

It looks terrible, but it also looks like it had lots of potential to actually be something good if handled properly. Wrong casting for the main presenter though for sure. Skinny dude with Scottish accent just ain't gonna cut it. And I say that as a skinny dude with Scottish accent.

A lot more samples of pages from inside the book would help me decide if I want it or not.

The Zapper is what makes this game imo. Such a simple and effective design for the time.

It's kinda annoying how clunky and crappy the SNES Super Scope was as a design by comparison imo. A simple Super Zapper would have been perfect, and I expect a lot more successful too.

@Zenszulu Probably the best solution would have been not to release all those separate things in the first place and just go from Mega Drive to Saturn (and I'd take the Mega CD in the middle at a push). But hindsight is a great thing.