Comments 9

Re: 14 Percent Of North Americans Still Play Gaming Systems Released Before 2000

StyrofoamCup

I'm in most of those categories except playing a cassette tape and using a fax machine unless having my prescription company fax my doctor's office counts. And yes, they still do that.

I've been on the hunt for a nice portable cassette player though. I want a nice, shiny red one.

Also, I have over 15 consoles in my entertainment center predating the Xbox 360.

Re: Review: 8BitMods MemCard Pro 2 - Run PS2 Games And Manage Your Saves From This $50 Memory Card

StyrofoamCup

My experience thus far with the MemoryCard Pro 2 and a 512 GB micro sd card has been above and beyond my expectations.

I'm currently using a Japanese PS2 Slim (Ceramic White) which I had in storage since I have a Test OG PS2 unit in my entertainment setup. This machine is not compatible with the FMCB since its BIOS is not re-writable.

Of the 30 game thus far tested spanning US and Japanese games, only Gran Turismo 4 Spec II (hack) shows noticeable stuttering in the intro that I gladly skip over (Not a fan of Van Halen). But the game performance is flawless.

For Gradius V, I feel it has some off-spec configuration that requires reading the intro data from disc. I've messed with all the settings in OPL, turned on skipping videos, but Gradius V just loads to a black screen which I haven't experienced with any other games yet This isn't a new issue either with OPL, but the Internet is a bit devoid of a deepdive review of the game's ELF boot file. Only time will tell if future updates to this OPL experience can address the loading problem.

Overall, for about $50, this is an outstanding loading method that finally makes me enjoy the PS2 after 25 years.

Re: Game Researcher Says Street Fighter II Was "USA Vs. Japan" And Japanese People Aren't Happy

StyrofoamCup

Truly a remarkable response from Yoshida regarding respecting an opposing view and evidence being the foundation in a counterargument.

I do recall an age of American distrust in Japan's economic strength as globalization was in its naissance. The most evident battleground was the automotive industry. This even crept into the 1987 Hollywood film "Gung Ho" with Michael Keaton and centering around a Japanese company buying a US factory resulting in culture clashes but also learning from both perspectives.

But, for me, Ken vs Ryu is a friendly, even brotherly rivalry about the purpose of a warrior and always pushing each other to the next level. I've never perceived any negative aggression from the art or lore around them. Ryu's own headband is a testament of that friendship. Still, the perspective is a thinker.

Re: Think PS5 Pro Is Too Much At $700? The 3DO Would Like A Word

StyrofoamCup

The 3DO and the CD-i were multimedia machines launched at a time when CD based technology was still quite expensive for the average consumer. A basic audio CD player was still in the hundreds in the early 90s. 3DO then includes video playback that's stages above the Sega CD/Mega CD plus early 3D power not seen outside very expensive PCs of the time, and the cost of the architecture is a luxurious $700.

As for the PS3 price, the machine was the flagship for the newer Blu-Ray format, and Sony was going for a return on that investment. Also included was PS1 and PS2 playback and a plethora of multimedia storage support on the high-end model. As Sony removed options, plus with technology improvements with the passage of time, subsequent models saw price reductions.

Saying we've seen these prices before without giving context why those prices existed feels like an attempt to excuse Sony's lackluster effort to sell the PS5 Pro to people whom already invested hundreds in a machine that I can only describe as another PS4 player. And for people focused on owning physical releases, that option is removed by default unless you go all digital or spend even more money for an added disc drive. Sony at their Sonyest.

@-wc-

After 30 years, the 3DO version of SSFIIX is still the love of my Street Fighter life.