Fascinating read. I've always gravitated towards the Japanese aesthetic on box art and design, especially with the Super Famicom which has far more elegant and tasteful artwork on so many of it's releases. More arty. (I'm pretty much always at odds with the popular vote on Box Art Brawl!)
It's interesting how they felt the need to retailor them to the US market. To my eye, they so often created inferior artwork. Even though the SMB3 NES boxart is iconic, the Famicom release has a stunning image which is far more ambitious and shows more about the game (but it's the wrong format granted). Same for Super MarioWorld - the SFC release is gorgeous and colourful with a mini world image (look at my avatar!) and a map on the back with extra characters, the US version... just Mario and Yoshi and nowhere near as ambitious.
Reading the article this now makes sense - but I definitely prefer the Japanese versions. Look at a game like F-Zero - ghastly airbrushed version for the US compared to a nicely drawn release in Japan. So many other examples (Yoshi's Island - whilst OK for the Western release - is way better on SFC.) Ofc there is good American boxart for NES/SNES and I often felt if it aint broke don't fix it. But they sold a tonne regardless so what do I know?! 🤣
BUT where they did hit a homerun is the GameBoy packaging. It's utterly brilliant and that image is seared in my head after first seeing it at a computer trade show at Earl's Court in 1990. Really captured lightning in a bottle with that one! Plus that grey side bar with GAMEBOY on it - love it.
What a completely brilliant read, thanks @JackGYarwood!
But who on earth are San Serif, releasing the NES pack with TMHT? Never heard of them. I thought at that time after Mattel had been ditched, Bandai had taken over the distribution of the NES in the UK?
@Axelay71 Ha well I don't think anyone can disagree with the fact Sony aren't supporting VR2!? Such a missed opportunity - imagine franchises like Uncharted, TLoU, GoW, Ratchet and Clank, Killzone etc etc etc... This is kinda why I bought the thing, as well as hoping for Half Life Alyx! And the one franchise they DID bring over (Horizon) has never quite clicked for me! Dammit.
Yotei - it's bit of a disservice to call it this but it is very much Tsushima Plus Plus. Very very similar. But I loved Tsushima so I'm OK with that. I think I read the main quest can be done in 10 hours so maybe you could just play that section with the odd diversion.
I think it's fantastic and a 10/10. Aside from the all round stunning production value, I think as a game it's pure fun.
There's plenty of resources and money which are v easy to come by which I find really empowering - I'm not farming stuff at all. The balance on this is great - I often have enough to level up weapons etc before running out and going out again. It's actually kinda hilarious how often and how much 'coin' (as the game calls it) you're given! People are gagging to give me money and I like this design choice! The freedom to pretty much do what you want (ie explore anywhere and ignore the story if you want) is also great.
Also - I've found chatting to NPCs in many open world games doesn't lead to much. Not so this game. It's really worthwhile chatting to them as it leads to quests and hints so it doesn't feel like padding.
Be aware I haven't played that many open world games - lapsed on Assassin's Creed since PS4 and not played The Witcher or RDR 2 amongst others... So I'm not too burnt out on them.
Oh and also - maybe other games have done this not sure - I think this is the first game I've seen where I load it up from the XMB and no menus - straight into the game and my last save; really fast and v cool feature. And the SSD fast loading travelling on the map is brilliant and really allows you to get around super quick so no loading screens just playtime. It's not a chore.
I think the best praise I can say is that when I'm not playing it I'm thinking about it. I'm playing well into the night when I should be in bed... and even waking up early to sneak in a quick 20/30 minutes. Sometimes with a game - even though I like it - I have to force myself to play it if you know what I mean! Not this one! 😁
@Axelay71 👍
I feel your pain on PSVR2 as I bought one at launch too... so so disappointed that they released this thing and immediately abandoned it?!!?!??!?!?! I had hoped they'd reformat the PSVR1 games for it as I didn't buy that one... but nope! It's cool and all but geeez what were they thinking?!
I love a lot of modern games (currently being wowed by Yotei - in my head thinking back to Ocarina of Time and laughing at how Hyrule Field had like 4 'trees' on it and now we have endless landscapes with entire forests!) but you can't beat slotting a cartridge in and be playing a classic in 5 seconds! Ahh the good ol days... when everything goes cloud based and I have to pay a sub to not own any of my games, I just plan on revisiting the past and buying and discovering old classics I missed back in the day or didn't have time to play! 😁
@Axelay71 Yeah I agree - but they still have a presence in the market as a platform holder that makes sure Sony (and to a lesser extent Nintendo) have to be wary and make sure they don't get complacent like they were in the PS3 era.
At the start of that gen Sony were totally arrogant and up themselves after PS1 + 2 (the launch price of PS3 and being told to get 2 jobs to pay for it!?) and it was only - as you say - because of the 360 killing it that they got their act together and turned things around by the end of that gen by making some great games and being competitive.
That's what the industry needs - iron sharpening iron. Even if XBox aren't doing it numbers wise against Sony, they have (had?) the massive Microsoft warchest behind them which has been propping them up for years which is formidable asset to compete against, money which Sony does not remotely have and cannot compete against so they have to fight for the market and work hard to gain gamer's trust and confidence, which is ultimately better for us the consumer.
They did this in the PS4 era - "for the gamers" - with a slew of exclusive games and affordable hardware which kicked ass. Granted XBox shot themselves in the foot with the disastrous reveal of the XBone, but Sony still had to compete and work for our money. If XBox goes... Sony's won and history teaches us that if there's no other choices out there, the last one standing can charge whatever they like and if we don't agree we can lump it.
Having said that, Sony aren't exactly on fire atm either. They haven't been setting the world alight with the PS5 and their games - is this already a sign of a more complacent Sony who know XBox just aren't going to push them and make them bring their A game?
There are obvious factors too and whist the sales figures for PS5s will say a different story, Playstation's direction under Jim Ryan and the push for live service games (look at that debacle) which seriously affected their first party games output was disastrous, then Hermen Hulst's chaotic brief reign as well (he was unofficially demoted), getting rid of Shu and the really bad management of their first party studios (Bluepoint making a live service GoW WTH?!) and buying new studios despite them never having released a game, or panic buys (hello Bungie) Sony been incredibly fortunate that XBox have been so off the boil when they've had this lull themselves. The 360 era XBox would be crushing it against today's Playstation. There have been good PS games released in this time but nothing like the previous generations, even taking into account the longer development times and costs etc.
Maybe you're right - another company comes in to fill the void should XBox leave the hardware business? Personally I'd love to see a return of the PC Engine!? Or Nintendo getting back into the arms race?!?!!??! 🤣😉
I remember seeing articles on the upcoming next gen systems going from 16 to 32 bit, and there was one (I think CVG) where they pretty much pooh poohed the Playstation as an outsider that wouldn't do well, as no one knew what was coming and all money was on the Saturn and SEGA repeating the success of the MegaDrive.
I was a Nintendo fan boy but couldn't resist the lure of Sony's little grey box of tricks and have been a convert ever since (and indeed still love Nintendo!) Playstation has been what the SNES was; amazing first party games with top tier third party support with all the big AAA releases.
Shu is completely right. Hoping XBox can still compete with Playstation and Nintendo... any market needs choice and competition to drive innovation, quality software and keep prices down. A one horse market - should the rumours of XBox leaving the hardware race prove true sooner or later? - where consumers only have one choice is bad news for all, but this does seem to be the way things are going. I don't see the Switch as a direct competitor as it's aimed at a different market, so Sony losing it's main rival raises alarm bells in my head...
I enjoyed Street Racer back in the day - got it Xmas 94 with a multitap was so excited to play a 4 player SMK game but none of my family were interested! Regretted selling my OG copy and now own the SFC version.
Impressive programming feat on the SNES with no DSP - but then compared to SMK there's no track side objects or projectiles so less heavy lifting!
Hope this comes to consoles as well - never played any of the other versions so really disappointed no PS1/Saturn versions which apparently are the best ones?! Boo!
That 24 issue run on the original MM was the best. The infamous split completely ruined that magical chemistry. Dammit. The humour, the cool layouts, the crew, the little cartoon avatars... and the explosion of import gaming from Japan with the Super Famicom and the official UK launch of the MegaDrive and GameBoy... ahh what a time.
Modern gaming and high res trailers and near simultaneous worldwide release dates is great and all... but having to wait a month to see the latest new exciting games in a magazine, having no idea what would turn up each month made it a real event! Small CRT screenshots (sometimes upside down), maybe waiting a year or more for an official release - somehow it was all the more magical when you finally got to play a game the Mean Machines crew had raved about and hadn't had it ruined by a trailer or over exposure!
So by this reckoning... 35 years ago my Dad came back from shopping one Saturday with a shiny copy of Issue 1 and said he'd seen this magazine and thought I'd like it as I read CVG. Type of cool stuff my Dad used to do. And he was damn right!
Haha brilliant! The SEGA scream is so iconic, they should never had stopped using it. What a time to play games. Even though the SNES is my all time favourite console, the Megadrive is a beast with so many all time greats.
But it always struck me as odd that the original 90s ad compared Sonic 2, Ecco and SoR2 with... Super MarioKart?!
Seemed like a silly choice on SEGA's part to me; SMK is a stone cold classic, a totally different genre to any of the SEGA games shown and (depending on one's gaming tastes) easily the equal of those three games. Plus on 150cc it moves along at a fair old lick! Why didn't SEGA show MarioPaint or smth else?! 🤣
Received my copy a few weeks ago - fantastic read and beautiful layouts. And I was the same; reading it made me want to go and boot up Type 4 and play through it all again - again. This game is screaming out for a remaster running at 60fps! Now how about a Rage Racer fanzine?!
The SCIV soundtrack is such a banger! Just phenomenal what they achieved from the Sony chip! IMO never bettered on the SNES. Plus the game is a real show stopper for the SNES graphical abilities and really shows off the console's colour palette and tricks. Oh and that Knight boss that bursts out of the cabinet! SO good!
Can never chose between this... Rondo.. SotN or CVIII as my fave...
As UK magazines from the time didn't show any images from it, I never realised till I bought and played a SFC copy years later that stage 8 was meant to have blood instead of green slime! Shame on Nintendo forcing Konami to change this super atmospheric touch - and for taking the blood off the title screen and all the religious symbols!
I actually always really liked the start of the game; it really sets the game up as you travel towards the main castle.
I really think it was ahead of it's time with the more sedate opening - it has a very modern aesthetic setting the scene, telling a narrative (in a more abstract way) as you are approaching the castle and travelling through it's grounds - as shown on the map screen. Then the action ramps up massively in stage 4... before slowing a bit with an interstitial Stage 5 where you enter the actual castle but barely anything happens. After this it's all go.
We barely bat an eyelid at an Uncharted or TLoU doing something like this these days - but it feels very similar, just done with the technology of the time and in a 2D 'action' game format.
Sure - maybe back then people were more used to and wanted a more arcadey approach and wall to wall to action, but I feel they missed the fact this was a more mature and sophisticated way of guiding a player through the narrative and building to something bigger.
What a great read, thanks Jack! Some of that animation still impresses today, really cool to see them develop and improve the game for the host system.
The SFC boxart is one of my favourites too, so nice to read about it's creation.
@smoreon I found the red dragon on stage 23 in Cobra Triangle a real pain and would destroy you in seconds. I got past it by making sure I had the Force option on the Gradius style power menu (desperately avoiding any power up capsules once I had it!) The shark was pretty easy to avoid and hit but yeah v tough time limit. But years later I find out all you have to do is not fire at the red dragon and hide in a corner and it will self implode! lmao doh!
Battletoads! Sadly never played it but would love to have tried back in the day to see how I would have got on. I dream of having Rare Replay on PS!
Another funny thing - I never used continues back then. As games were expensive, my elder sister (who would play with me) guilt tripped me into not using them to make the games last longer! As the youngest I was very malleable, I just went along with it and when I lost all my lives it was back to good ol Stage 1! 😂
@smoreon Lol those gaps man... you could walk over them and I just didn't realise. 😜
I can't really remember how I beat it ha! But I do recall getting past the final bosses on my second or third attempt. Plus I'd farmed (before I even knew what farming in games was!) the really powerful sub weapon (on all 4 characters) going in and out of buildings etc. and used them sparingly which would have helped near the end.
I guess I was pretty determined playing games as a kid, and v methodical. Plus I had time! I beat a slew of 8-bit games (Castlevanias, Megamans, Cobra Triangle, Snake Rattle n Roll to name a few) which frankly befuddles me now! Thank God for modern checkpoints and saves! 🤣
Cool - love this game. A classic example of a game I could beat as a kid but now find hard! Although I did manage to beat it again on the collection.
I never understood the drama around the water stage - sure it's fiddly but very doable (well it was for 11 year old me - now, I'm not so sure!) Probably over sensationalised by the AVGN...
Where I had problems was at the end of level 3 where you're down in a sewer and there's a tiny gap over some water. Took me ages to work out all you have to do is walk over it and not jump (which makes you hit your head and fall into water), as I'd been doing and losing all my lives!
Also - this was a Christmas present for me, and I knew where my parents stashed Santa's goodies, so every time they went out, I covertly took the game for a little test spin ahead of schedule. Which ofc meant come Christmas morning my Dad was a little surprised to see me blast through the first level barely taking a hit! 😂🤫
That has to be one of the worst statements I've ever read. What pretentious self indulgent waffle.
No concrete info on why it's been delayed (again) and this statement doesn't reassure in the slightest.
Plus has anyone actually seen this thing running?
For now, based on Analogue's excellent track record I'll leave my pre order in place as I really want one of these things. Seems like I might have to wait a while and hope I don't regret it.
Anything Ridge Racer would be fantastic as I just love that series, but never played Prop Cycle and always thought it looked a right laff so really hoping that comes out!
I'm torn on this as on the one hand this does look cute and I'd love it to be good. I do like the style and graphics... but wow visually they're are heavily 'inspired' by Yoshi's Island - and that's putting it mildly.
Saying it's a love letter is one thing - to blatantly mimic it so closely is something else. Kind of amazed tbh.
The large rock, the bg clouds and mountains with the crayon aesthetic, the brown foreground overlay with the platform on it, black outline to differentiate the fg from the bg, the flower enemy... even that palm tree has echos of Sonic.
Love love love Soyo Oka's music though - would be great to hear what she could come up with.
@smoreon Excellent points - my comment was meant to be more tongue in cheek than anything. Who's to say that everyone likes platform games or the mechanics of the early Mario games!
7.5 stars out of 8 for SMB3 is still a great score - it was when I perused some other scores of games which - for me at least - aren't as 'good' that made me smile. Ofc my view on it is partially coloured by the 98% scores it was given in Mean Machines and other mags of the time! How dare someone not think the same! (although - considering the genre defining leap and innovations introduced in SMB3 I do wonder what more Nintendo would have had to put in the game for that reviewer to give it 4 stars - but then maybe it's just not their jam?)
I certainly agree that nowadays legendary series are often reviewed through more rose tinted glasses and should a game not get the praise the rabid fanbase think it should get all hell breaks loose. Look at MarioKart World - I've not played it yet but by all accounts a solid entry but wasn't universally lauded which was interesting to see. Metacritic average at 86% which is still highly commendable. Whilst I really enjoyed them a lot, I wasn't totally sold on Marios Odyssey or Wonder despite the rave reviews they got.
It's funny as I've been reading some old issues of Total! on Out of Print Archive, and some of the reviews on there boggle the mind - from my POV! Two of my favourites, NES Batman and Duck Tales were rated very lowly and other games which I didn't think much of were rated much higher.
Odd how we seem to need that validation and confirmation that what we like should be suitably lauded in the press as being so. Look at the Horizon Zero Dawn outrage on Eurogamer when they didn't give it a higher score. When obviously actually all that matters is if we enjoy it ourselves. You certainly can't please everyone being a reviewer! 😊
Never heard of this and great that it's been archived and made available... but any credibility has flown right out the window on reading the review of SMB3 and seeing one reviewer give it 3.5 stars out of 4 (the other person giving 4 stars).
And then you see other reviews which score in a similar range: Battle of Olympus 4/4, Burai Fighter 4/3.5... In another issue Ironsword W+W II 3.5/3.5, Alex Kidd in Enchanted Castle 3.5/3.5, then Boy and his Blob NES 4/4! I like ABAHB, but better than SMB3?! And these other games?! LMFAO!
Reviews are obviously subjective but what the actual hell! 🤣🤣🤣🤦♂️
@PGTips Would love that too. Surely there's a market for it through crowd funding?
I always thought it would be fun to do a version of Mean Machines (in the same style!) for today's market, much like what's been done here, but reviewing modern games and doing some classics from the past 30 years. TLoU... RE4... Red Dead... MGS... BioShock... how about Burnout 3 and Split Second!? (btw both of these are so good! 🤩 Still super peeved we never got a Split Second sequel.)
Hell you could even take pictures the old fashioned way and point a camera at a screen in a darkened room. I'd buy it.
This looks Mega indeed. Those page layouts bringing out the nostalgia big time - they're spot on. Bit odd Jaz's cartoon portrait from Zzap!64 was used instead of his Mean Machines one.
Man would love a copy but guess it's nigh on impossible to get one. Unless I'm missing smth, looking at the website is there a digital version (PDF) to download? That would be really nice.
Shame the website doesn't have the same look and feel as the printed version - but I guess they're mimicking web pages from the 90s.
And for the record, Paul Davies era CVG was EPIC and SO much fun. What a time. Cheers Paul!
@Cmatt1977 I still haven't taken the plunge with a Polymega despite really wanting one. The only thing really putting me off is all the horror stories of them not fulfilling orders. If they could guarantee a unit and modules I'd jump at it. Is there a good reason why they can't follow through?
Have you (or anyone else reading this) had issues with them?
@Martin_H I haven't said that at all, that the SNES was a failure! It's a phenomenal machine and my all time favourite.
I'm simply day dreaming and positing a 'what if' scenario as the SNES CPU is legendary for how slow it is and the reasons for Nintendo using it flummox me as they knew it was handicapped from the start. Money obviously comes into it, but I find it hard to believe that by the time the machine released in 1990 a faster and still affordable option wouldn't have existed, regardless of the machine spec being locked in a few years prior.
a: We might not have had as much slowdown in games that ran on the core machine like Super GnG and many others, or games that ran slower than their MegaDrive counterparts (EA NHL Hockey games being a good example),
b: using DSPs was not a cost effective solution for many third party publishers as explained above as they paid for them up front, and c: we would have had an even wider range of games on the system, maybe something like EAs F-22 Interceptor would have been more viable.
Not detracting from the system or the many many amazing games on it. Just would have been cool - that's all.
Now excuse me I'm off to play my SA-1 enhanced version of Gradius III with no slowdown... those bubbles be damned!
@Martin_H Well... by releasing the SNES with the processor they did, whilst it might have been cheaper, isn't it already obsolete?! It was a hybrid 8/16-bit chip so it's not the best option for seeing a new machine though a generation! It was far slower than the MegaDrive's CPU which was a machine released 2 years earlier! You're handicapping developers from the off.
But was it just a cost thing? Being Nintendo and recycling old tech, I'm sure that's a big factor, but one of the main reasons for choosing the Ricoh 5A22 was that it is from the same family of processors that powered the Famicom so this would have helped the new machine be backwards compat, although this feature was abandoned so this reasoning becomes null and Nintendo should have pivoted to a better CPU - especially when they knew they were having issues with launch games like Pilotwings. (Hence asking Jez San to develop Super FX). They easily had enough time to change it as they were showing Super Famicom stuff as early as 1988. That processor seriously compromises the SNES - EA were not keen to work on the machine in part because it was too slow.
If the core machine had a faster CPU, it would have benefited ALL developers. To presume they could just stick a DSP in there wasn't true for many and a risky idea to pass the cost onto consumers. Nintendo didn't have to pay anything extra in ordering DSP chips from themselves - it was much easier for them to use them than a third party where there was massive cost and risk involved. Developers ordered and paid for their cartridges/chips from Nintendo up front before making any sales so there was massive jeopardy involved laying out that much cost before you've even sold a single game - they wouldn't want to risk that extra cost for a DSP and pay for a load of games with added chips in them that might not sell!
Witness Street Racer - the publisher refused to pay extra for a DSP AND an 8MB cartridge, so it's a 4MB cart with no DSP to keep costs down (and a feat of programming brilliance). So it wasn't a simple option to just stick a DSP in there as developers - but if the core machine had been faster any developer and all games would have benefitted and we would have got more varied games on the system, and classics like Super GnG, UN Squadron, Castlevania IV and more probably wouldn't have had much if any slowdown!
Remember that the SNES was also capable of using FAST ROM cartridges which would have seriously sped up some games, but these were more expensive and not many games used them. Plus early games suffered from slowdown by writing in the 'wrong' language for the machine and as developers learned the ins and outs later SNES games were far less likely to exhibit slowdown. But this might have been mitigated with more processor oomph if it had been a faster CPU!
The SNES and it's array of DSPs really was bad ass. The tech marvels on that machine are so cool - SF Alpha 2 being another one.
Still peeved that Ninty knew from the start the processor was too puny and that they'd have to use DSPs for a lot of games and were speaking to Jez San about it even before the machine launched. Why didn't they just beef it up when they knew they weren't including back compat for the Famicom as an option? Doh, the cheapskates. Can you imagine the SNES with the same processor speed as the MegaDrive?! Would have been insane! Oh well, just have to enjoy the DSP/Fast ROM enhanced versions of classic games ppl are putting out today!
Looks intriguing, and great to see a SNES version! (The SNES mock up box seems to amusingly have a variant of the SEGA Seal of quality on it and not a variant on the Nintendo one?! Oops. )
Tbh, I've been stung too many times with bad experiences backing games on KS, but will still check it out the campaign page when it launches.
@KingMike IKR! Bring Kamek back as well!
I haven't got a Switch 2 yet, but I did laugh when I saw Kamek was in MKW (kinda) and immediately thought of MK64 and those early shots. When he was added to MK8 Deluxe it also made me think of them...
Weird how those screenshots and things from that period are imprinted on my brain!
Cool - love the fly overs on each track. Presume you can mod Rainbow Road to take away those silly fences...
I was literally scanning through some old issues of CVG (reading Rage Racer previews) and MK64 was just being covered and they were distinctly and rightly disappointed with it's single player mode and cheating CPU racers. Paul Davies wasn't quite sure why he sometimes got a boost turning corners as it was a new feature and clearly didn't know how to do it! They also v astutely comment how the game has gone from the SNES's 70/30 split of racing/combat to being more combat based - sadly a trend which has continued IMHO.
At the time I thought it was a missed opportunity and not as good as the SNES one - not enough shortcuts, no coins, some great tracks but far too many middling boring ones (Toad's Turnpike, Rainbow Road, Frappe Snowland) and how and why they didn't think to put a proper shortcut on Kalimari Desert by riding down the train tracks still boggles my mind to this day... ;P (you can ofc drive down the train track but it's not of any benefit.) And where's my boy Koopa Troopa from the SNES game!?
I'd forgotten about this, and just picked it up on Switch and it's brilliant! But why isn't it on PS?! Boooo! I want to play it on my TV (I only have a Switch Lite...)
@Ellie-Moo Yeah I remember that... it was an odd one! There have been a few other SEGA related books as well which released without issue. Maybe smth happened behind the scenes we're not aware of?
I think this book is an official collaboration - that's how they got all that juicy artwork and blueprints etc.
Ha yes, oh to have more shelf space and a big enough house! I've totally filled up my bookcases and now have to be incredibly picky about buying new books. One day one day...
Love love that cover! The Japanese MD logo was the best.
Sadly couldn't justify paying again for this, I'll just have to stick to my OG copy.
Would absolutely love to see ROM do the equivalent type of book like this for the Super Famicom/Super NES! Sadly Nintendo never seem to greenlight this type of thing though?
@Guru_Larry They are doing a new game in the series though, so it does make sense to build brand awareness and make people think about the original game.
Maybe they also drop some info on the new game at this event?
Nice to see them celebrate this I loved the original - when I played it (going from an N64 to Dreamcast) I couldn't believe how big the play area was and how it was all inter connected!
Gorgeous! I got the SFC version of this and the Japanese artwork and formatting was an easy choice over the other versions!
I've always preferred the more daring and arty Japanese artwork and formatting produced over the years, at least until box art became the same regardless of region. No doubt the influence of Mean Machines and Super Play back in the day... but it's often far more daring and artistic. More stylistic. IMO. The Box Art Brawls on NL seem to disagree with me and often pick the Western versions and I often (not always!) seem to be in the minority picking the Japanese artwork! ;P
I have too many amazing memories playing Bullfrog games in the 90s to not have a certain level of respect for this guy... but man oh man the Milo demo is him going full Wizard of Oz levels of deception.
Stark admission that they were basically lying through their teeth - which we all worked out years ago but to be so candid all these years later?! Lol. Pour fuel on the fire Peter why don't you! No wonder he has the reputation he now has. And yeah he's not alone in this space; E3 presentations can be notoriously dodgy and fake. Killzone 2 eh Sony and Guerrilla?! But he did seem to make a bad habit out of it.
I watched this live online back in the day and was blown away by the concept. It's still fun to look at today and wonder 'what if?!' He said they were demonstrating it behind closed doors - considering it was so stage managed did this happen and if so did people fall for it?! The guy even gave a friggin TED talk about it even though he knew it wasn't completely true?! That takes some nerve I'll give him that!
What a story of smoke and mirrors. I wonder if it could be achieved with today's tech as it genuinely looks fascinating.
Comments 162
Re: Feature: "This Is Where The Game Truly Begins" - The Secret Weapon Behind Nintendo's Most Iconic Box Art
Ooof another brilliant article from Jack. 💪
Fascinating read. I've always gravitated towards the Japanese aesthetic on box art and design, especially with the Super Famicom which has far more elegant and tasteful artwork on so many of it's releases. More arty. (I'm pretty much always at odds with the popular vote on Box Art Brawl!)
It's interesting how they felt the need to retailor them to the US market. To my eye, they so often created inferior artwork. Even though the SMB3 NES boxart is iconic, the Famicom release has a stunning image which is far more ambitious and shows more about the game (but it's the wrong format granted). Same for Super MarioWorld - the SFC release is gorgeous and colourful with a mini world image (look at my avatar!) and a map on the back with extra characters, the US version... just Mario and Yoshi and nowhere near as ambitious.
Reading the article this now makes sense - but I definitely prefer the Japanese versions. Look at a game like F-Zero - ghastly airbrushed version for the US compared to a nicely drawn release in Japan. So many other examples (Yoshi's Island - whilst OK for the Western release - is way better on SFC.) Ofc there is good American boxart for NES/SNES and I often felt if it aint broke don't fix it. But they sold a tonne regardless so what do I know?! 🤣
BUT where they did hit a homerun is the GameBoy packaging. It's utterly brilliant and that image is seared in my head after first seeing it at a computer trade show at Earl's Court in 1990. Really captured lightning in a bottle with that one! Plus that grey side bar with GAMEBOY on it - love it.
Re: Nintendo's Ex-Vice President Of Sales Reveals The NES Game They "Couldn't Give Away"
@jwfurness Exactly - when we all moved on to 16 bits and beyond you could pick up so many 8 bit games for pennies... if only we'd known!!! 😅😜
Re: Nintendo's Ex-Vice President Of Sales Reveals The NES Game They "Couldn't Give Away"
And now it's worth an absolute bomb. Dammit I should have bought a copy! 🤣
Re: Interview: "We Can't Say Anything About It Being A Video Game Console" - Meet The Sales Genius Who Helped Launch The NES
What a completely brilliant read, thanks @JackGYarwood!
But who on earth are San Serif, releasing the NES pack with TMHT? Never heard of them. I thought at that time after Mattel had been ditched, Bandai had taken over the distribution of the NES in the UK?
Re: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Is The Next NES Classic To Get A Native SNES Port
@Sketcz 100% 😁😅👍
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@Axelay71 Ha well I don't think anyone can disagree with the fact Sony aren't supporting VR2!? Such a missed opportunity - imagine franchises like Uncharted, TLoU, GoW, Ratchet and Clank, Killzone etc etc etc... This is kinda why I bought the thing, as well as hoping for Half Life Alyx! And the one franchise they DID bring over (Horizon) has never quite clicked for me! Dammit.
Yotei - it's bit of a disservice to call it this but it is very much Tsushima Plus Plus. Very very similar. But I loved Tsushima so I'm OK with that. I think I read the main quest can be done in 10 hours so maybe you could just play that section with the odd diversion.
I think it's fantastic and a 10/10. Aside from the all round stunning production value, I think as a game it's pure fun.
There's plenty of resources and money which are v easy to come by which I find really empowering - I'm not farming stuff at all. The balance on this is great - I often have enough to level up weapons etc before running out and going out again. It's actually kinda hilarious how often and how much 'coin' (as the game calls it) you're given! People are gagging to give me money and I like this design choice! The freedom to pretty much do what you want (ie explore anywhere and ignore the story if you want) is also great.
Also - I've found chatting to NPCs in many open world games doesn't lead to much. Not so this game. It's really worthwhile chatting to them as it leads to quests and hints so it doesn't feel like padding.
Be aware I haven't played that many open world games - lapsed on Assassin's Creed since PS4 and not played The Witcher or RDR 2 amongst others... So I'm not too burnt out on them.
Oh and also - maybe other games have done this not sure - I think this is the first game I've seen where I load it up from the XMB and no menus - straight into the game and my last save; really fast and v cool feature. And the SSD fast loading travelling on the map is brilliant and really allows you to get around super quick so no loading screens just playtime. It's not a chore.
I think the best praise I can say is that when I'm not playing it I'm thinking about it. I'm playing well into the night when I should be in bed... and even waking up early to sneak in a quick 20/30 minutes. Sometimes with a game - even though I like it - I have to force myself to play it if you know what I mean! Not this one! 😁
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@Axelay71 👍
I feel your pain on PSVR2 as I bought one at launch too... so so disappointed that they released this thing and immediately abandoned it?!!?!??!?!?! I had hoped they'd reformat the PSVR1 games for it as I didn't buy that one... but nope! It's cool and all but geeez what were they thinking?!
I love a lot of modern games (currently being wowed by Yotei - in my head thinking back to Ocarina of Time and laughing at how Hyrule Field had like 4 'trees' on it and now we have endless landscapes with entire forests!) but you can't beat slotting a cartridge in and be playing a classic in 5 seconds! Ahh the good ol days... when everything goes cloud based and I have to pay a sub to not own any of my games, I just plan on revisiting the past and buying and discovering old classics I missed back in the day or didn't have time to play! 😁
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
@Axelay71 Yeah I agree - but they still have a presence in the market as a platform holder that makes sure Sony (and to a lesser extent Nintendo) have to be wary and make sure they don't get complacent like they were in the PS3 era.
At the start of that gen Sony were totally arrogant and up themselves after PS1 + 2 (the launch price of PS3 and being told to get 2 jobs to pay for it!?) and it was only - as you say - because of the 360 killing it that they got their act together and turned things around by the end of that gen by making some great games and being competitive.
That's what the industry needs - iron sharpening iron. Even if XBox aren't doing it numbers wise against Sony, they have (had?) the massive Microsoft warchest behind them which has been propping them up for years which is formidable asset to compete against, money which Sony does not remotely have and cannot compete against so they have to fight for the market and work hard to gain gamer's trust and confidence, which is ultimately better for us the consumer.
They did this in the PS4 era - "for the gamers" - with a slew of exclusive games and affordable hardware which kicked ass. Granted XBox shot themselves in the foot with the disastrous reveal of the XBone, but Sony still had to compete and work for our money. If XBox goes... Sony's won and history teaches us that if there's no other choices out there, the last one standing can charge whatever they like and if we don't agree we can lump it.
Having said that, Sony aren't exactly on fire atm either. They haven't been setting the world alight with the PS5 and their games - is this already a sign of a more complacent Sony who know XBox just aren't going to push them and make them bring their A game?
There are obvious factors too and whist the sales figures for PS5s will say a different story, Playstation's direction under Jim Ryan and the push for live service games (look at that debacle) which seriously affected their first party games output was disastrous, then Hermen Hulst's chaotic brief reign as well (he was unofficially demoted), getting rid of Shu and the really bad management of their first party studios (Bluepoint making a live service GoW WTH?!) and buying new studios despite them never having released a game, or panic buys (hello Bungie) Sony been incredibly fortunate that XBox have been so off the boil when they've had this lull themselves. The 360 era XBox would be crushing it against today's Playstation. There have been good PS games released in this time but nothing like the previous generations, even taking into account the longer development times and costs etc.
Maybe you're right - another company comes in to fill the void should XBox leave the hardware business? Personally I'd love to see a return of the PC Engine!? Or Nintendo getting back into the arms race?!?!!??! 🤣😉
Re: It Was "Helpful" That Nintendo Killed The SNES PlayStation - Otherwise Sony Would Have Been "Stuck", Says Shuhei Yoshida
Sliding Doors moment indeed!
I remember seeing articles on the upcoming next gen systems going from 16 to 32 bit, and there was one (I think CVG) where they pretty much pooh poohed the Playstation as an outsider that wouldn't do well, as no one knew what was coming and all money was on the Saturn and SEGA repeating the success of the MegaDrive.
I was a Nintendo fan boy but couldn't resist the lure of Sony's little grey box of tricks and have been a convert ever since (and indeed still love Nintendo!) Playstation has been what the SNES was; amazing first party games with top tier third party support with all the big AAA releases.
Shu is completely right. Hoping XBox can still compete with Playstation and Nintendo... any market needs choice and competition to drive innovation, quality software and keep prices down. A one horse market - should the rumours of XBox leaving the hardware race prove true sooner or later? - where consumers only have one choice is bad news for all, but this does seem to be the way things are going. I don't see the Switch as a direct competitor as it's aimed at a different market, so Sony losing it's main rival raises alarm bells in my head...
Re: Ubisoft's 1994 Mario Kart Clone 'Street Racer' Is Getting A New Retro Collection On Steam
I enjoyed Street Racer back in the day - got it Xmas 94 with a multitap was so excited to play a 4 player SMK game but none of my family were interested! Regretted selling my OG copy and now own the SFC version.
Impressive programming feat on the SNES with no DSP - but then compared to SMK there's no track side objects or projectiles so less heavy lifting!
Hope this comes to consoles as well - never played any of the other versions so really disappointed no PS1/Saturn versions which apparently are the best ones?! Boo!
Re: Duke Nukem 3D Is About To Get An Ambitious New Mod That Replaces Its 2D Sprites With "Nearly A Thousand Voxels"
It's time to Kick Ass and Chew Bubblegum... and I'm all outta Gum!
Re: Anniversary: Mean Machines, The UK's Greatest Console Magazine, Turns 35 Today
The GOAT! ❤
That 24 issue run on the original MM was the best. The infamous split completely ruined that magical chemistry. Dammit. The humour, the cool layouts, the crew, the little cartoon avatars... and the explosion of import gaming from Japan with the Super Famicom and the official UK launch of the MegaDrive and GameBoy... ahh what a time.
Modern gaming and high res trailers and near simultaneous worldwide release dates is great and all... but having to wait a month to see the latest new exciting games in a magazine, having no idea what would turn up each month made it a real event! Small CRT screenshots (sometimes upside down), maybe waiting a year or more for an official release - somehow it was all the more magical when you finally got to play a game the Mean Machines crew had raved about and hadn't had it ruined by a trailer or over exposure!
So by this reckoning... 35 years ago my Dad came back from shopping one Saturday with a shiny copy of Issue 1 and said he'd seen this magazine and thought I'd like it as I read CVG. Type of cool stuff my Dad used to do. And he was damn right!
Re: Revisit This Amazing Fan-Made Ridge Racer Album And We Might Just Manifest A New Game
Wonderful - the more love for anything Ridge, the better! ❤
Re: Sega Takes Aim At Mario Kart By Recreating The Infamous Genesis "Blast Processing" Commercial From The '90s
Haha brilliant! The SEGA scream is so iconic, they should never had stopped using it. What a time to play games. Even though the SNES is my all time favourite console, the Megadrive is a beast with so many all time greats.
But it always struck me as odd that the original 90s ad compared Sonic 2, Ecco and SoR2 with... Super MarioKart?!
Seemed like a silly choice on SEGA's part to me; SMK is a stone cold classic, a totally different genre to any of the SEGA games shown and (depending on one's gaming tastes) easily the equal of those three games. Plus on 150cc it moves along at a fair old lick! Why didn't SEGA show MarioPaint or smth else?! 🤣
Re: "I'm Glad To See It Get Remastered" - Outlaws' Lead Designer Gives His Thoughts On Nightdive's Upcoming Remaster
Looking forward to this as it somehow passed me by back in the day.
Great we're getting remasters like this to keep older games alive and available.
Re: 'One More Win' Is The Ultimate Love Letter To Ridge Racer Type 4
Received my copy a few weeks ago - fantastic read and beautiful layouts. And I was the same; reading it made me want to go and boot up Type 4 and play through it all again - again.
This game is screaming out for a remaster running at 60fps!
Now how about a Rage Racer fanzine?!
Re: Game Changer: Super Castlevania IV - Why Simon Belmont's 16-bit Debut Is A Stone-Cold Classic
The SCIV soundtrack is such a banger! Just phenomenal what they achieved from the Sony chip! IMO never bettered on the SNES. Plus the game is a real show stopper for the SNES graphical abilities and really shows off the console's colour palette and tricks. Oh and that Knight boss that bursts out of the cabinet! SO good!
Can never chose between this... Rondo.. SotN or CVIII as my fave...
As UK magazines from the time didn't show any images from it, I never realised till I bought and played a SFC copy years later that stage 8 was meant to have blood instead of green slime! Shame on Nintendo forcing Konami to change this super atmospheric touch - and for taking the blood off the title screen and all the religious symbols!
I actually always really liked the start of the game; it really sets the game up as you travel towards the main castle.
I really think it was ahead of it's time with the more sedate opening - it has a very modern aesthetic setting the scene, telling a narrative (in a more abstract way) as you are approaching the castle and travelling through it's grounds - as shown on the map screen. Then the action ramps up massively in stage 4... before slowing a bit with an interstitial Stage 5 where you enter the actual castle but barely anything happens. After this it's all go.
We barely bat an eyelid at an Uncharted or TLoU doing something like this these days - but it feels very similar, just done with the technology of the time and in a 2D 'action' game format.
Sure - maybe back then people were more used to and wanted a more arcadey approach and wall to wall to action, but I feel they missed the fact this was a more mature and sophisticated way of guiding a player through the narrative and building to something bigger.
Re: Analogue's FPGA N64 Is Shown Running For The First Time
Excellent!
Despite the delays and puffy word salad press releases really excited for this.
Been buying some Jap N64 games in preparation!
Re: Feature: "Like A Completely New Game" - The Untold Story Behind Prince Of Persia's Impressive SNES Port
What a great read, thanks Jack! Some of that animation still impresses today, really cool to see them develop and improve the game for the host system.
The SFC boxart is one of my favourites too, so nice to read about it's creation.
Re: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Will Be The Next NES Classic To Get A Native SNES Port
@smoreon I found the red dragon on stage 23 in Cobra Triangle a real pain and would destroy you in seconds. I got past it by making sure I had the Force option on the Gradius style power menu (desperately avoiding any power up capsules once I had it!) The shark was pretty easy to avoid and hit but yeah v tough time limit.
But years later I find out all you have to do is not fire at the red dragon and hide in a corner and it will self implode! lmao doh!
Battletoads! Sadly never played it but would love to have tried back in the day to see how I would have got on. I dream of having Rare Replay on PS!
Another funny thing - I never used continues back then. As games were expensive, my elder sister (who would play with me) guilt tripped me into not using them to make the games last longer! As the youngest I was very malleable, I just went along with it and when I lost all my lives it was back to good ol Stage 1! 😂
Re: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Will Be The Next NES Classic To Get A Native SNES Port
@smoreon Lol those gaps man... you could walk over them and I just didn't realise. 😜
I can't really remember how I beat it ha! But I do recall getting past the final bosses on my second or third attempt. Plus I'd farmed (before I even knew what farming in games was!) the really powerful sub weapon (on all 4 characters) going in and out of buildings etc. and used them sparingly which would have helped near the end.
I guess I was pretty determined playing games as a kid, and v methodical. Plus I had time! I beat a slew of 8-bit games (Castlevanias, Megamans, Cobra Triangle, Snake Rattle n Roll to name a few) which frankly befuddles me now! Thank God for modern checkpoints and saves! 🤣
Re: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Will Be The Next NES Classic To Get A Native SNES Port
Cool - love this game. A classic example of a game I could beat as a kid but now find hard! Although I did manage to beat it again on the collection.
I never understood the drama around the water stage - sure it's fiddly but very doable (well it was for 11 year old me - now, I'm not so sure!) Probably over sensationalised by the AVGN...
Where I had problems was at the end of level 3 where you're down in a sewer and there's a tiny gap over some water. Took me ages to work out all you have to do is walk over it and not jump (which makes you hit your head and fall into water), as I'd been doing and losing all my lives!
Also - this was a Christmas present for me, and I knew where my parents stashed Santa's goodies, so every time they went out, I covertly took the game for a little test spin ahead of schedule. Which ofc meant come Christmas morning my Dad was a little surprised to see me blast through the first level barely taking a hit! 😂🤫
Re: Analogue Has Delayed Its FPGA-Powered N64 For The Third Time
That has to be one of the worst statements I've ever read. What pretentious self indulgent waffle.
No concrete info on why it's been delayed (again) and this statement doesn't reassure in the slightest.
Plus has anyone actually seen this thing running?
For now, based on Analogue's excellent track record I'll leave my pre order in place as I really want one of these things. Seems like I might have to wait a while and hope I don't regret it.
Re: Poll: Which Namco System 22 Game Do You Want To Come To Arcade Archives Next?
Hopefully all of them...?!
Anything Ridge Racer would be fantastic as I just love that series, but never played Prop Cycle and always thought it looked a right laff so really hoping that comes out!
Re: Adorable Dragon-Themed Platformer 'Dono's Tale' Taps Super Mario Kart Composer For Its Soundtrack
@Azuris Clearly not an identical trace off, no of course not.
But the styling is near enough identical! 🤣
Re: Adorable Dragon-Themed Platformer 'Dono's Tale' Taps Super Mario Kart Composer For Its Soundtrack
I'm torn on this as on the one hand this does look cute and I'd love it to be good. I do like the style and graphics... but wow visually they're are heavily 'inspired' by Yoshi's Island - and that's putting it mildly.
Saying it's a love letter is one thing - to blatantly mimic it so closely is something else. Kind of amazed tbh.
The large rock, the bg clouds and mountains with the crayon aesthetic, the brown foreground overlay with the platform on it, black outline to differentiate the fg from the bg, the flower enemy... even that palm tree has echos of Sonic.
Love love love Soyo Oka's music though - would be great to hear what she could come up with.
Re: VGHF Acquires Rights To Historic Magazine That Covered The Rise Of The NES
@smoreon Excellent points - my comment was meant to be more tongue in cheek than anything. Who's to say that everyone likes platform games or the mechanics of the early Mario games!
7.5 stars out of 8 for SMB3 is still a great score - it was when I perused some other scores of games which - for me at least - aren't as 'good' that made me smile. Ofc my view on it is partially coloured by the 98% scores it was given in Mean Machines and other mags of the time! How dare someone not think the same!
(although - considering the genre defining leap and innovations introduced in SMB3 I do wonder what more Nintendo would have had to put in the game for that reviewer to give it 4 stars - but then maybe it's just not their jam?)
I certainly agree that nowadays legendary series are often reviewed through more rose tinted glasses and should a game not get the praise the rabid fanbase think it should get all hell breaks loose. Look at MarioKart World - I've not played it yet but by all accounts a solid entry but wasn't universally lauded which was interesting to see. Metacritic average at 86% which is still highly commendable. Whilst I really enjoyed them a lot, I wasn't totally sold on Marios Odyssey or Wonder despite the rave reviews they got.
It's funny as I've been reading some old issues of Total! on Out of Print Archive, and some of the reviews on there boggle the mind - from my POV! Two of my favourites, NES Batman and Duck Tales were rated very lowly and other games which I didn't think much of were rated much higher.
Odd how we seem to need that validation and confirmation that what we like should be suitably lauded in the press as being so. Look at the Horizon Zero Dawn outrage on Eurogamer when they didn't give it a higher score. When obviously actually all that matters is if we enjoy it ourselves. You certainly can't please everyone being a reviewer! 😊
Re: VGHF Acquires Rights To Historic Magazine That Covered The Rise Of The NES
Never heard of this and great that it's been archived and made available... but any credibility has flown right out the window on reading the review of SMB3 and seeing one reviewer give it 3.5 stars out of 4 (the other person giving 4 stars).
And then you see other reviews which score in a similar range: Battle of Olympus 4/4, Burai Fighter 4/3.5... In another issue Ironsword W+W II 3.5/3.5, Alex Kidd in Enchanted Castle 3.5/3.5, then Boy and his Blob NES 4/4! I like ABAHB, but better than SMB3?! And these other games?! LMFAO!
Reviews are obviously subjective but what the actual hell! 🤣🤣🤣🤦♂️
Re: "No In-House Jokes And Keep It Clean" - How Legendary '90s Mag Mean Machines Was Revived For A New Generation
@PGTips Would love that too. Surely there's a market for it through crowd funding?
I always thought it would be fun to do a version of Mean Machines (in the same style!) for today's market, much like what's been done here, but reviewing modern games and doing some classics from the past 30 years. TLoU... RE4... Red Dead... MGS... BioShock... how about Burnout 3 and Split Second!? (btw both of these are so good! 🤩 Still super peeved we never got a Split Second sequel.)
Hell you could even take pictures the old fashioned way and point a camera at a screen in a darkened room. I'd buy it.
Thanks for all the memories and games! 🙌
Re: "No In-House Jokes And Keep It Clean" - How Legendary '90s Mag Mean Machines Was Revived For A New Generation
This looks Mega indeed. Those page layouts bringing out the nostalgia big time - they're spot on. Bit odd Jaz's cartoon portrait from Zzap!64 was used instead of his Mean Machines one.
Man would love a copy but guess it's nigh on impossible to get one. Unless I'm missing smth, looking at the website is there a digital version (PDF) to download? That would be really nice.
Shame the website doesn't have the same look and feel as the printed version - but I guess they're mimicking web pages from the 90s.
And for the record, Paul Davies era CVG was EPIC and SO much fun. What a time. Cheers Paul!
Re: Hands On: 30 Years On, DOOM's "Super FX 3" Upgrade Gives SNES Players A More Polished Way To Rip And Tear
@Martin_H That's really interesting! Hadn't heard about the MC68000 before... oh what might have been. 👍
Re: Polymega's 1.1.35 Update Finally Brings Light Gun Support - Here Are The Games You Can Play
@Hairlesswookiee That's really good to hear - thanks!
Re: Polymega's 1.1.35 Update Finally Brings Light Gun Support - Here Are The Games You Can Play
@Cmatt1977 I still haven't taken the plunge with a Polymega despite really wanting one. The only thing really putting me off is all the horror stories of them not fulfilling orders. If they could guarantee a unit and modules I'd jump at it. Is there a good reason why they can't follow through?
Have you (or anyone else reading this) had issues with them?
Re: Hands On: 30 Years On, DOOM's "Super FX 3" Upgrade Gives SNES Players A More Polished Way To Rip And Tear
@Martin_H I haven't said that at all, that the SNES was a failure! It's a phenomenal machine and my all time favourite.
I'm simply day dreaming and positing a 'what if' scenario as the SNES CPU is legendary for how slow it is and the reasons for Nintendo using it flummox me as they knew it was handicapped from the start. Money obviously comes into it, but I find it hard to believe that by the time the machine released in 1990 a faster and still affordable option wouldn't have existed, regardless of the machine spec being locked in a few years prior.
a: We might not have had as much slowdown in games that ran on the core machine like Super GnG and many others, or games that ran slower than their MegaDrive counterparts (EA NHL Hockey games being a good example),
b: using DSPs was not a cost effective solution for many third party publishers as explained above as they paid for them up front, and c: we would have had an even wider range of games on the system, maybe something like EAs F-22 Interceptor would have been more viable.
Not detracting from the system or the many many amazing games on it. Just would have been cool - that's all.
Now excuse me I'm off to play my SA-1 enhanced version of Gradius III with no slowdown... those bubbles be damned!
Re: Hands On: 30 Years On, DOOM's "Super FX 3" Upgrade Gives SNES Players A More Polished Way To Rip And Tear
@Martin_H Well... by releasing the SNES with the processor they did, whilst it might have been cheaper, isn't it already obsolete?! It was a hybrid 8/16-bit chip so it's not the best option for seeing a new machine though a generation! It was far slower than the MegaDrive's CPU which was a machine released 2 years earlier! You're handicapping developers from the off.
But was it just a cost thing? Being Nintendo and recycling old tech, I'm sure that's a big factor, but one of the main reasons for choosing the Ricoh 5A22 was that it is from the same family of processors that powered the Famicom so this would have helped the new machine be backwards compat, although this feature was abandoned so this reasoning becomes null and Nintendo should have pivoted to a better CPU - especially when they knew they were having issues with launch games like Pilotwings. (Hence asking Jez San to develop Super FX). They easily had enough time to change it as they were showing Super Famicom stuff as early as 1988. That processor seriously compromises the SNES - EA were not keen to work on the machine in part because it was too slow.
If the core machine had a faster CPU, it would have benefited ALL developers. To presume they could just stick a DSP in there wasn't true for many and a risky idea to pass the cost onto consumers. Nintendo didn't have to pay anything extra in ordering DSP chips from themselves - it was much easier for them to use them than a third party where there was massive cost and risk involved. Developers ordered and paid for their cartridges/chips from Nintendo up front before making any sales so there was massive jeopardy involved laying out that much cost before you've even sold a single game - they wouldn't want to risk that extra cost for a DSP and pay for a load of games with added chips in them that might not sell!
Witness Street Racer - the publisher refused to pay extra for a DSP AND an 8MB cartridge, so it's a 4MB cart with no DSP to keep costs down (and a feat of programming brilliance). So it wasn't a simple option to just stick a DSP in there as developers - but if the core machine had been faster any developer and all games would have benefitted and we would have got more varied games on the system, and classics like Super GnG, UN Squadron, Castlevania IV and more probably wouldn't have had much if any slowdown!
Remember that the SNES was also capable of using FAST ROM cartridges which would have seriously sped up some games, but these were more expensive and not many games used them. Plus early games suffered from slowdown by writing in the 'wrong' language for the machine and as developers learned the ins and outs later SNES games were far less likely to exhibit slowdown. But this might have been mitigated with more processor oomph if it had been a faster CPU!
Re: Hands On: 30 Years On, DOOM's "Super FX 3" Upgrade Gives SNES Players A More Polished Way To Rip And Tear
Ha looks really good! 20fps looking slick!
The SNES and it's array of DSPs really was bad ass. The tech marvels on that machine are so cool - SF Alpha 2 being another one.
Still peeved that Ninty knew from the start the processor was too puny and that they'd have to use DSPs for a lot of games and were speaking to Jez San about it even before the machine launched. Why didn't they just beef it up when they knew they weren't including back compat for the Famicom as an option? Doh, the cheapskates. Can you imagine the SNES with the same processor speed as the MegaDrive?! Would have been insane! Oh well, just have to enjoy the DSP/Fast ROM enhanced versions of classic games ppl are putting out today!
Re: Ridge Racer Type 4 Is Getting A Fanzine From The Writer Of Perfect Organism: An Alien: Isolation Companion
Gimme gimme gimme!
Hope this has a big enough print run to snag a copy!
and +1 for a HD remaster of Type 4 please Namco!
Re: Missing For More Than 30 Years, This C64 "Holy Grail" Is Finally Playable
I bet C64 racing fans are in XTC for this....
Re: Demons of Asteborg Devs Are About To Unveil A New Shoot 'Em Up For SNES, Neo Geo, And Mega Drive / Genesis
Looks intriguing, and great to see a SNES version! (The SNES mock up box seems to amusingly have a variant of the SEGA Seal of quality on it and not a variant on the Nintendo one?! Oops. )
Tbh, I've been stung too many times with bad experiences backing games on KS, but will still check it out the campaign page when it launches.
Re: Mario Kart 64 Has Been Ported To PC
@KingMike IKR! Bring Kamek back as well!
I haven't got a Switch 2 yet, but I did laugh when I saw Kamek was in MKW (kinda) and immediately thought of MK64 and those early shots. When he was added to MK8 Deluxe it also made me think of them...
Weird how those screenshots and things from that period are imprinted on my brain!
Re: Mario Kart 64 Has Been Ported To PC
Cool - love the fly overs on each track. Presume you can mod Rainbow Road to take away those silly fences...
I was literally scanning through some old issues of CVG (reading Rage Racer previews) and MK64 was just being covered and they were distinctly and rightly disappointed with it's single player mode and cheating CPU racers. Paul Davies wasn't quite sure why he sometimes got a boost turning corners as it was a new feature and clearly didn't know how to do it! They also v astutely comment how the game has gone from the SNES's 70/30 split of racing/combat to being more combat based - sadly a trend which has continued IMHO.
At the time I thought it was a missed opportunity and not as good as the SNES one - not enough shortcuts, no coins, some great tracks but far too many middling boring ones (Toad's Turnpike, Rainbow Road, Frappe Snowland) and how and why they didn't think to put a proper shortcut on Kalimari Desert by riding down the train tracks still boggles my mind to this day... ;P (you can ofc drive down the train track but it's not of any benefit.) And where's my boy Koopa Troopa from the SNES game!?
Still played the heck out of it though!
Re: One Of The Best Arcade Platformers Of The Last Few Years Is Getting A Sequel
I'd forgotten about this, and just picked it up on Switch and it's brilliant!
But why isn't it on PS?! Boooo! I want to play it on my TV (I only have a Switch Lite...)
Re: Gallery: Turning The Page On Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works
@DeciderVT You're right - I'd misremembered - the SMS book was released and is discontinued, it was the Megadrive one which got cancelled!
Re: Gallery: Turning The Page On Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works
@Ellie-Moo Yeah I remember that... it was an odd one! There have been a few other SEGA related books as well which released without issue. Maybe smth happened behind the scenes we're not aware of?
I think this book is an official collaboration - that's how they got all that juicy artwork and blueprints etc.
Ha yes, oh to have more shelf space and a big enough house! I've totally filled up my bookcases and now have to be incredibly picky about buying new books. One day one day...
Re: Gallery: Turning The Page On Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works
Love love that cover! The Japanese MD logo was the best.
Sadly couldn't justify paying again for this, I'll just have to stick to my OG copy.
Would absolutely love to see ROM do the equivalent type of book like this for the Super Famicom/Super NES! Sadly Nintendo never seem to greenlight this type of thing though?
Re: A Jet Set Radio 25th Anniversary Event Is Being Held In LA, Starting This Week
@Guru_Larry They are doing a new game in the series though, so it does make sense to build brand awareness and make people think about the original game.
Maybe they also drop some info on the new game at this event?
Nice to see them celebrate this I loved the original - when I played it (going from an N64 to Dreamcast) I couldn't believe how big the play area was and how it was all inter connected!
Re: Taito Joins The Evercade Range With Two Carts And An 'Alpha' Bartop Arcade
@mr_benn Exactly what I was going to say. No Rainbow: no deal!
Re: Bitmap Bureau, We Don't Deserve This Adorable Japanese GBA Version Of Xeno Crisis
Gorgeous! I got the SFC version of this and the Japanese artwork and formatting was an easy choice over the other versions!
I've always preferred the more daring and arty Japanese artwork and formatting produced over the years, at least until box art became the same regardless of region. No doubt the influence of Mean Machines and Super Play back in the day... but it's often far more daring and artistic. More stylistic. IMO. The Box Art Brawls on NL seem to disagree with me and often pick the Western versions and I often (not always!) seem to be in the minority picking the Japanese artwork! ;P
Re: "It's Just Not Working" - FreePlay Arcade Will Close Its Doors Later This Month
What a shame I'm not near there otherwise I would have loved to go. Bravo for trying...
Re: Peter Molyneux's Most Infamous Cancelled Game Would Have Allowed Players "To Hang Out With Someone That Loves You"
Ohhh Peter Molyneuex... at it again...
I have too many amazing memories playing Bullfrog games in the 90s to not have a certain level of respect for this guy... but man oh man the Milo demo is him going full Wizard of Oz levels of deception.
Stark admission that they were basically lying through their teeth - which we all worked out years ago but to be so candid all these years later?! Lol. Pour fuel on the fire Peter why don't you! No wonder he has the reputation he now has. And yeah he's not alone in this space; E3 presentations can be notoriously dodgy and fake. Killzone 2 eh Sony and Guerrilla?! But he did seem to make a bad habit out of it.
I watched this live online back in the day and was blown away by the concept. It's still fun to look at today and wonder 'what if?!' He said they were demonstrating it behind closed doors - considering it was so stage managed did this happen and if so did people fall for it?! The guy even gave a friggin TED talk about it even though he knew it wasn't completely true?! That takes some nerve I'll give him that!
What a story of smoke and mirrors. I wonder if it could be achieved with today's tech as it genuinely looks fascinating.
Amazing Kim Justice doc on the rise and fall of Molyneux - well worth anyone's time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFZ92jySWe0&ab_channel=KimJustice