sdelfin

Crazy that it took so long for this game to be released outside of Japan. A lot of times, a game with such a reputation fails to live up to that(Castlevania 4 is one such game for me), but Rondo exceeded my expectations and is my favorite of the classic Castlevania. Bloodlines is another great one from those early games.

When I first watched the video, I thought it had that distinctive Saturn look to it, so I'm not surprised to see that it's real. And it is just a small portion of the game. It would be interesting to see how the Saturn would fare with a more complex area and enemies in place. Aside from that, I love the idea of Segata Sanshiro being the new Rickroll.

I just played through Super Mario Bros. 3 twice a week or so ago. I didn't even think about it being an anniversary, so that's just a happy accident. I still consider it among the best games ever and certainly a very important game.

In terms of release schedules, that was a very strange time. Games took much longer to see releases outside of Japan, but this one had strange circumstances. First was how the original Super Mario 2 was rejected by Nintendo of America(NoA) which led to the conversion of Yume Kojou: Doki Doki Panic to be Super Mario 2(USA). Super Mario 2 was released in the US right around the same time as Super Mario 3 came out in Japan, so they needed to wait to let people miss Mario for a bit, at least in theory. Add to that, there were issues with the supply of ROM chips at that time, something which affected, but was also affected by, the releases of Zelda 2 and Mario 2. So Nintendo was waiting out that situation as well so that there would be fewer supply issues for Mario 3. I remember how surprising it was when I learned that Mario 3 was actually released in late 1988. Very impressive game design, especially for that moment in time.

Despite not being from Europe, I did most of my gaming in the 8-bit era on a Sega Master System, and I enjoyed that thing. Most of my friends had Nintendo, so I got to play it a lot as well, and I recognized that some games had no equal on the SMS. While I wanted the Genesis, I ended up getting a NES pretty late, I think it was in 1990, though it may have been 1989. And the NES was a lot of fun as well. Partly because I got the system so late, I wasn't caught up in the hype for Mario 3 and I never had it. Of course, all my friends had it so I played it plenty. It's funny, I ended up borrowing it two separate times for extended periods because those friends had basically played it so thoroughly that they were sick of it(they had lots of fun up to that point). They basically insisted I borrow it. I may still have one of those copies. But it's a fantastic game. The first copy I ever owned properly, oddly enough, was the GBA version(I had previously accidentally purchased an illegitimate copy) and I didn't get that until 2013, so my history with the game is odd.

Kenseiden is a good candidate for a fan remake or follow up. As soon as I saw the twitter post up above, I saw how they've pulled assets and ideas from other games, and this isn't a knock against them since it's just a work in progress right now and they're likely still in very early stages. From the pics and videos, I noticed Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi 3, Valis 3, and Super Empire Strikes Back. I'm sure there are other games in there too.

If I had to guess about games that had/have undiscovered hidden content, NBA Jam would definitely have been at the top of my list already.

I was just playing SMB3 right before I saw this article. I always assumed there was a trick to the slot-machine game, but I was never interested in it so I always just approached it as purely a game of chance. I don't even look at the screen when I do that game. As for the card game, I probably had heard about the shuffling before, but I could not recall that but did read about it a couple of days ago. Eight possible layouts is just a bit off from 57.9 billion(if that's correct....seems high). Great game, nonetheless.

This product is definitely not for me. The N64 is not among my favorite systems, to put it mildly. And while FPGA gaming is cool, I lost interest in the concept years before the Mister was a thing because software emulation is quite good and covers my needs well. I think some people get caught up in the idea of FPGA a bit.

But, the N64 is probably a good call as it is a system that is a bit more limited in its output and can benefit more from this treatment. Plus, they don't have to deal with optical drives for it, which could add complexity. I suspect they'll eventually go that route. It seems some of the N64 fans are excited about it. Hopefully it ends up living up to expectations and availability isn't an issue.

Would be funny if someone made a prequel game for Frasier set in a bar in Boston. It could be an arena-style beat-em-up game like Combatribes or something.

Funny to hear this using MARS as an acronym when we just heard about all the terrible XBox names, including MARZ. Coincidence? Yes, totally.

@UK_Kev Thanks for the reminder. Yeah, by the time the system was out, going with six face buttons made the most sense to me. Even with the SNES having six total buttons, I always hated using shoulder buttons for main functions in fighting games.

I got around to trying the 3DO version of Super Street Fighter 2 earlier this year and compared it directly to the arcade version. I was actually surprised by the changes for the port as it has noticeable concessions, and beyond just the background layer. I only mention that because of how often people say it is perfect aside from the backgrounds. With that said, it's still a very good port at the time and would have felt perfect for those that had it at the time. It was clearly a step up over the Genesis and SNES versions and would have been an impressive sight back in 1994 and 1995.

I always found it odd that they went with a three-button controller as the default for the 3DO. It was really a missed opportunity to not launch with a six-button pad as standard. Fighting games were already popular and they really could have marketed the system as the ideal way to play arcade fighters while also pushing other game experiences on the platform.

They're terrible because they're all forced acronyms. That's rarely a thing that works. The Microsoft Entertainment & Gaming Attendant(MEGA)? Attendant??? Meanwhile, Mega Drive worked just fine for Sega. So did Genesis. Saturn worked too, in Japan, but I don't think the name was the issue elsewhere. This list is a good example of what overthinking things looks like.

It looks interesting so far. The Metal Slug DNA is there, and some might think it's too much, but I like it. The 3D backgrounds look good so far and don't look as mismatched with the sprites as is the case sometimes. I did have a couple of concerns, however. One is that the lighting effects already look to be a bit too much. The other thing is something I talk about a lot, which is the screen shake. I find that really unpleasant and I will skip over games because of it. But many games make that optional, so hopefully that do that here.

@Gs69 @belmont I think there's pros and cons when it comes to the decision to go with regular batteries. People could still use their own rechargeables and it means people wouldn't have to deal with an internal degrading battery after a while. But I mainly wanted to point out that there's a version 2 of the G Pi case which has an internal lithium battery, though it's designed for the compute module 4 instead of the Zero.

I just saw a video review of this yesterday, and it looks like 8bitdo did a great job as I have come to expect. I love their style and willingness to take on quirky product ideas. I suspect there's more upside to leaving out the number pad than including it. Those that require it are probably a small group to where it doesn't make financial sense to include it making the keyboard more expensive. I've always preferred laptop keyboards that leave it out. Plus, a number pad can be added separately. But they're not going to please everyone with something like this.

For my own amusement, if I got this, I'd be tempted to program the B and A buttons, the ones on the keyboard and the big buttons, as B and A respectively. I also like the idea of getting three additional sets of those big red buttons, as it can support four sets, just for the novelty of it. I have no idea what I'd use them for, but the idea amuses me.

Good to see Gargoyle's Quest 2 on there. I had a little trouble getting into it at first because the control felt different than I expected, but it's a good one. Ninja Gaiden 2 is my least favorite of the three games. I last played them a bit over a year ago, and I never got on as well with the second one because the sword just doesn't work as well. It felt like Tecmo downsized the hit box for the sword. I went right back to the first game and I was hitting everything with the sword just fine. The third game plays a little differently, but the sword works better there too, and the power up for it is wonderful. Of course, the Japanese version if it is better as the US one is notorious for being made harder in ways it should not have been.

I love NES action platformers that have an 80s action-movie vibe. Shatterhand by Natsume is fantastic and is one of my favorite games for the system. Batman: The Video Game by Sunsoft is also excellent. Power Blade 1 & 2, and Shadow of the Ninja(all Natsume games....there's a pattern here) are really good. Metal Storm and Vice: Project Doom are also quite good. Other games that come to mind are Bionic Commando, Darkwing Duck, Jackal, Code Name: Viper, Rolling Thunder, The Lone Ranger(seriously, it's really good), and probably a bunch more.

I personally wouldn't have Resident Evil 4, Mario Sunshine, or Twilight Princess on my own list. I either didn't like them, or I grew to dislike them the longer I played. But I get that they are some people's favorites and have their fans, so I'm not complaining about their inclusion here. This was the period of gaming where I had to accept that reviews were not as helpful to me as they used to me. For those wondering, my issues were: for RE4, the latter half of the game was very different and I tired of the QTEs; for Sunshine, the camera was frustrating, along with other things; Twilight Princess felt extremely padded for length and felt like a chore.

The write up of Eternal Darkness was spot on for me. I didn't get into it at first. Came back to it later, and I finally got it. I really enjoyed that one. Metroid Prime was so good and is still a favorite of mine and my top game for the Cube. I really loved the controls in that one. I also really liked Wind Waker, and the art direction looked much better on screen than in stills. I really liked Double Dash. I also remember having a great time with Tales of Symphonia, the first two of the three Prince of Persia games(I never got around to the third), and Beyond Good & Evil, which I got at an amazing price on clearance shortly after it came out.

I didn't remember this piece, but I see that I commented once before, so this is my second time reading it. I'll reiterate that the presentation mattered so much for Mortal Kombat, so I enjoyed the SNES version when I got to play it, while the Genesis version I had felt unfinished. The Sega CD version that came later had some nice enhancements. It's a great port other than the Shang Tsung loading.

I also wanted to add that Nintendo of America's role in those congressional hearings was opportunistic and disgusting. Definitely one of the more shameful moments in Nintendo's history. It says a lot that they relented for Mortal Kombat 2, further exposing their participation as a cynical attempt at market manipulation. Nintendo would swing back and forth for me over the years and I always liked them more when they were not market leaders.

Interesting video. I'll want to see and hear more. The game looks like a mash up of Cybernator for the mech parts, and perhaps Elevator Action Returns for the parts on foot. On top of that, the presentation looks to be straight out of Cowboy Bebop.

@themightyant I don't want to assume too much, but I've found retro games can look very good on large, modern TVs with the right settings. Of course, that depends on a few things like whether or not the right options exist for a particular application. Also, it depends on if we have similar taste in visuals. But I have found good CRT filters and scanlines to do a good job making the games look pretty much as they should. Those are not always available with certain offerings. If you're doing your own emulation setup, then that sort of thing is easier to get right. There are those who insist on raw, unfiltered pixels for retro games on HDTVs, and I think that's a bit odd, and I personally think the games look awful that way.

While I'm not fond of Gundam Wing, it does provide a good cast for a fighting game and the machine designs are appealing. I tried Endless Duel and it's quite impressive. Of course, Since it's from Natsume, I'm not too surprised. It plays well and looks more advanced, in my opinion, than most fighting games of the 16-bit home consoles.

I had the Japanese version of Rise From the Ashes on my imported Dreamcast(and also had the Premium disc that came out later which had the special scenario against the Gundam, Guncannon, and Guntank. It was quite tough.) While I couldn't follow the story due to the language, I really enjoyed the game itself. It was one of my favorites on the system.

I tried Federation vs. Zeon as well and thought it looked good and I liked how it played. Good to see it on the list. I'd like to have more time with it.

I really loved the GBA, despite the issues with the original screen(and methods to compensate), and audio output. GBA sales numbers are pretty good, especially considering it had a compressed lifespan compared to the Game Boy/Color. Aria of Sorrow truly was a wonderful upgrade over the previous two, which were great at the time. I played both the GBA Metroids six months ago and had a great time. Fusion remains my preferred GBA version of the franchise.

Games mentioned in previous comments like Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and Ninja Five-0 were great. I was lucky enough to pick up Ninja Five-0 when it was new as I was keeping up with reviews. Gunstar Super Heroes was really good. The Mega Man Zero games were excellent as well. Also, I'd include Double Dragon Advance, which is another fantastic game for the system.

I've been saying for a while that Sega should just push the "Sega Racing Classic" moniker for the two games and make the games widely available, especially the second. I think there would be enough good reaction that most people would figure out they're the Daytona games. This is good news, and hopefully it means standalone release in the future. I've never played Yakuza, and I know it has plenty of fans, so maybe I'll end up trying it, but as of right now I see this as a small arcade collection with a giant, complicated hub area.

I mentioned this to a friend yesterday and made the same type of joke, that it's "clicking" with reviewers. I then jokingly apologized for how awful that was and we both had a good laugh. I was really excited about this pad when they announced it, but decided to wait for the reviews, which I've watched in a few sessions in the last couple of weeks. Any negatives brought up don't really apply to me, so this sounds great. I'm planning to put in an order for two of them shortly.

In an odd coincidence, I ordered two of 8bitdo's Ultimate C Wired controllers, which are a crazy value if they suit your needs(they do for me), just a couple of days before they announced these Neo Geo pads. I might have waited otherwise, but I decided to keep them. So far, they've been great, though I haven't tested the d-pads for fighting games to see if they work as well as my old Pro +. But back to these Neo Geo pads, I was really big into the Neo Geo Pocket back in the day and was always aware of the Neo CD controllers, so this is something I've been waiting for. The one thing I still want to know about these things is what sort of microswitches it uses and how readily available they are. And I wonder that because for repairing the original pads, the switches have to be converted to a different type as the originals are no longer available as I understand it.

Very cool set of games here. I never really took a good look at R-Type DX before, and it looks like a nice conversion. Metal Gear Solid GB is an impressive update on the original top-down presentation of the series. It's the only Metal Gear Solid game I like because the limitations prevent some of the things I really don't like in the main series, though the GB version is a bit needlessly verbose at times itself. I have recently been thinking about playing it again. I have always had a fondness for demake-style games for the old portable systems like that, as it's cool to see what developers could manage with limited hardware.

I've picked up a bunch of 8bitdo controllers. I started with one of their Famicom style pads back in 2015. I got one of their micro novelty controllers after that. I was pretty happy with those that I kept an eye on their stuff. I was planning to get an M30, but never did because they came out with the SN30 Pro+ before I was ready, so I bought that instead. That Pro+ was mostly amazing. I'll get to issues shortly.

An earlier commenter mentioned accidental diagonals. I can only speak about the pads I've bought and a couple of others I've used at a friend's place, but I haven't noticed that issue. I'm not saying it isn't an issue at all. It might even vary from person to person. I remember having that issue with Nintendo's Wii Classic Controller Pro design. I didn't hear a lot of people talk about that, so it might have been an issue of preference.

As far as impressions and issues, I liked my original FC30 and had no issues, but I do recall some people having their charging ports break. From what I can tell, 8bitdo improved that for later controllers. My SN30 Pro+ has been fantastic to use. The d-pad accuracy and response is top notch, and my gold standard is Sega's Saturn pads. The issue with it is that the rubber membrane is weak and will tear with some heavy use. I still have to purchase replacements. The Pro 2 seems to have a different membrane, so I don't know if it has the same issue or if they fixed it. I also recently bought the Ultimate C Wired controller. That one, unfortunately, is doing ghost inputs. I haven't had a chance to try a firmware update, so it might take care of it, or maybe a future update will fox it. So 8bitdo hasn't been perfect for me, and the ghost input issue is significant, but I do love their controllers right now. In some ways, their stuff is better than first-party controllers. The Pro+ d-pad works better for me on fighting games than the current Xbox controllers, which are okay for non-fighting games. I have been planning to pick up 8bitdo's Neo Geo CD controllers as they look fantastic and won't have any membrane issues. I just wanted to wait to hear some reviews and impressions. Hopefully, they hold up well over time.

Edit: Quick update on the ghost input issue. I typically use Linux setups, but just had a chance to test it on a Windows machine. No ghost inputs at all on Windows 10 with the Ultimate Wired C pad. I thought it was strange 8bitdo would have let that get past them, unless it was just plain a defective unit. But it seems to work perfectly in Windows which is good news. I'm going to keep looking for new firmware and also try it with newer Linux distros to see if that fixes it.

For me, the Konami jingle was more memorable, but I really liked the quick logo jingles. When I hear the Konami jingle, I immediately hear the Castlevania Bloodlines intro right after, which is good because it has great music. The Capcom jingle was fun too.

Perhaps my favorite jingle is SNK's Neo Geo jingle. Lots of great memories of that one. Also worth mentioning is the Sega Saturn(especially Japan version) and the PS1 had memorable boot up sounds that I still have fondness for.

I was never the biggest RPG fan. I was always very particular about what I liked in an RPG. I did get started on the first Phantasy Star and the first Final Fantasy. I wasn't particularly interested in Phantasy Star 4 when it first came out, but by the time I got the Nomad, I was open to stuff I wasn't really looking at in 1993 and 1994. I really loved Phantasy Star 4 and it's my favorite RPG. It looks great, has great music, and just has a brisk pace in terms of how it plays and how the story unfolds. And I love the style of the cutscenes.

Another one of those games that I picked up used specifically for my Nomad, and I think I bought it together with Phantasy Star 4 at a flea market near where I live, was Light Crusader. I really enjoyed that one quite a lot too. I revisited it several years ago and it was even better than I remembered. Another one with fantastic music as well.

@Gs69 It's good that you play it. It is a fantastic game and deserves to be enjoyed. Neo Drift Out was one of the great surprises for me when I first played it around eight years ago. I heard it was good, but it was so much better than my expectations.

@Gs69 based on other examples like that Capcom arcade stick with Alien vs. Predator, and various arcade cabinets featuring Marvel games like the Punisher, I suspect the terms of licensing are a lot different between selling a physical thing that has built-in games versus actually distributing games directly. At this point, I think Capcom would have made Alien vs. Predator widely available on major platforms if it wasn't for licensing issues. It's just guess, but it does answer the question of why some big retro games are only available on devices like these.

@DeusX Spring 2024 is all the info on that right now.

This looks super cool, especially as I'm a huge fan of Shatterhand, Power Blade, and Natsume's old games in general(Just got Ninja Saviors on Steam last week as it finally came to PC). They nailed the NES look and feel, and the whole presentation is wonderfully '90s, including the game's title Prison City. I was thrilled to see it had a demo, and I tried it out to see how it felt and to get some questions answered. First off, it has nice options including some visual filters, and toggles for screen shake and screen flash. All of those things are things I appreciate. The game looks and feels a lot like Power Blade 2, with Power Blade 1's stage design. There's a bit of Shatterhand thrown in. There's probably some Shadow of the Ninja in there as well, especially with enemy layouts and how they behave. The premise is basically Escape from New York/LA, except in Detroit. And there's some amusing dialogue in the demo. Some of the level design is cleverly deceptive, though everything was pretty fair once I had a chance to examine things. The demo is really good. This looks like a winner.

I didn't play SOTN when it was current. I didn't even have a PS1 until a year or so later. No nostalgia for me. I don't like the original dub. The PSP version was my first experience with the game and I like that dub. For me, SOTN, and Castlevania in general, is too serious in tone for that dub, and I can't even enjoy it in a so-bad-it's-good way. Add to that the recording quality, especially for Richter, is pretty bad. The casting is an issue as well. I get why others like it, but unintentional comedy in Castlevania doesn't fit for me. I actually think I would have had even less patience for it in 1997. At this point, I'm more inclined to play the game in Japanese with translated text next time.

It was not one thing, but a series of bad calls and a toxic corporate culture behind it all. Saturn was a flop everywhere but Japan, though it was a good system to play. Certainly, the Dreamcast was not as successful as Sega needed it to be because of the financial state they were in from the Saturn. And since this has come up again, it's worth pointing out that bernie stolar, who was in charge of Sega of America for the Dreamcast launch, despite doing the marketing right(the one thing he was good at), announced the price of the Dreamcast at $50 below what he was supposed to at a time when Sega needed to minimize losses. It's hypothetical now, but I think the DC launch would still have been successful with the system at $250.

"Nice Guys"??? That's so funny. Especially in a game that lets you shoot humans at point-blank range with rocket launchers.

@Pally356 Apparently, it was also on Taito Legends 2 for XBox and PC, but not PS2, so at least that version is out there. Still, your point stands in that it's still stuck several console generations in the past and should be made available to those who would like to get it.

One of my favorite games of the era and, really, ever. I have played it at least once a year since I got back into retro games. I actually totally missed Shinobi 3 when it came out. It was probably just overshadowed by all the hype for Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat. So it came out at an unfortunate time as far as standing out. I just didn't know it existed. I think it was mid 1995 when a friend of mine was selling off old games to pay for Saturn games. I had some spending money and picked out a bunch of them for both Genesis and SNES. I ran out of money when I got to Super Metroid, unfortunately. But Shinobi 3 was literally my first pick, and it did not disappoint. I was shocked how fun it was and how much variety there was with the moveset, and I was already a fan of the Shinobi games, though Revenge I had not yet gotten to play at that point. It was one of those moments where I said to myself, why didn't I find this earlier.

@ShawnS I'm the same way with the game, and Shadow Dancer as well. Also, Shatterhand is another one where the game just feels so great and I've beaten that one with every variation I can think of.

Interesting development. The original Shadow of the Ninja is a very cool game and it's among my favorites on the NES. So far the art looks good and well judged in my opinion. I look forward to seeing more.

@samuelvictor Yeah, it's really weird how Sega re-did the handling for Daytona after the Saturn version and never did it the original way. But that Dreamcast version is really good, as you say. I enjoy going back to that one quite a bit. I found that with a bit of tweaking, I could get the car to handle in a way I liked. I think I had to turn the steering sensitivity way down, but the adjustments were there. Daytona CCE for Saturn is a totally different story. No matter what I did, I just couldn't get it to handle right. The cool part is, despite the different feel of the original version on Saturn and the DC remake, I can go back and forth between them with minimal issue because they're both consistent, which is not something I felt with CCE.

What an interesting period of time. Everything was new and there was no roadmap on how to do things, for better or for worse. It makes me wonder what Nintendo was expecting when they released the Famicom, as it sounds like they though it might be a modest success. It also shows how things back then took time, which I view as a positive in a lot of ways. I thought it was interesting to hear about the context of the Famicom launching when gaming on early Japanese computers was somewhat popular. The smooth scrolling in games like Super Mario Bros. probably amazed people at the time and helped propel the machine to success.

Finally, a Street Fighter game with voices so bad that the Genesis can't butcher them!! I couldn't resist, and I know the scratchy voices in Special Champion Edition didn't have to be scratchy and the system has done much better sample playback. In fact, the voices never bothered me and I've always liked that version.

That's great. And, from what I've read, it sounds like Mad Stalker is one of those games with a small, but cult-like fan base. I'm part of that now. It's definitely not going to appeal to everyone. Many will consider it just okay. When I first tried it, I thought it was almost good. But, strangely, the game called me back to it for a second chance and I ended up loving it. The music is great(all versions, which are all different) which is a big part of it. I was lucky as I stumbled onto the announcement of the Mega Drive version back in 2020 basically right when it happened, so I followed the news of that as info came out and bought it right away. It feels right that they would include this one for the X68000 Z.

Congrats to Samurai Shodown, and its 30 years of misspelling! Even now, I have to sometimes remind myself to remove a W. And it was arguably the game(if not the first, then the second one) that really showed SNK as a real competitor to Capcom in the fighting space while doing something very different with a weapon's-based fighter.

@AJB83 I'm glad to see that others are very excited about these too. Yeah, it is just about perfect for SNES, unless someone doesn't quite like the angle of the buttons. I think most people should be able to adapt quite well. Like you, I have other controllers that can do the job well, especially with those two Ultimate Cs I just got, but the idea of that stick really appeals to me the same way. I've noticed what a huge difference the controller makes for fighting games and I have high hopes for these to be ideal for that. And those limited controllers do look tempting, and KOF 97 was a big game for me so I'm considering that as well. And, yes, the purple flames look cool.

What a cool surprise, though not a huge surprise since 8bitdo has already done a PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 controller. Neo Geo CD was probably the next logical step, though with more effort on their end having to figure out how to do that stick right as opposed to the typical membrane D-pad. And I love my 8bitdo controllers and just picked up two of their Ultimate C wired pads which were quite a good deal. The D-pad on my SN30 Pro Plus has been fantastic(mostly), coming extremely close to the usability of the Saturn controller's D-pad. The only downside to it, and I don't know if it affects the never controllers since they seem to use a different membrane, is that the rubber of the membrane is weak and will tear, which means some maintenance is required. I still have to test the Ultimate C controllers to see if the D-pad and its positioning match up to the SN30 Pro Plus. Back to this Neo Geo CD pad, this could be excellent provided the feel of it works for me, but I'm very excited for this one. And it looks like it will be easily serviceable too. The shoulder buttons will be handy as well. I'll want to check reviews when they're available, but 8bitdo has a great track record and my own experiences have been positive, so I suspect the question won't be if I get one, but how many.

Always cool to see something new come to the Neo Geo, not that I'm in the market for that. But Final Vendetta looks especially suited to the Neo Geo, especially with the sprite work looking like it was most influenced by SNK, specifically Fatal Fury series and King of Fighters.

I strongly disagree with that blurb from the NintendoLife review. I'm not opposed to "getting good" at the likes of Cuphead or Metal Slug(despite the ability to credit feed), but a single credit limit in a beat-em-up, in my opinion, drags things down as it forces a more rigid approach. I felt compelled, because I love the game, to 1CC the original Golden Axe, which isn't especially hard. While that was fun to do many times, I enjoy the game more when I'm not exploiting every single aspect I can. That's just me, and it's also moot since a casual mode has been added to Final Vendetta, but I would have to give extra scrutiny to that reviewer, who I suspect is a lovely person, when it comes to beat-em-ups.

I didn't know this one, but I also had no need to know as I never felt compelled to look at how that was assembled. I was very happy with my stock Gamecube. The thing about the spindle, that I noticed right away.

I wasn't really gaming when this game came out and wasn't aware of Wayforward. When I did learn of them a couple of years later, I was able to pick this up along with Contra 4, and Thor: God of Thunder. Thor is surprisingly good if you like the type of game that it is. It was perfect timing because I got all three brand new for very little money. I know they got more expensive not too long after. I had a really good time with Infestation. I could tell they enjoyed making the game. I was happy to learn that Wayforward's reputation was well earned as I became a fan of their stuff.

So funny to see Gunsmoke and Bonanza referenced. I love both shows. Been a while since I've been the type of young person they're talking about, but I did discover Bonanza when I was 10, long after is had ended its run. I've seen most of the episodes far more than is reasonable, and seen all 431 at least twice. But I agree, westerns were popular, but fell out of favor due to how ubiquitous they were along with cultural shifts. The interesting thing about westerns was how they allowed many liberties to be taken with the historical presentation. I think that's partly why these historically-based concepts work so well in other cultures, because there's a lot in there that's interesting, but writers can take far more liberties since they're not bound by that history. For example, you can start with a samurai or medieval setting, and add in fantasy elements. You can do that if you're from that culture, but I think it's harder to do. But all those things have something in common, and it's also why sci-fi works so well too, in that they allow human stories without having to worry about rules that shows with a contemporary setting would have. For example, some of my favorite American TV shows are westerns and private-investigator shows, but I hate police procedurals and lawyer shows.

@SpeedRunRocks I agree about Gunsmoke and Festus. I love Festus. Bonanza is one of my favorite shows ever, and that was way before my time.

Sony did a great job expanding the game market with the PS1. The PS2 is one case of a follow-up console being a sure hit, which is surprisingly uncommon. The Dreamcast may have been a victim of bad timing in a way. When it was designed, it was a big leap over the PS1, Saturn, and N64. The extra time Sony had before launching allowed it to benefit from advancements graphics processing, mostly in terms of polygon number, while the Dreamcast seemed to have better image quality in practice. But the PS2 was a good combination of power, marketing, and versatility thanks to the DVD drive, which was a great move and a big part of its early success.

The PS2 may be my favorite console redesign with the slim model which I always found appealing. I thought Sony did a nice job with the PSOne as well.