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The Worst DOOM Copycat

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

There were a lot of “Doom” copycats after the game’s enormous success; “Bloodwings: Pumpkinhead’s Revenge” is probably the most unusual rip-off. There are moments while playing it where I’m not sure what my objective is or if there even is an objective.

Clips from the “Pumpkinhead” sequel are spliced into the game. The movie is bad, so the clips are jarring and clunky. The movie might be slightly better than the game, but neither are worth a second glance in a bargain bin at a store. The game doesn’t seem to have any purpose than to collect “Tantanik Crystals” that allow you to play the movie and then the player can grab items from the clips. Sound exciting? It’s not. The first-person view is like seeing through the Predator’s eyes, the visuals are so murky and dark red.

Doom Clonesource: old-games.com

The game is as twisted as the terrible film. “Bloodwings” doesn’t make a lot of sense and it’s hard to follow, like so many cheap horror films. I enjoyed the first “Pumpkinhead” film, which was released in 1988. The first film, starring Lance Henriksen, is predictable at times and the plot is rather basic. Stan Winston directed “Pumpkinhead”; I always thought the evil creature in Winston’s film looked like the “Alien” franchise Xenomorph. Winston did win an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for James Cameron’s masterpiece “Aliens” two years before he directed “Pumpkinhead.”

The “Pumpkinhead” film is corny, but it’s a fun, watchable corny. Henriksen slightly overacts when he is connected to the killer beast, but he makes it as believable as possible. Henriksen is one of those actors that you believe in every role. He brings a dramatic weight to “Pumpkinhead.” He’s a big reason why I liked Winston’s movie. The film has a great first act that pulls you in. There is nothing about the sequel or the “Bloodwings” game that is engaging.

 

Battlezone: One of Atari’s Best

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Several years ago, my brother bought an Atari Flashback 64 console, and I became obsessed with playing the 1983 tank video game Battlezone. As crude as the first-person shooter graphics may be, the game feels like a real tank simulator (minus the volcanoes and UFOs).

I’ve always loved tank games. Usually, the more realistic ones are the most entertaining, but Battlezone’s simplicity is what makes it so fun and interesting. I didn’t know until I did some research that Battlezone is often considered the first virtual reality arcade video game. The home version doesn’t feel like virtual reality, but I can definitely see how the original 1980 arcade version can be seen as a “3-D success”. Looking through the “periscope” viewfinder, which the player used to play the game, had to be exciting and different. The originality of it had to help the player immerse themselves in the classic game. I’ve never had the pleasure of playing Battlezone in an upright arcade cabinet; I hope one day I will.

There is also a smaller version of the cabinet where the screen was angled upwards, and there was no periscope. I think I remember seeing that version of Battlezone at a local supermarket when I was little.

When I play Battlezone, I have a battle manoeuvre where I circle around and pick off enemy tanks and flying saucers, then I pick up speed in one direction for a while until something pops up on my radar. I wish the game had a better radar, but the primitiveness of it adds to the retro feel. You must be fast on the joystick’s trigger when opposing tanks just pop up on screen in front of you. Playing the ’83 game is still a challenging and thrilling experience.

Atari 2600 version of Battlezone. Source: Retro Gamer

 

Happy Halloween – A ‘Saw’ Pinball Machine?

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I didn’t like the “Saw” movies when they were first released, but over time, catching a lot of the films on cable, I can appreciate a few of them as pure horror films. Are they scary? At times, but they never lack imagination.

 A “Saw” pinball machine makes a lot of sense because the film deals with gadgets and trinkets that the villain Jigsaw constructs for deadly reasons. A pinball machine can feature little parts of the films, certain traps, and sounds. Jigsaw’s little puppet’s disturbing, menacing laugh could be included in the storyline of the game. The drain at the bottom of the play field could trigger the menacing laugh when the player loses a ball. The movies are a game (a deadly game), so features on the play field are perfect for pinball. Once a player launches the ball with the spring, use of the creative properties from the films could be limitless. 

 A clear walled machine for a “Saw” design could be ideal. The features and tricky layout could set up some interesting scoring objectives from the franchise that are both compelling and frightening. A designer could get creative with kickers and slingshots. A slingshot could be a distinguishable Jigsaw tool or trap from the film.

 “Saw VI” is my favourite film in the franchise. It’s the one that centres around an insurance executive who must complete a series of deadly “games” set to spare his employees. That entry did something different and unique with the series.

Tobin Bell has always been great as John Kramer/Jigsaw. He has portrayed the menacing character in eight of the “Saw” films. I’m not sure if he’s involved in the upcoming “Spiral: From the Book of Saw,” with a story by comedian Chris Rock. Bell can be scary without saying a word. The veteran actor has a great, wicked face. I’m looking forward to seeing what Rock does with the popular franchise. From the trailer, it looks like someone who is imitating Jigsaw is targeting two police detectives: Rock plays one of the detectives. But it’s a “Saw” movie, the trailer purposely gives very little away. 

image source: Nirico

 

Discovering Fall Guys’ Chaos

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

I love the chaos of the new game “Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout,” developed by Mediatonic. I discovered Fall Guys, a platformer battle royale game, by hearing someone on the radio talking about it. Since its release on August 4, the game has become a unique alternative for Fortnite. The game is sort of a mix mash of Mario Party and Fortnite, but with funnier, and just as original looking players.

The jellybean-like figures manoeuvre through a three-dimensional playing field. The figures can jump, grab, and dive to help with gameplay. The aim is to qualify for rounds by completing each of the random mini-games. At times, you have to work as a team to make it to the end of the mini-game. The obstacles that randomly change throughout the game can be difficult to navigate even for an experienced gamer.

Players gain Kudos, an in-game currency, by completing matches. You get “Crowns” by winning; they are the ultimate currency. I’m not a fan of getting pink slime on me. When it first happened, I didn’t know what had happened to my dinosaur avatar.

Manoeuvring around the sliding walls in early rounds is easy. But the disappearing levels of plates and the turntable-like obstacles are sometimes difficult to master. The ability to dive becomes vital on those obstacles. Being able to grab other players helps as well.

My strategy is to always hang back behind the group or cluster of players as I move around the outskirts of the mapped obstacles. I think it’s oddly enjoyable to manoeuvre around giant fruit flying at you as you run with a herd of other players. I got taken out by a watermelon in one round.

I haven’t played a game this original and entertaining in years. I’m still discovering the various rounds. Sometimes, it’s not easy; but the game gets its hooks in you and it’s difficult to put down the controls.

 

New Scrabble Go App

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

The new “Scrabble Go” app was released earlier this year, and contrary to what many fans of the iconic game are saying, I really enjoy it. The candy-coloured, frenetic update was meant to get younger players to appreciate an older game.

The new look to the app, a far cry from the traditional red-and-tan predecessor, is definitely going to turn off some loyal fans of the decade-old game.

I’ve been playing Scrabble since I was 8-years-old. I used to watch my parents play and I’d bug them about the rules and what a triple word score meant. In high school, my friends and I would play Scrabble past midnight. We would have little tournaments that would last long into the night. My friend Elizabeth would usually beat the rest of us, but it never stopped us from trying to win one game against her.

I’m a Scrabble traditionalist, so when I first played the “Scrabble Go” app, I didn’t know what to make of it. The ability to decorate my word tiles with 3-D flamingos and baby dragons was slightly alarming. I understand that dragons have no place in Scrabble, but it didn’t make me want to stop playing the game. What is so bad about a little color in a classic game? The redeemable shiny gems that give you a preview of the best available words was a nice touch. It didn’t bother me. Covid-19 could be the biggest reason for all the criticism of the new app. People don’t like change and being shut in during the pandemic has made people really not like change. Hasbro tinkered with a classic when loyal players need Scrabble more than ever. I play the app for about an hour a day. I can’t imagine what the changes were like for a player who plays for hours daily.

Maybe the reason why the dragons don’t bother me is because I’m a huge “Game of Thrones” fan. If you’re focusing on the actual game of Scrabble, struggling to score with a clever word, the dragons and strange gnomes (or pixies) aren’t distracting.

Complaints about the new game on Reddit threads and Facebook pages are hilarious. The most frequent criticisms are about the colourful treasure chests and the difficulty of finding the dictionary. Personally, I could care less about the chat room. I don’t want to get to know any other players or learn any of their “tips.”  A lot of people on the chat room are not even interested in the game of Scrabble. I think some of these lonely people really need to leave their basement and go for a long afternoon walk. Perhaps get some fresh air and sun and think about things that are slightly more important than a word game. Scrabble is something I do to get away from all the chatter and snark on social media platforms, especially Twitter. I cannot think of anything worse than chatting with stranger during a game of Scrabble. Focus is vital during Scrabble.

Mark Blecher, Hasbro’s head of digital gaming, said the old app isn’t coming back and that the company sees the updated app as a “game-changer” for Scrabble. A “game-changer” seems somewhat overenthusiastic, but something new usually always causes some division. I’ve noticed the more I play the new app, the less I notice the little things that players have decried.

 

Hudson Hawk on Game Boy

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

“Hudson Hawk” is considered one of the worst films of the 1990s. I watched it late at night on cable when I was a kid and I loved it. I enjoyed its free-wheeling plot and silly action sequences. Maybe it was because I’ve always been a fan of Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello’s acting? Willis and Aiello have incredible chemistry, and every scene with them together are the best scenes in the film.

Is it a great film? No. But being young, my standards were lower and I watched it every time I found it on HBO or TBS. Then, I traded a Game Boy cartridge for the “Hudson Hawk” video game.

“Hudson Hawk” on Game Boy is exceptional, because there’s not many heist video games. It was a simple platform game, but unlike games of that format, it wasn’t easy to maneuver all of the potential threats. The game is like the classics, “Double Dragon” or “Ghosts ’n Goblins” because of how enemies appear suddenly in windows and behind Hawk as he’s trying to steal priceless items.

Playing as Hudson Hawk, you had to jump and climb between suspended platforms while sidestepping obstacles. As the famous cat burglar, you are sent on a mission to steal three Da Vinci artefacts. You try to avoid sounding alarms as you move through the different levels of the game. Dealing with dogs is the hardest part of the game; they’re quick and unpredictable. The security guards are a push over as an enemy. Simply punching them swiftly or throwing a ball at them took them out. You don’t expect the aggressive kangaroos or the stampeding rhinoceros in the library. The various, oddball enemies give the Special FX Ltd. game an originality.

As over-the-top as Richard E. Grant is as the film’s villain, Darwin Mayflower, he’s still entertaining. Grant, in my opinion, has been one of the most underrated actors of the last thirty years in cinema. He steals every scene he is in, and throughout his long career, I can’t think of one bad performance by the Swazi-British actor. Some critics would say “Hudson Hawk” is his worst performance, but I think it’s fun, and you can tell he’s having a good time torturing Willis’ character.

The Game Boy game and the 1991 film gave me an odd, mystifying joy that I still don’t fully understand. I spent hours of my childhood trying to steal artefacts with my Game Boy close to my face.

 

PlayStation’s Space Jam: I Never Passed the Ball

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

When I played the Space Jam video game, I either consistently played with Michael Jordan or I would pass the ball to the Tasmanian Devil. Usually, I just went to the hoop playing as Jordan.

I was never a huge fan of the film Space Jam. It’s fun, and Jordan gives a good performance as himself. Is that difficult or easy? However, when I played the PlayStation game based on the film for the first time, I instantly became addicted to playing the 2D, multiplayer game. And, before playing Space Jam, I particularly never enjoyed playing basketball video games. That changed after I played a few games of Space Jam.

For a game released in 1996, the graphics still hold up. There were basketball games made ten years later that didn’t have as impressive design and graphics. Every Warner Bros. cartoon character is designed in great detail and their movements are naturally familiar. Critics said the gameplay was too simplistic and easy. That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed the game.

source: Space Jam Wiki

When the Tasmanian Devil takes the ball to the hoop and starts spinning like a violent tornado, there is nothing more entertaining in any basketball game. Maybe I’m slightly biased because I was a Tasmanian Devil fan when I was a kid. He’s the most eccentric and crazy of the classic Warner Bros characters; the Road Runner being a close second. Jordan and the Tasmanian Devil were the only ones who could play defence for the TuneSquad. Bugs Bunny was useless on defence, but he could hit a three-pointer when you needed it.

Jordan’s game play athleticism and movements mirrored the real thing. His jumper and layup were pretty much identical to his real style of play. The Monstars could not defend Jordan’s fast break to the bucket. Most of them just watched when His Airness blew past them. I always thought the Monstars in the film and in the game were no match for Jordan. They were such silly and hokey villains, beating them felt inconsequential.

A Space Jam sequel with LeBron James is in the works. I hope the sequel produces an equally enjoyable game as the original film did. When it was released, Space Jam the video game was an excellent basketball game.

 

The Strange Vitriol Toward GTA V

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

The “Grand Theft Auto” franchise has always been beloved by most gamers. I’ve played every installment since “Vice City.”

In 2012, I remember on the day “Grand Theft Auto V” sold $800 million dollars’ worth of units, the Fed Chairman said that the American economy was weak. I thought, gamers seem to have money.

“Grand Theft Auto V” was set in Southern California, where gamers could explore the fictional city of Los Santo, plan and carry out heists, and take part in a range of activities, from golf to arms trafficking.

“Fortnite” is a violent game. The “Call of Duty” games are violent as well. But those games were never criticised as much as “GTA V.” Why did “GTA V” get so much condemnation for its violence, and other popular games, just as violent, were ignored by the media? Was it the success that brought on so much criticism? The game was violent, but so were all the other games in the franchise. I agree with the critics who panned the depiction of woman in “GTA V.”

With great success there is always some backlash. After the announcement of the first day grosses, I recall commentators on ABC’s “The View” and on CNBC having strong, negative reactions to the game’s success.

Upon hearing about the game’ sales record, CNBC commentator, Jim Cramer said, “Are there any parents left? You want your kids to watch… I would never let my kids have this. This is unbelievable.” In that same segment, another CNBC analyst reported that “GTA V” was the largest single day take of an entertainment title of all-time, “in the history of man.”

A parent can’t shelter their kids from entertainment like the “Grand Theft Auto” franchise. If you decide not to buy it for them, they’ll probably just end up playing it over at their friend’s house who bought it.

Not everyone was so critical of the Take-Two Interactive Software game’s success. A friend, a GameStop manager in Dallas, Texas, at the time of the game’s release, told me, “I’ve never seen anything move from our store like this. People were waiting for this one… I thought gamers went nuts when “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” was released.”

Critics hated the brutal interrogation scene, in which a character tortures another by methods of pulling out the victim’s teeth and electrocuting them. They seemed to know a lot about the details of the scene; it made me wonder if they had bought a copy of the game themselves.

 

Sega Game Gear Gaming: Fred Couples Golf

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

When I tell people that my favourite professional golfer is Fred Couples, they usually give me side eye and ask, “Why?”. When I was little, my two favourite games on my Sega Game Gear were “The Incredible Hulk” and “Fred Couples Golf.”

The 1994 golf game was panned by critics when it was released. I think the reason some critics hated it was because the cramped graphical layout was a flaw. It didn’t bother me. I never chose a caddie, which was an option in the game. I’ve always believed that the practice mode and easy controls were innovative for a golf game.

I would play my Game Gear on the way to school on the bus, and on the way home as well. That was a lot of Fred Couples Golf. My mother would take my Game Gear away from me when I arrived home and tell me I could play after I finished my homework. The game was addictive. I started watching every golf event that Couples played in.

Many of my friends would ask me why I enjoyed Fred Couples Golf so much. The game was pretty much my introduction to the game of golf and the rules. I learned what a bogey was and I learned how to properly hit a golf ball out of a bunker. The game was unique because Couples, who endorsed the game, wasn’t a playable player. You could only play against him; and, on the difficult level, he was a worthy opponent.

I enjoyed the Couples game so much, I always wondered why Fred Couples didn’t get a game with more exceptional graphics for PlayStation or Xbox? Most of the big consoles made games endorsing Tiger Woods and other younger, more popular players on the PGA Tour. I doubt any game maker will, but if they made a Fred Couples game today, I’d buy it.

If a developer can centre a golf game around legends like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, I don’t see why they couldn’t make a new game featuring Couples. However, video games are usually not designed for legendary players on the PGA Champions Tour.

 

Supersized Classic Arcade Games

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Recently, I walked through a very crowded arcade/restaurant and noticed that all the large, supersized arcade games were classics, like Pac-man, Galaga and Space Invaders. They’re large, they’re loud, and, with the large groups around them, they’re popular.

Playing Galaga on a 10-foot high screen gave me a new appreciation for the 1981 game. I never got to play Galaga in an arcade but playing the fixed shooter game on such a large scale was slightly thrilling. It really was something for the senses. My hand-eye coordination was sharp enough to reach several levels. When you’re playing on such a big screen, the enemy ship’s formations are easier to predict; however, it’s still difficult to get set and aim with some accuracy.

When you’re playing a supersized classic, a crowd seems to gather around you as you reach higher levels. That was fun with Galaga, but not so much with the large Pac-Man. For some reason, for me, playing Pac-Man on an enormous screen was difficult. Maybe because I’m so used to playing the iconic game on a small screen. It was sort of intimidating seeing the assorted colored ghosts that large.

I didn’t play Pac-Man for very long. My loses were a little embarrassing. With the games being supersized, for everyone in the arcade to see, it’s humiliating when you perform poorly.

They should supersize more classic games like Donkey Kong and Double Dragon. The enormous Alien game, where you try to kill as many of the xenomorphs and facehuggers as possible, was a blast as well. They had a large Mario Kart game, but with the huge throng gathered around it, I didn’t even attempt to play it.

Playing something vintage in a new, unique way is really exhilarating. And it’s cool to see that the old games enlarged are as prevalent as ever.

image sources: Bandai Namco Amusements, National Event Pros & 8-Bit Central via Pinterest