This video modernising a classic game is the perfect way to end the working week. Thank you Deloix
source: Deloix
nintendo
Sharp Metal Blades
‘Thunder Blade’ or ‘Blades of Steel’ – what’s in a name? Hang on; are we talking about helicopter gunships, ice hockey or a samurai sword fighting game here? Don’t you just love mysterious titles?
Of course you know these games have nothing more in common than the reference to ‘Blade’ in their titles.
‘Thunder Blade’, possibly borrowing from the movie, Blue Thunder (Ed: not confirmed!), is about a high-tech attack helicopter trying to save mankind from some evil-doers. Sega’s 1987 arcade shooter was housed in two arcade guises: a stand-up cabinet with a force feedback joystick; and the awesomely cool sit-down cockpit version with the seat moving in tandem with joystick movements. The conversions sadly lacked this aspect. On the other hand, Konami’s 1987 ice-hockey game, ‘Blades of Steel’ is about dudes trying to play a game of ice hockey while breaking out into a bare-knuckle interlude (or should that be the other way around?). The arcade controls were unique for this game – a back-lit optical trackball to control players and three buttons, one dedicated for punching! Apart from both games being released in 1987, they could not be any more different from one another.
So there you have it, confusion clarified (Ed: really?) – Two very different games with very similar titles. You are more than welcome. Now go and play some video games!
The Power Of Glove: A Power Glove Documentary
Nintendo’s Power Glove – it’s so bad, that it’s so damn good! The Power Glove may not have worked as promised, but it’s legacy in pop culture is undeniable. Three film-makers (Adam Ward, Andrew Austin and Paula Kosowski ) have embarked on creating a documentary that chronicles Nintendo’s notorious game controller.
Check out the official trailer below of ‘The Power Of Glove‘ documentary.
We are not alone when we say, we cannot wait for this to be released!
FAMICOM: The Phoenix Rising From The Video Gaming Ashes
In the early eighties, the video gaming industry was brought to its knees. It seemed that every man and his dog wanted in on the video gaming action. These fly-by-night cowboys flooded the market with mediocre products, subsequently leading to the great video games crash!
In the midst of the video gaming ruins, one bold company, Nintendo, had plans of their own. Undeterred, they were quietly tinkering away creating their own home video gaming system, the ‘Family Computer’ (Famicom).
Nintendo had offered Atari the rights to market, brand and sell the Famicom outside of Japan. Imagine if Atari had taken up Nintendo’s offer! They would most probably still be in business and not become a derelict company ripe for pillaging.
On this day (July 15) in 1983, Nintendo released (in Japan), what was to become a video gaming revolution, the Family Computer (Famicom). What happened after that, well, as they say, the rest is history. Happy anniversary to the Famicom, and thank you Nintendo for resuscitating the home video gaming market!
Vital Stats:
Released: July 15, 1983 (Japan)
Generation: Third Generation (8-bit)
CPU: Ricoh 2A03 8-bit (MOS Technology 6502 core)
Media: ROM cartridge
Retail Price: ¥34,800
Units sold: 61.91 million (combined Famicom & NES)
Vital Stats source: Wikipedia
It’s On Like Donkey Kong
On this day (July 9) in 1981, Nintendo unleashed Donkey Kong in the arcades! Since then, millions of gamers have fallen in love with the great Nintendo gorilla. DK (as he is affectionately known) has gone from being the villain to now being the hero.
From humble beginnings – kidnapping Pauline and throwing barrels at a plumber, DK has come a long way and truly grown up. He has definitely kept us all entertained. Happy Birthday big fella!
What is your favourite DK game?
Image source: Cheezburger
Review: Retro Duo Portable V2.0
The Retro Duo Portable V2.0: another clone system to satisfy your nostalgic hunger. These so-called ‘clones’ are fast growing in popularity. Companies like Hyperkin and Retro-Bit have capitalised on the popularity of retro gaming by producing systems that can play your old console cartridges.
Retro-Bit is having a second crack at this caper by creating the Retro Duo Portable (RDP) V2.0 – a portable (to an extent) unit that plays SNES carts from any region without hacking or modifications. The RDP V2.0 is also capable of playing NES carts using the bundled RetroPort adapter, which sticks out like a sore thumb. The RDP V2.0 can also play Sega Mega Drive / Genesis cartridges using the RetroGEN adapter, which is sold separately.
Retro-Bit’s first attempt at hardware console creation was modest. The screen wasn’t too flash, the unit felt cheap and games compatibility was limited. They have learned from the experience and introduced a number of improvements for V2.0. These include: upgraded LCD screen, crisper sound, improved D-pad and button layout, better battery life (Lithium-ion) with LED indicator and most importantly, enhanced game cartridge compatibility.
The RDP V2.0 comes in a slick looking package. Inside you will find a vast amount of gear – the console itself, a plastic stand, TV/AV connection cable, power supply unit, RetroPort adapter, a controller hub and two SuperRetro controllers (which can also be used on your SNES!).
After playing with the unit for a number of hours (on one battery charge!), here are our thoughts:
The unit feels sturdy in hand and has a nice soft coating. It doesn’t suffer from that cheap feel you get from other ‘clones’.
The D-pad and button layout is identical to a SNES pad, so you should feel right at home. However, the shoulder buttons do let the controls down as they are too close to the cartridge slot, but this is only a minor niggle. The external control pads are great to use if you intend on hooking the RDP V2.0 up to a TV, or if you use them natively on your SNES.
We did have a few compatibility issues with the Super FX SNES games, but overall we were pleased with Retro-Bit’s claim of improved compatibility.
Using the RetroPort adapter to play your NES carts basically renders the unit ‘un-portable’. The adapter sticks out above the unit which looks damn ugly. But hey, if you want to play your native old NES carts, you will put up with this unsightliness. Playing the RDP V2.0 with the RetroPort adapter definitely got attention on public transport.
The improved LCD screen is better than the original RDP (it has an increased pixel count), but it has a long way to go. You still have to ‘angle’ or ‘tilt’ the unit to get the best visibility, which gets annoying after a while. There is a contrast reset button which has three preset contrast settings for brightness. The clarity is average when compared to modern handhelds; but considering the price of the unit, it is understandable.
The beefing up of the sound is great in theory, however we did find the sound became distorted at maximum volume with a distinct ‘crackling’ on certain games (Super Smash TV). The sound was fine when playing with headphones, however the placement of the headphone jack should have been placed on the side of the unit, not on top (it gets in the way!).
Should you rush out and buy the Retro Duo Portable V2.0? It depends, if you are happy emulating (legally) your 8-bit and 16-bit Sega or Nintendo games, then the answer is no. However, if you want a system that you can plug in your library of SNES, NES and Mega Drive carts, then the RDP V2.0 is perfect. The other plus to owning the RDP V2.0 is that you will safeguard your Sega and Nintendo hardware from further abuse, and let’s face it, these old consoles won’t last forever!
Verdict: If you like the sound of a console that can play your SNES and NES cartridges out of the box, then check this unit out.
Top 5 Games Charts: March 1996
March 1996 saw the release of the brilliant Coen brothers movie, Fargo. In the same month, we were bopping away to Take That’s “How deep is your love” (we did?!) and the Prodigy’s “Firestarter” (that’s more like it!).
The Sega Mega Drive and Saturn were embroiled in their own 16-bit vs 32-bit war, while Nintendo’s SNES was being stretched to it’s maximum capability.
These were the top games that had us glued to our consoles in March 1996:
 |
1) Donkey Kong Country 2 (Nintendo) |
| 2) Yoshi’s Island (Nintendo) | |
| 3) Killer Instinct (Nintendo) | |
| 4) FIFA Soccer ’96 (EA) | |
| 5) Street Racer (Ubisoft) |
 |
1) FIFA Soccer ’96 (EA) |
| 2) Premier Manager (Sega) | |
| 3) Sonic & Knuckles (Sega) | |
| 4) Micro Machines ’96 (Codemasters) | |
| 5) Mickey Mania (Sony) |
 |
1) Virtua Fighter 2 (Sega) |
| 2) FIFA Soccer ’96 | |
| 3) Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2 (Core Design) | |
| 4) Virtua Cop (Sega) | |
| 5) Daytona USA (Sega) |
Game Time: Watches
For those of us born in the 1970’s, we have fond memories of Gunpei Yokoi’s wondrous Game & Watch series – from the various handhelds to the wrist watches that had mini versions of Nintendo games. The games on these watches were a pared down version of their console or handheld counterparts, but hey, who cared, they looked cool on your wrist.
Fast forward to the present, and these watches still attract attention. Their nostalgic value is not measured in currency, but in smiles from onlookers. The conversations that these watches generate are a sure fire way to meet interesting people, from retro gamers to the curious diner sitting at the next table.
If the Game & Watch wrist watches are too child like for you, then perhaps the Fossil ‘Atari Asteroids’ limited edition is more up your alley. These watches had a limited run (5000 to be exact) and are therefore getting harder to source. Unfortunately, the ‘Asteroids’ game is not playable on these watches, it merely serves as a demo for this contemporary time piece.
If you are into watches of the video gaming kind, then these time pieces are a cool way to tell the time and provide some gaming relief (excluding the Asteroids watch!) if you are stuck on the road without your handheld or smartphone.
Super Mario Bros Acapella
Ever had a jingle stuck in your head? I know I have with Super Mario Bros. That happy little tune has been entrenched in the deepest corner of my brain since the mid 1980s. Seems like I am not the only one.
After watching Trudbol & Nick McKaig’s Super Mario Bros Acapella rendition, I know I am not alone with this jingle replaying in my brain. What have you done to us Koji Kondo!
Chronology Of Nintendo Systems
Being a Nintendo fan, I had to share this video. YouTube crew Retro Game Addict, has produced an awesome video depicting every Nintendo gaming system in chronological order – from Gunpei’s fabulous Game & Watch series through to the current generation Wii U console! The soundtrack is pretty funky too.