AUSRETROGAMER

The Pop-Culture E-Zine

You are here: Home / Archives for Old School

Old School

The Worst DOOM Copycat

By

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

By

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

 

Tristam Island – The Text Adventure Game You Can Play On 36 Platforms!

By

“Tristam Island” is out now! Play Hugo Labrande’s retro text adventure on one of 36 platforms (Ed: yep, 36 platforms!), from the Commodore PET, VIC-20 and C64 to the Dreamcast! Hours of gameplay, smooth parser, digital feelies, modern game design, intrigue on a deserted island! Best bit, it is cheaper than our daily coffee intake, go and get it now!

image source: Tristam Island by Hugo Labrande via itch.io

 

Shoot’em Up Destruction Set 3 – C64

By

The C64 games compilation SHOOT’EM UP DESTRUCTION SET 3 (previously released on tape + disk from Psytronik Software) is now finally available for digital download – only US$2.99 for six games – which is an absolute bargain!

You can read more about (or buy) the compilation right here, however, we thought we’d let you know about the key features about this value packed destruction set:

  • SIX complete Commodore 64 games designed by Alf Yngve:
    • Zap Fight
    • Blue Beret
    • Barakon – Cyborg Avenger of America
    • Spy Rider
    • Operation Firestorm
    • Super Tau Zeta 2
  • Specially coded front-ends & soundtracks by Richard Bayliss!
  • Exciting in-game enhancements, special effects and power-ups!
  • Musical tributes to Martin Galway & Matt Gray!
  • Superb bitmap loading screens by Carl ‘Mase’ Mason!
  • Fantastic inlay artwork by the legendary, Oliver Frey!

Oh yeah, this compilation is compatible with the original C64, THEC64 Mini, The C64 (Maxi) and your C64 emulator software!

 

We Love Our 35th Anniversary Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.

By

It took a while for our 35th anniversary Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. to arrive, but we are so glad that it did!

Nintendo sure knows how to tug at our nostalgic strings, as we pre-ordered this as soon as it was revealed in early September. We recall how excited we were at the time and couldn’t wait for November 13th to come around! Well, November 13th come and went, with the dreaded postage notification advising us that good ole Aussie Post would deliver our Game & Watch (G&W) some time between Nov 16 – Nov 19, which was like a pixel dagger thrown right into our 8-bit heart. As it turned out (and luckily for us), Aussie Post took the median value and delivered this precious cargo today (November 17). At the time of writing, we still had a number of our friends that hadn’t received their units.

Enough with the negativity regarding pre-orders not arriving on the day of release (although, this should be fixed!), this Game & Watch has exceeded our expectations by a country mile. The see-through sleeve on the gold packaging was an indicator that this thing was going to be special. Upon opening and holding the G&W, it was like being in the playground at primary school, being wowed by this little contraption made by Nintendo and showing it off to our friends. The look, the feel – including the D-pad and buttons, has been nailed by Nintendo. We didn’t need any LR-44 cell batteries to power this unit, so that was a plus. The only niggle we had, this new G&W did not come with the little tuck-in stand that the old school ones have. But like we said, it’s a very very small niggle. Of course we compared it to a number of our original Game & Watch units, including its namesake, and we can say, this new one fits right in!

The only wish we have at this stage is for people interested in this 35th anniversary G&W game (that missed out on the pre-order) get an opportunity to get one, at a non-scalped price! Oh yeah, we also wish for a Donkey Kong Multi-Screen G&W next, with the original Donkey Kong and perhaps Donkey Kong Country – surely that’s not too much to ask for!

 

Retro Inspired Covers of Modern Sega Games

By

Just in case you have been visiting Mars and just came back to this planet, SEGA is celebrating their 60th Anniversary this year.

Amongst their celebrations, they have designed a heap of retro inspired alternate covers of modern Sega games, like Alien Isolation and Persona 4 on the Genesis / Mega Drive, Puyo Puyo Tetris on the Dreamcast, Valkyria Chronicles on Sega Saturn, Yakuza 0 on Game Gear, and many many more.

Check out the rest of the cool retro inspired alternate Sega game covers here.

image source: Sega 60th Anniversary

 

Our Favourite Nintendo Game That We Still Play Today

By

Asking a gamer to nominate their favourite Nintendo game is like asking a parent to pick their favourite child. Well, guess what, we are going to do the unthinkable!

But before we crown our favourite, let us tell you about the top 3 contenders (that we still love playing till this day!):

First contender, Wave Race 64 (N64) – yes, we did pick Wave Race 64 above Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and Goldeneye 007. Don’t get us wrong, the aforementioned games are superb, but nostalgia draws us to Wave Race 64. What wasn’t there to like – realistic water physics, challenging courses and an absolutely cracking 2 player challenge – ‘Bonsai!’. We lost a lot of hours playing this game head to head. Oh yeah, the N64 controller was perfect for this game.

The second contender is none other than Super Mario Bros. (SMB) on the NES. This 2D platformer catapulted the Mario franchise into the stratosphere for good reason. The game had great level design, matched by awesome gameplay, a mesmerising Koji Kondo tune and most importantly, intuitive control – what more could you want!

Well, if it wasn’t for the next game, I guess the choice would have been easy and SMB would have walked away with the prize. Let us tell you about a 16-bit platformer that took the SMB ingredients, gave them a fair shake and then poured the contents into the SNES for a game we call (drum roll please), Super Mario World (SMW)! With SMW, the 2D platformer reached its pinnacle – sublime level design, 16-bit aesthetics that were an absolute feast for your eyes and the sound was perfectly atmospheric. This was a game that you could lose yourself in. SMW is one of those games you can either pick up and play for half an hour to get your Mario fix, or play till the wee hours of the morning. SMW walks away with the prize of our favourite Nintendo game of all time. Thank you Mr. Miyamoto for creating the definitive 2D platformer.

Phew, that was hard!

 

Commodore PET Programs To Run In Your Browser

By

If you have aged like a fine wine, you’ll remember Commodore’s PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) line of home/personal computers produced in 1977 by Commodore International.

For those of you longing for some Commodore PET computer action, here’s 340 (at the time of publication) Commodore PET programs that you can run in your browser!

 

Solitaire Hacks You May Have Never Heard Of

By

Solitaire – also known as Patience – is one of the most famous and most addictive computer games in the world. Did you know it was installed as a free game on Microsoft computers as a smart way to get people to engage with the new technology of a mouse? It’s the perfect way of getting someone used to dragging and dropping objects around a screen.

Today, there are many versions of the card game, such as Spider Solitaire and Freecell, but they all have one thing in common – it can be frustratingly difficult to win. If you would like to improve your performance, read on for some little known and hacks and strategies. Luck is the main thing that determines whether you will win or lose, but targeted strategies will undoubtedly enable you to get the best out of a game.

Basic strategies

If you had just one trick to winning at Patience, here it is: Turn over as many face downs as possible.

Preferably choose a left column (where there are fewer cards), and concentrate your efforts on it. You will hopefully free up a slot, allowing you to put down a card from another column and turn over an additional one. This is particularly appropriate if a King is immediately available to occupy the slot.

Likewise, try to clear in priority the right columns which contain the most hidden cards. Indeed, it is usually on this side that the cards that block the card game are found.

Finally, while this advice goes without saying, quickly play your Aces, 2s and 3s.

An essential strategy for the card game is to give the cards lying down priority over the deck of cards. Here is an example:

Let’s say you have a red five on the pile and a red five in one of the lower rows. If it is now possible to add one of the cards to a black 6, then you should take the 5 from the bottom row.

The cards from the rows always have priority over the pile so you can create space to layout more kings.

Work the cards from right to left, so try to clear the larger piles first. If you have managed to free a row again, you do not immediately place the next best king in this free row.

Do not try to occupy empty rows again immediately but leave them blank until you really need them; this allows you to stay mobile.

For those initiated into this card game, you can draw the cards three by three.

However, by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Shift keys on your keyboard while pressing the left mouse button on the card pile, you can deal the cards one by one. This is ideal when you have a card you are interested in but cannot use in the three cards turned over.

For Instant Win, press Alt, Shift, and ‘2’, although as this game is only played against yourself, there is little point in our opinion.

Advanced techniques

The 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s are cards that are not easy to play: plan well the three or four moves which will follow once you have moved them. The main objective should remain to reveal hidden cards.

Do not rush if, by chance, you find yourself at the start of the game with Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 of the same suit. Indeed, the higher cards will undoubtedly be invaluable to you in building up your columns (for example, with the 4 of another color, which is just waiting to be moved) and thus win your game.

The two most popular variations of classic Solitaire, also found on recent versions of Microsoft Windows, require even more skill.

In addition to the previous strategies, here are some tips specific to these game modes:

Hacks to increase your chances of winning at Spider:

Start your stacking with the strongest cards and, if possible, of the same suit.

Always keep at least one or two columns free to be able to proceed with exchanges more easily.

Tips for Freecell:

Clear a column at the start of the game if it contains an Ace, even better.

Do not add too many cards to a column with low height at the top, as it will only be more difficult to free it.

Avoid using all four empty boxes at the same time, at the risk of getting stuck shortly.

Finally, here are some hacks to help you win at Freecell, although these really come under the category of cheating!

  1. Hold down Ctrl, Shift and F10 while playing, then click Abort.
  2. Now move one card.

Hidden Freecell Game Modes

  1. Go to the “Game” menu and choose “Select Game”
  2. Here, you can choose from game mode 1 to 1,000,000. However, -1 and -2 will also work

Well there you have it folks, a few strategies, tips and tricks to help you play better and win at Solitaire, no matter the version. Be warned though, we are not responsible for loss of your productivity 😉

 

The secret(s) of Monkey Island will be revealed on October 30 when Video Game Source Project deconstructs a beloved classic

By

The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF), a nonprofit that brings old video games back to life by preserving, celebrating, and teaching their history, has recently unveiled the Video Game Source Project, an effort to save and study source code and related development materials before the stories around these games’ creation are lost forever.

“For a video game historian, an archaeological dig through source material is the next best thing to time travel,” said Frank Cifaldi, founder and co-director of the VGHF. “Unfortunately for us, most of that material — especially from our earliest days — has been lost forever. The Video Game Source Project will help us surface more of this material and normalize its use as an educational tool.”

To jump-start this initiative, the VGHF is putting out a call to developers, publishers, and anyone else in possession of source code, documentation, concept art, demo builds, or other materials that can help tell a game’s origin story. Donated materials will be maintained in the VGHF’s Northern California archives and made available to video game historians.

The first games to benefit from the Video Game Source Project will be Lucasfilm Games’ legendary point-and-click adventure The Secret of Monkey Island, which celebrates its 30 year anniversary this month, and its sequel Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge.

The VGHF’s staff and volunteers have spent the past several months studying the Monkey Island games’ source code, uncovering unshipped secrets, and even reconstructing cut rooms and cinematics. Much of this content will be shown for the first time on October 30 when Ron Gilbert, the creator of Monkey Island and of the SCUMM game engine, joins Cifaldi for a livestreamed “fireside chat” and Q&A. Tickets for “The Secrets of Monkey Island” are available for $10 with sales benefitting the VGHF.

“Monkey Island is a special game to me and the creation of the SCUMM system is a large part of that. Looking at the source always jogs my memory and now gives me a chance to answer questions people didn’t even know to ask,” says Ron Gilbert. “As a developer, I see real value in preserving and learning from the work that we never imagined people in the future would care about. I’m glad the Video Game History Foundation is making this a priority while there’s still time to salvage history that’s becoming scarcer by the day.”

Beyond Monkey Island, members of the VGHF are currently studying source material from a beloved 16-bit RPG, abandoned Sega hardware from the 1990s, and a never-before-seen follow-up to a legendary arcade game. Historical analysis and content related to these games and others will be unveiled in the coming months. The VGHF has also established an advisory committee of developers, publishers, academics, and historians to tackle the problems related to source conservation and to encourage industry participation.

To learn more about the Video Game Source Project and sign up to receive email updates, visit the Video Game History Foundation website.

image source: VGHF