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Podcast: Vertical Hold – Retro Gaming In Self Isolation

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I can’t believe that we (myself and Ms. ausretrogamer) have never appeared together on a podcast! Well, I am here to tell you that we finally made our debut together in guest speaking on episode 275 of the Vertical Hold podcast!

The topic of discussion was how we were passing the time and keeping our sanity in this worldwide pandemic. We delve into the midst of nostalgia and discuss all things gaming, from retro and modern, pinball, arcade, board games to the Commodore 64, SNES, RetroPie and Nintendo’s Wii! Oh yeah, Double Dragon and Zelda came up in conversation too 😉

Thank you to Alex Kidman and Adam Turner for having us on their brilliant weekly Vertical Hold podcast, we had a blast!

 

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.

 

TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD – Krome Studios Launches Classic Platformer

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The Aussie hero loved by millions worldwide and everyone’s favourite boomerang chucking (not quite extinct) Thylacine is back. The creators of TY the Tasmanian Tiger and Blade Kitten are proud to present their award-winning game TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD – a charming platformer remastered for the Nintendo SwitchTM.

Explore the wilds of Australia with your favourite Aussie mate, TY the Tasmanian Tiger. By utilising the Nintendo Switch system’s many capabilities, Krome Studios has created a memorable experience that players are nostalgic for. Now, you can flick the Nintendo Switch Joy-ConTM controllers to throw your boomerangs and tilt to glide, too.

TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD’s 3D environments, characters, particle effects and audio have been enriched, along with new graphical effects like screen-space ambient occlusion, fully dynamic shadows, color correction, and bloom. You’ll be immersed in its Aussie-ness.

A new addition to the original, TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD will challenge you with Hardcore Mode; be awesome you only have one life. And thanks to dedicated fans – via a successful Kickstarter campaign – TY has new TY character skins for everyone to play. Added to the game credits are over 2000+ backers, including 44 custom drawings by the creator, Steve Stamatiadis.

“For 20 years now TY the Tasmanian Tiger has been at the heart of our game making-philosophy here at Krome Studios,” says Robert Walsh, CEO Krome Studios. “We thank our loyal fans who have joined us in continuing this family-friendly tradition on the Nintendo Switch. Without you, we could not have made this happen.”

TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD immerses you in 17 levels of iconic Australian Outback. Collect opals, golden cogs, thundereggs, 13 different boomerangs and the all-important mystical talismans. The first game is available March 31st in the Nintendo eShop for North America as a digital download, April 3rd in the Nintendo eShop for Europe, and April 4th for Australia and New Zealand.

Press release source: Krome Studios

 

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.

 

Indie World – Nintendo Switch

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Hey folks, Nintendo debuted a new Indie World showcase video (see below) highlighting a wide variety of indie games coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2020! This includes original platformers like Blue Fire, action-RPGs like Baldo, the next game from No Man’s Sky creators Hello Games, The Last Campfire, and sequels like PixelJunk Eden 2 and Exit the Gungeon, the latter of which launches for Nintendo Switch today.


source: Nintendo AU

The following titles were shown in the video:

  • Exit the Gungeon from Dodge Roll & Singlecore Games: Exit the Gungeon is a bullet-hell dungeon climber immediately following the events of Enter the Gungeon. Armed with an ever-changing weapon, an insatiable need to loot and the trusty dodge roll, each of our heroes must ascend and escape via their own unique route of increasingly perilous elevators. Exit the Gungeon launches on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive today!
  • The Last Campfire from Hello Games: Discover a beautiful wilderness filled with lost folk, strange creatures and mysterious ruins as you journey to light the last campfire. Experience a truly moving tale of magic and mystery when The Last Campfire launches for Nintendo Switch this winter.
  • Blue Fire from Robi Studios: Embark on an extraordinary journey through the desolated kingdom of Penumbra and discover the hidden secrets of this long-forgotten land. Explore mystical temples, encounter survivors and take on strange quests to collect valuable items. A dark world awaits when Blue Fire launches first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive this winter.
  • Baldo from Naps Team: Meet many weird and funny characters and become immersed in the amazing world of Baldo, an action-adventure RPG full of puzzles, intriguing gameplay mechanics and intricate dungeons to solve spread through a wide, interactive open world. Baldo launches first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive this winter.
  • I Am Dead from Hollow Ponds: I Am Dead is a charming puzzle adventure game from the creators of Hohokum and Wilmot’s Warehouse about exploring the afterlife. I Am Dead launches first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive later this year.
  • B.ARK from Tic Toc Games: It’s time for pugs, cats, bears and bunnies to save the solar system! Call your friends over to pilot powerful yet adorable ships, as you team up against waves of enemies in a side scrolling shooter. B.ARK blasts off first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive in late 2020.
  • Cyanide & Happiness – Freakpocalypse: Part 1 from Explosm Games: You play as Coop “Go Away, Weirdo” McCarthy, and all you want to do is make the world a better place. The trouble is: Nobody likes you, school sucks, you can’t find a prom date, everybody bullies you (including your teachers) and your attempts to help only make things worse. Get ready for a world full of weirdness when Cyanide & Happiness – Freakpocalypse: Part 1 launches first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive this winter.
  • Summer in Mara from Chibig: Take care of your own island and explore the ocean in this farming adventure. Discover the story of Koa in a game that combines farming, crafting and exploring in a tropical archipelago with a colourful style and strong narrative. Summer in Mara launches first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive this autumn.
  • Quantum League from Nimble Giant Entertainment: Quantum League is a revolutionary time-paradox shooter: a competitive online* FPS in which you battle within a time loop, tactically teaming up with your past and future selves in mind-blowing 1v1 and 2v2 matches. Quantum League time warps onto Nintendo Switch in late 2020.
  • The Good Life from White Owls Inc.: Become a journalist from New York and head out to research Rainy Woods, the world’s happiest town in the English countryside. But Rainy Woods also hides a great secret. On full moon nights, the inhabitants turn into dogs and cats. Enjoy the bizarre charm of Rainy Woods when The Good Life launches on Nintendo Switch later this year.
  • PixelJunk Eden 2 from Q-Games: Jump, spin, swing and take out invading creatures to collect pollen and grow gardens back to full bloom. Along the way you’ll encounter a host of creatures and beautifully realized alien worlds to explore and liberate. Wallow in a feeling of synesthesia as the art and exquisite music from Baiyon envelops your mind and soul, as you, your Grimp and the delightful aesthetics of PixelJunk Eden 2 become one.  Enjoy this wonderland alone or with a friend via local multiplayer when PixelJunk Eden 2 launches on Nintendo Switch this winter.
  • Faeria from Abrakam: With its unique living board, Faeria will challenge you with truly strategic card battles. Craft your deck, shape the battlefield and fight for victory! The Nintendo Switch version of Faeria comes in autumn 2020!
  • Eldest Souls from Fallen Flag Studio: Set in a grim, dark fantasy world, Eldest Souls innovates boss-rush gameplay with a high level of combat customization. Be among the first to take up the challenge when Eldest Souls launches on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive this winter.
  • Moving Out from SMG Studio/DevM Games: For fans of cooperative gaming, Moving Out is an action-, puzzle-, physics-based moving simulator that brings a whole new meaning to “couch co-op.” Play alone or locally with friends in more than 50 levels across arcade, story and versus modes. Moving Out launches on Nintendo Switch on 28th April, with pre-purchase for the game available today. Anyone that wants to try Moving Out now can head to Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch to check out a free demo.
  • Sky Racket from Double Dash Studios: Flying over whimsical worlds filled with vivid colours, it’s just you, a stylish scarf, a laser tennis racket and a horde of fluffy enemies trying to blow you back to the ground. Mixing the classic genres of shoot-’em-ups and block breakers, Sky Racket is the world’s first “Shmup Breaker!”. Sky Racket launches on Nintendo Switch today!

Additional indie games highlighted in the video that are coming to Nintendo Switch this year include Blair Witch from Bloober Team, Bounty Battle from Dark Screen Games, Dicey Dungeons from Distractionware Limited, Ghost of a Tale from SeithCG, Sky: Children of the Light from thatgamecompany, Superliminal from Pillow Castle and Wingspan from Monster Couch.

The Snidewalk: Taking a Dangerous 8-Bit Stroll in NYC

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If you’ve ever walked the streets of NYC, Graham Davis’ The Snidewalk game will hit home!

Using an 8-bit aesthetic, and tunes to match, this free (desktop or smartphone) game, sees the player walking the NYC streets, with the premise being that you must avoid all obstacles to gain  points, from the pesky cat and the unpredictable delivery rider, to the Instagramers taking photos on the footpath and the mass of dog walkers.

We failed miserably on our first attempt, only hitting The Pizza Rat! Right, time to hit the pavement yet again, see ya!

[story source: Laughing Squid]

AO Tennis 2 – Nintendo Switch Review

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Tennis has always translated quite well to the video game realm, from Tennis on the Atari 2600 to the now life-like AO Tennis 2!

The bar set by Virtua Tennis 2 on the Sega Dreamcast all those years ago is what we judge every new tennis video game by. Some might think this to be a somewhat crude way of judging a game, but we say, go and play Virtua Tennis 2 now, you will note that it still plays darn awesome. So how does Australia’s Big Ant Studios‘ AO Tennis 2 compare to Sega’s flagship tennis game? Wellllll, if we told you right away, you wouldn’t bother reading the rest of this review. Stick around, as we send a few volleys and aces over your way from the Australian Open!

First off, this second game in the series takes tennis realism up a few notches. Australian development studio, Big Ant Studios, has done a admirable job in nailing the authenticity and atmosphere of Australia’s Grand Slam, from the Melbourne Park courts to the featured players, like Rafael Nadal and our very own, Ash Barty.

The roster of players is good, but not great. Missing are some top ranked players, namely Federer, Djokovic, Medvedev and Andy Murray. The sole Aussie flag bearer is Thanasi Kokkinakis. At least we get to play as Ash Barty on the women’s side. Oh yeah, you also have the choice of creating and customising your very own tennis star! The game features an impressive customisation engine, which we really don’t care for (we rather just play tennis!), but it’s impressive nonetheless. On the whole, the graphics are ok and look pretty good from a distance, but things start to look a bit rough when zooming in on the close-ups. It doesn’t detract too much from the game, but it is one of its weaker points. The crowd is also nothing to write home about, so lucky you don’t notice it while smashing the ball back and forth over the net.

Where this game shines is in its all new (and lengthy, in a good way) narrative driven career mode. The career mode clearly takes inspiration from games like NBA 2K games. There are heaps of story-based cutscenes that cycle and change depending on how well or how badly you’re playing. To add more (good) tension, the frequent press conferences have an impact on how the press and fans feel about you. So if you intend on having a McEnroe or Nick Kyrgios type meltdown on court, then be prepared to cop flack in the newspapers – a great touch, which adds to the realism.

So how does it play? Well, it’s not as fluid as any of the Virtua Tennis games we’ve played, but that is a high bar to get over. As it is, AO Tennis 2 plays well enough, with a slight floaty feel to the game, where timing your shot is crucial. Luckily, it didn’t take us too long to get into the swing of things (pun fully intended), so we were serving and returning the ball with ease and in the spots where we wanted the ball to go. With all the shots mapped well on the Switch’s controller (Joy or Pro), there is no shortage of shot choice.

What are our overall impressions of this game? Playing AO Tennis 2 in career mode on the Nintendo Switch will have you swinging the virtual racquet for ages. If you prefer your tennis a bit wacky, then stick with Mario Tennis Aces, but if you yearn for a more realistic tennis game on the Switch, then this is your only choice.

image source: HomeRun PR

 

Disclosure: AO Tennis 2 [Nintendo Switch eShop code] was kindly provided by HomeRun PR for this review.

 

John Wick Hex – Review

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Prepare to suit up and take down your enemies in John Wick Hex from the team at Bithell Games, out now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

John Wick Hex is a fast paced turn-based strategy game centring on everyone’s favourite killer of boogeymen. While some people may feel that a property like John Wick would make a good first-person shooter, the team at Bithell Games have managed to perfectly turn the fluidity and speed that Wick is known for into a turn-based strategy game that feels action packed. Players move through levels on a hexagon based grid with their actions being noted as “time taken” on a bar at the top of the screen. Enemies also have a time bar just below the player’s which allows you to plan your approach depending on their actions. An enemy may be planning to draw his weapon and shoot Wick allowing the player not enough time to fire first but perhaps enough time to roll away or even disarm their opponent. All actions take differing amounts of time from firing weapons, reloading, healing yourself and even just standing or crouching. Once a level is completed it can be replayed back at full speed in a fluid action scene demonstrating John Wick’s skills.

Levels are diverse and stylish, leaving each one’s approach in the hands of the player and their own particular style. Slow and methodical is often a winning strategy, with players made to think always a few steps ahead just like our protagonist. Carrying out certain moves will require the use of “focus” meaning that Wick will often need to take a short break and recompose himself before he can continue. This can be done at any time but allowing your focus to drain in the middle of a fight can prove to be fatal. Patience is certainly a requirement to playing John Wick Hex as levels can often be difficult and go from bad to worse in an instant requiring multiple playthroughs to get right.

Those familiar with the John Wick lore will love all the subtle nods to the movies and expansion of the universe in general, while newcomers are in for some exciting discoveries about these popular characters. The game has a wonderful comic book styling to it, featuring bright neon lights and dark dingy alleyways, that feels perfect for this kind of action. John Wick Hex offers a lot in the way of replayability and will push a lot of players to their limits while trying to get that perfect playthrough.

Not for the faint of heart or low on patience, John Wick Hex is a fantastic game with a lot of style and charm that might just push back a little too hard for some players to fully enjoy.

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Mat Panek, Chief Reporter
Retromancer – Collector, repairer & fan of retro games & tech. Atari to Amiga, Nintendo to Sega! LD, Zip, Beta and a proud dad! One half of the TiredParents on Twitch.

Follow Mat on Twitter and Twitch

 

 

Disclosure: John Wick Hex [EPIC Games Store] was kindly provided by Power Up PR  for this review.

 

 

Woven – Nintendo Switch Review

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Prepare to unravel the tangled tale of Woven, out now on the Nintendo Switch from the team at Alterego Games.

Woven is a rather laid back Adventure game with puzzle elements set in an adorable wooly and stitch filled world. Players take control of an unlikely hero named Stuffy, a well meaning but incredibly clumsy creature that stumbles across a strange mechanical firefly called Glitch. Together they will attempt to discover why all these metal machines have suddenly appeared, what has happened to all of Stuffy’s friends and Glitch’s missing memories. The game is accompanied by a charming storybook style rhyme, that tells the story of our heroes as players progress through the land. By collecting blueprints and using the knitting machines spread throughout each world, players will reshape Stuffy into various different animal designs to solve puzzles and traverse obstacles. Becoming strong animals will allow players to move heavy objects and becoming nimble characters will increase players movement options.

Stuffy starts off as an elephant but quickly players will begin to find blueprints for various other animals from aardvarks to giraffes and deer. Although there are dozens of different animals there is only a handful of required skills, this means lots of animal skills overlap leaving it up to the player to find and use the animals that they love. It is possible to mix and match body parts and fabric types however players see fit, making each version of stuffy as unique as you. A keen eye and exploration is certainly rewarded as hidden throughout the world are a myriad of different blueprints and fabrics for players to use.

Controls are fairly simple and most puzzles can be worked out with ease meaning that players both young and old can enjoy Woven. We did find a handful of rather ambiguous puzzles that took us a little bit longer to figure out than they should have but this certainly didn’t ruin our experience. The world surrounding our heroes is adorable and relaxing for the most part and we found it an enjoyable place to explore and observe with lots of nice little touches spread around.

Woven is a delightful and charming adventure game with a few simple flaws that prevents it from being perfect. Players that crave the simplicity and fun from classic puzzle platformers will thoroughly enjoy every seam and stitch in Woven’s unique world. 

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Mat Panek, Chief Reporter
Retromancer – Collector, repairer & fan of retro games & tech. Atari to Amiga, Nintendo to Sega! LD, Zip, Beta and a proud dad! One half of the TiredParents on Twitch.

Follow Mat on Twitter and Twitch

 

 

Disclosure: Woven [Nintendo Switch eShop code] was kindly provided by PR Hound for this review.

 

 

Royal Mail Video Games Stamps

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Whoa, how darn awesome is this – Royal Mail (Australia Post equivalent in the UK) has announced their latest special stamp set based on iconic and classic UK-designed video games from the 80s and 90s!

There are quite a few items to choose from this special Royal Mail Video Games stamp set; from presentation packs, framed stamps, collector’s sheets, to postcards, collector packs, souvenirs and stamp books, there is something for everyone and for every budget.

These special stamp sets go on sale on January 21, 2020! If you want more info or would like to pre-order these cool stamp sets, go here.

PS: We wouldn’t mind some of their Star Wars stamps too 😉

image source: Royal Mail