Can Google Translate Help Play Imports?
Throughout the years there have been a few video games that I've desperately wished would be translated into English, but for whatever reason simply never got that treatment. Whether it's an official localization or a fan translation from websites such as RomHacking.net, many video games are readily available to be enjoyed by nearly anyone speaking any language. But what is a potential fan of any given game supposed to do when that game is left in the language it was originally released in? While learning other languages is something I recommend, doing so just for one ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago
Peripheral Vision: Quick Shot XII QS-112 and RadioShack Archer Joysticks for the NES
Remember being a kid and wanting something so badly but you only ever got the chance to own it as an adult? I do! And for me that was a Quick Shot joystick for the NES. I was actually quite fond of Top Gun, but highly frustrated by the convoluted landing scheme to finish the level. In my dumb childhood brain I thought if I owned a Quick Shot joystick I could land on the carrier every single time. Fast forward to finding one at a thrift store as an adult and ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago
Board Game Top Shop Review
Throughout the lifespan of the original Playstation many games were haphazardly published just to see what would stick and what wouldn't. When it came time to make room for Playstation 2 games, many stores were all too happy to bundle together the games left unsold from the previous console and hand them off with almost any purchase. Buying a bunch of bananas for $1.99? Here are your included 45 Playstation games that nobody else wants. And that is how my Playstation collection grew from a well cultivated dozen games to over 100 within a matter of months, back in 2002.
More ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago
A Tribute to the Nintendo 64
As the Nintendo 64 nears its twenty fourth birthday I can't help but feel ever more enamored with the aging console. You see, when I was 16 I walked into a Target store and experienced Bloody Roar playing on the Playstation kiosk, and being 16 meant expendable time and income were my only assets. It was right then and there that I made the choice to buy myself a Playstation. Within an hour I was back home playing through a demo disc and thoroughly loving it. Nearly all of my future paychecks were spent on Playstation games, so I never ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago
Peripheral Vision: Wico Command Control for the NES
I own a couple of the Wico Command Controls for the Atari 2600 and think they're an ok alternative to the original controller. Imagine my surprise when I found out that they produced one for the NES. Why would someone want a joystick for NES games instead of the D-Pad that Nintendo gave to the world that has become an industry standard? Ok, there are a handful of arcade ports on the NES as well as some flying games that perhaps I could see someone wanting a joystick for, but does the ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago
Super Cars for the NES
Until I first saw Super Cars for the NES at one of my local media resale stores I had never heard it. The label, unashamedly, shows a pair of Nissan 300zx IMSA racing against two other opponents, which made me wondered if this was going to be some kind of Gran Turismo style game for the NES. For the couple of dollars the store was asking I was willing to take the risk to find the answer.
Super Cars was ported to the NES in 1991 by Electro Brain, after Gremlin ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago
Retro-bit Tribute 64 Controller for the Nintendo 64
Mario's trident, aka the Nintendo 64 controller, can sometimes be a point of contention amongst vintage gaming fans. For many it holds a special place in their hearts and for others it holds a very special place in video game Hell. Throughout the lifespan of the N64 many companies tried to improve the controller, but none did it better than Hori with their mini pad. As much as I would like to review a Hori mini pad they are highly sought after, and therefore very expensive. So instead I'll be taking a ... Read more
Posted 4 years ago