The era of Demo Discs.
Think back to the days when video game reviews online weren't as big as they are today, and digital demos were strictly for PC games. We lived in a dark time where the only chance you had to test out a video game before you bought it included renting it, borrowing it from a friend, using one of the many video game kiosks strewn about almost every store that sold electronics, or demo discs. Where would my generation, or perhaps even the whole of video gaming, be without demo discs?
Demo discs became the gateway to seeing, testing and experiencing games, ... Read more
Posted 7 years ago
Faxanadu for the NES
My first true RPG experience was Final Fantasy on the NES, which lead me to believe that all RPGs should be like Final Fantasy. Later in life I found that belief quickly losing ground to the new belief that an RPG can take many forms, and as long as it's enjoyable I don't really care what game it may borrow it's style from. Enter Faxanadu, an Adventure/RPG for the NES, developed by Hudson, that felt more like Metroid and Castlevania than it did Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest.
For many American ... Read more
Posted 7 years ago
Racing for the Playstation
After reviewing a pair of end of life era Playstation games released by Mud Duck and ZeniMax, I remembered that there was yet another company that did this as well. With titles such as Bowling, Billiards, Boxing, Shooter: Space Shot and simply Racing, A1 Games and Agetec were seemingly kings of the generic, end of life Playstation game market. As you can tell by the list almost all of their games are named after exactly what they are, and with such creatively titled games comes equally bland and lifeless cover art.
I will admit, however, that I actually own a few ... Read more
Posted 7 years ago
Al Unser Jr.’s Turbo Racing NES.
When I was a boy, growing up in Indiana, the month of May was filled to the brim with news coverage of the greatest spectacle in racing. Once I grew up that nostalgia died and the mysticism surrounding the whole race fell apart even further when I actually went to the race track and realized it was far better to watch on television than it was to actually be there. However, that boyhood wonder still retains the memories of a video game that brought me many hours of fun, as well ... Read more
Posted 7 years ago
DIY Sega Genesis and Master System AV Cables: Redo!
A few years back I made a vain attempt at making Sega Genesis and SMS AV cables. Although they did work, they didn't last long because the connectors I used were harvested from MIDI cables and never properly adhered back to the plug. A few good uses later and both sets of cables were rendered dysfunctional or completely useless.
As I hinted at, in the original article, 5 pin DIN connectors are often sold online, and after a short search on Amazon I found a pack of 6 for less than $4 shipped. It took a while to arrive but ... Read more
Posted 7 years ago
Friday First Plays #1: The Incredible Crash Dummies
It's Friday! That means it's time to play a game we have never played before. Today's entry was recorded in a bar with some co-workers of mine. We play a horrible game by the name of The Incredible Crash Test Dummies.
Posted 9 years ago
All Star Racing 2 for the Playstation
After playing All Star Racing and giving it a not so great review, I decided to give it's sequel a play through and see whether they had managed to polish dirt or just slap new makeup on the same, grimy old hag. Still proudly brought to us by Mud Duck and ZeniMax Media, All Star Racing 2 now seems to right most of the wrongs that it's predecessor committed. Although still not a diamond among coal, All Star Racing 2 can easily be mistaken for a thoroughly enjoyable racing game on the Playstation.
[caption id="attachment_3762" align="aligncenter" width="300"]... Read more
Posted 9 years ago