AtGames Sega Genesis Arcade Motion
Lately I’ve been picking up a lot of modern made, yet vintage themed, gaming systems, and since they have vintage video games on them I feel the need to review them and let the readers know what some of our beloved vintage video games are up to these days. The newest system I’ve bought is something called the AtGames Sega Genesis Arcade Motion that I picked up at the thrift store, this is a system I was aware of yet never really gave much thought to, based heavily on the fact that it looks like one of the many Nintendo Wii clones with junk games packed in. What set this one apart from the crowd was that is says Sega Genesis across the top, is shaped like Sonic the Hedgehog and even has a Sonic sticker on the actual system, so I figured I had to give it a test.
AtGames Genesis Clone with controller.
At first I had my doubts about this system and all that it claimed to do, the wireless controllers were merely infrared LEDs with a gaping eyesore of a receiver on the front of the system. Infrared wireless is great if you need to change the channel or volume on your TV, but given the fast pace of most video games you’re often left lacking in speed and accuracy. Another issue arose when I read “40 games, 110 plus levels of play.”, being familiar with Famicom pirate cartridge tactics I was suspect as to how many actual games there were, and how many levels they were split into to get those numbers.
AtGames Genesis Controller
Putting aside the infrared trying to be passed off as wireless and the very familiar over inflation of how many games actually were packed in, one feature piqued my interest above all else which was the SD card slot on the top of the system. This meant that I could slap in a SD card and add games to the already abysmal number that was packed in. I could add every production Genesis game, I could add homebrews, I could do anything! Or so I originally thought.. and hoped!
Front View
But before I get too deep into the SD card function, let me give you a once over of the system itself. I was surprised by how solid the system and controller both were, they didn’t use the normal cheap plastic, perhaps it has lead in it for rigidity, go China! And the infrared, I was quietly bashing in my head, is quite good actually, given that the controller has 5 LEDs shooting out the signal, making it almost impossible to accidentally cover up and block the signal entirely, as well as giving the controller a surprisingly long range of distance.
Back View
The Genesis games built in are actually all pretty good games, including: Alex Kidd in Enchanted Castle, Arrow Flash, Bonanza Brothers, Columns III, Columns, Crack Down, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Ecco the Dolphin, Flicky, Fatal Labyrinth, Ristar, Sonic Spinball, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Ooze.
But they also tried to pack in their own arcade brews and games to utilize the controller’s motion, both of which are pretty lacking in all aspects, especially the motion sensing games which hardly respond, if at all by accident. The system and controllers can both be run off batteries, or the system has the option for a 5v adapter, which I didn’t get, but we all know how systems running on batteries can be temperamental at times.
But now we get into the major downside of the Genesis Arcade Motion, firstly and mostly this system is emulation and that means it is rife with all the problems emulation brings, such as: poor sound quality, some video game effects don’t work properly, squished game text, some video games are not compatible at all (Virtua Racing) and the fact that some ROMs may not work at all, by which I mean you may need to try many different versions of the same ROM to find one that works. One plus side is that this system is seemingly region free, as I’ve tested various Japanese and PAL ROMs and they have worked as well as can be expected. But given that this is a Genesis emulator you may also have the delusions I had that the system will work with other ROMs and the fact here is no, it will NOT work with 32x, Sega CD or even SMS ROMs.
So with this system you are limited to Genesis and Mega Drive ROMs which isn’t so bad, until you realize the system will not create a save file on the SD card for games that require a save. This system is, however, really well suited for games that are password saves or even good old arcade classics such as Golden Axe or Street Fighter. Given it’s limitations the SD card expansion is still a pretty neat idea to open up a much bigger library than one might have hoped.
I have the Sega Genesis Arcade Motion Dual, but I’ve read that there is a deluxe version with even more games packed inside. Overall the system isn’t something I would choose to play over my actual Genesis, its more of a novelty for when I’m bored and want access to games I can’t find or don’t yet own. So many good RPGs on the Genesis I will never get to play because this system can’t make a simple save file, what a shame.
Radica Sega Genesis Plug n Play version 2
You could say I’ve been on a bit of a plug n play kick lately, but I prefer to think of it as playing vintage games I don’t own in any other form. As we all know vintage games are getting harder and harder to find, so I will play them almost any way I can. Luckily these plug n play systems make that affordable and simple, while taking steps to make the experience feel more genuine than simply emulating the systems they’re trying to be.
Comparative of Versions 1 and 2.
This Genesis plug n play system is the second that I own, and it included 6 different games than the one I previously reviewed. This time they managed to pack in: Sonic 2, Ecco the Dolphin, Gain Ground, The Ooze, Columns and Alex Kidd and the Enchanted Castle, the last of which I was most excited to get my hands on as I’ve never played an Alex Kidd game. I have to say that this system delivers a very good facsimile of a Genesis experience, especially with the controller design they’ve chosen.
Version 2 has a bold red controller.
I won’t go too in depth about this system, as it works the exact same as the blue one from the other article, I will however say that this one, to me, has the better choice of games out of the two. There is a third one that simply has 2 games on it, and 2 controllers, and if I manage to get my hands on that one I will review it as well. The game choices and 2 player controller design of that one deserve a bit more of an in depth review.
I love that miniature Genesis Model 2 design!
You may be wondering how they packed in 2 player games as the system only has a single controller, well somehow they’ve changed it to VS mode, at least in the games I’ve seen that should offer 2 player. I thoroughly enjoy these Radica Genesis plug n play systems because they give me 6 great game options to play through that I may not have otherwise had the opportunity to try. These plug n play systems aren’t technically vintage gaming, but the classic games they offer and experience you have playing those games sure are!
Vintage Gaming Cleaning Kits
In the days when cartridges ruled the world it seemed as if anyone and everyone put out a cleaning kit to keep your systems in working order. Which was a big selling point made all too easy by the NES and its, more often than not, ability to put on a light show rather than play a game. If there is one thing I believe about retro gaming, it has to be the fact that if you keep your systems and games clean they will last longer and give you much better functional results.
Although I now know the true cause of these glitches, I was still taken in by the cleaning kits propaganda when I was younger. They made promises to keep the blinking NES, or just a black screen on other systems, away forever! Almost every cartridge based video game system had some form of cleaning kit, and although most of the time it worked for just a short while, the fact that it worked at all made them feel like essential hardware.
My first cleaning kit was a Doc’s Fix-a-system, which had what I still feel is a genius idea in the clip on NES cleaner. You simply took any NES game cartridge, clipped the contraption to the front of it and you proceeded to stab the living daylights out of your NES. Doing so cleared unwanted dirt and gave way to a few more minutes of uninterrupted gameplay.
I still love this idea, it still works great!
After that cleaning kit was lost or broken, I’m sure, I purchased a Player’s Edge NES cleaning kit. This one was a stand alone unit with a handle, and everything you needed fit conveniently inside the unit itself. Again you just took the unit and stabbed the living daylights out of your NES and you were good to play for a little while longer.
Years of use on this thing, does it show?
That would be the last cleaning kit I bought for nearly 14 years, until one day at a Salvation Army store I found a Player’s Edge cleaning kit for the SNES. Later, at another Salvation Army, I found an incomplete Doc’s 2000 kit, which brought back a flood of memories of the good old days. Sadly the NES clip was broken, but I decided to take what was left of it and turn it into a cleaning kit inside of an old Gyromite cartridge I had laying around. (Original article: Here)
Same system, only one fits perfectly into the NES so I can shut the lid.
It seems nowadays I go through thrift stores and find cleaning kits for almost every system, and if they’re at a reasonable price I’ll pick them up. Just this year I’ve accrued quite a few system cleaning kits, and although I may not use them I still pick them up when I can.
My current collection of boxed cleaning kits.
As an adult, I know the best way to keep my systems running is to clean both the games and the systems. But it seems a good Q-tip with rubbing alcohol thoroughly rubbed through a game keeps all my systems running well. Admittedly I have had some hiccups with my Sega Genesis, N64 and SNES, but nothing a good game cleaning hasn’t remedied, so far!
Back in the day cleaning kits were pushed in our faces, and as time went on they faded away. I still get nostalgic for cleaning kits and make room for them in my collection. Though they serve no practical purpose to me, as I’ve learned far better ways to keep my systems running, they still connect me to a time when video games were problematic, but so much fun.
Sam’s Scores 12: Strange Controllers
4) Ms. Pacman Plug n Play
Today we start off with a plug n play, ok it isn’t really a controller, but this thing is wireless, which means the top becomes a controller! Flawless Technicality! I love the modern-retro influx of plug n play systems, I still hunt down the original hardware and software, I just prefer to have tons of options at my finger tips, and this thing does just that. Jakks took the Ms. Pacman cocktail design and brought it to a handheld, and with other games thrown in, coupled with wireless, this is quite a unique plug n play system
3) SG Genesis ProPad
I’m no stranger to controllers that look like this one, I actually own one for the SNES, which is why I was originally confused by the pseudo SNES button layout. There are even shoulder buttons, for what I haven’t the slightest clue. The point is this controller is comfortable, for the Sega Genesis and has a turbo for almost every button, and a slow motion for the start button. Strange, but fun.
2) NES Dog bone controller set
On two previous occasions I’ve run across NES Dog bone controllers, not that often though. So when I saw these two I had to pick them up. I needed to untangle them for nearly 10 minutes, but the efforts were well worth that time spent. One of them looks as if the previous owner thought it was literally a dog bone. Sadly only one of them worked, so I put all the best parts together to make 1 working and the other is for parts.
1) NES Turbo Touch 360
I’ve seen the Turbo touch controllers for other systems and I knew they made one for the NES, I just never thought I would have one cross my path. The D-pad is a motion sensing pad and is pretty accurate, the buttons are large and have very NES Max like turbo buttons underneath them. My only complaint would be the Genesis controller styling, which isn’t really a complaint as much as it is kind of weird to feel while playing an NES.
Retro Games and Passwords, why!?
Passwords, the bane of many retro gamers. After a long week of writing things down at school the last thing you wanted was having to write down something from a video game you just rented or bought. No, video games were suppose to be a refreshing exit to your week and made looking forward to the next week a little more sweet.
Before the luxury of memory cards or even battery backups, many gamers had to sit next to a pad of paper with their choice of pen or pencil to write down codes to log their hours of hard work. But to some writing down passwords seemed more like the modern day achievement, rather than a common nuisance. Passwords were, for many great retro games, the only way to ensure your hard work was there the next time you fired up the game, but many retro gamers quickly learned that passwords simply weren’t going to work.
Passwords were comprised of a given combination of letters, numbers or even symbols given to the player after what in many other games would be the game over screen. Many game developers just tossed out a grid of all 26 letters in the alphabet, sometimes in lower case and capitals, alone side numbers; sometimes things got rather confusing. Lower case Q’s could have been confused for P’s or G’s, Zeros looked like a capital O, and more often than not gamers simply had to start the game all over!
One good thing about passwords was that they were exclusive to the programming within the game, so you didn’t have to worry about renting the exact same cartridge twice to enjoy a correctly transcribed password. But still many retro gamers will have as many fond memories of mistaken passwords as they will of actually enjoying the games they were trying to write down the password for.
Even after battery backup was commonplace, the 16-bit era still rolled out games requiring passwords. For the most part though, the 16-bit era learned from the guinea pig that was the 8-bit era. Passwords were much shorter and less confusing, for the most part, to write down, making games that required passwords more enjoyable to play.
Today I keep a notepad on my laptop containing the passwords for games, and no I don’t mean through emulation, simply because notepad’s font is light years ahead of my own handwriting. I also take the time to scrutinize each line of the password to make sure I have it written down correctly. Sure I could easily go online and seek out a password pertaining to my current status on some retro games, but it isn’t my hard work, now is it?
One particular game sticks out from my childhood that frustrated me to no end with it’s completely, and utterly, useless and pointless password system, River City Ransom. River City Ransom is without question an NES classic, but that password system left a lot, and I mean heaps, to be desired. Partly because the password system required you to start a new game, press start and then select the password option; but most because River City Ransom required a whopping 66 characters per password!
Passwords could be fun also, sometimes you could mash in a nonsensical combination and have the game start up with things you didn’t earn yourself, other times the password wasn’t acceptable or it just started fresh anyway. Many retro gamers would give passwords to their friends to show off their progress, or to help them out a little. I’ve found many slips of paper covered in passwords within retro game cases, or even hand written inside the manual.
Today they are but a distant memory, but many retro gamers still retain the memories of frustration when a good password went bad. Love them or hate them, passwords were a part of retro gaming culture. I liken the retro gaming password to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, something to be remembered so we aren’t doomed to repeat our past.
Sam’s Scores X
It is finally here, Sam’s Scores edition 10! Perhaps a milestone, perhaps just getting started, we’ll have to see! Scores have been slim, for a number of reasons, and the fact that thrift stores are closing down left and right doesn’t help, but that is a story for another day. Today, however, I will show you four of my latest finds, which just so happen to be the only finds of any real worth, enjoy!
4) – ASCII Pad SG
I had seen this controller many years ago while looking through an old video game magazine, and it wasn’t until recently that I even saw one. I’m no stranger to picking up strange, innovative and sometimes completely useless controllers, if they’re cheap. It was a little dirty, but I took it apart and thoroughly cleaned it, although I have yet to test it.
3) – Sega 6-pak
It isn’t everyday that I walk through a flea market and find anything priced where I just can’t pass it up. On this day I found a booth that had a box filled with cassette tapes and said how much they were each, sitting in the same box along side were numerous Sega Genesis games. After sifting through the lot I grabbed this one, because it had 6 really good games on it, and it was cheap!
2) – Light Crusader
I had read about this game before and for some reason I never bothered to put it on my wanted list. Even though the game is loose I figured for the price I couldn’t pass it up! I’ve given this game a try and although it isn’t in what some would consider an RPG style, it is worth a try for those Genesis fans looking for an RPG for the system.
1) – Mega Man Legends
Sometimes I should be able to tell that I’m going to run across a certain item, and although I never foresee it, I always put the puzzle together in hindsight. When I happen to take an interest in any given item in a youtube video for no apparent reason, I usually end up finding that item within a week after watching the video. In this case I watched a review on Mega Man Legends on retrowaretv.com, I enjoyed the review and got that warm feeling in my stomach that I wanted to go thrift store hunting after I watched the video, you know at 4am! In reality I was hoping to find the much harder to find sequels, but finding the first one was good too, especially the black label version.
Sam’s Scores VII
Today’s Sam’s Scores will be 4 old scores and a bonus at the end, enjoy!
4) – Sega Saturn controller
Although I don’t even own a Sega Saturn (yet), when I found a controller for the system I wanted it! It looked to be in good shape, all the buttons have a nice stiff response, so I assume everything works. Surely not something you see everyday at a thrift store, at least not for me.
3) – Quickshot NES Joystick
This may look like a repeat of a previous score, but there is a difference. This one is actually a Quickshot brand joystick and the other was Radio Shack’s Archer brand. They are nearly identical in every aspect, except for the brand markings. I will be going into a little bit more detail with the pair in a later article. But for now, lets show off that price!
2) – Quickshot Maverick 3
The Quickshot Maverick 3 was obviously modeled after the NES Advantage, which I happen to love. Naturally when I saw this I had to weigh the price vs unknown functionality in my head, but what I bought with it (see below) really helped push my choice over the edge. Luckily, everything works well with the exception of a weak turbo on/off switch.
1) – Sega Genesis 3
The Sega Genesis 3 was the smallest and last Genesis ever produced, and from what I understand it wasn’t even made by Sega! Sega gave Majesco the rights to make this little system and slap their name on it. The Genesis 3 has the bare essentials to play Genesis games, and I do mean bare! This system isn’t compatible with all Genesis games, nor any Sega CD or 32x attachments. Since I don’t own any of those attachments, the system works perfectly fine for me.
Sam’s Storage!
When your video game collection starts to grow, you need somewhere to store it all. I had been using cardboard boxes, but lately those have been spilling out onto anywhere my video games will go. While I was on the hunt for video games I came across 2 very useful ALS (a company well known for making storage drawers and carrying cases for the video game industry) storage systems.
The first of which is a Nintendo unit with 2 draws that holds the Zapper and 2 controllers at the top, while holding up to 28 NES games at the bottom. It will only hold loose cartridges in sleeves easily, but it may hold fewer boxed games, just not very well. The top has a special place for the cables for the controllers and zapper, but if you wrap them tightly enough, they will fit under the controller, giving you more room for other cables.
The second unit is based off their Sony Playstation drawer, only this one just says Video Matic on the front. It is a single drawer unit, meant to hold CD cases but I find that it holds a lot of other games just as well. There was a little organizer inside, but after a while it got in the way of other games so I took it out.
The outer box of these units is made of particleboard and a black vinyl is glued on top, while the drawers are made of pretty solid plastic. These units stack really well, saving me room, and have really been helpful in keeping my collection under control. I found the Nintendo one on a half price day at Goodwill. The Video Matic came from a flea market where I initially passed it up, until I did more research on what it was used for, but went back the next day to pick it up.
Video Matic: $1
