Just a few
days ago, June 27th, marked the 50th anniversary of the
founding of Atari, Inc. Video games existed before, and they
would
obviously continue after, but there was no larger driving force in
establishing the consumer video game industry as we would come to know
it. It also kind of blows my mind to think the original
Retrogaming Times
was established just a couple months after Atari's 25th
anniversary. Totally different impacts upon the world obviously
but they're both important to me. Speaking of the latter
anniversary, that will be celebrated in September with our next issue,
which will also be our final as noted earlier this year. The run
up to that issue will be the same as any other, but of course if you've
ever thought about contributing to an issue
of The Retrogaming Times, now is your last chance to do so.
Our
penultimate issue begins with More C64 and Merman taking a look at
friendships made and journeys traveled along with fellow Commodore 64
enthusiasts over the years. Donald Lee shares information on new
conversions of the Dragon's Lair games and an upcoming demo in the
Apple II Incider. In this issue's cover story, Nintendo's island
hopping adventure StarTropics is given a full review and retrospective
from a longtime fan. Friendships are often made over games but
other times games are the reason for a friendship. A story about
the latter is recalled by Mateus Fedozzi in SMS Memories. Most home
consoles may ship with a great controller but additional accessories
can often enhance a gameplay experience. Take a look at a
selection of interesting aftermarket controllers in Peripheral
Paradise. Although it has gained a reputation in some circles for
being an illegitimate Super Mario game, the NES version of Super Mario
Bros. 2 was without a doubt an extremely popular game when it was
released. Our detailed review aims to answer the question if it
still holds up all these years later and more importantly if it
deserves
a place in the series. With a follow-up to his top ten list from
a few issues ago, Dan Pettis is back with eleven more picks for
retrogaming characters to be featured in a future Super Smash
Bros. This month marks the 40th anniversary of the first film to
take the audience inside the world of the computer, Tron. Report
to the game grid for both a celebration and review of the landmark
film. Then some retrogaming ceramic projects are shared, along
with invitation for our readers to do the same. All that and more
are ahead in this issue of The Retrogaming Times!
I want
to
again remind our readers one last time that if
they
have comments or questions about anything covered in the newsletter, or
there is something they would like featured in a future issue of The
Retrogaming
Times, to contact me directly at trt@classicplastic.net!
Of course article submissions are also always open. If you have
something
ready to go, the address is the same, trt@classicplastic.net. "If
there is something you want to write about, send it in!"
NOTICE: Due to the ongoing
COVID-19 situation, many shows and events have canceled, postponed, or
modified their dates. For the latest on the events listed below,
please visit their individual websites or contact their relevant
customer support channels as the current situation continues to
unfold. Thank you.
~
~ ~
KansasFest, July 19th - 24th 2022,
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
KansasFest is
the world's only annual convention dedicated to the Apple II computer
that revolutionized the personal computing industry. KansasFest
invites hobbyists, retrocomputing enthusiasts, and diehard aficionados
to gather from all corners of the world.
KansasFest is
about a computer and a camaraderie unlike anything
else. The Apple II attracts people of a certain mindset and
spirit who exhibit a rare creativity, resilience, dedication, history,
and nonconformity. The Apple II has lasted for more than 40
years, and the friendships and memories made at KansasFest will last
even longer.
Classic Game Fest, July 23rd - 24th
2022, Austin, Texas, USA
The biggest
retro gaming event in Texas is back for its 15th anniversary! Enjoy 70,000 square feet of retro video
games and fun at the Palmer Events Center. The annual summer event will feature all
the expected attractions
including special guests, live music, free play games, a massive vendor
hall and more. Ticket information will be available
soon.
California Extreme 2022, July 30th - 31st 2022, Santa Clara,
California, USA
California Extreme, the pinball and
classic video arcade games show, is gearing up for our 26th annual
event! It will be held again at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara,
California on July 30-31, 2022. Featuring lots of games to play -
22,000 square feet of free play rapture. Play your old favorites
like Pac Man, Asteroids, Twilight Zone, and FunHouse. Try rare
games that you don't see every day or never saw before like Quantum,
Journey, and Fathom. Enjoy the newest games including ones
recently released. Each year brings a huge selection of rare,
prototype and one-of-a-kind games from across the eras of the
arcade. There will also be consoles, speakers, live music,
vendors, and tournaments.
Retropalooza, October 22nd - 23rd 2022, Arlington, Texas, USA
A celebration of all things
retro! Retropalooza was started in 2013 in Arlington, Texas by a
couple of guys who enjoy all things retro; from toys to music, to video
games... especially video games. As video game collectors, they
spent a lot of time and money looking for retro games when they figured
it would be easier to bring the games to them. Thus, Retropalooza
was born.
The goal of Retropalooza is to bring nerds from all walks of life
together for an enjoyable, family friendly time. Good old
fashioned fun with like minded people where it will always be
affordable, and forever improving.
Sac Gamers Expo, December 17th - 18th 2022, Sacramento, California,
USA
A video game convention founded in
2015, created by gamers for gamers. Our show features special guests,
game vendors and artists, game developers, tournaments, free to play
games, a console museum, VR Setups, and so much more! Sac Gamers Expo
is a family oriented event for all levels of gamers!
If there is a
show or event you would
like listed here, free of charge, please contact David directly at trt@classicplastic.net.
Please include a short official blurb about your event along with any
relevant
links or contact information and it will be published in the next issue
of The Retrogaming Times. The event listing will remain posted
until
the issue following the event date. Big or small, we want to
promote
your show in our newsletter.
Check out
these great events, shows,
and conventions and let them know you read about them in The
Retrogaming
Times!
More C64! - Personal Journeys
by Merman
The Commodore 64 has
taken me on interesting journeys to many places, from a bedroom in
Cambridge to a concert in Copenhagen. Join me in looking back at where
I've been since the computer arrived in my life in 1985.
NIGHTCLUBS
The Back In Time Live
events have helped launch a series of remix CDs from Chris Abbott at
C64 Audio, taking old SID tunes and remaking them with modern equipment
and real instruments. A nightclub in London's Soho was my first event
in 2002. Press Play On Tape played live on guitars, keyboard, and
drums, with a guest violinist and composer Ben Daglish accompanying
them on a version of Rob Hubbard's Monty on the Run. I was too nervous
to speak to the legendary Jeff Minter that time, but I did chat to Jon
Hare of Sensible Software, composer Richard Joseph and programmer Carl
Muller. The next year was Brighton (see EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUMS later
in this article).
Seth from 8-Bit
Weapon after his performance, and organiser Chris Abbott during the
2002 event.
Another nightclub was in
Copenhagen, close to the famous statue of the Little Mermaid. 2005 was
the Copenhagen Retro Concert organised by Press Play On Tape. Support
came from Finnish band Axes Denied (playing NES and other chiptune
remixes) and Visa Röster (see A CONVERTED CHURCH below), who even
unveiled a scrolling message during one song via the medium of a long
roll of wallpaper. Rob Hubbard, Mark Knight, and Reyn Ouwehand all
performed live. The best moment was the rendition of Cannon Fodder by
Press Play On Tape - all performed on game controllers, including the
congas from Donkey Konga and a dance mat. Jeroen Tel from the Maniacs
of Noise rounded off the night with a DJ set, mixing dance rhythms and
retro tunes.
It was back to London
and the Spitz nightclub in 2006 for another in the Back In Time Live
series, dedicated to the memory of Paul "DJ Skitz" Hadrill who had been
a key part of the events. 8-Bit Weapon and Danceaway got the crowd
dancing, while the headline act was Reyn Ouwehand (of the Maniacs of
Noise) performing and remixing songs live before Jeroen Tel's DJ set. A
solo performance from MJ Hibbett was also welcome for his hit Hey Hey
16K. Stockholm in 2007 was
another live concert, by coincidence marking 20 years since I had first
visited the country on an exchange visit. Highlights here included new
band 6581 playing with composer Fred Gray and another live set from
Jeroen Tel. Sadly I missed the most recent Back in Time, which went
back to a different venue in Brighton.
I visited
Stockholm Town Hall for the second time before the concert and enjoyed
watching Fred Gray perform live.
A CONVERTED CHURCH
LSO St Luke's is a
former church in London, converted into a rehearsal and performance
space for the London Symphony Orchestra. 2004's Back In Time Live
concert at this unusual was bigger and better than previous events. The
highlights were Stuck In D'80s, Press Play On Tape and a new group
called Visa Röster. Pex Tuvefsson (Mahoney in the demo scene) had
produced some amazing vocal remixes of C64 tunes, and put together a
vocal group (four ladies, two gentlemen including Pex) to sing a
capella and with backing tracks.
PUBS
The Great British pub
(from public house, a place licensed to sell drinks) is a traditional
place to meet friends. The Retrovision series of events organised by
Mark Rayson would take over a pub for a weekend, setting up computers
and consoles and bringing together fans of Jeff Minter. (Mark would
often cosplay as Ming the Merciless at these events, donning green face
paint). My first Retrovision was in 2005, taking place in Frome,
Somerset. There was a memorable semi-acoustic performance from Stuck In
D'80s as well as Jeff Minter demonstrating the Neon visualiser built
into the Xbox 360. Later events took place in Oxford, with a special
extra event to commemorate Mark Rayson's 40th birthday. For one weekend
I traveled down on the Thursday, helped set up and then stayed until
the Sunday, only traveling home on the Monday.
I am playing
Jeff's amazing Jaguar game Tempest 2000, and organiser Mark Rayson (in
green) presents Jeff with a cake.
The Retrofaire in 2007
took place in a Scunthorpe pub, organised by a friend of mine. I won
the Guitar Hero competition and Trivia Quiz that weekend, walking away
with two nice trophies. A pub in Manchester was the venue for 2010's
Console Combat. Here there was a combination of games competitions
across multiple formats, a trivia quiz, and a meeting/summit of
homebrew programmers. I won the overall gaming competition and was part
of the team that won the pub quiz held during the evening. And when the
gaming was finished for the evening, it was on to a karaoke bar in
Central Manchester...
Computers and
consoles set up for the Retrofaire and winning the quiz at Console
Combat.
RUGBY CLUBS & WORKING MEN'S CLUBS
The working men's club
is a very British institution, with a licensed bar and a stage to
provide entertainment. The Avenue in Failsworth, Manchester played host
to Back In Time Lite in September 2005, with gaming provided by
Retrovision organiser Mark Rayson and live music organised by C64
Audio's Chris Abbott (who was launching the Back in Time Live DVD).
Stuck In D'80s were the headliners, along with MJ Hibbett and the
Validators (playing their viral hit Hey Hey 16K, based on the ZX
Spectrum). Stuck In D'80s returned the following year (as did I and
some friends) for a charity gig run by one of the other organisers.
My brother
Chris enjoying the twin Xbox setup for Outrun 2, and Rob Hubbard's solo
performance at Back In Time Lite.
The Retro Ball in
December 2005 was hosted at the Kenilworth Rugby Club in central
England, raising money for a testicular cancer charity. That weekend I
won the big charity raffle, the prize being a JAMMA arcade cabinet! The
next year the same venue hosted the Fusion Weekend of Gaming. In 2008,
the nearby Leamington Spa Rugby Club hosted FUSION - a much larger
weekend of gaming, with live panels and lots of gaming across systems.
That weekend was particularly memorable for a seller bringing hundreds
of sealed and unsold cassettes from a former software distributor.
Winning the
JAMMA cabinet at the Retro Ball in 2005 and talking with two of the
editors of Retro Gamer (Martyn Carroll and Darran Jones) in 2006.
Another club in Stoke
hosted the 2009 Byte Back event over two days. This had an amazing
Ocean Reunited panel, with several former Ocean staff being interviewed
by the event's organiser Mat Corne. I interviewed the amazing Jon Hare
of Sensible Software too, talking about some of his amazing games
including Wizball and Cannon Fodder. The first day of the event was
also enlivened by the presence of a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers
(cosplayers who raise money by attending events).
Stormtroopers
relaxing with a game of pinball at Byte Back, and Kenz (Jason
Mackenzie) demonstrating Shredz64 - interfacing a Guitar Hero
peripheral with the C64.
HOTELS
The Norbreck Hotel in
Blackpool is a faded seaside hotel with a grim reputation among retro
gaming fans in the UK, but it has been home to the fabulous PLAY Expos.
These mixed retro and modern gaming, and later added cosplay
competitions and board games. The Play events would move to other
venues, notably in Manchester, in following years. Blackpool itself is
memorable for its Illuminations during the autumn; to attract
off-season visitors, the seafront is lined with masses of lights and
light displays. The PLAY Expos often coincided with the Illuminations.
For one of the PLAY events, I did a BAFTA-sponsored interview with
Roger Kean and Oli Frey of Newsfield (responsible for classic gaming
magazines including ZZAP! and CRASH). Another hotel - this time in
Huddersfield, Yorkshire - hosted the 2008 Retro Reunited event, again
mixing retro and modern with live talks (I interviewed the legendary
Archer Maclean and Jon Ritman).
Hosting the
Ocean panel in 2010's Play Expo, and TV present Iain Lee opening the
event.
FOOTBALL STADIUM
Villa Park in Birmingham
is home to the football (soccer) club Aston Villa. The Holte Suite
function room played host to the UK Pinball Expo 2006. More than one
hundred pinball machines were brought to the venue by collectors and
owners, available on free play for the day. There were also
competitions and sellers.
The view
outside and inside the Holte Suite.
EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUMS
That first Back in Time
event I attended in 2002 happened to coincide with the GAME ON
exhibition at London's Barbican Centre. This was a whole series of
displays and machines telling the history of gaming, from the Computer
Space arcade cabinet up to Guitar Hero. Some of the artwork and
memorabilia on display was particularly memorable. The exhibition went
on to tour the world and returned to London in 2006. That time it was
much larger and took place at the Science Museum in London. (That
weekend I combined it with a trip to Hammersmith Apollo for the Video
Games Live concert organised by Tommy Tallarico - where an orchestra
plays video game music).
A classic
Computer Space cabinet from the 2002 exhibition, and a display of
gaming magazines from 2006.
Back in Time Brighton in
2003 took place in a massive conference centre on the seafront. During
the day there were machines to play and merchandise to buy, as well as
an incredible photoshoot with former C64 composers and remixers. The
evening performance included Press Play On Tape, the newly formed Stuck
In D'80s supergroup and Rob Hubbard. (Stuck In D'80s have had a
changing line-up over the years, with the core being the late Ben
Daglish and violin player Mark Knight. Others that joined include Jon
Hare, Reyn Ouwehand, and Jeremy Longley.) A fun breakdance competition
happened too.
The Commodore
Scene stand at Brighton, and the photoshoot featuring many famous
composers and remixers.
The Console Combat
weekend in 2010 coincided with the PLAY exhibition in Manchester,
another hands-on gaming exhibition with plenty of historic material
(including design documents for Ocean's Platoon).
The PLAY
exhibition in Manchester featured lots of great exhibits.
There are several
dedicated gaming museums in the UK now. The Centre for Computing
History in Cambridge played host to the Pixels weekend in 2015, and I
hosted two panel discussions - one dedicated to the C64, the other to
Amiga. The National Videogame Museum originally opened in Nottingham
before moving to its new permanent home in Sheffield. I decided to hold
my bachelor party there in 2019, inviting some gaming friends and my
two brothers.
Hosting the
Pixels C64 panel at the Centre for Computing History, and my younger
brother Mark playing the SNES at the National Videogame Museum.
The Micro Mart fairs
took place in 2002 and 2003 at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) in
Birmingham. At the first Commodore Scene had a stand and that was where
I spent most of the time. The highlight was the Bomb Mania four-player
set-up on a special display stand. The second fair is memorable for the
attendance of Martyn Carroll, who was then getting ready to launch a
new magazine called Retro Gamer.
There were also two
Classic Gaming Expo UK events, held in 2004 and 2005. The location was
the Fairfield Halls in Croydon, London. The legendary Spectrum
programmer Matthew Smith appeared at the first, with the most surreal
moment being when he drove a Sinclair C5 electric vehicle around the
lobby. Alongside the discussion panels with Matthew and the Oliver
Twins, there was also the chance to see classic gaming-inspired films -
including Tron - on a large screen. In 2005 there was a greater
emphasis on the sellers, but there was still classic arcade action
overseen by Twin Galaxies and a musical performance from Mark Knight
and Ben Daglish.
The Bomb Mania
setup from the 2002 Micro Mart Fair, and arcade action moderated by
Twin Galaxies at CGE UK 2005.
Nottingham is home to
several software companies and has become an important development hub,
with the university collaborating closely with them. This has led to
the regular Game City events, taking place at venues across the city.
Among the highlights have been Tetris creator Alexei Pajitnov and
Katamari designer Keita Takahashi speaking, alongside previewing new
games and documentaries. Press Play On Tape have also played two gigs
at Game City. Nottingham also played host to a weekend celebrating
video game music in 2019 - the All Your Bass event, with guest speakers
including Rob Hubbard and Masaya Matsuura (who performed a live set).
Alexei
Pajitnov's talk at Game City in 2007, and Press Play On Tape performing
in 2008.
CONCERT HALL
In 2019, Chris Abbott
achieved a long-held dream - a symphony orchestra playing live C64
music. Just a week after my wedding, I went with my wife Alison to Hull
City Hall in the north of England for this incredible performance. It
was special to meet Rob Hubbard and so many other friends there, and
the music itself was outstanding. Since that performance, Chris and Rob
have traveled to Prague twice to record these symphonic arrangements
with the Prague Symphony Orchestra. You can find out more at https://c64audio.com
and buy the CDs.
So, I hope you enjoyed
this bit of nostalgia and some of my photos.
For more C64-based
nostalgia, German rock group Schüchtern have released an English
version of their hit song 64K. The members of the band are teleported
into classic C64 games including Bruce Lee, Barbarian, Little Computer
People and more. Check out the English version here and the
original German video here.
Apple II Incider - Super Mario Bros. and Dragon's Lair
Happy Summer everyone! Hope
everyone is doing well. Its been a busy last few weeks as I have
been doing a lot of basketball officiating training in preparation for
the upcoming high school season. It's technically still several
months away but putting in some work in to be ready. In any case,
I didn't really have a lot to write about initially this issue but our
editor David Lundin shared a email with me that got me started on this
month's topics:
I happened to
stumble across your post on comp.say.apple2 from 2017 regarding GTE and
the Super Mario IIgs demo.
It might be
interesting for you to know that I've picked the project back up last
year and am working toward releasing a beta for KansasFest next month. All of the
current work is available on
GitHub: https://github.com/lscharen/iigs-game-engine Thanks, -Lucas
The context is I had posted about
Lucas's projects on comp.sys.apple2 and Lucas apparently just came
across it years later. In fact, looking back at the post, someone
said they could have put me in touch with Lucas. However, as I
don't frequent the comp.sys.apple2 usenet group that much anymore, I
missed the message. For Apple IIGS's users, there is good news
that there may be a Super Mario Bros.
beta coming soon and likely to be demoed at the popular Apple II
Convention KansasFest in July of 2022.
Thanks to David's email, I dropped
into the comp.sys.apple2 group again and noticed a couple of
announcements made a few weeks ago. Long time Apple II / Apple
IIGS developers Brutal Deluxe converted arcade games Dragon's Lair, Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle,
and Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
to the Apple IIGS.
Links to more info and direct
downloads at Brutal Deluxe:
Now as I don't have an Apple IIGS, I
won't be able to play these conversions. Watching the videos, the
graphics seemed pretty impressive. I took a quick look at the
arcade version of Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp and the IIGS version of
the game and you could see the details on the IIGS weren't quite as
sharp. The Apple IIGS had solid graphic capabilities when
compared to the older Apple II's but was not a graphical powerhouse
like the Commodore Amiga and had some limitations. But Brutal
Deluxe always found a way to push the IIGS to its limits and these
conversions are impressive.
Lastly, I will comment on the
Dragon's Lair arcade games. I only recall playing the original
Dragon's Lair at the arcade. Dragon's Lair seemed like a "Choose
Your Own Adventure" type game which required fast decisions and lots of
quarters. Also there wasn't a lot of action as I recall so
perhaps that is why I never took a great interest in the game. It
was cool looking and all but frustrating to play. Perhaps it
would be a better game for home users as they wouldn't have to dump a
lot of quarters to play. In
any case, that's it for this time. See you all next issue.
StarTropics (NES) - See the Southern Cross for the First Time
What if
Nintendo were to develop a first-party NES game specifically for the
American market? Not a part of any other series or a spin-off of
an established property, but an entirely unique new adventure built
upon their history of game development. A game that would be a
contemporary take on The Legend of Zelda and action RPGs, with a bigger
focus on story and platforming puzzles. Instead of
some fantasy world, set the game on a string of islands in the
tropics.
Rather than using some magical divine being as the hero, have the
player take on the role of an teenager on summer vacation. Released in
1990, StarTropics was just that, a test of island courage and adventure
beneath the Southern Cross. If the premise of
the game sounds a little different than most other NES adventure titles
of the day, it should, as that was the intention.
StarTropics
puts the player in the sneakers of Mike Jones, an average American
teenager
on summer vacation. Mike's uncle, Dr. Steve Jones, is a gifted archaeologist who
resides in a research lab on C-Island and has invited Mike to join
him. A summer of fishing, sun, and relaxation are what Mike looks
forward to as he steps off the helicopter and into the tropics. Once
entering the village of Coralcola however, Mike realizes that all is
not well and that he won't be seeing his uncle Dr. J any time
soon. The village chief informs Mike that Dr. J has been
abducted, in addition to the tunnel between Coralcola and Dr. J's
laboratory becoming filled with swarms of monsters, preventing safe
travel by any of the islanders. The village chief grants Mike
access to the tunnel under the condition that he keeps Dr. J's
abduction a secret and gets to the bottom of the mystery and the surge
of monster activity. The village chief also gives Mike an island
yo-yo, more than just a toy, it is a powerful weapon. Being an
ace baseball pitcher back at school in Seattle, Mike wields the yo-yo
with a confidence and skill that give him a fighting chance in the
tunnel. Eventually Mike will take command of his uncle's research
vessel, Sub-C, along with its navigational robot Nav-Com and depart to
search the tropics for Dr. J's whereabouts.
Right from the
start it's easy to see why StarTropics stands out from other games in
terms of setting, weaponry, and humor. Mike's primary weapon
being a yo-yo is a different take on the mainstream adventure genre, as
while some other games feature a yo-yo as well, no where else is it
used as the base weapon. No sword, no axe, no gun, no fists -
just a yo-yo. Contrary to what many who have yet to play the game
may think, the yo-yo as a weapon works out wonderfully as it has
believable movement and range. Limited-use secondary weapons can
be picked up throughout the game, many are chapter specific and can
only be used in the area in which they are acquired. Some of
these include flaming torches, baseball bats, spiked shoes, horsehide
(baseballs), bolas, and eventually ray guns. In addition magical
items can be found that offer special powers such as the ability to
restore health or reveal ghosts. As with secondary weapons,
magical items can only be used in the area in which they are
acquired. Eventually Mike's island yo-yo will be upgraded twice,
each time adding more range and power but maintaining the same usage
motion. Once acquired, the yo-yo power ups can only be used when
a specific number of energy hearts are filled - six for the first
upgrade and eleven for the second. As with The Legend of Zelda,
additional hearts can be added to the life meter by picking up
containers for them, called "big hearts" in StarTropics. These
are hidden throughout the overworld, sometimes accessible through
hidden passages. While picking up the big hearts as they are
found is very important, regardless of how many have been found the
life meter is maxed out at the very end of the game for the final stage.
Pulling a
little from many genres, the game takes place across three modes.
Map mode is used for overland exploration, traveling within villages
and buildings, and for navigating in Sub-C. The map mode is
comparable to most role playing games of the era, as it is displayed
from a bird's eye perspective with small character sprites. There
are no enemy encounters while in this mode, it's only used for
traveling and exploration. Next is dialogue mode, where the
perspective changes to that of Mike's as he converses with important
characters such as village chiefs. These dialogues are primarily
used to move the story along and to gain information of what the
objective of each chapter is. Finally, action mode is where the
bulk of the game takes place. The perspective changes and Mike
and his surroundings become larger and much more detailed. This
is where enemy encounters and puzzles become the name of the
game. Displayed in a two-thirds overhead perspective, the visual
style provides a good amount of depth and detail. It is also the
mode where all the boss battles take place at the end of certain
areas.
Mike jumps
aside from the fiery breath of the C-Serpent (left), jumping from block
to block while fighting enemies (center), exploring a village (right)
A game set on
tropical islands better have some beautiful graphics and StarTropics
doesn't disappoint. Tropical areas are lush and colorful with
plenty
of detail that makes them stand out from other games of the era.
Villages are uniquely detailed and populated with may
different character sprites, some only being used once throughout the
game. Although the same handful of tiles and characters are used
in each village, there are enough of them to keep some
variety present and no two areas look alike. From walking
around villages to exploring ancient ruins or navigating the high seas
at the helm of Sub-C, the maps never feel like a separate part of the
game the way they do in some RPGs that use a similar perspective.
When
entering covered buildings, the terrain around disappears as the
building's ceiling is peeled back, revealing what is inside.
Close up dialogues present very nicely detailed renditions of important
characters and help to make the overhead maps feel more integrated into
the
rest of the game. For instance, many times when you step aboard
Sub-C you are
greeted by Nav-Com and the interior of the submersible.
Transitions such as these lend themselves to the notion that you have
entered Sub-C and now will be
navigating a ship, rather than your sprite has changed from Mike to
Sub-C and now you can move on water. While not always present, I
enjoy extra little touches like these that add some character and
completeness to the overall game experience.
Down in the
tunnels during action sequences things get even more
detailed. As stated before, these areas are presented in a
two-thirds
perspective, which does a wonderful job of presenting scale and
substance. Mike is no longer a little square on a map, he's a
person
with some real physical depth. Every enemy is drawn like this as
well, detailed with good perspective. Small enemies appear to be
small, large enemies feel gargantuan, and flying enemies seem to sail
through the air and home-in on Mike. This goes a step further
with bosses, who seem
massive and truly threatening. Nothing is more disappointing in a
game than
getting to a boss and then having it look and feel weak. This
doesn't
happen with StarTropics and each enemy, from the very easy to the
incredibly difficult, have detail, depth, and presence.
There are
actually quite a few bosses in the game, however on the other side of
the coin StarTropics also bucks adventure game expectation and will
have areas, and even full chapters, that end without a boss
encounter. Chapter 3 is a good example as it features an
invulnerable mid-chapter boss, Magma the Fierce, that must be defeated
by knocking out the platforms under him with switches. The area
he inhabits is rich with special weapons that are essentially presented
to misdirect the player into thinking Magma can be attacked
directly. Shortly after, Mike will encounter my favorite boss in
the game, Maxie, at the end of Ghost Village. As with the other
ghosts throughout the stage, Maxie cannot be seen without using a Rod
of Sight magical item. The fight against Maxie can become very
intense, as it spouts smaller ghosts and the room has a battery of lava
cannons that fire at Mike constantly. However the final area of
the chapter has no boss, instead it is built around a multi-room access
puzzle that ends in a leap of faith, following a clue given by a poet
encountered on the road. Bucking convention and expectation once
again, the next chapter features zero enemy encounters and is instead
used for story exposition. Even
though there's all this massive detail and scope, the game never loses
sight of who the hero is, a high school student from Seattle on his
summer vacation. No matter how grand and detailed things become,
it
still always looks and feels possible. If you happen
to expire on your journey, the shaman of Coralcola will revive you so
that you may continue on your adventure. Island mysticism is
simply
par for the course in this unique adventure.
None of these
special weapons are any use against Magma (left), fighting Maxie deep
within Ghost Village (center), having a conversation with Bellcola's
chief (right)
If there is
one part of StarTropics that almost always divides opinion on the game
it is play control. StarTropics was designed so that every space
either Mike or an enemy occupies is laid out on an invisible
grid. This allows Mike to turn in different directions without
walking forward, as movement requires pointing Mike in the desired
direction and then holding that direction to move. An advantage
of this control method is that allows Mike to make strafing attacks
when jumping between platforms, and to strike multiple enemies that are
charging him from multiple directions without having to walk. Additionally
Mike's movement method plays perfectly into the tile
puzzles that are a staple of the game. In almost every room of
StarTropics there are
tiles. Usually one or more of these tiles will reveal a footprint
by
jumping on it. A footprint tile reveals a switch tile, which when
jumped on will either open a passage or unlock a chest.
Additionally
specific tiles are used to illuminate darkened rooms. There are
also
tiles which submerge themselves in a pattern and some that sink once
Mike steps on them. To mix things up even more there are tiles
that only reveal themselves once Mike is about to land on them,
requiring a leap of faith. While Mike can jump over water, he can
only clear
the space of one tile unless equipped with a special power up found
toward
the end of the game, which doubles this capacity on the screen in which
it is obtained. There are many, many, many parts of the game
where
this "one tile jumping" mechanic and the "look before moving" mechanic
are
used to solve puzzles of sequence. I honestly love this dynamic
of the
game and feel it is one of the reasons that StarTropics stands out
from the hundreds of NES titles and thousands of other games before or
since, including its sequel. It also allows control to be razor
sharp and precise. Mike will generally attack as fast as the
button can be tapped, with each special weapon having slightly
different advantages and attack range.
Music
plays a big part of the over all feel of StarTropics from title screen
to ending credits. The tropical title theme gets things off to a
great
start and the overworld theme follows suit. Amazingly, this
music doesn't repetitive even though it's used in nearly every map
screen and in every village. It's just a light, mellow, smooth
sounding tune that gently plays in the background. My
favorite piece of music in the game is the action theme that plays
while adventuring down in the tunnels and is a slight rework and
expansion of the title screen song. Boss battles use their own
theme that has a very intense and frantic pace, pumping up the
excitement during boss encounters.
Even bonus rooms have their own music that lets you know that you're in
a safe place - for the most part. The final stages rework the
music from earlier in the game to fit their contrasting mood and
environment. Sound effects are very unique and honestly sound
like nothing else from any other NES game. The sounds doors make
when they open, walls when passages
blast out, enemies are destroyed, the squeaks bosses make as they take
damage - all of it is excellent. Even the low life chirp is
pleasant, again something the sequel would botch. I'd go as far
to say that in the
sound effects department, StarTropics is one of the best you'll find on
the
NES. It's all fresh and new and blends in perfectly with the rest
of the game. Music and sound for this game work together to
provide
the perfect audio atmosphere.
Although it
wasn't infamous for it at the time, in hindsight something StarTropics
has become known for is a letter included from Mike's uncle
Steve. This is a physical piece of paper stuck to the back of the
instruction booklet. At one point in the game Mike is told to
"put Dr. J's letter in water" to reveal a special message and Dr. J's
homing frequency for Sub-C. The game will not allow the player to
continue past this point without the correct three-digit frequency
being entered. Not a big deal right? Stuff like a special
piece of parchment was common with American computer games, generally
referred to as "feelies" and often serving a double purpose to deter
piracy. Well I purchased my copy of StarTropics during the summer
of its release year, at the local county fair where there was a video
game vendor in an exhibition hall. They were selling both new
games as well as used ones and made sure to say that all used games
came with a 1:1 photocopied instruction booklet. I opted to save
a bit of money and get the used copy (thinking back, the concept of
buying a used game from a vendor was kind of odd for the time) and
packed it away for the couple weeks until my summer vacation ended and I was
back home.
The infamous
letter printed on special water-reactive paper, included with the game
I played the
game non-stop until reaching the part where I was told put the letter
in water. Now a copy of the letter wasn't included with the
photocopied instruction booklet but there is a section a couple of
pages in where a letter from Dr. J is shown. I knew it was just
regular white paper, I knew it was just a copy, but I remember actually
getting that page wet to see if anything would happen - of course
nothing did, other than the photocopy getting ruined. So I
basically mastered the first four chapters inside out, playing them
over and over again, right up until I could progress no further.
No one else I knew had the game, so there was no help there, until a
year or so later when I was talking with a friend about it at
school. He said he knew about that and saw the code frequency
printed in Nintendo Power, saying it was 747 MHz. I scribbled
that down immediately and was finally able to unlock the second half of
the game. Why Nintendo included such an odd thing in an NES game
is up for debate, with some saying it was to push sales over rentals,
as instruction booklets were generally not included with rented games.
It may not be
The Legend of Zelda or considered one of the greatest games to grace
the platform but after all these years StarTropics is still my favorite
NES game. It intrigued me from the first time I read about it in
the pages of Nintendo Power, saw the very short television commercial,
and finally had that used copy with the useless photocopied
instructions in my hands. To me it combines new concepts and
stories yet feels like an old classic right from the beginning.
The length and challenge are just right and it tells a very satisfying
story presented as a series of vignettes that Mike encounters as he
searches for his uncle. Although it is very linear and
story-driven, StarTropics can be very difficult in spots, both in maze
navigation and action platforming. After each
chapter is completed it can be replayed via "review mode" on the file
screen. This is a cool feature that allows one to play a specific
chapter that has already been completed, without losing their save data
or having to start a new game completely. There's also a
really cool
photo snapshot sequence at the very end of the game after the credits,
that displays some of the most detailed imagery that the NES
has ever produced.
Anyone that
likes adventure games should pick up StarTropics for an NES experience
unlike anything else. Contrary to what some may believe, the game
did sell
well enough to warrant a sequel, which was released in 1994 and was the
second
to last licensed NES game. In many ways the sequel is a much
larger game but suffers from a different sound effects package and
movement tweaks that can make it a pain to play. While not a bad
game at all, in terms of play enjoyment the sequel is inferior to the
original. Our long time readers know I play a lot of NES and
Famicom games, it's one of my favorite platforms. For StarTropics
to be my all time favorite game on said platform - that's saying quite
a bit.
Games are expensive. I mean, games as
physical things are expensive. You know, those that come in a box, with
its data burnt on a DVD, a CD or a cartridge. Master System games were
terribly expensive back when they were sold brand new in stores
(actually, games are still terribly expensive in my country - even the
digital releases are). That's one of the very few reasons a nerdy kid
would try to make some friends, to have access to more Sega games.
So, I had this classmate who was the
only boy who also owned an SMS in my classroom. I can't remember
exactly how I discovered that but as soon as I did, there I was, trying
my best to build a long-lasting friendship. It turned out the boy only
had a single loose cart: OutRun Europa, which is, as the name suggests,
a European-made spin-off from the legendary racing series by Yu Suzuki.
Published by British giant U.S. Gold
for computers like the ZX Spectrum, the Commodore 64 and the Amiga,
which were successful machines in England, OutRun Europa has some
elements of Chase H.Q. In the game, you must prove your innocence by
chasing down the real criminals and avoiding the police - it's a racing
game mixed with some vehicular violence, just like Taito's arcade
classic. Sega and U.S. Gold had a great relationship, so much that Sega
not only allowed them the use of the OutRun brand but also allowed them
to port the game back to a Sega machine.
The Master System version, programmed
by Probe who also did the original computer versions, came soon after.
It's a terrific port with amazing pseudo-3D visuals that really shine
on a CRT television. The music is frantic, making you wish to keep
moving - as the scaling sprites also do. The thing that gets more
criticized is the use of UP to accelerate your machines (you drive more
than one type of vehicle in this OutRun). But this criticism comes
mainly from people who are not used to European racing games, which
usually had this type of controller setup. Yes, such setup was uncommon
on consoles, and Probe should know better, but this isn't a game
breaker. It has never been a problem for me.
Another criticism is that this game
isn't OutRun enough. I also disagree with this one. Although it's a car
chase game more than a pure driving game, OutRun Europa still has
branching paths, beautiful European sights, a Ferrari, good music and
skill-based timed racing, all trademarks of the franchise. Besides, it
wasn't even the first OutRun with combat because the Master System
itself had already received Battle OutRun, which is much more of a
Chase H.Q. clone than Europa is, even if it's made in Japan and
designed by Sega people.
I had lots of fun with this one.
Couldn't beat it, I kinda sucked as a gamer when I was a kid, but still
played it for months. Until my new friend came to my house reclaim his
possession, that is. So long, Europa. So long, friendship. Since the
guy didn't have any other games, and he wouldn't let me play OutRun for
another whole month, the friendship ended right there. But the memories
stayed with me. Not the memories of our friendship, mind you; the
memories I keep are those of myself driving fast across England, Spain,
France and Germany with the cops hot on my chase. Those were the days.
While
some may consider specialized controllers and aftermarket peripherals a
part of retrogaming that the industry is better for moving away from,
they're one of my favorite aspects of video gaming. The
creativity that once went into attempting to bring enhanced or unique
gameplay experiences into people's homes is just awesome in my
opinion. Granted there was a lot of junk out there but there were
also well-engineered products that continue to hold up to this
day. Let's take a look at a few of my favorites that have
remained in regular service and heavy use.
Once video
game consoles moved away from using joysticks as the primary
control device, players looking for an arcade control experience would
have to purchase an additional accessory. This lead to a wave of
both consumer and professional grade joysticks that ran the full
spectrum from absolute garbage to small batch customs made with real
arcade components. It may seem strange now but from the rise of
the NES to the introduction of PlayStation, it seemed most gamers owned
at least one consumer grade joystick, even in an era when most consoles
were still including two controllers in the box. One of the most
popular joysticks was the NES Advantage, a joystick controller for the
NES that also featured fully adjustable turbo modes for the action
buttons. Although considered to be a first-party accessory, the
NES Advantage was actually designed and manufactured by ASCII
Corporation, which in turn released similar joysticks for the other
popular systems of the day.
My ASCII Stick
Engine has held up amazingly well after years of use.
Stick Engine
is just that, a refinement on the design of the NES
Advantage, repackaged for what was the next most popular platform in
Japan - the PC Engine. Clad in textured black with mint green
buttons and turbo knobs, it certainly stands out from other home
joysticks and is a stark contrast to the white and red colors of the PC
Engine itself. It features a comfortable and responsive joystick,
large fire buttons for Button II and Button I, and smaller pill-shaped
buttons for Select and Run. It features the same slow motion
function as the Advantage, where it rapidly inputs Run (the PC Engine's
equivalent to Start) to pause and un-pause most games to create faux
slow motion. Novel at the time but not very useful in
practice. The refinement over the Advantage comes in how turbo
speed is adjusted for the fire buttons. Rather than having on /
off toggles in addition to the rate adjustment knobs both functions
have been integrated into the knobs outright. There is an audible
on / off click when turning a knob beyond its lowest rate and the
adjustment knobs also have a reasonably premium tactile feel for
consume grade stick of of the era. The location of the knobs and
other function buttons at the top of the joystick, leaving the action
button area clean and unobstructed, is also something I consider an
improvement over the Advantage. A red LED illuminates to
represent the rate of turbo fire for both Button II and Button I, and
the entire package feels great to use. It's a little small and a
little lightweight but my Stick Engine has held up to years of
use. It uses the standard PC Engine controller socket, which
works with a USA TurboDuo no problem but you will need a plug adapter
to connect to the larger TurboGrafx-16 controller socket. As with
most PC Engine controllers the cord is pretty short so I suggest using
an extension cable.
Konami Dance Dance Revolution Hand
Controller
PlayStation /
PlayStation 2 (as a PS1 controller)
I have no
shame in admitting that I was hugely into Dance Dance
Revolution from 1999 to around 2005 or so and still really enjoy the
games, although I am massively out of practice. It may surprise
some people but those games truly were a very large part of my life at
the time, with a great deal of my social life, friendships, and
relationships revolving around DDR. I always shock my wife a bit
when I find an older machine (the legendary 4thMIX Plus for instance)
and throw down like I'm in my late teens... for a couple of songs
anyway. During the Bemani boom of the early 2000's there was a
wash of DDR dance pads and assorted accessories, some licensed but many
from third-party distributors. Vinyl and foam dance mats were by
far the most popular and provided a reasonable way to play the games at
home, with varying levels of responsiveness depending on design and
manufacturer. For those wanting more arcade authenticity, both
plastic and metal dance platforms were sold by a few companies at a
premium, but again quality and responsiveness varied wildly. On
the other end of the spectrum were finger controllers, tiny little
scaled down hand-held DDR platforms, where one's fingers were used to
hit the directions rather than their feet. While a novel
approach, the finger pads often felt horrible and featured hard to
press buttons, becoming a collectible for the shelf rather than a
practical controller.
While not a
perfect compromise for playing DDR at home, the Hand Controller is at
least pretty unique.
While Konami
didn't release a professional grade dance platform, they
did in fact give the finger pad a try, with a unique controller that
attempted to address the needs of those who lived upstairs.
The Dance Dance Revolution Hand Controller features a flat top that
replicates the full double pad platform of an arcade DDR setup.
In addition to a Start Button, each side is populated with buttons for
the four cardinal directions as well as upper diagonals that were used
in the DDR Solo series. The buttons have a light weight and are
easy to press, feeling a but mushy but still quite responsive and
comfortable - a total contrast to the other finger pads. What's
also comfortable is the way in which the controller sits in the hand,
as it features very large grips that are thicker than may appear in
pictures and rest perfectly in the palms. The DDR Hand Controller
actually works really well and feels better than playing with a
standard PlayStation controller, especially for double play. Of
course there's no substitute for a good quality dance platform but this
controller shows you can still have a good time playing DDR with a
handheld controller.
Namco Arcade Stick
PlayStation /
PlayStation 2 (as a PS1 controller)
An arcade
style joystick may have been a popular secondary controller
for many years but by the mid 1990's the new generation of consoles,
with their increasingly complex controllers, began to make the joystick
market a little more niche. While the rise of console-based
fighting game tournaments would create a garage industry for high
quality arcade nightsticks, compromises would have to be made for a
mainstream counterpart. This is primarily to keep costs down and
appeal to a wider demographic of gamers, not just those who may play
competitive fighting games. In addition to fighting games, the
original PlayStation was host to many arcade compilations, arcade
shooters, traditional action games, and other genres that would mate
perfectly to an arcade style control setup. PlayStation was also
host to a ton of joystick controllers to ride this new wave, however to
this day my absolute favorite is still Namco's take on the arcade
experience at home.
Few
PlayStation accessories are as legendary as the Namco Arcade Stick.
The Namco
Arcade Stick is a thing of beauty and shows that
affordability and quality can go hand in hand. It features a slim
plastic housing with a gentle downward slope and a metal base.
Action buttons are positioned in a standard 3 x 2 configuration with
just enough of a staggered arc to fall comfortably under the fingers,
mirroring a layout seen on many Japanese arcade panels. The top
row contains Square, Triangle, and R1 while the bottom row contains X,
Circle, and R2. L1 and L2 as well as Select and Start are small
buttons located at the very top of the panel. The clean layout
means that there is plenty of room to rest one's wrist and hands with
no interference from buttons, switches, or design gimmicks. The
joystick and buttons are very responsive and just a tad bit under the
quality of competition level professional components. The weight
and size of the housing make the stick very stable on a tabletop but it
also plays pretty well sat on one's lap. The Namco Arcade Stick
has maintained a solid reputation for decades, with enthusiasts
continuing to use and modify them after over twenty-five years.
Even if left totally stock, this is a superb joystick and with the wide
availability of PS1 to USB adapters it is also my preferred controller
for use with MAME.
NEC Avenue Pad 3
PC Engine /
TurboDuo / TurboGrafx-16 (with plug adapter)
Not all great
accessories attempt to completely reinvent the controller included with
a system. Sometimes a slight enhancement is made to increase
functionality without making the resulting controller feel too alien
compared to stock. Examples of this are the six button controller
for Sega Genesis or the PlayStation Dual Analog controller, both of
which went on to influence future controller design for their
respective companies. The Avenue Pad 3 takes a half step in a
similar direction while at the same time doing its own thing. The
Avenue Pad 3 follows the design cues of the standard PC Engine control
pad, which itself went through a few design revisions. The
earliest PC Engine control pads did not feature turbo switches, those
were added later on, and would eventually become the standard design
included with most versions of the console.
My main pad
for playing PC Engine and TG-16, it has had hard use on both sides of
the Pacific.
If one were to
take a standard PC Engine control pad and stretch it out a bit
horizontally they'd have the footprint of an Avenue Pad 3. The
increased real estate allows for a third action button, labeled Button
III, to be placed just down and to the left of Button II.
Although the addition of a third button gave the controller its name,
it technically doesn't add any new game input. Instead Button III
can be selected via a switch to function as either Select or Run,
essentially acting as a second button for either of those inputs.
This may seem like a rather useless feature but many games on the
platform use Select for in-game options or as an action toggle.
For instance quite a few shooting games use Select to adjust ship speed
and having it be on a large button right next to the primary action
buttons is very convenient. For games that use Select to bring up
item or inventory management this is also very nice, in addition to
games that use Select or Run to activate special moves. Button
III also has a unique turbo switch that can either be set to "Hi" for
turbo fire or "Hold" for auto fire. Auto fire for Select or Run
seems like an odd choice but if Run is used to pause a game, this
option can be used to function as a faux slow motion setting, same as
noted with the ASCII Stick Engine. Everything else on the
controller is almost exactly as it is on a standard PC Engine control
pad, including button sizes and feel, although the Avenue Pad 3 has
very subtle ridges on the directional pad. The Avenue Pad 3 is my
default controller for playing PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 games and I
have a couple of them. Eagle-eyed readers may notice a cigarette
burn on the right side of the controller pictured, no doubt from an
enthralled Japanese PC Engine gamer many decades ago.
The Unsung Brilliance of Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA)
Most
long-running game series tend to have have at least one title that is
considered to be the odd one out. I have a tendency to gravitate
toward these games, not because they are different but because they're
often simply the game I enjoy most in the series. Such is the
case with the NES release of Super Mario Bros. 2. As chronicled
in detail by George "mecha" Spanos in our last issue, the
game released as Super Mario Bros. 2 outside of Japan was in fact a
rework of a completely different title. In 1987 Fuji TV hosted a
large summer festival and exposition in both
Tokyo and Osaka, Communication Carnival Yume Kojo '87, a celebration of
emerging technology and the seemingly endless possibilities ahead
during
the Japanese bubble economy. The mascots of the festival were a
young boy named Imajin, along with his girlfriend Lina, parents Mama
and Papa, twin younger siblings Poki and Piki, and their pet monkey
Rusa. The mascot family was used to promote the festival in
advertising and merchandise, with the upcoming event becoming
nationally recognized and highly anticipated. Fuji TV was then,
as
it is now, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and
wanted to cap off the marketing blitz with a home video game.
Nintendo would co-produce the tie-in, titled Yume Kojo: Doki Doki
Panic, released just a week before the festival was to open.
Roughly translated as Dream Factory: Heart-racing Panic, the game was a
high quality action platformer for the Famicom Disk System, showcasing
the best of what Nintendo was designing at the time.
Yume Kojo:
Doki Doki Panic for Famicom Disk System (left), Super Mario Bros. 2 for
NES (center), Super Mario USA for Famicom (right)
Of course the Yume
Kojo branding wouldn't be relevant outside of Japan,
so for the international release a year later the game was enhanced and
converted into an alternate Super Mario Bros. 2, becoming the official
sequel in all other regions. The reason for this has been long
debated but the question I've always posed is why would Nintendo
use their top staff to craft a very well-designed and expensive to
produce game, to have it only be used to promote a Japan-centric media
event? To me it seems that very early on the intent was to refine
Doki Doki Panic into a proper Super Mario sequel, as the official
Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 was simply a hastily released expansion of
the
original. When the North American Super
Mario Bros. 2 was released in 1988 it quickly became one of the most
popular games on the NES. Although it was very different from the
game that came before, it was part and parcel for what was expected of
most sequels on the hardware.
I received my
NES during Christmas of 1988 and Super Mario Bros. 2 was
an Easter gift shortly after in 1989. I was instantly taken back
by how colorful the game was and how the characters had more of a
cartoon look than any other game. It's one of the few games from
that time where I can remember reading the instruction booklet and
learning all the enemy character names and their descriptions.
Granted I wasn't all that spectacular at the game, I was
seven-years-old after all, but I enjoyed learning the techniques and
secrets and stumbling forward. However what would cement my love
of the game was a pair of strategy guides that were included in
Nintendo Power volumes 7 and 8 called "Super Mario Bros. 2 Inside
Out." These were deluxe 36 page pull-out books that not only
contained tips and tricks but also featured complete maps and a full
walkthrough of every section of every world. Such a complete and
unabridged guide for a game was unheard of in the United States at the
time, especially an official one being given away free within the pages
of a magazine. Being able to use that guide to learn a game so
thoroughly, a game that I thought was great even before then, made a
pretty big impression on me. I thought it was the coolest thing
when I figured out a big shortcut in World 4-3 that the guide
specifically said wouldn't work. Yet it it isn't just childhood
experiences and nostalgia. As time went on, even in the wake of
all the amazing Super Mario games that would follow it, Super Mario
Bros. 2 remained my absolute favorite game in the series. It
still
is today - over thirty years later - and I thought it was time to sit
down and figure out why.
Super Mario
Bros. 2 makes a habit of introducing new mechanics
constantly and then bringing them back later in the adventure.
This begins right at the start, as it is a single-player game that not
only offers character selection at the beginning of the game, but at
the beginning of every stage of each world. Additionally the
playable roster is made up of four characters - Mario, Luigi, Toad, and
Princess Toadstool - each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and
special abilities. Mario is well-rounded in all respects
and represents a
middle-of-the-road approach to jump height and lifting speed.
Luigi can jump higher and farther than anyone else, at the expense of
being drifty in the air and slower to run when carrying an
object. Toad has the shortest jump but can lift objects the
fastest and responds to input quickly, being unaffected by the weight
of carrying an item. Princess Toadstool lifts and runs with
objects very slowly but can float briefly in the air by holding down
the A Button during a jump, allowing her to hover over dangers.
Every character can also perform a power squat jump by holding Down on
the directional pad to charge up power, then jumping for an extra boost
in height. Use of the power squat jump quickly becomes an
important tool to navigate the platforming challenges of the game, and
if you're primarily a Toad player such as myself, mastering it is a
requirement.
Luigi
approaches a jumping cobrat (left), Mario setting bombs to clear a
passage (center), Princess hovers over enemies to grab a POW block
(right)
Someone
unfamiliar with the game may find all the talk about lifting
and carrying a bit strange but that too is a mechanic introduced here
and is critical part of the gameplay. Super Mario
Bros. 2 doesn't take place in the Mushroom Kingdom but instead
introduces the world of Subcon, the land of dreams. Subcon has
been
cursed by Wart, who has used the Dream Machine to place the people and
land under an evil spell. The terrain of Subcon is rich with
swaying grasses which can be pulled from the ground to reveal items
that can then be thrown to defeat enemies. Additionally most
enemies in the game can be jumped on top of and then hoisted overhead
in the same manner. This means not only can enemies be ridden
over hazards and to cross vast areas, they can also be thrown at one
another as weapons. It has often been said that Shigeru Miyamoto
always wanted Mario to be able to ride some kind of creature from the
earliest days of Super Mario Bros., but couldn't figure out how to
implement it until Super Mario World - yet Mario and company can ride
all kinds of creatures right here. Object throwing physics are
controlled by directional momentum and jump height and feel very
natural and predictable. Special items aren't the only things
buried,
as
vegetables, extra lives, vehicles, and even enemies can all be pulled
from the
ground wherever swaying grass is seen. The most valuable item is
a
potion, which when thrown will create a door. The door leads to
"sub-space," a mirrored area devoid of enemies where the player can
find power-up mushrooms in specific areas, which add to the life meter
similar to a heart container in The Legend of Zelda. Additionally
any grass pulled up while in sub-space will reveal a coin, used as a
credit in a Bonus Chance slot machine, played to earn extra lives in
between worlds. As long as the player can find a potion,
sub-space can be entered, however coins can only be pulled on two
entries per stage.
Game design is
a huge step forward from either of the Super Mario games
that came before, as not only can the screen scroll both to the right
and left, but up and down as well. So much of the game
is vertical, and not just one or two screens, but
huge areas that move as far up or down as they do left or right.
The scale of some of the worlds, with the different approaches that can
be taken and areas that can be entered, are still quite impressive.There are multiple
paths to complete many areas, some cleverly hidden or requiring
advanced
techniques, which can skip large
distances quickly. Many stages are long and complex with
interconnected
passages and power-ups that reward exploration, something that is
actually fun to do as there is no time limit. Doors can be walked
through to enter structures, rooms, or passageways and can always be
walked back through again to the other side. A few areas
have screen wrapping mechanics, like in the original arcade Mario
Bros., which can either be a help or hindrance to the player depending
on how they are approached. This all combines to make the game's
world feel much more persistent and grounded, rather than "you've
scrolled the screen beyond that that, it's gone now."
The openness
in movement also creates more flexibility in how
situations are worked through compared to most other platform games,
which
even with multiple pathways would often simply require running through
them from left to right. Mushroom Blocks are movable persistent
objects that can be picked up and thrown, retaining the position of
where they are dropped. They can be stacked to make vertical
platforms, pulled up to gain access to blocked off areas, used as walls
to deflect some enemy projectiles, and thrown to defeat enemies like
any other object. The multiple ways to complete many levels
sometimes require use of a specific character's abilities, which
further
rewards platforming experimentation and builds replay value. This
is how that aforementioned shortcut in World 4-3 came to be discovered,
as the Inside Out guide said, "not even the Princess, the hottest
jumper of them all, can leap across here." Well, from
experimentation playing the game I knew Princess Toadstool wasn't the
"hottest jumper" - that was Luigi, and sure enough Luigi could easily
make the leap.
My original
and very well-worn Super Mario Bros. 2 Inside Out strategy guides from
1989, included in Nintendo Power
Individual
level design is also spectacular in just how many new things
the game is constantly throwing at the player, allowing a skill set to
be built that is then pushed for more refinement as the adventure
proceeds. There are ice stages that actually have appropriate and
predictable physics, very tricky, but predictable. One spot at
the beginning of World 4-2 is a series of enemy avoidance puzzles while
running and sliding forward across a shelf of ice, testing the reflexes
of even the most skilled player. Areas with quicksand can be
tricky as well, as there are two different rates at which the sand
sinks, with the faster of the two very challenging to get out of -
especially when a power-up mushroom drops into it under the darkness of
sub-space. Platforming puzzles make up a surprising amount of the
game right from the start and show that Super Mario Bros. 2 doesn't
waste a stage with a simple area. These include building
structures to climb higher, using weak enemies to take out stronger
ones blocking the path, riding enemies across or over hazards, vine
climbing and switchback puzzles, and plucking and throwing bombs in a
specific order to open up passages. Some of those wall bombing
puzzles can be surprisingly complex and require advance planning,
perfect timing and precise control. Areas where deep pits of sand
must be dug through are also something new and require special strategy
to avoid enemies, as they follow the path the player excavates.
Although Toad is the fastest at lifting objects, I've always found that
Luigi is the best suited for digging but perhaps that's just because
his digging rhythm is smoother. Warp zones are reasonably well hidden or
challenging to reach, requiring specific vases to be entered while in
sub-space. Speaking of sub-space, uncovering the locations of
power-up mushrooms in sub-space can be very difficult in some areas as
they aren't always hidden where one may expect. Additionally
figuring out which areas in sub-space are best for maximizing the
amount of coins that can be pulled from the ground is an advanced
strategy, as extra lives are so hard to come by.
Visually this
is still one of the nicest looking games on the NES or
Famicom in my opinion, featuring the best looking Mario
character sprites on the hardware. Virtually every modern design
cue for Mario, Luigi, the Toads, and Peach began here, including Luigi
being thinner and taller than Mario for the first time. The Super
Mario Bros. 3 sprites for Mario, Princess Toadstool, and the
Toads are extremely similar to their Super Mario Bros. 2 designs.
This makes sense, as Doki Doki Panic was being overhauled into the
international Super Mario Bros. 2 at the same time Super Mario Bros. 3
was being developed for the Famicom. Super Mario Bros. 3 was
actually released in Japan on the same month as Super Mario Bros. 2 in
North America, both in October of 1988. Unfortunately Luigi would
lose his unique design and abilities in Super Mario Bros. 3 but they
would eventually return in future games. The environments are
lush and colorful with multiple sky and terrain colors, giving a bit
of a "time of day" feel throughout the adventure. Interior areas
also have some diversity and help to make each underground or interior
area feel different. Although the theme of some worlds is reused
throughout the game, each has unique architecture, platform designs,
environmental hazards, as well as flora and fauna.
Even with the
amazing level design, deep play mechanics, and
outstanding graphics the real stars of Super Mario Bros. 2 are the
enemies. Not only is the sprite work top notch, they feature some
of the most creative designs seen in an NES platformer. Enemy
characters feature excellent animation, tons of personality and
movement, and different behaviors denoted by what color they
are. Due to the ability to stand on enemies, there is also far
more direct enemy interaction than other games. The main
reoccurring sub-boss, Birdo, requires the player to jump on and pick up
the eggs she spits and throw them back at her. Another early
example of this introduced right at the start of World 1-2 where a
Pidgit, a flightless bird who rides a magic carpet, patrols the
sky. The Pidgit must be jumped on, then picked up, allowing the
player to gain control of its magic carpet for a short time to fly
across the chasm ahead. The technique of handling Pidgit comes
back up a few more times, including some very long flights both
horizontally and vertically. Enemies can also act as platforms
and be used to gain height, including jumping on flying enemies that
can be baited to approach at a specific height and then used for a
boost. Enemies as a whole are smarter than in most similar games,
as some appear to home in on the player and follow them.
Phanto for instance, is a floating mask that comes to life once a key
is picked up. As long as the player is holding the key, Phanto
will give chase, temporarily leaving if the key is dropped. Thing
is Phanto doesn't just pursue the player but almost seems to predict
movement depending on input - something that terrified me as a
kid. There are also areas with small vases that constantly spawn
a steady flow of enemies that can be corked with Mushroom
Blocks.
Mario tosses
bombs back at Mouser (left), Toad waits to attack
Fryguy from above (center), Luigi uses a Mushroom Block wall for
defense against
Tryclyde (right)
Boss designs
are also very cool and a breath of fresh air compared to
the Bowser / Koopa fights seen in Super Mario Bros. Mouser is
encountered twice throughout the game and throws bombs at the player,
which must be caught or picked up and thrown back at him.
Tryclyde is a three-headed snake that is also encountered twice, who
breathes fireballs and must be defeated with Mushroom Blocks or a stray
enemy. Fryguy is the only flying boss in the game, a ball of fire
that spits fireballs. Once attacked with Mushroom Blocks, Fryguy
splits into four smaller Fryguys that must also be extinguished with
Mushroom Blocks. Clawgrip is a boss that was specifically added
to Super Mario Bros. 2 and did not appear in Doki Doki Panic. He
is a giant crab that hurls large boulders, which must be picked up and
tossed back at him. The final boss, Wart, has a lot of visual
personality as well. He spits a chain of bubbles at the player
and can only be damaged by throwing a vegetable in his mouth while it
is open. Vegetables are produced by the Dream Machine in his
chamber and must be caught in the air, although Wart's bubbles will
destroy them, making the final battle reasonably challenging.
Some of my
favorite tunes in the entire Mario series made their debut
in Super Mario Bros. 2. Nintendo composition legend Koji Kondo
wrote not only the music for Doki Doki Panic but the Super Mario Bros.
2 conversion as well, which has some very slight differences.
Although there is an Arabian flair to some of the music, the majority
of the soundtrack takes more of a ragtime approach that seems to
perfectly complement the fast paced and smooth gameplay. Sound
effects also have interesting weight and variation with item pulls,
throws, enemy collisions, and everything else featuring unique
sounds. The deep, quiet rumble of an explosion is pretty cool and
the jumping and climbing sounds would go on to be instantly
recognizable. Music and sound design pair together perfectly here
and still sound unique and advanced compared many other NES
games. I also greatly prefer the NES version of the soundtrack
over the Famicom Disk System version as heard in Doki Doki Panic.
Toad hops
between whales in a world of ice (left), sometimes the only way forward
is
down (center), Luigi navigates a vine maze high in the clouds (right)
So at the end
of the day, at the end of the decades since first playing
it, I suppose the reason Super Mario Bros. 2 is my favorite Super Mario
game is because it's a great game with very unique visual design and
gameplay mechanics. Of course the debate that continues to this
day is whether or not it's a "real" Mario game due to its origins as a
promotional tie-in for the Yume Kojo festival. The answer, quite
simply, is "yes it is." Not only was the game developed by many
of the same people who created Super Mario Bros., its design roots are
based upon ideas formed from prototyping out possible sequels to that
game. It received an unheard of amount of polish and refinement
during the conversion process from Doki Doki Panic, which itself sold
very well. Design and personality characteristics for the main
Super Mario cast that continue to this day began with Super Mario Bros.
2. Then there are all the enemies that would become staples of
the
Mario series outside of this specific game and its remakes: Shyguy,
Snifit, Ninji, Spark (which technically first appeared in Donkey Kong
Junior), Pokey, Beezo, Birdo, and my personal favorite, Bob-omb.
The North American version of Super Mario Bros. 2 would eventually be
released in Japan on the Famicom under the title Super Mario USA in
1992, becoming an official Mario game in all regions. In addition
to being included in all regional variations of Super Mario All-Stars,
a further enhanced remake was released as Nintendo's primary launch
title for Game Boy Advance in 2001 as Super Mario Advance. I will
admit, Super Mario Advance is what got me to buy a Game Boy Advance on
launch day - not too often a game you love that people site as "that
obscure one" gets a flagship release for a new platform. With all
those enhancements and re-releases, it's still the original NES version
that I enjoy most. If you haven't played it in a long time or
skipped it due to its false notoriety, I recommend giving Super Mario
Bros. 2 another or first try. Explore, mess around with the
mechanics, and unlock what remains one of the most unique platforming
games ever created.
Eleven More Retro Characters for the Next Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the
latest game in the long running
fighting franchise, had arguably the greatest roster of characters in
any fighting game ever. With a finally tally of eighty-nine playable
fighters, there is a main for everyone with challengers from all
corners of the gaming universe. We've come a long, long way from the
measly twelve characters featured in the classic Nintendo 64 original.
After the last game it feels like the
sky is just about the limit for new fighters. A metric ton of fighters
came from all corners of the gaming universe, from even rival consoles
and developers, that never seemed to have a hope of appearing on a
Nintendo console. After the mind blowing addition of Disney and
Square's Sora from Kingdom Hearts, I wouldn't rule just about any one
out. In this countdown, I'm going to focus mainly on characters who I
think have a legit shot at making the roster, no matter how long the
shot may seem. I'm also giving bonus points went to characters who have
fighting game history or have appeared in a previous Smash Bros. game
in some capacity, be it as a trophy, or an assist character in some
way. So sorry to all you Goku fans out there, you'll just have to keep
modding the Super Sayain into the games yourself. Here are eleven more
characters with an old school appeal, that Nintendo needs to add into
the next game.
11. Excitebike
Racer
As I had mentioned in my last set of
ten old-school picks for the next Smash Bros. game, Nintendo seemingly
loves to dig up at least one obscure character from the video game
graveyard in each new game. So let's kick off the list with another
character who may seem like a long shot at first, but would still be a
worthy addition to the roster: the Excitebike Racer. Born in 1984, the
Excitebike racer first appeared on the Famicom, then followed that up
with an appearance in arcades, and then a hugely popular launch game
for the NES. To date there have been plenty of followups, including
Excitebike 64, and the Wii-quels Excite Truck and Excitebots, but there
has not been a proper sequel since 2009.
The Excitebike Racer's play style
could function quite similarly to Wario's trademark motorcycle. Zooming
around the stage, the racer could deal loads of damage, but maybe the
player should be careful, as that Excitebike has a strange tendency to
overheat. There are also lots of other vehicle themed items the Racer
could use in battle, including making oil slicks, throwing spare tires,
or using tools like a wrench to deal extra damage. Also giving this
character his own stage would be a wise move, as the Excitebike stage
in Mario Kart 8 was one of the most frantic and fun courses in that
entire game. I'm not sure how likely it is to happen, but the
Excitebike Racer would be another unexpected and quirky way for
Nintendo to honor one of their longest running franchises.
The Excitebike
Racer's classic design and as he appeared in the NES version of
Excitebike.
10. Pauline
Going all the way back to the early
eighties, Pauline is Nintendo's original damsel in distress. Before
Mario had a name, and DK even owned a tie, Mario was forced to rescue
Pauline from the clutches of this evil king of Kongs. Climbing all
manners of railing and girders, Mario's quest to rescue his boo helped
Nintendo climb on top of the video game industry. After a long time
spent toiling away in the cult classic Mario vs. Donkey Kong series,
Nintendo thrust Pauline back into the spotlight in the incredible
Switch sensation Super Mario Odyssey. Giving her a sultry makeover in a
red dress, Pauline reigned as the mayor of New Donk City, the most
iconic new area in the game. She also was the front lady for the
swingin' band that gave the game its signature theme song, Jump Up
Superstar. Since then she's gone on to play sports with Mario and the
gang in their most recent tennis and golf outings on the Nintendo
Switch.
As far as her potential attacks go,
Nintendo could really embrace her newfound inner artistry with a wide
range of musical themed attacks. She could borrow some instruments from
the boys in her band and smack people around with a guitar, brass
instruments, and some drumsticks. For a Smash Move, she could whack
people with an upcycled steel girder from one of DK's games. Now that's
gonna hurt! It's time for Pauline to finally get some real revenge on
her former captor Donkey Kong, and beat the crap out of him in the next
Super Smash Bros. installment.
9. Baby Mario
My next pick may be a bit triggering
for those who are sensitive to loud noises and the sounds of crying
babies. I'm talking of course about the child version of Nintendo's
main mascot Mario. In my last Smash Bros. additions article, I
suggested Paper Mario and now I'm suggesting diaper Mario. To me the
more Mario the merrier! First appearing in the criminally
underrated late-period SNES classic Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's
Island, this tiny version of the character has appeared in plenty of
Mario Kart and sports outings since. This version of the character
could stand alone or could be paired with Yoshi for some more old
school fun. Riding on the back of his trusty dino steed would unlock
all kinds of egg throwing goodness, as well as that version of Yoshi's
ability to transform into all kinds of crazy stuff like helicopters and
trains. Baby Mario's ability to use a cape and run around in nothing
but his diaper would be a funny and fun addition to the game as well.
To me, more Mario is missing from Smash Bros. so it's time for a
Multiverse of Mario Madness... but Nintendo will have to find a way to
make the crying cuter, or risk pissing off a whole new generation of
gamers...
8. Bandanna Waddle
Dee
The next character has a long and
rich history in the long-running and still beloved Kirby series. Waddle
Dee has been with the franchise since the beginning in Kirby's
Dreamland for the original Game Boy and has appeared in over twenty
Kirby related games! These guys are kind of like Kirby's version of the
Goombas, but they somehow pose even less of a threat than the Goomba to
the god-like suction powered vacuum that is Kirby. A somewhat recent
variation on the character armed with a spear, Bandanna Waddle Dee, has
grown largely in popularity, even becoming a playable ally in recent
Switch hit Kirby And The Forgotten Land. BWD has even recently received
a fan created, and unfortunately fake Smash Bros. trailer, so there are
very passionate fans who would love nothing more than to see their
dreams of this Dreamland character making Smash Bros. come true.
It's the bandanna-ed version of the
character that should be playable in the next version of the smashing
series. With his trademark spear, Bandanna Waddle Dee could engage in
some Meta-Knight style swordplay. It would probably be a little less
frantic than the hyper active sword wielding of that character. He
could also potentially have a floating multiple jump similar to Kirby,
making him a great character for new comers and the younger set of
Smash Bros. players. I'm sure that longtime Smash series director and
creator of Kirby Masahiro Sakurai would love to get more Kirby
characters into Smash Waddle Dee is a fantastic opportunity for the
next game.
7. Mega Man Zero
The original model of Mega Man has
been a part of Smash Bros. since the Wii U incarnation of the game.
With Ultimate featuring multiple characters from the Street Fighter
franchise, and Ryu's frenemy Ken joining the series, I think it's only
fair that Megaman X's android wingman, Zero join the battle. After
debuting in the stone cold classic Mega Man X on the Super Nintendo,
the red and white armored pony tail enthusiast has become a fan
favorite. Zero's mission is to destroy renegade evil robots known as
Mavericks and the ultra big bad of these even more futuristic games:
Sigma. Zero has gone on to have a fighting game history of his own,
appearing as a playable character in the Marvel vs. Capcom series and
has gotten close to appearing as a playable character, as an Assist
Trophy ally character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
One of the biggest differences in
playing as Zero instead of Mega Man is that Zero bad-assedly wields his
signature laser sword known as the Z-Saber. A much cooler weapon than
the standard red Super Smash Bros. lightsaber, this weapon allows for
all sorts of fun, futuristic looking sword play. This glowing sword
would make playing as Zero a blast, and a completely different
experience from playing as the blue bomber. It would open up the door
for all manner of attacks, and combos and could turn into a brutal up
special attack. Zero has even been given tons of his own starring solo
games, so for a final smash move, he could call on help from all of his
similar looking robo-bros to help him end the battle for good. Zero is
the hero Nintendo should call on for their next futuristic fighting
robot.
Mega Man Zero with
his Z-Saber as seen in the instruction booklet for Mega Man X3 and
slashing through his first playable appearance.
6. Eevee
If Nintendo and the Pokémon
company choose Eevee, they have the opportunity to do something with
the next game that has never been done in a Smash Bros. game: nine
different playable versions of a character in one fighter. Each match
could be completely different for Eevee fans and stans. As you are not
doubt aware, Pokémon can only typically evolve one way, but
Eevee can evolve into eight different types of Pokémon typically
with a new Eevee-loution in each game. Each version comes with a wildly
different set of powers and looks. Pocket monster number one hundred
thirty-three, is the next cuddly companion who needs to join the Bros.
battle.
Eevee is certainly popular enough to
make the cut. Especially since being featured as one of the two title
Pokémon along with Pikachu, for the recent Let's Go games, on
Nintendo Switch. Eevee even finished in the top ten of a recent Reddit
survey of favorite characters from the entire series. Eevee is pretty
cute in default form, but it's the Eevee-loutions that make it one of a
kind. A new way to help the player choose which upgraded version to
turn in to maybe needed. It could work with a system similar to the way
Shulk from Xenoblade switches his fighting style with icons above the
player to cycle through. A very specific way would be needed to help
Eevee transform, because once transformed it would have to stay that
way for the rest of the match. But perhaps a Final Smash move calling
in on all forms of Eevee could be used to reset Eevee back to it's
original form. Mastering all eight evolutions of Eevee would also be
huge bragging rights for any pro Smash Bros. gamer. It would take a lot
of development work but hopefully Nintendo will pack my pick of
Pokémon for the next Smash party.
5. Cranky Kong
My next pick puts the old in old
school. Cranky Kong was first seen famously spinning a vintage
gramophone record player in the startup cut-scene of the first Donkey
Kong Country. He is also probably the original DK, the star of the 1981
arcade original, but Nintendo and original developer Rare have been a
little unclear on if this is true or not. Cranky is typically seen
aiding the Kongs with some helpful, and some not so helpful
cantankerous advice. He finally made the leap to fully playable
character in the fantastic 2014 game Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze which
was later ported to the Nintendo Switch. The playable version of
the oldest Kong took a page out of the NES DuckTales playbook, making
Cranky's cane a big part of his arsenal. His cane could be used for
pogo-ing ala Scrooge McDuck in that one, and it would give him a unique
feel compared to other fighters. This old Kong could also swing the
cane around for heavy attacks. It would allow him to more than hold his
own against the rest of the roster. Just like Yoda, his stick is better
than bacon. In another surprising attack move, maybe he could pull a
Jigglypuff and bore the other fighters to sleep with his repetitive
advice. In my previous Smash article, I pushed for more Kongs and I
think there's plenty of space for a barrel full of monkeys to come to
the next Smash Bros. fight fest.
4. Fullgore
Smash Bros. Ultimate honored the
overall history of fighting games with characters like Kazuya from
Tekken, Ken from Street Fighter, and Terry from Fatal Fury added to the
fray. For my next pick, I'm going to go with a character from another
legendary fighting franchise, Killer Instinct. I'm going with the
coolest cyborg this side of Darth Vader, the orange pony tail sporting
slasher Fullgore. Made by Rare using the same graphical style as their
revolutionary Donkey Kong Country Games, Killer Instinct wowed gamers
in the arcades and on the Super Nintendo in 1994. Fullgore was
prominently featured on the box art and killer cool black
cartridge. His move-set would be an easy translation to the
series, thanks in great part to his blue Wolverine style claws. He
comes complete with a pronounced uppercut, perfect for an air special,
a sliding attack, an eye laser, and a punishing projectile attack with
extra guns added to his shoulders. Since Nintendo and Rare's divorce in
2002 the franchise and character has rare-ly been seen on Nintendo
consoles, not once actually. But the series continues with another
installment released on Microsoft Xbox consoles and the recent release
of an Arcade 1-Up home replica of the original cabinet. This pick would
require Microsoft and Nintendo to play nice again, but with them
loaning Banjo-Kazooie and Minecraft characters to Nintendo for the last
game, anything is possible.
3. Crash Bandicoot
Back in the early days of the first
PlayStation, Sony was on its way towards dominating the video game
industry, they just needed a mascot. Developer Naughty Dog gave them
just what they needed, an orange marsupial with a penchant for spin
moves, eating fruit, and wearing jorts: Crash Bandicoot. An
infamous commercial debuted the character, which featured a live action
Crash crashing Nintendo HQ. Armed with a megaphone at their
actual headquarters and throwning some disses at Mario, the company
seemed to be going even edgier than Sega did with their Genesis
commercials and "Nintendon't" campaign. It definitely seemed like
the Bandicoot would never swirl over to Nintendo consoles, but just
like Sonic before him, he began his career on other systems starting on
the GameCube. He still appears on their systems to this day with new
games and compilations appearing on the go on the Nintendo
Switch.
For Crash's potential fighting moves, besides the obvious previously
mentioned spin move, there are lots of things to draw from in the Crash
series. For starters the tribal mask ally and power up Aku Aku, has got
to be featured and paired with the character somehow. Since Aku added a
shielding bit of health in those games, he could easily do the same in
Smash or Crash could use the mask differently, perhaps as a battering
ram. Crash also has a history of riding vehicles like hover craft,
motorcycles and most interestingly a jet pack, that could make this
bandicoot a fun pick to play as for nostalgic PlayStation fans.
Chun-Li's classic
introductory design as seen on arcade promotional flyers and fighting
Ken in a Street Fighter II match.
2.
Chun-Li
When Ryu was added to the Super Smash
Bros. For Wii U roster, many minds, including my own were blown.
Finally we could match up the most iconic fighter and protagonist from
Street Fighter II against many of our childhood favorites. When his
rival Ken was added to Ultimate... it was just a little puzzling. The
two make a perfect yin and yang style pairing in those games, but I
think they should've bypassed the bland blond fighter and instead went
straight to China and recruited the badass in the blue dress, Chun-Li
to hop on board a plane and fly on over join the party.
As the first female fighter in the
long running series, Chun-Li broke video game ground and made history.
She has received a realistic redesign for the upcoming Street Fighter 6
game and has been a prominent part of the marketing. Also she quite
literally kicks ass. Her variety of leg and kicking based attacks made
her an instant smash, and a go to character for anyone looking for a
springy character to bounce around SF II's many stages. Just as with
Ryu and Ken, Nintendo would basically be able to rip her move-set
straight out of those games. The Lightning Kick and Spinning Kick would
be a blast to pull off, and the addition of the fireball given to her
later in the series would make Chun-Li the perfect next World Warrior
to add to roster.
1. Tails
My number one choice to add to the
next Smash Bros. game is Sonic's number one fan and partner, the
multi-tailed flying fox, Miles Prower, better known by his nickname
Tails. Ever since his introduction in Sonic 2, he's been an invaluable
aide to the Blue Blur. In the time spent time by Sonic's side, he's
aided him with his inventions, his knack for collecting rings, and his
ability to fly vintage red bi-planes. For his potential Smash
Bros. appearance he should be one of the faster characters, since he
manages to nearly match Sonic stride for stride whenever they're
paired. He should also have a very strong air game since his tails make
him able to fly in most Sonic games. He could have flying powers
similar to Pit's from the Kid Icarus games. Attack wise, he would
probably use a similar set of spin dashes just like Sonic's. Tails has
been legendarily rumored to appear in the Smash Bros. since the
GameCube days of Melee. Finally adding Tails to Smash would
finally satiate the needs of the many fans who have wanted him so
badly. Also since he was given a featured supporting role in the latest
hit Sonic movie, Sonic 2, now is the perfect time for this orange fox
to fly into battle.
Caught On Film - Tron (1982)
Forty Years of Fighting For the User
July 9th of
this year, just a few days after this issue goes to publication, will
mark the 40th anniversary of the science-fiction film Tron.
Tron has been my favorite film since first encountering it
on television about twenty-five years ago. Although the film
wasn't very popular at the time, someone at one of the small local
television stations must have thought they had gotten hold of something
hot, as they promoted it constantly in the two week run-up to the air
date. On the night it was finally shown they even had their
advertising voiceover guy introduce it over the opening, "...and now,
Tron." It all hyped me up enough to make sure I had a blank tape
in the VCR that night and for many years I watched that television
recording over and over again. Something about the film simply
clicked with my early teenage self and I just about wore that tape
out. It wouldn't be until the 20th anniversary DVD release that I
was able to finally watch the film in its entirely, without the usual
broadcast edits for time. It was also the first time I ever
encountered any other fans of the film, realizing that a few of my
co-workers also enjoyed the movie. Now here we are, twenty years
after even that milestone, to take a look back at a film that is every
bit as unique now as it was the day it first hit theaters in 1982.
Tron opens
with a common sight of the early 1980's, a packed video arcade. A
patron coins up a game titled Lightcycle, in which the player directs
creation of a continuous line in an attempt to block their opponent in,
and begins a game versus the computer. The camera then pans down
to show the other side of the screen, where it is revealed the the
lines are in fact energy walls left behind in the wake of virtual
motorcycles, hence the game's name. In the digital world the
player is shown as an electronic avatar operating his lightcycle
against a program operating the other. The player is ruthlessly
destroyed by the computer opponent, exploding in a blast of energy as
he releases the joystick in frustration on the other side of the
screen. Later that night former
ENCOM employee and programmer Kevin Flynn, played by Jeff Bridges, is
hacking into the mainframe of his former employer. The program he
is utilizing to execute the hack is Clu, who in the digital world is a
representation of Flynn. Clu is caught and detached from contact
with Flynn, then taken before the Master Control Program, an artificial
intelligence that controls the ENCOM mainframe.
The MCP believes that Clu was written by Flynn and contacts Ed
Dillinger, Senior VP of ENCOM played by David Warner, to alert him of
the attempted incursion. Dillinger is fearful that Flynn may find
evidence buried in the mainframe to prove that a series of popular
video games, that Dillinger presented as his own, were in fact created
by Flynn. The success of the games in question, including
Lightcycle and Space Paranoids, were instrumental in Dillinger's rise
to the top of ENCOM. Access for Flynn's former mainframe access
group is locked down, preventing access for another ENCOM programmer,
Alan Bradley, played by Bruce Boxleitner. Alan has nearly
completed writing a security program, Tron, which will monitor all
traffic on the mainframe including that of the MCP.
Alan and Lora meet up with Flynn at his
arcade
After talking
with his girlfriend Lora Baines, who is also a
programmer at ENCOM played by Cindy Morgan, it is assumed
that Flynn is more than likely the
cause for the system lockdown and they head to his arcade to question
him. Flynn admits that he has been attempting to find evidence of
Dillinger's plagiarism ever since he was fired by Dillinger in an
attempt to hide the theft, believing that such is still buried
somewhere in the mainframe. Alan muses that if his Tron program
was running it would shut the system down and disable the MCP, to which
Flynn hatches a plan to forge an alternate access pathway from within
ENCOM. This would allow Alan to activate Tron and clear the way
for Flynn to
recover the evidence. Using a direct terminal in the pathway of
an experimental digitizing laser that Lora is working on, Flynn
encounters the MCP as he begins his hack. To stop Flynn, the MCP
activates the laser and digitizes Flynn, drawing him into the ENCOM
mainframe. Within the mainframe is a digital world in which
programs exist in the as avatars of their Users, the humans in the real
world that program and operate them. Users are revered by their
programs with nearly religious significance, representing a mysticism
beyond them that they are able to interact with through input/output
portals. The digital world is ruled by the MCP, who forces
captured programs to compete in gladiatorial combat utilizing the game
programs that Flynn originally created. The conscripted programs
compete in the deadly games until they die, known in the digital world
as derezzing, or renounce their belief in the Users and
serve the MCP. Carrying out the MCP's orders is Sark, a command
program that is an avatar of Dillinger, who was also seen in the
lightcycle battle that opened the film. It is in the games Flynn
meets Tron, who himself is an avatar of Alan. Along
with another captured program called Ram, Flynn and Tron break out of a
Lightcycle game and the trio sets off for an input/output tower, where
Tron can communicate with Alan to get the data needed to overthrow the
MCP.
Tron prepares to interface with Alan in
the outside world, presenting his disc to establish a connection
While on the
surface this sounds like little more than a high-tech triller, what
sets Tron apart from every other film is that the majority of its
runtime takes place within the digital world. Most of the sets,
scenes, and visual effects were filmed traditionally on soundstages
utilizing a technique called backlit animation. Essentially
backlit animation is a process in which traditional film is shot in
black and white on a black set. Then the individual frames of the
film negative are converted to film cels, which are backlit with
different color filters and photographed as if they were animation
frames. The process is much more complex than my rough
explanation and was so labor intensive and expensive to produce, that
to this day Tron is the only feature film to utilize the
technique. It gives the entire film a wholly unique look and
feel anything else that has ever
come before or since. Environments have a soft vibrating glow,
colors cast gradients of light into darkness, and circuits shine as if
they are liquid glass.
All the production techniques, both traditional and state of the art,
work in harmony to create wholly believable and alien digital world.
Every program
carries an identity disc,
which is imprinted with everything the program does or learns.
The disc is also used to transfer data back and forth when
communicating with a User. Additionally they are used as weapons,
being thrown like a frisbee or used to shield a program by deflecting
other discs away. A program hit by an identity disc will be
subjected to dresolution upon impact, making flying discs extremely
dangerous. What's incredible about the disc antics in the film,
is that most of them were actually performed with real frisbees under
the direction of a flying disc champion, who filled the role that a
fencing master would on a sword fighting film. This gives a
weight and fluid motion to disc combat, resembling something akin to a
digital ballet, which does wonders to make it appear real because for
the most part it is. Disc combat is a
huge part of the visual style of the film and another aspect that is
uniquely special about Tron.
The lightcycle sequences are the most
well-known part of the film and still look unlike anything else
Of course one
can't talk about Tron without mentioning its pioneering use of computer
animation. Although they make up only a very short amount of the
total film, the scenes that utilize computer animation exclusively tend
to be those most remembered by the mainstream. Primarily these
are used for creating vehicles and digital environments in which the
vehicles travel. The game tanks, incursion programs that Flynn
created for hacking into the ENCOM mainframe, are computer animated
from the outside but use extremely complex backlight animation for
their interior scenes. The lightcycle sequences are almost
entirely computer animation with scenes of the actors composited into
them through traditional animation and rotoscoping. Admittedly
the lightcycle battle with Flynn, Tron, and Ram is one of the most
striking scenes in the film but its impact also has a lot to do with
how it sounds. The lightcycles have a high-pitched whine as they
zip around the arena, making distinct sounds each time they make a 90
degree turn, with just enough of a "video game" sound when one is
destroyed. Sound design throughout is simply incredible, with the
sounds of disc combat and programs derezzing instantly recognizable and
extremely unique. Not be outdone by the visuals or sound design,
the soundtrack is equally as memorable and unique, composed by Wendy
Carlos. The music is almost a character itself in Tron and
enhances the tone and mood of virtually every scene, while still
allowing the cold, echoing silence of the digital world to breathe when
necessary.
Also of note
is that nearly the entire cast plays a double role, that of their User
in the real world and program in the digital world, which are
completely different characters. David Warner actually has a
triple role, as in addition to Dillinger and Sark he also provides the
menacing voice of the MCP. There is some really great acting in
the film, there has to be, otherwise the film simply would not hold
up.
When you think about it, the actors were basically on black and white
empty sets, playing off one another to carry dialogue about digital
interfaces and electronic spirituality... and it actually works.
They all pull it off, every performance is exceptional and feels
natural. There is real emotion in this film, particularly in a
scene where a main character dies in Flynn's arms, realizing that Flynn
is a User and that he is seeing what amounts to a god before he ceases
to function. There's a lot more here than its reputation as being
a visual effects film may lead you to believe.
Sark monitoring the search for the escaped
programs from on board his command ship
Forty years on
there is still nothing like Tron. It still looks, sounds, and
feels like no other film, which makes it pretty much timeless.
After many years of speculation a sequel titled Tron: Legacy was
finally
released in 2010. It too has a very unique look, sound, and feel
that is unlike any other film - including the original Tron. I
know the reception of Legacy was a bit mixed, even among other Tron
diehards, but I really enjoy the film and find it to be a solid follow
up. I would have liked the religion and superstition in belief of
the Users to factor into it more, but I was quite satisfied with the
story it presented and saw it many times during its theatrical
run. It's a shame that a third film has slotted right into the
speculation zone where the sequel sat for decades. Getting back
to the original, I think one of the coolest things right now during its
forty year anniversary is that Tron is so easy to watch. It's
currently available on the Disney+ streaming service in addition to
having many releases on physical media, a far cry from scouring video
rental stores or watching a worn-out television recording. If
you've never seen it, give it a watch, and if it has been a while then
there's no better time to check it out again.
Over
the years both my wife and I have created a number of retrogaming
themed ceramic pieces at a local ceramic painting lounge. While
we don't craft the actual base objects ourselves, they begin as
completely blank pieces, which after painting are then glazed and
fired. The process can be very time consuming, with most painted
areas requiring a build up of at least three coats for solid color
results. Dozens of hours across months of visits can be spent to
finish a piece. It's also always a bit of a stab in the dark as
paint accuracy and adhesion really isn't known until after the glazing
and firing process, which itself can sometimes lead to damage in the
process. Additionally the ceramics lounge is not a professional
studio but rather a local retail chain where anyone can select a piece
to paint. I thought I'd share a few of these pieces with our
readers.
Ghosts 'n Goblins
large fruit bowl (left), Ghouls 'n Ghosts companion large fruit bowl
(right), these are each about two feet across from edge to edge
A pair of
rather large projects that my wife painted began with seeing a massive
fruit bowl on display at one location. She wanted to do a larger
piece and we brainstormed something that would utilize the space and
shape of the bowl. Thankfully the lounge allows a purchased piece
to be painted over multiple sessions without charging additional studio
sitting fees, so a multi-month project is a little less daunting.
We worked out the idea to theme the bowl after Ghosts 'n Goblins, with
Astaroth and Prin-Prin at the center to represent the end of the game,
and then Arthur working his way through the individual stages around
the inside. A number of screenshots were made and printed to use
as illustration and color reference. The outside of the bowl
shows the opening scene of Prin-Prin being carried away.
Close up detail showing the bowl shape
with Astaroth and Prin-Prin (left), and golden armor Arthur and
Prin-Prin (right)
Many years
later she got the desire to do a companion piece, having moved on from
the unpredictable quality of the house brushes at the lounge to her own
painting tools. We planned out a Ghouls 'n Ghosts follow-up but
the bowl appeared to have been discontinued. Fortunately we found
the last one the chain had ordered on display at one of the smaller
lounges and picked it up. The idea this time was the reverse,
with Arthur and Prin-Prin at the center and key enemies surrounding
them on a quest for revenge, which is the opening narrative of the
game. Better brushes and and techniques meant that everything was
much more detailed, based upon the updated art from the sequel game in
addition to official artwork for Arthur and Prin-Prin. The
outside of the bowl features the opening with the townspeople fleeing
the burning castle, while Arthur rides toward it on his horse.
As Bosconian is a game with a never-ending
playfield, one continuous scene wraps around the entire jar
Next was a
Christmas gift my wife painted for me, a large sealing cookie jar
themed to the Namco arcade game Bosconian, one of my lesser-known
arcade favorites. The game plays on a single infinitely scrolling
map that wraps around in any direction, as the player attempts to
destroy enemy bases and attack craft. The idea was to wrap a
continuous stage around the outside of the jar, portraying a full on
battle as seen in the game. The lid has the opening line of the
game "BLAST OFF" written in the font of the arcade marquee and colored
the same as well. While important to arcade development, the game
is pretty niche and the finish product isn't one of her favorites but I
love it and it is a permanent fixture on our dining room table.
After
accompanying her to the ceramics lounge a few times, she encouraged me
to paint a piece myself. I had done some ceramics work in my
teenage years and really didn't care for it, especially layering
multiple coats of paint and the results not being known until beyond
the point of being changed. However they had a bulbous jar that I
came up with an idea for and figured I'd give it a shot. Rotating
the jar just off center, I decided to paint it as a pooka from Dig Dug
being inflated and popping. The lid and opening would be where
the harpoon had skewered it and then where it burst. The result
was alright but my layering wasn't the cleanest and my pencil lines
were a bit too heavy, causing some adhesion problems. The raw
ceramics can be drawn on with a regular pencil, which usually simply
burns off in the kiln, but excessive build up sometimes causes the
paint to shrink away. It was a good piece to learn that lesson on
as it still doesn't detract too much since it's an organic shape.
On the lid I painted a 200 point value in pixel art, which really
appealed to me both in terms of how clean the result was and how
precise it allowed me to be with layering and scraping.
Seeing the shape of this jar sitting on
the shelf instantly made me think of a bursting pooka from Dig Dug
After seeing
that pixel work was a way I could get cleaner results with the ceramic
paints, and because my wife flat out hated the assembly line precision
required in panting such, I decided I'd attempt something again.
I settled into painting a series of dinner plates themed on classic and
reasonably obscure Konami arcade games. Games from before they
became massively established, before games like Contra and Castlevania
cemented their reputation. I planned on four plates, each
representing a game from a year from 1981 to 1984. First up was
Jungler, a game I've written about more than once in The Retrogaming
Times. I built up a game screenshot to base the artwork off of
and got to work drawing and painting. A technique with ceramic
paint is to use a toothpick to scrape away dry paint to allow for clean
edges and this was the first piece I approached as such. I was
reasonably pleased with the finished result, although I was a little
light with my outer color and had some paint adhesion issues due to
overhandling. My technique was much better on the second of the
series, based on 1982's Loco-Motion, another game I've written about
here in the past. Everything this time was much bolder and
totally accurate to the color differences in the game, right down to
the different curve tiles being slightly different shades of
blue. My text was a lot cleaner as well since I had a better idea
of what I was doing. The only trade off is I paint very slowly,
with this plate taking 84 hours of total painting time across many
sessions. After that I decided I needed to take a break before
moving on to 1983 and 1984, which while I have designs figured out, I
have yet to begin on.
My favorite of
all the video game themed ceramics that my wife painted is a very large
serving tray that features StarTropics. My love for the NES game
StarTropics is covered in this very issue and this piece is a perfect
example of why the game is so appealing. The idea behind the
plate was to have it appear as if it were a table top after main
character Mike Jones returns from his adventure. The background
is taken from the official maps included with an issue of Nintendo
Power, as if they were a map that Mike used to chart his journey.
Atop that are four photographs taken from the ending sequence of the
game, which revisit key events Mike experiences and always seemed like
they were intended to invoke feelings of vacation photos. These
include Mike battling Octo the Huge, revealing Maxie at Ghost Village
with a Rod of Sight, getting information from Peter with a worm, and
Mike sticking bananas in his ears - the ending shot of the game and a
line used throughout. Atop that is his Island Yo-yo, the primary
weapon he uses in the game, shown as an original design we came up with
featuring the Southern Cross constellation, which also factors greatly
into the game's story. The back side of it is the color of
parchment, along with the secret 747 MHz code that is presented when
Mike's uncle's letter is dipped into water.
This StarTropics large serving plate was
quite an undertaking, incorporating designs from printed illustrations,
game screens, and original ideas
My wife also
created a couple smaller pieces, including the first that began the
idea of "hey, we can do video game themed ceramics." That would
be a small bowl styled after Gottlieb's 1981 Black Hole pinball
table. For the many years I owned a Galaxian cocktail table, the
bowl sat atop it and was used to hold quarters for play. Another
small piece was another gift she painted for me, a BurgerTime spoon
rest featuring the enemy characters Mr. Hot Dog, Mr. Egg, and Mr.
Pickle. That one probably gets the most use and has been in our
kitchen ever since she completed it.
A spaceman disappearing into the Black
Hole (left and center), and a spoon rest themed after BurgerTime (right)
She also
completed a couple other pretty interesting retrogame themed ceramics
projects that I may feature in the next issue. While I still have
two Konami plates planned, both of us moved to painting more anime
inspired stuff to take a bit of a break. However that too got
stalled out due to temporary closures as a result of the
pandemic. Things have been picking back up though and I hope to
get going again myself soon. Have you created any retrogame
themed physical craft or art projects? Let
me know about them and
maybe we'll feature them in the next issue!
Every Friday on The Retrogaming Times
Facebook
page (facebook.com/theretrogamingtimes),
we present a Weekly Retrogaming Trivia question. This
just-for-fun
trivia challenge provided each week is an opportunity to test your
arcane
and oddball retrogaming knowledge. The answer to the question
from
the previous week is posted along with a new trivia question every
Friday!
Below is the recap of all
questions and
answers posted between this issue and the previous issue:
04/29/2022 - WEEK 260 Question: Theft of
the bioweapon "Cassandra-G" is the catalyst for the events of what game?
05/06/2022
- WEEK 261 Question: The game
that became Ms. Pac-Man was originally developed under what name?
05/13/2022
- WEEK 262 Question: What
three game mech combat series began on Atari Jaguar?
05/20/2022
- WEEK 263 Question: What game
series is known for generating in-game creatures from swapping out the
game disc?
05/27/2022
- WEEK 264 Question: In The
7th Guest, what is the name of the seventh guest?
06/03/2022
- WEEK 265 Question:
Ex-SOLDIER is the starting name for what popular RPG character?
06/10/2022
- WEEK 266 Question: Akuma
first appeared in what Street Fighter game?
06/17/2022
- WEEK 267 Question: What was
the first game designed by Sega legend Yu Suzuki?
06/24/2022
- WEEK 268 Question: Huckle
and Lowly's Busiest Day Ever was a pack-in title with what game system?
Golgo 13: Top Secret
Episode was filled with adult content but the Japanese box better
portrays the game (left) Iron Soldier launched a mech combat series
(right)
Answers: Week 260 Answer: Golgo 13: Top
Secret Episode (NES). Week 261 Answer: Crazy Otto. Week 262 Answer: Iron Soldier. Week 263 Answer: Monster
Rancher. Week 264 Answer: Tad. Week 265 Answer: Cloud Strife
(Final Fantasy VII). Week 266 Answer: Super Street
Fighter II Turbo / Super Street Fighter II X: Grand Master Challenge. Week 267 Answer: Champion
Boxing for Sega SG-1000 (1984). Week 268 Answer: Sega Pico.
All careers have to
start somewhere and Yu Suzuki's began with Champion Boxing (left),
Huckle and Lowly were the most common pack-in with Pico systems (right)
We
need your questions! If
you have a trivia question you would like to submit for possible
inclusion
in the Weekly Retrogaming Trivia question pool, e-mail it to trt@classicplastic.net!
If you question is selected to be featured, you will be entered in our
year-end prize drawing!
I think it's pretty cool to see many
conventions, shows, and events starting to rebound from the current
pandemic. Of course many were discontinued outright and those
that have returned have often done so with some concessions in
place. Still, the ability for so many shows to return and
continue to be solvent is excellent. This goes doubly for vendors
and artists who make their livings traveling from show to show,
including a few whom I know personally were in dire straits there for
awhile.
I plan on
attending the California Extreme arcade and pinball show next month for
the first time since 2019. They held a smaller interim show in
2021 at
a different venue but I wasn't feeling up for it. This also means
that
my long-running California Extreme show report will return next issue
and that's something I've really missed writing. If you are
returning to the convention circuit I ask that you please be extra
respectful of all attendees and convention staff, and be sure to
support the vendors and artists who have been able to continue on.
The one
constant of course is change, even if only in the margins. Things
here are changing, with our next issue closing us out, but many
components of the newsletter will remain in place. Regardless if
it is completed by September or not, the conversion of the remaining
non-standard Retrogaming Times Monthly issues into unified .PDF files
will continue until the entire archive is uniform. If this occurs
after September it will be announced via our social media channels,
which will be maintained after we wrap here. The full and uniform
.PDF archive is extremely important to my vision of maintaining a
continuing record of the newsletter, that will always be available
going forward. Another important
thing I want to mention relating to our next issue is that it will be
released on the 9th of September, rather than our usual date of the
1st. This is to allow additional editing time in the event that
we get
a larger than usual amount of article submissions. We may go to
publication a little earlier than that but I'd rather prepare in
advance over missing an expected release date.
Thank
you once
again for reading The Retrogaming
Times. We'll be back on September 9th with our next
issue, which will also be our final!
Be sure
to follow The
Retrogaming Times on Facebook and join our community for the latest
updates and information! Additionally The
Retrogaming Times Info Club on Twitter features up-to-the-moment
news
and notifications for all things The Retrogaming Times! I
sincerely
hope you enjoyed this issue and that you will return to read the next
issue
and possibly submit an article yourself. Remember, this
newsletter
can only exist with your help. Simply send your articles
directly
to me at trt@classicplastic.net or check out the submission guidelines
on the main page. Submit an article today and join a great
retrogaming
tradition!