Retro Gaming - The Bear and Badger

Moot_Geeza

The very first one still has charm, I think. It's heavily dated in numerous ways but some of the stages are very well designed, especially around the midway point, which shines through after a while even on a modern playthrough. The controls are odd but the way it works in squares for precise movements, kinda like a 3D Prince of Persia in a way - plus the safety of the walk move - were neatly done. It genuinely was a great game.

Edit: Tomb Raider.

davyK

I really didn't get Tomb Raider at all. I played it on PC but just didn't see the appeal. I gave it another go with the Anniversary Edition on PS2 with the same result.

I fell into the same trap of just wandering around the same few locations, missing something and not getting anywhere - so it is in very good company.

Moot_Geeza

If you'd stuck with it you would've found far more interesting traps to fall into. St Francis' Folly was worthy of the praise.

ChopperByrne

I never enjoyed Tomb Raider either, but I listed it because lots of people clearly do.

davyK

I have a basic problem with roaming around in 3D environments and exploring. That game type just doesn't do it for me. I'm a linear head really. The only game in that style I enjoyed was original Doom and that was probably because of the novelty but also the fact that it had the automapper.

When I finished Doom 1 & 2 on PC, I played a bit of LAN Quake in battle mode but that was it for me with the whole 3D environment thing. I liked Doom64 too because it was very old school and again the map meant I didn't get lost no matter how contrived some of the puzzles were.

Mario64 came out around the same time as Tomb Raider and it probably suffered a bit in comparison to my eyes. I was able to find my way around in those small levels that used textures to make sure you always knew where you were. TR levels just looked dreary with no visual clues as to your location.

The castle in Mario64 started to annoy me though. I got tired of that hub world thing really quickly. It was OK in Diddy Kong Racing and Mario Galaxy got away with it through sheer charm and beauty. I was glad to see MG2 dispensing with it though.

[Deleted User]

davyK wrote:

Some good games on Andy's list but not many I'd hang my hat on as all-timers. Actua Soccer (pedantic hat on, sorry) was only good for a very limited period, imo.

I'd say many of them were great in the day - but my position is that they are now mostly shit. The PS1 is still good for its 2D shmups , rhythm games, import oddities and top tier 3D games such as Wipeout3SE and R4. It was a console very much of its time. Retro not nostalgia.

Depends on what you like, though, innit. I’ve never been that good at 2D shmups, so I don’t revisit them. I do revisit titles that you might consider have been surpassed, because often their simplicity is what’s attractive. Rally Cross is still my favourite arcade rally game, and I don’t imagine anything will ever surpass it. You mentioned the original Metal Gear Solid as being something you wouldn’t go back to, but the later titles tend to play quite differently. I’m happier playing Colony Wars than most other space shooters. Horses for poison, your mileage may courses, one man’s meat is another man’s vary.

poprock

I always want to add Nobody Can Stop Mr Domino to PSOne lists. Genuinely unique and fun. I’ll concede that it could easily have been an 8-bit game though (would have worked on the Spectrum, even) – there’s nothing in it that required the PSOne’s power at the time.

davyK

Andy wrote:

Some good games on Andy's list but not many I'd hang my hat on as all-timers. Actua Soccer (pedantic hat on, sorry) was only good for a very limited period, imo.

I'd say many of them were great in the day - but my position is that they are now mostly shit. The PS1 is still good for its 2D shmups , rhythm games, import oddities and top tier 3D games such as Wipeout3SE and R4. It was a console very much of its time. Retro not nostalgia.

Depends on what you like, though, innit. I’ve never been that good at 2D shmups, so I don’t revisit them. I do revisit titles that you might consider have been surpassed, because often their simplicity is what’s attractive. Rally Cross is still my favourite arcade rally game, and I don’t imagine anything will ever surpass it. You mentioned the original Metal Gear Solid as being something you wouldn’t go back to, but the later titles tend to play quite differently. I’m happier playing Colony Wars than most other space shooters. Horses for poison, your mileage may courses, one man’s meat is another man’s vary.

Fair enough. My impression is though that many people forget how poor the PS1 was with respect to load times etc. A lot of PAL games also got really bad ports. I have no doubt millions enjoyed the PS1 but I'm not so sure if many went back to it that the tech issues wouldn't get in the way.

I could of course be entirely wrong though.

Has been known to happen before. I also don't see an awful lot of online love of PS1. N64 and Saturn have fan communities but I haven't come across for PS1.

afgavinstan

I got real nostalgic over Ridge Racer Type 4 yesterday and got looking at a cheap PS Classic but then remembered its emulation was reported as shonky.

Can ePSXe on android let you connect a dualshock 4 and play?

davyK

R4 still looks great in my opinion. Lovely game. I have 2 copies of it, 2 PS1s and a linkup cable. Even have 2 of those twisty negCon controllers - I've just never got off my arse and set it all up to try it.

Moot_Geeza

Andy wrote:

I do revisit titles that you might consider have been surpassed, because often their simplicity is what’s attractive. Rally Cross is still my favourite arcade rally game, and I don’t imagine anything will ever surpass it. You mentioned the original Metal Gear Solid as being something you wouldn’t go back to, but the later titles tend to play quite differently. I’m happier playing Colony Wars than most other space shooters.

I get this, I just don't have it for PS games myself. I find the arcade-like Saturn/Dreamcast hits more appealing as retro experiences when compared to some of the envelope pushing of PS/PS2 stuff. The mid-90s was an era of rapid evolution and plenty of the games doing the most impressive things are the worst to sit and play now that their advances have been honed, perfected or eschewed by more recent 3D titles. Even the beefier games that I thought were outstanding - like Tomb Raider or Exhumed - I'd have to play them with save states today as repeating a 25 minute section after dying is a huge nope for modern me.

Moot_Geeza

Having said that if I was going to play any 3D Metal Gear title it would be Solid, due to the simplicity.

davyK

poprock wrote:

I always want to add Nobody Can Stop Mr Domino to PSOne lists. Genuinely unique and fun. I’ll concede that it could easily have been an 8-bit game though (would have worked on the Spectrum, even) – there’s nothing in it that required the PSOne’s power at the time.

Cracker of a game. Had forgot about it. I sold my copy which I kind of regret doing. I always fancied Kula World but never got around to getting hold of a copy.

nick_md

There's a 3p Bishi Bashi cabinet in Las Vegas arcade, Wardour st. It's definitely the best value for money as games last ages.

nick_md

It's also great to play with not-really-into-games people.

mrsmr2

ChopperByrne wrote:

So someone has recoded Gradius III for SNES, to make use a of a chip that it didn't use, completely eliminating the slowdown, turning a bad port, into an excellent one. https://twitter.com/HackerVilela/status/1134305770072289282?s=20

Gradius III with no slow down. That's terrifying :-)

retroking1981

Hyperkin are bringing out an N64 clone:

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/06/hyperkins_next_party_trick_is_a_nintendo_64_clone

If the emulation is good (which would be a first for N64) then this would be worth picking up for the HDMI output alone.

mk64

i'm 30 mins into a playthrough of Tomb Raider. It's quite boring so far. I suppose at the time it would've felt very open world.

regmcfly

retroking1981 wrote:

Hyperkin are bringing out an N64 clone:

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/06/hyperkins_next_party_trick_is_a_nintendo_64_clone

If the emulation is good (which would be a first for N64) then this would be worth picking up for the HDMI output alone.

WHAT

Eric

I know, wow! This would save me huge amounts of RGB/hdmi soldering pain if priced right!

davyK

Have heard of the emulator having issues but I suppose its a case of wait and see. This + everdrive would be a winner.

retroking1981

I really hope they pull it off.

davyK

I have a spare manual and insert for F355 Challenge on Dreamcast just in case someone wants to assemble a copy. I'll send to whomever wants it.

davyK

Just took delivery of this.

This is one of my favourite games ever. In my top 100 thread entry. Only have the N64 version so this gives me crisp RGB and better music. Plus the X mode.

N64 version is labelled arcade edition so not sure if this version will have the time trial race mode which is a brilliant 2 player game. Will see.

Moot_Geeza

I tend not to like bubble/gem pop/match puzzle games, but Bust a Move 2 was an unexpected hit when I bought it second hand. Played it for ages.

davyK

Was the first one I've ever played and it hasn't been topped. 3 comes close but no other version or clone has been as good.

In fact - nothing in the match 3 genre on any platform I've ever played since has been as good - never mind better.

ChopperByrne

I ordered Sega Rally Championship Plus yesterday.

davyK

Is that the one that works with the Saturn modem? Nice.

I think it also got a general graphical brush up - little improvements that the PAL version got.

retroking1981

Regarding Bust-A-Move...

Back in the early days of digital Sky TV they had build in games, one was called Beehive Bedlam:

Played the shit out of it. Really good for a freebie.

ChopperByrne

davyK wrote:

Is that the one that works with the Saturn modem? Nice.

I think it also got a general graphical brush up - little improvements that the PAL version got.

That's the one. Has analog controller support too.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories