Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Get Great Retro Scene News @ http://www.vintageisthenewold.com Developed and published by Data East in 1987 Arcade game based on the popular kids cartoon show based on Ghostbusters, this overhead shooter is quite novel in that you don't shoot projectiles, instead zapping spooks and wrangling ghosts with your proton pack. Ghosts vacuumed up get added to the containment system between rounds, netting you additional points. The real challenge - aside from not dying - is keeping an eye on your beam energy; using proton beam uses up juice, and you're left defenceless if it runs out. You should always be on the lookout for power-ups to, either hiding in certain containers, lying out in the open, or carried by certain ghosts. #ghostbusters #arcade #retrogaming ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jtv5owwP6k

Game Info --------------------------------------------------- Developer: RetroGL & JONEGG Publisher: RetroGL & JONEGG Year of Release: 2023 Game Review & Impressions --------------------------------------------------- The C64 was plagued by some of the shonkiest arcade conversions ever released, with a common complaint that the machine simply wasn't cut out for rending games designed for custom arcade boards replete with multiple 68000 CPUs and all manner of custom sprite manipulation and blitting frippery. Thanks to several decades of game design theory, radically improved tools and even better knowledge of the hardware, I'm not so sure this holds true. Developers are continuing to coax increasingly superb titles out of the breadbin, and SNK Vs. Capcom is a genuine revelation. The character sprites appear to be influenced by the likes of Super Puzzle Fighter and King of Fighters: R2 for the Neo Geo Pocket. These sprites are highly stylised versions of their original arcade counterparts, with squashed bodies and oversized limbs, which play to the strengths of the target machine's limited resolution and colour palette - the pixels might be chunky, but it's a design choice that works incredibly well. The fighting animations are fluid, featuring multiple frames, and are instantly recognisable from the coin-op original. Most remarkable of all is the gameplay itself. Virtually the entire move-set for each of the characters is present, condensed into a control scheme which actually works on the C64's single-button joystick. An option to use a two-button stick does exist in the options menu, but the single button option is just brilliant. Crucially, the movement tracking for pulling off special moves is near-perfect; I had little difficulty pulling off hadokens and dragon punches, including mid-air versions of these specials. The super specials, activated via double repetition of the standard specials, are present and correct, and function just as you would expect. To say the developers have done an incredible job here is a total understatement; you can even chain combo attacks together, which the game actively recognises and rewards with bonus points! If you owned a C64 back in the day, you owe it to yourself and the devs to go and check this out. It's a total masterpiece, and given the current release is billed as an "Alpha", I suspect there'll be more tweaks and refinements in the coming months. Download Links --------------------------------------------------- - Check the video description in RetroGL's official YT video for the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP0wBpNTXv8&ab_channel=RetroGL Chapters --------------------------------------------------- TBC ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN6AFPOcgYc

Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Get Great Retro Scene News @ http://www.vintageisthenewold.com Developed by Reflections and published by Psygnosis in 1990 The original Shadow of the Beast was a technical masterpiece when it launched in 1989, although gameplay definitely wasn't its strong-suit. Released just a year later, Beast 2 feels like a real step backward. If you thought the original game was unbalanced, just way till you experience the sequel - it absolutely delights in pushing the player into inescapable situations and dead ends if you're not carrying the correct items at the right time! There are also far too many encounters requiring pixel-perfect timing - 07:34 is a perfect example - and the whole affair is just tiresome. At least the inclusion of health potions to restore health is a small bonus. The multi-layer parallax that looked so amazing in the first game is largely absent, and the visual style is considerably more drab and dreary. The actual artistry is still of an excellent standard, but the muddy browns and greys of the colour palette don't exactly excite. Tim Wright replaced David Whittaker as composer on this second outing, and his musical score is probably the only highlight about this sequel. #shadowofthebeast #amiga #walkthrough ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEoA6Fq8byA

Game Info --------------------------------------------------- Developer: Probe Software Publisher: Virgin Mastertronic Year of Release: 1990 Coding: Nick Jones Graphics: Hugh Binns Music: Jeroen Tel Game Review & Impressions --------------------------------------------------- Based on The Eagle comic book character, Dan Dare III sees the return of the intrepid space pilot doing battle with the nefarious Mekon once again. The green, spherically-domed overlord has captured Dan, who is now held prisoner onboard a satellite orbiting Venus. Dan somehow escapes from his incarceration, straps on a jetpack, then sets off in search of fuel with which to gas up a nearby escape shuttle. The satellite is divided into a series of zones, each interconnected by a teleporter. Each zone is full of aliens to blast, and each fuel cannister is guarded by the Mekon itself, so Dan best be ready with his blaster. Extra equipment and juice for Dan's jetpack can be acquired from terminals located in the central hub area, although you have limited funds available, so spend wisely. Dan Dare III is a competent, if basic shooter. It feels reminiscent of the Cybernoid games, which I guess should come as no surprise when Nick Jones and Hugh Binns both worked on the C64 conversions for Hewson. I think the standout feature has to be the graphics, which are far more colourful and detailed than a lot of contemporary C64 titles. However, what makes Dan Dare III particularly interesting is the involvement of Dave Perry and Nick Bruty -- of Earthworm Jim fame -- who are credited with the original concept. The teleport sequence where players guide Dan through a tunnel-like series is a design that crops up in Earthworm Jim (Andy Asteroids levels) and MDK, both designed by Bruty, so I suspect the origins of those sequences can be traced to this particular game. Video Notes --------------------------------------------------- Related Longplays & Videos --------------------------------------------------- Chapters --------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Main menu & music 04:35 Gameplay 13:27 Ending #dandare #c64 #retrogaming ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1C33dp3oJY