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23 Nov 2020 08:42:45 UTC
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Wolfchild Longplay (SNES) [60 FPS]
Developed by Corse Design and published by Virgin Games in 1993.
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While it was common for console games to get a conversion to home computers, it wasn't as common in reverse. Wolfchild launched originally on the Amiga computer but was ported to the leading consoles available from Sega and Nintendo. Having played the Amiga version, I was keen to see how Core handled the transition to a console.
The core gameplay and story line remain unchanged, but there are notable differences. Firstly, the opening story video has been completely removed and is replaced with an attract mode showcasing a few of the in-game levels.
Gone too is the original Amiga music score. There is cross-over between this version and the music in the Mega-CD version; given that the SNES is relying on samples rather than full CD-audio, it stands up well. Personally, I prefer the Amiga music score to this version although the title music is good. I did note a passing similarity between this and music from the Unreal soundtrack ,"Dusk Horizon", by Straylight Productions; perhaps just coincidence.
The first two levels in the SNES version appear identical to the Amiga version whereas the remaining levels appear to have redesigned layouts. I wouldn't say that either version plays better in regards of level layout although the SNES version feels slightly less linear as there are more secret locations to find.
The power-up scheme has been tweaked so that collecting new weapons actually adds additional ammunition to your total rather than simply resetting the amount. This is cancelled out by the fact that the levels contain more enemies, so the player is no better off in this regard.
On a technical level, the SNES version demonstrates considerably smoother scrolling than the Amiga and sports more dynamic and colour backgrounds containing additional levels of parallax scrolling. However, the resolution of the SNES is considerably lower than that of the Amiga and it's noticeable.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but the SNES version felt rather soulless and uninteresting. There is little challenge here other than memorising where enemies and traps appear; there is little AI to speak of and most enemies can be killed simply by ducking and pressing the fire button a lot. Personally, I found the sharper and more subtle colours of the Amiga version gave the world a much more detailed and interesting appearance than the SNES' primary colours and limited resolution.
Perhaps it's the fact that, as a big fan of the Amiga, I'm predisposed to that version over the SNES, but I can't help but feel that the Amiga version is still the better game.
#retrogaming
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPKVhSS-kf4
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro
Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u
While it was common for console games to get a conversion to home computers, it wasn't as common in reverse. Wolfchild launched originally on the Amiga computer but was ported to the leading consoles available from Sega and Nintendo. Having played the Amiga version, I was keen to see how Core handled the transition to a console.
The core gameplay and story line remain unchanged, but there are notable differences. Firstly, the opening story video has been completely removed and is replaced with an attract mode showcasing a few of the in-game levels.
Gone too is the original Amiga music score. There is cross-over between this version and the music in the Mega-CD version; given that the SNES is relying on samples rather than full CD-audio, it stands up well. Personally, I prefer the Amiga music score to this version although the title music is good. I did note a passing similarity between this and music from the Unreal soundtrack ,"Dusk Horizon", by Straylight Productions; perhaps just coincidence.
The first two levels in the SNES version appear identical to the Amiga version whereas the remaining levels appear to have redesigned layouts. I wouldn't say that either version plays better in regards of level layout although the SNES version feels slightly less linear as there are more secret locations to find.
The power-up scheme has been tweaked so that collecting new weapons actually adds additional ammunition to your total rather than simply resetting the amount. This is cancelled out by the fact that the levels contain more enemies, so the player is no better off in this regard.
On a technical level, the SNES version demonstrates considerably smoother scrolling than the Amiga and sports more dynamic and colour backgrounds containing additional levels of parallax scrolling. However, the resolution of the SNES is considerably lower than that of the Amiga and it's noticeable.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but the SNES version felt rather soulless and uninteresting. There is little challenge here other than memorising where enemies and traps appear; there is little AI to speak of and most enemies can be killed simply by ducking and pressing the fire button a lot. Personally, I found the sharper and more subtle colours of the Amiga version gave the world a much more detailed and interesting appearance than the SNES' primary colours and limited resolution.
Perhaps it's the fact that, as a big fan of the Amiga, I'm predisposed to that version over the SNES, but I can't help but feel that the Amiga version is still the better game.
#retrogaming
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPKVhSS-kf4
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VIDEO
IO LO
io-longplay-c64-50-fps
Developed by Kinetic Design and published by Firebird in 1988.
IO (Into Oblivion) is another horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up for the C64 and also happens to be another game that I never got to play back in the day.
I've no idea what the story is to the game, but this hardly matters. All you need to know is that the game looks great and is extremely tough! IIt's all too easy to start the game and die on the first wave of enemy ships if you position yourself badly.
As with many other games in the genre, IO punishes you with instant death if you collide with the scenery, although it is quite lenient in how far it allows you to fly near the top and bottom of the screen without dying.
The power-up system in the game is typical of the genre. Green smart bombs can be located throughout the level, which will kill all enemies on screen if you collect it. However, if you shoot the smart bomb 4 times it will transform into a power-up for your ship's main weapon. In fact, it actually spawns a side-shot satellite that floats alongside your ship and adds extra fire-power; you can collect a maximum of 2 satellite and this makes the game considerably easier.
Once you have collected a side-shot, any enemy bullet that hits your ship will destroy a side-shot instead of killing you outright. Once both satellites are destroyed then the next bullet will kill you. It's a pretty novel feature as most shoot 'em ups simply killed you outright, so this does help in keeping the difficulty manageable.
Bob Stevenson produced some brilliant graphics for the game and Doug Hare did a sterling job on the coding front. The highlight of the game is the fantastic art work created for the boss fights; these look bigger and more menacing than most contemporary shooters.
David Whittaker created a couple of short tunes that bookend the game. They're good but not exceptional; some excellent in-game SID tunes would have really made the game great.
The only other shortcoming the game has is the length at a measly 4 levels. Considering that this cost £15 on release, Armalyte puts it to shame in terms of content.
All things considered, this was a pretty good shooter that would pave the way for Armalyte and other games in the genre.
#retrogaming
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_VphPqvUjk
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VIDEO
OLLI
olli-lissa-the-ghost-of-shilmore-castle
Developed and published by Firebird in 1987.
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Shilmore Castle, a stone fortress located somewhere in Scotland, has been purchased by a wealthy businessman who intends to have it dismantled and shipped back to the USA. The castle's resident ghosts are none-to-keen on having their ancient family home uprooted and sent abroad.
Sir Humphrey, one of the most senior spooks, enlists the help of Olli and Lissa to help him brew a potion of invisibility, which he will use to scare away those that threaten his home.
Taking control of Olli, you must navigate the rooms of the castle and the landscape beyond in search of the ingredients needed by Sir Humphrey. Once located, the ingredients must be taken back to the starting location and added to the cauldron.
Although you might expect this to be a maze-like game, it's a very simple flick-screen platform similar to Manic Miner. The main challenge of the game comes from the fact that the number of rooms that you have to clear increases by one for each ingredient; each room must be navigated successfully on the way to collect the ingredient and again on the way back.
Each room contains a number of patrolling enemies that must be avoided or jumped over in order to progress. If Olli touches an enemy, falls into a pit (or falls too far) then he will be dazed and is sent back to the start of the room.
Adding to the overall challenge is the ever-decreasing energy bar (effectively a timer). The bar ticks down at a constant rate, so Olli must reach the ingredient and make it back to the cauldron before the bar runs out. Should Olli make it back in time, Lissa will reward his success with a juicy snog that full replenishes his energy, ready for the next challenge.
Graphically, the game features some pleasingly cartoonish sprites, but it's glaringly obvious from the colour palette that this is a by-the-numbers conversion from the Speccy version.
There's also the unanswered question of what the hell Olli is actually supposed to be? Whatever he is, he could certainly do with a few days on a sun-bed and a good dose of vitamin C as the poor chap is terribly pale - those massive clown shoes can't be doing much for his posture either.
The game features some music by Ben Daglish on the title screen, but the rest of the game is limited to some basic effects.Anyone expecting some smooth SID sounds is going to be disappointed.
With it's cute cartoon graphics, Olli & Lissa might offer some fun to those who enjoy this sort of game. Unfortunately, the agonisingly pixel-perfect jumping damages it's long-term appeal and means it's not a game that you'll return to often.
#retrogaming
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5yTiN2rZdM
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VIDEO
FINAL
final-blow-longplay-arcade-qhd
Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro
Get Great Retro Scene News @ http://www.vintageisthenewold.com
Developed and published by Taito in 1989
I remember seeing this for the C64 and Amiga back in the day, but never saw the actual arcade version. The massive sprites looked amazing in the screenshots, and they're even more impressive in motion.
As for the gameplay, it's clearly not a simulation, but mashing buttons will get you KO'd pretty quickly. You have to keep your guard up, duck 'n' weave, and attack when your opponent leaves himself exposed. Get him against the ropes, deliver some rib-crunching body blows, and you might even knock the sucker's gumshield out before putting him on the canvas!
#retrogames
#boxing
#taito
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpcQNR4C3d4
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VIDEO
ROBOC
robocop-versus-the-terminator-longplay-2
Game Info
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Developer: Interplay
Publisher: Virgin Games
Year of Release: 1993
Game Review & Impressions
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Prior to recording this longplay, the only version of RoboCop Versus The Terminator I'd played/owned was the Sega Genesis. It's not a particularly innovative game, but the depiction of crumbling dystopia, giving way to eventual battles against Skynet and its army of endoskeleton nightmares, was good fun. I loved the graphical style, particularly the way enemies got blown apart in gory, pixelated chunks, was very cool.
Moving over to the Super NES, I'd expected the game to be the same. Given Nintendo's stance on violence and market positioning as being the family-friendly option, I'd expected the violence to be toned down compared to the Genesis, but I hadn't been expecting quite the number of changes as there are.
The levels between the two versions are broadly similar, and follow a similar arc, but Interplay, who handled development of this particular version, felt compelled to layer on some dull and pointless exposition through the use of comic book-style cutscenes. I get that the origins of the RoboCop and Terminator crossover stem from this medium, but I just found these sections dull, overly long, not to mention occasionally confusing.
To be honest, the gameplay isn't much better. From the level design to the enemies you face, everything feels dull and by-the-numbers. The game is competently programmed for sure, but at no point did I feel like I was having a good time. The SNES version shoehorns in a couple of first-person sections with some Mode 7 trickery, but again, it's devoid of any real fun.
I need to go back and play the Genesis version to make sure I'm not mis-remembering things, but having slogged my way through the drudgery of the SNES port, I'd still plump for the Sega version over this. Presentation, graphics and suchlike are perfectly decent, but this could have been so much better.
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RoboCop Versus The Terminator (Sega Genesis): https://youtu.be/3stHvQ2OAz8
Chapters
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TBC
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Hj9KZRmEo
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KARAT
karate-blazers-longplay-(arcade)-4k
Game Info
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Developer: Video System
Publisher: Video System
Year of Release: 1991
Game Review & Impressions
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DONPA
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Developer: Atlus
Publisher: CAVE
Year of Release: 1995
Game Review & Impressions
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Much like it's later sequels, DonPachi is a visually striking vertical shooter which really set the standard for bullet hell games. This iteration starts out relatively tame, but ramps up to the kinds of projectile dodging lunacy fans of the series are used to.
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BARBA
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Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro
Read my review of the game @ http://www.vintageisthenewold.com/review-barbarian-amiga-aga
Developed and released by Raster Wizards in 2018
Download the game @ https://www.facebook.com/pg/BarbarianPlus/posts/?ref=page_internal
#retrogaming
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe-FZIxscl4
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VIDEO
BLOOD
blood-bros.-longplay-(arcade)-qhd
Game Info
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Developer: TAD Corporation
Publisher: TAD Corporation
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
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Sporting a Stetson and with cheroot wedged in the corner of its chiselled, stubbly jaw, Blood Bros. is effectively Cabal with Wild West trappings. TAD built on the success of their earlier title by creating more interactive and varied play-fields, better graphics and dynamic gameplay, and it all makes for a decent pseudo-sequel.
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#bloodbros
#retrogaming
#arcadegames
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nGnJqU5UZ4
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VIDEO
SPACE
space-harrier-longplay-arcade-60-fps
Developed and published by Sega in 1985
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In today's video, we go all the way back to 1985 to check out the technical masterpiece that is Space Harrier, a 3D third-person shoot 'em up from the legend that is Yu Suzki.
The game has no real plot, other than you control some guy called Harrier as he embarks on a mission to tackle 18 levels of shooting action through the Fantasy Zone, destroying enemies and avoiding obstacles to rack up high score.
Each level features numerous obstacles that hurtle towards the player at speed and should be avoided at all costs. Smaller obstacles, such as shrubs and bushes will cause Harrier to stumble should he collide with them, preventing him from being able to move for a couple of seconds, whilst hitting larger objects will bring him down to earth with a bump, costing a life in the process.
Waves of enemies will appear on screen as you progress through the level. Not only must you avoid running into them, you must also watch out for the projectiles that they fire back at you too! Although a good tactic is to keep moving, you're just as likely to veer into the path of a pylon or 50 foot toadstool in the process, so it will take plenty of practice on top of quick reflexes if you hope to have a chance of beating the game. In fact, what with all the flying around and hammering on the fire button, this is certainly a game that sufferers of RSI and carpal tunnel should avoid!
Occasionally, the player will enter a bonus stage where Harrier can ride atop Uriah, a friendly space dragon, who can then be controlled to smash into various obstacles for bonus points. Each object destroyed gets added to the running total on-screen, with more points contributing towards a much-needed extra life.
Of course, the first thing that hits you about the game once you fire it up is just how amazing it looks. The pseudo-3D visuals really steal the show and it's amazing to see what Yu Suzuki and his team manged to create way back in 1985.
The hardware features a pair of 2 x Motorola 68000 CPUs clocked at 10 Mhz, support for up to 128 sprites on screen and is the first platform in the series to feature Sega's Super Scaler sprite-scaling technology. The game, for the most part, manages to deliver a solid 60 frames per second, only dipping occasionally when some of the more complex enemies (i.e. the multi-segment bosses) appear on screen.
The game also features some excellent music, audio effects and speech samples that put many other arcade titles of the day to shame. With it's cacophony of whooshes, zaps, pings and booms, there's no doubt that Space Harrier would have drawn quite the crowd on the arcade floor.
So what's it like to play, you mi
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEWGnj12GO4
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