Jeremy Parish Presents: Retronauts Video Works (Chronological Retrospective Series)

Nerdkiller · Oct 6, 2018

SEGA Ages: Lightening Force overview: Styx and stones | SEGAiden #02

SEGA Ages on Switch proves its mettle with its second debut title, a conversion of the crown jewel of SEGA's recently acquired Technosoft catalog. It's Thunder Force IV, or as people without the good sense to talk to a copy editor before reprogramming complex title graphics know it, Lightening Force. Wonky name aside, it's pretty great.

And, just because...

Nerdkiller · Oct 10, 2018

Waialae Country Club & Super Baseball Simulator 1.000: Sporting chance | Super NES Works #024

A pair of bog-standard sports titles awaits us as the Super NES library makes the transition from November to December 1991. We've already seen takes on these sports (golf and baseball) in very similar formats. What do T&E Soft and Culture Brain have to offer that HAL and Jaleco didn't? If anything!?

Nerdkiller · Oct 17, 2018

Super Off Road & Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball: Super star sagas | Super NES Works #025

Another double-header of sports-themed games, but this time the works under the microscope don't adhere quite so rigidly to genre standards. Instead, both Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball and Super Off-Road take more inventive approaches to their subjects in pursuit of fun... though one of these is definitely more successful in that objective than the other.

A three month Castlevania series starting next week...how about that?

Nerdkiller · Oct 24, 2018

Castlevania retrospective: Vlad tidings | NES Works #040

Yeah, it's another Konami game... but not just any ol' Konami game. Castlevania is huge for both the publisher and the platform. A compact, challenging, six-stage adventure, Castlevania manages to be one of those rare works that nails its concepts on the first go. It may owe its basic concept to Ghosts 'N Goblins, but this adventure is so much more than its inspiration. The first NES third-party masterpiece.

Nerdkiller · Oct 31, 2018

Super Castlevania IV retrospective: Simon's big adventure | Super NES Works #026

Last week we looked at the original Castlevania for NES; now here is its Super NES remake. Sort of. Super Castlevania IV is kind of like a remix of Castlevania 1 and 3 (which does add up to IV!), but it makes some pretty big changes to the core mechanics of controlling Simon Belmont. On the other hand, it carries over a lot of elements from the NES, too. It's an odd duck in the Castlevania series that doesn't always work but has so much loving detail invested into it that it holds up regardless of its flaws.

Next episode...a perfect moment to transition from Halloween to Xmas.

Nerdkiller · Nov 7, 2018

Ikari Warriors & Athletic World retrospective: Anger mismanagement | NES Works #041

Future console first-party SNK makes its NES debut this week, and... well, let's just say there's room for improvement. Ikari Warriors was good and fun in the arcades, and on NES, it exists and doesn't cause your console to self-destruct. So that's something. Also, a half-look at Bandai's first Power Pad title, Athletic World.

Nerdkiller · Nov 14, 2018

Mighty Bomb Jack & Solomon's Key retrospective: Tecmo's inception | NES Works #042

A new third-party challenger has appeared! Tecmo arrives on NES with two simultaneous launches, both of which more or less fall into the puzzle-platformer genre. Solomon's Key and Mighty Bomb Jack are full of arcane secrets and high difficulty levels. Just the kind of thing a growing video game boy needs in his diet.

Next time...we enter the Pit of Despair.

Nerdkiller · Nov 21, 2018

Kid Icarus retrospective: A stygian Pit | NES Works #043

The first of Nintendo's major releases for 1987 arrives, bringing with it some new technical innovations that will play a huge part in allowing U.S. releases for the system to maintain parity with titles that ran on pricey expansion hardware in Japan—and to go even further beyond that in the years to come. Oh, and the game itself is pretty good, too. Just be sure to take care when writing down those passwords...

Nerdkiller · Nov 28, 2018

Rygar retrospective: The sunset of a new dawn for NES | NES Works #044

Tecmo delivers its third game almost immediately on the heels of Solomon's Key and Mighty Bomb Jack, and it's a doozy. Rygar kicks off a couple of trends we're going to see a lot of in the coming years on NES: It radically reinvents an arcade game for the console, and it's pretty much a proto-metroidvania action title. Good stuff here that deserves to be enshrined in history.

Nerdkiller · Dec 5, 2018

Section-Z retrospective: Tunnel visionary | NES Works #045

Capcom continues its diligent efforts to overhaul its arcade games for NES with a revamp every bit as admirable as Tecmo's fresh take on Rygar. A liner 1985 corridor shooter becomes a complex space labyrinth demanding patience, persistence, and a willingness to plot out some complicated connections, in effect becoming an all-new game—one diminished in history by its close proximity to Nintendo's Metroid and an unfortunate decision by Capcom USA to remove the save feature present in the Japanese release.

Nerdkiller · Dec 12, 2018

Home Alone retrospective: Doing hard time in solitary | Super NES Works #027

Young Kevin McAllister had it rough being stuck all by himself with a house full of crooks for Christmas, but really that was nothing compared to the suffering experienced by anyone who played his game. Home Alone leads into the final run of 1991 Super NES games, and... they aren't great.

Watch the video, ya freakin' animals!

Nerdkiller · Dec 19, 2018

Elevator Action & Legend of Kage retrospective: Ups and downs | NES Works #046

Japanese publisher Taito makes its NES debut with a pair of games that, in stark contrast to the games that immediately precede them, quite faithfully recreate their arcade predecessors rather than reinvent them. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but given the ambitious design of the games released on either side of this duo, it does cause Taito to feel a bit behind the curve. (They'll sort it out eventually.)

Next time, Nintendo confuses a generation of kids by making the title character NOT the protagonist.

Nerdkiller · Dec 26, 2018

Get ready folks, because this is one series Jeremy has promised to finish.

Mario's Tennis retrospective: Doubles vision | Virtual Boy Works #01

Welcome to Virtual Boy Works! This brief journey through the entire worldwide library of Nintendo's least-beloved system begins here, with the Mario crew's first outing on the tennis court. It's a decent game whose flaws are outweighed by its strengths—a perfect example of the Virtual Boy itself, and a great example of this series' central premise: Virtual Boy may not have been a great system, but its library was better than most people realize.

Nerdkiller · Jan 2, 2019

Galactic Pinball retrospective: Red sector, eh | Virtual Boy Works #02

Our second Virtual Boy Works entry takes us from the tennis courts to the far reaches of the cosmos for the sole contribution to the platform by Nintendo mainstay Intelligent Systems: Galactic Pinball. With four tables and tons of gimmicks, it's a fun and interesting take on a vintage amusement that works beautifully on Virtual Boy.

Special thanks to Chris Kohler for providing the packaged material for the photography here!

Nerdkiller · Jan 9, 2019

The Legend of Zelda retrospective: The gold standard | NES Works #047

Nintendo's biggest and most consequential release for 1987, and one of the most important games of the year across all platforms, brings a newfound depth and maturity to the NES. Other '87 releases have been flirting with the idea of merging action and role-playing concepts, but Zelda goes all-in with a sprawling, challenging journey across the land of Hyrule to rescue the princess Zelda and retrieve the Triforce of Power. And in the process, an instant classic is born.

Next time, enter Justin Bailey.

Nerdkiller · Jan 16, 2019

Teleroboxer retrospective: Eyestrain of the tiger | Virtual Boy Works #03

The third launch selection for Virtual Boy may remind you of another beloved Nintendo franchise, but that's just a coincidence. A coincidence, I say! This game is NOT Punch-Out!!, even though it does happen to be a comical boxing title with enormous, personality-packed sprites. For one thing, its control scheme and interface are VASTLY more complex than that other series.... (Thanks again to Chris Kohler for the software loan.)

Nerdkiller · Jan 23, 2019

Red Alarm retrospective: Fear of a black and red planet | Virtual Boy Works #04

The first third-party Virtual Boy title (sort of) and the final launch-day release (in the U.S.) attempts to give players a (technically) portable free-roaming 3D space-shooting experience. Developer T&E Soft had big aspirations with this one, but in practice it didn't quite pan out the way they evidently hoped. The result is an interesting game with a lot of promise and a control interface years ahead of its time... but the Virtual Boy hardware simply wasn't up to the task set before it.

Nerdkiller · Jan 30, 2019

D-Force retrospective: Force manure | Super NES Works #027

While I'd love to wrap Super NES 1991 on a high note, the games actually seem to be getting worse as we approach the end of the year. D-Force is easily the lousiest Super NES game of 1991, and it's a strong contender for worst-of-all-time, too. A dull, clumsy shooter that would have been embarrassing on an 8-bit console, D-Force only throws its awfulness into sharp relief by including a Super NES-specific gimmick that somehow makes the game even less fun to play. Truly, we've punch through the barrel's bottom here.

Nerdkiller · Feb 6, 2019

Virtual League Baseball & Golf retrospective: Red red whine | Virtual Boy Works #05

We move into Virtual Boy's post-launch lineup (and slightly out of rigid chronological order) with a sports two-fer: Kemco's Virtual League Baseball and T&E Soft's Golf. One of these is quite good, and one... is not. However, neither does anything new with two sports formats that have already been covered extensively on the Video Works series, so—on to the next!

Thanks to Chris Kohler for lending these games to the war effort.

Nerdkiller · Feb 13, 2019

Mario Clash retrospective: Dream of the red turtles | Virtual Boy Works #06

Mario's second (and final) outing on Virtual Boy is a more traditional adventure for him. Exceptionally traditional, in fact, as it reaches back into the early roots of the series, well before the days of Mushroom Kingdoms and Koopa Kings, to present fans with a single-player update to the original Mario Bros. It's a remarkably complex game with a high degree of difficulty, but one that deserves not to be forgotten.

Nerdkiller · Feb 20, 2019

Jack Bros. retrospective: Devil with a red dress | Virtual Boy Works #07

It's one of the Virtual Boy's holy grails... or should that be "unholy grails"? Jack Bros. holds an odd place in history, being Atlus's sole release for Virtual Boy, as well as the stealth debut of the long-running Shin Megami Tensei series in the U.S. But this is no RPG—no, it's something far more unique, and equally enjoyable. All of this makes a rare case of a game whose price has soared into the stratosphere but actually has appeal to more than just collectors.

DUDE, JACK, BROTHER! *plays Real American while blurting out slurs*

Nerdkiller · Feb 27, 2019

Virtual Boy Wario Land retrospective: Red-blooded WAAAAH-man | Virtual Boy Works #08

The final Nintendo R&D1-developed title for Virtual Boy pulls double-duty as the best of the batch—not just among R&D1's creations, but for the platform as a whole. Playing like a supercharged version of Wario's first solo outing on Game Boy, VB Wario Land is a fairly brief adventure that doesn't offer much in the way of challenge, and it ultimately feels a bit slight compared to other games in the series. What it lacks in size, however, it more than makes up for in terms of polish and creativity. It would be a classic on any platform, but being on Virtual Boy makes it a true standout... and annoyingly difficult to play in 2019.

Nerdkiller · Mar 6, 2019

Metroid retrospective (part 1): Me and my Ze-best gal | NES Works #048 Pt. 1

Nintendo wraps its run of summer 1987 console masterpieces with the third entry in its not-quite-Black-Box series: Metroid. Playing like a midpoint between Super Mario and Zelda but with a flavor all its own, Metroid continues the trend of NES action games striving to present players with something more substantial than arcade-style test of twitch reflexes. (Stay tuned for the other half of this retrospective next week.)

I'd much rather you go back to your old ending jingle arrangement. Chiptune one isn't doing it for me.

Nerdkiller · Mar 14, 2019

Metroid retrospective (part 2): Galaxy brain | NES Works #048, Pt. 2

The second half of NES Works' look back at Metroid explores the changes it underwent in coming to the U.S., how both the flow and the music of the game help shape the player's experience, and the greater legacy of Samus Aran.

Nerdkiller · Mar 20, 2019

Panic Bomber retrospective: 99 red bomb-balloons | Virtual Boy Works #09

Another perfectly decent game appears on Virtual Boy, this time starring Bomberman. It's not your standard Bomberman fare, but nevertheless it's a pretty solid rendition of Puyo Puyo with a bit of Bomberman flair (or should that be flare?). Fortunately, this game is a little less difficult to track down play nowadays than its VB contemporaries...

Nerdkiller · Mar 27, 2019

Vertical Force retrospective: Red squadron | Virtual Boy Works #10

Hudson's second (and final) Virtual Boy game sees them visiting comfortable territory with a vertical shooter very much in the Star Soldier vein. A plane-shifting layer effect makes good on a central concept of that franchise, though the realities and limitations of the hardware somewhat gum up the works...

Next time...

Nerdkiller · Apr 3, 2019

Waterworld retrospective: The girl with the Dryland tattoo | Virtual Boy Works #11

It's the worst game in the world! Ha! Ha. No, not really. Despite being based on a dud of a film and appearing exclusively on a failed game console, Ocean's Waterworld isn't the most atrocious thing ever committed to silicon. Make no mistake, it's not GOOD—but there are certainly worse things you could cram into a game system. It's an interesting (albeit extremely rough) attempt to bring some classic arcade concepts to Virtual Boy.

Nerdkiller · Apr 10, 2019

Nester's Funky Bowling retrospective: Empty Nester syndrome | Virtual Boy Works #12

One of two Virtual Boy bowling sims, this one stands out from its Japanese counterpart by virtue of featuring Nester, the unlikely antagonist of Nintendo Power's "Howard & Nester" comics. And his twin sister Hester, whose existence had never been mentioned prior to this game. Which shipped a couple of years after Nester's comic had been canceled. What a strange and inexplicable game.

Nerdkiller · Apr 17, 2019

Square Deal & Parasol Henbee retrospective: Happy birthday? | Game Boy Works #113

We return briefly to Game Boy Works to mark the system's 30th anniversary... not that this these games are necessarily glorious celebrations of Game Boy's existence. But then again, maybe they're perfectly apt? Square Deal combines two of the system's most common genres—puzzlers and casino games—and Parasol Henbee is a licensed platformer. Together, these comprise the fundamental Game Boy experience. And while they're not amazing, they're both above average for their genres. So... a concise summary of the Game Boy experience, I guess.

Nerdkiller · Apr 24, 2019

3-D Tetris retrospective: Red rain | Virtual Boy Works #13

And just like that, we've reached the end of the American Virtual Boy library. Does this slim collection of games at least receive a grand sendoff, you may be wondering? Well... eh. Not really. At the very least, they could have given us a REAL Tetris game....

Nerdkiller · May 1, 2019

Lagoon retrospective: Bad ending | Super NES Works #029

Super NES Works 1991 limps weakly over the finish line with the third dud in a row. Lagoon makes a pitiful capstone for an otherwise strong opening period for Nintendo's 16-bit beast, a hobbled conversion of a fairly respectable PC game that suffers horribly from a single ill-considered new design choice. Oh well! At least we have 1992 to look forward to...

Lagoon, French for...

Nerdkiller · May 8, 2019

Arkanoid & Athena retrospective: Big boxes, big pain | NES Works #049

Two direct arcade ports hit the NES here, and boy golly are these things not necessarily created equal. About the only thing they have in common is that they're both incredibly difficult to complete. But Athena is a hot mess of a conversion, as is the Micronics way, while Arkanoid is a pretty spectacular adaptation. Of course, to be fair, Arkanoid has an advantage here: It came with its own pack-in controller, designed exclusive for use with this one game. But even without the Vaus paddle, it's still a far sight more fun than Athena. Which isn't to say Athena was necessarily a barebones package; in Japan, it came with a special bonus pack-in that Americans were denied...

And because Jeremy is every so generous, here's the whole tape.

Nerdkiller · May 15, 2019

V-Tetris retrospective: Red blocktober | Virtual Boy Works #14

We launch into Virtual Boy's Japan-exclusive line-up by heading back to the other Tetris game at the other end of the system's life: V-Tetris. This game is nothing at all like 3D-Tetris; for one thing, it's actually Tetris. V-Tetris does nothing to really take advantage of the hardware here, so it's a shame that this interpretation of the block-dropping classic has been locked to Virtual Boy—its special mode offers a unique and enjoyable take on the venerable favorite.

Nerdkiller · May 22, 2019

Space Squash retrospective: In the court of the crimson swing | Virtual Boy Works #15

Another Japan-exclusive Virtual Boy release, this one from minor publisher Coconuts Japan. And it's a good, if slight, creation that takes great advantage of the Virtual Boy hardware to present players with a sci-fi rendition of a popular sport. Like a lot of other games on the system, it needed a little more time in the oven to achieve its full potential—but it's both fun and interesting, making it one of the more notable imports for Virtual Boy.

Nerdkiller · May 29, 2019

Virtual Fishing retrospective: Red tide | Virtual Boy Works #16

Next in our look at Virtual Boy's Japan-exclusive lineup is the system's sole foray into the fishing genre: A by-the-numbers take on the format by Locomotive and Pack-In-Video called, creatively, Virtual Fishing. It is... fishing. On Virtual Boy. The end. Thanks as always to Chris Kohler for lending his copy of the game to this project.

Nerdkiller · Jun 5, 2019

Innsmouth no Yakata retrospective: Chthonic adventure | Virtual Boy Works #17

Venture into the ineffable madness of on of Virtual Boy's most unique creations: A fast-paced first-person shooter based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. This is one of those games whose existence seems completely inexplicable—but it's nevertheless quite welcome. Innsmouth no Yakata (sometimes transcribed as Insmouse no Yakata) is a relentless, challenging shooter that creates an impressive sense of anxiety—which means it's a pity it never made its way outside of Japan.

Nerdkiller · Jun 12, 2019

Space Invaders: Virtual Collection retrospective: The Andromeda eyestrain | Virtual Boy Works #18

We're nearly done with Virtual Boy Works, but before we can put a bow on this venture, we need to tackle the four daunting Japan-only collector's pieces that shipped in the console's final month of existence in that market. First up is Space Invaders: Virtual Collection, a pretty decent recreation of and embellishment on the venerable arcade classics. It's a game that would be a no-brainer pick-up if not for the fact that its value has shot into the stratosphere thanks to its extreme rarity. Oh well.

Thanks to Chris Kohler for providing this game for coverage.

Nerdkiller · Jun 26, 2019

We're in the home stretch now.

SD Gundam Dimension War retrospective: Thin red lines | Virtual Boy Works #20

Japan's next-to-last Virtual Boy release, and the only Japanese title for the platform to be based on a media license. It's SD Gundam, though, and you can bet it lives down to whatever expectations that might instill for you. A brief and unpleasant strategy game in which battles play out through terrible combat sequences, Dimension War is definitely not worth the enormous price it commands on the aftermarket.

Nerdkiller · Jul 3, 2019

Last official Virtual Boy game.

Virtual Bowling retrospective: 10 pins none the richer | Virtual Boy Works #21

This is it! The very final Japanese release for Virtual Boy. The final Virtual Boy game retrospective. And the most expensive Virtual Boy game by far. But you know, it's kind of nice to end this series on a high note. Virtual Bowling is legitimately a fantastic take on the sport, with great mechanics and pleasant visuals. Pity that a boxed copy will set you back as much as a decent used car these days.

One final "thank you" goes out to Chris Kohler for providing this rare work for coverage.

But that's not the end of the story, as Jeremy has plans to cover not only the console itself, but the various homebrew games it's spawned (including the aformentioned Street Fighter II Virtual Boy port, Hyper Fighting).

Nerdkiller · Jul 10, 2019

Lode Runner & Raid on Bungeling Bay retrospective: Brød wars | NES Works #050

American publisher makes its NES (and console) debut with conversions of two of its own landmark computer titles: Doug Smith's Lode Runner and Will Wright's Raid on Bungeling Bay. Neither men had any direct involvement with these conversions, which instead were handled by Japanese developer Hudson. The result is a pair of visually overhauled (but generally quite faithful) ports that go a long way toward embodying the overall tone and style that would define NES games. At the same time, these ports speak to America and Japan's shared love of great games while highlighting the stylistic differences between east and west in the 8-bit era. A solid duo of classics... though perhaps a bit slow to reach the U.S. to have true impact here.

And of course Jeremy brings up Heiankyo Alien here.

Next time: Oooh, baby, we're ready for some spelunking.

Nerdkiller · Jul 17, 2019

Tetris DX retrospective: Hue kid on the block | Game Boy Works Color #001

Game Boy Works travels forward in time eight years to the invention of a radical new concept in portable gaming: Color! Well, maybe it wasn't so new for the industry at large, but true color was a first for Nintendo portables. And to kick things off, the Kyoto giant went back to the well to reprise the block puzzler that helped make the original Game Boy a smash hit: Tetris. In addition to a color palette, Tetris DX also tweaked the vintage release with new modes and modified physics. It's not so much a remake as a sequel, but it's a fitting kickoff to the Game Boy Color lineup (even if it wasn't technically the first Game Boy Color release, having been beaten to the punch by Dragon Warrior Monsters).

Oh great. Another Works series that Jeremy will never be able to finish within his lifetime.

Nerdkiller · Jul 31, 2019

Wario Land II retrospective: Colour my WAAAAAHrld | Game Boy Works Color #003

For Nintendo's third portable system (allowing for a very loose definition of "portable" where Virtual Boy is concerned), we once again have another platformer in the Super Mario Land family to help kick things off. But while Wario Land II may technically be a sequel to Super Mario Land, it has almost nothing to do with that game besides being a platform game inspired by Super Mario Bros. It drops the "Mario" title altogether, focusing entirely on antagonistic protagonist Wario, who finally distinguishes himself from his do-gooding rival by being completely immortal. There are no health pick-ups here, no 1UPs, none of that frail nonsense. Wario is indestructible, like all cartoon bad guys, and Wario Land II builds on that premise to create an exploratory puzzle-platform experience like nothing before it. It's a masterpiece, and a great launch title for Game Boy Color... even if it technically wasn't, originally.

Nerdkiller · Aug 7, 2019

Virtual Boy retrospective: Aheadache of its time | Virtual Boy Works #00

Having explored the span of the Virtual Boy's librarly, let's now create a little context for its existence. There's more to this curious little system than the fact that it bombed at retail and Nintendo cut its life short. It represents designer Gunpei Yokoi's passion for interesting applications for affordable technology, prefigured some game industry design standards, and presented a remarkably solid library of software. Was Virtual Boy flawed? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean it's not worth experiencing, or remembering.

Nerdkiller · Aug 14, 2019

Pocket Bowling retrospective: Picking up a Virtual spare | Game Boy Works Color #004

Virtual Boy Works ended on a slightly downbeat note with Virtual Bowling, a fine take on the 10-pin pastime by Athena that remains inaccessible to normal humans thanks to its alarming rarity and terrifyingly high price. Well, here's the happy twist coda: Pocket Bowling is a direct sequel to Virtual Bowling that carries forward many of the other game's core mechanics and design elements, but costs a LOT less and doesn't require a piece of fragile, hard-to-come-by equipment to enjoy. Sure, Game Boy Color can't support the immersive viewpoint and design of Virtual Bowling, but this captures the enjoyable core of the other game quite neatly. Let's hear it for small victories, eh?

PLUS: Japan-only release for this episode: Warashi's Honkaku Shougi: Shougi Ou.

Nerdkiller · Aug 21, 2019

Game & Watch Gallery 2 retrospective: Coda chrome | Game Boy Works Color #005

Another incremental release for Game Boy Color; like Wario Land II, Game & Watch Gallery 2 began life as a monochrome release in one territory (but not the rest). Quirky history aside, it's a fine recreation and distillation of some formative portable history. While it doesn't offer 100% verisimilitude to the source material, this is a loving recreation packed with tons of extra features and some remarkably involved unlockable content. Not bad for a collection of primitive pocket calculators.

A Game Boy remake of a classic series presented alongside the original approximation, and Jeremy doesn't mention Heiankyo Alien? SHOCK!

Nerdkiller · Aug 28, 2019

Game Boy Wars 2 retrospective: Veterans of foreign wars | Game Boy Works Color #006

We look overseas this week to a notable Japan-only release for Game Boy Color: A chapter of the Intelligent Systems "Wars" series. Though not as sophisticated or charming as Advance Wars, there's still a lot to like about this import title... assuming you don't mind the significant step backward it represents from the later games that actually made their way to the U.S.

Also in this episode: Game Boy Color gets the first of many, many Pokémon clones to come in the fully tolerable but utterly unremarkable Sanrio Time Net, which comes in both Past and Future versions.

Nerdkiller · Sep 4, 2019

Go! Go! Tank & Aretha retrospective: R-E-S-P-E-C-T this R-P-G on the G-B | Game Boy Works #114

Next on the Game Boy agenda is an odd little puzzler with loads of personality, a great central hook, and some of the most frustrating gameplay imaginable. Go! Go! Tank flies a little too close to the sun, which maybe explains why you have to keep nudging your stupid little airplane down constantly.

Also in this episode: A frustrating, grind-intensive role-playing game in which it's entirely possible to lock yourself into an unwinnable state after dozens of hours of play. Fun!

Nerdkiller · Sep 11, 2019

Spelunker & Sqoon retrospective: Mortality bytes | NES Works #051

Japanese arcade giant Irem makes its NES debut—or at least its debut as a publisher under its own steam. Spelunker and Sqoon make for interesting companion pieces to Lode Runner and Bungeling Bay, one being an Irem PC port published by Brøderbund and the other being a game published by Irem itself. Anyway, both are hilariously difficult.

SQOON!

Pop-O-Matic · Sep 18, 2019

Gonna save Nerdkiller some trouble here and post the new vid since it just came out and it's a biggun...

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX retrospective: A recurring dream | Game Boy Works Color #007

We have yet another early Game Boy Color release that got its start in monochrome—but this one's a little different. Rather than appearing as a late Game Boy release and hastily being reworked for color, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening debuted back in 1993 and was given a comprehensive overhaul for the new handheld. While largely the same game as the original release, with few visual or mechanical changes outside of a more vivid palette, Link's Awakening DX does add new material to Nintendo's handheld classic: A new bonus dungeon, some new gear, and Game Boy Printer support. It ultimately amounts to a minor upgrade, yes, but the base game was so strong that it didn't need much in the way of an overhaul. Here, as on Game Boy, it's a genuine classic.

Also gotta thank JeremyParish for being the kind of completionist madman who'd give us Super Game Boy LADX footage. I recently popped in LADX on an old SGB to test it out after a cleaning, and saw this weird horizontal line cut through sprites whenever they were near the top of the screen (check 15:29 in the video to see what I'm talking about). It actually drove me slightly insane thinking it was possibly a problem with either my cart or system, but from this footage I can clearly see it's just an inherent glitch with this game on that system.

Also, kinda weird how OoT wasn't brought up in the vid at all, considering LADX launched within a month of it, and that proximity only serves to highlight how influential LA was on OoT and the rest of the games that followed (increased focus on story and characters, Straw Millionare quest, guide owl, Marin & Tarin clearly influencing Malon & Talon, etc.)

Nerdkiller · Sep 25, 2019

YAY! N64 WORKS IS BACK...wait, no third part to Mario 64? GAAAAAAAH!

Pilotwings 64 retrospective: Jet tricks and chill | N64 Works #002

This series' Nintendo 64 launch retrospective wraps up with a look back at the, uh, second N64 launch title: Pilotwings 64. As with Super Mario 64, it builds on a Super NES launch title by expanding its design into proper 3D space while also making its overall design and progression a bit more bite-sized and approachable. Although it's quite dated all these years later, you can definitely see it as a leap forward from what had come before.

Also this episode: The Japan-exclusive third launch title, Saikyo Habu Shogi.

Jeremy Parish Presents: Retronauts Video Works (Chronological Retrospective Series)

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor

Resettlement Advisor