Last Retro Game You Played? What Retro Game Are You Currently Playing?

I've never played Blur but from what I know it's like PGR × Mario Kart and that sounds good.

Yesterday, after coming home with my pick-ups, plugged the old 3DO in and a had a play with a few games after Super Wing Commander didn't work.

PGA Tour 96, this is so odd as the greens look awful yeah I know it's from 1996 (Maybe 95) as the Golfers are digitized graphics like Mortal Kombat meaning they look so out of place. I played  around and it's a pass.

Powers Kingdom, this looks great and is full screen, just I couldn't figure out what I was doing as just plonked on a map to fight some clown monsters in this RPG.

Wasn't a great two games, then I played FIFA International Soccer which would have blown me away if I had played back in the day if I was to compare with SNES/MD as it looks great and the game of Soccer was fun as well. What it does neat though when loading it shows FMV clips of historical international games which I think is a neat use of the CD format at the time.

Wasn't only 3DO as I played some Blur on PS3 which to my shock is still online and had on a Monday night 1500ish people playing some sort of Multiplayer, this seemed tad impressive as PS3 two gens back now and not like Blur was a success. Did make me curious to pick up something like a COD to see how active that still is, not sure what else would be online still.  

Anyway, on the game I did play some multiplayer, and it was a lot of fun driving around, hitting people with power ups and all that. Single player was fun as well, yet has the same sort of gimmick as MSR/PGR instead of Kudos its Lights (Likes really) and fans which you get which I had to get a certain amount to take on first chapter's boss, meaning I had to redo a race to get one more Light to take her own.

Overall though was really impressed, and I know I was playing 3DO beforehand but thought it looked decent still as well.

I saw your Blur footage Mas and it actually didn't look as fun as I'd heard it was. Maybe I'm mixing it up with Split/Second.

I booted up the 360 and played a few games:

OutRun Online Arcade



This is a slimmed-down version of the OutRun 2 console releases, so even though this is a desirable game to play (as it's been delisted) I would advise playing the Xbox or PS2 ports. The game itself features the Arcade, Heart Attack, Time Attack and the 15-course epic mode but it doesn't have any unlockables. The gameplay itself is classic OutRun 2 so I'd sooner throw that on for a few races.

The Club



Spent a couple of hours with this game after reading a Eurogamer article heaping praise on it, but I'm struggling to see what the fuss is about. It's basically the Dreamcast game Outtrigger with a Manhunt aesthetic - 3rd person shooter with a high-score mechanic. The actual concept is brilliant - the execution less so. It plays like a PS2 game and to be fair, looks like one. For a game that relies on shooting enemies accurately and stringing together combos, it lacks the sharp gameplay needed to make you feel like a boss. It relies on players returning to try and learn the levels (which have laps!). You run through the levels dispatching enemies and get rewarded for stylish kills, which considering it's made by the guys that did Project Gotham Racing, it makes sense. I just think it needed to play a better game to keep me interested in its mechanics.

SEGA Rally



I wasn't expecting much from this SEGA Rally reboot (also called SEGA Rally Revo) but it has a full campaign mode albeit nowhere near as lengthy as SEGA Rally 2's. You've got some slidey arcade handling that relies on how hard you're steering - first impressions are it's really sensitive on a 360 controller but you get used to it. Visually, this looks no different to Gravel from this/last-gen which is impressive for a fourteen-year-old game. It's an enjoyable little racer - the main disappointment here is the atrocious music. Really odd given SEGA's history.

gjones wrote:

The Club



Spent a couple of hours with this game after reading a Eurogamer article heaping praise on it, but I'm struggling to see what the fuss is about. It's basically the Dreamcast game Outtrigger with a Manhunt aesthetic - 3rd person shooter with a high-score mechanic. The actual concept is brilliant - the execution less so. It plays like a PS2 game and to be fair, looks like one. For a game that relies on shooting enemies accurately and stringing together combos, it lacks the sharp gameplay needed to make you feel like a boss. It relies on players returning to try and learn the levels (which have laps!). You run through the levels dispatching enemies and get rewarded for stylish kills, which considering it's made by the guys that did Project Gotham Racing, it makes sense. I just think it needed to play a better game to keep me interested in its mechanics.

Wow, I remember this game getting a fair bit of coverage back in the day - I didn't think I'd ever have it drudged up from the dark recesses of my mind again.

From what I recall, it looked like a bit of a shite version of a Mercenaries mode from Resi, but I've no idea if that's a fair opinion or not.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I think I'm enjoying Wrecking Crew on the NES on the NES Online on the Switch. My only previous experience had been the little chunks in NES Remix, and it was just baffling. Actually, playing it for 10 minute bursts to clear a couple of levels, I appreciate it as an interesting little puzzle game.

I'm glad I didn't purchase it for £40 in the 80s though

I can absolutely believe you're writing this.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but something about my willy, something about Bayonetta, I like dragons, dancing in the club, lifting weights, something something bears.

Are we playing GNamer madlibs right now?

On topic, I've nothing to add on Wrecking Crew as I think it's shite. Glad to hear you're enjoying it though Jimmers!

I recently played through Super Punch Out on SNES Online with judicial use of save states at the start of each fight because bugger having to replay the older fights every time the Bruiser Brothers hand my arse to me. I think what impresses me the most about these games is how much you can break them apart. My first fight against Bear Hugger took about 2 minutes, but I replayed it after beating the game and demolished him in 20 seconds. It must be really fun to get properly good at this game.

Ooh, do me! Actually don't do me, I'll get defensive about my own stereotypes. Do Muss! He's the forumite I most struggle to get a handle on outside 'is a leftie and does long well-written posts'.

Rainbow Six 3

Recent discourse around the merits of Microsoft’s debut system made me wonder how the flagship titles had held up twenty years later. One of my earliest online gaming memories was Rainbow Six 3, which came with a headset to let you bark commands at your AI. It didn’t always work, natch, but it did allow for some great experiences online. This was when you could team up with three polite gentlemen and have a jolly old time breaching and clearing rooms. Ahh, the days of abuse-free online gaming, something to tell the grandkids about for sure.

Running this on a 360, and after a quick 6MB download from Xbox Live, I was in. You take some bloke and three of his pals all around the world on missions that involve disarming bombs, securing hostages, and killing terrorists. All very straightforward, as far as an FPS from 2003 goes. What made Rainbow Six 3 special was the strategy involved. You could send your team anywhere and have them do commands on, well, command. “Lads, wait by this door and when I say, enter, throw a flashbang and take out the enemies. I’ll enter the other door at the same time.” This felt revolutionary at the time, as the AI actually worked well and if you had three humans in your team, it was magic. On your own, in 2021? It’s not quite the same, and the simple level design shows up some of this.

What struck me most is the sheer difficulty. You have a health bar, and if a teammate is killed, they just lie there for the rest of the level. There are no Gears of War-style healing of comrades - he’s dead mate. I put this on Easy and still lost all my men, so you have to be really careful with how you approach each situation. Sending them in blind to see where the enemies shoot them from, isn’t the best idea!

Like much of the Tom Clancy games, you have to slowly work your way through each level. This does add some tension, but I’m not sure I have the same patience to get through this today. The visuals are drab and make Resident Evil 4 look like Mario Sunshine, and you end up whacking the night vision goggles on in broad daylight. This was before cover systems were a thing, so you feel exposed most of the time. Gradually peaking out of doors feels like you’re a naughty child rather than a badass soldier.

Nevertheless, the core of Rainbow Six 3 is still fun but demands more of the player than I remembered. With the online elements missing, it’s no longer the great experience it once was, but getting the lads together for a mission has its own quaint charm. I guess this has been fleshed out and ultimately superseded by The Division.
7/10

I also played a old FPS with Killzone 2 Online in 2021 thanks to PSONE bringing it back Online, along with a bunch more games and they're going to add more but I only own Killzone 2 of the compatible games.

Also the PS2 has a few but I don't own the broadband adapter to try it.

Quote :

Ooh, do me!

Balladeer wrote:

I like licking dog willies! They're like little red peppers! Mmmm,so spicy nicey!

Quote :

Do Muss!

Muss wrote:

Maaaate, that small obscure football team was actually promoted to the Premier league once. Nick Clegg is basically the Benedict Arnold of our times. Anyway, I've been playing a PC Mod where I can brand manage a season of WWE Smackdown through the Crusader Kings 2 engine, and all the fights are played out in Gran Turismo 3 races. It doesn't run on my PC and I don't really enjoy it but somehow I played 418 hours of it in a single afternoon. Should we eat six pizzas tonight? I won't gain a gram in weight somehow.

Argh, wish I'd had this when I was doing the GNamerdoodles! I realised how little I knew about Muss and had to resort to a Weedle on a skateboa- quiet, Fido. I'll be with you in a moment.

PDC World Championship Darts 2008



I’ve been getting into the darts the last couple of years, with the World Darts Championship on each December, it now feels part of the Christmas ritual. This year however I've been exploring YouTube and its archive of 80s/90s darts footage and soaking up episodes of Bullseye. It’s come a long way from the dinghy smoke-filled rooms with lager swigging middle-aged men shuffling on a stage with beer guts and a fag on. The fact alcohol and cigarettes were part of the “sport” is wild, but a fascinating bit of history. Seeing how quick these guys do multiplication after a few pints, combined with pinpoint hand-eye coordination - proper athletes!

I fancied a few games myself but don’t currently own a dart board. There’s not actually much out there as far as solid dart videogames. In fact the ones that do exist are downright awful. The best modern darts game is probably tucked away in a Yakuza title. I fancied something more elaborate, however, but now wished I hadn't bothered.

PDC WCD 2008 (which is what the kids call it) is a lot like the snooker titles of the 2000s. Everyone looks a bit sad and WWF Warzone-like, existing in empty arenas with the only signs of life being an overexuberant commentator. There's not much in the way of atmosphere but that's fine, I'm here to throw some arrows. The control scheme is straightforward but they have completely shat the bed with its execution. You pull back on the right stick and push forward to throw your dart, but it's almost impossible to throw it where you want. Unlike the snooker games, it's difficult to judge throwing a dart as it's more binary. You either throw it at the target or you don't. It doesn't matter how hard you throw it, or if you want to apply spin, you just throw. To prevent the game being very easy, they just decided to make it very hard instead. And in turn, not fun at all.

There was a Wii version of this which would be a lot of fun but it sounds like they messed that up as well. The archery game in Wii Sports Resort was one of my favourites in that collection, so a darts variation with a full campaign would be great fun. Instead, we get this miserable rendition with a crap control scheme that doesn't do what it should. And if you can't throw the darts where you want (and the fact there's no tutorial or instruction on how to throw the dart), there's no point at all in checking this out. ONE HUNDRED AND SHITE-Y.

2/10

Oh dear! A 2/10 should've been on the cards when the two lads on the box were throwing at the same time.

Must have seen copies of that game about a billion times now, but never played. I think I'll carrying on swerving that one. In it's place, we can all enjoy Not The Nine O'Clock News' Darts skit:



...and - of course, Adrian Lewis's Meat Feast from Athletico Mince:



Liquid darts.

LOL @ that Adrian Lewis segment. He really does look like a big sweaty meat lover. Genius.

I didn't click on the above at the time, but Bob Mortimer is an absolute legendary hero, and having just read his autobiography, I don't think he realises what a talent he is still.

On the subject of older games, as I'm working through the Switch online console stuff:

Super Ghouls and Ghosts - this is fun, right? This is supposed to be fun? It's a classic right? I've had several goes and I can now get to the halfway checkpoint on level 1.

Crystalis - "this is a hidden gem, it's basically as good as Zelda". No it isn't. Although: I called I character Poops, and it makes me laugh every time I see it. I'll be 40 this year

I don’t even think I’ve booted up Crystalis, I’ve just no interest in that when I’ve still not tried Earthbound and Star Tropics either. I like Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, but that’s probably only because I can cheat my way through it with the rewind function. Without it I’m like you, I can get about a minute into the first level.

~

For my retro gaming, I’m playing an eclectic mix of The Chaos Engine on SNES and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games on Wii U. The Chaos Engine is from a Bitmap Brothers Evercade collection, and something I’ve never thought to play before despite it’s good reputation.

Mario & Sonic is simply because I wanted a Winter Olympics game, and nobody made one for 2018 or 2022. I’ve been really critical of it in the past, but I’m honestly reappraising my opinion about it. It does some interesting things with the GamePad and the Wii Remote Plus in tandem. It’s quite funny to see that Algeria has been leading the global online rankings since November 2017 though, with a score of 0.00 across all events.

Jimbob wrote:

Super Ghouls and Ghosts - this is fun, right? This is supposed to be fun? It's a classic right? I've had several goes and I can now get to the halfway checkpoint on level 1.

It still confuses me to no end that my Dad was able to beat this on the original hardware back in the 90s but spent a solid ten minutes running into a tree looking at the ground when I gave him a go of Skyrim a few years back.

JayMoyles wrote:

Jimbob wrote:

Super Ghouls and Ghosts - this is fun, right? This is supposed to be fun? It's a classic right? I've had several goes and I can now get to the halfway checkpoint on level 1.

It still confuses me to no end that my Dad was able to beat this on the original hardware back in the 90s but spent a solid ten minutes running into a tree looking at the ground when I gave him a go of Skyrim a few years back.

Similar to this, my dad's relationship with videogames ended with Goldeneye 007 as he couldn't work out the controls. He smashed older, harder games like Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Donkey Kong '94 with no issues, but a game with actual auto-aim was too much. I think even to this day, 2D games are easier to grasp and therefore master for a casual gamer.

My dad was okay on 3D games at one point, mostly because I was rubbish at Super Mario 64 so made him play it and I watched. Then, years later, he tried to play BioShock Infinite using a mouse trackpad to aim. It didn't go well.

It's a generational and mindset thing and it isn't unique to games.

Kids these days grow up surrounded by computer generated 3D imagery and even some small understanding of how these things work. They play minecraft, they use google maps, they do AR stuff on a phone. 3D games come to them relatively naturally.

On the flipside, before perspective was really studied, art history was full of people who didn't even know how to draw a 3D environment; even though we live in one and our eyes perceive the world that way. Japan has historically had difficulty distinguishing the colours blue and green because the language only had one word until recently.

We think of some things as natural and others as unnatural, but actually so much of what we do and know is learned.

Buskalilly wrote:

Japan has historically had difficulty distinguishing the colours blue and green because the language only had one word until recently.

We think of some things as natural and others as unnatural, but actually so much of what we do and know is learned.

Genuinely fascinating. Especially given that there's a Japanese football song called 'Samurai Blue'.  Also, puts the original three Pokémon games into a new light!