Capcom Wishes You A Merry Mega Man Xmas (Don’t Forget To Get Your Gift)

Posted on December 21, 2012 by geelw

And here I am, thinking he’s all about knocking off cute but dangerous enemies and bosses with silly names and powers. Some would probably prefer a less annoying Mega man experience where ladders and bridges would replace those jumps they keep missing, while others might want a less violent Mega Man without his blasters and such. If I had to choose something with less violence, I’d make the blue bomber a sly negotiator who doesn’t fire a shot, but makes enemies fight each other. Of course, there goes that cool Rockman versus Paper Man versus Scissor Man boss battle (ha ha), but that new monocle, smoking jacket and fake pipe are nice accessories Capcom could add to the character with that new attitude and see what’s what? Anyway, enough of my lousy attempts at humor – go download Street Fighter X Mega Man if you haven’t already. I’m a damn cheapskate, but I know where the good free gifts are and how to share them…

The NEOGEO X Gold Heads To Retail (You HAVE Been Doing Finger Exercises, Right?)

Posted on December 17, 2012 by geelw

Tomorrow is the big day many hardcore SNK fans have been waiting for as the NEOGEO X Gold Limited Edition system drops into selected retailers. I’m gathering the one I pre-ordered from Best Buy should pop up a few days afterward, but I can wait. Really. Still, the UPS guy here knows I’ll haunt his truck when it’s on the other side of the street early in the morning, as we get our ground deliveries here late in the afternoon (unless I happen to see him early in the morning and zip on over to save him some time later on).

Yes, I’ll post a review of the system once I get some quality time with it. I know I’ll still be awful at some of those 20 included games, but I’ve been practicing a bit over the last few weeks using the PS2 collection from a few years back and some of that rust is gone from my creaky fingers. Magician Lord, I’m coming for you! Well, it’s still more like the other way around, but one day… one day. At least I can complete Metal Slug without wanting to eat a couch cushion.

FREE STUFF: GOG.com Plays Santa With Free Duke Nukem 3D For All…

Posted on December 13, 2012 by geelw

Ho, Ho, Ho! Once again, the fine folks at gog.com bust out something awesome and FREE for gamers everywhere this crazy holiday season. This isn’t the normal Duke, mind you, but Duke Nukem: Atomic Edition, which packs in the original game and a megaton of bonus content. In case you’re new to Duke Nukem, it’s the seminal politically incorrect first-person shooter that’s also a master class in game design, outrageous humor and tons of hidden goodies. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss the hours goodbye and even better, you’re not paying a cent. Hell, if that fat man flying around in his sleigh wasn’t busy doing that, he’d be sitting at home in front of his own computer blasting baddies and peeling off digital dollar bills to check out some jingle bells. Just don’t tell Mrs. Claus!

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Street Fighter X Mega Man Gameplay: Love Means A Keyboard Is Harder To Break Than A Controller, Kids!

Posted on December 12, 2012 by geelw

Man, is this game going to have some gamers used to more casual “play it for me!” stuff jumping up and down on their keyboards HARD and screaming about it all over the internet. Granted, you can indeed use a controller to play this, but remember, throwing it at a monitor a foot away will cause one of two things to occur: you’ll either need a new monitor or new teeth or both should that busted controller bounce back and smack you in the mouth. Sure, you CAN try ducking, but I know you haven’t been exercising much and all that soda and chips in your belly has made you slow. Well, maybe wear a face mask like Vega or something…

Got $25K Lying Around? You Can Own EVERY Super Nintendo Game Ever Released in North America.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

Holy cats. This is one of those things that makes me wish I had a ton of money to toss around like a rapper making it rain in a strip club. Ebay user kaisetsuna has put up an amazing auction that features all 721 Super Nintendo games ever released in the US, Mexico and Canada. 500 pounds of games in assorted conditions, all with boxes (save for the handful of pack-in games that didn’t have them), most with manuals. Even crazier is how the lot was assembled and why he’s getting rid of such an impressive stash. He cobbled together the bulk of the games through multiple purchases, replacing battered boxes and when possible, manuals with better condition ones, cleaning up carts and more all for archiving the games for reference purposes and future emulation…

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“Retro” Review: The Dark Spire

Posted on December 9, 2012 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo DS

Developer: Success

Publisher: Atlus

# of Players: 1

Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

Official Site

Score: A (95%)

(Note: while I’m buried in a few other reviews and working on some new site stuff, here’s an old review to peruse. This previously “lost” review was written LONG before the PSN Wizardry games from XSEED and Wizardry Online were announced, but I decided not to alter anything mostly because I’m surprised this turned up in a folder packed with stuff I thought was gone for good – enjoy!)

Since no US publisher seems to even be thinking about reviving the classic Wizardry franchise anytime soon, Atlus has pretty much taken up the mantle of “publisher of Wizardry-like gameplay experiences” on the Nintendo DS. Some of you might be asking “Hey! what about that excellent 2001 PlayStation 2 game, Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land, huh?” However, that game (great as it was) wasn’t at all related to the eight Sir-Tech PC games. Other than a few console remakes of the first seven games scattered over an assortment of Japanese consoles and a few handheld version the numerous Japanese-developed Wizardry games are their own bird (and yes, it would have been grand to see them localized in English), but that’s another subject for another time. Anyway, thanks to titles such as the two Etrian Odyssey games (which can be seen as spiritual successors to Sir-Tech’s original games) and now The Dark Spire, developed by Success, Atlus will absolutely make you do a happy dance if you love your RPGs old-school tough yet completely user-friendly.

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Street Fighter X Mega Man: Capcom Brings A Fan-Made Game To Life As A Digital Freebie

Posted on December 8, 2012 by geelw

Wow. I’ll have to admit that until I read the press release and downloaded the screens, I thought this was going to be a full-on visually flashy full price AAA retail product with bonus DLC in the vein of Capcom’s recent Street Fighter X Tekken or Marvel vs Capcom games. But nope – it’s a VERY cool new game that looks like it was cooked up circa 1990 for the NES. Often, fan made games using licensed characters are shot down by publishers who want to protect their IP (and a few other good to not so good reasons), but Capcom has taken a nice step by not only helping fund this soon to be released retro fighter, they’re releasing it for FREE as a PC-only download.

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NEOGEO X Gold LE: Delay of Game Equals More Anticipation (As Well As Some Rustproofing)…

Posted on December 4, 2012 by geelw

Sometimes, delays are a good thing, provided you’re taking the glass half full approach. To wit: Best Buy notified me that my order would be delayed until the 18th, but no biggie. That gives me more time to practice playing a few games on that really fine PS2 collection from a few years back. After all these years I’m still absolutely, completely terrible at Magician Lord (and probably will still be), so I’m going to be spending a few hours trying not to die so much or jump up and down on a controller after losing that final life.

For newbies, let me very safely state that NeoGeo games aren’t for rage-quitters at all. Nope, if you get all Hulky and throw that big ol’ heavy arcade stick down, you’ll probably break a toe (and need to go spend a small fortune replacing it. Er, the controller, not your toe). The X’s replicated arcade stick seems to be of similar quality (and not inexpensive either), but I’m definitely NOT going to be tossing it around when I lose. Now you know why they call throw pillows THROW pillows. Just aim for something non-breakable (and not the family pet, lest you get that toe you didn’t break earlier chewed on while you sleep)…

VGA 101 Update – Gallery: Pier Solar Reprint Edition (Plus!)

Posted on November 30, 2012 by geelw

Well, that was fast – A game I’ve wanted to play for ages is finally in the library here: Pier Solar and the Great Architects for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive along with the Enhanced CD for the Sega-CD/Mega CD. This isn’t the original print or the Posterity Edition, but the WM Reprint version in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Nice. I need to dig out one of my Sega-CD’s from under the TV set in the home office (oh, that will be a pain, but worth all that weightlifting), but I do have one of my Genesis systems out nearby (Actually, a Japanese Mega Drive), so I can at least start up the game (perhaps this weekend provided I have time).Yeah, yeah – I wanted to support Watermelon’s HD Kickstarter project, but I could only afford to either pick up this set now and play it or sign up for Kickstarter, donate and wait. I’m hoping the HD version of Pier Solar does well enough that it gets a reissue or even better, pops up on PSN (hell, a Vita version I’d kill for – or at least elbow someone gently in the head for)…

As for the other stuff? Well, it was cheap, so I picked them up. Sorcery (which should have been completed so that it shipped WITH the PlayStation Move as a launch title for the peripheral) was $10 and Heavy Rain was a few dollars more. Prometheus I bought to see the edited/deleted scenes and special features. I liked most of the film, but there are a few dumb lead characters and one part of the ending that should have been handled better. Otherwise, the film looks spectacular and ends up answering some questions and leaving others pinging around in the brain.

Video Game Appreciation 101 (Random Import Version): Bing Bing! Bingo

Posted on November 19, 2012 by geelw

Mention Bingo to the average younger gamer and you’ll probably get a blank stare for a few seconds until they remember either that goofy song about a farmer and his dog or recall passing a local senior center or church with a photocopied sign or fading poster announcing weekly play sessions geared towards more mature gamblers looking to rake in a few extra bucks. Of course, leave it to Japanese developers and publishers to do something wacky and fun with what’s basically seen as an old folks’ time-sink here in the US.

Released in 1994 for the Super Famicom in Japan by KSS, Copya Systems’ Bing Bing! Bingo was an offbeat blend of mini-games makes for an interestingly wacky diversion as it presents Bingo from seven different perspectives across an island vacation paradise of sorts. Granted, if Bingo had big-eyed ladies in skimpy outfits and a spandex clad hero called Bingoman as part of the draw, I’d bet those churches and union halls turned into minor vice dens for the elderly would be packed with hipsters and of age young folks looking to rake in those bucks a few winning cards at a time.

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