Retro Gamer Load -> 79

109 Pages·2010·26.34 MB·English

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LOADING
THE RETROBATES
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE JOFFA GAME?
…
I
t’s been a sad old time in the
retro community this month, as
G
DARRAN JONES STUART HUNT JASON KELK we’ve lost two big names from
Has to be Hyper Sports on the I’m going for Cobra. For a I spent hours enjoying Firefly, and the gaming scene. Chris Sievey,
Spectrum. I have many happy movie-licensed game to actually I was looking forward to Saucer
memories of playing it around be better than the movie it’s for the Spectrum… but he’ll never who was better known as his alter
my friend Paul’s house. Rest in based on it has to be something get to finish it now. N ego Frank Sidebottom, and Jonathan
peace, Joffa. quite special. Expertise:
Expertise: Expertise: Pong variants! ‘Joffa’ Smith passed away within a
Juggling a beautiful wife, two Games with flying bits in them Currently playing:
lovely girls and Retro Gamer Currently playing: Hydorah (PC) week of each other.
SChuardreonwt lOy fp Tlahyei nCgo:lo ssus AFaftveor uBruitrnee gr aCmlime aoxf all time: FIoavourite game of all time: DI Sievey created the excellent Spectrum
Favourite game of all time: After Burner Climax game The Biz, notable for spawning
Strider
Frank Sidebottom, while Smith needs no
introduction, as he was behind some of
A
Ocean and Imagine’s most popular arcade
conversions and fi lm licences.
There’s a little tribute to the two men on
O page 6, but in the meantime may I suggest
that you head to the likes of eBay, or even the
excellent World of Spectrum (where Smith
L was a regular on the forum), and get hold of
their games and remember why you’re going
to miss them so much.
CRAIG GRANNELL DAVID CROOKES PAUL DRURY That’s it from me this month, I’m genuinely
In among a small but perfectly Pud Pud. An early sign of genius Daley Thompson’s Supertest. too sad to write anything else.
formed collection of Speccy from one of the best early day A wonderful reason to bash the
arcade conversions sits abstract programmers. RIP Joffa. Speccy’s zombie fl esh. RIP Joffa.
shooter Firefl y. Smith said it was Expertise: All things Expertise:
his favourite Speccy creation, so Amstrad CPC, Dizzy, Atari Lynx Leaving embarrassing craters Enjoy the magazine,
who am I to argue? RIP Joffa. and PlayStation Currently playing:
Expertise: Currently playing: The Twilight Zone (pinball)
Games you don’t need Red Dead Redemption Favourite game of all time:
37 fingers to control Favourite game of all time: Sheep In Space
Currently playing: Broken Sword
Pix ‘N Love Rush
Favourite game of all time:
H.E.R.O.
ASHLEY DAY RICHARD BURTON
I’m not sure how involved he was For me it’s Firefl y. It was a
with Batman: The Caped Crusader, mishmash of genres with excellent
but that’s my pick from Joffa’s graphics and humorous moments
softography. It was a great little aplenty. Kind of summed up Joffa’s
game for its time. style in a nutshell.
Expertise: Expertise: Stuff and nonsense
Some games you probably hate Currently playing:
Currently playing: Dead Moon
Dragon Quest IX Favourite game of all time:
Favourite game of all time: Manic Miner
Shining Force III
© Imagine Publishing Ltd
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003 RG79 Welcome.indd 3 6/7/10 18:21:29
CONTENTS
>> Load 79 Breathing new life into classic games
FEATURED
24 Over The Rainbow
34 R etro Shamer:
World Cup Carnival
The beautiful game turns ugly In a brand new feature we bring you in-depth examinations
36 C heap As Chips: of the world’s greatest games. This month: Rainbow Islands
Ecco T he Dolphin
Aquatic adventures for under a fi ver
40 Making of Lunar Lander
Behind the scenes of Atari’s hit coin-op
46 From The Archives:
Superior So(cid:31) ware
Looking at the house that Repton built
54 Making of Micro Machines
Your guide to Codemasters’ cool racer
62 Same Name,
Diff erent Game: Alien 3
So many versions, so little time…
64 M aking of Star Raiders
An 8-bit blaster that was ahead of its time
76 L et’s All Play:
Rainbow Islands
The forum joins in on the platforming fun
84 The Unconverted
Get in shape with Data East’s Diet Go Go
RETRO REVIVALS
Monty no Doki Doki Daisassou
38
Discover what happens when a cult English game
gets a Japanese makeover
Elevator Action
74
Stuart Hunt looks back at Taito’s platformer and
asks if it still has the appeal it once boasted
They Sold A Million
94
Darran explains why this excellent compilation
from Ocean was worth its weight in gold
In the hot seat this month…
14 ALEX TROWERS 46 RICHARD 86 DAVID CRANE
Starting off life at Bullfrog, HANSON He co-founded Activision
Alex Trowers has been Superior So(cid:30) ware has had an and made some of its
involved in many of its incredible 28-year life and is greatest 2600 games, but
biggest hits, including still going strong today. Its just what do you know
Populous and Theme Park. co-founder Richard Hanson about David Crane? Find
Find out what he thinks of talks to us about those early out his entire background in
the industry now years and its current plans our exclusive new interview
4 | RETRO GAMER
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004-5 RG79 Contents.indd 4 6/7/10 17:29:14
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EESSSSEENNTTIIAALLSS
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Tim Clare
6 RetroRadar 20 BBaacckk TToo
52 Classic 8 Iain Lee TThhee NNiinneettiieess
10 Paul Davies 102 Homebrew
Game
12 Retro Booty 106 Letters
16 Subscriptions 111 Next Month
Tim Clare reveals
why Fox McCloud’s 18 Back To 114 End/Game
excellent 64-bit The Eighties
adventure is still the
RETRO RATED
best game in the
Star Fox franchise
98 Metal Slug XX
99 MultiPong
99 Söldner-X 2:
Final Prototype
68 Centipede
99 Prince Of Persia
Stuart Campbell’s latest defi nitive 99 Pang
is on Atari’s hit coin-op franchise 96 Super Mario 100 Joe Danger
Galaxy 2
97 Virtual Retro
Round-Up
98 Geometry
Wars: Touch
98 Metal Gear Solid:
30 Gamate Peace Walker
98 ModNation
The little-known rival to the Game
Racers
Boy that just couldn’t compete
80 Kikstart Series
Shaun Southern and Andrew Morris Get
discuss their hit motorbike franchise
online
22 DIG DUG II
Unfortunately, the writer of this
month’s profi le forgot to include their
name. We’re still going to include it, now!
though, as it’s really interesting to read
.net
Visit the Retro Gamer
website and upload your
very own classic profi les
www.retrogamer.net
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004-5 RG79 Contents.indd 5 6/7/10 17:29:39
>> GIVE US TWO MINUTES AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE RETRO WORLD
FRIENDS » Joffa was a popular
figure on several
retro forums.
>>
It’s with a
PAY TRIBUTE
heavy heart that
we have to reveal
the passing of
TO TWO
two popular
programmers,
Chris ‘Frank Sidebottom’ Sievey
LEGENDS
and Jonathan ‘Joff a’ Smith.
There’s plenty of news from
E3 as well, but it’s hard to get
I
excited about it now…
t’s been a difficult time for many Spectrum owners
this month with the tragic news that two popular
developers passed away within mere days of
each other. The first upset was the sad loss of
Chris Sievey who, shortly after being diagnosed with
CONTENTS cancer in May 2010, died in his Hale home on 21 June.
A comedian and musician, Chris first found success
in the late Seventies and early Eighties as the lead for
punk band The Freshies, but later took on the persona
of spherical-headed comedian and television presenter
Frank Sidebottom, a character that was first introduced
on a 12-inch single that came free with cult Spectrum hard thing to do, but Joffa was such a kind, helpful person,
game The Biz, which Sievey also programmed. He will be even showing me some of his tricks of the trade, like his
sadly missed. two-channel drum sound routines on the Spectrum, and his
Then, less than a week later, acclaimed Spectrum coder method of drawing the screen using the stack. (I used both
Jonathan ‘Joffa’ Smith died on the 26th due to causes of these techniques in Gutz, my first Special FX game.)
that are currently unknown to us. While very shy of public While working alongside Joffa there was never a dull
attention, Smith was a regular contributor moment. With us all being
to many forums, most notably young, we’d always be
6 FAREWELL TO
World of Spectrum, where he was having a laugh while we
T WeW paOy tr iLbuEte GaftEer NtheD paSssing of two affectionately known as Frobush. » Frawnki tShi dcerebaottotor mCh craist cShieevse uyp.. worked. He made it such
retro gaming legends Popular due to his wacky sense of a great atmosphere, and
humour and his willingness to help although he was the co-
8 IAIN LEE
Everyone’s favourite columnist on games out fellow coders, he was in the founder, it never felt like he
as the downfall of Western civilisation process of creating a brand new was a boss, but more of a
Spectrum game called Saucer. friend. One Saturday, for
9 WAGGLED, NOT STIRRED
Bond may have changed, but will this Smith gained a massive following instance, we were working
from Spectrum fans thanks to a late on our games, just
resurrection of GoldenEye still have the magic?
collection of great original games the two of us in the
10 PAUL DAVIES
and slick arcade conversions, office, and it got to around
T he former editor of C&VG brings back
ranging from Green Beret and dinner time, and he just
memories of playground arguments
Hyper Sports to Firefly and Batman: said: “Fancy a pint?” We
11 N INTENDO WINS E3 The Caped Crusader. He was just went to the Pumphouse
How Nintendo’s showing at E3 was enough
43 when he died. – the pub on the Albert
to bring tears to the eyes of any retro fan
Co-workers and friends share Dock, in Liverpool, where
14 A MOMENT WITH…
memories of these two legends… Special FX was based
ALEX TROWERS
– and we sat in there, and
F resh from helping on Split/Second, Alex looks Jim Bagley chatted about our games,
back on the glory days of Bullfrog
I, like the masses, have always life, pretty much everything, and didn’t
admired and enjoyed the games created by Jonathan get out ’til late, then went back to the office, and fell asleep
‘Joffa Smiff’ Smith. You could always tell a Joffa game, as on our keyboards.
it always had a bit of him in the mix. His sense of humour He was the life and soul of Special FX, which is strange
was second to none, and he always managed to squeeze for someone who was internally such a shy person. He
that into his games to add his personal touch to them. never liked being in photos either; once both Tony Pomfret
I joined Special FX near the end of 1987, when I first met and myself had to grab Joffa by the arms, and keep hold
the legend that was Joffa. With me also being a Spectrum of him while someone else took a photo of him for a mag
coder, not only was I working alongside him, but I was interview. It was an honour and privilege to not only meet
also working in his shadow, which would have been a very and work with Joffa, but to also be a friend of his. I will
6 | RETRO GAMER © Imagine Publishing Ltd
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006-07 RG79 MainNews.indd 6 6/7/10 18:20:14
RETRORAdAR: TwO lEGEnds
give us two minutes and we'll give you the retro world
Chris died with very little money and was facing a
pauper’s funeral. But a Twitter campaign started by
journalist Jon Ronson raised over £21,000 for him in
a few days. I think that shows just how much love
there was for the big-headed singer from Timperley.
Let’s just hope his mum doesn’t find out about the
money, as she will certainly give him what for. You
know she will; she really will. Thank you.
Paul Hughes
When I joined Ocean at the back end of 1987,
Joff was the first person that I spoke to. I’m not
ashamed to admit that I was completely in awe of
him – in the many years to follow he still referred
to me as his biggest fan! Just before he left Ocean
» Joffa’s conversion of Hyper Sports was highly praised. » A star is born as The Biz spawns Frank Sidebottom.
to form Special FX with Paul Finnegan I had the
always remember the things he taught me and next generation of coders have all played those old privilege of sharing a room with him, working on a
appreciate the encouragement he gave me in my games that were the start of games as we know C64 version of a game idea that he had called Newt
early years. RIP Joffa. them today. I often get a strange glare and, ‘Are – a Cobra killer!
you the Dave Collier who wrote those C64 games? The game only had a few weeks development
gary Bracey Awesome, dude,’ so I am sure Joffa got the same before he went off to the Albert Dock – it did
I had the privilege of working with Joffa for several acknowledgment for his game-writing skills. We become a game eventually under the Special FX
years in the mid-late Eighties and in all that time kept those kids off the streets and gave them a new banner: Hyper Active – but in that short time I
I don’t recall ever having a cross word with him. career choice. Affecting others is the sign of a well- got to learn how he worked. It was a fascinating,
Unlike many others, he didn’t write computer games spent life, and Joffa affected us all. darkly funny exercise in how to develop a game
for the glory or the money – he did it because he at breakneck speed – that was one hell of an
loved it. All he wanted to do was develop games Iain Lee education. I learned more in that three weeks about
– a task he performed with extraordinary ability, I was a huge Frank fan and was lucky enough to get the business of writing games than any course, book
both graphically and code-wise. I truly believe to know both Chris and Frank quite well over the or exam – lessons I still pass on to this day.
that in those early days he was without peer, as years. I interviewed Frank several times, appeared The word ‘genius’ is banded out a lot these
his understanding of the games-writing process on his TV show, and did a few gigs with him. days, but my lord, Joff personified it. I’ve never
encompassed the technical and also the creative. In Frank was born as a promotional aid for ZX met anyone since who was just so far ahead of the
short, he was a very unique, talented individual, but Spectrum game The Biz, a band management curve. From his interleaved data/mask sprite plots
a pretty nice guy also. His manner was shy, to the to his self-generating code for pre-shifted block
extent that he was almost uncomfortable in social It’s only recently that scrolling on Cobra, this young lad constantly thought
situations. He was always a little embarrassed by outside the box and left us all slack-jawed.
the attention he received, but he had a wicked sense people tracked him Joff kept himself to himself and didn’t really play
of humour, which was reflected in his games. the fame game – it’s only recently, with the dawn of
I lost touch with him after the early Special FX down and told him how the internet, that people tracked him down and let
years, but he had set the standard that many other him know just how inspirational he was at the start
developers admired and aspired to. He certainly inspirational he was of our fledgling industry. In a bizarre twist he became
left an indelible impression on me, along with most more famous later in life due to the retro resurgence
other people he worked with. Joffa will be missed How tHe internet brougHt fame to Joffa for games he had worked on decades previously.
by not only those who knew him personally, but At least he left us knowing that people truly
also the many thousands whose lives he touched simulator written by Sievey. The game has long appreciated his work and looked up to him as a
with the games he made. Anyone who brings so since been forgotten, but Frank went on to become developer to aspire to. Thanks to the many, many
much pleasure to so many people leaves a void an industry in himself. great games he developed, he has left a legacy
that can never be filled. My thoughts and The last show I did with him was in 2009 at the behind that will ensure that although he’s gone, he
sympathies go to his family and friends at this 100 Club. I was sat backstage with Chris, who will never be forgotten.
sad time. Sleep in peace, Joff. was getting more and more pissed. He was being
charming and borrowed someone’s guitar and » Joffa ported Rush’n Attack to the Spectrum under the title Green Beret.
Dave Collier just sat there, making up songs and being lovely.
I can remember the day Joffa came into Ocean I was slightly worried, though, as to how a drunk
Software to present his game. Jon Woods and Frank Sidebottom was going to go down. I needn’t
Dave Ward were both elated that young Joffa had have been concerned. It was one of the best live
turned up at the door to present his game. “This performances I have ever seen.
guy is the real deal,” may have been Jon’s words. I In front of a disappointing turnout of about 35
do not remember how it worked for Joffa but with people, Frank extended his 20-minute slot and went
most guys in the early days who turned up, if they on for well over an hour. It was an epic performance
showed talent and enthusiasm a job was usually that had everybody in stitches. When he was
placed on the table. Eventually he was working finished, instead of going off and resting, he sat on
in-house as a programmer. I strongly believe the the edge of the stage for another 20 minutes, selling
games we turned out influenced young kids to badges while I did my best to wrap up the evening
become programmers. Many people who are the and send everyone home.
© Imagine Publishing VListidt r etrogamer.net/forum to haVe your say RETRO GAMER | 
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006-07 RG79 MainNews.indd 7 6/7/10 18:20:32
retr columns
Here’s the bio...
Iain Lee has been a fervent gamer since he was tiny. And that was a long time ago. In
between playing computer games and collecting crap from eBay, he has presented
Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show and Rise, and currently does bits of stand-up as
well as presenting the 2 Hour Long Late Night Radio Show on Absolute Radio at 11pm.
>> R ETRO RECOLLECTIONS WITH CELEB IAIN LEE
Hi there, my name’s Iain Lee. You might
remember me from Thumb Bandits, The
11 O’Clock Show and Absolute Radio, but
nnooww II’’mm hheerree ttoo ccoonnffeessss mmyy lloovvee ffoorr rreettrroo
BBBBoooooooozzzzeeee aaaannnndddd VVVViiiioooolllleeeennnncccceeee
I
f you believe what you read in the Daily nunchucks. I don’t know if you’ve ever played with what is actually a pretty f*cked up world that our
Mail then you would think that only a pair of chucks, but they are well dangerous. And parents have dragged us into.
recently have kids discovered binge the nunchuck fights were always cut out of UK Before you say games are worse for our children
drinking and violent videogames. That releases of Bruce Lee films because they were, today because of the realistic graphics and sound,
before the year 2000 young people all played well, so naughty I guess. I’ll stop you. You’re wrong. It’s precisely because
outside safely with sticks and hoops and then While right-wing scaremongers may recoil in the machines were so limited technically that the
rushed home for a nice refreshing glass of horror at the violence portrayed in the Call Of Duty games seemed more violent then. While playing
Crusha. Mmm… wish I hadn’t written that. I’m series, where were they in 1985 when the Rambo Rambo on the Spectrum, I wasn’t aware of the
actually going to have pop out later and buy game burst onto our scenes? You went round terrible graphics and awful colour clash. I was
myself some. shooting the crap out of things. Exactly the same, there, man. I was in Vietnam. Those games relied
The truth is: kids have been boozing and kicking except without the tedious and ‘shoved in just to be so much more on imagination, that I know I was
the crap out of each other, in both the physical and controversial’ airport level. certainly transported to the worlds in which they
the virtual world, for decades. I remember being And Raid Over Moscow was worse than… were set. When someone plays Call Of Duty today,
14 years old and sitting in Upton Park in Slough no, hang on. Raid Over Moscow was just a bad, are they transported? I would suggest not; it’s more
with a group of older lads as they persuaded me overrated game. obvious to them that they’re playing a game.
that it was in fact a good idea to drink a whole The point is: violence has always been a part of Hey, enough of all this cod-psychology. What the
bottle of Thunderbird in one go. It wasn’t. Strange. play. Cowboys and Indians, war, British Bulldog. hell do I know? I have just one more word to say on
Typing ‘Thunderbird’ has not had the same It’s all part of growing up and coming to terms with the subject. Crusha.
euphoric recall that typing ‘Crusha’ did. I think that’s
a good thing. When someone plays COD today, are
And while there certainly are a slew of violent
games out now, we had plenty 20-odd years ago.
Yie-Ar Kung Fu was far more violent than Tekken they transported? I would suggest not
or any other martial arts games you get nowadays.
If I remember correctly, someone had a pair of
8 | RETRO GAMER
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008 RG79 IainLeeNews.indd 8 5/7/10 19:02:58
RETRORADAR: WAGGLED, NOT STIRRED
MICRO BYTES
FORUM
OPINION Snippets of news from the
exciting world of retro
VISIT RETROGAMER.NET/
FORUM TO HAVE YOUR SAY
Are you looking forward
to the new GoldenEye?
No, first-person
shooters have
moved on
– 25%
» R ez returns
YYYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeesssssssss,,,,,,,,, IIIIIIIII lllllllllooooooooovvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeddddddddd If Darran was disappointed with the lack
the original of a new Strider game at E3, Child Of Eden
– 75% certainly made up for it. The spiritual sequel
“Sure it will be good to see how it turns out. to Sega’s awesome Rez – it takes place in
The original is still great to play, but fi rst-person the same setting and features near-identical
shooters have now moved on to a hyper- gameplay mechanics – Child Of Eden not
generic cut-and-paste genre” – nakamura
only has Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi at the
“I have massive doubts and can’t really view
this as anything other than a cash-in, seeing as helm, but is also fully compatible with both
Daniel Craig has been slapped on it. Activision Kinect and Move. No fi rm release date yet,
should buy the LOTR franchise off EA and but we’re betting that it will be a launch title
» [Wii] All the familiar weapons create GollumEye instead” – famicom69
return, along with greatly enhanced for both peripherals.
graphics, controls and AI.
WAGGLED, NOT
STIRRED
SMASH HIT GOLDENEYE TO
BE REBORN FOR NINTENDO
W
ell this came out of been confirmed that all the original for example, if you could use the
nowhere. Activision multiplayer maps are included, boat to get to the fabled island that » C astlemania
used E3 to announce online support will be for up to eight was unlocked with the N64’s Action
While Lords Of Shadow continues to excite
the return of players, and that a variety of control Replay, or if all the cheats from the us, another Castlevania was announced at E3.
GoldenEye, easily one of the options will be available, ranging original game are included. While Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair is an online
greatest console first-person from the usual Wii point-and-shoot it’s true that the controls could do title that, unlike previous games, allows you
shooters ever made, in enhanced method, to being able to use the with being slightly tweaked, the core to see the entire map. It will have multiplayer
form. And boy, are we excited. Classic Controller. Easily the biggest gameplay itself still stands up after and not feature an experience system. While
the visuals appear to be ripped from recent
After Rare’s own Xbox Live Arcade change to the game, though, is the all this time. Expand on the original
handheld titles, online multiplayer greatly
version was cruelly canned at the introduction of Daniel Craig. While objectives or maybe add in a few
excites us. Expect a review next month.
last minute, despite being allegedly some aren’t happy with his inclusion, exciting set pieces – it’s already been
fully completed, it seemed that all it makes perfect sense seeing as he’s confirmed that you’ll be able to drive
hope was lost and that we’d have to the current James Bond. Eurocom is a tank – and the potential for this
resign ourselves to more horrors like also promising that the inclusion of remake is endless.
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. Fortunately, Craig’s Bond will add new dynamics While some will no doubt be upset
it would appear that this is no longer to the game, including more close- that this is coming out on just the
the case, as Activision is promising an quarters combat. Wii and DS, we’d much rather have
exciting new reboot of the hit game. While not a direct update like this than nothing at all. And besides,
Considering the popularity of the Perfect Dark on Xbox Live Arcade, it would be really strange to play
original N64 title and how it’s still we’ve every confidence that Eurocom GoldenEye on anything other than a
fondly spoken of today – it sold will be able to pull this off. Imagine, Nintendo console.
over 8 million units on release – it’s » G et over here!
surprising that it has taken so long
Mortal Kombat fans were treated to a double
for a publisher to revisit the original. delight at E3. In addition to a brand new
The task of creating a game that not game, which looks amazingly gory and right
only appeals to the modern gamer, up our alley, Warner Bros showed off a short
but also has enough in it to feel fi lm entitled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. Created
unmistakably like the original game by Kevin Tancharoen as a pitch for a new
movie, it captures the atmosphere perfectly,
falls to British developer Eurocom.
even if it doesn’t follow the mythology of
While much of the game is still
the games. Check it out at www.youtube.
being kept under wraps, it has com/watch?v=9_MqZn7E-mk
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retr columns
Here’s my bio…
In 1992 I started out on Mean Machines Sega and Nintendo Magazine System. In 1995 I
became editor of CVG. I led the CVG website from 1998 until Christmas 2000, then I left
journalism to be concept design manager at Criterion Games. I returned to journalism in
2002 and from 2005 I’ve been running my own company, Unlikely Hero.
>> PAUL DAVIES GIVES HIS VIEWS ON THE RETRO WORLD
Hello, retro gamers. My name is
Paul Davies.. II uusseedd ttoo bbee tthhee eeddiittoorr
of CVG and have also worked
on a number of classic gaming
magazines over the years
WWhhiicchh vveerrssiioonn iiss bbeetttteerr??
F
eeling inferior was all part of the fun I missed out on the ST and Amiga; they sort FFlliicckkiinngg
back in the day. I enjoyed kidding of arrived during the time I wanted to be Dee bbeettwweeeenn SSpplliinntteerr
myself that the Sega logo on my Snider instead of Jet Set Willy. So I was always CCCCeeeellllllll CCCCoooonnnnvvvviiiiccccttttiiiioooonnnn ooonnn 333666000
Master System pad meant that R-Type one of those guys looking at the US Gold ads and PC; is it different? I’ll keep quiet and stay
and Double Dragon were as good as it gets. on the back of ACE, drooling over ‘arcade protective about the version I currently own. I
There’s a discussion to be had about loading perfect’ screenshots of Capcom coin-ops. This say currently as I like to leave myself the option
times, somewhere along the line. But don’t was stretching the truth, but they looked way of trading in for the forum favourite, in case
worry, it isn’t about to happen this month. better than the alternatives on the ZX Spectrum someone from the Best Version police comes
However, the reason I mention loading times is 128. I guess you could call them art. knocking. “Are you aware that Sam Fisher
because they’ve probably taken more flak than Lots of colours, enormous sprites, parallax boasts fewer textures, Mr Davies?”
has been fair all things considered. I mean, I’m scrolling… one day, when I’m rich. But even There’s not a lot between versions and
sitting here waiting for my PS3 to load after the now, with a 360 and PlayStation 3 at home, conversions these days, whereas attempting
umpteenth update, let alone any of its games. there are still sleepless nights and back-patting Forgotten Worlds on ZX Spectrum was worse
But enough about loading times (for now). conversations to be had about which console is than playing Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture on a
I’d like to share that I’m glad we can all still think running the best version of Super Street Fighter kazoo. But you had the nice box, and the belief
about the best versions of the most important IV Apparently the colours are brighter on PS3, that somewhere in here was the true spirit of
games. It’s the kind of concern that can wake but the 360 has additional self-shadows. Help Forgotten Worlds. Loading times though, eh?
me up at 4am in a cold sweat, while at the same me, God. They’re always contentious.
time unifying me with my underperforming
brothers. I was snobby about my Super NES Are you aware that Sam Fisher
version of SF II, because even though it only
had two elephants and the arcade version had
four, it was cooler than the Mega Drive version. boasts fewer textures, Mr Davies?
Yeah, the MD got Special Champion Edition
first, but Ryu sounded like a Dalek.
10 | RETRO GAMER
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