Blasting Your Way Outta the Arcade!

"YOU BETTER GET LUCKY OR YOU'RE GOING TOO BE DEAD!"

Great words from a drunkard of an undertaker. Stemming from my last little write up on the light guns themselves, I though I would take the time to showcase some of the best light gun games. Focusing our attention on the arcades, because let's face it, the arcades ruled back in the 80's and 90's!

Here's another short list of major light gun games released in the arcades. Man o' man did I play a lot of these games in my day. So much fun too! I remember as a kid being scared of the undertaker in Mad Dog McCree when I died. Fun times!

1987: Operation Wolf (Taito)
1990: Mad Dog McCree (American Laser Games), Space Gun (Taito)
1991: T2 The Arcade Game (Midway) all the major actors reprise their roles for the game
1992: Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold (American Laser Games), Lethal Enforcers (Konami)
1994: Virtua Cop (Sega), Point Blank (Namco), Lethal Enforcers 2 (Konami)
1995: Virtua Cop 2 (Sega), Time Crisis (Namco), Area 51 (Atari)
1997: House of the Dead (Sega), Time Crisis 2 (Namco), Maximum Force (Atari)
1998: CarnEvil (Midway), House of the Dead 2 (Sega)
1999: Silent Scope (Konami) 
2002: House of the Dead 3 (Sega)
2003: Virtua Cop 3 (Sega), TIme Crisis 3 (Namco)
2006: Time Crisis 4 (Namco)

So how many have you played? What's your favorite light gun arcade game? All the ones mentioned above I played them all. Its a safe bet that time and time again I would go back and play Virtua Cop, and Time Crisis. I played these games so much with my friends and even my step dad! Being that he is a retired officer he loved Virtua Cop! That was a really good time. Ha, Ha!

Until Mario gets his own light gun game!
In the meantime, in between time,

-Will ^>^

A History of (Light) Gun Violence...

CLICK, CLICK, BANG, BANG!

While nowhere near a full comprehensive list, this does include the major releases on the time line. My love for the light guns first started (much like most of you) at the carnivals. 

Playing a shooting game on a range hitting ducks, stars, and other objects. Being a kid and holding that weapon was pretty darn cool! Did your favourite make the time line?

The SNES Super Scope!

Will's A Brief History of the Light Gun

1930's:The genre is created
1936: Seeburg Ray-O-Lite (first light gun game)
1966: Periscope (Sega) the first quarter operated game
1969: Missile (Sega)
1970: Beam Gun (Nintendo)
1972: Killer Shark (Sega), Shooting Gallery (Magnavox Odyssey) first console based light gun
1973: Laser Clay Shooting System (Nintendo)
1974: Wild Gunman (Nintendo)
1975: Bullet Mark, Balloon Gun (Sega)
1984: Nes Zapper (Nintendo)
1986: Light Phaser (Sega)
1987: Magnum Light Phaser (ZX Spectrum), XG-1 (Atari)
1990: Laser Scope (Konami)
1992: Super Scope (Nintendo)
1993: Justifier (Konami)
1994: Menacer (Sega)
1997: GunCon (Namco)
2001: GunCon 2 (Namco)
2003: GunCon 3 (Namco)
2007: Wii Zapper (Nintendo)

Namco GunCon 1

Sega Master System's Light Phaser

The Wii console really saw a resurgence of the light gun games in particular. Thanks to the Wii's motion controls a new generation of kids got to delve into this spectacular genre. Games like Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, House of the Dead 2/3, House of the Dead Overkill, Sin and Punishment as well as many, many others.

Until Sega creates a new Periscope arcade game,
In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

Essential: Genesis Games

"YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ONE?!"

I find that most of the great games on the Sega Mega Genesis Drive can be had for quite cheap. Everyone knows about the Sonic games and the great sports games. But what else? Common titles are great but what of the uncommon titles? Is there anything else the Genesis does better than the Turbo Grafx-16, and Snes?

The obvious answer humanoid is, of course! But first, a list compiling the great common games EVERY Sega Genesis and Mega Drive player can't go without!

Will's Essential Genesis Common Titles List!

• Sonic the Hedgehog 1,2,3 (The holy trinity of Genesis games)
• Sonic and Knuckles (Probably the best Sonic game)
• Sonic Spinball (Tough as nails pinball game. Oddly fun though)
• Sonic 3D Blast (You can see smoke coming from the system as you play this game. Solid 3D helping of Sonic!)
• Altered Beast (Tame beat 'em up. But still great fun!)
• Golden Axe 1 and 2 (The two kings of fantasy beat 'em ups)
• Columns (Dare I say the second greatest puzzle game of all time?)
• Lion King (Phenomenal graphics and sound)
• Aladdin (Tommy Talarico did wonders on the music. The graphics are even better than the Snes!)
• Mortal Kombat 1,2,3 (All bloody. All great)
• Street Fighter 2 Special Champion Edition (Phew!)
• Streets of Rage 1 and 2 (The king of all beat 'em ups on the system!)
• Outrun (Best racing game. Multiple paths, multiple endings. Outstanding music)
• Phantasy Star 2,3,4 (Look no further for your RPG needs)
• Ghouls and Ghosts (One of the toughest action/platformer games)
• Shinobi 2, 3 (Great ninja action. Excellent in both sound and graphics)
• Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine (Nice little puzzle game)

One of the best commons!

That right there nets you some of the best in almost every basic category of video game. From racing, Rpg's, action, puzzle, beat 'em up, and platformer. So what else? What else is essential when you get past the common titles? Well, here's another handy dandy list of great uncommon titles that shouldn't cost you more than 30 bucks.

Will's Awesome List of Uncommon Genesis  Titles!

• Forgotten Worlds (2 Player shmup)
• Comix Zone (Fantastic comic book style beat 'em up)
• Castlevania Bloodlines (One of the best action platformers)
• Battletoads (A port of the Nes terror. Although this one the 2 players bugs are fixed, and the difficulty is decreased)
• Contra Hard Corps (THE hardest Contra game. 2 Player run and gun goodness)
• Castle of Illusion (Disney platformer starring Mickey Mouse)
• Quackshot (Another great Disney platformer starring Donald Duck)
• Rolling Thunder 2, 3 (both games are underrated run and gun games. 2 players too!)
• General Chaos (Old school Real Time Strategy game, 4 player support!)
• Gunstar Heroes (Could very well be better than Contra Hard Corps. Phenomenal 2 player game)
• Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage (Single player beat 'em up)
• Lightening Force (Fantastic music in this sweet shmup)
• Gaiares (Probably the hardest shmup on the Genny)
• Thunder Force 2 (excellent shmup. Very underrated)
• M.U.S.H.A. (most folks say this is THE shmup on the Genesis)
• Rocket Knight Adventures (Another excellent action/platform game by Konami)
• WWF Raw and Royal Rumble (Both are great multiplayer wrestling games)
• Gauntlet IV (What more can be said. Its gauntlet. And it supports 4 players!)
• Dynamite Heady (tough and under appreciated) 
• Shinning Force 1,2 (Some more wonderful Strategy/RPG's)
• TMNT Hyperstone Heist (Overlooked beat 'em up)

A Staple in any Genesis owners library!

Another thing that is a MUST on the Genesis is a 6 Button Pad. Grab two of these and just forget the 3 button controller. Trust me on this one. You'll thank me when you and your buddy are playing tons of Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat! 

A Must for Genesis Owners

If you're into light gun games than buy both the Sega Menacer and the Konami Justifier. But, a big heads up people, the light gun games aren't as relevant as the 8-Bit era. Just so you know. ;)

• Body Count 
• Menacer 6 game cart (comes with the Menacer obviously)
• T-2 The Arcade Game
• Lethal Enforcers
• Lethal Enforcers II: Gunfighters

 Say hello to the Justifier!

Make my day punk!

Unlike the Snes, the Genesis is still rather inexpensive to get into. Most of the triple-A quality titles can be had at low prices. The uncommon games are truly great and very affordable too. So get cracking! SEGA!

Until Sonic gets a job delivering pizzas,

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

Tough Genesis Games!

Can you handle it?

The pressure as you near the end of the level. The boss appears, your low on lives and health. Then BAM! You take a big hit and go down for the count! As far as I can remember video games have always been the most fun to me when I get nervous near the end of the game. Can I squeak out a win? Did I find enough ammo, or will I use the right weapon? What will the boss' pattern be?

As far as Nes games, there's a pretty hard list of what are some of the most difficult and challenging games (Ikari Warriors, Solomon's Key, Ninja Gaiden, Battletoads, Double Dragon III, Ghosts N' Goblins). But one thing I just don't hear enough of is what are the true difficult games on the Sega Mega Genesis Drive?

I've been searching around the internet for clues and answers to my question. And I will impart my own view on some games as well. (I do have experience in quite a number of Genesis titles humanoids!). So, in no real particular order, I give you The Hardest Games on the Sega Genesis!

WILL'S NOT SO COMPREHENSIVE HARDEST GENESIS GAMES LIST

• Comix Zone (One of the toughest Beat 'em ups. One of the coolest too)
• Chakan (An incredibly tough action platformer. Potions are your key to victory)
• Contra Hard Corps (Arguably the toughest in the series. And that's saying something)
• Dynamite Heady (A tricky action platformer, with brutal enemy placement)
• Herzog Zwei (Mashing both shumup and Real time strategy this game is very unforgiving)
• Hellfire (shmup with no remorse)
• Castlevania Bloodlines (On the hardest difficulty this platfomer will have you wishing you were dead)
• Adventures of Batman and Robin (Action platformer based off the 90's cartoon. Takes balls of steel to beat this one)
• Gaiares (One of, if not the toughest shmup on the genesis)

 You will literally eat your heart out

You'll piss tears

My searches across the internet have culminated in this list above. And while it is NOT a definitive list (your skills as a video game player vary greatly from another) it is a general consensus among gamers. You can also throw in Battletoads, Sonic Spinball, even Rocket Knight Adventures is pretty tough! There's a wide assortment of torture for anybody who loves a tough game.

Hello! Do you come with the space ship?

Until Chakan opens up a potion shop,

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

Plus/Minus: (Strider) Genesis

Ever wanted to feel like you're playing a ninja? Then meet your new best friend. Strider is one hell of a great action/platform game! You control Stider Hiryu, and you're out to assassinate an evil dictator. One of the early ports of the arcade game. Unlike the Nes version which is based off the manga, the Genesis version retains the magic of the arcade classic.

And that's a good thing! You run, leap, use your ninja blade named Cipher to dispense justice. You can also cling to walls and ceilings, collect various power-ups, and lets not forget his ultra cool slide move. Seriously love that move!

I can't really find any flaws to this game. If anything, the game is a tough one to newcomers. You'll be dying a a lot getting used to how the ninja handles and learning the enemy patterns. But after that, its all golden. Actually, the only other flaw to the game is the story. There's not much of one. Just kill this evil dude and that's about it. Unto the Plus/Minus!

Genre: Action/Platform
Players: One

Story: -1
Controls: +1
Music: +1
Graphics: +1
Fun: +1

Overall: 3 (Great!)



If you love side-scrolling action games you own it to yourself to find a copy of this game. It was tight controls, its challenging (but not impossible), great music, awesome graphics, and its a total blast to play! Humanoids, you should be able to pick this one up boxed and complete for under 20 bucks.

Mecha Donkey Kong?!

Until Strider starts buttering his bread with his Cipher blade,
In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

What are your goals?

"You got to have goals!"

I was told this many times by teachers, mentors, brothers, as well as friends. Admittedly, I was never one to set goals. Least of all write them down. But one night as I lay in bed thinking about my video game collection (yes I'm THAT nerdy), I wondered: "What the hell am I striving for?!"

What are your goals? Not just in video game collecting but in life? I know that one of my life goals is to become a black belt in any type of martial art. I'm just four belts away from that one in Combat Hapkido (a self defence art humanoids).

Our Insignia, 4 belts to go!

As far as collecting... I dunno. I have a few things in mind. Here they are in complete nonsensical order too:

Will's Video Game Collection Goals:

• Own 1 arcade cab (cocktail, or two player cab only)
• Mighty Final Fight (nes)
• TMNT Tournament Fighters (nes)
• Peace Keepers (snes) excellent beat 'em up that no one talks about
• Battletoads (genesis)
• Own a model 1 Sega CD
• Musha (genesis)
• Saturday Night Slam Masters (genesis)
• Kid Icarus (nes)
• Phelios (genesis)
• Batman (genesis)
• Acquire more Sega Master System games!
• Get rid of my N64 with all games, Gamecube, Wii, DS, and Atari games

Yummy Master System games...

 

That last one is a biggie. I want to purge some of my collection so I can just focus on what I like. Get rid of the DS as I own and love the 3DS. Trash the N64 and Gamecube stuff (don't get me wrong, I love those systems, but I don't play them near enough). And finally rid myself of the 2600 collection. Don't play them, don't have a system either.

I find that writing down your goals is the key. Yes, yes, I finally understand. With a physical or digital copy you can remind yourself where you want to be in any aspect of your life. Its a good thing to have. So... WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?!

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

Plus/Minus: (Batman Returns) Genesis

Right off the bat folks I want to tell you that this game was one of the first Sega Genesis games I've ever played. I was at my Dad's place and his new girlfriend and son had just moved in. Well to break the proverbial ice we both liked video games. Needless to say when I saw Genesis I was flipping out.

He popped in Batman Returns and showed me the game. I remember playing and found the controls were a bit counter-intuitive. And for some odd reason I didn't like that you could look up and down ahead of the screen. Just a nitpick I swear!

But the sound, music, and graphics were like nothing I'd ever heard or seen before. The opening chilling theme as The Penguin sends Miss Gotham to her death...geez. Still gets me. All in all, a tough game, with great sound, and graphics. While the controls take some getting used to, it is a spectacular game. Anyways, on to the plus/minus!

Genre: Action/Platform
Players: One

Story: +1
Controls: -1
Music: +1
Graphics: +1
Fun: +1

Overall: 3 (Great!)

 Watch out Miss Gotham!

"Chicks dig the car..."

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: Plus/Minus: (Last Battle) Genesis

The Game Over Club: Plus/Minus: (Last Battle) Genesis: One of the earliest releases on the Mega Sega Genesis Drive, you play as Arrzak....oh hell, the game is actually called Fist of the North St...

Plus/Minus: (Last Battle) Genesis

One of the earliest releases on the Mega Sega Genesis Drive, you play as Arrzak....oh hell, the game is actually called Fist of the North Star! That's the way it was released in Japan and the assholes in America had to fuck around with the names, places and what-have-you. 

You play as Kenshiro (or Ken, why didn't they use Ken? WHY the fuck is it AAARZAKK?) and you're out in a nuclear wasteland/post apocalyptic world trying to rescue your main squeeze. Got that? So let's get to the Plus/Minus of this review. Every game starts at 0 (Zero), the score goes up or down depending on its strengths or weakness. At the end of the review if the game has a positive score then its a good game! A negative score indicates....you guessed it! A terrible game. A game that gets a 0 is a mediocre game.

Genre: Beat 'em Up
Players: One

Story: -1
Controls: +1
Music: -1
Graphics: +1
Fun: /

Overall: 0 (mediocre)


Hukuto No Ken aka Last Battle is a decent but brutally hard game. Akin to Double Dragon III on the Nes, you only have one life to live. So you better make it count!

Japan rules

The controls are nice and simple, you have a punch/kick/jump layout. You have a rapid fire punch and a double crane kick in the air. As well as other moves. You can also increase your power and health as well so that's nice. One little complaint though, Ken walks way to slow. Must be all those steroids.

 Excellent!

Brutal!

The music is basically non-existent and the sound effects aren't good either. Match that up with a terrible story with absurd names and you have a recipe for disaster. 

The graphics however are really nice. They still hold up well today. Love the big sprites, the parallax scrolling, and the design of the enemies themselves. I also like the fact you can pick your destination on the level map. Overall a decent game that you'll have fun for an hour or so.

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: 5 Word Review: (Dirty Harry) NES

The Game Over Club: 5 Word Review: (Dirty Harry) NES: Dirty Harry: The War on Drugs Grey Matter, Mindscape /1990 Genre: Platform Players: 1 player Game Play: 1 Graphics: 1.5 Music: ...

5 Word Review: (Dirty Harry) NES

Dirty Harry: The War on Drugs
Grey Matter, Mindscape /1990

Genre: Platform

Players: 1 player

Game Play: 1
Graphics: 1.5
Music: 1.5
Difficulty: 3
Fun: 1

My five word review:
Please don't make his day!
8 out of a possible 25

Wow, pass on this game! Mindscape and Grey Matter did a horrendous job on what could have been an awesome game. Dirty Harry is a clunky piece of fecal. The controls are bad (interacting with people by jumping up and down? What the hell?!) and the fact your health isn't even displayed on the screen makes things worse.

The graphics are really terrible. No effort in any great detail at all. The colours are dead and just drab. No life, nothing instilled into this game to make it pop or stand out. Ugh! The ONLY good thing that came out of this game was the title screen. You get a nice display of Harry Callahan himself saying "Go ahead punk, make my day!" in a really wonderful voice synthesiser. Sad eh? Usually I hate bashing games. But the only redeeming part of this game is that screen. After that, just turn off your NES because you just saw the highlight of Dirty Harry.

Sadly, the best part of this game

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: The Boy Inside the Man

The Game Over Club: The Boy Inside the Man: "When will you grow up?!" Never! Well, not in the way that you think. When people give me "that look" when you tell th...

The Boy Inside the Man

"When will you grow up?!"

Never! Well, not in the way that you think. When people give me "that look" when you tell them you're a retro gamer, I can't help but brace myself in a defensive stance. Come on, I can take it. This thing called NES, that's my lifeblood man. No one will tell me to stop collecting. Not even the Pope or Katy Perry combined! Never!

I wonder if she likes retro games.

As far as I could remember as a kid I always wanted a big library of Nintendo games (that's NES for you kiddies, back in my day when you said 'Nintendo' that meant NES) at my disposal. I'm nearing the 200 mark so far and I've been collecting (the hard way mind you) since I received my toaster back in 1990. 

I get all giddy like a girl going to her first dance when I see a new game I never played before. As a kid I would scour local flee markets and yard sales hoping someone would have more than a Mario/Duck Hunt cart. That kid still lurks in me everyday I'm out and about looking for games. 

Seeing this at yard sales was a good indication of other games...

Sometimes I just sit back and think what my 8 year old self would think of my collection of almost 200 games. Little Will would have freaked out! I'm sure of it. Ha, ha, ha!  Hell my little self wouldn't know which game to give a go! Well, not Ikari Warriors, that game sucks ass.

Yup, 8 year old me would still hate this game

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: Balls of Steel

The Game Over Club: Balls of Steel: Pinball that is! And to be more specific, video pinball. The Nes has quite a number of them. Sure some have wonky controls. Some don't...

Balls of Steel

Pinball that is!

And to be more specific, video pinball. The Nes has quite a number of them. Sure some have wonky controls. Some don't even has great ball physics, but most of them are pretty damn good! So let's get rolling (*snicker*).

The Nes features about 6 pinball titles, some are better than others of course. But I'll rank them out of the kindness of my heart. Aren't you lucky? ^>^

1. Pin*Bot
2. High Speed
3. Rollerball
4. Pinball Quest
5. Rock N' Ball
6. Pinball

Yeah the worst of the bunch is definitely the black box title Pinball. The physics, and sounds are just not that great. Plus you only get one table and nothing really much to do on it aside from the little bonus area with Mario and Paula.

Rock N' Ball is a different bird. The single player table is just about as boring as Pinball. But the multiplayer battle ball table is really neat! This one is worth a look as it sports tournament style pinball, as well as a bunch of wacky sports themed tables.

Pinball Quest is the weirdest of the group. It offers 3 standard tables, one which is Pop! Pop! Which looks the best and sounds nice too. But the main attraction though is the Quest Mode! You play as a pinball out to save your kingdom in full RPG/Action glory! You can buy, sell, and even steal new bumpers and flippers too! Check this one out.

Rollerball by Hal is a very long table. And I do mean LONG. You can tilt the table, the physics are pretty good too. And you have plenty to aim at and do in this game. Another good title.

High Speed is based off an actual pinball machine of the same name. You get some digitized voice work, a few bonus games, tilt function as well as a pretty nice lively table. All in all a very good and fast pinball game.

If you can only get one pinball game on your Nintendo Entertainment System, get Pin*Bot. You get voice work, a nice compact table that's very colourful, has multiball, multiplayer, tilt function, and has plenty of targets and goals for you to complete to get to the Sun. Yes, you're shooting for the Sun people! Grab this one.

Either way you choose, all the pinball games mentioned above are super. While others may be more exciting, more flashy, with more going on, you won't go wrong with any one. 

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: Breaking the Code

The Game Over Club: Breaking the Code: "You damn cheater!!" That's what my older brother Derek would yell at me when he saw the Game Genie sticking out of our NES....

Breaking the Code

"You damn cheater!!"

That's what my older brother Derek would yell at me when he saw the Game Genie sticking out of our NES. But I was just a kid. I didn't know any better. Some of those games I used to play like Contra and Double Dragon III were really hard!

A big staple in my childhood

Sometimes I needed a little extra help. That's where cheat codes from magazines like Nintendo Power and Game Pro came in handy. Hell, sometimes I would just buy the mag for the cheats! I know a lot of you did the same too. Admit it!

Love the tips and cheats in those old mags

Over time though I started thinking to myself, is it really cheating if you use a code the developers left in? Think about that. They intentionally left in a code that would allow them to play and test certain levels or mechanics in the game without going through the whole thing. 

Is it OUR fault they left those codes in? No. So if I use the Konami code in Gradius to get full weapons is it cheating? I don't think so. Now, take for example the same game, but giving yourself unlimited lives via the Game Genie. Is that cheating? Yes. Why? Because your telling the game something it wasn't ever meant to do.

You're breaking and bending the rules of the game by using an Action Code Replay, or Genie. The developers never had a code in Super Mario Bros. to let you maxi-moon jump into the stratusphere. But they DID leave in a continue code.

I don't know, I'm just sick of people (especially when I was younger) telling me to stop using codes in mags as it was cheating. No way. Using a device, different story. Where do you lie on this matter?

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^

The Game Over Club: 5 Word Review (Tiger Heli) Nes

The Game Over Club: 5 Word Review (Tiger Heli) Nes: MAYDAY! MAYDAY! THE GAME IS GETTING CLOSER! Tiger Heli on your Nes is a vertical shooter by Taito and published by Acclaim. My quick fiv...

5 Word Review (Tiger Heli) Nes

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! THE GAME IS GETTING CLOSER! Tiger Heli on your Nes is a vertical shooter by Taito and published by Acclaim. My quick five word review on it:

This Tiger needs
sharper claws.

Genre: Shmup

Players: 1 or 2 players alternate

Game Play: 2
Graphics: 2
Music: 2
Difficulty: 3
Fun: 2

11 out of a possible 25

I wanted to like Tiger-Heli. Really, I did. But somehow, someway, Taito and Acclaim dropped a big tiger shitload. And all the people standing there looking up at the Helicopter got sprayed in a shit storm of filth.

This tiger is about as useful as an elephant strapped to your junk. Yeah, they give you a gun and some bombs, but that elephant slows you down. And that's what it feels like in game. Your opponent's shots are much faster than you can maneuver.

The graphics are boring and dated even when it came out back in the day. The music makes you drowsy and while I liked that you got little sidekick helicopters as power-ups, it just doesn't make up for it.

Tiger snore!

Some Japanese arcade flyers for your enjoyment!

Stay clear of this tiger bomb.

In the meantime, in between time!

-Will ^>^