Spacedeck's Retro Adventures

[Spacedeck 920]

Welcome to my Retro Adventures!

 

I do more retro gaming of late than anything else and over the past week, I've recently got in to playing MAME (Arcade machines for those who are unaware).  As I don't have the room to accommodate loads of different systems or arcade machines, emulation is the only way I can keep retro alive.  I do have an arcade/fight stick which gives playing these games a really nice touch.  Due to the nature of arcades, I can't play everything as some games requires special equipment to play, but I will try play those that can be played on an 8 way stick and buttons.

 

My aim with this thread is to just post games I've recently played, maybe with some screenshots (hidden in spoiler tags to save room) and I'm going to create a spreadsheet to track my High Scores in the games. Maybe when you see the games I'm playing, you might recommend me a game you think I might like, or even remember one of the games I've played. I'm not purely concentrating on arcade machines as their is older systems and even handhelds that still deserve to be played.

 

So I'm going to kick this off with a game I tried this morning: Bucky O'Hare

 

This is a game which I find looks very decent for an arcade game, it supports 4 players and upon death, even if you continue, your score is wiped.  Some of the bosses can be a little tricky but if you die a lot, you get a lot of bombs to use 😂.  You get a good amount of enemies on the screen and the game features different types of levels.  You will be running n gunning through a handful of enemies, on an elevator scene which reminded me of the ones in Streets of Rage and riding and shooting from a vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm now going to move on to a classic.  One which everyone will have played at one point: Frogger

 

Simple gameplay, just get the frog across the hazards and fill up the empty spaces at the top of the screen.  As you progress you will face faster and more traffic, everything seems to start flowing more faster like the logs and turtles you jump on.  There's alligators swimming and these pesky creatures will try block your goal area and on the logs can sometimes contain Spiders.  It's a classic game, which has been released on many different systems and it's an easy to pick up and play game, requiring only the movement of the stick.

 

 

        

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

Loving this Harold! Great idea to get something like this going - I'll even let you off doing it via emulators 🤣

 

Is the original Frogger an endless run?

 

That Bucky O'Hare game looks awesome, actually reminded me of TMNT Turtles in Time. I might see if I can find it on SNES or another old console.

 

Keep it up Harold. You should try Wiz n Liz if that's available.

[Spacedeck 920]

I know it's been a long time to reply, sorry! @GazzaGarratt from what I know, the original Frogger was Endless, featuring the same level that just added in more objects / made the gameplay faster as you progressed.

 

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I didn’t end up doing too much Retro gaming after my initial post, for different reasons. I recently reinstalled W10 for a fresh start, which meant obtaining all these games again.

 

I wanted that retro feel when I play these games, so what better way to do that, than to buy controllers with the same button layout? I present the 8BitDo M30 and N30.  While they contain some additional buttons due to being compatible with the Switch, it was the shape and layout that had drawn me in to purchase these. Due to the layout not really changing much, the N30 will be very good for playing NES (minus SNES) or older handhelds, and the M30 is great for SEGA related systems / handheld.

 

 

So far they are excellent controllers and really help to give that retro feel.

 

I have also purchased a Mayflash GameCube Adapter, meaning I can play GameCube games using an official GameCube controller. This will have to wait as I’m looking to borrow a controller from my brother, hopefully he will drop it off this weekend like he said he would.  For now, this will also be used for any N64 gaming I do until I can afford an Raphnet Adapter that enables Rumble Paks (the only N64 adapter capable of doing so!), but this will be costly for an adaptor and ships from America.

 

The only game I'll get around to showing tonight is one I only recently discovered, and it suits the type of games I tend to enjoy.

 

Fire ‘n Ice (NES)

https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Fire_'n_Ice

 

A puzzle game in which the aim is to use the ice blocks, to put out the fires. You have a wand and have an ability to create ice, but only in the space to your bottom left or right (row beneath where you’re standing), providing there is room to cast. Ice that is created near a wall, sticks to the wall. Sometimes you will create a row of ice, go back and remove the ice attached to the wall, which will then

create a block of ice from the remaining, which will fall to / rest on the nearest surface. You can only move one block at a time though, so completing some of these puzzles I’m finding a little bit tricky.

 

Spoiler

    

 

I'm going to try get some more ready to post tomorrow.

[Spacedeck 920]

A classic game most will have either heard about or atleast played, and more puzzle fun!

 

Comix Zone (SEGA Mega Drive)

https://sega.fandom.com/wiki/Comix_Zone

 

Comix Zone is a classic many of you will be familiar with. As a child growing up, this was one of our most played games. You get thrown into your comic book and fight your way through various pages in which I imagine you need to defeat some bad enemy at the end, I don’t know as I currently haven’t completed this game *embarrassed*. The way you move between pages of the comic and the art style is some of my favourite from this time and I still have trouble with some enemies. If you haven’t played this, I very much would recommend doing so, the game looks great, sounds great and is an enjoyable game overall (albeit it is somewhat short with only 3 episodes!).

 

Spoiler

   

 

 

Shove It! …The Warehouse Game (SEGA Mega Drive)

https://segaretro.org/Shove_It!_...The_Warehouse_Game

 

Released in Japan and US, this is one another puzzle game I enjoy playing. Your job is to organise boxes and place them in designated areas. It starts off fairly easy but it does start to get harder as you progress, some I’m still struggling with. Graphically it’s a little boring, as you are on the same floor with just a different layout, and different number of boxes. It’s a decent puzzle game and does start to offer some tricky situations you need to think your way around. So if you've ever wanted to work in a tricky warehouse designed to make you use your brain, give this a go!

 

Spoiler

   

 

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

These are great updates @Spacedeck , don't ever apologise!

 

Dont feel too embarrassed either about not completing Comix Zone yet as I'm sure I have it too but not started it yet 🙈 However, definitely gonna wipe the dust off it now!

 

 

I've been thinking about grabbing the Retron of late, mainly because my Mega Drive won't play NA or JAP games but I still want the retro feel. Its 100% the right call getting controllers that suit the game era, you don't get to experience the full retro feel using a M&K at all, half the job is working out the controller buttons and combinations.

 

Looking forward to reading some more soon Hazza! 

[Spacedeck 920]

Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition (Game Boy)

https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Pokémon_Yellow:_Special_Pikachu_Edition

 

 

Everyone knows Pokémon, so it needs no introduction. You are tasked with becoming the Pokémon Champion, travelling through varies towns while defeating the Gym leaders, eventually gong on to defeat the Elite 4 and finally the Champion. Shamefully this is the first time I can say I've ever completed the main story of a Pokémon game.  I have some good memories growing up of playing Pokémon Fire Red, getting to the Elite 4 but never getting past that grind to be able to beat them.

 

Spoiler

 

 

With this being Yellow, it contains all the wonderful Pokémon we will have grown up remembering. As a bonus on this special edition, you start your journey off with Pikachu (just like the TV series!), who also doesn't like Poké balls and will follow you on foot throughout your journey.  Some areas can be a pain if you don't have the right type of Pokémon, especially when you first come up against Ghost type Pokémon. You won't have to grind much early on and you will just defeat the Gym leaders as you pass them.  The elite four might require a little bit of grinding, although that too is easy but time consuming.  You can simply just keep fighting the Elite four over and over until you blackout to level up quickly, they provide some juicy exp.  Mostly they use Ice type moves, which is another type that is really annoying to fight against.  So many times I was getting 1 hit KO.  The Elite four was easily taken down with some extra levels, and pretty much only used my main two Pokémon for the entire fights, then the actual Champion fight was laughable.  Hardest of them all was definitely Elite no. 4.

 

Once the game is finished, you can continue to play your save and even go for that full Pokédex if you are so willing!  I will now be moving on to Pokémon Gold or Silver, or maybe even Crystal!

 

So my winning team? 

 

Spoiler

      

 

 

 

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

Love it @Spacedeck , thats awesome to hear you finally now passed Elite 4 years later. Must have felt pretty good to get it done. Which one out of the final team did you enjoy using the most? The Charizard looks like its levelled alot more than others, always makes me think of a T-Rex if it as the equivalent terms in Jurassic Park type games!