Of course this isn’t a perfect reproduction, but it’s still a really good stop motion interpretation of Nintendo’s Donkey Kong IMHO.

I’ve also got my Flash arcade game room up and running too, so be sure to check it out and see if you can get a high score on some of the games.

As the saying goes, I’ll be adding more content to Retro Gaming HQ as time permits. With that being said, the game is never over.

Originally intended to be a first-person shooter for the N64, the project was plagued with controversy, endless delays, and development team changes.

All things considered, it’s surprising that Metroid Prime turned out this good! Not only does Prime capture the distinctive flavor of the series, but you’ll need to search high and low for a more polished video game.

The razor-sharp visuals, fluid frame rate, and intelligently crafted stages are astonishing at times. It’s amazing the level of detail they can squeeze onto one of those tiny GameCube disks.

Mysterious sci-fi music and Alien-inspired corridors make you feel claustrophobic and paranoid. Despite adopting a first-person point-of-view, Metroid Prime’s gameplay remains faithful to the series.

Long-time fans will be giddy as schoolgirls as they behold awesome 3D renditions of bosses they battled in the previous Metroid adventures. Even some stages call to mind the old games, like the timed escape sequence in the very beginning.

A few original elements have been added to spice up the action, including visual devices called “visors” that allow you to scan objects, see in the dark, and even see through walls. You’ll need to morph into a ball to squeeze through narrow openings, and the game wisely switches to a third-person view for this. You check your position by rotating 3D map, which is a lot of fun to manipulate.

Metroid Prime’s clever puzzles are far more thoughtful that the standard pull-the-switch stuff. You can only save your progress at specific locations, but these tend to be well placed.

The controls are somewhat unconventional, and this has been a sticking point for many gamers. There’s no strafe control (unless you’re locked on), and that can be problematic.

Overall quality and playability of Metroid Prime for the GameCube is more than enough to win over any skeptics. if you don’t own a GameCube, you can also play it on the Nintendo Wii.

I completely forgot this ad had music from the synth pop group Yaz. The song is called “Situation” off their 1982 album “Upstairs At Eric’s”.

There was a time when you couldn’t step into a dance club or a roller skating rink without hearing at least part of this song booming over the sound system.

Anyway, back to playing some retro games on my Game Boy Advance SP NES Edition.

Below are a couple screen shots from my work back then getting the basic concept, graphics, characters and layout in place:

A few friends have sent messages asking what software I use to create such fun and colorful video games.

The short answer is the Adobe Flash CS3 creative suite.

When you get the chance, be sure to check out Frogger and see if you can get on the letter board.

I love it when TV shows mix in a little classic gaming with humor. I think Homer Simpson makes a pretty convincing Donkey Kong. What do you think?

However, 30+ years later, everybody I know that owns an Atari 2600 swears up and down that it’s one of the greatest games ever made.

Each of the game’s 27 variations challenges you to out shoot your opponent over a 2 minute, 16 second time period.

The tank variations have loads of options including different maze layouts, guided missiles, bouncing missiles, and even invisible tanks.

The fact that a tank is relocated after taking a hit reduces the opportunity for “piling on” additional cheap shots.

Most people agree that the “tank pong” variations are the best of the bunch, often resulting in wild and unpredictable matches.

The biplane and jet fighter variations are less exciting, but still deserve a look.

When you fly your plane off one side of the screen you appear on the other side, and clouds are also an option.

The three planes vs. one bomber variation isn’t fair though – that big ol’ bomber has no chance.

Combat for the Atari 2600 is an archaic, simplistic game, but after all these years it’s finally getting some respect.

Nowadays we take our fishing games for granted, but back in 1980 Fishing Derby was quite the novel concept.

Two fishermen sit on docks on opposite sides of the screen, and by adjusting your line with the joystick, you attempt to hook one of the many fishes swimming below.

Deeper fish are worth more points but require more effort to reel in. The fire button lets you reel in your fish quickly, and timing is key to avoiding the shark prowling along the surface, ready to snatch up anything in his vicinity.

Fishing Derby’s graphics are very good. The fish look like fish, the shark looks like a shark, and the rednecks look like rednecks.

Overall Fishing Derby doesn’t offer much replay value for the solo player, but it does provide some terrific and sometimes hilarious head-to-head action.

After receiving my copy a few days ago, I personally like how Luigi’s Mansion takes an occult theme and turns it into a light-hearted family affair.

Armed with a flashlight and vacuum cleaner, Luigi’s objective is to find his brother Mario in an expansive haunted house. By shining the flashlight on ghosts at critical moments, Luigi can stun them, making them vulnerable to being vacuumed up.

Reminiscent of Ghostbusters, vacuuming is done by holding the joystick in the opposite direction as the ghost struggles to escape. Sucking up ghosts is fun, and controls have a certain fishing game quality.

Lushly decorated with interactive furniture, each room becomes a little puzzle as you try to determine how its ghost(s) can be drawn out. Eventually you acquire the ability to unleash elements like fire, providing additional possibilities for puzzle solving.

Luigi’s Mansion is an entertaining little game, but there’s a learning curve involved, and aiming your vacuum with the C stick is awkward. Some of the puzzles are tough, and even in the early going some gamers are bound to become stuck.

Even so, there are a lot of little things about the game that will make you smile, like hearing the Super Mario Bros. theme in the music room, or discovering a hidden switch only visible from a mirror on the far wall.

The graphics are good but unspectacular, although there are some slick lighting and fog effects. The clammy brick walls in the basement really caught my eye.

The audio contains a number of catchy tunes in the minor key, and rich digitized sound effects are interspersed with old-school style sound cues.

Luigi’s Mansion tends to be under-appreciated, but GameCube fans and Nintendo Wii owners will definitely want this one in their collection.

There’s a river on the bottom half of the screen with four rows of “ice floes” moving across it. Controlling an Eskimo, you must leap across the floes while avoiding birds and crabs.

Pressing the fire button reverses the direction of the ice floe you’re standing on. Each time you jump on white ice, it turns blue and an igloo block is created on the top of the screen.

Once the igloo is fully constructed, you can enter it to proceed to the next stage. Later stages introduce a polar bear that patrols near the igloo.

Frostbite requires strategy and quick thinking. Like most Activision titles, the graphics, sound, and control are first-rate.

Two skill levels and a two-player mode are included. Give Frostbite a try and you’ll be hooked for sure.