New post coming before the new year. In the meantime and in-between time, play some games!

A few months ago I was asked to become a part of RetrowareTV.com and contribute a bi-weekly column. Since the breadth of my love for the Famicom knows no bounds, I decided to do a Famicom-centric series and try to build up a body of work that perhaps one day will serve to explain my love to Nintendo’s quirky 8-bit machine. Five articles in, and things are going fantastically. John, Lance, Norm and all the guys over at Retroware TV have been nothing but supportive and nurturing in their assistance and guidance.

You may have heard me talk about Retroware TV before, because I have been a fan for a long time. I reviewed their season one DVD when it came out way back in 2008, and again with season 2 in 2009. They have frequently been a part of my old year in review posts (2008, 2009, 2010), so I think is pretty safe to say that I am bit of a super fan. I have number one of both the season 1 & 2 numbered DVDs, and I have the accompanying postcards framed in my game room.

Basically what I am saying is that writing for RetrowareTV.com, actually being a member of the staff there, is pretty fantastic and a high I still have not come down from. So please head over there every second Monday and check out my babbling about obscure Japanese video games? While you’re at it, go everyday and read everyones articles… because the guys RWTV have assembled one of the most talented groups of retro video game writers this side of Telebunny/Gamespite.

Direct Link to my article series: http://retrowaretv.com/category/features/atrticles/famicom-densetsu/

Now down to business  I have  been picking up video games here and there, and as of late I have not been focusing on any particular system. I have just been kind of jumping around and picking up some games that I have been putting off for reason or another. Without further ado…

I picked up this copy of the fantastic little adventure game The Adventures of Willy Beamish for the Sega CD. I got this off of Ebay for a super low BIN, and I was half expecting to not get it. Early Sega CD games were packaged in an over sized cardboard box, and subsequently not many of these boxes have survived, and even fewer in as good of condition as this copy. Its a pretty cool little game, and if you are in that small cross-section of fans where Sega CD fans and adventure fans meet I suggest you pick it up.

True, the version of The Adventures of Batman and Robin you REALLY want to get your hands on is the Super Nintendo version, but I got this for around $15 shipped, which is a pretty great price for this game. True to form of most licensed games from the late 80s and early 90s, the SNES and Sega CD versions are quite different from each other. Where as the SNES version is a tight little brawler, the Sega CD game is a run and gun style game. The game is as regarded for its excellent graphics as it is for its brutal difficulty. The choice of two player co-op softens the difficulty somewhat, but not nearly enough.

Yeah, I know. I can’t believe I didn’t own this either. I got this copy of Super Double Dragon about a month ago and played through it the next next day. All I can say is “meh”. I suppose I may have built it up a bit too much- the prospect of a 16-bit Double Dragon beat’em up, but its not just that. The game just feels kind of clumsy. Maybe another replay will change my mind.

I picked this copy of The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse for like $8 shipped on Ebay, which is a hell of a good price. Its a great little platformer, as you would expect from Capcom, but even with this SNES release you can see some of the magic draining from the super high standards of Capcom’s 8-bit Disney output. Still… a great game.

Now this is one of the best games i have played in a while. Nosferatu is basically a modern day take on the story of Dracula that plays in the style of Prince of Persia. Brutally difficult but also vastly rewarding, Nosferatu is one of the best games for the Super Nintendo, and certainly doesn’t get near the credit or acclaim that it deserves.

Picked up these 2 floppys for King’s Quest II at a thrift store for $0.69. Awesome!

Monday Oct. 15th was the 20th Anniversary of the North American release of Sega’s much hyped Genesis CD add-on, the Sega CD. Due equally to the fact that no one in the gaming media (save for the almighty 1up.com) even bothered to mention this milestone, and that I am a huge fan of Sega’s much criticized CD add-on, I thought I would take some time to pay tribute to the Sega CD and its incredible and varied library of games.

Let me first get this out of the way… the Sega CD is so much more then the vehicle for awful full motion video games. Sure, there are numerous terrible full motion video games (Who Killed Johnny Rock, Fahrenheit 451, Make My Video series), a couple descent/mediocre titles (Sewer Shark, Night Trap, Double Switch, Time Gal), and at least one fantastic game (Mansion of Hidden Souls), but the Sega CD should be remembered for more then its failings. What about the great games? The games that didn’t abuse the novelty of cramming choppy video into a window a quarter the size of the TV screen.

Many developers used the expanded capabilities of the new CD format to increase the on-screen color palette, incorporate a CD-quality score, and even dabble in character voice acting. These advances served to answer many of the primary complaints levelled at the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive), chiefly the murky sound and muddy graphics.

For the time era the SegaCD was released, North America got a surprising number of Japanese games, more of less in their pure Japanese form. Much of this was thanks to localization pioneers, who long before Atlus and Nippon Ichi filled the gap were serving up localizations from Japan done with care and respect. Working Designs was responsible for bring over such games as Lunar: The Silver Star and its much refined sequel Lunar: Eternal Blue, as well as Vay and the near-masterpiece action RPG Popful Mail.

A few bigger Japanese companies took a chance localizing titles that were hits back home, most notable of these was the Konami published, Hideo Kojima master-minded digital comic/adventure game Snatcher. Relatively over looked upon release, with an estimated print run of 10,000 copies (or less, according to some sources), Snatcher has retroactively become a landmark game, after Hideo Kojima’s massively successful Metal Gear Solid series changed the face of gaming. A clever and superbly localized futuristic cyberpunk detective story, many of Kojima cinematic flourishes and grand video game hallmarks are evident in this early work; in fact, the entire final act of Snatcher is an extended 40 minute cutscene.

The SegaCD was the home of what was probably the greatest arcade port in history with Capcom’s brilliant Final Fight CD. A meticulously refined port, Final Fight CD delivers the game that was promised on the SNES, but ultimately failed to deliver. About the only thing missing from the arcade version is the notoriously sleazy outfits of famed street brawling tranny Poison.

The SegaCD also had several fantastic PC adventure game ports, including versions of Sierra Online/Dynamix’s The Adventures of Willy Beamish and Rise of the Dragon. Although plagued by infamously sluggish load times, the SegaCD port of LucasArts’ The Secret of Monkey Island is a worth while alternative to its PC brethren.

The SegaCD had it all; from puzzle games to platformers, from forgettable full motion video turds to truly innovative and daring titles worthy of a second look even today. You can say a lot about Sega’s wonderous CD ROM experiment,  but just make sure its not all bad.

Here we have a Quick Shot NES arcade stick. When I got this thing it was so dirty and neglected that it looked like there was no possible way it could be in working order. A half hour and several ounces of windex later, this thing looks brand new. After clearing some unknown tar-like goo from behind the buttons and joystick, it plays like its brand new as well. I actually really like this arcade stick; it’s responsive and has suction cup feet that ground it perfectly while playing on a flat surface. A fantastic alternative to the NES Advantage.

The next arcade stick I found was one that I have been looking for for a VERY long time. I have managed to get two 3-button SEGA Genesis sticks in the wild, but the 6-button always eluded me. Until now. I have to say that I am slightly disappointed with the 6-button variation however- it just does not have the same build quality as the 3-button stick. None-the-less, I can now play Street Fighter 2: Special Champions Edition the way it was meant to be played (on the console, at least).

I found this at a local secondhand for for $6 and could not pass it up. The cartridge is in absolutely mint, pristine condition, and I actually didn’t have this game for NES. I have had the Famicom version for ages, but I felt Gradius’ historical significance alone merited its inclusion in my NES library- it being the first game to have the now famous Konami code built in. No matter which console you play this game on, it still rules.

My good friend Vince (who is also among the many co-conspirators on the Hold Reset fanzine) brought this back from the land of the rising sun recently. It’s a mini guide book for Final Fantasy VI. These guide books were put out by Square and were multi-part walk throughs. I already had 2 of the 3 from Final Fantasy III for Famicom, so I knew more or less what to expect. These mini-guides are not only incredibly detailed strategy guides, they also serve as art books as well and include tons of beautiful artwork by resident genius and Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano. I wish Square would extend this type of high quality product across the ocean to us once and a while.

More to come later this week, as well as some exciting announcements!

Part of the reason why I have not been around here so much lately is due to my involvement in a new fanzine called Hold Reset. It’s basically a collection of pieces written by different video game enthusiasts about awesome video games.

On October 1st we put out our premier issue (Issue Zero), and the responce thus far has been very positve. We are already hard at work on our second issue, and that is scheduled to be out on Dec. 1st.

I highly encourage you to head over to www.HoldReset.org and check it out for yourself. You can download the PDF for free or pay $6.50 and you’ll get a printed copy mailed out to you, stuffed into the envelope and mailed by yours truly.

Next week we get back to brass tax around here with plenty of pictures of and thoughts on old video games. Have a good weekend!

Thanksgiving, you must understand, therefore places much, much lower on any Canadian child’s holiday list due to the fact that it is: a) not Christmas, and b) closely precedes Halloween. As such, I have very few childhood Thanksgivings that I really remember with any accuracy. They more blend together to make a fuzzy collage of relatives, cabbage rolls and general Turkey soaked happiness. Except for the one Thanksgiving, that is.

It was this weekend 22 years ago that would end up changing my life forever. I know that sounds fairly dramatic, but I certainly wouldn’t be writing this blog, or writing for the half of a dozen other websites and ‘zines I write for if not for that Thanksgiving. I probably would not be nearly as into older video games either, or who knows? Maybe I wouldn’t be into video game at all, although I find that kind of hard to envision.

Consumers Distributing flyer circa 1991

What I do know, is that my dad took me into the garage (where he had stashed the game after purchasing it at Consumers Distributing the day before) and presented me with the object of my obsession. I vividly remember opening the yellow plastic bag and staring at the shield-shaped piece of gold cartridge peeking at me through the die-cut box. I swear, up to that point it was the single most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I spent the remainder of that Thanksgiving Sunday in my basement, doing my best to power down Turkey and cabbage rolls, battling octoroks and avoiding relatives.

Over the next three weeks I played Zelda at every conceivable opportunity. With only the map and precious few hints included in the packaging of the game to guide me, and whatever issues of Nintendo Power I had laying around or could borrow from friends, I still managed to make it to the end of level 9 and defeat Ganon. I remember this so precisely because not only was “wrapping” (my neighbourhood-specific vernacular for beating a game) Zelda no small feat, but I also managed to do it on Halloween night after I got back from trick-or-treating, to the amazement of several of the neighbourhood kids in attendance.

Playing Zelda was a huge turning point in video gaming for me personally. Up until I played Zelda video games were one of my favorite pass times for sure, but they were always somewhat hollow experiences. They didn’t really stick with you when you put down the controller, not like Zelda did. I mean, the game saved! There was a piece of me left inside the cart, that was just waiting for me to come back to it. The year after I got Zelda I got my hands on a brand new game called Final Fantasy, and after that my world completely opened up. Video games became something all encompassing and totally engrossing; for me they became more than an amusement you popped quarters into at the corner store. This continued exponentially, culminating at the point where I now spend a large percentage of my spare time playing, and writing about video games- and for that, I will always be thankful.

Zelda map taken from ZeldaUniverse.net

Fear not, Video Games Are Rad is still very much alive. As is the usual routine, I took most of August and September off.

I have been adding to the collection at a steady rate and have a bunch of awesome things to talk about, but not quite yet. Things should switch back into full gear within the next week or so, so keep checking back!

I have never really done any contests on this site… until now! How would you like to have a like new, complete, minty fresh copy of Mega Man Legends 2 for the PlayStation? That’s what I am offering up as a prize.

Of course, there is a catch. My wife, Kira, is in a modelling contest for a really cool retro/punk/pinup/rockabilly clothing store called Retrovise. The preliminary round is being decided by Facebook likes on the models pictures. All you have to do to get entered in the draw is “like” the picture. That’s it. Every time I see a new like starting when this is posted I will keep track of the names. At the end of the contest, all the names get thrown into a hat and I will post a video of Kira drawing the winner.

Not surveys, no link jumping, no bullshit. Just “like” the picture at the link below. That’s it.

If and when she gets over 200 likes, the Mega Man Legends 2 will be given away. If the likes go above 250 I will also include a loose copy of Rock Man 5 for the Famicom, a pirate copy of Mega Man “7” for the Famicom, as well as a loose copy of the original Mega Man Legends for PlayStation. The higher the “likes” go, the more awesome stuff I add to the prize jackpot, and winner takes all.

Spread the word, re-post, twitter away, tell your friends! Remember, no prize unless the “likes” get over 200, and the more “likes” Kira’s picture gets, the more awesome the prize becomes.

Like the Picture here: Like Kira’s picture!

Speaking of horror, the game I have chosen for my bad game review is Friday the 13th for the Nintendo Entertainment System. A terrible game, but…

Here’s the thing. I really want to love Friday the 13th for Nintendo. I love the movies, I love character, I love the mythos, and I would love to love the game.

Embarrassing reveal time: I actually do like the game. A lot. But dammit I want to love it!

Do not misunderstand me here, I am not saying that Friday the 13th is a hidden gem, or a diamond in the rough, or even that it is misunderstood, because it is most assuredly a bad game. The music is annoying, the graphics are bland and uninspired, and the gameplay is frustrating, repetitive and unfocused.

What I am proposing here, is that with a few tweaks Friday the 13th could be the game I always wanted it to be; a game that lives up to the awesome opening animation of the knife stabbing the eye socket of that iconic hockey mask.

In the off-chance you are in the dark regarding the video game adaptation of Friday the 13th and its, uh, subtleties, I will get you up to speed.

In Friday the 13th you play as one of several camp councillors at Camp Crystal Lake. Jason Voorhees is on the loose, and it’s your job to try and stop him. Once and for all, might I add. You accomplish this by wondering around Camp Crystal Lake, fighting zombies(?) and birds(??), in order to gain health regenerative items and upgrade your weapon. You must also light fireplaces in the cabins scattered around the campground and come to the aid of fellow councillors when Jason starts stalking in for the kill.

In an inspired bit of game design, the councillors each have their own attributes, which amount to differences in character speed, and jumping height and distance. This may seem minor, but hell help you if you get Mark and Chrissy killed and you are stuck with Debbie or George. Keeping the best councillors alive is paramount, and this adds a nice element of strategy to the game. You can also transfer items between councillors, and switch between them at will.

As mentioned earlier, when Jason begins threatening a fellow councillor, their corresponding cabin begins to flash (and beep) and you have a finite amount of time to get to the cabin. If you enter the cabin before the timer runs out, your fellow councillor lives to see another day. Further exploration of the cabin (in a dumb first person mode, but we’ll get to that later) will trigger an encounter with Jason himself, and a battle will ensue, again in first person perspective.

Wasting time in reaching the cabins during a Jason attack also consumes “children”, and when all the children or councillors die, it’s game over. A game over isn’t all bad, mainly because it brings up my favourite game over screen in video game history:

The whole point of the game basically amounts to whittling down Jason over a period of three nights and three days through a series of encounters, repeating the same cycle of powering up and saving councillors. Although some-what limited in scope, Friday the 13th does none-the-less add a few interesting twists that elevate the game above what it could’ve been. For instance, Friday the 13th boasts an early example of an in-game day and night cycle, with different game events (such as certain enemies appearing, or item availability) occurring only on specific days or at specific times of day.

In addition to keeping the campers and your friends alive, you must effectively use time management from one day to the next, and survive an onslaught of common enemies and the periodic Jason attacks (both in the side scrolling over world sections and the first person cabin battles). You can also explore the woods, which is nearly impossible without a map (again, we’ll get too that later) or the cave (ditto for a map). In these two areas you can find the best weapons in the game early, if you are willing to try your hand at navigating through them. In fact, you can even fight Mrs. Voorhees’ severed head, if you make if to the end of the cave (on the third day) without going insane from frustration.

This all sounds like it adds up to pretty descent, maybe even a great video game. Unfortunately for us, laziness and bad game design ultimately tank the whole endeavour.

For one, the over world map is poorly implemented. In the game, Camp Crystal Lake is essentially arranged in a circle, with an inner circle area and pathways connecting it all together. The problem with this is, is that on the actually gameplay screen left and right are absolute, so if you travel from the bottom of the game map to the top. you end up moving toward the opposite direction as your map icon. It is kind of hard to describe without actually experiencing it, but trust me when I say it is borderline game breaking, especially when you absolutely have to rely on the map to locate the cabins Jason is attacking. You can spend half of the countdown timer heading in the wrong direction without realizing it.

Another terribly implemented feature is the first person exploration of the cabins. It is confusing moving through the cabins, because you can easily get lost and have trouble finding the door to get out. All the developers would have had to have done was provide a small map or compass in one corner of the screen to make navigation easier. Granted, the cabins consist of only a few rooms, so this is not a big issue, but it does hint at the underlying sloppiness inherent in the rest of the games design.

Probably the thing that hurts the game the most is the trying to navigate through the forest and the cave. These are side scrolling sections, and there are points where you can either move off the main paths by taking paths going up or down. The problem is that the design of these areas are completely counterintuitive, meaning if you were to go up and then decided that you wanted to go back to the previous screen, you would logically think that going back through the bottom exit would take you back to the previous screen. it does not. Since all the screens look nearly identical with no landmarks, do this once or twice and you become hopelessly lost. Even with a map, the cave and forest are very difficult to navigate. All though they are optional, this really cuts out what could have been a really neat side-quest of sorts. Bad game design basically makes these optional areas too hard to bother with, which hurts the overall experience.

If those three unfortunate design flaws were changed, the game might even be considered halfway decent. But tack onto that the boring music, ugly graphics, predictable enemies, scarce enemy variety, and unclear objectives and the game ends up falling too far short of even mediocrity.

Regardless of it’s shortcoming and gaping flaws, I actually pull this game out a couple times a year and play through it… wistfully wondering what could have been.