Issue 92 Feedback Thread

[Szczepaniak]

RE: the Ninja Gaiden piece, very nice, especially getting interview input.

Though I'm going to go out in a limb and say my favourite version of Ninja Gaiden was the Sega Master System edition, which was different to both the arcade, PCE, Lynx and NES versions. Twas ace it was.

[Steve Halfpenny Ver 2.0]

Re: Final Fight and the Speccy version being better gameplay wise when compared to the ST and Amiga versions...

Can't say I agree with this. The Speccy version was slow as hell and whilst the 16 bit games weren't perfect, Richard Aplin did a brilliant job I'd say. At least they were two players and looked and felt like the arcade. The Speccy and Amstrad ports are like some wild experiment in scanning in arcade game graphics into ancient machines that weren't up to it. They should have compromised and made the graphs smaller.

I remember Commodore Format's review of Final Fight. The only "upper" was "it loaded" to which somebody complained about a month or so later in the reader's pages. CF's response was something along the lines of how it's hard to find something nice to say about a game that scored 13%! Shame that the C64 never had much to shout about in regards to this game type.

Right about Final Fight 2 mind. Just not enough going on. FF3 got a bit of a raw deal; wrong place, wrong time. Here's hoping it makes a comeback... eventually. The new DD2 game on XBox Live suggests that the genre may be forever doomed.

[dwitefry]

I like to think no gene is forever doomed.

I really, really liked this issue. Lots of information of stuff that you don't often find information about, not to the depth of a long magazine article anyway, i think that's what it is - Vector Games and the end of the 8-bits (and for that matter U.N. Squadron, though I'm not taken by the Ultimate Guide concept - it still seems like a lot of pages for one game).
The Amstracd CPC Collectors Guide is exactly what i've been looking for for ages (for for?) a nice, comprehensive list of what yuo should play on the console from a reputable source - it's very hard to find, even online! It shouldn't be harder to find information on a popular console than it is to find Buck O'Hare porn. I wholly thank the person who made the list, was it the same fella responsible for the C64 Guide? Because that was as damn useful.
Also I like the look of this new Signature Series article type, looks like it could highlight a lot of good games - personally i'm hoping for some serieseseses (how DO yuo spell the plural for 'series'?) from The Spectrum, The Amiga and Sega's Consoles.

MeX

[Mayhem]

I did the C64 guide. No, it wasn't me who did the Amstrad guide, but I'll take the thanks by proxy heh.

[Rory Milne]

Just finished reading issue 92 last night, my favourite bits:

A moment with Chuck Sommerville - fascinating, as 'A moment with' always is, a great insight into the games industry of old.

End of the 8-Bits - highly enjoyable read with interesting conclusions, gold star for the layout / design on this piece, very attractive to look at.

Cheap as Chips - not the sort of game I'm usually into but after reading this feature I will definitely be checking it out.

History of Final Fight - nicely done, great copy, loved the box-outs.

Retrorevival, The Firemen and Pacland - can't go wrong with this format for my money, lovely big graphics accompanied by a well considered write-up.

Making of Grim Fandango and Chariot Race - cases of the story behind the game being as intriguing as the in-game storyline, really good features.

Classic Game, GG Shinobi - perfect choice for this format, also nice to see Sega's handheld in the limelight.

Ultimate Guide to U.N. Squadron - no stone left unturned here, truly exhaustive coverage of the Capcom classic and all the better for it. The sparkling writing and generous usage of illustrated box-outs made it a joy rather than a chore to read.

Bluffer's Guide to Vector Games - subject matter wise I can't think of anything else that would have got my juices running as much as Vector Gaming. The fact that it was so well researched and written of course is the real reason for it being my favourite bit of the mag. Well that and the design, which was nothing short of beautiful.

Signature Series, Ninja Gaiden - a little like a mini "The Definitive", I liked it. Ninja Gaiden suited the concept really well.

In the chair with Steve Turner - didn't think I'd ever see this, but I'm very glad Mr. Turner isn't quite as reclusive as I'd assumed. Brilliant to read some of his behind the scenes anecdotes.

Another month, another great issue. Happy as usual.

[dwitefry]

I did the C64 guide. No, it wasn't me who did the Amstrad guide, but I'll take the thanks by proxy heh.

There you are! I couldn't quite remember who you were, other than your name was connected to a C64 game!

Me

[Xyphoe]

Definitely a fantastic one this month!! Probably my favourite of 2011 so far - great work chaps!

The only downers for me were -

No mention of the CPC version of Final Fight alongside the Speccy that was listed there? It looked even better and played the same speed (slowly of course!!)

Without meaning to upset David, who I admire a lot for his support of the CPC and articles in RG always, I must disagree with a a few choices in the Collectors Guide article. I really don't think Get Dexter, Spindizzy and Rick Dangerous 2 should be in the 'top 5 to get' (the former two are overrated and the latter similarly due to its stupid instant deaths and being more a memory test). Surprised to see Turrican listed there, I agree its cracking on the Amstrad but it'll probably urk with C64 fans who did get the best 8-bit version. But kudos for that. Anyway agreed with Prince Of Persia, but I would move Prehistorik 2 up from the 'play next' list putting Super Cauldron in it's place replacing, and have B.A.T., Renegade and either Chase HQ or Switchblade there. All a matter of opinion and preference anyway.

And with the import games the most sort after IMHO are Le Manoir De Mortvielle, Xyphoes Fantasy (heh where my name comes from), L'Aigle D'Or Le Retour & Bumpy's - Arcade Fantasy (CPC+ versions), etc. In fact all previous could be put in the 'rarest games' too along with Lode Runner, D-Day, Panza Kickboxing (GX4000 - which I would argue is now rarer than Copter271), Knight Force, Bob Winner, Double Dragon (128k Richard Aplin version), Jim Power, and Builderland.

(ps thank you for the 'thank you' in the article for the Pang/Copter271 photos used yay!)

[HalcyonDaze00]

Skipped past the Chariot Race article when I first got the mag, just read it now, very touching and a good read.

[akiskousis]

A trully nice issue. One that had quite a few issues to find so interesting. A bravo!! to Martin for his RIP to 8-bit micros article. Very good job
Also liked the topic for Amstrad CPC in Collector's guide corner as I was a CPC child once...(of course CPC6128!!). A very nice and I think I see the topic for the very first time is Vector games; I play the amazing Gravity Crash these days a which reminds and replicates all the gfx and sounds from vector days.

PS (to Iain Lee) :

Iain hi. You are the first I read when the mag comes to my house. And to borrow an expression from a very succesful TV ad here in Greece - "is it luck..I don't think so...). You are crazy and I thank you for that - so close to my childhood everytime!

Bye from Greece

Iordanis

[Lorfarius]

Good issue but with the big 100 coming round I have to ask...isn't it time the head drawn shots were changed? We've been seeing those for 3/4 years straight now I think.

[clarance]

The Chariot Race article was the best thing in the magazine for absolutely ages - I know it was mentioned in another thread that these type of articles are difficult to produce (probably because Nintendo aren't funding these sort of articles, but I better not say that..), but can we have more articles like this please.

More articles like this please.

More like this please.

[RMLF]

Quick query re the Fireman review

Why not mention its set at Xmas and has a Ps1 sequel?

Cheers

[Smurph]

Sorry, a little bit behind in reading this. As usual, a great issue, but I have to take up a point I got really annoyed about - the bluffers guide to vector games. Yes, alright, I see that it is aimed at arcade (although that's never made clear as such), but not even a box out about the Vectrex? WTF?

[delbert_trout]

Only just got around to picking up and reading through this, personally one of my favourite issues so far. The CPC feature was an especially enjoyable read for me with the coverage of all the peripherals, Multiface Two etc (haven't seen that Amsoft joystick or the colour TV modulator for well over twenty years, proper trip down memory lane seeing those again!). Death of 8-bits, Final Fight, UN Squadron and of course back to the 80s and 90s were more great highlights for myself - fantastic work chaps, cheers! Look forward to next issue.

[mikeb]

Sorry, a little bit behind in reading this. As usual, a great issue, but I have to take up a point I got really annoyed about - the bluffers guide to vector games. Yes, alright, I see that it is aimed at arcade (although that's never made clear as such), but not even a box out about the Vectrex? WTF?

You're right of course - although it was mainly concerned with the arcade hardware there was supposed to be a box-out on the Vectrex in there, which I guess got cut out due to space reasons (it's already a pretty box-out heavy 6 pages). So just for you here's the missing box-out:

THE VECTREX

Released in 1982, at the height of the vector arcade game craze, Milton Bradley’s Vectrex console took Tim Skelly’s trick of using colured overlays and ran with it. The system is notable for conversions of Cinematronics vector arcade games like Star Hawk, Armor Attack, Star Castle and Cosmic Chasm, as well as vector versions of raster games like Scramble, Berzerk and Pole Position. Each game came with a custom coloured plastic overlay which could be slotted over the system’s monochrome monitor screen.

At $199, the Vectrex was expensive for its time, and failed to capture the market in the face of competition from systems like Atari’s VCS. However it’s still the only way to experience a true vector gaming display outside of buying an arcade machine, and remains a prized collector’s item.