"Happy Holidays!"

Gamebot Live Quickie number 2 is now available for download on the media page. In this long-for-a-quickie we discuss the E-reader, Contra 4 and difficulty in video games: past and present. Also, Evan trumps his own score, Impressive Human! and coin-op trivia!

Carolina Games Summit

We will be at Carolina Games Summit on 01.26.08 in Goldsboro, NC providing a classic game room with playable games and systems like the Atari 2600, Sega Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System and more! You can also watch classic video game tips and trick videos, movies and commercials while waiting to participate in our Impressive Human! High Score Challenges! Consoles and games will be for sale in very limited quantities, so get there early! Go to Carolina Games Summit for more information.

Think you can beat our high scores? Think you know the answer to our trivia? Prove it! mail@gamebotonline.com.

"Impressive Human!"

The epic battle between Steve and Blake is over. A definitive winner of the Intellivision version of LOCOMOTION has been decided. Download Episode 8 to hear all about it!

But now it's time for an all new Impressive Human Challenge! This time around there's trouble in paradise as Matt challenges Blake. The game of choice? DIG DUG II for the classic NES!

But that's not all! If you think you can do better on this game simply submit your score before our next recording session. If you beat us, you'll be mentioned on the air and possibly win a mysterious but amazing prize?! The e-mail address is mail@gamebotonline.com. Can you defeat the Gamebot? Go, go, go, go, go for it! Maybe you stand a chance?!

Noise Off

Gamebot Live Episode 8

It's time for a classic game-fest with Matt, Blake and Steve. Topics include SNES, Castlevania ports, Generations Lost, outtakes and our opinioins of video game media. We also bring back the Impressive Human! scoreboard. This episode's challenge... Locomotion for the Intellivision. Blake, the underdog, faces off against Steve, the Intellivisionary. Who wins? Tune in to find out!: 40 minutes

Gamebot Live Episode 8 (mp3 39.26 MB)


You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or at iTunes!

You can now win prizes for your trivia answers! Listen and give it a shot! mail@gamebotonline.com Thanks for listening!

Venture

Gamebot Live episode 7


The time has come for downloading episode 7 of Gamebot Live, the classic video game podcast! Here you can find Mailbag listener mail and our Sega Genesis must-haves, information regarding the release of Rob Fulop's Actionauts, Quarter Munchers, Commodore 64 trivia and music from Stage 3-1! Recording Time: 55 minutes

Gamebot Live episode 7 (mp3 49.06 MB)


You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or at iTunes!

Submit your best top score to mail@gamebotonline.com to be added to the Impressive Human scoreboard! Thanks for listening!

Power-up

Hello readers! I have made a few changes and added new content:

• All YouTube videos are available to watch from the media page. This media player allows you to watch several special features from our DVD and entire episodes!
  


• All posts occurring before July have been back logged to another page to decrease load times. These posts can be read by clicking the old news link at the bottom of this page.
  


• Gamebot, the expired television show about classic games is downPublish Postloadable. Episode 5 from the Volume 1 DVD can be downloaded at iTunes or the media page. More episodes coming soon!
  


• Gamebot Live episode 7 is here! All podcasts, including the all new episode 7 with a must have list of great Sega Genesis games, are available for download from the media page.
  


• Coming soon... Gamebot Now. Gamebot Live, starting with episode 8, will now be EXCLUSIVELY CLASSIC! Gamebot Now, our current game podcast will cover current news and games. Both will be offered bi-monthly.
  

Email us at mail@gamebotonline.com. Any feedback is appreciated, even bad stuff. Thanks for listening!

Venture

Two new episodes of Gamebot Live!

Happy Birthday Atari VCS! One of the greatest consoles of all time is turning 30 this month. In this, a very special episode of Gamebot Live, we give a history lesson on the classic console and compile a list of must have games. If you love Atari don't miss it! Recording Time: 53 minutes

Gamebot Live episode 6 (mp3 48.40 MB)


Introducing the Gamebot Live Quickie. From time to time we have content we want to talk about between programs and Gamebot Quickies are the answer. They are short and have no rules. In this quickie we introduce some new friends and talk about what makes a system classic. Recording Time: 18 minutes

Gamebot Live Quickie 1 (mp3 16.10 MB)

You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or at iTunes!

Come on, take the challenge! Email your answer to classic game trivia from the podcast and we will give you propers on the air! mail@gamebotonline.com Any feedback is appreciated, even bad stuff. Thanks for listening!

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Why Chibi Robo: Park Patrol
Shouldn't (And unfortunately will be) overlooked.

Just yesterday I stopped by my local Wal-Mart to purchase my copy of Chibi Robo: Park Patrol for the Nintendo DS. I've been looking forward to Chibi's DS debut since my friend, Jordan Pike (jordanpike.com), introduced me to the first game of the series on the Nintendo GameCube, entitled Chibi Robo: Plug into Adventure! I instantly fell in love with the game and its quirky, playful characters, fun to explore environments, and unique gameplay--so you can imagine how excited I was to find out about its sequel on the Nintendo DS. Did it live up to my expectations? The answer is YES! The game uses the DS's touch screen perfectly. The game has a relaxing pace, paired with smooth gameplay and a pleasant sense of humor.

I urge anyone who enjoys great, original games to check out Chibi Robo: Park Patrol. The bad news: despite being such a great game, there are a couple of reasons why I'm predicting some pretty bad sales figures.

Number one: The release date, only one day after the release of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass--one of the most, if not the most anticipated Nintendo DS games of all time. Being this close to such a "big hitter" can only hurt the sales of Chibi.

Number Two: Wal-Mart exclusivity. I personally wouldn't consider Chibi a commercially mainstream game, and when I want to purchase what I believe to be a somewhat obscure title, Wal-Mart isn't the first place that comes to mind.

Number Three: Bland reviews. Although there are a handful of good reviews, most reviewers, including IGN, are giving the game the, "I just looked at some screenshots and read a press release." score of 7.

Hopefully, dear reader, you'll appreciate these simple reasons why I doubt this great game will sell.

Nintendo's marketing has been puzzling lately. Due to the game's environmentally-friendly setting (the game is about cleaning up a park), Nintendo has decided to give away 500 trees (yes, trees) to anyone who registers his or her copy on Nintendo.com. In a second promotion, one perhaps more understandable, Nintendo has put Chibi Robo-themed bookmarks in schools. At the time of writing, I have no further information on how many schools have received these bookmarks.

The bottom line: Park Patrol is one of the best games I've ever played. You owe it to yourself to check it out!

- Matthew Taylor, gamebot

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Gamebot Live episode 5

Steve is back and its time for some gaming greatness from the past! In episode 5 we discuss Flying Warriors, Planet Puzzle League, Wolfenstein 3D, Halo 3, Feel the Magic, new Wii channels, Fatal Fury Collection, downloadable demos, the music of Animal Style, a new Colecovision homebrew, a new DS Kirby, Dr. Mario Wii, and the old standbys: Trivia and Finds in the Wild -plus a new segment: Quarter Munchers, where we talk about home conversions of coin-ops. Recording Time: 56 minutes

Gamebot Live episode 5 (mp3 51.09 MB)


You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or at iTunes!

Come on, take the challenge! Email your answer to classic game trivia from the podcast and we will give you propers on the air! mail@gamebotonline.com Any feedback is appreciated, even bad stuff. Thanks for listening!

Venture

New Gamebot Live!

The screenshot below is dedicated to Evan Jackson. Thanks again for being on the show Evan and we hope you'll come back soon! The Gamebot Live podcast is also available at www.last.fm. Thank you for your interest and we welcome your feedback. Please email us at mail@gamebotonline.com and tell us your what you think!

Gamebot Live episode 4


Steve is out this week due to technical issues but we welcome our guest Evan Jackson of Slushie! In this edition we talk about our favorite arcade games, read some listener feedback and Evan submits a high score to Impressive Human. Also, all the segments you expect like Trivia and Finds in the Wild. Highlighted games include Nibbler, Pirate Pete, Micro Machines Twin Turbo for GBA and Kangaroo! Featuring Algorythms of Royal Space Force. Recording Time: 31 minutes

Gamebot Live episode 4 (mp3 31.06 MB)


You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or at iTunes!

Think you've got what it takes? Test your mettle on a classic system (or a new one) and submit your best top score to mail@gamebotonline.com to be added to the Impressive Human scoreboard! Thanks for listening!

Links

Located herein are the official links for the stories and info we have spewed forth onto the internet by way of Gamebot Live.

Gamebot Live episode 4

God-Awesome Rock Band - Slushie: www.slushietheband.com
Spectacular Stupidgamer Website: www.stupidgamer.com
Killer List of Video Games: www.klov.com
Link's Crossbow Adventure: www.kotaku.com
Lair Reviewer's Guide: www.ign.com
Classic Game Books: www.amazon.com

Gamebot Live episode 3

Senator Yee Attacks ESRB: www.gamepolitics.com
Vance Fires Fires Back at Yee: www.gamepolitics.com
Contra 4 Contains Secret Games: www.cubed3.com
Joust Movie: www.gamedaily.com
New Stella and Atari800MacX: www.atariage.com
New High Scores: www.twingalaxies.com

Gamebot Live episode 2

Online Games More Popular than Youtube: www.gamedaily.com
King of Kong: www.billyvssteve.com
Chasing Ghosts: www.chasingghoststhemovie.com
Missing in Action Prototype: www.atariage.com

Gamebot Live episode 1

Spider: The Video Game: www.gamespot.com

Venture

Gamebot Live episodes 0 through 3 available!

We have posted two new episodes of the Gamebot Live podcast. They are now available for download here, on iTunes and at www.last.fm. Please email us at mail@gamebotonline.com and tell us your what you think!

Gamebot Live episode 2


Episode 2 features a few new touches: In addition to Trivia, Finds in the Wild and Classic news we talk about the Manhunt controversy, Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, Okami, Samurai Showdown and more. We're really trying to keep the show dynamic so mail us with your feedback! The Algorythms this time? Dog Stories by Action Math! Recording Time: 39 minutes

Gamebot Live episode 2 (mp3 27.0 MB)



Gamebot Live episode 3


In this episode the usual plus: Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Lode Runner DS, Moon Cresta, World Heroes, Magician Lord, busting on video game myths such as "girls don't play games" and "video games inspire youth violence", new segments including Flag Capture: Import gaming news and Impressive Human: Our official gamebot high score table and Algorythms by the Advantage. The episode clocks in at 49 minutes.

Gamebot Live episode 3 (mp3 37.9 MB)


You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or via iTunes!

Think you've got what it takes? Test your mettle on a classic system (or a new one) and submit your best top score to mail@gamebotonline.com to be added to the Impressive Human scoreboard! Thanks for listening!

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Yesterday Blake, Kris, Scott, Kim, Evan, Tillman and I got together and played some classic video games.

We started off with Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom for the Atari 2600 In Buck Rogers, the player controls a spaceship that must destroy ships and avoid obstacles. Unfortunately, Buck never makes an appearance. The only real resemblance to the Buck Rogers license is the game's outer space setting.

Blake has a notable high score on Buck, 713,995, Level 11. The game was also released for the Atari 5200, Atari XE, Colecovision, Intellivision, MSX and Sega Master System, as well as some computer systems and is a port of the 1982 Sega coin-op.

Next we played Jungle Hunt for the Atari 2600. The game is comparable to Pitfall, although I found the game to be far more sophisticated than Pitfall. The game consists of four scenes.

The player is required to perform carefully timed jumps from vine to vine towards a crocodile-infested river. There, you must keep your oxygen supply in check while either dodging the reptiles or knifing them for bonus points and in scene three, dodging and ducking boulders is the name of the game. Your final task is to jump over the native warriors who have captured your girlfriend while their spear is down. In the end, the four screens start repeating, getting tougher...


After everyone had a turn with this gem of a cart, Tillman had a chance to play the game and was frustrated with scene two, the afore mentioned deadly jungle river. Blake ensured him that this scene was difficult because "those gators are hungry, they've had nothing but fish to eat for 10,000 years!"

Next, we played Wall Street Kid for the Nintendo Entertainment System...

In Wall Street Kid, you're given $500,000 and the goal of successfully investing in stocks. The first challenge is to earn enough money to purchase your uncle's castle before it is sold to restore the family name-time is of the essence! You must also balance your job, girlfriend and still get plenty of exercise. Most of the game is spent in your office buying and selling stocks. However, you can leave your office to go on a date with your "Sweet Heart" to a picnic, shopping, or a local carnival. You can also work out by going swimming or hiking. The time management is strict and difficulty may be a factor in your enjoyment of the game.

Tillman later expressed that this was his favorite game we played that evening. (You can tell Tillman I said he needs to grow some! -ed.)


Next up was Journey to Silius for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was released in 1990. It was produced and developed by Sunsoft. The game is an edited version of Raf World, a Famicom game featuring a different main character. The game was originally supposed to feature the Terminator license, but Sunsoft lost the rights. (this game blew me away with its great presentation, music and graphics. Another great side-scroller adventure for your NES!-ed.)That was the end of our evening of classics. Goodnight, folks!

- Matthew Taylor, gamebot

Venture

Gamebot Live podcast now available!

Gamebot Live is the podcast version of everything you love about gamebotonline. We will keep you posted on upcoming conventions, the newest homebrews, mods and hacks, history, trivia and everything associated with the classic and obscure gaming scene while keeping our standard segments like "Impressive Human!" and "The Hunt and the Haggle" (podcastized as Finds in the Wild). Its time for you guys to listen up then tell us what you think! Contact us with feedback, questions, comments, ideas and what you want more of by emailing us at mail@gamebotonline.com. Write us and you may be immortalized on the show! Feel free to download and share with your friends:


Gamebot Live episode 0

In this episode we cover The Cuttle Cart #3 (for Intellivision), Opcode games and Spider: The Video Game for Playstation. It was our first attempt and was never intended for release, but it turned out pretty good so we decided to after all! Please excuse the lack of a musical guest (even though one is introduced).

Gamebot Live episode 0 (mp3 13.0 MB)


Gamebot Live episode 1

This is the Official first podcast, still shakey and raw but live and entertaining! We chat about two new classic video game movies coming out in 2007, the popularity of "casual" games online, offer up some trivia and speak of games like Skullmonkeys for Playstation, Panic Bomber for Virtual Boy and Missing in Action for the Atari 7800

Gamebot Live episode 1 (mp3 27.9 MB)


You may also subscribe to the feed with this link or via iTunes!

We plan on continually changing the format to keep things fresh and are open to ideas from you, so tell us what you think. Happy listening!

Venture

"For the completely broke"

Its time for an update for the faithful readers and what better way than with a list of games none rare, but still interesting none the less...

No haggling was necessary in the procurement of these carts.

In addition to the title (listed in alphabetical order by system, recorded also is what I paid for it and its current approximate value. Anyone interested in starting a collection for the first time, you'll find that there are lots of games at a flea market near you for a fraction of what you'd pay on ebay!

Nintendo Entertainment System

• 1942 (loose)- paid $1.00 - value $ 6.00
• Millipede (loose) - paid $2.00 - value $ 7.00
• Muppet Adventure "Chaos at the Carnival" (loose)- paid $1.00 - value $ 6.00


Nintendo Virtual Boy

• Golf (loose) - paid $2.00 - value $ 10.00
• Mario's Tennis (loose) - paid $2.00 - value $ 3.00
• Panic Bomber (loose) - paid $2.00 - value $ 10.00
• Teleroboxer (loose) - paid $2.00 - value $ 6.00


Sega Genesis

• Forgotten Worlds (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 4.00
• Generations Lost (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 4.00
• The Jungle Book (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 5.00
• The Lost Vikings (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 4.00
• The Pagemaster (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 2.00
• Robocop 3 (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 5.00
• Super Baseball 2020 (loose) - paid $1.50 - value $ 2.00


Sony Playstation

• Spider (complete in case) - paid $4.00 - value $ 6.00


Systems

• Sears Super Video Arcade Cartridge System with 2 controllers (boxed)
  paid $10.00 - value $ 35.00

And here are the games that I passed up:

Sega Genesis

• Eternal Champions (loose) - paid $3.00 - value $ 1.50
• Lotus 2 (loose) - $3.00 - value $ 4.00
• Ms. Pac-Man (complete in box) - $8.00 - value $9.00
• Super Tecmo Bowl (complete in box) - $3.00 - value $ 3.00

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Speaking of Disaster Report, the sequel Raw Danger turned out to be a slight letdown. It's missing the level design and presentation of the first game. The story is told from multiple perspectives (i.e. playing as different characters) but the levels aren't varied enough and playing through the similar levels over and over just isn't as fun. I love the idea that water, your lifeblood in the first game is now your biggest foe. But in Disaster Report, water, fire, falling buildings, shifting landscapes and dangerous terrain were all your enemy. And the water isn't enough after playing its prequel.

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

This is I.Q., also known as Intelligent Qube for the Sony Playstation. Arriving on our shelves September 30, 1997, it was another unique Japanese title ported to America thanks to the success of Parrappa the Rapper, the first widely revered title with the distinctly Japanese quirkiness now accepted in our game culture (current examples: Katamari Damacy, Loco Roco and the upcoming Furu Furu Park for Wii) I.Q. is an action puzzle game. The play requires the user to control a man on a playfield called a stage. The object is to avoid falling off the edge by "capturing" cubes that roll toward you. It is a simple puzzle concept that quickly becomes challenging, addictive and fun. Its "quirkiness" comes from the presentation and graphics, very different. As a bonus, the music is orchestral and epic.


For the full story on how I attained I.Q., scroll down to the Hunt and the Haggle 11.05.06.

Next we played Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, the first in the ongoing Kain series. This first entry has an overhead perspective, different from its 3rd person sequels -appealing to my classic sensibilities. The adventure is comparable to The Legend of Zelda (NES) or perhaps Diablo (PC) and tells the story of a vampire out for revenge swimming in charming melodrama. After that I finally showed the pals Disaster Report for PS2. You can read more about that game in previous posts as well.

To my surprise, Evan, Tillman and Matt hadn't heard of Dragon's Lair! This was the first animated Laser Disc game so it was a precursor to CD based games (particularly "full-motion video games"). The game is comprised entirely of cartoon video and requires the player to choose either the sword button or one of four directions at key moments to avoid a death sequence. The gameplay is simple but the game was a huge hit due to the amazing animation created by Don Bluth. To appreciate this gem one must put themselves in the shoes of an arcade goer seeing this game for the first time back in '83 when games like Elevator Action and Major Havoc represented the newest technology.The version we played was a DVD game made by Digital Leisure anyone can find this version for around $10. The arcade original came out in 1983 and fetches upward of $1600.

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Over the past couple of days I have had the luxury of guests Brian Tate and Reagan Tate. We had hot dogs and hamburgers again and played lots of games, but before that, we went on a quest to get two 9 volt batteries for a rather interesting device I attained in a trade at last year's ECGX...

This is "Zodiac the Astrology Computer" by Coleco. It was released in 1979, but don't worry, it's still not as old as I am. Designed to tell your fortune in one of three ways, it can give your horoscope, a "daily preview" or answer your questions in Advice Mode. These require the user to input her date, time and area of birth. One thing that I found intriguing was how much the user must do himself to find his future-due to the limitations of the electronics. Players write feedback from the display on a zodiac chart. Once the chart is filled out, one must use the instruction booklet to search codes and their meaning.

I have to say that our readings were pretty accurate with the exception of Brian, but we had guessed on his, and my, time of birth, so there could still possibly be a supernatural force guiding us through the universe. The instruction manual is a necessity in enjoying this little jewel and features celebrity birthdates and an introduction by "noted astrologer" Sydney Omarr. One thing that may be a deterrent in your hunting down this beauty is the fact that the included birthdate codes only go up to 1990 so if you were born after that, you're done for! The creators didn't anticipate nerds born after 1990 would even know what the heck this thing was... understandable. It is currently valued at around $30.

After that, and some required Wii Sports Bowling and Tennis, we followed up with a bit of PS2! The first game I popped in was Shadow of the Colossus-to show these guys one of the greatest adventure games ever made! Then we delved into some classic goodness via Sega Genesis Collection. This game is fantastic and includes over 30 games including Altered Beast, Shinobi III (my favorite side-scroller of all time), all the Phantasy Stars (for the Genesis) and even hidden easter eggs like Zaxxon! I love it so much because the emulation is 99% accurate, and I am a real stickler!

Brian and I couldn't find a second controller for Golden Axe - a travesty! Instead I played Flicky!

Flicky was a fantastic 1984 arcade game ported to the Genesis. As Flicky the bird, you must collect canaries and lead them to the exit while avoiding cats and jumping from platform to platform. Collecting all birds before touching the exit results in a large score and boards are cleared by saving all canaries. The bonus levels are fun too, wherein Flicky must catch canaries launched in the air by catapults. Sega Genesis Collection is currently available in stores for $14.99 to $19.99 and is absolutely one of the best values out there for classic game fanatics.

Sony made the demo disc a standard for consoles back when its original Playstation arrived in 1995 and most gamers have a few lying around. I picked up a PS2 demo disc a month or so back because "Portal Runner 2" was listed on the disc and I thought I had found a demo of an unreleased sequel of a beloved game. Turns out it was a misprint, however these events led to the imminent trying of said disc when Bri and Rea came about-which was good.

Before I get into what we played I want to mention that there was an demo for Ico which was different than the final game, exciting for an obsessed fan (see previous Shadow of the Colossus comment).

On the disc, Reagan was excited to see Portal Runner, a game I introduced to her years ago. It was released in spring of 2001 by 3DO as a side story of their Army Men franchise (but you are not green -ed.) and has garnered 6.5s and lower from most game sites and mags. What those guy don't tell you is that it takes all the concepts of early 3D games and produces them in a way that works -and the funny thing is, gamers who want simple adventures like side-scrollers of the 16 and 8-bit era do not have many choices. Portal Runner delivers a simple but fun action adventure game in an unpredictable fantasy setting including prehistoric times, ye olde knights in shining armor, etc. with platforming, strafe firing, collecting, exploration, stealth and sniping. You have full control over the camera and a pet Lion! One requirement is that you must be man enough to play a game that does not involve Master Chief (for example, I own and enjoy Britney's Dance Beat I'm not.. that.. innocent).

The demo contained another favorite of Reagan's (what a coincidence!). Klonoa 2, released by Namco in 1998, is a bonafide side-scroller, ah I miss those, with over the shoulder surfing levels as well. It is a sequel to Klonoa for Playstation (valued at $25 complete). The graphics are japanesey charming and control is classic but innovative. Klonoa can grab enemies and throw them into other baddies or use them to jump off, a "double-jump" if you will, and the level design and boss battles are just right. You can still find it online for around $15.

I also made Reagan play the MTV Music Generator 2 demo and watch me play Cool Boarder 2001. My house, my rules.


The last game of the night, Super Bust-A-Move 2 was played into the wee hours. I love games that allow you to be creative, the gang played through nine levels of my own creation then played the normal game (not as good as my levels). Later, well after our guests had left, Kris was angered, after staying up until 4:30 a.m. she was rewarded only with credits for completing the adventure mode. Alas, the cutscenes revealing the storylines of each of the strange characters is found by completing the single player mode. Ouch!

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

I just got back from a great trip to Ohio and I didn't forget to pack the most important necessity, portable games! The default device is the DS, everyone that has one would agree i'm sure, and of course I brought it along with Animal Crossing, Castlevania Double Pack, Big Brain Academy, Meteos, Club House Games, Phoenix Wright:Ace Attorney and an underappreciated GBA gem: Yoshi Topsy Turvy. But to spice things up a bit, I also brought the system which, in my opinion, is the greatest handheld pre-Gameboy SP; The Sega Nomad!


The Nomad is a portable system that came out in 1995 for $180. The awesome thing about this system? IT PLAYS THE ENTIRE SEGA GENESIS LIBRARY! Thats right, just plug in any Genesis cart and you're done. The handheld features a backlit screen, a second controller port, decent sound and a RF box port for hooking it to your TV. Wow! It's problems? Well, releasing the same year that the Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation arrived, 3D gaming was all the buzz and Sega Genesis games were considered dated by most gamers. The second factor, a weakness shared with other handhelds of the late eighties and nineties, was battery life. Powering a full-color backlit handheld Genesis was a challenge and the Nomad drains 6 AA batteries in about three hours (however, an AC power adapter was and is available -ed.)! Thats quite an obstacle for a portable system to overcome and believe me, it was a factor in it's sales. The system is valued at around $100 by collectors today.

So enough history, what about the games, thats what you really want to know right? Well, I love variety and the Sega library made my choices plentiful. For platforming I chose Chiki Chiki Boys, a Capcom hopper complete with power-up stores and shooter levels. Fighting: Samurai Showdown, this version is the best available on the 16 bit consoles. Dragon's Revenge covered my pinball needs with quick accurate physics on par with the video-pinball greats like Devil's Crush and Alien Crush. For beat 'em up superhero action I selected Captain America and the Avengers (blows away the SNES version). I also took the compilation Genesis 6-Pak, which includes Golden Axe, Sonic, Streets of Rage, Columns, Revenge of Shinobi and Super Hang-On.

Whenever I leave town I always checkout the local Goodwill, Salvation Army and Game stores and I found a few things that amde the extra venture worthwhile. At Goodwill, I found Pro Wrestling for the NES, a classic wrestler with crazy characters and moves thats not too rare, but will make a great gift for a friend. Also, the best find of all, Final Fight One for GBA. This one is a perfect port of the arcade classic with the added bonus of rapid punch options, progress saving and the choice of selecting the Street Fighter Alpha series Cody and Guy. I played it non-stop through to its completion that night-what a blast! All that for $4.99!

With all that gaming greatness, how can I wrap this story up with happy ending? How about this, I came home to a package from Amazon.com. RAW DANGER the sequel to DISASTER REPORT, has arrived! I'll be updating again soon. Life is good!

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Yes! I just played a little Atari and SNES tonight while talking to my friend Steve Smith. We were talking about challenging each other's scores and it reminded me of a great video game staple... Twin Galaxies!

Twin galaxies is the official high score database and has been so since the golden age of the arcades. In this report, I will include the high scores on the titles I played when possible.

Whoa! Look at this big beautiful screenshot! Brings a tear to the eye, I bet. This is Donkey Kong Junior for the Atari 2600. It was a port of the popular arcade sequel to Donkey Kong wherein you controlled a monkey on a quest to save your father from the evil Mario! The player must jump and climb through three screens all while dodging enemies called trapjaws. Boards are cleared by getting to Mario alive. This version's gameplay is a little stiff and didn't port as well as Donkey Kong. There is no high score registered for this game. You can be the first!

And now, another arcade port on the Atari... Solar Fox for Atari 2600 looks sharp and has great sound effects. The goal is to collect all the dots on the screen while dodging bullets from passing spacecraft. If you do it before the SKIP-A-RACK timer expires you can skip ahead a stage and get a big bonus. The current high score on this version is held by Robert T Mruczek. It's 1,678,000, wow! This is the king of cartridge that you will keep in your system and play over and over. Taking turns with a friend in a high score contest could result in hours of fun. Find this game if you could enjoy an addictive game requiring quick reflexes and a good joystick-one of my must have titles.

This is another game that every 2600 owner should have. The graphics do not hold a candle to its arcade equivalent, but the feel is divine! The car has a heavyness that feels authentic when gearing down for tight turns and narrowly avoiding other cars. There is only one variation and one track, but mastering the track and beating your last high score is a pleasure. The high score for this the Atari version using the actual hardware(not an emulator) is 60,910, shared by several players. Could this be the highest score possible?

It's time for a little Super Nintendo Action! The arcade version of World Heroes is a game I got so hooked on I could beat it with one quarter. It had a unique control scheme for a fighter in that tapping the button resulted in a quick attack while holding it longer dealt a powerful blow. This was different and, best of all, simpler than Street Fighter but still produced some great combos and strategy. The sequels dropped this control pattern in favor of something closer to SF. Another notable feature is it's deadly booby traps like the spikey wall and electrified wrestling ring ropes. The SNES port is a bit slower and missing some animation, but still a great game for one, and especially, two players. There is nothing like comboing your buddy onto a wall of spikes, I suggest you try it.

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Like always, I've been playing some new stuff and old stuff!

The new stuff:

Big Brain Acadamy for the Wii is awesome I own Brain Age but never played the DS version of this game so it was a new experience for me. The games test your skill in different areas like memory and visualizing and tracks your mental progress. You can play with up to eight players, compare results with everyone else in your home and even send your student report to your Wii friends via Wii Connect 24 so they can try to best your scores. It's a great game that I am going to buy for sure.

Indigo Prophecy is now on the plate and I am completing it with Evan and company. Indigo is an interactive story and the action is played out through simon-like, follow-me dual analog stick patterns. These sequences are there simply to move the story forward which is by far the highlight of the game. The conversation system and cinematography is amazing and even emotional or tense at times.

I also played through some of the Disaster Report scenarios that I skipped the first time through and finally ordered the sequel Raw Danger.

In the midst of the adventuring however there was a strange energy that compelled me to move into the classic console room and play the Genesis, which I had neglected for quite some time.
Lets move on to the good stuff, the old stuff:

First I played Trampoline Terror created in 1990 by Toy Soldiers Inc. In this game the player traverses a giant grid filled with enemies, trampolines and detonators. The goal is to trigger all detonators by walking over them. Bonuses are scored for destroying colored detonators in order. The enemies can be blow-up in the explosions or killed by throwing a device across the trampolines like a skipping stone. Hopping on the trampolines can allow you to jump to hard to reach areas but jumping on one too many times makes it pop. The grid is miles high so falling through a trampoline or falling off an edge kills you.

Greatest Heavyweights by SegaSports 1993. Great graphics and sound were present but the gameplay was missing. I tried lots of strategies and buttons (it supported the 6-button controller), but still I ended up as a punching bag. The fighters available are champions from different time periods (which is a cool concept - ed) and you can taunt your opponent. As Jack Dempsey, I yelled "I'm gonna crush your skull." to which Evander Holyfield replied "You can't touch me!".

GODS released in 1992 and developed by Bitmap Bros. is a side-scroller action adventure orginally on Amiga and Atari ST computers. Throw projectile weapons to kill the beasts inside a dungeon with traps and treasure. Each area has hints that tell you how to escape to the next area. In my opinion, the respawning enemies actionized what could have been a good exploration game. That said, it was very 1990's funny.

The final test of skill was Deadly Moves by Kaneko and licensed by Sega for the Genesis in 1992. This 2D brawler, a genre that I sorely miss, had a punch, kick, and jump button and few special moves. It also moved a little too slowly and the characters were unimaginative. The main character, Joe, is best described as a skinny Ryu with black pants and blue wristbands. This game was called Power Athelete in Japan (I like that better!) and Power Moves on the SNES. Many of the these games came out of the woodwork in the early 90s because of the massive popularity of the Street Fighter (and Mortal Kombat) series.

The Atari, NES and Playstation, as some of the most successful consoles in history, sometimes overshadow the Genesis. But this system represents the 16-bit era, Sega's greatest success as a hardware developer and a huge library of great games. It is, unmistakably, a milestone in video game history.

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Along with the classics, I have been playing a lot of PS2 over the past month. This system is unrivalled in adventure gaming. Over the last month I have completed ICO, Shadow of the Colossus Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. These are the second and third times through for these games-they are sooo much fun! Before that I met up with the gang (Matt, Evan and Tillman) to complete Haunting Ground for the second time.

Haunting Ground is a fantastic adventure game which started as part 4 in the Clock Tower series. It has excellent graphics, unique gameplay (running and hiding for survival), a horror film vibe and lots of extra touches and bonuses that shows the developer really cared about the project. The game mags blew if off but it is a great game-highly recommended to Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Clock Tower fans.

The gang and I then promptly played through the english translated rom of Clock Tower for the SNES (excellent!) and we just completed one ending on Clock Tower for playstation. Next on the agenda for us is Clock Tower 2, also for playstation and perhaps, the weakest in the series, Clock Tower 3. One major difference in these games and their PS2 counterparts is the control. Everything before the PS2 versions were point and click, these newer versions have the traditional third person analog stick control. The point and click interface of the early Clock Towers works well for exploring and the perspective follows in the footsteps of Alone in the Dark and Resident Evil 1 except for the SNES Clock Tower, which was a 2D side-scroller.

Back home with my PS2 I started a game back up that I purchased years ago based solely on the premise: Survival during disaster. Disaster Report, the first time I played it, displayed some really impressive ideas in game design. Collect water from reliable water sources in containers and drink to survive. Limited space in your back-pack makes the management aspect a factor. Items can be combined and taken apart and part of the experience is a world collapsing all around you in real time. This second time through, I couldn't stop playing and it seemed to get better as the game progressed, there were even jaw-dropping moments like floors beneath you falling into the sea and building a raft from surrounding debris to traverse a violent river through the city streets. The faults, which I overlooked for the most part includes "charming" dialog and voice acting and abysmal, almost defective sound. If you like the idea of crubling buildings, rushing water,an ever-changing landscape, making due with everyday items to survive, and especially-if you love adventure games, go find this game. Also, Raw Danger, the spiritual sequel just came out and I can't wait to play it!

Kris and I also got down under the sea with the NES recently. She loves the Disney classics so we finally tried out a game I picked up at a local flea market last month, The Little Mermaid! The gameplay has you control Ariel, traversing the ocean, fighting bosses and throwing shells at enemies. The game was fair and not too difficult. Highlights included pushing barrels down steps to smash treasure chests and flopping around on the surface like a fish. Then for more Disney fun, we played Duck Tales 1 and 2 which are excellent and live up to their reputation as some of the best gameplay and level design on the NES. You may have to pay over $20 for Duck Tales 2, but even at that price it's a better value than many games out on current consoles.

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Scott hosted yet another night of classic gaming fun at his arcade where friends of all shapes and sizes attended. The games we playes are too numerous to list but I will list some of the friend's favorites along with their innermost secret thoughts about them.

This is Mary. the enhanced greenness of her jacket is exceeded only by the sharpness of her wit. A master of illusions, she ensured me that the lemon soda from the pop machine did not taste like rolaids... but seriously folks, who do you think has had more rolaids?

Mary enjoyed Family Feud for the Genesis and Hangman on the Odyssee 2. Other friends included: Brian who likes Nintendo and Wrestling and Seth who loved Lode Runner and art. Pal Tillman enjoys emulators, roms, SNES, NES and more and attended with brothers: Mappy master Evan, who currently has the high score of the arcade classic, and Matt. Matt combines the cunning of a cat with an appreciation for video games that is unmatched. Mappy is the apple of his eye as well.

Reagan, the tour de force of Star Wars wisdom, totes thirty pounds of brass and gold around her neck. Between quotes of Confucious, Socrates and countless others she bellowed "Moon Cresta is my favorite game 'cause I'm a he-ninnie!" -ed note: Reagan has the current high score on Moon Cresta

The rest of the friends are ok, there isn't much too them. You already know Jordan, he's a cream-puff, and Scott. Well, there are cats all over me so bye.

- Blake Leftwich, gamebot

Living the High Life

Video Game Diary:

Last night I played Meteos for the Nintendo DS with Matt and Jordan for two hours in the crew van of Slushie, a most exhilirating rock-n-roll megaforce. I won't go over the details of how I got into this situation but I will tell you that Meteos is one of the best experiences I have had with a puzzle game. The two hours passed like two minutes for three people sharing the game from a single card. The multiplayer options are unmatched.

We talked throughout the night about the sequel, called Meteos: Disney Magic Edition and concluded that we could overlook the license because, in this version, online play was promised.

I found out later from Steve, who sounded dismayed that I brought up the subject altogether, that the online play was pulled.

Prediction: This game will flop.

Why? Because I already know four hardcore Meteos fans who aren't buying.

Venture

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!" - Batman

After going to two previous E3 shows, I wasn't sure I wanted to go to E3 2006 since my com padre wasn't interested in going. I will never disclose his identity, but he answers to Blake. Any hoo, I waited until way past the last minute to go and so, you can imagine, my bank account was less than thrilled with the news. I decided to sell off a few things in order to attend the show, and have a little extra cash for unexpected expenses... like Reece's cups, and the very expensive canned soda they have in LA. Among the different odds and ends was my Atari Jaguar, with all my games which included: Tempest 2000, Kasumi Ninja, Checkered Flag, Doom, and Wolfenstein 3d.

Now I really hate to part with most of my gaming collection, but the Jaguar was the exception to this. The only game I really enjoyed was Tempest. Then I got Tempest X for the PSX, and well, it pwned it in every way, so I sold the Jaguar to a friend for $50. All was grand, I had a decent time at E3. The most memorable parts were not exactly at the show. One of the craziest things there happened to me when was on the way back to the hotel. We got in a cab, and the back of the driver's seat was decorated with stickers: an Iranian flag and various pictures of their president.

Now, I tell you this because Robin, my better-educated-half, told me these things. Honestly, to me their president looks like a guy working at my local Radio Shack. The cab driver was super nice though. He was listening to classical guitar and telling us how much he loved it. However, just to make sure everything was kosher, uh maybe that isn't the right wording... anyway, you better believe I gave him a tip ($10.00). I want to send out a message to all would be terrorists. DON'T HURT ME, oh, or my wife!

But I did enjoy the show. I didn't get to play the Nintendo Wii, but I got lots of time to check out the new DS lineup. Plus, I visited the video game museum again, checked out a lot of older arcade games, saw 8-bit Weapon perform and even got an autograph.

Months later I hear E3 is no more. At least the E3 that we all know is gone. And apparently, so is my friend's love for the Atari Jaguar. I bought it back for $50. So what have I learned from this experience? As usual not a damn thing!

- Steve Smith, Advance Media Network

"Impressive Human!"

High Score Tables:

This is a new section wherein high scores are posted. You may also find stories behind how and why certain scores were attained, strategies, proud moments or gruesome deaths. This first posting shows a picture captured by Jordan Pike of our scoreboard in the arcade. I challenge anyone to trump these righteous digits! You can see a few other photos taken by Jordan on the media page and a lot of great stuff at jordanpike.com.

The stuff of champions