New old games

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cdd
Posts: 2607
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 14.05

So I finally cracked and bought a Switch – for those unaware, this is a rapacious money-extracting device to which anyone with a fondness for past gaming is highly vulnerable. There is no cure or vaccine so like with cigarettes, heroin or corona-parties, stop before you start…

For those too late, the renaissance of 90s/00s gaming is a real treat. It’s a bit like the way all the old tv game shows are coming back except actually fun instead of hollow disappointments. Mario Maker is the jewel in the crown but great B-tier offerings include Sonic Mania, Spyro, Crash, Street Fighter 2 and Zelda Link's Awakening.

There are also emulators of the old NES and SNES consoles built in which are a good way of reminding yourself that there were only a handful of games for those platforms that were any good. In fact if they’d only release All Stars they could consign the NES emulator to the dustbin. They also come with a rewind feature because old games are TOO HARD.

The main gaps are delights from the Dreamcast (Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi spring to mind) plus Sonic Generations which is the best game ever made in the history of ever, Sonic Forces is way inferior. So I’ll have to keep my Xbox around for those. That aside it’s nice to see Sega still surviving, I always preferred Sonic. Castle of Illusion feels like it belongs on the Switch too. There is also the promise of more N64/Wii Mario re-releases, which I am sure Nintendo will get on with as soon as they want to pop another balloon entitled "guaranteed money".

On a semi-related note, the new Sonic movie was AWESOME. Basically a family friendly version of Ted except more blue. Now you may have well informed criticism or plot holes to impart but in response I simply say PEAK CUTE.

Anyone else squealing with delight at the amount of FUN now available?

PS – anyone who likes FPS shit, games with self-indulgent plots or who mentions the words 'frame rate' NEED NOT REPLY. Don’t feel bad, you’ve had 20 years on the top...
JAS84
Posts: 585
Joined: Fri 12 Aug, 2011 10.23
Location: Hull, UK

If you like retro gaming, have you ever visited the website Vizzed? They have emulators that run in the browser. The site will need to prune them at the end of the year due to Flash's obsolesence, but they do have the modern multi-platform emulator RetroArch on there, which will still work. The games cover all major consoles and home computers up to the original Playstation, Nintendo 64, and Sega Dreamcast, as well as MS-DOS. Just don't expect to find Mario and Zelda on there - they've taken down the Nintendo first party games.

https://www.vizzed.com/
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WillPS
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Location: Carlton
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The Spyro and Crash Bandicoot HD remasters are a lot of fun.

I've lost way too much of my life to Transport Tycoon/OpenTTD, particularly in the last week or two.
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Dr Lobster*
Posts: 2104
Joined: Sat 30 Aug, 2003 20.14

Don’t forget Sonic Mania!

I got a switch, don’t have loads of time to play on it, but recommend Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8, Crash Team Racing

I hate FPS / violent games - not because I have any ideological objection, just never really enjoyed them.

I was amazed when I first played Doom back in the early 1990s on a technical level, but even then it got boring, never finished it.

But yeah, love my Switch. Hope they revamp Mario Galaxy. That was a truly amazing game.
cdd
Posts: 2607
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 14.05

Vizzed looks great. I’m going to have to look into OpenTTD. Never played the original but love that sort of thing. Mini Metro and Project Highrise are my current faves in that category.

I was ranting about FPS for the sake of polemics, I don't have anything against violent stuff either, I especially like action-adventure stuff. But the balance shifted way too far, loads of people are sneery about “kiddie games”, as if playing COD in a bedroom with mum calling down for tea is any better.

Really keen for Mario Galaxy, great game, even better soundtrack IMO. Also just remembered I forgot to mention ToeJam & Earl – both the originals and the remake last year.

The main thing playing older games always makes me realise is how good many modern games are at adapting to the player's skill level. And for competitive games (like Mario Kart and SSB) quietly fixing things to even the scales a little bit.

And yes I too am FAR too busy to be playing frivolous games… especially with all this working from home, it’s a miracle I find a spare minute in the day. *looks around sheepishly*
Alexia
Posts: 2999
Joined: Sat 01 Oct, 2005 17.50

I've downloaded the Windows emulated versions of Oscar and James Pond II Robocod, released for Amiga 1200, to enjoy on my media PC.

I'm 10 years old again.
Dr Lobster*
Posts: 2104
Joined: Sat 30 Aug, 2003 20.14

I loved those games!

I had the Desktop Dynamite A1200 which included Oscar.

Dennis The Menace sucked if I recall.

So Mario All Stars came out for the Switch?

I am tempted but really disappointed that two of the three games run in 4:3 ratio...
tch999
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 23.02

Dr Lobster* wrote: Wed 30 Sep, 2020 21.58 So Mario All Stars came out for the Switch?

I am tempted but really disappointed that two of the three games run in 4:3 ratio...
That’s not strictly true. Super Mario 64 is 4:3, though the resolution/textures are a lot better than the N64 original. Super Mario Sunshine, originally released in 4:3, has been given the widescreen treatment and upscaled. I haven’t gotten on to playing Galaxy yet, but I’m told that looks the best out of the bunch - understandable with it being the most recent. Overall, it’s a great value bundle, only let down by the weird exclusion of Galaxy 2 and the odd decision to stop selling it after March 2021. Although I suspect Nintendo may backtrack on that at some point.
cdd
Posts: 2607
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 14.05

The underrated Mario 35 release is Super Mario All Stars (1993) on Switch-SNES. I’ve spent so long playing the originals that I’d forgotten how much better that remake was.
tch999
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 23.02

cdd wrote: Thu 01 Oct, 2020 12.49 The underrated Mario 35 release is Super Mario All Stars (1993) on Switch-SNES. I’ve spent so long playing the originals that I’d forgotten how much better that remake was.
I have fond memories of the SNES All Stars, so looking forward to giving that another go soon.

Today saw the launch of the Super Mario Bros 35 game, free for Switch online subscribers and playable only from now until March. Having played a few rounds this evening, I think it’s quite a neat take on the original game. You can pretty much just play it like a normal Mario Bros game, but the random enemies that your opponents send to you add a bit of an extra challenge and freshen it up a bit.
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