The UKFF Retro Gaming Thread

[Jazzy G]

The TMNT Cowabunga Collection has had its "special edition" announced. Hopefully there's a disk and not just a download code. Comes with a book about the history of the games in the collection, artwork from Kevin Eastman, and a diorama. It's also $150, so probably about £100 if anybody's interested. 

https://bleedingcool.com/games/tmnt-cowabunga-collection-limited-edition-gets-new-kevin-eastman-art/

They've also announced that the new TMNT game, Shredder's Revenge, will be out "this summer". A gameplay video has been released, and they've announced that the voices of the Turtles will be performed by the cast of the original cartoon. I don't know who'd be voicing Shredder, though. 

https://www.ign.com/articles/tmnt-shredders-revenge-release-window-new-gameplay-pc-ps4-ps5-xbox-one-series-x-s-pc-nintendo-switch?amp=1

 

[Merzbow]

Am I alone in really not liking the Chibi-ish artstyle of Shredder's Revenge?

[Jazzy G]

I think they were trying to capture the feel of the old coin op, but they're not quite there. 

[TildeGuy~!]

I checked out the video above and it looks like they’re going the SOR4 route with combos, I won’t be picking this up but I’ll probably pick up the collection when it releases.

[Guest]

Anyone paying $150 for that collector's edition has never known the value of money. There's nothing tangibly expensive in there to warrant such a mark-up, only the fact that some will buy it regardless.

[FLips]

While I'm sure you'll be getting bored of it by now, I've played another round of Amiga titles:

Ruff 'N Tumble

Excellent game. Looks fantastic, probably the smoothest looking Amiga title I've played. A tiny bit loose due to intertia but otherwise handles perfectly. Fun gameplay, does the Zool-style "collect X items to open exit" gimmick perfectly by having no time limit, no enemy respawns and a good camera. It's difficult but never feels unfair. A shame this was an Amiga exclusive because this is the kind of game you'd see come up on the Sega Mega Drive Collection games that come out every few years. 

Alien Breed Special Edition

I'll need to go back to this one I feel because I have an inkling I was missing something. The game looks great, has a decent atmosphere and the gunplay is good enough if nothing exciting. However I got soft locked on the first level because there wasn't enough keys for doors. I checked Bays 1-3 and the storage/locker areas but could not get any further. There was a black grated area that look like an elevator or something because my guy moved funny on it but it wouldn't do anything. 
I dunno, it's OK. Chaos Engine is better for this exact type of game but I need to figure out how to get further before I properly judge it.

Syndicate

I had Syndicate Wars on the PS1 and I could never figure it out. This one is even more confusing. 4 Characters but you can't move them in a group, vague controls and objectives. I dunno, I don't get it. Looks nice and controls as it should but I couldn't figure out the research system or how to change weapons or anything. Really needs a tutorial.

Leander

Enjoyed this. The music is lovely, the gameplay is responsive if a little cheap sometimes and the WHDLoad version skips load screens which give you the objective of the level so it was blink and you miss it to figure out where to go. The gameplay is like Strider but not as action packed, it encourages exploration. Did a few levels and enjoyed it, will definitely go back.

Second Samurai

Decent. The gameplay is fun and responsive, the combat a little janky but you get enough health to take a few cheapshots and the respawning is fair. Another game like Alien Breed though where I got stuck and couldn't figure out a way forward. I beat the first boss and had a book in my inventory, a book on the floor and the boss' head and I couldn't use any of them or pick any of them up. I tried every button on the controller and was pressing all the keys and I just could not find a "use item" button.

The Secret of Monkey IslandTM

I've dabbled in this on PC years ago and never got into it the same way I did Beneath a Steel Sky or Grim Fandango. This time I made it out of the first town and it's just brilliant. Funny writing, responsive UI, great characters and puzzles. I have nothing bad to say about this. I can see why you'd pick an Amiga up for it and I hear the sequel is even better.

Ruff N Tumble and Secret of Monkey IslandTM join my "best" list. 

 

[FLips]

55 minutes ago, johnnyboy said:

Not in the slightest.  Absolutely loving it tbh.

I dipped back into Zeewolf (and Zeewolf 2) and found I had to press every button on the keyboard to find what I was looking for.  Of course in the olden days there would have been a manual in the box

I think that might be where some of the confusion is laying with me too. One of the keyboard buttons must do something but damned if I know which one!

A shame because I’m a big fan of Bullfrog games and still hammer Theme Hospital to this day. The old MS-DOS version of Populus was a favourite round my mate’s house too. I know there’s a good game in there but I just can’t get in!

[Jazzy G]

If you enjoy the Syndicate type games I remember there being one called Battle Of The Sexes. I don't know whether it made it to the Amiga, but I do remember being thoroughly baffled by it on PC when I was a teenagers. 

Have you given Fire & Ice a look while you're doing Amiga mascot platformers? 

[FLips]

1 hour ago, jazzygeofferz said:

If you enjoy the Syndicate type games I remember there being one called Battle Of The Sexes. I don't know whether it made it to the Amiga, but I do remember being thoroughly baffled by it on PC when I was a teenagers. 

Have you given Fire & Ice a look while you're doing Amiga mascot platformers? 

Fire and Ice is on my to do list! 

I’ve been whistling and humming that bloody Magic Pockets theme for the last couple of days now!

[Jazzy G]

@Astro Hollywoodmight know this if my memory isn't right: Wasn't Magic Pockets one of the games people would try to play over the phone on What's Up Doc or Live & Kicking before they moved in to Hugo The Troll? 

[Jazzy G]

Some new Megadrive games have been added to Switch Online this morning. I played some Fantasy World Deluxe, and remembered that I'm bad at shooters. Also on there is Sonic Spinball, Alien Soldier, Light Crusader and a couple of others I can't remember at the moment. 

There have also been a couple of other leaks recently. One is that some new games are coming to the NES library of Switch Online games, including Megaman, Galaga, and Pacman. 

The other is that GameBoy, GameBoy Colour and GameBoy Advance games are coming to NSO as well. 

[patiirc]

14 minutes ago, jazzygeofferz said:

Some new Megadrive games have been added to Switch Online this morning. I played some Fantasy World Deluxe, and remembered that I'm bad at shooters. Also on there is Sonic Spinball, Alien Soldier, Light Crusader and a couple of others I can't remember at the moment. 

There have also been a couple of other leaks recently. One is that some new games are coming to the NES library of Switch Online games, including Megaman, Galaga, and Pacman. 

The other is that GameBoy, GameBoy Colour and GameBoy Advance games are coming to NSO as well. 

Sonic Spin ball can get very addictive. I cant get on with Alien Soldier, prefer the other Treasure MD titles  as a rule. 

Anyone doing Extra Life next week at Arcade Club?? 

[FLips]

Some absolute gems on the latest rounds of Amiga titles but unfortunately some technical issues as well.

The Secret of Monkey IslandTM

An update on this one. FS-UAE lost/erased my save disk so after spending all day at work waiting to get home and play it I found it was gone forever. I have since downloaded the Steam version which I am playing in old graphics however I think it's the MS-DOS version as the graphics aren't as good and the music neither. Still a brilliant game though that's got tricky puzzles and proper belly laughs. 

Cannon Fodder

I knew this was good so was never in a rush to play it, but you do forget how addictive it is. Before I knew it I had been on it well over an hour and my "score" was something like Home:199 - 30: Away.
On one level I walked my entire squad into quicksand and they sank like a brick. Another I was driving what looked like a Ford Escort that was meant to be a snow mobile right into a lake. Losing Jools and Jops is always heartbreaking. The CD32 version sounds and looks brilliant.
Sadly another game where my save disk was lost but I do own this on GOG!

Fire and Ice

The graphics are pretty good, especially the bouncing ball physics. Gameplay is OK but one hit deaths make the whole thing feel cheap and not worth the effort. Another for the OK pile.

Rainbow Islands

Thanks @johnnyboythis was a cracker! I wouldn't rate it above either Parasol Stars or Bubble Bobble but that's not a knock on it at all because they're great games. The game had a 2 button option but typically I never really jumped anyway! That music will be stuck in my head for days now.

The Addams Family (Available on Video for rental from June 17th 1992!)

There's no denying it's a well made game. It's a little Mario, it's a little Metroid, but unfortunately it's not as balanced as those games so you have some clunky hitboxes, forgettable enemies and areas and open-endedness without any sort of objective. I can't fault it on a technical level but it just has nothing to hook me.

Populous

After my dabble with Syndicate, I saw that "tutorial" option and dove right into it. Well fool me because the tutorial teaches you nothing. I couldn't figure this thing out at all. I know I've played this on PC so at one point I knew what to do but those memories are lost to the sands of time so all I had this way round was a square and some settlers screaming at me.

Zool

I finally got it working and a bit disappointed I did. I always hoped the Amiga version was better than the Mega Drive port I grew up with and in ways it is with a solid sountrack and slightly better controls, but at the end of the day it's Zool and you just can't get around that. Rose tinted glasses off and it's just not that good.
Plus points for a dedicated jump button, minus points for not being able to have music and sound effects at the same time and only being able to pick one track to play instead of each level having a dedicated song.

Cannon Fodder joins the "best" list now making my Top 5 in order:

1. Chaos Engine
2. The Secret of Monkey IslandTM
3. Ruff N Tumble
4. Cannon Fodder
5. Turrican II

If we're talking purely music though then the following 10 get a shoutout for either having a banger of a theme, a brilliant soundtrack or both. In no order:

1. Cannon Fodder
2. Magic Pockets
3. Turrican II
4. GODS
5. Agony
6. Ruff N Tumble
7. Chaos Engine
8. Leander
9. Toki
10. Shadow of The Beast III

Biggest letdowns so far, in which I won't include games like Syndicate and Populous that I just couldn't figure out:

1. Xenon 2 
2. Zool
3. Speedball 2
4. Shadow Fighter
5. Magic Pockets

 

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by FelatioLips

[SuperBacon]

Loving these write ups @FelatioLips!!! Reminds me of the retro section from when I used to buy CVG

Cannon Fodder is indeed a stone cold classic game.

[Merzbow]

The "best" version of Zool is a modern remake made by a team of students, it takes all the best bits of each version in one package and just runs perfectly with no tinkering, I was playing it on my ultrawide monitor, using all the space of the screen. Looks gorgeous and while it'll never play the greatest with it being Zool and all I've enjoyed it.