Messages

[General Gaming / Re: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon]

I've been having fun with it.  I backed the main game, so I'm supposed to get two digital copies of Curse of the Moon for free.  My download codes still haven't shown up yet.  IntiCreates gave all backers a temporary Steam code for it, so I've been playing it on my PC.

Overall it's a great throwback to CV3.  I don't think the soundtrack is especially memorable.  One of the BGMs is distinctly Michiru Yamane, which is good except that she gets more generic the more she does.  I haven't played through every path yet (the game has branching paths through the levels similarly to CV3) and I know there's still quite a bit of content I haven't seen, but I'm waiting til I can play it on console to do much more.  On my computer, I have to put up with screen timeouts, controller compatibility, interruptions from anti-virus updates, and similar garbage (PC mastur race!!!!!1!1!).

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: What Turbo game are you currently playing?]

I adore shmups, even though I'm terrible at them. One of my favorite games is the original arcade Raiden.  The TurboGrafx port was the first game I bought for my Turbo - I actually bought it quite a while before I bought the console.  My first impression wasn't good though.  It starts off way harder than the arcade version, with about twice as many enemies attacking you in the first level. 

But I gave it another shot a few weeks ago on a whim, and I was pleased to find it's actually MORE manageable than most other versions once you get decently powered up.  The spread shot (red powerup) seems wider and stronger than in other versions after 3-4 powerups, and that makes the game much more playable. 

So now I'm hooked on TurboGrafx Raiden.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

I was referring to the stock 3-button Genesis pad.  I've always thought that thing felt cumbersome.  The one I use is a 6-button, because it feels far better than the original.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

Going back to Game Sack, I think their take on the Jaguar seemed pretty fair. They only missed a couple of your recommended games, so I'm not sure why you have such strong negative feelings towards them, but to each their own. I find their show entertaining, well paced and with high production values. I also really enjoy the music chosen for each section. I don't always agree with their opinion on games/systems, and they do make mistakes from time to time, but I don't expect everyone to share my opinion on everything or to be perfect (especially for a 2 man operation...), so it's all good for me.

Game Sack is entertaining.  I have nothing wrong with somebody evaluating something and coming to a different conclusion than me.  My biggest issue with Game Sack's take on the Jag is that right from the start, they treated it like it was a joke.  It didn't seem like they were giving it a fair chance at all, based on their snickering, the goofy faces they make when they mention the Jaguar, and their sarcastic comments about the quality of the system.  It's clear their minds were made up before they even played the games.  It's a bit like the difference between constructive criticism and playground bullying - the problem isn't the criticism, but the way it's delivered.  I've watched probably 20-30 Game Sack episodes, and they don't usually treat their subject material that way unless they're making tongue-in-cheek stabs at each other about Sega vs. Nintendo.  Dave even acknowledges at the end that he knows he probably pissed off any Atari fans watching the video.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

What are your thoughts on the Jaguar controller btw? I really don't like it, to me there is an element of cheapness and bad design in it. D-pad feels mushy, the buttons are so so and its bit awkward to hold. But I don't mind the numpad, in fact I quite like it. Its unique for its time and adds character. Quite useful too.

To Jags credit I must say that after trying the Wolf 3D port after a long time it really is quite excellent. In fact one of the best ways to play the game, even today. Its not like with Doom where the Jag port was great for its time but you have so many better versions to play today,

I like the controller overall.  It does feel a bit cheap, but part of that is how light-weight it is.  I like how it fits perfectly in my hands.  I have big hands, so some controllers like the NES's and PCE's are a little uncomfortable.  And I like the idea of the keypad, because it gives you a lot of control potential for PC ports like Syndicate, Baldies, and Theme Park, without an overly cumbersome control scheme.  It also allows you to go right to the weapon you want in games like Doom, where most console ports make you cycle through all the weapons to get to the one you want.  The keypad is in a good spot where you can access it on the fly without having to look down at your controller, and it doesn't get in the way of the fire buttons and D-pad.

On that note, I don't care much for the D-Pad.  Like the Genesis D-Pad, it's effective, but it doesn't feel as satisfying as something like the SNES or Dualshock.  The Pro Controller is a step up with shoulder buttons and three extra fire buttons, but it's stupidly expensive, so a lot of people have never tried it.  There is a project at AtariAge to make more Pro Controllers but obviously without the Atari logo.

[Off-Topic / Re: Draw a game with MS Paint quiz]

I put together a list of all the games that have been done so far.  Not that the rules ban any repeats, but I thought it would be helpful to anyone trying to choose a game to draw, rather than sifting through 14 pages of bad guesses and Silent Debuggers comments.

Perfect Dark
Serei Senshi Spriggan
Legendary Axe
Deep Blue
Parasol Stars
Kid Icarus
Gotzendiener
Mega Man
Factory Panic
Pilotwings
Gunstar Heroes
Berserk
Forgotten Worlds
Another World
Bart Simpson: Escape from Camp Deadly
Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood
Super Monkey Ball
Aldynes
Willow
Yaksa
D&D Treasure of Tarmin
Gradius
Knight Rider Special
Sky Soldiers

Thanks for this!

Technically I was going for Shockman, lol- Not Meager man....

Thanks for pointing that out.  I had never heard of Shockman.  I corrected the list in my previous post.  Nectarsis, you're up if you want to keep the game going.

[Off-Topic / Re: Draw a game with MS Paint quiz]

Slime World

That's correct!

[Off-Topic / Re: Draw a game with MS Paint quiz]

I put together a list of all the games that have been done so far.  Not that the rules ban any repeats, but I thought it would be helpful to anyone trying to choose a game to draw, rather than sifting through 14 pages of bad guesses and Silent Debuggers comments.

Perfect Dark
Serei Senshi Spriggan
Legendary Axe
Deep Blue
Parasol Stars
Kid Icarus
Gotzendiener
Shockman
Factory Panic
Pilotwings
Gunstar Heroes
Berserk
Forgotten Worlds
Another World
Bart Simpson: Escape from Camp Deadly
Castlevania Dracula X: Rondo of Blood
Super Monkey Ball
Aldynes
Willow
Yaksa
D&D Treasure of Tarmin
Gradius
Knight Rider Special
Sky Soldiers

EDIT: changed Mega Man to Shockman.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

A lot of people hate Atari Karts.  I only picked it up last year and haven't played more than an hour of it.  I actually liked it quite a bit.  It's very pretty and controls very well, but it doesn't have the depth or comedy of Mario Kart.  And I think it's only 2-player max, but I could be wrong about that.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

Right now, my curiosity has been piqued as to why there are "rabid fans" for a system that has always looked like almost complete garbage to me. Am I missing something? Are these rabid fans just mostly peeps who grew up with Atari and thus migrated to the Jaguar? Is it because its very easy to develop for and has a healthy homebrew scene (which has been my impression since the early 2000s).

I dunno about the rabid fans thing.  Every console has fanboys - does the Jag have more than most?  If it takes one to know one, maybe I'm in a good position to make that call. 

I think the issue is that the Jag has always been lambasted as a joke of a console.  It's the go-to system for a lot of people when looking for an example of a console failure.  And it IS a failed console, so that alone isn't a problem.  The problem is when you have people who have never played it who criticize it for flaws that don't exist.  There's a ton of embarrassingly-poor games on the Jag.  There are also some well-made games that are worth playing.  I don't think the Jaguar should be on the same level as the PC Engine.  The PC Engine's library is clearly superior in just about every way.  But that doesn't mean the Jag is garbage.

Also, the Jag fanbase does have a lot of people who grew up with the Jag or other Atari platforms.  But there's plenty who got into the Jag long after its demise and even just recently.  Unfortunately, the collector's market has made Jaguar collecting prohibitively expensive, so it's probably not worth looking into if you're not already interested.  From what I'm told, Jaguar emulation is spotty with 2D games and awful with 3D games, but I haven't tried it much myself.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

So I watched the Jag episode and felt it was fair. Couldn't find the Lynx episode.

It's been awhile since I watched most of their stuff.  I believe they mention the Lynx and Lynx games in a few episodes, but as Joe mentioned, there isn't a dedicated Lynx episode.

I went back and watched the Jaguar episode again last week, to see if maybe I was just remembering things poorly.  It seemed obvious from the beginning of the episode that both guys assumed the Jag was a joke.  Some things stuck out to me as bad information, like when Joe said Wolfenstein 3D on the Jag didn't look any better than the other versions.  The Jag version (and I think the Mac and 3D0 ones maybe?) had a significant graphical upgrade over the PC version and most others.  The difference is quite obvious when you compare them side by side.  It's just things like that that give the impression they didn't do their homework and thus didn't give the Jag a fair analysis.

Yeah, they covered Raiden, Iron Soldier, Tempest 2000 and AvP. So serious question, besides those, what are the "good" Jaguar games? Protector, Missile Command 3D? Anything that somebody would consider a system seller?

I wouldn't consider anything on the Jag a system seller today.  I thought Alien vs. Predator was phenomenal back in its time, but that's the closest the Jag has to a system seller.  AvP really hasn't aged well.  The framerate is really choppy, but it was incredibly immersive in 1994.

So ignoring that and Tempest 2000, Iron Soldier, and Raiden, I'd recommend the following:

Rayman.  It's graphically comparable to the Playstation and Saturn ports, but those versions added some features that made the game frustratingly difficult to play, like slippery surfaces.  I find the difficulty in the Jag version very well-balanced.  If anything, it's a bit on the easy side, as I usually have tons of lives saved up by the end of the game.  I want to like the Playstation version, but it's just frustratingly tough by the second area.  The later versions have a CD-quality soundtrack with largely ambient background music.  The Jag's soundtrack is midi, and it's much more melodic than the PS1/Saturn soundtrack.  I really prefer the Jag's soundtrack, but maybe I'm the only one.

Syndicate.  I don't usually get into the 3/4 overhead "god games," but I adore Syndicate.  It's not a technological marvel, but it's quite a bit more advanced than the SNES and Genesis versions.  It makes good use of the Jag's keypad.  Originally a PC game with keyboard controls, it presents a bit of a challenge in porting to a console, because the commands all need to be mapped to a controller.  I've never played the SNES/Genesis versions, but from what I've read, it sounds like some of the game's features had to be removed due to control restrictions.  The Jag version is quite fun, with a good deal of depth, although plenty of Jag fans don't care for it.

Doom.  There are a lot of better options for Doom in 2018, but the Jag version was impressive in its time.  The Jag port was programmed by John Carmack himself.  It runs faster than most of the ports of the 1990s and has a better lighting engine, and most of the early console ports were based on the Jag version's code.  Carmack wasn't able to get the soundtrack playing during the levels without compromising the Jag's performance, so the soundtrack plays between stages, which is a big drawback.  Some people say they prefer to play the game without music as it's more immersive, but without the option to turn it on or off, I can only consider it a loss.  The Jag port also has scaled-down levels, missing levels, and no Cyberdemon, Spectres, or Spider Mastermind, and also no blur artifact (invisibility) or night-vision goggles.  Still, it's a great game on the Jag, even if it's been surpassed in years since.

Wolfenstein 3D.  Jag Wolfenstein is one of the best ports and among the best games on the system, in my opinion.  It looks great compared to the PC and SNES versions.  It runs very smoothly, although the Game Sack guys thought it ran too fast if I recall correctly.  I never had any issues with it being too fast and have played through it several times.  The Jag version added two weapons, a flamethrower and a rocket launcher.  Jag Wolfenstein also has an in-game map.  I don't think the PC or SNES versions did, but I could be wrong about that.

Battle Sphere / Battle Sphere Gold.  This came out after the commercial life of the Jag, but it's a good example of the Jag's power.  It's a space combat game with a ton of depth and the ability to play against 15 other people with the system link.  Unfortunately, it's stupidly expensive ($1500-ish), as if it wasn't already impossible to find 15 other Jag owners nearby.

Super Burnout.  I haven't played this a ton, but it's a very well-done motorcycle racer, and both super fast and silky smooth.  Some fans list this as the best game on the Jag.  But if you're not into racing games, Super Burnout isn't going to change your mind.

Zool 2.  This game is solid, but not brilliant.  It's a mascot platformer that plays a little too fast for its own good, and for some awful reason jump has been mapped to both an action button and Up on the D-pad.  But I've gotten plenty of fun out of it.  The soundtrack is really catchy and the graphics are gorgeous for 1994.

Ultra Vortek.  Game Sack really ripped into Ultra Vortek, but it's a solid fighter.  It unashamedly rips off Mortal Kombat, but that doesn't make it a bad game.  Graphically it's pretty nice and it controls very well with a variety of moves and character types.  It doesn't offer anything too original, but it's still a good game.  I'm not huge into the 1 on 1 fighting game genre, so I can't comment on the depth of the gameplay.

NBA Jam TE.  The Jag version doesn't have anything you can't find in the SNES/Genesis versions other than slightly better graphics, but it's just as solid as the other home conversions.

Baldies (Jag CD).  This is an overhead "god-game" comparable to the early Warcraft games.  It's pretty addicting and unique.  You control a group of Bald dudes and have to fight against their enemies, the Hairy men.  Your army is divided into four categories of Baldies, each of which has a different purpose depending on whether they're inside a building or outside.  There's a good deal of depth, and it's got the sense of humor of something like Worms or Lemmings.  You can develop a minefield and place it right outside an enemy castle, and then develop a stink bomb and drop it on the castle, forcing its inhabitants outside and right into the minefield.  Or inflict your enemies' territory with a plague of land-sharks.  Lots of good fun.  There's also a PS1 port, but it uses some fugly early polygons in places.  The Jag version is 100% pixel art, which I prefer, but that's subjective of course.

Blue Lightning (Jag CD).  A lot of people hate the Jag version, but I really enjoy it.  It doesn't have the depth of something like the Lynx original, but it's a fun mindless blaster.  I'm probably in the minority here though, so approach with caution.

Primal Rage (Jag CD).  It's about the same as the other home ports.  Better graphics than the SNES/Genesis ports, but inferior graphics to the Playstation/Saturn ports.  Also, some fatalities have to load after you input the right command, which really interrupts the matches.

Vid Grid (Jag CD).  It's essentially a jigsaw puzzle where the picture you're assembling is a moving video rather than a still photo.  I had a lot of fun with this, and I don't know why people don't talk about it more.  It's not a system seller, and it's nothing brilliant, but it certainly is fun, and it's a unique take on the FMV genre.

[Off-Topic / Re: Draw a game with MS Paint quiz]

Another one of my favorite games.

Sky Soldiers?

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

In any case, boycotting a show, just because they don't share your same opinions seems very obtuse to me. IMO Game Sack is just fun, and not meant as a definitive source for anything. It's just a couple of relatable nerds talking about games...no need to take it more serious than that.

If I boycotted every show that presented a difference of opinion, I suppose you could call me obtuse.  But this is a little different.  I stopped watching one show because of its hosts' repeatedly ignorant views.  It's not like I'm going to run out of the room the next time I see somebody watching Game Sack.  It's just that there are better sources for retro gaming YouTube channels out there.

[Off-Topic / Re: MGC 2018 + TurboFest is a go!!]

There might be a gent or two looking to sell stuff. Usually you can find a vendor or two with some good deals, you just have to dig.  Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Definitely!  It will be good to meet you guys.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

Just like the Turbo in the US?

It didn't do that well in NA, true, but it's not really the same thing.  The Jag and Lynx didn't have a highly successful run in JP.

It's not the same thing, no.  But I think the comparison to the Turbo's performance in the West is absolutely relevant.  Clearly the Turbo is a good system with lots of good software.  It failed in the West due to problems unrelated to the quality of the console and games.  Why is it such a stretch to say the same phenomenon is possible with other platforms?

To be clear, I'm not trying to argue that the Jaguar is a great system.  It had potential, but a ton of terrible games and a lack of enough good ones sunk its chances.  It did have good games and even a few great ones, but it had some serious issues.  My issue with the Jaguar on Game Sack is that they don't even give the good games a chance. 

The Lynx really was a great system though.  It didn't catch on, and Atari's marketing for it was terrible, but when we look at it retrospectively we need to look at the games as they are/were.  Terrible marketing isn't something we should consider when we rate a game - we just rate the game on its own merits.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

Lol, somebody had a Lynx growing up.

It's funny to see how much nostalgia affects someone's perspective. If you hold a NES vs 7800 poll on Atari Age, the 7800 wins hands down, but go literally anywhere else and post that same poll. I guarantee the 7800 loses every single time. For someone who isn't a fan of either, it's easy to see which console was superior, but those nostalgia glasses are awful rosy.

There's really no defense against this argument.  No matter what I say about the Lynx, you could always attribute it to nostalgia.  And there's no way to prove you wrong, just like you can't prove I'm blinded by nostalgia.  But many people who actually have played the Lynx come away from it impressed and wondering why it didn't catch on.  Many of the games are consistently well-reviewed.  And it still has a significant fanbase today, with new games being released every year.

As far as the 7800 vs NES, there's plenty of love for the NES at AtariAge.  I don't go to the 7800 portion of the forum, but I have been a member of AtariAge for many years and I've never noticed any unusual feelings toward the NES.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

I used to love Game Sack's videos.  But when I saw the third or fourth video where they piss all over the Jaguar or Lynx, I decided it would be the last I watched.  They just won't give a game on either system a fair chance.

Not sure if serious.

Yup, totally serious.  There's plenty of good stuff on both systems, and the Lynx especially had a great library.  The Lynx has easily the best ratio of great games to shit game of any console I've played.  It has dozens of fantastic arcade ports and some nice exclusives.  There are a handful of lousy games for it, but by and large it's a great handheld, was way ahead of its time, and deserved to succeed much better than it did.

The Jag is one of those consoles that lots of people have never played but think they know enough to bash it anyway.  Of course they're free to do so, just like I'm free to disregard their opinion when I hear that.  There's a lot of awful games on the Jaguar.  If Game Sack wants to review those and bash them, they're free to do so.  But they should still recognize the good games, and they don't.  They just treat the Jag like a garbage system.

These systems had their chance BITD, and they failed.

Just like the Turbo in the US?

[Off-Topic / Re: MGC 2018 + TurboFest is a go!!]

Is there any chance some of you guys have turbo stuff you're looking to unload? I'm looking to pick up a few titles, but Turbo support is usually pretty weak on the sales floor.

[Off-Topic / Re: Game Sack]

I used to love Game Sack's videos.  But when I saw the third or fourth video where they piss all over the Jaguar or Lynx, I decided it would be the last I watched.  They just won't give a game on either system a fair chance.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: How to ID a Sapphire fake]

My crown jewel is Spriggan.

I would love to own Spriggan.  Hell, even that other Spriggan.

[Off-Topic / Re: Donald Trump Thread aka End of Days]

It's a given that costs go up every year.  The point is that the increases are expected to be steeper with the changes Trump's made and the uncertainty he's thrown into the system.  With elimination of the mandate, it's projected that many relatively healthy people will drop insurance coverage; the same number of claims spread over fewer participants means the costs per person go up more sharply.

I don't know the exact numbers off hand, but I'd rather keep paying 10% annual increases than 20% every year.

And if you get a subsidy, that's getting cut too.

Really?  You're attributing the skyrocketing increases caused by the ACA to costs going up every year?  Our insurance has never been as bad as when the ACA went through.  Our deductible literally doubled in one year.  When everyone at my company complained, we were told it was because of the ACA.  It's exactly as NE146 said:  we're covered in case of a catastrophe, but we pay through the nose for standard medical procedures.

you'd be thankful if there was a catastrophe

Sure, just like I would have on my old plan, except this way I'll be thankful with less money.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: How to ID a Sapphire fake]

If it's a bootleg, being associated with Tobias the disc will sprout arms and legs and try to go eat the shit.

I bought it yesterday.  My collection has a new crown jewel.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: How to ID a Sapphire fake]

It's not sealed.  I wouldn't buy it if it was.  While I like sealed games for my collection, I can't justify a purchase this big if I can't even play it.  It's priced at $700.  He's had it in his shop for over a year, and recently he took it home to "cook" for a few years.  When I noticed it wasn't there anymore, I asked him about it and he brought it back to the store for me.  I don't like the idea of dropping $700 on one game, I just sold a handful of games that I've been sitting on, so I can justify it as if it's a trade.

I was only assuming there were several runs of bootlegs.  Looks like I worded that part of my last post poorly.  Reading through some of the older topics here, it seemed like there might be some EverAnime and Son May bootlegs too, plus multiple runs of the PCE Works ones.  If it's just the Care4data and PCE Works ones, I feel pretty confident I'll be buying a legit copy then.

Thanks so much for everyone's help!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / How to ID a Sapphire fake]

I'm hoping to buy Sapphire from a local brick & mortar shop.  I've gotten to know the owner very well over the past few years and I know he would never knowingly sell me a fake, but I want to be sure his copy of Sapphire is authentic before I buy it.

CrackTiger's website wayback.superpcenginegrafx.net/sapcomp1.html is ridiculously helpful.  But it only addresses the Care4data bootleg, and I know there have been several different runs of bootleg copies by different sellers.  I want to make sure there aren't other variants out there that I'm not aware of. 

I know the PCEworks versions are marked as such on the discs.  Is there anything else I need to watch out for?  I've searched topics here but can't seem to find anything in the past 10 years about this.

Counterfeit Sapphire Front

Counterfeit Sapphire Back

Real	Fake

[Off-Topic / Re: Donald Trump Thread aka End of Days]

It's a given that costs go up every year.  The point is that the increases are expected to be steeper with the changes Trump's made and the uncertainty he's thrown into the system.  With elimination of the mandate, it's projected that many relatively healthy people will drop insurance coverage; the same number of claims spread over fewer participants means the costs per person go up more sharply.

I don't know the exact numbers off hand, but I'd rather keep paying 10% annual increases than 20% every year.

And if you get a subsidy, that's getting cut too.

Really?  You're attributing the skyrocketing increases caused by the ACA to costs going up every year?  Our insurance has never been as bad as when the ACA went through.  Our deductible literally doubled in one year.  When everyone at my company complained, we were told it was because of the ACA.  It's exactly as NE146 said:  we're covered in case of a catastrophe, but we pay through the nose for standard medical procedures.

[General Gaming / Re: Limited Run Games]

The problem I have with LRG is that I'll be there the moment the game goes live, add it to my cart, and then the game is listed as sold out during the checkout process.  Wash-rinse-repeat until the game is no longer available to add to the cart.

This is the part I don't understand.  I've gotten probably a dozen games from LRG and this has never happened to me (including some if the high demand stuff like dragons trap SE). There is no way that's just luck.  Too many samples to be just luck

That's exactly what happened to me, and it was with Dragon's Trap.  I was so pissed, because that was the one Limited Run game I wanted more than any other, and I had successfully bought a handful of games from them prior to that sale.  I was logged into my Limited Run account, and I was logged into Paypal, but it didn't matter.  I think part of it depends on when you get into the checkout queue.  You have literally a few seconds to do your order.  If you get into the queue in five seconds, you might be 2,000 slots ahead of the guy who got into the queue in seven seconds.

[General Gaming / Re: I think I may have just ruined my authentic turbografx experience.]

I bought my Turbo setup several years after I had everything emulated on the Wii.  And I actually really like the Wii classic controller.  Rondo of Blood plays like a dream on the Wii.  But I still wanted original hardware, because to me there's something about playing on the original hardware.  It's like this was what the developers intended, even though I know it would be more accurate to say this is all the developers had to work with.

In other news, the Gamecube D-pad is indeed awful, because it's about half the size it should be.  I used to use a PS2-to-GC controller cable, but there was a little bit of input lag so it really wasn't much better.  That Hori GB Player controller looks amazing though.  I'm sure I'll end up hunting one down, because I won't have the good judgment not to.

[General Gaming / Re: Limited Run Games]

Tried to buy Munch twice today.  Both the morning release and the afternoon release.  I could add it to my cart, but it says sold out when I tried to check out.  All I wanted was one copy...not two.

Guess I'm going to do without.

I got tied up during the morning release and missed out.  I went on their page to make sure the afternoon release would be at the normal time, but the site said they were sold out of both versions.  I looked around for any mention of the afternoon release but there was none.  So I didn't even try.  It's so incredibly frustrating.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: Am I the only one who did NOT know this??]

These are of course covers of the infamous Comic Bakery loader on the C64 by Martin Galway:

Holy crap.  I never knew that.  Awesome!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: Am I the only one who did NOT know this??]

Well, now that this thread has been revived, I might as well post a few more.

Castlevania 2's Dwelling of Doom  (start at the beginning of the track)

...sounds like Yngwie Malmsteen's Far Beyond the Sun  (see 0:23)

This melody from Top Gear on the SNES:

Sounds almost identical to Billy Joel's "The Stranger" (see 0:57)

The BGM from Jurassic Park NES's first stage

...was later used in Platypus on the PSP

Many of the original Doom's songs were inspired by rock and metal tracks.  You can find a list of the similarities here:  http://doom.wikia.com/wiki/Doom_music

I'm not sure if this counts, but Lemmings incorporated a ton of public domain music into its soundtrack:
Forest Green/O Little Town of Bethlehem

How Much is that Doggie in the Window

London Bridge is Falling Down

Turkish March

The Can-Can

She'll be Coming 'Round the Mountain

and so on.

Although I think a lot of this can be attributed to the fact that musical possibilities are inevitably limited.  When you consider the millions of artists across all genres and eras, many producing over a hundred works, there are bound to be similarities between random songs.  Compare the end of The Beatles's "A Day in the Life" to the hook from Billie Joe Royal's "Hush" (later made famous by Deep Purple) for one example of an identical riff that was (supposedly) coincidental, not stolen.

The Castlevania fanbase often credits Michiru Yamane with remixing tunes in her soundtracks that, in my opinion, are not intended to be remixes - they're just a sign of her limited musical range.  That's not meant to knock her as an artist; she's one of my favorites.

[General Gaming / Re: Xbox One]

as that way Microsoft wouldn't get any of my money.  I only have Cuphead and Ori & the Blind Forest

So they did get your money.

A little, yes!

This seems entirely ill informed, short sighted, and petty.  Xbone was going to be forward thinking and interesting.  In the end, it wound up being more of the same because of the stupid internet backlash to idiots complaining that they can't sell their $60 game back to gamestop for $12 in store credit.

Does your therapist know you get this angry about internet opinions?

I don't care about being able to sell games.  I've sold something like two games in my life, and those only because they were duplicates.  But I love buying used games.  One of my favorite things to do is browsing used game stores.  If Microsoft had their way, their products would never appear there.

[General Gaming / Re: Xbox One]

I was dead set against getting an Xbox One ever since the whole always on / no used games thing during its initial announcement.  Even when they backpedalled on those features, it was too late.

But a few months ago I bought my buddy's Xbox One S, as that way Microsoft wouldn't get any of my money.  I only have Cuphead and Ori & the Blind Forest, and both are pretty great.  I like the backwards compatibility thing, but it's a shame more titles aren't available through backwards compatibility.  Just like my 360, I'm thinking it's going to be largely a retro console for me.

[Off-Topic / Re: Funny Sounding Words.]

Hall & Oates truly embody the 80s.  Really, what's more 80s than awesomely bad music videos with homoerotic undertones?

[Off-Topic / Re: Funny Sounding Words.]

What's even better is that you think they're called Hallen Oats.

[Fighting Street / Re: How was your college experience?]

I know there are tons of people who go into college not knowing what they want to major in or what they want to do for a career.  That might work for some of them, but I don't think it's a wise choice when you're paying through the teeth for tuition.

I absolutely loved college, but I knew what I wanted to study and chose my school based on that.  I made my classes my priority, and when my school work was done I spent my time hanging with friends, gaming, lifting weights, hiking, biking, etc. 

If you're not sure what you want to study and you're not enjoying college, can you take a semester or two off to gain focus on your skills and interests, and re-evaluate your choice of schools if necessary?  If you didn't know what you wanted to study, what made you choose your school over other schools?  At the end of the day, college is a very expensive experience that will (or at least should) shape the rest of your life.  If you aren't sure why you're there, then you're quite possibly throwing your money away.

If and when you do choose a major, it would be a good idea to research what that major can be used for.  I have a friend who got a bachelor degree and a master degree and now works at Target unloading trucks, because he can't use his degrees for anything.  He's not the only one.  Plenty of schools offer majors that are altogether worthless in the work force, and it's on you to make sure what you're studying has potential in your future.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The new guy]

Welcome!   I'm also very new here, and somewhat new to the Turbo.  It's an easy system to fall in love with. I'd recommend finding a CD unit at some point, and a way to play games from all regions, as there are a ton of great CD titles.

[Fighting Street / Re: Does anyone like the New England Patriots?]

Go Packers.

This.  Living in Green Bay, WI, I don't really have much choice but to be a Packer fan.  Although I think it has more to do with my upbringing than environment.

I didn't watch much football this year though.  A few of the Packers did the seated national anthem protest at the start of the first regulation game, and that was all I needed to turn off the TV.  I missed rooting for the Pack, but it was kinda nice having 3 extra hours each weekend.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: Turbo games you should like that you don't. My example (Forgotten Worlds)]

They could just accept games as-is and be honest with themselves about how any genuine enjoyment they derive comes from their compromise of working around the broken or poorly executed aspects of these games. Instead they tend to dismiss comments from people prefering non-gilded games, particularly rival titles (like Ninja Gaidens for non-Nintendo platforms).

I know what you are saying and think it is a valid point, but maybe a bad example. If someone told me they preferred the PCE version (which I think is the only one that is actually the "same" game, could be wrong there) , I'd have to ask them why, honestly. I'd think the NES version was leagues better even without my Nintendo tramp stamp.

Not to split hairs, but the Atari Lynx port of Ninja Gaiden 3 is the "same" as the NES version.  To its detriment, as the graphics were just scaled down instead of being redrawn completely for the lower-res screen.  Other than the attack and jump buttons being irreversibly swapped in the Lynx port, the controls are perfect and the gameplay, enemy placement, and level designs are identical to the NES original.  The worst of it is the soundtrack.  It was great on the NES, but it was butchered on the Lynx and does a huge disservice to the port.  I am a huge Lynx fanboy, and I love the NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy, but I can't bring myself to like the Lynx port of Ninja Gaiden 3.  I can't see how anyone who wasn't already a fan of the NES version could get much enjoyment out of the Lynx one.

On the topic of NES NG vs. PCE NG, I adored the NES version as a kid, and my glasses are more rose-colored for it than probably any other single game.  But I was overjoyed to learn about the PCE version 20 years or so ago - I always enjoy exploring different "takes" on my favorite things.  I've only played about halfway through the PCE version, but the choppy scrolling is really distracting to me.  It's a shame, as the graphics overall are much nicer than the NES and SNES versions.

(Sorry, I probably shouldn't have even mentioned the SNES version...I just took the whole conversation down a few notches.)

I don't care for what I've heard of the soundtrack in the PCE version, but I can't say that's due to anything more than nostalgia.  There's actually a recent thread at the Castlevania Dungeon forums in which the topic creator tries to show that the PCE version's level 1 theme is superior to the NES version's.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Am I frying my system cards?]

That's just the way it was when I bought it.  I've always assumed it was the CD unit that was intended to go with the white PC Engine, but I'm probably among the least-knowledgable members here when it comes to NEC hardware.  It's not modded, but I was told when I bought it that it had been re-capped.  Whether that refers to just the Turbo, just the CD unit, or both, I'm not sure.

[Off-Topic / Re: Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel?]

I can't tell ACDC's singers apart either.  It's hard to differentiate two voices that both sound like a feral cat getting skinned and salted.

[Off-Topic / Re: Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel?]

I'm bumping this dead topic, because I'm new and this is unmoderated and I think this forum needs to know I pick Peter Gabriel over Phil Collins.  And not even because of that Sussudio nonsense.

In other news, Yes was the greatest band ever until Relayer. Well, they're still the greatest now, but some other band took over at that point and started naming albums Tormato and shit.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: Turbo games you should like that you don't. My example (Forgotten Worlds)]

Just curious on your thoughts of Castlevania 3 then.

Plays like crap, just like its predecessors.

I'm more than a little shocked by this.  I can understand if somebody didn't like the original Castlevania, as it's a little rough even with its classic status.  But Castlevania 3 is fantastic in my opinion.  I have to wonder:  If you think Castlevania plays like crap, do you feel the same way about the NES Ninja Gaidens (and Ninja Ryukenden on PCE)?  I've always felt their gameplay is nearly identical to classic Castlevania, just sped up a bit.  It's all about finding a rhythm between moving, dodging, and attacking.  Once you get that rhythm down, gameplay becomes a beautiful dance, almost a zen-like experience.  I include the original NES Castlevania with this gameplay style, but it's definitely a rougher experience than CV3.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Am I frying my system cards?]

Which everdrive do you have? Any Version 1 meaning V1 1.1 1.2 etc.. can only be used as a CD system 2.1 or lower card. Only the newer Everdrives V2 on up can do a super system CD card. You also need the correct patched file for it to work. The regular Bios rom alone will not work until you patch it.

Also, have you tried backing the systems cards out of the converter slightly? Sometimes the pins of those get gummy and require cleaning. Backing them out of the slot slightly usually works if the pins are not clean enough to get it going.

You, sir, are a god among men.  Turns out I had my converter pushed in too far into the console.  My arcade card lives!  I can't tell you how happy this makes me...to say it makes my whole month is an understatement. 

I've been so blown away by the Turbo.  I can't believe I grew up without knowing games could be this impressive in the 90s.  I was so bummed when it stopped working...I wanted to explore the library but didn't want to pour any more money into my console if it was just going to keep giving me problems.

But now I might need to consider that copy of Saphire at my local shop....

Thanks, Keith Courage, and everyone else who commented.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Am I frying my system cards?]

Thanks!  I do have a Turbo Everdrive, and I tried last night to get it to work as a system card, but the games showed up glitchy.  I might not have the right system card files.  But as I understand it, if a game needs the extra ram of a legit system card, then using the Turbo Everdrive as your system card will not work.  Is that correct?  Is there a game you could recommend to test this?

Also, a dying converter does make sense.  I bought it new and have barely used it though, so I'd hope that wasn't it.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Am I frying my system cards?]

Hello, gang.  I came here hoping to run this issue past the experts.

A few years ago I bought a used Turbo setup consisting of the original US base unit, a turbo booster, and the white Turbo CD unit, plus cables etc. It was refurbished but looked to have been well cared-for, and it worked well for me for awhile. I bought a new Japanese System Card 3.0 via ebay, and a HuCard converter new from Telegames. These also worked well, but after a few months the Turbo stopped recognizing the System Card 3.0. So I bought a used Arcade Pro system card from a very reputable local shop. This also worked well for me for awhile, but yesterday my Turbo stopped recognizing my Arcade Pro card.

Could my converter unit be frying my system cards somehow? I can't seem to find any similar stories online. I'm still rather new to the TurboGrafx, and with all the goofy system card requirements and other quirks, I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong.  Is this a common issue?  And is it safe to assume my system cards are done for?  I've attached some photos of my setup below.

Please let me know your thoughts.





(EDIT:  ...and my photos aren't showing up.  Sorry.)

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: List of Stores That Sell Turbo Games]

Could you add Press Start Games, 1440 Oneida Street, Appleton WI 54915?  They don't have a website, but their Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pressstartgamesllc.