(Retro) What have you been playing this week?

[speedlolita]

Taking turns is lots of fun. A forgotten way to play games.

Used to do this with Grand Theft Auto.

Was the worst when you'd hit a ramp and land in the water, especially when your friend was playing it safe. Cheeky beggar!

[Colin]

Taking turns is lots of fun. A forgotten way to play games.

Just saw this when Speedy quoted it. It really was, wasn't it. You'd sit with your mate, and each time you weren't actually playing you'd watch intently and learn from your mistakes, co-op in a completely different way. My mate and I beat countless games this way, happy times.

[wakka]

I haven't forgotten it, I still do that. Lol. I love splitscreen too. Online gaming doesn't do it for me for the most part, although of course I recognise how brilliant and powerful it is.

[randombs]

It's fun until you're the one who bumps into a goomba within two seconds and has to wait for the next go

[nakamura]

Strider and I have been doing it a lot lately. Had so much fun learning enemy and boss patterns.

[randombs]

Yeah, definitely. Co-op strengthens relationships as well. May even possibly save some.

Imagine the headline: Mario Saved Our Marriage

One thing we've been arguing over is using guides on the internet. She keeps wanting to check and find out where secret levels/switches are but I prefer to find out by ourselves. Of course, my way means we literally just play whatever levels we can see with my tunnel vision so any random pipes on the world map that I can't reach are assumed to be there for decoration. They're not.

I'm gonna go Akihabara and look for one of those old guide books for Mario World. She'll love that.

[acidbearboy]

Castlevania IV this week (on my own, in 10-15 minute bursts before work). The attract sequence and first 3 levels are near perfection, in no small part due to the music. I'm right near the end now (stage b) but I've had to use cheats to ease the frustration!

[nakamura]

Frustration? We finished it last month in one go! [emoji1]

The game is borderline perfection though. The build up to the castle is incredible.

[acidbearboy]

I'm pretty rubbish at games, plus only playing 15mins a day means I don't want to replay the same section more than once. Still can't believe they've not made another 2d Castlevania with 8 way whip control.

[Goemon]

Or Swinging!
CV4 was the first CV I played and took 8 way whip control and swinging as the normal.

Probably why 4 holds a special place for me, it's quite different to the other games.

[fallenangle]

Been playing retro style, freeware scrolling space shooter PC Alien Wars for almost two years irregularly and in short bursts. Finally I've got through to the last level of 12.

Great little game, plays well, tough (at least it is for me) and good looking. Nothing but positive things to say about it. This type of game won't be to everyone's taste but I've surprised myself how much I've enjoyed playing it.

[randombs]

More Super Mario World yesterday. We gave up after a few hours because it's getting difficult and stressing us out!

But for extra motivation I fired up Yoshi's Island to show what we'll be playing once we eventually finish Mario World. Such a beautiful game.

After that we tried some actual co-op platformers like World of Illusion(MD) which was boring as heck. I remember enjoying it when I played it first time around but it's nowhere near Castle of Illusion.

After that it was Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja(SNES) which was a jerky, slow mess but we managed about ten minutes before giving up.

After that we played Zombies Ate My Neighbours(first SNES then MD) for a while which was more of a success. SNES has better graphics and uses the whole screen with a floating HUD and a map that you can turn on/off using the triggers whereas the MD graphics are a bit garish but the right side of the screen is blacked-off and has a permanent map as well as the HUD which are easier to see. I prefer the MD music, as well. SNES is better-sounding but too busy I think. MD is simpler.

Emulators on OSX are crap compared to Windows. There's a wicked new one but it needs Lion or newer.

[samanosuke]

Still playing SF3: 3S on a daily basis. A few months ago someone at work donated a DC to our tea room. After getting everyone hooked on Virtua Tennis 2, I brought in a couple of sticks and downloaded (sshh!) the scene released Arcade Edition of 3S.

At first there were just a couple of us hardcore fighter fans playing but now there're at least half a dozen of us that meet at lunch time to play. In fact people love it so much that we're organising a pilgrimage to the HoG later this month!

Currently trying to master Urien and his sick unblockables.

[nakamura]

More Super Mario World yesterday. We gave up after a few hours because it's getting difficult and stressing us out!

But for extra motivation I fired up Yoshi's Island to show what we'll be playing once we eventually finish Mario World. Such a beautiful game.

After that we tried some actual co-op platformers like World of Illusion(MD) which was boring as heck. I remember enjoying it when I played it first time around but it's nowhere near Castle of Illusion.

After that it was Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja(SNES) which was a jerky, slow mess but we managed about ten minutes before giving up.

After that we played Zombies Ate My Neighbours(first SNES then MD) for a while which was more of a success. SNES has better graphics and uses the whole screen with a floating HUD and a map that you can turn on/off using the triggers whereas the MD graphics are a bit garish but the right side of the screen is blacked-off and has a permanent map as well as the HUD which are easier to see. I prefer the MD music, as well. SNES is better-sounding but too busy I think. MD is simpler.

Emulators on OSX are crap compared to Windows. There's a wicked new one but it needs Lion or newer.

I really like Joe and Mac but the 30fps isn't exactly glorious. Trying to get a CIB Japanese copy is proving a challenge.

Been playing SF2 on SNES managed to complete the highest level without continuing. Not done that for years.

[nakamura]

To add, I finally completed Mother 3 on GBA and it was absolutely wonderful. The plot was extremely touching at times and very daring. It didn't fall into RPG cliches, much like the other games in the series. Criminal that it never got a western release and the guy that did the translation did a superb job.