(Retro) What have you been playing this week? Vol.2

[MattyHustedUk]

been playing a bit of Def Jam Fight For New York on PS2 (prefer the xbox version but xbox is packed away atm) also been playing a bit of ridge racer V

[Leon Retro]

I dont know, sometimes it can enhance a game, games like Crazy Taxi, Tony Hawks and Jet Set Radio for example simply wouldn’t be the same without the licensed music that they have.

Yeah, you're right. Licensed music can enhance a game if it really fits well with the design.

I was just thinking about your typical racing games that just offer music tracks from popular bands. But at least having radio stations is a thing in some racers, such as the Forza Horizon series. I like that you can choose different styles.

Licensed music can end up being a problem though. Just look at how they had to change the music for Crazy Taxi.

been playing a bit of Def Jam Fight For New York on PS2

I've never played any game in the series, but I've always been interested in the Xbox version. I really need to give it a go.

[MattyHustedUk]

Yeah, you're right. Licensed music can enhance a game if it really fits well with the design.

I was just thinking about your typical racing games that just offer music tracks from popular bands. But at least having radio stations is a thing in some racers, such as the Forza Horizon series. I like that you can choose different styles.

Licensed music can end up being a problem though. Just look at how they had to change the music for Crazy Taxi.




I've never played any game in the series, but I've always been interested in the Xbox version. I really need to give it a go.

the xbox version is much better if im honest if you want more of a aki style grappler the first game vendetta has you covered

[Cepp]

Making my way through Mario All Stars on Switch which I haven't played since the 90s. Did both runs on SMB and Lost levels and I'm partway through SMB2. I was hoping to use my PC Engine Mini controller but it doesn't seem to be compatible so I've stuck with the 8bitdo MD pad.

Latency is really good, much better than on Wii-U. I remember trying NES Remix and finding it unplayable due to the lag.

As for the games themselves; they've been fun to play through again. I'll always prefer the NES originals but this cart was some crazy value for money back then, especially the re-release with SMW included.

[Leon Retro]

I'll always prefer the NES originals but this cart was some crazy value for money back then, especially the re-release with SMW included.

I also prefer the NES originals, but I also really like All-Stars. Nintendo did a great job making the visuals look 16-bit quality. I remember being really surprised when Nintendo announced it back in the day, and when I got my hands on it, I had a lot of fun going back through the old Super Mario games and discovering the Japanese version of SMB2.

[Cepp]

I also prefer the NES originals, but I also really like All-Stars. Nintendo did a great job making the visuals look 16-bit quality. I remember being really surprised when Nintendo announced it back in the day, and when I got my hands on it, I had a lot of fun going back through the old Super Mario games and discovering the Japanese version of SMB2.

SMB2 was a bastard to go through again. I always forget about some of the romhack garbage they put in there

I just finished SMB3 and found the artstyle to be far more appealing than I remember. It's been a fun romp through all four remakes tbh.

[Leon Retro]

I played a fun Famicom game called Flying Hero, which is focused on you having to save people from burning buildings. It's a charming game with nice sprite work, and it has an addictive quality that keeps you playing.

[samanosuke]

Sounds better than Riding Hero on the NeoGeo then!

[Leon Retro]

Sounds better than Riding Hero on the NeoGeo then!

Just watching the Mega-CD boot screen is more fun than playing Riding Hero.

[Ghost]

Been playing the original Silent Hill and I’m currently at the school. Its been a years since I last played the game and it holds up pretty well, the voice acting is a bit wooden but the music and atmosphere are still superb. Its a bit depressing really as Konami were really at the top of their game during the PS1/PS2 period and to look at what its become in the last 10 years is a tragedy.

Also been playing through Wipeout 3, this is still probably my favorite entry in the whole series and Psygnosis really pushed the original PlayStation to the limits with this game. Soundtrack is still amazing.

[chopemon]

Started Parasite Eve for the first time yesterday and am completely in love. Fantastic game and amazing looking. These high end PS1 games really are something to behold, the 3d overworld map is incredible. As a teenager I didn't have a lot of money for games so I didn't get to dig into much past some of the real heavy hitters like the Resis and MGS. This year I played through Symphony of the Night and it became an all timer. Not sure if Parasite Eve will be an all timer but I'm having an amazing time with it. The pixel hunting for interact spots has had me consulting a walkthrough a couple of times though. I didn't manage to find a key in Central Park after spending ages going round in circles and it turns out I'd missed an interact point since the radius on it was so small.

Lookign forward to moving on to the second in the future.

[fallenangle]

Loved Parasite Eve - it was the first NTSC import I'd bought and it did not disappoint. Big problem I didn't consider was that I was using a PSX 2 boot disc on my PAL PS and PE is a two disc game and does not save at the swap point. I didn't even know if it was possible but I tried a double hot swap: boot disc then disc 2, and eventually I got it working. So pleased.

I have time for PE2; it gets a bit of slagging from hardcore fans of the first game and I can understand the criticism but I still enjoyed it.

Currently playing Xbox Rainbow Six Critical Hour. Not good at all.

I don't know what they were thinking and why they did it but compared to the first game and two good follow ups it feels like a half-hearted after thought. The AI has been made worse, both enemy and allies, the graphics are fuzzy (they have a sort of bloom to them), audio, particularly gunfire, is thin and tinny and the useful thermographic vision almost ruined.

The main problem is the deeply annoying allied and cheap enemy AI. It is difficult to say which is worse but it all seems to have been done to make the game more difficult. Not in a good way just to cover up the fact it is very short.

Disappointing.

[Cepp]

I still need to play Parasite Eve 2, glad you enjoyed it.

I ran through Ninja Gaiden up to 6-1 to unwind. Those stages are like muscle memory but I don't need the aggro the rest of the game provides right now

[ZipZap]

SMB2 was a bastard to go through again. I always forget about some of the romhack garbage they put in there

I just finished SMB3 and found the artstyle to be far more appealing than I remember. It's been a fun romp through all four remakes tbh.

I've been playing SMB2 as well. After spending months playing Mario Maker 2 I've actually got quite into all the super difficult kaizo stages, but I'm not sure the SMB engine is quite up to it! Jumping off enemies in particular is a lot less graceful than on the newer games. The one thing I do like going back to the originals is that I don't have my thumb pressed on the run button all the time in the way I do with Mario Maker, where the standard jump has become largely pointless.

I love the look of SMB3 Allstars. Because it's such a leap from the other three I think it benefits from the SNES make-over in a way the others don't.

[Leon Retro]

I love the look of SMB3 Allstars. Because it's such a leap from the other three I think it benefits from the SNES make-over in a way the others don't.

Yeah, SMB3 really benefits from the 16-bit upgrade. But I prefer 1 & 2 in their 8-bit guise. SMB2 looks so sharp and striking on the NES.