R-Type strategy guide, Easter Eggs, and do you see my signature on the cover?
(Credit: Scott Stein/CNET)I found an old issue of Video Games & Computer Entertainment magazine in an ancient cardboard box filled with stuff I somehow saved from my years at summer camp. Dated July 1989, it's more than 20 years old--and it's an incredible reminder of how quickly things can change.
Besides the god-awful layout by modern standards, I found a few notable shocks when thumbing through the issue:
- Game ads have addresses to write to and phone numbers to call, since there were no Web links yet.
- The TurboGrafx-16 preview, featured on the front cover, boasts how the $199 console will have "stereo output" and an optional $399 CD-ROM player with CD-G support that will be able to "display still pictures and graphics" in addition to music.
- A letter regarding Tengen's Nintendo cartridges and Nintendo's lawsuit with them discusses whether or not they'll still be making Tetris. More interestingly, the editor's response reveals that
(Credit:
Banpresto)
Looking at the Sega Mega Drive-modeled Zippo lighter reminds me of the actual console that I still have on top of my wardrobe. I remember spending a good deal of time on it playing Mortal Kombat and Sunset Riders with my friends. Those were the days when 16-bit graphics were more than enough, and 3D games were almost unheard of.
There's also a Sega Saturn version available, and both lighters retail for $114 each. Give the PlayStation 3 10 years, and I'm sure it'll be inducted into the Zippo game console hall of fame.
(Source: Crave Asia via Gearfuse)
He's back! And he's still a worm (but in a good way). Earthworm Jim for iPhone recaptures the original's fun, funny gameplay.
Everything old is new again. Earthworm Jim, a run-and-gun platform game that debuted on the Sega Genesis in 1994, just hit the App Store.
Earthworm Jim, brought to you by Gameloft (do these guys ever stop working?), offers the same terrific tongue-in-cheek sci-fi action as its predecessor.
As the titular mutated character, you'll run, swing, blast, and bungee-jump your way through 16 levels as you attempt to rescue Princess What's-Her-Name from the evil Psy-Crow and Queen Slug-for-a-Butt. (I didn't say it was a particularly sophisticated game.)
The onscreen d-pad control makes movement a little challenging until you get the hang of it, and it can be frustrating to miss a jump because you accidentally grazed the wrong part of the controller.
Even so, the graphics, sound effects, and gameplay are all here, making Earthworm Jim ($4.99) a worthwhile buy for nostalgia buffs and ... Read more
Could your PS3 also be your Dreamcast?
(Credit: CNET)A whopper of a leak shot across the Internet Tuesday, reporting of a Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) meeting that discussed the possibilities of rereleasing classic Sega games as compilation Blu-ray Discs and downloads of PS2 games on the PS3. While we discussed this trend--and even suggested a few great franchises to pursue--when the God of War Collection was announced, an even more surprising and exciting bomb was dropped in these purported meeting minutes:
From the wording of supposedly leaked August 6 SCEA meeting notes found on several forums including NeoGAF, it sounds like both PS2 and Dreamcast games will soon be available over PSN, much like PS1 games are already. That is big news. With PS2, PS1, and Dreamcast titles under their belts, it could be argued that the PS3 would have a Virtual Console that, while not as retro as Nintendo's, would be nearly unbeatable in offering the best of the late '90s and early '00s. After all, back then, the Dreamcast and PS2 were the biggest, bitterest rivals in town. It hasn't been confirmed that these notes are real, but they certainly seem too detailed and logical to not be. ... Read more
To commemorate the Sega Dreamcast's 10th anniversary, I thought I needed to do something a little special.
Listed below, you will find 10 of the best Dreamcast games ever released. Some are certainly better than others (I'll let you decide on that), but they all hold a special place in my gaming heart. And I'm willing to bet they might hold a special place in yours.
Let's take a look.
Jet Grind Radio
Jet Grind Radio seems one of the most unique games released for the Dreamcast.
Using a cell-shaded design that fits perfectly with the game's story, you're a rollerblading graffiti gang member who wants to tell everyone in the city who is in charge. To do so, you need to cruise around town and "tag" the streets.
Why I love it: Jet Grind Radio, like many of the games I loved from the Dreamcast days, offered a unique idea that gamers responded well to. It was fun and willing to "push the envelope" a little. That should be commended.
Jet Grind Radio has a unique look.
(Credit: Sega)NFL 2K1
NFL 2K1 was one of the best football games ever released. It featured outstanding visuals for its time, the controls were great, and the gameplay was even better. It provided me with the most exciting football experience of its time.
Why I love it: When the NFL 2K series was in its prime, I forgot about the Madden series. Yes, it was that good. Today, we're stuck with Madden. And each time I hike the ball in Madden NFL 10, I'm left wondering what the NFL 2K series would look like today. Hmm.
NFL 2K1 looks awfully nice for that generation.
(Credit: Gamespot)Phantasy Star Online
If you never played Phantasy Star Online, you missed out on one of the most compelling games ever released for the Dreamcast.
Phantasy Star Online was the first online home console game ever released. The title allowed gamers to hack and slash their way through the story, while partnering up with gamers across the Web.
Overall, the game's online experience wasn't great compared to what we have today, but it started the online-gaming era. It should be commended for that.
Why I love it: The game's story was good, but just being able to hook up to the Web and play with others online was an incredible feat at the time. It was my entree into the online-gaming world.
... Read moreDon Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
(Credit:
Gamespot)
With today marking the 10-year anniversary of the Sega Dreamcast, news from the company reveals that a brand-new 2D Sonic game is in development and slated for a 2010 release.
While details are slim, the teaser trailer (see below) indicates that the new game will be an HD title built entirely from the ground up. It's also unclear whether Sonic will be the main star of the game, as Gamespot is reporting that the project's codename is "Needlemouse."
Fans of the Sonic the Hedgehog series have been clamoring for a traditional 2D Sonic game in the vein of the lightning-fast titles from the Sega Genesis age. With Sega officially answering that call, we're left wondering if "Needlemouse" will be a traditional $60 boxed game or a download-only title.
There's a lot to keep track of on September 9, with an Apple press conference and the release of The Beatles: Rock Band game. But we'd be remiss if we didn't call attention to the upcoming 10th anniversary of one of the best-loved game consoles of all time. It was 10 years ago tomorrow (September 9, 1999) that Sega released the Dreamcast in North America. Remembered primarily by video game history buffs now, this unassuming white box helped introduce some mainstays of the modern game console--even though the Dreamcast itself had a very short lifespan.
This was the first game system to include a standard built-in 56K modem (this was pre-broadband for most people). It wasn't widely taken advantage of, but some early games, such as the amusing Chu Chu Rocket, proved that multiplayer gaming could work in the living room. More traditional games such as Quake III Arena and Phantasy Star Online also made use of the Dreamcast modem. All but forgotten now, a Dreamcast Web browser was also available. ... Read more
The Sega Genesis, put on the market to challenge Nintendo, turned 20 on Friday. And after a long and enviable stint, it became a classic game console that, to this day, is remembered as one of the few that made its mark without actually leading the market by the end of its generation.
Sega has had one of the most tragic histories in the video game industry. In the early 1990s, it had Sonic; Nintendo had Mario. It had high-quality, third-party titles; Nintendo had high-quality, third-party titles. It had the Sega Genesis; Nintendo had the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
Battles over which console was better were waged on playgrounds across the world. The Nintendo fans said Mario and the SNES were the kings of gaming. Sega fans said Sonic and the Genesis held that crown.
Today, the Genesis (and Sega's console business) are relics of the past. In the 20 years that has lapsed between the Genesis' release and today, despite Mario's enduring presence, the video game industry has changed dramatically. Nowadays, battles are waged over price as much as they are waged over games. And Sega, the once-beloved organization that kept a blue hedgehog as its mascot, is a third-party developer.
But it's the Genesis--and its success--that we remember today.
... Read moreDon Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
Do real cats cross their legs like they're lounging on the couch watching soap operas?
(Credit: Sega Toys)When we first caught sight of Sega Toys' meowing, purring robo-feline, we fervently hoped Lucky the robo-dog or some other bigger, stronger robot would come along and scare the creepy cat out of the neighborhood.
Alas, that's not to be. "Yume-Neko Venus," or "Dream Cat Venus," is slated for a July 30 release, according to Sega (PDF in Japanese). The fake feline will cost 10,000 yen (about $108)--not bad considering you'll be saving a bundle on kitty litter and toy mice.
The battery-operated robo-cat is equipped with five touch sensors that let it engage in real-life behavior like rolling on its back, blinking its eyes, moving its legs when you rub its belly, and sleeping a lot. Sega says the target age is four and above, and/or anyone who likes cats but can't have them due to allergies or co-habitating with animal haters.
The bot, which is modeled after ... Read more
We take a walk on the virtual side in today's Gadgettes. Virtual reality museums, robotic kittens, and fusion in your pocket!
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EPISODE 145 |
Household gadgets we’d like to see
Canon launches virtual-reality dinosaur exhibit in Japan
Robo-Kitty: Sega Toys unveils the Dream Cat Venus
Handheld fusion reactor on the way?
A propos (of) nothing
Vroom: Surf the Web with a Ford GT
It's About Time
Eris Planetary Sphere watch goes anywhere but the wrist
Pink Watch
Juicy Couture goes geeky
Tool Time
Ript Fusion body-shaping undershirt (thanks, Sam!)
Reverse Gender Gap
Ostrich three in one chair for sunbathing bookworms
BlingRX
Russel Hobbs RHG2TSW crystal encrusted bling toaster (thanks, Colleen!)
Kill Me
Fantasy coach bed for the budding superiority complex
