Pilotwings Resort remains my favourite. Being able to perfectly complete it took all my skill and a ton of hours. I tried it again recently and I must have had a lot more time back then as it seems like far too difficult a task today. Also, on New 3DS it plays with a smoother frame rate!
Couple of things that have been lost in translation for this article: 50fps is the maximum full screen refresh rate on Playdate, for games that draw the whole screen every frame update.
But, the display can go much higher if you're only updating part of the screen - for example 200fps if you're updating one third the screen, or 60fps if you're updating two thirds of the screen. It's a little more complicated than that, because it's measured in the number of rows that you're updating rather than individual pixels. A bit of extra work and some tricks are needed to do this, but it's possible and has been done.
Yeah the problem here is not the location of the files inside Activision (which of course is both ridiculous and unfortunate) it's the stopping of Microsoft's backwards compatibility endeavour.
@KingMike they didn't, the controller in question was made by a third party company HPI (Hot Products Inc). There were others: I have a couple of Logitech controllers and a couple of HPI controllers.
I'm saying that, in my humble opinion, T3K isn't hugely better than T2K. It is the better game, but not by much. Often you will read that T3K is some sort of giant leap better and by far the greatest version of Tempest, but I feel this is overblown hyperbole because it's so rare not many people can check the validity of such claims. T3K is the best looking of Minter's versions, due to there being no visible pixels on NUON (some might call it too blurry) but in terms of gameplay each version is better than the last but not by any great leaps.
Still have my NUON, controllers (multiple) along with half of all the games (T3K, Merlin, Freefall, Ballistic) and most of the remaining games as CD-R.
I had great times with the VLM and saw some pretty trippy things appear on the screen (like seeing shapes/things in clouds, I guess). Ballistic is good and on par with the PS1 version.
NUON T3K is for only slightly better than Jaguar T2K, low frame rate being the major issue. I am hoping they somehow get T3K playable on the forthcoming Digital Eclipse Llamasoft anthology (shhh, I heard it's supposed to be a secret).
@killroy10 the version of Sensible Soccer is also great because it's to fast and smooth and the visible area of the pitch is larger than other versions.
Loved MiniDisc. My webpage about my collection is still online even though 99% of my collection is long gone. I value instant streaming too much to be making MD compilations these days. I do still pine for my old MD 515 hi-fi because it sounded so good and still looks like the future 20 years later, but I know in my heart I'd never use it.
Surprising you've not covered any of the dozens of Playdate Catalog games released since the store opened? There have been 7 waves of new releases so far, since Catalog opened in March. That's a handful of new games every couple of weeks.
I do think that the majority of the games for this service will be preserved by Japanese retro gamers, but they won't share them openly because of their strict copyright laws. Same sort of thing happens with other Japanese-only systems.
@Sketcz it depends, honestly. If the game was CPU-bound during busy times then it will see an improvement: an example would be Mega Man X3. The faster CPU mode of FastROM mostly means data can be shifted from the cartridge more quickly, so it depends how much transferring of data to/from the cartridge the game does. Think of it as widening the bandwidth to/from the cartridge. In some games these patches even fix problems with the original FastROM implementation! Top work by KandoWontu.
I find all this Nishi MSX stuff a bit disingenuous. This MSX0 device is an off-the-shelf unit made by M5. Only his software is "new" and even then it's based on open source. All the other "new" MSX hardware is designed by a a Russian guy who lives in Switzerland. Suffice to say, Nishi is just running PR and marketing vapourware on all this. Let's see something ship!
What the viral thread and subsequent coverage missed, because it’s not obvious from the photo they used, is that the controller is meant to be placed on a table and used sparingly. Ideal for small children or anybody with accessibility needs.
It has a hold switch that can be used to lock certain buttons as being pressed, and the Pingu characters aren’t just for decoration: the position of their feet cause the whole controller and its button face to be perfectly horizontal/flat when it’s resting on a flat surface. That’s also the reason it has shorter handles.
To hold, it feels a bit bulbous. Not bad, but not how it’s meant to be used.
@BulkSlash I've uploaded my copy of Minotron to internet archive. And a decrypted version too. You'll need an old iPhone or iPad to play it. And maybe the touchHLE emulator will be able to run it at some point.
The use of third-person (we/us) in this article is really odd. Even more so after you read the Twitter thread and see that it was the author of the article acting alone.
I loved Super Play. Getting each new issue was like getting a letter from a Japanese pen pal. So good!
Also, I've got the DVD of Super Play scans. They're good, but it's a real chore to find anything as the scans are low resolution JPGs with no index or contents, rather than PDFs with full text search. I'd love to see the project redone in a way that makes the material searchable so it's easier to find that elusive review/advert/article. Or at least an index of all the content generated and merged with the JPGs to create PDFs. Any chance? I'd be willing to help.
Comments 396
Re: Best Nintendo 3DS Games Of All Time
Pilotwings Resort remains my favourite. Being able to perfectly complete it took all my skill and a ton of hours. I tried it again recently and I must have had a lot more time back then as it seems like far too difficult a task today. Also, on New 3DS it plays with a smoother frame rate!
Re: Sunsoft Releasing OST Of Cancelled Neo Geo Hebereke Game In Japan
I spotted a moai in this and also in another game mentioned in the twitter thread! now listed at https://moai.games and see https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/09/feature_one_mans_quest_to_catalogue_every_moai_in_video_games
Re: The Making Of: Gun Trails, A Killer Playdate Exclusive & The Most Surprising Shmup Of 2023
@JackGYarwood no worries. Gun Trails is a phenomenal achievement!
Re: The Making Of: Gun Trails, A Killer Playdate Exclusive & The Most Surprising Shmup Of 2023
Couple of things that have been lost in translation for this article: 50fps is the maximum full screen refresh rate on Playdate, for games that draw the whole screen every frame update.
But, the display can go much higher if you're only updating part of the screen - for example 200fps if you're updating one third the screen, or 60fps if you're updating two thirds of the screen. It's a little more complicated than that, because it's measured in the number of rows that you're updating rather than individual pixels. A bit of extra work and some tricks are needed to do this, but it's possible and has been done.
Re: Talking Point: What Was Your First Video Gaming Experience?
The one I count is a Joust arcade cabinet at Royal Video, Breckfield Road North, L5. Must have been 1982–1984.
Re: Activision Might Have "Lost" A Bunch Of Amazing Transformers Video Games
Yeah the problem here is not the location of the files inside Activision (which of course is both ridiculous and unfortunate) it's the stopping of Microsoft's backwards compatibility endeavour.
Re: Ultimate Guide: Nuon, The DVD Player That Tried To Be A Games Console
@KingMike they didn't, the controller in question was made by a third party company HPI (Hot Products Inc). There were others: I have a couple of Logitech controllers and a couple of HPI controllers.
Re: Ultimate Guide: Nuon, The DVD Player That Tried To Be A Games Console
@-wc- NO, I'm not saying that at all.
I'm saying that, in my humble opinion, T3K isn't hugely better than T2K. It is the better game, but not by much. Often you will read that T3K is some sort of giant leap better and by far the greatest version of Tempest, but I feel this is overblown hyperbole because it's so rare not many people can check the validity of such claims. T3K is the best looking of Minter's versions, due to there being no visible pixels on NUON (some might call it too blurry) but in terms of gameplay each version is better than the last but not by any great leaps.
Re: Ultimate Guide: Nuon, The DVD Player That Tried To Be A Games Console
Still have my NUON, controllers (multiple) along with half of all the games (T3K, Merlin, Freefall, Ballistic) and most of the remaining games as CD-R.
I had great times with the VLM and saw some pretty trippy things appear on the screen (like seeing shapes/things in clouds, I guess). Ballistic is good and on par with the PS1 version.
NUON T3K is for only slightly better than Jaguar T2K, low frame rate being the major issue. I am hoping they somehow get T3K playable on the forthcoming Digital Eclipse Llamasoft anthology (shhh, I heard it's supposed to be a secret).
Re: 'Video Game Of The Year' Is A New Book Charting The History Of Games, One Game At A Time
They have the wrong year for Tetris. It's 1985. But then they'd have to choose between it and Mario Bros. As for the rest of the list... 🙄
Re: Best Atari Jaguar Games
@killroy10 the version of Sensible Soccer is also great because it's to fast and smooth and the visible area of the pitch is larger than other versions.
Re: Why MiniDisc, Sony's Precursor To The PSP UMD, Is Still Alive In 2023
Loved MiniDisc. My webpage about my collection is still online even though 99% of my collection is long gone. I value instant streaming too much to be making MD compilations these days. I do still pine for my old MD 515 hi-fi because it sounded so good and still looks like the future 20 years later, but I know in my heart I'd never use it.
Re: Round Up: Every Game Showcased At The First-Ever Playdate Community Direct
Surprising you've not covered any of the dozens of Playdate Catalog games released since the store opened? There have been 7 waves of new releases so far, since Catalog opened in March. That's a handful of new games every couple of weeks.
Re: The Incredible Story Of Satellaview, Nintendo's Satellite Modem SNES Add-On
Fantastic article. Thanks to all involved.
I do think that the majority of the games for this service will be preserved by Japanese retro gamers, but they won't share them openly because of their strict copyright laws. Same sort of thing happens with other Japanese-only systems.
Re: Playdate Owners, This Is The Only Case You Need
Wow this really increases the space needed to store the device. Would no longer fit in my pocket, so means I'd need to carry a backpack or bag.
Re: Dedicated Romhacker Converts More Than 80 SNES Games Into FastRom
@Sketcz it depends, honestly. If the game was CPU-bound during busy times then it will see an improvement: an example would be Mega Man X3. The faster CPU mode of FastROM mostly means data can be shifted from the cartridge more quickly, so it depends how much transferring of data to/from the cartridge the game does. Think of it as widening the bandwidth to/from the cartridge. In some games these patches even fix problems with the original FastROM implementation! Top work by KandoWontu.
Re: The Man Behind The $1 Million Vapourware RPG, Project Phoenix
Holy cow. Crazy.
Also, the Reddit link is busted.
Re: Both 'Little Big Adventure' Titles Are Getting The Remaster Treatment
I'll await the demo, but I'm not feeling the new look and I worry that the analog controls mean this will be even further from the original.
Edit: apparently they're full from-scratch remakes - I don't trust them to get the details correct https://twinsenslittlebigadventure.com/twinsens-little-big-adventure-remastered/
Re: Leaked Prototype Shows Rise of The Triad's Origins As A Wolfenstein 3D Sequel
I remember walking on the roof of a building in ROTT which blew my mind at the time.
Re: Boku no Natsuyasumi 2 Is Getting A Long Overdue English Translation
Hyped about this.
Re: Iconic 'All Your Base' Meme Gets Added To The Arcade Version Of Zero Wing
My favourite line was "somebody set up us the bomb!" which they've cleaned up to be unrecognisable. Such a shame. Meh.
Re: MSX Co-Creator Kazuhiko Nishi Teases MSX0 Cartridge Reader
I find all this Nishi MSX stuff a bit disingenuous. This MSX0 device is an off-the-shelf unit made by M5. Only his software is "new" and even then it's based on open source. All the other "new" MSX hardware is designed by a a Russian guy who lives in Switzerland. Suffice to say, Nishi is just running PR and marketing vapourware on all this. Let's see something ship!
Re: Random: We Need This Japan-Exclusive Pingu PlayStation Controller
What the viral thread and subsequent coverage missed, because it’s not obvious from the photo they used, is that the controller is meant to be placed on a table and used sparingly. Ideal for small children or anybody with accessibility needs.
It has a hold switch that can be used to lock certain buttons as being pressed, and the Pingu characters aren’t just for decoration: the position of their feet cause the whole controller and its button face to be perfectly horizontal/flat when it’s resting on a flat surface. That’s also the reason it has shorter handles.
To hold, it feels a bit bulbous. Not bad, but not how it’s meant to be used.
Source: I own one
Re: Polymega's Next Trick? Ditching Dedicated Hardware
I believe it when they ship it. The title is somewhat misleading if they're not "ditching" the base unit.
Also, typos:
expressive > expensive
niave > naive
Re: SEC Report Reveals That A Llamasoft Collection Is Potentially In The Works
@BulkSlash I've uploaded my copy of Minotron to internet archive. And a decrypted version too. You'll need an old iPhone or iPad to play it. And maybe the touchHLE emulator will be able to run it at some point.
Re: Interview: Llamasoft's Jeff Minter Discusses His New Game Akka Arrh And Working With Atari
I'm amazed by how many "kind of" haven't been edited out of the text.
Re: Best Sega Game Gear Games
Magical Puzzle Popils #1
Re: A Maze of Galious Remake Could Be On The Way, After Contest Win
Wow. Even more for MSX fans to be excited about this year!?
Re: Feature: How We Helped Solve A 30-Year-Old Mystery In Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
The use of third-person (we/us) in this article is really odd. Even more so after you read the Twitter thread and see that it was the author of the article acting alone.
Re: Amazing Bomberman Is An Adorable New Bomberman Game Exclusive To Apple Arcade
It's a shame this game turned out to be nothing special. Looked and sounded nice enough.
Re: The Making Of Split/Second
@norwichred i used the reply function to let a specific person know
Re: The Making Of Split/Second
@SuperKMx Detonation Racing on Apple TV could be considered a sequel
Re: Polymega Slips Into Early 2020, But It's Bringing Some Cool Stuff With It
No thanks. What a waste of time.
Re: Feature: Jason Brookes Talks Super Famicom, Import Gaming And Super Play
Great read. Thanks for giving us this insight.
Re: Feature: A Tribute To Jason Brookes
What a guy. Such a sad loss.
Re: Exclusive: Getting Under The Hood Of Polymega, The Clone Console To Rule Them All
@artofmana the Retrode project was sold by its creator and is now available here: more stock very soon https://www.dragonbox.de/en/71-retrode-2-cart-reader-4260416650091.html
Re: Exclusive: Getting Under The Hood Of RetroBlox, The Clone Console To Rule Them All
@speedracer216 yes
Re: Exclusive: Getting Under The Hood Of RetroBlox, The Clone Console To Rule Them All
@artofmana you might want to look into a Retrode cartridge adapter.
Re: Book Review: The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 2
I'm currently reading my copy of Volume 2, brilliant stuff. Proud to be a backer of this Kickstarter.
Re: Feature: Say Hello To The CPS Changer, Capcom's First And Only Attempt At A Home Console
I own a CPS2 board (Mighty Pang) but I had no idea that this CPS1 changer even existed.
Re: Book Review: The Untold Story Of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1
Yay!
Re: Western Journalist Looking To Chart The Untold History Of Japanese Game Devs
This has reached the goal, with 4 days to go.
Re: Western Journalist Looking To Chart The Untold History Of Japanese Game Devs
@Schprocket I'm in for £500 and my specialist subject is Mitchell Corp
Re: Western Journalist Looking To Chart The Untold History Of Japanese Game Devs
I'm in.
Re: Feature: The Making Of WipEout
Here's a Spotify playlist of the "original" tracklist: http://open.spotify.com/user/msephton/playlist/7ewstHZMbxphMpLu94hqH2
Re: Feature: The Making of Super Play Magazine
I loved Super Play. Getting each new issue was like getting a letter from a Japanese pen pal. So good!
Also, I've got the DVD of Super Play scans. They're good, but it's a real chore to find anything as the scans are low resolution JPGs with no index or contents, rather than PDFs with full text search. I'd love to see the project redone in a way that makes the material searchable so it's easier to find that elusive review/advert/article. Or at least an index of all the content generated and merged with the JPGs to create PDFs. Any chance? I'd be willing to help.