Top Five Spectrum Compilations

Anyone who grew up in the 80's and had a classic 8-bit micro would have worshipped the game compilations that appeared regularly throughout the latter half of that decade, and with good reason - a single new game would cost us upwards of £8, so who could say no to a collection of five, sometimes even more, games for a pound or two more? Whoever thought them up was a hero to all of us Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64 owners! I was a proud Spectrum owner and of all the years I enjoyed gaming on it, a large percentage of this time was spent with compilations and the treasures contained therein. Here are my favourites:

5 - The In Crowd (1989)

I remember for many years my favourite Spectrum mags were going on and on about this one but it was one of the few 'big name' compilations I didn't own. It wasn't until the 8-bit era was coming to an end that I finally managed to get hold of a copy. Was it worth the wait? Well, it has some decent games that's for sure: Karnov, Gryzor, Barbarian, Crazy Cars, Predator, Combat School, Platoon, and Target Renegade. While it's true there's not many classics on here, this compilation still proved amazing value for money by sheer weight of numbers!

Star Control - Part 1

Star Control (1990)
By: Toys For Bob / Accolade Genre: Strategy Players: 1-2 Difficulty: Medium
Featured Version: Sega MegaDrive / Genesis
Also Available For: PC, Amiga, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum

The Star Control series is not the most well known series of games but they have amassed a fiercely loyal group of fans over the years. This is largely thanks to the frankly stunning second game in the series which, as some of the handful of regular Red Parsley readers may know already, is my favourite game of all-time. However, much of the groundwork for that game was done here, years earlier, with this under-appreciated original release, including the creation of many of the series' races and their associated mythologies. It was certainly an original and perhaps even unusual concept featuring a combination of two genres. Some loved it, some hated it. It's also pretty complicated to explain, so here goes.

3DO Games #1

Captain Quazar (1996)
By: Cyclone Studios / 3DO  Genre: Shooting  Players: 1-2  Difficulty: Medium-Hard
Featured Version: 3DO
Also Available For: PC

Despite its innovations, I think it's safe to say the 3DO didn't exactly set the world alight, sales-wise. There are various reasons for this, but when I think about how scarce some of its games were back then, it hardly seems surprising. I can't remember how I had heard about Captain Quazar now but I knew I wanted it. But even when it was originally released, I never saw it in any shops - I had to buy it on mail order, so scarce was it. It's therefore hardly surprising that most gamers haven't even heard of it, let alone own it. So, is it one of those 'flashy-but-no-depth' games that were so common in the early days of 32-bit gaming, or is it actually any good? Read on!

Crush Series - Part 4

Dragon's Revenge (1993)
By: Tengen Genre: Pinball Players: 1 Difficulty: Medium
Featured Version: Sega MegaDrive / Genesis First Day Score: 1,312,400
Also Available For: Nothing

The emergence of the Crush series was a pleasant surprise for some but it wasn't until the MegaDrive (and Genesis) conversion of the second game, Devil's Crush (known here in the UK as Dragon's Fury), that the series became known to most Western gamers. Splendidly converted by TechnoSoft and published by Tengen, the latter apparently took the success of the game as an opportunity to create and publish their own sequel - Dragon's Revenge. Whilst not strictly speaking an official sequel, Dragon's Revenge duly takes the monstrous themes and ideas created in Alien Crush and perfected by Devil's Crush, and tries expanding on them in its own way. Was it successful?

Top Five Moons

Astonomy is another of my many hobbies, it's something I find confusing (not having a degree in astrophysics and all) but fascinating nonetheless. So, following on from the recently-touched-upon-theme, I thought I'd try another nonsensical, but hopefully informative Top Five! Hardly what any of you come here for, I know, but I hope some of you might find something of interest here. Let me know if you like it and maybe I'll occasionally do a few more posts like this... :)

5 - Luna

I guess I should include this one purely as it's our own barren, insignificant little rock. It's the second brightest object in our sky (and can help when walking through dark, spooky places at night) despite actually being very dark, and in a curious quirk of fate it always has the same side facing us, but aside from a few little tit-bits it's pretty unremarkable. But hey, without it we would have a very different planet and no eclipses!

PC Engine Shmups #1

Gunhed a.k.a. Blazing Lazers (1989)
By: Hudson Soft / Compile  Genre: Shooting   Players: 1  Difficulty: Medium
Featured Version: NEC PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16  First Day Score: 1,699,100
Also Available For: Nothing
Download For: Wii Virtual Console

The late 80's was an exciting time to be a gamer. When the PC Engine was released, the early titles for it were like Holy Grails to most Westerners. Games that we could only gaze at longingly in C&VG and the like. One of the most tantalizing of these was Gunhed. Month after month we would read Julian Rignall and chums rave reviews and general hysterics regarding the new power-house console and for many it was torture. This was the time gamers realised that Japan was now getting the a lot of the best stuff first. For those gamers who couldn't afford to pick up one of the imported consoles and games that some companies were now offering (at inflated prices, of course), it would be a long time before any of these new games could be enjoyed. I finally got my PC Engine in the mid-90's and Gunhed was one of the first games I sought out for it. I'd waited a long time to sample the amazing game I'd been reading about. Was it worth the wait?

Film Review #8

D.E.B.S. (2004)
Director: Angela Robinson Starring: Sara Foster, Jordana Brewster, Meagan Good, Devon Aoki, Jill Richie, Jimmi Simpson, Geoff Stults, Holland Taylor, Michael Clarke Duncan

Certificate: 12  Running Time: 88 Minutes

Tagline: "They're crime-fighting hotties with killer bodies"

Just when you thought you'd seen just about every kind of spy film possible, it's time to think again... Prepare yourself for... the D.E.B.S! Apparently, there is a secret test hidden within the SAT exams that measures an applicant's ability to fight, cheat, lie, and steal. Students who score high enough are plucked from high school to join a paramilitary unit called the D.E.B.S - Discipline, Energy, Beauty, Strength - whose job it is to protect us all from the world's 'Super Villians'! One particular team of D.E.B.S is nearing graduation from the Academy just as the criminal mastermind, Lucy Diamond re-emerges from the Super Villian wilderness.

Game Gallery #1

Puzzle Bobble (1994)
Arcade Version - full review here

Welcome to a new Red Parsley feature - the Game Gallery! These pages will feature lots of screenshots of a particular game showcasing all of its levels and features, intro sequence (if there is one), the game ending (if I can finish it!), and anything else that could be deemed remotely noteworthy.

One of my reasons for doing this is due to the scarcity of existing screenshots. When I first started writing game reviews, you see, I found it really difficult to find decent quality shots, and many of the ones I did find were tagged, most often by people/websites that had no business doing so. This infuriates me. So, I started grabbing my own and, unlike so many other selfish tossers on the net, anyone is welcome to take my screenshots and use them for whatever they like. It would be nice if I could get a namecheck or something in return, but if not - no problem!

Anyway, the popularity (or lack thereof) of this post will determine whether I can be arsed to do more or not, so if you like it - let me know! I'll start off with something fairly easy - Puzzle Bobble - the short but fun colour-matching puzzle game by the mighty Taito which is reviewed in full here! Enjoy :)

Pics are all thumbnailed and are 640px wide at full size :)

Title/Intro Pics:

Top Five Master System Shmups

Shoot 'em ups have long been one of my favourite genres and one that I probably own most examples of. The fact that my recent 'Top Five MegaDrive Shmups' post has been my most popular yet indicates I'm not alone! I also seem to have sparked a craze for compiling shmup lists, with all and sundry now apparently listing their own favourites, including my friend Graeme (Jdanddiet) here! So, continuing the theme, I thought I'd return to my first console, and here's my choices:

Games-Related Top Fives Disclaimer: I've traditionally stuck to the games I know and love so far, and these game-related top fives reflect that. One of the purposes of this blog is diversify my gaming experiences, to play games I haven't played before, so I will do new game-related top fives in a few years to see how different they are!

5. Cloud Master (1989)

I never really had much interest in this one due to the average scores it seemed to get in reviews, but when I actually played it I discovered that I (at least) really liked it! One of the reasons for this could be the highly varied and imaginative enemies which seem to be straight out the Fantasy Zone school of weirdness (although not quite as psychedelic!), but it's got a rather unique premise too with a young fellow seeking to learn the secrets of the five lands in order to become a wizard. The graphics are really nice and include some fantastic sprites, the music's not bad either, but it's just one of those games that's really enjoyable to play too. Besides, where else can you ride around on a cloud?

Gaming Memories - Part 2

Hayling Island beach...

Soon after my encounter with OutRun in Devon had instigated my passion for arcade games, I had developed a keen interest in the previously ignored amusement arcades in which they dwelt. Coincidentally, it wasn't much longer before some good fortune befell me. My good friend Stu and his family had started taking family trips to nearby Hayling Island every Sunday so his dad could practise his windsurfing (indeed, Hayling is supposedly where the sport was invented), and he had kindly invited me to tag along for the day.

Hayling Island itself is a fairly small, roughly 'upside-down T' shaped island located next to Portsea Island on which the city of Portsmouth is located. Whilst mostly a residential island, it's also home to some nice beaches (including a nice sandy one, unlike Portsmouth!) as well as some other facilities mostly used in the summer months such as cafes, beach huts, sand dunes, and the Beachlands funfair and arcade as well as several more arcades.

Film Review #7

Into the Wild (2007)
Director: Sean Penn Starring: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Brian H. Dierker, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook, Jim Gallien

Certificate: 15 Running Time: 142 Minutes

Tagline: "Your Great Adventure on Alaska"

Hands up who's ever felt like dropping everything and just disappearing off the face of the Earth to live a totally different life? I'm sure most of us have considered it more than once before realising the impracticality of such a venture. Into the Wild, a true story incidentally, is the tale of a young man who has no such second thoughts. After growing up in a turbulent family in West Virginia, Christopher McCandless (Hirsch) graduates from college with near straight A's and then... disappears...

Top Five Fizzy Drinks

Despite the fact that they gradually destroy your teeth whether you brush them or not, I'm sure we all love a nice cold fizzy drink when it's hot. Here are my favourites:

5. Lemon Tango
This one has become something of a rarity but unlike all the other flavours of Tango, this one actually is tangy! --pause-- (returns after some research)... It now transpires that Lemon Tango has been discontinued, hence it's rarity. :( I'm sure I found some about a year ago. Oh well, you'll be missed, tasty Lemon Tango, your less tangy but nearly equally splendid tasting brothers will have to suffice!

Platform / Puzzle Games #2

Penguin Land (1987)
By: Sega Genre: Platform / Puzzle Players: 1 Difficulty: Medium
Featured Version: Sega Master System  First Day Score: 9,450
Also Available For: Sega SG-1000, ColecoVision

Back in the late 80's when my beloved Master System was my console of choice, I was rarely able to add to my game collection. I had around 8 games, mostly considered classics nowadays and highly rated back then. As I spent time looking through the magazines of the day, there were, however, always a few games that I wanted but was never able to get my hands on. Penguin Land was among these. Despite the unspectacular scores it generally received in the magazines, I found myself taken by the premise and screenshots and decided that I had to have it! This was, I suspect, mainly due to my fondness for platform/puzzle games, but it wasn't until many years later - around 10 in fact - that I finally got round to buying it. Was it worth the wait?

N64 Driving / Racing Games #1

Wave Race 64 (1996)
By: Nintendo EAD Genre: Racing Players: 1-2 Difficulty: Easy-Medium
Featured Version: Nintendo 64 
Also Available For: Nothing 
Download For: Wii Virtual Console

As I recall, during the mid-to-late 90s there was a mini-craze for jet-ski racing games. Most of the more extravagant ones were monstrous arcade behemoths complete with actual jet-skis to sit on and be thrown around by as you play. If one game can be singled out as starting this craze, it could well be Wave Race 64, which ironically has never even graced an amusement arcade (to the best of my meagre knowledge anyway). It's actually the second game of the series after the lesser-known Game Boy outing, having been initially unveiled in 1995 and released a year later alongside the Nintendo 64 itself. Having such a game as a launch title alongside Super Mario 64, amongst others, you could be forgiven for thinking that it would be somewhat over-shadowed, but many gamers revelled in the amazingly realistic water-based racing action offered by Miyamoto-san's other launch title, and with good reason.

Puzzle Games #1

Puzzle Bobble (a.k.a. Bust-A-Move) (1994)
By: Taito  Genre: Puzzle  Players: 1-2  Difficulty: Easy-Medium
Featured Version: Arcade  First Day Score: 190,900
Also Available For: PlayStation, 3DO, SNK Neo Geo, Neo Geo Pocket, SNES, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, Sega Game Gear, PC, Bandai WonderSwan... also featured on various compilations and download services

I think it's safe to say that Bubble Bobble has stood the test of time well and is rightly regarded as an all-time classic. It's also safe to say that it has perhaps remained Taito's most popular series. There have been numerous conversions of the games to home systems, particularly Bubble Bobble itself, and some of these conversions have appeared on newer systems in just the last few years. There have also been a number of 'updates' or 'remixes' of these famous games such as the Evolution/Revolution games on the PSP and DS. It's odd though, that there had been no all-new, original games from Taito starring their most beloved of characters until Puzzle Bobble appeared. In spite of the fact that the second and third games in the original platform-based series (Rainbow Islands and Parasol Stars) feature Bub and Bob as their real human selves, is it their appearance as dragons in the original that most gamers most fondly remember. It is fitting then, that the latest game to feature Bob and Bob returns them to that popular guise.