Summer Games Challenge 2016

[prfsnl_gmr]

(And don't forget, it's also called Gunlock! )

Yep.

I ended up going with the iOS version. The touch controls are fine for the first five stages, and the aspect ratio is perfect. In "normal" mode, the Saturn version crops the top 1/3 of the screen - which is completely unacceptable - and I just couldn't deal with the stretched aspect ratio in the Xbox version. (Playing the game in "arcade" mode on the Saturn would be best, but that requires turning your TV on its side...which I wasn't going to do with my 150 lb. HDCRT.) The touch controls lose their charm in the sixth and seventh stages, which require some pretty fancy maneuvering, and I lost a few lives to bullets obscured by my fingers.

.....

With regard to Moon Patrol, I recommend the GBC and PS1 versions:

The PS1 version is the closest to the arcade version, and that is the one that I looped a few times.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Oh wow I didn't realize Moon Patrol was on any Midway compilations, as the game was actually developed by Irem. I'll keep an eye out for those, thanks.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Oh wow I didn't realize Moon Patrol was on any Midway compilations, as the game was actually developed by Irem. I'll keep an eye out for those, thanks.

I know! And, Burgertime is a Data East title. I think Midway published all of those in the U.S., however, and I think that is why they are included in the compilation.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Ha, I didn't even notice that.

For further confusion there's the acquisition of Atari Games by Midway which led to stuff like this:

[prfsnl_gmr]

Yeah...the arcade compilations on the PS1 are very strange.

Don't forget this one!

It took me a while just to figure out how many of them exist, and outside of the Namco collections, I am never sure where to look for a specific game. (They do, however, contain some games that have not received an "arcade perfect" release elsewhere, such as the aforementioned Moon Patrol.)

[BoneSnapDeez]

Decided I had unfinished business with Zaxxon. Just beat it on Intellivision and ColecoVision. Since I don't own it on Atari 5200 or MSX or whatever I suppose I must move on.

Probably gonna put Moon Patrol on hold I pick up one the versions prfsnl_gmr recommended.

Next up? Castlevania, maybe. I (finally) got the game on NES just yesterday, though I'm still gonna play it on FDS as I always try to go as "original" as possible. Hell, if I end up enjoying it perhaps I'll play both versions.

[Key-Glyph]

ExedExes just introduced me to the OST for Gunlock/LayerSection/RayForce/GalacticAttack/CoolWords not too long ago -- and now I'm listening to it again, thanks to this discussion!

My latest progress: I started Bases Loaded II a few days back. I have to win 75 games, and then it's off to the World Series. (No wonder I never beat this as a kid...) Technically I've lost two games, but I just did those matches over again to maintain my perfect season. The only reason I'm doing this is because the manual isn't clear enough on the exact exact specifics of how to win, and I don't want to wind up screwed. I'm not sure if it's that I have to 1) win 75 games, period, out of an indefinite total, 2) win 75 games out of approximately 130 games, or 3) oh dear god I'm just not willing to risk messing up weeks worth of play by not having a perfect run.

Also, I thought I'd scan in my crap maps from Zelda and Metroid II! They are a mess and riddled with errors, but they got the jobs done. The latter map is just a slice of the terrain; it goes on for another page or two in my sketchbook.

Previews will be small, but feel free to Copy Image Location and paste in a new tab to fully appreciate my masterful craftsmanship.

Zelda:

Metroid II:

[BoneSnapDeez]

so beautiful i want to cry

[Exhuminator]

Let's just make Key-Glyph our mascot.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Played a bit of Castlevania.

It's hard. I've made it to level three (it's not really "level three" but whatever comes after the second boss).
I think I've come to a realization.
I'm fairly good at the hop 'n bop style of platformer like Mario.
I'm fairly good at frantic run 'n guns like Contra and Metal Slug.

But "action-platformers" like Castlevania and Mega Man... I suck at 'em. I just can't get into the groove with that slow and deliberate pacing.
This is gonna be a rough one for me. Thankfully the FDS version has a save function - there's no way I could conquer this in one sitting.

(Now that I think of it I'm also terrible at "loose" platformers like Sonic and the Vic Tokai games. I tend to stay far away from those.)