Thread 11889153

Previous thread: >>11869610
Rules of the thread are simple:
>You can only talk about games and systems made before the US release of the NES (1985). Everything before it from the CRT Amusement Device to stuff like Marble Madness and Kung Fu Master is cool here. Later and homebrew ports for Pre-NES games on Pre-NES systems are allowed (e.g. Jr. Pac-Man was released in arcades in 1983 but the 2600 port came out in 1986)
>That's it.
I'm currently holding a poll on 2600 games you'd recommend to newcomers. The results will be made into a little pastebin. If you'd like to contribute a vote or write in a game here's the link: https://strawpoll.com/XmZRQv2X3gd
In light of the new Atari 50 DLC being announced, what's your favorite Atari localized Namco game? Pole Position and Xevious are great but Dig Dug is still my favorite.

>>11889153 (OP)
Speaking of Xevious I might play a bit of that today. While I'm at it I might as well play Dig Dug. Fuck it I should play more Namco games too.

I'm thinking about some Battlezone today. Have/will you play Atari today?

>>11892415
After a decent Battlezone run I randomly picked Fantastic Voyage. It took me a second to understand the gameplay but once I got a grasp on it I really enjoyed it.

Another random pick. This game has a cool idea and some good mechanics, but it's executed poorly so it just ends up frustrating to play. The super bomb requires finessing to grab and the almost pixel perfect web swinging becomes incredibly annoying than fun. I do like that you can correct yourself while falling though.

>>11889153 (OP)
The Cassette Vision by Epoch, 1981
It was the best selling console in Japan before the Famicom

>>11895524
I can't muster any respect for this despite the sales. From what I've read, the cartridges hold the CPU while the console itself just supplies power and video output for the cart, like an arcade cabinet. It's like some missing link for first and second console generations, but it came out nearly 5 years after 2nd gen's Channel F, which was also seemingly the only 2nd gen console anyone bothered to sell in Japan before this thing game out. It looks space-age but it's a strange thing to imagine actually using. It might be cruel to attribute its success to low price and lack of competition, but if it weren't for the Super Cassette Vision, I'd have assumed Epoch was just another pong console shitter company.

>>11895738
I own one but it doesn't work and I couldn't troubleshoot it so I just sent it to hell (storage). From the gameplay I've seen, it's like really early Atari 2600 games. I also like the graphics too, they have this unique diagonal look. I wish I could say more about it but it's only really notable as being the first Japanese cartridge based system (I think). Epoch as a company is interesting though. On top of being a japanese home gaming pioneer, they apparently tried to bring the 2600 to Japan in the late 70s but it was a catastrophic failure.

>>11895738
>>11895824
Famidaily has a series on it:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1sb8k4ZPagb7753G_DmmKLfJ5VnK_kCe

Feeling like playing some K.C. Munchkin today. Did you know Namco stole the idea from Magnavox and made a game called Pack Man or something?

>>11897483
Ended up not playing K.C. Munchkin and instead decided to be productive. As punishment I'll play it and K.C.'s Crazy Chase tomorrow. That'll teach me to prioritize productivity over gaming!

>>11895738
That's because it is. It's a further development of their succesful dedicated systems like TV Baseball and TV Vader.

They were more an electronic handheld game maker than a dedicated console company. Unlike their TV console, their first actual handheld game console itself was quite modern. Already came with some on-system software and with a focus on battery life (and regular cartridges). Handhelds still had that LCD stigma of extra disposable toys and it doesn't help that Epoch made a ton of those. They were also flailing wildly with the SCV at the same time. Epoch isn't a fast company and them having to support a console, handheld and a myriad of LCD games was never going to work, should've just dropped the SCV when they saw the PV-1000 fail to even get a foothold against NinSega and that had a solid arcade port line-up early on.

>>11898690
I never heard of that particular handheld and I honestly love the design. It looks very timeless. I've yet to look up gameplay footage but I assume it's probably on par with the Microvision. I'd get one but it doesn't seem worth the $400 I'm seeing on google sponsored ebay listings.

>>11898767
Performance wise, it’s very weak, but I’d still say it’s more comparable to a Game Boy than a MicroVision. Unfortunately, it only had 5 games.

>>11898767
Not quite, it's essentially a simpler GB with a smaller resolution which does limit it. They do fall back to simple shapes quite a bit because of it. Works fine for Sokoban though and that does come with the level editor.

It can be emulated and the 1 strong western source for information made a demo that includes a little GB Mario section so it can do more detail.

>>11898846
I'll have to check out the games then. Always a good day when you discover a new retro system.

>>11898564
Got around to playing them.
>K.C. Munchkin
Deceptively easy Pac-Man clone. Speeds up quickly and the moving pellets add replay value. Great game.
>K.C.'s Krazy Chase
This is a real gem. It's a mix of Pac-Man and Centipede (kinda like Juggler) that's addicting to play. Trying to eat the centipede as quickly as possible is fun. Definitely recommend. My main issue with both is the grid movement. It's fluid when you hold down a certain direction, but you can't just tap one way and cruise like in Pac-Man. However besides that it's a pretty good batch of games.

Played a bit of Top Roller. Kind of a wonky game with bad collisions and chaotic gameplay.
Not the best one from Jaleco.

Reminder that nobody ever beats a video game and cutting the machine down with an axe is uncouth behavior.

>>11889153 (OP)
>games and systems made before the US release of the NES (1985)
so the famicon (1983) is allowed? I really like this obscure game called "Super Mario Bros" released about a month before the US release of the NES

I honestly can't shill this game enough. It's like a harder Robotron.

>>11902625
There's such a thing as "spirit of the law", but frankly the 1983-1985 releases slot in perfectly with the rest of the subject matter (which is also why no one ever discusses them).

>>11903530
OP here, if there's enough demand I wouldn't be entirely against allowing '83-'84 Famicom games and renaming the thread to Golden Era General (or /gag/), but absolutely no 1985 gaming.

Rolled the CyberVision 2001, an RCA 1802 computer. Its main claim to fame is being an early computer to be sold via a catalog. Despite that it had 30 titles, though that did take 2 years. Very few are dumped though as emulation for it is quite a recent thing. It uses stereotapes for both pre-recorded sound and data. Uses a keypad on steroids as well, it's just a weird machine.

A dumped example is Escape which has both tape sides archived. It is a turn-based versus version of breakout, if the ball gets past you the next player gets to try. Game ends if it gets to the right. Controls are strange as, you get "fine" and "gross" movement keys. Gross corresponds to a section of the field, you press that key and you go there. Fine is what you are used to, but holding those keys doesn't work which makes you very slow. You get 3 playfields to choose from.

And I finished up the 1292/Interton family's library. Two 70s arcade clones in Circus and Head On which are both decent ports with some neat extra game modes (Circus has a large strip to bang against and Head On has a mode where you are the crasher). Also Math 1, but that's just basic math.

Hyperspace is based on the old (even by then) Star Trek game concept. The game world is just 3x3 so the system can actually handle it, but it is also real-time with direct control. The enemies are essentially turrets though, with your goal being to kill 'em all. You have an energy counter that depletes when shooting, hyperspacing (teleport to any section) or getting hit, a mothership is constantly flying around the 3x3 square in case you need a refill. It also has a gamemode where energy costs for everything are less, but you can't refill.

Off topic question, but does anyone of you have an arcade game that you would like to see dumped on MAME? I've recently stumbled upon the story of Bouncer (1983) and it's kind of sad that it's still not emulated.

>>11907202
There are only a handful of Pre-NES arcade games that are lost or undumped that I truly care about desu. Heavyweight Champ '76 (No working cabinet has been found, even then, dumping the game is impossible because it's TTL), Dracula Hunter (PCBs are known to exist, but are owned by private Japanese collectors, though a recreation has come out which looks pretty close), and an early Breakout clone Pyramid (Only gameplay footage found was from GCCX). Bouncer's inclusion in Ninja 3 makes me believe there has to be some working machines (or boards) out there, but it looks pretty unremarkable gameplay wise. I still hope it gets found and dumped someday though, even if it's just for posterity.

I love these Pre-NES games because not only do they require your imagination, therefore making even the most basic games immersive, but I also just like games that don't require me to sit down and spend 4+ hours playing in order to figure out a story or see an ending. Not to say those games are bad, I love those games too, Shenmue is in my top 10 most favorite games. But there's something to be said about games that are gameplay first. Each session is a test of skill and to me at least, seeing your initials on a leaderboard is just as, if not more gratifying than seeing a game ending. Basically I just like these games desu.

>>11903530
>which is also why no one ever discusses them
They're simple games so there's not a lot to discuss
I love tennis though

>>11909289
Welcome to the club

>>11907249
Another one that i would like to see dumped is Yosaku by SNK/Orca Corp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpR4J7yT0P4

Too bad we only have a gameplay video and japanese people are not famous for their "not-hoarding" behaviour.

A bit of Snap Jack for your soul. Kind of a surreal game, but not a bad one.

Bumping with some 1984 arcade. Got to play some Pac-Land, but people are familiar with that and likely with the 1st Ninja-kun as well. There was also Pandora's Palace which is likely the first ot include Konami's Moai enemy, but is otherwise an unremarkable DK clone released only in America and as a kit. There are 3 game I'd like to mention.

Oozumou is a later DECO Cassette game about sumo wrestling. Ultimately it's a simple reaction and mashing game because of the system, but it's a somewhat unique settingm quite playable and looking decent. You'll have to set up a proper mashing controller if you want to beat a full tournament as the stronger enemies give you very little leeway to fully mash. It's got a unique scene if you rank up to Yokozuna (iirc).

Off The Wall by Bally-Sente is another one of their simple multiplayer sports games. It's essentially the currently popular game of padel, except your players rotate their arms around entirely and (luckily) it's in 2D. This means you only need to angle your receive. The net goes up as the rally goes on.

Finally Mysterious Stones: Dr Kick/John's Adventure. This game takes the egg kicking element of Technos' previous games and puts them in an Indiana Jones setting maze. Complete with traps and treasure rooms. The goal is to find a treasure room and exit the maze to have it evaluated. The egglike objects roll around when kicked and can damage enemies (and launch you), break them and they might contain score, power-ups and enemies (the important one being the key ghost).

>Oozumou
I love Tsuppari Sumo on the Famicom so I'll have to check this out.

>>11913485
Mystic Marathon.
Interesting concept, but the execution is not the best one, although it's still a pretty interesting game with no space for errors.

>>11889153 (OP)
> scene 8
> 82500
i can't seem to get past scene 8 and only ever managed to collect a diamond once out of 20 or something games. why did the programmers make this game needlessly difficult?

>>11914070
>why did the programmers make this game needlessly difficult?

What was gaming like in the Atari days? Was video game addiction a thing? Would people play their Atari 2600's for hours on end? Were people excited for the latest titles or was it just mainly playing arcade ports, casually playing for high score and just sort of curiosity. How similar was the culture to modern day?

>>11915190
>What was gaming like in the Atari days?
was ok
>Was video game addiction a thing?
wasn't a thing then, still isn't a thing today
>Would people play their Atari 2600's for hours on end?
yes
>Were people excited for the latest titles
yes
>How similar was the culture to modern day?
nothing like the modern day. only kids and teenagers really gave a shit back then, and everything was marketed to that demographic - and mainly to boys.