21st January 2017, 10:12 PM
... So whether or not I should have, I got a bunch of stuff recently.
3DS
--
Boulder Dash-XL 3D - $5, complete - This is an okay puzzle-action game. It's also on X360 XBLA (download), but this version is an actual physical release, and was pretty cheap and is in 3d too. This is an updated version of the '80s classic Boulder Dash, with lots new levels and some new mechanics. The new graphics are only okay, but the gameplay's here.
DS
--
Radiant Historia - $22.50 - I've always heard this game is quite good, so I got it... and definitely paid more than it'd cost to get a copy on ebay, but ah well. I've never seen a copy of this in person for less than this, anyway.
Atari 5200
--
RealSports Baseball - this was $8.50 for both of these 5200 games. They both do interesting things with the 5200 controller, using analog, the keypad, and a button for controls. The game uses the keypad and stick for pitching, and you move the stick across to simulate swinging, which is unique. I find it hard to actually get hits in this game, but it's otherwise good. It even has voice samples and says "Ball", "Strike", and such! That's pretty cool for 1983.
RealSports Tennis - This game isn't as good as the baseball game above, either in graphics, sound, options, or controls, but still it does have somewhat a interesting control scheme -- you hit a keypad key just before touching the ball and you'll hit towards that quadrant of the other side of the court. You don't need to hit the fire buttons to swing, that's automatic when you touch the ball, so other than serving you only need the stick and keypad here so the controls do work, but still having to hit keypad keys while moving around is a bit slow at times. There are also only two AI difficulties, neither one nearly as hard as the baseball ones. Still, it's an interesting effort.
NES
--
Target Renegade - $6, cart only - actually Technos's first Kunio game! The formula is similar to the later titles (River City Ransom, etc.) but the graphics and gameplay don't match them of course. While I liked RCR back in the early '90s, since I started collecting classic games I have generally been not overly impressed by Technos beat 'em ups, but still they can be fun, and it's nice to see where the series started.
Bad Dudes - $5, cart only - Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the president? Despite the infamous story I've always assumed I wouldn't care for this game since sidescrolling beat 'em ups are usually overly simplistic, so I'd never gotten it before, but playing it now... the graphics are actually good, and while simple it's a fun game. So yeah, it actually was worth getting.
PS2
--
Portal Runner - $10, complete - For some reason I've wanted to try this game for a long time. I played a few levels, and it's janky and very low-poly, but is otherwise fun.
The King of Route 66 - $3, complete - This is kind of a followup to Sega's pretty good racing game 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker. It's not supposed to be as good as the first one, but still, it's worth a try!
Dreamcast
--
CART Flag to Flag - $3, complete
Game Boy
--
Godzilla - $6, cart only - This is an interestingly weird puzzle-platformer with a mazelike world design and interesting gameplay.
Tasmania Story - $9, cart only - A somewhat uncommon single-screen platformer. You need to walk over all spaces on the screen to beat each level, which is quite tough thanks to the fast-moving enemies and your limited, slow bomb attacks...
PS3
--
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir - $40, new - I know I overpaid for this versus ebay, but I actually saw this in person for the first time recently, and couldn't resist; I have never played this game before, and I know it's well thought of. As a mid 2016 release it's much easier to find for PS4 than PS3.
Game Boy Advance
--
Tweety and the Magic Gems - $3, cart only
Genesis
--
Toy Story - free in a B3G1 (would have been $5), cart only - I had the GB version of this as a kid and thought it was one of the worst games ever, but I've always heard that this version is a lot better, and finally convinced myself to buy it. Well... yes, the controls are good, quite unlike the GB game, and the graphics are impressive, but the levels are the same annoying things they were on the GB... ugh. Your jumping and attack are not great either, even with the responsive controls you have here. Still, at least it's an okay game on the Genesis, so I guess it was worth getting. The 3d effect that makes many tables and such look like they have depth as you move is cool.
Playstation
--
Rally Cross - $6, complete - I've heard these games are decently good, and have meant to get one for quite some time. Finally did.
PSP/PS3 - Digital Download
--
Breath of Fire IV - $2.40 - this is currently on sale and I've wanted the PS1 BoF games but have never seen one affordably, so it's nice to see it go on sale here.
Xbox 360 - Digital Download
--
Street Fighter x Tekken - $4 - I got this back in December when it was on sale, but never mentioned it then, so I will now.
3DS
--
Boulder Dash-XL 3D - $5, complete - This is an okay puzzle-action game. It's also on X360 XBLA (download), but this version is an actual physical release, and was pretty cheap and is in 3d too. This is an updated version of the '80s classic Boulder Dash, with lots new levels and some new mechanics. The new graphics are only okay, but the gameplay's here.
DS
--
Radiant Historia - $22.50 - I've always heard this game is quite good, so I got it... and definitely paid more than it'd cost to get a copy on ebay, but ah well. I've never seen a copy of this in person for less than this, anyway.
Atari 5200
--
RealSports Baseball - this was $8.50 for both of these 5200 games. They both do interesting things with the 5200 controller, using analog, the keypad, and a button for controls. The game uses the keypad and stick for pitching, and you move the stick across to simulate swinging, which is unique. I find it hard to actually get hits in this game, but it's otherwise good. It even has voice samples and says "Ball", "Strike", and such! That's pretty cool for 1983.
RealSports Tennis - This game isn't as good as the baseball game above, either in graphics, sound, options, or controls, but still it does have somewhat a interesting control scheme -- you hit a keypad key just before touching the ball and you'll hit towards that quadrant of the other side of the court. You don't need to hit the fire buttons to swing, that's automatic when you touch the ball, so other than serving you only need the stick and keypad here so the controls do work, but still having to hit keypad keys while moving around is a bit slow at times. There are also only two AI difficulties, neither one nearly as hard as the baseball ones. Still, it's an interesting effort.
NES
--
Target Renegade - $6, cart only - actually Technos's first Kunio game! The formula is similar to the later titles (River City Ransom, etc.) but the graphics and gameplay don't match them of course. While I liked RCR back in the early '90s, since I started collecting classic games I have generally been not overly impressed by Technos beat 'em ups, but still they can be fun, and it's nice to see where the series started.
Bad Dudes - $5, cart only - Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the president? Despite the infamous story I've always assumed I wouldn't care for this game since sidescrolling beat 'em ups are usually overly simplistic, so I'd never gotten it before, but playing it now... the graphics are actually good, and while simple it's a fun game. So yeah, it actually was worth getting.
PS2
--
Portal Runner - $10, complete - For some reason I've wanted to try this game for a long time. I played a few levels, and it's janky and very low-poly, but is otherwise fun.
The King of Route 66 - $3, complete - This is kind of a followup to Sega's pretty good racing game 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker. It's not supposed to be as good as the first one, but still, it's worth a try!
Dreamcast
--
CART Flag to Flag - $3, complete
Game Boy
--
Godzilla - $6, cart only - This is an interestingly weird puzzle-platformer with a mazelike world design and interesting gameplay.
Tasmania Story - $9, cart only - A somewhat uncommon single-screen platformer. You need to walk over all spaces on the screen to beat each level, which is quite tough thanks to the fast-moving enemies and your limited, slow bomb attacks...
PS3
--
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir - $40, new - I know I overpaid for this versus ebay, but I actually saw this in person for the first time recently, and couldn't resist; I have never played this game before, and I know it's well thought of. As a mid 2016 release it's much easier to find for PS4 than PS3.
Game Boy Advance
--
Tweety and the Magic Gems - $3, cart only
Genesis
--
Toy Story - free in a B3G1 (would have been $5), cart only - I had the GB version of this as a kid and thought it was one of the worst games ever, but I've always heard that this version is a lot better, and finally convinced myself to buy it. Well... yes, the controls are good, quite unlike the GB game, and the graphics are impressive, but the levels are the same annoying things they were on the GB... ugh. Your jumping and attack are not great either, even with the responsive controls you have here. Still, at least it's an okay game on the Genesis, so I guess it was worth getting. The 3d effect that makes many tables and such look like they have depth as you move is cool.
Playstation
--
Rally Cross - $6, complete - I've heard these games are decently good, and have meant to get one for quite some time. Finally did.
PSP/PS3 - Digital Download
--
Breath of Fire IV - $2.40 - this is currently on sale and I've wanted the PS1 BoF games but have never seen one affordably, so it's nice to see it go on sale here.
Xbox 360 - Digital Download
--
Street Fighter x Tekken - $4 - I got this back in December when it was on sale, but never mentioned it then, so I will now.