Last year, there was an announcement made for the Analogue Pocket. What this is, intention wise, is to give people a modern handheld that plays the Game Boy line of portables. With it is the original, Color, and Advance. They sport big libraries and interesting releases, but most, especially the original and Color, suffered from no backlit screen. There is a delay for it and it won't come out for another year.
I do remember some disappointment about no additional portables from the get go. However, there is plans for three additional ones. Adapters will be set for the Sega Game Gear, Atari Lynx, and Neo Geo Pocket Color. This will be nice since there are audiences for them. The Game Gear has an interesting library that has quite a bit of Sonic games, early arcade and Master System ports, and a fair share of original releases and Genesis ports. With the Lynx, it had original titles mixed with Atari's arcade ports. Both systems suffered from bad battery life. The Neo Geo Pocket was bad timing with money issues, Game Boy popularity, an acquisition and no care for the gaming market. Discontinued in less than a year in America. Two years in Japan. But it is home to many SNK ports, one of the more notable Sonic games, and a few other third party games including Pac-Man and Puzzle Bobble (Bust A Move in America). There is also a feature for music and letting it be played on a television.
At 200 dollars, it isn't that unreasonable. Three libraries and I would assume no region locking, which is what the pre-DSi line of Nintendo handhelds had. The same should apply to the Game Gear and probably the other two. It gives people a reason to look at the Nintendo competitors of the 90s. Getting into a handheld in general is not easy, but the ones you don't hear often is even harder. Unless you go to eBay, the likelihood of Game Gear, Lynx, and Neo Geo Pocket games is very rare in my experience. Even yard sales. Analogue has a good track record with giving a modern experience on the NES, SNES, and Genesis. They know how to tap into nostalgia while making it accessible for modern TV's and ones looking for a fix that doesn't require CRT televisions and hoping the front loading NES still works.
You hope that things get better by next May, which is when it is slated to come out. Portable 90s systems deserve their chance in the spotlight. Honoring the Game Boy line and the Nintendo competitors is a nice way to get interest into these six systems.
Showing posts with label game boy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label game boy. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
Friday, June 12, 2020
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
First Games Played On A System Volume 1
As it suggests, the first game I played on a system. Very simple. I'll do ones that I've played on the actual hardware.
Atari 2600: Pac-Man. This one was from a few years ago. It was a curious one to try as I've heard so many negative things about it. As a port, it is a bit disappointing. That being said, I don't think it's that horrible. I've played much worse, but there is better versions and even Ms. Pac-Man on the 2600 is better.
Intellivision: Donkey Kong. This was from about 15 or so years ago after finding the system hidden downstairs at home. Playing with those controllers was not ideal, but it could be doable. What wasn't was the poor graphics that looked like it came from a very old computer and audio that failed to impress. The system was hit and miss on arcade ports and this was not a good effort.
NES: Super Mario Bros. 3 (90s) Dr. Mario (2009). Cheating a little bit since my memory is a little fuzzy on playing the NES back in the 90s. Wouldn't be surprised if it was Mario 3 or one of the Mario titles. But Dr. Mario was what I tried when I got an NES for myself in mid-2009. To be able to play some of these titles and to begin it with that was a huge treat. I have a bigger appreciation for this system compared to other Nintendo efforts.
Game Boy: Super Mario Land 2. This was one back in the late 90s when you could still get original Game Boy games. It would be the only one I played for a very long time since Game Boy Color was more relevant around 2000. Between the trilogy, Land 2 is very strong and an indicator of what Game Boy could do in every facet. Not to mention a different gameplay approach that it's a shame Nintendo don't go back to these kind of games that weren't like the Miyamoto efforts.
That's the first volume of first games I played on a system. Hopefully, I'll do more soon. Happy reading.
Atari 2600: Pac-Man. This one was from a few years ago. It was a curious one to try as I've heard so many negative things about it. As a port, it is a bit disappointing. That being said, I don't think it's that horrible. I've played much worse, but there is better versions and even Ms. Pac-Man on the 2600 is better.
Intellivision: Donkey Kong. This was from about 15 or so years ago after finding the system hidden downstairs at home. Playing with those controllers was not ideal, but it could be doable. What wasn't was the poor graphics that looked like it came from a very old computer and audio that failed to impress. The system was hit and miss on arcade ports and this was not a good effort.
NES: Super Mario Bros. 3 (90s) Dr. Mario (2009). Cheating a little bit since my memory is a little fuzzy on playing the NES back in the 90s. Wouldn't be surprised if it was Mario 3 or one of the Mario titles. But Dr. Mario was what I tried when I got an NES for myself in mid-2009. To be able to play some of these titles and to begin it with that was a huge treat. I have a bigger appreciation for this system compared to other Nintendo efforts.
Game Boy: Super Mario Land 2. This was one back in the late 90s when you could still get original Game Boy games. It would be the only one I played for a very long time since Game Boy Color was more relevant around 2000. Between the trilogy, Land 2 is very strong and an indicator of what Game Boy could do in every facet. Not to mention a different gameplay approach that it's a shame Nintendo don't go back to these kind of games that weren't like the Miyamoto efforts.
That's the first volume of first games I played on a system. Hopefully, I'll do more soon. Happy reading.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
When's a Game System Overrated or Underrated?
Whenever you're enjoying a game system, you're focused on the games it offered and the ones that hold some sentimental value to you. Sometimes, you might share the same sentiments as others. You could also look at a few things that make them either overrated or underrated. How does it come down to that?
You can still enjoy something that is overrated, but that doesn't mean you're going to be putting it on a pedestal. One example is the Super NES. Especially if you search deep into the library, it's a good system. However, it's praised so much by fanboys, any legit criticism you have is drowned out by them. Not to mention some of the titles are put high on that pedestal and that you can't say anything negative about Mario or Final Fantasy or that type of thing. The sad thing also for that system, most fanboys can only name about 20 titles and that's it, most of it being Nintendo and role playing games. Playing games doesn't always mean only playing the ones everyone talks about.
Underrated is a different animal. Even if a system did very well, there are some that ignore the library that was offered like the Game Boy. If you can look beyond Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon, it sported a decent library of games from both Nintendo and third party games. A number of them hold a lot of playability today. Although finding games for this kind of handheld is difficult, that doesn't mean they are worthless. There are hidden ones that you might enjoy. You never know what you're going to find in something like a Game Boy.
What if they are both? You can say a system is both underrated and overrated, but you better have your reasons. Like the Sega Saturn for example. A lot of people tend to overrate it by over exaggerating the quality of it's library. It's good, but it's not that good. However, it has those titles that many ignore and don't get looked at, making it seemed more underrated than you think. I'd say the same thing with the Nintendo 64 for some of the same examples. Over exaggerating the quality of the library, but a number of them being ignored. That doesn't mean they are systems you shouldn't go after. But that doesn't mean you'll share the same thoughts of certain people.
What's your take on overrated or underrated? It can go either way in today's world of gaming.
You can still enjoy something that is overrated, but that doesn't mean you're going to be putting it on a pedestal. One example is the Super NES. Especially if you search deep into the library, it's a good system. However, it's praised so much by fanboys, any legit criticism you have is drowned out by them. Not to mention some of the titles are put high on that pedestal and that you can't say anything negative about Mario or Final Fantasy or that type of thing. The sad thing also for that system, most fanboys can only name about 20 titles and that's it, most of it being Nintendo and role playing games. Playing games doesn't always mean only playing the ones everyone talks about.
Underrated is a different animal. Even if a system did very well, there are some that ignore the library that was offered like the Game Boy. If you can look beyond Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon, it sported a decent library of games from both Nintendo and third party games. A number of them hold a lot of playability today. Although finding games for this kind of handheld is difficult, that doesn't mean they are worthless. There are hidden ones that you might enjoy. You never know what you're going to find in something like a Game Boy.
What if they are both? You can say a system is both underrated and overrated, but you better have your reasons. Like the Sega Saturn for example. A lot of people tend to overrate it by over exaggerating the quality of it's library. It's good, but it's not that good. However, it has those titles that many ignore and don't get looked at, making it seemed more underrated than you think. I'd say the same thing with the Nintendo 64 for some of the same examples. Over exaggerating the quality of the library, but a number of them being ignored. That doesn't mean they are systems you shouldn't go after. But that doesn't mean you'll share the same thoughts of certain people.
What's your take on overrated or underrated? It can go either way in today's world of gaming.
Friday, April 6, 2018
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