T-Pac

30,270 I think this game must be 10% skill and 90% luck. I never even broke 20k before, and then I managed to get 30k out of nowhere. I don't feel like I earned it, but I'm still stoked on this haha. @BeaIank - was there a problem with my first submission? I wasn't included in the progress-scoreboard and I just wanted to make sure I didn't break a rule or something... -CasualCart

What's the difficulty like on Snow Bros (compared to something similar like Bubble Bobble)? I've been considering getting a copy someday, but I'd hate to shell-out for a game that I can't reasonably make any progress in... -CasualCart

I actually prefer Golf on the Atari 2600, but Black-Box Golf really isn't so bad. -CasualCart

I'm with @Tulpa on this one - for quick-play sessions, I'll fire up a space-shooter. Usually Star Force or Star Soldier. If I want to play just a bit longer, I'll go for something like Dragon Spirit or Action in New York/ S.C.A.T. And if I've only got a few minutes, I'll pick something like Alpha Mission or Terra Cresta because I'm bound to get toasted right away. -CasualCart

Legend has it that back in the 90s there was time for Klax. Well now it's the 20s - but what is there time for? -CasualCart

I know someone who goes by 'Olive'. -CasualCart

Black-Box Golf? -CasualCart

Gloves said he was "unsettling" haha. As I drew it, I was wondering if it would turn out adorable or disturbing, and by the time I colored it in I was pretty sure I had created an abomination. Long live Sage-Bert. -CasualCart

17,120 Honestly I'm just stoked to be above the 'participation' standard haha. This game is brutal - I've had it for a while but never really gave it a fair shot until now. And a fun fact that I recently learned - the guy who designed the Q*Bert character is related to my grandmother. I think he's her cousin's son or something. -CasualCart

Ever since you posted this I've been haunted by what a "Waluionkey Kong" (Wonkey Kong?) would even look like. I find the modern Donkey Kong design unappealing as-is, so I couldn't help but combine it with Wario/Waluigi to make something even worse than the sum of its parts haha. -CasualCart

Not sure how many people around here would be curious about the college experience at art school haha. I recently graduated with my character-animation degree - one of the few art disciplines that I wouldn't actively discourage people from going to school for. Especially now - self-isolation from the pandemic has left everyone at home watching cartoons, so the animation industry is booming. I'm actually working on Warner Bros properties for two different streaming services right now, and I feel very blessed that my education opened these doors for me. And it wasn't as easy as it may seem - I went as far as moving to Canada to attend my college of choice, and it took me two tries just to get accepted into the animation program since my admissions portfolio didn't score high enough for their cutoff the first time around. -CasualCart

Nice Arrow Flash - easily one of my favorite Genesis games. This is actually my first time seeing the box-art - not too often you get something as epic as giant mechs and dragons at the same time haha. So sick. -CasualCart

You're not alone, dude. The Wii was my last (and first) modern home console. Not that there's anything wrong with new video games - they just have little to no draw for me. It's kind of like antique cars and new sports-cars - they're both cars, but it's hard to compare them because there's a completely different type of appeal to them, and the evolution from one to the other is such a wide gap. There's something about classic gaming that fully engages me, but for whatever reason I can't get myself to care for anything that was made after the 90s, even retro-inspired stuff for the most part. -CasualCart

I never would have anticipated how much fun I had with Guitar Hero on the DS. I was so addicted to that game one summer that I got wrist cramps and still didn't stop playing. -CasualCart

I don't have enough patience for Metroid, but that's not to say it would be a bad game if I really sat down to give it a fair shot. -CasualCart

Thanks for clarifying - I was unaware of what the original Panesian release looked like (I'm against 'adult' media like this, so I've never looked into the case differences). That being said, this would still qualify as software piracy (if it was made without Panesian's permission, like you mentioned). That's where you're right about clone consoles - in many cases, there's no pirated software there, just re-created hardware based on expired patents, so those aren't pirated goods. It might help to think of it like a DVD movie. Reproducing a DVD to sell without permission from the rights-holder is considered piracy based on the distribution of the media, not based on whether or not the bootleg DVDs physically resemble the source material. -CasualCart

I don't mean to keep going back-and-forth with this, but as someone who works in the media and entertainment industry, copyright and piracy stuff is important to me haha. You're completely correct that what I'm referring to is copyright infringement. However, piracy is a form of copyright infringement (you've already provided the definition to back this up). Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like you're defending the legitimacy of the original Panesian release of this game, in which case you're right that there isn't any piracy or copyright infringement involved. What I'm talking about, though, is a reproduction cart of this release, which is piracy because it is copying and distributing an unaltered version of the Panesian release without consent from the rights-owner. If this repro release wasn't a 1-to-1 copy of the Panesian release, then it wouldn't be piracy. I don't believe this is the case here, but if it is, my apologies. -CasualCart

Reproducing any media for distribution without permission from the rights-holder is piracy. It doesn't matter whether or not the original media was licensed. For example, homebrews are unlicensed, but if someone were to go around making copies of a new homebrew release and selling them without the creator's consent, that would be piracy. -CasualCart

Being a sequel or part of an established franchise often detracts from a game, since you end up drawing comparisons rather than appreciating standalone games for their own merit. So I almost never wish for sequels to any of my favorite games or media. As far as the franchise question, though, I think a Gamera game for the NES would've been sick. The 8-bit Godzilla offerings leave a lot to be desired, so I wonder how Gamera would've fared. B-tier games for B-tier kaiju classics, or something unexpectedly awesome? -CasualCart

Wait, Heritage Auctions is selling graded pirated games? That's not just bad for their reputation - that's straight-up illegal... -CasualCart

I beat Super Mario Land 2 [Gameboy] recently. If the controls in that game were just a bit tighter, I swear it would be a masterpiece. -CasualCart

This week's contest compelled me to play some Mario Bros, too - but I've only got the GBA version so I can't officially participate. It's left me a bit confused, though - I've been having a lot of fun with the GBA port, but you've all been saying the NES game is boring. Is that just because you're all farming for points, or is the NES port just mediocre? (I've been on the hunt for a copy, but maybe I should reconsider haha). -CasualCart

To master the arcade stick, you must become one with the arcade stick... -CasualCart

There have been a couple times where I've done some design/artwork in exchange for video games. It was a lot more fun than clicking 'buy it now' on ebay and paying out of pocket haha. -CasualCart