T-Pac

Sick - I've only ever played the NES port of Karnov, but I really love it in spite of the clunky controls and everything. How does the arcade original compare? -CasualCart

This is a tough distinction - I've been playing mostly NES this year, but many of the great later-release titles in the library are from the early 90s. I hadn't considered how long the system's lifespan was, with great games from start to finish. -CasualCart

I personally take an ethical stance against reproduction/bootleg games, even contemporary bootlegs from the same time period as the originals. I agree that they can be a neat piece of history, but I'd never condone or collect them. -CasualCart

I'll start off with my take on it: Origin Era - everything from the first 'video games' through early arcade classics, Atari, and the crash of 1983. It was the wild west of game development, and the formative years of gaming as we know it today. 8-Bit Era - encompasses the age of 8-bit consoles and computers. Game genres started to take shape and video games established themselves beyond the scope of a 'trend/fad'. 16-Bit Era - defined by the console wars of 16 bit machines. Games were more refined and more mainstream, with a push towards better processing and graphics. This era would also include early-90s arcade games and later console and computer games that technically evolved beyond '16 bit', but retained the same aesthetic characteristics. Early 3D Era - all the games and consoles that served as the starting-point for 3D. Graphics were chunky and proper 3D control schemes were in their formative stages, but the foundation was quickly established for a new wave of video games. Online Era - signaled by the push toward cooperative online gameplay in the mid-2000s. 3D gaming was well-established, and many consoles began to incorporate motion-controls. This era also served as the origin for indie games, which often brought gaming back to basics but fit nicely in the 'online' age given their primarily-digital distribution. Digital Era (modern) - the modern era of gaming cannot be properly categorized without a retrospective of its defining assets, but the trend towards digital-only gaming seems to be the next big step in the industry. -CasualCart

I recently listened to an older Collector's Quest podcast about distinguishing between modern and retro gaming, and I'm curious to hear everyone's take on this: How would you personally categorize video games into different eras? There's obviously no right answer, but it's a fun mental-exercise in organizing the relatively brief history of gaming and game collecting. -CasualCart

@DefaultGen

Awesome - Mappy is so great! Are you well-versed in the arcade version at all? I'm interested to know how the famicom port compares. -CasualCart

Bubble Bobble is completed! I played through the default 100 stages (I think the completion chart needs to be altered - it says there are only 60 levels @Splain), assuming the unlockable hard loop isn't required. Also, I know there are good and bad endings on the NES version, but that doesn't seem to be the case for the GB port - can anyone confirm? -CasualCart

That's awesome! 1000! I used to check in on your Famicom collecting thread from NA, and it's been so cool seeing the progress - almost like collecting vicariously haha. Make sure to keep us updated on new acquisitions! -CasualCart

Thanks for hyping up the new artwork @Gloves - and I love the captions you wrote! -CasualCart

It would be great if King's Knight (NES) was a better game. A multi-character medieval shoot-em-up is such a neat idea, but Square over-complicated it. The graphics and cover art are so enticing, so it's a shame that the gameplay just doesn't deliver. -CasualCart

I wanted to mention the one-handed Ascii Stick Super L5 controller, but being exclusive to Japan, I guess it isn't technically for the SNES. Also - shout-out to the Fighter Stick SN. I just got one of those this year and it's awesome. I recommend it to anyone who likes the NES Advantage because of it's nearly-identical controls and build. -CasualCart

I'm hoping the "Analogue 8" is a more affordable version of their NES system in plastic housing. That might actually get me on board with FPGA consoles. To be honest, I'm not too keen on the look of the NT mini or the AVS, but the Analogue SNES and Genesis clones are really sleek - it would be great if the NES got that same treatment. -CasualCart

This is an amazing collection! The Gradius art is especially cool. I'm curious - what is an 'Employee Art Test Sample'? -CasualCart

That mini-kisok is sick! Is that newly manufactured or were they around when the FDS was on the market? -CasualCart

I came here to say Classic Gaming Quarterly as well - or more specifically his secondary channel CGQ+. The retrospective 'Flashback' series on CGQ+ is really cool for people like me who are too young to have experienced the the golden years of classic gaming culture in the late 80s and early 90s. -CasualCart

I've always been partial to Asmik's silly pink dinosaur. -CasualCart

I can never get enough of the Force Pod from Super R-Type. An indestructible battering ram that you can fire at your enemies is overpowered in the best possible way. And the strategy of how to use it adds great depth to the game. -CasualCart

I'm curious about this one - what did you upgrade to (and from)? Different model, clone system, modded console? -CasualCart

This week I played Vice: Project Doom (NES) for the first time. I made it to the final boss, but never actually beat it. For any fans of Ninja Gaiden, this is a must-play. The gameplay is nearly identical (and a bit more forgiving), even moreso than other 'ripoff' games like Shadow of the Ninja. -CasualCart

It's been a while since I've played Startropics, but I definitely didn't know you could do that - so awesome! -CasualCart

For some reason, I always find cheesing though boss-battles really satisfying. Finding just the right spot on-screen to camp out and take down an enemy feels like outsmarting the game haha. -CasualCart

Noobow is one of those games I couldn't help but pick up just because the mascot character looks so neat. I found the game a bit tedious, but it was worth playing for the graphics and quirky story anyway. -CasualCart

I could never get into Kid Icarus on the NES until after playing the Gameboy one. It made the 'Kid Icarus' gameplay format much more approachable, so I was able to learn the mechanics and go back to properly enjoy the NES original. They're both solid games, albeit frustrating. -CasualCart

Just read up on this - it sounds fun, but I'll pass this time. Too many commitments to be fending off werewolves every night lol. -CasualCart