G-type

1 hour ago, avatar! said:

Color me surprised, but somehow I figured a member with the screen name of "G-type" who has an image of R-type as their picture would list R-type as a favorite 

I guess you didn't read my interview with Reed. I explained the origin of the name: I just wanted to modify a game name with my initials and this was the first one that popped into my head. I have barely played the actual game.

I'm still working on it  I finished it once with save states... Now I'm trying to beat it in a single run.

Solaris is a game where reading about it is a MUST... I used a full through walk through, because who's got time to map everything out on their own?

There is also this somewhat advanced technique called "phasing". Technically it might be a glitch? But I'm just going to call it a feature, because its pretty useful if you want to beat the game without being put through the wringer. Basically the map portion of this game is a 16-screen maze, except there are lots of enemies that obstruct the paths. Some of these encounters are really hard to get through unscathed, so avoiding them is the preferrable option. When you can't go around, sometimes you can "phase" through them. This is done by exploiting the map select feature, which allows you to call up the map at any time using controller 2. Basically, you pick a fight with some easier enemy (usually the tie fighter looking guys or an attack group of assorted enemies). While engaged with them, you use the map select trick to pre-select your NEXT destination: (ie... the thing that is blocking your path that you would like to skip) after you win your original fight (and you have to win it), you will then automatically start on your new destination, and can move off of it without it blocking you.

This is useful for skipping minefields, corridors, and cobra squadrons (which are all brutally difficult and should only be engaged when you have no other option!) It's also useful for skipping wormholes which will spit you out at a new spot on the map. Sometimes this is useful to reach a previously unreachable area, but sometimes it can be a hinderance if you are trying to just take the shortest path to Solaris.

2 hours ago, Gloves said:

Not a lot of people with that on their list of best shmups lol. What makes you like it so much? I like it a lot, not sure if it sits among the best for me though.

First off, it looks really beautiful. The boss fights are all really impressive and epic and I wanted to include a bullet-hell on my list and that's the one I've played the most.

Sine Mora
Beamrider
Strikeforce
Recca summer carnival
Turmoil
Lifeforce

28 minutes ago, Red said:

 

Not a pinball game!  Why don't you believe me?  Look at the flippers.  Way too close together.  How could a ball get passed them?

I'll post one more picture.  The sidebars should give it away to anyone who has played since they're present for a large part of the game.

I was just searching "game that has pinball themed stage"... I actually don't know anything about that Yoku game..

Yoku's Island Express

I've replaced Solstice with Solaris... I figure they both start with the same first 3 letters so its fair game. Solstice I spent enough time with it to know that I'm NEVER going to beat it. I'm glad I took the time to give it a fair shake and its a pretty neat game.

Solaris on the other hand has really hooked me. It's also really hard, but I feel the urge to see the ending.

I like stickers up to a point...when it's old rental stores putting stickers on their products (that were new at the time), I can appreciate that sticker as yet another connection to that era. But when it comes to modern stores slapping new stickers onto retro stuff with no regard for covering up the item, that's just a sign that they don't know what they're doing and don't give a shit:

I'm not sure what order these go in, what calculations I'm supposed to do, or if any of it even matters since I'm not winning this.

57

67

18

42

54 minutes ago, mbd39 said:

It depends on how much you can separate the art from the artist.

in his case its tough... the quote that I keep hearing in my head was during a Howard Stern interview where they're ogling a "hot chick" that he drew and John has to proudly add "she's underage too"

10 minutes ago, Tabonga said:

33 minutes ago, mbd39 said:

The director of Jeepers Creepers is also a notorious pedophile.

Another infamous case was the writer/director of Clownhouse. 

same guy for both: Victor Salva

Solaris... really deep and strategic with a a steep learning curve. Also frustratingly difficult, but very interesting. It's definitely gotten its hooks in me. I'm determined to reach the ending.

struggling to comprehend what I'm looking at.... I'm seeing what looks like half of a metallic skull... and behind it possibly a rock or maybe the lower jaw of a creature, with some blue haze?

I mostly missed 90% of Ren and Stimpy... I might have seen a few episodes, but I barely remember it... I mainly remember it through OTHER kids being obsessed about it and talking to me about Log / Powdered Toast Man, "Stimpy you eediot!", and gross close ups of rotting teeth/nerve endings... I did go through a phase in college where I was fairly interested in Spumco's flash animations and comic books, and John K's blog was a fascinating look into art and animation analysis. Then I learned he was a dating 13 year old girls and a lot of his art output seemed pretty repugnant in that context.

4 hours ago, bronzeshield said:

That's the TI-99/4A version, right? I thought it looked like a TI game!

Yep! It's a bit simplified from the map of the text version (which  I think was a dodecahedron), but it is so addictive! You can play an emulated version here.

4 hours ago, RH said:

 

I think someone has already guessed this game?

 

Yes. Red won

I figured someone would notice I had posted a video of the game in the classical music thread

This 

17 minutes ago, RH said:

Well, that's not obvious to me, lol.

On an unrelated note... how old are  you?

I'm almost 45... I'm guessing that's a common age around here...

This was probably one of my top 5 most played games from 1984 to 1989.

I'll update the list as people can think of more.  If you can link to a video, even better!

Mountain King (2600, C64): In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg
Alpiner (TI-99/4a) In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg
Hunt the Wumpus (TI-99/4a) In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg & Funeral March by Chopin
Gyruss (2600,NES, Arcade): Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach
Donkey Kong Jr: Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach
Dark Castle: Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach
Deathsmiles:Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach
Jawbreaker II (TI-99/4a): Turkish March by Mozart
Arkenoid II: Castle on a cloud (from Les Miserable by Schönberg)
Thexder (MSX,PC): Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
Resident Evil: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
Earthworm Jim 2: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
Earthworm Jim: Night on Bald Mountain
Tomb Raider: Venice Violins
Ape Escape 3:  Mars Bringer of War by Gustav Holst
Tetrastar- The Fighter (Famicom): 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky & Night on Bald Mountain
City Connection (NES, arcade): Piano Concerto No. 1. by Tchaikovsky
Tetris (NES):Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies by Tchaikovsky
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out: Bizet's Carmen by Bizet & and Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner
Road Runner (NES) William Tell Overture by Rossini, Flight Of The Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Sabre Dance by Aram Khachaturian, Russian Dance by Tchaikovsky
The Lone Ranger (NES) The William Tell Overture by Rossini
Welcome House (PS1) Piano Concert No.5 by Beethoven
Adventures of Dr. Frank (NES& GB) Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
Jet Set Willy: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
Astrochase (2600) 1812 Overture
Gorby no Pipeline Daisakusen' (Famicom):  Caucasian Sketches, Suite 1 - Movement IV: Procession of the Sardar - Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
Swan Lake - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, In the Steppes of Central Asia by Alexander Borodin, Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky, Scheherazade, Movement III: The Young Prince and the Young Princess - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Flight of the Bumblebee - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Thunder Force (PC-8801mkIISR/PC-88): William Tell Overture
Thunder Castle (Intellivsion) :Schubert's unfinished 8th, Second Movement (First Scherzo Codetta), Arrangement of Opening Melody and Coda (Truncated) Sonata Kk. 159 by Domenico Scarlatti ,The Black Service (Fanfare), Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, Fourth Movement (Main Theme), Eighth Symphony by Antonín Leopold Dvořák, Ninth Symphony by  Ludwig van Beethoven, Second Movement (Rondeau), Abdelazar or The Moor's Revenge by Henry Purcell
Battle of Olympus: Toccata Fugue in D Minor by Bach
Tyrants Fight Through Time (Genesis): Mars from The Planets by Gustav Hoist
Captain Comic
Peggle: Ode to Joy Beethoven
Golf Grand Slam (NES) : Debussy
Challenger (FC): Three Marches Militaires - March No. 1 in D Major' by Franz Schubert
Rockman 4 Minus Infinity (FC) :Three Marches Militaires - March No. 1 in D Major' by Franz Schubert
Tiny Toon Adventures- Bab's Big Break (Gameboy): In The Hall Of The Mountain King by Edvard Grieg

if I zoom out even a little bit more, it will be obvious to anyone who's ever played this game before. (which might not be that many)

11 hours ago, elprincipe said:

Very cool. Have you ever played the TI-99/4A computer? There's a game called Alpiner that uses the same classical music:

 

I had this game and used to play it all the time!

Might be a fun topic to try and come up with all the games that feature classical music.