PII

1545 for a maiden voyage

7,111,420 That Robo-Beyotch has been a cruel Mistress thus far this week... (2nd Take) - ..A little better today.. (3rd Take) - ..And yet a little better..

I have to presume that all the puzzle and puzzle Adventure games I like to play improve my problem solving ability. Probably a lot of other types of games have done as much as well. I think Qbert's Qubes is probably the single best training program for observing and coordinating multiple factors simultaneously. I think Chrono trigger inspired my imagination more than any other game. I think the Wipeout series inspires a sense of "eternally honing perfection." Too many games to name have inspired a sense of determination; let's just say Ghosts 'N Goblins to make one example...

I realize now that it would have been a good idea to encourage everyone to make a list, ere go: AMERICAN GAME: Shockwave AMERICAN VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT: Impossible Mission II, Krazy Kreatures, Pyramid, Puzzle, Trolls On Treasure Island, Mermaids Of Atlantis. CAMERICA: Bee 52, Micro Machines COLOR DREAMS/BUNCH GAMES/WISDOM TREE: (Haven't played many of these) Master Chu, (I expect to like Baby Boomer and King Neptune...) I enjoy Crystal Mines and the two similar Bible games from time to time as well. TENGEN: Roadrunner, Fantasy Zone, Tubin', Super Sprint. OTHER: (Haven't messed around much with 6-in-1 or action 52. The porno games are what they are, I guess. As for Cheetahmen II - It's an unfinished game, whaddaya expect?)

@fcgamer I gave each one a peak on YT. Right off I realized I've played Time diver avenger before as I have it on a multi-cart, except it's called time diver eon man, I think. That one is very cool, good music too. Huang Di looks fun, kind of like Ninja Gaiden in an alternate dimension. Final Fight 3 Looks INCREDIBLE in 8-bits! Boomerang kid looks like fun and the music while good seems like it's also the type specifically designed to drive a kid's parents nuts. lol. Would def. like to play Universe Soldiers. Blood Of Jurassic looks cool, just wish the screen didn's flash with every shot. I agree there's nothing quite like hunting dinosaurs in a prehistoric environment. Dragon Knife is very pleasing to look at and looks to be a quality beat 'em up as well. Was good of you to include all those big pristine quality Cart photos. Thanx!

Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions Is Done. Marvin's P-38 Modulator is no more. If I have it right, in the cartoon it was called the Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator. I guess they didn't have the rights for that or something. Also the cartoon in question featured Bugs Bunny pitted against Marvin the Martian rather than Duck Dodgers of the 24th and 1/2 Century, a Fact I'd have to guess Daffy would find to be despicable. On a related note, I always thought it was a little weird that it wasn't titled Duck dodgers etc. Probably just wanted to have Daffy Duck in the title for Marketing Purposes. I really love this game. The Mission Briefings always get a chuckle out of me and all the wacky guns and character animations are just great.

@fcgamer Nice list. At one time I was researching a bit regarding 100 or so unlicensed games in, I think it was the euro pal region. There's a lot more than just the North American out there. Down-scaled ports like the DK you mentioned are always interesting to see. I'll bet your unlicensed collection is a real sight.

@fcgamer You raise an interesting point. In this case I'd consider Tengen Tetris a counter because it included new material ie. 2-player option. If it's just a straight rip bootlet/pirate then it's redundant and beside the point of the post.

I acquired these recently. The flower in the middle just happened to be around and so I stuck it in the middle when taking this pic for a friend, just because I thought it looked cool (it is Echinacea if anyone cares.) Nothing especially special except for the one on the far right. It's called Pineau Des Charentes and the French just call it Pineau. Popular there and so far nobody seems to be familiar state-side. Essentially, it's a fortified wine composed of brandy and wine and usually consumed as an aperitif. I had 3 people besides myself try it and their responses ranged from Meh to eww. I thought it was great. Never had it before. Anybody else ever have this?

lol. Yeah, it was basically a jokey sort of way to say: Wow, you're really good!

@GPX It was this night I was out to meet a friend at a punk show several years ago and I had some time to kill, so I went to this place down the street to spend some time with Beer and Ms. Pac-man which has always been my #1 Arcade game of choice. As such I was doing well -really killin' it, and this girl and her friend came over to watch and at one point she was like "Tell us about your mother" in a really inquisitive way, and so I said: "She's a hell of a woman!", among other things; she smiled and we bonded.

I'll give it a shot this time, missed out last go. Ok, I'm just going to custom lunatic it for maximum selection potential.. a little more variety.. Day 1) - Title Screen - Paperboy [C64 Version] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfrvw4f2Z6Q&t=12s Takin' it way back to start. Day 2) - Desert - The Adventures of Dino Riki - Level 2 - Desert area #1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_SbnwBD9U4&t=879s There are two additional desert levels; Level 4-2 which borrows the music from level 3 (mountain area) and Level 4-4 which uses the boss battle music the whole way; just talkin the original desert music on Level 2. Day 3) - Nintendo Exclusive - Journey To Silius https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNCrpIL2XlY Day 4) - 2010 + - Final Fantasy VII Remake - Battle Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o_PBYrUNcY I haven't actually played this one, but I hear this tune a lot Day 5) - Jazz - Chrono Trigger - Johnny's Theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL_cycOa7Fs "Ride The Wind, Babe." Day 6) - Underground - Stanley The Search For Dr. Livingston - Let's just call this one "The Primary Beat." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_stcWkrMU70&t=6s - It's used above ground as well, but this game has quite a bit of "underground." It's nothing fancy but I've always found it to be really suitable for exploring the jungles of the Congo. Day 7) - Indoor Area - Wardner - To Underground https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9mzgC1Qyk Day 8 - 8-Bit - Silver Surfer - BGM1 - https://youtu.be/ZQlLl2j5THQ?t=231 Day 9) - Remix - Megaman 2 - Metalman Remix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPtqyxd-Tvs Day 10 - Water - Treasures Of The Deep - Training Dive Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4B6kc_ifUg&list=PLsvQ8H-asu5J1mRvUgYYEtlU3q9IRJKQI&index=3 This one sounds to me like it's waiting for a Dub-Step Remix. Day 11) - High-Larious - Earthworm Jim - Andy Asteroids - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR2Q8eXMK2c&list=PLBEB3FFEAEA97318E&index=1 It def. helps to imagine an earthworm riding a rocket like a bull at a rodeo while yelling "Whoa, Nelly!" Day 12) - Awful - Legend Of The Ghost Lion - Battle Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU69pU-eYyI This is one of those tracks where the developers must have had a goal of getting the kids' parents to take the game away. I find it tolerable if I keep the sound down low. I guess it's the price to pay if you want badly enough to play a lost and exotic dragon-warrior-esque game... Day 13) - Sports - Quattro Sports - Baseball - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yue5LZZirw4 Day 14) - Boss Battle - TMNT (NES) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIcL0LnQBig Day 15) - Stage Clear - Bram Stoker's Dracula (NES) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2OTc-pzSUo&list=PLEOQ0YA_1DWlRQEzUXOsgVdcxhoyDXPqX&index=2 Day 16) - 16 Bit - Virtua Racing Deluxe (32X) - Result https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucT83cgfK1w&list=PLQCu_Oy2TRyrbim0WfyoaliCb-IDC9H57&index=11 You really need to hear this one through proper monitors to fully appreciate. Day 17) - Sky Area - Cool World - Ocean Plaza Hotel https://youtu.be/4_saBHsoP-0?t=742 The final level revolves around the player scaling the outer surface of a tall skyscraper to reach the top - that's sky in my book. Day 18) - Arcade - Fantasy Zone - Keep On The Beat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prm-VT6TZ1Y&list=PL-vD6rIjXrcJR4QPqWpzeqNLpf8B9GJdq&index=5 I'm pretty sure that this track got fed into an A.I. and the A.I. spit out La Roux's "Bulletproof" in order to pacify all us nostalgic goons. Day 19) - Inspired By / Sounds Similar - Contra Hard Corps - Jurassic Dope https://youtu.be/1velVMs7vqM?t=401 lol, this one sounds like a kinky night club for T.Rex's Only. Also, reminds me of Kefka's Theme in FFIII / VI. Day 20) - Sega Exclusive - Herzog Zwei - The Fighter Called Emergency To Base - https://youtu.be/w_PLmXBrNQw?t=49 All Suspense, Baby. Day 21 - Fighting Game - Primal Rage - Conquered Land (32x) https://youtu.be/A5bmdgwppTY?t=350 I don't care for any of the other versions of this track (and there are lots) that I've heard, including the original arcade version. Day 22) - Ambient - Kolibri (32x) Track 01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GW15P6i17Y Seems like a lost track from the future in Chrono Trigger... Day 23) - Industrial Area - Insector X - Grooving Diver Round 3 City Area - https://youtu.be/foYZE_MSt1w?t=469 Totally wicked electro track - The in-game sound FX add a lot as well.. Day 24) - 32bit / 64bit era - Q*Bert 1999 (ps1) - ???Mystery Track??? https://youtu.be/jp52W0oNInw?t=159 Not sure what you call it, except a perfect fit for the nature of the game... Day 25) - Techno - Wipeout 3 - Xpander - https://youtu.be/V974MkN7v94?t=1 Arguably the greatest track in the known universe to ever accompany the sight of a racing vehicle... Day 26) - Mario 64 - Lethal Lava Land - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6NgA48KWc0 Love that Sitar / Subahar / Tabla / Synthesizer ... Day 27) - Scary - Super Castlevania IV - Opening - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyL8tt2OkeA Youpoop hit me with a commercial for "Belmont" University when I punched this up = Shameless. Imagine choosing to dedicate a half decade of your life to a University because you like Castlevania? That IS scary. Day 28) - Final Boss - Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones - Princess Noiram Battle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjsYP-y5FhQ For an additional scare - Imagine entering a decrepit old mansion and the organ starts playing this all on its own. Additional Fun Fact: Sacred is an anagram for Scared. Day 29) - Ending - Truxton - Down Fall - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhUun74S46A A little rough around the edges, but I think it conveys a good sense of the Hero's Journey coming to an end, riding off into the sunset and so on... Day 30) - Credits - Kabuki Quantum Fighter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mfYDtFbMJ4 This one makes me feel like it's not going to be over for long... ...but it was... We were even promised at the end of the closing credits - "I'll be back. Watch for my next adventure."

Wow, this will take more than one trip down memory lane... In the meantime: This is a very real thing. As a general rule, I would say that playing video games in public has not opened the door to introductions with the female persuasion. If there is one exception it is this game. Being really good at it helps. Some of the questions I've been asked while playing this one are off the charts. One such chick wanted to know about my parentage...

If it hadn't happened twice, I'd say it could've been a mistake, but instead it would seem the old adage that begins "One man's trash..." knows few bounds. The cheapest I tend to find on any reg. are the occasional NES games for a buck, stuff like Heavy Shreddin, Vegas Dream, Top Gun(5screw), Mach Rider (5screw) are some examples I've found. Think I've found some games for portable consoles in the 50¢ bin at one point or another, but I'm drawing a blank on what those would have been. One of my favorites was a copy of "The Itchy And Scratchy Game" for SNES in a Goodwill Case for $3.

I've noticed the same. Too many times I've happened onto one online at apparently the right price only to click on it, scan through the pics and find that gaping wound in the back. It could have been something really mundane, like "get a $5 rebate", but if it was something unique like a poster or a t-shirt, I'd sure like to know...

I finished the Kwirk "Going Up" 30 tonight. This was one of a few games that constituted the first gameboy games I ever bought about 3 years ago, got excited about this one right away; probably still my favorite out of the small collection I have. Haven't yet had the chance to mess around with the 2 more pricey sequels, Spud's Adventure and Amazing Tater.

Is this a reference to something up and coming? I noticed because I was curious if playing the gbc cart for Montezuma's return is acceptable in place of it's pal gameboy equivalent or not.

Technically, I was referring to the Unlicensed 89 from North America's NES heyday, but if some would like to be a bit loosey Goosey about it then I guess that's fine in my book, not the end of all creation. I probably could have been a little more specific about it (my bad), but the thing I was really going for was to highlight games of a more obscure nature and differing "gameboard" or play-style relative to the licensed library we're all so much more familiar with, generally. Probably shoulda smelled Micro-Machines coming a mile against the wind. Never really looked at rolling thunder before though; think I always kind of unconsciously expected it to be meh, but it looks really good. Missed out on a great deal on King Neptune a couple years back and I'm still kicking myself a little.. Got a box for Robodemons but still haven't found a deal on the cart. Also, when I'm in the mood for it, I love a good game of Roadrunner. I've yet to happen onto an original arcade machine of it to try out. Not really surprised that I seem to be the biggest fan of American Game/American Video so far, lol.

Rock 'N' Ball Question: In both of the Sport Modes and the three Vs. Modes the player is given the option to select a 3,5 or 7 set match. Is it necessary to do all three for each? Or can it just be a 3-Set and done?

A white eraser is proper for contacts. Generally speaking, a pink erasure will remove the plating from the pins. There are some pinks that work properly, but off-hand I'm unsure how to determine the distinction. Special note: When I have an unlicensed game that has a back label over the middle screw and I do not wish to punch through that label, I'll use a very soft moldable white erasure pressed around something flat like a popsicle stick to get in there and then follow it up with a "contact-cleaner-laden-q-tip-head" (five times fast, everyone.) Hallelujah ..I've seen stuff inside the plastic surrounding the pins as well that looks like something out of horror movie..

@Dr. Morbis It looks like you're right about that. I could have sworn that it was a pack-in with gamebox and all, but I guess I must have bought it separate..

Krazy Kreatures on the weekly menu got me thinking about this. I have a thing for really odd or awkward level designs (etc.) A couple of licensed NES examples would be "Cool World" and "Stanley: The Seach For Dr. Livingston." Rather than typical NES fair they remind me more of games that I played on the Commodore as a kid. In those cases there were frequently games produced by a single programmer and level designs seemed more like they were dreamt up from a singular imagination as opposed to being revised and streamlined by a team to create flow or imitate an established style like Mario or Mega Man for example. Another factor I like is that a game with this kind of structure/feel tends to be challenging and these really awkward situations are more likely to pop up that'll make me think: 'Now how in the heck am I gonna get through that?" Anyway, I think "Impossible Mission II" is probably the most intriguing Unlicensed game on the NES for me so far. There's all this amazing pin point jumping that I imagine the average gamer would choose an alternate superlative rather than amazing to describe, and it totally feels like something someone came up with, without having anyone else to be like: "You need to change this, it's not conducive to creating flow and drawing the player in." Here're some pics to showcase how odd the rooms are in this game. I'm curious to know what everyone else favors.

I usually do the invert, but it's def. very particular to the game for me. I was briefly trying to play "Space Harrier" recently with the y inverted at first because I couldn't remember how I liked if for that game and it was driving me crazy. Just finished Destination Earthstar for which the space stages use an inverted y-axis and a normal x-axis and I really liked it - part of what makes you feel like you're really navigating through space.

Here's a first go. I've always really like this one, just never played it consistently due to the frantic nature and what that can do to the hands and arms... I remember playing it intensely when I first got it and then frequently thinking "OUCH" for a day or two after. 2nd go..