D!

OL THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CLASSIC GAMES

NEOGEO AES
FIGHTERS GUIDE
WE BREAK DOWN THE BARGAINS AND
BOMBSHELLS OF SNK’S BRAWLERS

MASTER OF RETRO
THE STORY OF M2
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE STUDIO THAT
AMSTRAD | COMMODORE | SEGA | NINTENDO | ATARI | SINCLAIR | NEO-GEO | SONY | COIN-OP | MOBILE RESTORES YOUR FAVOURITE GAMES

HIIROYUKI MIY
YAZAKI ON THE GE
ENES
SIS OF THE
E WO
ORL
LD’S
S BE
EST
T MINI CONSOLE

HYPERBOY
ROCKET
RANGER
THE SOFTWARE
TOOLWORKS
BLACKTHORNE
ASTRO CLONE
MORPHEUS

REMEMBERING

HOW CEL SHADING AND COMIC BOOK

FLOURISHES ADDED COLOUR TO
UBISOFT’S FIRSTPERSON SHOOTER

ULTIMATE GUIDE: ROLLER COASTER ANTSTREAM:

SHADOW DANCER TYCOON THE VERDICT
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW CHRIS SAWYER CHARTS THE HIGHS AND DOES THE RETRO STREAMING
LOAD 198
ABOUT SHINOBI’S ARCADE SEQUEL LOWS OF HIS SIMULATION SERIES SERVICE LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?
 LOADING...

THE RETROBATES WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE

MEGA DRIVE GAME?

W
hen I first dipped my toes
into the murky waters of
import gaming, Sega’s
DARRAN JONES DREW SLEEP NICK THORPE Mega Drive was the first
Devil Crash for me. I have been Rocket Knight Adventures, of Birds fly, fish swim, Nick extols
playing it a lot lately and it really course. It was snubbed from the the virtues of Sonic. At this machine that I purchased. It introduced me
is an exceptional pinball game, Mega Drive Mini roster! That cut point, you could try to get me to
with a truly phenomenal me deep, man… shut up about Sonic by stabbing
to the joys of 60Hz gaming, getting releases
soundtrack. Expertise: me, and I’d just drop some rings months before the UK, a host of fantastic
Expertise: Campaigning for a matt finish and carry on.
Juggling a gorgeous wife, two cover (hooray for RG197) Expertise: Japan exclusive shoot-’em-ups and much
beautiful girls and an award- Currently playing: Owning five Master Systems (I
winning magazine Cuphead sold two) more besides. As you might have guessed,
Currently playing: Favourite game of all time: Currently playing:
Undertale Final Fantasy VIII Columns
I’m a big fan of Sega’s 16-bit machine.
Favourite game of all time: Favourite game of all time: When the Mega Drive Mini was first
Strider Sonic The Hedgehog
announced, my ears immediately pricked
up and I kept a close eye on its progress.
The quality of mini consoles has jumped
up dramatically since Nintendo entered the
market with its NES Mini, and past offerings
from AtGames had me a little cautious. Before
long, Sega not only highlighted the lengths
it was going to in order to licence quality
games to the system, but also revealed that
the emulation masters at M2 were directly
involved with the device.
ANDY SALTER IAIN LEE PAUL DRURY If that name doesn’t instantly register with
Since the Mega Drive Mini Big fan of Alex Kidd, a beautiful I really like Sub-Terrania, a bit of a
came into the office I’ve played little platformer that was hidden gem which feels like the you, its many games certainly will. Over
Shining Force every lunchtime…
but that’s only because Rings Of
stupidly addictive.
Expertise:
spiritual successor to Gravitar.
Expertise:
the years it’s been involved in the Sega
Power isn’t on there. Buying overpriced stuff on eBay Midlife crises Ages 2500 range, Sega’s 3D Ages range, as
Expertise: then never touching it Currently playing:
Modding games, I rarely Currently playing: Radar Rat Race well as scores of Virtual Console releases, the
play a game in it’s ‘vanilla’ Advance Wars Favourite game of all time:
form any more Favourite game of all time: Sheep In Space NeoGeo Station and Konami’s Castlevania and
Currently playing:
Kenshi
Elite (BBC Model B) Contra anniversary collections. It’s a pleasure,
Favourite game of all time: then, to cover these custodians of retro in the
Rome: Total War
mag in such detail.
Enjoy the magazine!

HARETH AL GRAEME MASON RORY MILNE

BUSTANI As everyone else is going to say
Streets Of Rage 2 (unless you’re
I’ll go for Earthworm Jim.
It looks beautiful and plays
Dynamite Headdy, as it features
some of the most fun action Darran) I’ll go for Buck Rogers beautifully, and its inspired level
sequences on the platform. Countdown To Doomsday design is matched only by its
Expertise: which is a really underrated inspired lunacy.
Juggling obscure games, words little RPG. Expertise:
and guitar and seeing where it Expertise: The game that I’m writing about
all lands Adjusting the tape azimuth with at the time of writing
Currently playing: a screwdriver Currently playing:
Mordhau Currently playing: Get Dexter 2
Favourite game of all time: The Last Of Us Favourite game of all time:
The Secret Of Monkey Island Favourite game of all time: Tempest
Resident Evil 4
CONTENTS
>> Load 198 Breathing new life into classic games

RETRO RADAR
06 Arcade Thrills For
Your Home
We go hands-on with Koch Media’s Capcom
Home Arcade stick

08 News Wall 36
All the latest news from EVO 2019, including
a new game in the River City series
FEATURED
10 Iain Lee
This month Iain explains why Sega’s Mega 36 The Making Of:
Drive resonates so strongly with him Astroclone
Steve Turner explains how he retooled his
12 Mr Biffo earlier adventure games with a sci-fi theme
Paul Rose gets nostalgic for the times you
had to actually go to a shop to buy a game 42 Ultimate Guide:
Shadow Dancer
14 Back To The Noughties We look at the bosses, stages and
Nick’s time-travelling escapades land him conversions of Sega’s Shinobi sequel
in October 2002
48 The Making Of:
3D Space Wars
Go behind the scenes of this impressive
ZX Spectrum blaster

54 Peripheral Vision:
HyperBoy
This month’s showcase looks at Konami’s
interesting add-on for the Game Boy

64 Classic Moments:
Rocket Ranger
Mike Bevan on the joys of learning to fly and
REVIVALS beating up Nazis in Cinemaware’s enjoyable
Amiga game
18

16 Bomber
Darran gives his godson a history lesson
66 So You Want To Collect…
Neo-Geo Fighters Creating The
Mega Drive Mini
Nick has been having a series of mini heart
40 Bad Dudes Vs attacks aer researching the prices for
Dragon Ninja various classic fighting games
Watching Nick play Antstream awakened a We get to grips with Sega’s incoming miniature console
memory in Darran 72 From The Archives: and discuss its creation with Hiroyuki Miyazaki
The Soware
76 Incredible Crisis Toolworks
Paul Drury explains why you should pick up Walt Bilofsky reveals how his company 26
this cool collection of minigames moved from his garage to the big time

98 Dave Mirra 78 The Making Of: XIII

Freestyle BMX We go behind the scenes of Ubiso’s
Nick has fond musical memories of this ambitious and gorgeous-looking shooter
extreme sports game
84 Lost In Translation
Nick is on hand to talk you through some
40 more localisation changes

86 Retro Inspired: Pacer

Carlton Gaunt on why you should get excited
about his homage to WipEout and F-Zero
Master Of Retro:
92 In The Chair:
François Lionet The Story Of M2
The French developer looks back at his Naoki Horii and Tetsuya Abe tell us why their
extensive coding days studio loves remastering classic videogames

4 | RETRO GAMER
 GIFT
Don’t forget to follow us online for all your latest retro updates
RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag

Retro Gamer Magazine @RetroGamerMag retrogamer@futurenet

retrogamer@futurenet.com
@f com
BSUUB NDLE
SCRIPTION
SEE PAGE 3
90
4 56

The History Of:

RollerCoaster Tycoon
Chris Sawyer and Frontier Developments’ Jonny Watts chart
the highs and lows of the classic simulation franchise

Hardware Heaven:
70 Famicom Titler ESSENTIALS
34 Subscriptions
Make sure you take advantage of our latest
offer, now featuring a mug and tote bag!

104 Homebrew
Jason Kelk is back with your monthly guide
to the hottest new games for old systems

108 Collector’s Corner

REVIEWS Our focus this month is on Nostalgia Nerd,
who can’t wait to show off his collection

100 Antstream 110 Mailbag

It’s your chance to contribute to the
magazine and let us know what’s what

113 Next Month

Get a glimpse into the future of Retro
The Making Of: 50
Gamer with this useful little sneak peek

Blackthorne 114 Endgame

ndgame
Nick’s battles to the end of
Matt Findley and Stu Rose on creating
their epic cinematic platform game
102 Horizon Chase Turbo Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s
Requiemm so you don’t have to
102 Wolfenstein: Youngblood
102 Metal Wolf Chaos XD
102 Arcade Archives:
XMultiply

RETRO GAMER | 5
GIVE US TWO MINUTES AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE RETRO WORLD

ARCADE THRILLS
FOR YOUR HOME
Koch Media’s Ben Jones talks to us about the Capcom Home Arcade

W
hen the Capcom Sanwa parts makes to the build quality Arcade stick has certainly had plenty

CONTENTS Home Arcade was first

announced in April
of the stick. It’s certainly not cheap, but
it feels different, special even, and it’s
of interest since its announcement and
many have been asking why the device
it instantly set the been a labour of love for Koch Media’s simply wasn’t split into two for ease
6 ARCADE THRILLS internet ablaze. Some were aghast Ben Jones who has been working as of use. “It was definitely considered,”
FOR YOUR HOME at the staggeringly high entry producer on the project. says Ben, “but in the end this just
We go hands-on with the incoming
Capcom Home Arcade point of £200, while others were “We were the manufacturers of the seemed more commercially viable.
disappointed with the amount of C64 Mini and it was quite a commercial It would be a more expensive item
8 NEWS WALL announced games and the bizarre success for everybody involved,” he as well. It’s possible from a technical
Lots of new tantalising announcements decision to base the device’s design begins. “We thought about who we standpoint but it would cause more
took place at Evo recently around the Capcom logo. We’ve could approach for licences, looked issues in manufacture, you’d have to
now had our hands on an early build at all the retro machines that were have two moulds, how would they link
10 IAIN LEE of the machine, ahead of its October on the market and that narrowed it together? People were saying, ‘Why
Our regular columnist gets all feely over
the Mega Drive release, and it has certainly exceeded down somewhat because a lot were don’t you have a magnet?’”
our expectations. It looks a lot nicer in taken.” So why choose to make a The overall price has certainly been
12 MR BIFFO the flesh and is surprisingly Capcom-based system, then? “Well a sticking point for many as, let’s face
More nostalgic musings from Paul Rose comfortable to use. It’s also the CPS era, everything fits well… iit, the Capcom Home Arcade is a lot
easy to see what a the games just play well and they all more expensive than items like the
m
13 A MOMENT WITH: difference using have that Capcom feel about them,” SNES Mini. Ben feels the higher price
S
TED STERCHI Ben continues. “In my mind the target iis justified, as his team has focused
We speak to the creator of a brand-new
NES game… wait what year is it!? market I think is quite wide. It’s people o
on quality first and foremost (which is
like me and hopefully they show their aadmittedly apparent when you play it).
14 BACK TO THE children and that’s why the two-player “Well, to make the base and to make
“
NOUGHTIES thing was important to me because I tthe tops you have to have steel moulds
Nick continues his fantastic voyage and want to play it with my kids.” aand they’re very expensive,” confirms
stops off in October 2002 The interesting two- Ben. “Using Sanwa parts rather than
B
player design of generic parts, having a machine that
g
the Capcom ccan do 1080p and output at 60Hz,
Home tthere are all these little advancements
» The Capcom Home Arcade is surprisingly comfy to use. There’s
also a lot of space for two players.

6 | RETRO GAMER
 VISIT RETROGAMER.NET/FORUM TO HAVE YOUR SAY RETRORADAR: ARCADE THRILLS FOR YOUR HOME

» [Arcade] An original version of AVP

P costs over £200 ttoday
d !

These are valuable

intellectual properties
and you have to
respect that
» [Arcade] A bespoke version of Final Burn is at the heart of the Capcom Home Arcade and the end results are very impressive. Ben
B n Jo
J
Jones
nes
ne
that we had to make in the quality. In when we reflected on it most games mes » We had a few exciting g bouts
b
the end it comes to £199. It has to be could be beaten in around an hour on Street Fighterr – don’
don’t
n’t let
Darran pick E Honda! a!
around that price to make it viable.” max, so the importance of it seemed med
Another thing to remember is that a bit less. I kind of wanted to give itt an
every single game is licensed, which arcade feel so that’s why it’s not there.”
here.”
instantly starts eating into the available Scanline options are also
budget. In addition to licensing 15 conspicuous in their absence, althoughough
games directly from Capcom there’s there’s potentially good news with
the jewel in the crown to consider, regards to this surprising omission..
Aliens Vs Predator, which is a quagmire “Well at this moment we have original ginal
in itself. “Licensing has its challenges,” size, full-size screen and widescreen en
Ben laughs. “These are valuable [all pixel perfect] and they all have
intellectual properties and you have to smoothing options. We will endeavour vour
respect that. I’ve dealt with licences to add CRT scanlines at the earliest st
throughout my career at Koch and you possible moment. It’s been something thing
just have to go through the process. on my list and we may have time
But in my mind AVP had to go on to do it before we start flashing the e
because we had to have a standout manufacture builds, but at the moment ment
title. Alien Vs Predator was there from it is what it is.”
the outset. I’d watched Jim Sterling, It’s clear to see even at this point
nt
Metal Jesus and people like that online that Koch Media’s machine isn’t being eing
and they would bang on about it and designed to compete with the likes s
they would talk about the licensing of the SNES and Mega Drive
difficulties with Fox and I just thought Mini. Instead it’s a high-end
‘it’s a must-have’ and I’m lucky that I premium product with
contacted the right people and they a price tag to match.
liked the machine.” Expect to see a
One thing we have noticed is the review in the
lack of save states on Koch’s system, magazine
which is a little disappointing as it’s a in the near
useful tool to have. “As we played it future.
more and more over the last 18 months
high scores became more important
for us,” explains Ben. “Obviously on
a local machine it’s important that you
beat your own [score], but when you
start transferring it to a leaderboard
you just can’t introduce save
states because it doesn’t
then work with an online
leaderboard. Also

RETRO
RET
ETR AMER | 7
TRO GA
G
GAMER
 NEWS WALL
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONTLINE OF RETRO GAMING

FIGHTING FRENZY
A FLURRY OF FIGHTERS WERE ANNOUNCED AT EVO 2019

Y
ou can always
expect some solid
announcements to come
off the back of the annual
Evolution Championship Series,
but this year’s reveals have been
particularly good. The recently
GIRL POWER released Samurai Shodown got off
to a fantastic start by revealing a

F
ans of the River City bunch of new characters that will be
games will be pleased dropping monthly for the rest of 2019.
to hear that a latest Rimururu will be available by the time
offering in the series should you read this, Shizumaru Hisame will
be available as you read drop in September, Basara in October,
these words. River City Kazuki Kazama in November, while
Girls is due for release on all Wan-Fu will arrive in December. SNK
» We're looking forward to some Mitsurugi-Haohmaru clashes in Soulcalibur VI.
existing systems and follows also revealed to the roaring crowd
the adventures of Kyoko and that The King Of Fighters XV was in their respective games by the year’s
Misako as they fight their way development. Fans were treated to end. Capcom created some of the
through the six varied regions nothing more than a stylish logo reveal, biggest noise with reveals of E Honda,
of River City in search of their but that didn’t seem to matter to the Lucia and Poison for the latest season
boyfriends, Kunio and Riki. If ecstatic congregation. The other new of Street Fighter V. The arrival of
those names sound familiar,
it’s because their beaus
are the usual stars of the
DLC characters were very
franchise, meaning the two
friends are going to have quite
much in vogue » [PS4] Lucia was last seen as a playable character in
Final Fight 3.
a fight on their hands. fighting game announced at Evo was E Honda means all of the original eight
Luckily, both Kyoko and the latest Guilty Gear release, which fighters from Street Fighter II are now season pass and that Samurai
Misako have plenty of will arrive sometime in 2020. Arc present and correct, while Poison Shodown’s Haohmaru would be
individual moves at their System Works didn’t reveal too much appears to have picked up plenty appearing as a guest character. It
disposal, and will still have the in way of gameplay mechanics, but it of moves since appearing in Street also revealed that Cassandra would
option to buy food and gear to was still more than what SNK shared Fighter IV. Lucia is the biggest surprise be added to the main roster. Other
upgrade their existing abilities. and was met by rapturous applause as she’s a playable character from Namco surprises included a second
As you’d expect from a game from the crowd. Final Fight 3 and has never appeared Dragon Ball FighterZ pass that will be
by WayForward Technologies, DLC characters were very much in a Street Fighter game before – she adding Janemba, Gogeta and Broly,
the visuals and animation in vogue with the rest of the fighting seemed more than capable of holding and the reveal of Leroy Smith, a brand-
look absolutely top-notch community, with several other her own, mind. new character for Tekken 7, who was
and there’s a suitably upbeat companies eager to show off new Namco announced that announced alongside Za-Fina, who
soundtrack, too. A physical characters that would be available for Soulcalibur VI would receive a second was first seen in Tekken 6. Phew!
release from Limited Run
Games for Switch and PS4
are available to order now, but
only for a short period of time,
so be quick. Look out for a
review soon. NEXTGEN NEOGEO
SNK REVEALS A NEW PROJECT

S
NK has certainly been design and a wonderful play feeling
busy lately. In addition you can even link it to Neo-Geo Mini.
to reviving the Samurai The new hardware will provide you a
Shodown series, Neo-Geo journey that you have never
announcing a new King Of Fighters, experienced.” Needless to say the
releasing a 40th anniversary cryptic tweet could refer to just about
collection and working on countless anything, but it’s highly unlikely that
updates of its Neo-Geo Mini, it’s the company is making a full return
now announced another Neo-Geo to the hardware market like some
related project. hopeful fans have suggested. Our
“A next-gen Neo-Geo hardware best guess is that SNK is producing a
is coming after the Neo-Geo high-end compilation device similar to
Mini,” the official the Capcom Home Arcade stick, but
tweet begins. ultimately, we’re just going to have to
“With a modern wait and see.

8 | RETRO GAMER
 COLUMN
FEATURING TALKRADIO’S IAIN LEE
Who is Iain Lee?
Iain Lee is a freelance broadcaster who loves gaming, particularly retro gaming.
He currently hosts The Late Night Alternative show at weekends from 10pm on
www.talkradio.co.uk and runs daily retro streams on www.twitch.tv/iainlee.

A very touchy subject

I
had very limited experience get tactile with it. A lot of my pleasure as a youth Here’s the thing I’ve learnt as I’ve got older. If
with the Mega Drive when I came from, well, touching things. I remember a something ‘works’ for me, then I can’t be the only
was young. The only time I got particularly arousing door handle we had at home one who feels that way. There has to be at least one
to play on it, that I can remember, and I became fixated with stroking it. So much so other person reading this who feels the same, who
was when I was about 16 or 17 that my dad eventually ended up changing it. The believes that consoles and old computers are more
years old. After a night out on the old razz (just fizzy new one was rubbish. than just the games they play and the way they look
pop for me, honest!) a group of us would end up But Sega’s magic machine was just amazing. when they’re sat on your desk. The way they feel is
at Pepsi Cola Khan’s house and a lengthy session Firstly the weight. It felt – and as I type this I realise equally important (another case in point, the slightly
of Sonic The Hedgehog would typically take place. I sound insane – absolutely perfect to lift up. It was nobbly feel of the main body of a BBC Micro).
I was absolutely awful at it, and I still am today, deceptively light. An actual joy to hold in the air. I don’t go around touching up old gear so much
but what a thrill! Serious question: is there anyone Then there was that ribbed bit on the left hand side. any more. My objectophilia is under control. And I’ve
out there who doesn’t like the first Sonic game? I This was easily my favourite part to stroke. Yes, I probably made myself sound worse than I actually
guess there must be, in the same way some poor actually stroked it. Sometimes I would pull my nails am. I never got caught doing it as a teenager, I was
individuals don’t like The Beatles, and I can only down it to get that noise. discreet. It was normally as a cartridge was being
pray for you. Look, if you’re going to sneer, I’ll stop. Calmed changed because someone wanted to play Ecco, a
Can I let you into a secret about those Mega down? Good. Then I’ll continue. game I never really ‘got’. If I was lucky, I’d get to
Drive nights? This will probably make me sound like The volume control was just pure pleasure. switch off the Mega Drive and pack it away. Ah, the
aan abso
absolute pervert,
ute pe e t, aand
d I feel
ee a little ashamed,
tt e as a ed, but Naughty,
aug ty, ddirty
ty little
tt e tthing.
g And
d tthe defiant
e de a t cclick
c oof the
t e simple
s p e pleasures.
p easu es Seriously,
Se ous y, the
t e PS4
S and
a d Xbox
bo O One
e
I used to get a real kick out of touching the console. on/off switch was only bettered by the soft release just really don’t do it for me (although, don’t get me
It was just such a sexy piece of plastic that I had to of the reset button. Great action. started on the Xbox 360 on/off button).

I used to get a real

kick out of touching
the console

Do you agree with Iain’s thoughts? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag darran.jones@futurenet.com

10 | RETRO GAMER
 COLUMN
FEATURING DIGITISER’S MR BIFFO
Who is Paul Rose?
Paul is probably better known as Mr Biffo – the creator of legendary teletext games magazine
Digitiser. These days, he mostly writes his videogame ramblings over at Digitiser2000.com. If you want
more Biffo in your eyes, you can catch him as the host of Digitizer The Show at www.bit.ly/biffo2000.

Back in my day…
S
omething that today’s for a kettle to boil without shouting at it to hurry up, company like Special Reserve, or some little self-
modern kids, with so how I ever coped back then is a mystery. publisher with a grotty hand-drawn, black and white
their Fortnites and That tactile connection to the games, ad in the back of Your Spectrum, it always gave
their Minecrafts and the anticipation (and often, frankly, crushing me a weird sort of thrill, like I was doing something
smartphones, take for granted disappointment at the end product) was half the wrong and naughty.
is how easy it is to get games. Not only are half joy of it. It’s why I was never into playing pirated You never quite knew what you were getting,
of them free (loot crates and DLC notwithstanding), games; the adventure of legitimately owning never quite knew when it would arrive… often you
but if you decide you want to play something, you something, bought with my own money, the effort wouldn’t even know if it worked. When I buggered
can have it on your device almost immediately. that went into playing it, gave it a value. I stuck up my SNES by being a bit too overzealous with
I sometimes wonder whether this ease of with so many games that I otherwise would’ve an NTSC-to-PAL convertor (I bent the pins!) I
access, this instant gratification, somehow devalues given up on if I’d been able to download them had to send it away to be fixed. I was without it
the games modern kids play. instantly onto my Speccy. for weeks, I didn’t quite know when it would be
Back in my ill-spent youth, part of the thrill of Even more exciting was when I bought returned to me… yet when it arrived home, it
getting a new game was the waiting… waiting to something via mail order. Nowadays, you buy felt like Christmas.
save enough pocket money to afford it, travelling something online and you can track it almost to I honestly miss that time. Don’t get me wrong, I
to John Menzies or Woolies to buy it, heading back your door. I like ordering a takeaway from Deliveroo, don’t want to go back to it. I couldn’t live without the
home on the bus as I pored over the cassette inlay, because you can watch your driver’s progress on insta-delivery of Amazon Prime or Netflix, and I
then waiting for it to load… waiting for it to load… a map, which allows me to gauge whether I have haven’t bought a physical game for almost a year.
waiting for it to load… enough time for a pre-dinner wee. But the slower pace of the Eighties taught me that,
I mean, the internet and social media have shot my Ordering from the mail order ads in games sometimes, good things come to those who wait.
attention span to shreds. These days I can barely wait magazines felt almost illicit. Whether it was a big As well as Kosmik Pirate.

I can barely wait for

a kettle to boil without
shouting at it

Do you agree with Paul’s thoughts? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag darran.jones@futurenet.com

12 | RETRO GAMER
 A MOMENT WITH...
SHOWING OFF COOL RETRO-THEMED STUFF THAT’S GOING ON

The future’s bright

Ted Sterchi tells us all about his forthcoming indie game Orange Island

A
lthough he’s made his Please give us a summary of
career in digital design, Orange Island – what happens, and
with stints at companies what will players be doing?
such as Sega, Ted Sterchi Orange Island follows four kids and a
has always had a keen interest in grandmother as they explore an island
creating games. This year he decided and try to prevent a war between
to focus on his platform adventure humans and the slimes who have taken
Orange Island, a game so close to NES residence there. As this is a NES game,
specs that it’s actually getting a NES I’m leaning in on videogame logic a
version, and has successfully funded it bit, but I actually want to tell a really
via Kickstarter, where it received over poignant story too! Gameplay-wise,
400 per cent of its funding goal. it’s an exploration-based platformer.
There will be puzzles, ability upgrades,
How did you get into gaming - side-quests, towns… you could say it’s
what were your first platforms and something like Legacy Of The Wizard
early favourite games? meets Zelda II by way of Castlevania II
My first system was the NES. I’m and Kirby’s Adventure. And there will
pretty sure the first game I owned be shmup sequences! It might sound
was the two-in-one Super Mario Bros like a lot, but much of the core engine is
and Duck Hunt cartridge. Other early complete and it’s all gelling nicely.
obsessions included California Games,
Rescue: The Embassy Mission and Why did you decide to pursue the
Dragon Warrior. Also, a whole bunch of NES style, and why do it with such
Castlevania (one through three). I used authenticity?
to draw so much Castlevania fan art In the late Noughties/early Tens I was » [PC] Small sprites mean that the action should translate well to real NES hardware.
when I was about seven years old. My pursuing a vaguely 16-bit aesthetic
first 16-bit console was the Genesis, for Orange Island. Eventually, I hit a small amount of channels and tones but the more I showed them the more
and I fell hard for the Sonic series. wall and realised that I was biting off ensures that my scope is limited to enthusiastic they became, until they
Kid Chameleon, Zombies Ate My more than I could chew with such a degree but it also forces a certain told me that Orange Island had to
Neighbours and Castlevania: Bloodlines a large colour palette and smooth cohesion, which appeals to me as a come to the NES. So really, it was a
designer. I like a challenge and I’m combination of their proficiency and
They told me that Orange Island pretty stubborn, so it all made sense to
stay authentic to the hardware.
enthusiasm: I only want to work with
people who are as excited about the
had to come to the NES How did you secure Mana
game as I am!

Ted Sterchi composer Hiroki Kikuta’s What advice would you give
were also my favourites. I convinced sprite animations. So, I started doing involvement in the project? to creators starting their own
my parents to buy me a SNES where lots of research into NES hardware It’s still sinking in that Hiroki Kikuta is Kickstarter projects?
I discovered Super Metroid, Super restrictions. Around the same time, I on-board. Kikuta-san’s representative Kickstarter is a hard one because
Castlevania IV and Chrono Trigger. I discovered Lizard by Brad Smith and stumbled across Orange Island and there’s no exact formula. Looking back
think the SNES era taught me a lot became enthralled by his in-depth reached out to me, but it was really early at this campaign, I’d probably tell
about ambiance and emotion in games. articles about developing for the NES. days – I’m not even sure if it was in a myself to keep it simple. Our campaign
I would never imply playable state back then. So, we stayed was tricky because there were really
that 8-bit graphics in touch over time and I finally decided integral rewards tied to stretch goals,
are easy, but the to pursue a Kickstarter campaign, which which meant a lot of what-if scenarios.
inherent palette and made his involvement a possibility. I What if the NES port stretch goal
size restrictions makes can’t wait to work with him! wasn’t reached? People might have
everything much bailed out. So yeah, I’d probably keep
more manageable Broke Studio is handling the NES the number of reward tiers way down; I
for a mostly solo dev version – why did you decide to got too excited with all the goodies I
team. At the same partner with the team? could give to people. Also, don’t worry
time, I find it to be I originally came across Broke Studio about pleasing every single person. For
like a tricky puzzle through their own Kickstarter campaign instance, introducing a new mid-
to make sure all the for Twin Dragons. I was pretty much campaign reward tier might please a lot
NES colours work sold on their talent the moment I played of people but also annoy many others
nicely together and that game, and everything I saw about and make things more confusing for
everything makes them on social media further proved to everyone. I found this really crippling
visual sense. The me that they knew their stuff. I think and it still eats away at me, but it’s an
same is true for our collaboration began when I sent unfortunate truth that you’ll have to
writing music them an early demo of Orange Island. stick to your gut and risk letting some
for the NES: the Things didn’t progress immediately, people down along the way.
Wh challenges await the adventurers in this tower?
» [PC]] What

RETRO GAMER | 13
 OCtObEr 2002 – It’s a
bad month for Nintendo, a
surprisingly good month for
Eighties movie licences and
an extraordinary month for
Dreamcast owners. What in
the heck is going on? Nick
Thorpe jumps back in
time to find out

NEWS
OCtObEr 2002 [PC] A photo of Nintendo and
the European Commission, or a
screenshot of Hitman 2? You decide.
Washington DC was gripped

The laTesT news

by a series of seemingly
random murders, as sniper
fire picked off victims in the
American capital. The attacks

from ocTober 2002

began with a single killing on
2 October, with five more
following the next day, and
continued until the perpetrators

N
John Allen Muhammad and Lee intendo’s woes continued five distributors received fines ranging Despite a good crop of games
Boyd Malvo were arrested on 24 to accumulate in from €0.82 million to €1.5 million. arriving as those jingle bells grow ever
October. Muhammad was tried October, as the European The offences took place between louder, there was no dispute over which
and convicted of multiple counts Commission found the 1991 and 1998, and concerned both game was taking home the month’s
of murder and received the death company guilty of operating a hardware and software. According to quality award. Timesplitters 2 received
penalty, which was carried out in price-fixing cartel with seven of its The Guardian, “The commission found a rare 10/10 from Official PlayStation 2
November 2009. Malvo was only European distributors. As a result, that the UK market was actually one Magazine, which described the
17 at the time of the killings, and Nintendo was hit with a whopping of the cheapest in Europe but that first-person shooter sequel as “an
was given multiple life sentences. €149.1 million fine, one of the biggest Nintendo and Menzies had colluded to essential purchase for anyone with a
The United States continued financial penalties ever dished out ensure that cheap UK products were PlayStation 2 and a central nervous
to gear up for an invasion of Iraq by the European Union. All seven not re-exported to continental Europe system”. There were plenty of other
this month, as the Senate voted distributors were also fined for their where prices could be up to 66 per worthwhile games on the PS2 this
to give president George W Bush part in the cartel, with UK distributor cent dearer.” Nintendo announced month, too. Horror fans were served
war powers on 11 October, with John Menzies receiving the largest that it would seek to appeal the ruling, a treat in the form of The Thing,
all Republicans and a majority of punishment, an €8.64 million fine. while John Menzies considered the which scored 85% in Play and 9/10
Democrats in support. Greek distributor Itochu Corporation was fine “totally disproportionate” and was in the Official PlayStation 2 Magazine.
On 12 October, a coordinated fined €4.5 million, and the remaining reportedly considering legal options. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny also
bombing attack on the Indonesian picked up a 9/10 score in the official
island of Bali killed 202 people magazine. Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX2
and injured over 300 more. One scored 7/10 in OPS2 and 82% in
suicide bomber attacked a club, Play, with the latter describing it as “a
forcing people out into the street massive improvement over the previous
where they were hit with a car Mat Hoffman title” but “nothing too
bomb. The victims were primarily original”. Could the trend for extreme
western holidaymakers – 88 sports games be wearing on reviewers?
of those confirmed dead were Time will tell.
Australian citizens, followed by 38 Beside the long-awaited PAL release
Indonesians and 23 British tourists. of Resident Evil (89%, NGC), it wasn’t
Members of the Islamic terrorist a tremendously exciting month for
group Jemaah Islamiyah claimed [GBA] Castlevania was back on Nintendo’s handheld – and [Xbox] Tazz here hadn’t had a televised match in half a
GameCube owners. NGC led with an
responsibility for the attack. this time you could see what you were doing. year, showing the outdated roster problem well. exclusive review of WWE Wrestlemania

14 | RETRO GAMER
 bAck TO ThE nOuGhTiEs: OcTObER 2002

OctOber 2002
PlaystatiOn 2
1 Medal Of Honor:
Frontline (EA)
2 Gran Turismo Concept:
2002 Tokyo-Geneva
[PS2] One of the best launch games for the PS2 gets a (Sony)
similarly scintillating sequel.
3 Grand Theft Auto III (Rockstar)
best wrestling game on the Xbox”, in 4 Spider-Man (Activision)
spite of a “lack of depth” and “sorely 5 Prisoner Of War (Codemasters)
out of date” character roster. The
Crazy Taxi series was showing signs of
XbOX
running out of fuel, as Edge awarded
the game 6/10 declaring, “You have to 1 Halo: Combat Evolved
ask the obvious question: why?” But (Microsoft)
[GameCube] Like so many Sega arcade conversions, Beach Spikers was attractive and enjoyable but lacked content. October wasn’t really about the present 2 Prisoner Of War
for Xbox owners, as tantalising glimpses (Codemasters)
single-player, you ache for the joy of of Halo 2 were revealed. Edge’s 3 Project Gotham Racing
multiplayer” as the world tour mode cover story revealed that Bungie was (Microsoft)
“feels like a chore”. attempting to reduce character polygon
4 Enclave (Swing)
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin was the counts while retaining detail, so as to
biggest PC release of the month, but deliver more complex environments 5 Dead Or Alive 3 (Microsoft)
PC Gamer’s Chris Buxton was not and battles on a grander scale. It also
wholly impressed and scored it 70%. confirmed the inclusion of online GaMecube
Although he felt that the game “does multiplayer over Xbox Live, noting that 1 Super Smash Bros
improve on its predecessor”, Chris Bungie was “keen not to replicate PC Melee (Nintendo)
highlighted a number of inconsistencies multiplayer gaming” and “wants players
2 Star Wars: Rogue
[PS2] Kill it! Kill it with fire! It’s the only way you’ll in the behaviour of enemies and to feel like they are sitting on the couch
survive this terrifying movie licence. Leader (Activision)
bystanders, and complained that next to each other”.
X8, but the game turned out to be more mission designs “don’t offer nearly Gaming’s biggest small machine, the 3 Pikmin (Nintendo)
like Maven vs Goldust than The Rock enough room for manoeuvre or GBA, also had a treat for players this 4 Luigi’s Mansion (Nintendo)
vs Hulk Hogan. Lee Hall awarded the mistakes”. The game also appeared month, as Castlevania: Harmony Of
5 Super Monkey Ball (Sega)
game 70%, comparing it unfavourably on the Xbox and pleased XBM, which Dissonance scored 86% in NGC. The
to the N64’s WWF No Mercy and awarded it 8/10 and praised the magazine called it “a precisely crafted
Music
complaining of “moments of brilliance murderous action as “truly addictive”. slow-burner,” praising it for possessing
marred by minor irritations, and Despite the reviewer’s complaints “classic Castlevania atmosphere” and 1 The Ketchup Song
sometimes glaring cock-ups”. Sega’s that the game “does get extremely “movement and pacing drafted in from [Asereje] (Las Ketchup)
beach volleyball title Beach Spikers was frustrating at times” and features a plot the classic NES and SNES efforts” – 2 New Direction
a worthwhile arcade conversion, marred that is “a little on the weak side”, he felt though structurally, the game was far (S Club Juniors)
somewhat by a lack of home content. that “when you do perform a cleaning closer to the PlayStation’s Castlevania:
3 The Long And Winding Road/
NGC scored the game 79%, opining job unnoticed the feeling of satisfaction Symphony Of The Night.
Suspicious (Will Young &
“if you have some friends who have you get is immense”. Next month, we’re expecting a
Gareth Gates)
developed their own teams it becomes Elsewhere on the Xbox, the system veritable glut of games as we head
an outstanding multiplayer game”, while also got a passable game, with WWE towards certain winter festivities. Won’t 4 Complicated (Avril Lavigne)
Edge gave it 6/10 and said that “in Raw scoring 7/10 in XBM for being “the you join us again? 5 All My Life (Foo Fighters)

ThIs monTh In…

NGC Play Edge
Print deadlines can be a funny thing, Here’s the introduction to an eight- “I was in a games store when I
and that’s the case here – NGC page feature: “They come from noticed a Dreamcast (second-hand)
clearly went to press before Rare’s the pages of the country’s leading for £36, less than any GC game. On
sale to Microsoft was announced, men’s mags, glamour ‘catalogues’ impulse I bought it along with five or
as the magazine devotes four pages and tabloid pages to champion six games (preowned), all priced at
to readers’ ideas for weapons to games. Yes, here is Play’s top ten under £7,” says reader Ben Hall. “I
include in Perfect Dark Zero. “I’m promotional birds who all have have been astonished at the quality
sick of maiming my foes with mere one thing on the brain – to sell of many of these titles.” Where was
knives – give me a katana any day!” software to hormone-addled games this evangelism when the console
says Harry Steele. players…” We hear barrel-scraping. could have used it, eh?

RETRO GAMER | 15
Bomber
You’ve never had it so good
» ZX81 » 1982 » Mikro-Gen
» retrorevival

The other day, i was visiting my friend’s

house and watched his son play Fortnite.
“Did you play Fortnite, uncle Darran, when you
were my age?” his son asked me.
I then explained to him that the Switch wasn’t
out when I was his age, and that back then I didn’t actually
have my own computer. “So what on earth did you play?” he
replied, clearly amazed by this revelation (he’s only young, after
all). So I told him how I’d go newting with his dad, make camps
and go bird watching. “But surely, uncle Darran, you must have
played some computer games. What games did you play?”
I then proceeded to tell him about my cool friend Paul Elkins
who owned a ZX81 that featured black and white visuals, and
that most of the actual graphics weren’t graphics at all, they
were various ASCII characters which had been made to look
like graphics. It was at this point that I lost him. Realising he
didn’t actually want a description, I simply recalled the games I
used to play, only to be told that they all “sound boring”.
“But look at this,” I said to him, whipping out a YouTube
video of Bomber, “look at how cool this is!”
“That’s not cool, uncle Darran, that’s just lame. I’m going
back to play Fortnite.”
I thought nothing more about it, but a week or so later he
asked to see the “funny game again”, not because he was
desperate to learn more about the ZX81 or the games I used
to enjoy as a kid, but because none of his friends at school
believed that games used to be in black and white. I gave him
the link and he gleefully ran off – probably to play some more
Fortnite. “Honestly, you kids don’t realise how good you’ve got
it today!” I called after him. And with that simple interaction over
an old ZX81 game I’d become my parents, chiding the younger
generation for taking things for granted. Bloody Fortnite!
18 | RETRO GAMER
 CREATING THE MEGA DRIVE MINI

In the increasingly crowded world of all-in-one

retro consoles, Sega’s new offering is a cyber
razor cut above the rest. We take the machine for
an extended test drive, and speak to staff from
6HJD DQG 0 WR ȭQG RXW KRZ LW ZDV PDGH

ust as the high-end an excellent representation of the than others, this was the only
console market has system’s best, and the developers difference of note.
evolved over the have gone above and beyond in So why did Sega decide to get
decades, so too has adding extras – not only including involved after years of leaving it to
the market for plug- regional revisions for each game, other companies? “The Mega Drive
and-play retro consoles. In the dark but two brand-new games. launched in 1988 in Japan, 1989 in
days of the early Nineties, systems As far as the public is concerned, North America (as the Genesis),
of questionable legality such as the story of the Mega Drive Mini and 1990 in Europe, which means
the TV Boy were your only option, starts at the Sega Fes event in April it’s been roughly 30 years since it » [Mega Drive Mini] To
but publishers have been officially 2018, where the company grabbed debuted,” says Hiroyuki Miyazaki, demonstrate the CRT filter
in action, here’s a regular
supporting this sector for a couple plenty of retro-related headlines – it Sega’s project leader on the Mega screenshot of Sonic
of decades now. In between obvious announced the Sega Ages range Drive Mini. “Over the years, there The Hedgehog…
hits like Pac-Man and unusual for Nintendo Switch, revealed that have been both licensed products
choices such as the EA Sports a revival of the Sakura Wars series and non-licensed bootleg products
FIFA 96/NHL 95 pack, there have was in development, and told fans in the market, but as the original
been some truly landmark releases. that the original Shenmue games hardware maker, we thought that
The Atari Flashback 2 was one of the would be getting long-awaited HD it was meaningful to release our
first to mimic the look of the original remasters on modern consoles. own, definitive version.” That notion
machine, and was so authentic that But the biggest announcement proved correct as players quickly
you could add a cartridge port to was that the company was creating embraced the announcement. It
it. The Nintendo Classic Mini: NES a Mega Drive Mini for release in seemed to point the way towards » [Mega Drive Mini]
…and here’s one with
captured mainstream attention 2018. The scale of the response a different product to the existing the CRT filter on. It’s a
and raised consumer expectations was somewhat surprising, given Mega Drive plug-and-play consoles strong effect, as you can
of what should be included on how frequently Sega has released – a product that might actually see, adding prominent
scanlines and some blur.
all-in-one retro consoles. And after Mega Drive games in compilations rival the quality of the critically and
spending plenty of time with the and on digital services. Additionally, commercially successful Nintendo ndo
Mega Drive Mini, we feel confident licensed Mega Drive retro consoles Classic Mini consoles.
in saying that it’s another milestone had been available for well over However enthusiasm was soon on
release. The physical product is a decade prior, and though it dampened when it appeared that at
closer to the original device than seemed as if Sega would have AtGames, a prolific producer of
any before it, the list of games is more involvement with this device licensed Mega Drive devices,

RETRO GAMER | 19
 » [Mega Drive Mini] Thunder Force III wasn’t a licensing » [Mega Drive Mini] While most of the games play just fine
problem, as Sega acquired Technosoft’s back catalogue on the included three-button pads, the six-button versions
a few years ago. are needed to get the most from Street Fighter II.
WHILE THE MEGA DRIVE MINI IS EXCELLENT, PAST
MEGA DRIVE PLUGANDPLAY SYSTEMS HAVEN’T
BEEN QUITE SO AMAZING “F
Fi
irst
s a
and
d foremost
or mo t,
As Miyazaki alluded to, both officially licensed and bootleg Mega w nt d to
we wanted
w o make
ak the
t e
Drive plug-and-play systems have been doing the rounds for the
best part of a couple of decades now. These haven’t always been controls
c n ro s feel
ee the
e same
a e
particularly great, though – in fact, in recent years the licensed
products have had a poor reputation.
as
as ththe
h original
o i in l release”
elea e”
Q The first notable officially licensed effort
came in 2004 with the release of the Mega was involved in the project. the company announced that the
Drive Play TV, manufactured by Sega Toys
in Japan. The device was pretty simple, A week prior to Sega Fes, Sega software for the system would be
with composite AV cables and a single Games’ COO Kenji Matsubara handled by a domestic developer
three-button controller wired directly had spoken to Yahoo! Japan with a proven track record – later
into the main unit, which was powered about plans to reintroduce the revealed to be M2, a decision
by four AA batteries. Six games were
Mega Drive hardware by giving a which boosted fan optimism for
included – Altered Beast , Dr Robotnik’s
Mean Bean Machine, Flicky, Golden Axe, domestic release to the AtGames the project. “M2 is a long-time
Kid Chameleon and Sonic The Hedgehog. Genesis Flashback console – a development partner of Sega’s.
This was released to western markets as device that had improved over Their technical capabilities in
the Arcade Legends Sega Mega Drive, previous offerings, but still received emulation – including their attention
distributed by Radica. The device’s
success prompted the release of further negative reviews. Shortly after the to detail – places them among
versions featuring more Sega games, as announcement of the Mega Drive the top developers in the world,”
well as models featuring licensed titles Mini, AtGames posted a tweet explains Miyazaki. “I thought that
from Capcom and Codemasters. stating the following: “The rumours there was no better choice than
are true! Sega is going to release the them to partner with to develop this
Q AtGam
AtGames bbegan tto manufacture
f t e
officially licensed clone systems from Mega Drive Mini in Japan, powered retro console.”
2008 onwards. As well as featuring ng by the latest AtGames technology.
cartridge slots for playing originall This same new and improved espite the fact
Mega Drive games, these region-- technology will find its way into that the team was
free units often included large
numbers of built-in games, and the e
the US and other territories later working with pre-
company often did deals to include dee this year!” However, the tweet was existing games,
a few third-party games such as Super
S deleted soon after. Miyazaki declined the project had a
m t games.
mbat
Street Fighter II or the Mortal Kombat a to comment on whether AtGames number of important requirements
The mmachinesn even
v included
c conttrol
r ports
control p r to had ever officially been involved in that had to be met, as Miyazaki
support
o original M padss. However,
Mega Drive pads. e
they were
w notorious
n o for theirr the project. explains. “First and foremost, we
poor emulation
lati – apartt In September 2018, Sega wanted to make the controls feel
from exhibiting
i graphical
c announced that the Mega Drive the same as the original release.
issues
e withh some e Mini would be delayed. The Additionally, we had some basic
games,
e the systemse
company noted that overseas fans required fixes (like the excessive
featured awful
w
audioo quality.
t had responded to the product with flashing) that had to be done on
interest, and that Genesis Mini and the emulator,” he says, referring to
Mega Drive Mini models were being effects in games such as Contra:
prepared for North America and Hard Corps. “This project had
Europe respectively. Additionally, newly developed titles and different

Q The Mega Drive/Genesis Flashback was introduced by AtGames in

2017, and attempted to provide a more modern experience. 720p HDMI
output was implemented, and features such as a scanline filter, save
states and a six-second rewind function were introduced. The system’s
casing was closer to that of the original, and it again featured a cartridge
slot and control ports. While reviewers praised the significantly improved
audio, the original units failed to run smoothly, with stuttering visible in all
games. An improved model fixed a few of these issues, but by this point
AtGames’ reputation amongst Mega Drive enthusiasts prevented many » [Mega Drive Mini] Viewing the games by the spine allows all 42 to fit
from investigating further. on a single screen. Also, changing the language changes your theme.

20 | RETRO GAMER
 CREATING THE MEGA DRIVE
R EM MINI

THERE’S NOTHING FISHY ABOUT THE NEW

MEGA DRIVE CONVERSION OF DARIUS
Though Taito’s shoot-’em-up was support the ultra-wide display of the
converted to a number of home computer original arcade game. It plays very well
formats here in the UK, the Japanese too, though the reduced screen real
market only received contemporary estate does make the game somewhat
conversions for the PC Engine. The Mega harder, as you have less time to take out
Drive did receive a conversion of Darius II, enemies once they appear on the screen.
but never received the original – until now, Much like the PC Engine’s Super Darius,
as Hideki Konishi (known as Hidecade this version features 26 bosses – the 11
in homebrew circles) has programmed from the arcade game and 15 more from
a new conversion of the game. This was the original design.
done e with supervision
v ffrom Taito
a s sstaff,
Taito’s There
There’s
e s no o two-player
two pplayer support o in this h
» [Mega Drive Mini] On the Mega including
c uud g veteran
vete an co
composer
pose
p K
Katsuhisa
atsu isa
i version,
e s o , but in
n a nod
odd to Darius
a us II ’s Mega ega
g
Drive, the smaller screen means Ishikawa
k aand project
o m
manager e Yuichih D
Drive version
e both ships
s are included,
l as
you’ll always be right up in his face. Toyama,
a w
who programmed
o m games a such
u as you
o cann chooses between
w Proco
P and Tiat
i
Musha
M sh AlAleste
e te and
nd Ki
Kingdom
gd Grand G d PrixP ix att th options
on the o ti s menu u – andd iin kkeeping
e i w with
ith
e companies.
other p s that
h game,m playing
a as
a Tiat is the easierr
» [Mega Drive Mini] The accuracy The
T he Mega r version oof Darius
e Drive i option TThe options
option. p menu also allowsl yyou
of the art is incredible – only the is graphically
r a very r accurate,
u with some
s too select
c whether
t you’d
o like
k to play with t
Mega Drive’s limited colour palette allowances
w e made e for the
h system’s
y t limited
l d all 26 bosses
o or
o just
j t the arcade
r oones,, aand
necessitates any changes.
colour
o palette,
e h
though u
it naturally ddoesn’tt a ab
can enable boss rush
u mode.o

language settings too, which made over this,” says Naoki Horii, CEO O of
the volume of work massive, yet it M2. Compared to creating games mese
was very important to complete all for consoles, Horii feels that “it’s
’s
the tasks within a set schedule.” But nothing but hardship” to work
the most surprising requirements on a dedicated device like this.
to be met were actually regulatory “We have often had to give up on o
issues. “It’s been a long time since ideas due to constraints, so again:
ain:
Sega has worked on hardware. We hardship. Creating new hardware are as
didn’t have a lot of knowledge about a home console itself comes with
the latest hardware, so this led to challenges, but this is amplified d
» [[Mega Drive
Dr Mini]
n There’s
’ only one
n racingg game on
o the
some struggles when clearing safety by having to do everything within h
hin system,
system
ys u Road Rash
but R III m
makes forr a fine one
one.
on
requirements and evaluations in the constraints in order to keep the e costss
various regions,” admits Miyazaki. down. However, by focusing much u
M2 had to achieve the project of our efforts there, we are able e to “WeWe cherry-picked
W h y- e titlese that a
goals with inexpensive low-spec keep the release easy and accessible
ssible
s le
e we thought
w o w
were
eree necessary
e y to
hardware, similar to that used for our players. Though it’s severely
verely
e achieve
c e ourr concepceptt o
concept off ‘the
‘thee agagee
in other retro gaming devices. challenging until then, it’s a rather
h
her off the
e Mega
Mega a Drive’,
Dri
rive’
ve’,, and
ve an
nd d thatt
Although the company has done fair trade,” he says. “We give our u iss howw we ee en ded
ended d up w with this
thi
his
h
wonders with comparatively weak best with what we have, but I w willill number
u be off g games
ga
games,”
mes,”
e ,””h he
e say
sa
says. ss.
hardware in the past, the constraints also say that it can be very, veryy Anyone
yo can c create
r lline-up
a line
ine-up
e off
o
still caused headaches because difficult. However, when looking g at it essential
s t Mega e Drive
D games,
g e bu butt
emulation is a tricky beast. “The as Sega’s new console, it remindsndsd uss actually
c y beingng able
b to include d all of
spec for the Mega Drive Mini is that anything is possible.” those
h games
g e on tthe device e legally
l due
u to rights
o righthtss issues,
iss
ssu
sues,
es
inferior to that of the Switch or Over the course of a couple of o iss a very
r different
ff t proposition.
p o bu they
but th
hey
ey are all al
al
the PS4, especially in the memory months Sega revealed an excellent llent
l “WeW struggled
t more
m than
t y
you present
presen
r s t and and correct
ccorrrec
ree t
department,” says M2’s Takayuki line-up of games. This includes s can
a imagine
m e for those
t titless that here.
here
e Obtaining
O n th
those
ho ose
Komabayashi, credited as a director obvious first-party hits like Sonic
nic
i other
t ccompanies
pa s and individuals i s s s and doing
permissions,
e g so o on terms
r
and planner of the Mega Drive Mini. The Hedgehog and Streets Of have
a the h rights
g to
to,”
o ” says Miyazaki.
y Miyazaki
i k that allow
o theh price c of tthe m machine
n
“Not only is the Mini compatible in Rage II, but also takes in third-party
party
a Foro those
o not o familiar
m with tthis o remain
to a competitive,
o t , is quite
u
multiple languages (loading fonts), classics like Castlevania: The New
Ne process,
r s it’si ’s a real
al minefield.
in fi ld d It’s
I’ ann achievement.
hii m
the box art display changes with Generation and Strider, and some m
me obvious
b u that at Sega g doesn’t
e own
o Segaa consulted
s d a number
u of
the language settings. Making these surprising but welcome deep cuts u
uts a s like S
games Street
et Fighter
h II and sources
o s to d
determinem what sshould
w l
features work was very challenging, such as Alisia Dragoon and Super Road Rash II, and had to obtain be included on the device, including
but I believe what we made was Fantasy Zone. In total, the device will licences for them. But there’s plenty the developers working on it. “I
worth the effort. The current version ship with 42 games – 40 of which of trickiness even with the games provided feedback, but I was not
is the result of making countless were originally released for the that were originally published by involved in the selection,” says Horii.
adjustments through to the end.” Mega Drive from 1988 to 1996, with Sega. Where licensed characters “Yosuke Okunari selected what I
In fact, readers may be surprised two bonus games that are brand- appear, such as Mickey Mouse and believe he considered the seminal
to learn how much say the new versions of classic games. Donald Duck in the Disney games, titles of that gaming era. His love
developers had over what hardware That total is exactly twice as many those rights had to be renewed. is definitely there.” The line-up
was used. “The main factors are as Nintendo included on the SNES Even games like ToeJam & Earl and varies between Japan and the west,
manufacturing and release date, equivalent, but Miyazaki doesn’t Ecco The Dolphin have previously which necessitated the selection
so we do not have much control cite that as a factor in the final total. missed compilation appearances of a second line-up – and the

RETRO GAMER | 21
 involvement of staff from Sega’s the Genesis, the brand is seeing a
international divisions, such as Bill resurgence today, which makes it
Alexander, VP of production and the perfect opportunity to introduce
business development at Sega Of this classic,” says Bill, explaining its
America. “There were a few criteria inclusion. Then there are the two
that we used. First and foremost, we bonus games, Darius and Tetris.
wanted awesome games, and we Darius is a brand-new conversion
looked for games that still held up of Taito’s arcade shoot-’em-up,
well today. We also wanted titles that programmed by noted homebrew
captured the nostalgia of that era, coder Hideki Konishi. Tetris is also
games that were emblematic of the included, but it’s not the original
Mega Drive,” says Bill, referring to Mega Drive release. “The Mega
the games included on the European Drive version of Tetris was never
and North American systems. “After released, so there is no need to » [Mega Drive Mini] Castle Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse nicely highlights the licences Sega has acquired.
that, we looked at the line-up as release the product as it was back
a whole to ensure we had genre legendary Tetris that the Sega
then,” says Miyazaki, explaining expensive. The only big gap is a
diversity while maintaining our focus this decision. “With that in mind,
fans back then yearned after?’ We lack of sports games, and while it’s
on quality. Finally, we threw in a few we asked ourselves, ‘What is the
decided to completely recreate understandable due to the fact that
surprises, such as Monster World IV the arcade version of many of the iconic ones would be

“We also
and Tetris. In the end, we are really Tetris that was a huge difficult to license, it’s still a shame
excited with how well this line-up hit back in the day. Since because of the system’s prominent
turned out, and we hope our fans wanted titles cartridge space isn’t as association with the genre.
will agree!” that captured expensive as it was back But what really stands out to us

the nostalgia
Indeed, Monster World IV was then, we didn’t have to is some of Sega’s characteristic
a brilliant surprise given its lack of be frugal about it, and we excess. The Mega Drive Mini has a
an English release at the time – the of that era, are satisfied with how it moving volume slider, a removable
translated version originates from games that were turned out.” expansion port cover and functional

emblematic of
a 2012 Wii Virtual Console release. As Horii alluded to cartridge slot flaps – all of which
“The game is quite charming, and earlier, compromises are solely decorative. “There really
while Monster World IV may not the Mega Drive” had to be made – for wasn’t a long, serious discussion
have been released in the west on example, there are no about this. These features stemmed
Mega-CD or 32X games included from conversations we had
on the system. “Of course, we did internally like: ‘It’d be good if this
consider it, but we gave up after part moved, huh?’ ‘Yeah, you’re
considering the difficult technical right.’ ‘It’ll cost more, but it’s fun
aspects, development period and so let’s do it,’” Miyazaki tells us. “I
THE VERSION OF TETRIS ON THE MEGA DRIVE MINI ISN’T costs. We know all too well that thought that it would’ve been a little
QUITE THE SAME AS THAT FABLED CARTRIDGE there is no project where you can embarrassing if no one noticed, but
include everything you want,” says I’m glad that it has garnered more
The inclusion of Tetris on the Mega Drive Mini is exciting, as the Mega Drive
version of Tetris is known to be one of the rarest games in existence – just a few Miyazaki. “It was also a shame that attention than I thought it would.”
copies made it out into the wild, as Tetris was subject to a licensing nightmare we had to forego some titles that The company may make money
that ultimately prevented this version from going on sale properly. Sega doesn’t were higher risk when considering back on that decision though, as it
consider that version to have been released and excludes it from the official list today’s society’s standards.” While has enabled the creation of further
of Mega Drive games, although it was included on Sega Ages 2500 Vol 28: Tetris
Collection for the PlayStation 2. he doesn’t name any in particular, decorations such as mini Mega-CD
However, as Miyazaki said, this version is a brand-new version designed there are certainly some that spring and 32X units that are available to
to replicate Sega’s arcade version from 1988. Compared to the original Mega to mind – the original Japanese Japanese players. And speaking
Drive version, the graphics are closer to the System 16 original with a cleaner release of Bare Knuckle III would of going overboard, the company
presentation. The game is a little more lenient with the time it allows before cause outrage today, for example. commissioned new menu music
pieces lock, too. Since the ability to use special item blocks and choose your
starting level were not included in the arcade version, they haven’t been included But what has been included is from none other than Yuzo Koshiro.
here – and nor has the Doubles game. excellent, hitting almost every box “As you can tell from the Mega
Interestingly, the new Mega Drive Tetris does improve on the arcade game. you could wish to check – there Drive Mini’s line-up, Mr Koshiro has
The arcade game only offered rotation in one direction, which is the default are lengthy single-player games, provided many wonderful tracks
for the Mega Drive game, too. However, the options menu allows you to set
clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation to any buttons you’d like, and a brand- fun multiplayer games, a good for the Mega Drive. As a composer,
new hard drop option has been included, too. This helps the game feel a little spread of different genres and he is the pride of Japan and has
closer to modern versions of Tetris. plenty of titles that are now rare and had an active career from then till

» [Mega Drive] The original Mega Drive release had » [Mega Drive Mini] The new version is more
coarse colours, different block designs and large accurate, and improves how the Mega Drive’s » [Mega Drive Mini] If you’re looking for longer games, » [Mega Drive Mini] Alisia Dragoon isn’t commonly
boxes covering the background. limited colour palette is used. Phantasy Star IV and the other RPGs will definitely keep included in Mega Drive products, so it was a welcome
you occupied for a while. surprise to see it here.

22 | RETRO GAMER
 CREATING THE MEGA DRIVE MINI

ALTHOUGH YOU’LL GET JAPANESE GAMES, JAPAN

ISN’T GETTING THE SAME MEGA DRIVE MINI
While the Mega Drive Mini does include regional variants of all its games, much like every other retro plug-and-play
device, it does vary content by region. The European and North American releases will be cosmetically different but
feature the same games. The Japanese version comes with a single six-button controller instead of two three-button
controllers, and its list of games features plenty of expensive shoot-’em-ups, as well as incomprehensible text-heavy
games. The Asian release features a mixture of the two, with some tantalising exclusives of its own including the
brilliant Alien Soldier. Here’s a handy list of what’s on each:

EUROPE/ JAPAN ASIA

GAME NORTH AMERICA
ALEX KIDD IN THE ENCHANTED CASTLE   
ALIEN SOLDIER   
ALISIA DRAGOON   
ALTERED BEAST   
ASSAULT SUIT LEYNOS   
CASTLE OF ILLUSION STARRING MICKEY MOUSE   
CASTLEVANIA: BLOODLINES/THE NEW GENERATION   
COLUMNS   
COMIX ZONE   
» If the prospect CONTRA: HARD CORPS/PROBOTECTOR   
now,”
now,
n ” sayss Miyazaki.
a “Originally,
Originally,
g y we of collecting
tthought
g that a it m u to
might be rude o ask DARIUS   
Mega Drive
games makes DR ROBOTNIK’S MEAN BEAN MACHINE   
ssuch a legend
e to o compose
m e just the
your wallet DYNA BROTHERS 2   
m
menu u music,
s but u he wwas m
more tthan whimper, DYNAMITE HEADDY   
willing
w g to ccontribute
contribute,
b so wee jumped
m the Mini is a EARTHWORM JIM   
cost-effective
a e opportunity.”
at the o i alternative.
ECCO THE DOLPHIN   
ETERNAL CHAMPIONS   
t clear
t’s e that a an awful u lot ofo GAME NO KANZUME OTOKUYOU   
GHOULS ‘N GHOSTS   
t g and
thought n effortfo has a gone
GOLDEN AXE   
iinto m
making n the e Mega g Drive v GUNSTAR HEROES   
Mini the best dedicated THE HYBRID FRONT   
retro gaming console on the KID CHAMELEON   
market. And given that Nintendo LANDSTALKER   
has previously
h r u set
s the e bar in that a LANGRISSER II   
LIGHT CRUSADER   
rregard, g d it d does e evoke e memories
m s of
LORD MONARCH   
tthe great r co
console l war of the h Nineties
n s MADOU MONOGATARI I   
– the iinclusion s o
of precisely
ec y twice c as MEGA MAN: THE WILY WARS   
many
m y games
m as s the S SNES S equivalent
v nt MONSTER WORLD IV   
featured,
ffeatured r and twice w as many
a n MUSHA ALESTE   
previously
p o unreleased
l d games,
m feels
f OUTRUN 2019   
PARTY QUIZ MEGA Q   
llike ike a very deliberate e one. Combined
one b d
PHANTASY STAR IV   
w
with those t e
presentationali fl i
flourishes, , POWERBALL   
anyone
a n who h was a on th tthe bl
blue
l tteam
e m PUYO PUYO 2   
iin the e earlyy Nineties
e should
s d find d that
hatt PUZZLE & ACTION: TANT-R   
ssame Sega a spirit i here. e RENT A HERO   
Butt naturally,
u y, in a business
b e thath THE REVENGE OF SHINOBI   
iis always w preoccupied
p c ed with h the ROAD RASH II   
SHINING FORCE   
next b
n big thing,
h p
players r are e already
a y   
SHINING FORCE II
llooking n to tthe future.
u Could we soon on
n SHINOBI III: RETURN OF THE NINJA MASTER   
ssee devices e s based
se on n other e Sega g SLAP FIGHT MD   
cconsoles, o like
i aM Master e System
ys Mini SNOW BROS: NICK & TOM   
or perhaps
o r s the ffrequentlye requested
e SONIC SPINBALL   
Dreamcast
D m t Mini? “Should h the MMega SONIC THE HEDGEHOG   
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2   
Drive
D i MiniMi i sell ll 10
10 million
illli u units,
i I’ I’m
SPACE HARRIER II   
ssure we’ll w rreleases otherh consoles,”
o e STREET FIGHTER II: SPECIAL CHAMPION EDITION   
tteases s Miyazaki.
ya . It’s a tall oorder,, STREETS OF RAGE II   
especially
e p c y considering
c d g thatt suchh THE STORY OF THOR/BEYOND OASIS   
ssales would d putt it in a similar
m league
e e STRIDER   
tto the e Saturn
u and n the e Dreamcast
a s SUPER FANTASY ZONE   
SWORD OF VERMILION   
– but it’s not o outt of the h realmsa of
o
TETRIS   
possibility.
possib
pos
p sibility The
bility The Nintendo
N
Nint
intend
endo
e oCClassic
Clas
lassic
sic
i THUNDER FORCE III   
Mini: SNES
M S sold d overr 5 million
i units
u TOEJAM & EARL   
iin around
o nd six ssi months,
onths
o s and dM Megag VECTORMAN   
Drive fans have been
D n clamouring
m n forr VIRTUA FIGHTER 2   
a product
d of a similar
o i r quality.
l Sega
e WONDER BOY IN MONSTER WORLD   
WORLD OF ILLUSION   
h
has now o built u it,, so all l thatt remainsa iss
YU YU HAKUSHO: MAKYOU TOITSUSEN   
tto seee if the e players
y will come.
w o

RETRO GAMER | 23
 THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE SEEN A PROLIFERATION OF PLUGANDPLAY RELEASES
BASED ON CONSOLES  HERE’S HOW THEY ALL STACK UP AGAINST EACH OTHER

NINTENDO NINTENDO
CLASSIC CLASSIC
MINI:NES MINI:SNES
YEAR: 2016 YEAR: 2017
INITIAL PRICE: £59.99 INITIAL PRICE: £69.99
CONTROLLERS INCLUDED: 1 CONTROLLERS INCLUDED: 2
GAMES: 30 GAMES: 21
60HZ: YES 60HZ: YES
REGION SELECTION: NO REGION SELECTION: NO
SCREEN OPTIONS: PIXEL PERFECT, 4:3, 4:3 WITH CRT FILTER SCREEN OPTIONS: PIXEL PERFECT, 4:3,
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: FOUR SAVE STATES PER GAME 4:3 WITH CRT FILTER, SELECTABLE FRAMES
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: FOUR SAVE STATES PER GAME, REWIND MODE
Nintendo’s first entry into the plug-and-play retro
console market reset expectations for what such Nintendo’s second bite at the cherry proved even better than
consoles should offer. The miniaturised NES was the first. In its plug-and-play rendition, the 16-bit system
authentic to look at and offered first-party build offered slightly smaller selection of games than its older
quality, and while it’s easy to forget this because brother. However, the ones that did make it in were excellent,
of everything that followed, the list of games was again including key third-party offerings as well as Nintendo’s
truly astonishing – Nintendo had clearly gone out of excellent work. But the biggest story here was the inclusion of
its way to secure a selection of games that offered Star Fox 2 , the legendary unreleased Super FX game – legally
variety, quality and nostalgic appeal. The console available in its complete form for the first time ever.
was an instant success and second-hand prices Emulation quality was improved over that of the NES retro
skyrocketed as demand outstripped supply for the console, with a less noticeable audio delay and an interpolation
best part of a year. effect that kept shimmering artefacts at bay during scrolling
While this system was a huge success, it did scenes. The decision to include two controllers straight out of
have some flaws. The choice to supply only a single the box was also handy, as it allowed friends to just get on with
controller was not ideal, and the cables on the ones beating each other up in Street Fighter II. The cables were a bit
supplied were incredibly short. The system also longer too, which was nice.
exhibited some sound latency problems, and simple
scaling caused a shimmering effect when scrolling
backgrounds in 4:3 mode.

24 | RETRO GAMER
 CREATING THE MEGA DRIVE MINI

NEO-GEO MEGA
MINI: 40TH PLAYSTATION DRIVE
ANNIVERSARY CLASSIC MINI
YEAR: 2018 YEAR: 2018 YEAR: 2019
INITIAL PRICE: £129.99 INITIAL PRICE: £89.99 INITIAL PRICE: £69.99
CONTROLLERS INCLUDED: 1 BUILTIN CONTROLLERS INCLUDED: 2 CONTROLLERS INCLUDED: 2
GAMES: 40 GAMES: 20 GAMES: 42
60HZ: YES 60HZ: SOME GAMES 60HZ: YES
REGION SELECTION: NO REGION SELECTION: NO REGION SELECTION: YES
SCREEN OPTIONS: 4:3, 16:9, SMOOTHING FILTER SCREEN OPTIONS: NONE SCREEN OPTIONS: 4:3, 16:9, CRT FILTER,
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: BUILTIN LCD DISPLAY, ADDITIONAL FEATURES: ONE SAVE STATE PER GAME, SELECTABLE FRAMES
FOUR SAVE STATES PER GAME, VIRTUAL MEMORY CARD VIRTUAL MEMORY CARD ADDITIONAL FEATURES: FOUR SAVE STATES PER GAME,
OPTIONAL DECORATIVE CARTRIDGES/MEGACD/32X
SNK took a rather different approach with its retro The PlayStation Classic is a cautionary tale of
system, choosing to make the unit a self-contained what can happen when a retro device fails to come Based on the unit we’ve had access to, we feel that
miniature arcade machine. Although the cramped together properly. The exterior was excellent, with Sega’s machine is the new standard-bearer in the retro
control panel was surprisingly usable and the LCD good control pads and a cute replica of the original console market. The Mega Drive Mini features a rather
display was excellent, this meant that players wanting machine. But the list of games, while good in its own generous and undeniably great line-up of games at a
to play with friends or play on a TV were stuffed right, was widely judged to have omitted too many of very reasonable price, with emulation that does them
unless they bought expensive Mini HDMI and USB the system’s greatest hits – rather than welcoming justice and the feature set you’d hope for. The inclusion
Type-C controllers on top of an already expensive Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, Resident Evil and of new bonus games and the option to choose between
unit. That wasn’t an ideal solution, though – the TV Tekken 3, players questioned the lack of Tomb Raider, regional variants is the icing on the cake.
output was blurry and the controllers had altered WipEout , Gran Turismo and Crash Bandicoot . It’s not quite a perfect product, though. The
button layouts and non-microswitched thumbsticks. Things went from bad to worse in gameplay. Some inclusion of three-button controllers is fine for the
If those things didn’t matter to you, the selection games played slowly thanks to the bizarre inclusion vast majority of games, but Street Fighter II and
of 40 games was comparatively generous and of some 50Hz PAL versions (even outside of Europe), Eternal Champions really suffer from not having
included plenty of awesome games to enjoy– and the combination of hardware and emulation six-button controllers. There’s also a shimmering
although that number didn’t include any third-party software wasn’t adequate to run games smoothly. effect visible on horizontal scrolling in the few games
games, and some of the choices were a tad baffling Despite the popularity of the original PlayStation, its designed to run at 256x224, though the CRT filter
( Top Player’s Golf over Neo Turf Masters, really?). plug-and-play counterpart has ended up as heavily mitigates this. The inclusion of a rewind feature like
SNK has since reissued the device with differing discounted bargain bin fodder. the SNES Mini has would have been nice too, but it’s
game line-ups and bundled controllers and cables, far from essential.
making it more attractive.

Although the Mega Drive Mini is great, it’s not the last word in dedicated retro devices. The Capcom Home Arcade
is releasing around the same time, though at £199 and with only 16 games, we suspect the audience may be quite
different. Konami will release its PC Engine Mini (or Turbografx Mini/CoreGrafx Mini, depending on your region)
in March 2020, which has also had the benefit of M2’s involvement. SNK has also teased a “next-gen Neo-Geo
hardware” that can apparently link to the Neo-Geo Mini, but we don’t have any further information on that just yet.

RETRO GAMER | 25
 MASTER OF RETRO: THE STORY OF

Ever since it released its first game in 1993, M2 has constantly

gone out of its way to deliver the best possible gaming experiences.
Here we discover the passion and love for old games that allows
Naoki Horii and his team to constantly push new boundaries
Words by Darran Jones

and quality go hand in from “super geniuses” to “the gold standard in

hand, and it appears emulating older games onto modern platforms”.
impossible to have one We’re constantly amazed by the tales we hear
without the other. about M2’s ingenuity and technical prowess, so it’s
When the Sega Ages 2500 series started to go somewhat humbling to hear how M2’s CEO, Naoki
off the boil due to some lacklustre remakes, it Horii, started off in the games industry. “I did not
was M2’s excellent compilations that helped turn receive any formal training in school,” he tells us,
interest in the brand around. You can easily spot an “but it was a time where bookstores were full of
M2 project, as the company tends to go above and material teaching how to use a computer from zero
beyond; when Square Enix wanted to re-release its knowledge, so anyone was able to do it if they were
Mana games on Nintendo’s Switch, for example, it willing to learn.”
was M2 that handled development, while adding a One such person prepared to learn the inner
brand-new English translation for Trials Of Mana so workings of home computers was long-time
western gamers could finally enjoy an official version. M2 member and chief
The revered developer has worked with some of the
biggest publishers in the world, breathing new life
programmer Tetsuya Abe, who
coded M2’s first commercial I earnestly
into a host of classic franchises, including Castlevania,
Contra and even Sonic The Hedgehog.
game, Gauntlet IV. “I was self-
taught and my teacher was the admired Atari
M2 is currently busier than ever, thanks to its
ongoing work with the Sega Ages range on Switch,
textbook,” he jokes with us.
“After learning the basics, I began
games in general
the incoming release of the Mega Drive Mini and with creating tools and modifying Naoki Horii
the recent news that it is the powerhouse behind games, and it wasn’t until
Konami’s PC Engine Mini, which is due in 2020. university that I considered creating a game myself.
This prolific period of activity is a golden age for When creating my first game, I chose Gauntlet as my
a company that has developed a reputation, both template as it was a game I spent many hours playing
within the industry and with its fans, for not only the during secondary school and I had a complete picture
accurate emulation it performs, but also its technical of the specs in my head.”
proficiency and willingness to constantly go the M2 is renowned for its technical skills in pushing
extra mile in order to ensure that its releases are as hardware, so it should perhaps come as no surprise
good as they can possibly be. that one of the first computers that the company
Watch My Life In Gaming’s excellent used was Sharp’s expensive X68000, which was
documentary, M2: Complete Works and you’ll so powerful it was capable of producing stunningly
hear the members of M2 described as everything accurate arcade ports. A fact that wasn’t lost on

26 | RETRO GAMER
 MASTER OF RETRO: THE STORY OF M2

THERE’S MORE TO M2
THAN JUST REMAKING
CLASSIC GAMES
We’ve largely focused on the
sterling retro work that M2 has
created over the years, but it’s
worth remembering that M2
doesn’t just remake and port old
games for a living. The developer
has actually made a number
of original titles since the late
Nineties, starting with Doki Doki
Poyacchio for the PlayStation
and covering a diverse range of
systems, including the Game Boy
Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC
and, more recently, Nintendo’s
Switch. Many of these games
are typically exclusive to Japan,
like the adaptation of the manga
series, Occultic;Nine and the
visual novel, Dunamis 15 , but many
of its PC games are starting to
appear on services like Steam,
including Malus Code, Koihime
Enbu and Tokyo School Life.
The most success M2 has had
with original games in the west is
arguably its selection of ReBirth
» [Mega Drive] releases that were created for
M2’s conversion Konami in the late Noughties.
of Gauntlet
feels extremely
The three games were based
accurate and on Castlevania, Gradius and
also supports Contra and all were critically well
the Mega Drive’s received. Sadly, they’re no longer
4-Player Adaptor. available to buy anywhere. “We
would like to be better known
for this and continue doing this
work,” admits Horii. “There is still
a mountain of titles like this that
» [Game Gear] we would love to work on. To the
Although certain game creators out there: we are
elements had accepting invitations!”
to be cut, M2’s
version of Gunstar
M2 also does a fair amount
Heroes is still of technical support, too, and
very impressive. creates middleware that is then
licensed out to other companies.
» [PS2] Many of Examples of this include E-mote,
M2’s compilations
allow you to
which speeds up the animation
tweak a variety of process when creating characters
different settings, and has been used in everything
including adding from Namco’s Graffiti Smash, to
scanlines. MangaGamer’s Go Go Nippon.

RETRO GAMER | 27
 » [Mega Drive] Gauntlet ’s Quest mode enables the adventurers to
explore four elementally themed towers and has light RPG elements.

» [Wii] M2 released nearly 100 Mega Drive games on the Wii’s Virtual Console, including Sega’s port of Strider.

» [Wii] Games like Castlevania Rebirth proved that M2 could not only
make great original games, but also respect the series at the same time.

» [Xbox 360] M2’s

Capcom Arcade Cabinet
featured 17 games that
were released across five
packs of three games,
with two free titles if you
had the full set.

THE LITTLE EXTRAS THAT

MAKE M2 GAMES STAND OUT

Gauntlet IV Konami Classics Series: Fantasy Zone II Sega Ages:

M2’s first game set a tradition of going Arcade Hits This one always blows us away. When Virtua Racing
the extra mile, which has persisted One of the things we love about M2’s M2 released its Fantasy Zone compilation M2 delivers more technical wizardry
within the company to this day. The games is the attention to detail that for the PS2 in 2008, the company decided by converting Sega’s polygonal arcade
actual conversion of Gauntlet is they offer. Take the Konami and Namco to make an arcade version of Fantasy racer and pulling out all the stops. In
impressive enough, but it also comes DS compilations the company made. Zone II as M2’s CEO had always been addition to getting the game to run at 60
with an expansive Quest mode, which In addition to creating authentic disappointed that the original Master frames per second (the arcade was 30)
adds light RPG elements and has the representations of each game and adding System game never had an arcade release. this port also massively increases the
heroes questing through five large all sorts of supplementary materials, M2 To achieve this, M2 created the game draw distance, greatly ups the resolution
towers. Additionally, a Record mode and went so far as to include representations using original System 16 hardware, paying and adds music from the 32X release.
Battle mode are also included, meaning of the PCBs so you could adjust the the additional costs to complete it when It also allows up to eight players to
there’s plenty of replay value. dipswitches using your stylus. the original budget wouldn’t stretch. compete on a single Switch!

28 | RETRO GAMER
 MASTER OF RETRO: THE STORY OF M2

the team. “It’s not so much that we chose

the X68000, per se, but the hardware was really
impressive – capable of reproducing even Gradius
– so our whole staff decided to take the plunge and
buy one,” explains Horii. “I was relieved to find that
it was easy to port from the X68000 to the Mega
Drive. I think that if the X68000 had never been
released, I would have bought myself an Amiga for
Marble Madness and Interceptor (though I did buy
one later on for Lemmings and Megademo),” he
adds with a chuckle. For Abe, the decision to go with
Sharp’s expensive hardware was straightforward
– it would easily allow M2 to achieve the goals it
wanted. “The main reason was that this computer
was the best one for creating games,” he states.
“Not only were the hardware specs suited for them,
the development environment for programs like the
C Compiler was also substantial. It was a powerful
machine for software development.”

T
he ease with which Sharp games
could be ported to Sega’s Mega Drive,
meant that the console became the
focus for M2’s very first game. It also » [Switch] The Contra Collection includes all versions of Hard Corps with it. This is the PAL version, Probotector.
allowed Abe to finally make the project he started
at university a reality. “Gauntlet was the first arcade As impressive as M2’s conversion of Gauntlet for its Game Gear system. After several rejections,
game that I ever really played seriously. It was my was for the time. Publisher Tengen felt it was M2 suggested an ambitious conversion of the Mega
favourite,” the veteran developer enthuses. “The lacking something for the home console market and Drive’s Gunstar Heroes, Treasure’s debut run-and-
game required a lot of strategy: players had to asked M2 to add something extra. These additions gun which has been a big hit on the 16-bit machine.
make their way through levels by utilising various would not only allow the studio to get its first game M2 went to work on the project but soon learned
techniques and switching playstyles, all while planning published, but would also define the company’s converting Treasure’s game wouldn’t be easy and that
how they would use their magic as well. Playing the approach to converting classic games going forward. certain things would have to be changed or omitted
game with these aspects in mind appealed to me a “Since the arcade version was endless, we thought entirely. “There were two reasons for the changes:
lot.” Horii also elaborates on the reason for converting adding a story mode with an ending would provide limited development and limited ROM capacity,”
Atari’s then-aging arcade game to the Mega Drive. a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment,” explains explains Jun Okada, Gunstar’s chief programmer.
“I was overwhelmed by Gauntlet’s labyrinthine Abe. “Also, we had created a map that could be easily “Between these two, the latter was the bigger issue.
atmosphere,” he tells us. “In fact, I earnestly admired cleared by players using traditional arcade techniques, ‘Dice Palace’ was the very first stage to be cut. This
Atari games in general. I also remember seeing so we thought it would be cool to introduce players to palace was constructed using an assortment of
screenshots of Gauntlet for the Atari ST in a Japanese lesser-known techniques, too.” stages, which naturally occupied more ROM space.
magazine, and I dreamed of playing a high-quality M2’s excellent work on Gauntlet caught the eye of With tears streaming down our faces, we decided
version of that game in my home in Japan.” Sega which approached the company to make a title on its elimination.” That wasn’t the end, though. The
minecart stage was retooled so Red used a jet pack
to move around the stage, the Seven
Force battle was changed significantly
and several other levels received tweaks.
The biggest omission, however, was the
loss of the second player, Blue. “I believe
cutting out Blue as a playable character
was a big deal for our players,” continues
Okada. “The various actions performed
by the playable characters also consume
a lot of ROM capacity. When we
» [PC] Bloody Butterfly is discovered that we didn’t have any space to spare, our
one of M2’s most recent
original releases and made hearts were broken as we also eliminated Blue.”
its debut in 2018. It’s not unusual to see cuts made to conversions,
particularly arcade ones, but M2 wasn’t happy that so
3D Out Run Sega Ages: many drastic changes were being made to a game
All of M2’s 3D games look superb, but Phantasy Star that the team had so much respect for. The obvious
we have a special spot for this Out Run Phantasy Star is a good example of M2 solution, to M2 at least, was to retcon the game to take
conversion. Like Space Harrier, After having a tinker and creating something that
Burner and Power Drift , it features a vastly improves on the original release. into account the changes that had been made. “Simply
mode to simulate the movement of the The new Ages mode is superb as it makes eliminating Blue would mean erasing the character’s
original deluxe cabinet. Additionally, a number of changes. Random encounters existence. Therefore, we created a new scenario with
the framerate is doubled to 60 (although pop up less often, there’s now a useful menu the premise that Blue worked for another faction,”
a 30fps option is included) completing that better explains the game’s items, spells
stages unlocks upgrades for your Ferrari and magic and you’ll receive far more money explains Okada. “Players may see Blue in his ship in the
and two new tracks, Cruising Line and and experience points. This is all rounded off background of the final stage fighting Seven Force. This
Camino A Mi Amor, have been added. with an excellent automapping feature. scene is meant to convey that Blue is acting as a decoy
to lure Green. It also conveys the rematch against the

RETRO GAMER | 29
 We receive requests for
games that the publishers
want to release themselves,
THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JAPANESE PUBLISHER RUNS DEEP
but at times we will be the
SEGA AGES 2500
Sega’s budget series for the PS2 was rather
SEGA VINTAGE COLLECTION
M2’s next significant collaboration with Sega ones pushing the request
hit and miss initially, thanks to a range of saw it converting a number of collections Naoki Horii
remakes that ranged from the great ( Virtua for the Xbox 360 and PS3, many of which
Fighter 2 ) to the terrible ( Golden Axe ). had been previously available as separate ‘eliminated’ Seven Force along with the elimination
M2 became involved with the series from releases. The mini compilations included
Volume 20 , contributing perfect ports for Golden Axe and Streets Of Rage trilogies, as of the shooting stage. This is as much detail as I’ll go
a range of classic games, including Space well as the Monster World Collection, which into, so we encourage those interested to experience
Harrier, Monster World, Fantasy Zone and included a previously untranslated version of the endings for both versions. We believe this will give
Gunstar Heroes . Monster World IV. players that ‘aha!’ moment.”
While it was only released in Japan, Gunstar
Heroes did well enough that M2 soon became Sega’s
go-to team for retro-based projects, something that
has continued to this day. The company did several
projects for Sega including porting the first Sakura
Taisen game from Saturn to PC and doing extensive
work on the Sega Ages 2500 series that was created
for the PlayStation 2. Where other companies were
largely making full remakes of classic Sega games,
M2 instead decided to emulate the original versions
to make them as accurate as possible to their arcade
or home system counterparts. Space Harrier, the
3D CLASSICS SEGA AGES SWITCH Monster World games and Gunstar Heroes (along
M2 worked wonders on the 3DS and M2’s recent projects are currently exclusive with Dynamite Headdy and Alien Soldier ) were just a
delivered a bunch of excellent Mega Drive to Nintendo Switch and include a range of few of the games that were tackled, and the company
and arcade ports (with additional Master enhanced Master System, arcade and Mega soon caught the eye of other publishers who wanted
System and SG-1000 ports for the physical Drive games, including Sonic The Hedgehog, to breathe life into their classics. “We typically receive
compilation releases). In addition to offering Gain Ground and Columns II. 11 titles have
excellent-looking 3D, many of the games been released on the hybrid console so far requests for games that the publishers want to release
have additional extras that range from and M2 has already announced an additional themselves but at times we will be the ones pushing
new game mechanics to hilarious credit eight, including Shinobi, Herzog Zwei and the request,” explains Horii about the long-running
sequences (hello, Streets Of Rage 2 ). G-LOC: Air Battle. relationship M2 has developed with the likes of Sega
and Konami. “The titles released by M2 are ones we
requested… though, now I think about it, a lot of them
are simply ones that the staff wanted themselves.”
Horii and his team don’t just take on projects
because they love the games they work on – they
also feel that it’s important to preserve these classic
titles so that new generations can enjoy them. “I
believe it is vital from an archival standpoint, so we
will strive for accuracy within the scope of what we
can do,” continues Horii. “The number one reason is
to not tarnish the nostalgic memory when [remaking]
the title, so we make a conscious effort to avoid
MEGA DRIVE MINI a disappointing port. This is most apparent when
By now you’ll know all about M2’s latest ppartnership p with Sega
g and jjust how impressed
p we’ve actually playing the game, but the lack of a direct I/O
eatures
a
been with the miniature system. It features s all the
h excellent
e emulation
a you’d
y expect
e t from M2, controller, hardware for frame buffering, LCD TV with
as well as two exclusive new gamess and d a plethora
l ho off extras, s lik
like the
t h ability
bbili high resolution – these all add increasing challenges
to play different regional versions off classic games.
m when emulating the retro feel of a game.”

orking on old games isn’t easy,

however, mainly because required
resources might not be available.
We’ve reported many times over the
years how certain games are lost forever because
their original source codes have gone missing, so
companies like M2 are often at the mercy of the
publishers when it comes to converting a classic
game. “There are times when we have nothing,”
admits Horii. “When this happens, we gather
whatever information we can find and send them

30 | RETRO GAMER
 MASTER OF RETRO: THE STORY OF M2

to the developers. Often, we will have a functional

board or cartridge, but no data on the source code.
On the rare occasion that the source code is available,
we would sometimes learn that the original staff
members had personally kept it.” Equally important
to M2 is that all the additional furniture that goes
alongside the main code is included, too, so that
means poster art, arcade bevel layouts, old production
material and anything else that gives value to the
final product. It’s another aspect of the painstaking
curation which M2 performs that isn’t always easy.
“We often receive them directly from the publishers,
but there are just as many instances where the M2
staff, passionate about the game, would gather them
by pleading and threatening,” Horii laughs.
He’s joking of course about making threats, but
it does highlight the commitment Horii’s team has
to the games they create. For M2 it’s not enough to
create an accurate version of a classic game, it also
wants to modernise it and make it feel more special,
whether it’s adding completely new stages, remixing
» [Xbox One] The devs at M2 love shoot-’em-ups, so a series devoted to classics like Battle Garegga made perfect sense.
the credit sequence, or adding adjustments that
dramatically increase the performance of a game.
Adding extras in its ports has become something of a
calling card for M2, but it isn’t always easy and it can
often mean that the original code has to be tinkered
with, or other approaches need to be made in order
to get the desired effects. “While some are integrated
internally, there are others that are done externally,”
explains Horii. “Many people may already know about
the 3D integration [for Sega’s 3D Ages range] but a
virtual version of the Mega Drive capable of displaying
3D was developed and dubbed the ‘GigaDrive’. The
code for this emulation was implemented into the
3DS. Creating an emulator of a nonexistent hardware
is insane, but fun. Emulating fictitious hardware is
nothing new to us, and we see ourselves continuing
this as part of our mission to add new content.”
More recently M2 has been impressing shmup
fans with its ShotTriggers series, which has been
converting classics Ketsui, Battle Garegga, Sorcer
Striker and Dangun Feveron to the PS4, with cult
favourite ESP RaDe due out shortly. The series is
another example of the team creating something they
have an active interest in. “I think we were largely
affected by seeing our beloved shooting games losing
traction,” explains Horii. “We feared that nobody
would revive these titles again. We thought that if
there are still fans of this genre out there, then this » [3DS] M2 has ported Gunstar Heroes a number of times over the
would be our opportunity. Many of the staff members years. Its 3D conversion is arguably the most technically astonishing.
of M2 are lovers of shooting games – so much so
that we held a round of Battle Garegga while cherry
blossom viewing with some libations.”
And it’s reveals like the above that make us glad
companies like M2 exist. Its team of passionate
developers not only go beyond the call to bring these
classic games to as many people as possible, but » M2’s version of Gunstar Heroes
they do it because they generally live and breathe is in high demand. You can
expect to pay from £60 to £190
videogames. It’s somewhat fitting, then, that when depending on overall condition.
our interview was concluded, Naoki Horii had one
final thing to say. “This is a question for our players,”
he concludes. “Do you love games? What do you
love about them? Is there something that you would
like M2 to work on (within reason)? Please contact
Horii with your responses!” If that doesn’t empathise » [PS3] M2 released a number
of games for SNK as part of its
M2’s love to please the people that love its games, NeoGeo Station service. This
then nothing will. is Shock Troopers.

RETRO GAMER | 31
 PEER PRAISE DIGITAL ECLIPSE’S MIKE MIKA AND FRANK
CIFALDI EXPLAIN WHAT MAKES M2 SO SPECIAL

When did you first hear of M2?

Frank Cifaldi: The first time I ever
heard of M2 was when they were
working with Sega on the Sega Ages
series for the PS2. I was already
a long-time fan and advocate for MM: Sega Ages Virtua Racing. I
game preservation through software used to travel hours to Cedar Point,
emulation, and I thought the Ages a theme park in Ohio, with my
strategy of repackaging these games friends to play the four-player arcade
» Frank Cifaldi works at Digital Eclipse
on modern systems was brilliant. as head of restoration. game. At the time, it was one of the
Mike Mika: If we go a little further most eye-popping and technically
back, I discovered M2 on the Genesis advanced games that I had ever
with their amazing port and update seen. The Switch release by M2 is
of Gauntlet, which they called the ultimate fan service of the game,
Gauntlet IV. It was the primary reason completely aware of what made it so
I bought a Genesis. I was absolutely magical. Playing side-by-side local
smitten with the game and that led to multiplayer, it turns out, is so much
becoming a die-hard fan of the team more important than even I thought
behind it. that it made me double down on the
notion that porting and emulation
» Mike Mika is Digital Eclipse’s studio
What was it about the studio’s games head and has great respect for M2. isn’t just a technical exercise,
that first stood out for you? but a contextual and emotional
FC: The first moment where I thought to myself, one, too. You need to port the moment – the
‘Okay, these guys get it,’ was when I saw that sights, sounds and social environment that
Sega Ages 2500 Vol 25: Gunstar Heroes: Treasure surround the game.
Box included a beta build of Gunstar Heroes on
the Mega Drive. I’d been actively documenting How much technical proficiency is required to get
incomplete game builds through, uh, ‘legally old games to run flawlessly (or as close to it) on
questionable’ means for years by that point; newer systems?
it was my hobby and my passion. So to see MM: I think the big thing that we all struggle
a commercial product acknowledge that was with, and I know M2 would say the same thing,
immensely gratifying for me. It was the first time is reducing the time between pressing a button
my eyes were opened to the possibility that fans and seeing the result on-screen. There was no
like me were also working in the industry itself. perceivable latency if you were playing, say, » Digital Eclipse’s excellent SNK compilation has
a Mega Drive on a CRT television. In our new a cool ‘Watch’ mode that even surpasses M2.
digital world, this is no longer possible. All
modern game systems have input lag, because you basically don’t notice because they’re
all modern systems and all modern televisions designed with those limitations in mind, so
have to do some amount of processing before when an older game is put on these platforms,
» [Switch] Mike feels M2’s version of Virtua Racing nails the original game. they actually draw to the screen. In new games sensitive players notice immediately that they
don’t feel the same as they did in the old days.

Tell us how M2 inspired the Challenge mode in

Digitial Eclipse’s Mega Man Legacy Collection.
FC: Challenge mode in Mega Man Legacy
Collection was directly inspired by the PS3 version
of Monster World IV. That game had a new mode
that unlocked once you beat the main game that
challenged you to speedrun through three of the
game’s dungeons, with a timer on the screen
and results at the end. When it came time to do
Mega Man Legacy Collection with Capcom, the
main feature that was requested was that we
create new levels and challenges for players in
the original game. At first we discussed actually
taking the time to hack these ROMs directly to
make new mini challenge stages. However, the
time and budget constraints on the project made
this unfeasible, so we tried to come up with new
ways of playing the original games. That’s when
we took inspiration from M2 – instead of creating
new content, we remixed what was already there.

32 | RETRO GAMER
 MASTER OF RETRO: THE STORY OF M2

MM: I agree with Frank. On the business side, I I think we’d be

think we’d be more likely to collaborate with M2
than compete. There are very few of us doing more likely to
this sort of work, and we each have our own style
and approach that, organically I think, emerged
collaborate with M2
from being in the same space for so long. I find
it fascinating that I can download an M2 game
than compete.
and still have a pure consumer perspective and
be surprised and appreciate it without any sort
There are very few
of jaded or critical eye. Sure, later I go into a
dissection, but I can go into the product unbiased
of us doing this sort
and enjoy it. That’s a huge testament to their love
for the genre.
of work
Mike Mika
Could you ever see yourselves collaborating with
M2 in the future?
MM: I don’t know if it makes sense logistically,
but sure, I can see a collaboration happening.
S not
So o onlyy do the
t Challenge
h n levels
e i MMLC
in M We both have specific strengths that the other
warp you b t
between th
h diff
the f t games iin th
different the does not, which keeps things interesting! A lot
series, they also give you powers and abilities of us here have an editorial background, so we
that you’re not meant to have in certain parts of excel at the ‘virtual museum’ aspect that we put
the game, meaning that even the most seasoned into our products. If there is a key difference
speedrunners can have a new toy to play with. between M2 and Digital Eclipse philosophically,
I’d say that M2 approaches its products as fans,
What would you consider to be M2’s crowning and we approach them as educators.
achievement so far, and why? FC: What I often say is that we don’t make games, » Frank is a big fan of M2’s Phantasy Star re-release,
FC: I can’t stop thinking about Sega Ages: we make art books you play on a TV, and we’re considering it one of the studio’s best achievements.
Phantasy Star. They found the perfect balance great at tracking down original development
between improving the gameplay for modern materials, getting them into the games, and
audiences without actually changing the educating our audiences on history and context.
core game at all. The changes M2 made – an M2, on the other hand, excels more than we do
automapping function, reduced random on the technical side of actually editing older
encounters, increased fight bonuses, faster games to make them more accessible. It would
walking – only make the game better, without be really interesting to see how those two
altering the original intent in any way. I played philosophies could come together. Maybe it
through the remake with all of the enhancements would be an awkward clash, or maybe it would
on, and it was the same game I’ve always loved… be even better than something we could do on
it just respected my time a lot more. I think about our own. It’s fun to think about!
this a lot; I think all of us who are in
the business of bringing back old
titles on modern platforms could » [PS4] Digital
learn a lot from this. Eclipse’s Street
Fighter collection
features a staggering
As you have a similar line of work amount of behind-
as a games developer, have you the-scenes material.
ever found yourself competing
directly with M2?
FC: If I feel any sense of competition
with M2, it’s not a competition
in the business world, it’s purely
a creative competition. We’ll see
something they’ve done and slap
our foreheads and go, ‘Why didn’t
we think of that?’ and then we’ll
hunker down and fire back with an
idea that we hope will get the same
» [PS4] The Mega
reaction out of them. I don’t know Man collection
if they’re familiar with our work or challenges were
directly inspired by
not, but I really hope we’ve gotten an earlier M2 game,
them at least once. Monster World IV.

RETRO GAMER | 33
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 THE OF

Despite great reviews, Steve Turner’s Avalon

adventures sold poorly, which prompted the
developer to change direction. Steve reveals how
KH FRPELQHG DUFDGH ȭUHȭJKWV ZLWK GHYLRXV SX]]OHV
in his cosmic follow-up, Astroclone
Words by Rory Milne
he UK games magazines of game in the Avalon series wouldn’t knew a better technique to do it. So I
the Eighties worked really sell,” Steve acknowledges. “He said wrote this new engine, and to test it
hard to connect with their that there had been some really I mocked up a Defender-type game.
teenaged readers, with the poor sales for the games and that I The bit that I changed was that when
likes of Crash and Zzap!64 needed to do something different. you went up and down the laser
e
even going as far as trusting their So I tried to shake it up as much as angled up and down. I liked playing
IN THE reviews
r to schoolkids. But despite
these recommendations, the sales
I could using as much of the same
code as the previous titles to make it
it, so I thought I might as well have
it as the intro for the game, but I
KNOW charts of the day often included commercially viable – I couldn’t just focused on my ‘Plan B’, which was
 PUBLISHER: games that received scathing start from scratch.” to put a space scenario behind my
HEWSON write-ups in the computer press, The graphics engine for adventure engine.”
CONSULTANTS
and omitted others that reviewers Astroclone did require a rewrite, Besides opening with a shooter,
 DEVELOPER:
STEVE TURNER had heaped with praise. Steve however, and to make sure that it Steve differentiated Astroclone from
 RELEASED: Turner’s Avalon and Dragontorc fell was working Steve coded a proof his earlier adventures by giving
1985 into the second category, and so of concept that ended up as his his work-in-progress an innovative
 PLATFORM: rather than continuing the fantasy game’s opening stage. “It was a bit mode that, when entered, allowed its
ZX SPECTRUM adventure series, he devised a weird, really, because what I had hero to manipulate up to four items.
 GENRE: genre-defying sci-fi follow-up to the started working on was completely “I liked the fact that you could only
ADVENTURE
trilogy of shoot-‘em-ups that had rewriting my graphics engine,” carry a limited number of objects
launched his career. “The whole Steve ponders. “Hewson, among around,” Steve argues. “Basically
point of Astroclone was that Andrew others, had criticised the Avalon I was using the same principle as
Hewson had told me that a third games’ flickering graphics, and I the wizard’s sack in Dragontorc,

36 | RETRO GAMER
 The Making Of: asTrOclOne

» [ZX Spectrum] Astroclone begins in the control deck of a starship orbiting high
above Earth.

» [ZX Spectrum] Many of Astroclone’s Seiddab bases have sub-levels that you have to beam down to.

“I wanted puzzle
sequences that made » [ZX Spectrum] The Seiddab bases in Astroclone are guarded by droids that
have to be dispatched.
sense, so that you
could deduce them hero walking around
in Astroclone I wanted
rather than just trying him to fire at things,
every object with every dEvElOpER and I thought I’d try to do
other object” HIGHlIGHTs a gunsight so that I could add
Steve Turner pressure by having the Seiddab
QUAZATRON (PICTURED)
come at you to make it a firefight.”
SySTEM: ZX SPECTRUM
but instead of the little spirit you were bigger on the inside and held yEAR: 1986 The one issue with Astroclone’s
controlled the hero’s arm, which multiple items. “Those were my gunsight-equipped laser pack was
RANARAMA
could select objects. And I thought I sci-fi equivalent of treasure chests!” SySTEM: ZX SPECTRUM, that it was overly effective, which
could do it so that if you let go of an Steve enthuses. “I was playing VARIOUS skewed the game’s difficulty level
object while you were moving his a game at the time with my kids yEAR: 1987 requiring Steve to limit its charge,
arm you could throw things.” where instead of finding one item BUSHIDO and to make recharging an involved
Of course, the items in Astroclone you found a magic key now and SySTEM: COMMODORE 64 process that left the game’s hero
required a purpose, and as with then that opened a treasure chest. yEAR: 1989 defenceless. “I had this problem
Steve’s Avalon titles, his latest Then you got several items, which with Astroclone where you got
game’s objects would have to was really exciting. I think that too powerful too quickly,” Steve
be combined to solve puzzles. “I influenced the Isocases, because I recollects, “and I needed a negative
wanted puzzle sequences that made was translating all of the elements in to balance that, so that was the idea
sense, so that you could deduce fantasy games into science fiction, behind the weapon recharging, to
them rather than just trying every so magic became technology.” introduce some risk while you were
object with every other object,” Another aspect of Astroclone doing that.”
Steve reasons. “But because I didn’t require translation, however, But while Steve was keen to give
didn’t have a mythology to borrow as its 3D gunsight mode was Astroclone more arcade elements
ideas from I tried to take ideas a natural fit for the sci-fi title’s than its predecessors, he limited
from technology, like machines not adventure stage. Although the his latest game’s arsenal to its
working and computers breaking mechanic did take inspiration from laser pack until a much later stage
when you spilled things on them. the project Steve’s colleague was required a more powerful weapon,
So I was trying to think of all the IT working on. “Andrew Braybrook which he dubbed the ‘Acron Device’.
things and jokes that went around, had a gunsight in Paradroid, but his “I felt that the weapons were the
and base puzzles on them.” algorithms never quite worked,” sci-fi versions of the missile spells
As well as incorporating existing Steve notes. “He couldn’t get it so in Avalon,” Steve considers, “and
technology into Astroclone, Steve that the gunsight moved around I thought you could have a range,
also used his game’s futuristic as the player’s character moved but in the end I decided that I didn’t
» As well as developing his latest
setting as an excuse to invent new around, but I was sure that it game, Steve Turner is also returning want to make things too complex
tech, such as ‘Isocases,’ which would work. So when I had the to commercial coding. by making the player carry lots.

RETRO GAMER | 37
 » [ZX Spectrum] There are messages in Astroclone that
give you clues, but they’re tricky to get hold of.

going from that point. So instead of

that I was trying to give Astroclone
a way to go back, because you had
lives, which fitted in nicely with the
The thing with Avalon’s spells usually just shot things, so it made game’s name: Astroclone. It wasn’t
was that they were on a scroll players have to go into another » [ZX Spectrum] Puzzles include setting explosives in actually your character in the game,
one room and detonating them in another.
rather than in a backpack, so it was mode of thinking.” but you had several clones of your
a different kind of system. I didn’t collect it, and I did consider having a character. So you went through
have a scroll in Astroclone, so there wo other elements of sci-fi equivalent, but I decided that I those, and the number of clones just
had to be objects, and I didn’t really Astroclone that were wanted the objects in Astroclone to came from playtesting.”
want too many.” designed to shape the be connected to the adventure rather Besides using Astroclone’s sci-fi
Although restricted to just two player’s mindset came in than them just being collected.” narrative to give its gameplay
weapons, Astroclone did gain a third the form of energy and But in order to balance the meaning, Steve also leveraged the
method of dispatching the game’s oxygen recharge stations, which difficulty of Astroclone’s game storyline to tie his game’s adventure
Seiddab opponents after Steve Steve intentionally limited. “I really design, Steve tempered his game’s sections together by hiding
introduced a deadly force field that wanted to pressure the player,” meagre opportunities to recharge messages in them that gave clues
players could lead their foes into. “I Steve remembers. “The idea was by giving players multiple clones to to their overall objectives. “There
was always trying to think of little that it was a relief when you found complete his adventure with. “I can was what I called ‘local puzzles’,
twists for less obvious ways of doing the recharge points, which gave remember playtesting Astroclone, which were like twigs and branches
things,” Steve reflects, “and it wasn’t you the sense that you had to pace and I wanted to give players a of a tree,” Steve explains, “and they
very expensive to do coding-wise. I yourself to get to the next ones. restart point,” Steve remembers. were all connected to the trunk of
just loved the idea of enemies with a In some fantasy games you had “In Avalon, you could just save the the ‘main puzzles’. But I struggled in
particular vulnerability, because you food everywhere and you had to game where you were and keep Astroclone to get that main trunk,
and I wanted to give you the reason
“I was trying to please for how the whole game fitted

everybody, but perhaps I was together. So I used messages to do

that. I was trying to give a sense of
trying too hard. Adventure you gradually getting the knowledge
players couldn’t really manage that you needed, and I quite liked

the shoot-’em-up bit, and the the idea of having something to

collect that was significant, rather
people that could manage that bit than just being of a local interest,
weren’t the adventure-y type” so that’s what the messages were
Stev
Steve
eve Tu
Turn
rner
rner meant to do.”

HOW TO MASTER STEVE

TURNER’S SCIFI ADVENTURE

Space Star Sector Chart Your

Combat Strategy Progress
Q Your first trip into space is through Q You have to visit Astroclone’s grid-based Q The adventure section in Astroclone
Seiddab-free territory, but Astroclone’s strategy stage in order to travel between spans multiple bases, each of which spans
occupied sectors are full of enemy ships. its star sectors. The important areas many rooms, so you need to make maps or
Your craft can only take a few hits, and have docking satellites leading to Seiddab you’re going to get lost. Each room is one
even crashing into opponents drains your bases, but you can only identify these by of four colours, and there are rustic mine
limited energy. So the key is to blast a safe beaming into each sector one by one, and levels as well as high-tech ones, which
space around yourself, and then carve out the satellites don’t become operational until aids navigation, but the lack of landmarks
a path towards the Seiddab boss. you’ve dispatched their bosses. ensures that map-making is essential.

38 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: ASTROCLONE

By the time Astroclone was » [ZX Spectrum] Astroclone has many ‘lock and key’ » [ZX Spectrum] The puzzles in Astroclone are often based
ready to hit stores, it boasted a puzzles, such as using sonic keys to open Isocases. around combining likely objects to find a third.
multilayered adventure at its core, a
recurring Defender-type stage and

THE SEIDDAB
a strategy section where players
and the Seiddab fought to dominate » [ZX Spectrum] Your lasers don’t harm certain Seiddab
opponents, but you can lead them into deadly force fields.
a star chart, but as reviews came
in for the game Steve’s heart sank.
“I thought it was a masterpiece,” that could manage that bit weren’t QUARTET
GRAFTGOLD’S FOURPART SCIFI SAGA
Steve remembers, “and I thought the adventure-y type.”
the magazines were going to Decades after its release, Steve is
wonder how the hell I got all of
that in a Spectrum. So I was quite
still disappointed with the response
to his innovative adventure, but the
3D Space
astounded when all reviewers developer’s belief in the game is Wars
Q At its core, 3D Space Wars reimagines
seemed to look at was the first little unshaken, and he would only make Namco’s Galaxian in three dimensions,
bit and then didn’t seem to get the the smallest of changes to it given with the Seiddab forces swooping in and
depth of the adventure. I was trying hindsight. “There are things that out of the screen, rather than up and
to please everybody, but perhaps I would tweak,” Steve concedes, down. Of course, there’s more to Steve’s
debut title, most obviously the need to
I was trying too hard. Adventure “but I was surprised how well it refuel by docking with fuel stations and
players couldn’t really manage the still played when I tried it recently. fleets of different ships that mark your
shoot-‘em-up bit, and the people I found the shoot-‘em-up bits at the progress through the levels.
beginning really hard, but once I
was in the bases I loved the way that
the fighting worked, and I found the
marching around very atmospheric.
3D Seiddab
The only thing I might change there Attack
Q Steve’s follow-up to Space Wars takes
is to go back to dark screens with
the action down to Earth and swaps your
light graphics, I think Astroclone spacecraft for an armoured tank. You’re
could have been more exciting like tasked with picking Seiddab fighters out
that. But on the whole I still love the of the sky, with the reward for meeting
design. I just think it’s a shame that your quota being a duel with their boss.
Defeating it results in a rural mission
more people couldn’t appreciate where you have to take down an entire
» [ZX Spectrum] Some levels in Astroclone are empty, but it, but then games aren’t always to squadron of Seiddab bombers.
most contain puzzles or aggressive Seiddab droids. everybody’s taste.”

3D Lunattack
Q 3D Lunattack improves on its
predecessors in various ways. Steve’s
third Seiddab title has a rotating playfield
rather than a fixed horizon, which gives
a greater sensation of movement, and
a cursor that toggles between weapons
and a navigation tool depending on its
position. The game also has three distinct
zones with unique hazards and foes.

Astroclone
Problem Know Your Q As well as continuing the storyline
Solving Limits established in Steve’s previous Seiddab
titles, the adventure in Astroclone acts
Q The puzzles in Astroclone’s adventure Q Several aspects of the adventure in
are solved by combining items that are Astroclone are metered. You have an energy as a spiritual successor to his Avalon
protected by Seiddab droids or hidden bar that’s depleted by enemy fire, an oxygen series. It’s more of an arcade adventure,
around their bases. Certain objects will level that decreases as you move around however, thanks to its 3D firefights and
fry the computers, which shuts the bases and a laser pack with limited ammo. There emphasis on level clearing. Astroclone
down, but finding them typically depends are recharge points, but these are usually also incorporates side-on shoot-’em-up
on finding and combining others first, so post-level, so speedy progress and sparing and strategy-based sections.
it’s vital that you search every room. use of your weapon are strongly advised.

RETRO GAMER | 39
Bad Dudes Vs
Dragon Ninja
This memory is broughT To you by AnTsTreAm
» ArcAde » 1988 » dAtA eAst
» retrorevival

When I was a youngster, I would regularly visit Quay

Amusements in Poole because it was an incredible
arcade that had virtually every big game you could
think of at the time. I would regularly visit it with friends
at the weekend, and typically I’d head over there with
Wayne Osbourne as we had similar taste in games.
Wayne would always want to play Bad Dudes Vs Dragon Ninja, partly
because he was a big fan of the whole ninja craze that was going on at
the time, and partly because he was really into karate and loved Jean-
Claude Van Damme films. More importantly, however, he was really good
at it – like seriously good at it. He got so skilled at it that he was able to
complete the game on a few credits and I’d normally be there at his side
riding his coattails as boss after boss fell to his mad button skills.
I’ve never been any good at Dragon Ninja, but because Wayne had
more money than me we’d typically end up playing whatever he wanted
(which I was fine with, obviously). You’d think that with all those free
credits I’d have upped my game over the six months it probably stayed
at Quay Amusements, but no, I remained completely rubbish at it and I
would continually get chided as we played, because let’s face it, I was
little to no help.
I’m not sure why I could never get on with Data East’s beat-’em-up. I
was pretty good at Double Dragon and Golden Axe, and could regularly
complete them on a single credit, but Dragon Ninja felt like an impossible
challenge. Maybe it was the lack of moves, or the sheer onslaught of
enemies, but I could never really get beyond the second stage on a single
credit unless I was assisted by Wayne – and even then I’d sloppily lose
lives because I would take risks or just bungle my attacks like an idiot.
I have not seen Wayne for over two decades, but I can remember
those games of Dragon Ninja we played at Quay Amusements like
they were yesterday. And that memory of us only popped into my head
because I was watching Nick play Dragon Ninja while he was reviewing
Antstream. Isn’t it funny where your mind goes?
42 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: SHADOW DANCER

It’s dog-eat-terrorist in this sequel to Sega’s incredibly popular 1987 hit

Shinobi. Whistle for your faithful hound and ready those shurikens, as it’s
time to disable a set of deadly bombs scattered throughout the city, and
eliminate the nefarious organisation that is placing them
Words by Graeme Mason

Someone at Sega, like Die Hard’s Hans Gruber,

T
he arcades were a brutal battleground
back in 1987 as machine after obviously reads Time magazine.
machine begged for the coins from The gameplay to Shadow Dancer closely

BOMB your pocket. Lurking in the corner,

bathed in shadows, was Sega’s Shinobi, and it
was the breakout hit of the year, instigating a
follows the template laid down by Shinobi two
years earlier, itself owing a debt to Namco’s spy
thriller Rolling Thunder. The notably visible star
franchise that continues to enthral fans today. (contrary to his ethereal moniker) strides from
Shinobi introduced the world to the masked the left to the right of the screen, jumping over
hero Joe Musashi, legendary ninja and teacher, obstructions and athletically leaping on to the
on his mission to stop the terrorist organisation platforms above or below. From every angle the
Zeed. The success of the game ensured multiple enemy terrorists attack the hero, and there’s a
appearances on home computers and consoles, huge variety within this terrorist organisation
plus the inevitable continuation of the series as multicoloured ninjas wield dual swords, and
in arcades. Yet while 1989’s Shadow Dancer thugs fling knives across the screen or simply
is the true sequel to Shinobi, the game run up to the shinobi, razor-sharp blade held
strangely diverts away from its predecessor aloft. Some unarmed enemies use their fists
in terms of storyline. Starring an unnamed and feet to batter the player, while others are
ninja and his pet dog, there’s another equipped with shotguns, often lying prone to
bunch of terrorists threatening freedom, shoot at your feet, the cads. But that’s not all:
while it was nameless in the arcades, Looking like a cross between a WWE wrestler
according to some home versions this and Patrick Swayze, with his long wavy hair and
organisation was called Asian Dawn. bare chest, another enemy possesses twin

» [Arc
[Arcade] An old friend pokes its pointy nose out at the airport. » [Arcade] Watch where you step here – remember that first episode of Lost?

THE
SHINOBI
RETRO GAMER | 43
 PRONE ENEMY
green discs which he uses to deflect incoming
shurikens and chuck at the shinobi. And by
the time you make your way to the enemy’s
underground base, even estranged crocodiles
attack the player, slavering jaws yearning for
some nice juicy ninja flesh.

s in Shinobi, the star of Shadow

A Dancer retains an infinite supply of

shurikens, of which he can hurl in
volleys of up to four at a time, and
for when enemies get too close for comfort,
he efficiently flashes his narrow blade instead.
The game’s upright cabinet holds a central
joystick and three buttons, for jump, attack and
magic, with a corresponding set of buttons on
the opposite side. Pressing up or down n on
the joystick and jump causes the ninja to
spring to another level, often required to
reach certain opponents and objectives. s. » [Arcade] Let a ninja get too close to you and this minigame is over.
The yellow magic button unleashes
the ninja’s special attack, wiping out
minor henchmen or sapping the

MOLOTOV
power bar of the end-of-level bosses.

ENEMY
Sadly it’s only available once per
section, and best saved for those
powerful boss villains. The game itself
was developed on Sega’s new System
18 board, an improved version of the
System 16 board that includes enhanced sound
and graphics capabilities.
Yet despite magical powers, a deadly sword
and infinite shurikens, this ninja’s greatest asset
is his loyal pet dog – of indeterminate breed, but
looking like a snowy German Shepherd – and
a ferocious ally, even in the face of well-armed
enemies. Should this furry friend spot a villain, it
lets out a sharp bark. The shinobi can now crouch
and press fire, sending the dog off to restrain the
ruffian in question. Once its jaws are locked and
the enemy is duly incapacitated, the player has a
limited time to fling a shuriken before the

MOLOTOV » [Arcade] This frisbee-wielding baddie has clearly been watching Hard Ticket To Hawaii.

» [Arcade] With the enemies vanquished, the Q We may have been a bit harsh on US Gold’s Q Like the Amiga port from this base game, this Q While most probably edging the
space shuttle takes off unhindered. 16-bit arcade conversions in the past, but it’s is a decent effort at recreating the Sega arcade 8-bit home computer versions, the
a reputation it unfortunately often deserves. game, two years after its original release. There Commodore 64’s Shadow Dancer
Credit where it’s due, however: this port of are plenty of big and bold sprites on display and moves at a slower pace, and it has
Shadow Dancer is an excellent conversion, even the gameplay is suitably frantic and tough – very some respawning enemy issues
boasting better music than the arcade original. tough in places. Overall, despite some choppy that ramp up its frustration factor.

CANINE
FRIEND
This was inevitably ported from the Atari ST
version, yet improved thanks to its sharper
graphics and enhanced audio.
sound, this is a well-rounded conversion.
Curiously, both 16-bit versions lack the cool
two-layer scrolling of the original.
Otherwise, it’s a decent port, and the
first-person shuriken minigames are
particularly fast and pleasing.

DOG
ATTACK
44 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: SHADOW DANCER

SHURIKEN
HUURIKE
DAVE
SEMMENS
The coder behind the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad
ports of Shadow Dancer takes us behind the scenes
How did you come characters were broken
to work on Shadow down into legs, body
Dancer and who did and heads so they could
you work with? be mixed and matched
Images Ltd contracted to give some variety.
me to do both the Then we did not get
ZX Spectrum and as many animations
» [Arcade] Things are heating up here as the shinobi endures second-class train travel. Amstrad versions. I was in as we would have
the main programmer liked for the dog. It was
and there was an artist, very tricky fitting all the
Doug Townsley, and a graphics in, but that was
sound person. standard issue on the Spectrum. The
other problem was leaving the dog
Were you familiar with behind in the level, from my memory
Shadow Dancer? that was a right pain to deal with.
I had never played or seen the game Controlling the super jump also gave
before taking the contract! I got to me a few headaches.
play it at the Images offices for the
first time when I went down there, It’s a very commendable effort
and I was also given a VHS video of at squeezing the arcade game
the entire gameplay. I only actually into the Spectrum – were you
played through the game once. We pleased with the final game and
never got any code for any game I its review scores?
ever worked on, and after that one Yes, I think we came up with a
play of the game, I only had the very playable version, with all the
video for reference. levels and end bosses covered.
We even managed to get some
It was quite a complex game to parallax scrolling effects in to add
squeeze into the ZX Spectrum a bit of sparkle.
in particular, and the extra I would always take quite a bit of
on-screen protagonist couldn’t notice of reviews as it was a critique
have helped… on my own work really. It would also

ENEMY
One big difficulty was storing help me get future work if the games

NINJA
enough animations. The human I worked on scored highly.

Q Subtitled The Secret Of Shinobi, Shadow Dancer

is one of a select handful of Mega Drive arcade
Q A port of the Spectrum game, Q Unlike its Mega Drive counterpart, Q While visually the poorest of all conversions that are either completely different
this version adds more colour and this Master System game is a ‘mere’ conversions (despite a sharp resolution, it’s or add significant extras (much like with ESWAT
sound but at a reduced speed, port of the arcade original, with a few stoically two-tone as with many Spectrum and Gauntlet IV) – although it’s arguably not even
purging much of the fun from the sacrifices to the inferior technology. arcade ports), this is an ambitious attempt a conversion, considering the difference in levels.
action. Nevertheless, like its other The biggest difference is the lack of to bring the multiplatform game to the With the player taking on the role of either Joe or
conversions, Amstrad Shadow Dancer the shinobi’s faithful hound on-screen, Sinclair computer. Predictably, there is little his son, Hayate – depending on your region – there
at least shows a level of care and skill although it can still be called upon sound and backgrounds are simplified, but are new levels, enemies, music and bosses in
by its creators, raising it comfortably during hectic battles to attack any it plays briskly and even retains the first- this excellent Mega Drive sequel to the similarly
above many of its US Gold peers. hard-to-reach enemies. person shuriken minigames. brilliant The Revenge Of Shinobi.

RETRO GAMER | 45
POWERED-UP
ED-UUP
SHURIKEN FLYING
NINJA
hound is shaken off and shrunk back to a pup, of
little use for the rest of the level, or until a bomb
is deactivated. Said deactivation also sometimes
We break down Shadow Dancer’s levels upgrades the shurikens, adding flame and power
to their effect, a handy improvement when faced

MISSION 1 with enemies that are able to repel the throwing

stars or are immune to the dog’s attacks. Once all
Q Terrorists, bombs and an airport are not a the bombs from a level are collected, the exit to
great mix, and there’s little sign of security here the next scene appears.
as the bad guys constantly accost the player
hadow Dancer takes place over four

S
through departure lounges, the tarmac and
eventually the hold of a cargo plane. There are different stages, each with either
some notable iconic images in the background, three or four areas within. Progress
including an elegant Concorde, sitting on the is marked between each area with a
runway, ready for futuristic supersonic flight. It’s photo map, complete with a glowing green line
not only a great way to introduce the enemies of marking the route to take. The mission begins
the game, but also allows you to discover just in the terminal of an airport; once secured it’s
how useful your canine companion is. out onto the runway with numerous passenger
jets providing the striking background. Stage

MISSION 2 two follows the terrorist supply line across

a junk and train yard, before an abandoned
Q It’s time to hit the enemy where factory and crocodile-infested (or are they
it hurts and take out their precious alligators? We can never tell the difference…)
supply route! Having escaped the sewer awaits the ninja. Make it through all that
heavily armoured airport, the ninja and your final destination is the space port,
follows the enemy trail to a nearby where the evil extremists have some diabolical
junk and train yard. Leaping across fate in store for the waiting space shuttle. With
trashed Lamborghinis and over only three lives, no energy bar and a high
steel fences, the pair are set upon difficulty level, even these short stages will take
by enemies both old and new, before
boarding a train and negotiating the
many multiple levels of the docks.
Fortunately the water’s not too deep!

SPACE
SHUTTLE
MISSION 3
MISS
Q Next it is into the enemy’s base
itself and here the action really begins
to heat up. Your journey will see
you venturing across an abandoned
factory (where the enemy has
bizarrely left more bombs), into the
building itself, before descending into
the icky brown sewers, complete
with giant mutated crocodiles. Tread
carefully through these sections and
make sure you use your faithful hound
to the best of its abilities. » [Arcade] Some of the levels are more than a little evocative of The Revenge Of Shinobi.

MISSION 4
Q Stalagmites and stalactites
pepper the underground
tunnels where the ninja and
his dog now find themselves
as they seek to halt the
enemy plan before it’s too
late. The dank tunnel leads
to a cascading waterfall, the
Space Shuttle installation
self
before onto the shuttle itself
and the final showdown
with the terrorist leader. The
enemies come thick and fast ast

DARK
here so be prepared.

NINJA
» [Arcade] Mission accomplished! Time to pose for the camera.

46 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: SHADOW DANCER
DISC
ENEMY
How to overcome Shadow Dancer’s end-of-level supervillains
LEVEL 1-3 BOSS
» [Arcade] Little ninjas repelled, it’s time to take on the final boss. Q Fans of the Mega Drive semi-
sequel The Revenge Of Shinobi
some practice. Fortunately, the player has the will be familiar with this heavily
opportunity to gain extra lives with a dramatic armoured chap. He’s slow, but
and exciting minigame that appears between lobs lethal glowing balls at the
each section. In a first-person view, the player brave ninja.
looks up towards a high tower as enemy ninjas
quickly descend level by level. Despatch them
s
HOW TO BEAT
all with your shurikens and there’s a special Q Quite simply, actually, given
bonus life awaiting you; miss just one bad guy y this first boss only has two types
and it’s a swift kick in the face, and off to the of attack, high and low bouncing

SHOTGUN
next mission. balls. They are easily dodged

THUG
As with the first game, Shadow Dancer while you let shurikens fly at his
received a healthy array of home ports, most vulnerable arms and head.
of them credible efforts in recreating the
arcade game. The 16-bit versions are the most LEVEL 2-4 BOSS
faithful, with the Mega Drive’s version different Q Bosses don’t come much sturdier
enough to perhaps even be called a remake. than this, a massive locomotive,
Having already been treated to semi-sequel charging towards the player while
exclusive, The Revenge Of Shinobi, the same hurling fireballs in their general
year as Shadow Dancer hit arcades, the console direction. Maybe British Rail wasn’t that
received Shadow Dancer: The Secret Of Shinobi bad after all.
in 1990. While its gameplay mechanics are
largely the same, the backdrops to Secret HOW TO BEAT
Of Shinobi is significantly different from the Q This level is quite elongated, so
arcade machine it is supposedly imitating. An make use of the room to your left
extra mission, alternate minigames, hidden to help dodge the train’s deadly fire.
bonuses and different enemies all add up to a You need to hit the moving headlight
pleasing supplementary chapter in the story of a handful of times, after which it
Shadow Dancer, the ninja who doesn’t so much helpfully explodes.
as dance in the shadows as parade in broad
daylight, bravely fronting up and destroying LEVEL 3-4 BOSS
those who oppose him. Q This blonde-haired female
warrior hurls massive segments
of the background at the hero
(which circle around and drop
down on them) and hides behind a
powerful tall shield.

HOW TO BEAT
Q You can get a sneaky hit early
if you dare get close to her shield.
After that it’s time to duck and
jump the deadly projectiles, timing
your shurikens as her guard drops
to throw them.

LEVEL 4-4
FINAL BOSS
Q Surrounded by a multicoloured circle,
this final master of the terrorist clan lets
loose flying mini-ninjas who must be
defeated before you can have a crack at
the boss herself.

HOW TO BEAT
Q Stay low and fling shurikens to prevent
the little ninjas escaping into the air. The
main boss has a long pike which deflects
the missiles, but she can be worn down
relatively easily when her guard drops. A
spare magic boost always comes in handy.

RETRO GAMER | 47
 » [Dragon 32] Some Seiddab ships in the Dragon 3D Space Wars bank right as
they come into view.

» [Dragon 32] The Dragon version of 3D Space Wars depicts

damage to the player’s ship with an electric discharge effect.

The Making of

While transitioning from commercial coding to games development, Steve Turner

looked to the arcades for inspiration. Steve tells Retro Gamer how he reimagined
Galaxian in three dimensions with his debut title, 3D Space Wars
Words by Rory Milne

B
y the early Eighties, could do that it would make the A second Star Trek influence
a decent living could game stand out.” followed, as Steve tried out ideas for
be made from making Rather than having a crosshair enemy ship designs, although his
computer games, and drifting around a naked screen, first concept was a little less high
although commercial programmer Steve opted to give players a tech. “I remember one of my early
Steve Turner didn’t immediately pilot’s eye view of their alien designs looked like a zeppelin,”
leave his salaried job when he opponents, whose weapon Steve recalls, “but that just didn’t
found this out, he did commit his referenced a popular movie. “I work, so it was replaced by a ship

iN tHe spare time to testing the waters. thought to really show off the 3D that was like a little bar with wings developer
KNoW
The fledgling game developer’s first
project was influenced by popular
I’d have a frame of the cockpit and
the laser guns receding into the
at the ends. That was loosely
inspired by the Klingon vessels,
HigHligHts
3D SPACE WARS
» PUBLISHER:
coin-ops of the early Eighties, with distance,” Steve enthuses, “and because I thought they looked really SyStEm: ZX SPECTRUM,
HEWSON the twist being that it would be then have the enemies getting nice when they were head-on.” DRAGON 32
CONSULTANTS depicted in 3D. “I liked shoot-‘em- bigger as they came towards you, Having designed opponents for yEAR: 1983
» DEVELOPER: ups in the arcades, so games like firing bolts that got really big. The his game’s opening level, Steve next 3D SEIDDAB AttACK
STEVE TURNER Galaxian were my influences,” bolts were inspired by the first defined their attack manoeuvres SyStEm: ZX SPECTRUM,
» RELEASED: Steve remembers, “but I thought it Star Trek film, where there was a within the limited memory that DRAGON 32
1983
would be good if the aliens came ‘Vega device,’ and it fired these he had to work with. “I tweaked yEAR: 1984
» PLAtFORm:
ZX SPECTRUM, at you, rather than just being on a ‘fuzz balls’ – that’s what I used to the ships’ movements to match 3D LUNAttACK (PICtURED)
DRAGON 32 flat screen. It was something that call them! I thought those were their size,” Steve notes. “The first SyStEm: ZX SPECTRUM,
» GENRE: I hadn’t seen done well on home terrific, and that they would be wave was the first one I put in, DRAGON 32, C64
SPACE SiM computers, so I thought that if I fairly easy to do.” and I always intended them to yEAR: 1984

48 | retro gAMer
 The Making Of: 3D Space WarS

» Steve Turner got his career in games development

off to a great start with 3D Space Wars.

Spectrum
VS
Dragon

» [ZX Spectrum] The Seiddabs keep their distance until spotted and then attack all guns blazing.
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum original’s colourful
cockpit sits under a monochrome
playfield, although this cycles
through different hues as you play
through the levels. The first three
of these feature different Seiddab
ships, which make return visits from
level four onwards. The game suffers
from slowdown at the start of each
stage due to the Seiddabs appearing
en masse, but it speeds up when
they disperse. Audio is mainly limited
to laser fire, but that sounds great.
» [ZX Spectrum] 3D Space Wars begins with a sighting of » [ZX Spectrum] Formations of Seiddabs can rapidly » [Dragon 32] The Seiddabs in the Dragon 3D Space Wars
far-off Seiddabs massed on the horizon. deplete your ship’s fuel supply. were designed specifically for this version.

come in and then sweep sideways. In order to reconcile this speed “When Andrew Braybrook did
But because it was a 16K game advantage, however, Steve added the Dragon 3D Space Wars he
I just had no room for graphics a fuel gauge to the recently could afford more frames,” Steve
whatsoever, so I had to pare dubbed 3D Space Wars, which recollects, “and he put lovely
everything down to the minimum.” emptied faster at top speed and explosions in. It had no colour,
Another aspect of Steve’s project depleted further when the player Andrew just went for the high-res
that was limited by memory was fired their weapon or took hits two-colour mode, but that allowed
the manoeuvrability of the player’s from the enemy. “Basically your him to have lovely graphics, so I
ship, but he made sure that it fuel supply was also your ‘life,’” always say that the Dragon version Dragon 32
could accelerate and decelerate. Steve reasons. “I didn’t want too is the definitive version.” Although faithful to the original,
the Dragon conversion is greatly
“I wanted to make it feel like you many things that you had to look Reflecting on his own 3D Space enhanced. it adds an impressive
had control, and it gave you the at; I wanted one main meter. I Wars, Steve focuses on a single animated intro, showing your ship
possibility of quickly flying away suppose your time limit in 3D failing that was improved on by blasting off into the opening stage,
from the Seiddab [ships],” Steve Space Wars was that you were Andrew’s conversion, but he where you immediately notice how
much faster the game is than its ZX
reasons. “Also, I thought I would running out of fuel all of the time, saves his final words to praise
Spectrum counterpart. There are
need to put something in just so you had to get to the satellite to the original’s gameplay. “I always four Seiddab ships to the original’s
because I couldn’t have rotation – I refuel before you ran out.” wished I had put proper explosions three, and these are more detailed,
thought that would really slow the Soon after its completion, in mine,” the developer sighs, “but as are its viewscreen and refuelling
machine down. So I just put in the Steve’s 3D Space Wars was I was really fighting for bytes at station. it also sounds better. The
only real minus is that it’s mainly in
controls that I thought would work, released, and it sold so well that the end. Other than that, I’m quite black and white.
and that was another reason why I on hiring his first employee Steve pleased with how well 3D Space
included speed controls.” asked him to develop a conversion. Wars plays.”

retro gAMer | 49
 THE MAKING OF

GUIDED BY DEVELOPERS MATT FINDLEY AND STU ROSE, WE JUMP INTO

BIZZARD’S ALL-ACTION CINEMATIC PLATFORMER
Words by Robert Zak
began to work on a SNES game using vector
» [32X] The 32X version
introduced a snow worldgraphics. As Blizzard artist Stu Rose recalls,
the team was far too ambitious. “We got it all
made up of four new levels.
together and realised we could only get like four
scenes into the game because of the cartridge
size. It just wasn’t going to work”, he says. “So
we had a contract slot to fill and thought, ‘Good
god, what do we do now?’”
Blackthorne’s team had a few obsessions
Bl
a
att tthe h time. Magic: The Gathering was
» [SNES] The different rritually
itua played during lunch breaks, and
colours of orc corresponded tthere
her was a Neo-Geo constantly running
to how rapidly they fired their
weapons at you.
Samurai
S am Shodown in the corner of the
of fic More importantly, Prince Of Persia
office.
h
had ad been ported to the SNES in 1992,

F
lanked by two shotgun-toting orcs, you grit churning out ports to stay afloat. The rreinvigorating
ein the legendary cinematic
your teeth and slam your back against the workload was intense, but the studio had p la
platformer for the modern generation. It
wall, slinking into the shadows as bullets a good gig making ports for publisher ccaptured
ap the team’s imagination.
fizz past and spatter little pixel debris off Interplay. So when Mike Morhaime “
“It was definitely a big influence,”
the wall. Right after the shooting subsides, and Allen Adham pitched a bundle of IN THE Stu recalls. “Mostly it wasn’t a business
you jump out and blow one of the orcs away with four games to Interplay in late 1991, the KNOW decision. During those early days it was
a double shotgun blast. publisher snapped them up. These games ‘What game would we like to play?’ That
 PUBLISHER:
Meanwhile, the orc behind you has reloaded were RPM Racing, Rock N’ Roll Racing, INTERPLAY was pretty much the design document.
his weapon and grins with violent idiocy as The Lost Vikings, and Blackthorne.  DEVELOPER: We had a quick ‘e-meeting’ – scrum,
he prepares to fire again. With no time to turn Matt Findley was a producer at BLIZZARD break and everyone ran off to their
around and face the threat, you, Kyle Blackthorne, Interplay at the time, and is astonished ENTERTAINMENT respective areas to do it.”
do what quite possibly no videogame character when looking back at the vague contract  RELEASED: Different members of the team
1994
has ever done before: without looking, you for Blackthorne – originally called pitched in with ideas. Stu came up with
 PLATFORM:
straighten your arm behind you and shoot the ‘Nightmare’. “These contracts don’t even SNES, PC, 32X, the doorways being portals to new
other orc in the chest, sending him crumpling in a say anything,” he says. “I’m looking at MAC, GBA areas, and Ron Millar conceived the
puddle of censor-friendly green gunk. the ‘Definition Of Product’ for this game  GENRE: no-look shot mechanic. Matt Findley
Blizzard’s cinematic platformer Blackthorne was and it says: ‘The product shall be defined PLATFORMER was an instant fan. “The real hook was
made during relatively simple times; a time when as a computer software game known that no-look backwards shot. It really
a premise like ‘Prince Of Persia with guns and a as Nightmare which shall operate on the Super came down to that one thing. The innovative
no-look shot’ and a talented development team Nintendo Videogame System.’ Back in those days mechanic was hiding in shadows, but if you put
was all the incentive needed to sell a project. deals were way closer to handshakes.” no-look shooting on a Prince Of Persia-style
Founded in 1991, Silicon & Synapse (which With just the ‘Nightmare’ title as a foundation, game, that’s the end of the pitch!”
became Chaos Studios in 1993, then Blizzard Blizzard got its hands on the code for seminal Ironically, there weren’t that many
Entertainment in March 1994) was a small studio survival horror game Alone In The Dark and opportunities to use the no-look shot in

50 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: BLACKTHORNE

» [32X] In the 32X version, the new 3D model for Kyle had a rather over-inflated
ver-inflated
chest, and the backgrounds in the mines lost their sparkle.

Blackthorne. Its animation took a little longer

nger
than a regular shot, and scenarios where you
were surrounded by enemies weren’t thatt
common. The easiest targets for the no-look ook
shot were the human captives chained up p
throughout the levels. With no consequence nce for
killing them and little other outlet for the most » [SNES] Many encounters were
ineties,
badass shooting mechanic of the early Nineties,
what was a gamer to do?
DEVELOPER essentially puzzles, designed
around the explosive weapons
But there was more to Blackthorne than n just HIGHLIGHTS you collected along the way.

its mechanics. From the character animations ons THE LOST VIKINGS
to backgrounds, to little details like flying bullet SYSTEM: VARIOUS
ked
shells and debris spraying off walls, it looked YEAR: 1992
fantastic. It benefited from being made in the STARCRAFT
act
later days of the SNES lifecycle, and the fact SYSTEM: PC, MAC
YEAR: 1998
that Blizzard had plenty of experience with h the
console by that point. “From an art side, itt helped WORLD OF WARCRAFT
PICTURED
knowing how to squeeze more stuff into a small SYSTEM: PC, MAC
w artist
bag of tricks,” Stu recalls. He praises fellow YEAR: 2004
uction”,
Joey Ray-Hall as an “unsung hero of production”,
as he was able to compress a huge number er of
graphics into the game using an image editor itor
called DeBabelizer.

T
he game was set across four distinctt
worlds – mines, swamp, wasteland and
castle – each with its own visual flourishes.
urishes.
Precious stones glimmered on the walls of
the mines, while shrubs trembled beneath
eneath
and,
the high winds and lightning of the wasteland,
where an unknown city loomed in the background.
kground.
The swamp world was the most evocative, with
a great sense of depth as rain poured in the e
foreground, and murky trees stretched off into the
green mist of the parallax backgrounds.
“In DPaint at that time, you had to set up p your
own palette progressions,” Stu remembers. rs.
“Break down the 256 colours and go, ‘Okay, y,
rocks and beams. I’m gonna get 16 colourss
here and 16 colours there. I think even the
characters had a share of that.”
Blackthorne’s aesthetic also marked the
e
onset of a distinct art style at Blizzard – one
that would evolve in games like Warcraft

» Matt Findley wrote the story for » Stu Rose worked on Blackthorne
Blackthorne deep into development. as an artist.

RETRO GAMER | 51
 » [SNES] Exploding wasps were a
nuisance to fight against, but you can
use them as remote control bombs.

» [SNES] Bridge keys and

levitation devices are two

CONVERSION
of the key items required to
solve Blackthorne’s puzzles.

CAPERS » [SNES] Meet Sarlac, your

typical demonic warlord and
SNES (1994) the nemesis of our hero.
The original
version of
Blackthorne was
also the most
censored. All blood in the
game is green, there are
no visible bullet wounds on
enemies or Blackthorne,
and no blood splatters
on walls. In the Japanese
version, you couldn’t even
shoot captives.

PC (1994)
The DOS version
of Blackthorne
had a revamped Blackthorne may have come in the wake of
soundtrack and » [SNES] The trick to defeating the
red blood (complete with formidable rock beasts was to hide classics like Another World (1991) and Flashback
wall splatters) in place of in cover until they stopped rolling. (1992), but it also showcased Blizzard’s own
the SNES version’s green talents. The level and puzzle designs worked
gunk. In true PC fashion, it together brilliantly, as you’d use items like
also took advantage of the
higher resolution to chuck grenades, keys and remote control exploding
in a clunky UI that hogged a wasps to progress through the game.
large portion of the screen. On the first swamp level, for instance, a
character tells you that you can ‘use a Levitator
Sega to get some wasps’. It means nothing at first, but
you may just get a flashback to that conversation
32XThe(1995)
Mega Drive
when you encounter a wasp enemy a short while
was pretty old later, hovering near a purple orc that’s well out of
news by 1995, reach. You kill the wasp, and move on.
so Interplay When you get the Levitator even later in the
ported Blackthorne to the and Diablo. You can see this not only in the level, recalling that conversation should help you
ill-fated 32X instead. It had
earthy colour palette, but the orc design, which join the dots and return to that purple orc, who
a complete visual revamp,
with new 3D character is almost identical to the now-famous Warcraft you can now reach using the Levitator, and kill for
models and some pretty- orc. “We were all learning from each other, so it his wasp bombs. It’s satisfying design that, along
looking backgrounds. A new was becoming our drawing style,” says Stu. with the bodies you’d leave in your path, helped
snow-themed world was True to its cinematic platformer you navigate the sprawling levels without the
added, too.
contemporaries, Blackthorne used rotoscoping need for a map.
to animate its titular character. The technique Blackthorne’s development went smoothly,
Game Boy involved motion capturing an actor, then with Interplay happy to leave most of the process
Advance
(2003)
whittling down their movements to however in Blizzard’s hands. “They were just building it
many frames per second a given console could and sending versions of the game to Brian Fargo
The last handle. It was, in fact, Blizzard cofounder (and to check out,” Matt recalls. “At some point we
Blackthorne port
to be released, recent alumni) Frank Pierce who provided the realised that maybe someone should be paying
the Game Boy movements for Blackthorne. attention to this thing.”
Advance version was based “I took Frank out to a park playground and
on the SNES one, and videotaped him with my camera jumping and

M
att got directly involved with
featured a notably more
saturated colour palette
ducking on a jungle gym. I think I had something Blackthorne when he was asked to
than its predecessors. stupid like a yardstick and told him ‘Okay, this write the manual later in development,
Scrolling was used to make is the gun. Now fire it!’” Stu says. “The results which inadvertently led to him writing
up for the small screen size, were amazing. My only regret is when the the story. With Blizzard focused more
and it was the first version of other artist reworked the hair, he shifted the on mechanics than plot, Matt had plenty of
the game to use save slots.
character’s position slightly in a few frames, freedom to get creative. He recalls, “The game
destroying some of that fluidity.” was playable pretty much from start to finish, but

52 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: BLACKTHORNE

CINEMANIA
Cinematic platformers were defined by
realistic movement, detailed graphics and
rotoscoped animations which meant that
characters had to complete a full animation
before moving onto the next one. It could
make movement awkward at times, but
it looked incredible. Here are three such
games that preceded Blackthorne.

» [SNES] The slow step-based controls

Prince of
turned the final showdown with Sarlac
into a particularly gruelling encounter.
Persia (1989)
The game that inspired
many of the visual and
mechanical techniques used
“I took Frank out to a park in subsequent cinematic
platformers. It received a
playground and videotaped him SNES port in 1992, renewing
with my camera jumping and interest in the series and
inspiring Blizzard to make
ducking on a jungle gym” ‘Prince Of Persia with guns’.
Stu Rose

there was no story, no background, the character The game was a success on the SNES, though Another
didn’t even have a name.”
With several pages of a game manual to
Interplay’s decision to port it to Sega’s 32X
Mega Drive add-on in 1995, instead of the Sega
World (1991)
Building on foundations
fill, Matt fudged together a backstory for Saturn or seismically more popular PlayStation, established by Prince Of
Blackthorne. “If you read it all [in the manual], put paid to any future instalments of a possible Persia, Another World went
truly ‘cinematic’ with the
it’s like a weird hybrid between Lord Of The Blackthorne franchise. By that time, Blizzard genre, introducing incredible
Rings and Conan The Barbarian,” he says. This had also moved onto its own projects, making backgrounds, cutscenes and
can partly be explained by the fact that Matt and self-publishing Warcraft the previous year. gorgeous vector graphics.
was also working on Interplay’s Lord Of The “We very much wanted to do more Blackthorne Blizzard attempted to use a
Rings SNES game at the time, and admits that games, but at some point Blizzard was going to similar vector graphics style for Blackthorne,
but struggled to fit it onto cartridge.
being absorbed in Tolkien’s mythos inspired the grow up and go their own way,” Matt tells us.
surprisingly sweeping backstory. Stu Rose remembers those early days at
Blackthorne’s near-biblical tale involves a distant Blizzard fondly, but found out later that the
planet called Tuul, where a powerful shaman company was, alarmingly, barely staying afloat.
Flashback
(1992)
turns himself into two stones – light and dark. “I found out that the paycheck Mike [Morhaime] From the same studio
His two sons take a stone each, and use them sent out just before Davidson bought us in 1994 that made Another World
to form a ‘light’ kingdom (Androth) and a ‘dark’ – he put it on his credit card,” he says. “We were (Delphine Software, but
without designer Eric Chahi),
kingdom (Ka’dra’suul). When Sarlac, warlord so young and naive then. There was no strategy.
came Flashback. While not
of the dark kingdom, invades Androth, its ruler It was just like ‘What are we doing next week?’ as groundbreaking as its
Vlaros saves his son Kyle (Blackthorne) by sending Of course, history suggests the heads of predecessor, Flashback
him to Earth. Years later, grizzled from military Blizzard always had a long-term vision. As it was more fluid, and took
service, mercenary work and assorted action hero turned out, Blackthorne was the final run-up advantage of early CD tech on
platforms like Mega-CD and PC to include voice
badassery, Blackthorne returns to Tuul – shotgun before the company leapt over the gap into the work and prerendered cutscenes.
in hand – to reclaim the kingdom in his father’s upper echelons of the games industry.
name. “I was a real horrible writer – I think that’s
the moral of the story,” Matt concludes.
Much like the story, the game’s name came late
in development. Interplay’s marketing team came
up with Blackthorne, but this ran into problems in
the UK. “We realised we couldn’t launch with that
name in the UK because of Blackthorn Cider, so
we called it Blackhawk in Europe.”
Blackthorne launched in September 1994 for
the SNES, embellished by stunning cover art
drawn by legendary DC Comics artist Jim Lee.
“That piece is just unbelievable,” Matt recalls.
“That’s the most expensive box art we created in
that whole era.”

RETRO GAMER | 53
 HyperBoy  PLATFORM: GAME BOY  RELEASED: 1991
 COST: ¥5,800 (launch), £45+ (now, boxed), £10+ (now, unboxed)

T
he key appeal of the Game Boy was This all sounds good, and it works reasonably
its portability, but that didn’t stop well, but it’s not exactly the height of technological
enterprising manufacturers from sophistication. The only electronic parts are the
creating devices intended to turn it speakers and lights, which are powered by D
into a tabletop console. The Saitek Booster Boy batteries. The control is entirely mechanical, with
was offered up to audiences in the western world, the Hyperboy’s plastic protrusions physically
while the HyperBoy was a Japan-only effort by prodding the console’s d-pad and buttons
Konami, which cost almost half as much as the whenever you operate its stick and buttons. Of
console itself. For this price, it offered a variety of course, this means that it isn’t compatible with
additions to the Game Boy experience – screen later models of the handheld like the Game Boy
magnification and lighting, stereo speakers, larger Pocket and Game Boy Color, where the form
buttons, and a joystick that can be switched factor is different and button placements have
between four-way to eight-way operation. been adjusted.

HyperBoy
fact
QThe HyperBoy doesn’t supply any
power to the Game Boy via its batteries,
but it does leave the socket for the
power jack open, so it’s possible to
play with the system plugged in.
The link cable port is left
free, too.

SYSTEM
SUPPLIED BY
PETER
LEIGH
 PERIPHERAL VISION: HYPERBOY

ESSENTIAL GAME DIG DUG

It’s hard to recommend a specific
game for this type of general-purpose
peripheral, but Dig Dug does take
advantage of a number of the
HyperBoy’s features. For a start, the
ability to switch the joystick to four-way
operation is great for a wide variety of
classic arcade game conversions that
don’t support diagonal movement. The
larger buttons are also great for games
where you need to bash buttons, as
you do when pumping up enemies in
Dig Dug. Of course, the best bit is the
fact that the speakers let everyone in the vicinity hear the excellent
music [You what? – Ed] that plays whenever Taizo Hori moves.

RETRO GAMER | 55
 THERY
TO
HISOF

Chris Sawyer’s landmark theme park construction games are

capable of the sort of emotion that all of the very best retro
classics can produce. We take a look at the series that’s had
as many ups and downs as the rides it’s based on
Words by Adam Barnes

hether the thought of riding one Tycoon Deluxe meant I could afford to postpone
sends your stomach into free fall, or the sequel and take some time off.”
your heart racing with excitement, The move into a full title was an invisible one,
you can’t ignore the sheer number according to Chris, who says it was a gradual
of thrill-seekers out there that love a process as he just began working on the concept
good rollercoaster. And the idea of running an of developing the idea of building rollercoasters
amusement park has become such a staple of in the existing Transport Tycoon engine. “Early
construction games today that many gamers will on there was very little designing or planning at
find their interest piqued by just the mere mention all,” Chris recalls, “I just worked from the bottom
of a new game devoted to building a theme park. up looking at the technical aspects that interested
And no names can get such a giddy rise out of me, and the game gradually grew organically
gamers than the original: RollerCoaster Tycoon. from there. Much of the early days were spent
“I was really struggling for inspiration and trying to come up with a data and display system
focus with Transport Tycoon 2,” says Chris to make it possible to build simple rollercoasters
Sawyer of how the game first got started. “[A and have them functioning and looking good.”
sequel] seemed a good idea at the time but the As a result of this interest, the very earliest
planned improvements over Transport Tycoon avenue that Chris wanted to get right was the
Deluxe weren’t that great and the power and “look and feel of the rollercoasters” in a way
memory of PCs at the time weren’t enough that felt believable. “Not necessarily completely
to allow a more ambitious approach with realistic,” he explains, “but enough to get them
the sequel.” Chris doesn’t really need much looking good aesthetically and giving the right
introduction when it comes to the genre: it was impression of speed and accelerations and
his games that gave birth to the genre term so on.” Chris adds that it wasn’t just about
‘tycoon game’, after all. “At the same time I was the thrills and spills of the big coasters that
developing quite an interest in rollercoasters, a we all recognised, the corkscrew or wooden
fascination with their design and engineering, rollercoaster for example, but also those that
and I’d also played games like Theme Park which perhaps weren’t designed with the extremes in
included crude representations of rollercoasters.” mind. “[I wanted] to show the pros and cons of
For Chris, working on such a concept was a different types of rollercoaster track and trains,”
distraction from the primary game, and the fact he says, “this started with just a single tubular
that he could ‘research’ these rides first-hand steel-tracked rollercoaster and a single wooden
only helped with that – especially since Chris rollercoaster, but I felt it important – and fun
had his own fear of rollercoasters that he wanted for the player – to get to know the limitations of
to overcome. “Luckily the success of Transport each type, and that even the lowlier and more

56 | RETRO GAMER
THE HISTORY OF: ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON

» [PC] There’s a certain degree of

pride that comes from seeing your
park running smoothly.

CHRIS
SAWYER

JONNY
WATTS

» [PC] Some people liked building

the coasters, others just wanted to
plant gardens.

RETRO GAMER | 57
 TH E CT
FE
PER K MULTIPLE PATHS
YOUR
W TO TURN TO A
HO K IN
LE PAR TITAN
HUMB -CHURNING If your park starts

P AR PROFIT
BEHIND THE MASK
Entertainers are actually
to get busy, create
multiple routes around
the park. This splits
THE BASIC NEEDS pretty valuable. Get
them to work in rides
the crowd up and
stops the complaints.
Intersperse drinks,
with long queues or at
food and toilet stalls
the exit of the park so
throughout your park,
that guests leave on a
but don’t cram them all
high note.
together like a typical
food court. That won’t
THE PRICE IS RIGHT be as effective.
While the behind-the-
scenes algorithm is
pretty complex, price
your rollercoasters at
roughly 50p under the
Intensity Rating for
maximum profit.

KNOW YOUR RIDES

MICROMANAGEMENT KEEP GUARD
PLANTING HAPPINESS
Not all guests are
It’s not enough to just hire If you don’t want to keep born equal: some
It’s easy to overlook handymen, you need to replacing your benches, are quite happy with
decoration as a waste of time designate areas and tasks bins and lampposts, hiring carousels and bumper
and money, but the mood of yourself, otherwise you will security guards and setting cars, others look for
your guests is bolstered by a likely find them wandering them to patrol the area is a ways to hurl their lunch
pleasant scene. off aimlessly. worthwhile investment. onto the floor.

58 | R
RETRO
ETRO
ETRO GAME
G
GAMER
AMER
AMER
 THE HISTORY OF: ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON

“RollerCoaster Tycoon’s quantity and depth

of different types of rollercoaster is
unequalled in other games” chris sawyer
restricted types of rollercoaster can be fun
in their own way.” This led to RCT having a
range of coasters available and didn’t just rely
on providing the player with bigger, faster, or
more inversions to the rides. “RollerCoaster
Tycoon’s quantity and depth of different types of
rollercoaster is unequalled in other games,” adds
Chris, “and each type has its own pros and cons
which need to be learnt and exploited.”
At this point games like Theme Park and Sid
Meier’s Railroad Tycoon had already set certain » [PC] The process of building is a complicated one to truly understand, but fans
precedents for what should be done with a of the game will no doubt find it instinctive by now.
business management game, and Chris admits
he was in some way influenced by these in his them due to too many problems – maybe that
own games. “I was never personally into the inspired me too!”
business side of these games as much as other This ended up being just one of the ways that
» [PC] The heritage of Transport players,” Chris explains, “but I really enjoyed RollerCoaster Tycoon would become such an
Tycoon – with its menu style – lives
on in RCT, though even at the time
the construction and tinkering, and watching the iconic PC game, but it was a blend of so many
it was criticised for its UI. little world running and seeing what was going elements: the music, the graphical style, the
on. So in some ways I wanted to sounds of laughter that permeate each level. To
create a simpler game than the out- fans of the game reading this, the screenshots
and-out business strategy games. I alone are likely enough to recall the sounds
played Theme Park quite a bit, but it of the game. “I did a bit of audio recording
frustrated me that the rollercoasters myself on trips to Blackpool Pleasure Beach
were represented so crudely in the and Lightwater Valley,” says Chris, “but despite
game.” Chris recalls the fact that using decent digital equipment the results
isometric games like SimCity 2000, were a bit disappointing and only a couple of
Sid Meier’s strategy games and samples ended up being used.” He adds that a
even his own Transport Tycoon rollercoaster club friend of his had shared with
were all popular at the time, and him some movies on VHS tapes, too, which had
that was ultimately why he stayed “the occasional bits with the kind of sounds I
with an isometric viewpoint rather needed”. All of this was collated and sent through
than 3D, which was becoming far to Allister Brimble, who developed the audio
more prevalent. “I thought that for the game: “He managed to clean up the
something like Theme Park with a recordings and performed some magic to make
detailed isometric viewpoint like them ‘loop’ smoothly, so we ended up with quite
those games would look fantastic. I remember a few different genuine rollercoaster running
» [PC] The challenge in reading a ‘making of’ article in a games magazine sounds and lift chain sounds and so on, many of
rollercoaster design is building
something that is both creatively about Theme Park and the developers had which have now become iconic.”
interesting and isn’t so extreme actually tried isometric graphics but dismissed Eventually the novelty evolved into its own full
that no one wants to ride it.
release, but even though Chris was proud of the
work he had done, there was still a belief that it was
only going to have limited interest. “I personally felt
I’d achieved something worthwhile with the game,
and I knew from the few testers who got to see
the game early on that they were really enjoying
playing it. However the wider feeling was that it
was always going to be a niche product, much
more so than Transport Tycoon, and might not
take off sales-wise at all. In fact, I don’t think sales
did take off initially – it was quite a gradual climb in
sales before the game hit the big time.”
But the game did hit the big time. Releasing in
March 1999 and published by Hasbro Interactive,
its slow start did ultimately go on to become the
best-selling PC game of the year. This success
rolled on for the next two years, eventually
being beaten by only one other PC game: The
Sims. And much like Maxis’ life simulator,
RollerCoaster Tycoon’s success was tied to its
broad appeal. “What became apparent quite
early on is that the game was appealing to such

RETRO GAMER | 59
 BRANCHING OUT
TAKE YOUR PARK MANAGEMENT SKILLS ELSEWHERE
a wide demographic – girls as well as boys,
women as well as men, and people of all ages.
And people were playing the game in different
ways: some were just enjoying designing the

ZOO TYCOON
flowerbeds and footpaths and making sure their
guests were enjoying their stroll around the park,
This pair of zoo management titles while at the opposite end some were pushing the
published for PC by Microsoft still limits of rollercoaster construction and creating
remain great additions to the ‘tycoon’ the most technically amazing rides.”
genre of business simulation games,
though with no digital version you’ll he release of the original was quickly
need to track down a physical copy. followed up with two expansion packs,
There’s a lot of depth within the habitat Added Attractions in 2000 and Loopy
design and animal happiness, adding Landscapes in 2001, each adding new rides
to the need to keep guests happy, too. and decorations to the base game. All the
while a sequel was in the works, a fairly obvious

JURASSIC WORLD EVOLUTION

choice considering the game’s popularity. “I think
the decision was made quite quickly, as soon as
Frontier Games leveraged its we knew how much people were enjoying the
knowledge with the genre to develop original game and the add-on packs we released
this movie tie-in that actually wasn’t in the months that followed,” recalls Chris. “There
all that bad. There have been were plenty of things from my wish list that didn’t
attempts to replicate the film series make it into the original game, and areas of the
as business management games in game I really wanted to completely overhaul given
the past, but none had found that enough time to do the work. I was also still really
balance quite as well as Frontier had enjoying working on and improving the game, so
with this one. all in all it made sense to carry on with it.” Unlike
Transport Tycoon, where Chris couldn’t think of

TRANSPORT TYCOON
ways to improve upon the game without new
advances in computing technology, with an RCT
Chris Sawyer’s first game still remains sequel he was driven to fixing a number of things
as compelling and satisfying to he had felt were lacking. “There were quite a few
play as RollerCoaster Tycoon. It’s things I wanted to improve in the game engine
a little more open-ended than the itself, for instance freeing up the restriction on
scenario-based gameplay of RCT, but scenery items having to be ground-based, plus a
the intricate systems that power the long list of smaller improvements I really wanted
transport industry simulation are just to make now I had time to do it. But mostly I
as enthralling now as they ever were. wanted to make the game bigger and better and
There’s even an open source version allow players to be more creative: so more types
called OpenTTD that adds even more of rollercoaster and scenery, and more creative
to the concept. options for constructing scenery and personalising
rides.” That was a defining attitude to the sequel’s

THE MOVIES
development, too, with Chris stating that he was
“keen not to mess with the game too much” since
Building a film studio up from » [PC] The sequel its popularity told him that he had already struck
didn’t change much
the birth of the silver screen right about the core design the right balance for the title.
through to modern day filmmaking, of RCT, but instead Releasing in October 2002, RollerCoaster
refined and finessed
The Movies was at once a great everything.
Tycoon 2 released to even more success,
satire of the film industry and a
thoroughly fun and humorous
business management game. It was
criminally overlooked at the time,
but replicates what it was about
Bullfrog’s Theme Park and Theme
Hospital that made them so fun.

PARKITECT
While Planet Coaster is by far and
away the ‘modern’ theme park
management game to play, if you’re
looking for something that has the
design sensibilities of RCT with a
contemporary approach to design and
gameplay, then Parkitect is the way to
go. It doesn’t just copy the concept,
though: it expands and improves on it
in many ways.

60 | RETRO GAMER
 THE HISTORY OF: ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON

ILD
BU ETTER
A B TER
S
» [PC] One of the reasons many enjoyed RCT2 so much more was the wider

A
range and creative freedom of the scenery objects.
ST
THE BE
reaching 7 million copies sold despite critics
feeling more should’ve been done to bring the
concept into the third dimension. But for Chris,
with all the improvements he’d brought into the
CO ICH R
WH O USE IN
T
RE
IDES YOUR PARK
A ?

CORKSCREW
sequel, he’d done all he wanted to do with the
franchise. And now that PC tech had evolved,
he felt he had the computing clout to return The basic looping coaster is the go-to ride of choice,
to Transport Tycoon: he went on to develop but the corkscrew type adds a special spiralling track
Locomotion rather than pursuing RCT any further, piece that adds to the variety and capabilities of your
but of course that wasn’t to be the end of the designs. The option to create launched starts, rather
series. The first step was to produce a pair of than the typical lift chain, means quick yet exciting
expansion packs just as had happened with the rides for high turnover.
original, but rather than handle it himself, he

WOODEN
reached out to a developer he’d already worked
with before. “It goes really far back,” says Jonny
Watts, COO of Frontier Developments, of how the Of all the options available, the classic wooden
studio knew Chris. “He had worked with David coaster is one of the simpler rides. Its construction
[Braben] porting a lot of his games over to PC, is rigid in its form and functions, ultimately meaning
he even did Frontier: Elite 2 in 1993, and so we that so long as you don’t whip guests around the track
always had this connection even when he went at continual breakneck speeds, you should still have
off to do the awesome RollerCoaster Tycoon.” something that is fun for everyone.
Prior to making his name as a development

VERTICAL DROP
tycoon, Chris had been porting games over to
PC, and his keen understanding of assembly
code had meant that he was able to work with Most fans of rollercoasters will have been on Alton
computationally complex games, such as Elite’s Towers’ Oblivion, which is pretty much the inspiration
early 3D graphics. “And so we were always in for this coaster type. You won’t need to do much to
contact,” adds Jonny, “and what happened was, make a thrilling ride out of this because the unique
Chris was trying to work on Transport Tycoon timed drop track piece adds to the excitement, making
and he offered for us to work on the expansion this one of the easiest designs you’ll build.
packs for RollerCoaster Tycoon 2.” For Jonny

WOODEN WILD MINE

this was a dream, and not only because of his
appreciation of the RCT games. “I grew up in
Liverpool and I would go to Blackpool at every Because of the sharp, compact turns and drops that
opportunity to ride all those coasters and see are possible with the ‘wild’ coasters, it’s a little too
all the theme park,” he says. “I was a big fan easy to end up with a ride that is just too intense for
of RollerCoaster Tycoon, and I think that really every guest. Find the right balance, however, and that
helped too, because when he came down to talk compactness can really work in your favour when
to us I hope my enthusiasm and knowledge of fitting a new coaster into a cramped park.
the game came across.”
Alongside working on a port to the Xbox,
Jonny and the team at Frontier were put to work STEEL TWISTED
conceiving and creating two expansions for The various banking and twisting track pieces of this
the game, and they were eager to make sure coaster provides the most interesting possibilities, and
the heritage of the already beloved series was for that reason it can be intriguing to try and design
handled tactfully. “His direction was very high one of these for your park. It’ll take some time and
level,” says Jonny of the input Chris gave then. skill to find the right balance, though, so it’s probably
“What he wanted to do was to make sure that we better to wait until you’ve a steady income.
really gave a lot of energy to it and a lot of quality

HYPERCOASTER
to it. For a game – even though it’s only a pixel-
based game – it’s really complicated and very
sophisticated, and the way you have to construct Designed primarily for their intense heights and
the art to make those coasters and the scenery… dramatic speeds, the hypercoaster in RCT is based
you have to be really quite technical, too.” Rather – at least its appearance – on Blackpool Pleasure
than work too much on developing the concept Beach’s Big One, which actually features in the game,
further, Frontier instead emphasised the ability too. These rides take up a lot of space, but the speeds
to build elaborate scenes, a feature that had they’re capable of make them an appealing addition to
considerably more importance in the sequel. the levels where that isn’t a problem.

RETRO GAMER | 61
 “I’m really interested in the theming of theme despite the fact that the original RollerCoaster
parks, too, and not just the rollercoasters,” Jonny Tycoon games had been criticised for the very
explains. “So what I really liked about doing same thing. “It wasn’t a question of adding to the
Wacky Worlds and Time Twister was that we game, I wouldn’t even say reimagining, it was just
could really make all these different worlds and making it work in a 3D world,” says Jonny. “We
different lands. We used really advanced 3D were so conscious that we wanted to maintain
techniques and rendered them out as pixels, and Chris’ vision. My job, my passion, was always to
» [PC] Though it’s completely 3D, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 still uses the exact
so that was quite good – I think Chris really liked make sure that he liked what we delivered, and same construction method as its predecessors.
the way we lit it all.” I think it went pretty smooth because we were
After the release of the two expansion packs obsessive about hitting this quality and being waning sales on PC gaming in general and a
– and Locomotion – Chris decided to step away true to the originals, so our feedback was always licence holder unwilling and unable to work on
from the industry. With game development positive. I think our research and efforts really a sequel meant the hugely popular rollercoaster
growing beyond the scope of a one-man team paid off: when he came to visit, he was just so designing game quietly slipped into ‘retro’ status,
and his preference of genre taking a backseat to complimentary. I think he was quite excited to see with fans silently hungering for more.
the more action-based 3D games, the Tycoon the rollercoasters from different angles.”
developer decided he didn’t want to be involved The core simulation running underneath RCT3 hat could’ve been the end of the story,
with the industry anymore. More than that, was actually similar to its predecessors, the team at too, but as indie games and nostalgia-
he’d done everything he felt he wanted to with Frontier sticking to its experience with 3D graphics fuelled Kickstarter games gave life to
transport and amusement parks, and didn’t and leveraging the core gameplay that had come once-forgotten genres, the tycoon genre
want to create sequels purely for the sake of it. before. It was a smart decision to do so; the became viable again. Mobile gaming, too,
At this point he sought a company to handle the game was well received and went on to become began to dominate the headlines and gamers’
RollerCoaster Tycoon licence, to allow his much- the biggest seller of the franchise. Though Chris thumbs, a perfect storm that gave the revitalised
adored creation to live beyond his own input. had worked as a consultant on the project, it was Atari cause to set about leveraging its valuable
It was Atari that ended up with the publishing mostly to see his vision properly transition into the franchise. In 2014 it released its first mobile entry,
rights, and so a third game was put into the third dimension, and after his involvement came boldly naming it RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile.
works, and this time it was going to be 3D. “What to an end he stepped out of the limelight entirely. It was a direct sequel, but it sure didn’t feel like
was really great about the third game was that “I didn’t have much enthusiasm for continuing in it; Atari instead took the brand and crammed it
I think we had really earned his trust,” says the games industry at that time,” explains Chris, into a Farmville-style social app, lacking any sort
Jonny of Frontier being giving the opportunity to “the style of games was moving away from what of simulation. A mobile port of RollerCoaster
develop a totally new sequel. “So we did those really interested me, and a long-running dispute Tycoon 3 was then released in 2015, which
expansion packs, we did what he wanted us to with the publisher was making it very difficult to naturally helped allay some of the bad blood of
do, we adhered to the creative oversight of it, we focus on anything game-related, or indeed to feel the previous release. And in 2016 Chris Sawyer
were very sympathetic to what rollercoasters can any kind of positivity towards the games industry.” even returned to work with Atari in helping
do, and I think because of that he said we were Yet while Chris alludes to the growing disinterest in Origin8 Technologies to bring a remastering of
a safe pair of hands. We spent those thousands simulation games after the Tycoon bubble began the original two games over to mobile. Sadly
of hours learning everything there is about to burst, there was still life in the genre yet, with the goodwill that these two ports of classic
RollerCoaster Tycoon and so from a development RCT3 eventually going on to sell 10 million copies games had built up was lost entirely in 2016 with
point of view he was pleased that his vision across its expansions and repackagings. As for the release of RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch and
would be maintained.” that ‘dispute’, well Atari’s iron-fisted control over RollerCoaster Tycoon World. The former was a 3D
The move to 3D was a natural progression for the franchise didn’t just turn Chris Sawyer away recreation of the previous free-to-play title, and
the franchise, which brought with it a number of from the industry, but it meant there was a bitter though it was a little better-handled, it was still a
crucial additions and changes. Some were no- taste left with the franchise. Unpaid royalties, shadow of the game that the name implied. The
brainers such as the addition of the ability to ride disputes over who could work on the series and biggest disappointment was World, however, a
your own coasters in first-person view, but others lawsuits meant that only a very poor 3DS port was PC-only release that was touted as a reimagining
were a little more controversial. The change in UI, developed since the 2004 release of RollerCoaster of the classic simulations that gamers had loved
for example, was not fondly received at the time, Tycoon 3. Decreased interest in tycoon games, all those years ago. But it was abhorrent, a game

OUT OF LINE HOW TO TORTURE YOUR GUESTS

DUNKING NO WAY OUT ENTERTAINMENT CAGE BUSTING

Tired of a guest constantly Guests can be pretty While your tireless costumed You have to be especially crafty
complaining about your prices, indiscriminate about chucking their entertainers do a pretty good job for this one. Place numerous drink
or did someone just puke outside trash on the ground, but they’re of keeping the mood light, being vendors that offer free beverages,
the toilets? Pick them up and drop obedient when it comes to this trapped inside a cage with one of but only one toilet. At the opposite
‘em in the water. It won’t stop the unerring No Entry sign. Use that to these persistently dancing chaps side of the park. On top of a hill.
complaints, but it’s cathartic. create no hope of an exit. must be hell. With a £10 charge.

62 | RETRO GAMER
“We were so conscious that we THE HISTORY OF: ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON
wanted to maintain Chris’ vision.
My job, my passion, was always » [PC] Frontier’s Planet Coaster might not be
a RollerCoaster Tycoon sequel, but it has the
to make sure that he liked what heritage of the franchise deep within it.

we delivered” jonny watts

that Eurogamer described as “Dismaland without
the irony, a machine designed to fleece your
pockets and offer the bare minimum in return.”
While 2018’s RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures
managed a passing grade, even this reused
assets from 2016’s free-to-play game in a very
basic simulation title: simply put, nowadays the
RollerCoaster Tycoon name just cannot provide
the same beaming grin in its players that an
overjoyed guest of the original game might sport.
If this melancholic close has got you
despairing, there is a silver lining. “Going self-
published meant that we could go back to our
principals,” says Jonny of Frontier’s 2016 release,
Planet Coaster. “I can’t deny that the heritage
of RollerCoaster Tycoon is there.” In fact, at the
earliest point in its development, Planet Coaster
» [iOS] Both the
was called Coaster Park Tycoon, which goes original games are
some way to revealing just how much Frontier’s available for mobile
history with RCT has been embedded in the devices, and it’s a » [iOS] There was a bit more of a
huge achievement game beneath RollerCoaster Tycoon
game. “We always talked about really wanting to get them running Touch, but it still didn’t have the
to make this game, but it only took us going so effectively on a same interest or creativity that the
touchscreen. franchise was known for.
self-published to get that faith that there are
players out there that like it.” And while Planet
Coaster is still very much its own thing, it’s clear
there’s an understanding about what made
RollerCoaster Tycoon – and with it the subgenre
of management games it helped spawn – so well
loved in the first place. “Just about everybody
goes to a theme park,” says Jonny of why
amusement parks have been such a staple in
the simulation genre. “They’re wonderful plots
of escapism, but they’re also this fantasy world
where there’s so much creativity. If you’re doing
a theme park game where you can place down
all these objects, the only limiting thing is your
imagination.” This was true with the original
games, of course, which were designed from the
start as rollercoaster construction tools. “And
also I think that Chris did an awesome job with
the original RollerCoaster Tycoon,” adds Jonny,
“he showed us it could be done.”

PUKE PATHS COMPANY COLOURS NO END IN SIGHT CATAPULT

Build a rollercoaster whose entire Guests can’t turn down a great There’s no logic that goes into Arguably the most iconic aspect
purpose is to shake your guests offer – especially when something solving the hedge maze, just a of RollerCoaster Tycoon – to Chris
up a bit, then make its exit just a is free – so if you hand out branded directional decision at each turn. Sawyer’s surprise, too – is the
short plateau. Those guests will hats, balloons and T-shirts you’ll Use that to your advantage, and willingness of its players to launch
spend eternity traipsing through one be able to turn the entire park into have guests endlessly wander the an untested attraction and send its
another’s vomit. your own marketing army. world’s worst maze. riders to their death.

RETRO GAMER | 63
Rocket Ranger
E
» Platform: AmigA » released: 1988 » develoPer: CinemAwAre

arly in Cinemaware’s game, players are given an urgent mission

to rescue the kidnapped Dr Barnstorf and his daughter Jane
from a Zeppelin making its escape over the Atlantic. The Nazis
want to use his knowledge to produce Lunarium bombs which will
lower the IQ of all adult males in the vicinity of detonation by about 30 points.
As making Americans stupider is a big no-no, you need to don your rocket pack
and helmet and get up there sharpish, soldier.
After a short intermission, as you reach for your blue cardboard secret
decoder wheel to figure out how much fuel you need to get past the game’s
copyright protection, normal flight is resumed. And while the skies around the
giant airship thunder with exploding German AA fire, our hero must use his
radium pistol to take out several of the pesky shells and get close enough to
blast the flak gunners from the back of the Zeppelin’s gondola. But aim carefully,
because if you hit the hydrogen-filed airframe you’ll see an almighty explosion
and two tiny parachute canopies drifting down to a waiting U-boat below,
leaving the Nazis to have a party… a very big party.

BIO
Playing like an interactive
homage to classic Fifties sci-fi
cinema serials and comics,
Rocket Ranger remains one of
Cinemaware’s most memorably
atmospheric releases. Set in
an alternative World War II, its
entertainingly bonkers plot saw
gamers battling global fascism
with the help of a futuristic
rocket pack and laser pistol
sent from the future. It mixed
arcade-style minigames with
a real-time strategy section,
with failure leading to the
catastrophic instalment of a
Nazi regime in the White House,
something which would likely
never happen in real life.
MORe classIc
ROcket RangeR MOMents
Up and away
Even getting off the ground
can be a struggle, requiring
perfectly timed button-
bashing with your character’s
footsteps until you’re able to
blast off. Our tip is to go easy on the fuel load, otherwise
you’ll likely spend another two months practicing taking off
and, as the game likes to keep telling you, the Nazis will
probably go throw another party.

Punching nazis
As you discover and infiltrate
secret rocket labs across
the globe, you’ll likely come
across this fella, who seems
to be the only guard on station
at any particular time, and hasn’t even been given a gun.
German austerity measures, perhaps? What follows is one of
the most fun minigames in Rocket Ranger, as you attempt to
smack him about Punch-Out!! style.

Rumble In the Jungle

The game never explains
to you why the Nazis like
to construct their Lunarium
holding facilities inside ancient
temples in South America,
forcing you to continually raid them so you can keep your
rocket pack topped up with fuel. Unfortunately they’re
brimming with machine guns, so it’s best to let your agent
tackle them, after which he’ll send you fuel each month.

ticket to the Moon

It doesn’t exactly take rocket
science to work out that
the source of the Lunarium
scourge has to be the Moon,
and you’ll be able to construct
a shiny red spaceship to get yourself there. On arrival you’ll
find that the Nazis have kidnapped wholesome American
women to work in the Lunarium mines, and only you, Rocket
Ranger, can save them. Good luck!
SO YOU
WANT TO
COLLECT…

NEOGEO
FIGHTERS
Crazy prices, graphical excess and enormous cartridges are some of the things that come to mind
when we think about SNK’s premium console, but fighting games are easily the most prominent. We
look at the games you should add to your collection – and the ones you might only be able to dream of
Words by Nick Thorpe
EXPEC T TO PAY
£830+

GAROU: MARK
HUNGER FOR IT MARKS OF DISTINCTION
(AES ,JP)
What sets Garou apart from the rest of the pack
Just Defend TOP
This advanced guarding Short for Tactical Offensive

OF THE WOLVES
technique is activated when Position, this occupies a chosen
you pull back on the joystick area of your life gauge. Once
at just the right time. Pull it your life total reaches this area,
off successfully to reduce your it grants you greater damage,
recovery time and regain a faster filling of the super gauge,
small amount of health. Time it health regeneration and an
DEVELOPER: SNK incorrectly
tly
ly and
an eat fist. extra move.
RELEASE: 1999 E X P EC T T O P
AY
£3,0 0 0+
Q Though it’s now 20 years old, this Fatal Fury series reboot is still one of (AES ,US)
the most gorgeous fighting games that we’ve ever had the pleasure to see.
It’s easy to expect the detailed, attractive sprites that were SNK’s hallmark during the Nineties, but the
smoothness of the animation was rare for a 2D fighter of that era – or indeed any other. r. But it’s also an
impressively advanced fighting game, with mechanics like the Just Defend and TOP gauge auge that make it feel
thoroughly modern today. As a result Garou: Mark Of The Wolves is arguably the very best fighting game to
grace the Neo-Geo hardware, though there’s enough strong competition on the system m that there will always
be someone out there willing to dispute that claim and champion their own favourite brawler. rawler.
ut is this game worth
But
EXPEC T TO PAY
£150+
the high prices that the
home cartridge versions
(MVS US/JP)
command? We’d think Refreshed castt Animation excess
A
twice, and maybe three or In a bold move, SNK chucked While it looks like any other
four more times. But if out almost the whole Fatal late Nineties 2D fighting game
you’ve got that kind of Fury cast for this game, leaving in still shots, Garou: Mark Of
only Terry Bogard. It worked, The Wolves is a graphical
disposable income, you
though. The likes of Rock marvel – it’s worth pointing
should pick it up over some Howard, Tizoc, Gato and Bonne out once more that the game’s
of the more expensive Jenet have since become firm fluid animation is astonishing to
» [Neo-Geo] Rock Howard takes moves from both » [Neo-Geo] Freeman is a weird one, a serial killer options on this list. If you’re favourites with fans. behold in motion.
dad Geese and adoptive dad Terry. who is more than happy to stab his opponents. an MVS owner, just go for it.

66 | RETRO GAMER
 SO YOU WANT TO COLLECT… NEO-GEO FIGHTERS
EXPEC T TO PAY
£(AE25+
S ,JP)
A CHEAP SLICE OF THE ACTION NICE DAY FOR A FIGHT WEDDING

SAMURAI SHODOWN
E X P EC T T O P

MATRIMELEE
AY
£1,0 0 0+
(A ES ,JP)

DEVELOPER: SNK DEVELOPER: NOISE FACTORY

RELEASE: 1993 RELEASE: 2003

Q While the Neo-Geo’s reputation as an is deliciously Q Many of the later Neo-Geo games
expensive system to collect for is well tense. The game were sequels in ongoing franchises,
deserved, the cheap end of the software was censored and Matrimelee is one of them,
library is pretty affordable and offers games for American being part of Atlus’ Power Instinct
that are worth your time. Samurai Shodown audiences, but this series. But it manages to stand
is one of these – the arcade game was shouldn’t affect XP
EX PEC T TO PAY
PE out from yearly King Of Fighters
enormously popular and the home cartridge which version £25+
(MVS US/JP)
updates as it’s pretty bonkers – after
sold well, so there are plenty of copies to go you buy – all all, the goal here is to win a fighting XPEC T TO PAY
EX
EXP
around no matter what version you play. The
weapons-based fighter offers high damage
egion-free, and the edits
Neo-Geo carts are region-free,
are based on your console’s
onsole’s region rather
edit tournament in order to marry a
princess (or the king’s older son, if (AES ,USA)
£1,10 0+
and low combo counts, which is still a prices
than the cartridge’s region. At these prices, you’re playing as one of the women).
relatively unique approach to the genre, and you should definitely add the game to your There are some pretty eccentric characters
cters in
ters n the game,
gaame,
me and
e an
a nd
d
one which ensures that every encounter games collection. the graphics and music are as great as you’d expect for such
a late release on the system. But while Matrimelee e is good
and you would definitely have some fun un with it, it’s not held
parably priced Garou:
in nearly the same esteem as the comparably
Mark Of The Wolves, or indeed some of E X P EC T T O P
AY
£175+
gate
the cheaper options on this list. Investigate
those first, then return to this later.
(MVS)

XP
EX PEC T TO PAY
PE
» [Neo-Geo] A deadly clash of swords – who £7 5+ » [Neo-Geo] Despite its decidedly Japanese style,
(AES ,US)
will make it out with their weapon still in hand? Samurai Shodown includes foreign fighters like Charlotte.

» [Neo-Geo] Ah yes, the large comedy » [Neo-Geo] Why does Buntaro’s in-game
BREAK OUT THE WALLET E X P EC T T O P hammer – a staple of cartoon combat. sprite look younger than his art?
AY

BREAKERS
£2,40 0+ BIZARRE BRAWLERS
(AES ,J P)
Some of the oddballs competing for their dream wedding
CLARA HANANOKOJI POOCHY
DEVELOPER: VISCO
She’s a magical girl just like the type you might This canine superhero is actually the
RELEASE: 1996
have seen in Sailor Moon, but rather than spirit of former Power Instinct combatant
fighting for justice, Clara is on the hunt for a Kinta Kokuin’s dead dog. He stole the
Q Although many of the Neo-Geo’s fighting But while rich man to marry. She can smash enemies entry form from Kinta, and actually fights
games were developed by SNK itself, there Breakers is a over the head with a hugeuge squeaky by throwing
throw bones and digging in the
were some very good third-party efforts decent fighting hammer, or turn them intonto an ground. BBut hey, why fight likee a ma
mann
and VISCC’s Breakers is one of them. While game, it’s also one animal and beat them up while when you
y can fight like a dog??
the characters aren’t particularly memorable that demonstrates they’re
eyy re
re defenceless.
d
compared to its rivals, it’s a solid B grade why most people
game – and if you’re a fan of Capcom’s should aim to
output of fighting games you’ll be in your collect for the MVS over the AES. The homehom
element, as the game is often compared to version was exclusive e to Japan and quite
Street Fighter Alpha 2. It’s good to pick up if e price of a reasonable
rare, so it goes for the
you’ve already had your fill of the system’s used car, whereas the e common arcade cart is
high-profile games. more comparable to a remote control toy ca car.
XPEC T TO PAY
EXP
EX
40+
£4(MVS US/JP)

BUNTARO KUNO O
Although he participates ini the
h Matrimelee
M i tournament, this delinquent isn’t particularly
interested in winning the hand of the princess. Instead, he wanted to meet frequent Power
» [Neo-Geo] It’s always satisfying to end the » [Neo-Geo] Charging straight into a Instinct competitor Reiji Oyama, an obsessive karate practitioner who he sees as a role model.
round with a super move – it’s a lovely flourish. fireball isn’t going to go well for Tia.

RETRO GAMER | 67
 COLLECTING TIPS
Beat the boots Condition matters Art market Forage forums
Q Due to the high value and frequent bootlegging of Q If you’re willing to put up with poor condition, you can Q AES prices are based on complete used copies, but MVS Q Don’t just look on eBay for Neo-Geo games. The
Neo-Geo games, consider requesting a photograph of get games relatively cheaply – we saw Breakers go for prices here are for loose carts. Expect to pay considerably neo-geo.com forum has an active marketplace section,
the cartridge’s PCBs to prove authenticity before buying. £800 less than usual because of a small cover tear. more if original boxes and art inserts are included. and UKVAC is good if you’re looking for MVS games.

E X P EC T T O P EXPEC T TO PAY

£30,0 0 0+
AY £130+
WHO NEEDS FOOD ANYWAY? THE SLUGFEST (AES ,JP)

KIZUNA THE KING OF

(AES EURO
)

ENCOUNTER: FIGHTERS 98
SUPER TAG DEVELOPER: SNK

BATTLE XP
EX
£
PEC T TO PAY
120P)+
(MVS US/J
RELEASE:

Q There are ten Neo-Geo entries in SNK’s flagship crossover combat

XP
EX
1998

PEC T TO PAY
DEVELOPER:
RELEASE:
SNK
1996
series, and while many players have their own personal favourites, the
£4 50+
1998 version is considered to be one of the very best. As a ‘Dream (AES US)

PEC T TO PAY Match’ entry, the game brings together most of the characters from
EXP
EX
£2,20 0+
Q Those of you with knowledge of the previous four games, including those who are officially dead or otherwiserwise inactive. Without
the Neo-Geo scene will have been the need to introduce new roster members, the team was able to focus on balancing and
(AES JP)
expecting to see this. For those refining the existing cast, allowing for some exquisite three-on-three team m fights. The game is
of you that are new to the format, this is one of the most EXP E C T T O PAY usually tty
pretty easy to find (althoug
(although
expensive videogames on the planet – and really, it doesn’t £30 + as with most
ost games, the US home
(MVS US/JP)
warrant the price. That’s not because thishis sequel to Savage ferent story), but the
cart is a different
Reign is bad, mind. The game is as technically
hnically sound as price is a little
tle higher than for other
you’d hope and the tag team gameplay y does give it some common games due d to t d
demand. d
novelty value, but it has a relatively slim
m roster and some of It’s still well within reasonable
the character designs are underwhelming. territory for the Neo-Geo though, so
It’s the fabled European release that fetches the big pick it up when you get the chance.
money – with just a handful of copies known to exist, it’s » [Neo-Geo] Chizuru stands ready as Iori charges in wildly. Who will prevail?
about the same price as a deposit on a flat. But even the EXPEC T TO PAY
MVS and Japanese AES versions ART IS PAIN £(AE25+

ART OF FIGHTING 2
are relatively expensive, so unless S ,JP)

you’re desperate for tag team fights,

you can get better games for your
cash before considering this one. DEVELOPER: TOAPLAN
RELEASE: 1990
DO I KNOW YOU?
Other places you might have seen the Kizuna Encounter cast Q The Art Of Fighting games feel a little beloved series in
stiffer than some of the other games on the the SNK catalogue
THE KING OF FIGHTERS
platform, and the way special moves are thanks to its strong
Despite this crossover series being the best place to reuse XPPEC T TO PAY
PE
limited feels a little bit bizarre today. However, characters – the EX
the better cast members, they’ve shown up infrequently.
King Lion and Kim Sue Il cameo as extra strikers in The King there’s no denying that it’s one of the more Sakazaki family, £1 20+
(AES US)
Of Fighters 2000, while Sho Hayate gets an appearance as a Robert Garcia,
XP
EX PEC T TO PAY
mid-boss and playable character in The King Of Fighters XI.
£20+
(MVS US/JP)
King, Eiji Kisaragi and Mr Big all made their
way to the King Of Fighters
ighters series and many
NEO-GEO BATTLE COLISEUM
King Lion actually gets to be a full fighter in this appearance, of them became mainstays.
nstays. What’s more,
though as a CPU-controlled boss he’s encountered as Shin it’s got the iconic Neo-Geo
o-Geo presentation, with
wit
Shishioh – or King Leo, the true boss. If you play as him, he’s enormous sprites, scaling speech
aling effects and speec
regular old King Lion. To unlock him, you’ve got to beat him
effects that confirm that you’re playing on
in Survivor Play mode – a tricky task indeed.
arcade-level hardware. e. Art Of Fighting 2 is
SNK VS CAPCOM:
CARD FIGHTERS CLASH ames to pick up whether
one of the cheaper games wheth
Sho Hayate, Rosa, Kim Sue Il and King Lion all appear in you’re playing on AES S or MVS
MVS, so it’
it’s goodd to
this crossover card battler, as does Carol from the precursor get when you’re starting out – just be warned
Savage Reign. Unfortunately, all of their cards are basically junk that the difficulty of the computer opponents
commons that you’ll move away from as soon as you’ve got
» [Neo-Geo] Those enormous character sprites are still a pretty is pretty high, so you’ll probably want a friend
something better to put in your deck.
impressive sight 25 years later. around to get the most out of the game.

MORE AES GAMES TO CONSIDER

SNK VS CAPCOM: AGGRESSORS OF RAGNAGARD THE KING OF WORLD HEROES

SVC CHAOS DARK KOMBAT FIGHTERS 2003 PERFECT
DEVELOPER: SNK PLAYMORE DEVELOPER: ADK DEVELOPER: SYSTEM VISION DEVELOPER: SNK PLAYMORE DEVELOPER: ADK
RELEASED: 2003 RELEASED: 1994 RELEASED: 1996 RELEASED: 2003 RELEASED: 1995
EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY:
£430+ (AES JP) £500+ (AES US) £200+ (AES JP) £275+ (AES US) £650+ (AES JP) £825+ (AES JP) £1,500+ (AES US) £300+ (AES JP) £1,650+ (AES EU)

68 | RETRO GAMER
 SO YOU WANT TO COLLECT… NEO-GEO FIGHTERS

EXPEC T TO PAY

SPECIAL VINTAGE EXPEC T TO PAY DOUBLE OR NOTHING? £250+

FATAL FURY DOUBLE

(AES JP)
£(AE35+
S JP)

SPECIAL
DEVELOPER:
XP
EX PEC T TO PAY
PE
£1 10+
(AES US)

SNK
DRAGON
DEVELOPER: TECHNOS
RELEASE: 1993 RELEASE: 1995
PE
EXP EC T TO PAY
Q While the Fatal Fury games provided a great base for SNK to get Q While this wasn’t the first Double
£2(AE,7S 0 0+
into the fighting genre, it wasn’t until this refined update of Fatal Fury 2 XP
EX PEC T TO PAY Dragon game to abandon the US)

that the series truly began to stake a claim to the genre’s crown. Fatal £25+
(MVS US/JP)
scrolling beat-’em-up template to
Fury Special adds Duck King, Tung Fu Rue and Geese Howard, who focus on head-to-head fighting, unlike Double Dragon V this
hadn’t made the jump from the original game to the sequel, as well as a special guest in the form one was actually developed by Technos. s. It features Billy
of Art Of Fighting’s Ryo Sakazaki, and makes the boss characters playable. e. The game retains the and Jimmy as well as old favourites, new ew faces and even
series’ characteristic two-plane fighting mechanics, and incorporates combos mbos for the first time. characters from the awful live-action movie (thankfully drawn
While there’se’s no denying that later in anime form, so no worries about dreadful adful digitised sprites
sequels pushedshed the series even here). The game has some interesting systems, including
further, Fatalal Fury Speciall is certainly
certain context-sensitive punches and kicks, and nd a super bar that
one of the strongest of SNK’s early takes less effort to fill as you lose life, but it’s otherwise a
efforts, and d is
i still
till pretty
tt good d fun.
f pretty average effort distinguished only by b its
it heritage.
h it It’s
It’
It’s a really solid foundation for your enjoyable enough at MVS prices but if you’re an AES owner
collection on AES due to its low the game isn’t quite so appealing, especially as it creeps
price, but has more competition in over the four figure mark for US home EXPEC T TO PAY
» [Neo-Geo] The return of Duck King is almost worth the price of admission alone. its price bracket on MVS. cartridges, so you may choose to spend £3 0+
(MVS)
your money elsewhere.
STILL CUTTING EDGE

THE LAST BLADE 2

DEVELOPER: SNK
RELEASE: 1998

Q We’ve talked about the gorgeous 2D art in particularly the

some of the other games in this list, but The spectacular burning » [Neo-Geo] Billy has used his charge move, » [Neo-Geo] We don’t recall being able to
as you can see from that green glow. set Abobo ablaze in the earlier games…
Last Blade 2 deserves special mention on this house stage, and
front. The expressive character sprites and the presentation XP
EX PEC T TO PAY
PE
detailed backgrounds are still a sight to behold, between fights £2(AE 0) 0+
,0S US NEW LOOK?
How the Double Dragon cast was updated for the Nineties
maintains the
EXPEC T TO PAY
£1 0 0+ atmosphere beautifully.y. The music, inspired
more by western classical
sical music than Japanese
(MVS US/JP)

EXPEC T TO PAY sounds, plays its part too.

oo. The weapons-based
£425+ combat is arguably moreore accessible than that
(AES JP) of the Samurai Shodown wn n games, as you can
choose between two modes – Power gives hig high
damage output and fewer wer combo opportunities
opportunities, BILLY LEE ABOBO MARIAN
Billy’s worn out all of his Big ol’ Abobo has really Presumably sick of getting
while Speed does the opposite, allowing player
players
jackets, and turns to big packed on the muscle kidnapped all the time,
used to other fighting games tto carry over th their
i brother Jimmy for help. Since here, to the point that his Marian has taken some self-
skills. This game always commands a good price Jimmy doesn’t own blue head now looks terrifyingly defence classes and ditched
due to strong demand, aided by the fact that the clothes, he gets a distinctive small. The codpiece was the pink skirt for a pair of
» [Neo-Geo] SNK’s artists were capable of drawing home releases are pretty uncommon, but its red top out of the deal. somewhat ill-advised, too. denim hot pants.
fantastically atmospheric backgrounds, as shown here. quality justifies the extravagance.

KARNOV’S KABUKI WAKU RAGE OF NINJA

REVENGE KLASH WAKU 7 THE DRAGONS MASTER’S
DEVELOPER: DATA EAST DEVELOPER: RACDYM DEVELOPER: SUNSOFT DEVELOPER: NOISE FACTORY/EVOGA DEVELOPER: ADK
RELEASED: 1994 RELEASED: 1995 RELEASED: 1996 RELEASED: 2002 RELEASED: 1996
EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY: EXPECT TO PAY:
£80+ (AES JP) £150+ (AES US) £300+ (AES JP) £1,100+ (AES JP) £1,850+ (AES JP) £1,650+ (AES US) £1,700+ (AES JP) £3,500+ (AES US)

RETRO GAMER | 69
 Famicom Titler
 MANUFACTURER: Sharp  YEAR: 1989  COST: ¥43,000 (launch), £700+ (today, boxed), £400+ (today, unboxed)

S
harp manufactured a number of interesting Famicom variants under licence
from Nintendo, but this one is arguably the most desirable. The bulky device
is a video subtitling machine, which allows you to type using a keypad, draw
using a small touch-sensitive pad and even add narration via microphone. The
system had ports for input from camcorders and output to TV and VCR, and unusually
for the era, supported S-video as well as composite AV for both.
The desire to integrate a Famicom with such a setup is one we don’t understand,
but it does provide some benefit to gamers. Unlike every other consumer model
of the NES/Famicom, the Famicom Titler generates RGB video internally using
a special variant of the PPU chip, and the S-video output is unique too. This
means that it produces a better picture than most Famicom consoles right
out of the box – but it has also been popular with modders, as it can
be easily modded for true RGB output. While the development of the
NESRGB mod has made great picture quality much more accessible to
owners of other NES consoles, the Famicom Titler remains highly
sought-after as a quirky piece of Nintendo history.

Famicom Titler
fact
QAlthough the Famicom Titler is the only consumer Famicom
hardware to generate RGB video internally, the Famicom-based Vs
System and PlayChoice-10 arcade boards also had RGB-capable PPUs.

PROCESSORS: 8BIT 6502BASED RICOH 2AO3 CPU 1.79 MHZ

RAM: 2KB MAIN RAM EXPANDABLE VIA GAME CARTRIDGES,
2KB VIDEO RAM
GRAPHICS: 256X240 DISPLAY, UP TO 25 COLOURS ONSCREEN
FROM 54 PALETTE, 64 SPRITES ONSCREEN
AUDIO: FIVECHANNEL AUDIO PROCESSING UNIT TWO PULSE
WAVE CHANNELS, ONE TRIANGLE WAVE CHANNEL,
ONE NOISE GENERATOR, ONE DELTA
MODULATION CHANNEL
MEDIA: ROM CARTRIDGE
UP TO EIGHT MEGABITS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Akumajou
Densetsu
If you’re going to experience the best
video quality a Famicom has to offer,
why not enjoy top quality audio at the
same time? The Famicom supported
the integration of extra sound channels
via the cartridge port, but the NES
didn’t, meaning that certain Japanese
games had better audio than their
western counterparts. Akumajou
Densetsu, or Castlevania III: Dracula’s
Curse in its localised form, is one of
them. It happens to be one of the very
best platform games on the NES and
a standout within its own series, which
doesn’t hurt either.

SYSTEM
SUPPLIED BY
KUANG FROM
ASOBI.TECH
 Founded in Walt Bilofsky’s garage in 1980, The Soware Toolworks blazed
a trail across the computing world, pioneering game development and
publishing, while giving meaning to revolutionary hardware. Along the
way, it grew into a $462 million company, with 600 employees worldwide
Words by Hareth Al Bustani

alt Bilofsky was never one to tread Undeterred, Walt advertised in the Heath computer
familiar ground. At high school, he hobbyist newsletter, BUSS. “Cheques started arriving
caused a minor stir, when he hacked his in the mail and I was in the software business,”
maths teacher’s IBM 1620, swapping he tells us.” In June 1980, he advertised in Byte
out the “program loaded” message for a “snarky” magazine, under the name The Software Toolworks,
one. Studying at Cornell and MIT, he blossomed into and with that, a company was born. Its motto would
a brilliant programmer, working at the Institute For reflect Walt’s philosophy: “without software, it’s just
Defense Analyses in Princeton before becoming a a paperweight”. It was a bold statement of intent for a
consultant. At the advent of the microcomputer age, group of computer scientists writing programmes for
he purchased and soldered together one of the first the H-89 in Walt’s Sherman Oaks garage – converted
Heathkit H-89 8-bit computers and, facing a lack of into two rooms, featuring a disk duplicator, shelving
software, decided to develop and port his own – and a shipping area. “But by the end of the year, Jim
including a fullscreen editor and a compiler. “Wanting Gillogly had published Airport, an air traffic controller
to share the goodies, I called the Heath Company game, Dave Kittinger contributed MyChess, and we
and asked if they were interested in marketing the were in the games business.”
programs. Their visionary answer was, ‘The computer Jim also introduced Walt to a curious title called
comes with the BASIC language and an operating Adventure (also known as Colossal Cave Adventure).
system, and that’s all the software anyone needs.’” The world’s first adventure game, it was developed in
1975 by spelunker and programmer, William Crowther,
for his daughters. A text-based cave exploration
simulator, paired with elements of fantasy role-playing,
it was later discovered on a Stanford AI Lab computer
by researcher Don Woods, who tripled it in size after
getting stuck. “I’d loved the experience up until then,
and had ideas for ways to improve the game, not the
least of which was to fix whatever bug had allowed
me to get stuck,” recalls Don.
Don’s version sparked off a storm, spawning a
» With dedicated software stores in short supply, The bevy of mods and clones. “The revolutionary moment
Software Toolworks initially advertised in Heathkit
newsletters, magazines and mail-order catalogues.
was around 1982 when Jim was able to use my
Credit: Walt Bilofsky/Software Toolworks C/80 compiler to cram Adventure into a computer
with 48 kilobytes of RAM and a 90-kilobyte floppy
» [Amiga] Walt paid $75 to licence the AI psychiatrist ELIZA, first
drive,” recalls Walt. With Adventure in the public
created by Professor Joseph Weizenbaum, who he knew from MIT. domain, Walt decided to produce an ‘official’ version,

72 | RETRO GAMER
 FROM THE ARCHIVES: THE SOFTWARE TOOLWORKS

TIMELINE
1979 Q Walt Bilofsky purchases and solders together his first Heathkit
H-89 and begins developing and porting software, including a C
compiler and a fullscreen editor.

1980 Q Walt starts advertising his software to hobbyists in the

Heathkit newsletter, BUSS – later adopting the name, The
Software Toolworks. He converts his garage into an office,
bringing in Interactive and RAND scientists. Jim Gillogly
publishes Airport and Dave Kittinger develops MyChess.

1981 Q As momentum continues to build, Walt coins the iconic

catchphrase, “without software, it’s just a paperweight”. While he
develops the artificial intelligence psychiatrist adaptation ELIZA,
Robert Wesson makes the Pac-Man clone, Munchkin, and ports
Invaders to the H-89.

1982 Q Jim Gillogly ports Adventure to UNIX, and Bilofsky asks

Don Woods and William Crowther for permission to complete
and release an ‘official’ licensed version. He extends the
ending, which allows players to join the Wizards’ Guild, and
receive an official certificate.

1983 Q Walt’s cousin, Joe Abrams, joins the company, which moves
into an office opposite the Sherman Oaks Galleria.

1984 Q Over 40 products have been brought to market, including a

» [PC] After acquiring Mindscape, Software Toolworks successfully secured a rare Nintendo licence, developing education products set in the Mario universe. line of novelty chocolate disks, called Chocolate Bytes.

1985 Q Les Crane’s Software Country licenses Adventure and ELIZA,

expanding it, with the approval of both Don Woods “The high concept was that ‘playing chess on your and includes them on the classic compilation, Golden Oldies Vol I.
and William Crowther. Instead of simply being computer should be just like playing it with a friend’,
1986 Q The Software Toolworks develops Chessmaster 2000, which
carried off into the sunset by elves, players were Mike explains. “So, we had a ‘3D’ chess board and Software Country markets. The game sells 100,000 copies
now admitted into the Wizards’ Guild, and handed pieces, which you could pick up with your mouse – in just over half a year and wins the Software Publisher’s
a password. This could be posted to Toolworks, in also a new concept – and drop back onto the board.” Association Entertainment Product Of The Year. The two
return for a ‘Certificate Of Wizardness’, adorned Though MS-DOS did not support multitasking, Mike companies later merge, under the Software Toolworks banner.
with signatures of Will and Don, and the Toolworks used coroutines to allow the chess engine to be This new entity purchases disk duplicator and software
corporate seal – “the only thing it was ever used for”. interrupted to respond to user inputs. packager, Priority Software Packaging, which not only serves
Toolworks’ Adventure was released in 1982, sold Boasting state-of-the-art 320x200, four-colour Toolworks, but also other industry giants.
by mail order, and at trade shows and computer fairs graphics, “representing a lot of effort on Walt’s
for around $20 – packaged with manuals in Ziploc part”, Chessmaster 2000 was a milestone. When 1987 Q Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing is developed by three
bags. Catalogues were posted directly to hardware Walt found out Les had spent $10,000 to produce programmers in six months, from Walt Bilofsky’s home.
users, desperate for new software. The next year, the cover photo, featuring actor Will Hare as the Electronic Arts becomes the company’s sole US distributor,
Walt was joined by his cousin, Joe Abrams, who says Chessmaster, he realised “it was the emphatic end requiring it to port games to all formats.
the team shared in all tasks equally; tech support, of the Ziploc bag era”. Chessmaster 2000 would sell
sales and accounting, while Walt programmed “in the 100,000 copies in just seven months, marking the 1988 Q Toolworks goes public, simultaneously purchasing
IntelliCreations and striking a deal with PC manufacturer, Vendex,
other end of the house”. start of an auspicious merger between Software
to bundle software and games in with new computers.
Before long, Software Toolworks products were Toolworks and Software Country – capped with
stocked at more than 50 Heathkit stores. With sales the purchase of Priority Software Packaging, a disk 1989 Q The company acquires DS Technologies. By this time
accumulating, the company moved into a three-room duplicator and software packager. Chessmaster and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing have sold or
office. Among its most notable titles of the era was In 1987, Les devised a typing application, Mavis licensed 750,000 copies.
ELIZA, which Walt describes as “a crude computer Beacon Teaches Typing – centred on a fictional
‘psychiatrist’ that appeared to converse with the user”. typing instructor, Mavis Beacon, depicted by the 1990 Q Software Toolworks acquires British developer Mindscape,
giving it a highly-prized Nintendo licence. The Miracle Piano
It featured an interactive script, which users could real-life model, Renée L’Espérance. Mike, who
Teaching System is released, tying up capital in physical
make changes to. developed the game with Walt and colleague Norman
keyboards, just as Nintendo prices begin to drop.
Worthington, says this time the concept was: “The
n 1984, Les Crane, who owned Software world’s best typing teacher, Mavis, is sitting right
1992 Q The company releases Nintendo education game, Mario Is
Country, licensed ELIZA and Adventure, for next to you, correcting your mistakes.” The trio Missing! and licenses the first three LucasArts CD-ROM titles.
his major software title, Software Golden developed the game for PC, from Walt’s home – Leveraging partnerships with original equipment manufacturers,
Oldies Vol 1. Soon after, Les and Joe struck embodying Toolworks’ tongue-in-cheek rule of “three it bundles the games in with drives – selling more copies in a
a deal, where Software Country would market a programmers, six months”. Some weeks Mike month than LucasArts did in two years.
chess game developed by Toolworks. Mike Duffy, clocked more than 140 hours.
who had ported MyChess to the IBM PC and PCjr, “We all knew that the secret to typing skill was 1994 Q In just six years, turnover has grown from $2,000,000 to
was brought onto the project – called Chessmaster to establish muscle memory through repetition, so $150,000,000 and from 45 employees to 600 employees,
2000. While Dave Kittinger developed the engine, the real question was how to make that fun and worldwide. British publishing firm Pearson Plc buys the
Walt created the user interface, and Mike handled interesting enough to sustain people.” The key to company for $462 million and rebrands it under Mindscape.
program control. achieving this was threefold; commissioning a large

RETRO GAMER | 73
 » The first 10,000 copies of Mavis
Beacon Teaches Typing included
a photo of ‘Mavis Beacon’ walking
alongside Joe Abrams’ son, Matt.

WHERE ARE
THEY NOW?
Walt Bilofsky
QAfter selling Software
Toolworks, Walt
developed a freeware
tide prediction Palm Pilot
app – which inventor
Jeff Hawkins called his
favourite third-party
app. Having helped
pass 40 local smoking
laws in Massachusetts
» [Amiga] Chessmaster 2000 married state-of-the-art 320x200 four-colour graphics with a smart interface, centred around a dynamic chess engine.
and California, in 2003, he won a Clean
Air Champion award. Since retiring at 73, he has
travelled to 91 countries with his wife, Nancy,
exhibiting and selling travel photos, and has been on
the Treasure Island Museum board for 22 years.

Joe Abrams
QJoe went on to cofound
Intermix Media, the
parent company of
MySpace, which sold
to News Corp in 2005
for $580 million. Today
he is a board member
of New Zealand-based
mobile game developer
and publisher, PikPok
Games, as well as plant-based natural
» [PC] Software Toolworks employed a brilliant strategy of licensing CD-ROM
beverage firm ABS, and Restore Medical, which titles, and having hardware partners bundle them in with drives. » [PC] When LucasArts struggled to sell its early CD-ROMs, Toolworks licensed them,
he cofounded. The 67-year-old is also on the Credit: mocagh.org (Museum Of Computer Adventure Game History) and made deals with hardware providers, bundling them in with the drives themselves.
board of trustees for the nonprofit University Of
Rochester and Marin General Hospital.

Mike Duffy
QFollowing the Pearson
sale, Mike Duffy
transitioned from chief
technical officer to
general manager of the
games division. After
a stint at American
Healthcare Finance,
he became a founding
partner in healthcare
technology firm Leprechaun, which sold for $90
million. He later worked as chief software architect SOFTWARE FOR EVERYONE SMART LICENSING
at Anti-Gravity Treadmill company, AlterG, before QBorn in the golden age of microcomputing, The Software QAfter obtaining permission from William Crowther and Don
developing MMORPGS for Cryptic Studios. Today, Toolworks was created to give purpose to hardware. From Walt’s Woods to produce an ‘official’ version of Adventure, Walt Bilofsky
the 64-year-old is senior software engineer at earliest software, through Adventure, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, went on to secure the rights to ELIZA For $75. The company
Global Worldwide, and a principal at Michael E Chessmaster 2000, the Miracle Piano Teaching System and Mario Is would later masterfully obtain rare Nintendo licences to produce
Duffy & Associates. Missing!, the company placed fun and purposeful games at its heart Super Mario educational games, such as Mario Is Missing! and
– producing useful tools, at affordable prices. release several LucasArts games, including Star Wars Chess.

74 | RETRO GAMER
 FROM THE ARCHIVES: THE SOFTWARE TOOLWORKS

amount of interesting text, providing analysis

of user mistakes and keeping the process visually
appealing. “The on-screen hands and fingers,”
explains Mike, “were at the very edge of what was
technically possible.”
In the social climate of the Eighties, Joe Abrams
says the choice of a black woman for Mavis Beacon
proved “very controversial”. Initial orders were cut
back by 50 per cent, because “retailers were reluctant
to carry the product”. However, after a rave review in
the New York Times, things rapidly changed. “I was in
the office at 6AM the day the review was published.
The phone was ringing off the hook with people » [Mega-CD] Star Wars Chess was a neat spin-off for LucasArts which » [Amiga] Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing breathed new life into the growing,
featured classic characters like Boba Fett, Chewbacca and Seven Of Nine. yet stale, typing genre, with bold graphics, minigames and metrics.
asking where they could buy the product. I gave them
a list of stores that had originally declined to carry the
product. Within two weeks we had full distribution and orchestral songs – this project would see the company to CD-ROM drives – which, at that point, were still
it was off to the races.” invest heavily in hardware. primarily sold to companies, libraries and government
The myth of Mavis, Toolworks’ “Betty Crocker”, “The decision to get into hardware was based on agencies for high volume data backups. “LucasArts
proved a masterstroke, soaring to unprecedented a good intention,” says Mike Duffy, “which paved our had just completed a trio of CD-ROM games. They
heights. “We never told people that Mavis was a particular road to hell. The good intention was to make were high quality but with no drives as an installed
fictional character,” Joe confesses. “I remember at it trivially easy to connect a digital keyboard to a PC or base they sold very few. I convinced them to license
the first Consumer Electronics Show after launch, a console – specifically the Nintendo. At the time, you us the games and we included them with the first
competitor came up to me and asked how we got had to know about MIDI and serial I/O and keyboards PCs with CD-ROM drives. We sold more in a month
the endorsement. He said he had been trying to get if you wanted to connect a keyboard to your PC. than they had sold in two years,” Joe muses.
her endorsement for years. That’s when I knew we “Based on our optimistic estimates of the size of The company had opened up offices across the
had something special.” the potential market, and the fact that hardware is planet. “From 1988 to 1994,” says Joe, “we grew
cheaper if you make lots of it, we ended up having a from $2,000,000 in annual turnover to $150,000,000
owever, heightened success brought lot of money tied up in inventory, which nearly sank in annual turnover, and to 600 employees and
its own share of challenges, with the the company.” Although Toolworks ordered 100,000 contractors worldwide.” In 1994, British publisher
company’s exclusive US distributor, pressure-sensitive keyboards, many were damaged Pearson Plc, purchased the company for $462 million
Electronic Arts, asking it to produce in shipping, and Miracle Piano Teaching’s crucial NES – rebranding it under the Mindscape moniker, only to
games on all formats. “We were supporting launch coincided with a drop in Nintendo cartridge sell it to The Learning Company in 1998.
Apple II, Apple III, Apple IIGS, Mac, PC (monochrome prices. With the product costing between $300 and Looking back, Walt recalls: “Toolworks’ first
and colour), PCjr, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, $500, Joe laments: “We had a great product at too catalogue of H-89 software in 1980 began by saying,
Amiga, and others.” One team member would port high a price.” ‘This software was developed by computer science
a version each, which, “for a company financed only Licking its wounds, the company doubled down on professionals for our own use. They are the tools we
with sweat equity”, Joe says, “was becoming a software. Setting its sights on a rare Nintendo licence, wanted to have, and we want you to be able to enjoy
challenge”. By late 1987, after “all traditional means it acquired the developer Mindscape, which already them too at a reasonable price.’
of financing had dried up”, the company went public, had one. It went on to develop Mario Is Missing!, an “Our first products were developed because there
raising capital and expanding into new markets. educational game, with Luigi in his debut starring role was very little software, and that was expensive,
Yet, The Software Toolworks’ most ambitious – where children learn about geography, hunting down so we wrote our own. The few who were buying
project was yet to come – the music world’s very stolen treasures across the world, in order to rescue computers just wanted the new gadget, and then
own Mavis Beacon, the Miracle Piano Teaching the kidnapped Mario. they were hungry for software that would let them
System. While the software was simple enough – The company also developed relationships with do something. After a few years, people were buying
introducing the concepts of notes and rhythm in a original equipment manufacturers in Japan, where the computers in order to run the software. We helped
relatively simple manner, before building towards full, CEO of Phillips computers introduced Joe Abrams make that happen.”

GAMIFICATION MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS OEMS

QAlthough it sounds like a no-brainer, The Software Toolworks QAfter the remarkable success of the Golden Oldies and QThe Software Toolworks began working with Japanese original
constantly spotted gaps in the software market, and figured Chessmaster 2000 collaborations, The Software Toolworks equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the Eighties, introducing the
out how to make them fun. While typing software was in high merged with Software Country, before purchasing disk duplicator company to the CD-ROM format. While other developers – such as
demand, Mavis Beacon not only delivered muscle memory and software packaging firm Priority Software Packaging. After LucasArts – developed strong CD-ROM titles, they could not move
exercises, but attached games and metrics to them. The Miracle going public, the company went on to purchase companies in the them. Toolworks, however, leveraged its relationships with OEMs, to
Piano Teaching System did the same for music. UK and France, scooping up titles and licences in the process. bundle its software in with disc drives, helping to start the business.

RETRO GAMER | 75
Incredible Crisis
IT’S BUSINESS TIME
 PLAYSTATION  2000  POLYGON MAGIC
» RETROREVIVAL Though some might contest whether
the PlayStation truly deserves the
accolade of ‘bringing gaming into the
mainstream’ (didn’t Space Invaders
and Pac-Man do that 15 years earlier?),
it was undoubtedly responsible for serving up
some surreal slices of Japanese game design to a
much wider audience. The rhythmic minimalism of Vib
Ribbon, Parappa and its canine rapping and the bonkers
Bishi Bashi Special were all brilliant, and I still regret failing
to convince my wife that we should recreate the ‘Hyper
Pie Throw’ challenge from the latter at our wedding.
Incredible Crisis is a minigame compilation of sorts
but with a strong overarching narrative tying together the
minute-long challenges. The storyline of ‘getting home for
Granny’s birthday meal’ might not seem strong, but the
increasingly bizarre events which conspire against each
family member making it to the party on time never fail
to amuse and surprise. Whether stuck in a plummeting
lift, getting mixed up in a bank robbery or caught on the
frontline of an alien invasion, each scenario is shot through
with a dark sense of humour.
The several dozen minigames do tend to require a
fair amount of frantic button-bashing and QTE-style
responses but they’re dressed up so imaginatively that
they all feel different. And any game that features a
section involving a femme fatale tempting you onto a
Ferris wheel to give her a ‘back rub’, with her issuing very
breathy instructions to go ‘a little bit further down’ before
purring out ‘there…’ must be worth investigating.
Revisiting this charming oddity 20 years on, I’ve also
realised how much I now empathise with Taneo, the
father of the family, as he desperately tries to escape his
office. As I help him flee a giant runaway wrecking ball
and answer quick-fire quiz questions to fend off trivia-
obsessed, electric shock-issuing paramedics, it feels like
a knowing wink at the little things that life sends to try us.
I do wish my workplace instigated impromptu dance-offs
with colleagues, too.
 The Making of

IN THE KNOW
 PUBLISHER:
UBISOFT
 DEVELOPER:
UBISOFT PARIS
 RELEASED:
2003
 PLATFORM:
PS2, XBOX, GAMECUBE,
PC, MAC
 GENRE:
FIRSTPERSON SHOOTER

78 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: XIII

» [GameCube] Cutscenes in XIII lookk

Ahead of a HD remaster like pages ripped out of a comic.

planned for next year, we

find out how a beloved
Belgium comic book series
became an eye-catching
first-person shooter with
the help of two members of
the original development
team: Elisabeth Pellen and
Nathalie Moschetti-Nogard
Words by Paul Walker-Emig

T
he first thing that
strikes you about
XIII is its style. Even
today, 16 years after
its original release, the
game looks great; at
the time, its cel-shaded
comic book style was stunning,
garnering it plenty of attention.
That comic-like aesthetic is
now an established style that
many popular videogames have
employed, but XIII came not only
at time when the aesthetic was
far less established but, as we’ll » [GameCube] Explosions in
come to explain, implemented it XIII are a prime example of
with a flair and consistency that how the game has fun with
its comic book inspirations.
meant it showcased a commitment
to comic book visuals beyond just picking bought the rights to the comic and tasked a designer at Ubisoft,” Nathalie tells us. “XIII
something that looked cool. team that included the game’s director and was my first position as an art director on a
XIII was based on the first five volumes of a writer, Elisabeth Pellen, and art director Nathalie 3D videogame. On this project, there were two
popular Belgian graphic novel of the same name. Moschetti-Nogard, to create a first-person women at the head of the graphic team, Nathalie
The comic was created by Jean Van Hamme and shooter videogame version of Van Hamme’s tale. Provost as technical art director and myself
tells the story of an amnesiac whose only clue “My official role was script writer but I was also as art director, to manage a team of ten to 15
to his past is the Roman numeral XIII, tattooed in charge of the scripted events, and I created a graphic designers.” Those roles would prove
on his collarbone. He finds himself accused of few levels as well,” says Elisabeth. “In 2003 the to be very important; Elisabeth tells us that the
the murder of the US President and must fight to dev teams were smaller and it was not rare to team wanted to remain as faithful to the source
clear his name and uncover his own past. Ubisoft handle multiple roles on the same production. I material as possible, and this began with a
was already an Ubisoft strong focus on finding an art style that would
» [GameCube]
The crossbow employee when it was properly reflect the comic book source material.
is one of XIII ’s proposed that I join the “The art director, Nathalie Moschetti, and the
handiest
weapons,
core team. I was very technical art director, Nathalie Provost, shared the
allowing you excited by the project same ambition regarding the visual adaptation
to take out because it was one of of the comic book to the game,” Elisabeth tells
enemies from
a distance in my favourite comic us regarding the logical implementation of XIII ’s
silence. books when I was a comic book style. “They really wanted to push
pre-teen,” Elisabeth to an extreme the use of familiar 2D conventions
continues. in 3D: cel shading, onomatopoeia, panels. We
“Previously, I was wanted the player to feel like they were diving
a 2D graphic designer through the pages of a comic book.”
on educational Nathalie reveals that the implementation of
games for children, the game’s cel-shaded style was challenging, on
then a 3D graphic more than one front. “We had to fight hard to

RETRO GAMER | 79
» [GameCube] The cityscapes
still look great thanks to the
game’s timeless art style.

sell the idea of this cel-shaded artistic direction

to management, which was rather set on realistic
3D,” Nathalie reveals. “With the support of the
project manager Julien Barès, and the hard work
of the entire design and production team, we
managed to impose our original vision in a test
map.” After convincing the higher-ups at Ubisoft
that a cel-shaded style was the way to go, the
team then had to deal with the substantial
technical challenge of implementing it.
“I did a lot of research to find graphical
» [GameCube] Comic book panels are a great way of highlighting things
gateways between the original comic, clear you can’t normally see, like an enemy careening towards the floor after
lines and 3D rendering,” Nathalie explains. you’ve knocked them from their perch.
“The environments, voluntarily monochromatic,
had to bring out the dynamics of cel shading,
which had to be the ‘wow effect’ of the game game’s graphical quality throughout in face of
and thus create coherence with the original these limitations was the biggest challenge she
comic. We had to develop the technique of cel faced during the game’s development. “I draw
shading internally,” Nathalie continues. “There a certain pride from this,” Nathalie says. “To
were already some promising tests that existed, emerge with an original artistic vision, singular,
thanks to our super graphic engineer! All the but coherent, while bypassing the constraints, it
work of artistic direction was to deal with the was an interesting challenge!”
rather enormous technical constraints, because Nathalie remarks that she herself is surprised “the cel shading was very greedy,
the cel shading was very greedy, especially in at just how well XIII has aged when she looks at it especially in real time, and we had
real time, and we had to adapt constantly to today and, taken in combination with the way that
create a coherent rendering, without looking too its style grabbed attention back in 2003, it would
to adapt constantly to create a
‘low polygon’.” Nathalie describes the constraints seem that Nathalie and the team were right to coherent rendering, without looking
of the consoles they were working on – the fight for their distinctive vision of how the game too ‘low polygon’”
game was released on PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox should look. Nathalie Moschetti-Nogard
and GameCube – as “huge for the graphical XIII is far from the only game we’ve seen by
ambition we were aiming for” and says that, for this point to use a cel-shaded art style. However, function as a stealth mechanic to help you keep
her, keeping the right level of consistency in the its approach to that style does make it stand tabs on where they are lurking while you’re
out from many other that hidden behind cover. These are just a couple of
have used the approach since. examples of the many ideas in XIII that showcase
Whereas, for other games, a united vision coming from what Elisabeth and
a comic book style is simply Nathalie describe as a tight-knit team.
a visual choice, XIII makes a “We analysed the comic book’s 2D conventions
real effort to incorporate the first and then tried to find some solution to adapt
idea of it being a comic into its them into 3D,” Elisabeth recalls. “Some ideas
gameplay mechanics. Comic worked better than others. Meanwhile, we were
book panels will appear on the working on the user experience with the game
screen to draw your attention designers. Using onomatopoeias was an efficient
in a particular direction, or way to suggest to players the right direction to
show something happening in take inside open areas without forcing artificial
the distance. When you crouch paths. We were also looking for a good way
down, the onomatopoeic to reward headshots, so we tried the three
tapping of enemy footsteps panel frames displayed in a row,” Elisabeth is
referring to a mechanic where the results of your
» [GameCube] This sharpshooting flash up in three quick sequential
poor guy probably panels, accompanied by an emphatic sound
didn’t expect a
sniper to crawl out effect. “The result was impactful.”
of vent above him. “For us it was necessary to exploit the
2D visual codes of the comic strip – like

80 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: XIII

More distinctive cartoon-style classics

DEVELOPER
HIGHLIGHTS Jet Set Radio
Released in 2000 on Sega’s
JUST DANCE
SYSTEM: WII Dreamcast, this game helped
YEAR: 2009 pioneer the cel-shaded style
XIII in early videogames. The
SYSTEM: VARIOUS stylised aesthetic employed by this beloved
YEAR: 2003 Dreamcast hit was perfect for a game
RAYMAN 3: themed around creating art – your goal was
HOODLUM HAVOC to skate around urban environments coating
PICTURED them in graffiti, whilst avoiding the police.
SYSTEM: VARIOUS
YEAR: 2003
Borderlands
The Borderlands series is
perhaps the most famous
and successful game series
to employ cel shading.
Famously, the original game was more
realistic in the early stages of development.
Gearbox realised it was looking a bit too
brown and dour, which didn’t fit with
the game’s more outlandish elements,
prompting the switch to cel shading.

The
onomatopoeia, vignetting, typography, etc
Walking Dead
Cel shading was a logical
– as much as possible,” says Nathalie. “In » Elisabeth was
choice for Telltale’s most
consultation with the game designers and level the writer and famous comic book
designers, and especially the creative director director of XIII. adaptation, but it also shows how a simple
Today she works
Elisabeth Pellen, we were able to integrate all as VP editorial art style could help, what was at that time,
these strong signals and thus lead to a coherent, at Ubisoft. a relatively small team produce a stylish
singular and remarkable rendering. This XIII style game without spending hundreds of
was born at this precise moment when we were millions of dollars.
able to visualise all these codes together on the
same screen, and it worked perfectly.”
Fidelity to the source material extended to
the game’s approach to the story, too. “My goal
The Wind
was to respect as much as possible the original Waker
Elisabe th P elle
story of Jean Van Hamme, but with a minimum n If you needed proof of how
amount of cutscenes,” Elisabeth explains. well cel-shaded graphics
“Which was quite of a challenge. I wanted to tend to age, look no further
bring the iconic characters to life by allowing the than this excellent GameCube entry in the
players to interact with them. So we worked a » Nathalie was Legend Of Zelda series. It aged so well,
lot with the level designers to give the players the art director in fact, that some people argued that the
of XIII, and
the feeling that they were the actors of the comic has worked on
HD Wii U version released in 2013 actually
book’s universe, and not only a spectator.” Ubisoft’s Splinter looked worse than the 2002 original.
This is another area that demonstrates how Cell and Just
Dance franchises.
strong the core team had to be on maintaining
its vision for the game, with Elisabeth often
having to fight to keep non-playable cutscenes to
Okami
This PS2 classic is another
a minimum. “The biggest challenge on my side example of a game switching
was to convince a part of the team to replace the from a more realistic style, to
cutscenes with scripted events and interruptible a less demanding cel-shaded
dialogues and animations,” she remembers. aesthetic. That decision proved to be the
“One of my favourite parts is the playable
flashbacks of the hero,” referring to sections of Nathalie ard right one, producing a stunning achievement
that’s still revered to this day.

os ch e t ti - N og
M
RETRO GAMER | 81
 In Memory Of OUR FAVOURITE
MOMENTS FROM XIII

Splitting Heads Breaking The Bank Hooking Up Perfect Shots

The satisfying onomatopoeic As well as some cool flashback
fla No spy thriller is worth your time If you manage to land a perfect
smash of a spade, chair or other moments that tie in with your if it doesn’t offer you a selection of headshot on an enemy soldier,
such melee object on mission in this bank, thi
this is the cool gadgets to play around with. you’re treated to a three-panel
an unsuspecting first stage that offers you the Luckily in XIII you get this James flourish, accompanied with a sound
guard stands out in opportunity of
memorable opportun Bond-esque remote winch that effect, showing off their demise. It
the early sections grabbing g a hostage
ostage aand forcing allows you to descend Batman-like makes those long-range kills oh so
of XIII. enemies
enemiies to back off. from high places. more satisfying.

the game where you jump back in time and team became, the better handle on production
play throug
through protagonist XIII’s past experiences. we gained, but we also gained more opposing
again some colleagues didn’t understand
“Once again, points of view on the game direction as well.
why we didn’t
did just use classical cutscenes, but I I had to play the entire game every week to
really wanted
wante the player to enter the memory of chase the missing dialogue, behaviour bugs and
XIII because it was the theme of the story.” localisation issues.”
the team behind XIII had a lot of ideas
Clearly, th The subject of diversity in videogames is,
ma
and this manifests in the game. There’s a variety rightly, one that has come into greater focus in
of locations
locations, mechanics, gadgets, scenarios, recent years. Given the traditional bias towards
clever visua
visual ideas and more. You travel through men in the industry, it’s interesting to note that
beaches, banks,
ba cities and snowy military bases. XIII ’s team had an uncharacteristically large
You hang fromfr grappling hooks, take hostages number of woman on the team. We wonder why
to hold off enemies,
e escort allies, snipe, sneak that was the case and whether that was unusual?
T
and shoot. There’s a lot there. This variety is “[There were] so many women on XIII, I still
one of the game’s
g strengths, but it could also can’t believe it,” Elisabeth reflects. “It was pure
be argued that it tries to do too much. This coincidence and it never happened again. What
“So many women on XIII, is something
someth
reflecting
Elisabeth acknowledges when
reflectin on the game’s development. “The
happened to the female developers in the game
industry? Where did they all vanish to? They are
I still can’t believe it. It game wasw too generous in ideas, for sure, probably working on a secret project in a parallel
was pure coincidence and and we required the help of the Rayman 3
team to help us to polish the last levels in
universe. I can’t wait to play it. It will be probably
violent, erotic and hilarious.”
it never happened again” order tto ship on time with the right level of
quality she says. “We lacked experience
quality,”
“I can confirm that at the time the positions
of responsibility were often held by men,”
Elisabeth Pellen
in triple-A
triple production and planning, so it says Nathalie, offering her perspective. “I had
was very hard to give up on our darlings, the opportunity to participate in this relatively
even if we kknew we would never release the mixed production, with some positions of
game witho
without making sacrifices. The bigger the responsibility occupied by women. The director/
creative director/screenwriter Elisabeth Pellen,
» [GameCube] Now that’s a comic book sound the graphical technical director, Nathalie Provost,
for you – we love those onomatopoeias. and some other graphics staff, sound designers
and testers. Even though I’ve lived through some
big moments of inequalities between men and
woman on other productions in my career, I
believe that the progress of gender diversity is
on the way and this is great news.”
Elisabeth says the team behind XIII was great
to work with, though she doesn’t feel that having
more woman on the team made development
substantially different. “Working with women
was not very different from working with a team
of men,” she says. “This is not the first detail that
comes back to my mind when somebody reminds
me of XIII, except that two of those girls became
my dearest friends. We had a lot of work to do in
a short amount of time, and we were all focused

82 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: XIII

Get To The Chopper

XIII features some cool setpiece
scenarios, such as one where you start
the level descending on your grappling
hook to escape an exploding cable car,
run a gauntlet of enemies hunting you
down, and then hold them off before
escaping on a chopper.
» [GameCube] This is why you should check behind
you periodically while you’re watching TV.
Recreating XIII
François Coulon, head of production
at Microïds reveals how the new HD
version of XIII is shaping up
How did the remaster of
XIII come about?
First, it is an IP from a sister
company of ours (Dargaud),
which is huge in France and
in the world, that we always
loved. Also, we were so fond of
the original game that we have
always wanted to do a remaster.
We’ve been negotiating for many
years with Ubiso and finally
got an agreement last year. We
were so happy about it!

What has been interesting or surprised

you about revisiting the game?
The most amazing thing is to see how the
uniqueness of the game hasn’t aged. The comic-
style presentation, which doesn’t only refer to
the very nice cel shading (which many games
are using nowadays), but also in the gameplay
treatment still resonates like crazy to us. For
instance, with the use of onomatopoeia, or
framed windows for spectacular deaths, and
so many other details that makes the player
» [GameCube] Some of XIII ’s guns have an alternate fire mode. This one can fire a grenade that’ll take care of those goons. be immersed inside a comic book, and not any
comic book but inside XIII. That also means a
on our tasks and challenges. The mood was good the previous year, as Jones and Adam West as very strong story that still works wonderfully.
among the core team and we all had something General Carrington. Also, the nervous FPS is still very fun to play, by
to prove, to test, to claim with this project: no Ultimately, though, credit for the momentum offering a large variety of gameplay situations and
cutscenes, unique art direction, the first online the game built before its release, and the experiences. I was amazed at having the same
mode for Ubisoft. We wanted to create an honest, elements that made it stand out, must go to the reactions of fun, tension, etc as when I originally
generous and unique experience for the fans of team of developers behind the game who had a played it 15 years ago.
the comic books and the FPS lovers.” clear vision of what they wanted to do and stuck
That XIII was, as Elisabeth mentions, the to their guns when they faced pressure to waver Will the remaster be completely faithful to
first Ubisoft game to feature online multiplayer on that vision. That commitment made XIII the original or is there anything you plan to
makes it a significant landmark for the company. distinct and fresh, if far from perfect. tweak (the way it controls, for example)?
The game featured modes with a maximum of Indeed, the reception for the game The remaster will be totally faithful to the original
16 players, allowing you to compete in team acknowledged the game’s overreaching, in terms of story, level design, etc. The only things
deathmatches, standard deathmatches, capture the fact that, as Elisabeth said, it was “too we will be tweaking lies in a global modernisation
the flag, sabotage (which was only available generous” with ideas. Reviews ranged from being allowed by the current tech. All the graphics
on Xbox and PC) and power-up (which was glowing to mediocre. Notably, even those with will, of course, be enhanced: more polygons
only available on PC and PS2). By Elisabeth’s plenty of criticism for the game recognised it and higher resolution for the characters, the
own admission, “we didn’t create the best as something of a flawed masterpiece, packed world, the props, and so on! Also, the AI will be
online mode”, but as Ubisoft’s first, it was still a with great ideas that didn’t always hit the much better. And that means the combat will
significant and important achievement. mark. Perhaps the team could have taken a be changed: in 2002, we were able to have only
Another notable element of the game was more conservative approach, but we’d take an four enemies at any moment in the game. This
its star-studded voice cast. The game starred interesting but flawed game trying out new restriction doesn’t exist anymore, of course, so
David Duchovny, just off the back of playing ideas over a polished but derivative title any you can expect a serious difference here (more
Agent Mulder in the X-Files, in its main role, day of the week. XIII dared to be different and enemies, behaving a smarter way). This will lead
hip-hop artist Eve, who had just won a Grammy for that it deserves to be celebrated. to an overall better experience.

RETRO GAMER | 83
 LOST IN
Retro Gamer Travels
TRANSLATION
How the rest of the world experienced your favourite games

ROW

JET SET RADIO JPN Japan

ROROW
W JET SET RADIO
Departing: 2000
FORMAT Q This Dreamcast cult favourite is well known all international versions. Five tracks were added for the
Dreamcast ■ worldwide – few games did more than Jet Set Radio North American release – Patrol Knob by Mixmaster
to popularise cel shading, a graphical technique Mike, Improvise by Jurassic 5, Slow by Professional
DEVELOPER that gave a previously unattainable cartoonish Murder Music, Just Got Wicked by Cold and the ubiquitous
Smilebit ■ appearance to 3D models. What isn’t so well known
ROW
Dragula by Rob Zombie. The European release included
is that the game was heavily revised in the four months the Jurassic 5 and Mixmaster Mike tracks, but dropped the
YEAR between its Japanese and American releases, and ill-fitting alternative metal and added Many Styles by OB
2000 ■ received further changes for Europe, in an attempt to One, Funky Plucker by Semi Detached and Recipe For The
make the decidedly Japanese game more appealing. Perfect Afro by Feature Cast.
ORIGIN The original Japanese version of Jet Set Radio has the Japanese players later received the new content in an
Japan ■ GGs skating their way through three districts of Tokyo-to updated version of the game called De La Jet Set Radio, ucing Grind Square was
» [Dreamcast] The vertigo-ind
– Shibuya-cho, Benten-cho and Kogane-cho. Each of featuring the original Japanese voice acting, English stages added for international audiences.
one of the two
LOCALISED FOR these contains a few different areas to explore, and in later subtitles and the European soundtrack.
Rest Of World ■ stages they’re linked into a single, large map. In order to
bulk the game out a bit and add some western flavour,
REASONS Smilebit added Grind City for the international versions.
Commercial, Difficulty ■ This location consists of two self-contained maps. Bantam
Street is fashioned after the Bronx and plays much like
the game’s other stages, while Grind Square was clearly
inspired by Times Square and is unusual in that most of JPN
the action takes place above ground level.
The soundtrack was also given an overhaul, with
Dunny Boy Williamson Show by Deavid Soul omitted from
JPN » [Dreamcast] You encounter Cube and Combo
rs earlier in the original Japanese release, as there’s
characte
re jus t regular no reason to hold them back.

ECONOMY
ombo a lot.
be and C ial sub-p
[Dream cast] Cu e, with no spec
» as
ginal rele
in the ori

84 | RETRO GAMER
 LOST IN TRANSLATION

MICKEY MOUSE II JPN ROW MICKEY MOUSE II

Japan ROW Departing:
g 1991
FORMAT So here’s a convoluted little licensing tale. Kemco JPN
Game Boy ■ had the rights to make a sequel to its popular
Mickey Mouse game in Japan, so it did – and in a
DEVELOPER show of highly imaginative thinking, Kemco called
Kotobuki Systems ■ it Mickey Mouse II. The company hadn’t released
the original game in Europe, so it released it there as EUR
YEAR Mickey Mouse, with minimal title screen changes. So
1991 ■ far, so good. But Kemco didn’t have a Disney licence
for North America, and instead had Looney Tunes
ORIGIN No problem – just as The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle.
USA ■ had been a localised version of Mickey Mouse, Micke
y
Mouse II became The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle II.
LOCALISED FOR But wait! The game was relocalised for Europe » [Game Boy]
Europe original
Rest Of World ■ in 1996, now featuring irritating TV versions ende ly got Mickey,
d up but later
phone-in star Super Game Bo with Hugo and some rubb
y additions. ish
Hugo The Troll. This version gained Super Game Boy
REASONS support and a little bit of an audio overhaul.
The game
Commercial ■ then came back to Japan
in 1997, but in the form of
the previously American-exclusive The Bugs Bunny
Crazy Castle II, as part of the Bugs Bunny Collection.
This version also featured Super Game Boy support,
but kept the action black and white rather than
using Hugo’s underwhelming palettes, and featured
considerably nicer Looney Tunes borders.
» [Game Boy] Hey look, it’s Mickey Mouse! There’s an
appealing platform game star, if ever we saw one.

ECONOMY

ALEX KIDD:

ALE X KIDD: TENKUU MAJOU JPN ROWW

Japan RO
TENKUU MAJOU
Departing: 1988

Q One of the more distinctive thin

gs about the Alex JPN
FORMAT cissors as a
Kidd series was its use of rock-paper-s
Mega Drive ■ om game was
game mechanic. This somewhat rand
battles in Alex Kidd In Miracle
DEVELOPER initially used foraboss nce on luck progression
for
Sega ■ World, creating huge relia the correct choices.
– although you could memorise
ks against one of
YEAR This is ultimately one of the fewtheknoc
era, especially on the
1988 ■ the better platform games of
e its return when
Master System. Still, it somehow mad
a Drive.
ORIGIN Sega revisited the series on the Meg of janken –
Japan ■ On the Master System, losing a game
in English
Alex Kidd used the Japanese name, even
e, resulting in the
LOCALISED FOR – would see Alex turned to ston was changed in
Rest of world ■ loss of a life. For some reason, this
now required
the Japanese version. Janken matches
– quite
REASONS a bet, and either player could lose their shirt ld see them
wou
Sexual content ■ literally, as losing a game of janken
erve their
stripped naked, with only a fig leaf to pres
ences? No,
dignity. Would this fly with western audi
e was altered to
Sega decided, it would not. The gam
weight instead,
crush the loser to death with a cartoon by his
acceptable » [Mega Drive] Alex, rather embarrassed
because comic violence is more socially nce, exits stage left.
than comic nudity.
nudit y in front of a jeering audie
ROW
y that
ushed so badl

ECONOMY Drive] Alex, having been cr its stage left.

» [Mega e weight, ex
merged with th
his eyes have

RETRO GAMER | 85
New games that wish they
the
e were
we
erre old

» [PC] All eyes are on you, don’t

go finishing last now.

FEW THINGS IN LIFE ARE GUARANTEED: THE

SUN RISING, THAT’S ONE, DARRAN USING THE WORD
‘SENSATIONAL’, IS ANOTHER. A NEW WIPEOUT GAME,
THOUGH, IS NOT LOOKING LIKELY. WE SPEAK TO GAME
DESIGNER CARLTON GAUNT OF R8 GAMES WHICH IS AIMING
TO PROVIDE WHAT IS LOOKING LIKE A TASTY ALTERNATIVE
Words by Martin Hinson

he anti-gravity racer feels like something demanded skill in play,” explains Pacer game

T of a starved genre. We have seen titles

come and go, such as Fast RMX and
Redout, but nothing that has really had the
quality to satisfy those of us craving a brand-new
WipEout or F-Zero title. Enter, R8 Games, a studio
designer, Carlton Gaunt. “A lot of us grew up
in the height of sci-fi racing and remember
early WipEout and F-Zero games fondly, but
there seemed to be a big gap in the market,
so we set out to bring what we remember AG
aiming to fulfil this desire and satisfy the keenest [anti-gravity] racing being to a new crowd with
anti-grav racing fans. modern development tools,” he adds.
R8 Games is a collection of approximately Futuristic racers seem to be notoriously
20 people, with a mix of graduates from the difficult to nail that ‘feeling’, however R8 Games
University Of Teesside and seasoned industry seems to have found the right balance of industry
veterans. “The studio was founded with the pedigree and fresh talent. “We’ve had people
idea to create a futuristic anti-gravity racer working on Pacer throughout its development
that played as we remember older sci-fi racers who, without naming specific names, have
feeling – something that had a little grit in it and worked in some form on the genre’s biggest IPs,”

86 | RETRO GAMER
 RETRO
RETRO INSP
INSPIRED:
PIRED: PAC
PACER

IN THE KNOW EYE

“IT’S VERY MUCH ITS  PUBLISHER:
R8 GAMES
OF THE
O
OWN ENTITY, BUT THERE  DEVELOPER:
R8 GAMES
BEHOLDER
 RELEASE: Examining Pacer’s distinctive
ARE OBVIOUS NODS 2019 CONSOLES
 PLATFORM:
visual design
TO BOTH WIPEOUT AND PC, PS4, XBOX ONE
 GENRE:
The visual design is the skin of all
futuristic racers, and their soul if you
F-ZERO IN PLAY“ RACING like. From the gritty and neon-like design
of WipEout 2097 to the clean and clinical
Carlton Gaunt
look of WipEout 3, each style has its own
merits and fans within the genre.
Car
Carlton reveals. “So I can safely say we have consideration, this is notoriously difficult to get “The aim for our visual design was to
good combination of people who previously
a go right as Carlton explains. “Our first method was present a sci-fi aesthetic that had some
worked on futuristic racers alongside some
wor to get something that responded immediately, sort of realistic grounding in it,” explains
fresher faces who grew up playing them.
fres but the physics of the world would allow things Carlton about Pacer’s design. “A lot of
Pacer originally started out under the name
P to ‘taper-off’ to the point of reaction. So, when futuristic environments in games are quite
‘For
Formula Fusion’ and entered a lengthy early you press a button or pull a trigger the craft sterile which makes them look futuristic
acc
access period. When it became clear from user responds, but the properties of the craft – but makes them feel ‘other’ and throws
feed
feedback that the game wasn’t exactly up to aerodynamics, hover strength, speed – versus you out of the experience,” he says. “We
scratch, R8 took it off sale and rallied behind its
scra the resistances of the world, like gravity, air went with a gritty dystopia future look,
des
design ethos to create a game that was worthy of resistance, etc, mean that there would be a almost cyberpunk but without all the neon.
carrying on the WipEout legacy. Following some ‘looseness’ to them – a slight delay or offset So we have areas that are dirty, muddy
significant development overhauls, and a name before the result of that action bears out. It’s and rusted, but it looks like those with the
change, Pacer is now due for a wide release this similar to how a car in a drift game would have money in the world, have tried to gloss
year on home consoles. a low traction, or a dune buggy would have a over it with shiny technology.”
The time we have spent with Pacer is suspension that allowed a lot of ‘bounce’.” Worldbuilding is a major thing
suggesting this balance of genre experience The team is also clearly enjoying the in gaming today, even a seemingly
and fresh eyes is finally paying off. Currently the challenges in creating a handling model offered disconnected series of racing circuits will
game is feeling much like the new WipEout game by such high speed anti-gravity racing. “We have oen have a story to tell. ‘We wanted to
fans have been craving for many years. However, other opportunities not available to grounded show how a track or the environment of
Carlton is keen to show that Pacer is not a mere vehicles such as how the craft rolls and where on that track had come to be without being
spiritual successor. “I don’t think I’d pitch it as the craft they turn about when steering,” explains tied to building everything to look clean or
a sequel, whether spiritual or otherwise, but it Carlton. “Without any connection to the ground sterile,” notes Carlton. “We can then put
certainly has a familiar spirit,” he states. “It’s very we have much more freedom in how we show a in visuals associated with the sport (as it
much its own entity, but there are obvious nods exists in the world) to look more akin to an
to both WipEout and F-Zero in play, both because idealised future,” he adds.
this is unavoidable within what is quite a tight “The work of The Designers Republic
genre that for such a long time was dominated helped a lot in this regard,” Carlton
by these two giants, but also because they’re explains. “They created brilliant artwork
both franchises we love, so tipping our hats to with a future corporate style and imbued
them almost feels like a duty we’d never wish to each racing team and associated sponsors
ignore,” muses Carlton. with identities which gives Pacer itself a
With that in mind, we need to look at arguably unique identity.”
the most important aspect of the genre, the
handling model. Due to the variables of speed,
weight and pitch that needs to be taken into » [PC] Pacer’s speed can take your breath away at times.

RETRO GAMER | 87
 THE COMPETITION
Here are a few alternatives you could be taking for a spin

FAST RMX
QReleased for Switch on launch
day in 2017, Fast RMX is a port of
the Wii U title Fast Racing Neo
and it’s more in the F-Zero mould
than WipEout. Though visually
impressive with a 60fps target, craft turning, pitching and flying. With all of these » [PC] Even the gods want a piece of
Fast RMX never really gets into in mind, we essentially develop an idea of what the racing action.
a good flow due to a frustrating, we want in each craft and we iterate on it until we
stop-start boost system and are sure we have got it right.”

Photo © Rebecca Clarke

clumsy course design.
hile speed is a key aspect in racing
REDOUT
QFirst released for PC back
in 2016, this racer was ported
to consoles in 2017 with
mixed results. Performance is
inconsistent, particularly on base
W games of all types, we have to talk
about something that no one really
likes doing, braking. Pacer has
adopted the airbrake systems seen in AG racing
games with fully analogue control, as Carlton
explains: “Each craft has two airbrakes that can
consoles, which damages what be used to help turn the craft sharply if held
is a good racer with tight controls down but each one is also analogue, so you if
and great art design. It’s worth a you press a trigger halfway, you will get half
look if you have a PS4 Pro, Xbox of that airbrake’s capability. They can be useful ful » Carlton Gaunt works at R8 Games
One X or a decent PC. on technical circuits, but having both airbrakes es as a game designer of Pacerr.

active act as the crafts main brake, so there is sa

WIPEOUT:
THE OMEGA lot of finesse in how they are used.”
COLLECTION Pitch is also not forgotten unlike in say,
QA fully loaded update of the
WipEout Fusion, where the craft seemed almost ost
PS3 classic WipEout HD Fury rigidly stuck to the circuit without real need too
that adds content from WipEout dip or lift the nose. “A craft can pitch to get extra
xtra
2048 and locks it all at 60fps – it speed from a jump or fall, but if a player doesn’t n’t
offers 4K for Pro users and counter in time, the craft will hit the track and
an incredible VR mode too. A can be slowed from it. This can also be used
stunning package that needs to to manage how the craft flies on an undulating g
be applied to the original titles, track to take a faster or more manageable
though the lack of an integrated route,” says Carlton. The system was a key
custom music option grates. feature of WipEout 2097 when you would
F-ZERO GX unceremoniously bounce if you hit the track floor oor
QThis now-legendary, Sega- at high speeds, mastering this became one of the
developed GameCube classic is most satisfying parts of AG racing games.
a must-play for any anti-gravity Combat is the remaining piece of the puzzle
racing fan. F-Zero GX performs for Carlton to discuss with us. F-Zero does this
perfectly in terms of framerate without weapons but with ramming techniques, s,
and handling, with truly stunning WipEout, of course, goes full Mario Kart, though gh
visuals that still manage to look fortunately without a Blue Shell equivalent.
absolutely incredible today. A Pacer takes its own approach with a new take on
modern Switch port would be the weapons system. “We have a feature in ourr
most welcome for existing fans weapons called ‘impulse’, which is something we
and new players alike. believe helps set us apart,” says Carlton. “When en
a craft is impacted by a weapon, instead of being ng
WIPEOUT 2097 automatically slowed, they are shoved sideways ys
QProbably the most highly and away from the point of impact. This meanss
regarded racer in the WipEout nd
that a skilled pilot may be able to predict this and
series by fans. This follow-up to prepare for it with a defensive weapon, or reactt
the original remains eye-catching to the impact and counter-steer to avoid a wall.” .”
visually and offers a pumping Defence is an important part of any battle and d
soundtrack. The track design and Pacer mixes things up in this department, too.
gameplay here remain top-notch “We have taken a new approach both in terms of
despite its 32-bit origins. A seminal on.
health systems and craft interaction,” says Carlton.
racer, and a must-have. “There are two ways of resisting damage; shield d
and health, which allow for an interesting element
ent
of risk management,” he adds.

88 | RETRO GAMER
 RETRO INSPIRED: P
PACER
ACER

The weapon absorb feature of WipEout Pure

offered a superb risk and reward element in the » [PC] The sun glinting on the surface
can be hazardous at 200mph.
series, however Pacer will be using a different
method that could prove just as rewarding. “Each
craft has two values that represent their ability to
take damage; shield and health. These values are
functionally similar in and of themselves – one
point of damage will remove one point of shield
or health,” says Carlton. “ When a craft is hit by
an unmodified weapon, the shield is removed
first until it is reduced to zero, and any remaining
damage is removed from the health of the target
so when a craft’s health is reduced to zero, that
craft will explode,” he adds.
The difference is how these values are used
during a race. “Shield can be restored by
driving over a shield pickup, but health cannot
be restored,” says Carlton. “Shield pickups are
often placed off of the race line – near a wall,
or in other areas that risk a player’s lap time. In
order to collect one, a player will need to take
a slightly longer route around the track. The
choice between total race time versus craft
stability is one the player is constantly making,”
he explains.

o mechanically Pacer is ambitious and

S deep, however this will all be for nought

if the team cannot put this altogether
into a solid technical package. Luckily,
the team knows how this should be done and
has set a high performance benchmark. “60fps is
and PS4!” Carlton asserts, rather emphatically.
“4K visuals are also available on the PS4 Pro
and Xbox One X versions, so we’re aiming for
the highest visual quality possible on current-
generation hardware.”
the benchmark on all tracks across PC, Xbox One The Designers Republic, known for its iconic
work on the first three WipEout games will
be involved with Pacer. “Essentially they’re » [PC] Sparks fly when you’re attacked but can you regain control and win?
performing much the same role as with WipEout,
designing much of the in-game iconography – the Carlton. ‘We will also have a mix of named and
brands, the teams have all been in their hands, community artist with some exclusive music
helping both give the game that futuristic feel it too,” he adds.
needs and a nice, subtle visual link to Wipeout,” R8 games has also tackled modern
explains Carlton. customisation demands from gamers with
This rather nicely provides a nice segue into Garage mode. Everything from individual
the music, Cold Storage also of WipEout fame weapons and craft loadouts can be customised
will be involved. “We approached Tim (Cold to allow the player to tailor the experience to
Storage) about creating a similar musical feel in a their own liking. Lots of content will be available
modern game, which he was happy to contribute from launch, too. “Pacer will have 14 tracks with
to. The work Cold Storage has produced so bespoke environments, each with up to eight
far has been of a brilliant quality and we are variants; night, reverse and mirrored, which
» [PC] The tracks wind through every type of biome you’d expect from a racing game. excited to show it off in the full release,” says can be mixed and matched to create lots of
new ways to master a given circuit,” he details.
“There will also be five crafts – each with their
own unique handling stats which can be further
tuned in the garage – and 11 base weapons that
again can be tweaked in the garage mode, more
than seven unique game modes for players to
enjoy in single and multiplayer.”
Pacer is showing itself to be a potentially
superb experience. It has evolved significantly
from its original Formula Fusion roots and Carlton
is confident in the studio’s product. “We’re
aiming for the perfect distillation of grabbing the
best parts of the anti-gravity games of old and
» [PC] Your rival is just behind you, combining it with the advances we’ve had with
don’t let them pass!
both software and hardware,” he states. “Pacer
is a retro-fuelled game, but one played out in the
» [PC] WipEout style imagery adorns the trackside advertisements. modern era, with all the power that provides.”

RETRO GAMER | 89
 Modern games you’ll still be playing in years to come
» Featured System: PC
» Year: 2018
» Developer: 3909 LLC
» Key People: Lucas Pope

» Obra Dinn started life as

a free demo that Lucas
Pope brought to the
2016 Game Developers
Conference. After
positive feedback, he
decided to expand it into
a full game.

» Obra Dinn’s graphics

were inspired by
designer Lucas Pope’s
love of early 1-bit
Macintosh titles. Early
on, he found the style
gave people motion
sickness, so he had
to develop a form of
motion blur.
» [PC] We’re all for games returning to old retro styles, but we’ve seen loads of 16-bit inspired pixel art. It’s nice to see Obra Dinn successfully trying something else.

We take a voyage
into one of the RETURN OF
most effective
detective games
THE OBRA DINN
THE BACKGROUND from Papers Please ensured that the game would have
ever made to Developer Lucas Pope came to prominence on the
back of critically acclaimed indie hit Papers Please – a
an audience on release, and the fact that it was bloody
brilliant meant that its audience sang its praises far and
reveal what game about playing as a border guard in a fictional
Eastern Bloc country. The success of the former
wide, making it another word-of-mouth hit.

makes it so Naughty Dog developer’s first indie title inevitably THE GAME
meant that, when images started circulating of the The game takes place in 1807 on a ghost ship from

tantalising, and retro-looking monochromatic game that would be his

follow-up, people were excited to find out more.
which the game takes its title: the Obra Dinn. The ship
has recently showed up on the English Coast, absent

why it will be The initial spark for Obra Dinn came from an idea
Lucas had where the player would die over and over;
of any of the crew that manned it when it first set sail
(well, any living crew). You play as an insurance adjuster

remembered for each time they’d be given a snapshot offering some

context for their death, and then they’d be transported
who is tasked with finding out what happened to each
member of the crew, uncovering the tragic story of the

years to come back in time and would have to try and reconstruct it
based on the clues they’d been given. From this initial
ill-fated vessel in the process.
To do this, you have two tools at your disposal.
experiment, Pope took the idea of a freeze frame The first is a supernatural watch that lets you revisit
Words by Paul Walker-Emig
moment of death and started to think about how this a snapshot of a deceased person’s final moments to
could be used to tell a story. That game would become get an idea of how they died (and there are plenty of
Return Of The Obra Dinn. The reputation Lucas had dead people on this ship, so your watch will get a lot

90 | RETRO GAMER
 FUTURE CLASSIC: RETURN OF THE OBRA DINN

» [PC] Lightning may never strike twice, but that’s a small » [PC] In the world of Obra Dinn, don’t be
consolation to the poor sod that gets zapped first time round. surprised if the odd supernatural beast turns up.

the crew is
t h off the
th i one off youurr kkey o
C] Th
» [PC] iis skketc
This rt off with no clue wh
Yo l
’ll
u’l t
sta
pieces of evidence. piece you’ll work it all out.
is who, but piece by

MEMENTO
MORTEM
This watch is a powerful
piece of kit but, smartly, it
has its limits. You only get
to see a freeze frame of
someone’s last moments.

NAVIGATING
THE NOTEBOOK
You can zoom in on a crew
» [PC] The crew of the Obra Dinn is, how shall we put it, a bit kill-y.
member’s face to have
them revealed in a sketch in of use). The second is a notebook that contains some the game constantly keeping your brain working
your notebook to help better key pieces of evidence, such as a ship’s manifest and and prodding you in new directions, whilst always
identify them. a sketch of the crew. Using this evidence and the clues maintaining a focus on logic that’s key to making it
you get from revisiting an individual’s last moments, work as a detective title. You’ll struggle at times, the
CHAIN OF you have to work out three things: who that person wealth of information you’ve got to deal with often
REVELATIONS was, how they died, and who killed them, if their death feeling overwhelming. But, without fail, every time
Investigating into one wasn’t an accident. Smartly, the game requires you to progress slows, you’ll eventually have that light bulb
character’s death can lead solve deaths in threes before it’ll tell you if the solutions moment that picks up the pace, mysteries falling like
you to the remains of others you’ve entered into the notebook are correct to prevent dominoes before you as that notebook comes ever
within that memory, creating you brute-forcing them. closer to completion.
a Russian doll-like chain of Using these two tools, Obra Dinn sees you take
morbid revelations. a journey across space and time: exploring the WHY IT’S A FUTURE CLASSIC
physical space of the ship and the events that took So many games promise to let us play the role of
MUSIC TO place during a disaster-ridden voyage as you jump detective, but few deliver – we get action games
YOUR EARS back through time to piece together a macabre tale with detective elements, narrative games where
Return Of The Obra Dinn is told through the personal tragedies of each crew sleuthing takes a back seat to storytelling, open
great with deft audio cues, member’s demise. What starts off as a list of names world games where detective work is just one more
such as the musical flourish will gradually become people as you learn about the waypoint on a map littered with tasks to complete.
that accompanies every relationships between crew members, the hardships Obra Dinn, on the other hand, is laser-focused on the
use of your magic time- they endured and the choices that they made. appeal of the mystery genre and the mechanics of
distorting pocket watch. However, while this narrative element is an appealing detective work. It is a game designed to swamp your
part of the game, that’s not the core of what makes it mind with theories, thoughts and speculations, that
OCCUPATIONAL such a success. prompts you to play mental games with clues and
HAZARDS The key to Obra Dinn is the sense of pleasure you’ll intuitions and that, in the notebook, offers a way for
We’d rather stay on dry land gain from ticking off each mystery with the power of you to bring order to that chaos, untangling the mental
if the long list of gruesome deductive reasoning. You’ll start off simple, hearing a mess into coherence. This process of taking clues
deaths that befell the Obra Scottish accent in a death scene and then scanning and conjecture and turning them into truth is not only
Dinn’s crew is what to the ships manifest to check the nationality of its crew intensely rewarding, it is what the mystery genre is
expect at sea. members to identify a key individual, for example. As all about. In recognising that, Lucas Pope has created
you continue, you’ll be forced to find new strategies, what is, arguably, a definitive detective experience.

RETRO GAMER | 91
 FRANÇOIS LIONET
We say bonjour to another French programmer, this time François Lionet
who became part of development group Jawx. He is best known for the
STOS and AMOS, programming languages that helped others make games
Words by Andrew Fisher

What are your earliest computer memories?

“Bravo for all your research!” The Texas Instruments TI-57 [calculator] that I had, 49
says François, who we steps of program, with ‘GOTO’ and seven registers,
discovered was originally one label that used two steps of program, so it was
studying to be a vet. That very limited and I was very jealous of the guys that
changed after his games had the HP 41. And I made a version of [code-breaking
board game] Mastermind with three numbers.
were first published, but did
affect his military service.
What was the first home computer you saw?
“I pushed it back as much
The Ohio Scientific Superboard II. It was absolutely
as I could. With a degree
unknown in France, I just saw an ad. It was a board
you are more comfortable with everything on and was cheap at the time – 2500
as you go in as an officer, Francs in 1981. You had the keyboard, the video
the classes were a month output, 4K of memory, 6502 processor, and tape
and then I arrived at the recording output. I was the only one in France to use it,
barracks in my Renault 4L but it was a good computer.
[a small hatchback] loaded
with Commodore Amigas, When did you start programming?
monitors and printers. I had With the Superboard, I started making games in » [Oric] Control this white whale in François’ unusual simulator Bering
the possibility to live off- BASIC – and after the first I saw you couldn’t do
(named after the Bering Strait).
barracks, I programmed in anything serious in BASIC. So I programmed my own
the mornings and evenings assembler in BASIC and used that. the journey from Lyon to Paris just to see it – I went
and that’s it. I didn’t learn to the company that was distributing it, and I saw this
anything, but the last posting What inspired your earliest games? white piece of crap that when you press on the keys,
that no one wanted – in The classics: Breakout, Pac-Man, Defender I loved at the displays flashes and oh no! So Sinclair was out for
eastern France, and [it was] the time – scrolling the whole screen, but it was only me forever. The Oric was a good machine.
cold – was my hometown. in characters. With sound as well – you had two bits
output on the board, you could plug a speaker on it How did you start writing games professionally?
directly so you had sound. I even managed on two bits My first commercial game Driver was in the summer
to make a three-voice sound generator. [Laughs]. [of 1981]. It was just a copy of an arcade game
[Rally-X] I saw at the fair in my home town. So I
How did you start work on the Oric? started to look for publishers. This game in a couple
Sinclair was not really popular in France. The Oric was of months sold 2,000 copies, and I made like 20,000
the same price, and it looked a lot more serious. I don’t Francs. I did choose, in the end, a good publisher.
know how it is inside but the ZX, the keyboard… it But I received one letter from Loriciel, which is a big
was the soft keyboard, the Oric was much better. And French company that was massive on the Oric at the
to be honest I was not going to buy anything from time, ‘Thank you for your game proposal, we offer
Sinclair anymore. When the ZX80 came out, I made in return three games from our catalogue.’ I am

92 | RETRO GAMER
Sinclair was not really
popular in France. The Oric
was the same price, and it
looked more serious
François Lionet
 sorry I have lost this letter, because it should be with the way the team was designed
When Moses was
on display to show how crooked the publisher can
be. Exploiting young geeks!
and I had a big fight – a legal fight that
lasted for 15 years, to prove that I was the eaten by crocodiles, you
So with Driver, Bombyx and Bering behind you,
author because they were claiming to be
the author as well. […] Another thing that had to read one page of
how did you join Jawx?
The publisher I found was DIALOG Informatique,
really makes me laugh, they were very
close to officials and agencies, they were the Bible. You lose, so
driven by Jean Luc Pronier who was a fantastic guy. commercial in Paris and sold themselves
We worked well together and he became part of
Jawx, the famous French development ‘group’ (with
to the politicians. So we were part of the
author protection society that is called…
read the Bible
François Lionet
no legal structure and that was a problem later) – I [pauses dramatically] SCAM! [Laughs]. I
had never heard of them. Then I met the group itself mean, come on, how can you be so French
– Jacques Fleurance and Frédéric Pinlet, who were to call it that!
commercial people just out of the business world,
who didn’t know very much about games but had How did Cock‘In (also called Chickin Chase) Bible Tales and spending time in the USA after
some nice ideas. I was looking for this kind of group come about? the CES show in 1986. Could you tell us a little
so I was happy to join. It’s their idea, they wanted to do something French bit about the story behind that?
and a bit naughty. The original title Cock‘In… in That’s a wonderful story, and it was a fantastic period
Jawx had some very unusual ideas… French it’s the same as the English phrase, ‘Fuck it!’ of my life. So we were working with Jim Cuomo and
Very French, you can say. Somehow I was ashamed It was a really good idea. You had to spend some he’s an Italian, 100 per cent Italian. And his mother
of some of the games. Serenade, for example, time inside the little house and then it started to get is 500 per cent Italian. Very Catholic, she lived in
was unplayable – it was fun, I don’t know, they more difficult. It was quite a balanced game, with a Colorado Springs. A wonderful place, just at the
came with the ideas. They were working with Jim nice progression curve, and you can play for a long limit of the Rocky Mountains. And Jim offered to
Cuomo at the time, who was doing music. It was time, so… did you play it? host me at his mother’s, to program a game on the
kind of a team, but there were so many problems Commodore 64, because his mother – who was kind
Yes, we played the Commodore 64 of an old lady, but dynamic – wanted to do a game
version a lot. based on the Bible. So I went there, I had my room, I
Ah right, with the big sprites… doubled, worked in the garage so it was awfully hot. By random
with the big pixels. This is a game that I met a cousin of mine over there, but I’ve lost track of
is horrible for sprite engines. At one him. He had a wonderful place, exactly at the utmost
moment you can have everyone in one sacred place of the Native Americans – stolen by the
spot, so that is bad for coding. Americans, of course. So one morning we went there
and climbed up the boulders with no ropes, 50 metres
So there’s Olé or Raging Beast – above nothing, and we sat looking east, no clouds,
why a bullfighting game? and we saw the most sacred place of all America
Why not? The bull didn’t die. And if together watching the sun rise. I’m sure there’s now a
you play to the point where you can do McDonalds or something there. And I discovered Jim
some rodeo, it was too complex – you Cuomo was in a band, so he was playing in the sleazy
have to rotate the joystick, that’s my suburbs of America that were frightening.
fault. But it could be fun. The concept of the game, you had three stages.
The first stage was baby Moses on the Nile, so you
» [C64] Saying ‘HOWDY’ to an alien, thanks to Captain We’ve read your old blog that’s had to drive the basket along the Nile and not get
Blood ’s UPCOM translator icons. online, where you mention Abner’s eaten by crocodiles. And when Moses was eaten by

FIVE TO PLAY Magic from the

coding genius

BOMBYX CAPTAIN CHICKIN CHASE OLÉ aka RAGING AMOS

Q Impressively, François made BLOOD aka COCK‘IN BEAST QAfter the success of STOS,
this Oric title in just one week, QAn entire galaxy to explore packed QThe chunky expanded sprites QThis hilarious and bloodless François transferred his utility to
using BASIC, and it’s great fun. into 64K, allowing you to seek out give the C64 version a distinctive take on bullfighting was unique at the rival 16-bit Amiga. It helped
The premise is the familiar Snake alien civilisations, beam ETs aboard look. Visit the henhouse to the time and remains fun today… launch the careers of many
aim of collecting bonuses and your organic ship and explode ‘service’ the hen, then protect the when you master the controls. programmers and was used for
watching your tail grow. At higher whole planets at the touch of your eggs she lays from the marauding Wave the cape at the passing bull commercial games, demos and
difficulties there are moving on-screen finger. The clever UPCOM vermin (rats, hedgehogs and successfully and the crowd throws more. With the planned backward
enemies to contend with, and the communication system adds so snakes). Peck the corn and juicy a rosette to be placed on the compatibility in AMOS 2, start
constantly ticking timer imbues a much atmosphere, and the fractal worms for extra energy… you will bull’s horns. Get trampled and the searching your old disk boxes for
bit more tension to the gameplay. flying sequence still looks great. need it after all that mating. stretcher carries you off. unfinished AMOS projects.

94 | RETRO GAMER
 IN THE CHAIR: FRANÇOIS LIONET

» A Dutch magazine article pro

moting
AMOS,
OS with
i h François pictured, in 198
8.

» The whole STOS range, although François did not program the 3D version of STOS (or AMOS 3D).

crocodiles, you had to read one page of the Bible. You that we never managed to do. Working
lose, so read the Bible – that was not the right way to with this kind of genius was fantastic.
do it! I think I still have the box…
What inspired you to create STOS?
We have been trying to find the game online and The idea was from Jawx. The plan
it doesn’t seem like it’s been archived. was to replace GEM – you know, it » [Amstrad CPC] Run out of eggs in Chickin Chase and your chicken gets battered…
I think I have lost the floppy or the cassette… all was so-so. On Amiga the Workbench
written in machine language. is okay. On the ST if you want 16 colours you can
only use half of the screen, and so on, personally I SELECTED TIMELINE
The other two levels, according to the blog, hated it. It started as a replacement for GEM with a
featured David defeating Goliath with his sling kind of DOS that was programmed by a Greek friend GAMES
and the trumpets trying to bring down the walls of Jacques and Frederic, Constantin Sotiropoulos. QDRIVER [1981] ORIC-1
of Jericho. Both these levels featured rotational He was in charge of the DOS, and at the time when QBOMBYX [1981] ORIC-1
controls, perhaps inspired by the rotations you had the DOS you programmed a kind of BASIC QBERING [1982] ORIC ATMOS
François had used in Raging Beast. Abner’s Bible language to go with it. That attracted me, and as I QKATUVU [1984] C64
Tales has so far proved elusive, so if anyone made games I wanted to display graphics, make QCOCK’IN aka CHICKIN CHASE [1985]
knows more or has a copy, get in touch by sounds, collisions. And as I had been working on VARIOUS
dropping us a line: retrogamer@futurenet.com. many machines, the first thing when you start a QRAGING BEAST – OLE! [1986] VARIOUS
project is you make a sprite engine, a sound engine, a QABNER’S BIBLE TALES [1986] C64
So your next major project was converting movement engine and a collision engine so why not QLE JEU DU ROY [1987] THOMSON MO5/TO7
Captain Blood to various formats, how did you build them once and for all? QCAPTAIN BLOOD [1987] VARIOUS
get involved? QSTOS ORIGINAL VERSION [1987] ATARI ST
It was in 1987, I just finished my vet studies and I So that’s how it came about. Have you played QSTOS BASIC [1988] ATARI ST
moved to Paris with friends from vet school who many games that were created with STOS? QSTOS COMPILER [1989] ATARI ST
wanted to specialise in tropical medicine. We rented Not really. I’m not a gamer. At that age, in the Eighties QAMOS BASIC [1990] AMIGA
a small house near the vet school in Paris, and I was and Nineties, when I was interviewed I would say, QAMOS COMPILER [1991] AMIGA
programming during the day while they studied. I did ‘Oh, I know this game and that,’ – stop lying. I know QEASY AMOS [1992] AMIGA
Captain Blood, Jeu Du Roy and STOS there. nothing about good games. I code the game engine QAMOS PROFESSIONAL [1992] AMIGA
It was a fantastic experience, on many sides. First and that’s all. QKLIK & PLAY [1993] PC
of all I met my future partner Yves, who was in charge QCOREL CLICK & CREATE [1995] PC
of the Amstrad CPC version which was absolutely Was it difficult to follow up STOS with AMOS QTHE GAMES FACTORY 1.0 [1996] PC
brilliant. I did the Commodore 64 and PC versions. And for the Amiga? QMULTIMEDIA FUSION 1.0 [1997] VARIOUS
I met the authors, Didier Bouchon and Philippe Ulrich: No, it was like getting out of a tiny room and entering a QIMSI MULTIMEDIA FUSION [1998] VARIOUS
giants in the French gaming industry, and still are. castle! I was immediately poking the hardware… and I QJAMAGIC [2000] VARIOUS
Didier is a genius artist. Maybe you have noticed did not respect the display, which is the major criticism QMULTIMEDIA FUSION 1.5 [2002] VARIOUS
flying over the planet with the mountains, in fractals, is that has been made of AMOS, that it doesn’t respect QMULTIMEDIA FUSION 2.0 [2006] VARIOUS
not as good in the adaptations as on the Atari? Why? the system well. For games, you do not respect the QTHE GAMES FACTORY 2.0 [2006] VARIOUS
We spent like a day all in machine language on this system, you go as far as possible. On most computers QCLICKTEAM FUSION 2.5 [2013] VARIOUS
effect, and Didier could not explain how he did it at all! you have the screen and it writes the display from QAMOS2 [TBC 2019] VARIOUS
The mountains [on the ST] had some kind of rotations the top to the bottom. In AMOS you’ve got layers,

RETRO GAMER | 95
 AMOS was one of the
first game-oriented
programming engines,
at the time
François Lionet

am Lionet of the Borg.

» “Iwil
You l be AMOSimilated!”

WE DON’T NEED
NO EDUCATION » [Amiga] Ian West programmed Ork Attack – The Return and its prequel with AMOS.
François on the Thomson
computers used in French schools and that’s a lot more difficult. There’s one routine
In UK schools, BBC computers taught that does the timing and I have never touched it again. » [Oric] Driver (no, not the PlayStation one) is an excellent attempt at
making a Rally-X style game on the humble Oric.
computer literacy. France had informatique Never. It was tough. But it works.
pour tous and Thomson computers.
François was not impressed. “I made Did you know Mandarin Software, which can’t enjoy it properly. When a tool has good potential,
a chess game, Le Jeu Du Roy, with the published STOS and AMOS, made some Fun you accept that the interface is crap, the icon is
floppy drive for development. I’m not lying: School educational games with the utilities? here instead of there, and you accept that it crashes
it was nearly one chance out of two when Of course! The last version of Mini Office was made because you need it. For a game, you don’t accept it.
you save and leave the disk in the drive, with AMOS Professional. And it was hell for me, Making a good tool – and good, in the way that they
the disk corrupted. I had a pile of five disks because calling the product Pro was the worst mistake are usable – is a bit more difficult.
and saved five copies. Imagine kids coming we ever made, it should have been called AMOS 2
back next week saying, ‘I want to go on because it had nothing professional. What have been some of the best games made
with my program,’ and it’s crashed! with Clickteam software?
“The only good thing was the lightpen, What led you to forming Clickteam? Five Nights At Freddy ’s – the whole series, except one,
and no one used it. Processor speed was With the lawsuit in 1993 that was still going on with was made with Clickteam Fusion. I interviewed the
awful. The graphic chip was the same Jawx, I couldn’t make a PC version of AMOS – author, he’s a fantastic guy. What is strange is that he is
as the Minitel terminal. The BBC is so because it would have been the same product, and a very deep guy, really nice but not extremist, American
much better,” François concludes. “This Jawx claimed authorship. I wanted to move to PC, Catholic, and he makes horror games! The first time
is very French, the hardware choice was of course. AMOS was one of the first game-oriented I played it, it was at my cousin’s, he shut the light off
political. Such bad decisions had an programming engines, at the time, and I started with me in front of the computer and I was playing it.
impact on industry, even today – except thinking about accountants using Excel. They make [Screams]. That was very scary. There are videos on
the videogame industry which is very complex Excel sheets, even with loops – endless YouTube of many games made with Fusion (search
passionate, where we can be good – loops, where you refer one cell to another – and when #MadeWithFusion); you will be amazed – incredible
France is computer illiterate. Can you you ask them, ‘Are you a programmer?’ they go ‘No!’ graphics, incredible designs. And Baba Is You, you
imagine, [Jacques] Chirac didn’t think we But they are. So I took the idea of these formulas, and must have heard of this one – a fantastic concept, an
will be using computers everywhere! In the way you display them, that makes the complexity. amazing game, this was made with Multimedia Fusion.
a TV report he called the mouse a ‘mulot’ And then I added the conditions and actions, Klik &
[field mouse] instead of a ‘souris’ [mouse]. Play was the very first application with such things as Now you are working on AMOS 2 – what made
It was so hilarious the expression stayed conditions and actions. Everyone is doing it now, like you want to return to it now?
in the language for jokes.” Scratch. One of the key things of Klik & Play and the Since like five or six years, I began to receive emails
whole Clickteam range of products even today is that it with the revival of retro computing, saying, ‘Thank you
doesn’t lie, it doesn’t hide the mechanics. Even if it’s a very much for AMOS, I learned programming with it
simple and visual tool, it can make a complex program. and I owe you my career in IT.’ I must have received
That’s wonderful. hundreds of them, and then I discovered an AMOS
Pro group on Facebook, and a STOS group. From
Clickteam’s products have been in the ‘game there a little idea grew – get the old AMOS code and
maker’ genre, is that your speciality? convert it. That’s how the project started, in November
It seems to be! For me, it’s easier to make a tool than 2018 when I opened the Patreon. It shows there is
a game. You can have a badly designed tool that is an interest and if you go to the AMOS Pro group, it
still usable, but when a game is badly designed you used to be dead and people would occasionally post

96 | RETRO GAMER
 IN THE CHAIR: FRANÇOIS LIONET

YOU ASK
THE QUESTIONS
François sorts through our
mailbox to answer your queries
DRS: The Oric does not have
a great reputation in the UK –
Taskset’s Andy Walker compared
it to a doorstop – so how would
you defend it?

» [Amiga] Jetstrike was created with the help of AMOS.

Why does it have a poor reputation
there? It was even made by an English
company! The construction of the
machine – Sinclair machines were cheap
and they looked cheap – the Oric beat
that, especially the Atmos; it was a well-
made machine. And the display processor
in the Oric, the same as in the Thomson
machines three years later, you define the
colours and then the line has the colours.
So it was rather difficult to program when
you had sprites, you end up with a blank
area on the left of it, that’s annoying. It
» [C64] Riding the Raging Beast, whose aggression level is was cheap and well-made, so it’s unfair.
variable, ranging from 0 to 255.

pictures of an old game. But now five or six people will be that they program their own AI, and I’m sure ANTIRIAD2097: Will we see
started to program again in the original AMOS, that they will be successful. Not only will I learn a lot of an update of Cock’In as an
knowing that the promise it will work on everything things from the kids, but at 11 years they will be able AMOS 2 demo?
once it is compiled with the new version. So somehow to say to their fathers, they understand how artificial
the ball starts rolling, and I’m so happy about it. intelligence works and they can program it, these kids
will have some kind of ultra-advantage in life.
It’s funny you say that, as I tried to
So that was important to you, the backwards
make one in JavaScript, and yes I
compatibility for AMOS 2? What are your thoughts on other game-making
am going to do it! And you will be
It is vital. I have to live on this, it has to be a success. software that’s out there?
able to open the door and see inside
I was just a kid when I wrote AMOS. Not only will it Programming all the time, I don’t have the time to
the henhouse… you will see what’s
be compatible with the old version, it will have a new use these. I had a look at the ones made by people I
happening inside. [Laughs].
syntax I am designing with a professor from Turin worked with at Europress. I am still friends with them,
University and IT expert Tom Cully, done by an adult even if DarkBASIC was kind of a copy of AMOS in a
instead of a kid. So there is real logic in the instruction way; it was done in a nice way, so it’s okay. Recently I
set, and the ability to program ‘flat’ or ‘object-oriented’. made my first project in Unity, it’s a tree structure. ERIC: Were there any hurdles
I keep programming, with these promises, but not the moving from STOS to AMOS? And
awful design of the original AMOS. We tend to find that developers feel a pull back what are your thoughts on Blitz?
The goal of AMOS Software – the startup I created to the platforms they used to work with. Would
this summer – is the education of coding for young you go back to the old machines and program
people. Next year, after the release of the boxed something new? No, because it was the same processor
version of AMOS 2 in December, I’ll move to Malta. Certainly, but only when I have time. Getting an old I could copy and paste much of the
Because Malta is a little England under the sun. It’s a machine, you have to fix it, this takes time – and time code. But it was like going from a
laboratory of 500,000 people, and we have contacted is the most precious resource. When I am finished [Citroen] 2CV to a Ferrari! To tell you,
local schools to give courses of computing with with the AMOS 2 compiler – the JavaScript version – I all my life I have been Asperger’s, you
AMOS 2 over three years. The first year, using games will have it output C++ code so it works at maximum are like a kid inside, so by working by
and role-playing and practical things; you put a ball in speed on the native machines, and I would like to myself I am okay with it and I’m a kind
a drawer, you open the drawer, you have the number, make a C64 version. of Rain Man – but a slow one. I had [a]
this kind of thing. And with new projects and games, kid’s reactions at the time so I was not
working with a programmer to make them discover Wow! happy. I was pissed because Blitz is a
the good way to learn. And their game graphics will Programming the 6502 is marvellous, and the SID fantastic product, it’s what the AMOS
be redone by a professional artist, based on the ideas can do so many things. I remember the sound of the instruction set should’ve been, instead
of the kids, so they are proud to show their games. springs as you typed – and you tried to program with of being programmed from day to day
Second year is object-oriented programming, and third your hands up at an angle. with no clear plan. I am sorry that they
year I will teach them how artificial intelligence works. did not manage to revive it. I am sure
And the kids will then understand it, you can make an Merci bien, it’s been fascinating. AMOS will be a success but we need
AI with sand falling – that’s how simple it is. The goal Merci beaucoup! to get there before they do.

RETRO GAMER | 97
Dave Mirra
Freestyle BMX
LOUD AND PROUD
 PLAYSTATION  2000  Z-AXIS
» RETROREVIVAL

While the vast majority of my writing

is published in Retro Gamer, I’ve
been known to contribute to other
magazines around these parts, from
the likes of Play (RIP) and games™
(RIP) to Linux User & Developer (RIP) – and as I
write this, I’ve recently submitted my first piece for
Metal Hammer. My dad raised me on Motörhead and
I’ve been reading the magazine for over a decade, so it’s
quite exciting. And like so many things in my life, gaming
helped develop my love of heavy music.
Back when I was a young teenager, I didn’t really
have many ways to discover music. What little money
I got for working was spent on games and Pokémon
cards, and we didn’t have a PC so I couldn’t get in on the
nascent MP3 revolution. We didn’t have cable TV either,
so I couldn’t watch music channels. Thankfully, I grew
up in an era of licensed soundtracks, and they helped to
expand my tastes when I had few other options – and
one of the games that really stood out to me on that front
was Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX.
As a game, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX was fine. It’s
pretty easy to see that publisher Acclaim’s entire design
process was to get Z-Axis, give them a copy of Tony
Hawk’s Skateboarding and say, “Something like this,
please.” Despite being fairly derivative, the ragdoll crash
animations were pretty funny and it was a competent
game that was easy to have fun with, so I put more time
into it than I care to think about. But the biggest reason
I stuck with it for so long was for its soundtrack, which
features an assortment of artists that Darran would
describe as “too loud” – Rancid, Dropkick Murphys and
Deftones among them. For me, the best track of the
lot is Don’t Drag Me Down, one of Social Distortion’s
heaviest songs and one whose anti-racist message hasn’t
aged a bit. I haven’t played the game in a long time, but I
do think fondly of it whenever I hear that song.
 » [PC] There are some true greats on Antstream, though
it may be a suboptimal way to experience them.

>> This month

we find out
if Antstream
is worth the
subscription
price and also
learn if co-op
is a good fit
for the new
Wolfenstein
franchise.
Additionally,
we take
Horizon Chase
Turbo for a
spin and play
Antstream
ANT AND DRECK
the Xbox One
remaster of INFORMATION Antstream has Upon signing into the service, an easy-
Metal Wolf  FORMAT REVIEWED: been one of retro to-navigate home screen lists a little
Chaos PC, ANDROID, XBOX ONE gaming’s most over 200 games, split across a variety of
 ALSO ON: interesting projects genres – this screen helpfully highlights
MAC for a while now, useful information, too, such as which
 RELEASED: as it’s attempting games have challenges. At the time BRIEF HISTORY
OUT NOW to position itself as the Netflix of of writing, just over three quarters of  Antstream is a subscription-
based retro gaming service
 PRICE: retro games – streaming and all. Antstream’s active library originated on which enables players to play
£9.99 PER MONTH / Having now spent some significant home computer formats, with plenty hundreds of games (just under
£95.88 PER YEAR 600, at the time of writing) across
hands-on time with the service, some of C64 and Spectrum games, rounded a variety of devices. The games
 PUBLISHER: of our fears over that concept have off by a smattering of Amiga. The are emulated on a remote server,
ANTSTREAM with video and audio streamed to
been dispelled, but not nearly enough of bulk of the remaining titles are arcade
PICKS OF  DEVELOPER: them to truly recommend the service at games, with a very small selection of
your device over the internet. The
project has been in development
THE MONTH ANTSTREAM
this point in time. Mega Drive games providing the only for a number of years and went
 PLAYERS: into early access earlier in
Antstream is easy to set up, though console representation. 2019, following a Kickstarter
12
we found that the website’s claim that In some respects, Antstream that raised £70,301 from 861
it is “available on all your devices” was deserves to be commended for its backers. The service opened to
the general public on 1 July 2019,
a little misleading, as some popular technical achievements. We ran the and the company has recently
ones aren’t yet supported – at the Android app on a low-end Amazon attracted funding from Chinese
games giant Tencent.
time of writing, iPhone, iPad, PS4 Fire tablet from 2015 and experienced
DARRAN and Switch apps were yet to launch. solid technical performance and control
Horizon Chase Turbo However, it was easy to get started response. With the streaming nature
I loved playing Lotus »[Android] The touch controls
Esprit and Top Gear, so aren’t great, due to the way
and log in on the devices we tested. of the service, that means that you’ll
this spiritual successor d-pad input is handled. get equally good performance whether
has been eating up lots of you’re playing Spectrum favourites or
my spare time. arcade hits. Input lag also proved to be
way less of a problem than we were
expecting. This is our chief concern with
any game streaming service, and we
don’t think most players will notice it.
However, being playable is a low
hurdle to clear, and sadly it’s just about
DREW the only one that has been cleared.
Horizon Chase Turbo Video quality is the most noticeably
This came up as a bonus subpar aspect of the product. We
for PS Plus recently, and
frequently experienced a variety of
I’ve had good fun with it. I »[Xbox One] Antstream is planned
used to love Lotus on the faults including momentary tearing for all consoles, but right now only
Mega Drive. and smeary images, as well as more the Xbox One version is available.

100 | RETRO GAMER

 REVIEWS: ANTSTREAM

»[PC] Pinball Dreams is awesome, but we never would

have found it if we hadn’t been told it was there.

»[PC] By the time we finished Magical Drop III, the

stream was heavily glitching – look at those cats!
» [PC] The only console games you can find are from the Mega Drive, like this Speedball 2 port.

persistent blocks of incorrect colour and irritating as the virtual d-pad recentres
garbled details, and these seemed to every time you lift your thumb off the
increase in severity the longer a session screen, so you’re required to slide your
lasted. Because the frames have to thumb about in a way that feels rather
be delivered to the player as quickly as unnatural. There are no video options
possible, Antstream can’t opt for slow to speak of, so if you want scanlines,
video encoding to increase quality – forget that. Worst of all, the service
but bitrate is also a concern for those doesn’t offer any options to save or
playing on mobile connections, so that suspend your game at all, which isn’t
can’t be too high, either. We clocked the really acceptable.
Windows program consuming 1-2Mb/s Discoverability is also atrocious.
of bandwidth, and on that basis we Each game has its year of publication,
reckon it’d chew through over 650MB original system and publisher listed,
of data over an hour. It’s certainly not an but you can’t browse games by these
efficient way to deliver games which are criteria. The search function is little help
a tenth of that size (and very frequently in this regard – a simple text search is »[PC] When compression struggles to keep up with the action, video quality tanks pretty badly.
considerably smaller). available, but it only returns titles so
Other major areas of the Antstream putting ‘Mega Drive’ into the search box did eventually find it, it wasn’t up to date way to play them, to the point that we’d
experience are lacklustre, too. Controls won’t return games for that format. We anyway. Of course, that doesn’t help prefer to seek them out elsewhere –
are predetermined for each game, and were provided with a list of games by the average user, who will be left to especially since many of the arcade
can’t be remapped – so if you don’t like an Antstream staff member, which is search random words and hope they hit games are provided by companies
the default layout, you’re stuffed. The helpful as Antstream’s website doesn’t something fun. that are making their back catalogues
touchscreen controls are particularly promote its full game listing – when we It’s a shame, because there are widely available, such as SNK and
some genuinely nice things that Data East. Being an ongoing service,
Antstream does. When games have Antstream won’t stay static and the
challenges, they allow you to quickly company is saying that it intends to
jump into a game and try to achieve fix many of its issues. But right now,
certain goals – there are leaderboards Antstream doesn’t feel like a product
and achievement medals available, that is ready for prime time – it feels like
and you can challenge friends with it’s still in open beta.
Antstream memberships to beat your
scores (though you have to earn and In a nutshell
spend crystals to do this, bizarrely). While our fears about Antstream’s
These are usually well constructed and video streaming were only partially
offer a great way to sample games realised, the service has plenty of
quickly – we’d love to see more of issues that are wholly unrelated
these in retro releases. to that technological choice. We
Antstream offers access to plenty would advise readers to wait and
of games at a pretty low price, but the see if the problems are resolved
»[PC] The challenges are pretty cool, but it’s odd that you have to pay crystals to unlock them. service as it stands is a substandard before taking the plunge.

RETRO GAMER | 101

retro roundup
we look at the latest retro-related releases

Pick of the month

Horizon Chase Turbo
» System: Switch(tested), Xbox One, PS4, PC » Buy it from: Online, retail » Buy it for: £17.99 (digital) £34.99 (retail)

Shockingly, we never got around to Technically Horizon Chase is solid, with

reviewing this old-school racer when it recognisable locations from around the
was first released digitally, so a recent world, neat weather effects and 19 other
physical offering has given us a good cars to take on. While it typically hits a
chance to rectify that. Interestingly, solid 60fps, there is an odd stuttering that
despite the many comparisons that have occasionally happens on later levels. It rarely
been made to Sega’s Out Run, Horizon impacts play, but the drops are noticeable.
Chase Turbo has little in common with it and The soundtrack is by Barry Leitch, the same
is directly influenced by the Top Gear series, composer of Top Gear and Lotus Turbo
a 16-bit console franchise that had its roots Challenge 2 and is very good. His inclusion »[Switch] Try and keep clear of cars when overtaking as collisions rarely go in your favour.
in the earlier Lotus Esprit series. Now that means you have some brilliant remixes of
the history lesson is out of the way, let’s his earlier work and they sound superb.
explain why you need to add this slick racer Of course, all of this polish and content
to your collection. would be for nothing if the racing itself was
For starters Horizon Chase Turbo is poor, and thankfully that’s not the case at
stuffed full of solid content, which makes all. The way you collide with cars and the
sense as it’s an evolution of 2015’s Horizon aggressive AI of your rivals is a little off-
Chase: World Tour. In addition to the 105 putting (just like Top Gear) while the handling
tracks that make up the World Tour, there’s is also highly reminiscent of the earlier 16-bit
a Tournament mode, Endurance options and series. There are a few annoying difficulty
Playground, which consists of limited-time spikes, but it can’t stop Horizon Chase from
races with all sorts of neat challenges. being lots of fun.
Additionally you can play local multiplayer,
too, meaning value for money is very good. >> Score 80% »[Switch] The framerate is largely smooth, occasionally
dropping when a lot is going on on-screen.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood Metal Wolf Chaos XD Arcade Archives: XMultiply

» System: Switch (tested) Xbox One, PS4, PC » System: Xbox One (tested) PS4 » System: Switch » Buy it from: Digital
» Buy it from: Online, retail » Buy it for: £34.99 » Buy it from: Online » Buy it for: £20.99 » Buy it for: £6.29
We’ve been big fans of the new If you’ve never experienced From Considering how much the Saturn and
Wolfenstein games, so it’s a shame that Software’s cult Xbox mech shooter, PlayStation versions sell for, Hamster’s
Youngblood is such a weak follow-up. be aware that it’s all style and conversion works out as exceptional
The ability to play with a friend or on your little substance. Stages typically require value for money. Style-wise XMultiply is
own with an AI helper helps to differentiate you to track down items, blow them up very similar to R-Type (another Irem game)
it from the earlier games, but you gain no and then take on an immense, heavily but it stands apart thanks to its novel
real benefit from doing so. The story is armoured boss. Between stages you can power-up system, which revolves around
weak, with the two female leads sounding research and buy new weapons to strap onto you using your tentacle arms to shield
like they’re 11-year-old boys, bosses soak your giant mech. Despite its simplicity, Metal yourself from incoming projectiles. As
up bullets like sponges, the Eighties setting Wolf Chaos remains plenty of fun because with other games in the Arcade Archives
is rarely more than window dressing, while its tongue is planted firmly in its cheek and series, this is an excellent port, thanks to
needing certain types of bullets to take its so entertaining to play. It’s a shame, then, a variety of tweakable options, a separate
down different types of enemies sounds that it’s been treated to a lacklustre remaster High Score version of the game, and a
cool as a concept, but is annoying in its due to a range of missing graphical effects, five-minute Caravan mode, which both
execution. Even the level design of Arkane muffled sound and missing music files. From offer plenty of additional replay value in
Studios can’t save this. Software’s game deserves better. addition to the core version of the game.

>> Score 60% >> Score 71% >> Score 78%

102 | RetRo GAmeR

 VOT E FO R YO U R FAVO U R I T E G A M E S
OF THE YEAR IN THE 37TH ANNUAL
G O L D E N J OYST I C K AWA R D S

VOTING OPENS
SEPTEMBER 2019
goldenjoysticks.com

f facebook.com/goldenjoysticks l twitter.com/GoldenJoysticks
 *DPHUƖ

ewinŁ sincĠ 2005

Br » [ZX Spectrum] Rudolph the reindeer had a very sparkly trail while saving Christmas.

STARTING THEM YOUNG

The UK national curriculum was into that camp since it’s set in the the player is a weird oscillating square,
updated half a decade ago to include ominous-sounding Dungeon Of Doom car-based exploration with Rocky’s
computer programming, so teacher with tasks including a rescue mission, Roads And Divots or Cherry Challenge
Douglas McGregor at Bearsden defeating the guards and escaping with where a piece of sentient fruit needs to
Primary School decided that, rather lots of loot along the way. be guided through the harrowing rooms
than look at the topic in a general A couple of the games revolve around of the Evil Mushroom’s lair. Closer to
fashion, he would instead bring astronauts, with Zoe’s Adventure seeing home – but still reasonably bizarre – is
a
» [ZX Spectrum] Mark Gets Sucked In sees programming concepts together the player guide the hero through the Mark Gets Sucked In which sees a
ed inside a videogame.
gamer become trapp fo
for his Year Six pupils through, of late stages of her training, while veteran gamer unceremoniously dragged into
course, the medium of videogames.
co space traveller Timothy wants help to a videogame world which he must
T
The platform of choice was the ZX locate the Moonstone in Timothy’s battle through to escape, and there’s
Spectrum, using Jonathan Cauldwell’s
S Travels. The science fiction themes even some Christmas-themed action
A
Arcade Game Designer to create a continue with Bot Floater where a with Rudolph Rescues Xmas as the
cluster of completed projects that cover
cl hovering robot needs to collect cash on red-nosed reindeer tries to thwart the
a diverse range of topics and experiment the way to confronting its evil nemesis, dastardly plans of Scrooge.
with game mechanics in the process.
w while a robot uprising is the reason why It’s fascinating to see how the
Some of the titles are fantasy-driven, the player controls The Last Human students either worked with or around
including The Quest To Become
in in the game of the same name. The the limitations of both Arcade Game
K
King, Trick Or Troll and the intriguingly furthest journey afield is probably Lost In Designer and the ZX Spectrum’s
tit The Dragon With The Wagon
titled Space, although Astrid’s Adventure has graphical capabilities and all of the
» [ZX Spectrum] Lookin
g to grab a
aall leaning towards the traditional a second title of Mission On Mars. released games can be downloaded
few exttra
ra points in The Random Dungeons & Dragons-style theme in
D There’s some surreal experiences from Itch.io behind Kikstart.me.uk/
atoorr.
some form, but Tiki Temple also falls from the likes of Bob The Blob where bearsden-p6-spec.
 NEW GAMES NEEDED
If you have a homebrew project you would like to see featured then
please contact us at: retrogamer@futurenet.com

» [ZX Spectrum] Headi

ng onwards and
upwards with The Quest
To Become King.

» [ZX Spectrum]

Douglas McGregor is a primary school teacher who

This doesn’t
look like it’ll
end well for the
ONE ON ONE
made programming lessons more fun for pupils cyan glaze. Glazx for the ZX Spectrum is a two-player
by introducing them to Arcade Game Designer and action game where the objective is simple:
seeing where their creativity went from there both players are given control of a ‘glaze’
as they’re dumped into an arena and must
Where did the idea of using imaginations. It enhanced search for and destroy their opponent.
Arcade Game Designer in their computational thinking Useful items will materialise, which help in this
the classroom come from? skills substantially. Pupils had task if they can be collected safely.
I have been developing the to constantly analyse and Work on this one is still ongoing, but what’s
teaching of programming for evaluate their code and level already there is playable, with a dozen maps
several years. Although there design. The artistic pupils loved What can be to choose from – another four are present but
are many excellent tools out the art and animation side learnt from developing hidden – and multiple play modes. Downloads
there to help build coding while those with a passion for on machines like the to the work-in-progress and extra information are
skills, there is no major end logical thinking appreciated ZX Spectrum today? available behind Kikstart.me.uk/glazx-spec.
product to bring all of these the coding and debugging Modern technology has
skills together and apply them problem-solving process. come a long way in the
in order to create something It is a wonderful free last 37 years but the basic
new and imaginative. resource which can be worked concepts of coding and how
Through my own interest in on at school and at home. a computer understands
the ZX Spectrum homebrew commands remains the
scene, I had played several And how did the children same. Every skill learnt
games coded with AGD, take to designing games on is transferable to modern
therefore I set about creating older microcomputers? programming languages.
a game myself – which is The pupils were incredibly More than that, though, it
where ScOtb0t came from. excited about it. We played shows pupils that all you
I shared each stage with my some old ZX Spectrum games need is a good idea and
class and asked for their advice for inspiration which showed some hard work and you
while talking them through the them they were making can create your own game.
code that I was using and how something tangible and real. It Several of my pupils are
it all worked. wasn’t a case of copying some already experimenting with
code to make something different game development
And is this something you happen. Instead they learned tools having been inspired by
would recommend for other
educators to try?
a skill and then applied that to
create something which was
our project. » [ZX Spectrum]
Making Santa AN EARLY
I couldn’t recommend it
highly enough. It engaged
every one of my pupils and
completely their own. This
ownership and pride in what
they were making was where
Finally, are there any
more compilations of
pupil-developed games
Claus happy by
gathering all of the
misplaced toys.
CHRISTMAS?
More Spectrum action, this time with a
y captured
really p their the engagement came from on the way? yuletide theme in Percy Penguin In The
w
which in turn made them far I hope to continue to use Present Palaver. After poor Santa loses some
m likely to remember the
more Arcade Game Designer with of the presents from his sleigh due to terrible
c
code and appreciate exactly my new class next year, but I Christmas Eve weather, the helpful flightless bird
how
h and why it worked. have also written a guide for volunteers to waddle over and retrieve everything.
This depth of understanding others to follow and I am due Percy has an hour to complete this task and
g
gave them the confidence to to deliver a presentation for there are plenty of environmental and patrolling
e their code as required and
edit other teachers in the new term hazards getting in the way to make that time
to
t create new code to enhance to share my experiences and limit even tighter, but fortunately he possesses
t
their games. As their games hopefully inspire them to start exceptional jumping skills which will be handy.
lot of his
took
t form, their programming coding on the ZX Spectrum This present can be gathered from under the tree
» [ZX Spectrum] Joey Jumpy spends a
time bouncing around.
s
skills grew with them. with their own classes. at Kikstart.me.uk/percy-present-spec.

RETRO GAMER | 105

 When Jim Benson’s prototype
transdimensional craft goes
incredibly wrong during a test
flight he finds himself lost in
space and, if that wasn’t bad
enough, the malfunctioning
drive has dumped our hero in
deep trouble, surrounded by
hostiles and armed only with
a peashooter. The ship has better
weapons – selected via the second
fire button – but they require power
collected from pods left behind
after certain enemies are blasted
and actually firing them eats some
of that precious stored energy.
Originally released in 2005 for
the MSXdev competition and
upgraded for the final release a few
years later, Universe: Unknown
is a tough as nails horizontally
scrolling shooter for the MSX that
takes several cues from Konami’s
Gradius series while adding its
own ideas to the mix. Head over to
Kikstart.me.uk/uni-unknown-msx.
» [Amiga] Asteroids can either be avoided if

RESHOOT R the ship is powered down or blasted.

 PLATFORM: AMIGA  DEVELOPER: RICHARD LÖWENSTEIN  DOWNLOAD: KIKSTART.ME.UK/RESHOOTRAMIGA  PRICE: FROM €29.95, DOWNLOAD

Long-distance space travel has Upgrading the craft’s systems in

always been fraught with all kinds this way is absolutely vital to long-term
of perils and it’s not always possible survival, not just to help with obliterating
to allow for every eventuality while enemies but also because the power-ups
» [MSX] Large enemies with laser cannons: planning a journey. Natural interstellar act as a shield for the R1, increasing
just what the doctor ordered. events, like star storms, drift around the the number of hits it can take before
expanses of space, pulling in unwary destruction. Learning the attack patterns
travellers and, after a serious buffeting, and working out the best strategy for
can deposit them almost anywhere. either dealing with or in some cases
That’s the situation Aryn found herself avoiding them is also important, especially » [Amiga] This boss has a devastating
beam, but it takes a while to charge.
in just before losing consciousness, the devious enemies which appear at
waking up to realise her R1 spacecraft the left of the playfield and, because the
was far off course and drifting lazily ship can’t fire in their direction, must be
through the infamous Tars nebula. avoided until they move into range.
The Tars fleet really doesn’t take well Reshoot R has impressive visuals, a
» [MSX] Some landscape features to strangers – or indeed to anybody who pounding soundtrack and is technically
need to be blasted to clear a ppath.
isn’t
is a local, for that matter – so it doesn’t adept, but more importantly it’s a very
ta
take long before Aryn finds herself solid shoot-’em-up. Each stage is quite
surrounded
su by extremely unfriendly, long but varied and heavily populated
bu
bullet-spewing attack ships. The R1 with extremely trigger happy nasties to
isn’t
is completely helpless, however, and either blast or avoid. The unusual twist ways pays
» [Amiga] It always ys for Aryn to
destroy entire
tire waves of enemies.
e
our
ou heroine soon stumbles upon some on the power-up system where they also
helpful
he power-ups which improve things serve as a shield works remarkably well,
fu
further, making the ship move faster giving the player a chance to recover
and
an beefing up its weaponry with more from collisions if they manage to limp the
bu
bullets and a couple of support units stricken ship on to the next icon.
which
w fire at diagonals to spread the
el
electric death across the screen. >> re 90%
Score

106 | RETRO GAMER

Don’t forget to follow us online for all the latest retro updates
RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@futurenet.com

GRID PIX BOULDER RUN

 PLATFORM: COMMODORE 64  DL: BIT.LY/32ZNXHB  PLATFORM: PICO8  DEVELOPER: PAUL HAMMOND
 DEVELOPER: CARLETON HANDLEY  PRICE: FREE  DOWNLOAD: KIKSTART.ME.UK/BOULDERRUNPICO8
 PRICE: £6.99 TAPE, £6.99 TO £13.99 DISK, £TBA CART
There’s diamonds in them there hills, huge ones the height
of a man just there to be gathered up by anybody brave
enough to go searching. Each stage has a quota of diamonds After the release of Bruce Lee 2
to collect – sometimes there are extras which can be grabbed on the Commodore 64 there’s
for more points – but there are boulders everywhere which will been a flurry of discussions over
fall and potentially crush whatever is below them should the at Atari Age as programmers
surrounding earth be disturbed. This does come in handy for look into producing similar
dealing with roaming fireflies, amoebas or butterflies, and in some enhancements for their platform
cases dropping a rock on their heads is actually a necessity. of choice. One of these projects is
Boulder Run is a love letter to First Star’s classic Boulder Dash – called Eel Ecurb and is, if the name
specifically the C64 version – right down to the reworked in-game didn’t give things away, the original
graphics. The levels have similarly been recreated and, because Bruce Lee but backwards. It has
any cave and difficulty level can be from the main menu, more issues at the time of writing, but
experienced spelunkers can make things tougher for themselves. Kikstart.me.uk/eel-ecurb-a8 goes
to the announcement in that larger
» [C64] It might be level 30 but this needs a 1581. >> Score 80% Bruce-themed thread.
Nonogram puzzles (also known as We don’t often look at ROM
Picross) hand the player a grid of cells hacks but Pac-Man Plus 320 is an
and challenge them to recreate an enhancement on the dot-eating
image using a series of clues positioned Atari 7800 cartridge which,
on each row and column but, while this amongst other things, changes all
might seem simple, the challenges on of the graphics out to get a higher
offer from a good example of the genre resolution. It has a few masking
can keep players busy for hours. problems right now, but the Atari
Over the years we’ve seen a few variations Age thread with a download is at
» [PICO-8] Wondering
on this theme on a range of 8-bit systems, which is the safest route to Kikstart.me.uk/pac-320-7800.
including one recently for the C64, but Grid take in a cluttered stage.
Pix does stand out from the crowd. It’s loaded
with puzzles which might initially feel like
an insurmountable challenge, but it doesn’t
serve up strict penalties for mistakes or taking
too long so the experience is surprisingly
FOREIGN FRUGGLERS
 PLATFORM: PC  DEVELOPER: ULTIMO GAMES  DOWNLOAD: KIKSTART.ME.UK/FRUGGLERSSTEAM  PRICE: £2.89
relaxed and progress can be saved should the
player feel the need for a break.
So this a more sedate puzzler, then. One The end of the world is nigh, but four plucky
that’s ideal when you want to sit back after and surprisingly well-armed survivors have
a long day at work and kick back with some a few thoughts they would like to share with
relaxing brain-teasers. the invaders. Our heroes stand at the bottom of
the playfield shooting upwards and must dodge,
>> Score 88% s
shoot or occasionally leap over incoming hazards.
There are several weapons to collect which are
tthrown into the play area, and each has pros and
c
cons. Some take longer to reload while others do
m
more damage but have a limited range, so there’s
something for every playing style. Usefully, if a
s
s
survivor dies their replacement can pick up the
d
dropped gun and continue using it.
Inspiration has obviously been taken from a
c
certain Taito coin-op, but the gameplay has been
e
enhanced and presented in a nice, retro-themed » [PC] Goodness, here
comes a very large
wrapper. Saving the world isn’t easy, but grabbing
w and angry-looking
a favourite weapon and mashing invaders is fun, invader.
a
and some extra play modes are on their way.
» [C64] Doing a spot of wo
rldbuilding, one pixel at
a time. >>
> Score 82%

RETRO GAMER | 107

collector’s corner
ReadeRs take us thRough the retro keyhole

sEAlEd
MEGA
drivE ANd
MENACEr
“I found an auction up in Newcastle where
a collection of brand-new videogames
was going under the hammer. I hadn’t
seen boxes (let alone contents) in such
pristine condition since the Nineties.”
Paid: £275

NErd is thE word

BIO The Nostalgia Nerd takes us inside his collection

T
here can be little doubt that As a result, he’s acquired a somewhat enthuses. “I remember first seeing the
NAME: YouTube has played a huge eclectic collection, taking in old favourites astronaut in Jetpac, flying around the
Peter Leigh part in rekindling the general and oddities from history. “I tend to collect screen, under my complete control, and
interest in retro gaming, for my viewers – it’s not really a selfish I was hooked. Even when the newer
FAvouritE GAME: catapulting the formerly-niche pastime expedition, or so I tell myself,” explains machines arrived, there was something
Chase HQ (Arcade) into the mainstream. This month’s Peter. “For every item I purchase, I about the limitations and garish palette of
collector, Peter Leigh, otherwise known weigh up whether it will make suitable or the ZX Spectrum that kept me enthralled.”
FAvouritE CoNsolE: as Nostalgia Nerd, uploaded his first video interesting viewing material. If it doesn’t The exception was the Master System,
Sega Master System/ to the website in June 2014, and today fit that category, then I can’t justify it.” So with the thrill of an instant Alex Kidd
ZX Spectrum continues to create popular stories based sitting next to a brace of Amstrad Mega trumping the Sinclair computer’s slow
around retro systems and game series. PCs, there’s a complete set of big box loading times. Sadly, also in tune with
loCAtioN: “My staple is the ‘System Stories’ where I Descent games, various retro-themed many fellow gamers, little of Peter’s original
Norwich delve into the deepest and darkest history of merchandise and rare computers such as an collection survives – in his hands, anyway.
consoles and computers gone by,” reveals Apple III and Atari Falcon. “I think [YouTube] “I parted with so many possessions at car
EstiMAtEd vAluE: Peter. With some of these videos stretching has massively contributed to the current boot sales, mainly so I could buy the latest
Priceless to two hours, Peter produces miscellaneous retro revival we’re experiencing,” says Peter. games or gear,” he laments. “Thankfully I
stories in between, often simply focusing I remember watching guys like Lazy Game did stash a few bits and bobs in my parents’
twittEr: on hardware and software that has intrigued Reviews back in 2011 and being riveted loft, including my Atari 520STFM and a crap
@nostalnerd him over the years. with the subject matter. I guess that’s what load of floppy disks for various systems.
really kicked off my collecting and pushed Going through these and discovering
doublE me back into this crazy world of nostalgia.” images or programs I had long-forgotten
drAGoN Like many of us, Peter’s favourite is fantastic, so I made it into a video series
FiGurEs systems are the ones he grew up with, which I need to resume.”
“Double Dragon was one of my in his case the ZX Spectrum and Sega Today, Peter’s channel is successful
favourite games growing up, and to Master System. “My dad was a computer enough that it allows him to work on it
have something related to it programmer in the Eighties, so getting full-time. “I can’t think of a better thing
in physical form is hugely a home computer was only natural,” he to be spending my time on – just having
compelling.”
Paid: £30
108 | RETRO GAMER
 collector’s corner

Got an impressive collection of your own? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@futurenet.com

AMstrAd
MEGA PC with
MoNitor
“I’d wanted one for years. It felt like
combining my two passions of console
gaming and PC tinkering into one
delightfully concise experience.”
amouNT Paid: £0
(doNaTed by a
viewer)

APPlE iii
“Rarer than hen’s teeth. I
actually visited someone in Essex
who was selling some old Apricot
computers and while up in his loft he
said, ‘Do you want this as well?’ I
snapped it up for a very good price.
Paid: £20

the opportunity to unleash my creative

energy into these exciting memories of
the past is what I live for,” he says. With
all of his videos studiously researched
from magazines and the internet, there
are few better places to start should you
wish to learn about some of the more
obscure gaming systems out there, all
culled from his own acquisitions. With
JEwEl iN thE CrowN
this collection now residing inside a studio aTari FalcoN
space that Peter shares with fellow ■ “It’s incredible for me because a fan of the channel sent it to me,
YouTubers Stuart Ashen and Did You fully boxed, upgraded and including a video capture card. I’d wanted to
Know Gaming, the future of retro curation make a documentary on the Falcon for a long time, so it was great to
looks to be in good hands. be able to do that.”
Peter’s YouTube channel is
‘nostalgianerdvideos’ and there is
Paid: £0 (doNaTed by a
FaN oF The chaNNel)
even more content and fun over on his
website, nostalgianerd.com.

RETRO GAMER | 109

 WIN!
Ever y mo
nth
one luckhy,
writer-in w
ill
rec
spankingeive a
c
of either oopy
NES / Mas ur
te
System o r
SNES / Me r
ga
HAVE YOUR SAY… SEND US A LETTER OR MAKE YOURSELF Drive
HEARD ON THE ONLINE FORUM – WWW.RETROGAMER.NET books

STAR LETTER
POWERUP
Dear Retro Gamer, It was nice to see what the AP
I know this praise is a little late staff are doing nowadays after the
(thank falling off a ladder and magazine’s five-year stint, but I
several weeks in hospital for that!) vividly remember buying the final
but I really enjoyed the recent issue and thinking, ‘Oh my, how
article on Amiga Power magazine. the mighty fall.’
This was, for a time, one of my D O’Conner
favourites and I really enjoyed the
letter pages, to which I contributed We always look forward to
many times. Although I did not your letters and wondered why
become a ‘minor celebrity’, I did we haven’t received any for a
receive rebukes on a couple of while, and now we know. We
occasions, for the AP team was hope that you’re fully recovered » [PS4] Games like Red Dead Redemption II will make you wish for the loading times of old. At least for the first install.
incredibly and notoriously vicious to and we will get a book in the
its loyal letter-writing readership. post to you. A LOAD TIME COMING Darran always used to make a
Dear Darran, sandwich and a cup of tea while
In these times of instant gaming, he waited for a game to load on
one thing we tend to forget is how his Amstrad, so it’s something we
we once were made to wait for our remember too. Having said that,
games, literally. I remember my trusty Nick had to wait 30 minutes for our
Commodore 64, and watching the tape Xbox to update, and patches and
counter crawl forever upwards, often installs can take an age to upload
for several minutes, before a game nowadays. The more things change
loaded and could be played. the more they stay the same.
Perhaps there is something amiss
nowadays with new technology when WHAT’S THIS THEN?
everything is so fast. During the 8-bit Can somebody help me as I think I am
days maybe we appreciated our games losing my mind!
more due to the simple fact that we In the late Nineties, maybe early
were made to wait for them to load Noughties, I remember playing a two-
before we could play? player lightgun game in the arcades
Yet even this could be fun in its own with a friend of mine. The basic gist
way! Most had nice loading screens of the game was that you played two
» We’re glad lots of people enjoyed the Amiga Power feature. and music to match, others even hitmen who didn’t want to work for the
Another classic magazine will be covered next issue. allowed us to play Space Invaders boss anymore. The boss was at the top
while we idled away the time before of this massive tower block, and told
the main event. the guys they could leave but they had
CRAVING CONAN Compilations, for instance, were to fight off other hitmen on their way
Dear Retro Gamer, also fun. With several games per side down (a bit like the movie The Raid).
Have you ever covered any Conan on a tape, I first loaded each one in If I remember right, the game had
The Barbarian licensed games in the order and wrote their start counter a Viewtiful Joe look to it (it was very
past? I’m taking a stroll through the times on a piece of paper which I kept colourful!). I’ve checked lots of online
Hyborian Age in the Amiga classic, and with the compilation so I knew, when forums and apart from the usual Time
I was thinking it would be fantastic to I wished to play a particular game later, Crisis no one knows what it was called.
see some fur and blades on the best how far to fast forward the tape in I seem to think it was something like
magazine in the world. order to load it. Killer 7 or Super 6 but I’m not sure. It’s
Gabriele Cerruto Costa No doubt this will seem monotonous bugging me as I’d like to see if there
to the younger generation, but for those are any ports of it. Any ideas? Thanks
Thanks for getting in touch, of us who lived through it, it was just a in advance.
Gabriele. We’ve not covered the sign of the times. If anything, the 8-bit Mark Lyall
series at all in the magazine, so games taught us the art of patience!
» [Xbox] Gabriele has made us really interested in revisiting
it’s certainly something we can Yours sincerely, Sorry Mark, but you’ve got us
Conan’s videogame past. consider for a future issue. Stuart Hardy absolutely stumped. Nick seems

110 | RETRO GAMER

Don’t forget to follow us online for all the latest retro updates
RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag Retro Gamer Magazine @RetroGamerMag

Future PLC Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill,

COntaCt US Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ

Editorial
Snail Mail: Retro Gamer, Editor Darran ‘Mini’ Jones
future Publishing, Richmond House, darran.jones@futurenet.com
01202 586237

33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Art Editor Andy ‘Wee’ Salter

Production Editor Drew ‘Tiny’ Sleep
Dorset, BH2 6eZ Features Editor Nick ‘Dinky’ Thorpe
email: retrogamer@futurenet.com Photographer Phil ‘Little’ Barker
Group Senior Art Editor Woz ‘Petite’ Brown
Editorial Director, Games Tony ‘Micro’ Mott
Contributors
Writing Hareth Al Bustani, Adam Barnes, Mike Bevan,
Thanks again for the continued DiscusseD this month Paul Drury, Andrew Fisher, Martin Hinson, Jason Kelk,
Iain Lee, Graeme Mason, Rory Milne, Paul Rose,
quality of your excellent magazine. Paul Walker-Emig, Robert Zak
Geoff Owen Behind the scenes Art Emma Birch
if you hadn’t noticed, we tend to cover games
Advertising
that have been and gone, and that doesn’t give
Glad to hear you enjoy the us much opportunity to see anything new that
Media packs are available on request
Commercial Director Clare Dove
magazine, Geoff. unfortunately, developers are cooking up. so it was a nice and clare.dove@futurenet.com
there’s no current way for digital exciting change of pace this month when we Advertising Director Tom Parkinson
were treated to a hands-on look at not one, but tom.parkinson@futurenet.com
subscribers to gain access to the two upcoming products: the mega Drive mini Account Director Kevin Stoddart
CDs etc. If this changes in the future and capcom home Arcade. kevin.stoddart@futurenet.com
» [PS3] We’ve no idea what game Mark is on about, but
he’s adamant it’s not a Time Crisis game.
we’ll let everyone know. International
Retro Gamer is available for licensing.
Contact the International department to discuss
to think it might be Golgo 13 as it running the gAuntlet » Here is Andy, proudly standing next to his completed
arcade cabinet.
partnership opportunities.
International Licensing Director Matt Ellis
has the sort of aesthetic you’re on Hi Darran, matt.ellis@futurenet.com
about, but it only appears to be a My husband has recently Subscriptions
single-player game. Can any of our completed a Gauntlet cabinet Email enquiries contact@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
UK orderline & enquiries 0344 848 2852
readers help? from scratch in just over a year. Overseas order line and enquiries +44 (0) 344 848 2852
He has a YouTube channel and Online orders & enquiries www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk

digitAl Blues has gained a lot of support

Magazines Marketing Director Sharon Todd
Circulation
Hi there, and followers for this project. Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers
I’ve been a long-time fan of your We would love for his story to
Production
magazine, and have been buying it all be featured in Retro Gamer Head of Production Mark Constance
the way since issue two – I was even a magazine (which he also loves). Production Project Manager Clare Scott
Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby
fan when the magazine came with the Nicola Wilmott Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson
cover-mounted game discs. Production Controller Vivienne Calvert

However, since issue 114 I have Well Nicola you’ve written in Management
Chief Content Officer Aaron Asadi
switched my format to digital editions to the right place. That’s an Commercial Finance Director Dan Jotcham
using the Google Play Newsstand. impressive piece of work, and Brand Director, Games Matthew Pierce
Head of Art & Design Rodney Dive
As a result, I have missed out on a it was really interesting to see
Printed by
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(the CDs, I believe). I fully understand it’s clearly a labour of love. WV13 3XT
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If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/
@JetArtois games before sinking my teeth into
or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and
golden Axe. me and my best mate one i’d stay on for a while! you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish
played the hell outta that game. your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of
publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites,
We both fancied tyris Flare, both Graham Plowman social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit
wanted a body like Ax Battler and castlevania: Bloodlines. the mega » [Mega Drive Mini] We’ve been quite taken with the brand-new Darius release. is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future
nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for
called gilius thunderhead ‘mr drive got a superb exclusive
loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless
hudson’ after our history teacher castlevania game that any fan @AGDDavies Plivier Braillon otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.
who had a beard. of the series should play if they i’m getting the Asian version tetris, out of curiosity because
missed it. great to see it on there. specifically to play Alien soldier, so i’m really curious to see what’s
Massimo Scarpato almost definitely that. different in this version of a game
strider… so many memories! Simon Kalje that’s been remade hundreds
road rash ii is where my sibling @clarkee79 of times!
@vanbillegem rivalry with my twin brother could i’ll be straight onto streets of
mortal Kombat because it had the be taken to the open road using rage ii. Just the nostalgia of @bitnacht
red blood, contrary to the super whips and chains instead of at the hearing the music again would be ecco the dolphin. my younger
nintendo version. dinner table with forks and spoons. enough for me. sister used to play it a lot.

Kiwimike Big Shoes @bokilele Ashley Beeching

A great line-up. From memory For me it will be castlevania, World of illusion. i played that contra: hard corps, as i never
i think what jumped out for me i have always wanted to play game with my sister every day. picked it up on its original release
was road rash ii – just a really that version and this will be the now we’re 30 years old and still and my allegiance had passed on
fun game. i’d want a few lightgun perfect opportunity. play it occasionally! to the Atari Jaguar by that point!
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ƺɴƬƺȵɎǣȒȇƏǼƬǣȸƬɖȅɀɎƏȇƬƺɀƏȵȵǼɵِçȒɖȸɀɎƏɎɖɎȒȸɵȸǣǕǝɎɀƏȸƺȇȒɎƏǔǔƺƬɎƺƳِ¨ȸǣƬƺɀƬȒȸȸƺƬɎƏɎȵȒǣȇɎȒǔȵȸǣȇɎƏȇƳɀɖƫǴƺƬɎɎȒƬǝƏȇǕƺِIɖǼǼƳƺɎƏǣǼɀȒǔɎǝƺ(ǣȸƺƬɎ(ƺƫǣɎǕɖƏȸƏȇɎƺƺƏȸƺ
ƏɮƏǣǼƏƫǼƺɖȵȒȇȸƺȷɖƺɀɎِÈkƬƏǼǼɀɯǣǼǼƬȒɀɎɎǝƺɀƏȅƺƏɀȒɎǝƺȸɀɎƏȇƳƏȸƳˡɴƺƳǼǣȇƺȇɖȅƫƺȸɀ٢ɀɎƏȸɎǣȇǕ‫׏׎‬Ȓȸ‫א׎‬٣ȒȸƏȸƺǣȇƬǼɖƳƺƳƏɀȵƏȸɎȒǔƏȇɵǣȇƬǼɖɀǣɮƺȒȸǔȸƺƺȅǣȇɖɎƺɀ
ƏǼǼȒɯƏȇƬƺɀ٢ǣǔȒǔǔƺȸƺƳƫɵɵȒɖȸȵǝȒȇƺɎƏȸǣǔǔ٣ِIȒȸǔɖǼǼɎƺȸȅɀƏȇƳƬȒȇƳǣɎǣȒȇɀȵǼƺƏɀƺɮǣɀǣɎ‫ي‬ƫǣɎِǼɵٖȅƏǕɎƏȇƳƬِ…ǔǔƺȸƺȇƳɀ‫׏׏‬Ɏǝ…ƬɎȒƫƺȸ‫ِח׏׎א‬
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 ETERNAL DARKNESS:
SANITY’S REQUIEM
For some reason, we’ve really been drawn to Silicon
Knights’ cult horror hit in recent times. We can’t think
why – it’s not as if it’s a game that’s easy to relate to,
given that it concerns people trying to stay sane as they
battle to prevent seemingly inevitable doom being inflicted
upon us by powerful beings. Let’s skip to the end, and see
how this entirely fictional scenario plays out

01 02 03

» Although he looks to be on the verge » Our protagonist Alex Roivas listens, but » Perhaps resigned to his fate, the
of defeat, Pious Augustus warns that with doubts in her mind and a weapon undead centurion issues a final warning.
the threat we face is much larger than in her hands. She’s been through an He may perish, but that won’t save us.
him. The Darkness (no, not the comedy incredible ordeal to get to this point, and Should he finally be put to death, our
rockers) is larger than him, and efforts to she really can’t imagine anything worse troubles will not cease but rather begin
repel it are futile. than Augustus’ reign of terror. anew, with greater intensity.

04 05

» Alex has heard enough. She stabs at the heart of the villain, » Only as she is too late to reverse course does Alex realise the
bringing about his undoing. But while Augustus was evil, he gravity of her mistake. The destruction of Augustus has created
was no liar. Alex experiences a vision beyond reality, a vision a power vacuum, which has immediately been filled by a being
of an eldritch abomination and its army of the dead, ready and whose capricious destructiveness vastly exceeds his own.
waiting to deliver death and destruction. Imminent doom awaits us all. Good job, hero.

114 | RETRO GAMER

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