Youtube nostalgia trip

I was having a cruise around Youtube checking out some old videogame themed videos and thought I would share a few with you today.

There is a Commodre 64 theme here, most of these tune send shivers up my spine when I hear them today and I truly believe the C64's SID sound chip was one of the greatest sound generating devices of all time (one of the reasons I own two C64's is because there are 2 models of SID chip.

First up,

Ocean Load Music version 4.

This was possibly the very first tune I heard on the Christmas day I got my C64. a great atmospheric tack.

Next an arcade conversion, Outruns famous

Magical Sound Shower (ala SID chip!)

and what SID chip tune article could be complete without possibly the greatest C64 tune of them all,

Sanxion (Load Music)

Hope you enjoy :P

My Wishlist of Gaming Hardware

We all have a wish list of hardware we would love to own, whether the latest console or some other piece of kit. I thought I would write down five pieces of gear I wish I owned.

1) Commodore CBM 1541 Disk Drive

Despite owning several C64's over the years have never been the owner of a disk drive. All my Commodore memories are based around the trusty old datasette. As I now own two C64's (one with a 6581 and one with an 8580 SID chip if you care) I think a disk drive would be a useful device to have. For one thing it would be allot more reliable at saving games than the datasette ever was!



2) Super Nintendo Console

At this point in my life myself (and most of my friends) were Sega Megadrive fanatics so the though of owning a SNES back then was unthinkable. All these years later however and there are several good reasons I want to own one. R-Type III and Gradius III to be exact.






3) Sega Saturn Console

When Sony was going all 3D with the PS1 Sega and the Saturn were showing that 2D wasn't dead yet. With classic shooters like Radiant Silvergun and Dodonapachi available this machine is a shmup fans dream.






4) Sega Mega CD

A cool little add-on for the Megadrive with some cool games too, Sonic CD, Ecco the Dolphin, Snatcher and many other great titles. (can you just imagine what the back of my TV is going to look like if I do own all these extra consoles?).







5) Candy Cabinet

If I ever do get one of these I'm sure it won't be for many years but what gamer wouldn't want a beautiful looking candy cab in his or her living room?








Does anyone else have a hardware wishlist?

Mayhem in Monsterand Re-Release

One of the last commercial games released for the Commodore C64 has been re-released by Psytronik Software

Mayhem in Monsterland by Apex Computer Productions famously got a 100% review score in Commodore Format magazine.

check it out:

http://www.binaryzone.org/psytronik/

Old Review

This short review was originally written for the Retro Gamer website. a couple more may follow

Game Title: Retrograde
Released: 1990
Developer/Author Name: John Rowlands, Rob Ellis, Steve Rowlands
Publisher: Thalamus
Format Reviewed: Commodore 64
Genre: Shoot-’em-up




Game Profile:

A fantastic title from Thalamus. Retrograde combines the best elements of horizontal scrolling shooters and platform games to produce a frantic button mashing shoot-'em-up frenzy of a game.

As a mercenary hired to destroy the planets of 7 evil warlords, you must fight in the skies and on the surface of these worlds earning crystals with every enemy you kill. These crystals can be used at the local wepaon traders to upgrade your 360 degree weaponry and powerfist and also to buy planet busters. These planet busters allow you enter the core of the planet and then blow it up. Once the core is broken you must defeat the final guardian to move onto the next planet.

The game clearly shows its inspirations (Warhammer 40k anyone?). Each planet has its own distinct enemies and weapons available and each core guardian is a distinct challenge worthy of any shmup fan.

The graphics are crisp and clear with a huge number of sprites visable on screen at any one time. The weapon types available are varied and impressive, each with its own advantages and drawbacks and it also boasts one of the finest techno sountracks heard on the old SID chip

If there is any one drawback to the gme its repetative nature could put off some, and dont even try playing the game without autofire, you will only get cramp.

All in all Retrogade is one C64 title few owners will want to be without.