#it's not limited just to earthworm jim

[faceeeeee]

My goal as an artist is to be able to make toe curling wacky and funky rendered drawings with the best composition, poses, colour palettes, lots of hatching....and to also be able to draw earthworm Jim-like expressions.

[ss-2dplatformer]

Research on Animations in Games!

Taking a break from my daily postings about what I am doing in unreal, it's time for more research. This time, it's reviewing and highlighting aspects of animation used in specific 2D games. These games are Earthworm Jim, Blasphemous 2, The Act, as well as a previously discussed game on this blog, Dragon’s Lair.

Earthworm Jim:

To give a small history, Earthworm Jim is a video game franchise originally released on both the Sega Mega Drive and the SNES in October 1994. It was very well recieved as it was rated as being the 114th best game on a Nintendo System. This is because the game was very noteworthy for having a fluid animation style as if it featured a hand-drawn artstyle, which was quite unusual for games at that time.

One example of this is shown to you as soon as you turn on the game. The Sega logo, as well as Jim himself are shown to be made from pencil drawings, which immidiately gives the player a signal that this isn't just another 2d platformer released in the 90's.

And here you can see just how fluid the animations are. When you think of other games from the early 90's, you're imagining 8-bit stiff animations, probably similar to something such as the very early Mario games but these are quite fluid and really feel alive.

I think these animations are honestly great, even when put up against todays standards. Of course they're not going to be perfect, as they were limited by what was possible at the time due to hardware limitations, but even then, they're great!

Blasphemous 2:

Blasphemous 2 is a fairly recent title, compared to everything else I am looking at today, as it released on August 23rd, 2023, barely a year ago.

Though interestingly, it is still a 2D sidescroller while being mixed with RPG aspects, similar to Dead Cells. The animations are very fluid, seemingly no stuttering or pausing or anything too janky looking, which shows how far pixel art based games have come.

(Unfortunately, I am unable to directly upload more than 1 video at a time to my blog, so a YouTube link will have to suffice.)

Interestingly, the game also features some fully animated cutscenes too, reminding me of other games such as the ones from the Persona franchise. This gives the game a very unique feeling as this differentiates it from other side-scrolling rpg's such as, like I mentioned before, Dead Cells.

The way the main character swings their weapons very fluidly but at different speeds depending on what they're holding is super awesome attention in my eyes as it almost makes you feel the different weights of the weapons. The huge mace being heavier to use and taking longer to attack but with bigger damaged while the dual wielding daggers are more light and nimble, allowing you to attack quicker but while dealing less damage with the sword being a nice inbetween. Not too heavy and slow but also not too light as well as potentially dealing a nice inbetween amount of damage.

The Act

The Act is a very interesting game with a very interesting history (though we're here for the animation side of it more than anything). Originally released in 2007 for arcades before being cancelled not too long later as interest in the game was never too high, with the developers, Cecropia, closing their doors in 2008.

However, 4 years after being discontinued, in 2011 the website was suddenly updated with the game now being developed by a new company with the game now being a PC and Mobile game and releasing fully in 2012. The game has since been delisted however.

Anyways, enough of the short history, we need to discuss the game itself. It is a fully drawn 2D animated game in a sort of choose your own adventure. The gameplay loop is very interesting as, on the arcade machines, you used a knob to change what your character is doing at the time in order to progress through the scenes. You can see in the thumbnail of the video linked below what the arcade machine at the time looked like.

The game is very unique for what I've seen other video games from this time with the only other game I can think of that plays similarly to this also happens to be the next entry in this post.

Dragon's Lair:

Released in 1983 for arcade machines, the game was praised at the time for having vastly superior graphics to the other arcade games due to it being all hand drawn. This was especially notable because the animation was done at a film quality level by an ex-Disney animator called Don Bluth.

Interestingly, the game always seems to be ported to the next consoles whenever they release as this game is available on every PlayStation, every Xbox as well as many Nintendo products ranging from the Game Boy to the Switch. Interestingly, the latest release of these games was apparently in 2022 for the Apple IIGS of all things, a computer which was released in 1986 and was discontinued 6 years later.

The majority of the game when simplified is nothing more than a series with variating lengths of quicktime event. The game is also quite short. If you do a perfect run without making a single mistake, you can complete it in no more than 12 minutes. However, there's an additional 10 minutes of footage ontop of that which includes individual death scenes as well as game over screens. 50,000 frames of animated footage have been put into this game with a total length of everything combined coming out to 22 minutes.

Here you can see the gameplay of Dragon's Lair, which constantly gives you a short amount of time (about 2-3 seconds) to click a correct button where your character will die if you fail to do so.

The way it's animated is very interesting to me as it looks exactly like an animated cartoon or movie from the 80's which is to be expected because the game was animated by an ex-disney animator. That just makes this more of an interesting and incredible game to me with how good it looks for the time of release, when every other game was stuck to a very small amount of colors and an 8 bit art style.

[button-mash]

What I played last week #9

Taz-Mania [Sega Mega Drive]

I think this might be one of my all time most hated games. I remember when I was a kid, my dad had a bet come in and he said he'd buy me a game. We went to the Woolworths (RIP) on the way back to my mum's house and I remember excitedly picking up Aladdin, but when we got to the checkout they didn't actually have it in stock. I then audibled to Earthworm Jim instead before my Dad noticed this was 50% off and essentially picked it for me. What could have been From the very second I took it home I have hated this game. I think it actually developed into somewhat of an abusive relationship, because I was so determined to get some kind of value out of it that I would actually play it loads. What amazes me the most looking back is that I remember getting up to this mine-cart level in the game I could only occassionally pass which Id assumed was like 2-3 levels into the game. Playing it back however, I learned it was incredibly far into this dreadful piece of shit game, meaning that as a kid I actually battled a decent way through what is basically just a punishingly hard, obtusely difficult game.

I refuse to believe anybody could ever beat that minecart level by simply reacting to the hazards, its basically just a cheap level that demands you die over and over, further and further into the level enough so that you can hopefully memorise it, except the limited lives and continues mean you'd have to battle your way all the way back there to even try again.

The game just breaks pretty much every single cardinal sin of design. The controls are clumsy, enemies have awkward hitboxes, beginners traps are everywhere, hazard items are located in chokepoints that are hard to avoid, the game constantly asks you to make leaps of faith you can't actually see, the backgrounds are cluttered so it's difficult to know what you can and can't be hurt by/land on/etc, instant deaths on hard to learn jumping patterns, etc, etc etc. At one point the game even inexplicably adds fucking depth perception platforming into a fucking 2D game. Maybe worst of all, the game has SO many levels too. Usually you see tactics like this employed in games to drag them out, but this has something like 15 levels and some of them are so long and punishing that the length seems to be more cruel than it does value for money. A few do have checkpoints but a lot of them don't. I am not too proud to say I used save-states just for my own sanity to get through this. I don't normally like to use them beyond some QoL stuff like saving time putting in Passwords, or to practice a boss, but there are so many bullshit sections I felt like it was the only way I'd play more than 10 mins.

I did beat the mine-cart level pure though, I had to do it for young me.

I cannot fathom the patience I must have had as a kid. I think I initially decided to play it partly out of twisted nostalgia, but after a few levels I was essentially on some sort of revenge quest to vanquish the ghosts of that shit game

Dogshit

Pocahontas [Sega Mega Drive]

Am I gaming's top boy? Not really for me to say, but hard to deny it given the streak I'm on at the moment. I randomly decided to play this after seeing a 'Disney games on the Mega Drive/Genesis' video by the excellent SNES Drunk

Most people know that this era of Disney games actually yielded a pretty solid group of classic licensed games - even ones that had different versions on either console like Aladdin. One I hadn't actually ever tried on this list though was Pocohantas, and I actually thought it looked pretty interesting in the video. It has a rotoscoped animation style like Prince of Persia or Flashback, and it actually suits the game really well. There is zero combat in the game, and instead it's a puzzle platformer - for most of the levels you're able to switch between Pocohontas and her Raccoon mate Meeko, and most levels are about figuring out how to use their different abilities and limitations to help each other out to create pathways for each other. As the levels go on Pocohontas gets more and more abilities by rescuing various animals, so you start off pretty limited, but by the end she can swim underwater, sprint, etc. It's a smart way to gradually introduce new mechanics into the game whilst still staying on theme, and it suits the game really well

It's obviously aimed at kids, so it never gets too challenging - there are hardly any enemies in the game and the platforming puzzles tend to be more about figuring out what to do rather than pulling off some tricky skill gauntlet. It's actually a pretty good, well made game - it's not exactly some must-play hidden gem, but it wasn't some braindead baby game either.

If anything my criticisms are that it's a little short. It felt as though they rush through the film and pretty much skip most of the middle and the end really. You basically go out, meet John Smith and rescue him and the game is finished. Also for a game based on a Disney film they music is pretty bad - there is obviously lots of music to draw on, but other than a few sections, 95% of the game's entire sountrack is just some looping midi version of 'Colours of the Wind' which gets real fucking old real quickly, to the point I just had to turn the sound down on the game

Overall I'd say it was worth checking out as a curiosity, especially if you have an interest in those 90s Disney games. It's not exactly at the level of something like Castle of Illusion or Aladdin, but it's definitely leaning towards the upper end of those licensed movie games

I did actually play a little bit of both Castle of Illusion and World of Illusion but got bored and stopped halfway through both. It's funny because they're both better games than Taz-Mania and Pocohontas - significantly so in Taz-Mania's case, but they just didn't grab me in that moment. I've played them both to death in my childhood, so maybe familiarity outweighed nostalgia in this case. Still, they get a mention in the name of posterity

[jackwanchor]

Can Politicians Morality Be Judged Using Body Language?

Actually, can anyone be accurately judged by others based purely upon the body language that they use?

My opinion is that it probably isn't 100% accurate, but it might be sufficiently accurate to be a valuable way to allow your basic human instinct to protect you from those people who you simply don't like, instantly, and with no other inputs....

I read somewhere once that humans have, over eons of time, lost many skills that are a basic need if the situation of a human were to revert back to a basic hunter gatherer situation.

An instant case of this would be the attitude towards food. A human who is thrust into a basic situation can no longer be fussy about sources of protein. Sure, they might like a slice of beef or a fish, baked over a wood fire, but they will probably, if forced to, eat grass seeds, or earthworms.

Obviously, some basic instincts are not fully obsolete, such as paying attention to a nearby noise that is heard at night.

And now to my point.

When I look at the body language and facial expressions of politicians, coupled with their behaviour, I believe that I could, in many cases, tell whether they are left thinking or right thinking, in the political sense.

With many, it's easy.

Jim Jordan, for instance, comes over as a nasty minded untrustworthy individual...but this is probably not just body language, it's because he's an obvious bullyboy, a person who has no time for using skills, probably because he has few.

He is, by the impression he gives to me, the type of person who, as a sports coach or whatever he was, would pick on any weak player and publicly berate them, because what he really wants to do, and do as quickly as possible, is to get rid of that player so that the weak player can be replaced with a stronger player, who, if significantly stronger, will then become the teachers pet of the team, at least until, say, an injury makes him weak, and therefore probably ignored by the coach.

My method of judgement is simple....

Would I Buy a Used Car From Jim Jordan?

Hell No.

But it's not just Gym Jordan.....

I believe that I could successfully identify the political leanings of politicians, apart from the used car dealer method.

I would simply look at them for a few minutes, and if a little voice in my head says "This is a nasty minded person who I cannot trust" , then I guarantee that the person I am evaluating is a right wing politician.

Likewise, if presented with someone like Jim Clyburn, my first instinct is to think that I must be careful what I say, because I don't want to piss this guy off! And I would be comfortable buying a used car from him, LoL.

The difference between the two examples that I have used is easy to see.

One is a raving stupid bullying moron, whom I could happily face in a debate, and win, even though he would most likely refuse to respect my win.....

And the other is a skilled talker who has honesty that probably exceeds my own, in fact almost certainly does, LoL, and who if taking an opposing viewpoint in a debate, would be impossible to defeat, if he was debating on the side of integrity, against my weaker viewpoint.

I believe that my accuracy in identifying Republican politicians without using their political thinking, but merely my instincts, would be as high as 90% accuracy. In reality, allowing for my overwhelming righteousness, the accuracy would be lower, but definitely well over the 50% that is a statistical certainty.

Simply put, most Republican politicians, imo, are up to no good. LoL.

They are receiving about $180,000 per annum for doing nothing.

In the lower level real employment world, this is called "work avoidance" and generally leads to dismissal of the employee. This is because it's a form of stealing from the employer, and there's a moral limit to it.

Republican politicians are in a league of their own regarding this, their behaviour is not just like when a worker takes an extra break by going to the washroom.

The Republican Senators in particular are stealing from the American people, just by failing to be involved in doing the work that they are being paid to do....and this doesn't include the silent unseen and likely destructive work that they are doing, seemingly in order to remain in the jobs that they are abusing right now.

This doesn't just apply to America, it represents an abuse of power that is global, and is also part of the corporate world.

Have a great day!

[grimtwin]

What games have you plaued? And what consoles do you own?

That is a lot of games I’ve played…but you asked. 

Note: This is an incredibly long list of the games I’ve played on consoles I’ve owned. These are just games that I REMEMBER, or still currently own. 

Xbox 360 (Red Ringed after 4 days. Garbage system):Blue Dragon Star Ocean IV: The Last Hope Infinite Undiscovery Left 4 Dead 1 & 2 Halo 1, 2, & 3 

Sega Genesis:Sonic The Hedgehog 2Earthworm Jim

Playstation:Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, OriginsLegend of DragoonSoul BladeChrono CrossKlonoaResident Evils 1, 2, 3Crash Bandicoot 1-4Spyro the Dragon MusashiInuyashaParasite EveSilent Hill & 2Megaman 8Megaman X through X6Megaman Legends 1 & 2Metal Gear SolidSyphon Filter 2Grand Theft Auto Twisted Metal, 2, & 3WWF War Zone

Playstation 2:Final Fantasy X & X-2Final Fantasy XIIThe BouncerDragonball Z: Budokai, 2, & 3Samurai Warriors 2: EmpiresTekken Tag Tournament, Death by Degrees & 4Metal Gear Solid 2 & Snake EaterYu Yu Hakusho: Dark TournamentShadow of the ColossusSoul Calibur 2 and 3Resident Evil: Code VeronicaMortal Kombat: Shaolin MonksNaruto: Ultimate Ninja StormTwisted Metal BlackMegaman X CollectionGrand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San AndreasDynasty Warriors 3, 4, 5,Dynasty Warriors Empires 4 and 5God of War 1 and 2Dragon Quest VIIIElder Scrolls IV: SkyrimGuilty GearDark Cloud 2ShinobiManhuntSilent Hill 3Devil May Cry 2Dead or Alive 2Star Ocean 3: Till the End of TimeYu-Gi-Oh! The Duelist of Roses Guitar Hero, 2, Encore Rock the 80s & 90s

Playstation 3:CatherineInfamousCall of Duty 4Call of Duty Modern Warfare, 2, and 3.Call of Duty: Black Ops, IIBorderlands, 2, Pre-SequelValkyria ChroniclesBurnout ParadiseMetal Gear Solid 4Metal Gear Solid: RevengenceSoul Calibur 3 and 4Grand Theft Auto IVMortal Kombat 9Final Fantasy XIII, XIII-2, Lightning ReturnsFinal Fantasy VI, VII, IX, X, X-2 RemasterIco RemasteredThe Last of UsUncharted, 2, 3Resident Evil 5 & 6Ninja Gaiden Sigma, 2, 3Dynasty Warriors/Empires 6Dynasty Warriors 7, Extreme Legends FolkloreHeavy RainBayonettaGundam Warriors 3Dungeon Siege 2Dead or Alive 5God of War 3South Park: The Stick of TruthNaruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 1 & 2Lollipop ChainsawBioshock InfiniteMarvel vs Capcom 3Asura’s WrathBlazBlue: Calamity TriggerDevil May Cry 4Madden 9, 11Motor StormBatman: Arkham Asylum & CityKillzone 1 & 2Tekken 6Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of DestructionLittle Big PlanetResonance of FateDragonball Z Burst LimitSuper/Street Fighter IVOne Piece: Pirates Warriors 1 & 2

Playstation 4:Valkyria Chronicles 4Soul Calibur VIRed Dead Redemption 2Dying LightMonster Hunter WorldFinal Fantasy XVMortal Kombat XTales of BerseriaFallout 4Metal Gear Solid VHorizon Zero DawnOverwatchDragon Quest XIMetal Slug 3MinecraftI Am SetsunaOne Piece: Pirate Warriors 3

Playstation Portable:Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core Final Fantasy Dissidia

Nintendo:Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles & IIBill Elliot’s Nascar ChallengeSkate or DieTetrisMetroidMario Bros.Super Mario Bros. 2 & 3The Legend of ZeldaDr. MarioDuck HuntRoboCopShadowGateDouble Dragon IISpider Man: Return of the Sinister Six

Super Nintendo:Super Mario WorldMario PaintA Legend of Zelda; A Link to the PastSuper MetroidSuper Mario KartDonkey Kong Country, 2, & 3John Madden FootballChrono TriggerFroggerMegaman XJurassic ParkMortal Kombat, 2 & 3Super Play Action FootballSpeedy Gonzales Los Goats BandidosTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in TimeNintendo 64:Super Mario 64Super Mario Kart 64Donkey Kong 64Mario Party, 2, 3Golden Eye 007Perfect DarkYoshi’s StoryResident Evil 2Pokemon SnapPokemon StadiumSuper Smash BrothersWCW vs NWO: World TourLegend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Majora’s Mask

Gamecube:The Legend of Zelda: Wind WakerResident Evil 0, 4, and REmakeTales of SymphoniaSoul Calibur 3Bad BoysYu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound KingdomThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & Twilight PrincessMetroid Prime 1 & 2WWE Day of ReckoningSuper Smash Brothers MeleeNintendo Wii:Mario Galaxy & 2Super Paper Mario Tatsunoko vs CapcomMetroid: Other MMariokart WiiWii Sports (came with the system)No More Heroes, 2Super Smash Brother BrawlMetroid Prime 3: CorruptionNew Super Mario Brothers WiiResident Evil The Darkside ChroniclesTales of Symphonia: Dawn of a New World

Nintendo Switch:CelesteOctopath TravelerSuper Smash Brothers UltimateStreet Fighter: 30 Anniversary CollectionThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Gameboy:Pokemon Red, Blue, Gold, Silver, CrystalKirby’s DreamlandMegaman XtremeFinal Fantasy III

Gameboy Color:Kirby Tilt N’ TumbleThe Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons

Gameboy Advanced SP:Golden Sun 1 & 2Super Mario World 2Teen TitansThe Legend of Zelda: The Minish CapPokemon PinballYu Yu Hakusho Tournament TacticsYu Yu Hakusho Spirit DetectivePokemon Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Leaf Green, Fire Red, 

Nintendo DS:Fire Emblem AwakeningChrono TriggerBravely DefaultPokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers in TimeGolden Sun: Dark DawnKirby Superstar UltraThe Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Resident Evil: The MercenariesPokemon: Black, White, Black 2, White 2, Platinum, Heart Gold, Soul Sliver, Diamond, Pearl

Nintendo 3DS Pokemon X, Y, Alpha Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Sun, Moon, Ultra SunLegend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 

[tehfootbath]

Intellivision Q&A. (Long post.)

Would Intellivision look to finishing 1980s prototypes and unreleased titles for Amico?

BAHAHAHA! As if. Their lead technical engineer couldn't even get a happy birthday to work. (This is a feature many programs have had since the introduction of real time clock chips, dating back over 20 years, if we use Dōbutsu no Mori as a marker.) It'd be beyond their technical skill to get raw CP1600 code running on a doorbell sensor.

When can we expect the new IP licensing partnership deals and releases?

Sometime between never and the heat death of the universe. They screwed every opportunity and dropped their Tin Goose, which was Earthworm Jim. If even that was pulled, what licensees would one imagine they managed to keep?

How many people work at Intellivision after the significant reduction in size? What's left to test?

How many people actually did any work to begin with? The number of people left working at Intellivision is -1d20 their current LinkedIn posting. As for what's left to test: Literally everything until their certifications are in the public as verified.

What would the general process be for Unity developers to publish their games in Amico format?

Forget about it. With the way Unity is going, it's going to be a dead engine in a few years. Look into one of many open source toolkits and have fun in an engine that isn't active spyware or working against you.

Will the founder edition units be produced?

On what foundation? As far as anyone who knows what they're talking about can tell, the Amico never managed to grift past the prototype phase.

Is Earthworm Jim 4 still in active development? 

Perhaps. On the Amico? Naw dawg, that ship sailed like a floater down the toilet. What a surprise occurrence when a company failed to produce anything of note given an excess of time.

Will the new revisited Amico games be exclusive to the Amico console, or Will they be available also in other platforms selling IPs?

Considering that most of the games shown were never original in the first place, this question is as surprising as it is daft. More to the point, just where exactly would a standalone digital version of Farkle sell?

Will the console and games be available to order worldwide?

Well, let's see: The EU Shopify store is...still down, (2022-08-02) and international products standards being what they are, there's a few pesky steps the Amico has yet to fulfill. No export is ever going to occur unless they fulfill them.

Are there other hardware quality issues that can’t be fixed by a download update?

Existing would be good Step 1. Any other hardware issues were introduced at the design stage and would require a thorough overhaul of the design to fix. And to think, this thing was supposed to look like a sports car.

Is the hardware being altered/upgraded since the quiet period began, or is the console still the same as it was previously?

Do you realize just how long it'd take to walk back any of Mr. Tallarico's grandiose, ambitious, monumental, intrepid, extravagant, and flamboyant design decisions this late in the game? And with what money? It's 17m+ debt!

How many games are currently in active development for Amico?

I'll give you a number between 0:0 and you'll have to guess the number.

How many games are in a finished state?

Generously speaking, it'd be beyond shocking if the braindead dice game that was bundled with every shovelware CD since their introduction wasn't feature complete, but optimized is another bag of cats to herd. At least a few are by technical definition, "Complete".

Is the plan for the system to get support and new games for multiple years? Or will a release with 10-20 initial games be all we should realistically expect?

They've gotten this far treating the Amico like a child in dire need of Social Services protection, so expect the "Gone for cigarettes/milk" approach for the foreseeable service life of the Amico.

Could games designed for Amico come to other consoles as limited timed releases to boost money for Amico and then become Amico exclusives thereafter?

If by Limited Time, you mean "Indefinite release" and by "Money Boost" you mean "pittance", then sure, theoretically.

When can we expect classic INTV games released on other platforms?

When people start to care about games that were released before the Family Computer again. Let me ask the finest oracle I know: Outlook not Good. Damn, the database must have corrupted again.

What will happen to the physical media and the data that's on those RFID cards? Will there be a way to have it redeemed?

Considering all that was on the RFID cards was a glorified URL, the data is likely hosed when the hosting goes down. Buy nonexistant games, win nonexistant prizes.

Will the pack-in games be on the hard drive or will they need to be redeemed on an online storefront also?

It's incredibly cute that someone thinks that what should be 20 megabytes of games would even deign to require a hard drive of any kind. If the pack in games were ever completed, they would have likely existed within the flash memory of the system or a physical SD card if INTV really wanted to cheap out.

Will we finally see more about the buttons and discs that attach to screens?

This was a thing? And someone thought this was a good idea?  Supposing all the wrong lessons were learned from the Wii/DS generation.

Will we see more deep dive videos on YouTube?

You can watch more deep dive videos on NOAA's Ocean Explorer Channel. Next question.

Can we see the new Night Stalker playing on an Amico please?

No.

Will our Golden Tickets ever do anything?

They can be redeemed with the Federal Trade Commission for a free consolation prize in the shape of embarrassing Intellivision staff for violating the very clear regulations regarding contests and sweepstakes.

What kind of communication can we expect in the near future?

I realize that it has been literal years since anyone has heard a POTS line off-hook tone, but try to imagine that.

Who is the company producing the hardware?

In trying to ascertain this question, all that was found was a hastily erased spot where the manufacturing label should be. Shrug.

Does "classic IP" means only the old Intellivision games or does it also include retro-reimagined games based on these classic IP?

Well, that depends. Do you count Bomberman with the serial numbers filed off? Or perhaps another way, how many of Tallirico's pie in the sky promises could one feel confident in suggesting he perused further lines of contact with?

Will the leadership of Intellivision return to become more active in this group?

As soon as Phil Adams is back from his time at the Westminster Towers in Orlando, with absolute certainty he'll get back on top of the social media page that totally wasn't left in the hands of some now long gone intern who checked out months ago when the cheque bounced.

Have studios continued developing with all the hardware delays?

Any studio worth their spit would be insane to continue development for a zero sum game. What would be the potential benefit at this point? The audience potential alone is a boggling 3...full stop.

Are there any games that have been discontinued?

Does that include the games that were promised under a false pretense or only games which had actually been confirmed to actually exist?

Are there still plans to release most of the original Intellivision to the Amico?

I don't know who fielded this question, and the reply given from the first prompt still stands. Do you really want to see a clunky and terrible version of [checks} Soccer blown up to 1080p?

Does "servicing partners" mentioned in the announcement include founders?

Sorry, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. Servicing partners refers to the various establishments Mr. Tallarico visited in Nevada. To actually try this question: Doubtful. This likely is referencing various contractual obligations as stated within agreements of the various platforms they got monkey paw investors from. 100 units owed to Republic/Fig, who knows what else.

What is the status of the signed Founders Edition?

As verifiability extant as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster.

If funding has not been met, how long can we expect to wait for an update outlining this?

Consider there is already extensive & exhaustive documentation regarding this matter provided by the Securities & Exchanges Commission.

How are the team and leadership holding up?

Guido Henkel will tell you of his mental status as soon as he returns from an unrelated vacation to various exotic and expensive vistas. As for the rest, it isn't as if their various social media pages are private. Why don't you visit John Alvarado's Facebook sometime and...OH DEAR ODIN, JOHN DID ANYONE TEACH YOU WHAT PUBLIC RELATIONS ARE?!

If I don’t get a reply from them [for refund] how can I take action against them?

See also: The question regarding the Pyrite Ticket sweepstakes and/or a dispute with your payee service of choice.

[Submitter's note: Feel free to edit this for better readability. The attempt was made to give honest, if snarky replies that are at the very least, not absolute ghosting of the questions asked. Double sidenote: All questions intact as formatted, Grammar is as Written.]

[murdercide626]

Characters I want in Smash (but probably won’t ever happen)

Conker

Before Bayonetta, I’d say this guy had zero chance in hell of getting into a Smash Bros. game! lol

That said, it’s still VERY unlikely that this foul-mouthed anti-hero will make it in, if only because out of all of Rare’s notable characters, Banjo is by far the more popular candidate, and for good reason! (I want Banjo in Smash too, for sure!)

The only way I could see him getting in is if Rare/Microsoft was allowed two playable representatives, and even then it’d be pretty unlikely as a character like one of the Battletoads seems more likely to get in.

So it seems our furry little f**kster will continue to sit on the sidelines, languishing in video game limbo. Oh well.

Q*bert

This guy would be a great candidate for Smash! He’s retro and had some considerable exposure/popularity in gaming’s infancy, even starring in his own cartoon! And I’m sure whoever owns the rights to Q*bert would be more than willing to lend him over to Nintendo for a nice crossover romp like Smash Bros.

The two biggest problems I see with him making it into Smash are: 1) He’s perhaps just a bit TOO obscure. In spite of his notable cameos in big films like Wreck-It Ralph and Pixels, Q*bert is a pretty obscure bit of video game history, with most people today not even knowing who he is if it weren’t for those film cameos. Plus, while he may have had his time in the limelight in the west, I’m not sure how popular Q*bert is/was oversees, even in his heyday.

And 2) Moveset limitations. Q*bert just doesn’t seem particularly suitable for a game like Smash with his limited abilities. Pretty much all he does is hop. And how would he hold items? With his nose? Or would he suddenly become telekinetic? XD That said, the Smash dev team(s) did find ways to make Captain Falcon, the Ice Climbers, Pac-Man, and the frikkin dog from Duck Hunt to work, so hey, ya never know! lol

But despite how desperately I want him to be a playable fighter, having Q*bert as an assist trophy would probably be more plausible, and I'd definitely be willing to settle for that! :)

Earthworm Jim

I’ve loved the EWJ series since I was a kid. The characters/settings are cartoony and bizarre in all the right ways, and I still think the games hold up pretty well (the first two at least, lol). And Jim has displayed a pretty wide range of abilities through his series’ run, so I don’t doubt a fleshed-out and unique moveset could be whipped up for him (heck, Smash wouldn’t even be his first playable appearance in a fighting game!).

The biggest thing working against Jim is that there doesn’t seem to be a good enough justification for his inclusion. He was basically only popular for a relatively brief window in the ‘90s, and then the series popularity fizzled. And with multiple failed revival attempts for the franchise over the years, it almost seems Jim is destined to remain a memory, blending in to the mass of forgotten ‘90s video game mascots. A sad fate for what once seemed to be such a promising video game icon.

Bubsy

No. Just, no. There’s no way! I mean, I love the guy, but no.

Sorry, buddy! XD

And it’s really too bad because Bubsy would be the best possible joke character in a Smash Bros. game! I would main the hell out of him! lol

=============

And just to make it perfectly clear, even though this looks like nothing more than a joke post, I am 100% SINCERE about this selection! I would die from a joy-induced heart attack if any of these characters made the roster! I guess I just have weird tastes. XD

[checkurselfb4umachuwreckurself]

How about Shingo for the headcanon meme?

Sexuality Headcanon:

Bicurious. He’s pretty “idk about girls” and sets pretty high standards for them. It might be a  complex thing, because he doesn’t want to be classified as “the to-be-mayor’s lesbian daughter” (see below), and it’d be better to be seen as “straight” rather than being put into a limiting label for him

Gender Headcanon:

I exclusively write transboy shingo, just from how much inspiration for it I’ve gotten, as well as it just really making sense in my eyes. Maybe I’m biased lol

A ship I have with said character:

Dart, Tower, Parrot, Redlight, Crew, ya know the drill. I like to throw in a little Frypan, just because I know how much it irks people (it’s fun ship u fools)

A BROTP I have with said character:

Shingo and Gongenzaka is Chaperone, right? I swear, watching Gongenzaka have to chase after Shingo and Deal With Him in the XYZ arc is just like that level of Earthworm Jim. Except Shingo is the one getting attacked. He deserves it. Oh, and the LDS Quartet, of course.

A NOTP I have with said character:

*flips through the ship list * y’all still ship Brash? y’all still ship that joke in the ED that didn’t go anywhere? y’all?

A random headcanon:

considering how his escapades went of getting arrested/handcuffed almost immediately, staying at a rundown home with three kids (plus Reira), getting arrested/handcuffed (pt2), going to jail, running on low nutrition, performing menial labour while being bullied by guards, jumping into a fucking river (that scene was intense),  getting arrested/handcuffed (pt3), getting forced into a tournament, having to WAIT HIS TURN, losing a duel, GOING TO UNDERGROUND PRISON, performing menial labour while being bullied by guards(pt2), AND running a revolution, Synchro was his fucking least favourite place ever, and will never go back, no matterwhat

General Opinion over said character:

he’s kind of the worst and I love him, but DAMN do I wish the writers gave him a break once and a while. like, let him win a dool on his own? fight Yuuri and totally kick his ass and everyone’s like “wait”? like, it’s Good Doggie No Bone up to a fucking 11 over here

[blazehedgehog]

i used to think a lot about what if they made remakes for the two sonic adventure games, but nowadays when i think about it, all that comes to mind is how would they even fix the bad stuff without making it too unfaithful of a remake to even be a remake? for SA2 i could see them fixing the radar for knux and rouge, and other stuff to make the non-sonic/shadow stages more fun, but for SA1? what can they even do with big the cat other than removing him? (not enough room for last sentence, nextask)

(continuing) its a shame too, because the adventure games didnt age well and right now ive been seeing quite a few remakes of other games that didnt age well either like metroid 2 and fe gaiden and it almost makes the adventure games(mostly the first one) look un-salvageable            

I don’t think you could avoid changing it. I think keeping the core structure of everything as close to the original game as possible would be good, but there’s some rough edges that need to be reworked.

Like, Station Square is supposed to be this huge metropolis but it feels really small based on the tiny section you get to see. There’s gotta be a better way to create the feeling of a large space without making it tedious to get around, right? Because you go from Station Square to Speed Highway (which, presumably, is also part of Station Square) and it feels like two different universes, you know?

And the same goes for Angel Island. It was this huge space in Sonic 3 & Knuckles but it feels incredibly tiny in Sonic Adventure. That feels like a hardware limitation. The boundary between Angel Island and The Mystic Ruins could be more obvious, too.

And what about the jungle surrounding Lost World and Final Egg? That could be reworked so it wasn’t just this big ugly narrow maze.

The boss arena for Chaos 4 could be reworked so it actually looks like it takes place in the same space as the regular Mystic Ruins adventure field.

It’s just these changes need to be made delicately. You don’t want to end up with a Turtles in Time: Re-Shelled or Earthworm Jim HD situation on your hands, where it’s ugly, sloppy, and ill-conceived.

Unfortunately, that means budgeting a project like this like it was a mainline console release and not a downloadable HD “remaster,” which I think is probably one of the key things working against it.

[entergamingxp]

Making a Video Game Hero: Platformer Edition

May 6, 2020 2:30 PM EST

Step back into our video game creation lab as we build the best platform hero ever by combining the genre’s best in a Frankenstein creation.

Recently, we took a look at all of the video game heroes who make their living in hallowed halls of the action-adventure genre. After analyzing each of them (very scientifically, we might add) we put together an amalgamation of their body parts to build the greatest action-adventure hero. Like a modern-day Dr. Frankenstein, we built the ultimate hero for that genre, and now we’re back again with a new, fan-favorite genre. That’s right, it’s time to build a Mario.

Now, like action-adventure games, platformers have a ton of different sub-genres within their sphere. Not only do you have 2D and 3D platformers, but there are also games that mix shooting, mind powers, and even naughty swear words. That said, we’re looking to build a hero that can work their way through whatever situation developers can throw at them. So, give our beautiful monster a look below and let us know if you’d make any changes in the comments below.

Brain: Alucard (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night) Runners’ Up: Razputin Aquato (Psychonauts) and Clank (Ratchet & Clank series)

To kick off the list, we have a trifecta of great options. On one hand, you have Raz from Psychonauts, a young boy with considerable psychic powers. Not only has he mastered many PSI skills while training to be a Psychonaut, but he also boasts nearly impenetrable psychic defenses. On the other hand, Clank is a robot with access to a gigantic database of information that he can call up in the blink of an eye.

However, on the third (?) hand, we have Alucard, the dhampir son of Dracula. Now, as a half-vampire, he lacks the immortality of his father’s species; however, he still has all the other powers. With his brain, we get access to a library of powerful magic and, presumably, the ability to shape-shift into a bat, wolf, or mist. So, while he might be a little less of a smartie than Clank, we’ll take the wolf morph every day.

Eyes: Six (Little Nightmares) Runners’ Up: Crash Bandicoot and Fez

Again, the platformer genre gives us a plethora of options for our monster’s eyeballs. We’re tempted to go with Crash and his gigantic, terrifying, lifeless eyes, but frankly, even we’re too scared by the thought of what those eyes have seen. Why are they always so wide open? What makes them spin? These are the questions that keep us up at night.

Instead, we’re going with someone a bit smaller. Fez was strongly considered due to his ability to see the world in multiple dimensions at once; however, we decided to go with someone who’s faced down horrible, sausage-wielding “chefs” and lived to tell the tale. Six from Little Nightmares might not be the strongest platforming character, but we can trust her to stay brave, regardless of what terrifying monster we find ourselves up against.

Mouth: Kirby Runners’ Up: Conker (Conker’s Bad Fur Day) and Earthworm Jim

Honestly, this might be the easiest choice on the list. A potty-mouthed squirrel and an earthworm full of bad puns are hardly a match for the power-stealing jaws of Kirby. I mean, sure, our hero can already morph into a wolf, but what if they could also morph into Bowser? Or Dr. Neo Cortex? Or even Professor von Kriplespac? The possibilities are truly endless, and it’s nearly impossible to imagine any other character’s mouth in Kirby’s place.

Torso: Meat Boy (Super Meat Boy) Runners’ Up: Banjo (Banjo-Kazooie) and Tim (Braid)

Here, things get interesting again. If we take Banjo’s body, do we also get Kazooie? If so, that means we can fly, but since we already have multiple morphing powers, that’s not really needed. Tim’s squat body might let us control the flow of time, which is going to come in handy when braving spikey pits.

That being said, we’re going with Meat Boy. After all, there aren’t many heroes who can say they’ve withstood more punishment than that slab of beef. And he just keeps coming back for more. That’s a trait our monster needs.

Left Arm: Mega Man Runners’ Up: Yarny (Unravel) and Rad Spencer (Bionic Commando)

The first thing we have to ask ourselves is “would we marry our robotic arm if we found out it was our previously thought-to-be-dead wife?” And, obviously, the answer is yes. However, if our creation is married to their arm, then they’ll live a life torn between us, their creator, and their arm-wife. That doesn’t work for us, so Rad Spencer is, unfortunately, out.

Yarny presents another interesting option; however, their power feels limited. There’s only so much you can do with yarn. Mega Man, on the other hand, has a smorgasbord of power-ups for our monster to take advantage of, making him the easy choice.

Right Arm: Donkey Kong Runners’ Up: Cuphead and Voodoo Vince

Cuphead’s arm would definitely be a fun addition, but that feels like a bit of overkill. Voodoo Vince combos well with Meat Boy’s body. Stabbing that slab of beef and inflicting damage on our enemies seems like an easy win. However, our platformer build is missing something. We need…power.

Enter Donkey Kong’s right arm. Did you know that gorillas can lift an estimated 1800 lbs? Imagine what that kind of strength could do to a man or Goomba. We’re talking complete and total destruction. Our monster needs that.

Legs: Madeline (Celeste) Runners’ Up: Sonic the Hedgehog, Sly Cooper, and Arthur (Ghosts ‘n Goblins)

Again, tons of great options. If you’re looking for pure, video game speed, Sonic is the obvious choice. Maybe you want world-class agility that would let you sneak your way into any heavily-guarded fortress. In that case, Sly Cooper is your guy. Heck, maybe you just want to look good in your undies, making Arthur the man for you.

For our creature, we’re taking Madeline’s legs. If you play Celeste on Assist Mode, you can turn on infinite stamina. That means Madeline can jump forever. And, even if we don’t turn on Assist Mode, her legs are some of the best leapers in the business. Her air control is top-tier, a fact our beast will take full advantage of.

Hat: Mario Runners’ Up: The Boy (Inside) and Shovel Knight

(Note: Spoilers for Inside below)

Okay, our last category continues to be something of a catch-all. At first, we thought we’d just slap The Boy from Inside’s ability to turn into a massive flesh blob in here, because what an awesome sequence. If our monster can just transform into that whenever they want, why wouldn’t we want that? However, it feels wrong to not have Mario involved in our video game creation in some way. So, we’ve decided to continue enhancing our beast’s ability to morph into other creatures by adding Mario’s hat. Oh, and Shovel Knight is cool, but only cool enough to make the list and not overtake Mario.

At this point, our platformer hero has basically become the newest Animorph, with the power to morph into whatever animal or object needed to get past any obstacle. Bowsers everywhere are surely crying into their pillow, as they dream sweet nightmares about our creation.

Thus ends our latest creation. Be sure to check back in the near future as we tackle the next video game genre. And stick with DualShockers for all your weird, imaginary video game science experiments.

May 6, 2020 2:30 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/05/making-a-video-game-hero-platformer-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=making-a-video-game-hero-platformer-edition

[retro-vgm-revival-hour]

The Sega Saturn is a 32-bit fifth-generation home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe. The successor to the successful Sega Genesis, the Saturn’s release was seen as one of the biggest blunders in gaming history.

The initial U.S release for the console was intended to be September 2nd 1995 but with the higher ups at sega , most notably its president hayao nakayama, fearing the upcoming other console releases in the form of the atari jaguar and sony’s first foray into the console market, the Sony playstation.

those working at sega were forced to move up the release date from the originally planned September 2nd, what would have been dubbed Saturn Day to may 11, the first day of E3 1995.

Although the Saturn had great success on its initial 1994 japanese release, performing very well and boasting a roster of strong titles with Virtua fighter in particular being the most popular arcade game in japan, the saturn’s announcement and release happening on the same day made it quite difficult for magazines and retailers to publicize the launch, making it hard to advertise.

This launch also limited the amount of retailers that would receive the console at first, mostly due to its limited stock on release, resulting in various other retailers becoming very upset to the point that some downright refused to stock the console in response.

Despite the launch of the Saturn, most of the games on it are actually pretty good, so good that even through this day there is still a very well devoted fanbase that appreciate and love the Sega Saturn, myself included.

So it is why this STAGE of the Retro VGM Revival Hour we honor the 25th anniversary of the sage Saturn with these selected tracks from various Sega Saturn Games.

                                         Full track listing: ===========Game – Composer – Title – Company========

1.) Guardian Heroes – Katsuhiko Suzuki & Norio Hanzawa – “FIGHTERS OF PAIN & ROUGH AND LADY” – January 25, 1996 – Treasure/Sega – Sega Saturn

2.) Mega Man X3 – Kinuyo Yamashita, Toshihiko Horiyama & Makoto Tomazawa – “OPENING STAGE, FROZEN BUFFALIO STAGE (Blizzard Buffalo) & GRAVITY BEETBOOD STAGE (Gravity Beetle)“ – April 26, 1996 (Japan & Europe Only) – Minakuchi Engineering & Capcom/Capcom – Sega Saturn

3.) Thunder Force V – Hyakutarou Tsukumo – “Steel Of Destiny, Guardian’s Knight, Legendary Wings & Duel Of Top“ – July 11, 1997 – Technosoft/Technosoft & Working Designs – Sega Saturn

4.) Policenauts – Tappi Iwase, Masahiro Ikariko & Motoaki Furukawa – “Living in the Real World, Icy Offense and Defense & End of the Dark” – September 13, 1996 (Japan Only) – Konami – Sega Saturn

5.) Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete – Noriyuki Iwadare – “Second Overworld, Toward the Horizon, & Battle Theme“ – October 25, 1996 (Japan Only for Saturn) – Game Arts & Japan Art Media/Kadokawa Shoten – Sega Saturn

6.) Blast Wind – Hyakutarou Tsukumo – “Strato Guard & Justice Ray“ – January 17, 1997 – TechnoSoft – Sega Saturn

7.) Astal – Tatsuyuki Maeda & Tatsuya Kousaki – “Sea of clouds & River of dreams” – April 28, 1995 – Sega – Sega Saturn

8.) Virtua Fighter 2 – Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Takayuki Nakamura & Akiko Hashimoto – “ Man of the Fist, BLACK CAT MOON & Ride the Tiger“ – December 1, 1995 – Sega AM2/Sega – Sega Saturn

9.) Earthworm Jim 2 – Tommy Tallarico – “Subterranean (Lorenzens Soil / ISO 9001), Continue to Rock & Anything But Tangerines“ – October 31, 1996 – Screaming Pink, Inc/Playmates Interactive Entertainment – Sega Saturn

10.) Shinobi Legions (Shinobi X) – Richard Jacques – “Miyako (Stage 1), Kazuma (Stage 9 Boss) & Kouryuu (Stage 7 Boss)“ – June 30, 1995 – Sega – Sega Saturn

11.) Sega Rally Championship – Takenobu Mitsuyoshi – “WELCOME TO SEGA RALLY, GETTING MUDDY & CONDITIONED REFLEX“ – December 19, 1995 – Sega Hitmaker/Sega – Sega Saturn

12.) Sonic 3D Blast – Richard Jacques – “ Boss Theme, Rusty Ruin Zone/Act 2 & Panic Puppet Zone/Act 1“ – November 1996 – Traveller’s Tales & Sonic Team/Sega – Sega Saturn

13.) Silhouette Mirage – Katsuhiko Suzuki & Masami Nakatsukasa – “Awaken Shyna (Opening), Night Flight & Are You the Boss? Or Just a +1” – September 10, 1997 – Treasure/Entertainment Software Publishing – Sega Saturn

14.) Virtual On: Cyber Troopers (Cyber Troopers Virtual-On) – Kentaro Koyama – “Get Ready (In the Blue Sky), She’s Lost Control (S.L.C.) & Fade to Black“ – November 29, 1996 – Sega AM3/Sega – Sega Saturn

15.) Panzer Dragoon II Zwei – Yayoi Wachi, Teruhiko Nakagawa, Junko Shiratsu & Tomonori Sawada – “The empire’s giant carrier, Hanuman & The unexpected enemy” – March 22, 1996 – Team Andromeda/Sega – Sega Saturn

16.) Radiant Silvergun – Hitoshi Sakimoto – “RETURN, REMINISCENCE & EVASION” – July 23, 1998 (Japan Only) – Treasure/ESP – Sega Saturn

17.) Deep Fear – Kenji Kawai – “Visitation (Opening), Confusion/Perplexity & Surfacing (Ending)” – June 30, 1998 (Japan & Europe Only) – Sega AM7, System Sacom, SIMS & ISCO/Sega – Sega Saturn

18.) Burning Rangers – Naofumi Hataya, Fumie Kumatani & Masaru Setsumaru – “Request For An Immediate Rescue, Rising Pressure, We Are Burning Rangers & Burning/Ship To Take Off“ – February 26, 1998 – Sonic Team/Sega – Sega Saturn

19.) Panzer Dragoon – Yoshitaka Azuma – “Opening Theme, Sudden Turn, Conclusion & The Empire” – March 10, 1995 – Sega – Sega Saturn

20.) Shining the Holy Ark – Motoi Sakuraba – “Over the Horizon of Wind/Dust, Festival of Evil (Part 2) & Endless Winter“ – December 20, 1996 – Sonic! Software Planning/Sega – Sega Saturn

21.) Sonic R – Richard Jacques (w/ Vocals by Teresa Jane Davis) – “Can You Feel the Sunshine? (Resort Island), Living In the City (Radical City), Diamond In the Sky (Radiant Emerald) & Super Sonic Racing”- November 18, 1997 – Traveller’s Tales & Sonic Team/Sega – Sega Saturn

Edgar Velasco: @MoonSpiderHugs www.patreon.com/nostalgiaroadtrip Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/NostalgiaRoadTripChannel Official Site: nostalgiaroadtrip.com/ FaceBook: www.facebook.com/groups/nostalgiaroadtrip/

[densoro]

orange, green (color ask)

orange: what makes you feel warm inside? When people recall intricate details of my ramblings, long after the fact. Bonus points if they hold that information dear.

what’s your favorite halloween tradition? Literally just dressing up. Link was always my favorite costume – I wore it several years in a row – and I just adore the feeling of excitement it incites in perfect strangers. Just by walking by, I can make their day, and there’s no fear that I’m overstepping or being obnoxious.

Aside from that, I strive for a kind of authenticity. I have this bullshit assassin getup I made from an old hoodie (well, a junior-sized Grim Reaper robe) and scavenged fencing equipment. Even if the design is clearly fantasy nonsense, I love hearing the creak of my leather sword-belt as my chest expands with each breath– the ringing of metal fasteners with every step. It’s a kind of weighty aesthetic the average person doesn’t get to see often, so I love bringing an element of the out-of-the-ordinary into their world without being pushy.

what’s the last thing you learned? New Mexico is next to Arizona and kiddy-corner to my home state of Utah xD

when’s the last time you felt obsessed? hahaha

Yeah I uh. I don’t know how to commit to anything without making it a transformative, consuming piece of myself. My historical swordsmanship lessons taught me things about romantic relationships that I’d struggled to understand for years. My planning notes for a physics-based hack-n-slash developed into insights regarding visualization and muscle memory. And all of these things become this sort of foundational canon about me.

My latest obsession is a tabletop horror RPG I’ve been trying to design. It’s sort of an experiment asking, ‘Can a game be horror if the monsters square up and fight you directly, or does that transform it into an action game?’ It emphasizes the randomness that I usually hate in tabletop games – to explore whether randomness is more acceptable when your character isn’t supposed to be an alleged expert.

Before that, there was an RPG concept built around realistic weapon-crafting and the kinds of techniques different weapon anatomy enables. I haven’t gone sparring since June but the planning and visualization for this project drastically improved my theoretical grasp of swordsmanship and the direction of my training.

Basically I am a walking 'don’t get me started’ xD

what’s your favorite article of clothing?Probably the jacket I got when I moved to Washington. The hood fits spaciously instead of making me look like Earthworm Jim, like my last hoodie did.I’m also partial to my slightly-longer-than-normal-but-quite-slim T-shirt – one of very few that fits me properly and emphasizes my sardine-like body type XD and a pair of carpenter jeans that curve in just enough over my wide hips.

green: what’s your favorite thing to do outside? One thing you’ll learn about me is that I never have one 'favorite’ anything lmao. Generally I just love making things into a game and playing hard. Whether that takes the form of a foot race, sword fighting, shitty amateur parkour, dodgeball, wrestling, tag – it’s all about letting loose. I don’t know if this will make sense, but… I spend so much time limiting my expression for the comfort of other people, biting my tongue, being benevolently dishonest. But movement? It’s completely honest. How do you lie about running? Throwing? Either it’s in motion or it isn’t. There’s no need for reservation. I can be completely candid, right in plain sight, and many people don’t even realize.

do you like camping? I’ve only been once or twice, and they didn’t go well xD the first time, I didn’t know how to flush the waterless toilet I pooped in and I got tree sap stuck in my hair for days. I think if I knew what I was doing, I could see the appeal – but it’s such a practical-minded sort of thing and I tend not to be xD

what would you spend $1,000 on? A full set of fencing gear – archery too, if I could afford it all in good quality. All authentic steel and leather (or a good vegan alternative maybe), but all with a focus on safety and sport use. A sword that can just as dependably disarm my friends, but never hurt them. A mask that can take the full force of their most candid actions on the battlefield. The freedom to let loose in complete safety.

what’s your job, or what do you want to do as your job? haaa…I’m in the process of losing my first job. They don’t like when associates have nervous breakdowns so close to the mechanized storage system. It’s a serious safety risk, and I’m actually pretty convinced when they say they care about me. Surprised me too. Corporate overlords and all.

But I’m going to be starting as a customer service associate for Lowe’s. My sister works at another of their locations where everybody’s LGBT+ and has anxiety so they know how to help people like us. I’m hoping I luck out as much at this location xD

My dream job involves giving psychological support to trauma survivors. I remember how lost I felt and I want to make it easier for anybody else – if I can’t stop it from happening to anyone else at all, then I’ll have to settle for damage control.

but I also keep VERY SERIOUSLY plotting out new game concepts so like. I don’t think that’ll ever be irrelevant to me either xD

what’s your favorite article of clothing?…idk if I copy-pasted the questions weird or if this was really on here twice XD but I gave a bunch of answers before so either way

(…but I am also a fan of my scarf and beanie)

[gertlushgaming]

Intellivision Entertainment LLC, the video game industry pioneer and innovator, today announced significant additions to its game portfolio, along with new licensing and global retail partnerships for its Amico system, the modern reboot of the iconic Intellivision video game console, now scheduled for release in April 2021. In a virtual press event, CEO Tommy Tallarico revealed an extensive list of new Amico games, including Earthworm Jim 4 and Rigid Force Redux Enhanced.

Intellivision also provided a variety of business updates, including licensing partnerships with Mattel, Sesame Workshop and Usaopoly (The Op). Intellivision’s partnership with Mattel will bring to life a much-anticipated racing game based on the popular Hot Wheels™ franchise. Teaming up with Sesame Workshop, kids and families will enjoy playing a suite of engaging and fun educational Sesame Street games together. The Op partnership brings the first-ever interactive versions of the award-winning board games, Telestrations® and Blank Slate™. These announcements come on the heels of recently announced licensing deals with brands such as Major League Baseball, Evel Knievel and The American Cornhole League.

“The magic of Intellivision Amico is that it will bring families and friends together around gaming – something that the world could always use more of – and these new games and partnerships will be a critical part of that,” said Tallarico. 

The company also announced its growing network of global retail and online partners including GameStop, Amazon, and Walmart.com among others. The new games and partnerships reinforce the conviction of Intellivision’s mission to reignite the family- and group-oriented benefits of multi-player gaming that were so prevalent at the dawn of the gaming era. Finally, the company announced that, after painstaking efforts to overcome the myriad of obstacles and constraints imposed by the global pandemic, Amico’s target launch date will shift from October 10, 2020, to April 15, 2021. 

“Despite unprecedented challenges, the accomplishments and progress made by our internal team, plus our incredible network of developers and partners, is nothing short of amazing,” said Tallarico. “Our primary focus is delivering a quality product, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bring family fun back to gaming with Intellivision Amico’s launch.” 

Details of the new games and gameplay footage that were revealed are as follows: 

Newly Announced Intellivision Amico Games

Earthworm Jim 4 The legendary multi-award-winning side-scrolling game is back exclusively for Amico. More adventure, more fun, more shenanigans and now… with MULTIPLAYER!

Sesame Workshop Intellivision and Sesame Workshop announced a series of educational titles that will utilize the unique Amico touch screen controllers, motion controls and couch co-op for the entire family to join in the learning and fun.

Mattel Hot Wheels™ Hot Wheels™ has ignited the challenger spirit around the world since the brand’s introduction in 1968. Intellivision is beyond excited to have this spectacular brand be a part of the game repertoire, and it will challenge parents, kids and fans alike as they race to the finish line.

Rigid Force Redux Enhanced A modern rendition of the classic side-scrolling shooter genre, Rigid Force Redux Enhanced arms players against waves of attackers. With a great soundtrack and magnificent graphics, the exclusive Amico version is enhanced with couch co-op multiplayer.

Telestrations  Through its partnership with The Op, Intellivision will offer the laugh-out-loud party game, Telestrations. Families will be able to experience the joy of laughter and miscommunication while they sketch and guess silly drawings and words. Never before brought to the digital era, this party game will allow for entire families, from children to grandparents, to share a laugh and enjoy the fun. 

Blank Slate Another terrific board game coming from The Op to Amico is Blank Slate. This party game allows families to get in sync with one another as they attempt to fill in the blank with just one word to complete the phrase. When players guess the same word, they receive extra points. Blank Slate only takes moments to learn and its simplicity makes it fun for players of any age.  

Finnigan Fox An all new original game, Finnigan Fox brings authentic platform gaming fun exclusively on Amico. Leverage the changing seasons and unique controls to embark on a mystic adventure with this furry friend.

Bomb Squad Bomb Squad is perfect for those looking for big fireworks and even bigger entertainment. Players will need to work together to try diffusing bombs before time runs out. It’s sure to be a BLAST!

Incan Gold/Diamant Searching for diamonds, gems and gold has never been so easy and exciting. Players will be on an adventure packed with strategy, risks, and riches as they push their luck to see who will come out on top.

Intellivision Monster Spades From Concrete Software, creators of the top played golf, bowling, and fishing games in the world, this game will be an instant family classic. Pick your favorite monster and enjoy one of the most played card games in the world.

Liar’s Dice Developed by Stainless Games with Mike Montgomery, one of the founders of the legendary Bitmap Brothers, Liar’s Dice is simple and fun for the whole family. This exclusive version is a cute and funny take on one of the most well-known dice games in the world, and utilizes the unique Amico controller screens for secrecy.

Space Strike What happens when you combine popular games like Star Castle, Rocket League Racing, and Asteroids? You get the new, exclusive Amico game called Space Strike.

New Gameplay Revealed

Moon Patrol This revamp of the 1982 video game classic promises to bring all the excitement of the classic arcade into the home as families pilot a heavily armed lunar buggy and do battle against the toughest in the galaxy. Aside from single player, co-op and versus modes are also available so everyone can play together. Revealed during the Amico Special Event, a complete demo level is now available to play in the Amico Club app.

Evel Knievel Working closely with the Knievel family, this brand-new exclusive version of this incredible daredevil adventure will add the famous Skyrocket X-2 Snake Canyon jump as well as more unlockables, animations, audio, levels, and of course, amazing crashes!

Astrosmash A staple of the original Intellivision console and one of the platform’s best-selling games, Astrosmash is a classic arcade style game where players face off against an onslaught of asteroids, meteors and invading enemies. This exclusive Amico game is included with every console. With unlimited ammo and lots of targets in both single player, co-op or versus modes, it is sure to be a big SMASH!

Intellivision ACL Cornhole With over 100 unlockables as well as single player, team, versus and arcade modes, Cornhole utilizes Amico’s motion controls to bring this fast-growing recreational sport into the living room. Easy to pick up and play and perfect for large groups to play together, Cornhole is included as a pack-in game with every Amico console.

Missile Command As one of the most successful arcade games of all time, Missile Command challenges players and teammates to protect defenseless cities from a virtually endless hail of ballistic missiles. This exclusive Amico version utilizes the unique Amico controller screen as well as includes co-op and versus modes.

Breakout Developed by Choice Provisions, the team behind the mega popular Bit Trip game series, Breakout is a brand-new exclusive take on an old classic. Utilizing the Amico touch screen and motion controls, this retro reimagined title adds music-based rhythm to the mix in a unique and modern style.

Intellivision Battle Tanks This game puts players in the driver’s seat of an explosive military tank headed into battle. Friends and families unite to take down the enemy while pushing the limits of strategy. Aside from single player, co-op, versus and capture-the-flag modes are also available.

Nitro Derby Overhead racing is taken to an extreme in this exclusive Amico game. Ten tracks with three circuits each and 14 unlockable vehicles will provide hours of racing fun.

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A list of new Amico games, including Earthworm Jim 4, Moon Patrol and Rigid Force Redux Enhanced has been revealed Intellivision Entertainment LLC, the video game industry pioneer and innovator, today announced significant additions to its game portfolio, along with new licensing and global retail partnerships for its Amico system, the modern reboot of the iconic Intellivision video game console, now scheduled for release in April 2021.

[ntrending]

Last week in tech: Snap’s new spectacles, Sega’s Genesis Mini, and the clickiest new keyboards around

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Last week in tech: Snap’s new spectacles, Sega’s Genesis Mini, and the clickiest new keyboards around

Snap’s stylish Spectacles have evolved into a high-end product, while Facebook’s failed Sombrero With a Camera Built In didn’t quite pan out after its release in 2017. (Snap/)

Back in 2016, Snap released the original Spectacles. The quirky-looking sunglasses had a built-in camera that shot round video, which no one really wanted. As a tech product, Spectacles weren’t all that impressive, but they excelled at generating hype. You could only get them through limited “drops” from vending machines placed in secret locations. Prices on eBay and other secondhand outlets went nuts.

This week, Snap unleashed the third iteration of Spectacles. It’s a decided jump forward in terms of tech, adding a second HD camera for shooting in 3D and applying augmented-reality filters to the footage you capture. But the styling represents the biggest change. The new $380 fashion-forward frames look like something an Instagram model would wear, and that you’d start seeing knock-off versions of at flea markets and mall kiosks. They’re certainly too hip for me, and that seems like exactly the right move for Snap.

But, those fashionable shades weren’t the only story in the tech world this week. Even in the summer slowdown, there’s a lot to take in. Here’s a rundown of this week’s most-pressing (and sometimes even depressing) technology stories.

Listen to the latest episode of Techathlon

In case you haven’t heard, the Techathlon crew is back in full-force this week after a slight summer break. We spent our time away training hard. Personally, I dedicated hours to scrolling through Twitter and playing this weird smartphone game where you shoot bouncing balls with a cannon. This week’s episode includes tech trivia, making fun of crummy company branding, and trying to wrap our heads around the increasingly ridiculous array of smart gadgets on the market.

You can listen in the player above, add us on Stitcher, subscribe on iTunes, join us on Anchor, and even check us out on Spotify.

The Sega Genesis Mini is coming next month

It looks just like a classic console—only more adorable, because it’s smaller. (Sega/)

It seems cruel that Sega would wait until school is back in session to release the Genesis Mini. The 40 pre-installed games seem like a really great way to waste a summer drinking Capri Suns in front of the TV. But, despite the bad timing, the system itself looks great. The controllers are legit and the included titles include classics like Earthworm Jim and Echo the Dolphin. Pair it with a tube TV, unrequited middle-school crushes, and Surge soda if you want a perfect recreation of my childhood.

Users were accidentally preheating their smart ovens in the middle of the night

June’s smart oven is a rather impressive appliance that takes commands from a smartphone app. Unfortunately, some users woke up to find their cookers accidentally preheated to 400 degrees. June has addressed the issue and submitted an updated app that will reportedly add some protections to prevent this from happening in the future. There are no reported injuries or damages, but I like to imagine at least one person woke up to a preheated oven and said, “Well, I guess it’s pizza rolls for breakfast, then…”

Logitech released new mechanical keyboards

The perfect keyboard for loudly and passive aggressively typing the phrase, “per my last email.” (Logitech/)

If you’re addicted to the clickety-clack of mechanical keyboards, Logitech has some new options for you. Both of the new boards are basically the same, except the G815 attaches to your computer with a wire, while the G915 uses the company’s Lightspeed Wireless connectivity. There are three types of switches from which to choose, including linear, tactile, and clicky. Googling the difference is a great way to fall down a Friday-afternoon rabbit hole learning about mechanical keyboards.

You can’t bring your bad MacBook Pro battery on a flight

Recently, Apple issued a recall for some 2015-era MacBook Pro computers because of faulty batteries that could catch fire. This week, the FAA issued a ban that prevents passengers from bringing those computers on a plane. It’s not out of the ordinary for the FAA to do this, because pressurized plane cabins and fire don’t mix well. If you have an affected MacBook Pro, be sure to get it serviced before heading into the sky.

DJI made an impressive new smartphone gimbal

Smartphones do a surprisingly great job on their own of keeping video steady, but if you want truly pro-looking results, a gimbal makes a world of difference. The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 costs $119 and folds up so it’s easy to throw in a bag. It holds pretty much any smartphone perfectly stable, even if you’re engaged in action sports or trying to make a video as you run from airport security to sneak onto a plane with your 2015 MacBook Pro.

Samsung built a 108-megapixel smartphone sensor

Why would you want a smartphone camera with more than 100-megapixels? Well, we can answer that for you here. But, you can expect to see these high-res chips show up more and more down the road, which will make your Instagram posts look that much more #blessed with less work.

Written By Stan Horaczek

[gamerszone2019-blog]

Everything You Need to Know About the Sega Genesis Mini

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Everything You Need to Know About the Sega Genesis Mini

The full Sega Genesis Mini games list was announced June 4, and to the surprise of everyone, not only did Sega add more games than initially promised, but also announcing some rare Genesis gems, including games that never came to the US version of the Sega Genesis.

Our Pick

Sega Genesis Mini

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Sega Genesis Mini preorders are $79.99 with a September 19, 2019 release date: M2 is handling the Genesis Mini software and emulation, and if you’re familiar with M2, you know it has a storied history of going above and beyond when it comes to bringing old games to modern hardware. A port of the arcade game Darius is packed inside the Genesis Mini, a game that never existed for Sega Genesis in an official capacity. The Genesis version of Tetris is also part of the 42 games coming to Sega Genesis Mini, as well as Monster World IV, both of which never released in the US for the console.

With a September 19 release date and a $79.99 price tag, there’s plenty of time to grab one for yourself, and the good news is you can preorder the Sega Genesis Mini right now.

It looks like the Genesis Mini will be closer to Nintendo’s offerings with the NES Classic and Super NES Classic than to Sony’s misstep with the PlayStation Classic. The Sega Genesis Mini game list is chock full of popular classics, rare gems, and even a wholly new port. It could very well be the new gold standard when it comes to retro all-in-one consoles.

Sega Genesis Mini Games List

Some of the best Sega Genesis classics are coming to the Sega Genesis Mini. All told, it has 42 games, 2 more than initially promised.

Here is the full list of Sega Genesis Mini games:

Ecco the Dolphin

Castlevania: Bloodlines (Castlevania: The New Generation in AU/UK)

Space Harrier 2

Shining Force

Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine

Toe Jam & Earl

Comix Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog

Altered Beast

Gunstar Heroes

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Earthworm Jim

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck

Thunder Force III

Super Fantasy Zone

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

Streets of Rage 2

Contra Hard Corps (Probotector in AU/UK)

Landstalker

Mega Man: The Wily Wars

Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition

Sonic Spinball

Phantasy Star IV

Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor in AU/UK)

Ghouls ‘N Ghosts

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle

Golden Axe

Vectorman

Wonder Boy in Monster World

Tetris

Darius

Virtua Fighter 2

Alisia Dragoon

Monster World IV

Kid Chameleon

Road Rash II

Eternal Champions

Columns

Dynamite Headdy

Strider

Light Crusader

Every Confirmed Game for Sega Genesis Mini

If you’re unfamiliar with M2, it handled the excellent Sega Ages Collections and also the delightful Sega 3D Classics Collection for Nintendo 3DS. It would be hard to find a developer with a better pedigree to handle the software for the first-party Sega Genesis Mini, so these Sega Genesis classics should get the respect they deserve.

6-Button Controller?

The 6-button controller doesn’t ship with the Genesis Mini. If you want a Genesis Mini 6-button controller from Sega, you’ll have to import a Mega Drive Mini. However, Retro-Bit makes an officially licensed 6-button Sega Genesis controller that looks and feels everything the part of a first-party controller. Better still, it’s available in cool styles like translucent blue.

What to Look Out For

Navigating the world of Sega Genesis Mini retail is something of a minefield. Sega played fast and loose with its licensing in the past. Be advised: there are a lot of third-party “mini Sega Genesis” consoles already on the market, but only one official Sega Genesis Mini, coming out September 19, 2019.

The third-party Sega Genesis mini consoles seem like a good value, packed with tons of games, but they have poor emulation and most don’t output a high-definition signal. In fact, some of them ONLY output using A/V cables, a feature increasingly absent from modern television sets. Don’t be fooled!

Sega Genesis Mini

The good news when it comes to supply is it doesn’t look as though the Sega Genesis Mini is in danger of selling out immediately, as was the case with the first runs of the NES and Super NES Classics from Nintendo.

Sega has M2 working on the emulation for its mini console.

“

The Sega Genesis Mini has been selling so strongly since its announcement, it was the top-selling video game items on Amazon when first announced. That’s a tall feat: the spot is almost the exclusive domain of the $10 Sony PlayStation Store gift card. Fortunately, it’s been available since its initial announcement, so it looks like it won’t suffer the same supply issues as the Super NES Classic and NES Classic. At least, for now.

Sega Genesis Mini at a Glance:

Price: $79.99

Release Date: September 19, 2019

Included Games: 40 total, 30 confirmed

Number of Controllers: 2 (3-button)

AC Adapter: Included

Output: HDMI

All in all, it looks like this will be a hit, unlike Sony’s PlayStation Classic mini console, which is regarded by almost everyone (except emulation hackers) as a complete disappointment. Its weird selection of games, emulation problems, PAL versions of some games, and a $99 price tag turned people off. It’s also now almost always on sale for more than 60% off its original price.

Japanese Mega Drive Mini Games List

If you’re the sort of person who drops extra money to get the Japanese versions of your favorite mini-consoles, here’s the full list of games coming to the Mega Drive Mini, also releasing on September 19, 2019. If it’s anything like the Famicom and Super Famicom Mini, you should eventually be able to order them directly from Amazon, although probably through a 3rd party seller. Or you can order directly from Amazon.jp and have it shipped to the states.

Here is the fill list of Mega Drive Mini games coming to Japan:

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Comix Zone

Gunstar Heroes

Madou Monogatari I

Powerball

Puyo Puyo Tsu

Rent-A-Hero

Shining Force

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Space Harrier 2

Thunder Force III

Super Fantasy Zone

Musha

World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck

Streets of Rage 2

The Hybrid Front

Landstalker

Contra: Hard Corps

Dyna Brothers 2

Game no Kanzume Otokuyou

Ghouls ‘n Ghosts

Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition

Mega Man: The Wily Wars

Golden Axe

The Revenge of Shinobi

Phantasy Star IV

Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor: A Successor of The Light)

Puzzle & Action: Tant-R

Party Quiz Mega Q

Yu Yu Hakusho: Makyou Touitsusen

Tetris

Darius

Virtua Fighter 2

Alisia Dragoon

Monster World IV

Kid Chameleon

Road Rash II

Eternal Champions

Columns

Dynamite Headdy

Strider

Light Crusader

Mega Drive Mini Tower of Power

The Mega Drive Mini is getting an extra bonus in the way of a purely cosmetic “Megadora Tower Mini,” also known as the Sega Tower of Power. While real life versions can get even more ridiculous, this beastly amalgam is comprised of miniature, official hardware replicas. It’s extremely cool and limited-edition, and so far it looks like only Japan is getting the add-on. The Mega Drive Mini tower releases in Japan on September 19, the same say as the Sega Genesis Mini and Mega Drive Mini.

Seth Macy is IGN’s tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.

Source : IGN

[symbianosgames]

Once you've read this article, be sure to check out Gamasutra's video interview with the creator's of the remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap.

Ben Fiquet spent a great deal of time playing the 1989 Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap as a child, wandering around its wondrous worlds. The game made a strong impression on him. These feelings would well up again, years later, when Fiquet found himself working on the recently-released remake, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap. Here, he’d be able to leave his own stamp on a game he loved long ago.

“I think I wanted to make the game as I saw it as a kid on my screen," he says. "It is, at the core, a vibrant and beautiful world that I could lose myself in.“

How would he capture that same sense of wonder he’d felt as a child, though? And how would he recreate a game he so loved while still preserving what he loved about it? The balancing act involved in making something his own, while still paying homage to the original, was a challenging. But it was an enjoyable task for Fiquet, who worked hard to stay within classic limitations, and create a visual love letter to the game’s original programmers and artists.

“When we started, it was like a fan project," says Fiquet. "We didn't know if it could become a reality. So, I didn't really think about it -- I just started to draw what I thought would fit the game most. But, I knew I wanted to bring something new, something unique.”

What he sought to capture with his work on the game was that sense of child-like joy at exploring fantastic worlds. “I sure wanted new players to have the same impression I had as a kid.” says Fiquet.

Fiquet's art was informed by anime and French comics

As such, part of him naturally meandered back to the other fantasy worlds he had explored during his childhood – comics and cartoons.

“I've been raised with French comics and manga/anime, and I think it pours in when it comes to design," he says. “Like many other French kids, I spent my childhood in front of anime coming directly from Japan without filters. I think I kind of understand the mindset of visual designs from that era in Japan. So, naturally, I tried to get that feeling of eighties anime, but also a bit of my own style as well. It wouldn't make sense to try to only replicate these particular styles.”

He also drew from the rich history and variety of bandes dessinées, or French comics, which had also been important to him as a child. “For a vast majority of the world, it is foreign” says Fiquet. “Which in my opinion is a good thing. There's a subtlety in all the various styles you can find in French comics. Nothing is the same; every comic is different, in style and story. I guess it's the arrogance of French people who want to impose their own signature But it gives a real diversity. I think it adds a bit of difference.” says Fiquet.

That sense of child-like wonder was connected to these art styles, and they naturally followed when Fiquet wanted to leave his own stamp on the game. 

Fiquet may have known what stirred up certain feelings within him, but that didn’t mean he was just going to apply those art styles without a consideration to the original game. For him it was very important to preserve as much of the original Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap with his new work. “I wanted to keep the sense of a colorful, inviting, and charming world.”

Part of that preservation, other than having a style that invoked a sense of wonder, involved using the same tile-based art style. “Since the game is directly based on the original, we used that canvas to the fullest. That also means that we kept the tiling system in place.”

Compare the original to the updated version

The tiling system had helped its original developers save valuable space in making the original Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, but in keeping it now, it would involve some artistic risk. Having tiles with specific art on them placed throughout each screen ran the danger of the artwork repeating itself, and in making that repetition obvious, boring the player with an art style Fiquet had put so much work into.

“So, structurally, I had to work with these tiles, but at the same time, try to go beyond. I tried to manipulate what you see on screen to make you believe that there is no repetition.”

Fiquet developed a few tricks to hide the fact that they were including this homage to how the art had worked in the original game. “The easiest one was to have large textures up to 1920 pixels. That way, you don't see a repetition until you've travel across the entire screen - until then you've forgotten what the beginning of the texture looks like. I don't have to tell you this is the one programmers don't like at all.”

Making the programmers upset wasn’t Fiquet’s goal, so he developed a few more tricks with his tile artwork. “Making visible parallax was another. When the repetitions occurs, you can have different elements (in front or behind) that don't repeat the same way as the main texture does. Fog, some clouds, or some objects placed differently gives you the impression every step is different.”

In adding a few scrolling elements or other objects, Fiquet could mislead the player, taking their attention off of the original tiles and onto another object. And there were even further tricks. “Using fake lights and shadows. I've added layers that act like Photoshop layers with multiplication (for shadows) and addition (for lights). By placing them strategically, you once again give the impression that it is different, even though it's the same textures,” says Fiquet.

Tiling wasn’t the only limitation Fiquet applied to his work, though. “I had to stay in the boundaries of the animation of the original game. Even if I added 10 times more frames, the length of an animation could only be coherent with the original ones.”

Fiquet’s animations were to be in keeping with those of the original game, only updating how they looked. If a character walked in a certain way, they would carry themselves in the same manner now. Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t smooth out those animations, giving them a look like a cartoon in motion. 

“One thing that adds a lot is having a lot of transition animations. With the same inputs, you can have a totally different feeling just by having anticipations or overlaps. It gave the game a much-needed smooth feel.” says Fiquet.

Making these animations look more fluid was a joy for Fiquet, who has a long-standing love for making game characters look good in motion. “I wanted to make frame by frame animation, as I see a real beauty in it. I'm a huge fan of Dave Perry's work during the Genesis era. Games like Aladdin, Cool Spot, and Earthworm Jim were beautifully animated. This skill has been lost over the years, but as an animation geek, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to implement traditional animation.”

Fiquet drew from his own childhood wonder, and what had made him feel so much for these digital worlds, to create a whole new experience. Even so, he managed to do so with some self-imposed limitations to keep him in the spirit of the original developers.

“It has been sometimes a bit tricky in certain areas because there was not much to rely on. The original game, due to technical limitations, was sometimes a bit empty. I could do whatever I wanted but I had to keep in mind what the original creators wanted to see at that time.”

As empty as those places technically were, in his childhood memories, they stood for so much more. “It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made me click. For this game, I guess it's a mix between a good old nostalgia and just the charm of it all. You see a little village, pyramids, lava, jungle, etc ... You have a sense that you're on an adventure exploring a vas t and rich world.”

The original art for the boss Captain Dragon and the updated version

Fiquet got to fill in those worlds with his own imagination, using the limitations of the original artists to join in the feeling they would have felt when initially creating the landscapes that would fuel his imagination. He got to step into the shoes of the artists who had inspired him as a child, and give them back a gift using his own sense of wonder and creativity. 

“I feel like I've added something to the Wonder Boy history. We met with the original creator, Nishizawa-san, in Kyoto last July. He told how much he loved what I had done with the game, I got really emotional. It's not every day that you can give back to a dear childhood memory and be rewarded for it. I don't think he thought he would had so much impact on two little boys at the other side of the globe.”