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super-famicom-star-inactive · 4 years

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Friday Special #5

December 4th, 2020

Welcome back to another Friday Special!

For this week, we’ll be looking into a console that has touted as SEGA’s last hurrah in the video game console market before becoming a third-party developer.

For this week, we will be going into the SEGA Dreamcast!

So what exactly was it?

So to start things off, the Dreamcast was SEGA’s last major console before becoming a third-party developer. It was part of the sixth generation of consoles released around that time, having to go up against Sony’s Playstation 2, Microsoft’s XBox, and Nintendo’s Gamecube, despite the fact that it preceded all of them.

(Considering that the Playstation 2 would end up being the best-selling video game console of all time, that’s some heavy competition.)

So let’s start with the production history.

After the failure of the Saturn console (problems arose due to really complicated hardware design and limited third-party support as the released of the iconic Nintendo 64 releasing the following year) back in 1995, SEGA needed to get back in the game since their reputation was on the line with not only Nintendo but with newcomer Sony too. Microsoft would eventually join the party but that wouldn’t be for a few years down the line.

So in a last pitch effort to save themselves and whatever piece of the console market pie they could salvage, SEGA released the Dreamcast on November 27, 1998 in Japan before eventually releasing in North America, Brazil, all of Europe and even India, and it lasted from 1998 until 2001 when support discontinued with the console along with SEGA’s decision to leave the console market.

The Dreamcast was created with “off-the-shelf” components like Hitachi SH-4 CPU and an NEC PowerVR2 GPU (the latest at the time for graphics) meant to bring down costs and to avoid creating a console too complex that it scared off development teams from creating games for it (another problem that the Saturn had). It was even the very first console to utilize the internet for online gaming thanks to the power of Microsoft CE way before Microsoft joined the console race with the original XBox in 2001. Its library was impressive with innovative titles like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shenmue and it even saw Sonic the Hedgehog’s leap into 3D with Sonic Adventure. Because of this, the console was considered by many gamers and critics to ahead of its time. It sold well in the Japanese markets and it was a massive success in North America, where the original price was $199 ($317.90 in 2020).

Here’s a video for all of the commercials that aired for the console

youtube

So what happened?

First, when the console was released in Japan, the launch there was first marred by the shortage of PowerVR chipsets which had a high failure rate. Then when the console was released only one of the four launch titles for the system, Virtua Fighter 3, sold well. The oddball title Seaman, alongside Namco’s Soul Caliber and the price reduction to ¥19,000 from ¥29,000, actually helped keep the console afloat in Japan. In total, 990,000 Dreamcast units were sold in Japan.

In the United States, the Dreamcast sold out overnight with 225,132 Dreamcast units sold in 24 hours, garnering $98.4 million in that day alone. Sales continued to soar to 500,000 two weeks later. However, the American released also saw its fair share of problems. Another blow to the console was when EA (yep, that EA), withdrew their support for SEGA by refusing to make games for the Dreamcast after the Saturn debacle and SEGA refusing to allow EA to be the only sports brand. This was especially a big deal because EA at the time was the largest third-party video game publisher and losing that support was brutal for SEGA. To combat this, they teamed up with other developers/publishers like Midway for games to be released for the console (there were fourteen launch titles in the North America launch. Fourteen.) In total, over 1 million Dreamcast units were sold.

Over in Europe, the Dreamcast also did well by also selling 1 million units. It was marketed at GB£200 and part of the marketing campaign for the console was sponsored by four European football clubs, which were Arsenal F.C. (England), AS Saint-Étienne (France), U.C. Sampdoria (Italy), and Deportivo de La Coruña (Spain).

Although it held up to 31 percent of the market share, Sony held onto 60 percent thanks to the success of the PS1 and the upcoming hype and release of the PS2.

The PS2 had the following:

More raw polygons than any other console in history thanks to its own CPU at 294 MHz and estimated 7.5 million[80] to 16 million polygons per second

DVD-ROM (compared to Dreamcast’s weaker GD-ROM)

Backwards compatibility with hundreds of PS1 games

Ability to play both games and movies

All at $299 ($452.13 in 2020)

With the Gamecube and XBox still unreleased, the Dreamcast was left to its own devices against the behemoth PS2.

So what edge could the Dreamcast have?

Remember when I said that “it was even the very first console to utilize the internet for online gaming thanks to the power of Microsoft CE”?

Say hello to SegaNet.

The internet gaming service SegaNet was online on September 7th 2000, and it changed the entire industry by not only promoting online gaming but players could also surf the internet, chat with friends and send emails. At the subscription fee of $21.49 per month ($32.50 in 2020), the world of the internet was at the touch of your keyboard and mouse. Games that thrived on this new platform included Quake III Arena and Chu Chu Rocket to name a few and for the first time, you could play with friends across the internet. The service was so popular that it managed to last until 2003 when the servers for Phantasy Star Online and Online Vers. 2 were shut down. It was rumored that until a few years ago, you could still surf the internet with the console.

So how did it all end?

Despite everything to keep it afloat, the Dreamcast was officially discontinued on March 31, 2001 world-wide.

A shift in command took place as Isao Okawa took over the role of CEO from Shoichiro Irimajiri in 2000. Okawa had greatly expressed his desire for the company to exit the console market and there were similar sentiments that were shared among the staff. After discussions with the higher-ups, SEGA, through Peter Moore (then-president of SEGA of America) announced in January of 2001 that the Dreamcast would be discontinued on March 31, 2001 world-wide and that SEGA would officially restructure the company into a third-party developer and publisher. During the restructuring, one-third of the company’s workforce was laid off as SEGA continued to struggle during the transition. SEGA did eventually recover thanks to Okawa, before his death, forgave the debts that the company owned to him and even returned his $695 million worth of SEGA and CSK stock back to SEGA, and the company now focusing strictly on software. Its comeback was viewed positively and as a result, helped build the reputation of being a high-quality gaming developer and publisher.

So long story short, what killed the Dreamcast?

Hype and release for the PS2

Lack of support from EA and Squaresoft

Disagreements amongst SEGA executives about the company’s future

Okawa’s lack of commitment to the console

Despite its many misgivings, the Dreamcast was, and still is, fondly remembered by many players who for many had their first exposure to 3D Sonic or fighting classics like Soul Caliber. With built-in internet and an impressively massive library, the Dreamcast was ahead of its time and it will truly stand as a testament to SEGA’s legacy in the final years of console developer.

Thoughts From The Head

As odd as the system was at times (the controller design definitely being questionable), it certainly still has its charm and it’s honestly one of my favorite consoles I currently own. From classics like Space Channel 5 to Sonic Adventure, this console has a game for practically every single genre out there. With its beautiful graphics and high-definition sound, the Dreamcast is definitely worth checking out and they’re not too expensive on eBay if you decide to look for one (they’re usually within the $30 to $60 range which isn’t bad for an older console).

Oh Dreamcast, you tried so hard but you could not land harder if you tried.

#my voice!#friday special #gaming #retro gaming #irl #gif

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rousingloki · 6 years

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Thoughts: Iwata’s Philosophy

Hey guys, I know I do reviews on here, but I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the history of Nintendo, the key people who’ve been working with Nintendo, from Gunpei Yokoi, Mr. Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto, Reggie Fils-Aime, etc. And I’ve been going over and over in my head what has made Nintendo so lovable and so great, and I’ve just been thinking about what I would call “Iwata’s Philosophy.”

I know this isn’t a review (My switch is actually with my family in Florida so I won’t have any reviews ready till they’re back) and I might end up deleting this depending on the reaction or I might put it in a sub-forum somewhere, but I feel like I just have some thoughts I’d like to noodle out.

Lately all my thoughts have been with the Nintendo Labo VR kit, announced a few weeks ago, and now finally shown with a video, and more detailed screenshots. I have all of the Labo’s, and I can say I have a deep love for each one, even if I wouldn’t exactly say the games are great. Nintendo is probably the only company in my opinion that could make cardboard seem so exciting to purchase, it’s honestly kind of weird admitting that, but I fully stand by it.

(This is why I will die alone)

But I digress. After having a Switch for just over two years, and having all of these Labo kits, I can safely say right now, that the Nintendo Switch is my favorite system of all time. I’ve never had so much love for a device that I could gush about it for hours upon hours on end, and still have so much more praise for it. (And yet I still sent my baby to Florida with my family whom I don’t trust)

The fact that Nintendo could make something so fun, yet so simple and elegant is a testament to what the company has stood for since it’s introduction to the video game market.

This is what I’d call the Nintendo Philosophy. Ever since the president, Hiroshi Yamauchi took over, he turned Nintendo around and made them into one of the most successful companies in the world. From a scrappy playing card company, to one of the largest video game titans across the globe. He did so with an iron fist, intimidating and inspiring his workers to make more, for cheaper, and for the better. While not every decision he made could be considered a good one *cough* virtual boy *cough* He was someone who had a knack for talent, and knew that pragmatism was the core philosophy for any company that specialized in engineering.

He managed to keep costs among many of his products low, which his workers also fully embodied, from Yokoi, to Iwata. His philosophy fell down to Mr. Iwata, who took over the company in 2002. Iwata was able to keep the core of Yamauchi’s philosphy to keep things cheaper, while still being fun. However; Iwata didn’t like how strict the company was run, and decided to let developers figure things out by keeping to their own ideas, no matter how inane.

This is what would lead to what I’d call the Iwata Philosophy. Iwata had looked at Sony and Microsoft, and saw that they were battling by challenging each other’s hardware, and solely that. Iwata thought he could make consoles while not as powerful, but more fun. This is what lead to the Revolution.

Codenamed the Revolution, the Wii was a colossal hit. I had one as a kid, and I couldn’t put Wii Sports down to save my life. Nothing felt better than bowling or tennis, and the subsequent games to follow such as Skyward Sword, Wii Party, Wii fit, Wii Sports Resort, Dokopon Kingdom, and many more were all games I played with ease, and enjoyment.

Of course we can call the Wii U a... bump in the road. I won’t be dramatic like other journalists and people who claimed Nintendo was going to die due to ONE console failure since 1995, and since Nintendo has a huge amount of money, everything was to be fine. Of course, very unfortunately, Mr. Iwata passed away in 2015. Very unexpectedly at a young age, and to a company that needed a leader like him more than ever.

Nintendo, now with Tatsumi Kimishima as president, pressed on, and in 2017, the Nintendo Switch was released.

Reaching phenomenal sales, and having a (now) fantastic library of games to support it, the Nintendo Switch is one of the most amazing devices, and probably the greatest consoles I’ve ever owned. Even though it’s not as powerful as the PS4, or the Xbox One, it’s still just as if not more impressive than both.

But this is where Iwata’s Philosphy kicks in, and where it lives on. Iwata didn’t care for more powerful hardware, his focus was on the games. The Nintendo Switch isn’t very powerful compared to the other consoles, but that doesn’t matter, the Nintendo Switch is still in a league of it’s own. It has some of the best exclusives, has a huge array of indie support, and it’s social nature is fantastic.

I’d compare the Switch to the video game Deadly Premonition, but that game is DEFINITELY not for everyone. While I laughed and loved that game, it wasn’t for most of the general public, in fact, I think a lot of people would dislike that game. A lot, and that’s ok. The Nintendo Switch IS for everybody, young and old. It’s so easy to understand that just watching the concept trailer that released in October of 2016 would be enough for anyone to understand what the thing is and does.

Now let’s look back on the Nintendo Labo. The Labo kits are as bare basic as anything, in fact, if you take out the switch, you literally have cardboard, with minimal amounts of plastic, string, rubber bands, and stickers. And it’s fantastic. Nintendo Labo is where Iwata’s Philosophy TRULY lives on. It’s so minimalistic and inexpensive, yet it’s more fun and intriguing where all else would fail. Xbox One and PS4 are looking too far into a different dimension to be taken seriously with this. It’s only fitting that Nintendo would, and COULD get away with something like this.

I mean this in no bad way whatsoever, in fact I love it. I know everything I said feels like some sort of pointless ramble, but it’s just some thoughts I had out loud and felt like I needed to say them, because after doing all the reading I’ve been doing, everything I’ve learned, and everything I’ve seen, I just really felt like I needed to say something about all of it.

If I could I’d thank Mr. Iwata for everything he’s done, and if he were still here, I’m sure he’d be more than proud with what the Nintendo Switch has done for NIntendo. Because it’s not about fancy hardware, or how expensive you can make a system. It’s about having fun, and being fun for everyone.

Thank you for reading.

#Satoru Iwata #Nintendo #VR #Nintendo Labo #Nintendo Switch #Gunpei Yokoi #Shigeru Miyamoto #Hiroshi Yamauchi #Thoughts

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thearkhound · 6 years

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Letters to the MSX

Letters to the MSX (MSXにおくる手紙/MSX ni okuru tegami) is an article that was published in the final issue of MSX-FAN magazine (dated August 1995), in which the publication sent out a questionnaire to various people within the video game, computing and consumer electronics industries (from companies such as Micro Cabin, Compile, Game Arts, Sony and Matsushita), asking them about their involvement with the MSX and their thoughts about the platform, which was being discontinued from the market after 12 years in the market.

Originally I only intended to translate Hideo Kojima’s answers to the questionnaire, but then I decided to do the whole article because not only does it bring a lot of insight to the MSX culture in Japan, but it also provides a picture of how the computer industry was back in the mid-90′s and where it was heading. This is why it took me a while to publish this translation (and why I have been inactive on Twitter for almost a month now), since it was not only quite a long article, but there’s also quite a bit of technical jargon and idioms that I wanted to make sure I would get right.

Anyway, I hope that you will enjoy it.

Introduction

We sent out this questionnaire to as many companies as possible who were involved with the MSX via fax or PC. We wanted to publish the thoughts of the people who were involved during that period. We do believe this will lead to our next step.

The contents of the questionnaires are as follows. Please read them fully and compare them.

The text has been printed the way it was sent to us, but editor’s notes have also been in parts that we believe might be too difficult for some readers to comprehend. The text after the red circle is written by the editorial department to introduce the developer who answered the questionnaire, followed by their answers to each question. If the answers to question 1 and 4 given by the person in the previous section, then “same as above” will written in its place.

MSX-FAN Final Questionnaire

Company’s name

Name and current department

Job(s) during the MSX era

Most notable MSX products by the company

Your most nostalgic MSX moment and why

Words you wish to impart to MSX-FAN readers

Bonus/ Secrets, inside stories or such you wish to share

Tokihiro Naito

We can’t help but feel from reading Mr. Naito’s comment that the MSX was a machine that everyone made good use of. With such powerful talents, his games have served as an inspiration to numerous players. Before long, people learn about the enjoyment of creating games just like Mr. Naito... We feel it’s quite a wonderful chain.

T&E Soft

Tokihiro Naito, Development Division

DD Club/Pattern Editor Programming and Manual Manuscript Creation, Undead Line/Game Design. Hydlide/Game Design and Direction, Hydlide 3/Main Programming, Rune Worth/Game and Direction. I feel there were more projects (I’ve worked on), but I don’t remember any of them.

3D Golf Simulation, Hydlide series, Laydock series, Daiva, Psy-O-Blade, Rune Worth, DD Club, T&E Disk Magazine, and more

Laydock/ The truth is that I want to talk about everything I’ve worked on, but this particular title left the most lasting impression. This had an unexpectedly short development time, meaning that it was released even before the new MSX hardware. However, the developing target was pretty unstable, and with the hardware and BIOS specifications changing everyday, it led to a difficult development period. The person in charge was all (^ ^;

The MSX was a very interesting job for me. The MSX was probably the first time I was introduced to the concept of a VDP at such an early stage. Since the MSX was also the first machine I’ve ever experienced the use of sprites with, it was personally very fun. Even though MSX-FAN might be gone now, I hope many people will still use the MSX as a starting machine for programming or for making CGI.

DD Club contained a tool called SPEN, which was not a product by the company. It was actually a hobby program I designed in my home for over two years. At any rate, the name stood for Special Pattern Editor for Naito. This program was given free of charge to T&E Soft as my dedication to them./During the development of Laydock, I received a new BIOS-ROM from ASCII almost everyday, but every time the BIOS was changed it would cause the game to stop running, and we had to cool out the prototype MSX2 computer with a paper fan while programming as soon as it was overheating./ The 800 kanji fonts for the MSX1 version of Hydlide III that were on a 7x8 pixel format were in fact created by me. Were they hard to read? I’m sorry if that was the case./ There are many more unrevealed inside stories, but... (Editor’s Note 1: We this much content, we can’t publish this letter without cutting off some parts. Hmm...) (Editor’s Note 2: Hmm, I wonder if the other editor has seen that one last sentence.) (^ ^;

Akira Misoda

In the MSX world there is Micro Cabin. Nothing else needs to be said. We are grateful to them for many things. We thank them for porting Princess Maker to the MSX. And in addition to providing software for our supplemental disks, we learned many things from Mr. Nakano as the lecturer for our Picture Story & Movie Classroom articles. Producer Misoda has made an effort to backup all the above. I don’t think the Princess Maker port would’ve happened without his influence.

Micro Cabin

Akira Misoda, 1st R&D Department

Producer & Programmer of Campaign Daisenryaku. Programmer of The Tower of Cabin. Producer of Princess Maker.

Fray, Xak, Xak II, Maison Ikkoku, Urusei Yatsura, Daisenryaku, Super Daisenryaku, Princess Maker, Illusion City, The Tower of Gazzel.

This doesn’t have anything to do with the MSX version specifically, but Xak was the first game I programmed desperately after I’ve joined the company. I gave the rough source code to Mr. Nakatsu when he joined the company to produce the MSX version, but I’m still impressed that such a difficult code to understand could be ported so well.

The MSX is a hardware that has raised many people. There are quite a few people at Micro Cabin who used to be MSX users before joining the company. With the proper knowhow, you could make games on the MSX without having to purchase any expensive add-on (compared to other platforms). In that sense, it’s such a great loss that another platform that has produced game-making geniuses (!?) is disappearing from the industry. I might be exaggerating a bit, but... I really feel that way.

I’ve worked on the MSX prior to joining Micro Cabin. I did around four outsourced jobs from three different companies, and two of them were for Micro Cabin.

Yasuhiko Nakatsu

Programmers are said to stay up all night, tend to run away and are all unusual men, but there is no one who makes good products that keeps his deadlines, sleeps on time, and provides gentle guidance to everyone. We at the editorial department asked for such a person to serve as our lecturer for our picture story show articles. We are grateful to Mr. Nakatsu for everything he did to us and we apologize for asking too much of him. We are truly sorry for that.

Same as above

Yasuhiko Nakatsu, 1st R&D Department

Planning, programming, writing

Same as above.

I have many fond memories of software that came out on the MSX. Among there was this software called Su**s Gri... Oops! I’ve almost mentioned something I shouldn’t. My bad. My bad. Personally, Illusion City was my most memorable game when it comes to the most hardships I have to endure.

Thank you for publishing my articles after such a long period. For those who are not good at programming at BASIC, please look up any back issues and try your best at creating a picture story. The MSX was a machine with many ways to enjoy oneself. I look forward to future activities with the platform.

I was the one responsible for raising the memory of the A1-GT to 512Kb. Thanks to that, the machine was able to play MIDI without the burden of access time. I’m truly grateful at everyone in Matsushita.

Hitoshi Suenaga

Rather than introduce the person, I thought it would be more fitting to introduce his projects. He’s a talented genius responsible for the character designs in Micro Cabin.

Same as above

Hitoshi Suenaga, 2nd R&D Department

Xak 1, Fray, Daisenryaku, Illusion City

Same as above

Xak 1, since it was the first MSX project I ever worked on after joining the company.

I am grateful to everyone who supported our work, as well as everyone answered the questionnaire. While it’s sad that the world will go on without the MSX, I will still use it for my hobbies and personal work. In fact the character units in the 3DO version of Konpeki no Kantai were drawn on my MSX computer and then converted to the console.

If you want to be honest, if ASCII had asked for my input, I would’ve balanced out the hardware specifications of the MSX turbo R a bit more and I think the platform would’ve been around a bit longer. When I learned about the MSX turbo R’s hardware specifications after unveiling conference, I began crying on my bed... I’m serious! The MSX2 was a serviceable upgrade from the MSX1, but after that...

Katsuya Nagai

Mr. Nagai made one MSX software after the other while in Micro Cabin thanks to his love for the MSX and the effort he made to program every day and night.

Same as above.

Katsuya Nagai, 1st R&D Department

Programmed the opening and ending of Xak I. Also made the fighting minigame in The Tower of Cabin.

Same as above.

I was involved with Xak I as soon as I’ve joined the company.

Even though we are no longer making MSX games, we hope you’ll still support Micro Cabin in the future.

The Fray vs. Pixie minigame from The Tower of Cabin was ported from the PC-9801 version and I got to draw the animation patterns of a special move that was planned for the game. However, not all the animation frames could fit into the game’s memory, so I ended up using the regular patterns instead.

Naoko Arakawa

When talking about the TAKERU software vending machines, there is Ms. Arakawa. She was always full of energy when we met her during events. She even worked together with our editorial staff on the Sorcerian port, which is a project that brings us deep memories. She also worked on Sorcerian Relay, which is included in this final issue. Since it’s just a relay race game featuring characters from Sorcerian created by the editorial staff, it might not be anything special, but... We would be grateful is she re-releases more classic MSX software via TAKERU.

Xing

Naoko Arakawa, TAKERU Executive Office (sales division G)

Sales promotion of MSX software for TAKERU

Sorcerian, BURAI Vol. 2, ect.

Thanks to the news announcement from MSX-FAN, our game reprinting project attracted attention from many users, which evolved into the TAKERU Meisaku Bunko (Masterpiece Library) series. We;re now re-releasing PC-9801 and X68000 games on TAKERU as well, becoming an important pillar of our service more than ever. I think it was all thanks to the planning of MSX-FAN and our MSX users.

I truly salute MSX users for their passion, enthusiasm and creative urge. While we gathered many games for our reprint series, there were still quite a few things that left a bit to be desired (like why we didn’t include games from a certain company or why we didn’t include a particular title). There were many games that did not come out on TAKERU due to various circumstances, so we apologize for that. From now on we’ll do our best to have software reach MSX users via TAKERU, even if it’s just a few game. Please support us.

I have strong memories of sneaking out to see the A-Bomb Dome while I was en route to the MSX Festival in Hiroshima. On another occasion, I was photographed by a professional for the first time when I was interviewed by Mr. Tokita and Mr. Sasaya. The photo looked like a portrait than any normal photo. It’s one of my most treasured possessions.

Akkii

Falcon is a company that undertook a substantial role in the porting of Sorcerian that MSX-FAN and TAKERU (Brother) helped produce. Their president, Ms. Midori Ito, while working for Yamaha to promote the MSX, unexpectedly ended up becoming a programmer herself and before long she ended up marrying Mr. Kazuhiko Ito, who was employed at Micro Cabin at the time. The two ended up forming their own software development company. Answering in this section is Mr. Moribe, who was the lead graphic designer.

Tierheit (aka Falcon)

Akkii, Planning & Development Department - Development Section 2

Pixel art, debugging, intermediary with TAKERU’s executive officer, and many other jobs

Sorcerian, Sengoku Sorcerian, Pyramid Sorcerian

All of it, of course. It was the first company I’ve joined and the first job I was employed at.

The ending of Sorcerian was very anti-climatic. I’m sorry about that. Of course, the MSX is a hardware that exists because of its users. Even if this magazine will no longer be in print, the MSX scene will remain active as long as there are users, especially when it comes graphic designing (personally). Good luck!

Well there’s something I want to say, but... Oh no!

Yoshihide

I often used to go to the MSX Fair. I used to work at Osaka, bu moved back to Tokyo along with my wife last year. I want to know if the secret title was Dragon Spirit or Valkyrie.

Namco

Yoshihide, Consumer Sales Department - Promotion Division

MSX software sales and PR activities (including planning). Since there weren’t that many people, I did a bit of everything.

Return of Ishtar, Xevious: Farland Saga, Pac-Mania, ect. We also did the Disk NG series too.

For Xevious, I remember doing a bit of everything ranging from joining in the planning, production, advertising, distribution, sales and public relations.

I wish good luck to everyone involved with the MSX at Namco (including our users).

There were many games that we announced, but didn’t get released. On one hand I think it’s regrettable, but on the other hand it’s a bit horrifying.

Masamitsu Niitani

It’s because of Disk Station magazine that the MSX became an interesting world. It’s because of them that we had the Puyo Puyo series and Carbunkle. With its low-price, the fun-packed Disk Station was a brilliant plan that managed to rejuvenate an industry that has hit a rut. It was always a pleasure to deal with President Niitani himself when calling the company, even if it was the middle of the night.

Compile

Masamitsu Niitani, President

Planner, Producer, Graphic Designer, Programmer

Guardic, Madō Monogatari, Nyanpi, Golvellius, Rune Master, Adventure of Randar, Disk Station

Disk Station

Let’s walk with the times

I want to talk to Mr. Nishii of ASCII about his thoughts on the MSX.

Yoichi Miyaji

The founders of Game Arts got their start as part-timers at ASCII back in the old days. Because of their talent, they quickly formed their own company, where they gave birth to Thexder. At any rate, we had a chance to seriously think about developing for the MSX with Mr. Miyaji.

Game Arts

Yoichi Miyaji, President

Producer

Thexder, Fire Hawk, the Gyuwamburaa Jikō Chūshinha series, the Sum series

The debugging of the MSX-BASIC rom was carried out back when the founders of Game Arts were employed at ASCII. I think the BASIC was made extremely well.

I treasured the MSX like it was my own child. I did my best with the belief that the MSX was a better hardware than the Famicom (NES). It’s been more than 10 years (ed’s note: 12 years precisely), the age of the Famicom is over now and it’s time to let the MSX go too. It’s truly been a long time.

Satoshi Uesaka

Mr. Uesaka was the one who originally created the card concentration game called Card Desu as soon as MSX-FAN started including supplemental disks on each issue. It had an edit function in hopes that it would lead to a series of edited works, but not many edited versions were made and the whole thing amounted to nothing.

Same as above.

Satoshi Uesaka, Section Chief of Development

Producer, Director, Programmer, Pixel Artist, Scripter... I did many things.

Same as above.

The Sum series ended with 14 games that were released in a span of a single year.

Never forget your dreams, even when they end. (plagiarized)

Kamiji

BIT2′s president Mr. Kuribayashi was observing various creative tools for the PC-9801 one day when said that he would make his own versions to surpass them on the MSX. So he ended up making the CGI tool Graphsaurus, the FM music tool Synthesaurus and the MIDI tool Midisaurus. Without these tools there would’ve been no CGI contest on MSX-FAN and no MIDI Sandogaza column. In Mr. Kuribayashi’s place, this questionnaire was answered by saleswoman Ms. Kamiji.

BIT²

Kamiji, Sales

Accounting

Graphsaurus, Synthesaurus, Famicle Parodic

When they started putting all their efforts into the Turbo R and GT was when the MSX started sinking.

We still wanted to make MSX software, but since not many people were buying them anymore, we had to discontinue them.

Toshikazu Awano

While persistently providing software for the MSX, he also provided his invaluable insights on the MSX during the MSX Symposium (see our June 1991 issue). It seems he got into this world from the records industry, but has since be transferred into KOEI’s U.S. subsidiary and is now busy selling English versions of the Nobugana’s Ambition series for consoles.

Koei

Toshikazu Awano, Koei Corporation (of America)

Head of Sales

Nobunaga’s Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Nobunaga’s Ambition II came out when I’ve joined the company and since it sold pretty well, it left me with a strong impression.

Our company used to sell MSX soft until very late, but when we discontinued them, we suddenly receiving porting requests from MSX users. Many of them were specifically middle and high schoolers with a strong sense of appreciation.

Tatsuo Matsuda

As someone who greatly loves the MSX beyond all else, he aspired to turn it into a machine that gives everyone the opportunity to bloom their talents. That is, even if you’re not rich or you live in a rural area, you should be able to use the MSX to awaken your hidden talent by creating CGI and music or get the opportunity to express yourself.

ASCII

Tatsuo Matsuda, Multimedia Department Promotion Manager

Promotion for MSX Sales

MSX

We have shipped over 4 million home computers to young people around the world, including Japan.

I want you to become smart Japanese people with unique personalities who could work around the world.

There are still many people using the MSX around the world. The MSX should be classified as a computer, not a game console. I’m very pleased that many people have learned about computers from this platform and have found employment through it.

Hitoshi Suzuki

Everyone who was involved with MSX has called him a genius. Without his genius, perhaps MSX wouldn’t had gotten such a good BASIC program. Nevertheless, he’s a truly wonderful person with a sense of humor who made Basic-kun as a side-project

Same as above.

Hitoshi Suzuki, Director of Digital System Division and Silicon Software Development

Listener to Mr. Matsuda’s complaints and causing uproars at parties.

I haven’t really done that much (Ed’s Note: He did a lot. Many of the programming for tools and systems used by the MSX were done by him.)

Yukiko Okada’s suicide haunted me. (Ed’s Note: At the time of her death, she was appearing in the advertising of a certain company.)

Our youth is a brief moment that only shines once. The memories that have gone through all of us at a rapid-pace will shine within me forever. And on my deathbed, I will utter “Em...Ess...Ex” as my last words.

There’s a huge mouse in Osaka. (Ed’s Note:It seems that the three main proponents of the MSX platform (Mr. Yamashita, Mr. Matsuda, Mr. Suzuki) once went to a business trip in Osaka. Nobody truly knows what happened there, but it seems that Mr. Matsuda was nicknamed Mr. Mouse after a certain incident. Don’t tell anyone, you meanie!)

Shingo Tamura

Mr. Tamura joined Sony at the midst of the audioboom. He was responsible for the famed live recording machine Densuke. Afterward, he became involved with the MSX and was in charge of the PalmTop. Even though Mr. Tamura is the section chief with a scary reputation, he’s actually a romantic who likes the stars, nature and soba noodles. We thought about what Sony means as a company with stuff such as sending mail through the internet in this day. Is it linked to their merchandising? We also wanted to emphasize the MSX’s side as a cool PC.

Sony

Shingo Murata, Planning and Development of Merchandising

Sales Chief of Planning and Development of Hardware, Software and Peripherals

The HB-55 was the first HiTBiT promoted by Saeko Matsuda. The HB-F1 was a budget-priced MSX2 computer that retailed at 32,800 yen. The HB-F1XD is an MSX2 with a floppy disk drive that retailed at 54,800 yen. In terms of games, there was The Wiz, which was perhaps a famed Sony original.

There was a software called Igo Club that was an online go game, and a Kanji Video Titler. There was also a BASIC-learning kit aimed at an industrial-level (after applying for the correspondence education, you would be sent an MSX with a handbook).

Every middle schooler who got their start on the MSX dreamed differently from Famicom owners. They could learn how to program or how to make a software run to their own accord. They continued in their creative endeavors now, even now as adults. If they can have home terminals like that in the 21st century, I think we can once again stir up some creativity. As long as people have dreams, we’ll embark on new challenges.

We tried to make and sell all kinds of products. The hardware is a business that really ought to make use of the software. With that in mind, we couldn’t make the DC machine (Ed’s note:a portable device) because the resolution was a bit overly optimistic and there were too many constraints. I would like to thank my subordinates, editor-in-chief Ms. Kitane and her staff, and my good friends at Sakurakai (Ed’s note: a liaison between multiple MSX hardware manufacturers that gathered once in every month, where they would improve on the good points, reflect on the bad ones and collaborate with each other. It was last held in May ‘95), even if they would normally be suspected of bid-rigging. And of course, everyone at ASCII. It was thanks to the MSX that I had a bond we all of the above people. And what would become of Mr. Kurami, our MSX historian at Sony who served as our walking encyclopedia? Thanks!

Naoya Kurami

Mr. Kurami is a delicate perfect fit for Sony’s corporate image. Everytime he received a call from our editorial department, he always winced momentarily whenever it was some kind of difficult call... Despite that, he seems to have what appears to be a poster of Saeko-chan...

Same as above.

Naoya Kurami, Vice Director of Planning and Development of Merchandising

Planning and Promotion of hardware, software and peripherals

Same as above

I don’t know if it can be said that its directly MSX-related, but do you know the stock-trading computer HB-T600 or the online go software Igo Club? Either way, studying stocks and studying go was a painful experience. And considering all that, the results were not quite good.

Well, for better or worse I spent the last ten years of my life working on the MSX. With this information now out on an MSX-related magazine, I feel a bit embarrassed. By the way, I own a train poster of Ms. Seiko Matsuda (advertising for our HiTBiT computers) as a souvenir from the past. I thought about selling it for a high price... I would like to thank all of editors at MSX-FAN and all of its readers. It’s been such a long time.

Hideaki Yagami

We, at the editorial staff, get the impression that the people at Matsushita are very serious and diligent. Both, their hardware and software are designed with the need to bring enjoyment to their users without betraying their expectations. Only Matsushita machines are strong against instantaneous blackouts and their PACs (Pana Amusement Cartridges) might had been a manifestation of that mentality. Under such circumstances, Mr. Yagami (who is also skilled at skiing) was pretty good at gaining the trust of the software house (not just for the debugging meetings) and still is to this day.

Matsushita

Hideaki Yagami, Software Development Department of the Interactive Media Division

Development & Planning of Software at the Pana Amusement Production

The FS-5500F2 is famous for being the first MSX computer with 2 disk drives. The FS-A1 was a budget-pridced MSX2 that retailed 29,800 yen. The PACs were MSX cartridges containing S-RAM backup. Other products include the CF-XXX series, the FM-PAC, a Bowling System and an educational system aimed for Russia (that’s a secret)

The AshGuine series were a series of games starring the first character made by our company. We made the games all-night at the development site with the developers from the various companies involved to decide on the content of each game, their packaging and the posters.

When the MSX was brought to this world, a personal computer meant for the users something that could run the program they made, not just the packaged software they bought from a store. In today’s world, computers take many shape in order to support the needs of the world, but in spite of that it’s no longer easy to program by yourself, even if you own a PC. Even though PCs are becoming much closer to humans now, I can’t helped but feel a sense of nostalgia when the distance between them was more primitive, that is to say when a PC was just a programming tool. Back then the PC was the embodiment of a user’s dreams full of possibilities. It could be said that people who lived through the era when PCs were born are living witnesses of a valuable era that brought fruit to a trend of rapid creation and evolution. Keep those memories of freshness in mind and continue dreaming, seeking the possibilities of new challenges.

I wonder if there was any other unified effort between multiple home electronics manufacturers to promote a unified standard (MSX). MSX-FAN may have ended with this issue, but for the hardware manufacturers I think it was an era of everyone pursuing the dream of a single unified standard of PC. To all the companies that provided software, I’m truly grateful. I’m also grateful to Ms. Kitane and the rest of the editors of Tokuma for being there until the end. And finally, I would like to thank of all the MSX users who supported the platform.

Kazuaki Hiraga

Mr. Hiraga was suddenly put in charge of the MSX in a matter of months and became a familiar figure in ten years, leaving quite an impression. He has the personality you would expect. He plays Gekitotsu Pennant Race pretty well too. He also planned to lend out MSX computers to a culture festival. Thanks to that, he experienced a “ghost incident” in the Kanazawa Inn. At any rate, he held a mini-4WD competition to bring excitement to the event and played games with other users. In a sense, he was a familiar and energetic face to the MSX.

Same as above.

Kazuaki Hiraga, Software Development Department of the Interactive Media Division

As a member of the PAP, I’ve worked as a contact for various software providers and at the same time I was involved in the development of original software and peripherals (such as the PACs). I also planned and managed nationwide events. I was Pana Amusement Club member no. 0001! By the way, the Amusement Club began business around the time Vampire Killer came out

Same as above.

At the beginning many hardware manufacturers created MSX machines, but in the end it became a fateful confrontation between Matsushita and Sony. Right now our Panasonic-branded products are selling quite well, especially our TVs and videos, but our no. 1 product in Japan is the “A1″. This symbolizes the magnitude of expectations that Matsushita applies to its products.

Looking at the current software industry, there are quite a few people who joined the industry from the MSX, so I feel it’s a big deal. in that sense, I appreciate all those people who are still passionate about the MSX and I’m eagerly awaiting even more people to become experts in the field of software development.

Thanks to the MSX, I have a nice family (ed’s note: Mr. Hiraga met his wife when she was the host of an MSX event. They now have a child together). It was also fun to go through various events nationwide and talk to representatives of software houses and magazines. Everyone gave it their best during the 4WD races in particular. (ed’s note:Mr. Naito of T&E Soft is known for using a turbo mode technique that connected batteries in a serial format.) One of the packaging illustrators for the AshGuine series was the now-famous Teppei Sasakura (who at the time was an unknown). Looking at the prices of Mr. Sasakura’s works recently, I tried to look for the original painting, but it’s nowhere to be found. Ah!

Masao Ito

Mr. Ito is an obliging person who planned out products he thought of while working on Matsushita’s hardware designs. If things are any indication, we believe he made the FM-PAC by embracing a headfirst approach. Within the people at Matsushita who supported the MSX until the end, Mr. Ito has been patiently answering various questions from our editorial staff up until this final issue.

Same as above.

Masao Ito, Planning and Selling of Foreign Software for the Interactive Media Division (I’m making 3DO stuff now).

First I worked on hardware designs. But then I acted as a jack-of-all-trades, examining the MSX standards at the same time. At the the end, I was responsible for product planning, as well as in charge of designing domestic and overseas systems.

Same as above

In Russia, I almost got arrested by the Moscow police one time after spending several consecutive nights bowling there.

The MSX was a cost-effective platform. It was useful in various ways if you knew how to use it well. While the MSX’s days are numbered, its ideal still remains true. The concept will surely be revived in the future (don’t hesitate to ask in which form).

I did quite a lot of things, but for some reason I am still an unknown in this industry. The PAC and FM-PAC cartridges were possible thanks to me! By the way, I’m still waiting to receive my own PAC and FM-PAC from the company.

Yuya Iwakiri

Mr. Iwakiri is a gentleman who organized many MSX events that gave us the chance to gather everyone. He supported up us until the end.

Same as above.

Yuya Iwakiri, Public Relations Department Editorial Department

As a professional, I’m a latecomer to the MSX when I was employed in 1989. In my private life, the first MSX computer I touched was a so-called King Kong word processor, which was a unique experience. Because I came from an advertising background, I focused on the planning and organizing of MSX fairs, where I involved in the creations of catalogs and advertisement (thinking about it though, the job was rather lonely since MSX-FAN was practically the only MSX-focused media remaining by that point), as well as the promotion and advertising of word processors (such as the UI series and the SLALA model).

Same as above.

For me, it’s perhaps the FS-A1GT, which ended up becoming the last MSX machine ever produced. The slight hopes of everyone who had an affection for the MSX, such as Ms. Kitagane, whom I have a strong rapport with, and the various celebrities (in every sense of the word) from all sorts of software house starting with Mr. Tanaka (director general of Micro Cabin), were gathered thanks at the nationwide fairs thanks to this machine. Until the bitter end, there was hope for another model, hope for the uncertain future of the MSX... Even though I knew how it was going to end, I still couldn’t help but feel a sense of bitterness when it was over. It was like falling in love with someone you were forbidden to, like a feudal lord and a peasant or Romeo & Juliet...I thought about why I was given a job during such a moment.

There’s always one way or another to do things because of the mischief of the age. I don’t want to ponder any “what ifs”, “perhaps” and “if only”, but just like life, I still wonder if the MSX could ever return to the starting line... I’m sure everyone involved with the MSX is thinking this as well. In this age in which Microsoft is now threatening IBM’s grasp of the PC market, it would wonderful to imagine the MSX engine from Japan taking over the world.

My kids (ages 6 and 4) play all sorts of gaming platforms. The Game Boy, the Super Famicom and the 3DO. But they really like MSX games over everything else. Perhaps they inherited my preference and nostalgia for MSX games... DNA is quite a scary thing. Anyway, I’m truly grateful to all the MSX fans around the world! Until we’ll meet again.

Masayuki Takeuchi

“Study hard and play hard” is a saying that suits this person. That’s because studying and playing are truly above-average.

Same as above.

Masayuki Takeuchi, Interactive Media Division Software Development Department Promotion and Planning Section

Planning for advertising and sales promotion.

Same as above

Before PCs became widespread, we put out the first MSX word processor with a built-in printer, which was a pretty successful product. Another product we put out was the A1, a budget-priced MSX2 computer sold at 29,800 yen. In order to promote the A1 at the time, we did several publicity campaigns such as a truck that traveled all over the country and the advertising character AshGuine. They were pretty memorable ad campaigns.

I'm sorry that it’s over. However, I’m truly grateful that people still appreciate the MSX to this day.

There was a golf game from Hudson that was pretty popular where you could switch between a professional and amateur mode. There was also a shooting game called Zanac, in which I made a bet with another employee named S-kun, who offered me a yen for each point I made. He owes me 2.4 million.

Taro Sugimoto

Even though Panasonic has officially ceased advertising their MSX computers in our magazine, they continue to publish advertisement for their U1 word processors. Perhaps they did out of obligation, but I feel they cherish their users more than that. Some members of their MSX development team has since moved on to the 3DO, but they still demonstrate their power even in their word processors. Because my nickname among my seniors was also “Taro”, I would often ignore people calling me out during MSX events if they didn’t attach my surname.

Same as above.

Taro Sugimoto, I.T. Division Commercial Affairs

I was doing promotion and advertisement under Takeuchi, Iwakiri and Hiraga, all whom I’ve received regards individually. In particular I was in charge of the MSX game events that were held once in every season. Since I was employed by the sales and promotion department, I never got around to making my own product, but I did write a utility book for an A1 peripheral. As a freshman employee at the time, it was my first experience with a PC, so it was extremely memorable.

Same as above.

The above-mentioned event. While I still organize events nowadays, the MSX Festival was the basis for everything. I used to travel all around the country, ate various delicacies and became acquainted with various representatives of software publishers, including Ms. Kitane, all whom have become valuable assets to me. I still treasured the t-shirt and sweatshirt that were produced for those events.

I’m currently in charge of advertising and managing promotion for our word processors and MSX-FAN could help us out by published our ads in each issue... I think. I’m sorry.

While organizing an event in Osaka, there was lack of manpower, so I helped out while wearing a sweatshirt. I was already in my second year within the company and I ran into a college acquaintance at the venue and he asked me “you’re still working as a part-timer.” Anyway, please support our word processors.

Hideo Kojima

When one hears the name Konami, a mountain of memories pop up. Konami has been releasing software vigorously since the beginning of the MSX’s lifespan and they always had an amazing quality to them. We have wonderful memories of games such as the fun Antarctic Adventure and Space Manbow, which turned out to be a good game despite constant delays thanks to the commitment of the developers. It seems that Konami carries the philosophy during development that one has to observe games that are hits or duds, and understand why they sell or not. As a result, Konami has created the most splendid games in the world. In such circumstances, Mr. Kojima created a new kind of game with a scenario for the PC market that wouldn’t had been possible in an arcade environment.

Konami

Hideo Kojima, Development Section 5

Planning, writing, direction, and a few character designs

For Kojima: Metal Gear, Snatcher, Solid Snake. For Konami in general: the Nemesis series, the Knightmare trilogy, Yie-Ar Kung-Fu, Space Manbow, Penguin Adventure, The Goonies, and many more.

My most memorable project was the original Metal Gear. Back then I was a rookie who didn’t know to distinguish between his right and his left, so I didn’t know how to make a game at the time. I didn’t even know how to get assistance from people. I had no credibility as a planner (since my previous game proposal got rejected). I think it was pretty reckless of me to create a new type of game. I had nothing but enthusiasm to drive me.

With the MSX, there was a sense of “learning together” and “living together.” In particular, I was full of feelings that I shared with players during my youth. My game development career was never in the limelight, so I don’t know how much the sincere opinions of all my players have encouraged and supported me. Even now I’m still encouraged by the correspondences of players from those days. I think there’s some sort of coexistence that goes beyond the framework between a receiver and a sender.

Each year new talent enter the game industry. Among them are many people that choose this path by being inspired by the MSX. At the very the least they inherited a burning passion for the MSX. The users (receivers) and developers (senders) will always remember the “sensation” of that time. If they have “pride”, then I’m sure the game industry will move towards a good direction.

#MSX-FAN #Hideo_Kojima #Konami #MSX #Micro_Cabin #Game_Arts #T&E_Soft #Namco

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ogdenvazquez6-blog · 6 years

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How to Receive The Free Auto Repair Manual You Need Online

If none of the above repairs work then one thing you can do is send it back to Sony. This is a great option if you have the console and it is still under warranty. If not then should really think about it, because it pays more than $ 100. Also, you can wait 4-6 weeks to return to the console. I tried it and I really did not like sending back to them because it was very expensive since I had no warranty. The Chevy Blazer car repair manuals app is the best way of starting your journey with Chevy Blazer. The manual will provide you with step-by-step directions in any critical condition. Many on-line sites are offering this manual at the cost of very few dollars. The manual is hit and appreciated by many Blazer lover fans around the world. It is not always that major problem is the cause of breakdown of your car. It is possible to repair a car on your own if you have guidance and knowledge of the make of your car. The Chevy Blazer car repair manuals can provide you with all such details and save lot of dollars in the future. Setting aside time to find a site where you can down load a repair manual for free is crucial. In many cases you can spend as much as $100 for the same manual if you go into your local auto store and buy one. The time you spend finding a down loadable version will pay off in the saving you will get. The XBox auto service manuals are great, and they will undoubtedly give you control over your XBox, but we have to be careful. Not all of these XBox auto service manuals are the same. Some are created by people that dont really know how to fix the most critical XBox 360 problems. Some just create a manual after seeing someone else fix an XBox -and there are many other reasons why people think that they can create a repair manual. Thats why we have to be careful when we decide to get our own XBox 360 Fix it guide. Fix 2) Next, you should check whether all the cables are connected, which are behind the console. This could be why you need a PlayStation 3 ylod Repair Guide so try plugging everything back in. If your plans next year include buying a new vehicle, might as well keep it to yourself to prevent the service center from charging high auto repair cost. What you should do instead is tell the mechanic what you noticed to your car prior to bringing it to the shop. Aside from making it easier for the auto technician to identify the problem, such step will also help you save from high auto repair cost. You should be happy to learn that there are now specialized websites set up by professional and experienced technicians who have tons of practice in repairing Xbox systems. car workshop manual with the machine outside and in, and have compiled detailed workshop manuals that tell you exactly how to fix your Xbox. Once you get the car manual for you, auto repair becomes much easier. You no longer have to pull your car apart just to find out that the part you have been looking for is not there. With an auto repair manual you will More about the author where exactly the part you need to repair is located. Finally fix that weird rattling noise in your engine or that unknown leak that is surely costing you a lot of resources.

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webbwebb98-blog · 6 years

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Auto Repair Made Easy Through Reliable Repair Manuals

youtube

You should be happy to learn that there are now specialized websites set up by professional and experienced technicians who have tons of practice in repairing Xbox systems. They're intimately familiar with the machine outside and in, and have compiled detailed workshop manuals that tell you exactly how to fix your Xbox. A powerful new engine is now displacing 1043cc, 90cc more than its predecessor. This new inline four with a bore and stroke of 77 x 56 mm churn out 138 crankshaft horsepower at 9600 rpm. Torque rating is at 81.1 ft-lbs at 7800 rpm. And if you include your shipping time and shipping cost, getting it to Microsoft to take care of isn't truly possible. Expect to be without your Xbox for a number of weeks, but you also spend $140 plus shipping to get it back. That's a very long wait and so much cash! Personally I don't want to spend that much when a new xbox doesn't cost too much more. There are also car repair manual can read for more information and help. The good news is that if you have a treadmill at home, you are much less likely to need multiple repairs. Commercial treadmills, like those used in gyms, have a higher number of repairs due to the amount of people using them. One continual thorn in the side of the home mechanic who is using a paper service manual is automotive grease. It smears onto the pages of the manual and never comes out. Many a book has been ruined that guy way. While there are techniques for removing some of the grease, you are always left with a giant stain on the page which partially obscures repair procedure steps or diagrams. Trying to remove a spot also consumes your time, which is probably at a premium when you have a repair job to do.

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dnuzhna · 2 years

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Naughty Dog: The Ambitious Game Developer

I have been a video game enthusiast since I was six and would like to talk about a game developer I grew up with...and some mistakes they made.

Naughty Dog, a Sony subsidiary, developed and released the popular games on Sony consoles for many years.

Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us are some of Naughty Dog's bestselling video games.

Naughty Dog, formerly JAM Software, was founded in 1984 by Andy Gavin and his friend Jason Rubin and acquired by Sony in 2001. Part of their success was due to the extremely popular Crash Bandicoot games that debuted on PlayStation 1 in 1994.

Sony had no mascot to compete with the likes of Mario or Sonic, so when Naughty Dog introduced Crash, Sony loved it. The first Crash Bandicoot game took only eight people to develop, according to Naughty Dog's Evan Wells! (Wells, 2020). It is evident, based on their history, that the company rose from nothing, just like many other game developers, but this one had something special in store.

Naughty Dog has proven themselves to be innovative and ambitious over the years. The demand for a Crash sequel was huge and Sony was ready to provide it. Naughty Dog developers began fiddling with graphics and other things. Even with the smallest advancement in tech & tools, they wanted to aim higher.

PlayStation 2's expansion and improvement in technology led Naughty Dog to focus on story-telling, resulting in Jak & Daxter. As a result, it became a PS2 classic that focused more on storytelling and a broad world than PS1 games could accomplish. I don't remember much about Jak & Daxter but I loved the Crash Bandicoot series. It remains a classic.

[Evolution of Crash Bandicoot (1996-2020)]

In preparation for the PS3 launch, Naughty Dog began storytelling with human figures instead of animals. When I was in high school, Uncharted was released. The series remains one of my favorites to this day.

A constant with this company is their attention to detail. The games feel so real, even on the PS3. Despite the crazy advancements in technology, Naughty Dog never strayed from its core element of art.

Naughty Dog's art director, Erick Pangilinan, said that technology is just a set of tools; what never changes are good art fundamentals such as composition, shape language, and color and lighting sense. A single picture will never be able to tell a compelling story without a deep understanding of art (Gaudiosi, 2015). Fundamentals are indeed what drives bigger processes.

I see game development as a tight-knit spiderweb. Every action is tied to another and employees often have to wait for each other in order to get one cog running, which will then run the rest of the "machine". However, such a system can lead to burnout if it is not perfected. An unfortunate example was Naughty Dog's situation when preparing the 4th installment of the main Uncharted series.

It may have been a beautifully detailed game with a strong storyline, but it came at a high cost. As a result of a hectic production schedule, many employees felt over-worked and eventually burned out, then quit. Among the 20 non-lead designers listed in the credits of Uncharted 4, 14 are no longer at the studio, which affected The Last of Us II development and raised questions about the studio's future (Schreier, 2020).

Apparently Naughty Dog has no production team, which is responsible for communication, organization, etc. In short, it's about being efficient with time. An opening for a production coordinator exists, but it is a temporary position. The studio's philosophy has long been that everyone should be their own producer. Although it creates an atmosphere of "freedom of creation", there is no proper communication and no one tells people to take a break.

The problem with Naughty Dog has been and might still be that they strive for perfection at the expense of everyone's mental wellbeing.

They bounced back with The Last of Us Part II despite the controversy surrounding them. Personally, I did not like the story of the game, and I was one of those who waited 7 years to play it. With The Last of Us' enormous success, much was expected. Naughty Dog took over with its accessibility settings, making The Last of Us Part II the most accessible game ever. "The Last of Us Part II is perhaps the most accessible game ever made, with over 60 accessibility settings" (Venkat, 2020). In fact, you can play the game blind, and that's just the beginning!

I really enjoyed how inclusive they were with this. With my bad eyesight, the handy zooming-in feature really helped to make the game more enjoyable. Imagine the impact on people with disabilities. A heartwarming example I found was Steve Saylor's. Just seconds after starting The Last of Us Part II, he was in tears. Thus was the effect of Naughty Dog's text-to-speech setting. It read the accessibility settings as you started up. As indicated by Elassar, the text-to-speech setting narrates many aspects of the game, from what options they choose in the menu to what weapon they just equip and how much ammo remains. (Elassar, 2020).

The accessibility settings aside, I think Naughty Dog took it a tad too far with trying to be inclusive. Their sequel story seems unnecessarily complicated and convoluted to me. The company is a perfectionist so it's not surprising this is their most ambitious game. Their aim was always higher, and this game might've aimed a little too high for my tastes.

I remember how fantastic the first Last of Us was. I've never seen anything like it. It was groundbreaking, emotional, and I can even say flawless. I've played it at least five times without getting bored. However, many fans have differing opinions about the sequel, and they consider it great as well. What are your opinions? Let me know by dropping an ask in my inbox or re-blogging this article!

Resource(s):

Elassar, A. (2020). A blind video gamer got emotional after seeing The Last of Us Part II's extensive accessibility options for players with disabilities. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/19/us/the-last-of-us-part-ii-accessibility-options-blind-gamer-trnd/index.html

Gaudiosi, J. (2015). Naughty Dog Art Director Discusses 30 Years Of Innovation. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://www.shacknews.com/article/87709/naughty-dog-art-director-discusses-30-years-of-innovation

Gravelle, C. (2016). Naughty Dog Founder: Selling Studio to Sony Was 'Right Decision'. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://gamerant.com/naughty-dog-sell-studio-sony-128/

Régo, N. (2020). Naughty Dog Makes PlayStation Game Accessible - COOL BLIND TECH. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://coolblindtech.com/naughty-dog-makes-playstation-game-accessible/

Schreier, J. (2020). As Naughty Dog Crunches On The Last Of Us II, Developers Wonder How Much Longer This Approach Can Last. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/04/last-of-us-2-naughty-dog-crunch/

The Last of Us Part II: Accessibility Features. (2020). Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-last-of-us-part-ii-ps4/accessibility/

Venkat. (2020). The Last Of Us Part II Is Perhaps The Most Accessible Game Ever Made With More Than 60 Accessibility Settings - Assistive Technology Blog. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://assistivetechnologyblog.com/2020/06/the-last-of-us-part-ii-most-accessible-game-60-accessibility-settings.html

Wells, E. (2020). Naughty Dog looks back at 20 years of PlayStation development. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2014/12/03/naughty-dog-looks-back-20-years-playstation-development/

#naughty dog #the last of us #design writing project #penn state #penn state world campus #blog entry #gaming blog entry #gaming article #naughty dog article #t #my articles

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Why the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Paywall for N64 and Sega Genesis Games Is a Terrible Idea

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Almost every announcement in the September 2021 Nintendo Direct broadcast tried to one-up the other reveals. Audiences finally got the long-awaited Bayonetta 3 gameplay trailer (it was every bit as exciting as we hoped), minutes after the internet was left to decide whether to shout “Wahoo!” or “Mamma mia!” over the Super Mario movie voice cast. But the highlight of the mini-expo, even though virtually everyone predicted it, was the announcement that Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can soon play Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games… assuming they pay for a more expensive subscription model. Something doesn’t smell right.

Before we continue, here’s a quick refresher. For only $20 a year, Nintendo Switch Online hands gamers access to online multiplayer features, voice chat, save data cloud functionality, and an ever-growing collection of NES and SNES games. Sounds like a steal, especially compared to PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold, which ask for $60 annually and only offer a trickle of free games instead of an archive’s worth. But the devil is in the details.

Nintendo Switch Online’s voice chat is a smartphone app that isn’t compatible with all devices, and the save data cloud is on a per-game basis. Want to back up your Splatoon 2 or Pokémon Sword/Shield progress? Tough luck. Oh, and even though you need the subscription to play titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate online, lag is a constant bugbear that can render matches unplayable. Back when Nintendo offered free multiplayer, lag was expected and even forgivable in games like Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, but now players need to pay for online multiplayer even though lag hasn’t improved. Makes you wonder why Nintendo wants to charge even more money.

Starting late October, Nintendo will sell a “new membership plan” dubbed “Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.” This new subscription will provide “more benefits” (no idea what they are), and the company plans to provide further details, including pricing, at a later date. The wording implies the Expansion Pack will be more expensive than vanilla Nintendo Switch Online, which stinks of unnecessary paywalling. But, the catalyst that makes the stench unpalatable is the addition of N64 and Sega Genesis titles. Sure, it’s nothing short of a miracle to play games from Nintendo’s ancient blast-processing rival on the Switch, but locking them behind an additional fee seems questionable…maybe even greedy.

Audiences have wanted N64 games on the Switch ever since Nintendo started providing complimentary NES and SNES titles with subscriptions. This would have been an obvious evolution for the service, but virtually everyone who hoped Nintendo would add N64 games expected them to come at no additional cost. That is the industry standard, after all. Sorta. PlayStation and Xbox consoles have evolved into Netflix-esque video game platforms via PS Now and Xbox Game Pass, which are separate from PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, but they don’t come in different tiers. Anyone with a PS Now account gets hundreds of games on demand for a flat-ish fee. It’s cheaper to buy a year’s worth of PS Now than to purchase a new game each month à la carte, but subscribers can play everything on the menu regardless; Sony doesn’t hide titles like Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots or Rogue Galaxy behind extra fees. So why is Nintendo going down that path? Nobody at the company has explained the reasoning behind the decision, so we can only speculate.

One reason comes to mind, though. Nintendo likely recognizes the N64’s popularity and knows gamers will shell out to relive those classics. Sure, the N64 itself didn’t push as many units as the Nintendo 3DS, but look at any best Legend of Zelda games list. The N64 entries, Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, are always at or near the top. Same with best Super Mario games lists. Moreover, the SNES Classic sold out in nanoseconds. Clearly demand for retro games is big enough to smother supply, so why would Nintendo potentially cap profits with limited physical N64 Classics when they can sell unlimited, new N64-themed subscriptions? You can’t exactly sell out of a digital product, now can you?

Under normal circumstances, we would give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt, but this new subscription is merely the latest in a concerningly growing list of questionable decisions that started with the amiibo. At first, the mini plastic statues only provided fun, superfluous extras, such as bonus Mario Kart Mii costumes and special Super Smash Bros. CPU fighters. But lately, Nintendo has locked some decidedly overpowered enhancements behind amiibo. Two special Metroid Dread amiibo (that are already sold out everywhere) will provide players with extra health and missile tanks; be thankful the game doesn’t sport competitive multiplayer, because anyone who owns the amiibo would have an advantage merely because they dropped an extra $30. And who can forget when the internet temporarily caught fire over the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD amiibo that strong armed players out of $25 for fast travel?

But, amiibo are not the only indicators. The SNES controllers for the Switch were $30 at launch (and still are). Meanwhile, the upcoming N64 and Sega Genesis controllers for the Switch are $50 each. The N64 controller’s price hike makes a bit of sense since it sports more buttons and an analog stick, but the Sega Genesis is basically a SNES controller with fewer buttons. Anyone who purchases it is literally paying more for less.

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Now to be fair, Nintendo is keeping a lot of Expansion Pack details under wraps. We don’t know its non-N64/Genesis library benefits or price tag. If the new membership only costs $1 more and gives customers bonuses like monthly game discounts, free Switch eShop titles for keeps, and eventually Sega Dreamcast games, it might be more than worth the extra cash. On the other hand, if the new subscription is $10 extra, and its only new benefit lets players pre-order games early, then it will be a worse benefit-cost ratio than vanilla Nintendo Switch Online.

No matter how you slice it, though, you cannot deny that locking Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games behind a new subscription with a new price seems pretty cynical since the current subscription doesn’t really justify its cost. Then again, Nintendo will probably get away with it because we’re talking about the N64 and Sega Genesis; anything from those consoles prints money, regardless of the year.

The post Why the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Paywall for N64 and Sega Genesis Games Is a Terrible Idea appeared first on Den of Geek.

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in-taylorland · 4 years

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River Cruise Vacations - The Year's Must-Try Travel Experience

The past year has witnessed the unveiling of cruise ships record-setting in size, ambition and extravagance, but among the most popular trends in cruise holidays forgoes big ships, island-hopping and sometimes, even the sea altogether.

This new fad is of course, river and small-ship cruising, where passengers traveling between destinations on smaller boats offering a more intimate setting, and enjoy itineraries that browse through the inland waterways of destinations like Eastern Europe, Egypt and China.

Avalon Waterways is the market leader in this brand of holiday, having earned many awards from industry authorities including Frommer's, Travel Weekly, Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.

Cruise lines such as Avalon Waterways have long-enjoyed popularity and success among a niche market of travelers. But like the occasional foreign movie that finds box-office success with mainstream audiences, in 2010 the prevalence of river cruising is on the rise, gaining the interest from an increased variety of travelers as a must-try travel adventure.

What is the reason for all this newfound focus towards river cruising? A whole lot of it appears to stem from the general popularity of cruise holidays. More than 176 million North Americans have taken a cruise since 1980, and 50 million plan on taking a cruise sometime over the next few decades, based on figures from Cruise Lines International Association, Inc. (CLIA).

Most these travelers took what's sometimes known as a"deep water" cruise -- a big-ship cruise holiday that sails on sea waters and visits ports-of-call on Caribbean islands, the Mexican Riviera and the northeast shore, in addition to Canada and New England.

At first glance, both of these styles of cruises -- large ship and little boat -- look like they would interest vastly different groups of travelers. After all, a holiday that involves a week's worth of beaches, sunbathing, snorkeling and shopping for souvenirs on many Caribbean islands seems a far cry from a yearlong voyage through France across the Rhine River, leaving from Paris with trips to Claude Monet's gardens and the beaches in Normandy.

However, the rising popularity of small river and ship cruising appears to indicate a Venn Diagram -- large ship cruises on Side A, small boat cruises on Side B, and the intersection between growing bigger as Side A and Side B converge on an overlapping area populated by cruisers seeking to broaden their journeys by venturing to new nations, exploring new cultures and seeking new adventures all while enjoying a kind of vacation that they understand and love.

Even though it may seem like comparing apples to apples, it's easy to see the appeal of the two types of cruises, and why they overlap. Both provide more convenience than over-land traveling, and permit you to explore and sample multiple destinations in one trip while only having to unpack once. Cruise lines specializing in both have some of the highest customer feedback evaluations in history. Both provide great food and amazing entertainment. Both offer the opportunity to combine relaxation with insight into a destination's past (let's not forget that in addition to beaches, the Caribbean is rife with history and ecological beauty).

Travel Pillow - Try These Tips For A Stress Free And Comfortable Travel Experience

Many persons give a massive sigh once they hear of the term gravelingh and it's due to the numerous demanding and wearisome facets that various individuals have been through when traveling. Among the largest challenges is trying to get relaxed for the length of your journey so that you'll have the ability to arrive fresh, well rested and stress-free as opposed to tired, uncomfortable using a rigid, sore throat and shoulders.

The fantastic thing is that we can transform those negative facets of traveling into really great ones by preparing beforehand and after the advice clarified within this brief article.

By following these helpful hints and techniques, you're positive to have a fantastic and enjoyable travel experience beforehand and will under no conditions view traveling the exact same again.

Letfs start then.

Check in early and book an superb place - The location that you choose to be on can actually play a very vital part in your coziness. Whatever class you're in there will probably be a couple of seats with the capacity to make your experience a dreadful one. The seats you will really need to attempt and keep clear of would be those nearest to the bathroom or lavatories in addition to those which are near the aircraftfs wings.

Try to keep in mind that by arriving at the airport terminal early on you will have the ability to steer clear of those long queues at the check-in desk.

Whenever you can't arrive at the airport terminal early then you can always opt to perform an electronic check-in if it's presented.

Bring a fantastic travel pillow - It is really quite important in particular when you're in a somewhat long airline flight or trip. You can order various sorts of travel pillows just about everywhere now however always remember that not all are designed equivalent. Donft purchase the more expensive versions or even the low cost ones.

Instead, contact and try out the neck pillow if you're able to, make certain it provides you both comfort and support. Possessing the completely wrong travel pillow with you on journeys can lead to trouble sleeping during the entire period of this trip and even headaches or neck issues. We highly recommend you opt for an excellent memory foam travel pillow that contains an entirely removable and machine washable cover.

Bring things to amuse you - This is pretty self explanatory, have things that will amuse you for the duration of the trip, likely a fantastic book youfve been itching to go through, your MP3 or iPod or your mobile gaming consoles exactly like a Sony PSP or Nintendo DS to have you amused in the length of the trip.

Carry light - If you're going to be staying in another location for some period of time, be certain that you decide to check-in your luggage so you won't need to get tired about carrying that huge chunk of luggage along. When getting on the airplane make certain that you bring your precious items along. In the event that you're going on a brief excursion then be certain to not over pack/bring a lot of stuffand just simply bring what you really have to have.

Bring in/Pack some snacks - We all know how costly and sometimes awful in flight food can be so take some food to get you complete. Additionally, be certain you continue to maintain yourself replenished with water throughout the trip.

Wear comfortable clothes - Once more this is a no brainer. Youfll prefer to wear comfy clothing so that you'll be able to easily break. The clothes youfll prefer to wear should be anything comparable of consistency in addition to match to what you will put on when you're likely to fall asleep. Prevent being dressed in something much too slick or restricted though and be sure you have your jacket.

These specific advice can definitely help eliminate your anxiety for the length of your journey and make your experience a pleasurable and comfortable one.

#travel #travel experience #best travel experience #comfortable travel experience #travel pillow

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movietvtechgeeks · 7 years

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Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/want-gaming-bang-buck-turtle-beach-stealth-600-delivers/

Want more gaming bang for your buck? Turtle Beach Stealth 600 delivers

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of TURTLE BEACH® For way too long, I've only used the cheap headsets that come with the PS4 Pro and Xbox One consoles thinking they must rank as high as those expensive ones on the market. Hey, why would Sony or Microsoft send along an inferior product accessory to go with their superior gaming consoles, right? It's like how they only give you one wireless controller. No, they're not trying to make you feel like a total loser who has no friends to play with, they want you to keep adding to their coffers by buying more from them. After having enough of those headsets fall apart, I knew there had to be a better alternative. Our team here at Movie TV Tech Geeks aren't hard on stuff either, so it only lets you know how low quality they are. Thankfully, the fine folks at Turtle Beach sent over their Ear Force Stealth 600 surround sound gaming headset to test on the new Xbox One X. Yup, we got a sweet review console already, and we have put this Turtle to the test. To be fair, we even tested it up against some very high priced headsets since judging such a superior product against the headsets that come with the consoles would be like testing a Tesla against a Smart Car. Right off the bat, I hate having so many wires that come with being a hardcore tech geek. The setup in our gaming media center has a 4K 75" LG OLED TV, 3D 7.1 Channel sound system, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and now an Xbox One X so you can picture how many yards of cords we have snaking everywhere. That drives me crazy so having a new tech toy that is one-hundred percent wireless is like taking a bite out of a tiramisu cake or freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Pure heaven! Most 'wireless' console headsets still make you plug them into a controller, a USB port or directly into the console. Not this time though. The Stealth 600 lives up to its name and is a true wireless over the ear headset that is really comfortable. The only time you'll ever need to connect a cable is when you charge the battery. That's it! Next big question, of course, would be about how long the battery life is. Well, Turtle Beach says 15 hours of game time, but we put it through our test, and it lasted just around 18 hours of solid gameplay. Nice when it lasts longer than what the company claims. So how is the sound quality? Excellent. This is the first headset that sounds amazing and also feels really comfortable. For those of you that get into intense long gaming sessions, you know how important comfort it, and even after a five-hour long gamefest aka Overwatch match, I could have kept going on. No pinching feeling or headaches from discomfort. The headset adjusts to every aspect of your head (no two are made alike) and fit everyone's heads here at MTTG. The ear cups have a rounder shape and aren't the usual 90-degree angle most headsets have. This makes for a much more comfortable feel and experience. The extra plush foam padding really feels good and rather than having that leather padding that always winds up ripping or tearing; Turtle Beach uses a soft mesh fabric on the earcups and padding. I know this is a little gross, but we all know that ears do sweat and this mesh seems to help keep that at bay. If you wear glasses, the Stealth 600 has you covered as the padding in the ear cups is plushy soft so none of that pressure on your frames. The left side of the headset is where you can flip out the microphone for those team talk sessions, and it automatically turns on and off as you snap it into position at the side of your mouth. It mutes when you pull it up which is such a nice change from the tiny toggles on the usual headsets. Trust me, once you try the Stealth 600 for this, you'll never want to go back to the others. There are two wheel adjusters on the back of the left ear cup that takes care of the main volume and chat above a larger power button that allows you to to try out specialized audio profiles like "Superhuman Hearing" which lets you hear environmental sounds like a car door shutting behind you or even leaves rustling in the wind. Things are definitely much louder in this mode, but it will make you super alert in games like Fortnite or Halo. You'll have plenty of fun adjusting and boosting the bass, treble, and vocals even in surround sound mode. I tested it without trying any of the settings, and the sound quality was surprisingly crisp and oh so clear. Many times people will wear their headset with one cup slightly off the hear because their voice is so loud, but with the Stealth 600 mic monitoring, you can hear your own voice, but it won't be so muffled or too loud with both cups sitting comfortably over your ears. Being able to hear yourself also helps to keep you from being the annoying gamer who blows out everyone's ears screaming and not realizing it. Everyone else I used it with came in perfectly clear. I was a little doubtful of how you could get surround sound from only two speakers, but I could tell when audio was coming from in front of me and behind me making it feel like there were five speakers doing the job. Watching Blu-ray movies is a pleasure too as you can hear every crunch of a car over leaves or twigs without bothering anyone else in the room who isn't interested in what you're watching. I can't wait to try the PS4 Pro version with the PSVR games as I can only imagine how much more horrifying some of them will be with this amazing sound. Unlike the PS4 version, which requires you to plug a USB dongle into the console, the Xbox One version has just an extra button on the left ear cup so you can sync it with the built-in wireless protocol. It synced perfectly and even when I walked around; it didn't fall out. So, if you like a lot bang for your buck, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 has it plus so much more. It easily blows away some of the really expensive headsets out there, and this one is just $100, so I will be adding this to our electronics gift guide. It is a must holiday want for every gamer or anyone who just wants great sound when they're playing games. Our friends at Turtle Beach are letting us give away one set of these amazing Ear Force Stealth 600 wireless headsets to one of you lucky readers. You'll be able to choose if you want the Green one (pictured throughout this article) to use on your Xbox One (or upcoming Xbox One X) or the Blue set which you can use on your PS4 console. TO ENTER: Just RT the tweet below, and you're all good to go. We make it so easy for you all! You've got until Nov 10, 2017 to get busy RT'ing! We'll contact the winner via Twitter so make sure you're following us so we can DM you! https://twitter.com/movietvtechgeek/status/926528786836918273 If you can't wait to get your hands on one, just visit Turtle Beach to check them out.

Movie TV Tech Geeks News

#Featured #Gaming #PS4 #Stealth 600 #Turtle Beach #wireless headsets #Xbox One

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gamerszone2019-blog · 5 years

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Best Nintendo Switch Deals For September 2019: Games, Consoles, And More

New Post has been published on https://gamerszone.tn/best-nintendo-switch-deals-for-september-2019-games-consoles-and-more/

Best Nintendo Switch Deals For September 2019: Games, Consoles, And More

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

It almost goes without saying, but the Nintendo Switch is an exciting console to own in 2019. You’ve got the constantly growing (and consistently excellent) library of Nintendo first-party titles like Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Super Mario Maker 2, plus the expanding roster of ports for incredible games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dark Souls, Overwatch, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Divinity: Original Sin 2 adding even more appeal to the platform. Additionally, a slew of other exciting upcoming Switch games were announced during a recent Nintendo Direct.

If you’re a longtime Nintendo fan, you’re well aware of the fact that Nintendo’s first-party games and products tend to maintain higher prices than their PS4 and Xbox One counterparts do. While the Nintendo Switch launched at a relatively affordable $300, its price has barely fluctuated in the two and a half years since it released, and when you factor in all the $60 games, $70 Switch Pro controller, monthly Switch Online membership, and other expenses, you can end up spending quite a lot on Switch-related purchases.

Fortunately, we’re here to save you some cash. We’ve rounded up all the best Nintendo Switch deals across the internet, from Switch games to accessories and Switch Online membership. It’s unlikely the two newest Switch consoles–the smaller, handheld-only Switch Lite and the new improved Switch with better battery life–will get discounts anytime soon, but there is a limited-time trade-in offer at GameStop worth taking advantage of if you already own a Switch and want to upgrade.

We’ll keep this story updated with any new Switch deals that pop up throughout September, but in the meantime, check out the best discounts available now below.

Quick look: Best Nintendo Switch deals

Buy the Nintendo Switch Lite ($200)

Buy the new Switch with improved battery life ($300)

Best Nintendo Switch console deals

Trade-in offer: Get the new Nintendo Switch for $75 at GameStop

If you’ve already got a Nintendo Switch and want to upgrade to the new, improved model with longer battery life, the best way to do that is to trade in your old model at GameStop. A Switch usually trades in for $200, but for a limited time, that’s bumped up to $225. Note that you’ll need to perform a data transfer between the two consoles, and GameStop will likely not allow you to do that in-stores. You can read more about that process here. That $225 credit can also be used toward a Switch Lite or other purchases. This trade-in offer ends September 15, so time is quickly running out to take advantage of it.

Otherwise, there aren’t many discounts on brand-new consoles floating around these days. Expect to see some special deals as we get closer to the holidays. In the meantime, you can find some decent discounts on slightly used and refurbished models below, but note that these are the original models without improved battery.

Best Switch game deals

Dragon Quest Builders 2 for $50.94 at Amazon

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Switch games don’t receive discounts as quickly or steeply as other console games do. That said, there are still some great games on sale worth picking up, such as Dragon Quest Builders 2, which released on the Switch in July. You can already find the game marked down to $50.94. Plus, you can get Civilization VI for only $30 on Switch, Collection of Mana for $33.84, and some first-party titles like Breath of the Wild for about $10 off. You can see more Switch game deals below.

Best Switch accessory deals

Light-up Switch dock shields for $15 at Amazon

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These glowy dock shields have no practical purpose, but they sure are pretty. Currently $5 off their usual price of $20, these light-up plates have more than 17 different colors and effects to choose from and add a cool, colorful glow to your Switch setup. We’ve written about them in the past and can verify they look amazing in person.

Check out more of the best Switch accessories on sale below.

Best Switch Online membership deals

Switch Online is Nintendo’s monthly membership that grants access to online multiplayer, save data cloud backup for most (but not all) games, and a selection of over 40 NES games and 20 SNES games, as well as the ability to buy official NES and SNES controllers compatible with Switch. Nintendo Switch Online is far cheaper than Sony or Microsoft’s online subscriptions–an annual individual subscription sells for $20, while a family plan for up to eight Nintendo accounts is $35–but it’s still another expense added to the ever-growing pile of Switch-related purchases.

Currently, the cheapest way to get Switch Online is through Twitch Prime, which is available to anyone with Amazon Prime. The Twitch Prime offer lets you claim 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online for free, in two batches: You have to claim the first three months before September 24, and then you have until January 22, 2020 to claim the additional nine months. You have to let 60 days pass after claiming the first three months before adding the other nine to your account.

Get 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online free at Amazon

Popular Switch Online game Tetris 99 is getting a physical release, and it includes 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online. Not only that, but you’ll get all current and future DLC for the game. That bundle will cost you $30.

Get Tetris 99 + 12 months Nintendo Switch Online at Amazon

For more savings, be sure to check out our roundups of the best Xbox One deals and best PS4 deals available this month.

Source : Gamesport

#Game News

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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15 Rarest and Most Valuable NES Games

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While the NES was obviously not the first video game console, it’s hardly a surprise that some of the rarest and most expensive games in the world belong to that beloved console’s legendary library.

As it becomes increasingly obvious that nostalgia is driving up prices in the suddenly lucrative collectible video games market, it’s also not a surprise that NES games tend to be among the most desirable collectibles in that world. Not only did the NES ignite a generation’s love of gaming, but the unique state of the industry at the time meant that a lot of games (even good ones) were shipped in small quantities, shipped too late, or otherwise faded into obscurity only to be properly recognized years later. It was an environment that led to a lot of legitimately rare games.

Which NES games are the rarest and most valuable of them all, though? Well, a few of the most expensive NES games in the world certainly won’t surprise anyone, but you’ll be shocked by how much people are willing to spend on some games you’ve probably never heard of.

Before we dive into that, though, here are a few things to consider:

This list primarily focuses on genuinely rare titles rather than pristine versions of common titles that are prized solely for their condition.

There are many NES games that sell for the same basic prices, so consider this a sampling of the most desirable and rare NES games on the market in various price ranges.

The two numbers next to each game represent their “loose” price (meaning “cartridge only” in pretty much any condition) and the highest price they currently sell for if they are in pristine condition.

15. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters – $200 to $1,500

The SNES version of this game was fairly popular on the rental circuit, but did you know that there is an NES version of this licensed fighter that’s incredibly rare due largely to the fact that so few people bought it?

TMNT Tournament Fighters was not only Konami’s last NES game but one of the few “proper” 2D fighting games released for the NES. Unfortunately, its incredibly late 1994 release date (it was also released nearly 6 months after the SNES version’s debut) pretty much guaranteed that most NES gamers had moved on by the time this surprisingly good game dropped.

14. Mighty Final Fight – $250 to $2,000

Not only was there a Final Fight game released for the NES, but this rather strange little experiment includes some features not seen in most other Final Fight titles (including an experience point system). It’s actually closer to River City Ransom than Final Fight in a lot of ways.

Unfortunately, this game’s late release date, weak marketing push, and the simple fact that there are honestly better games in this genre readily available for the NES means that not many people bought Mighty Final Fight the first time around. Fortunately for collectors, that also means this franchise curiosity has only gone up in value.

13. Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 – $300 to $1,300

This game is rare and certainly valuable (even if its recent digital re-release has driven down the price somewhat), but the thing that really stands about this one is its inexplicably late release date.

Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 wasn’t released until December 1993 in Japan and 1994 in the U.S. and Europe. That’s three years after the release of the SNES and up to four years since the release of the previous game. In the case of the sequel’s Western releases, that’s also the same year that the Sony PlayStation was released. This game is actually quite good, but suffice to say, a lot of NES owners didn’t have this on their radars at that time.

12. Zombie Nation – $600 to $1,500

If you’re anything like me, you might vaguely remember hearing about this game in Nintendo Power but probably didn’t know anyone who owned it. Of course, we now know that’s because this game was incredibly rare even at the time of its release.

While it’s not clear how many copies of this title were initially distributed, bad sales (which were likely the result of mixed critical reception and the fact that this game is incredibly weird) combined with a late release date and somewhat weak word of mouth mean that the relatively few copies of the game that did make it out into the world now cost a shocking amount of money.

11. Power Blade 2 – $700 to $4,000

While the original Power Blade is a respectable enough Mega Man rip-off that you could certainly call underrated, it wasn’t exactly a best-seller that became a staple of NES collections everywhere. It was always somewhat strange, then, that Taito decided to make a sequel to the game in the first place and release it during the NES’ dying days.

Power Blade 2 has always been a collector’s favorite due to its initial rarity, but recent years have seen the game shoot up in price due both to the growing popularity of rare NES games and how hard it is to find a pristine copy of this one in its original box.

10. Bonk’s Adventure – $800 to $3,000

Bonk’s Adventure is a beloved TurboGrafx-16 game (if such a thing actually exists), but did you know that the platformer was also ported to the NES?

Well, apparently no one else did, which is certainly a big part of the reason why this one ended up being a consistently high-value game among collectors. To be fair, this game also isn’t nearly as good on the NES as it was on the TurboGrafx, and the NES obviously featured some considerable competition in the platforming genre. Still, we bet you wish you had purchased this one back in the day.

9. Panic Restaurant – $800 to $6,000

Panic Restaurant is actually little more than a passable Kirby-esque NES platformer that most people probably haven’t devoted a thought to in their entire lives. However, this happens to be one of the most consistently valuable NES titles among collectors.

Panic Restaurant is a great example of the “perfect storm” effect we sometimes see with collectible games. As a pretty obscure title released near the end of the NES’ lifespan, it’s a legitimately rare game that few people ever owned in the first place. As for why this particular game became so valuable years later…well, it might have something to do with its campy box art and generally weird vibes.

Games

15 Hardest NES Games of All-Time

By Matthew Byrd