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SupremeSarna wrote:

only if people end up watching the longer videos all the way through.

but some people just talk for hours about dumb crap and i hate it

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BEAT SUPER MARIO 64 WITHOUT COLLECTING A COIN? LET'S TAKE 40 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO FIND OUT!

Just start the video at "yes" or "no" and then show why. Your channel will get a "Don't recommend this channel" from me if you are all filler and no substance.

Or if your thumbnails are full of youtube-face. There are a couple of really great content creators I just refuse to watch anymore because they can't stop doing the youtube face nonsense.

Everyone talks about how mind-blowing Mario 64 was at launch. That's how I felt seeing Soulcalibur for the first time.

I have such a soft spot for that console. I bought it right before the final price drop and played the crap out of it my freshman year of college. Marvel vs. Capcom was definitely the standout.

To this day, Crazy Taxi is one of the few games to give me actual blisters.

Damian254 wrote:


I bought an Xbox (whatever) specifically for this game. I hated the main story line. It felt like a rail shooter, where you couldn't deviate from the intended path. I get why they did it, but your mates were complete asshats. Rob a bank? Streets lined with armed citizens? Bank has a back door? Naw, can't use that exit. Escape out the side? Naw, mission failed nearly immediately because your retard posse goes straight down main street while you escaped behind cover straight to your unprotected horse. Fudging garbage.

I also hated Mario 64. The game killed the Mario series for me until Galaxy. I specifically remember playing it thinking there was nothing to do, and it killed all of video games for me as an adolescent. Funny enough it was WCW vs NWO World Tour that got me back into video games.

I remember not liking Super Mario Galaxy at all.the first time I played it for like 30 minutes. I thought the controls were crap and so was the camera, and I was convinced that Nintendo would never learn how to get the camera right in a 3D platformer. I went back to it a couple of weeks later though and my whole opinion changed and now I would rank it in the Top 5 of 3D platformers on Wii.


The opposite was true for Super Mario Sunshine. I rented it in summer of 2002, this was when Blockbuster had this pass promotion thing going where for the whole month you could rent a game and return it for something else as many times as you want for the entire month instead of being stuck with a game for 5 days. I played Super Mario Sunshine for a few hours and kinda enjoyed it despite the camera sucking moose nuts, never finished it though, I returned it to Blockbuster 2 or 3 days later to get Madden 2003. I revisited Super Mario Sunshine almost 20 years later when Nintendo released it on Switch as part of Super Mario 3D All-stars and I played a couple hours and refused to play more, I don't know how I ever liked it. The camera is just bad and I feel the game in general, like Super Mario 64 which is also included on the Super Mario 3D All-stars collection, it simply didn't age well.

Super Mario Sunshine. I want to love it like I love all of the other Mario games, but I just don't. I think if I had played it when it first came out, I probably would have enjoyed it (not sure if I would have LOVED it though). But, since I wasn't really gaming much during that time and didn't even own a GC until after the Wii was already out, it took a long while before I finally found time to try it, and by then, it just didn't hold up. I tried again a few years ago and this time really tried to power through, but I still ended up quitting in the 2nd world because I just wasn't enjoying it. I'm going to give it one last chance on Switch. Playing SM64 on Switch felt like a huge upgrade with the controls, so I'm hoping the same will be true for Sunshine. A large portion of my frustration was the controls, so if they can be improved, it would help a ton. I still think the level design sucks though.

I closed out Arcade August by visiting an actual arcade, sticky floors and all. I went in with the humble hope that they would have Time Crisis 5 available to play, which I'd seen at Dave & Buster's but couldn't play because of the toddler in tow, and shockingly, my prayers were answered.

Number: 57
Full Title: Time Crisis 5
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Now You're Playing with Plastic (1/2)

Time Crisis 5 is every bit as over-the-top as the other games in the series from Time Crisis II onward, lumping in the "attitude era" protagonists and weapon switching from Time Crisis 4. The villains are nuts, the scenery is explosive, and the orange ninjas are every bit as frustrating as the original. The game's biggest change, however, is the addition of a second cover pedal, which lets your character move to the side to attack from a different angle. It slows down the game play, and the sequences where you have to use it in rapid succession - say, to hit a weak spot on a boss' back that keeps circling - are especially frustrating, particularly when your target ends up out of view for both cover positions.

While the rest of my co-workers circulated to try the different games and activities, most were surprised to see me camped at this one machine for what felt like 45 minutes. In the end, I finished the game and got the credits to roll... only to have the game crash to the Windows desktop. Isn't modern technology grand?

Number: 58
Full Title: The Walking Dead
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Now You're Playing with Plastic (2/2)

Not to be satisfied with my one light gun marathon, I joined my teammate inside The Walking Dead cabinet, which sports two crossbow weapons inside. Pull the trigger to shoot, and pull back on the crossbow's arm to reload. Being a zombie game, only headshots count, which resulted in a handful of enemies looking like pincushions as the two of us frantically tried to target a tiny power-up or explosive that stood behind them. The game is short, repetitive, and ends fairly abruptly, but I'll be totally honest... The crossbow headshot mechanics are really satisfying. The game must have some aim assist active, without which the precise aiming would probably disrupt the flow of the game too much, but mowing down a row of walkers one skull at a time was a blast.

Number: 59
Full Title: The Punisher
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (already earned)

With the little bit of arcade energy I had left, I drove home and booted up The Punisher on my MiSTer. I'd been vaguely aware of this game's existence, but my interest was piqued after watching a content creator rave about the game in a video about the Capcom CPS-1. I ended up echoing the sentiment. I'm sure there's a hardcore beat 'em up fan out there who could clarify why the game doesn't have the following of Final Fight and Captain Commando, but damn if this wasn't a blast to play. The Punisher hits hard and fast, the enemies don't feel like sponges (except for those weird Terminator knock-off) enemies, and the classic Marvel license is used to good effect. And damn, I love having access to a special attack that doesn't knock off your health bar, even if it can only be used a limited number of times.

More Final Fantasy XVI. More Shining in the Darkness. More of whatever September brings on the Game of the Month front.

KCPenguins wrote:

When Nintendo first announced their Switch Online Plus Expansion Pak with the Animal Crossing DLC, a lot of people were laughing, saying there's no way that a handful of genesis and n64 games and one DLC were worth the price (and then bought it anyway as Nintendo fans do).

At the time I said to be patient because it felt like that would only be the start. I felt vindicated when they added the Mario Kart packs, but kinda was soured when some other high profile DLCs were omitted like Xenoblade and Fire Emblem.

So yeah, my expectations for Wonder's DLC are pretty low. I just hope we get something that feels like a whole game without the DLC.

Over the past week or so, I've been working to polish off the rest of the Arcade August Back Room titles. They're all games I've played before and praised or lamented in "Beat a Game" threads past, so here's the dump:

Number: 49
Full Title: Strikers 1945
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Destroy the Core (already earned)

Number: 50
Full Title: Metal Slug
Platform Played: Neo Geo
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Neo Geo
Original Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo
Applicable Badge: Heavy Machine Gun (already earned)

Number: 51
Full Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (already earned)

Number: 52
Full Title: Dynamite Cop
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (already earned)

Number: 53
Full Title: Strider
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: N/A

Number: 54
Full Title: Renegade
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: N/A

Number: 55
Full Title: 64776" rel="nofollow" title="twitter.com/Renaissance2K/status/1695080528519864776 (secure)" target="_blank">Splatterhouse
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: N/A

Number: 56
Full Title: Jackal
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: N/A

Renegade is the only standout here, as I attempted the arcade version during its original Game of the Month run and gave up fairly quickly when I couldn't make it past the first level. Opting for the home console version actually helped me out here as it taught me to rely on the jump kick move to deal decent damage while still keeping my distance, especially for the motorcycle stage. It was over before I knew it... quite literally. I finished the final stage, which features a friggin' boss with a one-hit kill gun, and then the game abruptly looped. Yay, I guess?

With somewhat fortuitous timing, my team has an offsite event today at an arcade, so I'm going to try to close out Arcade August by playing on some actual arcade cabinets. There's a pretty hefty chance that the venue is nothing but Dave & Buster's-styled tickets dispensers, but I'll comb the floor looking for a decent light gun game or arcade classic. Failing that, it's back to Final Fantasy XVI this evening.

Shipping is included in the price.
ALL games are loose.

https://imgur.com/a/j9hHsLr

Modded New Nintendo 3DS XL Galaxy edition - Has two cracks on the back top lid. Screens are perfectly fine.Comes with an off-brand charger and a galaxy-themed case. 64gb cfw. $170



Misc. Nintendo Lot - $40
Ultimate NES Remix
Mario Party Island Tour
Mario Tennis Open
Luigi Mansion Dark Moon
Yoshi's Island DS

Kirby Lot - $60

Kirby Triple Deluxe
Kirby Planet Robobot
Kirby Battle Royale


Would prefer to sell as lots, but I will look at offers for individual games. Thanks for looking!

So with the rumors of a Switch successor coming next year, do we think Mario Party 3 is the last game they release for N64 on NSO?

I've actually never played Excitebike 64 myself, so looking forward to trying it. I think this leaves Mario Party 3 as the only previously announced N64 game to not hit the service yet.

Planning to use this as a general buy/sell/trade thread that I will keep updated. I'll try to put relevant new additions in the title as needed.

Other notes: Prices listed are sale prices. Would expect similar discounts when trading or an increase closer to market value for my end. Once this has been going for a bit it's possible that prices will change and I won't have updated yet. In general console prices will be pretty firm as they are priced barely above trade-in rates of the main store I go to locally plus there are shipping considerations. For wants I am largely looking for CIB in VG or better condition. DVD/BD only purchases/trades will be sent media mail unless something else is requested. Cardboard CIBs in great condition will typically be priced above pricecharting average. If you deal with/collect CIBs you know how this goes typically with the pricecharting average catching horrible condition copies, not truly complete copies etc. Pricing these games requires a lot more research which has been done for my items.

Sell/Trade

Systems/hardware
NES system working with lock out chip pin lifted so system can play Famicom games with a converter and will no longer blink reset in general. Includes one controller. Can include an RF cable or a composite cable if needed. $30
Gray controller better stick than the Jungle green one but maybe you'd still want to replace it $10
Purple Gamecube w/ composite cable, power brick, one controller. This is the model with the digital video port. $80

Games
Tetris Gameboy $10
Illusion of Gaia CIB $110

DVD/BD
Black Clover Season 1 and 2 BD sets $70
Chobits DVD $10

Sold/traded
Gex 3 N64 cart only $14
Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky PS3 $20
GBA SP 101 Pearl Blue w/ 3rd party charger (works fine) shell has scuffing but screen is in great condition and all buttons work properly $100
Trinity Universe $30 (sold for 25)
Super Mario Land 2 Gameboy $15
Lucky Star BD/DVD combo pack $18
Tales of the Abyss 3DS $30
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson $50
Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist Of Dusk PS3 $20
P.N. 03 $50
Metal Saga $45
Jungle Green N64 controller needs new stick otherwise fine $20
Famicom console. Has been modded for composite video. Cable is hardwired into the system. By my eye looks slightly worse than an AV Famicom but much better than the native RF output. Comes with switching third party power supply $50
The World Is Not Enough *n64* CIB $35
Soukyugurentai Sega Saturn JP $50
Fantasy Zone Sega Saturn JP $25
PCE Briefcase system. IFU with lid, white PCE, white controller, white CDROM unit, 2.1 system card. CD unit was fixed by the legendary KeithCourage. He also installed an svideo mod. $200
Final Fantasy IV DS SEALED $55
TMNT Geki Kame Ninja Den Famicom $20
TMNT 1 Famicom $15
Ninja Ryukenden 1/2/3 Famicom $60
Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom PS3 $35
Holy Diver Famicom $70 (sold at $60)
Chrono Trigger DS full CIB w/ poster, reg card etc in great condition $120
Contra Famicom $45
Akumajō Densetsu Famicom $45
Fire Emblem Awakening, Echos, Fates B/C all complete $115
Bravely Second End Layer $25
Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon $90
Advance Wars Days of Ruin $35
Rune Factory 1/3(ds)/4(3ds) $110
Shadow Hearts (all 3) $250


Wanted
Fire Emblem Path of Radiance
Dragon Warrior 3/4 NES (box/manual/inserts etc, already have game carts)
Final Fantasy NES
Bad News Baseball (cart only is fine)

Obtained
Final Fantasy II (SNES) cart only
Dragon Warrior 2 NES CIB

Ill update this list as i get more stuff to trade/sell. The new listed items will be marked with

Hello, got a list of games to sell/trade. I have:

Other

* ffx-2 strategy guide (no poster) $15
* diablo 3 strategy guide (no poster) $15
* resident evil 5 strategy guide (no poster) $15
* resident evil archives volume 1 and 2 $90

snes

* final fantasy 2 snes manual/game $70
* super mario rpg (loose) $80

genesis

* Normy's Beach Babe-O-Rama $20

Wii

* super mario all stars (nintendo selects) $25

Gamecube

* ATV quad power racing 2 (no manual) $5
* cabela's big game hunter 2005 $5
* final fantasy crystal chronicles (no manual, has writing on the case) $10
* resident evil $20
* soul calibur 2 (no manual) $20
* pokemon colosseum (loose) $100
* mario party 4 (loose) $40
* zelda windwaker & ocarina of time/master quest combo cib $190
* resident evil 4 special edition $130

3ds

* pokemon alpha sapphire $25

N64

* A bugs life (loose) $10

PC

* diablo 3 $5
* guild wars 2 $5
* the orange box $5

PS1

* crash bandicoot 3 warped (no manual) $12
* twisted metal 2 (no manual) $30
* the unholy war (loose) $10
* metal gear solid $35

PS2

* tom clancy's splinter cell $5
* tony hawks pro skater 3 $5
* 007 agent under fire $5
* tony hawks underground 2 $12
* need for speed most wanted black (missing dvd but cib everything else. i don't know how to price this one as its price is all over on ebay sold) $40
* resident evil 4 premium edition $70

PS3

* prince of persia $5
* god of war 3 $5
* god of war collection $12
* uncharted 2, 3 ($5 each or $8 altogether)

PS4

* destiny steelbook (no manual just steelbook case and game) $10
* kingdom hearts 3 $5
* resident evil 2 remake steelbook (no game or manual) $80
* blasphemous deluxe edition (cib but theres damage on the artwork on the spine) $30

xbox

* codename kids next door operation videogame $10
* crash nitro kart (no manual) $5
* hitman contracts $5
* legends of wrestling $5
* legends of wrestling 2 $5
* mission impossible operation surma (no manual) $5
* mortal kombat deadly alliance (no manual) $5
* showdown legends of wrestling (sealed) $20
* ssx 3 (no manual) $5
* star wars battlefront (loose in a generic case) $5
* turok evolution (case is beyond saving but disc is still in good shape) $5
* x-men legends (loose in generic case) $5

Xbox one bundle $110

1tb console loose (but has connections)
Prey
Borderlands handsome collection
Bioshock collection
Mk11
Assassins creed odyssey
Far cry 5
Monster hunter world
Dragon age inquisition
Final fantasy 15
Fallout 4 goty
Left 4 dead 2

Accepting only paypal. Also these prices are usd without shipping calculated. Prefer bundles and everything is obo. There are pics for most of the games in my available list, but, a lot of them just got resurfaced so they are in better condition. Pics requested will be provided as soon as i can.

Six new arcade games from Arcade August to add to the pile.

Number: 43
Full Title: 6404722688" rel="nofollow" title="twitter.com/Renaissance2K/status/1690500126404722688 (secure)" target="_blank">RayForce
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Destroy the Core (already earned)

This space shoot 'em up was the Retro Talkshop Thread Game of the Month back before I joined the group. The big gimmick in this game is a secondary fire that lets you lock on to multiple targets below your field of view before they get into attack range. The mechanic was fun in the early, slower-paced levels, but as the game progressed, I had a harder time juggling multiple layers of targets on top of all the bullets and debris that filled the screen. I used this game as an excuse to dust off my Taito Egret II Mini, which has an adjustable screen for vertical shooters like this one, though I didn't get to fully take advantage since I played/captured to a desktop screen.

Number: 44
Full Title: The Astyanax
Platform Played: EverCade
Collection: Jaleco Arcade Collection 1
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: N/A

Another game from the pre-R2K Retro Talkshop Thread era, I played The Astyanax on the Evercade VS on one of its early arcade collections. The game reminds me of Golden Axe, if it was a straight-up sidescroller without the additional degrees of movement. The game is surprisingly forgiving for an action game - your character has health bars, and screen clearing attacks are quite plentiful - but the various levels make up for this by throwing an insane amount of respawning enemies at you at any given time. It also discourages attack spamming by giving your axe a rechargeable power meter (with a neat flaming effect when it's at full power). Not bad, but not especially memorable.

Number: 45
Full Title: Ninja Gaiden
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (already earned)

Ninja Gaiden for the NES is a celebrated, polished action game that I found quite difficult despite the extreme difficulty, but the arcade original on which it was based is a different story entirely. The game is clunky, has unforgiving hitboxes (that pair terribly with the AI's unfair reaction time), features truly annoying bosses, and doesn't have any of the cinematic charm that made its console port so unique. I limped my way through the majority of the game, surviving a few unfair swinging sequences that require touching a button that seems inert otherwise, only to hit a brick wall at the game's final level, which abruptly stops being generous with checkpoints. If you can abuse the game's Neck Throw move to keep from getting hit, especially against bosses, you might stand a chance, but I question if it's worth it.

Number: 46
Full Title: Altered Beast
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (already earned)

I played through every version of Altered Beast that I could get my hands on back in 2019, but that was in the very early days of the MiSTer project, before I owned one and before the various Sega arcade systems were supported. Times have changed, and Arcade August gave me an excuse to boot up the MiSTer port of the game and play through it, this time on accurate hardware with a real arcade stick. It's still Altered Beast, warts and all, but there are few better ways to play the arcade original these days if you don't have access to a cabinet.

Number: 47
Full Title: Super Dodge Ball
Platform Played: Switch
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Bo Knows (1/2)?

After decades of Bionic Commando fandom, playing through the famed NES release for the first time last month was like taking the last bite of a delicious meal that I had been saving. After decades of Super Dodge Ball fandom, however, playing through the arcade original - which I didn't even realize existed until this month - yielded the complete opposite effect. Only one player on your team can use special throws, the opposing team is clearly doping, and you're severely outnumbered when you factor in the other team's access to subs. And the "suddenly switch control away from the player about to get beaned" bug/feature/mechanic is going in the Hall of Shame. At least the soundtrack is the same. I'd complain about the lack of a Shadow Team match, but it'd probably be impossible to win anyway.

Number: 48
Full Title: 644558093 (secure)" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/Renaissance2K/status/1692387850644558093">Arcade Archives: Sunset Riders
Platform Played: Switch
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Heavy Machine Gun (already earned)

I played Sunset Riders on MAME back in 2020 for the Retro Talkshop Thread. Since the MAME version defaults to the 4-player cabinet, which doesn't let you switch characters without a lot of config juggling, I picked up the Switch version from Arcade Archives and played through the game with Bob, who uses a shotgun with a bigger spread. The firing rate is supposed to be lower, but especially after grabbing a power-up, the wider range made it especially easy to avoid bullets and take out multiple enemies at once. This game is still a blast, and I really appreciated the animation and cartoony style during my second run.

Still making slow progress in Final Fantasy XVI between blasts of arcade games. We'll see how far I can take that by the end of August.

Yea Astrobot was to PSVR what Mario 64 was to N64

Dick Tracy for the Japanese Mega Drive! Complete with case and manual. Slightly different cart shape but same pin layout as the US Version. Same rom inside too. It actually switches between being in English and Japanese depending on the region of your system! So if you were hoping to play it in Japanese on your Genesis, sorry to disappoint. But if you can't stand to see the word Dick on your shelf, this can help because the cover is in Japanese! デイック is way less obvious!

Price Charting says $75.25, I will sell for $60 shipped. Or maybe less.

Also willing to consider trades/partial for N64 games: Mario 64, Mario Kart, Pokémon Snap, Banjo Kazooie/Tooie, or Donkey Kong 64.

Trades will be based on the actual value of both sides (i.e. I would use the $78 value for Fantasy Zone instead of the discounted $62 buy price to compare to the market value of N64 games offered. For partial trades, we can use maff to prorate the remaining price after factoring in trade value)


Also available for Japanese PS2:

Fantasy Zone Complete Collection (Sega Ages 2500)
Complete with case and manual, VG condition. Will take pics if anyone is interested.
I bought it digitally so I no longer need the physical version.
Price Charting shows it at $85, there's only one ebay sold listing for it, at $78.
Looking to get $62 shipped via check/money order/paypal f&f
Is it really worth the price you will have to pay? temp on hold for SupremeSarna

Available for PC Engine
Have a copy of Final Soldier for the PC Engine, complete with case and manual.
If you like your shooty shooty pew pew games, this is one of the best on the system, and it's not on the mini. It also never got a US release so that's one less pain point for Turbografx collectors to have to deal with.
Pricecharting says $53.38 which tracks pretty well to the average of ebay sold listings which are mostly between $45 and $60. Many of which also include an additional charge for shipping from Japan... some as high as $18!
My price is $43 shipped.
I found out I still have it on Wii Virtual Console, so letting the physical one go.
PC Engine is a region locked system as far as I am aware, so you are responsible to make sure you can play it before pending a trade! offer received, awaiting confirmation

Available for Japanese Famicom (need Famicom compatible system or Famicom to NES adapter to play):

Gorby no Pipeline Daisakusen (cart only)

Everyone's favorite Russian head of state is featured on the cartridge, the title screen, and nowhere else in this unusual puzzle game from Compile, who would go on to make Puyo Puyo. Start your collection of Gorbachev-themed games today (believe it or not, there are some others to collect too!)

I did not find any loose sold copies on ebay. The lowest priced listing right now is $37.16, and pricecharting is similar at $37.46.

My copy can be yours for $29 shipped.

I'm finishing arcade games faster than I can post updates about them. Here's a big update with seven new arcade clears.

Number: 36
Full Title: Three Wonders
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Heavy Machine Gun (already earned), Destroy the Core (2/2), Brain Teaser (1/2)

When I logged this game into my Backloggery, I was surprised to see that I played through this three-game collection on PSP many moons ago. Three Wonders packages a fantasy run-and-gun named Midnight Wanderers, a shoot-em-up named Chariot that re-uses some characters and assets, and a totally-unrelated Bomberman/Lolo puzzle hybrid called Don't Pull. All three games stand on their own, but Midnight Wanderers was clearly the most polished, and I had a lot of fun with Don't Pull, at least until the halfway point when the enemy aggression went through the roof.

Number: 37
Full Title: Fantasy Zone
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Destroy the Core (already earned), Grown-Ass Man (2/2)

Oh lordy, Fantasy Zone nearly broke me.

Despite the cartoonish, brightly-covered exterior, Fantasy Zone turns from a "fun, cutesy, lighthearted romp" to an animated Gremlins movie. I discovered too much about the game's economy - notably, how upgrades get more expensive each time you make a repeat purchase - leaving me at a point where the only way I could beat the final boss was with a weapon that was too expensive for me to purchase. After seven grueling levels, each with its own annoying boss, it was pretty disheartening to have to start all over, but fortunately, the second run went a lot more smoothly.

Number: 38
Full Title: Final Fight
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (already earned)

I played through this on the Capcom Beat 'em Up collection. In the time since, the MiSTer Project dropped a CPS-1 core (the arcade system used by Final Fight and a bunch of other 90s Capcom games), and I'd been looking for an excuse to play through it again on more accurate hardware with a real arcade stick. I don't know what it was about the playthrough, but I had such a blast. Playing it on a real screen with real buttons and the music blasting was just a lot of fun. As much as I love having so many great games on the go, playing games at home definitely strikes a different note.

Number: 39
Full Title: Mortal Kombat II
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Street Fightin' (already earned)

Every time I've played through the original arcade release of Mortal Kombat II, it's been as part of a poorly-emulated collection. Though we're still months away from a MiSTer port, I decided to load the game up on MAME and see those gigantic digitized sprites in all their glory. The game is every bit of a quarter muncher as it is on consoles, even with the difficulty set to "Very Easy", but nothing could have prepared me for the nightmare of Kintaro. It took dozens of dozens of attempts before I was able to lock the ugly multi-limbed bastard into submission with a combination of sai throws and jump kicks, and even then, it was a learning process. Shao Khan was a breeze in comparion.

Number: 40
Full Title: 641265065984" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="twitter.com/Renaissance2K/status/1689125641265065984 (secure)">Sega Ages: OutRun
Platform Played: Switch
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Race Drivin' (2/2)

In 1991, when I was seven years old, my extended family had a huge reunion that will live forever in my memory because (a) I had my first (unintentional) sip of black coffee, and it turned me off from the stuff for all eternity; and (b) we rented arcade machines for Street Fighter II and OutRun, on which I bounced back and forth nearly all day. I wasted hours timing out on OutRun before realizing that the car goes considerably faster if you shift it into high gear. "Passing Breeze" will forever be associated with that Game Over screen as a result.

I've been eyeing OutRun in the Retro Talkshop Thread backlog for quite a while, but Arcade August was the perfect opportunity to dig into it a little bit. It's not an easy game, and while I have a real racing wheel with which to control the game, I never convinced myself that I had set it up properly on either the MiSTer or MAME, so I gave up and booted the Sega Ages version on Switch, which had analog control, at least. It took a lot of trial and error and plenty of pattern memorization before I finally got the hang of the last segments of the course and crossed the finish line.

Number: 41
Full Title: Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire
Platform Played: Windows
Collection: Capcom Arcade Stadium 2
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Street Fightin' (already earned)

I played through Darkstalkers 3 and all its ports on nearly (or absolutely?) every supported platform two years ago when it became the Retro Talkshop Thread Game of the Month, covering all characters and secrets. Since then, it dropped as part of the Capcom Arcade Stadium 2, where I picked it up for two playthroughs with Talbain and Morrigan. The experience on the Steam Deck didn't feel very different from that on the MiSTer, but most of the latter's beta graphical issues were resolved here, and I desperately missed having a true six-button layout.

Number: 42
Full Title: Burgertime
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Quarter Muncher (2/2)

Rounding off this giant post and the last of the Front Room arcade games, I did a loop of Burgertime this morning. I revisited the game back in 2020 Year of Replays because of the soft place I have for it in my heart (it was one of the first NES games I ever owned, and my dad and I would play it together) though I fared much better this time around, making it to the end of the fifth level and then stretching things until Level 3 of the second loop. Those pickles never knew what hit them.

I've been playing arcade games in the morning while I wait for my son to wake up and playing Final Fantasy XVI in the evening when I have some time to myself. So far, that's been working out pretty well, though it's getting harder and harder to pick up arcade games when I'm in Clive's shoes.

Arcade August is in full swing with three more completions from our Retro Talkshop Thread arcade.

Number: 33
Full Title: The Simpsons
Platform Played: Arcade
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (2/2)

I don't hold it in as high regard as the original Ninja Turtles arcade game, but I do remember playing The Simpsons in arcades and fun zones back during its hey day. I rarely made it past the first boss (unless I happened to be packing a fistful of quarters), but playing at home allowed me to appreciate how it was a faithful extension of the show with great animation, in spite of some hilarious mischaracterization of Smithers and Mr. Burns. The animation is great, the level designs are clever, and while it's every bit as much of a quarter muncher of other early 90's arcade games, the enemies and brawling make for a fun romp.

Number: 34
Full Title: Crazy Taxi
Platform Played: Dreamcast
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Dreamcast
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: N/A

I played Crazy Taxi more than any other Dreamcast game back in the day. Fighting through blisters on my fingers (a side effect of the game's button-mashing boost mechanics), there were few better "snacks" than racing around San Francisco while The Offspring blasted in the background. I lost most of my muscle memory for the game over the years, completely forgetting how to execute boosts consistently, but after a whole lot of frustrating trial-and-error this week on multiple platforms, I got my figurative license back, taking home a $6,000 tab and an S-class license for the win.

Number: 35
Full Title: Metal Slug X
Platform Played: Windows
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Windows
Original Platforms: Neo Geo
Applicable Badge: Heavy Machine Gun

Heading into the Back Room of the RTT Arcade, I wanted to pick up an arcade game in our list for which I already have a playthrough recorded and posted. Metal Slug X is an easy choice because I already have footage recorded, and it has a Verified port for the Steam Deck. Nothing much has changed here - the gameplay is still a pandemonium of beautiful sprite animation and cartoonish mayhem - save for a few more gameplay tweaks and some easy Steam achievements. Once again, I was caught off guard by the game's relatively-easy first level and got absolutely trounced by everything that followed, especially the mummy level.

Finishing a game on the Dreamcast means I've reached the halfway point on my platforms. Final Fantasy XVI will be another box checked off when the time comes, but other than that, expect oodles of arcade game completions in the coming weeks.

Nice haul! I've always wanted Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa on the go, but I could never find a copy for a desirable price. As for that Mario 64 game, wowzer! It's so cool! They made one for Kirby's Pinball Land that I'd kill for, but I've never seen one sold.

Paper Mario (N64 original) and Oracle of Seasons on Switch are my most recent completions. Going through OoA now.

I know I said I was done with Bionic Commando games with my last update, but I couldn't let such a special Game of the Month go to waste without replaying one of my personal favorites.

Number: 30
Full Title: 6494927503360 (secure)" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/Renaissance2K/status/1685776494927503360">Bionic Commando
Platform Played: Game Boy
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Game Boy
Original Platforms: Game Boy
Applicable Badge: Heavy Machine Gun (already earned)

I gushed about this game back in 2020 where it featured in my Year of Replays, so I only need to rehash a few bullet points. It has one of the best 8-bit soundtracks in history. It's probably my favorite Game Boy game, colorized or otherwise. And even when compared to later games in the franchise that could capitalize on better hardware, it has the most satisfying swinging mechanics this side of Spider-Man. If the NES port of Bionic Commando is considered a hidden gem, the Game Boy version - which abandons the military theme for an anime aesthetic - is even more hidden and twice as precious.

Number: 31
Full Title: Bionic Commando: Elite Forces
Platform Played: Game Boy Advance
Collection: N/A
Native Platform: Game Boy Color
Original Platforms: Game Boy Color
Applicable Badge: Heavy Machine Gun (already earned), Girl Power (1/2)

Then, there's Elite Forces. Despite being excited that the Game Boy favorite was getting a sequel of sorts, I never picked this up until this month. More of a reboot than a sequel, Elite Forces adds a female protagonist with alternate levels and some impressive Delphine-esque animated characters. What is also adds, to its detriment, are a bunch of other unwanted tropes from the Game Boy Color era: ultra low quality digitized voices that are barely understandable, a field of view that's zoomed in way too far to make calculated jumps, and flat backgrounds that can barely be parsed against equally-flat character sprites. Throw in a pack of frustrating, spongey bosses, and I don't think I missed out on that much in the two decades that I ignored its release, but the swinging is still a lot of fun when I'm not flinging myself towards a cheap death.

Number: 32
Full Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Platform Played: Windows
Collection: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection
Native Platform: Arcade
Original Platforms: Arcade
Applicable Badge: Pile Drivin' (1/2)

Moving on to the Retro Talkshop Thread's August arcade extravaganza, it's probably no surprise that I dove back into the orignal Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game as the first of the winning "front room" arcade games on show this month. No new revelations into this classic, beloved game this time around that haven't already been said, but I continue to be stupified by how much of a quarter muncher this monster is, particularly during boss fights. Gnarly, dude.

Okay, FOR REAL, I'm picking Final Fantasy XVI back up tonight. I'll be peppering that epic experience with the cornucopia of classic arcade titles featured in the Retro Talkshop Thread.

KCPenguins wrote:


SM64 at least gave you the option to toggle between the Lakitu cam and the Mario cam. It also didn’t let the camera get in a position where you couldn’t see Mario anymore. In Sunshine, there were plenty of times where the camera got in a position that I could even see where Mario was anymore.

KCPenguins wrote:

I'm totally with you, although we are in the minority. Sunshine is difficult to play now, but I never liked Mario 64. The FLOODless levels were definitely the best part of Sunshine. Galaxy was great though. The most incredible part was how they were still introducing new mechanics even towards the end of the game.

Sun wrote:


As someone who has always disliked Mario 64 (it was literally the death of the franchise as "iconic" to me until Galaxy), how is the 64 camera better than Sunshine? Imo sunshine was marginally better, with the sections without FLOOD being fantastic. (Mario Galaxy anyone?)