Classic Gamer Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue #1

8/8/2019 Classic Gamer Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue #1

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This issue of Classic Gamer Magazine is freely distributable

under a Creative Commons license, but we suggest that you paywhat it is worth to you. Click the PayPal link above, or send

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Classic Gamer

Magazine

Vol. 3, Issue #1

Editor-in-ChiefChris Cavanaugh

Managing Editors

Scott MarriottSkyler Miller

Layout and DesignSkyler Miller

Contributors

Mark AndrovichChris Brown

Jason BuchananChris Cavanaugh

Scott MarriottSkyler MillerEvan Phelps

Kyle SnyderJonathan Sutyak

Brett Weiss

Contact Information

[email protected]

Products, logos,screenshots, etc. named

in these pages aretradenames ortrademarks of theirrespective companies.Any use of copyrightedmaterial is coveredunder the "fair use"doctrine. Classic GamerMagazine and its staffare not affiliated with thecompanies or productscovered.

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contents24 Cover Story:

The Pac-Man Legacy

4 Staff5 Classic Gaming Expo 20106 Nintendo @ E37 Batter Up! A Visual History of NES Baseball

8 Super NES vs. Sega Genesis13 Bringing the Past Back to Life16 It's War! Classics vs. Remakes18 Five Atari 2600 Games Worse Than E.T.21 Podcast Review: RetroGaming Roundup23 Revenge of the Birds

34 Shovelware Alert! Astro Invaders35 Pixel Memories39 Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands41 Arcade ... To Go46 Another Trip Inside Haunted House47 3D Dot Game Heroes Review49 What's New in Arcades?51 Words from the Weiss54 Scott Pilgrim vs. CGM56 Happy Birthday Pac-Man!

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Mark Androvich has written over 13 video game strategy guides,been a contributor to Hardcore Magazine, reviews writer and editor

for PSE2 Magazine, and the first U.S. editor for Gameindustry.biz.

Christopher Brown learned to write at approximately the sametime he learned to play video games, and he has enjoyed doing both for the last 25 years. He receiveda bachelor's degree in journalism from Eastern Michigan University in 2002, and since 2007 hasworked as a full-time writer and editor at Allgame.com, where he has contributed more than 2,000original reviews and descriptions. Brown has also contributed to Video Game Collector magazine,done freelance travel writing, and written for Detroit-area sports magazines and blogs.

Jason Buchanan is a die-hard horror movie geek whose first video game system was the Atari2600. Hes a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, and a full-time writer for Allmovie.com and

TVGuide.com. He's also contributed numerous reviews to Allmusic.com and Allgame.com. Inaddition to working in freelance television production for over a decade, he recently finished his firstindependent feature entitled True Extremes. He likes Ovaltine on his ice cream, and his childhoodfriends were repulsed by his love for creamed tuna and peas on toast.

Chris Cavanaugh is the lead editor at Allgame.com and the founder of Classic Gamer Magazine.He previously served as editor-in-chief for Video Game Collector Magazine, has written articles forGameSpy, Tips and Tricks Magazine, contributed to Digital Press, and edited Leonard Herman's ABCto the VCS 2nd Edition.

Scott Marriottworked as Allgame.com's senior editor and is an active contributor to G4 Media's X-Play and Viacom's GameTrailers. He has also written for Video Game Collector Magazine.

Skyler Miller has written for Gamespot, Salon.com, X-Play and Allgame.com.

Evan Phelps is a frequent contributor to Game World Networks, and has written for Allgame.comand Video Game Collector Magazine. In 2005, he worked as a floor correspondent for G4 televisionsE3 coverage alongside Spike TVs Geoff Keighley and Microsofts Tina Wood and Laura Foy.

Kyle Snyderbegan writing about gaming culture during the mid 90s in Frank Poloskys VideoMagic fanzine. He currently writes a column for Game Room Magazine called Lost Arcade Classic.Kyle is also an avid arcade collector, and owns 14 cabinets including Ms.Pac-Man, Donkey Kong Jr.,Mousetrap, Turbo, Millipede, Gunsmoke and Arkanoid 2: Revenge of Doh.

Jonathan Sutyakgraduated Arizona State University in 1998 and shortly thereafter became aregular contributor to Allgame.com. He began gaming on the Intellivision and experienced manyclassics for the first time at the brilliant Funspot arcade. He is also a big fan of Sega's 8-bit and 16-bitconsoles.

Brett Weiss has written numerous articles that have appeared in Comic Buyers Guide, Fangoriaand Allgame.com. Brett recently authored two books: Classic Home Video Games: 1972-1984 andClassic Home Video Games: 1985-1988.

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It was Game on! once more as Classic GamingExpo celebrated its 12th anniversary in style at thefreshly remodeled Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas.Neither biker gangs nor roller derby girls norsearing desert heat could stop vintage gamingenthusiasts from enjoying two days of pixelatedbliss. Aside from the always entertaining paneldiscussions featuring speakers from gamings past,attendees were also treated to a showing of themovie Joysticks and the documentaryGet Lamp.Couldnt attend? Never fear. Plans are underway

for Classic Gaming Expo 2k11. Visit www.cgexpo.com and www.digitpress.com to stay updated.-Chris Cavanaugh

Classic Gaming Expo2 0 1 0

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Kid Icarus: Uprising

One of the biggest surprises atNintendo's E3 keynote address,outside of the 3DS system itself, wasthe return ofKid Icarus,nowa3Daction title featuring both aerial andground combat. You'll guide angelPit in his fight against Medusa'ssinister army, using a limited abilityto fly (the power only lasts fiveminutes) to reach battles on land.The handheld's slider moves KidIcarus, while the touchscreencontrols the camera. Shootingarrows is accomplished by holdingdown the left bumper. Designed bythe man responsible for bothKirbyandSuper Smash Bros., Uprising isthe firstKid Icarus game since 1991.

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Donkey and Diddy return to rumblein the jungle with this side-scrollingfollow-up to Rare'sDonkey KongCountry series. Banana seekers canplay solo or team up in co-op modeto locate Kongs stolen hoard whileriding mine cars, swinging from

vines, and ground-slapping enemiesout of the way.

Kirbys Epic Yarn

Everyones favorite pink puffballreturns to weave an all-newplatforming adventure on Wii. Nowcomposed of yarn, Kirby can changethe fabric of his environments(literally!) by pulling loose threadsto reveal hidden locations andneeded objects. Plus it just wouldnt

be Kirby if he didnt morph himself

into a variety of useful items andvehicles, including a parachute,submarine, and UFO.

GoldenEye 007

Xbox 360 fans despair as Rare'sbeloved GoldenEye gets a modernupdate for Wii. Developed byEurocom (007: Nightfire and N64sThe World is Not Enough),GoldenEye replaces Pierce Brosnan

with Daniel Craig and introducesmultiple control schemes, from the

Wii Remote and Nunchuk combo tothe Classic Controller. Split-screensupport for up to four players isonce again available, this time witha choice of 40 Bond characters.Shoot it out on five maps that can

be tailored over 500 ways by using

16 modifiers. GoldenEye alsofeatures online support for up toeight players.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarinaof Time 3D

Link's most critically acclaimedgame is slated to appear onNintendo's next-gen handheld,along with several other N64favorites. Guide Link in his first 3D

adventure, one that allows him tomusically alter time by blowing intothe titular instrument. It is unclear

whether the game will be a straightport with enhanced controls or onefeaturing revamped visuals andadded bonuses. Either way, fans ofthe sword-swinging, arrow-slinginghero will want to "listen!" carefullyfor the game's eventual release dateannouncement.

Nintendo@E3Despite revealing a next-generation portable systemwith a 3D screen, Nintendo didn't forget its roots at E3.

Not only did the company announce new titles for long-time favorites Donkey Kong and Kirby, but it also

reached back to the early days of the NES to revive acertain mythologically inspired character.

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BatterUp!AVisualHistoryofNESBaseball

Baseball, 1985 Bases Loaded, 1988 Major League Baseball, 1988 R.B.I Baseball, 1988

Tecmo Baseball, 1989Baseball Stars, 1989 Bases L oaded II, 1990 Baseball Simulator 1.000, 19 90

Bad News Baseball, 1990 Dusty Diamond All-Star Softball, 1990 Little League Baseball, 1990 R.B.I. Baseball 2, 1990

Base Wars, 1991 Bo Jackson Baseball, 1991 R.B.I. Baseball 3, 1991 Roger Clemens MVP Baseball, 1991

Bases Loaded 3, 1991 Baseball Stars II, 1992 Legends of the Diamond, 1992 Bases Loaded 4, 1992

Sports games have always been an important part of a console's lineup, and this was especially truefor the NES. From the simply-titled "Baseball" in 1985 to "Bases Loaded 4" seven years later,

Nintendo's first home system was graced with 20 versions of the USA's national pasttime.

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In an industry where originality is at a premium, it is not surprising tosee the same games appearing on as many platforms the market willsupport. After all, companies need to be profitable and not every consolesystem has the user base to justify spending the added time and expense

associated with retooling an already existing game. So it is surprisingwhen two versions of a game released by the same publisher end upbeing different.

Though cross-platform releases have been a part of the console industry since third-party publishers like Activision, Parker Brothers, and Imagic welcomed the Atari VCScompetition with open arms, the trend became increasingly popular during the 16-bitera, where the two titans of the time, Sega and Nintendo, battled neck and neck forthe ultimate in bragging rights: the number-one selling console in the United States.

If history is any indication, there are two types of multiplatform releases. Theoverwhelming majority are near-identical titles offering slight improvements on themore technologically advanced system, which in the case of Sega versus Nintendo,typically meant the game enjoyed more colorful graphics and more pleasing sound onSuper NES. Thus, by and large, most players would want the Nintendo version of thesame game.

Yet there are also those titles that cater to a specific platform, with the developerschanging key design features to accommodate a perceived difference in audiences or tosimply play up a systems strengths. The latter approach is obviously of most interest to

classic gamers, since it means there is potentially a better title out there worthexperiencing.

The two main competing systems at the time (the third, NECs TurboGrafx-16, simplydidnt have the third-party support to draw suitable comparisons) also presented uniquechallenges to developers. The Super NES, in the hands of inexperienced programmers,could suffer from bouts of slowdown, earning the system the derogatory nickname ofsneeze for its comparatively slower processor.

Sega Genesis

Super NES

ByScottMarriott

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The Mortal Mondayrelease ofMortal Kombat(September 13, 1993) was apivotal one for Nintendofans, as it showed achanging attitude in gamesthat could no longer beignored. Though the SuperNES version has the edge interms of visuals and sound,including more voicesamples, the drastic edits tothe finishing moves andabsence of a blood codefound in the Genesis game

would irritate enoughpotential consumers that ithelped changed Nintendoslongstanding policy againstviolence. No amount ofsweat droplets coulddisguise the fact thatplaying Mortal Kombatonthe Super NES was likewatching Pulp Fiction orScarface on networktelevision whats thepoint? After Acclaims salesfigures showed more peoplepurchasing the Genesis

version, Nintendo refusedto make the same mistaketwice, relaxing its stance onviolence at least forthird-party publishers with the release ofMortalKombat II.

While most would considerthe winner of this match-upthe lesser of two evils, there

are nonetheless differencesworth mentioning between thetwo cartridges. The packagingis different, with the Genesiscover featuring anunintentionally hilariousimage of Shaq with his teethclenched and his outstretchedhand in some sort of deathgrip (the Super NES went for amore solemn look from the

basketball star, and a more

subdued death grip). TheGenesis cart also weighs in ata Shaqtastic 24-megabits

(eight more than theNintendo game), offering fivemore characters and fiveadditional environments. Thefirst fighting game from theFrench developers of

Flashback and Out of thisWorldwas also bundled witha CD sampler ofShaq-Fu: Da

Return, but only in theGenesis version.

The Genesis had more problems. Though it had a faster processor, it was handicapped with alimited color palette, a lack of whiz-bang features like hardware scaling, and an inferior soundchip. Another very real issue publishers had to face was the cost difference in manufacturingcartridges, with Nintendo asking for a bigger cut of royalty fees. This, coupled with the companyslongstanding tradition of decency, often led to some interesting decisions and/or changes.

So without further ado, Classic Gamer Magazine presents ten games that offer differentexperiences depending on which system they appeared. Some are slight, some are substantial, and

some are just silly. Of course, this list is far from comprehensive. Also keep in mind that these aregames released by the same publisher, so same title/different games like Jurassic Park, Disneys

Aladdin, and Shadowrun were not considered for comparison.

Shaq-Fu1994, Electronic Arts

Mortal Kombat1993, Arena/Acclaim Entertainment

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One of the most criticallyacclaimed games of its time,Earthworm Jim stars anaverage worm who happens

upon a super-powered spacesuit and uses it to exact hisrevenge on thoseresponsible for killing hisdirt-dwelling family. Thereare even more offbeat thingsto see and do in the Genesisversion, however, with anentirely new level that findsthe hero using his head as a

propeller to negotiate a

treacherous path of gurglingintestines (IntestinalDistress). While the SuperNES version has a few extra

visual effects, the control,music, and sound lack thepunch of the Genesis game,which was more a testamentto great programming thanany advantage in hardware.Things would even out inthe sequel, but this firstbattle has the Genesisversion wiggling out in

front.

Earthworm Jim1993, Arena/Acclaim Entertainment

The most unusual release onthis list, since both versionsare completely different. TheSuper NES game is a

standard beat-em-upreminiscent ofFinal Fight,

Rival Turfand others in thekick-and-punch genre. TheGenesis version, however,offers a mix of platforming,puzzles, light role-playingelements, and fast sword-swinging action. While bothgames feature the samethree characters (Ren, Tula,and Ioz) from the comic

book and Hanna-Barberaanimated series, the 16-megabit Sega game is a solo-affair only, with the ability toswap out characters at the

beginning of each new stage.Iguana Entertainment, theteam behindAero the

Acrobat, developed theGenesis game, while Sunsofthandled the 8-megabitSuper NES game.

Tecmo Super Bowl1993, Tecmo

The 16-bit upgrades tothe NES blockbuster hitwere both equallyunderwhelming in termsof presentation, thoughthe Super NES versionfeatures some minorMode-7 effects and team

names in the endzones,which were inexplicablyabsent from the Segatitle. Since neitherpushes the system to itslimits, its puzzling whythere are evendifferences at all.

The Pirates of DarkWater1 9 9 4 , S u n s o f t

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Primal Rage for Super NESlacks the finishing moves,the kibbles and bits aftertearing into a foe, and the

ability to munch on thelocals. The Genesis gameretains the controversialfinishing moves, including

giant ape Chaos tinkling onhis defeated foe, whichkicked off a storm ofcontroversy that eventually

involved a Senator JosephLieberman rant and retailerslike Toys "R" Us pulling itfrom store shelves.

Primal Rage1995, Time Warner Interactive

A port of the hit SNK arcadeand Neo Geo game, both

versions offer two differentparts of the arcadeexperience. Since neitherconsole could adequatelydeliver the zooming action ofthe original, the developersused two differentapproaches: the 32-megabitSuper NES version stayszoomed out, maintaining afixed perspective with

smaller characters. Blood

sprays are intact, but some ofthe arcade originals cut-

scene dialogue has changedand most of the voices havebeen left on the cutting roomfloor. New features include acountdown mode and DolbySurround support. TheGenesis cart, on the otherhand, features a zoomed-inperspective but could nothandle the massive fighterEarthquake, who was

omitted. Background

animation and originaldialogue were also casualtiesin the Sega translation, andthe music is at its best whenmuted.

Samurai Shodown1994, Takara

What was a violent,extremely bloodyshooter on the Genesisbecame a clunky mess

on Super NES. Thecharacter sprites lookswollen in the Nintendocart, and the soundeffects and music arenot nearly as engagingas Tommy Tallaricossoundtrack in the Segagame. The women

removed from theGenesis game, likelybecause it was toocontroversial to shoot

female characters into abloody mess, made it tothe Super NES gameunscathed. The mostnotable feature of theNintendo version isperhaps the blackmolded plastic box.

Robocop vs. Terminator1993, Virgin

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While Electronic Arts wouldeventually go on to do greatthings on Super NES (suchas the exciting NBA Liveseries), the companys earlysports efforts weredownright abysmalcompared to the tight, fast-paced Genesis games.Though released a year later

than its Genesis counterpart,and despite featuring anadditional 12 teams, theNintendo game is thedefinition of choppy andsluggish, which must havemade many a Super NESowner wonder BOOM

what the fuss was with JohnMadden.

John Madden Football1991/92, Electronic Arts

Konami could do no wrong

on the Super NES, but theGenesis was another story.Though original games likeRocket Knight Adventuresand Castlevania: Bloodlineshelped put a smile on manya Sega fans face, inferiorports likeSunset Riderswould elicit tears.

Tournament Fightersbelongs in the lattercategory. Konami released

three different versions

(NES, Genesis, and SuperNES), but only the SuperNES game is worth yourtime and trouble. TheGenesis cartridge, whichfeatures a different storylineand setting (Dimension X),has scratchy sound, two lesscharacters, cheap AI, and

shockingly basic two-buttoncontrols. In this case, thereis little doubt as to which

Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles came from thesewers.

TMNT: Tourament Fighters1994, Konami

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Read previous issues ofClassic Gamer Magazine

@classicgamer.com


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For many video game

lovers, the closest they'llcome to owning their own

bona fide home arcade isa large-screen televisionfed by their choice ofhome console systems.

For Rodney Minch, however, itbegan by collecting and repairingclassic arcade machines. Fueledby childhood memories of

feeding quarters to the digitalmonoliths on weekend trips tothe local arcade, Minch hasacquired over twenty classicmachines since making the leapfrom video game junkie toserious collector. His dreambecame a reality right around thetime he moved into his firsthouse: "There just wasnt enoughspace in the apartment," saysMinch.

It was after acquiring a BadDudes machine from a friendthat Minch first tasted the joy ofowning his own full-sized, coin-operated arcade machine, andthough the monitor boardneeded some repair, the prospectof pounding baddies in thecomfort of his own home was allthe incentive needed to push theself-taught repairman into

hitting the books and learningthe skills needed to bring themachine back to life.

The fact that Minch had beeninto computers since about theage of ten certainly didnt hurt inlearning the ins and outs of themachines, and with the aid ofmonitor documentation andinternet FAQs, Minch was soon a

master in the art of analog

resuscitation.

The machines he owns aremainly of the 1980s variety,driven by fairly simple hardwareand basic transistor logic. Sincethen he has acquired a variety ofmachines, some simply for theenjoyment of repairing andselling, and others intendedspecifically for the purpose ofexpanding his rapidly growingprivate collection -- whichcurrently stands at 23 cabinets,including a Pinbotmachine. Asfor how he goes about finding theincreasingly rare but sometimeshighly sought-after machines,Minch mainly relies on the localBargain Corner and arcadeauctions to see what's out there.

When he began keeping tabs on

the arcade machine market in theearly 1990s, there was a wealth ofquality games available to theprospective buyer, a trend thatonly continued to grow as theinternet and eBay in particularmade access to and advertising ofthe machines more available tothe casual collector. Though theamount a machine can fetchdepends mainly on its workingcondition, the fact that Minch

has grown quite accustomed torepairing machines has made thevariety of potential purchasesmore open and the price rangemore accessible as well.

Though he claims that acquiringgames at arcade auctions isroughly the equivalent ofpurchasing an automobile from aused car salesman, Minch notes

buyers with good negotiatingskills may find that starting acollection isn't as expensive asone might suspect. Though thoseskills certainly can't hurt, it'smainly a matter of being in theright place at the right time. Likethe time when Minch called aseller who was advertising six

BRINGING THE PASTBACK TO LIFEBy Jason Buchanan

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games in the Bargain Corner.Minutes after Minchs call, asecond potential buyer phoned infor directions to pick up thegames. The seller incorrectlyassumed it was Minch callingback.

When Minch called to confirmthat he could transport themachines, the confused sellerinformed him that he had giventhe second caller directions andMinch now had a race on hishands. Though Minch won thatparticular race, he didn't getaway as cleanly as he hoped afterstopping at a nearby gas stationto fuel up for the ride home: "Iwas standing at the pump filling

my tank when this truck pulledinto the gas station and a guy gotout and walked over to my trailerand began looking at themachines. I asked him, Can Ihelp you with anything? and theman inquired as to if these werethe machines that he himself wascurrently en route topurchasing. When Minchconfirmed that they were, thesecond place driver made no

attempts to hide his frustration."He was pretty pissed off," saidMinch with a small, sympatheticchuckle that suggested he knowswhat it's like to be on the losingend of that particular race.

As for his "holy grail" purchase,Minch is lucky to own one of thegames he has always wantedmost: Ataris Quantum, rumoredto be one of the rarest games

currently in circulation. Minchnotes that vector-based gamesare some of the most difficult torepair as a result of their fairlysophisticated technology, thoughwith a little time and thepurchase of some parts, boards,and monitors, he soon had thegame in working order. Rumorhas it that although Atariproduced 1,000 Quantum coin-

op machines, the boat carrying500 of them to Japan sunk whilecrossing the Atlantic -- making itone of the most sought-aftergames regardless of the fact thatQuantum never really clickedwith gamers.

How was Minch able to securesuch a rare find? Word of mouth:Minch came across Quantumwhen a friend informed him of a

guy who was preparing todemolish a nearby warehousethat had some machinesgathering dust. Though Minchgenerally collects more for actualgameplay than for the rarity of amachine, the prospect ofrepairing and owning a Quantumcoin-op proved too much toresist. Another fairly rare gamethat Minch owns is Reactor, apurchase he made from an

advertiser in the Bargain Cornerwho had the machine sittingdormant in a basement.Other games that Minchcurrently owns and cites as hisfavorites include AsteroidsDeluxe, Centipede, and his four-player Warlords cocktail table,with such fan favorites as StarWars, Battlezone, and RoadBlasters making for one hell of a

retro gaming party when Minchopens up his house to friends. Ata recent housewarming party,Minch's friends crowded into hisbasement mesmerized by theglowing screens as they wenthead to head in a variety ofPac-Man variants (Minch has thegameboard modified to includenumerous incarnations of thepopular yellow pellet muncher),practiced their sharpshooting in

Rolling Thunder, andexperienced the dirt tossing funofDig Dug or the double-fistedjoystick bliss ofBlack Widow.

As for those looking to start theirown personal arcade, Minchrecommends starting on theinternet, with the Killer List ofVideo Games (www.klov.com)offering a comprehensiveinventory on all known arcade

machines as well as manuals andschematics for the technicallyinclined buyer. Newsgroups alsoserved as a great resourceaccording to Minch, with RGVAC(rec.games.video.arcade.collecting) keeping the arcade-collectingcommunity connected andoffering an ideal means toexchange tips and informationwith fellow collectors.

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Vintage advertisement

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In Classic Gamer Magazine Vol. 1, Issue #6, fiveclassic games were compared to their modernday, upgraded remakes. The classics won in

decisive fashion, 4 to 1. The only remake in thelist that bested its progenitor was thePlayStation version ofQ*bert, which takes thebasic concept of the arcade original and expandsit admirably without sacrificing a lick in terms ofgameplay or fun factor. We now offer five moreclassic vs. remake comparisons to determine ifthe old favorites can be outmatched through newtechnology.

R O B O T R O N : 2 0 8 4 ( A T A R I 5 2 0 0 ) V S .

R O B O T R O N X ( P L A Y S T A T I O N )

While the Atari 5200 is often derided for itsloosey-goosey, non-centering joysticks, thesystem offered up an incredibly faithfulreproduction ofRobotron: 2084, one of the bestand most intense shooters from the early 80s.Included in the package was a special dualcontroller holder that allowed gamers to recreatethe twin joystick control of the arcade original.Robotron Xdoes not offer any special controltechniques (unless you happen to think a control

pad is special), but it is a decent (though lessharrowing) little game. Instead of viewing theaction from above, this version puts you 3D-styleon the floor of each room. This setup worksrelatively well and adds a new spin on a favoriteclassic.Classic: A+ Modern: C+

V I D E O O L Y M P I C S ( A T A R I 2 6 0 0 ) V S . P O N G : T H E

N E X T L E V E L ( P L A Y S T A T I O N )

Video Olympics offers 50 different variations onPong, the first commercially successful arcadegame. With its simplistic graphics and basicgameplay, Video Olympics may not seem likemuch at first glance, but it offers absorbing two-player action that is infinitely replayable,especially since the game utilizes the Atari2600s invaluable rotary paddle controllers.With its lack of rotary controls, Pong: The NextLevelcan be frustrating at times, but it is still aworthwhile game. The power-ups, multipleenvironments, 3D graphics, and otherenhancements make Pong relevant for jadedmodern audiences without corrupting or overlycomplicating gameplay.Classic: A Modern: B+

B R E A K O U T ( A T A R I 2 6 0 0 ) V S . B R E A K O U T

( P L A Y S T A T I O N )

As with Video Olympics, Breakoutmakesexcellent use of the Atari 2600 paddlecontrollers. Though not as good as its sequel,

Super Breakout, Breakoutfor the 2600 is afinely tuned, faithfully reproduced conversion ofan arcade classic. The PlayStation renditionadds personality, humor, adventure, and theobligatory power-ups to the Breakoutuniversewhile keeping the basic idea of batting a ball toremove bricks (and other objects in this version)from the playfield. Unfortunately, control can be

I T ' S W A R ! C L A S S I C S V S . R E M A K E S

B Y B R E T T W E I S S

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frustrating, and the original game is notincluded as part of the package. The last level issimilar to classic Breakout, but it is only one(non-repeating) screen.Classic: B Modern: C

S P A C E I N V A D E R S ( A R C A D E ) V S . S P A C E

I N V A D E R S ( P L A Y S T A T I O N )

Though not as bad as Galaga: DestinationEARTH, Space Invaders for the PlayStation ispretty darn pathetic. The power-ups, additionalweaponry, and lackluster foes combine to makethe game much too easy. Even the bosses andbonus rounds are incredibly easy to beat. Acompetent rendition of the superior originalgame is included, but wont replace outstandingversions ofSpace Invaders on Game Boy andSuper NES. The arcade version ofSpace

Invaders may have grown slightly stale over theyears, but its still an entertaining challenge.Classic: B+ Modern: D

A S T E R O I D S ( A R C A D E ) V S . A S T E R O I D S ( P C )

In Asteroids for the PC, the starkly beautifulblack-and-white vector graphics of the originalgame have been replaced with stunning outerspace vistas rivaling those seen in a Star Trekmovie. The basic rotating, thrusting, and rock-destroying action remain intact, and thekeyboard controls work great. New weapons,ships, and enemies have been added, as well asan engaging two-player simultaneous mode.While Asteroids is one of the more effectiveupdated remakes, the original game is still moreaddictive and more enjoyable. Luckily, a goodversion of the classic game is included in thepackage.Classic: A+ Modern: B

And there you have it, folks: Classic gaming

stomps the more technically advanced,ultimately less playable, modern renditions ofsaid classics by a hefty margin. Theoverwhelming victory of classics in this list doesnot necessarily prove that retrogaming is betterthan modern gaming, but it does help illustrateis that remakes are rarely better than theoriginal games on which they are based (aprinciple that applies to movies as well).Whether older, skill-based twitch games are

inherently better than newer, feature-heavygames of exploration is a debate for anothertime. Yet despite mixed reviews regardingupdated remakes, game companies shouldcontinue churning them out since they can oftenbe interesting and sometimes even enjoyable.

Brett Weiss is the author of Classic Home Video

Games, 1972-1984 (McFarland, 2007) and ClassicHome Video Games, 1985-1988 (McFarland, 2009).To catch up with Brett, check out his blog:brettweisswords.blogspot.com.

C

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It is a common belief that E.T.for the Atari 2600 is the worstgame ever! -- a notionrepeated ad nauseum oninternet forums -- yet thiscouldnt be further from thetruth.

The following five games are closerto the bottom of the Atari 2600barrel, and they certainly aren'talone. In fact, it was difficult just tonarrow the list down to fiveselections.

Between 1982 and 1983, dozens ofcompanies attempted to cash in on

the video game craze that wasmaking Activision and Atari wealthy.The problem is that most of themlacked talented programmers thatwere able to make the Atari 2600shine, resulting in games thatweren't able to compete with thelikes ofPitfall! and Demon Attack.

Had Atari been able to control thechip supply and require licenses ofgame publishers, as Nintendo laterdid, perhaps the majority of thesegames would not have been released.

The expensive and slow process ofmanufacturing cartridges meant that

companies weren't able to respondto the market (or lack of it) for theirsub-par games. Overestimatingdemand, companies were stuck withunsold inventory that they quicklydumped. The glut of titles causedfull-price sales to drop as consumers(mostly parents) faced the decisionof purchasing similar-looking game

boxes: one with a $39.99 price tagand one with a $9.99 price tag.

These factors led to the marketcrash, which can't be blamed on anyone particular game -- and certainlynot on E.T. Still not convinced?

Track down the following titles...

F i v e A t a r i 2 6 0 0

G a m e s W o r s e

T h a n E . T .

By Mark Androvich

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S n e a k n ' P e e k

One of the definingcharacteristics of video gamesis their ability to put players insituations they would neverface in real life -- hitting ahome run in the bottom of theninth to win the World Series,exploring ancient ruins, teeingoff against Tiger Woods, andsaving the world by defusing anuclear bomb, to give someexamples.

Of course, some video gamesput players in situations theycould easily experience in reallife -- poker, bowling and

tennis, for example -- but evenso, there are situations whereplaying virtual versions ofthose games might be justified.Perhaps it is raining outside, orperhaps you lack the necessaryequipment. However, thereisnt one single good reason forplaying a video game version of"hide and seek."

The majority of the gamevariations in Sneak n' Peekrequire a second player, thuseliminating the only plausibleexcuse (having no friends) forplaying the game in the firstplace. And since the hidingtakes place on-screen, theperson who is "it" has to coverhis eyes while the other personhides. Can you really trust

them not to look? To makematters more interesting, someof the hiding places defy thelaws of physics. Hiding in acloset or behind a couch makessense, but in the middle of afloor or under the house itself?

Just in case you weren't scaredoff by the mundane premise or

the florescent blue-and-purplegraphics, the programmersadded a soundtrack of atonalnursery rhyme favorites.

S t a r F o x

There is an old adage that saysyou get what you pay for.This is especially true withAtari 2600 games. WhenMythicon came out with theirline of $9.99 cartridges, at atime when new games sold forthree or four times thatamount, it was easy to beskeptical. Yet even meagerexpectations were unfulfilled

by the final product.

Star Foxis a generic side-scrolling shooter in the samevein as Defenderand ChopperCommand, except without aninteresting premise orserviceable graphics. In fact,without adequatescenery/landmarks, it is oftendifficult to determine yourmovements. An enemy fighterdrone tracks your everymovement, requiring you tomaneuver around it and eithershoot it or (on the lowerdifficulty) ram into it.

Two factors set Star Foxapartfrom mere mediocrity andlower it to the craptacular level.The first is the need to collectcrystals that periodically

appear on the surface belowyou. Due to touchy controls,which scroll the entire screenwith the slightest movement,collecting crystals is about aseasy as landing on a pinheadusing a pogo stick. You'll findyourself constantlyovershooting the crystals, andif you are fortunate enough to

find yourself directly aboveone, the aforementionedenemy drone is there todestroy you. The second factorthat makes Star Foxa game to

Sneak n' Peak

Star Fox

Swordquest Series

Sssnake

Skeet Shoot

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avoid is a constant buzzingnoise, as if the programmerPOKE'd a test value into thesound register and forgot toclear it, hoping that the rest ofthe game's meager soundeffects would drown it out.They don't.

S w o r d q u e s t S e r i e s

Yes, there are fans of thisseries, but they've deludedthemselves into thinking theyare playing actual games. Eachentry in the SwordQuestseriesis no more a video game than ascratch-off lottery ticket.

Not that there is anythingwrong with using a game for acontest or for promotionalpurposes, provided that thegame itself is compelling. Butthere ought to be a reason toplay the game after the contestis over. That's where Ataridefinitely dropped the ball onthe SwordQuestseries.

Through trial and error,players were required to findnumerical clues by placingitems in rooms with a vaguetheme. However, it was alsopossible to find the clues andsubmit a valid entry just byreading the comic bookenclosed with the game. As theproper location of itemsfollowed neither rhyme nor

reason, critical thinking orpuzzle-solving skills were notrequired. Crosswords, Sudoku,and even Brain Games requiremore use of one's gray matter.

The handful of game sequencesare so brief andinconsequential that mini-games seem like RPGs by

comparison. Finally, even ifyou were persuaded topurchase what was essentially asweepstakes entry, you weren'table to finish the story: Atarinever released all four games inthe series. To the eventualwinners of the $25,000 gold-

encrusted talisman and chalice,$39.99 might have been asmall price to pay. For the restof us, it was a colossal rip-off.

S s s n a k e

With an edgy name -- note theextra two letters -- and a labelshowing a guy battling a giant

snake wrapped around whatlooks like playgroundequipment floating in outerspace, how could this game gowrong?

For starters, the title andconcept seem to have little todo with the actual gameplay,which involves shootingenemies from inside a smallplaying field in the center ofthe screen. Unfortunately, yourshots can only travel throughsmall openings between dozens

of red squares surroundingyou. The enemies, however,slither right through thesebarriers.

Although your cannon canshoot in all four cardinaldirections, you cannot quickly

change position. If you arefacing south and a new enemyappears at the top of thescreen, you can't just turnaround. Instead, you musthead into one of the lowercorners of the playing field andmove upwards. Only when youreach the top can you slide leftand right, firing towards thetop of the screen. Of course, by

that time, the enemy hasovertaken you.

Imagine Centipede withmushrooms that areimpervious to damage. Nowconfine the shooter to theoutside edges of a 5" x 5"square in the center of thescreen, and then requireplayers to hit the exact corners

of the square to changedirection. Oh yeah removethe spider, eliminate theinteresting sound effects,

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simplify the graphics, and use ajoystick instead of a trackball.That's Sssnake in a nutshell.

S k e e t S h o o t

Games by Apollo released acouple of decent games beforegoing bankrupt, but you never

would have guessed that anyoneat the company knew how toprogram the Atari 2600 judging

by their debut game. The basicconcept, lining up a gun with atarget and pushing a button tofire, had been done many times

before. Atari's own Air SeaBattle cartridge, released fiveyears earlier, featured somethingsimilar as one its 27 game

variations, and Epyx's SummerGames featured a skeet shootinggame as just one of sevendifferent events.

Take away these additionalgame variations, lose thecolorful graphics, and make thecontrols slightly less responsive,and you're left with Skeet Shoot.Is it playable? Yes. Butconsidering what Activision wasdoing in 1982, the game was

definitely a step in the wrongdirection. Today, we might referto it as a "tech demo."

Classic gaming podcasts are becoming ascommon as Combatcartridges, so finding aquality one can become an exasperatingexperience. Too often the hosts forget to makethe show about the games and focus too muchon themselves. Fortunately, the guys atRetroGaming Roundup (Mike Kennedy, MikeJames, and Scott Schreiber) are able to delivertheir impressive gaming knowledge in a way thatnever speaks down to their audience.

RetroGaming Roundups podcasts cover amultitude of subjects and span an impressiveand entertaining five-plus hours. The highlightis the "Roundtable" session, where the triohashes out the best games for a particularplatform and compiles them into a best of list.The real enjoyment is actually not in the finalproduct, but hearing how the sausage is made.This segment showcases the chemistry amongthe hosts. Good-natured insults and brutallyhonest opinions are slung at the expense of some

of the questionable choices, while passionatedefenses are volleyed in return, often leading tocomical exchanges.

Mike James The British Hour is spent givingYanks a view of whats happening with videogames past and present on the other side of ThePond. UK Mike is funny and likable, and he doesa great job covering a gaming culture that so fewstateside collectors know about.

For the technical-oriented listeners, ScottSchreiber lends his expertise to such varioustopics as running a business placing arcadeunits in public spots, pinball and cabinet repair,and the lowdown on the recently released,consumer-friendlyBatman pinball machine.Though some of the material is a bit specializedand wont be everyones cup of tea, Scott does anadmirable job keeping the informationaccessible without dumbing it down for hisintended audience.

Other recent highlights include a history ofpinball banana flippers, a dizzying amount ofclassic gaming news, recommended websites,and an amazing, must-listen Tron Radio Showthat was thankfully saved from the dustbin of80s history.

RetroGaming Roundups archives go back to2009, allowing you to hear the show evolve astechnical glitches are smoothed over and the

hosts became more comfortable. Dont let thelength of the shows scare you off: tightproducing and editing keeps the discussionflowing, while the various segments allowlistening to be broken up over time. Even afterlistening to over five hours of classic gamingdiscussion, I couldn't wait to hear more fromthese passionate podcasters.

http://www.retrogamingroundup.com

P o d c a s t r e v i e w :

RetroGaming RoundupBy Chris Cavanaugh

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AngryBirds has soaredthrough the list of killer apptitles for the iPhone and iPodtouch, and it's not hard tosee why.

This highly accessible title hasplayers seeking revenge on a herdof green pigs that have stolen acollection of bird eggs. Reprisal

comes in the form of slingshottingthe slighted birds into fortressessheltering the guilty swine.Physics come into play as playersuse the touch screen to control

both the speed and angle in whicheach bird is flung.

Early levels are simple enoughand work more as a tutorial forthe highly responsive controls,

but later levels become real

melon-scratchers. Players aregiven a preset amount of birdsthat must be used wisely. Basicred birds give way to morecomplex types, such as blue onesthat split into three birds, yellowones that accelerate at yourcommand, and birds that explodeon contact. Different buildingmaterials also react to each birdin different ways.

The beauty in the gameplay isthat there is more than one way toskin a pig, as players can topplestructures using varied strategies.

A red bird brings down lumberbut wont penetrate concrete,whereas the tri-splitting blue birdprovides the best chain reaction.Figuring out which buildingmaterial to hit first and at what

angle is part of the fun. Points areawarded for damage caused to thefortress, any destroyed pigs, andeach remaining bird. Players arethen rated up to three stars basedon the level's overall score.

If there is any downside to AngryBirds, it's that it sometimes canbe too challenging. Some puzzlescan take an hour (or more) tosolve, but when they are finally

complete, your sense ofsatisfaction is that much grander.Earning only one star on a level issimply an unmet challenge, andthere are plenty of otherincentives to keep you playing.There are achievements,leaderboards, golden eggs thatunlock more levels, and freeupdates that include new levels.

An amazing deal for its amount of

replay value, Angry Birds willquickly find its way to the top ofany app library's pecking order.

Revenge of the Birdsby Chris Cavanaugh

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If you had to name the first threesignificant arcade games in theindustry -- and we're talkinghistorically significant, not the game you first fell in love with -- the answerwould have to bePong (1972), SpaceInvaders (1978), andPac-Man(1980). Each helped reinforce thecommercial viability of electronicentertainment, growing the industryby leaps and bounds, or inPac-Man'scase, dots and energizers.

Created by Japanese developer Toru Iwatani, whoreportedly drew inspiration from a pizza with a missing

piece, Pac-Man did something completely differentwith the medium. Instead of shooting targets in space,you guided a voracious yellow creature through a mazefilled with consumables. Four monsters, later referredto as ghosts, added the thrill of pursuit and a sense ofrandomness to the action, even if it was illusion. Pac-Man was colorful, simple to grasp, hard to master,and was appealing to women and men alike.

Much like Space Invaders' impact in Japan, Pac-Man was a bona fide blockbuster in the UnitedStates, spawning an assortment of marketing deals and licensed products that would celebrate the

character in song, cereal and shirts. Yet developer Namco had difficulty trying to build on Pac-Man's success through sequels. Ms. Pac-Man was easily the most popular, enhancing the game innearly every area, but it wasn't technically developed by Namco and started as a bootleg.

Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Baby Pac-Man, Jr. Pac-Man, and so forth, all added twists on thefamiliar play mechanics, some stranger than others, but failed to capture the universal appeal of theoriginal. In the end, these failings didn't matter Pac-Man had made such an indelible mark that theoriginal game is still a best-seller 30 years after its debut. How else can you explain the Xbox LiveArcade version ofPac-Man outselling the downloadable service's Ms. Pac-Man? Perhaps the oldadage is true, you never forget your first love.

It's no secret that early on, the console industry relied heavily on arcade translations to sellplatforms. Everyone was looking to capture that arcade feeling, and while console technology was astep or two behind the latest and greatest in the coin-op world, it didn't necessarily deter sales.Namco could keep the Pac-Man franchise going on multiple fronts, licensing home conversions andeventually expanding the character to new genres. Pac-Man is still going strong today, still asrecognizable, still as insatiable. Only now, it's for a new generation.

To commemorate the greedy gobbler's 30th anniversary, Classic Gamer Magazine takes a look at thevarious iterations ofPac-Man throughout the years. Some were inspired choices, some weredreadful, but we feel all are worth taking a waka-waka-walk down memory lane.

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Key feature(s): Pac-Man has a love interest in this excellent, though familiar, sequel. Pac-Man'sparamour addresses a few of the original game's limitations while retaining everything that made ita blockbuster. While the play mechanics and scoring are identical to the original, there are now fourmazes, each represented by a different color, two additional warp tunnels, and new bonus items thatbounce within the maze. The orange ghost known as "Clyde" has been ditched in favor of "Sue" forreasons unknown.

Release info:Arcade mod specialists General Computer Corporation created a Pac-Man clonecalled "Crazy Otto" and sold it to Bally/Midway, whose developers changed the artwork and spritesto create an unofficial Pac-Man sequel. Fearing legal repercussions, Bally/Midway turned over therights to Namco and distributed the title in the States. Ms. Pac-Man was a runaway hit, butBally/Midway could not duplicate its success despite persistent attempts at unauthorized sequelsand spinoffs. Eventually Namco revoked Bally/Midway's license.

Key feature(s):American licensee Bally/Midway released a number of unofficial Pac-Man titlesapart from Japanese developer Namco, with the biggest being 1981's Ms. Pac-Man. To combatunauthorized U.S. hacks of the original Pac-Man, Bally/Midway decided to create a legal coin-opupdate called Pac-Man Plus.

The developers mixed things up a bit by speeding up the action and introducing trippy new effectsafter consuming one of the teal-colored maze's four power pellets. Ghosts, dots, or even the mazeitself can disappear from view, or three ghosts may turn blue instead of all four. The snacksthemselves, ranging from peas to pancakes, also function like power-ups instead of score bonuses.

What went wrong? Unlike Namco's Super Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus keeps most of the original's

signature features intact. The problem is that once you've played Ms. Pac-Man, it's hard to go backto playing on just one maze, and the random power-ups in this version are more annoying than fun.These features were clearly designed to keep players from mastering the game, or following specificpatterns, so the quarters would keep flowing. Yet the approach backfired, with players shunning thisversion in favor of the familiar Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man.

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Key feature(s): Pac-Man is a superhero? Despite donning a red cape on the cabinet art andmarquee, this Pac-Man doesn't soar through the air, shoot beams out of his eyes, or capturecriminals. He basically gets fat. The "super" in Super Pac-Man refers to his super size, not superpowers. Namco's "official" sequel to Pac-Man finds the golden gobbler collecting keys to unlockgates leading to fruit and other consumables. The maze format returns, along with the four ghosts,but there are no dots. Eating an energizer causes Pac-Man to dramatically increase in size, grantinghim the power to eat his rivals and smash his way through any remaining locked gates.

What went wrong?While Super Pac-Man is an interesting twist on the series, the gameplay lookscomplicated at first glance, which perhaps is why it failed to take flight among arcade goers. Thedevelopers took a creative risk by altering a winning formula, adding some layers of strategy to themaze-based action at the expense of the original's singular-goal simplicity.

Key feature(s): Building on Super Pac-Man's unusual take on the maze format, Namco's Pac &

Palhas you doing even more head-scratching things while controlling the pie-shaped protagonist.Pac-Man is still avoiding ghosts in a maze-type environment, but instead of munching dots, he'sflipping cards of all things. The gate system from Super Pac-Man returns, albeit with fewerconsumables. The handful of fruits and items in the maze must first be unlocked by eating thecorresponding playing cards.

Pac's "pal," a lime-colored lass named Miru, is not very friendly. She wanders through the maze andwill grab anything inside an open gate if you don't snatch it up beforehand. Yet the weirdest aspectof the game is that Pac-Man no longer consumes ghosts. Instead, he stuns them by turning blue andbelching out different attacks, from sound waves to ice cubes.

Release info:Pac & Palwas exclusively released in Japan, though a version called Pac-Man &Chomp Chomp was being prepped for a U.S. launch that never materialized. The key differencebetween the titles? Miru was replaced with Pac-Man's dog, Chomp Chomp, featured in Hanna-Barbera's animated series that aired from 1982 to 1984.

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Key feature(s): Hoping the answer to continued Pac-Man success involved additional family

members, Bally/Midway creates a decidedly unhip youngster that wears a propeller beanie, likes

tricycles, and is romantically interested in Blinky's daughter (!). Fortunately, Junior has the same

voracious appetite for dots as Pac-Man and the missus.

The key change, other than the pint-sized protagonist, is the maze itself, which is now twice as wideand features a horizontal scrolling camera. There are seven maze layouts and six power pellets to

consume instead of four. Bonus items like kites, tricycles, and root beer bounce their way across the

maze, but they do more than add points to your score. They increase the size of the dots they come

into contact with and function like energizers when consumed.

Say what? Junior's love interest in the little red ghost, named Yum-Yum, is more than a little

strange. Mere contact with the girl should theoretically kill him, but if it didn't, it could lead to a

union that would forever end the ongoing feud between the ghosts and Pac-people -- which is just

bad for business.

Key feature(s): Easily the most striking of the Pac-Man-inspired arcade games, Baby Pac-Man

combines video game and pinball in a single upright cabinet. The 13" display at the top of the

cabinet has Baby Pac-Man gobbling up dots within a maze, but there are no energizers to eat. To

turn the tables on the ghosts, Baby Pac must enter a table -- a pinball table -- by moving through a

warp tunnel positioned at the bottom of the screen. Players then attempt to spell out various letters

on the table for bonuses in the video game.

What went wrong? The small video monitor and drastically shortened pinball machine meant

that fans of either format were going to be disappointed. Potential maintenance headaches had to

make arcade owners skittish, and good luck convincing patrons to spend their precious quarters on

an odd-looking machine with incongruent play styles.

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Key feature(s):Professor Pac-Man is a quiz game (a quiz game?!) that has you earning fruit and

snacks for each correct multiple-choice answer. There are only three responses, and the questions

all involve studying a series of images (likely to make the game easier to convert to other countries).

You'll stare at a group of three buildings, for example, then answer which has the most windows or,

you'll study a group of objects to determine which item doesn't belong.

What went wrong? It's clear at this point that neither Namco nor Bally/Midway has a clue on

how to build on the original Pac-Man's success, so developers are taking shots in the dark, hoping

something hits. This one failed miserably, producing an estimated 400 units. While Professor Pac-

Man was unable to achieve a passing grade with arcade patrons, the educational angle makes this

title one of the more interesting arcade offshoots.

Key feature(s):A side-scrolling jumping game that preceded Nintendo's Super Mario Bros., Pac-

Landrepresents a dramatic change for Namco's mascot. No longer confined to a maze, Pac-Man is

now a fully realized character that can run, jump, and wear a hat.

Your goal is to escort a friendly fairy across a series of eight "trips," each spanning multiple

segments for a total of 19 levels, by running left to right and avoiding contact with numerous

hazards. The ghosts all make a return, only this time they'll appear in comical modes of

transportation.

What went wrong? Like so many of the later Pac-Man arcade games, Pac-Landhas a number of

peculiar design decisions. Despite its colorful, cartoon-style graphics, with elements taken from theHanna-Barbera animated series, the game's controls are irritating. Movement is mapped to buttons

instead of a joystick, and many jumps require a frustrating level of precision, while running at full

speed, to pull off.

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Key Feature(s): Taking a cue from Sega's Zaxxon, Pac-Mania uses a flashy, isometric perspective for itsfour themed worlds. Three new ghosts have been added to the mix, and Pac-Man has a new jumping abilitythat lets him leap over his pesky pursuers in a single bound.

What went wrong? Pac-Man finally returns to his ravenous roots (re: munching on dots while avoidingghosts), but the zoomed-in perspective means you can only see a portion of the maze at any given time.Instead of quickly scanning the entire maze for potential escape routes, you have to react immediately to yoursurroundings and hope for the best. The perspective is more a detriment to gameplay than an asset,especially when there are eight or nine ghosts chasing you.

Key feature(s):After a nine-year hiatus in the arcades, Pac-Man returns as a virtual reality game. Pac-ManVR has you moving through a 3D maze from a first-person perspective, using a handheld controller and thegoggle's head-tracking display to navigate your colorful surroundings. The game's maze features very short

walls, letting you see a generous portion of the layout instead of limiting your viewpoint. Play mechanics areotherwise the same as the arcade original: guide Pac-Man through the maze to gobble up dots while avoidingfour ghosts. While Pac-Man VR features timed play, you earn additional seconds by filling a horizontal "extratime" meter through eating dots and scoring points.

Key feature(s): Pac-Man is locked and loaded in this target shooting game, the third entry in Namco's"Shooting Medal" series, which involves aiming a bright orange pistol at various formations of ghosts. Themore ghosts you shoot, the more tickets you'll earn to spend at the arcade's prize redemption center. Includedare four main stages and four bonus stages. Collect five of the same fruits or spell the word "jackpot" to access

bonus games.

Key feature(s):Pac-Man 25th Anniversary is a collection of three arcade blockbusters in one upright

cabinet: Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and Galaga. The Pac-Man featured in this coin-op compilation can beplayed in its original 1980 form or a "speedier" version.

Key feature(s):Pac-Man: Battle Royale shares more than a few similarities with the excellent Pac-Man:Championship Edition. The pulse-pounding music, rapidly changing mazes, and neon look are all borrowedfrom the digitally distributed game, only now the main emphasis is on four-player simultaneous action.Though there are dots to eat and ghosts to avoid, there is no score in Battle Royale, which is odd. The mainobjective is to quickly eat power pellets, which supersize the player's Pac-Man (as in Super Pac-Man), givinghim free reign to gobble up the competition as well as any nearby ghosts. The first player to eliminate allthree rivals earns a win, and play resumes until a set number of lives are exhausted

.

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The Atari 2600 version's orange-and-blue maze, comprised of large dashes instead of small dots, is

the most obvious change from the arcade original. White ghosts flicker in and out of view, and thefruit has been replaced by a rectangular "vitamin." From the protagonist's blocky appearance to achomping sound that's reminiscent of a thick rubber band being plucked, this isn't a Pac-Man you'llsoon forget. It's hard to pin down what's the most troubling aspect of the game: the garish look, theirritating audio, or the loose controls. The eight included variants all influence the speed of Pac-Manand the ghosts rather than add new ways to play. While the strength of the Pac-Man license made itthe best-selling cartridge on the console, the final numbers fell well below Atari's projections.

Considering the time of its release, the Atari 5200 version ofPac-Man is an excellent conversion ofthe arcade game, with relatively close sound effects, intermission sequences, and color ghosts(though their eyes are black and Inky is green instead of light blue). The maze has the same layoutas in the arcade, but with more horizontal space and a reduced vertical height, resulting in 16additional dots to eat over the original's 240. It is also a bit more challenging than the coin-op game,primarily due to a faster starting speed. Yet the biggest part of the challenge is taming the loosecontroller, which can't handle the quick, precise movements required at higher levels. Note: TheAtari 8-bit computer versions of Pac-Man are identical to the 5200 version.

Though not as visually impressive as the 5200 version, Pac-Man on Intellivision is a solid port ofthe dot-munching original, with bright, colorful graphics, intermission sequences, and the sameghost-dodging gameplay you know and love. Easily the most noticeable change is the maze's smallersize and revised layout (only 115 dots compared to the arcade's 240). Like the Atari 5200 version,the four ghosts have black eyes and Inky is the wrong shade. In addition, the score is displayed onthe right margin instead of above the maze. The controls are surprisingly responsive, though Pac-Man pros will find the challenge lacking.

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Originally programmed in 1983 by H.A.L. Labs under the name "Taxman," AtariSoft's Pac-Man onApple II is notable for featuring an exact layout of the arcade version's maze with the correctnumber of dots. Still, there are some big differences. After winning Taxman's code in court, Atariforgot to change a few things. Pac-Man and the ghosts are the wrong colors, the bonus fruit is thesize of a Buick, and sound effects are almost non-existent (a ticking sound occurs after Pac-Mangobbles a dot). The current and high scores are also positioned to the left of the maze. This version isdistinctive for being the onlyPac-Man port to support up to five alternating players (another featureremaining from Taxman).

Pac-Man for the Commodore 64 looks and plays a lot like the Atari 5200 version, albeit with bettercontrols. The maze is the same, with a total of 256 dots to eat instead of the arcade original's 240,due to the slight increase in the maze's width. You can select the difficulty before play and alternateturns with a second player.

Pac-Man on PC is visually a step up from the Atari 5200 version, if only for the ghosts' animatedeyes, but the colors are off and there are 232 dots to eat instead of 240. The sound effects aren'tparticularly pleasing, either.

AtariSoft's Pac-Man for the TI 99/4A is even more impressive looking than the Atari 5200 game, asthis version has the correct ghost colors as well as their white, animated eyes. The maze layout is thesame as the arcade version, though like the 5200 game, the expanded horizontal area results in afew extra dots to chomp on. The only glaring issue, from a presentation standpoint, is the lack of

intermission screens. Unfortunately, the gameplay can't quite measure up to the quality of thevisuals, as movement is sluggish and the pacing feels off. Strange but true: the back of the box refersto the ghosts as "goblins."

The VIC-20 version ofPac-Man features bold colors, but the maze is smaller (132 dots) and doesn'tappear in its correct aspect ratio. The ghosts, Pac-Man, and bonus fruit are huge in relation to themaze's size, so this is not the version to play if you are claustrophobic.

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Originally released in Japan in 1984, Pac-Man for the NES is so nice, they published it thrice. Twice

on the NES due to a licensing issue and once on Game Boy Advance for reasons unknown, since the

superior Pac-Man Collection was already available on the handheld.

The NES version is a competent version of the arcade original with some notable differences. To

preserve the coin-op's aspect ratio, the developers compressed the maze (188 dots to the original's240), and both the score and fruit level appear within the right margin.

Pac-Man also looks rather large for the maze, and the sound effects are off, especially after eating an

energizer. On the bright side, there's no "kill screen," so you can keep playing to your heart's

content, or until your thumb gives out, whichever comes first. As part of the "Classic NES" series for

Game Boy Advance (2004), the developers added battery backup to save high scores.

The 8-bit handheld's monochromatic display means you can't identify the ghosts by color, so you

can't easily distinguish speedy Blinky from bashful Inky if you're in a pinch. Gameplay involves

guiding Pac-Man through a scrolling maze, giving you a close-up view of the action as you gobble up

dots. The layout is identical to the NES version's, which means there are less things to consume than

in the arcade original. Gameplay is otherwise strong, and the controls are fine as well. The lack of

battery backup means you can't save high scores, however.

Vibrant color, great sound effects, and a choice to play on either a scrolling maze, which moves up

and down, or one that shows the entire layout on a fixed screen. The maze is identical to the one

used in the NES version, with 188 dots to consume along with four energizers. Overall, a great

handheld port that would later be eclipsed by the Neo Geo Pocket Color's version.

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This "very special" episode ofPac-Man is actually a re-release of the Game Boy version, albeit withcolors instead of shades of gray (since it's not a "Game Boy Color Only" release, it's also playable ona regular Game Boy). As a bonus for those double-dipping, you get a version of the Tetris-inspiredaction puzzle game, Pac-Attack, along with Pac-Man.

This is a no-frills adaptation of the arcade original, but it's also the best handheld version from thetime period. Everything, from the sound effects and maze layout to the speed and "feel," seemsarcade perfect. There are two different ways to view the maze: from a full-screen display or one thatscrolls. Those used to the handheld's loose thumbstick might balk at the controls, but Namcograciously included a small plastic ring within the package to reign in the joystick's movement tofour directions. Great color and great sound, but considering its release date, it's a littledisappointing that more wasn't included.

Why stop the fun at one? Pac-Man Collection on Game Boy Advance gives players a choice of four titles,

making it a great value for those who skipped out on the two previous releases on Game Boy and Game BoyColor. Included in the compilation are Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Man Arrangement, withthe latter making its U.S. debut. The most frustrating part of this collection, however, is the lack of battery

backup to save high scores.

Pac-Man for Xbox Live Arcade is an emulated version of the arcade original with a number of customizationoptions. As you play, you can attempt to complete 12 achievements, such as eating all four ghosts with each ofthe four energizers on a level. Also included is crisply displayed Pac-Man artwork that frames the screen as if

you were staring at an arcade machine. While you can freely adjust parameters such as starting level ornumber of lives, there are no bonus modes or online support for competitive matches against a friend.

Namco's mobile versions of the arcade game feature the original maze and a choice of three difficultysettings, each influencing the speed of play: easy, normal, and original. Some versions feature on-screen

joysticks or cabinet artwork, but the primary difference between titles is the control scheme. Each port relieson the device's built-in touch pad, click wheel, trackball, accelerometer, and/or touch screen to guide Pac-Man, often with mixed results.

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If you blinked, you may have missed this one. If you

didnt, you may have wished you had. Not to beconfused with Stern's classic coin-opAstro Invader,this Nintendo DS shoot-em-up from Zoo Gamesattempts to replicate the frantic, fixed-screen actionfound inAsteroids andRobotron: 2084withdisastrous results.

Space pirates have taken over your sector of thegalaxy for the purpose of stealing vital resources,and you're the last line of defense. Your top-downfighter's movement is controlled by the directionalpad, while the stylus is used to shoot in everydirection. Destroying enemies earns you coins thatcan be used to purchase various ship upgrades, butfirepower is limited to generic choices such as"smart bombs" and involves stumbling through anunintuitive interface.

Astro Invaders' controls are clunky, and it is easy tolose track of the ship due to its ability to seamlesslyblend in with enemies and environment alike. Yetthe game's biggest fault is its claustrophobic leveldesign. Drab, fuzzy ships take up valuable onscreenreal estate, creating a playfield that not only isfrustrating to negotiate, but also severely confining.Cut-scene and menu images are laughably bad andare reminiscent of a Photoshop user's unrestrainedjoy while discovering its watercolor effect for thefirst time.

Astro Invaders might have fared better as either aside- or vertical-scrolling shooter, with the goal ofdefending a large sector of space instead of beinglimited to a single, cluttered screen. While thegame's retro theme and box art suggest thepublisher was hoping to appeal to classic gamers,there's no reason why you should be spending anytime on this shovelware when the superiorGeometry Wars: Galaxies is available.

Shovelware alert!

Astro Invaders! !By Chris Cavanaugh

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Nowadays, children willnever know the bliss kids in

the 80s experienced wheneven a mundane trip withyour family to run errandstypically meant playing coin-op machines in severaldifferent places.

The gaming industry referredto them as street locations-- non-arcade businesses thatdevoted some floor space to

serve video game players.You were almost guaranteedto find at least one gameplaced in every restaurant,laundromat, store, pharmacy,movie theatre, and hotellobby. I have a strongfondness for these places, asthe majority of games Iplayed in my youth were inthese street locations.

Almost every weekend, Iwould stay with mygrandparents. After Scooby-

Doo and Spider-Man and hisAmazing Friends eachSaturday morning, we woulddrive to a local pharmacycalled Kay Cee Drugs to pickup the paper, play the lottery,and sometimes grab milk or a

few other groceries.Sometime in 1981 a local

vending company installed anice row of four futureclassics right near the frontdoor. Going from left to righton your radio dial, wasGalaxian, Berzerk, Pac-Man,and Zero Hour. Galaxianand Berzerk were the

standard-issue Midway andStern classics, but the Pac-

Man machine was outfittedwith the Hanglyman ROMset, even though it washoused in an authentic

Bally/Midway cabinet. Asmuch as I enjoyed theregular Pac-Man maze, Ialways looked forward toplaying Hanglyman. Theopen areas above and belowthe side tunnels were a lot offun, as spastically rotatingthe joystick quickly in theseareas made Pac-Man stumblearound like he was drunk.

Because this was the onlyplace I ever saw theHanglyman variant, Ireferred to it as Kay Cee

Pac-Man.

The fourth game, Zero Hour,was certainly the odd manout of the group. The otherthree games were well-

known hits, but Universals1980 slide-and-shootdefinitely lingered inobscurity even back then. Itcombined elements ofGalaxian and Asteroids, andfeatured a cool landingmaneuver that required youto align your spaceship ontop of a dormant volcano for

bonus points.

I recall two employeesspecifically: Dinky andSheila. Dinky, whose realname I never learned, was anolder woman who had

worked alongside mygrandmother in the 1960s asa telephone operator onCapitol Hill. She was always

P i x e l M e m o r i e s

Kyle Snyder reminisces about an era when arcade games could be found just about anywhere...

"Many quarters,many gamesplayed, and manyformative hours ofmy youth werespent in Kay Ceeand Maloneys

doing what I stilllove best, playingarcade games."

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so amazed in seeing howmuch Id grown since myprevious visit. I got in a lot ofgame time because mygrandmother was able to chat

with her old friend while Idefended the universe. Sheila

was younger, probably in hermid-twenties, with curly

brown hair and a cute smile.Okay, maybe I had a slightcrush on her. This was in no

way because she gave me thered quarters (which weresupposed to be reserved forrefunds) out of the cashdrawer. That only reinforcedmy innocent fondness forher.

I remember one visit inwhich I spent about threedollars in quarters that mygrandfather had given me topay for a video gamemagazine at a bookstore to be

visited later. At least that wasthe original plan. While we

were at Kay Cee, hementioned that he didntthink we would get to

Waldenbooks, so I naturallyassumed those quarterscould be spent on games. He

became suspicious when mygame time was lasting muchlonger than usual. Iconfessed that I was usingthe three dollars of quartersto play extra games. He was

frustrated at first, until herealized that he did tell mewe werent going toWaldens, so he chuckled andtook me there and bought themagazine anyway.

I also recall getting mysecond Nelsonic Pac-Man

watch from Kay Cee. I

originally got one for mybirthday, but I wore it out inabout two years. That secondone survived much longer,until I absent-mindedly

jumped into a pool while stillwearing it. Game overindeed.

As the years passed, manygames rotated in and out ofKay Cees lineup. Centipede,Tempest, Frogger, Galaga,Q*Bert, Pole Position, Ms.

Pac-Man, and Millipede alllogged time at Kay Cee. Theyalways had four games in arow up until about 1985 orso, when the games wereremoved and replaced withmagazine racks or somethingthat wasnt nearly as iconic orcool.

The other location was acharming little shop calledMaloneys. This store becamea huge part of my childhood

ever since dad returned frombuying the Sunday paperwith the glorious news thatMaloneys now had twogames: Missile Commandand Ms. Pac-Man. Surelythe idea of a girl Pac-Man

was preposterous, and it wasobvious dad was goofing onme and my love of all things

Pac-Man. But severalminutes later he took me toMaloneys, at which point Isaw and played my first Ms.

Pac-Man machine. It was acute little cabaret cabinet,

which is precisely why I owna cabaret Ms. Pac-Man in myarcade collection today. (Formore on this pivotalmoment, check out Vol. #1,issue #6 from Spring 2001.)

Maloneys was thequintessential mom andpop general store. Based onthe architecture, I believe thestore was built in the '30s or'40s as a gas station, with theunused concrete island outfront providing a clear link toits petroleum past. Theinterior was compact.Coolers and shelves lined the

walls, and three very smallaisles (maybe four feet highat best) offered goods in thecenter of the store. Despitethe limited space, they sold alittle bit of everything. Milk,

soda, juice, bread, fruit, LittleDebbie snack cakes (StarCrunches were my favorite),and behind the register, aselection of the finest boozethis side of Charles County.

It was run by the sweetest,most kindly soul youd evercare to meet, Grandma

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Maloney. She was thin, withcurly grey hair and a smile tomelt your heart. My parents

would always chat with herwhile I was racking up thehigh scores or trying to. Onoccasion, she would give mea free quarter or some 10

bubble gum balls.

After testing the waters withMissile Command and themini Ms. Pac-Man, theroute operator rotated inother machines, but neverexceeded two at a time due tospace limitations. Over the

years, Maloneys became thehome to some rare titles,including Stratovox, Space

Encounters, and a cabaretOmega Race. Common titleslike Frogger, Galaxian,

Popeye, Pac-Man, Asteroids,Centipede, and Berzerk werefeatured as well. In fact, thatparticular Berzerk becameone of the very firstconversions I ever noticed, asit was upgraded onsite into

Frenzy, Sterns 1982 sequel.

However, for a few months inwhat I believe was 1983, theFroggermachine wasreplaced with Merit RivieraVideo Poker. They still hadthe aforementioned Frenzy,

but I was terriblydisappointed in the Frogger

for Riviera swap, asobviously, video card gamesheld no interest for me at all.

As far as I was concerned,Maloneys only had onegame, Frenzy, during thattime. I referred to this asMaloneys dark period.Once both machines werereplaced with Popeye and

Pac-Man, the dark periodofficially ended.

Maloneys was within bikeriding distance of my house.It was a little over two milesaway, and was easilyaccessible through a dirt roadconnecting the rear street ofmy neighborhood to CrainHighway (a.k.a. Route 301),the main drag." Folks in theneighborhood informallyreferred to it as MaloneysRoad, which was just asmuch fun to ride on your bikeas it was playing the gamesonce you got there. It had

several cool bumps, a few ofwhich made nice, naturalramps, so you could catchsome air on your Huffy. Theopen forest on either side ofMaloneys Road featured afew interesting abandonedartifacts -- beat up schoollockers, a miniature trainengine from a kiddie ride at anearby amusement park, anda full size 1950s Ford pickup.

Maloneys kept the arcadegames until 1986, when, justlike the games at Kay Cee,they were removed andreplaced with something

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nowhere near as interesting.At this point I dont evenrecall what went in theirplace. Sadly, Maloneys storeis no longer. GrandmaMaloney retired and thefamily moved elsewhere inthe early '90s. The store

became an antique shop witha room in the back dedicatedto vinyl records. By the late'90s, the store was vacant but

was still being maintained.

Via the miracle that is GoogleMaps with Street View, I wasable to see if these places stillexist, from the comfort of myOhio living room. Kay CeeDrugs is still in the samecirca-1954 building at 6110Old Silver Hill Road inDistrict Heights, Maryland. Ithas a new awning and a moremodern logo, but its the

same old Kay Cee I know andlove.

Checking out Maloneys,however, was a sadexperience. The building isstill standing (atapproximately 12547 CrainHighway, Newburg, MD), butit appears wholly abandoned,or at least in a serious state ofdisrepair. There are holes inthe roof, missing shutters, a

bush literally growing wild bythe front door, and it justlooks decrepit. MaloneysRoad is completely grownover now. Its clear that theproperty owner has nointerest in maintaining the

building or an informal dirtroad. Who knows if the crazyabandoned stuff is still backin the woods. If I had themoney, I would totally clean

the place up and reopen it asSnyders. Yet I wouldntconsider the renovationcomplete until a MissileCommandand a cabaret Ms.

Pac-Man once again sat inthe front left corner,

welcoming patrons with thesoft glow of their marqueesand pixelated images. Thenand only then, could I openfor business.

I hope you enjoyed thisnostalgic trip to a couple ofmy favorite street locations.Even after 25 years, they stillhold a special place in myheart. Many quarters, manygames played, and manyformative hours of my youth

were spent in Kay Cee andMaloneys doing what I stilllove best: playing arcadegames.

Former site of Maloney's

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It's in with the old, out with the new for the developers of

TheForgotten Sands. Casting aside the cel-shaded,new age prince from 2008'sPrince of Persia,Ubisoft returns to familiar ground for the movietie-in to The Sands of Time, itself inspired by the2003 game of the same name.

The first thing you'll notice is that the game'sanimation and overall look isn't as fluid or asvibrant as the 2008 game. Considering theoriginalPrince of Persia trilogy was one ofthe best-looking franchises on PlayStation2 and Xbox, this is a disappointment. Thedisenchantment spills over to the early

stages of the game, where the actionfeels repetitive.

It's not until you're granted powers toaffect the environment that the gamebegins to find its footing. It starts off with the familiar reversal-of-timepower, used to save yourself froman unfortunate jump, followed bythe abilities to create platformsand swinging bars out of water.

Towards the end, you get an abilitythat allows you to recall differentpieces of the environment as they were from the past, allowing you to repairplatforms and walls to continue your aerialacrobatics.

The game is at its best when it startsthrowing several complicated puzzles atyou, requiring the use of all yourpowers in one fluid motion toovercome them. These puzzles give youa tremendous sense of accomplishment when you finally solve them, as thevarious combinations require

considerable concentration to pull off.

In addition to your main powers, you are also offered a chance to upgrade the prince in a limitedcapacity, giving him different elemental powers and improving both his life and magic. While theseenhancements are mostly cosmetic, those having trouble with the game will welcome the chance toget stronger.

Those hoping Ubisoft would continue with the adventures of the new prince may find this effortmissing a spring in its step. Yet those yearning for a little more from theSands of Timewill bepleased at the chance to revisit many of the same play mechanics. Even though the game starts alittle slow, by the end youll be too busy solving elaborate puzzles to care.

Prince of Persia:The Forgotten SandsBy Evan Phelps

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ARCADE...TO GOCGM takes a look at four arcade compilations for the PSP.

Which ones are worth taking with you?

By Skyler Miller

Atari Classics Evolved

Capcom Classics Collection Remixed

Namco Museum Battle Collection

SNK Arcade Classics

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Despite its promise of evolution, AtariClassics Evolvedcan't help but feel a

bit stale. It contains the familiar lineupof Atari arcade games -- Asteroids,

Missile Command, Centipede, etc. --found in other compilations, with 11games in total. Each game comes in its

original form along with an evolvedversion that updates the graphics andsound to about the level of a basiconline Flash game. In most cases, theseevolved versions are also easier to playthan the originals because the visualsare better suited to the small screen.

None of the games is particularly well-suited for portable play, though. The

analog stick is only passable as areplacement for the trackball, spinner,tank controls, and paddles of theoriginals. Vertical-oriented games likeCentipede, Millipede and Super

Breakoutare only playable by turningthe PSP upright, and there are nooptions for scaling the display of any ofthe games.

Ironically, the biggest selling point ofAtari Classics Evolvedfor many classicgamers may be a bonus feature: the 50unlockable Atari 2600 games containedon the disc. However, in order tounlock these titles, you must achieve allfour awards in each of the 11 games.Hiding away such a large amount ofcontent in an all-or-nothing mannermay not be your cup of tea, so for thoseunable (or unwilling) to earn all of theawards, you can download a save gamethat unlocks all of the Atari 2600games. Regardless of how you unlockthe games, though, having access tofavorites like Yars' Revenge, Adventureand Haunted House greatly increasethe value of the collection as a whole.

Asteroids

Asteroids Deluxe

Battlezone

Centipede

Lunar LanderMillipede

Missile Command

Pong

Super Breakout

Tempest

Warlords

50 Atari 2600 games

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With Capcom Classics CollectionRemixed, Capcom has created apolished compilation of 20 arcadegames, though exactly what hasbeen remixed about them isn'tclear.

The lineup is fairly balanced, withshooters like 1941, beat-em-ups likeFinal Fight, the Breakout-esqueBlock Block and the unique triviagame Quiz & Dragons. But many ofthese games, such as Avengers, LastDueland the original Street Fighter,aren't exactly classics.

There are also some notableCapcom favorites missing, such asStreet Fighter IIand Ghosts 'nGoblins you'll have to buy CapcomClassics Collection Reloadedto getthose.

On the plus side, you're able to scaleand rotate the screen to your liking,

especially helpful for the games thatare vertically oriented. Unlockableart, tips and music are available forcompleting specific goals in eachgame, and ad-hoc wirelessmultiplayer is available on everygame if there's someone nearby whoalso has a copy.

1941

BionicCommando

Black Tiger

Final Fight

ForgottenWorlds

Last Duel

LegendaryWings

Magic Sword

Mega Twins

Quiz & Dragons

Section Z

Side Arms

Speed Rumbler

Street Fighter

Strider

Varth

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Namco has never been shy aboutcapitalizing on its library of arcadeclassics, and Namco Museum BattleCollection is a well-designedcompilation that features anexcellent lineup of classic games, a

clean presentation, and a wirelessmultiplayer mode that doesn'trequire multiple copies of the game.

There are 17 games included, plusarrangements ofPac-Man, Dig

Dug, Galaga and New Rally-Xthatupgrade the visuals, sound andgameplay to a slightly more modernlook-and-feel. Only the four

arrangement games can be playedusing wireless multiplayer, but youare able to send the first level of 10other games wirelessly to anotherPSP. The selection is diverse with noglaring omissions, but if you thinkreally hard, you might wish for

Classic Gamer Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue #1

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