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July 16, 2022
INDIE GAMER CHICK’S LCD GUIDE: PART I – PART II – PART III – PART IV – PART V – PART VI – PART VII
What can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment. Beforehand, I’ve lined twenty-four LCD video games (verify the hyperlinks above) and never appreciated a single one among them. Right now’s characteristic consists of seventeen extra LCD video games of the 80s (and some from the 90s). I promise that I’ll title not only one, however FOUR high quality LCD video games earlier than this characteristic is over.
Right now’s theme: arcade conversions.
PAC-MAN!!
Tomy (1982)
Gameplay Kind: Maze Chase
Like so many arcade video games, a number of firms did LCDs of Pac-Man. Coleco did one too, up subsequent.
Definitely one of many stronger LCD video games I’ve executed. Is it something just like the arcade Pac-Man? Oh god, in no way. Is it enjoyable? Not likely. However at the very least there’s an idea right here that has legs that I’d wish to see an precise ROM hacker attempt to recreate. Right here, Pac-Man is all the time going through to the left, and that is labored into the play mechanics. In case you cross over a dot from left to proper, you don’t eat the dot, since Pac-Man’s mouth didn’t get it. It’s essential to cross over it proper to left. It’s a one-off sort of gameplay mechanic I’ve by no means even considered earlier than that actually bought my consideration. Not pretty much as good is the tremendous unresponsive controls and the way I may by no means, even after 4 or 5 makes an attempt, efficiently eat a ghost after grabbing one of many stars. Yea, it’s terrible, however I respect the surprising twist.
PAC-MAN!!
Coleco (1981)
Gameplay Kind: Maze Chase
A part of their well-known desk prime line, Coleco made some stunning facades that housed some horrible variations of in style coin-ops. Pac-Man at the very least is a stronger recreation than Donkey Kong, however it’s nonetheless fairly depressing. The ghosts all appear like they’ve already eaten Pac-Man and it’s jarring as all hell. It’s PRETTY near Pac-Man, however it’s additionally one of many uglier LCD video games and I can’t recover from how they appear like some type of virus that has absorbed Pac-Man.
PAC-MAN 2!!
Entex (1981)
Gameplay Kind: Maze Chase
This is a bit more near the arcade recreation. There’s solely two ghosts, however it functionally seems like a Pac-Man LCD. It doesn’t matter which route you’re going through if you slurp up dots. There’s solely two ghosts, however the power-pellets work. I saved having a ghost get the leap on me early on, in all probability as a result of I left the middle dots there because the final dots to get. Although that is the perfect controlling LCD Pac-Man, I believe it’s boring, however then once more, I used to be by no means actually a regular Pac-Man fan to start with.
MS. PAC-MAN!!
Coleco (1983)
Gameplay Kind: Maze Chase
WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS! OTHER COMPANIES DID GAMES THAT DON’T LOOK LIKE THIS! IT’S CREEPY!!
It’s the identical “organisms that ate different organisms as seen from underneath a microscope” look that Pac-Man had, however to Coleco’s credit score, that is mainly the identical recreation as Pac-Man with extra responsive controls. It’s nonetheless crap although.
DIG DUG!!
Gakken (1983)
Gameplay Kind: Motion-Arcade
Terrible. Simply plan terrible. This is likely to be the worst LCD but. Nothing works. The enemies get an excessive amount of a leap on you. In six video games I by no means as soon as efficiently defeated an enemy with the pump or kill one utilizing a rock with out killing myself. It feels NOTHING like Dig Dug in any respect and must be one of many worst video games I’ve ever performed in my whole life. I don’t dig this. See what I did there? UPDATE 7-18-22: I found out find out how to play it. So, you must really maintain the route you need the pump to go. So, in contrast to the arcade recreation, you possibly can pump enemies above and under you. As soon as I figured this out, I used to be in a position to clear just a few ranges. Whole screw-up on my half and I’ll change my opinion on Dig Dug: from worst-ever contender to merely a cramped slog that’s vaguely just like the arcade recreation.
GALAXIAN!!
Coleco (1982)
Gameplay Kind: Gallery Shooter
I’d like to assessment this for y’all, however I couldn’t keep alive for a single second with out being shot. In case you die, the aliens don’t cease firing bullets and I respawned proper into the trail of them. Possibly the emulation is dangerous, however given my expertise with Coleco’s LCDs, I’m not prepared to provide them the good thing about the doubt.
ZAXXON!!
Bandai (1982)
Gameplay Kind: Shooter
Could possibly be some bizarre house tennis recreation too for all I do know.
I’ve by no means actually cared for Zaxxon, so I used to be shocked that the LCD is likely one of the least dangerous LCDs. Discover I didn’t say “good.” I’d nonetheless moderately endure rectal prolapsing than be caught with this as my solely gaming possibility. BUT, at the very least this can be a semi-competent shooter that feels considerably vaguely just like the arcade recreation. Shmups may really work as an LCD. I’d wish to strive House Invaders on this format, truthfully. Possibly for Half V in 2024 (after making this joke, I posted the subsequent three components inside 24 hours, go determine). Anyway, Zaxxon simply doesn’t have pleasure to it, which a shooter wants, however at the very least it’s truthful and doesn’t simply bleed you out straight away like Galaxian does. Not terrible, nonetheless not enjoyable. Subsequent!!
BURGERTIME!!
Bandai (1983)
Gameplay Kind: Maze Chase/Motion-Arcade
One of many higher character sprites for positive, if nothing else.
Burgertime feels quite a bit nearer to getting it proper, however like so many LCD video games, the enemies simply catch you too quick. A very bizarre side right here is that the “drop the meals” gameplay is right here, however you must press a button to trigger the buns and patties to break down. I don’t know why! Wouldn’t it make sense to simply be capable of stroll throughout them like within the recreation? Yea. However, it doesn’t work that manner. I couldn’t make any progress as a result of the enemies are quicker than you and also you solely get 5 salts, however the salts solely work in the event that they’re proper subsequent to you, and in the event that they’re proper subsequent to you meaning they’re about to attain a contact with you and value you a life. The #1 factor about LCD video games: they shouldn’t attempt to straight adapt any recreation that REQUIRES animation. Burgertime does, and it’s unplayable because of this.
MORTAL KOMBAT!!
Tiger Electronics (1993)
Gameplay Kind: Fighter
Yea, no. Let it’s mentioned: I put in a very good religion effort right here, however I’ve but to play a single Tiger Electronics preventing/brawling recreation that I assumed had any worth in any respect. Myself and the pc AI have been throwing punches and touchdown mainly nothing. I used to be shocked at what number of strikes are supplied (the total vary: excessive and low kicks and punches) however the truth that I wasn’t getting a single hit in on the bottom problem (the AI beat me to the punch each time) and that every one my matches ended with a time-out? I’m FINISHED with this one. High quality Gaming loses. Fatality!!
DOUBLE DRAGON!!
Tiger Electronics (1989)
Gameplay Kind: Combative
What Superman ought to have executed years in the past.. drop kick Lex Luthor within the balls.
Stroll left and punch and/or kick Lex Luthor till he blinks out of existence. Then stroll left extra and punch and/or kick Lex Luthor till he blinks out of existence. Then stroll left extra and punch and/or kick Lex Luthor till he blinks out of existence.. sometimes Lex Luthor is inside a door, however you then simply punch or kick him till he blinks out of existence. And also you thought Double Dragon III was the shits. Oh my God, what a bit of shit recreation.
GOLDEN AXE!!
Tiger Electronics (1989)
Gameplay Kind: Combative
This one broke me. You stroll left, and swing at enemies as they seem. If a skeleton reveals up behind you, as an alternative of doing the smart factor, IE turning round, you as an alternative dislocate your shoulders and simply swing the sword that manner. Good lord!! I began laughing so laborious that I assumed I would crack a rib. The humorous factor about these Tiger video games is that LCD video games had been round for a decade, and the formulation that labored to create playable, considerably pleasurable video games have been nicely established. They didn’t hassle with ANY of that shit. This and Double Dragon are so stupidly mind lifeless easy that I can’t think about anybody not underneath a fog of laughing gasoline may take pleasure in them.
KARNOV!!
Tiger Electronics (1989)
Gameplay Kind: Shooter
“ARRRHH! I’M GONNA EATCHA LITTLE BIRD! ARRRHH!”
The factor that bugs me about Tiger Electronics video games are they’re typically so unimaginative. Transfer left, press hearth button, maintain shifting proper. There’s nothing dynamic or thrilling about this. Say what you’ll about Nintendo’s Sport & Watch video games, however they really feel like there’s problem and energy made. These are simply so lazy and uninspired. This shit would have bombed in arcades within the 70s, and as a launch made after a decade of determining find out how to make LCD recreation? It’s insulting and type of disgusting, actually. Karnov, based mostly on a little-known arcade and NES recreation, feels so lazy. It’s a transfer proper, leap and shoot recreation that they copied advert nauseam in lieu of, , effort.
ALTERED BEAST!!
Tiger Electronics (1990)
Gameplay Kind: Combative
You stroll proper and punch issues to the left and proper of you. There’s nearly no gameplay right here. BY GOLLY THIS IS A 100% ARCADE ACCURATE LCD! I child. Truly, this is likely to be the worst of all of the punching-based Tiger video games I’ve performed to date, besides perhaps Mortal Kombat the place actually nothing would occur for a number of excruciating minutes. There’s a horrible lag to it and it simply feels such as you’re barely interacting in any respect. If not for Dig Dug or Galaxian, this is able to be the worst recreation I performed at this time.
BY GUM, THERE’S DECENT LCD GAMES!!
SPACE HARRIER II!!
Tiger Electronics (1990)
Gameplay Kind: Shooter
By golly, they really did it.
Have you learnt what frustrates me most about Tiger’s lazy, shitty, easy shovelware? They really have been able to making first rate video games. Take House Harrier II, which is able to now be given the distinct honor of being the primary ever LCD recreation I wouldn’t moderately be lifeless than be caught with. And thoughts you, I don’t even like House Harrier, however this LCD gallery shooter really works. It feels vaguely just like the arcade recreation and retains the enjoyable. It even has boss fights! How about that? It’s not very thrilling and the timing is a bit jank, however this isn’t terrible by any stretch, and for youths from households who couldn’t afford a Sport Boy, they wouldn’t must be embarrassed taking part in this one. It’s superb. Hallelujah!
Q*BERT!!
Parker Bros (1983)
Gameplay Kind: @!#?@!
Nicely shiver me timbers: Q*Bert makes an important LCD recreation! Q*Bert by Parker Bros is an in depth approximation to the arcade recreation and never too dangerous in any respect. When you get used to the controls (shit, it actually is Q*Bert!), it seems like an LCD model of the arcade recreation. It really works! Shifting the dice colours, dodging the eggs and snakes, and even leaping on the discs seems like an animation-free tackle the unique recreation. I’d mainly moderately play the rest, however this isn’t the worst factor to occur to me at this time. It’d not wish to gentle myself on hearth if I used to be caught with solely this for greater than an hour. Good job, Parker Bros. Children who had this in 1983 wouldn’t must homicide their mother and father in the event that they have been gifted this.
FROGGER!!
Coleco (1981)
Gameplay Kind: Cross the Street
Becoming for a format the place cross the street model video games are in all probability the best to make high quality video games for, the king of cross the street is definitely essentially the most arcade-accurate LCD recreation I’ve ever performed by a mile, and doubtless the best pure LCD recreation ever made. It really works. It’s arcade-accurate. It didn’t must compromise hardly something from the arcade unique. Most significantly: it’s really actually enjoyable to play! In case you have been a child who bought Coleco’s desk prime Frogger underneath the Christmas tree in 1981, you have been a reasonably fortunate child. That is the perfect of gaming’s worst format, and the one LCD recreation I’ve ever gotten to say is enjoyable with out including a number of “buts” to it. BUT, it’s additionally not my private favourite..
GAUNTLET!!
Tiger Electronics (1989)
Gameplay Kind: Journey/Combative
Hail the Champion of LCD Gaming. You may say the (places on shades) Gauntlet has been thrown down. Sorry.
Hey, wait a second.. this isn’t the way it’s imagined to work. Tiger Electronics is objectively shit. They’re not imagined to have a genuinely attention-grabbing idea, enjoyable and thrilling gameplay, and a launch that I may discover myself taking part in for enjoyable, by myself time, with out doing it for a particular characteristic for this weblog. What is going on right here? One thing is mistaken. I’ve slipped into one other universe or one thing. A universe the place Tiger Electronics made a very good recreation: Gauntlet.
Is it arcade correct? No. It’s a completely completely different take. Mainly a 3rd individual recreation, however it encompasses a dynamic 3D maze, passable fight (so far as animation-free fight goes), and it’s enjoyable to find keys and work out makes use of for them. After I completed the ultimate recreation I performed for this characteristic, I reloaded Gauntlet and saved taking part in it. That actually says all of it, doesn’t it? Truthfully, the existence of Gauntlet put a smile on my face, however it additionally infuriated me to no finish. That they might get THIS inventive with their work and selected to not? Disgusting, actually. I’m completely floored that anybody longs to see this format make a comeback, BUT, if that they had a recreation like Tiger’s Gauntlet (versus just about the rest by them) I may perceive how they see their childhood spent getting these LCD video games from misguided aunts and uncles who knew you appreciated these newfangled online game thingies with barely rosier-tinted glasses.
UPDATE: Guess what? The prediction got here true.. I discovered myself taking part in Gauntlet much more, only for enjoyable. Critically, I can’t stress sufficient what a formidable effort that is. There’s even secrets and techniques and bonus rooms and a couple of breed of enemy. Calling this “shockingly enjoyable” actually understates how a lot I loved this. It really provides me hope for a number of the video games that haven’t been included on this now seven half characteristic. There’s a LOT of hype on Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, and others have title dropped Metallic Gear, Mega Man II, and extra. Have a look at what number of video games they made. It’s beautiful. In the meantime, are you aware what Gauntlet deserves? My seal of approval.
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