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Retro-Review Head-to-Head: Bionic Commando - Arcade vs. NES

In 1987, Capcom released their first dedicated arcade cabinet, a rather middling platformer called Bionic Commando.  Touted as a sequel to their popular Commando in the US, Bionic Commando was a somewhat unique, if unspectacular, platformer whose biggest gimmick was that the player character could not jump, but instead had to use his bionic arm as a grappling hook and swing across chasms. 

One year later, Capcom redesigned the game from the ground up for release on the Nintendo Entertainment System.  This new Bionic Commando bore little resemblance to its arcade progenitor, and it was all the better for it.  Read on to find out why Bionic Commando remains one of the NES's most endearing games, while the arcade version is little more than a footnote in Capcom's illustrious history.

Retro-Review: Gauntlet Dark Legacy [Xbox]

Gauntlet Dark Legacy
Xbox

Developer: Midway
Publisher: Midway
Release Date: 2002
Rated: T for Teen

It seems strange to refer to the Xbox as a "retro" system.  Certainly it is not in the classic sense of the word or the way the NES or Genesis, or even the Saturn and original PlayStation are, but it is, in fact, almost ten years old.

By the time Gauntlet Dark Legacy, a port of the popular 4-player arcade game, was releases on Microsoft's first foray into the home console market, it was already several years old and it showed.  The Xbox quickly established itself as a graphical powerhouse, but Dark Legacy did nothing to support this, looking only marginally better than the Dreamcast port of Gauntlet Legends (itself more of an amalgam of Legends and Dark Legacy) or the previously released PlayStation 2 port. 

Midway must have been banking on the fact that the game's built-in 4-player co-op would be enough to attract gamers looking for a fun title to play with friends, but the strategy didn't quite pay off.  Dark Legacy got torn apart by most reviewers - many of whom reviewed earlier ports favorably - and was sadly forgotten about.

It's a shame because, for all its flaws and unattractive warts, Gauntlet Dark Legacy is still one of the most fun co-op games ever made, and a superb update to an arcade classic.

Retro-Review: Bases Loaded [NES]

Bases Loaded
Nintendo Entertainment System

Developer: Jaleco
Publisher: Jaleco
Release Date: 1988

It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when my mother drove us to the local mall where my older brother, an avid sports gamer, purchased what is widely regarded as one of, if not the best baseball game available on the NES.

Coming from then unheard of developers Jaleco, Bases Loaded was the console's first attempt at a realistic baseball simulation, and it remains one of the most fun depictions of the sport as long as you've got the patience to play it.

Retro-Review: Dark Sun: Shattered Lands [PC]

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands
PC

Developer: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Publisher: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Release Date: 1993

As someone who grew up entrenched in D&D campaigns and fantasy novels, I bought pretty much anything with the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons logo on it.  This included SSI's legendary Goldbox games such as Pool of Radiance and Champions of Krynn, as well as the lesser-known but equally awesome Buck Rogers titles, and even the buggy but mildly entertaining SpellJammer: Pirates of Realmspace.

After many years of faithful service, the venerable Goldbox engine was retired and SSI developed a new one to replace it.  The first game to use that new engine was Dark Sun: Shattered Lands, the first foray into the incredibly unique (and appealing, to me) Dark Sun campaign setting. 

Taking place in a harsh desert wasteland, Dark Sun: Shattered Lands captivated me immediately upon seeing the first screen shots and previews various in computer gaming magazines.  It looked unlike anything out there, especially traditional AD&D worlds.

Shattered Lands was eventually purchased as a would-be birthday gift for me, but I had other plans.  Having been there when it was bought, I asked my mother if I could "read the manual," knowing full well this would give me access to the game disks when my parents weren't around.  She obliged, and the first chance I got, I installed the game.

Unfortunately, at the time my grades were slipping - a result of spending entirely too much time gaming, and not enough time doing homework.  As punishment, my parents banned me from the computer by instituting a password, and I could only get on when they were around.  This posed a problem for playing my newly-installed game - a problem that was remedied when I discovered an index card on my brother's desk with the new password written on it. 

I played Shattered Lands in secret for several weeks leading up to my birthday, until the day I lost track of time and my brother came home to find me sitting in front of the computer.  The jig was up, but it didn't matter.  By the time my birthday rolled around a few days later, I was more than halfway through the game, and honestly, it lived up to all my expectations.

Retro-Review: Shining Force [Sega Genesis]

Shining Force
Sega Genesis

Developer: Climax Entertainment
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: 1992
Rated: n/a

RPGs on Sega consoles have always been at a premium.  The SNES was practically overloaded with great adventures from heavy-hitters like Square and Enix, but when it came to the Genesis there was little outside of Sega's first-party Phantasy Star series worth checking out.

Climax's Shining Force helped change all that.  A deceptively deep strategy-RPG with cinematic battle sequences, Shining Force gave Genesis owners something meaty to chew on in lieu of the SNES' Final Fantasy exclusivity.  It may not be as popular as Square's franchise, but that doesn't make it worth ignoring.

Retro-Review: Super Mario Bros. 3 [NES]

Super Mario Bros. 3
Nintendo Entertainment System

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: 1990

By the time Super Mario Bros. 3 reached US shores, Sega's 16-bit Genesis console had been released only months earlier.  Poking fun at the aging NES and touting "Genesis does what Nintendon't," Sega's ad campaign was smart, but even as a diehard Genesis fan I can't deny that the release of Super Mario 3 made it irrelevant.

Mario Mania swept the country once more as stores sold out of copies of the much-anticipated game within minutes.  My brother, who worked at the now-defunct competitor to Toys 'R Us, Children's Palace, was manning the Nintendo counter at his job when an unruly customer, disgruntled by the fact there were no more copies, started a "Burn the store down!" chant. 

I wasn't one of the lucky ones who managed to snag a copy of Super Mario 3 on release day, but as I had done with Double Dragon II a few years prior, I put my skills of persuasion to the test: I called my local video store until they relented and offered to hold me a copy once one came in.

The day that phonecall came in telling me they had a copy of Mario 3 reserved for me was one I'll never forget.  My mother drove me to the local video store to pick up my game, and was pointed out by the employees as "This is the kid who keeps calling."  After leaving the small store with my precious cargo, my mother announced she wanted to make one more stop on the way home - the dreaded fabric store.

I recall we were looking for new felt for our pool table, but once inside the fabric store its siren song kept my mother enchanted as she browsed every conceivable type of fabric.  Her anxious son walked behind her, his nose buried in the instruction manual of the game every NES owner coveted, bumping into customers.  Let me tell you, there is no place more boring than the fabric store, especially at a time like that.

Finally, we escaped and fled home where I promptly lost myself in a game that, to this day, remains the absolute pinnacle of the NES console and the platforming genre in general.

Retro-Review: Captain America & The Avengers [Arcade]

Captain America & The Avengers
Arcade

Developer: Data East
Publisher: Data East
Release Date: 1991

Comic books and arcade beat 'em ups have a rich history.  A quintessential arcade genre due to its multiplayer-friendly nature, comic books make a perfect fit with their wells of characters.  From the Marvel stable alone we saw Konami's X-Men, Sega's exceptional Spider-Man, Capcom's take on The Punisher, and Data East's Captain America & The Avengers.

Like most arcade brawlers, The Avengers pits up to four players against heaping helpings of stock baddies and recognizable figures from the comics in the role of stage bosses.  Though it's relatively short at only five stages, Captain America & The Avengers is one of my personal favorites the genre has to offer.

Retro-Review: Super Mario Bros. 2 [NES]

Super Mario Bros. 2
Nintendo Entertainment System

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: 1988

I will always have a special place in my heart reserved for Super Mario Bros. 2.  From the day I laid eyes on the inaugural issue of Nintendo Power, with it's clay sculpture of Mario on the cover and the multi-page layout detailing the upcoming sequel, I knew it was going to be something special. 

I re-read and studied that article day-in, day-out for months until the game's much-anticipated release.  That Christmas, I tore through all my presents, hoping to be greeted by the image of Mario flying through the clouds, clutching a vegetable, but it didn't happen.  Dejected, I figured it had sold out everywhere and my parents couldn't find a copy.

Then my dad reached into the hall closet, up to the highest shelf, and produced one more package.  I trembled with excitement as I opened it and held in my hands the game I wanted more than anything, only to be disappointed once more when my playtime was cut short in order to visit my family for the day.

Super Mario Bros. 2 was, in its time, my favorite video game.  It remains near the top of my list to this day. 

Retro-Review: Virtual Hydlide [Sega Saturn]

Virtual Hydlide
Sega Saturn

Developer: T&E Soft
Publisher: Atlus
Release Date: 1995

Virtual Hydlide has the dubious honor of being one of the worst games ever made.  It is universally reviled, hated, and feared - like nuclear war or the ebola virus.  Anyone who has played the earlier Hydlide games will also attest that its awfulness is inherent in the series, as though passed down through a bloodline.

As a young Saturn owner starved for games, particularly of the fantasy-RPG variety, I purchased Virtual Hydlide when it was released.  I played the game extensively, a feat some might call heroic, simply for lack of anything else to play.  Having done so, I'm going to ask you to bear with me as I say the next four words: It's not that bad.

Retro-Review: Panzer Dragoon Saga [Sega Saturn]

Panzer Dragoon Saga
Sega Saturn

Developer: Team Andromeda
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: 1998

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to flesh out my Sega Saturn collection.  I was one of the system's early adopters, purchasing it at its original retail price of $399.99, though during the time when they offered three free games as an added bonus (one of which, Virtua Fighter Remix, I never received, Sega!).  I loved the Saturn dearly during its brief lifecycle, and I harbored resentment towards Sony's PlayStation for several years after the Saturn buckled under the weight of its competition.

During my initial ownership, I purchased numerous games that I would eventually trade in then later regret.  I decided that I would not only look to replace them once more, but I'd add games I'd always wanted to my collection and showcase what an underrated system the Saturn really was.

Most Saturn owners know that if they didn't purchase Panzer Dragoon Saga when it was first released, they're going to have to pay a pretty penny for it on eBay or similar sites today.  I was prepared for this, and with the check for $300 I'd received as a Christmas present from my dad that year, I decided it was as good a time as any to see about getting one of the most coveted games in the console's library.

Much to my surprise, I found a listing on eBay for a pristine copy of both Saga and the strategy-RPG Dragon Force - bundled together - for $200!  While that still might have been steep, I looked at the cost as an average price and felt like I got a steal.  When my copies arrived, I immediately dove into Panzer Dragoon Saga and was treated to one of the last truly great gaming experiences I've had since.