Infinite Lives

It appears like Sony are having some issues with the original first generation PlayStation 3 consoles (I've got one of those). The PlayStation Network started to log out users, removing trophies, changing system dates etc this weekend.

The PlayStation.Blog says:

We’re aware that many of you are having difficulty connecting to the
PlayStation Network this evening. Those of you with “slim” PS3s (the
120/250 GB models) appear to be unaffected.

Know that we have narrowed down the issue and have engineers working
to restore service even as you read this. We apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause you, and genuinely appreciate your patience
while we work to resolve this.

PlayStation Network Status Update

Get Amped for the freestyle snowboarding experience

Amped 2 is the sequel to the 2001 Xbox snowboarding game Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding. Not suprisingly Amped 2 offers a bigger game, with larger mountains, more diversity and more goals to accomplish. Amped 2 also features online play via Xbox Live with online rankings and whatnots.

• Become a world-famous freestyle legend with the superstar career mode. Over 200 new challenges take you from famous North American mountains to Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.
• Biggest bag of tricks ever, including new aerials, grabs, rail slides, tweaks, lip stalls, and more. Combo tricks together for bigger points and more fame with new "butter" tricks.
• Maximized multi-player, with modes that let you compete for bragging rights on www.XSNsports.com. See where you stand with regional and worldwide stans and rankings.

Game info:
Released: 2003
Developer: Access Software
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Format: Xbox PAL

The girl with the large set of polygons

There's no doubt that Tomb Raider is a classic piece of video gaming history where its main character Lara Croft became somewhat of a gaming icon. The game was originally released on the Sega Saturn, but it was the Playstation version that became the best known.

It became widely praised when it was released, both for it's graphics, gameplay and storyline. It topped the British sale charts and made Core Design into a major powerhouse of late nineties game development.

"Adventurer Lara Croft has been hired to recover the pieces of an ancient artefact known as the Scion. With her fearless acrobatic style, she runs, jumps, swings and climbs her way toward the truth of its origins and powers - leaving only a trail of empty tombs and gun-cartridges in her wake."

Game info:
Released: 1996
Developer: Core Design
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Format: Sega Saturn

Design to win

I really like the premise of this game. Build your own racing team and design your own supercar. It's a game made for me, but still it isn't really. What starts out as promising fails to deliver anything spectacular. You're way too limited in your choices and your creativity gets destroyed by pointing sticks. Still, it manages to entertain as a racing game, but there are plenty of better ones around.

The team behind the game, Milestone, comes from Italy and created the PC smash hits Screamer. At that time they were called Graffiti though. They are highly specialized at racing games of different kinds so it's no big surprise that the racing aspect of the game is pretty solid. Outside of Europe this game was renamed "Apex", I guess you have to rename titles to something simple for the Americans.

"Imagine building the ultimate Supercar. Seeing your dream become a record-breaking speed machine. Sleek lines and racetrack glory are your new obsessions. With Racing Evoluzione, your bid for international fame has arrived.

Following the inheritance of a small garage, you must design, develop and launch your first prototype. Once built, your livelihood and future survival depend on your success at the racetrack. But beware, given the chance the major Supercar companies will wipe you from the world circuit forever.

Winning is all down to the power of your vision."

Apart from your own supercars the game also features 40 licenced real-world cars (and concept cars) from Aston Martin, Mercedes, Jaguar, Lotus, Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge.

An interesting concept and I bet Racing Evoluzione 2 could have been a real gem, if people had bought this one.

Game info:
Released: 2003
Developer: Milestone
Publisher: Atari
Format: Xbox PAL

Super Sprint with track designer

Let's continue on with the motorsport games and we end up with Championship Sprint, the officially licensed coin op conversion of the sequel to Super Sprint. What this is is really Super Sprint, but with a track designer - offering unlimited gameplay. Well, perhaps not really, but all those lovely extra tracks you designed does enhance the game slightly.

"Officially licensed from Atari Games original coin-op sequel to Super Sprint. Championship Sprint incorporates the same head-to-head excitement that has made it's predecessor, Super Sprint, a top game success, but with a difference! In Championship Sprint there's no limit to the excitement because you make up the tracks - thousands of them!!"

Maybe it's because I suck at it, but I found the single player game to be a bit on the hard side. The two-player games can be quite fun though.

Game info:
Released: 1987
Developer: Catalyst Coders
Publisher: Electric Dreams Software
Format: C64 Cassette

Screenshots borrowed from Lemon64:

Dazzling 3D colour graphics

Oh yes, it's dazzling alright. Well, perhaps not. This game was originally released in 1984 by Limbic Systems and my copy is from a 1986 re-release. Those two years of maturing didn't work wonders for the game and it is quite frankly not the best racing game for the Commodore 64. So, why do I keep it you might ask? It's a combination of three things:

1. I'm a huge motorsports fan.
2. I do have some fond memories of this game back in the day. Probably because I was young and didn't know any better.
3. The cover art includes a mock JPS helmet.

"Turbo 64 - from the driving seat of your Formula 1 racing car you have a dynamic view of the road, with scenery flashing by and road signs hurtling towards you. In front of you the instruments: speedo, rev counter, gear shift and steering wheel put you in complete control. Smell the rubber burning and grit your teeth as you tear down the straights and scream into the bends. Test your driving ability in this multi player game of skill and daring."

Game info:
Released: 1986 (original release 1984)
Developer: Limbic Systems
Publisher: Paxman Promotions
Format: C64 Cassette

...without Keanu Reeves, thankfully

This is one insanely paced game. It's the follow up to Gridrunner (hence the Gridrunner 2 text on the front cover). The graphics are very basic and just plain ugly, but it runs at such a frantic pace there's really no time to stop and think about it.

"Jeff Minter has taken Gridrunner - the game that topped bestseller charts in USA and UK - and created an awesome sequel. Graphically superb, it features multiple screens, new aliens and attack waves, mystery bonuses, renegade humanoids, deflexor fields, diagonal tracking, countdown/panic phase and much, much more... Packed into 20 mind-zapping zones and accompanied by incredible sonics."

Game info:
Released: 1983
Developer: Jeff Minter
Publisher: Llamasoft
ID#: LLA 21006
Format: C64 Cassette

Screenshot borrowed from Lemon64.

More Llamas

I'm always on the lookout for adding a few of Jeff Minter's games to the collection. Picked this one up on ebay for nothing much more than the shipping cost from the UK.

"It's a dark time for the Terran federation. The evil empire of Irata and the devilish warfiends of Zzyax are attacking all Terran outposts, including yours.... Your task is to co-ordinate the defensive fire of the two powerful plasma cannons, each capable of destroying your enemies - or each other! Be warned, you won't find it easy."

This little shooter is pretty fun as a two-player co-op game where you control one cannon each. You have to be careful though as bothj cannons can destroy the other one.

Laser Zone is a game which demands your skill and concentration. It includes unique 'move tilt and fire' control of the two plasma cannons, smart bombs and an attack wave countdown indicator. Have fun."

Game info:
Released: 1983
Developer: Jeff Minter
Publisher: Llamasoft
ID#: LLA 21004
Format: C64 Cassette

A gameplay clip:

Jump, run and collect white mushrooms. Sounds familiar?

Some games are overrated, some game are underrated. Terry's Big Adventure belongs in the second category. At first it looks like yet another Mario rip-off, but with bad line graphics. Then once you've played it a bit you find a very nice platformer that can hold its own and the bad line graphics have grown on you and you remember that less is actually more. In the game you guide Terry to his house through twelve levels of obstacles and enemies. There are two different types of ammunition at your disposal: your trusty yo-yo or stones that can be picked up along the way.

"Terry's Big Adventure is a one player, left to right, smooth scrolling, jump and run game with superb music, sound effects and excellent graphics. Terry is a small, energetic character who is an expert with a yo-yo. His adventures takes him through 12 levels where he encounters numerous obstacles such as hedgehogs, snails, bridges, rivers and poisonous mushrooms that pop up at the least expected moment! Armed with his yo-yo or rocks, Terry must slay the enemies to be able to continue on  his adventure. Included in the game are hidden bonus levels, extra lives to gain, and objects to find to increase time. Very compulsive arcade gameplay."

Game info:
Released: 1989
Developer: Gary Walton
Publisher: Shades
Format: C64 Cassette

The following clip let's you watch the game in all its 8 bit glory:

Touring cars just got revved up

PlayStation 3D games don't really age all that well. Booting up TOCA 2 and taking it for a spin around Silverstone some ten years after its release takes some getting used to. The 1998 hi-res graphics doesn't look too hi-res anymore and the rain effects are just a couple of lines on the screen. But turn back the clock to its original release date and this was an awesome game for a touring car freak like me. All the BTCC teams with brilliant super touring cars from Audi, Vauxhall, Ford, Volvo, Renault, Peugeot, Honda and Nissan. It also comes with the support classes where the Formula Fords add the most enjoyment.

Features:

• All the official BTCC teams, cars and tracks - including Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Donington.
• An additional 9 international tracks and 7 extra sports cars including Jaguar XJ 220, Formula Ford and TVR Speed 12.
• Full championship, Arcade Style Challenge, Time Trial, Single Race, Support Car Championship, Multi-Player and Link-up modes all available
• Hi-res graphics (512x256), remodelled tracks and real-time lightning for maximum authenticity.
• Real pit stops, car set-up options and weather that changes during the race, all give added depth and strategy.
• Multiple difficulty levels to give accessibility to newcomers and to challenge experts.

A time for heroes

Cinemaware's Defender of the Crown was probably one of the reasons so many old Commodore 64 / 128 owners decided it was time to upgrade to an Amiga 500. Cinemaware's 2003 remake probably didn't sell one extra Xbox, but it still deserves a place in my collection because eventhough the game is far from anything special it was fun to at least see some small proof of life from the old Cinemaware brand. How much they nowadays have in commom with the old team I have no idea... but it was still nice of the to show up again after all these years.

"Civil was has erupted as the evil Prince John has seized the crown and claimed England as his own! Take up arms as the legendary Robin Hood and restore peace to the land. Ambush enemy caravans with your bow and sword fight your way through dark dungeons to rescue fair maidens. Siege enemy strongholds and rally your men to victory on the battlefield! Joust for fame, fortune and land! In this time of great unrest, the crown's greatest outlaw must become its greatest defender!"

There are lots of things you'll find familiar if you played the original game. The jousting and castle raiding will bring back a memory or two. But things have moved on a bit since 1987 and it lacks a lot of depth in the strategy sections.

Game info:
Released: 2003
Developer: Atomic Planet Entertainment
Publisher: Cinemaware
Format: Xbox PAL

The joystick killer

The Activision Decathlon was amongst the first games I played. A school mate of mine had got a Commodore 64 (the older type bread bin) by his parents in first or second grade. I remember playing Cup Final, Rally Speedway and Decathlon. Decathlon was a joystick breaking game and I was never quite good at it. At first when we played we used the big The Boss joystick, which weren't very well suited for this type of game. A couple of years later when I got my own C64 I had a slightly smaller joystick and the times for those dreaded running games kept coming down. Until the joystick broke in half.

"The individual athletic disciplines are yours - speed, strength, stamina and the desire to win. They come together in the most prestigious video sporting event ever. Let the games begin!"

These types of games don't really age well and Decathlon is no exception. But still it does have a warm place in my heart for being one of the very first video games I ever played.

Game info:
Released: 1984
Developer: Action Graphics
Publisher: Activision
Format: Commodore 64 Cassette

Screenshots from Lemon 64.

Further reading:
Activision Decathlon @ Wikipedia
Old School Gamer Review

The social event of the decade

"Think of a landscape, any landscape. Grab some platoons of little pink
Worms and liberally scatter. Give them weaponry, tools and an eye for
their enemy. The aim is to ensure that you are the last team standing.
Take no prisoners!"

The 1995 Christmas issue of the Amiga Format magazine came with the normal two cover disks (plus an extra floppy for the subscribers). A time restricted demo of the Organiser 2 almanac application by Digita and a demo of a game called Worms by Team 17. The Worms game was actually based on a game called Total Wormage by Andy Davidson that was sent in to the very same magazine during a create your own game competition. It didn't win. The Worms demo on the floppy disk (which I still have somewhere) was a winner though. Upon the first boot it was apparant that this was something quite special. The tiny Lemming-sized Worms had a hold of you from the get go. The basic game concept is borrowed with love from the old Tanks games, but the team play, choice of weaponry and all the neat sound effects made this a cross-platform hit. I never bought the game for my Amiga, for reasons I really can't think of. Thankfully a friend of mine who got hooked on the Amiga demo bought it for his PlayStation when it came out so there were quite a number of "friendly" games going on.

Last week I got my act together and bought it at Ebay. It really is a must in my collection. £8.2 and one week of shipping later and it now has a spot right next to The Settlers in the "book" shelf.

Game info:
Released: 1995
Developer: Team 17
Publisher: Ocean
Format: Amiga

Screenshots borrowed from Lemon Amiga.

Once you pick it up you can't put it down!

Well, you can. It really is no problem to put it down. But amongst the 23 games included in TouchMaster there actually a few really nice games that will get you hooked. Most of the games are pure crap though, and you will hardly even bother to play them once. But a few puzzle games like Gem Slide and Crystal Balls will want you to come back for more. There are also a few Solitaire type card games and a Mahjong game that's pretty nice for wasting a few minutes on the train or where ever you might be with yor DS.

"The all-time arcade favourite TouchMaster is now on the go exlusively for Nintendo DS! Choose from 23 addictive and fun challenges, including card, puzzle skill and trivia games which use the Touch Screen and Nintendo DS stylus perfectly. Play alone or with friends, compete in tournaments, or post your high scores to our server and check them on the TouchMaster website. TouchMaster is a great pick up and play for everyone."

This game was given to me as a review copy and that is one reason I'm perhaps not so hard on it as I should be. If I would have shelled out for a full price game I would be a bit let down. But now I didn't so I can enjoy the simple games in an other way.

Game info:
Released: 2007
Developer: Midway Studios San Diego
Publisher: Midway Games
Format: Nintendo DS