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52 Games Challenge 2024!!!!!

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bikingjahuty:
10. Virtua Cop (Arcade)

Between the arcade version and the Saturn port, I've probably beat Virtua Cop a hundred times at this point, but every once and I while I really get the urge to play through it once more, which is precisely what I did this afternoon. Virtua Cop is about as classic of a 90s arcade game as they come. While not very long, the light gun gameplay is still very addictive as you should bad guys popping out of pretty much every place they possibly can. Meanwhile you're picking up more powerful weapons and health items, and also not trying to kill innocent people who just love to step right in your line of fire. The bosses are also pretty fun, although the final boss is a tad on the easy side. Maybe the best thing about Virtua Cop both back in 1994 and today is its amazing presentation. Virtua Cop's OST is legendary, as are its graphics which still retain a distinct charm about them. I'll always love this Sega arcade gem, and I'm certain I'll probably play this game again within the next couple years like I always do. (1/21/24) [37/50]

bikingjahuty:
1. Battletoads (Genesis) - ABANDONED

Like many gamers old enough to remember the 8-bit and 16-bit days, Battletoads has been a continual thorn in my side for decades. In fact, prior to tonight, I'd never made it past the infamous Turbo Tunnels. After beating this section, I felt a brief moment of victory, followed by the crushing realization that it only gets harder the further into the game you go. I got a little further to the part where you have to platform on a bunch of moving snakes, and that part broke me. I've come to terms with the fact that I will likely never beat this game despite having tried since 1992/1993 when I first got this game. This game's reputation as being brutal is well deserved. For what it's worth, it's a fairly fun game to play, and has an amazing OST. I just wish it was slightly easier, as even for an older game, this game is relentless! (1/21/24)

bikingjahuty:
I feel like I don't play enough pre-5th gen games, so I decided to have a nice Sunday night of Beat Em' Ups, focusing on ones I've never played and seem to get mentioned when the term "hidden gem" comes up. One of the games might be, sort of a hidden gem, while the other was anything but.


11. The Tick (Genesis)

I know the beat em' up genre is not typically known for being the least monotonous genre out there, but this game definitely takes the tedium present in a lot of games from this genre to a whole new level. For one, this is one of the longest beat em' ups I think I've ever played, and to make matters worse, very few stages, enemies, or bosses are at all interesting for fun to fight against. There is some humor in this game, but it literally becomes stale before you even finish the 2nd stage. There are also some really annoying platforming sections throughout the game where you have a bunch of random objects flying out you with almost no time to react. The OST is nothing great either, nor are the sound effects from the Tick or the enemies you fight. This game should be a hard pass for anyone looking for even a decent beat em' up to play. (1/21/24) [22/50]

12. The Punisher (Genesis)

I used to own this game back in the day, and never got around to playing it by the time I sold it off. Fortunately I have it on a Mega SD, and decided to play through it. Much to my surprise, it's actually a pretty fun beat em' up, with a fairly interesting story, cool enemies and bosses, and fairly interesting gameplay. One cool aspect of the Punisher is the ability to shoot enemies during select parts of the game. The enemy AI was also pretty balanced, offering a decent challenge, while avoiding being cheap or annoying. The OST is fairly average, but good, and the visuals are pretty good for the most part. There are certainly other beat em' ups on the Genesis I enjoy more, but for what it is, this game was no slouch. (1/21/24) [31/50]

kashell:
10. Mega Man X6

My neighborhood was an ice rink over the weekend, so I did replay of this while being at home. I'm not sure why. Maybe so I could make my inevitable replay of X4 all the more sweeter? This game isn't good. It's nowhere near X5 levels, but it's clear the series peaked at X4. Hell, for some it peaked just at X. Yes, there were some good stage tunes and a few neat bosses, but it was just a messy, contrived entry in the series.

dhaabi:
08. Hyper Meteor || Playdate || 01.16.24



With a name like Hyper Meteor on a system that has so far offered its players a handful of fun arcade-style games, the title gave some hint as to what kind of genre the game would be. While some may find it to be a clone of the classic Asteroids, it is far from it.

In short, Hyper Meteor is a simple action game which has the player thrusting their spacecraft into meteors and other obstacles in head-on collisions, not by using projectile shots. With space being cramped and full of numerous enemy types, surviving requires a small level of strategic play. For every obstacle, there are two sides: white, which signifies the item's vulnerable points to strike, and black, which signifies its armored points to avoid as they result in losing a life token. As new levels are achieved, new enemy types may spawn with those already unlocked which are unlike the default meteors which are free-floating, non-targeting obstructions. Instead, other obstacles are more like actual enemies. One type actively but slowly drifts toward the player, whereas another shoots projectiles in several directions it faces.

Alongside the basic attack system, there is a heavy emphasis on scoring which determines new stages being achieved in real-time with more difficult encounters yielding higher point totals and the ability to gain additional life tokens upon reaching score milestones. This mechanic is complemented by the game's scoring which leans into its arcade nature through a combo system. In the corner, a gauge is present that refills with each collision but quickly depletes. Naturally, this encourages faster gameplay which rewards risk. Of course, being precise in one's movements are obviously crucial to reach higher scores and longer sessions. To go far, there is a balance needing to be achieved to target the smaller craters which serve as fodder to quickly refill the gauge as they are fully white, meaning they cannot harm the player.

Bearing some similarities to its reference material, Hyper Meteor stands as its own with individuality. Alongside what's been mentioned above, Hyper Meteor's playing field size is quite small, meaning there is not a lot of space to navigate around obstacles. At the same time, player control is not as floaty and and fast-moving as one may expect, which I prefer. Another item worth mentioning is that two different control layouts—either the D-pad or face buttons in pair with the system's crank—are offered which is a welcomed addition.

To my surprise, Hyper Meteor is perhaps my go-to arcade-style game included with the Playdate, as of this writing. With each new attempt, I actually notice my skill improving and the capability to achieve longer runs, which I find myself still greatly motivated to pursue.

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