Messages

1

Classic Video Games / Re: What is the best PS2 launch title?

« on: August 08, 2022, 07:12:02 pm »

I was there....three thousand years ago...at a Best Buy.  I loved (and actually thought about playing again) Kessen.  Summoner was okay, but my friends and I sung hundreds of hours into Tekken.

2

General / Re: What are your favorite hidden gems in your collection?

« on: February 06, 2022, 11:37:34 am »

Terranigma is a game very few have heard of, yet it's one of the best Action RPGs on the SNES. The music in this game is incredible, as is the story and gameplay. Since the PAL version is unoptimized (and the only official English version), I went with an NTSC repro cart after my first playthrough on emulator.

Agreed, I recently completed that one and find myself beautifully haunted by its music.  Like Illusion of Gaia before it, you really must complete the game to really appreciate it. 

3

Hardware and Tech / Re: Need a new picture editing program...

« on: March 18, 2021, 08:12:55 pm »

I was also going to suggest GIMP and yes its not intuitive, but once you start learning a few things it starts to make sense-just like photoshop.

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Modern Video Games / Re: What is a good way to find out about current physical releases?

« on: October 28, 2020, 08:24:31 am »

I agree with the already mentioned twitter account.  I use twitter almost exclusively for video game news.  By following gaming personalities at first you'll find niche retweets specific to your interest.  For example I follow BlackKite @bk2128 for Japanese releases, Kelsey Lewin @kelslewin for my video game education, Metal Jesus Rocks @MetalJesusRocks for reviews, and Cheap *** Gamer @videogamedeals to bring all the sales to the yard. 

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Classic Video Games / Re: PS3, PSP & Vita Store Closing Down - I hope I've Read This Wrong?!

« on: October 22, 2020, 05:58:34 pm »

Whenever things like this occur I always wonder what games will be impacted by the simple fact that one day, day one patches will not be available any longer.  What physically owned games will impacted by game breaking bugs that cannot be patched out?  It saddens me because for a while I thought I would always be safe with physical copies.

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Hardware and Tech / Re: Original Xbox with Failed Motherboard

« on: October 07, 2020, 07:56:49 am »

Good advice.  I didn't know the hardware was also tethered together on the XBOX.  I knew that was done on the 360 with their DVD drives where those couldn't be swapped out either.

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Hardware and Tech / Re: Best place to buy broken controllers?

« on: August 10, 2020, 09:55:00 pm »

Don't be afraid to ask brick and mortar stores what they have lying around in back.  Its true 99% of these places will make some attempt to repair merchandise and they do have access to the same internet as you ( meaning info ), but not all care enough or are skilled enough.
As far as importing I did that a lot last year but I had two items never make it to me in March/April.  One returned to sender and the Japan seller offered to try again.  I advised no since COVID many things have bottle necked too much. I feel like I keep reading an article about ships abandoned in harbors around the world for months every morning.   

8

General / Re: What is your favorite Game OST?

« on: August 10, 2020, 09:47:14 pm »

Here's another NES title.... I choose you Ninja Gaiden!  I like the whole soundtrack but the songs I really like, you know the ones, can raise my spirits at any time.  I see Mega Man II and Sunsoft's Batman very closely behind.

9

Classic Video Games / Re: My review of & my opinions of original final fantasy 7 for ps1

« on: July 15, 2020, 06:22:07 pm »

So FF7.  Thats the topic here.  Growing up as a young adult when it came out I was like woah from Bill & Ted, blown away by what was presented to me.   However, I never really played that much.  Like many others out there I had "stepped" out of the video game world for a while (although would be sucked back in later by the likes of FF8 and CSOTN) but I watched my roommate and girlfriends brother play through it within weeks of each other.  Its a great game.  Riddled with bugs, flaws, twists, turns, and most importantly something pressingly urgent to attend too.  Here's the deal.  FF7 is a should play. Not the greatest ever, BUT the one that made the greatest splash.  Its the game that shattered the US RPG barrier. 

So many games before made with the purpose of schooling westerners on RPGs (not in the PC world though) Dragon Warrior a la Nintendo Power, Mystic Quest, and all those before FF7 failed to reach the broad audience of today. 

10

Hardware and Tech / Re: Genesis Model 1 AC Adapter

« on: May 29, 2020, 10:48:14 am »

All good advice as far as sticking to original equipment as much as possible.  I recently ordered my second Sega 3025-1 adapter for my Famicom. The first one has that classic "only works when cord in certain position" issue.  Once I have a consistent known working one I will attempt to repair the first.  Don't get me wrong, generics work in a pinch.  In addition to image "warbling" I find that newer aftermarkets can also cause audio buzzing.

I did fix that first adapter by ordering a replacement cord from consule5.com  Let me tell you those old adapters are tough to open!

11

General / Re: What Equipment Have You Had To Replace Or Repair In Your Collection?

« on: March 28, 2020, 09:21:27 am »

This topic is fresh on my mind...
Repaired:

Gameboy screen vertical line repair
Gameboy SP hinge
Gameboy SP damaged pin connectors
Nintendo DS hinge
Nintendo DS Lite hinge x2
Switch left JoyCon stick drift x2
Xbox One Left Stick drift
Xbox One LB button replace
Sony PS2 (FAT) Laser and Motor replacement
-gave up replacing NES 72 Pin connectors and installed blinking light win.

Replaced the whole thing:

PS4 Console Nathan Drake Edition
Famicom Disk System
SNES Console
PS2 FAT
Xbox 360

12

General / Re: What games are you playing during this dystopian lockdown?

« on: March 26, 2020, 09:06:39 am »

Just working on the back catalog.  Recently completed SOMA and Snatcher.  Not sure whats next yet.....

13

General / Re: My birthday is next week and the virus has shut down the world

« on: March 16, 2020, 06:59:56 pm »

Find the Toilet Paper! 

SOMA if you havent played is 2.99 on steam and great.  Which brings me to this...we all have games to "catch up" on.  Give yourself the gift of the forgotten.

14

Classic Video Games / Re: What Is The Best Way To Play Most Gameboy Games On A TV?

« on: March 07, 2020, 02:27:06 pm »

In line with aftermarket options already mentioned I saw that hyperkin announced development of its Hyperkin Retron Jr. Game Boy Console with HDMI 720 for GB, GBC, & GBA.

If you already own a Super Nintendo a Super Gameboy will work for original Gameboy games.  Super Gameboy adapters for SNES have come way down in cost but you can order them from Japan for even less.  Its SUPER easy to make a USA SNES region free, just a pair of pliers and about sixty seconds.

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Hardware and Tech / Re: Famicom Disk System Error 2

« on: February 28, 2020, 07:49:50 am »

Just an update for someone i future who runs into this.  I have proceeded to calibrate the header and even re-soldered every point on the power board and driver board with no success.  In fact , in all the hours I've poured into this the error message has never changed from #2. I did find just a couple of other folks who had the same issue on the world wide interwebs and they never found a fix either.  One said the power board is bad, but here's the thing, everything in the system is powered.  The disk spins, the header moves and attempts to seek. 

Which brings me to my theory.  I think the header is bad.  Sadly there is no technical specs out in the wild and no "new" parts except for the belts.  Despite no tech specs many believe that Error #2 has to do with initialization as much as power supply.  If so that would support my theory that the header is kaput. 

Accepting defeat I ordered another disk drive and am finally playing my disk games.