Messages

1

General / Re: Gaming/Collecting Goals for 2026

« on: Today at 03:17:09 am »

I am focused on getting more N64 games. I have 180ish out of 296. now I have a 64DD too, but i lack the Retail version. I really want to get a whole set of each of these. Definitely not easy on the 64 DD. I have 8 out of the 10 disks already.

Wow, I always wondered: how are those DD-games? How do they play? Are they good? 

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General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: December 22, 2025, 05:33:01 am »

Disneys Interaktive Abenteuer mit Disneys Hercules (Game Boy)
https://vgcollect.com/item/161114

I once started playing this game a few years ago but threw it in the corner after I got stuck very soon and didn't know how to progress any further - well, that's the problem sometimes, when you collect cartridges only for a system and are lacking many manuals: you simply have to learn moves on the go and can get stuck in a game if not figuring this move out.
This time I somehow managed to realize the protagonist can ram obstacles out of the way, and suddenly I find myself at the gates of the last boss fight 

Maybe this game will be the 16th game I finish in 2025.

3

General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2025!!!

« on: December 22, 2025, 05:04:30 am »

15 - Homefront [AT][CH][DE] (PlayStation 3)
https://vgcollect.com/item/288665

Hardware: PlayStation 3 fat
Playtime: about 30 hours

I initially played Homefront shortly after it's release in 2011, but quickly abandonned it in favour of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which got me sucked in for quite a few years … now in 2025 - a good 14 years have passed - and after finally re-achieveing a functioning PS3, I attempt to "dig at the roots" of my PSN trophy-tree, starting with this title.
NOTE: since the online-server has long been shut down, I'll focus this review solely on the single player campaign.

Homefront is a first-person-shooter that was developed by KAOS Studios. This division of THQ was founded in february 2006 by former Trauma Studios Inc. employees. The only other game I found information of, that KAOS Studios was responsible for developing was Frontlines: Fuel of War (xbox & PC, 2008). This division appears to have been closed by THQ in june 2011, which actually was about 3 months after Homefront was released in march 15th 2011 by THQ Entertainment in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, where I purchased and played it.
This game praises itself with an intruiging background-story written by US author John Frederick Milius, who was also involved in the scripts of cinema blockbusters such as "Red Dawn" or "Apocalypse Now". The story is mostly settled in Montrose, Colorado in the year 2027: after North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il's death in 2011, his son Kim Jong-un went on reunifying the two Korean countries into one - The Greater Korean Republic, which soon began to strenghten it's influence in asia and the whole globe, resulting in an attack on the USA. In 2027 almost half of the north american continent is occupied by the Korean People's Army (KPA), with the highly radiated Mississipi acting as a radioactive border between the communist occupier's forces and the remains of an almost defeated and scattered US Military, supported by local resistance groups. You as the player assume the role of helicopter pilot Robert Jacobs who ends up joining such a resistance group, urging to fight of the Korean oppressors. In all those years between me playing Homefront the first time, and now that I've finally played through the whole campaign, I kept this unique plot in good memory, and even 14 years after it's release, this weird distopy captivates me and kept me hooked to this game the past few days. The US being occupied by a villain state type of enemy like (North-)Korea, with everything cruel that comes with it, is illustrated in a highly cineastic and therefor spine-chilling manner, truely bearing the handwriting of John Milius, who already shocked audiences with terrifying anti-war scenes. The story in Homefront really is something very special and imo kind of a gem in it's genre.

Besides that, Homefront is technicaly a very basic first-person-shooter of it's era, but with a very sophisticated ballistic engine for it's time. Or at least it felt like that back in the day. Maybe that's the reason why it play's itself a bit like Battlefield Bad Company 2 or Battlefield 3 - nevertheless it's still enjoyable today. Missions themselves are all linear but already with a ton of cinematic sequences spread througout them, enough but not too many vehicle-missions to not get you annoyed and an acceptable armory of different guns and gun-configurations to satisfy your local NRA-guy (like Author John Milius, by the way). 

It's really difficult to assess 2011's graphics with 2025's eyes, but honestly? Graphics look amazing to me when I try to put myself back in that time, especially the lighting appears very modern, setting a very realistic atmosphere. I guess I'll have to play more FPS from that year to really be able to compare it to anything…
NOTE: I noticed specifically this game crashing/freezing my console (first Edition 80GB fat lady PS3) repeatedly, which didn't occur playing other games … maybe it's just my copy being faulty, but it tended to freeze entirely, especially after longer sessions or repeated loading/reloading during a session, and mostly in situations, when the game attempted to load another section of the mission or when getting in/out a vehicle. Maybe someone reading this remembers having any similar problems with this game?   

Interestingly, the musical score to Homefront was composed by the same guy that composed the soundtrack to KAOS Studios' other development Frontlines: Fuel of War - Matthew Harwood from Sumthing Else Music Works. Most of the time, the music kinda whobbles in the background of your fighting action with only a few elements of significance, like in any semi-good action-movie. Only the piece in the last mission felt a bit more present and pompous. I don't expect much of a FPS's music, so that's all just fine with me on that part. Normally, music is the part of a game I love to adress most, especially when reviewing 8- to 64-bit era games … somehow in a war-like scenario, most music seems out-of-place and unrealistic, and there are only a few great examples of how the soundtrack can elevate the experience in such games, like for example in Halo: Combat Evolved. Homefront's soundtrack succeeds in setting the atmosphere fitting to the scenery and action, but it certainly isn't any type of gaming soundtrack you'll find yourself searching for on YouTube.

Although I'm sad that it's impossible to get the platinum trophy with the servers down, I really enjoyed revisiting this game after 14 years and it aged well, I must say. It's great for a quick playthrough with an interesting story and challenging difficulty. So give this game a chance and try it out. 

Another game finished … on to the next one 

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General / Re: Gaming/Collecting Goals for 2026

« on: December 19, 2025, 02:37:49 pm »

In terms of collecting gonna be focussing on jap exclusives more than previous years. and otherwise just gonna take it slow as usual.

Collection goals:
AND I'm interested in purchasing some vtech edutainment systems, such as V.Smile ... those come cheap but I didn't start collecting it yet ...

Out of curiosity, where does your interest in the VTech games come from? Are they games you'd consider fun enough to actually want to play?

Nah, not really, I just think the V.Smile system looks funky and as a 90s kid from Germany, Vtech actually is a well known and liked brand overall

It's liked by kids beyond the age of 5? it's a well known brand in europe I'll give ye that but that's news to me 

I don't really try to "enjoy" this toy as a gamer  I'm just interested in the system. Cartridges look weird and are purple aging to grey  and the controllers look like they really suck ergonomicaly. I like such curiosities in my gaming room...

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General / Re: Gaming/Collecting Goals for 2026

« on: December 18, 2025, 11:12:41 am »

Collection goals:
AND I'm interested in purchasing some vtech edutainment systems, such as V.Smile ... those come cheap but I didn't start collecting it yet ...

Out of curiosity, where does your interest in the VTech games come from? Are they games you'd consider fun enough to actually want to play?

Nah, not really, I just think the V.Smile system looks funky and as a 90s kid from Germany, Vtech actually is a well known and liked brand overall ... I got to learn that those Vtech consoles existed just a few months ago actually. It would probably become one of the parts of my collection that I just collect because it looks and feels exotic.

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General / Re: Gaming/Collecting Goals for 2026

« on: December 18, 2025, 09:57:02 am »

Gaming goals:
To play through as many games from my collection as possible, with focus on my pile of shame and my aging PlayStation RPGs.

Collection goals:
Not many, but if I get a chance to fill up my growing Game Gear cartridge collection, I'm buying! (Got almost 60% of full deck)
AND I'm interested in purchasing some vtech edutainment systems, such as V.Smile ... those come cheap but I didn't start collecting it yet ...

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General / Re: A Year in Review - 2025

« on: December 18, 2025, 09:20:34 am »

Favorite 2025 Release: None, didn't really look for games released this year.

Least Favorite 2025 Release: None, didn't really look for games released this year.

Favorite Game Played in 2025: Favourite game I played in '25 was The Adventures of Alundra for PlayStation.
My review: https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,12935.375.html

Least Favorite Game Played in 2025: Least favourite game this year was probably Scrabble for PlayStation.

Sleeper Hit of 2025: None, didn't really look for games released this year.

Favorite Gaming Moment in 2025: My favourite gaming moment this year was the playthrough of Ax Battler for GameGear. The last dungeon was something I didn't know I was capable of beating, but I did! Very proud of that 

Proudest Collection Accomplishment of 2025: I got me a PS3 with functioning disc drive again, so I can play my PS3-collection for the first time in years! AND I got myself a uDraw GameTablet which I wanted to get my hands on for quite a while.

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General / Re: December 2025 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: December 18, 2025, 06:05:37 am »

I did it. One of the crown jewels of stupid gaming accessories, is now in my collection. Behold: the BigBen Cyberbike (Magnetic Edition) for Wii. Half exercise bike, half GameCube controller.



I can't help it, I have a fondness for stupid gaming accessories. I learned about this thing well over 10 years ago, and it's always been on my brain. So I'm so happy to finally own one! One complete with the papers and game, and in really good condition no less. All I'm missing is the original cardboard box.

So this thing works both as a GameCube controller and as a bike in the included game. I tried the included game, and it's a slog. But the real fun was gonna be using this thing as a GameCube controller. Immediate problem: the pedals and turning the handlebars are mapped to inputs even in GameCube mode. This made playing Super Smash Bros. Melee on it really hard (that, and the handlebar input constantly going off center). But then I had an idea, and what I found made the whole purchase worth it all on its own: it works with Mario Kart. Just out of the box. The buttons are remappable, but I tried it with Mario Kart Wii and the default settings work. You turn the handlebars to turn and you freaking paddle to accelerate. This is hilarious. I'm dragging this thing to the gamerspace I frequent and gonna have a blast with this.

...Now to just figure out where the hell I'm gonna store it.

yeeha, you mentioned that one in another thread before  have fun with it ... it indeed looks goofy

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General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: December 14, 2025, 03:14:03 am »

Homefront [AT][CH][DE] (PlayStation3)
https://vgcollect.com/item/288665

I played this game shortly after it's initial release in 2011 but quickly abandonned it in favour of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, that I waited for and got sucked in for years.

Now, 14 years later I revisit this title and find out that the plot is decently written and presented. I hope to at least finish it this time and collect some more trophies along the way... the dystopy of a unified comunist Korea conquering the world is so unusual yet cool to think about. The way it's presented in this game is unsetteling to say the least, let me tell you this  quite a lot anti war holocaustic stuff going down which kinda captivates me as player up to a point were I catch myself really starting to hate the fictive enemies  ... there're not many games capable of doing this.

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General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2025!!!

« on: December 11, 2025, 08:41:01 am »

Omg, someone else who remembers the uDraw GameTablet, no way. I have the Wii version collecting dust on my shelf, but I did try it out. Cool to see someone else who loves odd peripherals!
I'm currently trying to get my hands on a Cyberbike. Half exercise bike, half GameCube controller. That would probably be the crown jewel of my stupid accessories collection. Looking forward to trying and reviewing that once I get one.

The uDraw GameTablet and the two games I own for it kinda fell into my hands unintentionally, really. I wasn't specificly looking for it but it sure is some fun. More examples of funky peripherals on my PS3 collection are the Move Zumba with belt and the Konami Dance Mat for DanceDance Revolution. I also own a Wii with Balance Board, 2 shooters and 2 wheels. A few Arcade sticks for MegaDrive and PS1, the PS2 Eye Toy Hero with the sword  Disney Infinity or Activision Skylanders are also very cool and collectable as well (and there was something called LEGO Dimensions that looked interesting to me) ... I'm actually wanting to own a functional Game Boy Printer with paper to run it for years and hoping that I can make that a reality soon.

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General / Re: 52 Games Challenge 2025!!!

« on: December 11, 2025, 05:38:50 am »

14 - Pictionary Plus (PlayStation 3)
https://vgcollect.com/item/286774

Hardware: PlayStation 3 fat + uDraw GameTablet
Playtime: About 15 hours

A few months ago I purchased a uDraw GameTablet along with uDraw Studio: Instant Artist and Pictionary Plus. A few weeks later I got hold of an fat PS3 with funtioning disc drive, which enabled me to play my PS3-games again after almost 7 years. I love funky peripherals and started off trying out the GameTablet with uDraw Studio: Instant Artist, trying to get the platinum trophy to finish it. But after getting stuck with the mini games of this title, I switched over to trying out Pictionary Plus.

In countries other than Germany this game is titled Pictionary: Ultimate Edition. Yet another boardgame turned videogame, like I tend to play them from time to time (I already finished and reviewed Scrabble for PlayStation earlier this year). Pictionary Plus was published by THQ and released in Germany on November 18th 2011. I tried to do some research on the developer Page 44 Studios and found out that they mostly did football- and ice hockey-games (NHL, Madden,...) and did some interesting titles like The Godfather for PSP and some other Disney- and sports-games. Shortly after making Pictionary Plus and some other games, Page 44 Studios were bought by Zynga in 2011, who then were bought by Take 2 Interactive in may 2022.

The original boardgame/party-game Pictionary was first invented 1985 by Rob Angel after two years of tinkering it out whilst working as a waiter. He published the first commercial version of his game via Angel Games with about 6000 copies sold. After licensing the game in a joint venture between The Games Gang and Western Publishing, Hasbro aquired the games business of Western Publishing in 1994. In 2001, Pictionary was sold to Mattel. By this time Angel's game has spread into 60 countries in 45 languages, with 11 verions just in the U.S. and a total of about 32 million games sold. Angel went on inventing another game named ThinkBlot, which wasn't as successful as Pictionary, but still a hit game for two years. He also was involved in TV-productions such as the 1997 Pictionary themed TV-gameshow.

Gameplay-wise, Pictionary Plus mostly seems like a straight-forward conversion of the boardgame with a few additional modes like the free-drawing-mode, Pictionary-Mania-mode and the Family-Competition-Mode. The standard Pictionary-mode offers the game in it's original form. The free-drawing-mode is self-explanatory: use the game's drawing editor to draw and save any picture you like. The Pictionary-Mania-mode offers an enhanced version of Pictionary with additional fields on the board and combined drawing-challenges differing from the original version. And the Family-Competition-mode lets you set a game for points without a playing board and all options regarding the rules, so you can set up your individual type of game/competition against 1 up to 3 other players.

Graphics are suitable for what it is, but mediocre at their best. The drawing editor itself IS fun though, yet not as sophisticated as the one in uDraw Studio: Instant Artist. By now, I don't own other uDraw-games for any further comparison.

A very disappointing side of this game: it doesn't really have any type of soundtrack given, just a mediocre and non-memorable lullaby in the background of the whole game and in all modes. But, having played a few boardgame conversions by now, I know that it isn't irregular for such games to have an irrelevant soundtrack, or actually none at all like this one. I guess players can be thankful to be at least accompanied by a typically generic sounding female voice soullessly commentating on everything happening on-screen.

To wrap it up, I can't really say I enjoyed playing it, but Pictionary Plus makes a set of easy-to-achieve trophies if you're into hunting platinums for your PSN-account. One can way too easily cheat his way to platinum in this game with one specific trophy being awarded when the game catches you cheating, which was kind of a funny moment, actually. AND of Course, if you like playing Pictionary, this title really may be the "ultimate Edition" to do so.

Another game finished, on to the next one! 

Let's see how many short lived titles like the one mentioned Above can still be beaten within the last weeks of this year ...

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General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: December 03, 2025, 08:45:33 am »

uDraw GameTablet - uDraw Studio: Instant Artist [DE] (PlayStation 3)
https://vgcollect.com/item/286773

yeehah! After almost 4 years of not having a PS3 with functional disc-drive, I finally got a new PS3 into my collection, so finally I'm able to play all of the games I accumulated over the past years.
I started uDraw Studio: Instant Artist yesterday to test out the console as well as the GameTablet. The game seems kinda basic so far but it sure is fun to draw around a bit with this tablet that I purchased just out of craze for funky peripherals.
Most trophies in the game come easy so I'll try to get as much as I can ... 

I kinda hit the wall with uDraw Studio: Instant Artist ... the last trophies to achieve seem annoying and the only one online-trophy is impossible to get due to server shutdown, so I switched over to:

Pictionary Plus (PlayStation 3)
https://vgcollect.com/item/286774

which is another game compatible with the uDraw GameTablet, and an console-version of the known boardgame of the same name. Outside of Germany, this game is titled Pictionary: Ultimate Edition.
It took me about 10 hrs to get the first 86% of trophies and I'm confident that I'll be able to finish this game platinum in a few further sessions.
Drawing itself is also fun in this game, but the editor in general isn't as sophisticated as in uDraw Studio: Instant Artist.

I'm eager to get me some more uDraw-Games !  This peripheral sure is fun!

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Video Game Database Discussion / Re: Question regarding Dishonored (PS3 German version)

« on: November 29, 2025, 02:21:43 am »

A new entry for the item you own can be submitted as Dishonored: Die Maske des Zorns. Meanwhile, 171390 can be updated to Dishonored: Die Maske des Zorns - Limitierte Edition based on the item's front cover, which I'll update myself accordingly.

I just created the item.
I can't mention this enough: thanks for your continuous support 

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Video Game Database Discussion / Question regarding Dishonored (PS3 German version)

« on: November 28, 2025, 06:47:18 am »

Hello everybody/staff 

I've a question regarding the following item:
https://vgcollect.com/item/171390
(ebay:)
https://www.ebay.de/itm/297006375167?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=707-153316-537668-3&mkcid=2&itemid=297006375167&targetid=4582420935879502&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=129072&poi=&campaignid=590145415&mkgroupid=1261141477324257&rlsatarget=pla-4582420935879502&abcId=9320708&merchantid=87778&msclkid=018c3846bea9184d8d83516f3765c07c

I just found out that I personally own another german version with a different EAN code.
The item shown above seems to be a version released within a paperboard sleeve. Here's an ebay link to the version I got here:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/365952344699?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D295741%26meid%3Db269ad694f744cc8b09c8666b2af6c9a%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D176901235338%26itm%3D365952344699%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebV9BertRefreshRankerWithCassiniEmbRecall&_trksid=p2332490.c101224.m-1

QUESTION: If I'm about to submit this version of mine as a new item, how should I name it in order to differenciate it correctly from the existing item?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and help! 

have a nice weekend y'all!

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Site Feedback / Re: Finished List Bug

« on: November 23, 2025, 07:47:53 am »

I've confirmed that this bug has been resolved as of yesterday.

Wow, that's awesome news!
Many thanks to everyone involved and whole vgc staff for resolving! 
Your efforts are highly appreciated!