Messages

1

General / Re: Games you must play before you die.

« on: March 24, 2024, 10:37:33 pm »

Initial game I thought of was Radiant Silvergun for Sega Saturn. Although taking a look at 1001 Video Games You Musty Play Before You Die it was already mentioned- in that case...

Bonanza Bros. (Arcade)
Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 (Dreamcast)
Detana!! TwinBee (Arcade)
Die Hard Arcade (Arcade)
Gain Ground (Arcade)
Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Neo-Geo)
Gate of Thunder (TurboGrafx-CD)
Grandia (Sega Saturn)
Kirby Super Star (Super Nintendo)
Lords of Thunder (TurboGrafx-CD)
Omega Boost (PlayStation)
Parodius (Arcade)
Pocky & Rocky (Super Nintendo)
Puyo Puyo Tsuu (Arcade)
Shock Wave 2: Beyond the Gate (3DO)
Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels (3DO)
The King of Fighters '98 (Neo-Geo)
Thunder Force IV (Sega Genesis)
Twinkle Star Sprites (Neo-Geo)
Umihara Kawase (Super Nintendo)

2

Off Topic / Re: Music in 2023

« on: December 19, 2023, 03:28:34 am »

Staind - Confession of the Fallen : After a decade a new album that has all the hallmarks of the classic band.


Crosses - Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. : Modern dark synthpop meets 80s new romantic pulled off phenomenally.   


Sevendust - Truth Killer : Another solid release this time with subtle touches of dark electronica tossed in the mix.


Godsmack - Lighting Up the Sky : Return to form bringing back the gritty sound the band is known for. 



A few honorable mentions from Project 86 - OMNI, Pt.1 dystopian technocratic concept album, besides demos Linkin Park - Meteora 20th Anniversary Edition which had a handful of great unreleased songs, Element Eighty - A.D. and Taproot - SC\SSRS new albums after both bands long absence.

Looking forward to upcoming releases in 2024 from: Project 86, Korn, Julien-K, Adema, Static-X (2nd posthumous album) Jeffrey Nothing (Doom Candy project) Crossbreed, Professional Murder Music, American Head Charge, P.O.D. Still holding out hope for Deadsy - Subterfugue album release.

3

General / Re: Good Retro Gaming Youtube Channels

« on: November 14, 2023, 01:52:41 am »

Retro Core - great comparison videos, occasional product reviews.

Turbo Views - complete series of TurboGrafx-16 game reviews including a few imports.

Classic Gaming Quarterly - In depth nostalgia trips, with video game magazines reads.

Happy Console Gamer - Retro and modern game reviews.

BitHead1000 - Honorable mention since it's 90% banter 10% gaming.

4

General / Re: What Are Your Top (Four) Consoles Right Now And Why?

« on: August 23, 2023, 09:26:31 pm »

Top 4 consoles right now that I have been playing the past months:

1. Sega Saturn
2. Wii U
3. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
4. PS4

I've been slowly working through completing my favorite games on my favorite system SAT and logging them in my blog. It's been a trip re-visisting or sometimes discovering new experiences whether it would be from Mystaria / Blazing Heroes, A.M.O.K, or Clockwork Knight. My biggest time investment was playing 3DO library, and completing several games in the process. My favorite game on that system would be Guardian War (Powers Kingdom). PS4 and Wii + Wii U for casual 'modern' games such as The King of Fighters XV, Street Fighter 6, New Super Luigi U, and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz.

My all-time top 4 favorite consoles would be:

1. Sega Saturn
2. SNES
3. PC Engine
4. Dreamcast

I've played plenty of SNES, PCE, and DC games in the past enjoyed them immensely. Arcade conversions, system exclusives, fan-translated projects or games from the homebrew scene. Honorable mention is PS1 and NES.

5

General / Re: Your Top Video Game Franchises

« on: May 30, 2023, 08:02:33 pm »

1. Mega Man
2. Street Fighter
3. Kirby
4. The King of Fighters
5. Bomberman
6. Gradius
7. Puyo Puyo
8. Virtua Fighter
9. Ys
10. Cyber Troopers Virtual-On

Honorable Mention:

Bonk
Dig Dug
Shining
Panzer Dragoon
Star Soldier
Tales
Bubble Bobble
Pocky & Rocky
Super Mario Bros.
Sonic the Hedgehog


Classic Mega Man series including X spinoffs from Soccer, Kart, RPG, board- not including Zero or Battle Network. Pretty much all of Street Fighter, Kirby, Bomberman, Ys, and Cyber Troopers Virtual-On. The King of Fighters including Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and it's spinoffs. Gradius including Parodius and it's spinoffs. Pretty much all of Puyo Puyo including Mado Monogatari series. Virtua Fighter including Fighting Vipers and it's spinoffs like Fighters Megamix. 

Classic Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog 2D and 2.5D games. Star Solider including Star Parodier. Shining specifically Force, Wisdom, Holy Ark, Tears, Neo and Exa. Bubble Bobble including Rainbow Islands & Parasol Stars. Bonk including Air Zonk. Pretty much all of Dig Dug, Panzer Dragoon, Tales, and Pocky & Rocky.

6

General / Re: The gamer you were when you joined VGcollect vs. the gamer you are now in 2023

« on: April 19, 2023, 08:02:45 pm »

Joined - December 28, 2012

Took a halt on collecting and started completing the games I already own. These days I'm more active on HowLongToBeat blogging my progress. Occasionally log new games I buy which are usually for Wii and Wii U. Finishing games on psychical CD/cartridge, Everdrive /emulation is my primary focus today.

7

General / Re: Video Game Resolutions and Goals in 2023

« on: January 02, 2023, 08:33:18 pm »

- Finish Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier Exceed on Nintendo DS.

- Complete the Galaxy Fräulein Yuna series, for whatever reason I haven't completed them yet.

- Start playing the recently English fan translated B.L.U.E.: Legend of Water by Hudson-Soft.

- Would like to complete at least (1) game in the Ys series.

- Focus on collecting Wii, and Wii U games.

- Would like to complete at least (1) game in the Wonder Boy series.

- Complete the Valis: The Fantasm Soldier series including Genesis releases.

- Start playing the English fan translated Seven Mansions: Ghastly Smile by Koei.

- Finish Silent Bomber on PlayStation.

8

General / Re: Shoot-Em Ups

« on: October 23, 2022, 03:47:27 am »

STGs also one of my favorite genres! YES  . Good question, growing up as a kid-teenager I was into colorful 2D platform, fighting, and beat'em up games the most, traditional shoot'em ups fell by the wayside of my interests. In my head as a kid I thought they were straightforward, not innovative, or too difficult.

Things changed when I grew up..

Fast forward the last two decades I enjoy the genre quite a bit buying Castle Shikigami 2 for PS2 at launch for example. More recently decided to complete (NOT 1CC) my favorite games of the series- without any cheats, or excessive save feature, the old-school way. I keep track on my thread over at Howlongtobeat.

Hard to decide what my favorite sub-genre is I really enjoy traditional vertical, then horizontal style. Toaplan, Cave bullet hell that has more of a puzzle feel to them as well which are fun occasionally. Rail shooters, and Fixed shooters are not too shabby either. 

Love the original gameplay from Treasure developer especially on Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, and Bangai-O! The CLASSICS: Graidus, Parodius, Darius, R-Type all fantastic. Although MY favorite would have to be:

- ESP Ra.De.
- Image Fight, Image Fight II
- Star Solider series
- Down Load, Down Load II
- Thunder Force series
- Blazing Lazers /GUNHED
- TwinBee series
- Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer / Gleylancer
- AIR ZONK /PC Denjin
- Gate of Thunder, Lords of Thunder
- DonPachi series
- Mushihimesama series
- COTTON series
- Elemental Master
- Ray series /Layer Section series
- Twinkle Star Sprites, La Petite Princesse
- SUPER AIR ZONK /CD Denjin
- Espgaluda series
- Terra Driver /Soukyugurentai, Oubushutsugeki
- Mr. Heli

9

Classic Video Games / Re: How Many Of You Forum Attenders and Viewers Still Play Retro Video Games

« on: October 01, 2022, 09:32:47 pm »

Me 

I primarily play 1979-2005 and occasional new homebrew games released on old systems in the 8-bit, 16-bit. Arcade (emulation), Sega Saturn, Neo•Geo, PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 + CD, Sega Genesis / Mega Drive + CD, Super Nintendo / Super Famicom, PlayStation, Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2. I've been getting into Nintendo Wii, Wii U, and Panasonic 3DO Interactive Multiplayer these days.

I would say I play retro games 90% of the time, the remaining 10% for the very few Steam games I buy (exclusive Fighting game genre) Street Fighter V, The King of Fighters XIV.

10

Off Topic / Re: What are your top 10 favorite musical artists/bands/composers?

« on: April 29, 2022, 10:21:19 pm »

1. Korn
2. Weezer
3. Placebo
4. Thrice
5. AFI
6. Stryper
7. The Aquabats!
8. Mushroomhead
9. The Crüxshadows
10. Deadsy

Honorable Mention: Queen, Garbage, Michael Jackson, The Birthday Massacre, Limp Bizkit, Ozma, Linkin Park, X JAPAN, Flaw, P.O.D.

https://www.last.fm/user/bawitback

11

General / Re: What cancelled game would you love to play if it never was?

« on: March 10, 2022, 06:31:08 pm »

Gun Beat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Beat

It was an arcade action-racing game developed by Treasure for the Sega NAOMI.

12

Classic Video Games / Re: What game are you acquiring next?

« on: February 24, 2022, 11:16:21 pm »

The King of Fighters XV on steam

13

General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: February 15, 2022, 03:44:01 am »

Just completed Bomberman 2 on Nintendo DS, collected nearly all the hidden armor pieces to be greeted with a completion rate of 68% going to truly complete it soon. Also playing through Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin on Nintendo DS for the first time- I'm at the final boss BUT before I defeat him I want to finish up a handful of remaining quests, defeat Belmont, AND defeat the boss rush in the underground area. Besdies those two I'm casually playing Endless Frontier EXCEED: Super Robot Wars OG Saga on Nintendo DS thanks to fan translation.

14

General / Re: Your Top 10 Video Games of all Time

« on: February 15, 2022, 03:41:46 am »

1. Mega Man 2
2. Guardian Heroes
3. Bomberman 93'
4. Galerians
5. Bulk Slash
6. Lords of Thunder
7. Tech Romancer
8. Bubble Bobble
9. Gotcha Force
10. Trap Gunner

15

General / Re: Personally Rank all the Nintendo Consoles/Handhelds that you've played/owned

« on: February 13, 2022, 02:02:27 am »

Great topic idea bikingjahuty, I've been coming back to Nintendo after several years. Fascinating ranking a lot of good reasons especially for Switch, make me want one now lol. I'm not going to rank Virtual Boy or others which I haven't owned or played at least a good portion of games on.
 
1. SNES : Second home console I owned, from software quality + quantity, expanding its power with FX chip capabilities, games standing the test of time- its my number one pick. Personal favorite for obvious nostalgia reasons like spending the most time playing it as a kid. 
2. NES : First home console I owned, from casually playing 2600 this really was a step up for me- gameplay felt sharper, and the abundance of original IP which debuted that are still fun to play today.
3. DS : Surprised how much I enjoy the DS(lite) back then, and today! Where GBA had many enhanced SNES ports, DS had strong successors. I prefer the overall graphic engine, online capabilities and library than the rest of Nintendo's handhelds.
4. Game Boy : Normally it would be in my top three pick, but some software has aged but that doesn't mean its terrible by any means. Good memories playing my first handheld Game Boy (Pocket) never owning a GBC, I enjoyed playing on the go next to my parents as a kid.
5. GameCube : Everything the N64 should have been IMO. Excellent graphical engine, using optical mini-discs, had quality multiplayer experiences with a good amount of third party support that holds up today.
6. Wii U : My latest Nintendo home console, I've been really enjoying it so far! Backward compatibility, compact design, and overall better graphical engine that is a big step up from last generation.
7. GBA : Was disappointed overall seeing games I've played on SNES only to be brought over at first. But I've come around to it and enjoy some of the library, have good memories playing it at launch. Game Boy Micro is my favorite model.
8. Wii : I completely missed this system and was playing other home consoles at the time. Only the past years I've bought one and came around to playing it's library. Besides the abundance of shovelware, plenty of quality games exist; some that use the motion controls that are good others not so much.
9. N64 : Was disappointed overall when the system first launched. From the graphics, cartridge, and poor third party games. I think it was a missed opportunity by Nintendo and overall step down from their previous two home consoles. Still a handful of quality software exists that are worthwhile.
10. 3DS : Only recently I've came into possession of the system. The 3D effect isn't for me, and hurts my vision. Otherwise the backward compatibility with DS is the reason why it's on my top ten.