Comments on: The Greatest Game In the World, Ever (Today)

By: battery

battery — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:55:15 +0000

[...]PowerPlay, which surpassed the ASM as best selling magazine at some point in the early 90s, started it’s existence as the gaming section of Happy Computer, a general purpose computer mag from the 80ss which was famous for it’s listenings.[...]

By: CN

CN — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:57:57 +0000

The Rom Check Fail link at the top of the article goes to a dead page. It needs to be http://playthisthing.com/rom-check-fail

You have an extra ‘s.’

By: Lizardbreath

Lizardbreath — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:50:34 +0000

I’m not sure I agree with the assertion that Rom Check Fail treats its characters as “games people love” as opposed to “icons to pay fealty to.” In fact, I would say the opposite is true. By saying the use of these characters is merely a nod to “games people loved” is to say that the game would have the same appeal if the developer had used generic sprites with no historical significance. But I don’t think the power of nostalgia can be overlooked. Classic game icons were used solely because they were icons, because they would provoke a greater emotional response. The fact that they’re remixed after a short time only makes you more acutely aware how arbitrary these icons are…The player has no permanent in-game identity or enemy; he or she must simply follow the universal formula of “defeat stuff to win.”

I suppose you could argue that the appearance of the classic characters are merely a shorthand for what abilities you could use at any given moment. But the fact that these abilities are quickly recognizable just loops back to the point that they have icon status.

By: Farbs

Farbs — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:22:18 +0000

I’m right there dreaming with ya Terry baby.

By: terry

terry — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:59:18 +0000

After playing this I began to think how hardcore it would be for entire platform romsets or styles mixed and mashed to be released. A lot of the time (Golden Axe vs Warriors of Fate vs That Cowboy One with the Guy With The Purple Outfit and Silly Hat) the games would be similar enough to work.

However I can picture the spasmodic fits generated in Nintendo’s legal department from this game alone, but I can always dream, right? :O

By: Dorian Cornelius Jasper

Dorian Cornelius Jasper — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:29:58 +0000

Rook: Metroid… dude? I find this phrase amusing, for reasons entirely irrelevant to the discussion at hand.

By: Okami

Okami — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:27:28 +0000

I did a little googling on east german games an Lo And Behold! there’s a website where you can play games from east germany’s socialist past (insert lame “in soviet germany computer games play you” joke here).

http://www.polyplay.de/?m1=play

By: Kieron Gillen

Kieron Gillen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:05:55 +0000

(I almost quoted that bit in the post)

By: J

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:59:31 +0000

GIL! SCOTT! HERON!

(Sorry.)

By: Kieron Gillen

Kieron Gillen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:46:58 +0000

Okami: The radio stuff is amazing.

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:16:53 +0000

Home computers were allways way bigger than consoles in germany. I think console game sales only surpassed pc game sales in recent years in germany.

I think that’s a general theme for a big part of Europe.

By: Okami

Okami — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:11:43 +0000

I think I can say a few things about growing up on computer games in germany (or at least in a german speaking country):

Home computers were allways way bigger than consoles in germany. I think console game sales only surpassed pc game sales in recent years in germany.

This is best illustrated by taking a look at the german print mag scene:

Late 80s and early 90s there were basically two german gaming magazines (that mattered):

PowerPlay and ASM (Aktueller Software Markt). Both were multi format mags, which focused on computers, there was a console section, but that was at the back of the mag and I think that PowerPlay only added it after it had been around or some time (not too sure about that).

Of course there were system specific mags like Amiga Joker, Atari Joker, PC Joker and a bunch of otheres. As well as Disc Mags.. You know those: You just buy a disc in a shrink wrap and all the articles and demos and whatnot were on the disc.

PowerPlay, which surpassed the ASM as best selling magazine at some point in the early 90s, started it’s existence as the gaming section of Happy Computer, a general purpose computer mag from the 80ss which was famous for it’s listenings.

It wasn’t until the early 90s that the first major console only magazine appeared in germany (it was called Maniac and started it’s life as a special edition of PowerPlay I think..).

I think one of the reasons computer gaming was allways bigger than console gaming is the germans’ enigneer attitude. You can use a computer, it’s a tool, not just a toy. So parents were far more likely to buy their kids something that could be used for work rather than just for playing. I know I convinced my mom to get me a C64 so I could work with it.

And then there’s eastern germany of course. People in the GDR had access to computers, if you were really lucky and well connected, you might even get a western computer like the C64 or an Atari.

But mostly east germans made do with the Robotron, which was built in the GDR (yup, commies built home computers), and was a really nifty piece of equipment from what I’ve heard about it.

There even was an east german game development scene (which mainly consisted of ripping off western arcade games), however small.

Oh and my favorite bit of germany related computer trivia from the eighties:

We all (well at least us real men, who grew up with home computers with tape drives!!) know, that you can save computer data as sound. We also know, that you can broadcast sound via radiowaves. There was a radio show in the GDR in which whole programs were broadcasted over the air. You just turned on your radio before the show started, put a tape in the radio’s tapedeck and pressed record once the “show” started. One hour of recording later you had “downloaded” yourself a new program.

Pure genius!

I hope this shed a little light on computer and video gaming in germany during the golden years. I wrote all of this from memory and I’m sure I made a few mistakes here and there or ommited something. But I think I’ve covered most of the main issues here. If anybody feels like correcting me or adding something: Go ahead!