Bringing Past To Present
Posts tagged 1980’s
RetroReview : April Amiga Apolcalypse – Part Two
Apr 21st
Dateline 21st April 2012
This is most definitely a trip down memory lane which I am going to relish. Looking back at some of the old Amiga games I used to play, it’s funny how many come back to surprise you and also some that shock you. I am hoping that the mix of games will at least give you an idea of the wealth of titles, the vast array of styles and a feel for what makes me love this machine so much.
Oooooooo the controversy.....
Just out of interest I have decided to exclude Kick Off 2 from this list, purely because I have banged on about it in the past and I’d like to save it for a footie retrospective once we get to the 2012 European Championships in the summer.
So away we go with our first batch of Amiga games…..
RetroReview : April Amiga Apocalypse – Part One
Apr 20th
Dateline 20th April 2012
The Commodore Amiga – a phrase that brings tears of happiness to the eyes of myself. Oh how many happy hours were wiled away in front of my monitor playing on a computer system which had been purchased purely for educational purposes. Yeah right, as if that was going to happen. You know that’s gone out of the window when your Dad starts buying American Civil War games and wants you to come off so he can have a quick pop at E-Motion.
The sort of photo that weeps nostalgia - many happy hours were spent loading this up
The Retrosection Guide To Car Booting
Apr 18th
Dateline 18th April 2012
The weather in March was lovely. Now we have entered April the weather has turned for the worse. Hail, thunder and torrential rain coupled with colder than average temperatures can mean only one thing. Yes, it’s Car Boot season once again. Ah yes you can almost smell the hotdogs and burgers from the comfort of your own room. Never has there been more fun from being crammed into a tiny field at 7am on a Sunday morning than by going to a booty.
A perfect site for sore retro eyes - there be bargains to be had out there !
So here are a few tips to keep you on your guard during the next few months :
RetroReview : Mega Drive March Madness Part 6
Apr 1st
Dateline 31st March 2012
As we say goodbye to the Mega Drive, in closing it is worth saying that this is one of my most favourite machines ever. It looked cool, it played your arcade favourites and brought some arcade quality into the home, producing new gems such as Streets of Rage and Sonic that are iconic masterpieces of video games programming.
We've played some classics and we've had some fun but for Sega Mega Drive March Madness we must move on
Of course there are the downsides too. Each game cost around £40.00, it suffered from some lazy conversions compared to the SNES, the Mega Drive II wasn’t as cool as the original console and at the end of the day it was being flogged to death for every last drop of technological advancement it had (the Mega CD and 32X)
One final thought – when the Mega Drive first launched in Japan it was possible to import Mega Drives into the UK Legally. These were known as “grey imports” which led to much confusion. We all thought the Mega Drive was black and wondered if we did get one, it would be a dodgy grey coloured version. Oh how we had much to learn……..and we all waited for the original UK release. Well my mates did, I had to wait until 1994 to buy a second hand version from a chap at college.
Anyway I digress – here are the final few Mega Drive March Madness games………..
RetroReview : Mega Drive March Madness Part 2 – The Mega CD
Mar 18th
Dateline : 18th March 2012
It’s only appropriate on Mother’s Day to post this article. Why ? Well back in the day having seen this following piece of kit shown off in all the magazines and through adverts on the TV, you would have been pestering your Mum to get this for you. And boy you’d be in for a crushing disappointment. It’s the Sega Mega CD….
This should have been the next great technological leap, but ended up being a big step backwards
When a console reaches the end of it’s life cycle in these technologically advanced days, companies will look to the future and bring out a new improved machine to replace it. Granted, this could take a few years of development and testing but once a console’s time has come, it has come and the end is not far off. Back in the day, companies would look to add-ons and expansions to their existing machines to squeeze as much life out of it as possible.
RetroComment : The Demise of GAME – Good or bad news ?
Mar 13th
Dateline 13th March 2012
With the fragile future of GAME hanging in the balance, it seemed only appropriate to say a few words in passing whilst with each day that goes by we wonder if the retail giant is heading towards it’s own Game Over….
This week could spell the end for GAME and Gamestation
Being a gamer it is almost impossible to ignore the continual slide and slow demise of the Game group over the last few months. I have thought long and hard about writing this article, but with news over the weekend that there is likely to be no rescue package and that the company will be left to wither away, I felt it was time to chuck in my two cents and say what I really think about it all.
RetroReview : Mega Drive March Madness Part 1
Mar 9th
Dateline : 8th March 2012
If it’s March, it must be Mega Drive month. Along with the usual batch of game reviews, I am going to look at a few of the other Mega Drive bits and pieces like the Mega CD and 32X. So without further ado here’s what’s been loaded up and played in the last few days……
The Ultimate Mega Drive Set-Up
RetroComment : Happy Birthday to RetroGamer Magazine !!
Mar 5th
Dateline : 5th March 2012
As birthdays come and go, every now and then one of them is a milestone. Be it 16, 18, 21, the dreaded 40 and the even more dreaded 65 – only one stands above them all. That is the Big One and RetroBear joins in the centenary celebrations of Retro Gamer Magazine…..
Happy 100 Retro Gamer !
RetroComment : February-Free-For-All – 29th February 2012
Feb 29th
Dateline 29th February 2012
To close the February Free For All – which in all honesty has been a bit of a disaster content wise but Bear with me because the Mega Drive is up next and I absolutely love that machine – I thought it best to close out with another patented RetroSection list. They are easy to do and don’t require too much taxing of the old brain cells. I can feel the writer’s block gradually lifting and personally cannot wait to get my teeth into the mass of Mega Drive games that await me.
This game is like the February Free For All - a bit of a disaster.....
So join me as we bid farewell to February and welcome the much warmer, brighter and altogether more appreciated March with some more retro musings…..
RetroComment : February-Free-For-All : 20th February 2012
Feb 27th
Dateline : 20th February 2012
The following reasons are why Mario is better than Sonic, and why Sonic is better than Mario – at least, for arguments sake, that will give you something to mull over until next time :
It's the battle to end all battles, the rage in the cage, the rumble in the jungle - but who comes out on top ?