ALIEN 3

Now that Prometheus is finally coming our way, lets talk Alien retro games.

Truthfully I don’t remember that many Alien games from my own childhood. I remember Alien 3, on the Genesis, which was a vast improvement on previous versions of the game: better gameplay, better graphics (Ripley has *gasp* boobs!), kickass music, blood, gore… great stuff. The game goes for more of an Aliens-type balls-to-the-wall run of destruction and death rather than the dark, gritty, clinical atmosphere of David Fincher’s film; it works, and makes for one thrilling action-packed game. One thing that always bothered me in the Sega Master System version was how you freed prisoners by essentially picking them up and putting them in your pocket (they disappeared as you walked passed them), here you actually set them free. I know, it’s insignificant, but I felt like a douche going around vanishing these guys off the face of the Earth.

Togetherness is what I’m about.

Character RETROspect

Master Higgins

Why is Master Higgins in constant need of bananas and other food? Why is there a skateboard in an egg? Wait… Master Higgins rides a dinosaur – but I thought they were extinct?! Not on this island!

There are definitely some quirky, yet fun things about Hudson Soft’s Adventure Island games, and there is no denying that quirkiness led to a lot of the charm that is present in the series. Let’s take a look at the history behind the creation process of one of Hudson Soft’s most well-known characters, Master Higgins, as well as his first three outings on the NES.

Atari Poop

Asteroids

The Atari 2600 port of the 1979 arcade classic Asteroids explonded onto the console in 1981 (coincidentally, the same year the greatest person to walk the Earth was born). Everyone loved playing as a small triangle that could shoot things, but Asteroids was so much more than just that.

The 1 More Castle Launch Giveaway

[ Editor’s Note: The contest is now closed. — Eric. ]

Let’s keep this short and simple: One week ago, 1 More Castle launched. And it was great. And it continues to be great.

So to celebrate, we are giving stuff away! For free! As part of a contest!

At this point, you may be wondering: What are you giving away? How can I enter this wonderful contest?

Animal Abuse in NES Games

Note: The original version of this piece was featured in the first issue of NES-Bit Magazine, which is now available for free as a pleasant, full-color, high-quality downloadable .pdf. Consider supporting via donation anyway; and if you are interested, here is the next issue.

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The 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console provided (and still provides) countless fond memories for gamers across the world. Whether saving the Mushroom Kingdom from the nefarious Bowser and his cohorts, trekking the lands of Hyrule to vanquish evil in all its forms, defeating the Robot Masters as the beloved Blue Bomber, defending the Earth from alien invasion, restoring peace to Dream Land, putting an end to the Metroid plague, or staking Dracula himself, these and dozens upon dozens of other quests awaited courageous players.

Re-Release Review

Rayman

In honour of next week’s release of Rayman: Origins for the 3DS, Nintendo has re-released Rayman’s first foray into the world of Nintendo handhelds: Rayman. Is this oft overlooked version of Rayman’s first adventure worth your cash this week? Find out after the break.

Character RETROspect

Crono

What is it about video game characters that resonate with us and make us care about them? Is it their otherworldly abilities that make us feel like we’re living out our dreams of being a hero, or perhaps their stories of wonder and awe that captivate us?

In this weekly series, I will be taking a closer look at some of the most beloved and respected characters in the realm of video gaming, as well as taking a second glance at some characters that we perhaps wish we could permanently erase from our minds.

Please be advised that *spoilers* can and probably will happen.

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division is nothing short of ambitious. Created by Monolith Productions, utilizing their brand new Lithtech engine, Shogo combines FPS standards of the time, with the dizzying influence of Japanese anime. Featuring such elements as a critical hit system, and the ability to pilot large mecha, Monolith attempts to push the boundaries of what a first person shooter can be. However, will all of this ambition, comes a distinct lack of cohesion, and ultimately, frustration.

The Gaming Historian

Castle Wolfenstein

Hello and welcome to The Gaming Historian!

If you are unfamiliar with this series, I’ll give a little back story. The Gaming Historian is originally a video documentary series all about the history of video games. You can watch all of my episodes on my YouTube Channel. However, I was given the opportunity to contribute to 1 More Castle and I was absolutely thrilled. History majors are typically really boring writers of non-fiction, so I feel like I am back to true form. Don’t worry, I’ll try to keep it interesting here.

Recently, Wolfenstein 3D celebrated it’s 20th birthday. Hooray! This game is considered the grandfather of first person shooters and really set the bar for future titles. To celebrate this wonderful occasion, Bethesda (who purchased iD software back in 2009) released the game for your browser! You can check out the game here.

Captain America and The Avengers

With Joss Whedon’s Marvel Avengers Assemble still fresh in our minds, why not take a look back at a game which brought Marvel’s titanic superteam to life in 16 bit form and made my personal Sega Mega Drive game collection that little bit more special?

The early 90’s didn’t have much in the way of kickass Avenger-ey things and, strangely enough, that soporific Captain America movie just didn’t cut it so you can imagine how much fun it was to play a game like Captain America & The Avengers.

Pac-Man

Hey folks! Atsinganoi here welcoming you to my first of many 1 More Castle articles and telling you that I’ve been brought here to restore the Atari 2600 to it’s rightful place in the video game console pantheon. I’m here to right the wrongs of the past and maybe even wrong a few rights once in a while (whatever that means). My choices might be controversial at times (maybe even all the time), but understand that I am always serious. Seriously.

So, with that, how about we move on and begin by taking a look at possibly the first survival horror game ever created and one of the greatest Atari 2600 game of all-time?

Re-Release Review

Game & Watch Gallery 2

Are you folks ready for some pick-up and play action this week? This week sees the launch of Game & Watch Gallery 2 hitting the eShop. Check out the full review after the break to see if it’s worth breaking the bank this week.

The Fair Shake

Kool-Aid Man

Greetings readers! My name is Paul Potvin, and I welcome you to my small corner of 1More Castle. Don’t mind the construction cones, it’s a work in progress. The hastily written sign above the door reads “The Fair Shake”. We’ll be discussing games here, of course. ‘Great… another video game blogger, here we go.’ Do we really need more articles on how great Mega Man 2 is? How much fun Mario Kart is? In my humble opinion, no. In fact, if you want articles on blockbuster games that won all sorts of accolades, look elsewhere. Here at The Fair Shake, I’ll be writing about games which for one reason or another have been maligned, but quite possibly, shouldn’t be. Group think is prevalent everywhere, doubly so when it comes to video game reviews. Lots of people claim a game “sucks”, having never seen, let alone ever played it.

The 1 More Castle Manifesto

The player is sitting on the living room carpet, hunched forward with wide eyes and intent concentration. The 8-bit protagonist on the softly glowing screen is running across the pixelated landscape, dodging projectiles and defeating enemies with ease. Every glorious beep and bloop serves as an overture to what feels like inevitable victory.

“Honey,” a female figure suddenly, quietly interrupts from the hallway in a halted, raspy tone. “It’s late. You should go to bed,” the player’s mom gently urges, her silhouette barely discernible against the dim backdrop of the walls behind her.

The player’s focus is unwavering. Thumbs flit from button to button, leaning on precise directional angles, the controller softly clicking and slightly angling with each press. The hero persists, champion of another realm, bent on saving the world and rescuing the princess, on triumphing over evil, on fulfilling a noble purpose no mere mortal could ever appreciate.

“Just a minute mom,” the player sharply hisses in return; not meaning any disrespect, but honed in on the mission at hand. Lives are in the balance. “Just one more castle…”

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Remember that?

We do.

To put it in simple words: We love old video games.

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