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Cover art by Luis M © The Retro Games News Page 1 Welcome to Issue 4 an interview with the much Editor / Reviewer - Phil loved YouTuber Karl Watson, Wheatley of TRGN better known as Woodlin37. You’ll learn about his view on Reviewer – Drew Kenaz Hi Troops – welcome back to YouTube and about the another issue of The Retro gaming community in general. Reviewer – Anthony L Luna Games News. We have two features on Special Thanks to Graham This month we have some games that have been written Roberts for proof reading more exclusives for you. The by Homebrewers for 8 bit and editing Stunt Car Racer, first of which is an interview systems and for iOS, and we The Staff of Karnath and with Simon Taylor who was a also have some classic game Thrust. programmer making games in reviews including Stunt Car the early 80s. We also have Racer, Thrust, Altered Beast and more… To view other available issue, please visit: http://www.theretrogamesnews.com/back-issues Contents Welcome.................................................................................... Page 2 Outrun (Arcade) .......................................................................... Page 4 Simon Taylor Interview............................................................. Page 7 LED Racer (IOS) ...................................................................... Page 10 Stunt Car Racer (Amiga)......................................................... Page 11 Karl Watson (Woodlin37) Interview ....................................... Page 13 Thrust (C64)............................................................................. Page 17 Shifted (ZX81).......................................................................... Page 19 Altered Beast (Sega Master System)..................................... Page 21 The Staff of Karnath (C64)...................................................... Page 22 © The Retro Games News Page 2 Exclusive Offer! Space Harrier C64 Retail Box USA/NTSC Release Only $3.99 US plus shipping visit www. elisoftware.com and use promo code TRGNSH Offer good through July 1, 2013 Watch this space for future TRGN exclusive offers! © The Retro Games News Page 3 Outrun ( Various Programmer was The Arcade (Original) Versions ) commissioned under Sega Outrun game has a very to develop the next driving individual look and feel to it game. that not many other games Reviewed by Drew Kenaz have managed to reproduce It is common knowledge or get near to. You can tell, Doooo Di Doo Doo Di Doo that he was a big fan of the looking at the car instantly Doooooo, Di Dooo Dooo Di film Cannonball Run and that the graphics have been Do Dummmm, Di Doooo wanted to capture the based of the photos taken Dummm Di Doooo. magic of the film in a race by Yu Suzuki’s team that everyone could achieve although obviously over Nope, it’s just not possible the same feeling. However, drawn to add detail such as to do justice to that tune by when he looked at the lights and making sure the text. “Splash Wave” must American landscape, he Ferrari logo is nice and be one of the most found that there was not a clear (Well you wouldn’t recognisable arcade tunes lot of difference. want anyone thinking you of all time. were cruising in anything other than a Ferrari would you?). So what does the game give you? You’re not racing against anyone else. All you have is an open top Red Ferrari with yourself and a girl in your passenger seat. What better way to drive by the ocean and enjoy the views. In essence, this is what you get. A drive across some To help combat this, Yu great scenery in a cracking Music was just one of the Suzuki Took a hire car car. The pastel shades and elements that made Outrun around Europe, attached a relaxing music set the special. From a technical camcorder to the car and mood. The only enemy you point of view, Outrun also took many stills of the have is time. Don’t we all! provided a few firsts for terrain and the roads etc. as Game development that a guide for how each level So off you go. Driving as paved the way to a new would look. fast as you can to the next generation of game styling, stage, hoping that you can distribution and engine This coupled with searching reach the end to see what development. Developed all over Japan for a Ferrari scenery waits for you there with such passion, that Testarossa so that her with the wind blowing even the Game over music could take photos of the car through your animated hair. adds a sense of melancholy at 5 degree angles meant that makes you feel “Meh! I that he used all the tools he And that is what enthrals want another go.” when you could to make the journey you. You want to see what run out of time. through the game as is next. The drive is realistic as possible. enjoyable, more realistic So what was new? than many predecessors. And now we enter the The lack of cars on the road It all began when Yu Suzuki Gameplay. (The fun bit) at the beginning gives you the now Legendary enough time to accelerate © The Retro Games News Page 4 to top speed. As it should, Here are a few that stand the game gets progressively out. harder. Roads get thinner, more cars appear on the 8 Bit: road. You get steep hills Sega Game Gear: that make you crane your head to see over the top you hit an object hard, you Considering the limited (Like that will make a will crash the car. As it power of the Game Gear difference) and even a gambols into the distance, hardware. I don’t think it choice of route at the end of you and your passenger are does a bad job. You still each stage. The choice of route was a fantastic idea. The added element of being able to change where you go means that you can change the scenery each time you play. The end goals (After 5 stages) are laid out so “a” (taking the left route every time) is the easiest and “e” (taking the right route every time) is the hardest. After playing a few times, you will find you pick your favourite scenery and will try the same routes time after time left sat in the the ground have the hills, music trying to get to that next wondering what on earth (although very beepy) You stage. happened. Clip the side of feel the sliding around the the car and you spin to a corners and the car is Yu Suzuki even spent time recognisable. Plus you can making sure that the car felt play linked up 2 Player (The right to drive. 2 Gears “Low” only version that ever did and “High” Giving a feeling this). of more control. “Low” stop. Only to be left with the accelerates faster but has a The only amusing part is girl slapping and hitting you. lower high speed, “High” that at times, you can see I take it she wasn’t very accelerates slower but how the cars etc. are put impressed. gives you a Higher top together when sprites speed. disappear and a segment of All in all. Outrun is a very your car momentarily enjoyable game to play. I However, be careful at disappears. have spent many times those top speeds! To add a simply having a quick play bit more realism to the 16 Bit: on various console control, the G’ forces come Atari ST: conversions simply to enjoy into play. A squeal from the the experience. (Often on tires, a bit of smoke and I will always have a soft easy) Just taking it all in as round the corners, you will you do in a nice car out on slide towards the plethora of the freeway. rocks, signs or lampposts etc. at the edge of the road. Speaking of the conversions............ You can tell Yu Suzuki had a sense of humour too. If © The Retro Games News Page 5 This is the nearest version I mentioned before although have played to the arcade uses a very nice effect for version. the cloud design uses trees to block the clouds from Very smooth, fast and you view as if they want to hide have the original arcade the clouds from you. music. My biggest gripe though is spot for this version of The only issue I found was why oh why change the Outrun as it was the first that the programmers car? version I ever played. Infact obviously had a memory it was the first game I ever issue with sprites. This is PS2, XBox, PS3: played on the Atari ST the apparent with 2nd and 3rd day I opened the box. And stages on the right route as I know this is pushing the Oh the excitement! there is a lack of sprites on retro boundaries a bit but I screen compared to the still feel the latest version is Having played it after the Arcade. worth mentioning. I have Arcade version though, It is seen so many attempts to a little slow and doesn’t Other than that. Worth “Update” old games that fall really make the most of the buying a Gameboy over and fail to grasp at Atari ST hardware. Looking Advance for if you love what made the old games at the sound and graphics, I Outrun. great before super realistic would suggest that it is graphics became available. simply an 8 Bit conversion 64 Bit: However, I feel that Outrun but with 16 Colour graphics. Online Arcade grasps it. However, it was my first PS2: Outrun experience and will Sega Classics Collection. still enjoy playing it. Megadrive : Hmmmmmm. Not sure about this version. I kind of Some how, this version like it and don’t at the same doesn’t quite have it.