Atari Lynx Ocean's Robocop Bombs Away!
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RG18 Cover UK.qxd:RG18 Cover UK.qxd 20/9/06 17:32 Page 1 retro gamer COMMODORE SEGA NINTENDO ATARI SINCLAIR ARCADE * VOLUME TWO ISSUE SIX Atari Lynx Power in the palm of your hand Ocean’s Robocop I’d buy that for a dollar! Bombs Away! Bomberman blasts back Little Computer People Creator David Crane interviewed Retro Gamer 18 £5.99 UK $14.95 AUS V2 $27.70 NZ 06 Untitled-1 1 1/9/06 12:55:47 RG18 Intro/Contents.qxd:RG18 Intro/Contents.qxd 20/9/06 17:40 Page 3 <EDITORIAL> Editor = Martyn Carroll (martyn@livepublishing.co.uk) Deputy Editor = Aaron Birch (aaron.birch@livepublishing.co.uk) Art Editor = Craig Chubb Sub Editors = Rachel White + James Clark Contributors = Richard Burton + David Crookes Paul Drury + Frank Gasking Peter Latimer + Craig Lewis Robert Mellor +PerArne Sandvik Spanner Spencer + John Szczepaniak The Boy Warde + Kim Wild <PUBLISHING & ADVERTISING> Operations Manager = Glen Urquhart Group Sales Manager = Linda Henry Advertising Sales = Danny Bowler Accounts Manager = Karen Battrick Circulation Manager = elcome to another editorial, then that’s exactly Zzap!64 tribute magazine (see Steve Hobbs feature-packed what it is. Subscriptions really page 13 if you’re not sure what Marketing Manager = helloissue of Retro are the lifeblood of any I’m blabbering on about). What’s Iain "Chopper" Anderson Editorial Director = Gamer. I’d like to magazine, and they keep Retro more, we have similar Wayne Williams W start this issue by Gamer ticking along nicely, promotions lined up over the Publisher = pointing out our new especially during the rather coming months… Robin Wilkinson subscriptions offer. Sign up anaemic summer months. And If you’re already a subscriber, <SMALL PRINT> today and you’ll receive 12 just think, if you do subscribe, I thank ya kindly. Your continued Distributed by issues of the magazine, plus the not only do you receive a year’s support is always appreciated. Comag, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesexamazing new Commodore 64 worth of RG and the C64 DTV Until next time. UB7 7QE, England. Tel: 01895 444055. Fax: 01895 433602 plug-and-play joystick. If that gizmo, but you’re also first in No part of this magazine may be reproducedlooks like or blatant self- line when it comes to exclusive martyn carroll stored in any form whatsoever withoutadvertising the prior thinly disguised as giveaways, like this month’s written consent of Live Publishing Int Ltd. The editor views expressed herein are not necessarily the opinion of the Publishers. Live Publishing Int Ltd Europa House Adlington Park Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4NP, UK Tel: 01625 855000 Fax: 01625 855071 ISSN: 1742-3155 <LIABILITY> Whilst every care has been Subscription prices taken in the production of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein.UK: £71.88 (12 issues) Europe: £77.00 (12 issues) Rest or world: £83.00 (12 issues) Retro Gamer, ISSN number 1742 3155, is published monthly (twelve times per year) by Live Publishing at 1320 Route 9, Champlain, N.Y. 12919 for US$123 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Champlain, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Retro Gamer c/o Express Mag, P.O. Box 2769, Plattsburgh, NY 12901-1329. q 3 q RG18 Intro/Contents.qxd:RG18 Intro/Contents.qxd 20/9/06 17:40 Page 4 >Content v2.06 Desert Island Disks p16 Atari Lynx p24 Paul Drury talks to vector game god Peter Latimer looks at what happened to Atari’s Tim Skelly 16-bit handheld Next Level Gaming p36 Robocop: The Future of Film Licences p40 Aaron Birch tries to find nice things to say Robert Mellor rounds up the home versions of about Sega’s ill-fated 32X Data East’s Robocop arcade game Legend of The Last Ninja p54 A Brief History of Videogames Part 3 p60 Retro Gamer talks to the designer and Spanner Spencer completes his videogame programmer of The Last Ninja history, starting with the great crash of ‘83 q 4 q RG18 Intro/Contents.qxd:RG18 Intro/Contents.qxd 20/9/06 17:40 Page 5 >Regulars Retro News p06 The latest retro news, including details on the latest Atari TV game Back to the Eighties p08 A look back at what was happening in the Virtually Alive p32 gaming world 20 years ago this month Kim Wild reflects on the original God game, and Retro Rated p10 talks to its creator, David Crane Retro Gamer reviews the latest commercial releases. Plus, we round-up the best mobile retro games Games That Weren’t p70 Frank Gasking takes a stroll through the gaming graveyard and uncovers a long-lost Ultimate title Strange Games p72 Per Arne Sandvik looks back at some of the weirdest games ever released Import Gaming p45 High Score p74 John Szczepaniak delivers the ultimate guide to Paul Drury talks to Paul Dean, holder of the import gaming and console modding Spy Hunter world record Retro Scene p78 News direct from the retro community, including reviews of the latest scene releases Retro Forum p82 Four glorious pages of reader feedback and Web forum posts Retro Auction Watch p87 Richard Burton keeps his eye on eBay. Includes a look at a rare CPC prototype p80 A Stitch in Time Retro Coverdisc p92 Paul Drury chats to Faye Lampshire about the A guide to running The Last Ninja games on finer points of cross-stitch, retro-style this month’s cover CD Endgame p98 Old tin head draws another issue to a close q 5 q RG18 Retro News.qxd:RG18 Retro News.qxd 20/9/06 17:49 Page 6 Atari Flashes Back ‘Hackable’ version 2.0 in the pipeline out there, you’ll also be able to of games, and more than a few ‘unlock’ the Flashback 2, enabling interesting hardware features, the the use of your own carts. Yes, Flashback 2 could be the perfect this is true 2600 hardware and comeback for Atari. In fact, the with a little resourceful hacking unit has already won plenty of (and warranty voiding – you’ve praise at this year’s E3, so the been warned), you’ll be able to future for this little box of tricks play other games, including is looking very bright indeed. Following the less-than-stellar celebration must surely include homebrew titles. This wasn’t We’ll have a full review of the reception of the first Flashback Activision’s Pitfall and River Road. possible on the original Flashback Flashback 2 (and hopefully a TV game, Atari has gone back to Both games make a welcome as the hardware was emulated. hacking guide) when it’s released its lucrative TV game lab and appearance along with 40 others, With such a promising line-up in August. masterminded a successor. As including several previously you can see from the picture, unreleased titles and a couple of Flashback 2 is going right back to hidden games that need to be the roots of the VCS with the unlocked (but there are no 7800 classic woodgrain look and a titled included this time around). couple of 2600-style sticks. It’s The unit also throws in a few already promising to be a huge homebrew games, solidifying improvement over the original Atari’s position within the all- Flashback, but what about important retro community. the games? This is starting to sound like >The games... This time around, Atari has the product we all wanted in the answered earlier criticisms by first place, and it doesn’t end > 3D Tic-Tac-Toe > Frog Pond > Ret. To Haunted House including some classic third-party there. Atari has made it possible > Adventure > Hangman > River Raid titles alongside its tried and for people to use their old > Adventure II > Haunted House > Saboteur trusted back catalogue. This controllers with the unit – and, for > Aquaventure > Human Cannonball > Save Mary makes perfect sense, as any 2600 all the hackers and homebrewers > Arcade Asteroids > Lunar Lander > Secret Quest > Arcade Pong > Maze Craze > Space Duel > Asteroids Deluxe > Millipede > Space War > Atari Climber > Missile Command > Thrust > Caverns Of Mars > Off the Wall > Video Checkers > Centipede > Outlaw > Video Chess > Combat, Combat 2 > Pitfall > Wizard > Dodge’m > Quadrun > Yars’ Return > Fatal Run > Radar Lock > Yars’ Revenge q 6 q RG18 Retro News.qxd:RG18 Retro News.qxd 20/9/06 17:49 Page 7 REGULAR | RETRO NEWS Feel the Give us two minutes and we’ll give you the retro world! Rage! Hidden gems revealed Last issue we came back from the hustle and bustle of E3 with news of Sega’s latest retro release: Sonic Gems Collection. Made up of classic Sonic titles, the collection was looking great – and now it’s even more appealing, as it’s believed that it will also feature a few non-Sonic Mega Drive titles. The extra games will come in the form of the legendary Streets of Rage trilogy, as well Messiah or Pariah? as the rather bizarre inclusion of Bonanza Bros. Sega has yet to make an official Nintendo runs for the courts comment on the news, but we expect more details very soon. Nintendo, not known for taking light gun. To add to Nintendo’s production line (our money’s on infringements on its properties already potent anger, the unit is Mario). The Generation NEX is lightly, is now eyeing up a new region-free to boot, meaning (currently) scheduled for a target – Messiah Entertainment. you can play any game from September release in the US for The US-based company, which any country. around US$59.99. specialises in ‘bringing games Nintendo representatives Coincidentally, another new back to life’, has come under have already stated to the press Nintendo legacy device has attack from Nintendo after that the NEX is in no surfaced lately, this time aimed the announcement of its way authorised by the at the GBA SP market.