Altered Beast for DOS
It's great catching up with all these old DOS games I missed as I was a kid, and this is no exception. While it doesn't compare to the Sega Genesis port or any other future ports of the game, the DOS version is actually really good and just as much fun as the arcade in a day where the PC got some truly horrible arcade ports. PC gamers of the day definitely weren't stuck with this port if they didn't have the appropriate console.
Golden Axe for DOS
Now this is where they started getting good with arcade ports to the PC. This game takes full advantage of the 256 colors that VGA could finally provide, and makes for a damned impressive arcade port, much more so graphically than the Sega Genesis version.
Renegade for DOS - What the hell were they thinking?
This port is an abomination to everything that is good. The Renegade arcade game by itself wasn't very good, but at least it was playable. The arcade version came out in either 1986 by Taito, and the PC version came out in '88 coded by a company called Software Creations.
The Simpsons Arcade Game - DOS
The Simpsons arcade game. Back in the day, if TMNT was taken you went over and played this instead. It's just that good, fast frantic gameplay with the help of the engine that the original TMNT arcade game has. Bright visuals that are a carbon copy of the television show, the original voice actors coming in and doing their thing. Fun boss fights, you can't get much better, and is still a blast to play even today.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 - The Arcade Game for DOS
Yeah yeah ... I couldn't find boxart for the PC version. :)
I remember wanting this game badly for the PC when it came out. Never did get it due to never seeing it. The arcade game has bright, vibrant visuals. Awesome sound and music, great little cut scenes even if they are a bit cheesy. Great fun to play. The DOS version on the other hand, while it is fun to play, shares nothing else with the arcade version other than a similarity in the levels and whatnot. Before emulation started getting really really good, we had ports of these games made for the consoles that were out at the time (at the time this was out, the C64, PC and NES were the frequent choices). The PC got some pretty terrible arcade ports. This being one of them due to the home consoles and computers at the time not having anywhere near enough power as the arcades.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Turtles in Time Re-Shelled game review
Aaah the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. None of the new games come close to the old school arcade games no matter how hard they try, and this remake is proof of that. If it works, don't fix it. That's what this comes down to.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Trutles : Turtles in Time graced the arcades in 1991, 2 years after the original 4 player game. And is a MUCH better game. When I first heard they were doing a remake with completely re-worked visuals, I was a little put off by it simply because I stand by the old mantra "If it works, don't fix it". Plain and simple. I saw the first gameplay footage of someone playing the game who wasn't worth anything at it, and I honestly wasn't all that impressed. I can't say that I'm all that much better mind you. Then I saw the in game screenshots, and while they looked great, they just didn't have the bright, colorful pixelated visuals of the original arcade.
Bad Dudes for the PC - Stay the hell away from it.
I love the arcade version of this. In all it's simplicity, the campiness and cheesiness of this game is top notch. All you do is move from left to right beating the shit out of ninjas, dogs, and the inevitable end boss, but I still love it. It stands as one of my favorite classic games. Just not on the PC.
Games that are new to me - X-Men Origins : Wolverine game review
Systems : Xbox 360 (reviewed), PC and Playstation 3 (rated M) and a different version of the game for the Wii/PS2/NDS (rated T)
This game, by all rights, should suck. It should be TERRIBLE. It’s a licensed game, and there are very few licensed games that are worth playing. The only one that I can think of off the top of my head is Kung Fu Panda (and that game didn’t even have the original voice actors, it has sound alikes. You at least get Hugh Jackman in Wolverine, though I don’t know about the rest of the cast). Why doesn’t this game suck? Because Raven was working on making a Wolverine game before they ever got the license, and this is clearly a show of love for the character from them. That’s why. This is the first Wolverine game that REALLY gives you that “Yeah. I’m a badass.” feeling.
SFLIU - The first unofficial Street Fighter 2 clone.
I remember downloading this from a BBS in Alabama after playing the atrocities that are the PC versions of the first two original Street Fighter games. The original Street Fighter was near impossible to play, and while Street Fighter 2 wasn't a BAD port ... it wasn't that great either. Then I found this. At the time, it was THE PC version of Street Fighter 2 to have. Decent graphics, great gameplay. Though the sound wasn't all that great, I didn't care because it played awesomely. Nowadays it's just kind of a relic because there are much better remakes out there. But this was the first. Hit the jump for a little more information and back story from the official site (visit it to read the entire thing, I just chose a choice paragraph), a few screenshots and the download.
Kung Fu 2 - Unofficial sequel to the classic NES game.
Ah the days of old playing the original Kung Fu on the NES. My 7 year old brain couldn't comprehend the sheer awesomeness of that game. And even today I can still play it and like it, but it hasn't aged well. It came out in 1984 by Irem which featured the typical side scrolling fighting of the day where you kicked and punched your way through the dojo levels to save Silvia from Mr. X fighting goons, knife throwers and at the end of each level a boss. Fast forward to 2008, and someone made a 6 level sequel to the game for PC and won the 2008 Retro Remakes Competition for Games Without Sequels category simply named Kung Fu 2. Hit the jump for screenshots, a little bit more from me and the download.