Man, its been another good week for the internet…
Video Game Link-A-Rama
So over at SelectButton, when folks realized that there was a bunch of threads on the same subject matter, April was declared official Super Mario Bros rom hack month, though its spilled over to May, and continues to go on. Some highlights include…
- SMB’s Minus World, which is different in the Famicom Disk version (I forget if I linked to this before, since I know I’ve already covered Mario hacks in the past, like the super insanely crazy one from not too long ago, which seemed to be what kicked off interested across the board), including this detailed explanation behind how and why they work.
- Both a Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World level editor, which helped to produce Super Demo World.
- Super Mario Bros 1 with random garbage added to the rom.
- The Deconstructulator, which I previously mentioned around here.
- A video for Super Fagot Brothers.
- An interview with the brains behind what is considered one of the best hacks of all-time, Mario Adventure, as well as a look at an early one called Mario Seasons.
- A wacky combination of Super Mario and Metroid called Wart’s Invasion.
- Here’s a screenshot from Star Remix, which has you playing the role of the star, in more ways than one, in a very puzzle-oriented hack. Its super hard (it took me forever to figure out how to get past the first room, I’m talking like twenty minutes), but its good.
I’m also currently looking for Balloon Marion, Mario Had Died, and Speedway Mario. The final one I absolutely have to get my hands on, ASAP, due to the description provided by one of the biggest reservoirs of classic gaming I’ve ever encountered online at IC/SB/TGQ (and at one time really hated my guts!) dessgeega:
“… it exults in the chaos of objects and enemies rebounding madly across the screen. everything’s had its speed cranked up: mario’s running jump is higher, koopas fly across the screen when stomped, mallets stream from the hands of hammer brothers, and you’re under a constant barraged of super-fast bullet bills. things behave unexpectedly: as you go to jump a goomba, the goomba jumps and kills you instead. power-up mushrooms fly into the brickwork and get lost. it is madcap, and pretty hard. you have an infinite stock of lives, though, like in super mario forever. and it’s an amazing thing in motion.”
There was also another hack that was mentioned, where Mario fought the slimes from Dragon Quest, but it’s been lost due to SB’s falling Axe.
- Oh, remember Garbage Day? Even if you don’t…
- Though the meatiest of all the SelectButton threads is this one, which began as a quest to find a copy of the aforementioned insanely hard hack. It’s really all over the place… aside from including a link to Cory Arcangel/Paper Rad’s Super Mario Movie… as well as download links to tons of other Mario hacks… its just filled to the brim with confusing back and forth as to where the hack is from, and from when, and by whom. I believe at one point, this video gets linked, which isn’t from the same game, but its still worth checking out.
Also, the words “Jinsei Owata” are mentioned, and I really don’t know what the hell it is, other then possibly being that shitty Transformers game for the Famicom.
In the end, someone managed to find more footage from the game, as well as find out the name: Super Mario Forever. I actually put them over at my YouTube page for SB, and they can be checked out here. Expect a brand new post from SB that tries to put all the pieces together soon.
- Meanwhile, over in Japan, crazy kids are taking the first Wily’s castle track from Mega Man 2 and adding lyrics and making it a rock song. Here’s a whole page that has YouTube links to a bunch of them, though this one might be my favorite due to the vaguely death metal-ish growl during the chorus. Actually, don’t bother with that first link: here’s that same song again, along with footage from Idolmaster, which pretty much sums up why I absolutely cannot wait till the end of this month.
Oh, and this semi-techno-ish iteration with girls is kinda hot. Plus here’s one featuring a Pink Power Ranger for some reason.
- If you like blasting zombies, this is the game for you.
- But if arty-farty nonsense is more up your alley, then this one’s for you. As someone at SB put it best, “it’s tough to enjoy this shit when you’ve been through art school.”
- Want to know what the most pre-ordered game in Japan over at Amamzon.co.jp is? It?s called Dokimajo, and you basically touch girls’ breasts to find out if they’re witches or something. Here’s the box art, which kinda illustrates the mechanic:
- Apparently Thunder Force 6 was recently release as a doujin shmup, as Broken Thunder (the game’s subtitle since day one really), and it apparently sucks! Apparently someone at 2chan called it “the Japanese Daikatana”. Ouch.
Here’s a vid of it in action, and… yeah, it kinda looks lame.
- Meanwhile, something far better is on the horizon…
- And here’s another shmup, one that’s coming out for the DS! Looks FAR better than Nanostray.
- Those who enjoy fighters might be interested in the following doujin fighters: first off, Big Bang Beat apparently stars a bunch of characters from a hentai game (I just think its awesome that one of characters has a rotary phone for a belt), next is Monster, which stars a bunch of half people, half animals (yes, LOL FURRIES indeed), and finally, Akatsuki Blitzkampf, which features Nazis in a world where they won WWII.
- Gamasutra recently posted an interview with Masaya Matsuura, the man behind NanaOn-Sha, which was behind games like PaRappa, and one of my favorite PSone games of all time, Vib Ribbon. Apparently, he wants to do a version that uses mp3′s!
Also, I would totally love for him to collaborate with Tetsuya Mizuguchi…
- Slonie made this vid during his visit to an arcade in Las Vegas; it’s the attract mode for Dynamite Deka/DIe Hard Arcade 2.
- Time to check out what’s been posted over at GSW. First off, been meaning to mention it ever since I got the press release, but instead I’ll link to Simon’s write up: EA & Rosie, oh boy!
- Next is a very cute looking, and sounding, sheepherding game!
- Then there’s a shmup that combines memory play, ballerinas, and flowers? The YouTube vid kinda explains it better… sorta.
-Relatively speaking, this Tempest-like DS homebrew title looks quite tame, but pretty cool nonethess.
- Finally, and rather unfortunately, there’s the announcement that Retro Core is drawing to a close.
- Insert Credit, as usual has some pretty dandy things. First a look at Korean version of game systems (note: might only be of interest to those who are both Korean and Sega fans… which I am of both).
- Next is word regarding an upcoming game based on Powerpuff Girls Z (the anime based on the American show), including several vids, with one featuring their transformations. I’m actually in shock they don’t get naked. And I will admit that I kind of dig Buttercup’s vaguely Daft Punk backbeat.
- Here’s a pretty neat Shenmue misc vid featuring a very catchy song.
- I actually first saw this on television back when I was in Washington and had my yearly two week fix of G4TV; it’s a look at Power Shovel, from Cinematech Nocturnal Emissions, which is like the only good video game related show on that whole channel.
- And check out the entries for the crappy games competition for the GP32X. The dish washing simulator, Washing Up Extreme, seems pretty novel, as does Run Hitler, Run. But What’s On The Menu, CrapMan has to be the greatest name for anything, ever.
- Hey, here?s a random pic, from a Japanese arcade, featuring a girl playing a game where you walk the dog. I believe you might clean up its poop (or that could be another game, I can?t tell).
- Courtesy of Mugen, Homer Simpson vs Peter Griffin. I guess I would find the video more enjoyable if I liked Family Guy.
- On a related noted, here’s the countdown to a possible new Simpsons game from EA. Possibly Hit and Run 2?
- I can’t say I’ve had much of a chance to play And Yet It Moves that much since downloading it about a week ago, so the jury is still on the gameplay, but God damn do I love how it looks.
- Actually, instead, I’ve been playing Cubeoban.
- I had no idea that there was an Amiga version of Street Fighter 2!
- Mad Panic Coaster kinda seems like Love Love 2, though not as insane, if that can believed. And yes, I’m going to review it… I’m just SUPER busy these days.
- Hey, anyone out there played this yet?
I think its called Furu Furu Park, and its a mini-game collection from Taito, which explains why there’s Bubble Bobble, Pocky and Rocky, and SONIC BLASTMAN!!!!!
- Finally, here’s a story which might have been big news, I’m not sure since I’ve (clearly) been out of the loop, but if it wasn’t, then I’m kinda shocked since it kinda deserves attention: apparently, when officials discovered that some high school senior had created a game mod based on his high school, they freaked out due to the assumption and fear that it was proof that he was going to go nuts and go on a killing spree. So not only was he detained and removed from the school, but his home was also searched, where they found a weapon… that being an ordinary hammer.
I guess nothing really has to be said here, other than… what a country!
And a Few Random Non Game Related Links…
- I’m pretty embarrassed to admit that I only found out yesterday that pics of the new Iron Man suit (both Mark 1 and Mark 3) have been all over the net for the past week.
The funny this is how the news was broken to me by Fred Van Lente, the scribe behind the special Free Comic Book Day edition of Marvel Adventures (featuring Ion Man!) at Rocketship yesterday, who was on-hand as the special guest!
- A fairly awesome music vid that Simon pointed out.
- Here’s another… don’t know who the band is, but the song is decent, and the animation reminds me of Sesame Street for some reason.
- Yet another Mario vid…. maybe you’ve seen it already, but hey, I’ve pretty much linked everyone that I’ve come across this week thus far, so why not.
- I have no idea what this is about. All I know is that someone from work sent it to me.
- This one is just for Mike: drunk squirrel.
- Here’s a map that does a pretty good job of explaining the internet.
- Speaking of the internet: oh Wikipedia…
- If you like seeing Japanese school girls fight each other, than this vid’s for you!
- So one of my newest “things” is watching swing dancing vids. It?s been a while since I’ve checked out ghost riding videos after-all.
- Finally, for those of you unfamiliar with the latest internet superstar, may I introduce you to the man that will obliterate the soul cancer problem from Japan, once and for all. Seriously, I need to meet this guy.
And of course, here’s the remix.
