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Ah, so you associate it with general good feelings and memories, I take it. Fair enough, I have a lot of consoles and games that I feel the same way about. The PS1 makes me wish I was still 7 and still had an outdoor pool, but I digress.

[I would like to ask of you, however, one honest question. I ask this because I'm honestly interested in seeing the answer. What makes you appreciate the Jaguar so much? Is it the brand name? Is there a certain game that never hit anything else you feel should have gotten more love? Or are you more interested in the potential it had, where it could have gone?]

I hate to sound like a hater, but I'd like to give my two cents, if that's all right. See, the problem with the Jaguar, speaking from what's basically an outsider's perspective,, is that it was just generally outclassed by the competition. It's more somewhere between being a 16-bit console and a 32-bit console, while not really overpowering any of the major players of those two eras in terms of features.

It only had one really interesting exclusive, with Alien VS Predator, with most of its best stuff seeing ports to the PC and other systems. It did 3D stuff really well, considering this was before the Playstation, and personally, I think they should have focused on that. The problem is that a majority of the library is 2D stuff that could have been done, with a few cuts, on the SNES and Genesis, leaving the 3D stuff that makes the console stand out. Without the 3D, it isn't really anything you couldn't get from another console.

I really don't want to sound like I hate the Jaguar or anything. I don't, seriously. I'm just giving my personal view on why it hasn't really gotten a love by the gaming public, or at least, my personal opinion on them.

I would like to ask of you, however, one honest question. I ask this because I'm honestly interested in seeing the answer. What makes you appreciate the Jaguar so much? Is it the brand name? Is there a certain game that never hit anything else you feel should have gotten more love? Or are you more interested in the potential it had, where it could have gone?

I will admit, however, that I'm not entirely unsympathetic to how you feel. See, I'm a 3DO fan. Now, there was a console that had potential. But much like the Jaguar, it failed because it didn't play to its particular strengths, and because a lot of its best games (although not all of them) were done on newer systems. Unlike the Jaguar, however, where the failings in its library were too many ports from other systems, the 3DO had too many games that... well, weren't really games.

It really all depends on what you're judging a particular console with. I mean, is the console you like the best because of the hardware, the games library, the controller, or something else? It's a pretty complicated issue, is the thing.

The Game Boy Color always was sort of the forgotten step in the Game Boy evolution, for whatever reason. I did have one, and I actually had a lot of fun with mine. For whatever reason, however, it always seemed like it was kind of just... forgotten, compared to the original Game Boy. I guess maybe because it just wasn't as much of a leap in technology from the original Game Boy. Either that, or there just weren't as many good exclusives.

Still, though, there's some good stuff on there! Moving past the obvious stuff like Zelda, Pokemon, and what have you...



Shantae isn't a game I've played much of, but I've heard a lot of good things. As one of the last Game Boy Color games, it's also, sadly, one of hte rarest. From what I gather, it's best compared to some of the later Monster World games, where you're given free reign to move around the world, although you'll need new items and abilities to open up new areas. Sort of like Zelda, only in the context of a 2D sidescroller.



There was a Game Boy port of Street Fighter II, but nobody talks about it, because it was ASS. This port of the original Street Fighter Alpha, however, is not! It's got all the characters, the super moves, all with a silky smooth frame rate. Sure, you're missing four whole buttons, but that's not the port's fault.

Good garbagio, how did they expect you to hold that controller? My hand hurts just looking at that.

Also, if the controller WAS released by that, Sega would have probably sued them into individual atoms[/i[ for ripping off their controller so throughly. That's blatant, yo.

The PS2 is pretty great, too. It did pretty much everything the PS1 did well, if not better. You had tons of options for multiplayer gaming, some of which even worked online, an amazing selection of games that covered more or less anything you could possibly want to play... backwards compatibility with the PS1... it may well be my favorite console ever, next to the PS1.

If the PS1 doesn't win, I riot.

(I'll accept the Genesis/Mega Drive winning, though. It's pretty high up on my list, too.)

I remember critics on this side of the pond absolutely destroying the Genesis title compared to the SNES, for the vitally important reasons of bigger player sprites, and more animation frames. And could Morris's wrist go limp with the whip? They claimed the Genesis title looked 8 bit.

Curious how sprite size was never an issue with Mario vs. Sonic.

Looking at each title today, under a more objective light, they each represent the personalities of their hardware better than almost anything else out there. The SNES title is slower, more meditative, even with mode 7 gimmickery that exists mostly to show off their ability to spin the level around. It should feel much sillier than it does, especially with the poorly handled aesthetic. Most of the sprites wouldn't pass on a fan game, now, and the color choices were made with an eye towards covering the screen in as many bright colors as possible, while still making it worn out and faded, even when it was brand new.

But then there's that soundtrack.

A soundtrack that begins and ends with a power ballad, but also takes the time to give each level a sense of time and place outside of your adventure. It's similar to the effect in Super Metroid, even if the actual stage exploration offered isn't quite to that depth...yet. When combined with a multi-directional whip to defend against the cheaper enemies, it's one of the few hardcore experiences I can recommend to casuals.

Bloodlines, on the other hand, is as close as Castlevania ever got to a Treasure title. There are sprites exploding all over the screen like prizes from a piñata. Beating the boss, sometimes just means you rush to the next, bigger, multi-segmented boss. It's proud of being an action title, to the point of stripping away every peace offering the last title offered, and trying to crush the player, completely. And if you're the kind of gamer who welcomes that challenge, every victory is rewarded with something new to see, and take down. It's a pure adrenaline rush.

So, which is the better title?

Well, you already know. And your answer isn't wrong; This time, it really is whichever title is the best one for you.

Edit: Apologies, if I'm doing this wrong. Please let me know if these lengthy posts go on too long, or I've got my head stuck up my ass.

No, please, continue! You bring up a very good point about the two games I hadn't even really considered, and I think that you're absolutely right. For me, however, thinking about it...

Bloodlines is pretty much my very favorite of the classic Castlevanias. Then again, I never was what one could call a "superfan" of the series, so I'm not sure how much my opinion matters, there. I like the boss fights, I like the constant setpieces you go through, I like the music...

SC4, on the other hand... I kind of think in some ways, that it's the better game. It controls much better, for one thing. No matter how many games try it... losing your air control when you jump, no matter how realistic it may be in your game about whipping a vampire to death with your magic whip, just isn't fun. Super Castlevania IV, for a few reasons, like its jumping physics and the multi-directional whip, just feels the fairer, generally smoother experience.

Seriously, though, Spiders, I wish more people here put as much thought and effort into what they think as you do.

I just don't understand why people basically pretend that it isn't an issue, or makes some games not look good, while in the same breath, they'll badmouth the C64's color pallete.

But that's an entirely different argument for an entirely different time.

Speaking from personal experience, the SNES version is all kinds of garbage. It's basically cheaply made shovelware at its finest, as THQ used to excel at, back in the 16-bit era.

The Genesis version... well, to be honest, I never really figured out how to play it. But there's a lot more ambition there, as the game involves moving around the neighborhood to different houses, setting up traps to make sure the burglars steal as little loot as possible. There's more of an action strategy element to it, and while I couldn't say how well that works, it does make it a lot more unique.

[monochrome graphics]

Its funny you mention all the things wrong with the NES graphics, yet I do believe you love the spectrum, yet that has monochrome graphics and other issues.

Well, yeah, but how many of those are used at once in your average Spectrum game? Your answer depends on if you count black as a color. If you use more than that, things like this start happening:

Well... unfortunately, when you get into Windows territory, that's a lot harder. You could always use a virtual machine, but that would involve having an installation disc of whatever OS you want to install, the knowledge on how to set it up, the space to hold it, and the ability to install the drivers you'd need .I've done it, but it's pretty tricky, I'm not going to lie.

...I really wish somebody would make something like DOSBox for Windows.

DOSBox does have a button mapper bound to Ctrl+F1, I believe, which you can use to bind things like keyboard keys to the various buttons on the joystick. Which I'd imagine would be very handy for a game like X-Wing.

Let me know if there's anything else I can help you with! Sorry for a slow reply, i've been busy lately. But DOS is kind of my, eh... kind of my thing, if you get my drift.

Also, if you want a way to store all these games and have it so you can run them without dealing with a command line, I'd recommend you over towards D-Fend Reloaded. You can grab it from here, along with a collection of free games that I've complied for the site. You can just use the software it comes with to add in your own games and set your own settings individually.

I can vouch that the arcade game is like a million times better, and that you should be playing that instead. The Sega CD game is one of the many, many attempts to make an FMV-based action game, much like Rebel Assault or Microcosm, and it just... really doesn't work.

I've been playing a little bit of Wacky Wheels. I'm still finishing up on the last few levels (last world) of The Lost Vikings (which I loved and didn't know that it was so challenging). And I'm planning to play some Lego Racers, Blake Stone, Aladdin and Lion King (PC).

Oooh, Wacky Wheels! Excellent choice. I remember having a lot of fun with that, particularly the duck shooting minigame.

Lately, I've been playing a ton of X-COM, which I am absolute ass at. I mean, I know how to play... at least, I think I do, but I'm basically getting murdered all the time. Even on Beginner, it's a really hard game, especially when you have like ten guys on a squad that can't aim for crap. It's an interesting game, though, and one that's been getting me more into these sort of squad-based tactical strategy games. I also picked up the remake, which is good, but it just feels so... odd, to me.

I mean, it's so... helpful, and explanatory! I can't handle how well designed it is! I feel scared when I have some idea of what I'm doing! I need an adult!