Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Deja Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/review-donkey-kong-country-returns-3d/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/review-donkey-kong-country-returns-3d/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/review-donkey-kong-country-returns-3d/#comments
In our 2010 review of Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii, our own JC Fletcher admitted a terrible truth: He had used the Super Guide. Nintendo gave us the nefarious innovation a few years ago, ostensibly a tool to help less experienced players navigate the trickier parts of its games. Seasoned players recognized it for what it really was: A taunt, a gently whispering devil on your shoulder.

Resisting the shiny, candy-like allure of the Super Guide is still a major component of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Monster Games' 3DS rendition of Retro Studios' Wii platformer. A new difficulty setting tries to soften the Wii version's sharp edges, but the brutal structure of its levels remains intact, and no amount of extra health is going to change that.

Gallery: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (4/6/13)

Continue reading Deja Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

JoystiqDeja Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdonkey-kong-country-returns-3dmonster-gamesnintendoretroretro-studiosFri, 17 May 2013 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Dreamcast shoot-'em-up 'DUX 1.5' now shipping]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/dreamcast-shoot-em-up-dux-1-5-now-shipping/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/dreamcast-shoot-em-up-dux-1-5-now-shipping/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/dreamcast-shoot-em-up-dux-1-5-now-shipping/#comments Dreamcast shoot'emup 'DUX 15' now shippingSega may have shelved its final console more than a decade ago, but for homebrew developers, at least, the Dreamcast lives on. HUCAST Games announced this week that its R-Type-ish Dreamcast shoot-'em-up, DUX 1.5, is now available.

Originally released back in 2009, DUX was later retooled and offered as an incentive for fans who helped to Kickstart an upcoming sequel. Along with a new soundtrack and rebalanced gameplay, DUX 1.5 gives players the option of respawning instantly upon death - a key addition, for those who have had it up to here with the original game's checkpoint system.

If you happen to own a copy of the original DUX and are willing to jump through a hoop or two, you're eligible for a free upgrade. HUCAST Games notes that DUX owners can get a free copy of DUX 1.5 if they submit a proof of purchase or, alternatively, "a picture of your DUX 1.0 copy with a current newspaper in picture."

JoystiqDreamcast shoot-'em-up 'DUX 1.5' now shipping originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dreamcastduxdux-1.5hucast-gamesretroTue, 23 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Wreck it Richard' is a Hotline Miami parody and classic games killing spree]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/wreck-it-richard-is-a-hotline-miami-parody-and-classic-games-k/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/wreck-it-richard-is-a-hotline-miami-parody-and-classic-games-k/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/wreck-it-richard-is-a-hotline-miami-parody-and-classic-games-k/#comments
Imagine Hotline Miami protagonist "Jacket" decided he wanted to follow in Wreck-It Ralph's footsteps and leave his game; instead of going on an adventure of self-discovery like Ralph, "Jacket" stuck to his homicidal ways and killed everything he came across. This is the idea behind "Wreck it Richard," the fan-made mash-up above.

Now, we can't say that we've ever wanted to see Pac-Man pounded to death before - why couldn't it have been Blinky? - but don't let that early brutality discourage you from finishing this fine Hotline Miami and classic gaming mash-up in its entirety ... unless you abhor brutality in all forms, in which case hey don't watch this video.

Joystiq'Wreck it Richard' is a Hotline Miami parody and classic games killing spree originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hotline-miamipcretroretro-gamingwreck-it-ralphThu, 31 Jan 2013 05:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: 'Capcom Arcade Cabinet' coming to PSN, XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/report-capcom-arcade-cabinet-coming-to-psn-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/report-capcom-arcade-cabinet-coming-to-psn-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/report-capcom-arcade-cabinet-coming-to-psn-xbla/#comments Famitsu 'Capcom Arcade Cabinet' coming to PSN, XBLAInformation out of the latest issue of Famitsu reveals Capcom Arcade Cabinet, a downloadable PS3/Xbox app through which Capcom arcade games will be sold. The app itself will be free, and includes a starter pack with one free game, producer Kenji Kataoka told Famitsu.

The only game specifically announced is Black Tiger, a side-scrolling action game from 1987 (and immediate proof that the app is worthwhile). Beyond pure arcade gameplay, Capcom Arcade Cabinet also includes "several modes" to adjust difficulty. "For example, you can adjust the strength of your attacks, the range of collision detection, and so forth," Kataoka said, as translated by Polygon. "This allows you to engage in training, and we've got support for turbo buttons and arcade sticks as well. I was able to use these functions to reach the ending on pretty much all of the games [we have planned], so they're great for people who were annoyed they couldn't beat them back then."

Capcom Arcade Cabinet is due to be announced in full on February 7.

JoystiqReport: 'Capcom Arcade Cabinet' coming to PSN, XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcomcapcom-arcade-cabinetmicrosoftplaystationps3psnretroxblaxboxWed, 09 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Resident Evil 6 packs retro costumes for upcoming online events]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/resident-evil-6-packs-retro-costumes-for-upcoming-online-events/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/resident-evil-6-packs-retro-costumes-for-upcoming-online-events/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/resident-evil-6-packs-retro-costumes-for-upcoming-online-events/#comments Resident Evil 6 packs some retro costumes, takes a trip to Games on DemandRetro is the way to go when it comes to Resident Evil these days, and that includes new (old) costume DLC for Resident Evil 6, unlocked by participating in upcoming online events.

The first one, "Zombie Mayhem," is set to take place on December 28. If players across the world kill a collective 15 million zombies, they're eligible to unlock one costume from the set seen above. No word on which costume will be the first award, but future online events will be announced on the Resident Evil site, so perhaps a bookmark is in order.

Capcom has also added Resident Evil 6 to the Games on Demand section of Xbox Live Marketplace. The Xbox 360 download weighs in at 7.57GB and will set you back $39.99, the current price of Resident Evil 6 at retail.

JoystiqResident Evil 6 packs retro costumes for upcoming online events originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcomcostumesdlcgames-on-demandmicrosoftplaystationps3resident-evil-6retroretro-costumesxboxzombie-mayhemFri, 21 Dec 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Street Fighter X Mega Man is a free PC 8-bit crossover, available Dec. 17]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/street-fighter-x-mega-man-is-a-free-pc-8-bit-crossover-availabl/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/street-fighter-x-mega-man-is-a-free-pc-8-bit-crossover-availabl/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/street-fighter-x-mega-man-is-a-free-pc-8-bit-crossover-availabl/#comments
In celebration of 25 years of Street Fighter and Mega Man, Capcom will release an all-new crossover 8-bit Mega Man game on the PC December 17, Street Fighter X Mega Man. Street Fighter X Mega Man was announced during the 25th Anniversary finals today and pits the blue bomber up against eight popular Street Fighter characters like Blanka, Ryu, Chun Li, Rose, Dhalsim and Rolento.

Mega Man will have access to eight new weapons in this new adventure, a few of which you can see in the trailer above - our favorite is the holographic panels which Mega Man can use to reflect enemy projectiles. Street Fighter X Mega Man will be a free download on the PC when it launches on December 17; you'll be able to download it through Capcom-Unity.

Gallery: Street Fighter X Mega Man

Continue reading Street Fighter X Mega Man is a free PC 8-bit crossover, available Dec. 17

JoystiqStreet Fighter X Mega Man is a free PC 8-bit crossover, available Dec. 17 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Dec 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8-bitcapcommega-manpcretrostreet-fighterstreet-fighter-x-mega-manSat, 08 Dec 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus on North American PSN Dec. 4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/guilty-gear-xx-accent-core-plus-on-north-american-psn-dec-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/guilty-gear-xx-accent-core-plus-on-north-american-psn-dec-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/guilty-gear-xx-accent-core-plus-on-north-american-psn-dec-4/#comments Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus on PSN Dec 4Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus will arrive on the PlayStation Network in North America on December 4 for $14.99, according to Arc System Works' Takeshi Yamanaka over on Twitter. The game (which was originally released on the PS2 back in 2008) has quite a few different versions floating around, including one for the PSP, another on the Wii, and an XBLA version earlier this year. The PSN version has only been released in Japan thus far.

Europeans: you'll need to "wait a bit more" for your release, says Yamanaka.

Update: This post originally listed Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus' price on PSN as $4.99, which is incorrect. The body of this article has been updated to accurately reflect its real price of $14.99.

JoystiqGuilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus on North American PSN Dec. 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arc-system-workseuropefighting-gameguilty-gear-xx-accent-core-plusjapannorth-americaplaystationps3psnreleaserereleaseretroTue, 27 Nov 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Over 40 Sega classics for $10 on PC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/over-40-sega-classics-for-10-on-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/over-40-sega-classics-for-10-on-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/over-40-sega-classics-for-10-on-pc/#comments 40 Sega games for $999 on DotEmuDo you like Genesis games? DotEmu gives you the chance to drink from the Sega firehose, with a $10 bundle of over 40 downloadable Genesis (and Master System) games for PC. The contents are similar to Steam's Genesis classics packs and the Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection discs, but the price is a bit more appealing.

In addition to the headliner stuff like all the Sonic games, Golden Axe and Columns, we'd like to point out that this bundle gets you both Gunstar Heroes and Alien Soldier, two hardcore run-and-guns by Treasure that are easily worth paying $10 for alone.

JoystiqOver 40 Sega classics for $10 on PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bundledotemupcretrosegaWed, 17 Oct 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Wyv and Keep]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-wyv-and-keep/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-wyv-and-keep/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-wyv-and-keep/#comments Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, the happy crew from Jolly Corpse describes the joy of retro co-op on modern machines with Wyv and Keep.
The Joystiq Indie Pitch Wyv and Keep
What's your game called and what's it about?

Jesse: Wyv and Keep is a 2D platform-puzzler starring two rookie treasure hunters. It's packed with team-based puzzles where you must use both characters to unlock and reach a door to the next level. You can play solo, switching between the two, or cooperatively, locally on one computer, or online.

It's also full of adventure, twitch-action and comedy. You'll be dodging poison darts, snakes and spear-throwing pygmies, leaping over spike traps and pits of lava, and using TNT to blast through crumbling walls and floors. All the while you'll be entertained by the looney antics and witty banter of adventure-loving Wyv and cunning Keep!

David: It's about getting really frustrated with the person playing with you - or, if you are that person, it's about repeatedly making ever-so-slight mis-steps to wind up your partner.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Wyv and Keep

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Wyv and Keep originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opjolly-corpsejoystiq-indie-pitchmacmicrosoftpcRetroWyv-and-KeepxboxWed, 29 Aug 2012 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Book of Unwritten Tales available in North America right now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/02/book-of-unwritten-tales-available-in-north-america-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/02/book-of-unwritten-tales-available-in-north-america-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/02/book-of-unwritten-tales-available-in-north-america-right-now/#comments Book of Unwritten Tales available in North America right now

King Art's Book of Unwritten Tales adventure game is now available in North America after launching in the UK late last year. The critically acclaimed point-and-click saga has a brand new re-launch trailer above, detailing the basic tropes found in the adventure genre - for those of you crazy enough to have skipped some of the classics.

While BoUT, as it's called for short by fans, might borrow the trappings of yesteryear are decidedly in the vein of the current generation. You can grab the game for $19.99 at a digital or physical retailer near you.

Gallery: The Book of Unwritten Tales

JoystiqBook of Unwritten Tales available in North America right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventurebook-of-unwritten-talesgraphicsking-artnordic-gamespcretrothe-book-of-unwritten-talesThu, 02 Aug 2012 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Journey unearths retro head-hunting in CE minigame, 'Gravediggers']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/journey-unearths-retro-head-hunting-in-ce-minigame-gravedigger/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/journey-unearths-retro-head-hunting-in-ce-minigame-gravedigger/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/journey-unearths-retro-head-hunting-in-ce-minigame-gravedigger/#comments
Journey minigame 'Gravediggers' video, deets
One of the three minigames included in the Journey Collector's Edition is Gravediggers, a title (un)borne from thatgamecompany's first 24-hour game jam in 2008, though it looks more like it comes out of 1980. The static visuals belie a complex multiplayer game, wherein up to six players have to shoot the heads off of zombies and other players alike, and deposit them in crypts, with the first player to 50 heads winning the round.

Polygon reports that zombies can kill you, as can other players, and opponent's heads are worth five points rather than the one point for each zombie cranium. Watch (or mostly listen to) the action above and prepare to pack your pistols come August 28.

JoystiqJourney unearths retro head-hunting in CE minigame, 'Gravediggers' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-jamgravediggersjourneyMinigameplaystationps3RetroThatGameCompanyzombiesThu, 19 Jul 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney Universe Jungle Book DLC does not have Don Karnage]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/disney-universe-jungle-book-dlc-does-not-have-don-karnage/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/disney-universe-jungle-book-dlc-does-not-have-don-karnage/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/disney-universe-jungle-book-dlc-does-not-have-don-karnage/#comments
Sorry, Disney Universe Jungle Book costume DLC pack, but what are you doing? TaleSpin is still the coolest thing to come out of the Jungle Book setting. Yes, the little costumes in this three-buck pack -- featuring man-cub Mowgli, Shere Khan the tiger, Louie the ape, Bagheera the panther and a baby elephant -- are cute, and kids will probably love them.

But nothing compares to the classic early '90s cartoon series that re-imagined the lovable Baloo as a down-on-his-luck seaplane pilot, Louie as the owner of his favorite watering hole (get it?), and Shere Khan as a sharply-dressed and golden-voiced business cat. Until you've got elements that play on Cheers, old adventure movies, and an alternate postware timeline, you just enjoy your lower place on the list of cool Jungle Book tie-ins.

Gallery: Disney Universe (The Jungle Book DLC)

Continue reading Disney Universe Jungle Book DLC does not have Don Karnage

JoystiqDisney Universe Jungle Book DLC does not have Don Karnage originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>art-decocostumedisneydisney-universedlcjungle-bookmicrosoftplaystationps3psnretrotalespinxboxWed, 18 Jan 2012 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexuiz brings the twitch back to FPS on XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/nexuiz-brings-the-twitch-back-to-fps-on-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/nexuiz-brings-the-twitch-back-to-fps-on-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/nexuiz-brings-the-twitch-back-to-fps-on-xbla/#comments It's circa 1999, and I'm in my freshman college dorm room, playing a game on my Windows 98 computer. It uses a clunky CRT monitor that takes up most of my desk, but on that monitor a series of images flashes by -- walls, a floor, a skybox overhead, more walls, more floors. Quickly, there's a flash of an colorful icon on the screen, and in first-person view I bound towards it. Just as I grab the quad-damage and jump off a cliff, an opponent appears in my peripheral. While falling through the air, I instantly move my mouse around just so, click the button, and my rocket lands perfectly alongside the enemy avatar, bursting it into a spray of gory red pixels.

A real-life cry of anguish is heard from down the hall, where my floormate has just had to click to respawn. I smile, and run off to look for more prey.

That's the feeling that made playing Quake 2 so magical back in the day, and Nexuiz is a direct descendant of that line. It was originally an open source shooter based off of the Quake engine, and developer IllFonic has now remade the game in CryEngine 3, set for release on Xbox Live Arcade next month. And though the Microsoft booth at CES 2012 is a long way away from my dorm room in both space and time, just a few minutes of gameplay pointed me right back to that formative experience.

Gallery: Nexuiz (CryEngine 3)

Continue reading Nexuiz brings the twitch back to FPS on XBLA

JoystiqNexuiz brings the twitch back to FPS on XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cesces-2012illfonicmicrosoftnexuizpcquake-2retrotwitchxblaxboxSun, 15 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mario Kart 7 review: An exercise in fun/frustration]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/mario-kart-7-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/mario-kart-7-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/mario-kart-7-review/#comments Mario Kart 7 is, as its predecessors always have been, an exceedingly hateful game. Three laps' worth of perfect corner negotiation, aggressive drafting and creating enough sparks to manufacture a small sun can be overturned instantly, sometimes in sight of the finish line. Who am I kidding? It is always in sight of the finish line, and it's always Toad, an innocuous-looking bastard who's caused me to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory more times than I could ever hope to count. (Estimated guess, though: A hundred billion.)

Frustrating though they may be, those turnabouts are how the franchise skirts around recurring poxes of the racing genre. Last place racers get far more potent weaponry than the pace cars -- not rubber-banding in the traditional sense, but the result's the same. Mario Kart 7's changes and additions are few in number, but they're rich in the refinement of that concept. More than ever, it's a game about getting screwed over without getting too angry about it, a pair of goals it achieves with panache.

Gallery: Mario Kart 7 (10/6/11)

Continue reading Mario Kart 7 review: An exercise in fun/frustration

JoystiqMario Kart 7 review: An exercise in fun/frustration originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsmario-kartmario-kart-3dsmario-kart-7nintendoretroretro-studiosTue, 29 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSOne Classics and other Game Archives won't work on Vita at launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/psone-classics-and-other-game-archives-wont-work-on-vita-at-lau/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/psone-classics-and-other-game-archives-wont-work-on-vita-at-lau/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/psone-classics-and-other-game-archives-wont-work-on-vita-at-lau/#comments There's no more confusion about whether or not the PS Vita will run PSOne Classics and other "Game Archives" games (that's the umbrella term used in Japan for Sony's retro games -- PSOne and PC Engine/Turbografx-16, along with, presumably, PS2) at launch. Unfortunately, the answer to that lingering question is a firm, and bewildering, no.

The Japanese Vita FAQ, which initially noted that the Vita will play all downloadable PSP games except for Archives releases, cemented that in an answer to the direct question of whether or not the device will support old downoaded games. According to the FAQ, Game Archives games will not be compatible with the device at launch. "Plans for future measures will be announced shortly," the (Google-translated) FAQ notes.

There's no reason to suspect that there's a technical issue with running old PlayStation, PC Engine, and PS2 games on the powerful Vita. It's more likely that Sony's figuring out how to square the existing PlayStation Store for consoles with the PlayStation Suite version of the store, which offers a different and smaller selection of PSOne games. That hasn't been a problem so far ... because there hasn't been a device that could theoretically use both stores yet.

JoystiqPSOne Classics and other Game Archives won't work on Vita at launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-archivesjapanplaystationplaystation-vitapsone-classicsretrovitaMon, 28 Nov 2011 16:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Prince of Persia leaps to Commodore 64]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/prince-of-persia-leaps-to-commodore-64/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/prince-of-persia-leaps-to-commodore-64/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/prince-of-persia-leaps-to-commodore-64/#comments
Finally, those stalwarts who refuse to "upgrade" from their trusty Commodore 64 computers can experience that hot new game, Prince of Persia. Homebrew developer mrsid ported the 1989 game from its original Apple 2 version, making the cartridge image available for download from his site. If you have a C64 or 128 and a flashable C64 cartridge -- or, more likely, if you have a C64 emulator -- you can check out the achievement.

The rest of us will have to settle for this video, which looks remarkably smooth for an unofficial port on such an old system. It drew the attention of Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, who commented to say "I'm amazed and humbled by the amount of work this must have taken."

Mechner also solved the mystery of why there wasn't an official C64 version, even though there were so many ports: "Back in 1989, when I was making POP on the Apple II, I couldn't get anyone interested in doing a C64 port," he commented, "because it was too old a system."

JoystiqPrince of Persia leaps to Commodore 64 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Commodore 64commodore-64homebrewjordan-mechnermrsimpcPrince of Persiaprince-of-persiaPrince-of-Persia-ClassicretroSci/TechMon, 17 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Retro Studios helped to craft Donkey Kong course for Mario Kart 7]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/retro-studios-helped-to-craft-donkey-kong-course-for-mario-kart/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/retro-studios-helped-to-craft-donkey-kong-course-for-mario-kart/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/retro-studios-helped-to-craft-donkey-kong-course-for-mario-kart/#comments When Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that Donkey Kong Country Returns dev Retro Studios was collaborating with Nintendo on Mario Kart 7, he stopped himself there. "But wait," we wondered at the time, "What does that mean?" As it turns out, it means that the Texas-based dev house helped to develop the game's Donkey Kong Country Returns-themed level.

I played through the level this morning during a preview event at Nintendo of America's upper Manhattan offices, and can back up its Donkey Kong-ness. There were rotund wooden barrels with "DK" in capital letters on the side, some bats, plenty of palm trees -- what you'd expect to see in a level based around Mr. Kong.

Unfortunately, it's unclear whether MK7 will feature other levels that were co-developed by teams outside of Nintendo, as company reps told me it's not something they're speaking about just yet, but we're hopeful for more when Mario Kart 7 launches on December 4.

Gallery: Mario Kart 3DS (8/3/11)

JoystiqRetro Studios helped to craft Donkey Kong course for Mario Kart 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdonkey-kongdonkey-kong-country-returnsmario-kart-3dsmario-kart-7nintendoretroretro-studiosMon, 03 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NES-cartridge art from 72 Pins makes retro games new, new games retro]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/nes-cartridge-art-from-72-pins-makes-retro-games-new-new-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/nes-cartridge-art-from-72-pins-makes-retro-games-new-new-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/nes-cartridge-art-from-72-pins-makes-retro-games-new-new-games/#comments 72 Pins has recreated modern classics by designing custom NES cartridges to feature hit games of the post-8-bit world, as seen above. These time-warped squares of nostalgia are awesome art installments -- not actual remade games -- although the cart's original game is intact. Think of it as buying a piece of art and getting a used game thrown in for free.

Available redesigned cartridges include God of War, Dead Space, Halo, BioShock, Shadow of the Colossus and others, with Super Meat Boy, Castle Crashers and PaRappa the Rapper coming soon. All cartridges run $20, but follow 72 Pins on Twitter for some sweet deals, such as today's, which is a code for 50 percent off an Okami cartridge.

Suggested uses for NES-cartridge art include wallpapering, bookshelf-filling, 3D-sculpture building, framing and wall-hanging, or sprawling carelessly across your table at the local coffee shop to complete that old-school hipster vibe your thick-rimmed glasses, plaid button-up and copy of the Communist Manifesto have been trying to attain for months.

JoystiqNES-cartridge art from 72 Pins makes retro games new, new games retro originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>72-PinsartcartridgeNESnintendoRetroSat, 01 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamasutra tracks down creators of Colony Wars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/gamasutra-tracks-down-creators-of-colony-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/gamasutra-tracks-down-creators-of-colony-wars/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/gamasutra-tracks-down-creators-of-colony-wars/#comments Like all sane people, Isaiah Taylor has a fondness for the PSX's Colony Wars series. But where most of us are content to pine for a bygone era around the back tables of the same old man bars we've inhabited for years, Taylor has made use of his devotion. In a new Gamasutra piece, he tracks down some of the key members of the Psygnosis team that created the game as they share their memories of the operatic space shooter's development.

Perhaps most interesting for series stalwarts like us is just how little experience the team had with the genre before digging in. The fantastic score, for example, was just the second orchestral piece composer Tim Wright had ever written.

And no, before you ask, there's no hint of a fourth Colony Wars in the works, though most of the team says they'd be up for it if the opportunity came along and, most importantly, the public cried out for it. Speaking of which, can someone explain why protesters are occupying Wall Street when there's a real opportunity for positive change right here?

JoystiqGamasutra tracks down creators of Colony Wars originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colony-warsplaystationps-oneps3psxretroWed, 28 Sep 2011 23:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Goomba Roombas from SUPER iam8bit suck away the Monday blues]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/goomba-roombas-from-super-iam8bit-suck-away-the-monday-blues/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/goomba-roombas-from-super-iam8bit-suck-away-the-monday-blues/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/goomba-roombas-from-super-iam8bit-suck-away-the-monday-blues/#comments
We realize nobody likes a Monday, but we've got something to help this one start off just a little cooler for you. From the floor of videogame-centric group art exhibition SUPER iam8bit, here's video of custom Koopa shell and Goomba Roomba covers that skittered across the show floor gobbling up everyone's Cheetoh crumbs. The custom mods are the handiwork of iRobot and fabricator Kelice Penney.

Want to really chase away the Monday blues? Try saying "Goomba Roomba" out loud. Go on. We won't listen.

... There, isn't that better?

JoystiqGoomba Roombas from SUPER iam8bit suck away the Monday blues originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iam8bitnintendoretroroombasuper-mario-brosMon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SNK classics Alpha Mission, TNK III, Vanguard II on PS Minis today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/snk-classics-alpha-mission-tnk-iii-vanguard-ii-on-ps-minis-tod/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/snk-classics-alpha-mission-tnk-iii-vanguard-ii-on-ps-minis-tod/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/snk-classics-alpha-mission-tnk-iii-vanguard-ii-on-ps-minis-tod/#comments SNK continues its piecemeal release of SNK Arcade Classics 0, comprising PlayStation Minis versions of the arcade games that the company sold in Japan as a UMD collection. Today, when the PlayStation Store updates, you'll be able to get three more vintage SNK arcade games for play on the PSP or PS3.

1985's vertical shooter Alpha Mission (above), the tank game T.N.K. III from the same year, and the 1984 shooter Vanguard II, will be available today for $3 each. You might know T.N.K. III's sequel better than the original if ... you happened to play a lot of NES games; it was released on that platform as Iron Tank. Other people played Iron Tank, right?

Continue reading SNK classics Alpha Mission, TNK III, Vanguard II on PS Minis today

JoystiqSNK classics Alpha Mission, TNK III, Vanguard II on PS Minis today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-missionminisplaystationplaystation-minisps3pspretrosnksonytnk-3tnk-iiivanguard-2vanguard-iiTue, 06 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Irem Arcade Hits brings Ninja Spirit to Mac app store]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/irem-arcade-hits-brings-ninja-spirit-to-mac-app-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/irem-arcade-hits-brings-ninja-spirit-to-mac-app-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/irem-arcade-hits-brings-ninja-spirit-to-mac-app-store/#comments You can buy Ninja Spirit from the Mac App Store right now for $10. Well, OK, it's part of the Irem Arcade Hits collection by DotEmu, which also throws in games like Kung Fu Master, Vigilante, and Hammerin' Harry -- 18 in all -- but all you really need to know is that this is a convenient delivery system for Ninja Spirit, a truly excellent side-scrolling ninja game.

The Mac version is a new release, but there's been a PC version available for some time now -- if that's your platform of choice for arcade collections, you can buy that direct from DotEmu, DRM-free.

Gallery: Irem Arcade Hits (PC/Mac)

JoystiqIrem Arcade Hits brings Ninja Spirit to Mac app store originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dotemuiremirem-arcade-hitsmacmac-app-storeninja-spiritpcretroWed, 31 Aug 2011 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Serious Sam 3 to offer four-player splitscreen, seriously]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/serious-sam-3-to-seriously-offer-four-player-splitscreen/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/serious-sam-3-to-seriously-offer-four-player-splitscreen/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/09/serious-sam-3-to-seriously-offer-four-player-splitscreen/#comments Serious Sam 3 splitscreen Croteam, the folks behind the upcoming Serious Sam 3: BFE, must be seriously crazy about nostalgia, because they've decided to include a feature PC gaming hasn't seen in quite a while: Split-screen multiplayer. The developer has announced that the game will indeed allow for up to four players to play on the same screen, with the help of a keyboard and mouse and up to three gamepads.

All of the versus and co-op modes will allow for splitscreen play, so just like old times, you'll be able to see what your friends are up to, helping or hampering them as you will. Check the screens below to see what this chaos looks like.

Gallery: Serious Sam 3: BFE (Split Screen)

JoystiqSerious Sam 3 to offer four-player splitscreen, seriously originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opcroteammultiplayerpcretroserious-sam-3serious-sam-3-bfesplit-screenversusTue, 09 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SUPER iam8bit exhibition and book debut August 11]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/super-iam8bit-exhibition-and-book-debut-august-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/super-iam8bit-exhibition-and-book-debut-august-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/super-iam8bit-exhibition-and-book-debut-august-11/#comments We told you about SUPER iam8bit in June - it's a years-in-the-making followup to the iam8bit crew's last 2008 art show and 2006 book. It's back this month with not only a new art show, but a new book "documenting this year's event" and it's all being hosted in the group's newly renovated new space in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Beginning August 11 (that's next Thursday!) and running for one month, SUPER iam8bit includes work from over 100 artists, a "special tribute to Galaga's 30th anniversary will feature the world's largest 'arcade cabinet,'" and Double Fine's Drew Skillman "will be displaying an interactive, retro Kinect hack."

We're pretty sure you're going to want to be there. We've got the address, along with a ton of beautiful images, just past the break! Above, "We're Not in Hyrule Anymore" by Colombian artist Luisa Uribe.

Continue reading SUPER iam8bit exhibition and book debut August 11

JoystiqSUPER iam8bit exhibition and book debut August 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artart-gallerybookcultureiam8bitlalos-angelesretrosuper-iam8bitWed, 03 Aug 2011 23:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft vs. BNP in Post-it art grudge match]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/ubisoft-vs-bnp-in-post-it-art-grudge-match/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/ubisoft-vs-bnp-in-post-it-art-grudge-match/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/ubisoft-vs-bnp-in-post-it-art-grudge-match/#comments Two competitors enter, no one leaves. That's because this particular battle takes place inside the windows of two adjacent buildings in Paris. A user on the Gamoover forum has photographed the ongoing, unstated Post-it art contest between Ubisoft Montreuil and the bank BNP.

Over the course of a few months, the occupants of the two buildings continued to one-up each other with pixelart tableaus, including Space Invaders, taunting Pong scenes, Marios, Galaga ships, and a Rabbid. The crowning achievement in this battle of work evasion, in our opinion, is the pixelated Blanka vs. Ken scene, above.

We like to imagine enthusiastic meetings in the Post-it office about the sudden Post-it bubble economy that this competition started.

JoystiqUbisoft vs. BNP in Post-it art grudge match originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bnpcultureparispixelartpost-itretroubisoftWed, 03 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The battle for Breakout's copyright]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/the-battle-for-breakouts-copyright/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/the-battle-for-breakouts-copyright/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/the-battle-for-breakouts-copyright/#comments Were we to say the word "Breakout" you'd probably get a pretty clear image in your head -- the image of Atari's 1976 block-breaking game (which both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak played significant roles in designing!) It may be totally distinctive, but it was once not seen as copyrightable.

In 1989, Atari brought legal action against Register of Copyrights Ralph Oman over the fact that he wouldn't give Atari a copyright on the game. The register, Patent Arcade reports, said that the elements of the game were "simple geometric shapes and coloring" and not enough "authorship" went into their production to be copyrightable. " "The idea . . . could have been expressed in expressive ways," a Register lawyer said during oral arguments for the case. "They could have added graphics to it. They could have had a brick wall that looked like a brick wall. They could have added ivy that was expressive."

It was future Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who threw out that argument, citing the ball's variable, non-realistic-physics-based trajectory as a creative element of the game. And with that in mind, it was sent back to the Register for reconsideration. And thus Atari got the copyright that it could then use against other block-breaking games.

JoystiqThe battle for Breakout's copyright originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribreakoutcopyrightretroFri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The unsung, underpaid heroes behind Donkey Kong]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/the-unsung-underpaid-heroes-behind-donkey-kong/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/the-unsung-underpaid-heroes-behind-donkey-kong/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/the-unsung-underpaid-heroes-behind-donkey-kong/#comments A new feature on Gamasutra outlines the development history of Nintendo's breakout hit, Donkey Kong. While it's widely known that the game design was a Shigeru Miyamoto joint, the programming on the arcade title was actually contract work by a company called Ikegami Tsushinki. The only "credit" the company had was a message hidden in the ROM: "CONGRATULATION !IF YOU ANALYSE DIFFICULT THIS PROGRAM,WE WOULD TEACH YOU.*****TEL.TOKYO-JAPAN 044(244)2151 EXTENTION 304 SYSTEM DESIGN IKEGAMI CO. LIM."

This message also showed up in Sega classics Congo Bongo and Zaxxon, proving that the same company developed some of the foundations of both Nintendo's and Sega's libraries.

Unfortunately for Nintendo, the arrangement with Ikegami meant that the contractor had the exclusive rights to produce Donkey Kong boards and sell them to Nintendo. When the game became a hit, Nintendo ignored this agreement and made 80,000 new boards on its own, essentially violating copyright on its own game. Nintendo then went on to reverse engineer its own game to produce Donkey Kong Jr., with the help of a company called Iwasaki Giken, which (according to GDRI) probably went on to become Nintendo second party Intelligent Systems. This led to a lawsuit that ended in a settlement in 1990, and ruled that Nintendo didn't have the rights to the arcade Donkey Kong code -- a ruling that goes far in explaining why we haven't seen a re-release of the original version.

[Image: The Arcade Flyer Archive]

JoystiqThe unsung, underpaid heroes behind Donkey Kong originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>donkey-kongikegami-tsushinkilawsuitnintendoretroWed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apogee opens online store, peddling its classics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/apogee-opens-online-store-peddling-its-classics/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/apogee-opens-online-store-peddling-its-classics/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/17/apogee-opens-online-store-peddling-its-classics/#comments Shareware pioneer Apogee Software has announced the launch of a new online store, offering a handful of Apogee's most well-known games, specifically Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project, Rise of the Triad and both Blake Stone titles, all of which can be had for $5.99 each. Savvy readers may recognize that the same lineup has been available via GoG.com for some time now.

The Apogee store manages to offer a better deal though, thanks to its "Legacy Pack" which bundles all five games for $20. The bundle also includes the "Extreme Rise of the Triad" expansion and ... the Duke Nukem: Critical Mass soundtrack. Also, until June 20, the store is running a Father's Day promotion, offering the Legacy Pack for only $15. Just use the promo code "Father" during checkout.

The current slate of available games is apparently just the beginning, as Apogee plans to revisit its beginnings as a digital distributor by "providing a platform for new developers to access a global market."

Continue reading Apogee opens online store, peddling its classics

JoystiqApogee opens online store, peddling its classics originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d-realmsapogeeapogee-softwareDuke-NukemDuke-Nukem-3Dpcretrorise-of-the-triadFri, 17 Jun 2011 02:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EA games now on GOG, starting with Privateer, Dungeon Keeper, and Ultima Underworld]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/ea-games-now-on-gog-starting-with-privateer-dungeon-keeper-an/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/ea-games-now-on-gog-starting-with-privateer-dungeon-keeper-an/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/ea-games-now-on-gog-starting-with-privateer-dungeon-keeper-an/#comments During CD Projekt's ongoing streaming press conference, the publisher revealed that Electronic Arts is going to join the roster of companies opening up their vintage catalogues to the DRM-free retro store Good Old Games.

The first announced games include Wing Commander Privateer, Dungeon Keeper, and pioneering first-person RPGs Ultima Underworld 1 and 2. And those three are available right now for $5.99 each! Three more EA classics" are coming before the end of June, and then "over 20" more games from the publisher are coming this summer.

Unfortunately, System Shock and Syndicate aren't part of the agreement right now, due to rights issues. But, a GOG spokesman said, "never say never."

JoystiqEA games now on GOG, starting with Privateer, Dungeon Keeper, and Ultima Underworld originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cd-projektdungeon-keepereaelectronic-artsgogpcretroultima-underworldwing-commander-privateerThu, 02 Jun 2011 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA['George Plimpton's Video Falconry' captured on video [now playable!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/28/george-plimptons-video-falconry-captured-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/28/george-plimptons-video-falconry-captured-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/28/george-plimptons-video-falconry-captured-on-video/#comments During a recent Judge John Hodgman podcast about the fairness of strategy guides, reference was made to George Plimpton's Video Falconry, a ColecoVision game from an alternate universe in which the writer was not an Intellivision advocate.

Newgrounds reached into an interdimensional portal (that had some kind of trans-reality FTP connection, or something) and retrieved footage of the lost ColecoVision classic. And the only hurdle you have to breach in order to see it for yourself is the one at the bottom of this post.

[Update: Oh God, it's real.]

Continue reading 'George Plimpton's Video Falconry' captured on video [now playable!]

Joystiq'George Plimpton's Video Falconry' captured on video [now playable!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 May 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colecovisiongeorge-plimptons-video-falconryjudge-john-hodgmannewgroundsretroSat, 28 May 2011 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tetris documentary is titled 'Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters' and here's the trailer to prove it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/tetris-documentary-is-titled-ecstasy-of-order-the-tetris-maste/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/tetris-documentary-is-titled-ecstasy-of-order-the-tetris-maste/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/tetris-documentary-is-titled-ecstasy-of-order-the-tetris-maste/#comments What's more fun than playing Tetris? Watching other people play Tetris of course!

While that statement doesn't necessary hold true as a rule, it does when you're watching Tetris world champs. Cut from the same cloth as crossword and Scrabble documentaries Wordplay and Word Wars, the unfortunately named Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters follows a handful of world-class Tetris players as they prepare for, and participate in, the Classic Tetris World Championship.

The full movie won't be available until 2012 but, until then, you can watch the trailer we've embedded after the break. Oh, also embedded below: a poll, so you can register your opinion on that title.

View Poll

Continue reading Tetris documentary is titled 'Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters' and here's the trailer to prove it

JoystiqTetris documentary is titled 'Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters' and here's the trailer to prove it originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 May 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturedocumentaryecstasy-of-orderecstasy-of-order-the-tetris-mastersmoviemoviesretrotetrisThu, 12 May 2011 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest 1, 2, and 3 collected on a Wii disc]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/11/dragon-quest-1-2-and-3-collected-on-a-wii-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/11/dragon-quest-1-2-and-3-collected-on-a-wii-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/11/dragon-quest-1-2-and-3-collected-on-a-wii-disc/#comments Square Enix saw the success of the Super Mario All-Stars limited edition, and has decided to mark Dragon Quest's 25th anniversary in much the same way, with a Wii disc loaded with unaltered old games.

The Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Famicom & Super Famicom Dragon Quest I, II, III collection (that's the title!) shows more interest in completeness than Nintendo's set, however, packing the Famicom (NES) versions of Dragon Quest I, II, and III, along with the updated Super Famicom (Super NES) versions of the Dragon Quest I & II cartridge and Dragon Quest III, in a single package. It's slated for release this September in Japan.

Technically, translations for all three games exist, since all three were released in North America on the NES. However, given that they were NES-era translations, some freshening of the text would probably be required before releasing them these days.

JoystiqDragon Quest 1, 2, and 3 collected on a Wii disc originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-25th-anniversaryjapannintendoq3-2011release-dateretrosquare-enixwiiWed, 11 May 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guilty Gear Isuka downloadable through DotEmu]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/guilty-gear-isuka-downloadable-through-dotemu/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/guilty-gear-isuka-downloadable-through-dotemu/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/guilty-gear-isuka-downloadable-through-dotemu/#comments Grab some friends this weekend, and indulge in a little (virtual) four-player combat on the cheap. Retro game publisher DotEmu -- the company behind the iPad version of Another World -- just added the two-on-two fighter Guilty Gear Isuka to its DRM-free download shop, for $6.

Continue reading Guilty Gear Isuka downloadable through DotEmu

JoystiqGuilty Gear Isuka downloadable through DotEmu originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arc-system-worksdotemuguilty-gearguilty-gear-isukapcretroSat, 23 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Walnut Neo Geo system is the king of King of Fighters machines]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/walnut-neo-geo-system-is-the-king-of-king-of-fighters-machines/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/walnut-neo-geo-system-is-the-king-of-king-of-fighters-machines/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/walnut-neo-geo-system-is-the-king-of-king-of-fighters-machines/#comments

The Neo Geo was already a seemingly unattainable luxury -- and that was when it was made of plastic. Now, Analogue Interactive has turned this eternally high-end console into something even more fancy by encasing "Consolized" Neo Geo MVS arcade systems in beautiful walnut exteriors.

The "CMVS" plays MVS cartridges (which are typically cheaper than home AES cartridges), is compatible with component, S-video, composite and RGB video formats, and has a rechargeable battery for internal memory.

At $649, it's still an accurate presentation of the Neo Geo experience -- including the part where you pay a bunch for the system. The CMVS begins shipping in "early May."

JoystiqWalnut Neo Geo system is the king of King of Fighters machines originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analogue-interactivecmvsneo-georetroMon, 18 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Atari's Greatest Hits' app brings 100 new old games to iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/ataris-greatest-hits-app-brings-100-new-old-games-to-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/ataris-greatest-hits-app-brings-100-new-old-games-to-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/ataris-greatest-hits-app-brings-100-new-old-games-to-ios/#comments A new universal iOS app from Atari is making the standard App Store rounds today, starting in New Zealand and propagating worldwide throughout the day. The Atari's Greatest Hits app is a free download that provides paid access to 100 games from Atari's arcade and 2600 library, including classics like Yars Revenge, Haunted House and Asteroids, weird games like Circus Atari, and even rarities like Quadrun.

The app comes bundled with Pong, with additional titles available in four-game packs for $1 each, or $15 for the whole collection. Some of the games, including the whole RealSports series, Warlords and Breakout, have been updated with Bluetooth multiplayer.

This is the latest in a recent Atari effort to repackage its classics once again. Atari's Greatest Hits: Volume 1 was released as a retail cartridge on DS in November 2010.

Joystiq'Atari's Greatest Hits' app brings 100 new old games to iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2600atariataris-greatest-hitsiphonemobilepongretroWed, 06 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The unsuccessful prototype that became Super Mario Bros. 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/the-unsuccessful-prototype-that-became-super-mario-bros-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/the-unsuccessful-prototype-that-became-super-mario-bros-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/the-unsuccessful-prototype-that-became-super-mario-bros-2/#comments Before there was a Super Mario Bros. 2 (in the US), and before there was a Doki Doki Panic, Nintendo was messing around with the idea of vertical platforming. "The idea was that you would have people vertically ascending, and you would have items and blocks that you could pile up to go higher, or you could grab your friend that you were playing with and throw them to try and continue to ascend," Donkey Kong Country Returns producer and Super Mario Bros. 2 director Kensuke Tanabe, who worked on the prototype, told Game|Life. "The game was mocked up (so that) when the player climbed about two-thirds of the way up the screen, it would scroll so that the player was pushed further down."

The technology was cool, but there was a problem: the prototype wasn't actually any fun. Shigeru Miyamoto suggested adding some more traditional Mario-style side-scrolling, and the weird concept that eventually became Mario 2 began to take shape. "Picking up blocks was the same thing as pulling out vegetables from the ground," Tanabe said. This concept was first released as Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic; while it was in development, Fuji Television made a deal with Nintendo to release a game featuring characters for the Yume Kojo technology expo.

Then when it was converted from Famicom Disk System format to a cartridge for Western release, Nintendo took the chance to make a couple of other changes -- like putting the Mario characters in. "We knew these Fuji TV characters wouldn't be popular in America," Tanabe said, "but what would be attractive in America would be the Mario characters."

JoystiqThe unsuccessful prototype that became Super Mario Bros. 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>doki-doki-panickensuke-tanabenintendoretrosuper-mario-all-stars-limited-editionsuper-mario-bros-2super-mario-collection-special-packwiiSun, 03 Apr 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rayman Forever is on GOG now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/rayman-forever-is-on-gog-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/rayman-forever-is-on-gog-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/rayman-forever-is-on-gog-now/#comments The latest vintage game to hit GOG comes courtesy of the site's new Ubisoft partnership, which has already brought us a couple of Mights & Magics. This one is a bit more canonically "Ubisoft," however -- it's Rayman!

Rayman Forever is the "definitive" version of the first Rayman platformer, released in 1999. In addition to the original game (which is a side-scroller, for those of you who started with Rayman 2), it includes a level editor, allowing you to pretend you have Rayman Origins' Ubiart toolkit. 40 fanmade levels are also in the package. That's a lot of stuff for $5.99!

Still no arms, of course.

JoystiqRayman Forever is on GOG now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>goggog.commichel-ancelpcraymanrayman-foreverretroubisoftTue, 29 Mar 2011 09:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Pica Pic resurrects classic LCD handhelds ... that you should play right now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/pica-pic-resurrects-classic-lcd-handhelds-that-you-should-pl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/pica-pic-resurrects-classic-lcd-handhelds-that-you-should-pl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/pica-pic-resurrects-classic-lcd-handhelds-that-you-should-pl/#comments Long before there was a 3DS, there was the Game & Watch series of LCD games from Nintendo. It wasn't alone: numerous other companies produced single-game handhelds that may look primitive when compared with today's portables, but still manage to out-fun some modern games. It's excellent, then, that Pica Pic exists. This slick site is home to a dozen or so fully playable recreations of classics such as Donkey Kong Jr. and Sub Attack, with the promise of more to come.

Designed by Hipopotam, the site may not be entirely legal due to its, er ... reproduction of copyrighted games, but we certainly won't tell if you want to give it a visit. Which you should. Now.

JoystiqPica Pic resurrects classic LCD handhelds ... that you should play right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-basedlcdmacpcpica-picretroWed, 23 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch the GDC 'Classic Game Postmortem' talks for free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/watch-the-gdc-classic-game-postmortem-talks-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/watch-the-gdc-classic-game-postmortem-talks-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/watch-the-gdc-classic-game-postmortem-talks-for-free/#comments If you want to hear about Mark Cerny's first, overambitious version of Marble Madness for yourself, try to decipher Toru Iwatani's clues about a "singing Pac-Man" game, see the history of Prince of Persia in the time it takes to play Prince of Persia (one hour), or suck John Romero's Doom postmortem down, you are welcome to do so right now.

The GDC organizers have uploaded video and slides of many of this year's presentations to the GDC Vault, most of which are restricted to subscribers. However, the GDC Vault offers the Classic Game Postmortem series for free, including the aforementioned talks plus Eric Chahi on Another World, Will Wright on his first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay, Ron Gilbert looking back on Maniac Mansion, and more.

JoystiqWatch the GDC 'Classic Game Postmortem' talks for free originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic-game-postmortemgdc-2011gdc-vaultjohn-romeromark-cernyretroron-gilberttoru-iwataniwill-wrightWed, 23 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Race'n'Chase: Original GTA design docs posted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/race-n-chase-original-gta-design-docs-posted/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/race-n-chase-original-gta-design-docs-posted/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/race-n-chase-original-gta-design-docs-posted/#comments The original concept for Grand Theft Auto would see players committing only a few crimes, according to design documents posted by developer Mike Dailly that date back to sixteen years ago today. At that time, the early concept was for a game called Race'n'Chase. Its aim was "to produce a fun, addictive, and fast multi-player car racing and crashing game which uses a novel graphics method."

The story? "The game will be set in a present-day world." (Period.) While it would take two and a half years -- and narrowly dodging cancellation, by another creator's account -- to flesh out the eventual game, Grand Theft Auto, the designers did have some inkling of the direction they would ultimately take, as detailed in the original pitch.

"There will be 3 cities with a different graphic style for each city (e.g., New York, Venice, Miami)," wrote the heads of then DMA Design (now Rockstar North). "There will be many different missions to be played in each city." The initial mission types consisted of "a straight race across the city," a free-roaming demolition derby and a bank robbery.

Other seeds for the mega-franchise-to-be were also planted in the early documents: "Pedestrians will be wandering about all of the time," notes one section, suggesting bystander types could include "schoolchildren" and a "lollipop lady." "They can be run over by cars."

"It will also be possible for players to get out of their car and steal another one," the designers propose in the opening pitch, adding, "Trying to steal a car may result in an alarm being set off which will, of course, attract the police." Later, it's clarified that "police will be able to get out of their cars and shoot at the robbers."

[Image credit: Mike Dailly; source: mikedailly/Flickr]

JoystiqRace'n'Chase: Original GTA design docs posted originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designdesign-documentdma-designdosgrand-theft-autogtamike-dailyn64pcrace-n-chaseretrosaturnwindows-95Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST