Winter 2009/2010 Issue #14 4 Trading Thoughts 20 Hidden Gems Blue‘s Journey (Neo Geo) Video Game Flashback Dragon‘s Lair (NES) Hidden Gems 8 NES Archives p. 20 19 Page Turners Wrecking Crew Vintage Games 9 Retro Reviews 40 Made in Japan Coin-Op.TV Volume 2 (DVD) Twinkle Star Sprites Alf (Sega Master System) VectrexMad! AutoFire Dongle (Vectrex) 41 Video Game Programming ROM Hacking Part 2 11Homebrew Reviews Ultimate Frogger Championship (NES) 42 Six Feet Under Phantasm (Atari 2600) Accessories Mad Bodies (Atari Jaguar) 44 Just 4 Qix Qix 46 Press Start Comic Michael Thomasson’s Just 4 Qix 5 Bubsy: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? p. 44 6 Spike: Alive and Well in the land of Vectors 14 Special Book Preview: Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988) 43 Token Appreciation Altered Beast 22 Prices for popular consoles from the Atari 2600 Six Feet Under to Sony PlayStation. Now includes 3DO & Complete p. 42 Game Lists! Advertise with Video Game Trader! Multiple run discounts of up to 25% apply THIS ISSUES CONTRIBUTORS: when you run your ad for consecutive Dustin Gulley Brett Weiss Ad Deadlines are 12 Noon Eastern months. Email for full details or visit our ad- Jim Combs Pat “Coldguy” December 1, 2009 (for Issue #15 Spring vertising page on videogametrader.com. Kevin H Gerard Buchko 2010) February 1, 2009(for Issue #16 Summer Video Game Trader can help create your ad- Agents J & K Dick Ward 2010) vertisement. Email us with your requirements Michael Thomasson John Hancock for a price quote. P. Ian Nicholson Peter G NEW!! Low, Full Color, Advertising Rates! Jonathan Plombon Rob O’Hara Full page: 8.5‖ x 11‖ from $49 Video Game Trader Staff Nick Lombardo Dan Mahlendorf Half page: 7.5‖W x 5‖H from $29 EDITORS: Half page: 3.67‖W x 10‖H from $29 Dan Mahlendorf & Thomas Sansone Special Thanks: Jay Fennimore (www.j2games.com) & Joe Quarter page: 3.67‖W x 5‖H from $19 COVER DESIGN: Santulli (www.digitpress.com) Business card: 3.67‖W x 2.5‖H from $15 Michael Thomasson Video Game Trader Founder: Thomas Sansone PRICE GUIDE CONTRIBUTORS: Video Game Price Charts Video Game Trader (ISSN 1942-7409) Issue #14, Winter 2009/2010. Published quarterly by Isadoo Publishing, PO Box 632, Brick, NJ 08723. Rates: $19.95 (US), $24.95 (CAN), $39.95 (International). Periodicals Postage Paid at Brick, NJ and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Video Game Trader Magazine, PO Box 632, Brick, NJ 08723. © 2009 Isadoo Publishing. Reprint or reproduction of any material in part or in whole without the publishers‘ written permission is strictly forbidden. Editorial views expressed by contributing writers are not necessarily endorsed by Video Game Trader. All rights to letters and/or submitted articles/reviews sent to Video Game Trader will be treated as unconditionally assigned to Video Game Trader for publication unless they are labeled otherwise. Video Game Trader assumes no responsibility for the authority of advertisers to sell transferred property. Some Price Guide content © VideoGamePriceCharts.com and is used by permis- sion. Contact us via www.VideoGameTrader.com or [email protected]. Less Really Is nies in fad businesses have a more managed growth pattern. They don‘t build up the management structure to suit the peak years. Atari continued to beef up its More ATARI INC., like any company with losses topping management, research and development and market- $500 million a year, had a lot of problems. But most ing staffs—at one time an estimated 300—so that when industry analysts agree that one of its major handicaps sales abruptly stopped doubling and started plunging, Video Game Trader is going to be sent on a quarterly was that the video-game and home-computer firm had they toppled over.‖ basis from this point on. just grown too fat during its good years. Another problem was the company‘s basic struc- Still with me? Stings, don‘t it? Like quickly yanking a Jack Tramiel, controversial founder and former ture. The new management was trying to merge the band-aid off of a particularly sensitive wound, right? president of Commodore International Ltd., who has video-game and computer divisions, which had been Now before you fire up your email clients and send purchased the troubled subsidiary of Warner Communi- run separately, said a vice president of sales, inter- scathing emails demanding particular organs to be cations Inc. in a deal valued at about $300 million, is viewed in February after Morgan had been chairman removed from Tom‘s body, hear me out for a few hun- dred words. While I abhor the use of marketing buzz- known as the type of chief executive for whom the term for almost six months. phrases, ―less is more‖ really does sum up what we ―lean and mean‖ was invented. ―Not only was it costly, but it was counterproduc- here at V.G.T. are trying to do and hopefully in the next If anybody can make Atari profitable again, it‘s tive; neither side knew what the other was doing or couple paragraphs, you‘ll think so too. Tramiel, say friends and foes alike. But it is unlikely to planning.‖ he said then. We‘ve always wanted the magazine to grow. We be painless. That dual operation was one of Atari‘s main prob- started out as a humble online only mag that soon Within hours of his first walk-through of his new lems, said another executive no longer with the com- jumped to a 50/50 electronic/print format to finally the company Monday, Tramiel began wholesale layoffs, pany. ―There were two distinct staffs, both bloated, and product you have in your hands. However we‘ve which could cut as many as 1,000 persons off the they spent money like water.‖ he said. reached a fork in the road-do we continue on our sub- 5,000 member staff worldwide. Adding to the difficulties, observers say, was scription only path or do we attempt to travel up a large By the end of his first week, he had made it clear Atari‘s handling the two products as if they had sepa- hill to have V.G.T. adorn retail shelves and introduce an even larger audience to the glory of retro gaming? After that in addition to personnel cutbacks, there would be rate markets. ―Atari viewed the two marketplaces as much debate, we decided to take the more difficult path cost-cutting measures instituted throughout the com- separate: a video-game-machine market and a home- and go all out for brick-and-mortar domination. In order pany, including closing a manufacturing plant in El computer market. That was a big mistake.‖ the sales to do that we have to increase our page count to be Paso, Tex. He also had named his three sons to top executive said. ―They had the best computer on the able to be placed into stores BUT to do that we have to management positions. market for three years, voted as the ‗hobbyists‘ choice. reduce our the number of issues to maintain our budget. Even though V.G.T. is a labor of love and it is success- ―He was greeted with nothing short of terror by the They should have tried to combine the two and sell ful, it‘s still a business. There‘s just going to be some staff on his first day,‖ said a former executive who their low-end computer as a video game.‖ growing pains. keeps in touch with his one-time co-workers, whose The sale of Atari to Tramiel, who left Commodore morale has taken a roller-coaster ride along with the suddenly and without explanation in January, ―came So what does this change mean to you, John or Jane Q. Reader who took a chance and subscribed to our hum- company‘s profits and losses in the last five years. out of the blue,‖ said one spokesman for Commodore ble publication besides a longer wait between issues? The major problem with the Atari-Warner marriage, who has know Tramiel for seven years. which was consummated in 1976, when Warner Com- It was no secret that Atari was on the block, but the You will NOT lose any issues. Current subscribers will munications purchased Atari from founder Nolan Bush- primary suitor was perceived as N.V. Philips, the Dutch continue to get the same number of issues they paid for. It just won‘t be bi-monthly. nell for $15 million, was ―total mismanagement‖ by electronics firm, with whom negotiations had been Warner, said Harold Vogel, an analyst with Merrill continuing for months. Warner apparently just couldn‘t The pacing will give our writers more time to write and Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. in New York. get enough money out of Philips, one analyst said. polish their articles for your enjoyment (or just give them The former executive, who asked anonymity, con- Preliminary talks with Tramiel began in late May more time to procrastinate…*cough* like me *cough*). curs. ―Warner ran Atari like a movie studio.‖ he said. and intensified late last month, with the announcement The larger page count will allow even more articles to ―The engineers and conceptual people were the of the sale coming Monday. be in each and every issue. stars, and whatever they wanted they got. There was a Beyond the early blood-letting, speculation on After your current subscription is up, the rates will de- cadre of executives who rose quickly through the ranks Tramiel‘s moves vary. Most industry observers agree, crease to just $14.99 for quarterly issues. without benefit of the sophistication, education or ex- that given his dazzling success with Commodore, he perience that comes with time. They should have got- will concentrate on the computer side of the business. So that‘s the scoop. It may be an awful pill to swallow ten that sophistication and savvy from the parent com- The Commodore spokesman, however, pointed at first but know that we aren‘t going anywhere. Heck we‘re just getting started. So kick back and enjoy the pany, but they didn‘t, because Warner isn‘t a strong out that Tramiel was impressed with the revenues ―Mascots‖ issue you have in your hands and we‘ll defi- management company itself, and it couldn‘t teach generated in the past by the games division and is nitely see you next time. something it didn‘t know to its subsidiary,‖ said the unlikely to let it drop. The game machines will continue executive, who spent 1983 on the Atari payroll. as a standard, Ladd predicted, as long as Tramiel Par of the problem, said analyst Robert Ladd of doesn‘t have to pump any money into it. Duff & Phelps in Chicago, is that the market suddenly Tramiel is described variously as ―brilliant, tough, fell apart on the video-game industry at the same time aggressive and willing and able to change course in that competition grew stronger in the home-computer midstream,‖ but he‘s also characterized as harsh and -Dan Mahlendorf industry. Atari‘s management, he added, had grown lacking in empathy with an emphasis on leanness that used to the good times and hadn‘t prepared for the can be brutal. lean ones. Speculation runs heavy that the new Atari will veer From 1979 to 1982, Atari‘s sales towards an all-out attack on Apple Computer rather doubled each year, reaching a peak of than the low-end, Commodore home-computer market. $2 billion. Last year, revenues were Ladd said Tramiel is likely to come out with an halved, dropping to $1.1 billion, and Apple IIe-type computer as far as capabilities go, but speculation is that they were well on with a price of $300 or $400 rather than $1,000. their way to being halved again this ―I don‘t see him coming out with a $1,000 com- year. A recent Fortune magazine arti- puter to attach Apple straight on at its own price point,‖ cle said former Chairman James Mor- Ladd said. ―The only way I can see Tramiel coming out gan had revised his 1984 budget to with something at that price is if he introduces a Macin- show sales of $500 million. tosh-type model in the $1,000 range.‖ ―Management got greedy,‖ Ladd Macintosh is Apple‘s newest star, a 32-bit office said. ―They saw only the up side of the microcomputer that retails for $2,495. business. They didn‘t see it in the context of a fad market. Most compa- 4 • Video Game Trader Magazine • Issue #14 • Winter 2009/2010 • www.VideoGameTrader.com Coming soon to a kid's fast food meal near you. never know it from how he was handled. The star treatment included sending a birth- day cake to Electronic Gaming Monthly on Bubsy's ―1st birthday" (I don't know if other "What could publishers got a cake, but I wouldn't doubt it. possibly go wrong?" And I didn't even get a card). Bubsy was primed, and even had his own cartoon, Those were the voiced by acting legend Rob Paulsen. His very first words I voice is distinct and you know it when you ever heard uttered hear it -- he was, among other things, the by Bubsy Bobcat. original voice of Raphael on Teenage Mutant Being a huge Sega Ninja Turtles, Mighty Max, Didgeri Dingo on Genesis fan, I was there when Tazmania, and Pinky and Wakko Warner on Animani- a blue blur called Sonic The acs). I still have it in one of my many boxes of video under way. The Sony Playstation was a runaway hit Hedgehog was unleashed on an unsuspecting video tapes, along with a Battletoads cartoon. An intro with developers, publishers, and (most importantly) game world. Many had tried games with characters comic ran in video game magazines. Bubsy was sort the buying public. Everybody was trying to figure out they could build series around. Sega had tried several of like Paris Hilton -- if you act like a big deal, people how to bring their games into the 3D realm and take itself, with Alex Kidd and the underrated Psycho Fox. will assume you're a big deal, and eventually you will advantage of the new horizons this technology of- But with Sonic suddenly getting fans talking, and de- become a big deal. fered. Accolade, naturally, put up its star and made bating if he was cooler than Mario, everybody wanted Bubsy 3D, a direct sequel to the original game, taking a mascot. Sunsoft tried Aero The Acrobat. Tengen Of course, he was a video game mascot, so he place on the home planet of the aliens. got in on the act with Awesome Possum At this point, I would like to remind you of (a particularly hard sell with me, as there Bubsy's catchphrase, "What could possibly are possums in my neighborhood, and go wrong?" "cute" and "cuddly" are not adjectives that I associate with them). Electronic Arts Everything. came up with James Pond. And Acco- There's no point in mincing words. Bubsy lade, not content to be left out in the cold, 3D is a horrible, horrible game. While it is came up with Bubsy. tempting to say people are just heaping Accolade was in a strange position. Ini- abuse on a game that bombed like E.T. for tially, they weren't authorized by Sega to the Atari 2600, there's a key difference. make games for the Genesis. They came E.T. did everything it could in it's doomed up with Ishido, a puzzle game, and Star mission, including multiple actions (I be- Control, the first "heavy mem- lieve it is the first instance of the "context- ory" (employed bankswitching to hold sensitive" button), a cube-like world to more data than the 8 megs the system Bubsy tours the sewer, trying to find yarn balls amongst explore, and more. Bubsy 3D, however, was designed for) cartridge on the sys- all the Bubsy 3D Playstation game discs didn't seem to do anything. The graphics tem. It was this renegade group that are not just simplistic for the time, they are caused Sega to redesign the Genesis with simplistic period. The models are horrible. a lockout code (it wasn't a perfect plan -- it also kept needed a video game. Bubsy took his cartoon inspira- The landscape has no character or garish colors. some legit licensed games, like EA's Zany Golf, from tions to heart. Not only did he do the standard Mario Bubsy's constant chatter make you reach for the running on the new hardware). The result was Acco- "jump on enemies" shtick, but he could also stick out "mute" button faster than you could say "Bravoman". lade and Sega suing each other. Sega sued Accolade his arms, like a kid playing airplane, and actually glide To borrow a phrase from Mystery Science Theater for making games for the Genesis without permission. around. The plot was that fabric stealing aliens had 3000 (and a frequent and rare criticism of the original And Accolade sued because new games, due to the shown up on Earth. Instead of coins or rings, Bubsy Turok: Dinosaur Hunter), this thing had more fog than lockout, became "by or under license from Sega.", ran around gathering up balls of yarn. He had many the movie "The Fog". Gameplay and techniques which misrepresented Accolade‘s unauthorized actions and even reacted to his surroundings. The were uninteresting. The game felt more like a demo, games. They eventually settled. Accolade was also colors were bright and the music was whimsical. The or an early beta, than a finished product. It was diffi- an official Nintendo licensee. game was a hit. cult to find anything about the game that was actually likable, or well-done. Accolade decided to create a mascot. And you can't By this time, the cartoon had come out. Bubsy II fol- say they weren't ambitious about it. Accolade hyped lowed more in line with that set-up, including having The fans rebelled. Bubsy 3D wasn't ignored like Su- Bubsy like there was no tomorrow. He may not have Rob Paulsen providing the voice of the title character per Pitfall on the NES was. He became a punch line. been the biggest name in video games, but you'd instead of the original actor, John A.S. He was declared the most unlikable character in the Skeel. Bubsy's sidekick was a timid arma- history of video games by Games Radar. The game dillo, and he had a niece and nephew as was an unmitigated failure and killed the franchise. Alien planet, or just another fine day in LA? You decide. well. The plot was actually pretty interest- In many ways, Bubsy was the embodiment of hubris. ing, taking place in a theme park gone With so many mediocre games scoring cash and bonkers. The historical displays were steal- merchandising deals just for having a mascot, you ing actual history, and Bubsy had to restore can't blame Accolade for trying their hand at it as well. it. Bubsy II, likewise did well. There are even mascots that can survive having the At this time, Atari was working on its Jaguar game mechanics, that made them what they are, game system, and Accolade did a special messed with, as Sonic The Hedgehog proves. But Bubsy game for it. Fractured Furry Tales every once in a while, a mascot will fail despite the had Bubsy running through children's sto- best effort and the train passes them by. With Bubsy, ries in an attempt to set things right. the train just ran him over. The next generation of games was well www.VideoGameTrader.com • Winter 2009/2010 • Issue #14 • Video Game Trader Magazine • 5 It‘s pretty obvious that the Vectrex is different. It‘s the moving platform levels connected by a moveable lad- only games console that‘s ever used vector scan graph- der. Spike has to maneuver up the platform in order to ics. While competing consoles used raster drawn pixels fetch a key that will allow him to unlock the cage which for the imaging, vector scanned graphics are sharp contains Molly. This task is made more and more diffi- lines drawn dot to dot, making Vectrex games very cult as there are two types of enemies that are sent distinctive. Unfortunately the Vectrex has a limitation on down the platform levels by Spud to knock Spike off the how many lines (vectors) can be displayed at the same platform. One type is called a bouncer and looks like a time before the whole screen starts flickering. Therefore box with a spring attached to it which quite literally Vectrex programmers strive to portray games with bounces around. The other type of enemy is a bird that images comprising of simple line drawings in order to flies about the screen. Both enemy types are intent on reduce flicker. The lack of detail for any given Vectrex knocking Spike off the platform but they can be dodged drawn image maybe one of the main reasons why it or fought off with a sharp kick from Spike. never spawned a recognizable and commercially suc- In addition to the isometric 3D perspective, this game cessful games icon such as Namco‘s Pac- Man, Nin- had one other interesting novelty: it was the first con- tendo‘s Mario and Sega‘s Sonic the Hedgehog. All sole game to use sampled sound without the addition of three have been through the merchandising bandwagon any special hardware. Jay Smith had a pocket-sized with numerous spin-off games, books and even cuddly electronic speech sampling device which had a chorus toys. Despite the limitations, there is one memorable of voices recorded on it saying ―Back to work!‖ He character that was able to stand out from the vector would carry it around and play the message back to his crowd and who has become dear to Vectrex fans‘ staff when he thought they weren‘t working. This pocket hearts: a little smiley-faced 5-point-star-shaped creature device was the inspiration for putting a digitized voice in known as Spike. ―Spike‖. The sampling and playback rate of the prere- Spike debuted in a game of the same name in 1983. corded sound is low by today‘s standards, but the digi- Tom Sloper, the game designer for ―Spike‖, had said tized yells by Molly such as "Eek! Help, Spike!" and Spike’s Water Balloons that he was a big fan of the arcade game ―Donkey Spike‘s immortal cry of ―Darn it!‖ (heard after he falls off Kong‖ (where Mario first appeared) and as such, there a platform) are nevertheless quite distinctive and is a similar game philosophy between the two games. memorable. operating in digital mode, a later release of ―Spike‘s Both are platform games where the lead characters Many Vectrex fans wonder what sort of being Spike Water Balloons‖ worked with the joystick controller have to negotiate up a series of platforms whilst avoid- actually is. Some believe him to be an 80‘s punk as it operating in analogue mode as well which allowed for ing obstacles and jumping over gaps. The goal for both appears he has a spiky haircut, which would have been much faster play. John went on to include Spike as the games is to reach the top platform to rescue a kid- a popular choice for the punk movement at that time. In star in another game called ―Spike Hoppin‖, which was napped girl. But there the similarities between the reality, Spike became the form he is simply because based on the classic 80‘s game ―Q*Bert‖. Spike has to games end. Jay Smith, ―father‖ of the Vectrex, had Tom Sloper wanted to avoid image flicker and use as be hopped around a pyramid of stepping stones while asked Tom to come up with a game that looked 3D (a few vector lines as possible to represent his lead char- avoiding the Evil Spud and other enemies. If Spike request that came before the Vectrex 3D imager, which acter. This meant that a circle couldn‘t be drawn to wasn‘t the star in one of John‘s later games he would launched in 1984). Tom achieved Jay‘s requirements by represent the head because it would have required still crop up in them. In ―Vectopia‖ which is a collection coming up with a game design where effectively it was multiple vectors. In the end a star shape with legs at- of games, Spike would appear on a special menu op- a 2D platform type game but it was presented with an tached was settled upon. The name ―Spike‖ came from tion. isometric 3D type perspective. a suggestion by Colin Vowles, one of Tom‘s work col- From 2001 onwards, other home brewers were releas- The game begins with Molly (Spike‘s love) being leagues at the time. Colin, whose father in-law was ing games with Spike. Mark De Smit released a double dragged away through a doorway by the villain Evil called ―Spike‖, thought that the ―Spike‖ name was very game cartridge titled ―VecCaves/Spike‘s Spree‖. The Spud. In the game itself there are three horizontally apt for the spiky shaped video game character. ―Spike‘s Spree‖ game has a lot of similarities with the ―Spike‖ was one of the last five games released by Atari 2600 game ―Fast Food‖ but has near identical Milton Bradley (MB) / GCE for the Vectrex. The fact that graphics to those in the original Spike game. Like ―Fast the video game market crashed, sending the Vectrex to Food‖, objects shoot from the left side of the screen and an early commercial grave in 1984, quashed all possi- Spike has to be moved around to catch them while bilities of Spike the character ever appearing in a com- avoiding objects such as birds and Spuds. In contrast mercial video game again. However, this is not the end to the 2600 title, other objects like Molly and keys have of the story. Vectrex home brewers have taken over to be caught in the correct order. The game is con- Spike where MB / GCE left off and have adopted Spike. As a trolled with the joystick in analogue mode and requires result he has continued to appear in new games 100% of one‘s attention span in order to play. Interest- throughout the last 26 years and has become the unoffi- ingly, author Mark has stated that there is a small cial Vectrex game mascot. Easter egg in ―Spike‘s Spree‖, but much to his surprise no one has yet found it. Some 12 years after the last commercial Vectrex games release, John Dondzila was the first home Home brewer Manu Pärssinen gave Spike a couple of brewer to bring out a number of new games for the arms and placed him as an opponent to fight in the Vectrex. One of these games, released in 1996, was boxing ring in his 2002 game ―Vec Sport Boxing‖. The called ―Spike‘s Water Balloons‖ and featured the return following year Alex Herbert included a bonus mini game not only of Spike but also Molly and the Evil Spud. The starring Spike in the limited edition cartridge version of game has similar play to the 80‘s arcade game called the famous Vectrex ―Defender‖ clone, ―Protector‖, which ―Kick‖ or ―Kick Man‖, but instead of a clown on a unicy- was unlocked by beating the default high score and cle catching falling balloons it is Spike who must be became a choice on the Options screen. In the mini maneuvered to pop falling water balloons dropped by game, called ―Spike Goes Down‖, Spike must move Spud. Originally controlled with the joystick controller from side to side on elevated platforms to collect items 6 • Video Game Trader Magazine • Issue #14 • Winter 2009/2010 • www.VideoGameTrader.com Resume and then fall down through available gaps (for the first time), has to hop on vari- Name: Spike in the platform to advance through the ous suspended platforms and bop Birth: 1983 game. Spud clones. Summary: Adventurous and likeable individual with varied work experience and skills. Excels at resolving conflicts and is not Alex Nicholson of Vectorzoa Logo fame Although never updated and missing afraid of heights. Seeks challenging role. released ―Spikes Circus‖ in 2006. Accord- sound and scoring, it is still an inter- ing to the text introduced at the beginning esting demo. After controlling Spike Work Experience: of the game and accompanied by circus some distance in the game the Star- Title Re- Author Role Notes music, Spike is a circus owner and Spud is ship Enterprise from Star Trek is lease a lion tamer. Spike has to make Spud encountered! Spike 1983* MB/GCE Lead First console video redundant, as Lions (and caged animals in game with sampled ―Spike Super Sports‖ by Martijn general) aren't popular. Like the original sound Wenting looks to be the most ad- plot 20 years earlier, Spud has kidnapped All good 1996** John Lead First released on Molly, This time though Spud wants to vanced in terms of completion for an things - Dondzila the All good things humiliate Spike and this is where the game unfinished game. The game features Spike’s 2001** cartridge, then on Spike, Molly and Spud who are pitted Water the Vectopia car- starts. If you have a VecVox (the home- against each other in sports events balloons tridge with ana- brew speech synthesizer) plugged in, Spud such as 100m dash, long jump, arch- logue control. will actually sing this plotline as part of the ery, 110m hurdles and key toss. The Spike 1997** John Lead Based on the arcade intro. game is also said to support the Hoppin Dondzila game Q*bert. In- You control Spike, who has to ride a unicy- VecVox. However, as yet the game cludes sampled sound. cle across a tightrope. With over 50 varied has not been released. Vectopia 2001** John Guest Easter egg appear- games levels, Spike has to scale hills and Spike‘s most recent appearance to - Spike’s Dondzila ance on menu, ana- ramps, juggle Indian clubs, balance objects date is in Andy Coleman‘s one button Water logue control ver- on his head and bounce balls off his head controlled game called ―City Bomber‖, balloons sion of Spike’s to hit targets, all whilst on his unicycle. An (analogue Water balloons. which was released in late 2007. If interesting fact is that Spikes Circus was control) you manage to bomb down all the sky originally called ―F=ma‖ which is quite an scrapers so that you can land your apt title considering the physics behind the unicycle motion and game play. falling plane, out jumps Spike from the VecCaves/ 2001** Mark De Lead Contains undiscov- cockpit. Unfortunately, this is the only Spike’s Smit ered easter egg On his website Alex did say he would be appearance made by Spike in this Spree working on a ―Spike Circus‖ version two: game. The limited edition ―City ―Spud Bounces Back‖, but it is unknown if Bomber‖ cartridge is also a double Vec Sport 2002** Manu Guest Spike stars as one Boxing Pärssinen of the four boxers. this game will ever be continued. In this game cartridge that includes the title game Spud is the star hero and has him ―Spike Goes Skiing‖. Also available as Spike 2003** Alex Lead Hidden mini bonus bouncing around on a pogo stick. a free downloadable demo, ―Spike goes down Herbert raster-like game Goes Skiing‖ has Spike adorned with There have also been a number of other after scoring skis travelling down a scrolling ski run -Limited 20,000. unfinished games announced or demoed with the aim of skiing between slalom Edition where Spike is the star character. Although Protector flags and avoiding trees. these games have been announced on the respective author‘s sites and even together As you can see, Spike is alive and with screen shots, it is unknown when and well. Who knows, had history been Spikes 2006** Alex Lead Second ever Vectrex if they will be actually released. For most if different, perhaps today in addition to Circus Nicholson Spike game to use not all home brewers, the land of Vectors the now famous video game icons an overlay. is second to real life and as such even the such as Nintendo‘s little fat Italian best laid plans for game development can plumber and Sega‘s hyper active VecVox introduc- be upset by real world time pressures. hedgehog, the world would have tion. also been familiar with MB / GCE Spike 2006** Andy Lead Free downloadable In 2006, John Dondzila produced his last spiky little video game character. So goes ski- Coleman binary released Vectrex game to date called ing what of the activities of Spike‘s origi- ―Space Frenzy‖. Of interest is that on the Super 2006** John Lead Unfinished demo nal creator? Well, Tom Sloper went same cartridge is an unfinished game Spike Dondzila game on Space demo called ―Super Spike World‖. This is a on to design many other games, not World – Frenzy cartridge just for the Vectrex but later (and to horizontal scrolling platform type game and Space this day) other video games consoles Frenzy Spike, who is viewed from his side profile as well. He also offers consultancy service on games design at Super Spike World www.sloperama.com. Visiting this Bomber 2007** Andy Guest Jumps out of plane Coleman after landing. site, Tom‘s connection to Spike can still be seen as Spike is immediately Limited Edition visible as the website‘s icon on the Bomber cartridge address bar! includes Spike Goes Skiing Acknowledgements Spike 200?** Martijn Lead Announced in 2006 – Super Wenting 75% complete but This article wouldn‘t have been possi- sports currently on hold. ble without the help of Tom Sloper, Spike's 200?** Alex Lead Progress unknown. John Dondzila, Mark De Smit, Richard Sea Snap Nicholson Hutchinson and Alex Nicholson. Safari Spike’s 200?** Alex Guest Progress unknown. Circus 2: Nicholson Spud Bounces Back. * Vintage Commercial, ** Homebrew www.VideoGameTrader.com • Winter 2009/2010 • Issue #14 • Video Game Trader Magazine • 7 Everyone knows that when the NES first dropped into zlers, Mario has no ability to jump! stores in 1985, Super Mario Bros. was the game that convinced the world that a Nintendo was worth buying. Features: Stage Designer Ever since, Mario has been the unquestioned mascot of Nintendo. But prior to 1985, as any arcade junkie could As mentioned earlier in the review, this game has a level tell you, Donkey Kong was the king of Nintendo. One designer. I always loved those when I was a young would have thought that Donkey Kong and Mario both gamer. would have been given star treatment with the release of Fun?: Yes, but tedious the NES, but that was not the case. The only game that starred DK at launch was, the educational game, Don- key Kong Jr. Math. Mario, on the other hand, was fea- You will probably enjoy this game at first, but give up on tured in six games! He is the referee in Tennis, the it before you‘ve beaten all 100 stages. The good news golfer in Golf and he saves Pauline, in the bonus game, is you will probably pick it up again some time later and in Pinball. Of course, he is also the star of Super Mario have plenty more stages to play. If you love puzzle Bros. and the star in the little played, and long forgotten, games, though, you will enjoy working your way through Wrecking Crew. all 100 stages. Wrecking Crew is one of the few non-educational Mario Challenge: Hard games released on the Nintendo that no one ever talks first try. There are also some hidden secrets to discover about. The main reason for that is because it is com- in this game, which gives it great replay value. I like how There are two different challenges to this game. First, pletely different from Super Mario Bros. and therefore you can choose what stage to start on, there‘s nothing can you beat all 100 stages? Then, can you beat them probably disappointed many gamers back in 1985. more frustrating then having to replay 20 or 30 stages all in one sitting? With patience and determination any- Looking back at this title, almost 25 years later, it is that you‘ve already mastered just to get to where you left one can accomplish the first challenge. If you can mas- much easier to appreciate. The first change you will off at. Of course having Mario as your main character is ter the second challenge then you are a better gamer notice right off the bat is that Mario is not a plumber in always a benefit. This game also benefits from having a than I. this game; instead he appears to be some kind of con- Wario-prototype character, named Spike, who looks Replay: Yes struction worker. The next major difference, in Wrecking suspiciously like Mario but is his mortal enemy. The level Crew, is that the game is not a side-scroller. It‘s a one- designer is also real fun because you can take turns with This game definitely has replay value because it‘s diffi- screen puzzle game. Here‘s how it works. On each a friend making stages and then try solving them. Unfor- culty. However, since you can skip to whatever stage stage you control Mario who is equipped with a hammer. tunately you can‘t save the stages you design but that is you want, there isn‘t much frustration since you can Your goal is to destroy all of the walls and ladders on the standard procedure on the NES. always skip past a stage that is frustrating you. stage in order for the ―building‖ to be properly destroyed. Of course it‘s not that easy when you have strange alien If you also destroy the walls on a stage in the correct 2 Player: Yes creatures walking around that want to kill you, and you secret order you will spell out the letters of Mario. If you inexplicably cannot use your hammer to hurt them. This can spell out his whole name you win a prize, which in Wrecking Crew offers the standard alternating two- means that you have to completely avoid contact with some levels is a special hammer that allows you to player mode that the NES was famous for. You star as any baddies while trying to demolish all of the walls and smash the bad guys and smash walls at a quicker pace. Luigi, but, he isn‘t wearing a green outfit. The best two- ladders on each stage. Overall there are 100 stages to I‘ve never actually gotten one myself but I‘ve seen peo- player mode, though, is to create level and then chal- play, and like many of the early puzzle games on the ple do it using save states on-line. lenge your buddy to beat it. NES, you can skip around to any stage and even design your own impossible stage to completely frustrate your Glaring Negatives: Bottom Line: Typical LJN fare brother. For some reason, Mario looks quite different from the While certainly not on par with Mario‘s Super entries, Wrecking Crew is actually one of the better games that Mario featured in Super Mario Bros. If you took a glance came out among the initial launch titles, but was com- at him you would assume that this game was made a Wrecking Crew is an enjoyable puzzle game that offers pletely missed by everyone noticing Super Mario Bros., couple years prior because of how primitive he looks. up just enough features to make it genuinely fun. There Duck Hunt and Kung Fu. Unfortunately no sequels were The graphics overall are weak. It‘s also disappointing is some serious challenge to the game since there are ever made for this game on the NES, and it quickly that none of the bad guys from the Mushroom Kingdom 100 stages but since you can skip around you won‘t get disappeared into that giant stack of NES games that nor any of Mario‘s attacks from SMB are featured in this too frustrated. Also, you‘ve got to love any game with a never existed in most people‘s minds. game. Wrecking Crew’s gameplay has a lot more in stage design feature. common with Mario Bros., although it doesn‘t share any Positives: of the enemies of that game either. Wrecking Crew provides a great challenge with 100 Graphics and Sound: Primitive stages, many of which are impossible to solve on your This game is an early NES title and it looks like it. Mario has one giant schnoz, wears a red helmet and looks like he was lifted straight from an Atari game. The back- Reviewer: Agent J Rarity: (Average) C+ grounds are always the same black building, and there are only a handful of enemies that repeat on every Company: Nintendo Expertise: Beat it! stage. Each stage is only one screen wide but two screens tall. The music gets really repetitive as it‘s the same on all 100 stages. Released: 1985 Gameplay and Controls: Basic Tips and Tricks will appear. Wrecking Crew is one of those standard old school  You can wrap  Lure bad guys to puzzlers where you can‘t touch the enemy at all or you walk towards you away will die. Because of this, the real puzzle to the game is around from one side of not how to destroy all of the walls, it‘s how to avoid the the screen to the other. from ladders and then bad guys. The controls are fine. Mario slowly walks just pop out on the other around the screen, you can press either button to smash  If you stay on one side of the screen to walls with your hammer, and you can fall from any dis- tance without dying. Of course, like many early puz- level too long, fireballs climb the ladder. 8 • Video Game Trader Magazine • Issue #14 • Winter 2009/2010 • www.VideoGameTrader.com about training to become television anchors rather hairstyles? than actual groupies of the industry. Host Taryn Southern seems to be the exception and is excep- Many of those interviewed offer some real insight tional. She is truly the brilliant gem among the into their own personal lives. Who knew that Arka- stones in the garden. Alan Akin is a bit rough to noid World Champion Zack Hample is as ob- watch, but considering that he is also translating sessed with the sport of Baseball as he is about between English and Japanese in real-time, he busting digital bricks? Owning 2496 baseballs, all scores kudos for working in such an environment. personally retrieved in stadiums across the coun- Some of the other reporters‘ inquiries are rather try, is quite a feat. Hearing that he taught himself basic, and their questions seem to display their several languages, including sign language, in lack of knowledge about the subjects they are order to communicate with foreign players so that interviewing. Some questions, such as ―Are there he could request a game ball is truly extreme. any other games that you particularly like?‖ seem And ―extreme‖ is what the Coin-OP TV project is all just plain ridiculous to ask one of the great game about. The whole production screams of fanatics designers of all time. Of course Eugene Jarvis going past the norm to celebrate the hobby that likes games! How could he be so successful in the they love! I get that, and I very much salute Coin- field if he didn‘t like games! Despite such rudimen- Op TV for what they have delivered. While flawed, tary questions, many of the interviewees had some it is exceptional and succeeds on several levels. great information to offer, such as Jarvis speaking about ―conflicting goals‖ in game design. The entire design is a mixed bag as the level of quality peaks and dips. The production values of One portion of the DVD features several world the disc are disjointed. The editing overall is solid. record holders discussing their favorite arcade The filming, including the lighting, is respectable games. In what would surprise no one, they all considering the venues where the interviews are seemed to mostly pick the same game titles for Coin-Op TV DVD Volume 2 is overall a nice dis- conducted. However, actual videogame footage which they hold the world records. It seems obvi- traction and pleasant romp through the coin-op shown is very blurry. This is not forgivable as the ous that for any of them to be able to score so well niche. If you enjoyed the first volume, expect more game play footage was added after-the-fact in post and push the games to their max the way they do, of the same. -production. they might actually enjoy playing those particular This second video embraces interviews with gam- titles. Please recognize that I am covering this DVD ing pioneers and gaming personalities. Included In addition to the interviews, the disc also includes review as a video professional, involved in the within volume two are Robotron and Defender a short tribute to the game Galaxian called the industry for well over a decade. Normally I would creator Eugene Jarvis; Gears of War‘s Cliffy B; Galaxian Defense League. This unexpected sur- acknowledge that this is a compilation of footage personality Tommy Tallarico; SNK‘s KOF Falcoon, prise, while intentionally corny, offers up many originally created for internet viewing, and leave it Dragon‘s Lair Project founder and coin-op collector clever anecdotes that are very amusing and pro- at that. However, Coin-Op TV tries to present itself Jeff Kinder; several world record holders; Anime voke many new thoughts about a common friend. as serious journalism. Provided that you recognize cosplayers; ―I am 8-bit‖ artists and more. Some of their limitations, even when they do not, you can those interviewed are real stars, while others leave A great deal of anime shares similarities and even look past the shortcomings. you scratching your head as to why you are watch- characters with their videogame counterparts, so I ing the video. For every Cary Grant, there is a B- can understand the link with videogames. While I You may take that as a slap in the face to the pro- movie actress waiting in the wings. grew up on Robotech and can appreciate Japa- ducers, but that is simply not the case. nese animation, accepting cosplay can sometimes While volume #2 is new, the interviews included on The DVD is obviously a labor of love by many of be hard to swallow. The individuals that Coin-Op the disc are several years old. I know this because those involved. I‘m a BIG supporter of hobbyist TV chose to interview do not represent cosplayers I worked on several of Leonard Herman‘s books projects and products, and I‘ve launched dozens very well. After watching the interview with myself, and while being interviewed he is holding a myself. We all know that if we waited for network cosplayer Man-Faye, any respect that you may draft of the book cover that I designed. The disc news crews or, God-forbid Hollywood to cover have been generous enough to give to other also features two consecutive annual ―I am 8-bit such events, that the sands of the hourglass would cosplayers will forever be tarnished. I also learned events‖ dating the content almost as if done on surely expire and we would all be disappointed. that a one hundred pound ―stick-man‖ - who takes purpose. If you are looking for something modern, Coin-Op TV fills this void. Small players with big five months to grow a ―goatee‖ in preparation for you‘re in the wrong place. But if you‘re in a retro dreams make such projects a reality! the convention - should not attempt to emulate the mood, then this will be just fine as there is no real God of War. In a more positive light, who knew While it is definitely low budget, it doesn‘t mean rush with classic gaming… it just becomes more that green and pink would make for such sexy that fans of the grand ol‘ arcades of the 80‘s, and classic! even modern game players, cannot enjoy it. There The impressive venues span the globe. In ninety is a lot to celebrate when watching Coin-Op TV. If minutes you will travel from New York City to Cali- you love the big arcades of the past and care for fornia to Japan. Interesting locales go beyond the gaming in general, the lore alone will be enough to typical convention and show floor, such as the feed you quite well at the table. FunSpot Arcade, Leonard Herman‘s backyard, an art gallery and the Videotopia warehouse. Coin-Op TV deserves credit for locating able talent across the planet. The interviewers are very casual. While it may not be the case, some seem to be more concerned www.VideoGameTrader.com • Winter 2009/2010 • Issue #14 • Video Game Trader Magazine • 9 Alf VectrexMad! AutoFire Dongle For the Sega Master System For the Vectrex Alf is everyone's favorite cat from Mel- mac, well he‘s not really a cat, but he does love to eat them. Alf was a great character from the 80‘s. He had it all, a family to support him, his own trading cards, toys, and even a video game. He was sarcastic and troublesome, but really funny. Biggest problem with Alf was he was ugly, just like his video game. The goal of the game In Alf, for the Sega Master System, was to help him find parts to repair his space ship. The game was developed by Nexa, and is considered, by many, to be one of the worst Master System games. A few minutes playing the game and you can see why. But there are some good points that need mentioning. First and most importantly, it is the only console VectrexMad!, our resident VGT reporter for all things Vectrex has stepped in to the game to feature ALF. So if you love the wisecracking nature of Alf, you‘ll world of homebrew hardware production. He has produced a small batch of AutoFire probably like this game. Secondly, the music could have been a lot worse dongles for the Vectrex which gives the player super human shooting powers. The than it actually is. Some of the songs, you may even find yourself humming inline dongle sits between the Vectrex console and the controller plug, and with the now and then. fire button pressed down achieves a constant firing. In August we caught up with VectrexMad! to find out more. Below is an edited version of our interview. Read the Now the bad, Alf has complete interview at VideoGameTrader.com horrible gameplay. There‘s not much to do VGT: Hello VectrexMad! Why did you suddenly produce these AutoFire dongles for other than jump. Detec- the Vectrex, isn‘t writing Vectrex articles for VGT enough to fill your spare time? tion is also off. For exam- VectrexMad!: It‘s all because some months prior to the release of the AutoFire ple, on the street scene, dongle, my finger had started to hurt. Whether this has been caused by playing too you can be hit by the car, many video games or using the mouse button too much at work I don‘t know, but my even if not in its line of finger was really becoming swollen and I couldn‘t enjoy playing Vectrex games any- sight. Graphics for the more. I therefore produced a small prototype circuit that emulated multiple pressing of Master System are typi- the fire button with a single button press on the controller. It works really well. Then I cally better then the NES thought, hey it‘s fairly likely that in the demographic of Vectrex owners there are likely but you would never to be other people like me who could also benefit from the AutoFire dongle. And it is true, immediately after the launch of the AutoFire dongle, I received a number of know it looking at this emails from people who said they didn‘t play the Vectrex anymore because of repeti- game. Alf looks like a big tive strain injury. brown pile of mush. No colors to bring out his true look. VGT: Ignoring the commendable finger saving benefits, one might argue that the Overall, despite being a generally poor game, many video game collectors, Auto Fire dongle is just a cheating aid to proceed further in games. and Alf fans, are looking for it. So, if you spot this game in the wild, pick it up. The price on this title may just keep going up. The current value for the game, VectrexMad: Well for me, a side effect of the AutoFire dongle is that it brings back complete with original box and manual is $19. new interest in old games. Now, with the AutoFire dongle, getting to later game levels is possible much earlier on. My girlfriend has jokingly said to me that I‘ve have made a cheating device and that I should keep quiet about it. Perhaps, owning or not an AutoFire dongle does signify the end of fairness in the competitions which homebrew- ers occasionally hold when they release their new games. My thoughts are that Vec- trex fans are a decent bunch so I don‘t think there will be any foul play involved to win a competition. Anyway, a video is always required for proof of reaching a particular game level and it would be pretty obvious if an auto fire circuit was in use. VGT: How are you finding homebrewing, will you be releasing anything else in the future? VectrexMad!: Yes, I am enjoying the experience. It‘s nice to be able to say you made a product which is being purchased by more than one person. I‘m also getting a lot of positive emails from other Vectrex users. My next Vectrex project is a game, it‘s currently 60% finished, but time permitting I want to release before January next year. It will be a game of the type never seen before on the Vectrex, so I don‘t want to say too much more just yet. VGT: Thanks for your time and we wish your finger good health. 10 • Video Game Trader Magazine • Issue #14 • Winter 2009/2010 • www.VideoGameTrader.com