The Original 2K Basketball - NBA Action 98 (Saturn)

NBA Action 98 arrived during the Sega Saturn's final days in the US, and it has become almost entirely forgotten, even by sports fans.  That's very unfortunate, and it's a cruel twist of fate that in 1997, the Sega Sports brand was firing on all cylinders.  Worldwide Soccer 98, World Series Baseball 98, NHL All-Star Hockey 98, and NBA Action 98 are arguably the finest sports games of the 32-bit era.

Sega struggled to find quality software studios for their Sega Sports brand, especially during the Saturn era.  Their fortunes famously turned when they discovered a key Electronic Arts collaborator - Visual Concepts.  VC established their fame with a stunning John Madden Football 94 on the Super NES, and soon began to be groomed by EA to helm the Madden franchise.  Their debut, Madden 96, became an infamous debacle and was eventually cancelled.  This was the only year since 1990 without a John Madden Football title, and shattered the relationship between EA and VC.

In 1997, Sega turned to the developers for their basketball title, and the result is nothing less than stunning.  For a hardware system notorious for its difficulty, NBA Action 98 offers smooth, sharply detailed graphics, fully polygonal arenas and players, animated fans in the crowd, a dynamic camera system, elaborate play-by-play announcers, and a richly complex gameplay system.  Included features: pre-game player introductions, team-specific playbooks, offensive and defensive formations, player trading and "create-a-player," impressive instant replays, and a rock-solid frame rate that never clogs, stutters or slows.  This is a technical marvel for the Sega Saturn, and plays a superb game of basketball.

It's very easy to think of NBA Action 98 as a test run for NBA2K on the Sega Dreamcast in 1999.  The gameplay is virtually identical, and it's exciting to see where the 2K series began.  We are also reminded just how slowly sports video games evolve these days, if they evolve at all.  I honestly can't remember the last sports game that felt fresh, or innovative, or revolutionary, other than Nintendo's Wii Sports.  Visual Concepts sports games felt fresh.  These guys were hungry, desperate to prove themselves and leave their mark.  And they certainly succeeded.

I don't know how many people are willing to spend time on NBA Action 98, when the rest of the 2K series is readily available.  But I think it's important for fans to see where it all began, and appreciate the sheer challenge of creating such a beast from scratch.

Here's a gameplay video to enjoy.  See if this does anything for you:

V.R. Virtua Racing (Sega Saturn)

Sega's Virtua Racing went from being revolutionary to has-been so quickly, it's enough to give one whiplash.  When it appeared in arcades in the early '90s, it was a sensational hit, a promise of an exciting future of polygon-rendered video games.  By the time the home versions appeared, the technology had already been surpassed, leaving the flat-shaded look in the dust.  That's really too bad, because VR has always been a terrific arcade racing game, and continues to be fun today.

I've always been in the minority on this, but I always enjoyed Saturn's Virtua Racing.  Naturally, I would have preferred that AM2 handled the translation, instead of Time Warner Interactive (aka Atari Games), but even they were struggling with the Saturn hardware in those early months.  And given the shoddy quality of those early software titles, this game can proudly stand tall...Ghen War, Black Fire, Bug, NHL All-Star Hockey...ugh, what a sorry state of affairs.

Saturn Virtua Racing improves upon the arcade original, expanding to ten racetracks, numerous types of cars, and a season mode.  I think the designs work fairly well, and integrates nicely to the arcade's three courses.  The computer-controlled cars are fairly aggressive, and it's always a fight to gain (and hold) the lead.  The music is especially impressive, booming bass, crystal-clear CD audio, mixing with the wheezing of the engines and squeal of the tires.

I think this game's sins are largely of omission.  In 1995, people were drawn to Playstation's lush 3D graphics, especiialy games like Warhawk and Ridge Racer and especially Wipeout.  It's a bit unfair to expect Virtua Racing to compare with such next-generation flash.  But such was the Saturn's fate, a day late and a dollar short.  It's also true that TWI's Saturn conversion was a step below the arcade, visually.  Whatever, it's all quibbling.  I'll give this title a solid 7/10, be thankful for the old-school charm and warm memories.

Here's a gameplay video to enjoy:

All Japan Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua

All Japan Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua, another standout brawler for Sega Saturn, a system legendary for its fighting games.  I'm usually not a fan of wrestling video games, which usually reward button mashing over technical skill (thanks for nothing, Acclaim and THQ), but this is a very welcome surprise.

As you can see, graphics are extremely impressive, featuring 3D polygon environments, impressive shading, and detailed characters.  The animation and gameplay hues closely to the Virtua Fighter series, and it feels like a natural extension of Virtua Fighter 3 and Fighters Megamix.  The appearance of Jeffery and Wolf from VF is a star attraction that doesn't feel like a cheap gimmick.

Wrestlers have an impressive array of moves and holds, can perform reversals, fight outside the ring, perform different moves depending on their health, and gain support from cheering fans (that old Hulk Hogan rally).  Most impressively, you can damage and fracture an opponent's bones - break too many bones, and the referee will end the match.  Oof!  Nice.

Everything moves smoothly, and there's a satisfying Thud and Crash when you slam your opponent to the ground.  Even that static background crowd puts a smile on my face (if only the programmers could have animated that crowd a little).  Yes, I know today's PS360 crowd will probably roll their eyes and yawn, but I'm impressed.  There's a certain charm and satisfaction that comes from a really good-looking Saturn game.

The Sega Saturn has an almost limitless supply of "hidden gems" that continue to dazzle and impress all these years later.  If you're looking for an import game, All Japan Pro Wrestling is an excellent choice.  I can see this game becoming a hit at parties and get-togethers.  You probably don't have to be familiar with pro wrestling or Virtua Fighter, but it probably helps a little.  Pick this one up and you'll be impressed.

Steely Dan "Black Cow" - Analog/Digital Showdown

We haven't had an analog/digital music showdown here on the blog for a while (okay, we've never done it), and I've found a perfect candidate in Steely Dan's "Black Cow," the opening track to their 1977 classic Aja.  This is a terrific album, a rich, warm and jazzy pop sound that perfectly defines the late 1970s for me.  Let's see how it compares on digital (CD/mp3) and analog (vinyl LP).

The analog setup features a Thorens TD-160 belt-drive turntable, one of the true classics of analog audio.  The phono cartridge is the Audio Technica 150MLX, one of the finest moving magnet cartridges ever built.  That object of my desire, the Bellari VP-130 tube phono preamp, in fire engine red, drives the music with a wonderful warm and buttery smooth sound.  Ooh, I really love this stereo system.

The digital version was the best version I could find on YouTube.  I'm not sure if it was ripped from CD or 128bps mp3 file.  It probably wouldn't make too much difference, given YT's heavy video compressions.  But I made sure this version would sound clean and clear.

Which version do you prefer, and why?  Which version pulls you into the music, moves you more deeply?  For me, it's no contest: the analog version wins easily.  The difference is small but noticeable; percussion and bass pumps deeper, there's more groove and swing.  The vocals are more natural, warmer.  The 150MLX and Bellari make an excellent team.  Everything is more musical, and I find myself getting lost in my imagination.

The digital version is certainly very good, as it demonstrates the clarity that CDs are known for.  But doesn't it feel a little reserved, a little cold?  It's not a question of volume or bass levels; I'm just not feeling the music.  While listening, my mind tends to wander and daydream, and the song soon becomes background noise.  I'm sure that if I had the actual CD on my stereo, the experience would be better.  But I can also say the same for the vinyl LP, and that one already has a clear advantage in the YouTube arena.

I think it's too easy to dismiss LPs as old-fashioned, or dismiss CDs as inferior to analog audio.  Most everything is dependent on your stereo equipment, the quality of the LP, the quality of the turntable and phono cartridge, the quality of your CD player.  I still believe that you have to spend $500 before analog defeats digital.  On a cheap USB turntable, the digital version would easily triumph.

So we'll offer this showdown as an example of the analog/digital divide, and where they stand.  As for me, I'm getting desperate to finally rebuild my stereo system.  I want that Bellari and those vacuum tubes!!

Dave Brubeck Has Died

Sigh, a very sad day as we lose our greatest living jazz musician, and a wonderfully kind and generous human being.  School and work is hereby cancelled for the rest of the day.  I'll be grief-stricken for the rest of the week; Dave Brubeck has always been one of my favorites, right next to Miles and Coltrane.  Now he's gone forever and we'll never hear his wonderful music or see his spirited smiles again.

Here's one of my YouTube recordings from a few years back, of The Dave Brubeck's most popular song, "Take Five," from the 1959 jazz masterpiece, Time Out.  The turntable is a Sony PS-X5, and the Ortofon 2M Blue is the phono cartridge (mounted on a headshell that's slightly too heavy, oops).  That's a great combination, and while the 2M lacks the musical groove and swing of, say, the Denon Dl-110/160, it provides excellent dynamics.  I hope you enjoy it.

MCS 6700 Direct Drive Turntable

MCS was JC Penny's house brand for consumer electronics, including stereo components and turntables.  Their products were re-branded from Japanese manufacturers, including Hitachi, JVC and Technics.  Here's one of their very best turntables - the MCS 6700 Direct Drive Turntable.

The MCS 6700 is actually a Technics SL-1900...specifically, the 1950 model which allowed you to stack up to six LPs.  The motor, electronics and tonearm all hail from the Technics model...but the frame and buttons hail from Hitachi's tables.  It's a terrific combination, and to my eyes, it looks much better than the original.  I especially like how the platter is partially submerged within the large black frame.  The rubber-coated buttons and knobs are also quite stylish.

I bought one of these bad boys on Craigslist for $85, which was an absolute steal.  It was a Christmas present for my mother, and she loves playing her Miles Davis and Dean Martin LPs on the stereo.  Expect to pay $80-$150 for this turntable if it's in excellent condition.  I paired it with a Denon DL-110, the younger brother of the late, great DL-160.  It may be the better of the two carts, which really surprised me.  The standard 47K loading sounds fine with the DL-110, whereas its elder brother required more specialized loading (MC setting on my Pro-Ject Tube Box II, or 1K-8K loading) to sound its best.

My most popular YouTube videos feature this stereo system (MCS 6700, Denon DL-110, Rega Fono Mini), and it's a wonderful sound, warm and dynamic and very musical.  Oil the motor bearings and pack the inside frame with 7lbs of modeling clay, and you'll be amazed at the performance of this turntable.

I only have one complaint, and it's probably a minor one - no Quartz lock.  I just don't like having to adjust the speed on the dials.  I know, I know, I'm just being a big baby.  Don't let that hold you back.  The MCS 6700 will compete against any turntable in its class.  I'd also recommend stuffing some Vibrapods underneath the feet, which also worked nicely for me.

Here's the MCS 6700 and Denon DL-110 in action.  Give this a spin and see what it does for ya.

Super Mario Bros on Sega Genesis?

Here is a YouTube video of Super Mario Bros running on a Sega Genesis.  It may not look like much, but it is, in fact, an extremely clever bit of homebrew programming.  In 2010, an Argentinian programmer created a method to convert the original (8-bit) 6502 code to (16-bit) 68000.  This enables the Genesis to run the original NES software as though it were a native program.  Notice how the music sounds different as it plays through the Yamaha sound chip.

The catch: this feat is not being done on actual Genesis hardware, but in emulation.  Interesting!

Most people will shrug their shoulders and say, "So what?"  It's a clever programming feat and nothing else.  But suppose that you were creating a new video game system, based on the hardware of the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, and you've added enough muscle to the DC to ensure perfect emulation of older game systems and arcade titles.  Emulating Nintendo hardware is, obviously, out of the question.  But we're not touching Nintendo's hardware in any way.  We're translating the software code itself.

This opens the door to third-party software titles from the NES era, without encroaching on Nintendo's copyrights in any way.  I should offer the caveat that this technique has only been used on Super Mario Bros, and it remains to be seen how successful translating later-era titles would be.  But the theory is sound, and it remains in the hands and minds of the programmers and engineers.

Would consumers in the 21st Century be interested in third-party NES-era video games like Ducktales, Blaster Master, RC Pro-AM, Contra, Castlevania and Mega Man?  It's tough to say, but the idea of reissuing 1990s Sega games is just as tough a call.  There may be an untapped audience willing to pay for the classics, or there may not.  I remain hopeful in the former, especially as the modern game industry crumbles and decays.

The important lesson is that it's possible.  It may be necessary to expand the Phoenix library to as many classic systems as possible.  That's my reasoning behind perfecting Dreamcast's emulation powers.  If nothing else, it's good food for thought.

The Tail of Beta Lyrae (Atari 800)

Here's one of my favorite Atari 800 games from the early 1980s, an arcade shoot-em-up called The Tail of Beta Lyrae.  It was designed and programmed by Philip Price, with music by Gary Gilbertson, and was published by Datasoft, which was one of the big publishers on the Atari 8-bit computer.

I'm sharing this video for two reasons: Project Phoenix and iOS.  For Phoenix, the ultimate goal is a "Criterion Collection" for video games, and this means expanding beyond the Sega systems.  The Dreamcast became a home to many emulators, and with some added muscle to the hardware, it should be capable of running classic emulators at perfect speed.  This would open the doors to a number of classic video and computer games, such as Tail of Beta Lyrae.

Reason #2, as I've said, is iOS, and it's the more practical option.  I'd like to hire a programmer who could adapt an Atari 8-bit emulator for the iPhone and iPad, and reissue a few of these classic games.  Tail of Beta Lyrae and Mr. Robot are the first two titles that came to mind.  They're both easy to play and offer classic arcade thrills.  I'm very curious to learn if there's an audience for these "lost" classics, which haven't been commercially available for a generation.

Tail of Beta Lyrae was inspired by Scramble, the arcade hit, but also features pseudo-random level designs, which introduce different landscapes, obstacles and enemies to each new game.  Procedural level generation is in vogue today, thanks to blockbuster iOS hits like Tiny Wings and Temple Run.  It's impressive to see this design mechanic from the early 80s.

So whaddya think?  Does this sound like a good idea?

Video - Steep Slope Sliders (Saturn)

Yes, children, people still play Sega Saturn in the year 2012, and games like Steep Slope Sliders deserve to be played.  Cave's snowboarding classic is magical, beautiful. The fluid, immediate controls, the ease of performing stunts, the fantastic level design, the sheer purity of it all - zen perfection.

You do not race for trophies or seasons or celebrity endorsements.  There is not plotline or backstory.  There is only the act of snowboarding.  You race for time and points, and nothing else.  Take your run.  Pass the controller.  Unlock a few more boarders and make another run.  Maybe I'll play the green space alien on this one.  Yeah.

There should be a Criterion Collection for video games, a system that cannot be made instantly obsolete every four years, but a permanent home for the true classics.  Either this medium is a form of artistic expression, a means of bringing people together and expanding our imaginations, or it has no future.  Our lives must stand for something, aspire towards something.  And our creations should not be so easily disposable.

Today is SOPA Blackout Day!

As I'm sure you already know, today is the day for the mass online protest against the SOPA bill working its way through Congress.  This legislation, the creation of the MPAA, would give government and private industry the power to censor, block, or shut down any website suspected of "piracy" or "copyright infringement."  Since the internet is based on sharing and connectivity of media, this pretty much makes the World Wide Web itself a suspect.

This is a disastrous piece of legislation, propped up by dinosaur industries and the authoritarian-minded politicians in their pockets.  This is a profound threat to our liberties and our way of life.  It's very simple.  If SOPA passes, sites like The Ghibli Blog can be shut down.  Hell, Youtube, Facebook, Reddit and Twitter can be shut down.  SOPA could also be used as a tool of political suppression.  People who criticize the government, or the ruling political party, could be shut down. Websites that embarrass politicians could be shut down.  Do no doubt that these scenarios could happen.  Expect it.

Call your members of Congress and demand that they stop this reckless assault on our rights.  SOPA does nothing to stop online "piracy," and you know it.  It will only be used by the powerful to beat down their rivals and their critics.

Call the Congressional Switchboard now -- (202) 224-3121.  Then call again.  Keep the pressure up!

The Return of the Sony Biotracer

I've been in a funk over the state of my stereo system lately.  The sound has been terrible - muddy, distorted, low-res, nnothing worthy of the LP medium.  I sold off some components, junked the turntable (a Sony PS-X5 that I've often liked or hated, but never loved), and tried to figure out where everything went wrong.  It became so dire that I openly considered abandoning vinyl records altogether, and going back, at long last, to Compact Discs.

Then I discover something miraculous this week - a couple CDs of "needle drop" recordings from my beloved Sony PS-X75 Biotracer turntable from three years ago.  The table was paired with a fiery red Dynavector 10x5, a Pro-Ject Tube Box II phono preamp with a pair of Mullard vacuum tubes, and the Marantz 2235b stereo receiver (now my only remaining component).  And the sound was exhilarating, punchy, clear, deep, richly textured, full of color.

It's funny how one can forget these things.  I had already realized that I was lost, musically-speaking.  I was trading around in low-to-mid-fi audio gear on the cheap, never coming close to the former highs.  I had forgotten what the high end sounded like.  Now I have my lost recordings and I'm quickly remembering things.  Now I have my purpose again - I have to get my stereo system back!  The PS-X75 Biotracer!  The vacuum tubes!  The high-resolution analog sound!  This is where the LP truly becomes master of its domain.

It's fascinating to see this "vinyl revival" emerge, as many people remember the wonderful music they lost, and many people discovering it for the first time.  It's fun to see LP sales quadruple in four years, to nearly 4 million albums in 2011 in the US, while CD continues its endless slide into extinction.  I think that's largely because I like to root for underdogs.

A lot of people interested in vinyl records want to know, is it better than CD?  Is it worth getting a turntable and pulling out all those old LPs?  Well, yes, it is worth getting a turntable and spinning some records.  There's something magical about the experience, about the ritual, about the sound of smooth vinyl against a phonograph needle and lively, rich tones coming out of speakers.  As to who wins the fight, LP versus CD, that's a little bit trickier.  And the bottom line is that it's going to cost you.  There's no getting around that fact.

On the LP-CD fight, I'd say compact disc wins at the budget or entry level.  At $500, they become more or less equal.  At $1,000, vinyl LP blazes away.  And I'm talking the price of your entire system: turntable, phono cartridge, phono preamp, and amp.  The vintage market is a gold mine if you know what to look for, but don't let nostalgia blind you; most of those old turntables on Craigslist and eBay are junk.  The true classics - Technics, JVC, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony - are worth the effort to discover.

Long story short: LP still kicks, you'll have to pay real money to find that out, it's totally worth the effort.  Start saving your pennies.  Oh, and enjoy the Youtube video of my old Sony Biotracer in action.  You have to get one of these turntables.

Namco's Go Vacation for Nintendo Wii

Hey, the Nintendo Wii actually gets a good video game this year!  Remember the Wii?  It was extremely popular at one time.  Then Nintendo got bored and quit.

Ahem, heh heh.  Anyway, here's Namco's Go Vacation, by the makers of Family Ski and Snowboard.  I've had my eye on this title for some time, and it's looking terrific.  Yes, I know, I know, this appears to be yet another mini-game collection, for a console swamped with lazy, get-the-investors-off-our-back mini-game collections.  But Namco is dead serious.  They're gunning for Wii Sport Resort's crown.

The game features dozens of sporting events centered around a large island, which you are free to explore on land, sea or air.  Four players can participate at once, although I'm not entirely certain if they can play different activities (which would be cool).  Right now, my guess is that everyone has to play together, and that's perfectly fine by me.

This highlight reel shows a number of events in Go Vacation, like horseback riding and whitewater rafting.  As I mentioned earlier, this is the same software team responsible for Family Ski and Snowboard, which is one of the more enjoyable family games on the Wii.  Thank goodness that we can always trust Namco to deliver the goods.  Now, if we could only get them to apologize for abandoning the Sega Dreamcast - where's my Tekken, ya jerks?!

Sega Saturn Shooter Roundtable Vol I

Instead of writing single posts for every Sega Saturn title that grabs my attention, I've decided that I should group several short reviews together in a single post, so that we can speed through the system's extensive video game library more quickly.  For this installment, we'll look at five titles from Saturn's most popular genre - arcade shoot-em-ups!




Dodonpachi - Cave for Saturn - 10/10

Oh, Yeehhhh!  Dodonpachi, Cave's manic, bullet-hell masterpiece.  The heaviest, loudest, fastest, most intense shoot-em-up ever created.  It's such a wild ride, so gloriously and insanely over-the-top, so wildly colorful and luminous.  This is the video game equivalent of Red Bull and Jolt Cola.  And it's just about the most exciting game ever made for the Sega Saturn.

I don't even think you conquer or master Dodonpachi so much as survive.  The very act of cheating death is a massive rush.  How the heck did I escape that?!  Literally every pixel on the screen is moving, flashing, firing, or exploding.  And you're always caught in smack in the middle.  This feels like a video game that begins where all the other shmups ended, and instead of retreading the same ancient cliches of the genre, cranks all the dials to maximum, gleefully reveling in the beauty of pure chaos.

Bulk Slash - Sega Saturn

Bulk Slash is a 3D robot arcade shoot-em-up for Sega Saturn that feels like the classic 2D shooters of the 16-bit era, fused with the 3D platforming paradigm of Super Mario 64.  It's fast and smooth, sharp and clear, brightly colored, packed with futuristic cities and tanks and robots and massive explosions.  Here is a game that embraces the magic of "replayability," almost like NiGHTS with guns.  Here lies a textbook example of what makes the Saturn so great.

Oh, and Bulk Slash was also created by Technosoft.  Sort of.  Hudson formed CA Productions, the software studio, by stealing away members of Technosoft's staff for the twin PCE/Turbo-CD shooter classics, Gate and Lords of Thunder.  I learned this recently, and it felt like a light clicked in my head.  I had a nagging suspicion that Bulk Slash shared some secret connection to Herzog Zwei, in the robot that transforms into a jet, in the way enemy targets are protected by armored units.  Turns out my hunch was right.  I strongly suspect some members of the Herzog Zwei team were, in fact, involved in this game.

I love the variety of environments, missions, goals, and surprises in Bulk Slash.  Early levels involve flying through cities, smashing everything in sight.  Later levels involve escort missions, bombing runs, and run-and-gun missions through fortresses.  Power-up weapons are hidden around and require you to march around carefully, instead of flying and blasting everything in sight.  There's even a bit of a dating sim (a video game genre strangely popular in Japan), where you choose a young woman as your navigator, and proceed to impress her with your flying and shooting skills.  Oh, and you have to actually find these women, too.  I get a laugh whenever my navigator starts nagging me every time I get shot.  I'm trying to fight a war over here!

It's interesting how the PCE and Saturn were the two great "lost" video game consoles, condemned to failure in the West, while thriving successfully in native Japan with mountains of great games.  Thank goodness for the internet, I say.  How many of these "lost" classics would remain lost without Youtube, message boards, online retailers and downloads?  There are so many good Saturn games that you'll probably lose count, and if you're a collector, you'll likely never own all the titles.  Make sure Bulk Slash is near the top of your list.  It's a terrific video game and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Dezaemon 2 Video Showcase

Twin Dog's Heroes [Saturn Deza2] by RayonDePixel

I promised to show some examples of the many user-created shoot-em-ups created on Athena's 1997 Sega Saturn title, Dezaemon 2.  This is a magnificent construction program, very detailed and thorough, yet easy to comprehend.  If you can read Japanese, the 60-page instruction book will be immensely helpful.  You may also want to track down Athena's official guide book, which became a valuable tool for the devoted Deza2 scene in Japan.

What about English-speakers?  There is a guide on GameFAQs which is very helpful (though incomplete), and all the controls and features can be understood fairly easy.  In fact, I'm openly wondering why Athena (if they're even still in business today) hasn't released a deluxe Deza package for PC and Mac, allowing you to import graphics and audio.  Imagine that you could create your own arcade shmup, and then sell it on iTunes.  Deza2 is that sophisticated!

If you want to get into Deza2, you'll need a backup memory cartridge for the save data (games take up a whopping 1500-2500 blocks).  This presents a challenge for Saturn owners who rely on Action Replay's 4M Plus.  You may want to shop on eBay for a Japanese Saturn.  Fortunately, they're just as cheap and readily available as the American Saturns, in the $40-$60 range.  Let's face it, if you're playing Sega Saturn in the year 2011, you're already in an exclusive club of old-school videogamers.  Spring for the white box!

Anyway, as promised, here is a selection of actual shmups created on Deza2.  More videos after the jump!

Technosoft's Hyper Duel on Saturn

My current go-to game on Sega Saturn is Technosoft's excellent 1996 shooter, Hyper Duel.  I played the arcade version on MAME a few years ago, but was slightly disappointed by the experience.  The Sega Saturn version, however, is a completely different story.  Of the three spaceship shooters on the system - Hyper Duel, Blast Wind, Thunder Force 5 - I think Hyper Duel is my favorite, which, of course, makes it my favorite side-scrolling arcade shoot-em-up on the Saturn.

In the arcades, Hyper Duel looked flat and even a little sickly; far too many greys and greens in the color palette.  On the Saturn, Technosoft completely revamps the graphics, adding light and contrast, and bringing a vivid saturation to the colors.  Explosions are a fiery red, enemy ships have a metallic sheen, stars and galaxies in the background look stunning.  It's a testament to glorious pixel-art; Hyper Duel now looks like a proper Technosoft game.  If only Herzog Zwei and Thunder Force III were remade with these graphics!  Ah, I can only dream.

You can tell that Technosoft came from a console background, because their arcade games are relatively simple and straightforward by comparison.  Hyper Duel (and Blast Wind, their vertical-scrolling shooter) doesn't have the winding, unpredictable level design of Thunder Force III and IV, a design that owes its allegiance to 2D platformers.  Instead, it's much more direct and tightly focused, and the levels are fairly short before you have to battle the giant bosses.  It's also very challenging, which meant pumping in lots of quarters at the arcade.

Oh, and have I mentioned that you pilot a spaceship that turns into a robot?  You can also call upon extra fighters or mechs to attack the enemy.  Shades of Technosoft's masterpiece, Herzog Zwei, no doubt.  You can choose among three spacecraft, which move at different speeds and have slight variations in weapons (even though they're basically the same).  And two players can fight together, a terrific addition that should have been included in the Thunder Force games.

Like all of Technosoft's Saturn games, Hyper Duel never left Japan, and it's an extremely rare game that currently sells for a king's ransom - $200 has been the going price at eBay for some time.  I can't fathom why you'd pay that kind of money for a single videogame, especially when you can download and burn to disc for free.  Bragging rights, no doubt.  The Saturn has become a highly prized collector's item among old school and shooter fans; it's a badge of honor for the true hardcore gamer, and Hyper Duel is one of their most prized trophies.

Digital Pinball: Necronomicon

How many video pinball titles are there on Sega Saturn?  Seven.  Isn't that crazy?  Kaze's Digital Pinball series is easily the best, with their two games: Last Gladiators, which was released in the US, and Necromicon, which stayed in Japan.  Each game presents three different pinball tables, each with compelling physics and gameplay, music by Dream Theater guitarist John Pertrucci, and super-sharp graphics utilizing the Sega Saturn's high-res graphics mode.  This game looks terrific on a big screen, and plays a mean game of pinball.

Necronomicon is commonly regarded as the best pinball title on the Saturn, and it's another excellent addition to your gaming library.  One of these days, I'll start seriously collecting Japanese Saturn games, and this will be near the top of my list.

Three Dirty Dwarves

Three Dirty Dwarves is quintessential Sega.  It's clever, inventive, funny, visually dazzling.  It aggressively pushes the envelope for 2D video games, with graphics that would melt down a Sega Genesis.  Nobody else could create renegade gems like this; not Microsoft, not Sony, and sure as hell not Nintendo.

Ah, but times change, and in the 32-bit era, the video game public was becoming increasingly tired on all things Sega, and dashing to their new infatuation, the Playstation.  And they had no patience for 2D video games.  If it were released in 1991, Three Dirty Dwarves would be hailed as a masterpiece, right up there with Sonic and Toejam and Streets of Rage.  In 1996, it was all but ignored.  No polygons, no mas.

Today, 15 years later, it's the 3D polygons that look horribly out of place, roughshod, slapdash, and the 2D sprites shine gloriously.  Perhaps this is because Saturn was the last true 2D games console, where the art form was pushed to its absolute limit.  Notice the fluid animation, the quirky humor, the dazzling 3D effects.  How surreal that three dimensions appear more inspired, more dazzling, when they are tricked by 2D sprites?  I'm certainly not suggesting that we throw away modern graphics completely (although bringing color back would be nice).  Perhaps I'm jaded about 3D the way I once felt jaded about 2D.

Another thing that greatly impresses me today is how original this game is.  Sega was struggling badly against Playstation in 1996; if they had any chance of holding their ground in the US, that was the year.  And they did not rely on sequels and franchises and Genesis nostalgia.  There was no Streets of Rage, no Revenge of Shinobi, no Toejam and Earl, no Comix Zone, no Vectorman.  Instead, quirky and original games like: Three Dirty Dwarves, Mr. Bones, Virtual On, Bug Too!, Baku Baku Animal, Dark Savior, Worldwide Soccer '97.  That is a stellar lineup, my friends.

Anyway, this is not to slight the Playstation (which deserved its success), or to exonerate Sega (which deserved its meltdown).  The die for the 32-bit generation was already cast.  Fortunately, we now have the luxury of enjoying all of these old video games without dealing with the horse race politics.  Saturn and PSX are now in a nursing home and they're the best of friends.

Super Monaco GP on Genesis

Last weekend, I found a copy of Super Monaco GP for a whopping $3, which is a colossal steal.  My Sega Genesis is very happy indeed.  Super Monaco is easily the best series of racing games for the Genesis.  The first game was released in 1990 and quickly became a beloved favorite.  A sequel appeared in 1992 and featured the endorsement (and design assistance) by Ayrton Senna, and it's more refined and fine-tuned.  However...it didn't have the swimsuit model.  Teenage males pay attention to things like this.

Most racing video games from the 8/16-bit era age terribly, so I'm quite happy to see how Super Monaco GP retains all the skill and charm.  It was a watershed title for home consoles, far closer to the simulations on the PC, while still retaining the immediacy of the arcades.  In the world championship mode, you weren't really expected to win any races, but rank high enough to win the respect of rivals and teams.  Only after joining the right teams would you have a car powerful enough to compete for the checkered flag.

The 16 racetracks are all based on the 1989 formula-1 season, another landmark for home video games..  Each course has its own feel, and at least one really difficult turn.  Competing drivers are always breathing down your neck, and it's a constant fight just to hold your place.  Graphics are actually quite sensational by 1990 Genesis standards.  There's a lot of information on the screen, including that giant speedometer (very stylish).  Your rear-view mirror is essential for heading off rival cars, and the main driver-seat view is terrific.  I'm very impressed with the sense of speed in this game, and the smooth scrolling of road and objects.  This was a game that proudly boasted it's "16-bit Power!"

This really is a perfect video game.  I can't find a single credible fault with it.  Yes, the passwords are hideous, but we somehow learned to cope back in the day.  If you can find this game for five bucks or less, grab it immediately.  You'll be amazed.

Wii Game Proposal #2: Super Manta Racing

What a cool title for a video game: "Super Mantra Racing." Nintendo games don't have "Super" in their titles anymore. They should fix that. Everything sounds better when it's Super. And it has manta rays...that race!

This is a video of the manta ray racing world from Super Mario Galaxy. It was probably my favorite part of the entire game, and like many of you, I expected that Nintendo would quickly follow up with a full racing game. It's one of the most obvious ideas for a Nintendo Wii game, right up there with motion-control sports and lightsabers. Strange how this has never happened.

There's a lot to like about the Wii, but despite Nintendo's great success, the console feels, well, incomplete. The Dreamcast has a more complete game library than the Wii. How bizarre is that? The possibilities of the Wii Remote have yet to be exhausted; heck, they've only barely been scratched, and now Nintendo is shuffling off to play with their next set of toys. Meanwhile, I could have a dozen killer Dreamcast games and never want for anything again.

In any case, the water racing level from Mario Galaxy should be expanded into a complete game, using the Mario Kart engine, and featuring all manner of fish, dolphins, sharks and whales. That would be pretty cool. I don't think a fish racing videogame has ever been made. That would be a completely new idea. Four-player split-screen is a must, as always, as is online, and skilled designers should be able to come up with lots of cool ideas for racetracks. I'd probably aim for something closer to Hydro Thunder than Wave Race, but you'd probably want to keep it fairly close to the Mario Kart formula.

Oh, and I'd try to work in at least one surfing level. I've been playing Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer on Gameboy Advance lately, and I love that game. I'm probably the only person on the planet who knows that game ever existed...whatever. It's a classic and every California Games fan will agree with me. What kind of stunts would a dolphin or manta perform? You have to have stunts. But surfer slang is optional.