NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Nov 30, 2023 11:40:23 GMT -6
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Post by Can't Think of a Name on Nov 30, 2023 12:27:37 GMT -6
Yeah, especially since it took GamePlan two or three times before getting it right! Because they had two or three games like that, one being Megatack. It had two waves, one of which was filled with the Space Bogeys and your ship alternated firing in three ways at them (rather than the cone formation in Challenger). In the second wave you faced the rings but could only fire upwards. The game wasn't that great. Challenger was fairly popular (hence why Atari was going to do a port), as there were literally *two* machines I could play in well under a three mile radius at one time when I was a teen! One was at Jason's Game Room several blocks from where I lived and the other was at either the Quiptars or Celebrity Cafe game rooms at nearby Memorial City Mall. You can read more on them--including reviews on each--that I did here if you want: Challenger Bottom of the Screen Shooter wiki page (edit: just found out I need to update this page with an archived version of the S. Select review) Megatack BOTSS page
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Nov 30, 2023 12:49:56 GMT -6
I don't think any arcade in Chicagoland got Challenger. Besides, I didn't get my start in gaming until 1986 began.
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NerdiestKen
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Bazinga!
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Post by NerdiestKen on Dec 15, 2023 9:07:31 GMT -6
Game: Mr. Do's Castle Manufacturer: Universal Year: 1983 Players: 2 Note(s)A sequel in the Mr. Do franchise.
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Jan 1, 2024 10:46:55 GMT -6
Game: Berzerk Manufacturer: Stern Year: 1980 Players: 2 Note(s)In an unusual but strange twist of fate, Berzerk had caused 2 deaths one year apart. The first death happened in January, 1981 to 19-year-old Jeff Dailey and the 2nd happened in October, 1982 to 18-year-old Peter Burkowski. The reason for their respective passings is by a heart attack.
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Post by Can't Think of a Name on Jan 1, 2024 12:55:27 GMT -6
Berzerk was pretty different when it came out! Of course, being one of the very first games ever that talked was one thing, but also, your enemies--the robots--were very inept. They ran into each other, got destroyed by Evil Otto and fried themselves by walking into walls. And no matter how they died, whether by their own stupidity or if you shot them, you got points for them as it was.
The Atari 2600 port was good, even though they didn't shoot diagonally but it gave you several variations. The Vectrex port though, meh.
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Post by Can't Think of a Name on Jan 1, 2024 13:46:24 GMT -6
Game: Major Havoc Manufacturer: Atari Year: 1983 Players: 2 This was an unusual one! With the first stage, it's in a 3-D, behind the ship perspective as these fish robots (?) fly out of a space station and start shooting at your ship. Clear them all out and you must land your ship where indicated. After that you go through a maze while avoiding various dangers (although you can jump over things or use a force field against them, although after a hit or two your shield will disappear) so you can touch a reactor, causing it to self-destruct. You must get out of there before the whole station goes boom. Like with Berzerk, maze games weren't that common, but along with it being part of three different stages? (A later stage has your ship in a maze before you make it to the space station.) Pretty unique. This or Tempest was my all-time favorite vector arcade game.
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Jan 7, 2024 13:04:25 GMT -6
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Mar 12, 2024 9:41:26 GMT -6
Game: Crazy Climber Manufacturer: Taito Year: 1980 Player(s): 2
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Post by Can't Think of a Name on Mar 12, 2024 12:46:23 GMT -6
CC was a different one! Two joysticks to control the guy, no buttons, I guess it was in the platformer genre and there's no way to defeat the boss, just not get killed by it? All the rules were thrown out the window for that one. The 2600 port was supposed to have been pretty good too.
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Mar 12, 2024 14:06:50 GMT -6
When 1988 came in, Crazy Climber 2 was the 2nd and last sequel where it also have 2 joysticks. I know I said Taito in my post this morning, but both Crazy Climbers 1 and 2 created by Nichibutsu.
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Post by Can't Think of a Name on Mar 12, 2024 15:58:59 GMT -6
Crazy Climber 2 was the 2nd and last sequel where it also have 2 joysticks. Hardly any coin-operated games did anyway. Space Dungeon and Robotron: 2084 are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. I know I said Taito in my post this morning, but both Crazy Climbers 1 and 2 created by Nichibutsu. Right, Taito just distributed them.
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Mar 13, 2024 5:05:58 GMT -6
Space Dungeon, Robotron: 2084, and my all-time personal fave, Smash TV had dual joysticks.
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Post by Can't Think of a Name on Mar 13, 2024 12:57:08 GMT -6
^Yeah I thought of Smash TV too but I wasn't sure. And it was kind of Robotron-like, so it should've been if it wasn't!
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NerdiestKen
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Post by NerdiestKen on Mar 13, 2024 14:43:18 GMT -6
I know it, because I played it a few times in person at the UIC near downtown Chicago in 1991 months before playing it on the consoles. 😀
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