Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Choose Wisely
When I came across this post from Wil Wheaton talking about arcade favorites, I left a comment. But since the comment was so long and the fun lies in finding out what your friends think, I copy & pasted my opinion to share with you.
Wil asks people to pick four "classic" arcade games and one pinball game to have in your house. Money and maintenance are no object. Here's what I picked, feel free to share your own choices below.
[1] Star Wars "Trilogy Arcade" (1998) would have to be number one if only because it has never been ported over to a console, as doing so would ruin half the fun. A sit-down rail shooter that took you through the highlights of the original Star Wars films, back when they were still the ONLY Star Wars films, wasn't very challenging but it was a hell of a ride. With practice, I could finish the whole game on one credit, making it the ultimate version of those quarter-operated motorized spaceships that used to sit outside the supermarket.
[2] Fighting Mania: Fist of the North Star (2000) is another game that cannot be enjoyed in a living room because the game requires you to actually beat the crap out of moving padded targets. Considering Fist of the North Star is all about a guy who can punch people faster than the speed of light, this game doubles as an intense workout as you try to hit the targets as fast as he can.
[3] Captain America and the Avengers (1991) isn't the greatest four-player cabinet from that era, but the kitchen-sink approach to bosses offers a wide range of famous Marvel foes to defeat. The four playable characters are all really cool as well, especially the Vision. But the best part of all is hearing the machine yell "I...can't...move!" when you lose, just like a comic book hero would.
[4] Golgo 13 (circa 2001) was a tremendous sniper action game where you filled the shoes of the legendary assassin from the Japanese manga. Unlike other sniper games where you were always fighting soldiers, this game offered a constant variety of targets. I remember shooting a diamond out of a crooked fat-cat's hand, disarming a bomb on an elevator by cutting the wire with my high powered rifle, and even sniping a lady's high heeled shoe so that she fell down a stairway...because sometimes, it's gotta look like an accident.
My classic pinball game is FUNHOUSE with the big dummy head at the top. He talked a lot of smack as you played, making shooting balls down his throat all the more satisfying.
Wil asks people to pick four "classic" arcade games and one pinball game to have in your house. Money and maintenance are no object. Here's what I picked, feel free to share your own choices below.
[1] Star Wars "Trilogy Arcade" (1998) would have to be number one if only because it has never been ported over to a console, as doing so would ruin half the fun. A sit-down rail shooter that took you through the highlights of the original Star Wars films, back when they were still the ONLY Star Wars films, wasn't very challenging but it was a hell of a ride. With practice, I could finish the whole game on one credit, making it the ultimate version of those quarter-operated motorized spaceships that used to sit outside the supermarket.
[2] Fighting Mania: Fist of the North Star (2000) is another game that cannot be enjoyed in a living room because the game requires you to actually beat the crap out of moving padded targets. Considering Fist of the North Star is all about a guy who can punch people faster than the speed of light, this game doubles as an intense workout as you try to hit the targets as fast as he can.
[3] Captain America and the Avengers (1991) isn't the greatest four-player cabinet from that era, but the kitchen-sink approach to bosses offers a wide range of famous Marvel foes to defeat. The four playable characters are all really cool as well, especially the Vision. But the best part of all is hearing the machine yell "I...can't...move!" when you lose, just like a comic book hero would.
[4] Golgo 13 (circa 2001) was a tremendous sniper action game where you filled the shoes of the legendary assassin from the Japanese manga. Unlike other sniper games where you were always fighting soldiers, this game offered a constant variety of targets. I remember shooting a diamond out of a crooked fat-cat's hand, disarming a bomb on an elevator by cutting the wire with my high powered rifle, and even sniping a lady's high heeled shoe so that she fell down a stairway...because sometimes, it's gotta look like an accident.
My classic pinball game is FUNHOUSE with the big dummy head at the top. He talked a lot of smack as you played, making shooting balls down his throat all the more satisfying.
Labels: comic books, Fist of the North Star, fuzzy memories, Golgo 13, Star Wars, video games
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Easy on the arcade game front.
1 - Rage Racer - the best 2 player, 2 track Namco racer. Amazing fun, perfect tracks.
2 - TMNT the Arcade game. Amazing 4 player fighting fun.
3 - Time Crisis, Id say one of the later ones for 2 player fun (or virtual cop), but really this was my favorite by far.
4 - The 80's Star Wars arcade, for sentiments sake (assuming I could keep my home version of SF4, if not Ill trade it for that.)
Pinball is trickier...
They have a Mario one, that could be good. NO I KNOW! The Blues Brothers just for the looping Ben Gunn theme.
1 - Rage Racer - the best 2 player, 2 track Namco racer. Amazing fun, perfect tracks.
2 - TMNT the Arcade game. Amazing 4 player fighting fun.
3 - Time Crisis, Id say one of the later ones for 2 player fun (or virtual cop), but really this was my favorite by far.
4 - The 80's Star Wars arcade, for sentiments sake (assuming I could keep my home version of SF4, if not Ill trade it for that.)
Pinball is trickier...
They have a Mario one, that could be good. NO I KNOW! The Blues Brothers just for the looping Ben Gunn theme.
1. Splatterhouse- there is something special to me about being able to solve every problem by punching it
2. Star Wars- I hate to be
, but I too would want that one joystick fun.
3. Some kind of gun game. I can't decide one right now, but it would have to be two player. Maybe HOTD4...?
4. Gauntlet Dark Legacy- I have some great memories of playing this at the teen center in my house.
I heard they made a Gandhi themed pinball game. If that is true, I would want that one.
コメントがあるちゃう？ Type something, please. It's less work for me.2. Star Wars- I hate to be
, but I too would want that one joystick fun.
3. Some kind of gun game. I can't decide one right now, but it would have to be two player. Maybe HOTD4...?
4. Gauntlet Dark Legacy- I have some great memories of playing this at the teen center in my house.
I heard they made a Gandhi themed pinball game. If that is true, I would want that one.
When leaving comments, please don't remain Anonymous. Click on "Other" and pick a name!
Be sociable! No sign-up is required!
