Retrovaniacs

This time we tried something slightly different from the norm, instead of looking at one specific game, we are looking at two very similar top down shooters from the NES era, Alpha Mission (by SNK) and Star Force (by Tecmo).  Both of these arcade ports are ones that we had as kids -- both share the dubious honor of being a game we bought "because they were there" and as a result played them a lot....

We take a look at our first Xbox game, and the 4th Oddworld title, Stranger's Wrath! The last of the Oddworld games released (not including remakes) was an odd blend of 3rd and 1st person action, with all the character expected of an Oddworld game - but with an HD remake out now for modern systems, we thought we'd look into how this game holds up today. Also discussed, phobias around certain anima...

This episode, Billy and Jeremy P look at their favorite fishing mini-games.  This is a non-standard episode, and hopefully you enjoy it.  If not, please stay tuned for more standard shows soon. __ If you want free bonus Retrovaniacs shows, from March 18, 2020 though April 30, 2020, all bonus Retrovaniacs shows on Patreon are free of charge!  That's 20+ extra shows!  On May 1, 2020 this can possibl...

Our second game for #FightMonth is a Rare created and Nintendo published fighter - Killer Instinct! All of us had played this one before, but hadn't revisited the original SNES version in quite a while.  Does this one hold up to the classics of the day?  We give you our thoughts, and Billy shares a couple stories about his youth and this game. Also discussed this episode, a little too much coverag...

We're taking on another Patron-request, this time from Joey Z!  He's requested that we cover Squaresoft's 3d fighting game / Final Fantasy VII tie-in -- Ergheiz!  I'm sure if you remember a game on the PS1 where you could fight as Sephiroth, this was it.  But other than the connection to a beloved franchise, what does this game have to offer?  We take a look, and also get Joey's take on why he req...

This episode we take a look at Sunsoft's classic NES title, Blaster Master! The original Blaster Master came out in 1988 and became a notable NES title for it's soundtrack and the mix of two different gameplay sections in the game -- and of course, the incredibly cool upgradeable jumping tank you get to use.  This game is currently available on the Switch NES library, but is this another NES class...

It's been a relatively Star Wars heavy few months, and we're going to pile right in on that with our look at 2002's tie-in game to Attack of the Clones, Star Wars : Bounty Hunter! This game attempts to explain why Jango Fett was chosen to be the source of the DNA for the clone army, and allows you to be one of the galaxy's most feared bounty hunters!  But, much like many Star Wars tie-in products...

It's the end of another year, and to end 2019, we found a game that starts on Christmas Eve and takes you the rest of the way through the year!  Sure, other than that, there's no real connection to Christmas (or really any holiday), but this gave us an excuse to play through the first game in the Parasite Eve series and decide if it holds up! We also read some listener Christmas memories, and then...

Another Patron-requested episode, courtesy of Donovan B, we're taking a look at a Pokemon game finally!  No, not Sword/Shield, or Emerald/Ruby, or Red/Blue, or any of the mainline Pokemon games -- we're diving headfirst into Pokemon Trading Card Game, a Game Boy adaptation of the card game!  We also discuss what we've been playing, and answer some listener questions regarding the Tiger Game. Com a...

It's almost Thanksgiving, so we present a feast of bananas for the Super Nintendo, as we take a look at Donkey Kong Country!   Donkey Kong's first solo outing on the SNES still has undeniable charm, and the series as a whole continues on to this day, but does this first game still hold up today? We also take on some more listener questions, this time covering retro remake disappointments and possi...

Shiver me timbers!  Its time to take a look at maybe the only pirate simulator of the 16-bit era, Pirates! Gold, for the Sega Genesis!   This game was selected by one of our Super Retrovaniac DX patrons, Mason, who comes on for a few minutes to tell us why he picked this game, and his experience playing it himself. Want to skip right to the swashbuckling fun?  Start listening at 13:55! ___________...

For the final show of #Retroween2019, we're taking a look at the OTHER big horror series that started on the Playstation -- Silent Hill! This series has as of late fallen truly silent, but for a while it was a staple series that took us into a hellish nightmare where we could never tell what was real and what wasn't.   Does the first trip to Silent Hill still hold up today?   We give you our thoug...

Retroween2019 is in full effect, as our first regular Halloween episode is here!  This time we're taking a look at Sony's Medievil, a game where you play as a skeletal knight, fighting off the armies of the undead!  Many 3d platformers from the 32-bit generation haven't held up well, but is this one the exception to that rule? Also discussed - mean geese, apple arcade selections, and of course a b...

Do you like to play retro RPGs?  The RPGs of the 8, 16, and 32-bit era of games are sometimes a little tough to get into, but we're going to take them on, one at a time, week by week.  Weekend Warriors is our chance to do just that!  This first episode is covering the first few hours of Phantasy Star for the Sega Master System.   Every week we will play another 5 hours or so of the game, find a ch...

It's our 2nd Patron requested episode!  Patron "Burgerchamp" has selected Conquest of the Crystal Palace for the Nintendo, a game none of us had played before, and a game with a surprising developer!  This action platformer has a lot going for it -- most notably a dog you can summon -- but is it something you should hunt down to try? Also discussed: the new Contra Rogue Corps demo, Apple Arcade, a...

As we mentioned last episode, starting with episode 101 we are adding another generation to the podcast : Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube, and Gameboy Advance are now systems we consider to be retro, now that the Dreamcast is 20 years old!   And we chose Space Channel 5 to kick off the next 100 shows with a CHU! Ulala is a reporter for Space Channel 5, and she's been sent to uncover the truth about a new...

We made it to 100 episodes, and we aren't slowing down at all!  For our 100th episode spectacular, we've got a collection of Tiger handheld (and maybe a non-Tiger one) from the early days of handheld gaming to tell you about.  We're going to talk about 7 games total, from Double Dragon and concluding with our highly anticipated look at the MC Hammer game that Billy mentioned probably 95 episodes a...

Our first Patron requested game, Kyle VonKubik (aka ObeyKube of OneRadTee.com) selected Fortified Zone for the Nintendo Game Boy!  A game none of us had played or even heard about before, this 3/4 top view action shooter has a real Metal Gear feel to it.  Was this just another clone of a more popular franchise, or did this do something new and different, especially for a handheld console that had...

Grab your favorite ball cap and loincloth, because we're taking a look at the TG-16 installment of the Adventure Island series when we jump to New Adventure Island!   Master Higgins is on a quest to save his fiancee from Baron Bronsky, and we join him for all 25 levels of his trip.  Will this adventure be a vacation, or will this be another trip we all wish to forget? We answer a few listener mail...

We're taking a look at the Treasure-made Genesis title, Gunstar Heroes!  A game highly regarded by action fans, we go back and play it again to see how well it holds up now.  We also answer some listener questions on mini console wishes and our best game hauls (but not game halls). Want to skip to Gunstar Heroes? Pick your starting level and weapon, and jump to the 10:30 mark! ____________________...

This time we take a look at Tecmo's Rygar for the NES!  Based loosely on the 1986 arcade game of the same name, on the NES they completely redesigned the tale of The Legendary Warrior from a side-scrolling action arcade game into an early "Metroidvania", that existed before the 'vania part of that portmanteau was even a thing.  Did they succeed, or was this another case of a solid idea that just w...

We try to cover a full-length 16-bit RPG as we take a look at Earthbound!  A sequel to Mother, a game not released in the US, when Mother 2 arrived in the states with a new name change and a questionable advertising strategy, it did not get received well... however, it has developed a dedicated cult following over the years, and so we took our time and played this fully to determine if this cult h...

What?  An unexpected show?  Our next full-length regular show will be out next week as usual, but this is the first Retrovaniacs Mini-Episode.  What are those?  Well, listen and find out.  This one is free, but all future mini-shows are going to be only for our Patreon backers.  Listen to the show for details. We hope you are interested in backing us, and if so our Patreon is located here : https:...

Now that we have access to this 1990 Famicom game outside Japan via the newly released Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection, we finally get a chance to play Kid Dracula-- a game in the Castlevania timeline where you play Dracula's son (or maybe just a kid Dracula) as he attempts to regain his father's kingdom after a 10,000 year nap.   Does this belong in the same collection with some of the...

Our first PC title (although it's been re-released on pretty much everything), we take a look at Grim Fandango, a later graphic adventure game from the folks who brought us Monkey Island and Full Throttle.  Is this as notoriously obtuse as some of the earlier games in the genre, or is this more of a case of technology and experience allowing some improvements to an old PC staple? Also discussed, p...