It's been a couple of years since I've done a video podcast, so I'm really happy to be back on the air with this look back at the Sony Playstation's US launch, via the Playstation Picks sampler disc:
Showing posts with label podcast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label podcast. Show all posts
Friday, June 6, 2014
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Gaming After 40 Video Podcast #44: Power to the Pad!
The always sporadic, occasionally entertaining Gaming After 40 Video Podcast is back, with episode #44 - Power to the Pad!
A little behind-the-scenes note here... I usually write each podcast script in the pending blog post, then delete it after the video is shot, edited, and ready to post. But it occurred to me recently that a transcript would be of use to readers who aren't in a position to view the video, and for Google keyword search purposes. The on-camera segments usually morph a little bit at recording time, but rather than clean up the script, I'll just leave my inconsistencies on display for everyone's nitpicking pleasure. (On that front, I will also note that after I got everything edited, I noticed that the "rock" I refer to in Super Team Games is actually a huge ball. All I can say is that I was playing the game from some distance away on a small screen, capturing the NES output to my laptop while the camera was on me, and it looked like a rock from where I was standing! Even when I was editing the footage, I was so focused on syncing up the two video streams, that I didn't notice the error.)
SCRIPT:
Hello, and welcome once again to the Gaming After 40 Video Podcast. Current generation videogame systems have brought motion controls into the mainstream, but attempts to translate body motion into gameplay go way back. In 1987, Bandai produced the Family Fun Fitness floor-pad controller for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. Soon after its American release, Nintendo acquired the marketing rights, making the original Bandai products instant collectors items that are very rare today. Fortunately for this podcast's budget, Nintendo re-released these games as part of the Power Pad lineup. There were a total of six games released for the American Power Pad -- 11 in Japan -- and in this episode, we're going to take a look at all of the US titles. It's not going to be pretty.
Game commentary V/O:
Athletic World -- Bandai developed most of the Power Pad games, though several, like Athletic World, were published by Nintendo in the US. This is a collection of simple running-and-jumping contests -- the player gets to jump hurdles, run from aggressive animals, explore dark passages, and leap from bridges to logs, hopping on one leg. It's fun, but there's not much to do after we've sampled all of the events.
Dance Aerobics -- Dance Aerobics is totally 80s, with an animated aerobic instructor who puts us through our paces with her scratchy digitized voice. It's a genuine workout -- I contend that no human being can do this thing with his or her leg. We can fake the game out by just stepping on the pad as required, but the scoring doesn't disqualify us for abject failure, and it's still entertaining to try to pull off the correct moves. I'm sorry you had to see this.
Super Team Games -- The Power Pad isn't really big enough to accommodate two adults, but that's the intent of Super Team Games. We can play against a CPU opponent, but that doesn't make the game any less frustrating -- we have to run an obstacle course that includes such soul-destroying events as carrying a crab and walking sideways for what feels like hours, and pushing a huge rock. Sisyphus, we feel your pain!
World Class Track Meet - As Bandai's Stadium Events, this extremely rare game is worth tens of thousands of dollars, but re-branded as Nintendo's World Class Track Meet, it's common and dirt cheap. This was the pack-in game for the Power Pad, and it's very simple -- we run into the screen in simulated 3-D, jumping as necessary to simulate a series of track events. It's easy to cheat at the long jump and triple jump, by simply jumping off of the Power Pad altogether.
Street Cop -- I like motion controls a lot when they work, but Bandai's Street Cop demonstrates why many games still need traditional controls. It's not easy to get our valiant little policeman from one place to another -- simple actions like turning around and throwing a weapon require awkward, non-intuitive steps on the Power Pad. Please excuse some used-cartridge Nintendo glitchiness here, which gives the impression the cops are armed with napalm grenades.
Short Order/Eggsplode -- Short Order/Eggsplode was the only Nintendo-developed Power Pad title; it's a fast-paced double-feature that's a lot of fun in short bursts. Eggsplode plays like whack-a-mole, with exploding eggs that have to be defused by stepping on them -- I had a great time trying to keep up. Short Order isn't as successful -- it's basically a Simon-style repeat-after-me exercise, and we have to jump on two buttons simultaneously to add ingredients to a burger. It's too easy to misplace a jump, breaking the sequence and interrupting the flow of the game while we try to get back on track.
CLOSING:
Was the Nintendo Power Pad a success? Its time in the spotlight was brief; it arrived in the US in 1988 and saw six games released through 1989. But like most console peripherals, it didn't last; Capcom's 1992 Olympic Games cartridge didn't support the Power Pad at all. Still, Bandai saw fit to revive the Power Pad with its recent Wii Active Life series, and Konami's Dance Dance Revolution franchise owes it a technology debt. So it wasn't a total waste of crinkly plastic.
This has been the Gaming After 40 Video Podcast. Please vote for us on iTunes or follow us on YouTube, and check out our blog at www.gamingafter40.com. Thanks for watching!
A little behind-the-scenes note here... I usually write each podcast script in the pending blog post, then delete it after the video is shot, edited, and ready to post. But it occurred to me recently that a transcript would be of use to readers who aren't in a position to view the video, and for Google keyword search purposes. The on-camera segments usually morph a little bit at recording time, but rather than clean up the script, I'll just leave my inconsistencies on display for everyone's nitpicking pleasure. (On that front, I will also note that after I got everything edited, I noticed that the "rock" I refer to in Super Team Games is actually a huge ball. All I can say is that I was playing the game from some distance away on a small screen, capturing the NES output to my laptop while the camera was on me, and it looked like a rock from where I was standing! Even when I was editing the footage, I was so focused on syncing up the two video streams, that I didn't notice the error.)
SCRIPT:
Hello, and welcome once again to the Gaming After 40 Video Podcast. Current generation videogame systems have brought motion controls into the mainstream, but attempts to translate body motion into gameplay go way back. In 1987, Bandai produced the Family Fun Fitness floor-pad controller for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. Soon after its American release, Nintendo acquired the marketing rights, making the original Bandai products instant collectors items that are very rare today. Fortunately for this podcast's budget, Nintendo re-released these games as part of the Power Pad lineup. There were a total of six games released for the American Power Pad -- 11 in Japan -- and in this episode, we're going to take a look at all of the US titles. It's not going to be pretty.
Game commentary V/O:
Athletic World -- Bandai developed most of the Power Pad games, though several, like Athletic World, were published by Nintendo in the US. This is a collection of simple running-and-jumping contests -- the player gets to jump hurdles, run from aggressive animals, explore dark passages, and leap from bridges to logs, hopping on one leg. It's fun, but there's not much to do after we've sampled all of the events.
Dance Aerobics -- Dance Aerobics is totally 80s, with an animated aerobic instructor who puts us through our paces with her scratchy digitized voice. It's a genuine workout -- I contend that no human being can do this thing with his or her leg. We can fake the game out by just stepping on the pad as required, but the scoring doesn't disqualify us for abject failure, and it's still entertaining to try to pull off the correct moves. I'm sorry you had to see this.
Super Team Games -- The Power Pad isn't really big enough to accommodate two adults, but that's the intent of Super Team Games. We can play against a CPU opponent, but that doesn't make the game any less frustrating -- we have to run an obstacle course that includes such soul-destroying events as carrying a crab and walking sideways for what feels like hours, and pushing a huge rock. Sisyphus, we feel your pain!
World Class Track Meet - As Bandai's Stadium Events, this extremely rare game is worth tens of thousands of dollars, but re-branded as Nintendo's World Class Track Meet, it's common and dirt cheap. This was the pack-in game for the Power Pad, and it's very simple -- we run into the screen in simulated 3-D, jumping as necessary to simulate a series of track events. It's easy to cheat at the long jump and triple jump, by simply jumping off of the Power Pad altogether.
Street Cop -- I like motion controls a lot when they work, but Bandai's Street Cop demonstrates why many games still need traditional controls. It's not easy to get our valiant little policeman from one place to another -- simple actions like turning around and throwing a weapon require awkward, non-intuitive steps on the Power Pad. Please excuse some used-cartridge Nintendo glitchiness here, which gives the impression the cops are armed with napalm grenades.
Short Order/Eggsplode -- Short Order/Eggsplode was the only Nintendo-developed Power Pad title; it's a fast-paced double-feature that's a lot of fun in short bursts. Eggsplode plays like whack-a-mole, with exploding eggs that have to be defused by stepping on them -- I had a great time trying to keep up. Short Order isn't as successful -- it's basically a Simon-style repeat-after-me exercise, and we have to jump on two buttons simultaneously to add ingredients to a burger. It's too easy to misplace a jump, breaking the sequence and interrupting the flow of the game while we try to get back on track.
CLOSING:
Was the Nintendo Power Pad a success? Its time in the spotlight was brief; it arrived in the US in 1988 and saw six games released through 1989. But like most console peripherals, it didn't last; Capcom's 1992 Olympic Games cartridge didn't support the Power Pad at all. Still, Bandai saw fit to revive the Power Pad with its recent Wii Active Life series, and Konami's Dance Dance Revolution franchise owes it a technology debt. So it wasn't a total waste of crinkly plastic.
This has been the Gaming After 40 Video Podcast. Please vote for us on iTunes or follow us on YouTube, and check out our blog at www.gamingafter40.com. Thanks for watching!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Video Podcast -- Cracking The Wrap
It's been way too long since I've done one of these -- here's the Gaming After 40 Video Podcast episode 43: Cracking the Wrap!
Video game trading cards used to be popular -- in this episode, we open a couple of vintage sealed packs from 1982 and 1992.
The GA40 Video Podcast is available via iTunes subscription, our YouTube channel, and on TiVo and Roku set-top boxes via blip.tv. (Our viewership seems to be pretty heavily TiVo'd up -- YouTube stats run a distant second.)
Video game trading cards used to be popular -- in this episode, we open a couple of vintage sealed packs from 1982 and 1992.
The GA40 Video Podcast is available via iTunes subscription, our YouTube channel, and on TiVo and Roku set-top boxes via blip.tv. (Our viewership seems to be pretty heavily TiVo'd up -- YouTube stats run a distant second.)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Video Podcast: Tennokoe Bank Card Story
What's the Tennokoe Bank Card? This episode's little cartoon won't really enlighten you.
(Yes, I know the date on this episode is 01/19/2011 and it's been posted on 01/12; I ran into some technical difficulties and expected this one to get pushed into next week, but was able to find a workaround and get it out "early.")
(Yes, I know the date on this episode is 01/19/2011 and it's been posted on 01/12; I ran into some technical difficulties and expected this one to get pushed into next week, but was able to find a workaround and get it out "early.")
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Video Podcast: Attack of the 8-Bit Zombies!
Today's gaming scene has zombies galore, but the shambling undead were quite a bit rarer once upon a time.
The sporadically-produced Gaming After 40 video podcast is available via the iTunes podcast directory, on YouTube, and on Roku set-top boxes via the blip.tv channel. Thanks for watching!
The sporadically-produced Gaming After 40 video podcast is available via the iTunes podcast directory, on YouTube, and on Roku set-top boxes via the blip.tv channel. Thanks for watching!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Video Podcast - My Hot Asian Box
I've wanted a Japanese PC Engine console for more than twenty years, and the U.S. version, the TurboGrafx-16, never quite did it for me. So I finally took a gamble and imported the genuine article. Will it arrive in decent condition? Will it work here in the US? Midlife crisis resolved?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Video Podcast - How to Sell Videotape about Video Games
At last, a new podcast episode! Thanks to Pat King for sharing his work and recollections, and making his documentary available again on DVD -- I'll post the full-length interview as soon as I can get it all transcribed.
In 1992, Atari 2600 and Vectrex game designer Patrick King produced a VHS video called How to Design and Sell Video Games. It's been largely lost to the ages, but now... it's back!
As mentioned oh-so-subtly in the podcast, you can now purchase an official copy on DVD here. In the interest of full disclosure, note that it's being marketed through my family business. This is primarily for convenience, but feel free to take my comments with a shaker of salt.
Here's the original ad, for the record, from the April 1992 of Video Games & Computer Entertainment magazine:
Mr. King indicates that the original didn't break any sales records. But I hope it finds a nostalgic audience today among Flash and hobbyist developers -- as one of Mr. King's interviewees, Tom Sloper, pointed out recently, the new era of iPhones and Web games has made small-team development viable again.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Except now it's only $14.95!
In 1992, Atari 2600 and Vectrex game designer Patrick King produced a VHS video called How to Design and Sell Video Games. It's been largely lost to the ages, but now... it's back!
As mentioned oh-so-subtly in the podcast, you can now purchase an official copy on DVD here. In the interest of full disclosure, note that it's being marketed through my family business. This is primarily for convenience, but feel free to take my comments with a shaker of salt.
Here's the original ad, for the record, from the April 1992 of Video Games & Computer Entertainment magazine:
Mr. King indicates that the original didn't break any sales records. But I hope it finds a nostalgic audience today among Flash and hobbyist developers -- as one of Mr. King's interviewees, Tom Sloper, pointed out recently, the new era of iPhones and Web games has made small-team development viable again.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Except now it's only $14.95!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Video Podcast - Space Harrier Across the Fourth Dimension
Sega's Space Harrier hit arcades in 1985, and has continued to debut on multiple platforms for almost 25 years now.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Video Podcast - Wide World of Blips
We take to the rink/diamond/court with the hardest working team in handheld gaming, the LED Blips!
Featured Games:
Mattel Electronics Baseball (1978)
Mattel Electronics Hockey (1978)
Mattel Electronics Basketball (1978)
Featured Games:
Mattel Electronics Baseball (1978)
Mattel Electronics Hockey (1978)
Mattel Electronics Basketball (1978)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Video Podcast - Rick Dyer's Halcyon Days
After co-creating Dragon's Lair with Don Bluth, Rick Dyer went on to launch the Halcyon laserdisc system. It retailed for more than $2000, and... didn't work so well.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Video Podcast - What's a Digital Comic?
Somewhere between manga and DVD, the digital comic briefly flourished.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Video Podcast: Frogger, Frogger Everywhere
Almost every platform got an official release of Frogger in the early 1980's. Some even got two.
I also want to give a little shout-out to all the folks watching on Roku set-top boxes -- the show comes out a little bit early there and seems to gather quite a few viewings before I ever post it on the blog.
I also want to give a little shout-out to all the folks watching on Roku set-top boxes -- the show comes out a little bit early there and seems to gather quite a few viewings before I ever post it on the blog.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Video Podcast - Timeline: Video (American) Football
Highly popular, highly non-collectible, every console has had at least one football game. In this episode we survey video game football, pre-Madden. (Oops -- in trying to decide whether to include the arcade or the NES version of Tecmo Bowl, I inadvertently left it out altogether!)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Video Podcast - Rock Games That Didn't
Before plastic instruments, music games were all about the music... ians.
Featured games: Journey Escape, Journey, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, Revolution X Featuring Aerosmith, KISS Pinball, KISS Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child, Space Channel 5.
Featured games: Journey Escape, Journey, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, Revolution X Featuring Aerosmith, KISS Pinball, KISS Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child, Space Channel 5.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Video Podcast - Target Gets In the Game
This week, we bring you a condensed version of a 1998 promotional videotape pushing what was hot for the Playstation and Nintendo 64. If the embedded video doesn't work for you, try going here directly, or looking us up on iTunes or blip.tv.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Video Podcast - Selling Top Gear Rally
A look at Midway's direct marketing circa 1997.
(If the embedded version isn't working for you, try this link.)
(If the embedded version isn't working for you, try this link.)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Video Podcast - Do The BERZERK in a FRENZY!
This week, 1980's pop songs about killer robots! Rad!
If the embedded display isn't visible, you can also find this episode on YouTube. The Gaming After 40 video podcast is also available free in the iTunes Podcast directory. And as of this week, we're also available on Roku set-top boxes -- add the blip.tv channel and search for Gaming After 40!
If the embedded display isn't visible, you can also find this episode on YouTube. The Gaming After 40 video podcast is also available free in the iTunes Podcast directory. And as of this week, we're also available on Roku set-top boxes -- add the blip.tv channel and search for Gaming After 40!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Video Podcast - Trilobyte Fossils
This week, we take a look back at Trilobyte, creators of The 7th Guest.
(I've learned recently that some RSS readers -- like the one that updates the Gaming After 40 Facebook page -- can't see the embedded video in this post, so from now on I will also include a direct link to the YouTube video here.)
(I've learned recently that some RSS readers -- like the one that updates the Gaming After 40 Facebook page -- can't see the embedded video in this post, so from now on I will also include a direct link to the YouTube video here.)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Video Review: XBLA Game Room
In this episode, a look at Microsoft's Game Room, a promising new distribution channel for retro videogames.
The Gaming After 40 video podcast is also available via iTunes. And be sure to visit our Facebook page!
The Gaming After 40 video podcast is also available via iTunes. And be sure to visit our Facebook page!
Monday, March 29, 2010
The LoadDown - 03/29/2010 - XBLA Game Room!
It's Monday, and time to take a look at recent downloadable games for the various console platforms. The big news this week is the arrival of a new distribution channel for retro games, in the form of Microsoft's Game Room.
WiiWare -- Two new titles this week. WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase allows Wii owners to download and play frantic microgames created on the DS WarioWare D.I.Y. platform. Diner Dash brings the popular PC title to the Wii.
Wii Virtual Console -- A rarity this week -- Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Calibre brings the classic Nintendo 64 strategy game to the VC. I really enjoyed the SNES Ogre Battle, so this one is tempting.
DSiWare -- Five new titles this week, three of which are traditional games. Disney Fireworks is a virtual toy with game elements, allowing the player to generate colorful fireworks displays with the stylus and hit targets for points. Save the Turtles is an action-puzzler challenging players to help baby turtles hatch and make their way to the sea. Two musician tools, Nintendo DSi Metronome and Nintendo DSi Instrument Tuner make the DSi a useful companion for practice and performance. Super Yum Yum Puzzle Adventures stars Leon the chameleon.
XBox Live Arcade -- No new games for the general XBLA platform last week, because the new Game Room channel became available (on XBLA and also for Windows PC). As weekly retro game releases are expected, I will be covering this as a unique distribution channel, with a review coming up on this week's video podcast.
XBLA Game Room -- Debuted on February 24th, 2010, with a solid mix of thirty-one games for a number of platforms. Specifically, for the Atari 2600: Adventure, Combat, Millipede, Outlaw, Realsports Tennis, Star Raiders and Yar’s Revenge. For the Intellivision: Armor Battle, Astrosmash, Football, Sea Battle, Mountain Madness - Super Pro Skiing, Space Armada, Space Hawk, and Sub Hunt. Atari coin-op arcade games: Asteroids Deluxe, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Lunar Lander, Red Baron, and Tempest. Konami arcade games: Battlantis, Finalizer, Jungler, Road Fighter, Scramble, Shao-lin's Road, Super Cobra and Tutankham. So far I've purchased Tutankham for unlimited play. So far.
PS3 on PSN -- Three new titles arrived last week after a quiet period. Blue Toad Murder Files is an episodic series of mystery/puzzle games. Hamsterball is an action game patterned after the classic Marble Madness. Wakeboarding HD is a retro-style water-based stunts-and-hazards game.
WiiWare -- Two new titles this week. WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase allows Wii owners to download and play frantic microgames created on the DS WarioWare D.I.Y. platform. Diner Dash brings the popular PC title to the Wii.
Wii Virtual Console -- A rarity this week -- Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Calibre brings the classic Nintendo 64 strategy game to the VC. I really enjoyed the SNES Ogre Battle, so this one is tempting.
DSiWare -- Five new titles this week, three of which are traditional games. Disney Fireworks is a virtual toy with game elements, allowing the player to generate colorful fireworks displays with the stylus and hit targets for points. Save the Turtles is an action-puzzler challenging players to help baby turtles hatch and make their way to the sea. Two musician tools, Nintendo DSi Metronome and Nintendo DSi Instrument Tuner make the DSi a useful companion for practice and performance. Super Yum Yum Puzzle Adventures stars Leon the chameleon.
XBox Live Arcade -- No new games for the general XBLA platform last week, because the new Game Room channel became available (on XBLA and also for Windows PC). As weekly retro game releases are expected, I will be covering this as a unique distribution channel, with a review coming up on this week's video podcast.
XBLA Game Room -- Debuted on February 24th, 2010, with a solid mix of thirty-one games for a number of platforms. Specifically, for the Atari 2600: Adventure, Combat, Millipede, Outlaw, Realsports Tennis, Star Raiders and Yar’s Revenge. For the Intellivision: Armor Battle, Astrosmash, Football, Sea Battle, Mountain Madness - Super Pro Skiing, Space Armada, Space Hawk, and Sub Hunt. Atari coin-op arcade games: Asteroids Deluxe, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Lunar Lander, Red Baron, and Tempest. Konami arcade games: Battlantis, Finalizer, Jungler, Road Fighter, Scramble, Shao-lin's Road, Super Cobra and Tutankham. So far I've purchased Tutankham for unlimited play. So far.
PS3 on PSN -- Three new titles arrived last week after a quiet period. Blue Toad Murder Files is an episodic series of mystery/puzzle games. Hamsterball is an action game patterned after the classic Marble Madness. Wakeboarding HD is a retro-style water-based stunts-and-hazards game.
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