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Weekend Players' Club 8/9/2024
G'Day fellow tuxers……. Its Bruce your host here once again…….


[+..••] As for gaming this week in Emulationville I played [+..••]


Console

Formula One 06 (2006 Sony) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)
H.E.R.O. (1984 Activision) - Atari 2600 - Platformer
Madden NFL 2003 (2002 EA Sports) - Nintendo GameCube - Sports (Football)
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona (2002 Infogrames) – Nintendo GameCube - Sports (Racing)
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona (2002 Infogrames) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)
Test Drive Unlimited (2007 Atari) - Sony PLayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)
Triple Play 2002 (2002 EA Sports) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Baseball)
WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role (2000 THQ) - Sony PlayStation - Sports (Wrestling)


H.E.R.O.…...



I need a hero…...

The graphics….. For the Atari 2600 they are really good…. Everything is clearly and easily defined…… The use of the limited colour pallette is excellent……. And really for a Atari 2600 you really cant ask for better graphics…….

The sounds……. Again for the Atari 2600 they really good….. The sounds are well done and are nice and clean….. The rotor blades sound really good as do the lasers……. Explosion sounds are nice…… There is no music but that is pretty standard for the Atari 2600…….

The controls……… Really simple and really really good once you get use to them….. The Atari 2600 only had 1 joystick and 1 button so the controls can be be to difficult and they arent…… Move with the joystick and fire lasers from your helmet with the button…….

The tricky part comes from planting the dynamite……. Thats done by pushing down on the joystick……. But landing is also done quicker by pushing down on the joystick so it can be a bit tricky at first to get the timing right and not plant the dynamite while landing and blowing yourself up…….

It does not take long to get use to it and that is really the only complaint……. The controls are nice and responsive so no complaints there…...

The storyline.…… There is no storyline so I get to make one up again……. There is a loud thump on the door….. Pengling opens the door……. “NACO NUN!!!……. What are you doi……. Wait I dont care……. Bugger off”…… Pengling them tries to slam the door shut in Nacho Nuns face……. Nacho Nun gets her large robotic foot in the door preventing it from shutting……

“Im here for another health inspection”….. Nacho Nun answers smugly…. “It has come to my attention that you are no longer making Bomb Cookies after you failed the last health inspection and have now moved to making BombFlakes……... Well that still requires a health inspection and I will be the one doing the inspecting”……. Nacho Nun continues trying not to laugh……..

“Not on your limited battery life”….. Yells Pengling……. “Im going to call the mayor and end this once and for all”……. Pengling picks up the phone and dials the number for the mayors office…… “Its ringing….. Your going to get it now you bucket of brainwashed bolts”……. Pengling says threateningly……. “Mayor Doritos Pope….. how may I help you”….. Doritos Pope says as he answers the phone…….

“DORITOS POPE!!!! YOUR THE MAYOR???!!!”….. Pengling shouts in pure frustration……. “How the bloody hell did a twunt like you get to become the mayor??”….. Pengling continues no longer shouting but there is still nothing but frustration in her voice……

“I became the mayor thanks to you Pengling”……. The Doritos replies almost more smugly than the Nacho Nun……. “You see the city wasnt able to pay its debt to myself after your cookie cutter superhero antics caused all of that pain and suffering to me and my very loyal employees as well as the damages to the buildings….. So the judge ordered to city to be handed over to me……. I now own this city…… Which means I now own you Pengling”…….. Doritos Pope laughs evilly…….

Nacho Nun who is standing besides Pengling also joins in laughing evilly with her mighty pontiff…….. “What where you saying about me getting it?”……. Nacho Nun says as she laughs hysterically…...

Nacho Nun continues laughing as she opens the hatch on her chest and pulls out the foul smelling lifeless body of Master Splinter and drops it on the ground like a sack of garbage…… “Dead rat on the floor…… Minues eight points”…… Nacho Nun says gleefully as she marks it on her clipboard……….

Just then the banana bi…… I mean April O’Neil rushes into the room with a cameraman filming the inspection…….. “This is April O’Neil live for Action 6 News……. Breaking news as new business start up “BombFlakes” fails a health inspection…….. Dead rats on the door….. Dead turtles in the oven”…….

“Dont forget the Stray cat in the kitchen” Nacho Nun shouts from another room off camera…….. “Im just getting word that there was also Stray in the kitchen……. Such filth and bad hygiene……. Disgusting”……. April O’Neil continues to report…..

*Pengling lets out an almighty scream*…… The camera cuts to the outside of the building and then to an aerial shot of the city then to shot of the entire country and then finally a shot of the entire world…….. The whole time Penglings scream can be heard throughout the transitions…...

OH NO TRUE BELIEVERS!!!…… Can you believe what that dastardly Doritos Pope has done???…….. How will Pengling get out of this jam???……. Who will save the city now???……. How will everyone get their delicious BombFlakes??……. Tune is next time true believers to find out…….

The gameplay…… A platformer with a twist……. There is no jumping……. But you have a personal go go gadget style helicopter backpack…… Which is use to fly around and even hover……. But watch out…… There is only limited power for the helicopter….. So dont waste it as you try and rescue people trapped in the mine shafts……… Columns are blown up with the dynamite….. bats, snakes, spiders and other enemies can be killed by the helmet laser……. The gameplay is well thought out and quite different from most games on the 2600……..

Overall…… This was my favourite game on my Atari 2600 as a kid…… And I have to say……. It still holds up just as well today……. Such a great simple fun game……… Highly recommended for anyone looking to try a Atari 2600 game…..

And that is why my final score for H.E.R.O. is a Go Go Gadget Copter out of 10………




H.E.R.O.…...


Other Screenshots……...


Madden NFL 2003 (2002 EA Sports) - Nintendo Gamecube - Sports (Football)



Test Drive Unlimited (2007 Atari) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)



Triple Play 2002 (2002 EA Sports) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Baseball)



WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role (2000 THQ) - Sony PlayStation - Sports (Wrestling)



Formula One 06 (2006 Sony) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)



NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona (2002 Infogrames) – Nintendo GameCube - Sports (Racing)


Well thats it from me…… Hope all you tuxers have a good week……

Now for my bad joke of the week……
I hired a handyman and gave him a todo list...... When I got home only items 1, 3 and 5 got done....... Turns out he only does odd jobs........
*ba dum.... tssssh…...*
Pengling Aug 9

My Rocket Knight Adventures plush pre-order from Limited Run Games arrived, so, to celebrate, my pick for this week is Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2 for the Mega Drive. (I planned this as soon as I put in that pre-order, since I already played through the first game last year.)


Here's the aforementioned plush, by the way. Isn't he cute?

It's been many years since I last played the game, and back then I preferred this sequel over the original because I find the revised jetpack mechanics to be more fun (not to mention that I much prefer the soundtrack here). It'll be interesting to see if I still feel the same way now!

[+..••] Other stuff that I played this week;


Bomberman Hardball (PS2)


Bomberman World (PSX)


Cannonhead Clash (Atari 2600)


Doom II (Proton)


Saturn Bomberman (Saturn)


Sonic The Hedgehog (Mega Drive)


Super Bomberman 3 (SNES)


Worms (Mega Drive)

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderH.E.R.O.…...



I need a hero…...
Great game! And great song, too.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderThe storyline.…… There is no storyline so I get to make one up again……. There is a loud thump on the door….. Pengling opens the door……. “NACO NUN!!!……. What are you doi……. Wait I dont care……. Bugger off”…… Pengling them tries to slam the door shut in Nacho Nuns face……. Nacho Nun gets her large robotic foot in the door preventing it from shutting……

“Im here for another health inspection”….. Nacho Nun answers smugly…. “It has come to my attention that you are no longer making Bomb Cookies after you failed the last health inspection and have now moved to making BombFlakes……... Well that still requires a health inspection and I will be the one doing the inspecting”……. Nacho Nun continues trying not to laugh……..

“Not on your limited battery life”….. Yells Pengling……. “Im going to call the mayor and end this once and for all”……. Pengling picks up the phone and dials the number for the mayors office…… “Its ringing….. Your going to get it now you bucket of brainwashed bolts”……. Pengling says threateningly……. “Mayor Doritos Pope….. how may I help you”….. Doritos Pope says as he answers the phone…….

“DORITOS POPE!!!! YOUR THE MAYOR???!!!”….. Pengling shouts in pure frustration……. “How the bloody hell did a twunt like you get to become the mayor??”….. Pengling continues no longer shouting but there is still nothing but frustration in her voice……

“I became the mayor thanks to you Pengling”……. The Doritos replies almost more smugly than the Nacho Nun……. “You see the city wasnt able to pay its debt to myself after your cookie cutter superhero antics caused all of that pain and suffering to me and my very loyal employees as well as the damages to the buildings….. So the judge ordered to city to be handed over to me……. I now own this city…… Which means I now own you Pengling”…….. Doritos Pope laughs evilly…….

Nacho Nun who is standing besides Pengling also joins in laughing evilly with her mighty pontiff…….. “What where you saying about me getting it?”……. Nacho Nun says as she laughs hysterically…...

Nacho Nun continues laughing as she opens the hatch on her chest and pulls out the foul smelling lifeless body of Master Splinter and drops it on the ground like a sack of garbage…… “Dead rat on the floor…… Minues eight points”…… Nacho Nun says gleefully as she marks it on her clipboard……….

Just then the banana bi…… I mean April O’Neil rushes into the room with a cameraman filming the inspection…….. “This is April O’Neil live for Action 6 News……. Breaking news as new business start up “BombFlakes” fails a health inspection…….. Dead rats on the door….. Dead turtles in the oven”…….

“Dont forget the Stray cat in the kitchen” Nacho Nun shouts from another room off camera…….. “Im just getting word that there was also Stray in the kitchen……. Such filth and bad hygiene……. Disgusting”……. April O’Neil continues to report…..

*Pengling lets out an almighty scream*…… The camera cuts to the outside of the building and then to an aerial shot of the city then to shot of the entire country and then finally a shot of the entire world…….. The whole time Penglings scream can be heard throughout the transitions…...

OH NO TRUE BELIEVERS!!!…… Can you believe what that dastardly Doritos Pope has done???…….. How will Pengling get out of this jam???……. Who will save the city now???……. How will everyone get their delicious BombFlakes??……. Tune is next time true believers to find out…….
That's not how owning a city works, Dorito-breath!

Anyway, I'd certainly love to know how this is going to resolve itself.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOverall…… This was my favourite game on my Atari 2600 as a kid…… And I have to say……. It still holds up just as well today……. Such a great simple fun game……… Highly recommended for anyone looking to try a Atari 2600 game…..
My personal Atari 2600 favourite is Cosmic Ark - that one also holds up pretty well today, too.

Quoting: StoneColdSpider


H.E.R.O.…...
I always felt that H.E.R.O. was one of those games that was ahead of its time - it's so far away from other titles on the Atari 2600 in terms of polish and intuitiveness that it's not funny, and the level of detail in these screenshots is amazing when compared to a whole lot of other things on there.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderNow for my bad joke of the week……
I hired a handyman and gave him a todo list...... When I got home only items 1, 3 and 5 got done....... Turns out he only does odd jobs........
*ba dum.... tssssh…...*
Hahahaha!

Last edited by Pengling on 10 August 2024 at 3:44 pm UTC
Xpander Aug 10
Once Human
Its actually kinda stupid game. Very generic. It feels like its AI generated game, borrowing features from every game on the planet pretty much. Its a survival game with crafting and building. has some death stranding like but very generic story, its an MMORPG somewhat, its a looter shooter, it has palworld companin components, it has world parts and camps similar to days gone etc. But somehow its kinda fun to play. Switch off the brain and just do things :) Requires older proton 7 or GE 7 versions to run smoothly. Has heavy framestutter with newer proton versions.



WRC Generations
Doing Dailys/Weeklies and some quick play and season play with my trusty logitech G920


Thats it for this weekend i think.
missingno Aug 10
Them's Fightin' Herds - Glue Cup was short on commentators this week, so I volunteered to fill in. Been a long time since I've done proper commentary, honestly missed it a lot.

Mega Knockdown - Took 4th in the 2nd Anniversary bracket, and streamed top 4 on my own channel.

Kitsune Tails - Cute little platformer, but maybe a little too on the nose in just how much it copies from SMB3. I think they didn't need to put Kuribo's Shoe in there.

Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers - Liked the demo a lot, but my opinions are already a little more mixed on the full version. Feels like there's just not enough player agency, and a lot of ways to get stuck in stalemates. Maybe I need to give it a little more time to figure out strats I'm missing.

Under Night In-Birth II [Sys:Celes] - Casual practice, no cool clips worth sharing this week. Or maybe I just don't feel like dumping my SD card right now.

Splatoon 3 - Also just practice sessions.

Slay the Spire - The usual.

Mahjong Soul/Riichi City/IRL mahjong - Running out of things to say here.
BrassGear Aug 10
WipeOut 2097 (RetroArch)
Every now and then I have to play this game, and the new offerings in the franchise just don't deliver what this game did. This game makes fantastic use of a short draw distance and digital controls, which are usually far from ideal for a racing game.
Quoting: Pengling
My Rocket Knight Adventures plush pre-order from Limited Run Games arrived, so, to celebrate, my pick for this week is Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2 for the Mega Drive.
Oh this should be interesting hearing your thoughts when you have finished it.......

Quoting: Pengling
Here's the aforementioned plush, by the way. Isn't he cute?
I mean if your into rats/squirrels/possums or furries in general..... I guess.......

Quoting: Pengling
Bomberman Hardball (PS2)
GOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!........

Quoting: Pengling
Bomberman World (PSX)
GOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!!! x2..........

Quoting: Pengling
Cannonhead Clash (Atari 2600)
We use to call them "Dickheads"..... I guess "Cannonheads" works too.......

Quoting: Pengling
Doom II (Proton)
Oh I hated that level.......

Quoting: Pengling
Saturn Bomberman (Saturn)
GOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!!!! x3.........

Quoting: Pengling
Sonic The Hedgehog (Mega Drive)
Sonic does a lot of standing around in your screenshots.......

Quoting: Pengling
Super Bomberman 3 (SNES)
GOD DAMMIT PENGLING!! x4...... (A new record).......

Quoting: Pengling
Worms (Mega Drive)
I dont think Worms can live in the desert........

Quoting: PenglingGreat game! And great song, too.
That song gets stuck in my head every time I play the game.........

Quoting: PenglingThat's not how owning a city works, Dorito-breath!

Anyway, I'd certainly love to know how this is going to resolve itself.
Oh I have a rough plan for whats going to happen...... You will just have to wait and see......

Quoting: PenglingMy personal Atari 2600 favourite is Cosmic Ark - that one also holds up pretty well today, too.
Thats a good one too....... A few more are River Raid, River Raid II, Yars Revenge, Pitfall and Enduro........

Quoting: PenglingI always felt that H.E.R.O. was one of those games that was ahead of its time - it's so far away from other titles on the Atari 2600 in terms of polish and intuitiveness that it's not funny, and the level of detail in these screenshots is amazing when compared to a whole lot of other things on there.
So true it feels like it should have been on the NES...... And that extra button on the NES would have helped with the dynamite planting issues from the 2600 version.......

Quoting: PenglingHahahaha!
Its the odd jokes that work the best.....


Quoting: XpanderOnce Human
Sounds like my ex........

Quoting: XpanderWRC Generations
Doing Dailys/Weeklies and some quick play and season play with my trusty logitech G920
I have WRC Generations still havnt gotten around to playing it yet...... To busy playing with Dick........... Trickle.......


Quoting: missingnoThem's Fightin' Herds - Glue Cup was short on commentators this week, so I volunteered to fill in. Been a long time since I've done proper commentary, honestly missed it a lot.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA The "Glue Cup"...... Fantastic name!..........


Quoting: BrassGearWipeOut 2097 (RetroArch)
Every now and then I have to play this game
I usually need to play WipeOut after eating at Taco Bell.......
Joking aside..... you are right WipeOut 2097 does control way better than I thought it would..... Though the Red Bull banners did take me out of the 2097 setting.......
Pengling Aug 10
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOh this should be interesting hearing your thoughts when you have finished it.......
I already have, hahaha!

It is as good as I remember, but has similar issues to the original with regard to bullshit difficulty - but there are less random spikes of it, as you tend to see them coming as "bottlenecks" during stages. So, like the original, it's good, it's fun, and it's creative, but it's by no means perfect, and it falls down due to being a product of its time on the difficulty front (hell, I would argue that it was excessively difficult even for the time - the series isn't very well-balanced). I would definitely like to see a new installment made by any of the original staff who are still at Konami, with modern game-design sensibilities in mind.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderI mean if your into rats/squirrels/possums or furries in general..... I guess.......
Or, you know, THE GAME. Good lord, Spider...

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderGOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!........
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderGOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!!! x2..........
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderGOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!!!! x3.........
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderGOD DAMMIT PENGLING!! x4...... (A new record).......
GODDAMNIT SPIDER!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOh I hated that level.......
So did I...

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderSonic does a lot of standing around in your screenshots.......
Not really. I just happened to like the location of this one.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOh I have a rough plan for whats going to happen...... You will just have to wait and see......
Lucky me.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderSo true it feels like it should have been on the NES...... And that extra button on the NES would have helped with the dynamite planting issues from the 2600 version.......
I agree! There was a version for the SG-1000, which I believe you already know of - I have no idea if that one made use of the two-button controller or not, though!

Last edited by Pengling on 10 August 2024 at 11:21 pm UTC
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