Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming enthusiasts and other gamers!
There is nothing like having fun with retro gaming on a modern console. With regards to my Xbox gaming experience, when Team Xbox falls short on delivering great fun with their latest releases, retro gaming fills the gap nicely. The good news here is that there are a lot of collections of old games or remastered releases available on the Xbox online store.
Right now, I am having fun playing for the first time ever Zombies Ate My Neighbors on my Xbox Series X. I recently purchased online the remastered collection Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol (fully titled as Lucasfilm Classic Games: Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol) for that 1990s, 2D adventuring gaming experience. The remastered collection was released in 2021.
The game’s box cover for the SNES.
Back in 1993, I was playing games on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) but I never had the opportunity to rent nor purchase Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Back then, the 2-page print ad of the game that appeared in comic books and gaming magazines really caught my attention as well as my interest.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors – the SNES version specifically – is fun, charming and has a unique type of challenge when played on my Xbox console. The game developers did a fine job remastering the game without drastically altering the 2D graphics design. The 2D sprites looked unaltered and because of the high definition visuals, I can see them looking pretty detailed. This is pixel art that was preserved and looking lively in HD. The game controls are responsive enough on the Xbox controller and you only need to use a few buttons along the way.
There is nothing like encountering a giant ant in the local community.
Imagine making your way through the local grocery only to encounter a zombies and a masked man armed with a chainsaw.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors has a creative concept that combines elements of the sci-fi, horror and adventure genres of pop culture. Don’t let the cover art and the title of the game fool you. Zombies are definitely not the only monsters you will encounter. In fact, there are werewolves, spiders, evil dolls, vampires, blobs, giant ants, mummies and even UFOs!
This is a game that puts the player in the middle of an American city (composed of suburbs, commercial joints, museums and parks to name some) filled with monsters. Your mission is not only to survive but also to save at least a few surviving neighbors in order to proceed to the next level (by means of a door appearing out of thin air near you).
Those little ones carrying axes are mechanical dolls, not little kids.
You better have a lot of weapons and some med kits when encountering the giant baby.
As this is an adventure game, there is a unique touch on the action made by the developers. The action is about attacking monsters with varied weapons such as the Uzi water gun, bazookas, explosive soda cans (makeshift grenades), ice pops, fire extinguishers and silverware to name some. Since the game was made with a wholesome audience in mind, the violence is unsurprisingly cartoony to look at.
The exploration aspect of the game involves collecting useful items for your survival and your ability to fight monsters. In fact, there is an abundance of weapons and ammunition. Getting medkits is essential and there are simply not enough of them which should remind you to be more strategic where you go and what you encounter. The game allows you to save anywhere.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors will keep gamers busy not just because of the adventure and the action, but also due to the fact that the developers created so many levels (50+) for you to explore and make your way through! Had I played this game on the SNES back in 1993, I definitely would have gotten a lot of value for my money with its content and length.
Conclusion
If you saved at least one surviving neighbor, this door will appear for you to exit. This will end the current level.
I can say clearly that Zombies Ate My Neighbors is pretty enjoyable. I made it through a lot of the levels and there’s not a moment of frustration as I played. This game from 1993 is a playable gem and already I’ve gotten a lot of entertainment value from my purchase of the Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol remastered collection (which also includes extra stuff and retrospective fun). I will play Ghoul Patrol as soon as I’m done with Zombies Ate My Neighbors. This is indeed retro gaming fun that Xbox gamers should check out.
For the newcomers reading this, Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars was released on March 6 and it contains Suikoden and Suikoden II (Japanese title: Genso Suikoden II). This is a cause for a celebration not only for fans of the Suikoden game franchise (created by the late Yoshitaka Murayama during his time at Konami) and JRPG enthusiasts but also for people who love retro gaming.
With Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars now available on multiple platforms, gamers – both the veterans as well as the younger players – now have the golden opportunities to play the first two Suikoden games.
Suikoden on Xbox
A lot of characters got their share of the spotlight in short scenes like this in Suikoden.
As mentioned earlier, Suikoden is my most played game on my Xbox Series X since March 6. The release of Suikoden games on Xbox platforms is highly significant given the fact that the franchise has often been identified with PlayStation for so long. What many gamers do not know is the fact that Suikoden was also released on the Sega Saturn and Windows PC in Japan in the late-1990s.
As history showed, most Suikoden RPGs released by Konami from 1995 to 2006 mainly on the original PlayStation console (the first two games) and PlayStation 2 (the third, fourth and fifth games). Spin-off games were released on PlayStation, PS2, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. That being said, there were absolutely no Suikoden games on the original Xbox console and Xbox 360.
The release of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and the aging Xbox One is indeed a game-changer. There are lots of Xbox gamers who are fond of Japanese RPGs and there are also Suikoden fans who happen to own Xbox consoles. The Xbox ecosystem itself now has lots of role-playing games (RPGs) released in this current console generation and there are lots of Xbox players who love RPGs. As such, Konami made the right move bringing the Suikoden franchise to Xbox consoles.
Playing the first Suikoden again but in shinier form
The group battle in the game. The remastered work includes presentation in high-definition and a variety of visual enhancements. The frame rate is also stable.
Since the launch of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, I have been playing the first Suikoden game a lot on my Xbox Series X. It has been a fun-filled nostalgic gaming experience on my part and I can also say that Konami – for the most part – did a good job remastering the game with high-definition visuals in mind.
Visually, this is the best the first Suikoden RPG ever looked! The in-game character sprites and creatures/monsters sprites from before have been preserved and because everything is in high-definition, the said sprites look larger and you can see the detailed pixels within them. When it comes to the visual effects to emphasize in-game magic and other spectacles, the new effects implemented resulted in a lot of pleasing eye candy.
Mini-games like this one added fun and variety to the game. If you keep winning in this one, you can make a lot of in-game money.
The occasional close-ups during group battles like this added to the spectacle of playing. The enhanced visuals also made this look better.
When it comes to the character portraits, they have been redrawn from scratch by Junko Kawano and each artwork per character looked clearer and more detailed than before. Some long-time Suikoden fans might find the new character portraits looking too clean and might make them miss the older artworks.
Suikoden’s story is about the Scarlet Moon Empire, political developments, corruption that goes beyond politics, and how they all affect the people. The playable protagonist is the son of the imperial general Teo McDohl, and through him you will witness political intrigue and unexpected twists that will compel you to stick closer with your family friends to escape the empire and form a new army of rebels by recruiting members across the land.
Even in subtle forms, the enhanced visuals made dramatic scenes like this look more lively.
While the storytelling is satisfactory at best, there is a wide variety of characters who collectively added colors to the narrative. This is due to the many types of personalities that the important characters have. Take for example Matthiu who is the calm and calculating strategist, Viktor is the brave and brash rebel, and Gremio is very dedicated to protecting the protagonist no matter what happens. Along the way, character development is truly limited which is not surprising because a lot of characters shared the spotlight.
In terms of game design and gameplay features, Suikoden has aged well. The battle systems – solo battle, group battle, army battle – are still functional, efficient and fun to do. While some grinding (leveling-up) is needed, it is not stressful to do because the auto-battle options make the group battles flow smoothly, especially when your characters (up to six) are collectively strong enough to overwhelm the enemies.
This is the formation of the members of your party. Those with short-range attacks should be placed on the front row but they need strong defense values to keep on fighting. Characters with long-range attacks are ideally placed in the back row.
Meet Odessa.
The gameplay is just as fun to do as before. I really like the fact that up to six characters can be part of my party/group as I went adventuring and focused on story scenes. The solo and army battles are understandably few but the payoff (in return to the build-up leading to them) was worth it. I should state that the unite attacks (limited to specific characters who are present in the party) are fun to watch and the creators’ approach on presenting the battle animations and spectacle are great to see.
A great, long border wall in the game.
While the gameplay is clearly fun, Konami’s remaster team did not fix one old problem the game had since the start – limited spacing of items per character. Each character has his/her/its own pieces of clothing to wear, specifically for the body, head and two accessories. The game counts those clothing items as part of the overall item spacing per character. Once you have the four items for a character to wear, the remaining spaces for carrying other items (examples: medicine, ore, anti-toxin) become severely limited for the character.
Along the way, there is the constant need for you to purchase stronger pieces of clothing to increase the defense value of the newest character who joined your army. That being said, you must earn a lot of money, take time to out purchase items, and equip them on new characters while dealing with limited storage per character. The item management problem is the one thing that prevented the gameplay from achieving perfection.
My long-time experience with the Suikoden franchise
Viktor is the brash and brave fighter who becomes part of the Liberation Army. He is an important supporting character which you will easily realize.
In my personal gaming history, I played and finished the original game on PlayStation way back in 1996. While I really enjoyed the game and its unique gameplay features, I never replayed it as my taste on PlayStation gaming kept changing in 1997. When Wild ARMs and Final Fantasy VII landed on PlayStation, I forgot about Suikoden until its sequel was released in English in 1999.
Fortunately, Suikoden II was so much bigger and better than its predecessor and it remains the most defining game of the entire Suikoden franchise (read my retro review by clicking here). That being said, I will start playing the remastered Suikoden II on my Xbox Series X soon.
Having played the remastered first game on my Xbox console, I can say that it was a fun-filled trip on my end. At the same time, I remembered scenes and several small character moments in between that I have forgotten long ago. Although a lot of characters were presented, following the narrative was still easy to do since it was light compared to what Suikoden II told.
Conclusion
A shot of a feast within the army of rebels with their leader Tir McDohl. The young McDohl is the playable protagonist.
With the first Suikoden alone, I can say I got really good value and enjoyment with my purchase of the digital copy of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars for my Xbox Series X. This is a fine example about retro gaming literally saving the day when Team Xbox failed to deliver the promised great fun with their own games.
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1 The Beastmaster revisited – I find it curious that there are not too many movie reaction videos about the 1982 fantasy film The Beastmaster starring Marc Singer. The film was not a big hit in cinemas but it was viewed by millions of viewers on home video and cable TV which resulted in a dedicated following. When it comes to searching for video reviews of the movie, there are more available for viewing on YouTube. For the Beastmaster fans reading this and for those who enjoy the fantasy genre, I posted below a reaction video by You, Me and the Movies, and a video review by Decker Shado.
#2 Misha Petrov’s inspiring testimony – Being a Leftist is not only a terrible way of living as it includes living with a very distorted view of reality, rebelling against family and order, and being twisted. YouTuber Misha Petrov was once a Leftist and she eventually left the Satanic Left to be liberated. Very clearly, being liberal means being foolish and wokeness is a disease that truly ruins those trapped by it. Learn from Misha Petrov’s inspiring testimony in the PragerU video below.
#3 Do not be fooled by socialist influencers – I like watching the videos of John Stossel as there are often informative and engaging. Recently, Stossel posted a video about what the many socialist influencers get wrong. It is a reminder that no matter how powerful the words spoken and no matter how unique the presentations looked like, socialists do not want you to know the truth that does not back up their claims. That being said, I encourage you to watch Stossel’s explanatory video below.
#4Why the playable hero of Oblivion starts inside a prison – If there is anything consequential about the release of the current Xbox-exclusive fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed, it is the renewed public interest in two well established games that have similarities with the Obsidian-developed game – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. My previous blog post had a comparative video featuring Avowed and Oblivion. More on Bethesda’s 2006 RPG, it is remembered that the hero gamers got to play as started inside a prison whenever they begin the single-player campaign. As to why the playable hero is already behind bars, watch the analytical video below from YouTuber A Bard’s Ballad.
#5 VKunia and Ashleigh Burton’s respective Captain America: The Winter Soldier reaction videos – Back in 2014, I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier on opening day in a local cinema here in the Philippines and it was a very thrilling and engaging experience. Back then, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was still expanding its lore during the Phase 2 stage, and the Captain America movie itself was really a superhero tale told in the form of an espionage thriller. It was a bold creative direction that really paid off for Marvel Studios. When it comes to the YouTube reaction videos of it available, I find the ones from VKunia and Ashleigh Burton the most entertaining. If you have not seen the movie yet, I urge you to watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.
#6 PatmanQC examines R-Type – When it comes to sci-fi themed, 2D side-scrolling shooters in video games, Japan a lot of them and arguably the most popular game franchise related to the sub-genre is Konami’s Gradius. There is, however, another sci-fi 2D side-scrolling shooter series that started in Japanese arcades – R-Type. Like Gradius, R-Type went on to have sequels and many of its games were released on many platforms through the decades. To find out how R-Type started and what were the inspirations behind it, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.
#7 Baywatch revisited by Minty Comedic Arts – Back in 1989, Baywatch was launched on television and it went on to become a massive hit with TV viewers around the world. The series about attractive lifeguards working at beaches lasted more than ten seasons and ultimately became a pop culture phenomenon. It was also the sexiest show on TV during its time. Of course, there are lots of interesting details about the series and I urge you to watch the trivia video of Minty Comedic Arts below.
#8 Palestinian clerics openly call for genocide against Jews – As I mentioned before, the Palestinians have stake in the land of Israel and they as a people have destroyed their credibility a long time ago by following the their terrorist leaders and brainwashing children to hate the Jewish people. In recent times, religious leaders of the Palestinians used sermons calling for the extermination of the Jews. That being said, it is not surprising that the mainstream news media (which have not only a liberal bias but also Islamo-Leftist beliefs) does not even bother to cover the recent Palestinian campaign of hate targeting the Jewish people and Israel. While those corrupted news media outlets are staying away, CBN News covered the very issue. Watch their news video below. Keep on standing in support of Israel and push back against evil acts of the Palestinian terrorists and the wicked Palestinian Authority.
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Planet of the Apes (1968) – YouTuber Popcorn in Bed finally did it…posting a reaction video featuring the classic science fiction movie Planet of the Apes (1968). The video has both Cassie and Carly reacting to the Charlton Heston-led film. Considering how many Planet of the Apes reaction videos have been posted on YouTube, I can say that Popcorn in Bed’s video is entertaining to watch. Watch it now!
#2 Comparison video of Avowed and Oblivion – In case you missed the news, the long-awaited Xbox-exclusive fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed has been released and it is the latest game from RPG specialist Obsidian Entertainment (an Xbox game studio). Recently, someone posted a new video comparing Avowed with the 2006 RPG The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion focused on specific details. It’s clear that Obsidian still has a long way to go to truly make Avowed’s world a living and breathing realm. I encourage you all to watch it now.
#3 Slope Game Room examines the history of Zombies Ate My Neighbors – Recently, I purchased the digital collection of Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol for my Xbox Series X. As of this writing, I’m still playing Zombies Ate My Neighbors – specifically the Super NES version – and I’m enjoying it. First released in 1993, Zombies Ate My Neighbors was developed by LucasArts and published by Konami for the two 16-bit consoles of the time. It turns out, there is a lot of interesting details behind the development of the game, what led to the creation of Ghoul Patrol and more. To know more, watch the video of Slope’s Game Room below.
#4CNN supports Hamas terrorists – I don’t trust the opinions and news publishing of CNN (originally called Cable News Network) which has turned into a propaganda machine for the corrupted Democrats, Islamo-Leftists, and woke mobs. In recent times, CNN had an entire segment defending the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and the two personalities who spoke clearly have no love for Israel. To find out what happened, watch the video below.
#5 You, Me and the Movies react to Air Force One – At last, YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video featuring the 1997 blockbuster Air Force One with Harrison Ford playing a tough, fictional US President. It is an entertaining reaction video to watch and the old film itself is relevant once again as Trump-led America today has toughened its stance against terrorists. If you have not seen the film, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the video below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton reacts to a 1999 comedy – I never saw the 1999 comedy 10 Things I Hate About You in the cinema but some friends of mind did and they found it funny and memorable. A few years later, I finally saw it on cable TV and home video and it was entertaining. Recently, Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video and I enjoyed how she responded to it.
#7 RK Outpost explains box-office disappointment of Captain America: Brave New World – Are you aware that the woke Disney company, Marvel Studios and its wicked Hollywood media partners are lying to you and trying to manipulate you into believing that Captain America: Brave New World had a successful launch? YouTuber RK Outpost posted a video explaining in detail why the new movie (starring Anthony Mackie) is actually a box office disappointment upon launching, how the Hollywood players are lying, what facts are being ignored, and why you should not be fooled by Disney and its partners-in-crime. Watch and learn!
Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, RPG enthusiasts and other gamers!
The long wait for the next Xbox-exclusive fantasy role-playing game (RPG) experience is finally over as Avowed has officially been released for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (XGP Ultimate) today. Five days ago, the game developed by Obsidian Entertainment was released on early access for those who paid the premium for the privilege.
For the newcomers reading this, Avowed is the newest game from RPG specialist Obsidian Entertainment and it has a fantasy setting and a unique concept for gamers who enjoy in-depth exploration, intense action, consequential decision-making, engaging role-play and strong storytelling. Avowed is set in the fictional world called Eora and is also part of the same universe as seen in Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity.
To get oriented, watch the launch trailer below.
Is it really great? Is it worth purchasing at all?
As of this writing, the critical reception remains questionable even though a lot of gaming publications posted their respective reviews resulting in a collective average that keeps on changing. As of now, the collective critical average for Avowed is mostly positive but additional reviews could change that.
For some insight, watch the video reviews of Avowed from MrMattyPlays, Colteastwood, GameSpot, XboxEra and Pure Xbox.
If you want to watch some extensive gameplay footage of Avowed that could help you decide to go for the game or not, watch the videos below.
Having waited more than four years to play Avowed (read my previous posts by clicking here, here and here), I will play it on my Xbox Series X console but not immediately. I’d rather wait for Obsidian to patch the game first to fix the bugs and other technical problems. I’d rather play an improved version over its launch version. Here is hoping that Obsidian will be listening to gamers’ feedback and improve the game accordingly.
I should mention that Obsidian is also working on its other high-profile video game The Outer Worlds 2 which is actually a multi-platform release (including PlayStation 5).
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and to the year 2000.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Tutankham print ad
This print ad appeared in several comic books in 1983.
First released in the arcades in 1982, Tutankham is a 2D adventure game that had a mix of shooting, maze exploration and puzzle-solving with Egyptian settings and concepts. It made its way to the Atari 2600 published by Parker Brother, and it was this specific version I played. This game print ad appeared in comic books I read in 1983, and the people who made it implemented a hand-drawn art of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun dominating the space to emphasize the Egyptian setting. In fact, this ad made me think more of Egypt and left little to give me an idea of the game design.
2. Star Trek arcade flyer
The clever use of classic Star Trek imagery was used in this initial flyer by Sega.
Back in the 1980s, a futuristic design for an arcade machine like this one was mind-blowing.
I never played the Star Trek arcade game (full title: Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator) Sega released in 1983. I only saw its graphics and gameplay during an episode of Starcade. With its game design and visual presentation, Star Trek was a very ambitious arcade project for its time and Sega really went in to promote it. The initial arcade flyer (first one above) was meant to grab the attention of both gamers and arcade operators. The next arcade flyer (2nd one above) showed the ambitious design of the arcade machine made with player immersion in mind.
3. Battlezone arcade flyer
While the hand-drawn artwork was too detailed for the arcade game’s graphics, it still emphasized strongly the concept of the game.
In the history of video games, Battlezone was a groundbreaking game both visually and with game design. It was designed to give gamers an immersive experience of driving a tank with 3D graphics, fun gameplay and a first-person view. Its own history is worth researching. Atari knew it had to heavily promote their ambitious game and the arcade flyer above featured nice hand-drawn artwork while also showing the two types of Battlezone machines that arcade operators can choose from. Battlezone went on to become a highly influential arcade game.
4. Chrono Cross North American print ad
Arguably, this print ad was aimed at RPG enthusiasts, Chrono Trigger fans and gamers looking for something adventurous to play.
First released on PlayStation in Japan, Chrono Cross made its way to the said console in America just a few months before the PlayStation 2 launched there. While there was a risk that came with releasing the ambitious follow-up to the classic Chrono Trigger so late in the PlayStation’s life, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) still went on to aggressively promote Chrono Cross in America. This 2-page print ad that appeared in many gaming magazines remains captivating to look at. As typical of the time, 3D polygonal models and the epic-looking art were used in dominating fashion leaving the small space (lower-left corner) to display a few gameplay screenshots and other 3D art. Still it a fun game to play and this should remind you that Chrono Cross was recently remastered for modern consoles.
5. Ms. Pac-Man arcade flyer
The wife of Pac-Man and the machine.
Given the fact that Pac-Man was so massively successful, it was not surprising that a sequel had to be made and released on as many arcades as possible. Ms. Pac-Man was the sequel and it was released in arcades in 1982 eventually achieving huge commercial and critical success. To promote the game, Midway’s ad makers came up with an ad showing unique art of Pac-Man’s wife looking glamorous (with a driver and a vehicle in the background) and a photograph of the arcade machine on the right. This also was one of the early arcade flyers to use the words “femme fatale”.
6. Centipede arcade flyer
Three machines of Centipede for arcade operators to choose from.
Centipede is another arcade classic from Atari. Released in 1981, a lot of players enjoyed the game’s simplistic and yet addicting design of shooting an incoming centipede and its remaining portions that move down the field. Similar to the Battlezone arcade flyer, this game’s flyer had nice art of a centipede on the top and images arcade machines. Even by today’s standards, this flyer remains eye-catching.
7. Tempest 2000 print ad
This 2-page print ad of Tempest 2000 is still captivating to look at.
Back in the 1990s, Atari went on to release their Jaguar console which was promoted as a 64-bit machine. At a gaming convention, the company met with prospective game developers over Jaguar projects and one of the developers volunteered to do Tempest (a memorable Atari arcade game). This resulted in the development of Tempest 2000 which was a remake of the classic.
As a Jaguar-exclusive game, Atari came up with an eye-catching 2-page ad showing off the 3D visual presentation (6 gameplay screenshots and one original artwork) while boasting in the text description that Tempest 2000 was named the “Best of Show” at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The game was released in 1994 attracting mostly positive reviews from game critics and was one of the best-selling Jaguar games (note: Tempest 2000 can now be played in the Atari 50 collection). With the Atari legacy and presentation combined, this print ad remains captivating to look at.
8. Alien vs Predator print ad
Arguably the most defining and most entertaining game on the Atari Jaguar.
If there is any game that truly defined enjoyment and the technological features of the Atari Jaguar, it is the 1994 first-person shooter Alien vs Predator. At the time of its release, it was one of the most immersive games of the Alien vs. Predator crossover franchise and it allowed players to experience what fighting the Predator or the Xenomorph was like. The game also allowed gamers to play as a Colonial Marine (human soldier).
To sell the game, Atari came up with a 2-page ad highlighting the Aliens on one page and the Predator on the other. As the Predator was shown with a grotesque human skull, the use of photographs (most likely sourced from the movies) strongly emphasize the game was aimed at the mature audience among gamers. Six screenshots of gameplay were displayed by the ad makers who were clearly aware of the high popularity of first-person shooting games. Alien vs Predator was a critical and commercial success, and its print ad is arguably the most memorable one of any Atari Jaguar game ever made.
For the newcomers reading this, the said collection contains the two memorable fantasy role-playing games (fantasy RPGs) which are Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete(enhanced version of Lunar: The Silver Star) and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (enhanced version of Lunar: Eternal Blue). Since the releases of the original versions in the 1990s, the Lunar RPGs have been released on a variety of consoles such as Sega CD, PlayStation and Sega Saturn.
Lunar Remastered Collection will be the first-time the Lunar RPGs will be released on Xbox consoles. It will launch on April 18, 2025.
For the JRPG-loving Xbox fans, the said Lunar Remastered Collection is indeed coming to Xbox Series X|S and the aging Xbox One. Strangely enough, as of this writing, the said collection has yet to appear on the Xbox online store.
While GungHo confirmed there will be physical copies of Lunar Remastered Collection coming out, it is uncertain if such copies of the Xbox version will be released. The press release mentioned that physical editions “will be available exclusively through Amazon for $54.99 USD” for the North American market. As for the European market, only the PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Nintendo Switch will have physical copies through Clear River Games.
If you are an Xbox fan who loves Lunar and JRPGs in general, are you discouraged about the potential lack of physical copies of Lunar Remastered Collection? If you really want it badly, better express your opinions and questions directly to Team Xbox and GungHo via Twitter, or by email.
Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1American shopping malls could solve the nation’s housing problems? – It is no secret that there is a shortage on housing in the United States. In recent times, there is a trend that sounds unbelievable at first but it is indeed happening – the conversion of certain shopping malls into new residential places. You have to watch the CNBC video below to find out more. Perhaps you want to check if the failing shopping mall near you is being converted into new housing for your community.
#2 Japanese RPGs with mature stories – Role-playing games made by Japanese game developers always have stories to tell regardless of the types of game design and gameplay features that were made. There are JRPGs with fantasy tales that were inspired by other works of the genre while other tales were made to be original by their respective game developers. From time to time, developers come up with stories that can be described as mature. To find out what I mean, I encourage you to watch the video by Gaming Broductions below.
#3 Slope’s Game Room examines the legacy of Paperboy – Among all the arcade games I played inside Circus Circus Hotel in Las Vegas in 1989, Paperboy was the one that stood as the most memorable. The game was a lot of fun and its presentation was also humorous in a cartoony way. Then there was also the bicycle handle the arcade machine had for controlling my character. By today’s standards, it is unlikely you will find an existing and working machine of Paperboy in your local arcade. If you are a newcomer and you want to learn more about the origin and impact of the Paperboy game franchise, watch the video by Slope’s Game Room.
#4 A look back at 2001’s Swordfish – Hollywood today keeps on making sub-par action movies because a lot of filmmakers as well as production teams are obsessed with identity politics and woke garbage. Not only are there woke and Leftist activists among Hollywood’s workers, there are private investors funding film projects with DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). That being said, it is more entertaining to watch action movies from the pre-woke era of Hollywood and among them is Swordfish (2001) which starred John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Don Cheadle and Halle Berry. The film is not exactly a gigantic blockbuster nor was it an action genre classic. In fact, it is flawed and does not require much thinking from viewers. But the mere fact that it is NOT WOKE makes it much more entertaining to watch than any of the action movies made by woke Hollywood people over the past several years. To get to discover Swordfish, watch GoodBadFlicks’ exploratory video and TBR Schmitt’s movie reaction video below.
#5 You, Me and the Movies’ Cliffhanger reaction video – Way back in 1993 here in the Philippines, there was a short period when both Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and Sylvester Stallone’s Cliffhanger played simultaneously in the cinemas which resulted in a huge amount of moviegoers lining up for tickets. While Jurassic Park is iconic, Cliffhanger has a more intriguing pre-production and production history. Even though Carolco had major financial problems and Stallone had a fear of heights, the film was eventually made and became a big hit worldwide. To find out if Cliffhanger is still entertaining, watch You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video.
#6 A look back at Die Hard with a Vengeance – I still remember way back in the middle of 1995 how disruptive Die Hard with a Vengeance was as soon as it opened in cinemas here in the Philippines. People left and right suddenly started making plans to watch the film and find out what kind of opposition John McClane (Bruce Willis) would face. While I found the 1995 movie inferior to the classic Die Hard of 1988, it still was enjoyable. For some reason, the film was released in Philippine cinemas as “Die Hard 3” and on local TV as “Die Hard 3: With a Vengeance.” If you have seen the movie and you want to revisit it, watch the follow videos I selected.
#7 Die Hard Arcade documentary by PatmanQC – Decades ago, there was a Sega-produced video game that had a notable movie license – Die Hard Arcade. I had friends who enjoyed that game so much in the local arcades and later on Sega Saturn. A few of them even were convinced to replay Die Hard (1988) on home video. You might be wondering if Sega and 20th Century Fox collaborated to make Die Hard Arcade for many people to enjoy. Actually, it’s more complicated than that and to find out why, I encourage you to watch PatmanQC’s Die Hard Arcade documentary now.
8. Woke Disney’s Snow White movie massively rejected online – Even if there were no controversies at all, I really have no intention to watch the 2025 Snow White movie of woke Disney. Even until now, a lot of members of the public have been rejecting it online and no matter what Disney does, they just keep on failing to salvage the film. Watch and learn from the video of RK Outpost below.
Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1A look back at Tobal No. 1 – The 1990s will always be remembered as the decade when fighting games became wildly popular. While franchises like Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Street Fighter and The King of Fighters literally flooded the arcades and consoles, game developers at DreamFactory (a subsidiary of Square) were dissatisfied with the state of fighting games at the time and this eventually led to the creation of Tobal No. 1, one of the most unique games of its genre ever made. To learn more about it, watch the video below.
#2 Assorted videos of Air Force One (1997) – Watching Air Force One (starring Harrison Ford) on the big screen in 1997 was a fun experience for me. It was one of the many so-called Die Hard clones of the 1990s which featured one brave, vulnerable hero fighting terrorists while confined in a place where escape is not option. For your enjoyment, I selected one trivia video and a few reaction videos of Air Force One. As it is a great film, I encourage you to watch it first in case you have not seen it. Otherwise, go watch the selected videos below.
#3 Slope’s Game Room’s look back at the Choplifter series – I first played Choplifter on the Family Computer back in the late-1980s and it really was both unique and fun to play. It was a side-scrolling adventure game with military action but it was not an all-offense experience. In fact, the game gives you opportunities to rescue hostages and the game development history is pretty interesting to discover. As such, I encourage you to watch Slope’s Game Room’s retrospective of Choplifter.
#4 The games of Square in the 1990s remembered – If you know your video game history, Square Enix was established in 2003 as a result of a merger between Square (AKA SquareSoft) and Enix. When Square was still an independent, standalone company it released a lot of memorable games on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the PlayStation in the 1990s. If you love retro gaming and if you are interested to discover (or rediscover) what Square released back in the 1990s, then this video is for you.
#5 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau receives response from returning US President Donald Trump regarding new tariffs – Justin Trudeau – the super woke and out-of-touch Canadian Prime Minister – told the returning US President Donald Trump that new tariffs would kill the economy of Canada. The result is a memorable response from Trump. To see what happened and how the public reacted, watch this Sky News Australia video. Lastly, never ever trust Trudeau. You will regret it believing in him as he is a very bad leader.
#6 Kamala Harris being hit by her donors and her fellow Democrats for reckless campaign spending – The defeated Commie Kamala Harris is now the target of her US presidential campaign donors and even her fellow Democrats. You see, her campaign team raised at least $1.5 billion and ended up with a debt of at least $20 million due to reckless spending and irresponsible handling of money. Apart from literally BUYING the support of celebrities and Hollywood Communists, the Harris campaign spent excessively on online ads, private jets and others. The donors are very furious and a lot of Democrats realized that the laughing hyena Kamala Harris severely damaged the political party. That being said, Kamala Harris would be delusional enough to actually run for US President again in 2028. Watch and learn from Sky News Australia’s video.
#7 You, Me and the Movies react to Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan – Years I ago, I posted my retro review of Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. The 1989 Friday The 13th sequel was so sloppy and bad with its presentation, it sometimes could be funny to see and it’s okay to ridicule it. If you want to discover Jason Takes Manhattan without spending too much time, you should watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies.
8. The collapse of the Assad dictatorship in Syria – In case you missed the news, a new chapter in the history of Syria has officially started as the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad officially ended with the Islamist rebels taking over the country. Assad and his family are now in Russia. While there is euphoria going on in Syria, you should not allow yourselves to be deceived because the civil war in Syria was never a case of “good versus evil”. Assad was allied with Russia and terrorist state Iran. Meanwhile, the Syrian rebels are allied with the Islamist Turkish forces, Jihadists, terrorists and they have Al-Qaeda members in their ranks. Syria now has a new beginning but where will it go? Watch the videos I selected for your viewing and learning.
Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1Konami’s failed fighting games of the 1990s – Remember back in the 1990s when a lot of fighting games were released on the arcades and game consoles? Japanese game companies Namco and Capcom released a lot of memorable fighting games of different styles such as Street Fighter II, Tekken, Marvel vs. Capcom, Tekken 3, Soulcalibur, X-Men: Children of the Atom, X-Men vs. Street Fighter and so on. Sega released Virtua Fighter games while Midway released Mortal Kombat games, and SNK had Fatal Fury, King of Fighters and Art of Fighting games. Looking back at the fighting game craze of the 1990s, I noticed that Konami – best known for Metal Gear, Contra, Gradius and Suikoden – released their own fighting games but never achieved the tremendous success that its competitors had. The retro gaming video is a must-see.
#2 Calvin Dyson’s lengthy review of The World is Not Enough – I can hardly believe that it has been twenty-five years since the James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough was released in cinemas as the 20th century was ending. The 3rd film of Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007 received mixed reviews from the critics and some fans found it to be really brainless and excessive with action which negatively affected the cinematic narrative. To find out if the 1999 Bond movie aged well or not, YouTuber Calvin Dyson recently posted his lengthy retro review and you can watch it now.
#3 In-depth documentary of Smash TV – Remember way back in 1990 when Smash T.V. (also referred to as Smash TV) was released in the arcades and attracted a lot of players with its enjoyable game design and concept? The game was a hit and went on to be ported to many platforms afterwards, and I played its Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version a lot. To find out how hit game started and who were the key people behind its production, watch the video documentary of PatmanQC now.
#4 Defeated Kamala Harris, Sharon Stone, Alec Baldwin and others highlighted in Lefties Losing It episode – It has been a few weeks since Donald Trump pulled off the greatest American comeback by winning again the US presidential election. Even until now, the Leftists are still agonizing over Trump’s victory and many of them cannot accept the reality of what happened. In the latest Lefties Losing It episode below, you will see a drunk-like Kamala Harris talking to her supporters, Sharon Stone bashing others and more. Watch it!
#5 Electric vehicles sparked into fire disasters as a result of salt water caused by Hurricane Helene – This news video should convince you not to buy and drive an electric car or any type of electric vehicle for that matter. Salt water touching the ion batteries of electric vehicles spark flame and this leads into fire incidents that simply could not be solved quickly. Hurricane Helene’s powerful wind brought salt water into affected communities and not even electric vehicles parked inside the garage were spared. Avoid electric vehicles and stick with vehicles that run on fossil fuel.
#6 Ashleigh Burton’s Fantastic Four (2005) reaction video – Back in 2005, I never saw Fantastic Four in the local cinema. I was never a Fantastic Four fan nor did the team-up of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby starting the said superhero team interested me. Believe it or not, I finally saw the movie on home video in 2009. In recent times, YouTuber Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video of Fantastic Four and it is fun to watch.
#7 Phantasy Star IV retrospective – Thanks to my physical copy of Sega Genesis Classics, I was able to play Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium on my Xbox Series X console. For the newcomers reading this, Phantasy Star IV was a sci-fi Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) released on the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in other markets) in Japan in 1993 followed by released in America and Europe in 1995. The production side of the game has very interesting details and you can learn all about it in GTV Japan’s retrospective video below.
#8 A look at Disney’s The Black Hole – Long before the Walt Disney Company became the super woke entity of modern times, they released the expensive sci-fi film The Black Hole. As far as the Disney legacy is concerned, the 1979 movie is significant as it marked a serious change of direction the company took with its movies. Disney was already known for wholesome and family oriented movies and TV shows and eventually entered a period of uncertainty. The Black Hole was both Disney’s attempt to cash-in on the sci-fi and disaster film craze of the 1970s and attract more adult moviegoers. You can learn more about this forgotten movie by watching the videos below.
#9 Popcorn in Bed’s What Lies Beneath reaction video – I saw What Lies Beneath inside a crowded cinema here in the Philippines way back in 2000. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film was an inspired work of suspense and horror mainly told through Michelle Pfeiffer’s character. I still remember some comments of disappointment over Harrison Ford’s lack of screen time compared with Pfeiffer’s. Regardless, you have to see Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video right here.
Author Carlo Carrasco 