The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Another glimpse at gaming history brought to you by Babble Inc.
This isn't exactly common knowledge, I suspect there will be a fair number of people here that know about this, but then I also reckon there will be an equal number who don't. Piracy, the biggest thorn in the side of game developers, is also a problem for console manufacturers... ain't just the games being copied. You see, throughout console history, most consoles have had one (or even multiple) evil twins. Presently it isn't as large a problem, due to the hulking specs current day systems have, but it does still happen. The main example that springs to mind, although official licensed, is the Panasonic Gamecube Q - the modified Gamecube capable of playing DVD movies. Infact there is even a recent NES clone (rumble station), being sold in Argos, of all places.
If you're interested in finding out a bit more about what exactly I'm on about, there are a few good sites to whet your appetite:
http://famiclone.emucamp.com/ famiclones.htm - A comprehensive listing and database of a large number of NES clones.
http://segaclone.emucamp.com/ - The same for Sega clones.
http://geocities.com/s_h_3/ index2.htm - The systems owned by the webmaster of the above two sites.
(Remember to remove spaces)
A few of these clone systems are actually damn good ideas from a design perspective... I particularly like the keyboard and control pad designs (Mega Kid, and Gunboy Excalibur especially), and knowing me will probably try and obtain a few of these systems out of curiousity, I know that the Mega Kid etc. are still being manufactured and sold by litestar. Anyhow, the sites should pose an interesting read (and even some eye candy) for the older gamers like myself, and for those new to the scene it gives a little insight into the dark and dingy history of gaming - back alley style.
Psssst... wanna buy a watch?
This isn't exactly common knowledge, I suspect there will be a fair number of people here that know about this, but then I also reckon there will be an equal number who don't. Piracy, the biggest thorn in the side of game developers, is also a problem for console manufacturers... ain't just the games being copied. You see, throughout console history, most consoles have had one (or even multiple) evil twins. Presently it isn't as large a problem, due to the hulking specs current day systems have, but it does still happen. The main example that springs to mind, although official licensed, is the Panasonic Gamecube Q - the modified Gamecube capable of playing DVD movies. Infact there is even a recent NES clone (rumble station), being sold in Argos, of all places.
If you're interested in finding out a bit more about what exactly I'm on about, there are a few good sites to whet your appetite:
http://famiclone.emucamp.com/ famiclones.htm - A comprehensive listing and database of a large number of NES clones.
http://segaclone.emucamp.com/ - The same for Sega clones.
http://geocities.com/s_h_3/ index2.htm - The systems owned by the webmaster of the above two sites.
(Remember to remove spaces)
A few of these clone systems are actually damn good ideas from a design perspective... I particularly like the keyboard and control pad designs (Mega Kid, and Gunboy Excalibur especially), and knowing me will probably try and obtain a few of these systems out of curiousity, I know that the Mega Kid etc. are still being manufactured and sold by litestar. Anyhow, the sites should pose an interesting read (and even some eye candy) for the older gamers like myself, and for those new to the scene it gives a little insight into the dark and dingy history of gaming - back alley style.
Psssst... wanna buy a watch?
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
Another glimpse at gaming history brought to you by Babble Inc.
This isn't exactly common knowledge, I suspect there will be a fair number of people here that know about this, but then I also reckon there will be an equal number who don't. Piracy, the biggest thorn in the side of game developers, is also a problem for console manufacturers... ain't just the games being copied. You see, throughout console history, most consoles have had one (or even multiple) evil twins. Presently it isn't as large a problem, due to the hulking specs current day systems have, but it does still happen. The main example that springs to mind, although official licensed, is the Panasonic Gamecube Q - the modified Gamecube capable of playing DVD movies. Infact there is even a recent NES clone (rumble station), being sold in Argos, of all places.
If you're interested in finding out a bit more about what exactly I'm on about, there are a few good sites to whet your appetite:
http://famiclone.emucamp.com/ famiclones.htm - A comprehensive listing and database of a large number of NES clones.
http://segaclone.emucamp.com/ - The same for Sega clones.
http://geocities.com/s_h_3/ index2.htm - The systems owned by the webmaster of the above two sites.
(Remember to remove spaces)
A few of these clone systems are actually damn good ideas from a design perspective... I particularly like the keyboard and control pad designs (Mega Kid, and Gunboy Excalibur especially), and knowing me will probably try and obtain a few of these systems out of curiousity, I know that the Mega Kid etc. are still being manufactured and sold by litestar. Anyhow, the sites should pose an interesting read (and even some eye candy) for the older gamers like myself, and for those new to the scene it gives a little insight into the dark and dingy history of gaming - back alley style.
Psssst... wanna buy a watch?
This isn't exactly common knowledge, I suspect there will be a fair number of people here that know about this, but then I also reckon there will be an equal number who don't. Piracy, the biggest thorn in the side of game developers, is also a problem for console manufacturers... ain't just the games being copied. You see, throughout console history, most consoles have had one (or even multiple) evil twins. Presently it isn't as large a problem, due to the hulking specs current day systems have, but it does still happen. The main example that springs to mind, although official licensed, is the Panasonic Gamecube Q - the modified Gamecube capable of playing DVD movies. Infact there is even a recent NES clone (rumble station), being sold in Argos, of all places.
If you're interested in finding out a bit more about what exactly I'm on about, there are a few good sites to whet your appetite:
http://famiclone.emucamp.com/ famiclones.htm - A comprehensive listing and database of a large number of NES clones.
http://segaclone.emucamp.com/ - The same for Sega clones.
http://geocities.com/s_h_3/ index2.htm - The systems owned by the webmaster of the above two sites.
(Remember to remove spaces)
A few of these clone systems are actually damn good ideas from a design perspective... I particularly like the keyboard and control pad designs (Mega Kid, and Gunboy Excalibur especially), and knowing me will probably try and obtain a few of these systems out of curiousity, I know that the Mega Kid etc. are still being manufactured and sold by litestar. Anyhow, the sites should pose an interesting read (and even some eye candy) for the older gamers like myself, and for those new to the scene it gives a little insight into the dark and dingy history of gaming - back alley style.
Psssst... wanna buy a watch?