Classic of the Month - Space Invaders

Manufacturer:	Taito
Genre:	Shoot 'em up
Board:	Dedicated Intel 8080-based hardware
Year:	1978

When I decided to do a monthly spotlight on classic arcade games, it was difficult to know where to begin.  In the end, I decided to go for the first arcade machine I can remember seeing, Space Invaders. I was 7 or 8 and my family were on holiday in Cromer. We went to a fish and chip shop and there by the counter was Space Invaders. I didn't know what the game was called, in fact I don't think I fully understood what it was, but I remember the artwork -- because it gave me nightmares. Those hulking, faceless beasts, stomping through a mountain range (or was it meant to be the moon? I still don't know) looked nothing like the simple sprites in the game, but it was an iconic image nonetheless.

 
The first time I actually played Space Invaders was on my older brother's BBC Micro B a few years later and it was several years later still that I made the connection between the game I played at home and the arcade machine with the scary monsters on it.

Over the years, Space Invaders has had several updates, most noteably Space Invaders '91 and Space Invaders Extreme - the latter of which is brilliant.  For now, let's just remind ourselves of the original, courtesy of YouTube user Laoch111:

MTW

E3 2010

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, the biggest trade show in the games industry calendar, is over for another year.  While E3 has never been about arcade games, I do work in the industry, so it only seems right that I should comment on this annual extravaganza.

The big three, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, all had new technology to announce this year, most of which was based on either motion-controlled gaming or 3D.  As a result, it felt as though there was not as many actual games announced this year compared to previous years, although there were still over 800 games at the show in some capacity or another.  Let's have a look at what Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo had to show us all.

Microsoft
Where as Nintendo and Sony offer very similar kinds of motion control, Microsoft have headed off in their own direction with Kinect.  This is basically a very clever camera system that allows you to play games by moving your arms, legs and in some cases, your whole body without actually holding anything.  As Microsoft's press release says, you are the controller.  And this isn't just technology for playing virtual volleyball, Kinect also works with the Xbox 360's user interface and even allows users to control movies with hand gestures.

Will Kinect for Xbox 360 be the next evolution in gaming?

To go hand-in-hand with the Kinect, Microsoft unveiled their new, smaller version of the Xbox 360, which features a special connector on the back for powering the camera.  People with original 360s will have to find space on their extension leads to connect the Kinect to the mains.

After being on the market for five years, the Xbox 360 gets a facelift.

As for games, there were plenty of Kinect games announced, most of which harped existing Nintendo Wii games, including such obvious clones as Kinect Sports and Kinect Party.  If you're one of those old fashioned sorts who likes to hold on to a controller while you play, Microsoft haven't forgotten about you.  Among the upcoming core games were Gears of War 3, Fable 3, Halo: Reach, Crackdown 2 and Mass Effect 3.

Sony
Sony had the most new tech to show off this year, with both a motion controller and 3D.  Their motion controller is called the Move and as I mentioned at the beginning, it closely resembles a Wii remote.  It even has its own version of a Nunchuk, called a Navigation Controller.  What the Move has over the Wii Remote is direct positional tracking, with the aid of the PlayStation Eye camera and a glowing, rubber ball at the end of the controller.  Sources say it is significantly more accurate than either Kinect or Wii Motion Plus, but it's still difficult to shrug off feeling it's just a copy cat.

Montion control and motion capture combine with the PlayStation Move

As for 3D, Sony are pushing this technology hard, with both their 3D TVs and 3D games and 3D movies on the PS3.   Some games they showed in 3D included Gran Turismo 5 and Killzone 3, both of which should be first class titles.  However, for a family to enjoy this admittedly impressive technology in their home, everyone will need a set of polarised 3D glasses.  Combined with the cost of the TVs, the initial investment to enjoy this technology runs into the thousands.

3D TV is coming, whether we like it or not.

Nintendo
In recent years, Nintendo have been accused of abandoning core gamers.  However, at this year's E3 they seemed keen to prove this attitude is wrong.  They showed some interesting new Wii titles, including a new Zelda game that uses Motion Plus, Sin & Punishment 2, NBA Jam, Epic Mickey, a new version of GoldenEye, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Mario Sports Mix, Conduit 2,  a new Donkey Kong Country game and loads more.

Kirby's Epix Yarn has a brilliant art style, where everything is made of bits of wool.

The biggest news coming out of Nintendo, if not the whole show, was the unveiling of the 3DS.  This is their first new handheld since the original DS back in 2004 and it's packing quite a punch.  It now has an analogue stick, the power of a GameCube and glasses-free 3D.  It's also backwards compatible with the current range of DSs.  The press all seemed really impressed with this technology, which I find interesting, because so many of them are against other forms of 3D.  As far as Arcade Throwback is concerned, we wish this technology had been available back in the heyday of coin-op gaming, because it is precisely this kind of experience that used to make those old games so different from home gaming.

Despite looking similar to the DSi, the 3DS is a very different beast underneath

Consoles live or die by their games and Nintendo have already announced Metal Gear Solid, Street Fighter IV, Resident Evil, Splinter Cell, Assassin's Creed, Dead or Alive, Ghost Recon, Ninja Gaiden, Ridge Racer, Saint's Row, Pilot Wings and the long awaited return of Kid Icarus.  I reckon that lot will stand the 3DS in good stead.

Summary
Overall it was an exciting show and proof games still have a lot to offer.  I think the new slim Xbox looks great, although I'm not yet convinced about Kinect.  As far as motion-controlled gaming goes, I think Sony has the best idea by combining everything the Wii remote can do with most of what Kinect can do.  It's worth clarifying that the glowing ball at the end of the Move controller gives the system something clear and definite to track.  Kinect, on the other hand, will always have to guess where your hand is in relation to the rest of your arm and the surrounding environment.  As for games, I think Nintendo has really cranked things up this year.  I can't quite believe how many core titles are on the way for the Wii, but at the same time I can't help feeling they should have done this three years ago; I know far too many gamers who have abandoned the Wii because of the vast number of shallow party games and bogus fitness games there are on the system.  Let's hope some of them can be tempted back with this crop of "proper" games.

So what was my pick of the show?  Easy, the 3DS.  The idea of playing 3D games without having another pair of glasses on top of my prescription lens is very appealing, but I need to see one in the flesh before I'll believe the 3D is as good as everyone says.

For more information on the show, see http://www.e3expo.com

MTW

Nostalgia Trip - Top 10 Seminal Arcade Games of my Youth

What's a fan blog without Top 10s? It's a tradition or old charter or someting, so I thought I'd talk use a Top 10 to talk about how I fell in love with arcade games in the first place.

I was 9 years-old when I first entered the neon gloom of an arcade and my love affair with coin-op gaming began.  From then until the death of the classic arcade in the late 90s, I have been to dozens of different venues and sunk hundreds of pounds into hundreds of different machines.  However, those early days will stay with me forever and these are the games that cemented those days in my heart.

Tron 

I was obsessed with Tron long before I ever saw the film.  With the exception of Street Fighter 2, no other arcade game captured my heart and mind like Tron.  From the neon-stripped cabinet, to the unique controls (a pistol-grip joystick and a paddle) to the fact it was four games in one, Tron seemed like something from another planet.  If ever I thought a game could transport me to another world, Last Fighter style, it was Tron.

Galaxians

There's something almost comforting about Galaxians' familiar formula.  The game is barely any different from Space Invaders, but I think it's the sound effects that did it for me more than anything.  That initial ditty still puts a smile on my face today.

Time Pilot

This is one of the few arcade games to get a respectble conversion on the BBC Micro B and it was that version I played the most.  However, I did first encounter the game in an arcade at a caravan site in Caister, Great Yarmouth.  I loved the idea of travelling through the ages, fighting planes and helicopters from different eras.  Unfortunately I rarely got past World War II.


Kung-Fu Master (Spatan X)

The first of several beat 'em ups in my list, Kung-Fu Master was the first beat 'em up I ever played that pitched the player against waves of enemies, as opposed to one-on-one.  Despite being based on the Jackie Chan film Wheels on Meals (or Spartan X as it was known in Japan), it actually played out very similar to Bruce Lee's film Game of Death, with each floor being guarded by a different boss.  I always remember hearing people talk about what the boss was on the final levels, but I don't think I ever saw past the Man of Brute Strength on floor 3, so I never knew if those rumours were true.

Gryzor (Contra) 

Characters that looked like Arnie and Sly?  Loads of big, crazy guns?  Soldiers, robots and aliens to blast?  What was not to like about Gryzor - or Contra as it is also known?  I was truly terrible at this game, but it wasn't until I was much older that I discovered it is generally considered one of the hardest games of that period.  I own the Xbox Live Arcade version and even when I lower the difficulty and use all my continues, I still can't get past level 3.

1942 

 
My older brother doesn't really game any more, but once upon a time he loved 1942.  He was really good at it too; I still remember crowds of people gathering around him to watch him play.

In a genre that is full of crazy over-the-top weapons, enemies and locations, there is something refreshing about 1942's simplicity.  There have been many sequels and remakes over the years, but none have quite lived up to the purety of the original.

Hard Drivin' 

Hard Drivin' is another game my brother excelled at, but unlike 1942, I could not play Hard Drivin' to save my lif.  At the time of its release, it felt like a proper driving simulator, because he had a clutch and a proper 5 gate gear stick.  Looking back now it's has not aged well at all; the primative polygonal graphics are incredibly slow.  Compared to sprite-based driving games from the same era, Hard Driving is ponderous.  Nonetheless, in its hay day it was a game that really separated the men from the boys.

Golden Axe

Although there had been co-operative games before, with Golden Axe it felt like the way to play the game.  I've always put this down to the fact the three characters' skills complemented each other.  By playing Golden Axe with a friend you didn't just double your fire power, but your choices as well. 

Final Fight

After Street Fighter 2, Final Fight is Capcom's biggest beat 'em up.  Like Golden Axe it featured a co-op mode that was enhanced by the differences between the characters.  I was a Cody player at the time and because of the bizarre universe Capcom games occupy, that continued in Street Fighter Alpha 3 years later.

Street Fighter II series

This is The One, the game that has stayed with me above all others.  From the first time I played Street Fighter II: World Warriors in a Great Yarmouth arcade, I was hooked.  Since then I've played almost every incarnation of the game and bought it on every system I've owned, from PC to PlayStation to Dreamcast to GameBoy Advance to Xbox 360.  I don't know precisely what it is that makes me come back to Street Fighter time and time again, but I know my urge to play it has barely waned in two decades.  My favourite iterations are Super Street Fighter II, Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Super Street Fighter IV.  Each one has something different about them that makes it possible to enjoy them all equally, without feeling as those the older games have become antiquated.

So there we have it, the 10 arcade games that made the biggest impression on my childhood.  When I compiled the list it was interesting to realise I still play more than half of the games on this list, which is surely a testament to their design and creativity.

MTW

Welcome to the Arcade Throwback blog

These days games are everywhere, from the Nintendo Wii becoming the must have console of the last decade to Angry Birds on smartphones in people's pockets. However, not so long ago, if you wanted to play the best games around you had to go to an arcade. Sadly, arcades are a rare sight now. Even seaside resorts have surprisingly few games and the ones left tend to be decade-old Dance Dance Revolution, Time Crisis and Daytona USA machines.  

I'm sure many of you are thinking, Why do you care? Why play Commando when you can play Call of Duty? Well, just think back, the big screens, graphics and sound that were years ahead of home computers and consoles, the custom cabinets, often with custom controls, the neon lighting and the sound of dozens of other machines bring played around you, getting your initials on a high score for all other patrons to see (not that my initials, MTW, appeared at the top very often), going to an arcade was an event and put simply I miss it, mourn it even. If that sounds dramatic, think about this: how would you feel if there were no more concerts or cinema? It does not matter how good your home music system or home theatre is, it just is not the same and if you enjoy going to concerts and the cinema, you'd mourn their end too.

So Arcade Throwback is a blog about those lost, classic arcade games, from the early 8-bit days to the beginning of polygonal graphics. Games like Space Invaders, Galaxians, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Paper Boy, R-Type, Gradius, Wonder Boy, Gryzor, New Zealand Story, Final Fight, King of Fighters, Street Fighter, Virtua Fighter, Tekken, Twilight Zone pinball and many, many more. This isn't a review site, just a place to talk about what made those coin-op games so memorable and celebrating the origin of our beloved hobby.

MTW