It's been a while, but a new Retro's Blog is up and I wanted to talk about Johnny Turbo. I actually went over this in October last year in an article titled TurboGrafx 16: A Lost and Forgotten Console. I mentioned in that article about how this character was truly NEC last attempts to promote the brand. From 1989 to 1994 saw the TurboGrafx feature some of the worst marketing in the industry. It didn't matter if it was the magazine and TV ads or their promotional video tapes, it was overall terrible. As I mentioned in the earlier article, NEC and Turbo Technologies were going in too many directions. The constant releases of console models would obviously confuse consumers. They even came out with the Turbo Express to compete with Nintendo's Game Boy and Sega's Game Gear. The problem for the portable is it played Turbo Cards only with no exclusive games and was quite expensive.
Its evident NEC learned nothing from Atari's terrible business plans from the 80s. Atari did the same thing with releasing too many consoles between the 2600, 5200 and 7800. They also made the Lynx in 1989 which was a more powerful system that had color compared to the Game Boy. However, it would find itself in those bargain bins in places like KB Toys, FuncoLand and Toys R Us. You could tell I'm old especially if you kiddies don't know that FuncoLand was once GameStop :p. That's where Johnny Turbo comes in, and he would get sent through a sea of mascots that eventually become forgotten. His character as already mentioned was to promote the console by releasing three short comics. Unlike the other mascots, he was a gaming superhero instead of the usual cartoonish anthropomorphic being like Sonic. After witnessing the terrible marketing, it should make you wonder how bad this company could mess this up. Is Johnny Turbo the Worst Superhero Ever?
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A new edition of Modern Gaming is up as we continue with a Star Wars game about the Original Trilogy. Today the Solo movie releases in theaters as another annual Star Wars Film. The studio is a shadow of its former self because the people in the current studio seem not to care about what brought the series to the dance. They also seem to care more about lining their pockets then making quality films. That is the reason I can't take most lazy people seriously and it's this mentally that has cause even the Marvel brand to become trash. When I look at Disney's canon, I always shake my head in anger and refuse to even use it. We should be very grateful the Original Extended universe (it's getting preserved by true fans) is here to stay thanks to us. The game for this edition titled Apprentice of the Force was released in 2004 on the Game Boy Advance. Ubisoft this time around became the publisher thanks to Lucas Arts' outsourcing the Star Wars name. The game belongs to the 2D side scrolling action platformer genre as you play as Luke. It's a story of Luke going through his journey of becoming a Jedi knight. Of course, this isn't a Han Solo game, but it's something I wanted to review for a while. Ever since 2004, I was always curious about how good this played as a 2D side scroller. Upon first glance it looked similar to the Super Trilogy on Super NES because of side scrolling elements. When it comes to the series in 2D gaming, the Super series was the peak of quality for its platformers. Now, can Ubisoft follow Lucas Arts' standards in 2D design? Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force (GBA) Review A new edition of Modern Gaming is up as I will check out a Han Solo game titled Flight of the Falcon. Despite the Solo movie debuts in a few days, I won't check it out since the Mouse Empire started messing with the original canon. Let's talk about Han Solo and some of his tidbits from Lucas' canon. I found a few things interesting from the Original Trilogy of Episode 4. In the original cut, Solo flirted with some human woman in the Cantina scene when Luke and Obi-Wan came to their table. Of course, it got taken out from the original cut as I'm assuming Lucas didn't want to discourage 21st Century Fox for its rating. Honestly, he should've kept it in as this made Solo a more interesting character because of him acting like some womanizer. Of course, Lucas started moving Solo to a comedic character in Return of the Jedi and having the former smuggler speaking obvious dialogue.
As for this edition, Flight of the Falcon got released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance and published by THQ. Surprisingly enough, this game wasn't produced or published by Lucas Arts but instead by THQ. I had no clue Lucas Arts let their licenses out to other publishers. Usually, they were the publisher most of the time with games like the Super series and Rogue Squadron. The game is under the rail shooter genre as I have already covered one from Sega. I can see why THQ wanted to use this genre since it has seen previous success during the 90s. However, I find it a bit odd that they would pick a system like the GBA to have a rail shooter. The genre has always been dull on portable systems of any kind. I just find it strange they would pick a portable to release a Star Wars game. Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon (GBA) Review A new edition of Retro Corner is up, and I’m checking out Super Star Wars for the Super NES. It's another year and a new Star Wars movie hits theaters next week once again from the Mouse Empire. Ever since Rogue One saw a release in 2015, Disney has come out with the “Star Wars story” as one of their yearly films. We all know why Disney is producing these annually movies and its to make back those 400 billion dollars they spent on Lucas Film. The Mouse Empire, after releasing the creative disaster known as the Last Jedi last year, is now trying to get back the viewers they lost. Now, gee whiz why is that? Maybe it's because the Mouse Empire produced the worst Star Wars movie ever? Of course, Disney is trying to capture the Original Trilogy fanboys and Purists with a Han Solo film.
As for the review, Super Star Wars was part of the lineup for the Super NES where it would follow the Original Trilogy. As you noticed by the title picture, the game follows A New Hope as you go across Tatooine and the Death Star facing off against the Empire. Unlike the NES version, the Super NES edition saw development from Lucas Arts, a game studio under Lucas Films. That means this isn't considered a license title when the company owns the studio that produces it. The gameplay is that of a 2D action platformer as you take control of Luke, Han and Chewbecca. The Star Wars title also takes advantage of the Super NES's Mode 7 graphics. It was a special effect in gaming that was often used for games such as F-Zero, Super Mario Kart and Contra 3. Of course, this was before the Super FX 1 and 2 Chips came out for gaming during the Mid 90s. The developers used this style for certain levels as you will see during the Death Star space level. Super Star Wars (Super NES) Review A new edition of Alicorn Reviews is up, and we get treated to another CMC episode. Ever since the Crusader received their cutie marks in Season 5, the girls have been on a role helping others. The CMC even helped a griffon named Gabby try to get her cutie mark despite that her kind can't. I'll be honest about these fillies, I was never a fan of them and these kids have never stuck out with me once. However, I'm not saying they are not good characters as they have provided unique and fun moments. I can understand why they have such a following among Bronies and it's their charm of kids growing up. Fans have watched these girls grow from patiently waiting for their cutie marks to now going through the struggles of using their talents. I may never be a fan of these girls but the appeal of watching them grow is very understandable.
The episode is a first for the Crusaders as up until now they have always helped ponies (aside Gabby) find their talents. Now, the Cutie Map has summoned the Crusaders to a friendship problem much to their delight. Not only is this the first time the map has called them but it's leading outside the boarders of Equestria. The map called them to Mount Aris in Seaquestria and a Hippogriff/Seapony named Terramar needs help solving an issue. It turns out that he has become divided between staying with his mother in the ocean and wanting to live on Mount Aris along his father. The Crusaders must help convince Terramar over a family problem on where he should live. These episodes involving other characters with the map has helped put them in different situations. It also takes them out of their comfort zone when solving problems and grows them as characters. Surf and/or Turf Review The console wars are often a competition between two or at times three console providers. For decades gamers of their preferred system and the companies have compared themselves with these features each system offered, so they could claim superiority. Of course, the generation that best exhibits this was from the 16-bit wars between Nintendo and Sega. I'm sure you have heard the same mantra from us Golden Age Gamers numerous times regarding this time. That era of gaming always stood out to me the most unlike today when 2/3s of the console providers are not actual game companies. Its true that Sony has dished out stronger first and second party IPs lately especially against Microsoft. However, it doesn't come close to the magic I felt when Nintendo and Sega faced off in a legendary match. That brings us to a new segment I wanted to bring to Retro Corner. It's called Retro Arena and in these editorials I compare two games of the same kind to find out who's the better game.
In this first edition, we compare Capcom's Super NES port of Final Fight to Sega's Streets of Rage on the Genesis. I already reviewed both games on this site about two years ago when I started writing. Unlike today where the consoles are trying to emulate PC gaming. The home systems in the 80s and 90s tried emulating the arcade experience as a selling point. It's among the reasons both the Super NES, and Genesis had arcade ports and if not games built around their concepts on these consoles. The games both come from the brawler genre or beat 'em ups as another way to call them. Technōs Japan might have made brawlers popular with Double Dragon, but I believe it was Capcom and Sega who left a greater impression on the genre. Final Fight and Streets get paired up for a reason, so who will prevail in this retro match up? Retro Arena: Final Fight (Super NES) vs Streets of Rage (Genesis) |
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