Jeff's response to my question about the purchase I made of the Ultimate Arcade 2 from Costco.  This is a full size arcade cabinet with 100 classic arcade games on it including Street Fighter II CE.  The below link is to the website of the company that makes the cabinet, but that is not the exact cabinet that I purchased.

http://www.chicago-gaming.com/alegends.php

I've seen a machine in my local Costco. It seems like a great way to get a lot of games into one cabinet, but the tradeoff is that it's basically a PC in a box running the games via emulation. So it's not quite the 100% arcade perfect experience. How does Street Fighter run? Some of the PC-in-a-box arcade cabinets I've seen don't have fast enough CPUs to run all of the games at full speed with no frameskipping. If that runs fine, then it's probably fast enough to run just about anything else on the hard drive.

My Burning Question is answered on April 7th 2006!

Inferiority Complex

Where is my Sega Master System Flashback?!?! Everyone that owned and enjoyed an NES got one. Now it is time for us fans of that wonderful and admittedly better system to be given a flashback. How about now!!! OK, I will be nice now.

Robert "Clay" Branch
Granada Hills, California

For those of you not in the know, our friend "Clay" is referring to our system-flashback features, like our looks back at the NES and the PlayStation. As much as I'd love to help you out "Clay," I'm afraid GameSpot only has time to flashback systems that actually mattered. OOOHHHH BURRRNNNNNN. YOU GOT FACED, SON. ALL UP IN YOUR FACE. GASSSSSSFACCCCCCE. OOOOOHHHHH.

*cough* Right, anyway. So, for serious, let's ask the lady who handles all these freak features of ours. Carrie, earn your paycheck and answer this fella's question!

Hey "Clay",

Thanks for showing interest in our Flashback series. It's too bad that you're completely and utterly crazy! While the Sega Master System had both Snail and those super cool 3D glasses, it can't even hold a candle to the awesomeness that is the NES. However, since we love all our readers, even the loony ones, you can expect to see an update to the Flashback feature some time this year. The question is...will it be for the SMS? Will it be the Vectrex? The world may never know (until the feature comes out, at least). Keep your eyes peeled to find out! -- Carrie Gouskos

So DC has done it.  In the latest issue of Infinite Crisis DC comics has killed what can be considered a "major" character in the DCU.  I am sad that he is gone because of what Geoff Johns has done with the character in the pages of the Teen Titans these last three years.

At least Superboy did not die without becoming a man!  That is right folks you read it here first! (Or maybe second for those of you that had read the tie-in issue of Teen Titans before this issue of Infinite Crisis.)  Superboy and Wonder Girl went for a roll in the hey.  Was that clue #1 that Superboy was going to be no more?  I don't think so.  But it should have been a big tip off for me.  Why?  Because just like Jaime Kennedy's character in Scream said, if you lose your virginity in a horror movie, your going to lose your life. 

It seems like when a serious story dealing with teenagers is being told and they lose there virginity some tragic event occurs and one of them loses their life.  So I should have known the moment I read that comic that superboy was going down.  Of course I wasn't thinking that when I read it.

I didn't know that Superboy was going to pass on before the end of this series.  Although I was starting to feel that way with the last issue of Infinite Crisis.  There was a whole vibe around that issue that really felt like we were seeing the end in sight.  But was that the first clue that he was going to buy the farm?  Not when I start putting more pieces together.

What should have tipped me off was the issue where the Flash (Wally West) went missing.  Why?  Because in the original Crisis on Infinite Earths (the series in which this is something of a sequel to) the Flash at that time (Barry Allen) died.  Does anyone else remember what happened in that series?  (It was 20 years ago so I will forgive you if you don't.)  That's right,  Supergirl died.  Why?  Why?  Why?  Why have a repeated history of the first series 20 years ago where it affects the exact same families in practically the same way?

I don't have an answer for you.  I know that Superboy did get a heroic final moment and his death was not cheap (unlike Hawkeye's from Marvels Avengers Disassembled storyline a couple years ago).  In the end though.  I will miss Superboy and I hope that this will not be the last time that we ever see his character.  Comic deaths more then ever before never seem to last that long.  Of course there is one thought that crossed my mind.  If they plan to bring us a new Superboy in the near future, could it only be 9 months away *wink, wink*?

R.I.P Superboy

So this is something that I have been thinking about for a while.  I am a huge fan of video reviews on Gamespot.  If given a choice I would much rather watch a video review then to actually read the text review.  GS has been doing video reviews now for a handful of years but not from there inception.  Needless to say I like to go back and look at older games often and I have watched many a video review again and again.  Maybe it is for nostalgia of games gone by or just to hear the thoughts of the reviewer at the time he played the game along with all of the video footage that comes along with it.

Problem is GS has only been doing video reviews for maybe 4 years now.  There are a lot of good if not great games that came out before that time that GS reviewed but never made a video review for.  Some games off the top of my head would be Diablo, Starcraft, Deus Ex, Resident Evil: Code Veronica and Skies of Arcadia for the DC.  The list goes on and on.

So my wish is that GS would maybe start up a new feature once a week where they would actually complete a video review for a "classic" game.  I believe that it would be a popular feature and would be great for those individuals, (like myself) who have been around for awhile to experience a little nostalgia and introduce those that have not been around as long to games that they have not had a chance to experience and get them to go out and grab a piece of history.

So I have posed the idea to GS and am waiting to see if I get any type of response or interest.  If this is an idea that you think would be pretty cool and would actually like to see yourself, maybe you could let GS know and see if anything comes out of it.  Until then, I would really like to hear what you all think of the idea?  Thanks!

To get an understanding of where I am going with this, you might want to watch the following video.

Here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9214419766443021135&q=dreamcast

or here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGf2-fK1B_w&search=dreamcast

I will make reference to facts in the above video.  I hope to make a clear enough point of those facts that if you do not wish to sit through the video you don't have to.  (Although if you were a fan of the Sega Dreamcast, I think it has excellent nostalgia appeal.)

So what I am getting at here is that Sega released an excellent product in the Dreamcast.  The hardware was at the top of it's class for that time and would hold it's position for more than a year.  It had a glut of fantastic games that no other system at the time could match.  There were no less than two killer apps on launch day (Soul Calibur & NFL 2K) and the latest offering of a beloved franchise in Sonic Adventure.

Being released on 9/9/99 for $199 and already 300,000 pre-orders (A record at the time that surpassed the previous record holder Playstation by no less then 200,000.) in place.  It goes on to sale 372,000 systems in the first week.

Within the next couple of weeks the system is sold out on shelves and retailers are asking for more systems because customers are craving this brand new machine.  Sega at the time is unable to keep up with demand.

Sony comes out within short order and announces the PS2.  Even with the PS2 being more then a year out, they appear to be able to convince most current Playstation owners to hold off on a Dreamcast purchase and wait for the PS2.

The Dreamcast had been launched in Japan before it's US debut but had manufacturing problems and was unable to get enough systems into market which left games going home empty handed on day one and eventually with the word of the PS2's future launch was unable to get any type of real foothold in Japan. 

Then in late 2000 Sony released their new PS2.  It was an upgrade over the Dreamcast and at the time was released by a company who seemed to give the video game buying public more faith in the support of the system.

With the release of the PS2, sales of the Dreamcast came to an almost standstill and as most of us know it lead to the PS2 selling 10's of millions of systems.  With the Dreamcast unable to sale more than 5 million systems worldwide, production of the system was brought to an end and Sega as a hardware manufacture came to a close after roughly two decades.

Now I am not saying that Microsoft will be out of the gaming business because Sony will do so well with the PS3, but I think there are a few similarities between the two.

First of all  the 360 was released in November and appears to have come out a year ahead of the PS3.  As with the Dreamcast, Microsoft is in short supply of the 360.  In part because it is a hot item but mainly because they are having manufacturing issues.  There is also the fact that they appear at the moment to be unable to get any type of foothold in the Japanese market, similar to Sega's issues with the Dreamcast. 

The 360 is now going into it's 5th month of release and possibly still has not filled all of the pre-orders initially placed for it and without a doubt has not filled all pre-orders that were created for the system after launch day when those that wanted one realized they were going to have to get in line down the road just to get their excited little hands on one.

A lot of gamers have known for a year now that PS3 is coming.  Next month is E3 and unless Sony is again going to push the launch of the PS3 back you have to believe that they are going to have a significant number of games on the floor to play and if the time difference between the two systems is any indication.  You should be able to tell that the PS3 is able to perform (technologically) better than the 360.

So is it possible that like with the Dreamcast & PS2 situation, you will find a number of those that were planning on picking up the 360 now holding off for the PS3?  Could it be that even with a number of available systems on the shelf at Christmas and a limited supply of PS3's.  Consumers will wait an buy the PS3 later causing the 360 to never make the significant market share that Sony would at that point?

On a side note.  Is it possible I have absolutely no idea what I am talking about?  Naaahhhhh.  OK, maybe.  But I believe that it is a debatable topic and is worth some consideration.  Thanks.

Back when I played games on my Atari 2600 and Sega Master System I thought to myself how great it would be that somewhere down the road things would improve so far in video games that one day I would be playing games with real actors in them and it would feel like a real movie experience.  I of course figured that it would be decades off and that it would not happen until we reached the 256 bit era.

So I did not stay with video games into the 16 bit era.  I have no idea what I was doing at the time.  Obviously nothing very memorable.  But an issue of my Sega Visions (did anyone get this wonderful little magazine?) came in and instead of pushing it off to the side like I had done with a number of my previous issues, I decided to glance through it and see what was new in games.  I want to say this was the holiday season 1993 issue.  So I am looking through it and it lists all the big games that you should have on your Christmas wish list for that year.  And low and behold what do I see, but a few titles that offer FMV!!!

Now of course all of these games work for the Sega CD.  But in order to get the Sega CD to work, you have to have a Sega Genesis.  So my parents are not rich so in order for me to play these wonderful new games of the future that are going to be the greatest thing that ever happened in gaming!!!  I have to ask for not one new gaming system but TWO!!!  Needless to say, I did not believe that I would be enjoying what the gaming gods had given us unfortunate soles.  But alas, my prayers were answered that Christmas and I did receive both systems of greatness.  I knew that I had gotten the systems before Christmas because I had gone into my parents closet and discovered them.  I am sure no one else has ever done that, right?

So what FMV games did I get for this wonderful new experience?  Well I think the better question is what games did I not get?  You can see in my profile all of the games that I ended up  getting that were from this era in gaming, but let me mention a few here.  The games that I completed.  Double Switch with Cory Haim and the fantastic R. Lee Ermey.  I actually liked this game.  Am I the only one?

Ground Zero Texas!!!  If I recall correctly this was a very well advertised game at the time.  It was really being pushed as one of the standout FMV games of the time. Was it, well were any of them really?  But I still enjoyed the game none the less.  Although there were a significant of repeat play sessions near the end to beat the game.

Sewer Shark - Another game that I enjoyed.  I have read a few comments over the years of those that hated this game.  Maybe it was just my mind frame at the time but I tended to enjoy all of the FMV games that I played and completed.

Wirehead - This game had a little bit of the James Bond films to it.  OK, real little.  I enjoyed my experience with it none the less.

Well this blog is starting to get a little long and there were a handful more that I played through and completed but I think I covered the ones that really interested me at the time.  There is one more that I did not complete but I do want to mention though. 

Night Trap - I bought this game only after it had been edited and re-released.  I started to play through the game but was unable to advance all the way through to the end (wish I had though).  What I remember the most about this game was the controversy that surrounded this game at the time and Dana Plato who gained fame from the t.v. show Different Stokes.

So was I the only one that played these games?  Actually a better question would be was I the only one that played these games and actually enjoyed them?

As those of you taking the time to read this probably know.  The DC Universe has seen a lot of well known past heroes return from the grave.  Superman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Robin (Jason Todd) & Donna Troy.  Those are the ones just off the top of my head.

Recently revealed in the highly popular mini series Infinite Crisis, the reason for this surprisingly frequent return from the afterlife was exposed.  (Don't worry, I will not give away the surprise here)  Hopefully those of you that have not jumped on that band wagon yet will be tempted to though after reading my little blog here.

Well my point is for those of you that have been reading this is one thing.  Who is one major Superhero that has gone into the light in the past 20 years who is not on this list, anyone?  The Flash (Barry Allen).  I have not read to much about the possibilities of his return but come on.  How could you bring back as many heroes from the old dirt nap and not bring back Barry?

We have seen him show up over the last couple of years in what was (note the "was") the latest Flash series written very well by Geoff Johns.  Plus those of you that have been reading Infinite Crisis, know what is going on with the current Flash (Wally West).  Then there is the new series of the Flash that is due to start here very soon.

My point is this.  Would it be wrong to not bring back Barry Allen when you have robbed the grave of so many of the other big deaths of the past 20 years?  Do you think Barry Allen would continue to get a raw deal if he was left in the grave now that there is this opportunity to bring him back?  And if you don't feel it is Barry Allen that is going to return as the Flash and with what appears to be happening to Wally West currently.  Who will the flash in the upcoming title be, Kid Flash or someone else altogether?

My vote is for Barry Allen.  You read it here first!  Or maybe not.  Maybe the info is out there and I am just the last to know.  Anyway, let me know what you think?  Thanks

I saw a forum question regarding what everyones prized possession was in their video game collection.  Since I don't have a rare game like Panzer Dragoon Saga (which I attempted to get once, but was unwilling to pay the more than $100 dollars the item was going for on ebay.  I will save those kind of outrages prices for my comics collection).  I went with the Sega Nomad, why you ask?

Well let's see.  For whatever reason I feel like I must have been the only individual in existence that actually bought this system.  I never have spoken with anyone who claims to have owned it and have never seen anyone mention it in any postings or blogs.  Now that I think about it, I don't believe I ever remember having seen anyone else play it either.  Am I the only one?  True it had it's problems and yes it came out when the Sega Saturn & Playstation were coming out.  (Meaning everyone was ready to move onto the next generation of video game graphics.)  Still, it was the best handheld on the market for the performance power that it could put out at the time, wasn't it?

I am just curious to see who else may have owned this system and what they thought about it?  Or even if they still have this system in their possession?

I would have listed my copy of Night Trap if, it had been an original copy that was pulled from shelves and not one of the re-released versions that had been edited for content, but that is talk for another blog I think.

Let me know what you think?  Thanks

There is an awful lot of buzz going around right now about Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.  After having played it, it has created feelings in me that I have not yet seen anyone else mention in their writing of the game.  So I figured why not get my thoughts out there and see if anyone else agrees with me.

I have been anticipating the arrival of this game from the moment I started playing Morrowind.  I loved that game from the start and knew that I was going to be a long time fan of the series.

When Oblivion was first announced for the 360 it was the one game at the top of my list that I had to have on launch day.  So it was fantastic to experience the game on the 360, FOUR MONTHS AFTER LAUNCH!

What I have experienced with the game since launch is something that I had not expected to feel at all.  I did not feel it with Morrowind and I have never felt it with any other game.  Nostalgia.  Nostalgia not of video games.  But nostalgia of the first Pen & Paper Dungeons & Dragons game that my mother bought in the early 80 's and the experiences that playing that game gave me with my family.

The game came in a red box that we tore open and quickly dived into.  Creating characters and preparing for our first trek.  I was probably 8 or 9 at the time and I was envisioning my creation with just my imagination.  We went through that first adventure entering the dungeons and fighting the creatures, coming out victorious having saved the land and gained a little riches.

It has been a long time since I really set and thought about those memories and just how great it was to be so young and to be living that crazy adventure. 

No game I have played has ever given me pause to think of those times, until now.  Oblivion has finally brought the world and images that I created in my head to vivid life.  When I go through a dungeon in the game, I truly feel that I am seeing exactly what I saw in my mind all those years ago sitting at that table in Barnsdall Oklahoma.

The creatures feel real, the battles seem real.  I love going through the twists and turns and coming up on a chest, opening it and finding something that I have not seen before.  I wish I could play for a week or more straight, just to really bury myself in that feeling of Nostalgia.

So I want to thank the creators of Oblivion for a fantastic experience.  I want to thank you for creating a game that has brought me a ton of joy and will continue to do so for a very long time.  Most of all, I would like to thank you for bringing back some old memories in Vivid color and causing me to think about times long gone by that were extremely special to me.  Thank you!