Three Days of 3DO: A Look Back
Yours truly is just about to wrap up a "rekindling" session with my 3DO and its game library, done mainly for the book research but also to once again attempt to "get my money's worth" of a console that cost me $700. If you didn't know, I bought my 3DO on launch day. I still have the receipt AND that original console bought on that fateful day.
So besides the fact that the unit has been quite reliable for over ten years, I had to go back to see how well or poorly the library has aged. I have a complete US library and quite a lot of imports, so this would take up lots of time. Thought I would share some of my random thoughts and notes with you.
- By the weekend I should have two screenshots for pretty much every US 3DO title, which you'll find in both the gallery and in the game rarity lists. Figured while I was researching I might as well get some screen caps for the site and book.
- I started my research with the games that I play the least: the non-games, the kids' stuff, the educational software, that kind of thing. Nothing of interest to note here, other than the fact that this machine simply isn't cut out to do a lot of the things the developers thought it could do. Things like the 20th Century Almanac and Life Stage (a virtual "interior decorator") are both clumsy with a joypad interface as well as intolerably slow. It may not have seemed as bad in 1994, but it's just ponderous stuff by today's standards.
- Nothing cries out "early days of multimedia" like some of these 3DO games that were ported from the PC. It's amazing how many developers thought it would be cool to have 3D modeled CGI characters in their games. It's not cool, and MAN does it date the software. Avoid games like Cyberia, Lost Eden, Creature Shock, Hell, and Dragon Lore. They REEK of 1993 and despite some pretty interesting themes and well-meaning gameplay, they're part of that clumsy "let's show how this console is actually as good as a PC" mentality that clearly didn't convince anyone of that fact back in the day.
- Then there are the games that simply didn't age well. They were great between 1994-1995 but along came PlayStation and Saturn and suddenly we all understood what a 32-bit console could REALLY do. Example: I used to LOVE Killing Time, Studio 3DO's take on the first-person shooter. Killing Time features some truly terrific character designs, cut-scenes built right into the game (like FMV ghosts that would appear when you walk into a room but you could walk through or past them), and a ton of levels. Well, it's pretty bad by today's standards. The graphics are actually quite sparse, the characters terribly pixellated when up close, but worst of all is the frame rate. We weren't talking too much about frame rates back then, but Killing Time would be the poster child for good games destroyed by frame rates. Another candidate would be Star Fighter, which is just SUCH a great game that would be a classic to this very day (at least for me) if the frame rate were just a hair better. A hair better would make them tolerable. I have yet to play the PlayStation version of Star Fighter, but I'll bet it's a hidden gem.
- On the positive side there were also a few titles that I DIDN'T play much back then but found myself havnig all kinds of fun with now. Icebreaker is the first that springs to mind, an action puzzle game where you have to eliminate the triangular shapes from the playfield by either smashing them down, shooting them, or luring bad guys into them. You're a triangle as well. So are the bad guys. This is probably why I didn't "get it" back then but as it turns out the game has not only aged well but I'd venture to say that it relates better to today's mix of games. It's a puzzle-shooter, and there just aren't enough of those.
- Back to a bad note while I'm thinking of it. All of the FMV games - every one of them that should use a light gun- is completely useless without the light gun. Don't even bother to try.
- Two games that failed in nearly biblical proportions to bring digitized character graphics to 3DO: the fighting game Shadow and the FPS Virtuoso. They actually both manage the characters alright, but they're stuck inside of extremely poor games. But then again, we knew that even back then.
- Alone in the Dark 2 should have never been made.
- Plumbers Don't Wear Ties should have never been thought out loud.
- There were lots of nice little surprises, games that I either didn't own back then and bought because I needed 'em for the collection. Dino Park Tycoon, which certainly appears by all exterior appearances to be a kids game - if it can even be seen as a game at all - turns out to be a very competent Resource Management game with heavy Theme Park overtones. I actually found myself saving my park to go back to later. Mind you, I relate very well with games marked "for ages 8+".
- Another nice surprise: Guardian War. One of just a handful of RPG's on the system, Guardian War could even be called a forefather to the "tactics"-style RPG's of today, complete with changing character jobs/class and upgrading their body types. I wasn't a big fan of the game back then, but must admit that I found it really addictive and had to force myself to put it down and move along. I do plan on going back to that one as well.
- Seal of the Pharoah is possibly the worst RPG ever made.
- How did Doom turn out so bad and Castle Wolfenstein turn out so good?
- Everything else that I categorized as "great games" back then hold true to that today. Return Fire, Super Street Fighter II, Blade Force, Road Rash, Lucienne's Quest, Star Control II, and yes, the much-debated Way of the Warrior... I LOVE these games. And for these titles I will never part with my 3DO.
- If you're into FMV, this library has three of the best: Snow Job, Night Trap, and Psychic Detective. Forget everything you've heard about FMV and give these a shot. Even if you played and hated Night Trap in the 90's I had fun gettnig frustrated with it again, NOW primarily for the sheer cheeziness of the game. It's comedy gold. I'd put Sewer Shark into this category as well, but the game is pretty monotonous outside of the hilarious cut scenes.
- Four great sports titles: FIFA Soccer, Madden Football, Foes of Ali and Olympic Summer Games. Sure, they were ALL done on other consoles as well, but these are the BEST of those first-gen games (Foes of Ali surely being the predecessor of Knockout Kings with has now become Fight Night). They all still hold up well, even with the slightly dated polygon technology used in Ali and Olympic Summer. Give them a try.
- I remember this being a problem before but I discovered it again. Neurodancer crashes. Yes, I'm being a naughty boy by asking Jennifer to take her shorts off before her top, but that's no reason to bail out of the program on me, is it? OK maybe it is
- AD&D Slayer is still a pleasant surprise. AD&D DeathKeep is still a huge disappointment.
- I will never know Who Shot Johnny Rock.
Lunch hour's over - gotta run! Just wanted to share these thoughts with current and future 3DO gamers!
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Originally Posted by BHvrd
