"New" Old Games

[Nature Boy]

A lot of us here are discovering some of the retro stuff for the first time, even if we had the console in question when it was out.

I'm wondering what older gems you've come across for the first time?

For me it was "Stampede" and "Barnstorming" that came with Activision Anthology. Back in the 80s if it didn't involve outer space in some way I ignored it (I was 10). So my experience with these on AA were my first and I have to admit I regret not giving them a chance back in the day. I still go back and play 'em (in fact, I showed Barnstorming to a buddy of mine not two weeks ago and he fell in love himself).

(I also made sure I had the original carts in my collection, as they were absent prior to my AA experience).

What about you?

[Tatsu]

They are not that old but some days ago I stumbled over Secret Of Mana and Secret Of Evermore in a second hand store. It's not a game store but just a store for all kind of stuff people want to get rid off. So the games were cheap and I immediately started playing. I allready have several RPGs on the S-Nes but I missed out on SoM. It's a great game but I'm still quite at the beginning.

It seems like a lot of people don't see the value of their old games. Every day after work I cross the windows of this shop and see some new gems...

[digitalpress]

MAME has taught me a lot about what I missed as a lad. There are literally hundreds of games I've discovered for the first time, just in the past year or two.

However, if you want to put this on a specific compilation or a specific game, I'll call out "Assault" from one of the Namco Museum series. Boy, I probably would have missed this on MAME, too. It's got such a generic name but what a great game! Kinda like a top-down view of Battlezone with all kinds of extras (like rolling your tank sideways or hitting jump points where you can bomb clusters of enemies that are a distance away). Very cool "old" stuff, I'd recommend checking it out if you've missed it.

[bargora]

I bought Namco Museum Vol. 4 specifically for Asssault (having fed the beast plenty at the Dayton Mall arcade in the 80s), but I was pleasantly surprised by Ordyne. I hadn't realized that Namco was also in the business of side-scrolling cute-'em-ups.

[Nature Boy]

However, if you want to put this on a specific compilation...

Not at all. My compilation example was just that - an example.

I've recently subscribed to "Retro Gamer" lately (from the UK), and as an Atari 8-bit fanatic it's been a lot of fun discovering Speccy games (from the same generation). "Software Star" comes to mind - a really simple 'lemonade stand' type game but you're trying to make hit video games instead of selling lemonade. It's a lot of fun coming up with your own game titles and then releasing sequel after sequel :)

[Kid Fenris]

I bought Namco Museum Vol. 4 specifically for Asssault (having fed the beast plenty at the Dayton Mall arcade in the 80s),
Curse you and your uppity Dayton Mall nostalgia. My fond memories of that place go back no further than Marvel vs. Capcom.

Anyway, I also owe a debt to MAME, which most recently let me try Night Striker, a 1989 Taito coin-op with the same "fly-into-the-screen" gameplay as Space Harrier, Panzer Dragoon, or Super Thunder Blade. The control is a little loose, but the action is challengingly quick and the game offers different level paths, similar to Darius Gaiden. I wish I'd played Night Striker as a kid, even if it wouldn't have been in the Dayton Mall arcade.

It seems an odd choice, but the NES version of Bucky O'Hare was an enjoyable discovery for me. A surprisingly fun adaptation of a blip-on-the-radar cartoon, it lets you select different stages (and, once you rescue them, characters), and the level design is fairly clever for its day. A number of future Treasure staffers also worked on the game, so it lets me expand my geek knowledge, which is good and all.

[bargora]

Ah, my archnemesis Kid Fenris. What evil you plan today?

I even saw Ghosts 'n' Goblins at the Dayton Mall back in the day, although I only actually played it for the first time a few months ago on an NES. For whatever reason, Splatterhouse always grabbed my tokens before GnG could get them.

I also reread my post and realized that I had been playing the EX Alpha LE "triple S" version of Assault. The one with the Boonga-Boonga bonus stages.

[stuffedmonkey]

I bought Namco Museum Vol. 4 specifically for Asssault (having fed the beast plenty at the Dayton Mall arcade in the 80s), but I was pleasantly surprised by Ordyne. I hadn't realized that Namco was also in the business of side-scrolling cute-'em-ups.

Coolness. I just got Ordyne in a lot of Turbografx stuff I bought, but hadn't gotten around to playing it yet. I may have to do that tonight!

[Dr. Morbis]

When I started collecting, one of my first big discoveries for NES was Blaster Master. That game is so excellent! I don't know how I missed it during my childhood. Actually, I think I avoided renting it because of the screenshots in Nintendo Power. Jason's head is so massive. It's completely out of proportion with the rest of his body. It's like a giant melon in a helmet balancing on his shoulders. But I digress...

I got addicted to this game; there are so many things done right, and it feels totally polished. And repeatedly blasting things ad nauseum is sooooo satisfying for some reason. One tiny flaw is the inability to turn off the Wall II feature. But other than that, Blaster Master is the best "new" old game I've ever played.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I only just started playing NES games in the past couple of years, thanks to a trade here on DP that netted me my first-ever NES console.

Seriously.

I'd never owned one before that.

I kinda like it now. :D

[Crush Crawfish]

Definitely river city ransom. I'd never heard of this game until this summer, I played it, and It quickly became my 2nd favorite NES game (Megaman 3 is still #1).

Another one is Monster Party. I actually had this game when I was a kid but hated it. I re-bought it, played it, and fell in love with it.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm discovering pretty much everything for the first time...heck, I don't even have time for my VCS.

[DaBargainHunta]

A lot of us here are discovering some of the retro stuff for the first time, even if we had the console in question when it was out.

I'm wondering what older gems you've come across for the first time?

For me it was "Stampede" and "Barnstorming" that came with Activision Anthology. Back in the 80s if it didn't involve outer space in some way I ignored it (I was 10). So my experience with these on AA were my first and I have to admit I regret not giving them a chance back in the day. I still go back and play 'em (in fact, I showed Barnstorming to a buddy of mine not two weeks ago and he fell in love himself).

(I also made sure I had the original carts in my collection, as they were absent prior to my AA experience).

What about you?
Great question!

HERO from Activision Anthology is definitely one. Believe it or not, Pitfall (also from AA) is another. Of course, I'd HEARD of Pitfall for years, and I even owned a 2600 at the time, but that was one of the games I just never bought or played for whatever reason. Both still hold up brilliantly well even today.

Another one from AA that I quite liked was Plaque Attack. The game itself is pretty basic, but what impresses me about it how ORIGINAL the concept was and still is. You just don't see that kind of "outside the box" thinking much at all anymore. Back then, because technology was so limited, they had to find other ways to make the games appealing.

Blast Corp for N64 is another pretty good one. Maybe its cult legend status is a bit overblown, but it's definitely a solid, fun game.

[hswwsh]

What about Saboteur? I believe this is beign released on the new Atari classic system and is an actual "new" old game, given that it was written on the 2600 over 20 years ago and is only now being released for the first time.

I know... because I wrote it 8-)

Yars truly,

HSW