MMMC #13 - The Real Ghostbusters

[scooterb23]

Who ya gonna call? The Monday Morning MAME Club! OK, so it's not catchy.



Club Rules

01. You do not need to sign up for the club. If you want to participate, simply download the game of the week and post about it!

02. At the end of the week, I will randomly select a game from a list of nominations.

03. The current MAME Club Pick of the Week can be found every Monday stickied at the top of the Arcade Alley.

In celebration of the recent release of the new Ghostbusters game for all the modern consoles, I'd like to thank jb143 for the suggestion of The Real Ghostbusters! This is a hard, but fun, fast-paced run-n-gun style game.

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9281



As a bonus, there are two versions of the rom out there. A 2-player, and a 3-player one. I have sent our sources both, you need the 2-player one to play...but, if you are able, you can get three people playing this game if you'd like!

Speaking of ROM sources...

Flack will be hosting at http://www.robohara.com/mameclub/

and 2DSkillz will have the games ROMs at http://www.retrogoggles.com/

Now, I'm going to be gone most of this week, it's Origins time in Columbus! 5 days of boardgaming bliss!! But, I'll try to check in from time to time.

*Announcement*
Looking forward to next week...

I want to say that next week I'm making an executive decision to break a rule I made week one. I've been concerned about controller issues, so I've tried (and asked all of you) to avoid picking games that you can't play (or are extremely tough to play) with just a keyboard. I hope it's ok, but I'd like to break that rule for one week...because I finally have a gamepad , and I want to play some dual stick shooter goodness. In fact, if we're playing a dual stick shooter, let's make it a double dual stick shooter week. Yeah, you heard me.

Two games...my favorite 2 stick game (not going to reveal that yet ) and a 2 stick game picked by the group. So, start thinking about it...and I'll ask for nominations later in the week.

Previous MMMC choices: Jump Coaster, Rampart, Jungler, Ninja Emaki, Port Man, Psycho Soldier, Metamoqester, Gunbarich, Sengoku (series), Snacks'n Jackson, Metro-Cross, Moon Shuttle.

Have a great week.

[jb143]

I hadn't played it in a while when I suggested it. When I fired it up the other day it did mention missing ROMs but I didn't notice any problems.

You'll probally die a lot but if I remember correctly you just keep putting in imaginary quarters and you'll never get a game over.

It is pretty fun though, and I usually don't go for games of this type too often. I havn't tried yet, but it does seem like it would be even more fun multiplayer. There's just so many ghosts on the screen at all times that it would be nice to have some extra help.

[scooterb23]

Yeah, I noticed the missing rom thing as well, but I've generally found it doesn't affect anything, especially early in the game.

[InsaneDavid]

Nice choice! I remember in the arcade we wouldn't play this one very often since regardless of how many people were at the machine it would always suck down your quarters way too fast. Not a problem with MAME.

Two games...my favorite 2 stick game (not going to reveal that yet ) and a 2 stick game picked by the group. So, start thinking about it...and I'll ask for nominations later in the week.

I'll jump the gun and nominate Vindicators.

[jb143]

Nice choice! I remember in the arcade we wouldn't play this one very often since regardless of how many people were at the machine it would always suck down your quarters way too fast. Not a problem with MAME.

No kidding...it costs you a quarter every time a ghost knocks you down or you bump into a spike. I played though all 10 levels tonight and I wish it kept track of how many credits I put in. It had to be at least $30 worth.

My biggest complaint with the game is that it gets pretty repetitive. Almost to the point that it seems like the levels repeat, only with different enemies. Probably not though, it just seemed like it.

[Vectorman0]

I was a little disappointed with this.

I tried it out on my Xbox yesterday, and was greeted with some nice theme music. After a few minutes of it looping, I thought it was getting pretty old. The rest of the game seemed average and the controls left a bit to be desired. The game would be better if the direction you were facing was locked in while you were firing your laser.

I only gave the game five to ten minutes, so I'll be trying it again before the end of the week.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

No kidding...it costs you a quarter every time a ghost knocks you down or you bump into a spike. I played though all 10 levels tonight and I wish it kept track of how many credits I put in. It had to be at least $30 worth.

My biggest complaint with the game is that it gets pretty repetitive. Almost to the point that it seems like the levels repeat, only with different enemies. Probably not though, it just seemed like it.

I just got done with all 10 levels too, but "Game End?"

Anyway I agree with most everything you've said. To have completed this in the arcade must have required one to take out a small loan. And the level design is very very repetitive. The boss fights were pretty lackluster too, mainly because the amount of times the enemies were recycled throught the game.

I also think that if there was a real weapon powerup system, it would have added a lot to the game.

It's sorta like a bad version of Zombies Ate My Neighbors, without humor.

[scooterb23]

Hey everybody,

Quick question...

Do we go forth with dual game / dual stick game week? Or do we play Michael Jackson's Moonwalker in tribute? And if we go with the former, what game would you like to see alongside... Black Widow (my favorite dual stick game ever). I'll attempt to add a poll at the top.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Well I plan on playing Moonwalker soon anyway, mostly because I never have. I was reading a thread over on KLOV just a few minutes ago, in fact.

Maybe Moonwalker and one dual stick game? It's your call though.

[Arasoi]

With the new Ghosbusters game out I think this was a great choice for MAME club this week.

Like everyone has been saying this game suffers from credit problems, I can't imagine actually playing this in the arcade. The controls are a litle wonky as well. but I actually think this is a pretty solid game. I played it via Kaillera with 3 pals and we had a lot of fun.I might buy the PCB if I see it pop up for sale somewhere.

I would definitely be down for the arcade Moonwalker as a tribute to MJ. It's a great game. If we go for the dual stick/special joystick option however, I would nominate the rotary joystick game Midnight Resistance by Data East. I would imagine it would control pretty well with the mouse for the rotary portion, the game is a ton of fun.

[Ed Oscuro]

It's funny to compare this game with the JPN version, Meikyuu Hunter G (which sure sounds like "we didn't have the license so here's a 'G'"). That game starts off on a level that The Real Ghostbusters straggles into later in the game.

The first area always struck me as really odd, plus the dark shadowed area at the top of the playfield always looked like an exit corridor to me. Bullet Bills in the floor around "GREEN GHOST" too...what?

I can't say which game has the worse secondary weapon. It's easy to run out of secondary firepower on Real Ghostbusters; in the other game, you can redirect the secondary shot by quickly pressing secondary fire again. It's too short and weak to do a whole lot of good though.

Dumb and ugly levels for the most part, although ironically I think Meikyuu Hunter G has more interesting (if not more inspired) types of enemies. Even the first evil humanoids look more interesting than Real Ghostbusters' mummies in the "GHOSTHOUSE" (who gets close enough to a haunted house to put up a warning sign like that and doesn't call the Ghostbusters, anyway?)

One final note...the logo for Meikyuu Hunter G looks eerily similar to the logos for Konami's Crypt Killer / Henry Explorers, with wavy text looping down around a central circular element. More waves in "Meikyuu Hunter" though.