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Thread: if you could only have 1 european retro pc

  1. #61
    Peach (Level 3)
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    Of all the 8 bit computers we've talked about here, If I had to use one for actual work rather than gaming, I'd definitely go with an Apple ][. As a gaming computer it wasn't half bad either, but I could never get used to analog joysticks.

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    Pear (Level 6) Soviet Conscript's Avatar
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    i wouldn't count the MSX or apple II for the purpose of this thread. i'm thinking more EU only computers. or things that were so rare or limited outside of EU they may as well be.

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    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tom View Post
    MSX was excellent, of course, but not very widespread in Europe, same as Apple ][. MSX does have a great range of Japan carts, but they were never available in Europe, maybe some were, but I don't know.


    .
    Lots of importing

    The current MSX scene is definitely pretty happening compared to other stuff.

    buncha new games for msxdev '09
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

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    I gotta disagree with Arkhan on the Speccy (this time, we're in agreement usually from the looks of things).

    Speccy has a LOT of great games on it, and for me the best non-arcade version of R-Type out there. Yeah - you heard me.

    I've never personally owned one, but thanks to the the evil black wizardry of emulation I can vouch for the following 'off the top of my head' games as awesome:

    1) Renegade
    2) Target: Renegade
    3) Head over Heels
    4) R-Type
    5) Jet Set Willy
    6) Manic Miner
    7) Monty on the Run
    8) Solomon's Key (another damn fine arcade port...)
    9) Jetpac
    10) Fantasy World Dizzy
    11) Treasure Island Dizzy



    ... I'm no ZX mastermind or anything but... there ya go: 11 reasons to have a Spectrum, easy.

    Yes - the sound can be tinny and there's color bleeding everywhere but still. The machine packs a big punch with small amounts of hardware.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  5. #65
    ServBot (Level 11) tom's Avatar
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    Well, some people like ZX Spectum, some people like 8-bit computers.

  6. #66
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AB Positive View Post
    I gotta disagree with Arkhan on the Speccy (this time, we're in agreement usually from the looks of things).

    Speccy has a LOT of great games on it, and for me the best non-arcade version of R-Type out there. Yeah - you heard me.

    I've never personally owned one, but thanks to the the evil black wizardry of emulation I can vouch for the following 'off the top of my head' games as awesome:

    1) Renegade
    2) Target: Renegade
    3) Head over Heels
    4) R-Type
    5) Jet Set Willy
    6) Manic Miner
    7) Monty on the Run
    8) Solomon's Key (another damn fine arcade port...)
    9) Jetpac
    10) Fantasy World Dizzy
    11) Treasure Island Dizzy



    ... I'm no ZX mastermind or anything but... there ya go: 11 reasons to have a Spectrum, easy.

    Yes - the sound can be tinny and there's color bleeding everywhere but still. The machine packs a big punch with small amounts of hardware.

    but... you named games that are on other computers too... including the Amstrad. Pretty sure all of them except Jetpac, jet set willy, and headover heels made it to the amstrad.... with renegade and Target Renegade being wayyyy better on the Amstrad... So I don't see why these make the speccy the clear winner here..... Try them in Amstrad too!

    and, Try R-Type on an MSX! Its got FM and nice colors.......
    and then... the PC-Engine and Sharp X68000 ones.......

    spectrum kinda farts out in comparison

    The spectrum gets some fast, very smooth gameplay at the cost of colors. the graphics are just bad. monochrome tiger handheld lookin crap. Yeah double dragon plays way better on a spectrum than the c64, but its B&W ....


    I could understand if it was like '85 and you were broke and got a spectrum, but its 2009! If you could pick just one, why pick the one with the gimpy video capabilities and poorly utilized PSG. (MSX has the same one and does way better with it!)
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  7. #67
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    Take a look at these two screenshots of Sabre Wulf and tell me which one you think looks better:



    (Sorry I can't find a larger picture of the Amstrad one, but the Amstrad's online community is rather miniscule compared to the Spectrum's so there aren't many places to get good screenshots.)

    The amstrad version might be more colorful, but the resolution is so low it looks like something a toddler drew with sidewalk chalk. The Spectrum version is much sharper, and the sprites may be monochromatic, but they're much more stylish. And on top of that, Spectrum games move much smoother than Amstrad ones. Many of the best Amstrad titles look more like slide shows than video games.

    And if you really want the best looking version of a game, the C64 port will almost always blow both the Spectrum and Amstrad out of the water. If you want the most playable European version, it's almost always going to be the Spectrum.

    I'm not saying the Amstrad is a bad computer or that you shouldn't get it, but if you're only going to get one Euro computer, the Spectrum is going to give you the broadest library of playable games. If you end up liking the Spectrum, get an Amstrad as well.

    If somebody asked "I want to buy one 8 bit console from the mid 80's, what should I get?", would you recommend the NES or would you tell them to get a Sega Master System? The SMS has better graphics, but the NES has a much better library. Plus the NES was *the* defining console of that era. The SMS is great too, but it's a clear choice which one to get if you're only going to get one. Same thing goes for the Spectrum.
    Last edited by blue lander; 12-07-2009 at 09:36 AM.

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    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
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    thats the one thing the spectrum has going for it is that theres like no games that run choppy. They run smooth as hell, but they look like abominations.

    I did find that if you play them with 3D glasses on theyre kinda interesting.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

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    ServBot (Level 11) tom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blue lander View Post
    If somebody asked "I want to buy one 8 bit console from the mid 80's, what should I get?", would you recommend the NES or would you tell them to get a Sega Master System? The SMS has better graphics, but the NES has a much better library. Plus the NES was *the* defining console of that era. The SMS is great too, but it's a clear choice which one to get if you're only going to get one. Same thing goes for the Spectrum.
    I'd say the SMS has a better games library and better gameplay. At least in Europe, where the NES 'FLOP', defined nothing.
    Last edited by tom; 12-07-2009 at 11:12 AM.

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