JXD The Android Gaming Tablet

 

In this day and age we are all for collecting all the classic games and playing them on the original consoles with the original controllers.  That is the best way to play retro games, the nostalgia is there with the feel and the touch of the machines.

Pushing in a cartridge into the slot on the Sega Master System, pressing the power button on your Nintendo NES console or even pumping coins into an original arcade cab.  These are all the things we remember of gaming as kids and still love to do, but in the present day this is not always possible for everyone and we like to preserve our machines and games of old and keep them in good condition plus access a range of games at any one time.

But wait........our delivery from Funstock.co.uk landed. So without delay we opened it up to see an Android tablet ..." But wait ........this had analogue joysticks and a D-pad!  We now had in our hands the JXD S7800b !

So this is an Android tablet built for retrogames....we are quite impressed!  The console holds well in your hands and is light too.weighing only 500g! Your thumbs lay ontop of the joysticks just right and still leaves your fingers to be hitting the L1 and R1 buttons curved into the corners of the console!  The tablet has all the buttons you'd expect from modern handhelds and they are all positioned correctly which will suit most games and gamers!

It has Android OS so this tablet is easy to navigate with the D-Pad or even the touch screen (yes touch screen!!) The Google Play store app is supported so you can download your Gmail or any other Android apps that take your fancy, even the retro games which are available are easy to access.  So this being just like your Android  phone (without calls) you can also surf the internet with pure ease using WIFI

No beating around the bush, this is a very fancy multi emulator in a branded tablet - but JXD have done this very well.  As we all know downloading ROMS can be annoying but the JXD makes this simple.  The console comes pre-loaded with a cloud app that puts your games into genres and categories for you.  All you have to do is simply choose your game and press download! Its that easy.  The 8GB of storage gives you tons of space for games and if you want more for movies or such there is a memory card slot too. The JXD is pre set to play Megadrive, SNES, Famicom, Gameboy, DS,GBA, MAME, PS1, N64, Arcade and  better still the DREAMCAST!!! 

Of course you can download more emu's for other consoles and formats (if you know how to do that sort of thing) and we are told the JXD also supports Speccy, Amiga, 32x and Atari Jaguar!!

One of the best features of the JXD is the screen it comes in at a massive 7" and is bright, responsive and colourful which makes the games llok great! If you wish to have more definition you can plug this badboy into your HDMI on your TV and go Large!!!  The speakers sit either side of the console giving you good stereo sound.  There is a 2.0 megapixel camera on the back and also one on the front if you want to take selfies, there is also an excellent Key Mapping feature if you download Android games that use touch screen controls, but you do have the option to use these on all games....we don't!

Battery life is good, we have been playing Crazy Taxi most of the day and with its 5000mah battery you can play for quite a while!   There is not much else to say about the JXD you just haver to play it for yourself to experience it.  This is a great retro meets modern gaming console with added emu's to get you started. There are even a few bundled games on there to get you going!

Like any emulation system -it plays emulated games, this means sadly that not all games play perfectly or have sound, but this you'll experience across a number of systems anyway. The majority of roms across a range of systems worked. Some didn't so we moved onto the next game - easy.

Watch the Official Trailer below or visit Funstock.co.uk to snap up your console (don't forget to use the code GYL at checkout for 5% off!!!)

Joypad...... The Super Warehouse Party!!!

Fancy a night off gaming , music and booze!  Then the Joypad Super warehouse Party 2 is probably the best night out you will have in a long time!  Based in Bethnal green in an old Pickle Factory,  two retrogamers (and also guys behind the party), Matt Farthing and George Swain bring you JOYPAD!

We spoke to Matt and he told us more about this event, and  with only a week to go until the big day he is getting very excited!

 What is JOYPAD WAREHOUSE PARTY 2?

SUPER WAREHOUSE GAMING PARTY 2!” is quite possibly the best time you can have with your clothes on. We’ve taken over a disused pickle factory in East London and turned it into a haven for lovers of retro/indie games, gaming culture and booze. We have 400+ original carts across NES, SNES, Megadrive, Mega CD, Saturn, N64 and a host of Indie devs showing off their work. Chiptune badass “Steve” will be playing a live set and My Panda Shall Fly and the Super Scratch Bros will be DJing throughout the evening. All whilst our lovely bar ladies serve up liquid refreshment!

What inspired you to start the event?

The gaming scene has exploded in recent years. It’s time for indie and retro game enthusiasts to shrug off the outdated label of ‘geeks’ and show that they can party as hard as the rest of the Saturday night crowd. I personally challenge anyone to play Bomberman with 7 like-minded ’strangers', beer in hand, chip tune blaring in the background, all whilst being cheered on by a baying crowd to not have the time of their life.

What sets you apart from other events?

 We marry together Indie and Retro. Many modern indie games are heavily inspired by the classics - but the two rarely meet! The party atmosphere is electric and you are surrounded by like-minded people. We also focus a lot on presentation; a Joypad SUPER WAREHOUSE GAMING PARTY is a pretty damn cool place to be.

Do you own all the games you feature?

We do indeed - we’ve both been collecting games our whole lives.

In your opinion, which era of video gaming was the greatest?

I personally adore the 16 bit era. The aesthetics of the time, both in terms of graphics and audio, has aged extremely well. It was a time when creativity and originality reigned supreme!

There seems to be a big musical influence in your event , how did that come around?

I am actually a musician by trade. So for me the combination of my two favourite things in the world comes pretty naturally!

What is your favourite console/computer?

It would be a tossup between the SNES and the Atari ST. I’m going to have to go with the SNES though... As I mentioned earlier - it just has the most fantastic design across the board. The sounds, graphics, even the console itself are all just beautiful! I also feel that some of the most unique titles in gaming came out on that console. I’ll always have a soft-spot for it.

What are your plans for the event going forward?

We’re planning on running SUPER WAREHOUSE GAMING PARTIES monthly - in interesting venues across London. We want to grow it in size in scope, maybe even branch out into some specialist events involving heavier focus on particular families of consoles or music. I also love the idea of running an all-nighter at some point (could get very messy!) Eventually, though, we will be opening our very own space - “Joypad". Then the SUPER WAREHOUSE GAMING PARTIES will have a permanent home.

Where can people get tickets to the event?

www.joypadbar.co.uk

Operation Wolf - a true story - By Andy Pryer

In 1987 I was ten years old and already a seasoned gamer. Not only had I cut my teeth on the rubbery 48k spectrum, but I’d also upgraded to the breathtakingly powerful 128k +2 model too. Several of my friends who put brain before heart had C64s (controversial!) and if I didn't already have my Amiga, I’d have already earned my wings on my friend’s machine by now.

One summer, we holidayed in Dawlish and took an apartment directly opposite a large Amusement Arcade. Each morning I was awakened by an an electronic Speak & Spell type voice loudly and repeatedly exclaiming ‘PLACE YOUR BETS NOW PLEASE!’ followed a simple monotone ditty attempting to attract punters to a mechanical horse racing game. The sound is deeply engrained on my brain as the background ambiance of pure and carefree pleasure.

Whatever we got up to during the day, we’d invariably gravitate to the arcade in the evening as there was little else on offer. As I patrolled the arcade interior, waiting for my mother to deplete her generous supply of 2p pieces on the ‘tuppenny waterfall’, I regarded the rows Jamma cabinets with an unimpressed air. ‘Joystick and buttons? Do me a favour, I have that in my bedroom!’ I wasn’t about to be suckered into parting with my hard earned coin playing a game I could play at home, regardless of the marginally better graphics. A veteran like me had seen it all before. (What I wouldn’t give for an evening in that arcade and a wheelbarrow of 10p pieces now though.)

‘But wait a second... now there’s something I don’t have at home’... Introducing Operation Wolf: the game you play with a goddamn GUN! Not a wussy bright pink, plasticy approximation of a gun, but a black, chunky, gratifying, throbbing, death-dealing Uzi. I’d seen that gun on TV! It’s a real gun!

The attract mode was an enormous tease: Commando with Arnie had came out a couple of years before and the scene of him preparing for battle was - I’ll be kind and say ‘homaged’ here with some nicely detailed graphics and oh-so serious music. Unlike many of the games around at the time, this one had a particularly sober and mature feel, which, when combined with the deep bass generated by the cabinet, gave it real gravitas and demanded attention.

Unlike the namby-pamby kids of today, boys of the 80’s were encouraged to play with toy guns, fight in the dirt and watch programs in which large men were routinely punched square in their faces. The chance to dish out some hot-lead was the realisation of all my childhood playground games. I just couldn’t get my cash into the machine fast enough.

The machine acknowledged the drop of the currency with a satisfying chime and as I caressed the weapon, finger itching on the trigger, I eagerly awaited some targets.

The cut-scenes were blessedly short, giving only the briefest exposition: We’re here to rescue some hostages. Who cares? Bring on the badies.

First play and the gun was so gratifying to use I became drunk with power and exhibiting a thousand yard stare, I hose down everything in sight with white hot lead, unleashing mayhem on those poor schmucks who never know what hit ‘em. I expend all my ammo too quickly and I’m captured - doomed to a short life covered in lice and starving. I was even treated to an glimpse of my future self; pale, gaunt and weakened by dysentery. The shame! I should have saved at least one bullet!

Having purged from my system the urge to loose off all my rounds as quickly as possible, I have another attempt. This time, marksmanship is the order of the day and it pays off in spades. Not only is it more satisfying to place individual shots with surgical precision, making one feel like a true professional and the right man for this job, but on the occasions when the enemy squadies obligingly line up, it’s immensely gratifying to mow them down with a short, controlled burst. The heft of the gun and the impact of the bullets is palpable and for the moments you’re contained within the game you’re convinced that your wielding real power. Windows shatter, bushes twitch as the rounds tear through their delicate leaves and missed shot kick up clods of dirt - even cockerels aren't safe from your wrath, as blasting their indestructible bodies yields essential supplies. And for those pesky helicopters and trucks which are a drain on resources to deal with conventionally, there's the handy grenade launcher which makes short work of them as long as you use the grenades sparingly. To cap it all, the action is punctuated by little incidental sound cues, a nice touch which really helps to give it the action movie feel.

Some care is required to protect the non-combatants who stray into the line of fire. There’s a skinny chav who runs unpredictably through the mayhem panic strickenly screaming, a pair of stretcher bearing nurses who I assume must be twins with some vital mental link since if you shoot one they both die with a dismayed ‘NO!’. In the later stages there are the hostages to avoid, snuff them and even if you do make it home Mr Prez won’t be throwing you any parties, the hundreds of enemies of the state dead by your hand will count for nothing if you come home alone.

It wasn’t long before I’d burned through my meager supply of 10p pieces and my eyes had become dry from not blinking. As I reluctantly turned away from the machine, I found I’d drawn a small crowd of spectators, mostly bored middle aged men, none of whom had the cojones to step up for some trigger-time for fear of looking foolish. I must admit to being rather pleased with my performance.

That evening back at the apartment, I must have been very tiresome indeed. I was so excited by my discovery that I insisted to recounting my adventure in every detail, listing the various nuances, features and enemy types in the game. It must have been very tedious for my parents, but at least they knew how to keep me occupied in the evenings now, I couldn’t wait to get back to the Arcade. Over the following week, I honed my skill further and became pretty accomplished, although the cash always gave out before I could get to the end.

Once I got home again and the balmy summer evenings of the holiday gave way to more mundane routine all I had were the various home system ports. The game was available for all the home platforms, but I only really had access to two, neither of which impressed me greatly. Without the gun there was just something missing.

The spectrum version was just an insult to the greatness of it’s arcade heritage. For one thing it took ages to load - even for a spectrum game. I seem to remember timing at it a patience-testing 15 mins! How can it possibly take that long to load 128k? The payoff for the loading ordeal left much to be desired. Gone were the vivid colours of the arcade which were replaced by monochrome graphics. There was also a complete lack of animation of the sprites an the constant and annoying beeps and chimes masquerading as sound effects were pretty annoying. I don’t think it was even light gun compatible, at least my gun didn't work with it.

The Amiga version faired little better despite the graphics, which were as faithful as they could have been. The music could have been handled much better and is a little too cheery in places, although some of the arcade original’s samples made it. As for the game itself however there are more enemies to     shoot at, which doesn’t sound bad like a bad thing, but it just means you simply hold the fire button and move the mouse around, which detracts enormously from the sensation of being a professional picking his shots. It also causes a constant cacophony of noise. Gone are the subtleties of the sound design present in the arcade version. The mouse control method is an improvement of the keyboard but can’t make up of the lack of a gun. Completing this game is a simple test of endurance rather than skill, a challenge which can be made easier simply by turning the volume down.

Andy Pryer in full Operation Wolf mode!

Another great Blog story by Andy Pryer

READ the GamesYouLoved Review of Operation Wolf - the Arcade.
Click here www.gamesyouloved.com/game-genre/video-arcade/arcade/operation-wolf/

outdoor gaming! By Coen Velden

About outdoor gaming with the console: 

The weather here in Germany isn't much better than in the UK, so there aren't many opportunities for outside gaming.

As a matter of fact, at the moment of typing this, we're having some heavy rain.

We did a few multiplayer PS1 sessions on the balcony, must have been in the late nineties. Back then, we connected two Playstations via link-cable, and had some great sessions with: Duke Nukem Doom/Final Doom Command & Conquer - Red Alert I have been a gamer since the late seventies, but there aren't many people with whom I can exchange thoughts about that hobby, somehow there's still this "Gaming is for kids" thing among most of my friends.

With my nephew (Philip), somehow, who is a gamer like me, we hardly ever have another theme when we meet.

Doesn't matter what we start to talk about, each and every time, some gaming theme is always involved. Be it some auctions at eBay, memories of 8/16/32 bit stuff, tamagotchi, PC games, etc...etc... When I proposed him to play outside like in the "good old days", he was in for it immediately.

Sadly enough, we didn't have time for that last weekend, so it had to be in the middle of the week. Last weekend, it was too hot anyway, last night was just the right temperature, not too hot, not too cold.

Good thing is, we still have some old tube television screens at my house, which (in my opinion) is still the best thing to play on with old consoles.

First thing I did, was carrying the biggest TV outside, and placed it on the garden table.

Took an extension cable for the electricity, and made some drinks with ice.

Next decision:

Which console are we going to use?

SNES

N64

ATARI 2600

Playstation

Gamecube (Is that retro enough?.... naah, not yet).

We decided to take my psx, which has a mod-chip inside.

I sold my own playstation in 2002/2003, don't ask me why.

Bought a new one a few weeks ago, and the chip was built in already, so you don't hear me complain.

Since Germany is behaving very strange about violence in video games, that chip is a good thing to me.

Many, many games have a different version, specifically made for the german market.

Some games have green blood, instead of red.

Some games have different cut-scenes.

there are games that aren't even available here, like Perfect Dark and Conker's bad fur day for the N64.

(Good thing is, Holland is not far from here, they don't have these problems over there.)

Command & Conquer, for instance doesn't have human enemies, like in the rest of the world.

They changed them into robots/androids, so you are not fighting against human beings.

In Resident Evil, when shooting a zombie, they are not bleeding red, but "sweating" something like grey blood.

Then, they are not lying on the floor, but start to blink, and disappear suddenly.

Can you imagine?

Same thing with Mortal Kombat (SNES), the characters are not bleeding but sweating.

Grmbl.....I could fill a book with this theme.

Anyway, with that chip inside, I can play us/uk/jp games also.

Next thing was, which games are we going to play?

I don't own Duke Nukem and DooM anymore, and we only had one console. 

I still wanted to have some multiplayer action, so we had some beat'em ups to choose from:

Kensei - Sacred Fist

Psychic Force

Tekken 3

Bloody Roar II

Soul Blade

Since my opponent alway used to win at Soul Calibur (Dreamcast), he really wanted to kick my butt at Soul Blade.

His favorite character was, and still is, and probably ever will be:

First we enjoyed the whole cheesy rendered intro, with one of the most remarkable videogame songs of that time.

Some kind of Japanese Pop/Rock, I always liked that song, even have it on cd, to listen to while driving.

He took Siegfried (who else), I took Mitsurugi, because I thought he was the one with the Nunchakus.

How wrong I was, Mitsurugi's weapon is a katana, I didn't have any control, didn't know what to do at all, I couldn't stand a chance.

After a few battles, I had to admit I am so f**king bad at this game, everything I heard was:

"SIEGFRIED WINS!!!"

I'm getting old.

Philip said, those graphics are kind of bad, but the gameplay is as good as the dreamcast game!

To compensate my bad experience, we wanted to give Bloody Roar II a go.

We both hadn't played this before. 

(some 200 games came with the console when I bought it, many of them we've never tried)

After reading many good reviews when BRII came out, we thought it should be a good game.

This time we skipped the intro.

VS mode chosen, characters chosen, let's play:

First of all, we had to lough out loud because of the 

character-presenting voice:

"Uriko.....Half Beast!"

"Busizima....Chameleon!"

"Stun....the Insect!"

"Shina....Leopard!"

Hilarious.

We did a few fights, but the gameplay didn' impress.

We could see it's a good game.... for fans of the genre, but not really our cup of tea.

Win/lose ratio: 50/50.

Next game:

Tony Hawk's pro skater 2

I still have a savegame from the nineties on a memory card, so we loaded that first.

This wasn't easy, as you can imagine from the picture.

Finding the right mem-card with the right savegame can take a little time.

(Side note: I really miss the memory card menue from my old playstation, I had one from the first series.

The menue on this newer ps1 has a poppy, colorful menue, which I don't like at all.

Well, at least this one doesn't overheat the laser-drive).

OK, chosing the caracters, first round was a skate for fun session.

No time limits, no scoring, just some two-player skating fun, for testing purpose only.

Philip asked me what to do, which controls did what?

I answered:

It's like the fighting games, but instead of kicking & punching, you have to do some grinding & performing tricks.

Needless to say, I beat him at this game.

At one point, he had something like 49.000 points, while I had

some whopping 420.000.

THAT compensated my defeat at Soul Blade!

It was getting dark now, and we were running out of drinks, so I went inside to make some drinks and get some ice.

Before that, I started the game One Piece Mansion.

"Here, you have to try this at least once!"

With a big grin on my face, I went inside, left him not knowing what to expect.

At first, he protested, he was thinking it had something to do with the japanese anime series, also called One Piece.

My comment:

"Don't worry, just shut up and play!"

When I came back, he asked:

"WTF is this?

What am I supposed to do?

What kind of people do come up with such strange ideas for a game?"

At that point, I knew I've done the right thing.

For those unaware of this game, you have to manage a house, seen from the side.

It's open, and you can see the appartments.

In each room, there's a person, or family.

Somehow, an evil alien has captured your sister, and to get her back, you have to build more rooms for your house, and keep the tenants satisfied.

When they're too stressed (Because their neighbours are behaving strange, or getting to loud), that appartment will explode, and all the rooms above will drop down one floor, Tetris-style.

Sounds strange?

It is!

We would have played this nice puzzle game longer, but the problem with it is the music.... that music!!!

Some kind of cheap Japano-Electronic-Techno-Videogame Tune is always playing in the background.

When Inhabitants are getting stressed, and shortly before appartments are going to explode, the tune speeds up, and gets louder.

There isn't an option in the menue to turn the music volume down, onle a Mono/Stereo option!

So, before my (real-life) neighbours were coming at my door, we just had to quit.

After this weird gaming experience, we had a little break.

We put the skullmonkey cd in, and just watched the intro.

We didn't play the game, just sat back and relaxed, which was very welcome, after the totally stressed half hour before.

Skullmonkeys is a jump & run, and a very frustratingly difficult one, but the claymation is so great!

And the music too, by the way.

Time for some drinks....again.

Inserted the Star Trek Invasion CD, since Philip is a big Trekkie.

When I came back, he was playing the first training level.

He had his problems controlling the ship in space, though.

In that training level, you have to manoeuvre yor ship through some turning circles, and there's a time limit too.

He was already halfway through when I returned, everything was looking good.

Then, somehow, he managed to miss one portal, and had to fly back.

With only four to go, the timer started to count down:

Ten...

Nine...

(3 to go)

Eight...

Seven...

Six...

Five....

(2 to go)

four...

three....

(Only 1 to go!)

two...

One....

.......Mission failed!!

How can such a simple thing be so exciting?

That was fun to see!

Next game on the list was Resident Evil 3 (US version)

It was almost midnight, perfect circumstances for a game like that.

Dark, outside, quiet, moon was shining, just perfect.

This time, it was my turn to play.

I had a go already a few days ago, so I loaded my savegame.

Had fought my way through the police station (The same as in RE2, which is a great thing, I think).

We discussed some of the differences between german & US versions, while I was solving puzzles, collecting items, and shooting zombies.

At some point, the game scared the hell out of me!

There wasn't a monster or zombie in sight, and I just opened a garage door successfully.

Then I had to walk the stairs, to get onto the next floor.

There were some steps burning, and I was walking in between them, when all of a sudden, a window was shattered into pieces, right beside of me!

I was expecting some kind of brain-sucking monster to jump onto my face, nothing happened.

So I was continuing my way up, when some BIG flames came out of that broken window.

More frightening than all of the zombies I've encountered before!

This part reminded us of the part in Resident Evil 2, where you fell through the wooden floor in the library.

No zombie at all, but shocking as hell!

Survived everything, and after saving the game, we went on to the next part:

Music 2000!

This nifty little programme isn't really a game, but a music-editor.

And a great one it is!

We used to spend hours and hours with it, creating some fine electro-beats.

Back in the days, we even managed to convert our favourite song via Mini-Disc (Does anyone remember that?) onto the PC, then into MP3, so we could listen to it anytime we wanted.

I was always a little disappointed about the rock parts in it, as there weren't many.

Most of the available samples, loops, and beats are electronic-ambient-techno stuff.

Had a lot of fun anyway.

So, on to the last game, as it was already one o'clock in the night, and it had to a multiplayer game.

Philip mentioned Destruction Derby, which I had to get upstairs.

We started the game, looking for a multiplayer option, and all we found was one player, and two player via link cable.

Much to our surprise, we could also start a two player championship.

(After that, it came into my mind that it had been Destruction Derby 2, which had given us so many good moments.)

Expecting some splitscreen racing mayhem, we were both a little disappointed to see we had to wait until the first player finished each race, so alternate racing was the thing to be.

Never mind, we had some great time, but what the hell did they do with the steering controls?

Was this really THAT bad in the starting days of the PS1?

We had a real hard time keeping those opponents of our backs, we were so bad.

We both managed to finish a race at first place only ONE time each!

Some races seemed to work out really good, battling for first/second/third positions, when suddenly some stupid cpu driver came from behind, and turned the car into the crossroads.

After all was done, I was thinking I had a good chance to have more points than my human opponent....

Then came the final result:

Both of us almost at the bottom of the list, except for two opponents!

Philip - 226 points

Coen - 224 points

So, I lost again!

Never mind, we both had a great gaming night, and we're looking forward to the next one!

(Maybe with barbeque and mini-inflatable pool!!)

Blog by Coen Velden

Music from Music 2000 click here

Play Expo - Exclusive Pre-Event Interview

Play Expo...what an event it will be!
We spoke to Andy Brown. Director at Replay Events Ltd, Owner of Console Passion Retro Games about the vision behind the Play Expo - EventCity, Manchester on 12-13 October 2013 , and his gaming passions and why gaming is so important to us all...


What are your roles Play Expo / Replay Events? 
Director, Event Coordinator and glorified stock room boy.

What's it like working for Play Expo / Replay Events? 
Last year I quit my job of 17 years to work full time on Replay Events so that should say something about it. Nothing beats getting up every day to do a job I love, I rarely feel like I'm actually working - I genuinely enjoy my working day. All-in-all I'd say I'm pretty lucky.



What motivates you to keep running events like Play Expo? 
Multiple reasons really. Each time we do an expo we are looking for ways to improve on what we did at the last show and that is a great motivator - to better our previous event. I get such a buzz at Play Expo; walking around and seeing thousands of people enjoy themselves makes me want to carry on doing this as long as I can. Plus I get to meet lots of video game celebrities.

What do you see for Play Expo in the future? 
I see the expo continuing to grow year-on-year. Each show we add new features, increase the number of systems on the show floor, have more exhibitors and as I just said generally improve on the previous year's expo. I personally would like to see more indie games and have some live link up Q&A sessions with industry legends from USA and Japan.

What is the best thing about your job at Play Expo / Replay Events? 
See previous answer - doing a job I love!

What video games and arcade games did you grow up with?
I grew up in Blackpool so I spent a lot of my childhood playing arcade games. We had huge amusements on the seafront and one of my fondest memories is playing Space Harrier Deluxe in Mr B's for the first time - £2 seemed like £200 in those days! I played anything and everything from Galaxian to Street Fighter and I’m lucky enough to own several arcade machines these days, Toobin and Operation Wolf being my two favourites. I’m on the lookout for an Outrun at the moment if anyone has one... I had home computers around me from an early age too. I was firmly in the Commodore camp from day one - I had a Vic 20, then C64 and Amiga so I played most of the well known titles on those machines but I was particularly partial to games containing a certain mole. We also flew the Sega flag in our house, my brother had a Master System and I had a Megadrive.

If you could be a videogame character who would it be? 
Miner Willy as that must have been some kick ass party he had in Jet Set Willy.


What is gaming all about for you?
Depends on the game/genre/generation. I like losing myself in modern games that have a good storyline - I am currently playing The Last of Us which is incredible. I also like the social aspect introduced by modern consoles - the Wii has some cracking multiplayer games which can really liven up a party. If I'm playing retro it's all about the nostalgia of that game. When I have a short gaming session it's invariably on a retro game that I played when I was a kid and I'm trying to beat my top score. Though I did accept a long time ago that I am actually pretty rubbish at games...

What’s your take on the console market and the arcade market these days as opposed to the beginnings in the 80s and 90s? 
Obviously very different, I think arcades are a thing of the past these days which is a shame as it's a very different experience to home gaming. I think the iOS and handheld markets of the past few years have brought about a whole new wave of creativity which we haven't seen for a while. I have nothing against AAA titles but often I am just as impressed by a game that I can download for 69p from the app store. The free rein that small indie games design teams today is very similar to the early days of games creation and that is a good thing IMO.


For more information and to keep up to date with the latest happening for Play Expo click the below to find out more and book your tickets:

http://www.playexpo.net/

http://twitter.com/replayevents

http://www.facebook.com/ReplayEvents

http://www.youtube.com/replayexpo

Our recent winner of the Play Expo competition - Catherine Cock sent us her picture of her winning tickets and her daughter playing with our TomyTronic giveaway and retro goodies.

GamesYouLoved would like to thank Replay Events for donating the tickets for this prize :) 

GamesYouLoved - Interview with Stu Rankin, 'Pro-Harrier'

Space Harrier is up in the upper echelons of arcade gaming history.

Eye-bleedingly colourful, insanely fast Space Harrier takes you into a striking surreal dimension where you run at break neck speed, defy gravity at will, and blast at dragons, mechs and one-eyed woolly mammoths. Unlike the standard side or vertical scrollers of the time, Space Harrier's one of the first ‘into the screen’ games alongside the likes of Hang-On, OutRun and Afterburner.

It’s widely regarded as a technical milestone for gaming, using Sega’s legendary ‘System 16’ Arcade board and ‘Super-Scaler’ technology, handling more sprites and colours than anything else in the arcade at the time and its game dynamics have paved the way for countless other 3-D style and 3rd person shooters. Space Harrier is a classic.

It’s no wonder then that Space Harrier has such a large fanatical following with many keen to collect its various incarnations from arcade cabs through to modern releases for current consoles. There are a few though who should be regarded as super-fans.

These are the warriors of gaming that will not rest until they’ve mastered the game in all its forms. Dedicated to stepping into the ‘Fantasy Zone’ to thwart the armies of the demon Absymbel, ‘good and proper’, they are the battlers, the high scorers, the ‘pro-harriers’. Following a superb article submission GamesYouLoved were lucky enough to speak to one such ‘Pro-Harrier’, Stu Rankin, who holds the score record for Space Harrier on not just one, but 4  platforms and has a dedicated Space Harrier cab. GamesYouLoved collar Stu at a Retro Games Party event in April and we’ve just watched him nail a mini sit-down cab of Space Harrier twice in a row, making it look like a stroll in the park.

Space Harrier certainly isn’t that though. It takes the sort of skill and knowledge of the game’s dynamics that requires practice and is typical of old arcade games. We grab a beer and take the opportunity to ask him about his thoughts on what makes Space Harrier his favourite game, how he got so good, as well as gauging his thoughts about gaming in general:

GamesYouLoved
Space Harrier’s certainly considered a classic. What do you think sets it apart from other similar games?

Stu
The speed. It kind of gives you an adrenaline buzz, especially when things pick up in the later levels. When you've mastered it there's a feeling of accomplishment because it takes some skill. It’s not a case of just blasting wildly, you need to learn it and use the right tactics in order to get through.

GamesYouLoved

Would you say there is a certain pace or rhythm to it?

Stu
There are certain patterns, certainly- like learning the enemy movements and where certain enemies come up. From level 7 onwards the pace really picks up

GamesYouLoved
And there's 18 Levels so that's before halfway?

Stu
Yeah, it soon gets frantic. I have good days and bad days though. Depending on whether I can get into that groove or not- some days I might not even get past level 4! Even though Ive held 4 titles on Twin Galaxies, some days I can still really suck.

It IS a difficult game. GamesYouLoved I guess that's what makes those titles quite an accolade in gaming terms. There are other similar games such as After Burner.

GamesYouLoved
How different is Space Harrier to other games?

Stu
I’ve never been great at the System 16 racing games like Outrun or Hang On. I enjoy After Burner and I guess it is similar, but even though it’s a technically more complex game with weapon 'lock-ons', I think that can be a bit of a distraction and can actually do a lot of the work for you. With Space Harrier, you’ve got to point and shoot, although there is actually a slight lock-on in Space Harrier which people may not be aware of. As you aim for enemies you get a brief opportunity to lock-on. A lock-on is indicated with a chime or 'chip' sound, which you need to listen out for. This allows you to fire and keep moving and if you get it right, your shot will get enemies you've locked on to. With the right timing you can take down multiple enemies with one shot each. You can hear it *does the sound* 'chip-chip-chip'. Understanding this is quite important especially in the later levels.

GamesYouLoved
Space Harrier's been ported to pretty much most home platforms. Which is your favourite?

Stu
Sega Saturn. That was the first version I got where it looked pretty much arcade perfect. Up until then I'd had the Amstrad and Mega Drive versions, and for me the Amstrad version is probably as far removed from the arcade as you can get. I mean- it’s not even got all the enemies in it!

GamesYouLoved 
People cite the Master System as a notable version- from a technical achievement point of view.

Stu
Yeah, definitely I'd agree with that. It’s like a different game though. Some actually prefer the way the sprites are drawn than those in the arcade, but you've obviously got quite bad colour blocking issues. I'm not very good at that version though- so I'm not a fan. That’s cus of the speed- it’s quite difficult because it so slow.

GamesYouLoved 
Do they vary in terms of difficulty?

Stu
They've all got their own quirks and bugs, you have to learn the different mechanics and all that so, yeah they can vary quite a bit, especially in terms of speed. On the Dreamcast I got Shenmue purely so I could play Space Harrier. I'd heard it was available to play in the 'You Arcade' in the game itself. It took me 2 weeks before I figured out how to get to the 'You Arcade'. When I finally found it I spent a load of time just playing there. Anyway, I didn't even realise that with the Shenmue Passport you could go online. So I did. Just to have a look and sure enough- there I was; no.1 in Europe- for Space Harrier- I thought 'wow!'. But that was at the 50Hz setting, so I reset the game to play at 60Hz. The 10Hz made all the difference in speed. It was almost like a different game, and at that time I'd not really played the arcade version much, so I wasn't actually used to it. The difference there was that I was only no.3 worldwide, so had to keep practicing...

GamesYouLoved 
How long on average does it take for you to complete?

Stu
It’s not a huge game, maybe 20 minutes? Well, it depends which version but the Saturn and Arcade versions are roughly the same. It all depends on how you choose to play the game, because some of the bosses will be there until you destroy them, like Squilla or Salpedon (both dragon type bosses). Other enemies like the robots (called 'Dom') there's just a time limit on them, they'll come then go again so you just need to avoid their shots and survive. You could spend half an hour just 'Squilla dancing', as I call it, just dodging rather than straight out attacking- but that's a slow way to rack up points- you'd be there all night- but it is possible.

GamesYouLoved
So there's no record speed time?

Stu
Not that I know of, but that's not the point. It’s about high scoring.

GamesYouLoved
Space Harrier's a hard game. Having mastered it, are there any tips or tricks you could give to a novice like me that would make my pound coin go further? Are there any secrets?

Stu
Memorise the enemy locations, where they appear and what order. Don't stay still. Definitely don't back-track your movement- if you do, nine times out of ten you'll get hit. I’ve not found any real glitches or bugs to exploit. It’s pretty robust, but why cheat? Thing is, I got my Saturn in around '97 and I was playing it a lot. I might just be paranoid here, but and I noticed that if, for example, you play through to level 10 and you then make your first mistake and die, you can guarantee you'll lose another 2 or 3 lives in quick succession after that in the space of like- 5 minutes. Almost as if the game learns your style. I dunno if that's how it was programmed or I'm just being paranoid, it’s almost like if you hit a tree once- it'll definitely happen again straight away. I dunno if that's the programming or it’s just psychological. If you watch the guy 'Jodo' (current arcade world champion), he's got a video on You Tube that he's also submitted to Twin Galaxies and you can notice slight nuances with how he plays. Everyone's got their own quirks in play, but in terms of general advice, think about moving in a three dimensional plane- covering the screen in a sort of corkscrew or spiral motion with the flight stick. But practice obviously. If you really want to get good my advice is get a Saturn or better still; access to the original arcade cab and just keep playing.

GamesYouLoved 
You know the game inside out. What enemies are the hardest to beat?

Stu
Level 2- 'Ida' (the flying heads). The boss Barbarian in the middle surrounded by the Ida flying heads. Simply because they appear to move randomly. Hit one and they'll expand out almost certainly hitting you then they retract. The trick for maximum points is to try and destroy all the Ida heads before you take out Barbarian. The lock-on feature can also work against you here, you will usually find yourself locking onto and firing at the wrong thing. If you destroy Barbarian before taking out the Ida heads, they will increase their spin rate and it gets very tricky to dodge em. This is where a lot of people die. 

GamesYouLoved
What's with those one eyed Woolly Mammoths? What are they called?

Stu
(laughs) Erm- just 'Mammoths'. I actually feel a bit sorry for them- I try not to hit them. They're just collateral damage (we both laugh). Migrating Mammoths- wrong place, wrong time... with one eye... Unlucky!

GamesYouLoved
You have been telling us about reminiscing around theme of the old arcades and mention Ikari Warriors, Galaxian and Pac Man. Have you mastered any of these?

Stu
Not really. I love those games but I was 2nd year at high school when I remember going to an arcade on a particular holiday. I was used to playing games like Ikari Warriors on the home computer systems. I remember being with my grandparents and we found this place- I think it was called Brunswick?.. anyway it was like a cafe, and the magic there was that they sold cups of tea and coffee for like 5 pence- so they'd happily sit and have a cuppa while I'd go off looking at the games like. Really in those days - I was looking for the Star Wars cabinet, obviously. That was THE one. Sitting there, chuck a couple of credits in and there's Alec f*ckin Guiness behind you saying 'the force'll be with you'. Goosebumps! So, when walking down the prom in Blackpool- past the central piers and the other arcades- you'd keep hearing these sound effects, 'ahhhh' and 'Get Ready'- and I'd think 'what the hell IS that?' so I'd wander over to investigate. I see the name 'Space Harrier' and I'm into sci-fi, but at first I didn’t actually like it. It seemed almost too random. I'd think 'why's there a little guy running with a big gun, when it says Space Harrier', what's all that about?

GamesYouLoved
Other than the accolades on the Twin Galaxies site, are there any other bits of recognition you’re proud of?

Stu
That's it really. I love retro games. I love Sega. Who knows- it depends. I'm more of a collector now so I'm just happy building my collection. My real goal, like many retro gaming fans, is to get a Star Wars cabinet just for total nostalgia. 

GamesYouLoved
What are your thoughts on the more recent arcade follow-up to Space Harrier, Planet Harriers?

Stu
Looks cheesy as hell, but I’ve never seen it in an arcade so never had the chance to play it. From what I’ve seen online- the gameplay looks slower. It looks like your character's even more rail-roaded. It looks as though it does a lot for you. I could be wrong.

GamesYouLoved
If you could meet Sega’s AM2 team and Yu Suzuki, what would you ask them?

Stu
Could they acquire the rights back to make a new game? Sega owns it. The developers would just hand it all over and it’s a shame.

GamesYouLoved
Do you have any current gen consoles?

Stu
Nope

GamesYouLoved
What do you play now?

Stu
My Saturn. I do have a second hand PS2 which I got for Gradius 5. I like those games- Salamandar, Nemesis- although I'm not great at em. Gradius 2: Vulcan Venture, 'shoot it in the head' little quotes like that come to mind. I like stuff like that. I ended up getting the 3D Ages version of Space Harrier as well. Its ok- but again it’s a different game really. You've got some fancier weapons like lock-on lasers and flash bombs. They're good for a laugh, but as a purist player- I'd rather not use them. They just destroy everything- including land based objects you wouldn't usually be able to destroy. And generally it feels like a slower game. This is the thing with older games. They require perseverance to get the most out of them.

GamesYouLoved
You currently run Squillas Lair- a yahoo group for Space Harrier fans as well as a Squilla Facebook page. How are they doing?

Stu
It’s a bit of a niche thing so I wouldn’t say they’re massively popular but there's people out there who are like me and into it, so it’s good to interact a bit. The current arcade champion Phil Campbell who's also on Twin Galaxies, pops in every now and then even though he's not officially a member. He's obviously keeping an eye on me. I just keep kiddin him on, I keep sayin to him- 'you just keep watching your rear view mirror mate'. One day.

Interview at Retro Games Party - April 2013

GamesYouloved would like to thank, Stu Rankin, World Record Holder for Space Harrier for this EXCLUSIVE interview

Stu runs his own dedicated Space Harrier Page here:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Squilla/215525788515344?ref=hl

Also - dedicated Space Harrier Group here:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/squillaslair/