Category: Videos

VHS Preservation Project #9: Sega Saturn Magazine promo video

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The Video Game VHS Preservation Project is an attempt to digitise as many video game VHS tapes as possible for the purposes of preservation. Click here for more information.

The ninth tape in my VHS Preservation Project is the first to celebrate the Sega Saturn.

It was given away with issue one of Sega Saturn Magazine, an official British publication that launched four months after the Saturn’s UK release (although technically it was just an evolution of the already existing Sega Magazine).

The tape is a 30-minute beast consisting of a short Saturn advert, followed by nothing but gameplay footage. Of particular note is the very early Virtua Fighter 2 footage, which is only around 35% complete at this point.

Continue reading “VHS Preservation Project #9: Sega Saturn Magazine promo video” →

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch) gameplay footage

Published on by Chris Scullion1 Comment

Most of the gamers who bought Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Wii U will tell you it’s one of the best platformers of its generation.

Sadly, since there were fewer Wii Us sold than there were good Kid Rock songs, the vast majority of the gaming public have yet to experience its joys.

That changes next month when Tropical Freeze is ported to the far more popular Switch, and all those who decided to give the Wii U a wide berth will finally get their chance to see what Donkey Kong and chums have to offer.

Yer man Scullion’s been playing the Switch version for review: it’s still under embargo, though, so don’t expect one for a few weeks yet.

What I can do, though, is share up to 15 minutes of gameplay footage with you, so get stuck in.

The below video includes three separate clips: one showing Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong in action (as an introduction for those not familiar with the game), one showing off how great the game looks, and finally a clip demonstrating the brand new Funky Mode, where you get to play as the greatest character in video game history.

Check it out, and keep an eye out for the full review in early May.

The Tired Old Hack Winter Games Challenge

Published on by Chris Scullion3 Comments

Chances are you’ve probably noticed that the 2018 Winter Olympic Games have just kicked off in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

To celebrate this, I’ve decided to take a look back at the history of Winter Olympics video games: the good, and the very much not so good.

In the Tired Old Hack Winter Games Challenge I’ll be uploading daily videos over the course of the 2018 Games, as I proceed through the history of the winter games genre. Continue reading “The Tired Old Hack Winter Games Challenge” →

VHS Preservation Project #8: GameCube / GAME promo video

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

The Video Game VHS Preservation Project is an attempt to digitise as many video game VHS tapes as possible for the purposes of preservation. Click here for more information.

The eighth tape in my VHS Preservation Project is the first in my collection that celebrates the Nintendo GameCube.

This is a video that was given away free to customers of GAME and Electronics Boutique in the UK, in order to promote upcoming GameCube games.

It’s a mixture of official trailers and gamepay footage captured by GAME themselves, and as such the video quality varies quite a bit throughout. There’s also a brilliantly poor quality section at the end in which they try to shill third-party controllers.

Continue reading “VHS Preservation Project #8: GameCube / GAME promo video” →

Video: Review Round-Up Unscripted #2

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Following some really positive feedback on the first of my more casual, unscripted review round-ups, it’s time for a second helping. Reviewed in this episode are:

• Tallowmere (Switch)
• Rock ‘N Racing Off Road DX (Switch)
• Aces Of The Luftwaffe: Squadron (Switch)
• Antiquia Lost (Switch)
• Ittle Dew 2+ (Switch)
• It’s Quiz Time (PS4)
• Star Wars: Battlefront II (Xbox One)
• WWE Mayhem (Android)
• Mom Hid My Game! (Switch)
• Arcade Archives: Vs Super Mario Bros (Switch) Continue reading “Video: Review Round-Up Unscripted #2” →

Video: Review Round-Up Unscripted #1

Published on by Chris Scullion1 Comment

Since I’m still working on a big Secret Project™ that’s been taking up the vast majority of my writing time, I’ve had to think of a better way to review games (which I still enjoy doing in my downtime).

Here, then, is the first in a regular series of review round-up videos, in which I’ll give you small reviews of a bunch of newly released games.

Most professional video reviews on YouTube are scripted, to ensure the reviewer gets across the points they want to make. Since I hate doing that fake radio-style YouTuber voice (trust me, I’ve tried it), these videos will be completely unscripted and I’ll be talking about them normally.

Think of them as a podcast that focuses on game reviews, complete with footage. Here’s episode 1: there’s more information underneath the video.

Continue reading “Video: Review Round-Up Unscripted #1” →

Pinball FX 3 on Switch – all 30 launch tables in one video

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

Pinball FX 3 launched on the Switch last week, giving pinball fans a whole wealth of flipper-based goodness on their grey / red-and-blue / yellow / pink and green baby (delete as applicable).

The base game is free to download, and comes with one free table, Sorcerer’s Lair.

However, there are also 29 other DLC tables that are available for purchase. While a couple of these – Portal and The Walking Dead – are standalone one-off tables, the others come in packs of two, three or four tables.

Because Pinball FX 3 tables feature things no real-life tables can (like CG characters walking around and hidden sections opening up to reveal mini-tables), each varies wildly in style and as such it’s unlikely that all 30 will appeal to you.

To make life easier, then, I’ve put together this enormous video showing around a minute of footage for every single table in the game, so you can see what’s on offer and better choose which tables take your fancy. Continue reading “Pinball FX 3 on Switch – all 30 launch tables in one video” →

VHS Preservation Project #7: Mean Machines Sega Mega CD promo video

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The Video Game VHS Preservation Project is an attempt to digitise as many video game VHS tapes as possible for the purposes of preservation. Click here for more information.

Tape number seven in my VHS Preservation Project is one I actually uploaded to my YouTube channel a number of years ago, but the upload was much poorer quality.

This is a video that was given away free with issue 3 (December 1992) of Mean Machines Sega, a popular UK games magazine that was spawned when Mean Machines split into separate Sega and Nintendo publications.

This video contains Sega’s entire eight-minute promo video Sega Mega CD: Games Without Frontiers, followed by a strange football competition and then footage of a handful of PAL region games, including Streets Of Rage 2 and Ecco The Dolphin.

Continue reading “VHS Preservation Project #7: Mean Machines Sega Mega CD promo video” →

VHS Preservation Project #6: Sony UK 1997 PlayStation promo video

Published on by Chris Scullion1 Comment

The Video Game VHS Preservation Project is an attempt to digitise as many video game VHS tapes as possible for the purposes of preservation. Click here for more information.

The sixth tape in my VHS Preservation Project is actually the successor to one I’ve already uploaded.

A while back I gave you Blown Away, a promotional video released in late 1996 to promote Sony’s range of new and upcoming PlayStation titles.

This follow-up was released later in 1997 and offers a bunch of new games and weird new visualisations.

Interestingly, after uploading Blown Away I was contacted by the marketing chap behind it, who explained a lot more about the purpose of these videos. It’s an interesting story, so if you want to know more check out my commentary version of the video below.

Continue reading “VHS Preservation Project #6: Sony UK 1997 PlayStation promo video” →

VHS Preservation Project #5: NMS Street Fighter II Player’s Guide

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

The Video Game VHS Preservation Project is an attempt to digitise as many video game VHS tapes as possible for the purposes of preservation. Click here for more information.

The fifth tape in my VHS Preservation Project should hopefully be an interesting one for fans of Street Fighter II

The Street Fighter II Player’s Guide was given away with issue 3 (December 1992) of Nintendo Magazine System.

It comes with commentary by the legendary Julian Rignall and Gary Harrod, and it’s worth a watch. Continue reading “VHS Preservation Project #5: NMS Street Fighter II Player’s Guide” →