Video Games – Page 4 – Tired Old Hack

That time when Sonic played football in Virtua Striker

Published on January 11, 2019January 16, 2019 by Chris Scullion6 Comments

This article is available in both written and video format. The voiceover in the video version is me reading out the article below, so if you watch the video you won’t have to then read the article. If you enjoy the video and want to see more, there’s bonus unedited footage of the game (without my voiceover) at the bottom of this page.

VIDEO VERSION:

Welcome to That Time When, a new series dedicated to weird and wonderful moments in the history of gaming. In episode one, let’s go back to that time when Sonic played football in Virtua Striker 3.

These days when you think of football games, there are only two series that stand out: FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer.

Back in the day though, there were a load of different football series all vying for gamers’ attention. And their money, obviously. Continue reading “That time when Sonic played football in Virtua Striker” →

New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (Switch) review

Published on January 9, 2019January 11, 2019 by Chris Scullion6 Comments

Nintendo / Nintendo EAD
Nintendo Switch, Wii U (Switch version reviewed)

The Switch will be two years old in just a couple of months, and Nintendo has diligently been ticking its way through the boxes to ensure each of its much-loved series are represented on the system.

Mario Kart? Tick. Zelda? Tick. 3D Mario, Smash Bros, Pokemon? Tick, tick, tick. At this point there are more ticks than you’d find at a particularly grubby pet shop.

Up next, then, is the series that kickstarted Nintendo’s home console success in the first place, Super Mario Bros. More specifically, a port of the Wii U’s offering, New Super Mario Bros U.

This Deluxe version pairs the main game with its Luigi-based DLC, adds a couple of new playable characters, and chucks in a resolution boost from 720p to 1080p for good measure. This makes it the definitive version of the game, but there are a couple of caveats in there. Continue reading “New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (Switch) review” →

Bandersnatch: the game that killed a company and inspired a Black Mirror episode

Published on January 2, 2019January 9, 2019 by Chris Scullion23 Comments

If you’re the sort of hip cat who’s ‘up’ on all things streaming video, you’ll probably be aware of Bandersnatch, the choose-your-own adventure style spin-off of Charlie Brooker’s fantastic Black Mirror series.

Bandersnatch tells the story of Stefan Butler, a young programmer who’s developing a game for the ZX Spectrum based on a fantasy novel (the author of which is portrayed in a cameo appearance by Jeff Minter, the creator of games like Tempest 2000 and Attack Of The Mutant Camels).

What you may not realise, though, is that Bandersnatch is loosely – very loosely – based on an actual ZX Spectrum game that ultimately never saw the light of day. Here, then, is the story of the original Bandersnatch: what it was, what happened to it, and what it eventually became. Continue reading “Bandersnatch: the game that killed a company and inspired a Black Mirror episode” →

Gemhunter #12 – Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators

Published on December 29, 2018February 6, 2025 by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

With a new-look site comes a new-look Gemhunter, complete with a lovely new cheesy intro.

Yer man Scullion is now commander in chief of the spaceship Tired Old Hack, exploring the universe of retro gaming in search of forgotten gems.

Does Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators on the Saturn fit that bill? Well, you’re going to have to watch the video to find out, innit.

Gemhunter is my video series in which I try out forgotten, ignored, licensed or shovelware games I’ve never played in the hope of finding a hidden gem. The video is presented unedited so you can experience the game for the first time as I do. Enjoyed this video and want to see more? You can find past Gemhunter episodes here.

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Video preview – New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (Switch)

Published on December 22, 2018December 29, 2018 by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

Nintendo’s kicking off 2019 with another Wii U port, as New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe comes to the Switch on 11 January.

The Wii U version was much-loved by those who played it and ended up being the third-best selling title on the console, with 5.77 million copies sold.

Of course, given that the Wii U console sales themselves were poor, that made it a big fish in a small pond. Nintendo will be hoping that by putting the game on Switch – which already has a larger user base than the Wii U and continues to grow – it’ll reach a much greater audience more in line with the Wii and DS New Super Mario Bros games, which each shifted around 30 million.

Naturally, yer man Scullion’s been sent review code by Nintendo, and I’ve already started playing it. I’ll have a review ready before the game’s out, but it’s currently embargoed up the wazoo so you’ll have to wait until early 2019 for that.

Until then, here’s an 11-minute video in which I talk you through what’s new, show off the new characters and try to rewrite the lyrics to The Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York. Enjoy.

New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe is available on Nintendo Switch on 11 January. You can pre-order the physical version from Amazon UK.

In order that I could put this preview together, I received a digital copy of the game from Nintendo. The content of this preview was in no way positively influenced by this.

If you enjoyed this and want to help me post more frequent articles, please consider donating to my Patreon account.

Don’t want to commit to a regular payment? I’ve now got a PayPal ‘tips’ jar: if you like what you read feel free to chuck yer man Scullion a couple of quid here or there and help stock up my Irn Bru fund so I can continue working away like a bastard.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Switch) single-player review

Published on December 15, 2018December 22, 2018 by Chris Scullion4 Comments

Nintendo / Sora Ltd / Bandai Namco
Nintendo Switch

Well, it’s finally here. Actually, it was here a week ago but I didn’t get code until the day before launch so you’re getting a review now.

Regardless, the point remains: Super Smash Bros Ultimate is now on Switch, giving Nintendo’s already popular system another massive boost. And, judging by early sales figures – roughly 1.3 million sold in Japan already, toppling Red Dead 2 in the UK and the like – it’s clear it’s going to be a huge success.

It’s safe to say this is mainly down to Smash’s multiplayer gameplay. After all, Smash has always been known as a multiplayer fighter first and foremost, and with this new Switch version once again offering support for up to eight players simultaneously it goes without saying that many of the fans buying the game are doing so to fight against their friends or online.

Not everyone likes playing online, though, or playing with their pals, or just people in general. Some folk – yer man Scullion included – are strictly solo gamers, and in that situation it’s maybe a little less immediately clear how long the game’s going to last. Well, I’m going to tell you. Continue reading “Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Switch) single-player review” →

Interview: Suda 51 talks Travis Strikes Again, retro game development and The Smiths

Published on December 15, 2018December 15, 2018 by Chris Scullion8 Comments

Goichi Suda is one of my favourite game designers.

Known better as Suda 51 (51 is ‘go-ichi’ in Japanese), he’s considered by many to be the Quentin Tarantino of video games: notorious for making stylised and offbeat games with a mature subject matter, a dark sense of humour and more references than an over-enthusiastic CV.

Although in recent years he’s given us the likes of Lollipop Chainsaw and Killer Is Dead, Nintendo gamers know Suda better for two of his older offerings: Killer7 on the GameCube, and the No More Heroes games on Wii.

It’s the latter that sees yer man Scullion and yer man 51 making contact once again. I first interviewed Suda more than a decade ago, as part of an Official Nintendo Magazine preview of the first No More Heroes. When its sequel came out in 2010, I caught up with him again for a second interview. Continue reading “Interview: Suda 51 talks Travis Strikes Again, retro game development and The Smiths” →

Atari 2600 Retro Handheld Console (Blaze) review

Published on December 7, 2018December 15, 2018 by Chris Scullion3 Comments

If you’re an old dick like me then your first gaming experience wasn’t with the Wii, or the Game Boy Advance, or the PlayStation: it was the Atari 2600.

While the NES was my first true love, my dad owned a 2600 – it launched in the late 1970s – and so that was my first exposure to this glorious hobby. Its games may look like cave paintings by today’s standards, but they were immensely important to the history of gaming.

Retro specialist Blaze is attempting to keep this history alive with this officially licensed handheld, but how do its 50 games hold up today, and does this £35 gizmo do a good job of replicating them? Let’s get stuck in. Continue reading “Atari 2600 Retro Handheld Console (Blaze) review” →

Sega Mega Drive Classics (Switch) video review

Published on December 2, 2018February 6, 2025 by Chris Scullion4 Comments

I already reviewed Sega Mega Drive Classics (known as Sega Genesis Classics in North America) when it was released on the Xbox One and PS4 this past summer.

If you want to read my general thoughts on it, head over there and fill your boots.

It’s now coming to Switch this week, and those interested are keen to know thing: how well does it run on Nintendo’s system?

So, rather than just tell you, I’ve decided to turn this review into an epic hour-long video, showing all 51 games in action and concluding with my final thoughts.

By the time you’ve finished this video, you’ll have seen the entire line-up of games included, know what they’re about, and know how they run on the Switch.

Enjoy!

Sega Mega Drive Classics is out on Nintendo Switch on 6 December. You can pre-order it from Amazon UK for £29.99. It’s also currently available on Xbox One and PS4.

In order that I could write this review, I received a digital copy of the game from Sega. The content of my review and the opinions therein were in no way positively influenced by this.

If you enjoyed this and other reviews and want to help me write them more frequently, please consider donating to my Patreon account.

VIDEO VERSION:

Nintendo / Nintendo EAD Nintendo Switch, Wii U (Switch version reviewed)

Nintendo / Sora Ltd / Bandai Namco Nintendo Switch

Nintendo / Nintendo EAD
Nintendo Switch, Wii U (Switch version reviewed)

Nintendo / Sora Ltd / Bandai Namco
Nintendo Switch