tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73642240581710512122024-03-05T07:40:08.922+00:00Blog SquirrelThe Blog of Black SquirrelBlack Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.comBlogger416125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-9271047564436461162013-12-01T19:01:00.002+00:002013-12-01T20:55:51.256+00:00Sonic & All-Stars Racing TransformedBecause I feel like writing an essay.
How we doing? Are we well? I'm back to complain about Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, because there are points to prove and potentially more than one person to please. You may remember its predecessor - a lovable-if-often-underwhelming escapade lacking in scope. Well good news - the trend continues!
You can sum up the SaASRT experience with a few Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-44226749904525240852013-07-05T17:23:00.001+01:002013-07-05T17:23:02.885+01:00Rayman OriginsHurray for misleading screenshots.
Rayman Origins. It sat unopened on my shelf for six months. I should pay more attention to shelves.
So, graphics are a thing. Back in the 80s and early 90s they weren't - visuals were but a means to an end, conforming to the restrictions of the day in a desperate crusade to give you something to look at. We weren't aiming to decorate our spare room with Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-38582897452553562512013-06-24T13:50:00.000+01:002013-06-24T19:28:01.016+01:00SOOG: The Eighth GenerationTime to finish what I started, with PlayStations and Xboxes and exciting original content. Maybe.
Recently I found myself at odds with the legendary ShadowMan over the fate of the fledgling Xbox One. To me, the very existence of this console represented an attack on gaming as a whole, but to Shadsy it marked a very different calling - evolution, convenience, matching interfaces, the needed Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-7610213356940186852013-04-21T19:41:00.000+01:002013-04-21T19:41:04.294+01:00HiatusSquirrel's busy. And that's created a dilemma.
Yes, my stockpile of posts in preparation for such an event has run short, and that means either thrilling changes in direction or... not much happening until the end of June. I was sixteen years of age when I started this blog, and back then I could afford to make writing questionable English a priority. Today that's less possible, and so, "Blog Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-3353964268773905722013-04-20T21:06:00.000+01:002013-04-21T15:43:02.447+01:00Metal Gear Solid: Peace WalkerCan you tell I've got a job yet
Time to conclude these solid, high definition gears of metal with Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. This one was a PSP game - that's a fine recipe for success on the big screen I'm sure.
Now that 2D games are no longer exiled from home systems, handhelds have been forced to justify their existence with new forms of play - touch screens, gyroscopes, cameras - Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-3229089184534331842013-04-10T20:25:00.000+01:002013-04-10T20:25:00.018+01:00Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake EaterApparently I was the only human being oblivious of Metal Gear Solid 3's existence when it was released. "It's the bestest PlayStation 2 game ever", said the press, "look at those green and brown textures, aren't they hip and rad?!".
Sure looks "hip and rad" to me... if you've never seen video game graphics before. Anyway here we go with part two of whatever - 2004's Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-49981454672670628592013-04-01T19:16:00.000+01:002013-04-01T19:16:00.262+01:00Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyHere's a franchise I've not bothered with - Metal Gear. And what better way to get acquainted with this nest of snakes than with Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, released back in late 2011 for Xboxes and PlayStations?
...actually I suppose the 1998 PlayStation release of Metal Gear Solid would be a better idea, but hey, here's the next best thing - Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, thrown at Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-16913938843985641182013-03-25T16:04:00.000+00:002013-03-25T16:04:00.820+00:00Star Wars Pinball"NO DISINTERGRATIONS"
Yes Star Wars Pinball, another arm of the ever-growing Disney empire in the form of balls and flippers. 800 Microsoft Points gets you 25% fewer tables than normal, but hey, it's Star Wars, and we all like Star Wars... provided you don't mention the special editions, prequels, DVD, 3D or Blu Ray releases, Clone Wars, the bizarre Christmas special and this paragraph isn't Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-70008415199146453712013-03-16T19:52:00.000+00:002013-03-16T19:52:00.126+00:00Pinball FX 2: V12And to think, we got the abysmal Speed Machine instead.
Yes our tales of classic Zen Classics pinballing wonder come to a close with V12, the engine which helped us win the war, and... isn't associated with classic American musclecars. Redraw your artwork!
V12 is what many would class as an "average" Pinball FX 2 table if such a thing existed. It's neither amazing nor terrible, just there, Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-86681166263896356042013-03-08T18:54:00.000+00:002013-03-08T18:54:00.119+00:00BorderlandsQuick one.
Borderlands, the FPS/"Action RPG" crossover that was all the rage back in 2009 (and most of RAGE in 2011). The world likes this one. I don't.
Yes, Borderlands, otherwise known as "shoot Jason Voorhees", which within the last four years has been upgraded to "Game of the Year (2009)" and "Xbox Classics" status, because having a low set of collective standards is cool and rad. Sure it'sBlack Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-24547750158199806292013-03-03T19:21:00.000+00:002013-03-03T19:21:19.923+00:00Pinball FX 2: Tesla
Now where were we - oh yes, Pinball FX 2's Zen Classics collection, because I hate to leave a job half done regardless of how much I regret the undertaking. And here's a table based on the life and times of Nikola Tesla, because... erm... Heinrich Hertz sucks or something.
When compared to its prior PlayStation 3 outing, Tesla is likely the most improved table of this set, or at least, that Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-35688777474489226162013-02-28T16:20:00.000+00:002013-03-01T10:21:51.898+00:00Puckman Pockimon Genie 2000Yes.
"Puckman Pockimon Genie 2000", thirteen-year-old unlicensed arcade tat from the far east, here to make your day that extra bit less pleasant. You got your Pokémon in my Pac-Man etc., and a worldwide culling of brain cells commenced.
Credit goes to Techokami for tracking this one down.
There's a common misconception amongst Pokémon fans that the franchise is still prevalent in our Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-4996121093577167522013-02-20T19:49:00.000+00:002013-02-20T19:49:00.371+00:00Hebereke's PopoittoThis was localised. Honest.
Hebereke's Popoitto, also known as Popoitto Hebereke. Not something to challenge your voice box with but apparently something UK citizens should buy, accroding to Sunsoft circa 1995.
This is the third Hebereke game to grace the shores of Europeland, but this time life is slightly more sensible - there's a late 1995 release for Sega Saturn and PlayStation as well as Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-38310732200937696782013-02-09T19:09:00.000+00:002013-02-24T19:02:54.293+00:00Retro City RampageBut MDA cards can't do graphics!!
Retro City Rampage by Vblank Entertainment, here to teach us some important life lessons, such as why you shouldn't delay a game for countless months, and why GTA III on the NES might have been a more worthwhile project than creating a downloadable XBLA parody. Clearly a bastion of learning - we should be honoured to be in its presence.
Parodies; we all know Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-65168386120704008242013-02-01T17:38:00.000+00:002013-02-01T17:38:00.051+00:00Hebereke no PopoonSo how do you follow up an interesting, if badly timed non-linear platformer? By creating a falling block puzzle game of course! That's sensible!
Yes it's the return of the world's favourite intoxicated penguin; Hebereke no Popoon, a 1995 puzzle game released for the Super Famicom in Japan. It's a rare case of the arcade version being the lesser choice - treasure this moment, it doesn't happen Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-25530544279766854562013-01-26T17:29:00.000+00:002013-01-26T19:35:11.520+00:00Forza Motorsport 3"The definitive racing game of this generation".
Forza Motorsport 3, because life is full of surprises. Released in 2009 by Turn 10 for the Xbox 360, it's the definitive racing game of this generation and it's the definitive racing game of this generation. Old E3 quotes are fun.
So, are you a fan of serious driving games? I know I'm not, or rather, having not touched one for a decade or more, Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-14472174740837900092013-01-19T11:15:00.000+00:002013-01-19T11:15:00.275+00:00Super Mario World 64Remember when I used to talk about unlicensed games? Good times... or not.
Anyway it's time to relive the horrors, with the demented holy grail of Sega Mega Drive tat, Super Mario World 64. First spotted back in 2008, this abysmal piece of garbage has finally succumbed to preservation efforts after almost five years of struggles. It's a good day for the world, and by extension, that means it's aBlack Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-77620523177698676722013-01-17T21:20:00.002+00:002013-01-17T21:20:51.146+00:00Driver: San FranciscoWell isn't this a staple of originality.
Driver: San Francisco, built up the road by Ubisoft Reflections and released back in 2011. The most imaginative city in the world plays host to a super successful video game franchise - it's sarcasm overload, but could it secretly be a great game?
Growing up in the late 90s put you on a collision course with Driver or its sequel on the PlayStation. Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-29871998622398717642013-01-06T13:06:00.000+00:002013-01-06T13:06:04.024+00:00Ufouria: The SagaYour name is Freeon-Leeon and you can swim on the water and walk through snow and ice.
It's 2013, and that means it's time to give animals alcohol. This year it's the turn of the penguins, as featured in 1992's Ufouria: The Saga, otherwise known as Hebereke. It's a game for the NES - the PAL NES.
To reassess the gaming landscape once more for those who missed it - the Nintendo Entertainment Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-79572831566980708482012-12-29T20:34:00.001+00:002013-02-24T19:07:35.695+00:00Pinball FX 2: El Dorado
I was told, from clearly unreliable sources, that El Dorado was one of the lesser tables to grace Zen Pinball in 2009. And that's why you don't listen to what people have to say. Opinions suck - more guns in schools!!!
Yes here we are with part two of four, El Dorado, otherwise known as "the green table". It's not the cleverest of Pinball FX 2 additions out there - Gottlieb managed to release aBlack Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-21835102918432946752012-12-20T19:52:00.000+00:002012-12-20T19:52:00.684+00:00Pinball FX 2: ShamanHey look, it's the day nobody was waiting for - equality amongst pinball simulators by Zen Studios.
Shaman, El Dorado, Tesla and V12, four pinball tables from 2009 originally exclusive to PlayStation 3 users, are now available to Xbox 360 fans via Pinball FX 2. Trying to describe the situation hurts my head, but I'm going to review each table individually anyway because I can, starting with Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-45646937584549527162012-12-11T19:16:00.000+00:002012-12-11T19:16:08.846+00:00Icicle WorksIt's getting cold outside, so must be time to tell Paul Weller that the river Nile flows through ten African nations and much of the continent follows Islam. We've done this every year since 1986 but he just doesn't listen!
And what better way to celebrate the festive season than Icicle Works for the Commodore 64, a game completely devoid of icicles... and work. Great stuff.
Those silly enough Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-66700617947207444712012-12-07T21:48:00.002+00:002012-12-07T21:49:10.315+00:00SOOG: Wii UThat's the sound of da police.
It's new Nintendo console time, and I thought I'd try something hilarious - give my opinions on a system I've not seen and don't plan to buy, because that's totally what you want to read. Won't get that elsewhere on the internet, nope.
When I became invested in full-time internet fun almost a decade ago, I was shocked to find "Nintendo" was still a thing. Sure, Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-40526416358845529012012-12-01T21:11:00.001+00:002012-12-01T21:12:00.613+00:00Hard 'n' HeavyRemember Great Giana Sisters, the world's most famous Super Mario Bros. clone? Of course you do - the internet won't let you forget.
But what about the sequel? This is Hard 'n' Heavy for the Amiga, converted, apparently, by a man without a name. We're off to a good start.
Spend a considerable amount of time on the internet and you'll be force-fed information about Nintendo and their console Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364224058171051212.post-20238172993297506802012-11-26T19:00:00.000+00:002012-11-26T19:05:21.648+00:00Pinball FX 2: Civil WarTime to put your PhD to good use.
Politics, pinball and Marvel Comics, all rolled up into one bundle in the form of Civil War, recently released to Pinball FX 2. Chose your coloured gimp and manipulate the powers at be. Sounds lovely.
Civil War is a crossover comic book series released in 2006/2007 by Marvel, written so Stan Lee's creations can experience something deep and meaningful in their Black Squirrelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443181359588888412noreply@blogger.com0