Author: mmygind
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Retro Review – In the Hunt (1995, Kokopeli/THQ, Sony PlayStation)
By Michael Mygind I’m going to start this review off with a question. Do you like Metal Slug? If you answered yes, you might as well be a fan of In the Hunt as well, even if you’ve never played it. This game would essentially help lay the foundation for what would become one of…
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Retro Review: “Batman Returns” (1993, Konami, Super Nintendo)
By Michael Mygind The 16-bit era of the early to mid-nineties was a hotbed for two things: side scrolling beat-em-ups and movie tie-ins. Most beat-em-ups were uninspired copy-cats of popular franchises at the time such as Final Fight and Streets of Rage, and most movie tie-ins were lackluster cash-ins on a popular license. However, 1993’s Batman…
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This Day in Gaming History: June 10th, 1992 – Street Fighter II is Released for the Super Famicom in Japan
By Michael Mygind Heralded as the definitive fighting game, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, not only set the standard for the genre, but reinvigorated the competitive nature of video games. On this day in gaming history, the arcade blockbuster featuring eight diverse fighters, hit the home console with its release of Street Fighter II…
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Retro Review: “Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems” (1996, Capcom, Super Nintendo)
By Michael Mygind When you hear the brands Marvel & Capcom used in the same sentence, you automatically insert a “VS” between the two and think of fighting games. However, because of that, a collaboration between the two that is often overshadowed is Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems, released for the Super…
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The Retro VGS: What We Know So Far
From the path that ended with the Nintendo 64, comes the first new cartridge-based home console, the Retro Video Game System, or Retro VGS for short. While it is still in the early stages of development with a Kickstarter page that is expected to launch soon, this ambitious console plans to bring nostalgia back to…
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This Day in Gaming History: May 11th, 1995 – The Sega Saturn Receives a Surprise Launch
By Michael Mygind Twenty years ago today on May 11th, 1995, Sega released the Sega Saturn in North America. With an original launch date of September 5, 1995, just one week before Sony’s home console debut with the Playstation, Sega’s then president, Tom Kalinske, made a bold move at the 1995 E3 expo. In an…
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Foreign Favorites: Volume 3 – Japan Pickups Edition
By Michael Mygind This time around, I’ll be focusing on four games that I picked up while on vacation in Japan. Pop ‘n TwinBee (1993, Konami, Super Famicom) This shoot ‘em up (or shmup) is the sixth game in the TwinBee series, which are often referred to as “cute ‘em ups” for their cartoony style…
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Gaming in Translation (Part 3/3) – A Suitcase Full of Games
By Michael Mygind This past March, my wife and I were able to make a trip that I’ve wanted to make since I was little: Japan, the land of the rising sun, Nintendo, Sega, SNK and a ton of retro video games for the picking. This final installment of my little Japan recap will be…
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Gaming in Translation (Part 2/3) – Nerd Culture in Japan
By Michael Mygind This past March, my wife and I were betting odds explained that I’ve wanted to make since I was little: Japan, the land of the rising sun, anime, manga and the video game developers that helped the industry recover from the crash in the early 80’s and make it what it is today. While my…
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Gaming in Translation (Part 1/3) – Impressions of Japan
By Michael Mygind This past March, my wife and I were able to make a trip that I’ve wanted to make since I was little: Japan, the land of the rising sun, Mount Fuji and culture that is still intact. Despite this being a video gaming blog, I feel it would be a serious injustice…