Game 92: Sonic the Hedgehog

Posted on December 1, 2011 by chachi

Sonic The Hedgehog
Sega
1991

In the ’90s there were 2 main consoles much like today, just different companies. They were constantly fighting for control of the market and until 1991 one of them had dominated the home gaming market. Nintendo had been on top since 1985. With the original nes and introduction of Mario they owned it all.

In 1991 Sega decided to take a page from Nintendo’s book. They wanted to create a character that would not only star in games but could be the face of the company. Sonic was their hedgehog.

So Sonic is a hedgehog(blue in case you didnt catch that). Who lives on South island with all his animal friends. When he encounters Dr. Robotnik and discover his evil intentions to collect the Chaos Emeralds and take over the world. The Doc hopes to accomplish this by turning animals into robots to do his bidding. Sonic has different plans though and sets out across the the worlds different zones to stop this from happening.

Sonic goes through 6 levels split up into 3 acts avoiding obstacles and “badniks” freeing animals and defeating the Doc at the end of each level. using his speed and the spin move sonic can jump spikes and pits and defeat the robots therefore freeing the robot. The goal? get the 6 Chaos Emeralds so that Dr. Robotnik cannot.

One of the interesting facts of this game is that the  Emeralds are not rewards for beating Dr. Robotnik at the end of the level. In fact in order to accomplish and see the “Good Ending” of the game. In order to get the emeralds, you must collect golden rings which serve dual purposes in the game. Carrying at least one ring will stop you from losing a life if you are hit by a robot. However 100 rings give you an extra life, but if you finish act 1 or 2 of any level with at least 50 rings you can go to the Special stage.

The special stage is a 360 rotating maze that allows Sonic to collect rings and locate the emeralds. Hitting a goal block however will end this chance. These are also the only place in the game to collect continues to use in case you lose all your lives.

Beat Dr. Robotnik and save your animal friends!

Chachi Says: As a nintendo fan i didnt fall for the sonic ploy at first. Nor did my father allow me too, always making sure nintendo was in our house. However the game is good. Fun to play and has a high replay value.

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Game 91: Mr. Driller

Posted on November 30, 2011 by chachi

Mr. Driller
Namco
1999

Some companies release great games that get huge attention. Some companies dont take advantage of this and run those series into the ground with hasty bad sequels. Some do. Some companies wait years before doing this. Namco did.

Mr. Driller is the son of Dig Dug star Taizo Hori named Susumu. His job is to go around the world and drill.

To play the game you pick a country and drill there in hopes of reaching the goal distance set at the begining. The game play is Dig dug meets tetris for lack of a better description. Strategically drilling to reach the goal and avoid being crushed by blocks above.

Bonuses and 1 ups are giving through out the game by things found bhind removed blocks. Watch your air supply though. failure to do so will result in losing a life and restarting the level. This can be avoided by collecting air capsules placed through out the levels. They refill your air supply allowing you to continue in hopes of reaching the goal.

The reason i said they ran the series into the ground is due to the game not being all that much fun and gets boring really quickly. On top of this they changed the theme and name and quickly released 10 games in ten years with the only real improvement being an update to the graphics.

Chachi Says: Not the worse game ever but in my opinion it was a smear on an otherwise fabled history for dig dug.

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Game 90: Worms

Posted on November 29, 2011 by chachi

Worms
Team17
1995

Chances are, if you were in school in 1995 whether it be High school or college there are several games that you managed to get on the computers there. Games that you would play in study hall or free periods to pass the time and an even higher chance that Worms was one of those games.

The first of this long lines of games was released in 1995 by Ocean Software. Devloped by Team17 software.(yes, there is no space.) This game was originally slated to be released for the Amiga however the fast popularity prompted it to be ported to every major platform at the time.

This turn based game pitted your team of destructive heavily armed worms against a team of either AI or human players also controlling a team of heavily armed worms. The goal? Be the last team standing of course!

Placed on various levels the teams positioned themselves to ensure easy attack. Using weapons ranging from shotguns and bazookas to completely rediculus weapons such as holy hand grenades and the ever popular exploding sheep to completely destroy the opposition.

Each team gets a turn with every member of their team in back and forth rotation with the turns lasting 45 to 100 seconds. Allowing for an attack or to set up a future move depending on the plans the player made.

Last man standing wins!

This game has since released several sequels and made its way through all the available platforms. hell, i have a copy on my g2. The game was even slated to be released on Virtual Boy with development in process it was soon scrapped because of Nintendo squashing the VB.

Chachi Says: This game both addicting and fun to play has a high entertainment rate at first but then soon goes away. Not a bad game to play at a lan party but single player leaves much to be desired.

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Game 89: Zuma

Posted on November 28, 2011 by chachi

Zuma
PopCap Games
2003
It is little to no surprise of mine to be going through this book and finding PopCap listed in the 1001 games you must play before you die. In fact, i wouldve thought that there would be more PopCap games listed. In the day and age we live where mobile gaming is becoming the top gaming platform one would think that a few more of their games would’ve been considered.

Zuma released in 2003 is one of the games that launched PopCap to where they are today. Originally released as an online game was quickly made for release to other platforms. Pda, mobile phones and ipods would quickly see this game grace the screens.
Seeing many sequels for multiple platforms, its no wonder the company is as huge as they are. The knack they have for creating easily to play, challenging, addicting games is one unparalled in todays market.

Zuma is a puzzle game set in Aztec Mexico(I use that description lightly simply due to the fact that the game couldve taken place anywhere and still have been a hit.) The object is to use the stone frog to shoot colored balls into the line of balls creating sets of 3 or more.

The balls travel on a set path that is visiable on all levels except one. The goal is to clear the path from balls before they reach the skull at the end. If one ball reaches the end the rest quickly follow therefore costing the player a life and redoing the level.
Power ups and coins help the player to clear the screen quicker and therefore ending the level and scoring more points. Power ups include backwards balls, slow down balls, accuracy balls and explosion. All doing what they are named for allowing the player to buy time or beat the level quicker than they wouldve before.

Watch out kids, like all popcap games this one is addictive and a time suck.

Chachi Says: When it comes to mobile and web gaming popCap has the formula to kill your free time. Certainly a fun game and well worth the time if you dig these games.

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Chachi Says 60: Hand Turkey

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Sorgatron

Chachi is celebrating Thanksgiving by showing us how to make…Hand Turkeys!!!!

Send in your comments, user questions, requests, video voicemail links (YouTube posts preferred) and more to csvidcast@gmail.com or connect directly on his Twitter by follow @chachisays!

You can check out the show on  YouTube and Blip.tv and subscribe to Chachi Says on iTunes!  Be sure to leave a comment where ever your watching it.

 

 

Trouble viewing? Try on YouTube

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Chachi Says 59: Plight of the Tanooki

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Sorgatron

Chachi is targeting PETA, who’s targeting one of his most beloved video game characters, Mario, and the plight of the Tanooki.  Yes.  It’s a real animal.

Send in your comments, user questions, requests, video voicemail links (YouTube posts preferred) and more to csvidcast@gmail.com or connect directly on his Twitter by follow @chachisays!

You can check out the show on  YouTube and Blip.tv and subscribe to Chachi Says on iTunes!  Be sure to leave a comment where ever your watching it.

 

Trouble viewing? Try on YouTube

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Chachi Says 58: Twitter is Too Hard

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Sorgatron

Chachi is up at arms about the whole Penn State scandal, but more angry about what others are doing in it’s wake.  Enter: Arch Rival (but not if you ask him) Ashton Kutcher and his recent Twitter faux pas this week.  Twitter’s too hard for Ashton, so Chachi invites you to write his twitter for him by emailing chachisays@gmail.com with the header “CHACHI TWEET THIS”

Send in your comments, user questions, requests, video voicemail links (YouTube posts preferred) and more to csvidcast@gmail.com or connect directly on his Twitter by follow @chachisays!

You can check out the show on  YouTube and Blip.tv and subscribe to Chachi Says on iTunes!  Be sure to leave a comment where ever your watching it.

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Chachi Says 57: Lying Tetris Master

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Sorgatron

Chachi is angry this week.  First the NES Tetris LIES to him about his status as Tetris Master, then he smashed Jeff Hardy for flaunting his status as a jailbird on his sleeve.  Literally.

Send in your comments, user questions, requests, video voicemail links (YouTube posts preferred) and more to csvidcast@gmail.com or connect directly on his Twitter by follow @chachisays!

You can check out the show on  YouTube and Blip.tv and subscribe to Chachi Says on iTunes!  Be sure to leave a comment where ever your watching it.

Trouble viewing? Try on YouTube

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Game 88: Paper Boy

Posted on November 4, 2011 by chachi

Paperboy
Atari
1984

Back in the days of my teen years, in my small suburban neighborhood in the middle of no where, one of the jobs we were able to obtain at 16 was that of a neighborhood paper boy. I would just like to point out that this game was absolutely nothing like that!

I was ambitious and had two neighborhoods, The one were i lived and one on the way to school. Luckily this company didnt make you collect which was a huge p.i.t.a. Anyways that not important.

Originally released for arcade play, the game was praised due to the simple controls and gameplay.

The game is comprised of 3 difficulties. 7 Levels. 1 week of service in the newspaper business. The object? Avoid the obstacles, successful deliver the papers to the subscribers and thrash the non subscribers houses.
Simple enough right?

The harder the difficulty the more points you get. At the end of every level is an obstacle course. that helps you gain more points. Things that get in your way range from fire hydrants to dogs or break dancers.

Successfully complete the day and you can earn new subscribers.

Chachi Says: For the simplicity of the game its not so easy and still alot of fun. ive logged a lot of hours playing this and still do today.

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Game 87: Ms. Pac-man

Posted on November 3, 2011 by chachi

Ms. Pac-man
Bally/Midway/Namco
1981

Every once there comes around a lady that makes a life changing impact on you. Sometimes there comes a time where that woman drives you up the freaking wall because she doesnt move fast enough and the ghost get you.

Some believe that Ms. Pacman is just Pac-man in drag. Which is quite easy considering its a bow, lipstick and beauty mark. To each their own i guess.( See Drawn Together episode entitled Gay bash)

So why waste time telling you game play, when its the same. No need to go over power pellets, fruit, when/when not to eat the ghost. Just like Pac-man. Ms. Pac-Man has seen her tour of platforms.

So lets cover some fun facts!

Just like Pacman, the Misses has a kill screen. Happens if youre lucky at level 256. Or sooner sometimes.

Ms. Pac-man came to be in 1980 when Company General Computer Corp. was creating an enhancement kit for pacman called Crazy Otto. This would increase game play and change things up again. However Atari sued GCC because of a Missle Command conversion kit called Super Missle Attack. Part of the settlement agreement was that they would stop making enhancements.

So in turn, Midway bought the game because they were sick of waiting for the next Pac-Man game. So they changed some things, threw on a bow and bam! Ms. Pac-man was created.

Chachi Says: True love never dies. to this day i still have random lunch dates with a Ms. Pacman machine.

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