If there’s one racing sub-genre that is sorely under-represented these days, it’s the water-based arcade racer. When done right, it’s all blue-skies, even bluer water and wave-hopping fun. There’s just something about the aesthetics of these games that I love. It’s all in the colours, the undulating clear waters, the music and the ride. A good water racer will offer stunning visuals, great physics and a one-of-a-kind of racing experience that’ll stick with you a long time.
I think it’s safe to say that I’ve mostly jumped off of the AAA wagon.
Studios like Activision, Ubisoft and EA cater to an entirely different generation of gamers these days… and it’s definitely not something I feel a part of.
Games As A Service is not a concept I can wrap my head around. The vast open worlds, lifeless racing titles and indentikit shooters and MOBA’s lost me, if I’m being truthful, toward the tail end of the Xbox 360 era.
The SEGA Saturn is my most beloved console, this I’m sure you already know. It had my back against that filthy Sony Playstation – coz schoolyard gaming politics – and I still own my childhood Model 2.
I picked up a second unit many years ago, settling on a nice Japanese Model 1 unit that whilst a bit yellow these days, runs anything I throw at it. And with that purchase, the Japanese library opened up to me like the prettiest flower I’d ever seen.
All of the games that I could only dream about as a youngster were finally within my grasp…
… and I made the most of it.
The Atari Lynx was a beast.
It was an 8-bit machine with 16-bit co-processors and 32-bit sound. OK, that 32-bit audio still sounded pretty 8-bit most of the time, but whatever…
…A BEAST, I tells ya!
And it’s like the thing was sentient. As if to prove just how mighty it was, the Lynx would eat 6 AA batteries for breakfast in one big gulp. Though that was in 1989 – 1993 in my case. The hardier batteries of today might get it through to brunch.
There are TONS of free games out there on the interwebs. And a lot of them are trash, it’s true.
But not all of them – some are absolutely brilliant, and definitely worth your time. So here’s a sweet curated list of games I’ve put together – just for you!
They will keep you busy over the weekend, for sure. And as always, all the LINKS you need are INCLUDED!
Two years ago today, 2D arcade racer Slipstream was successfully funded on Kickstarter. It hit the ground running early in the campaign, courting potential backers with a playable demo and boasting a neat Synthwave soundtrack. Slipstream made a hell of a first impression. The combination of 2D Out Run raster scrolling and the smooth Out Run 2 drift mechanics got me straight where it hurts – my weaknesses all rolled into one.
The past 48 hours have been a very, very exciting few for the SEGA Dreamcast faithful.
It’s a day for the history books. At least a day for my history books.
Why?
Because an early build of a title thought to be lost to the sands of time, Agartha, is out and ready to be played by ALL.
We may never have received the official WipEou4 we all wanted, but it really doesn’t matter any more, for developer auteurs Neognosis have made up for this gross injustice by unleashing BallisticNG upon the world.
So I’ve been pretty busy bringing you lot all the content I can, yet I’ve still managed to make some time for actual gaming.
How awesome is that???
Here’s some cool stuff I’ve been messing around with in the last couple of weeks!
Even the title screen is the same!
The legs that id Software’s DOOM has had is incredible. Released in 1993, DOOM changed the gaming landscape like nobody could have predicted. Wolfenstein 3D was cool and all, and I personally love the game, but it didn’t blow my mind like DOOM did.
DOOM was the first game in which I distinctly remember feeling that the 3D environment felt like an actual place. I remember levels in my head like they are places I’ve visited on holidays. They have a sense of weight and feel tangible, full of memorable architecture and thoughtful design. If I could jump right in there, deep into those memories, I’d know where to go with nary a thought.
