r h @utamav91

Omega Race (VIC-20)

Fun space-themed game

The Good
I really enjoyed the smooth sprite movement and crisp graphics of the ships in the game. And of course, the unique "rebound" movement off of the boundaries at the edges of the playfield. If I recall, the arcade game was vector based (like asteroids or star castle--drawn with lines rather than pixels) but the designers did a good job of recreating the ships for the Vic 20 in pixel form. It's a game that lets you clear a few levels at moderate difficulty before getting absolutely too hard, which I appreciated because my video game skills aren't the best.

The Bad
Nothing.

The Bottom Line
Not much got lost from the arcade to the Vic 20 on this game. The smoothness of the controls for thrust, ship movement, rebounding, etc. makes for a very enjoyable game. I brought it home and my Dad wound up enjoying it as much as I did. Probably my favorite game for the Vic 20. When I first played the game I'd try to stay in one spot and not move much, but I found to be really successful at this game, it's helpful to really learn how to use thrust and rebounding to get you where you want to be on the screen. A lot of fun overall.

By r h on January 5, 2007

PowerHits Sports (DOS)

Fun collection of sports games

The Good
I really enjoyed playing the hockey game the most. Easy to learn, fun to play. A good mix of arcade action with strategy/line changes being important too. The motorcycle, racing and tennis games are fun too.

The Bad
Nothing

The Bottom Line
A lot of fun. Each game supplied good graphics, intense challenge and didn't require a lot of time to get good at the games. I remember being so happy when I defeated a pretty good computer opponent in hockey. Tennis also was really cool. Overall, just a nice way to spend an afternoon playing games.

By r h on January 5, 2007

Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge (Windows)

The ultimate golf game for its time

The Good
The course editor was really fun to use. I had a lot of fun doing a computerized version of my favorite local course I like to play. The graphics were so realistic. And it was easy to use.

Also, a few years ago, you could go online and play against other players, but I'm not sure if that's still going on since this game is several years old now. And with all the various courses online, there was no shortage of new challenges. There were some really good course designers out there.

The ball physics and the way the course terrain affected your shots were very realistic. The graphics were beautifully drawn with a very accurate sense of perspective on each shot. It even had a nice trajectory helper which helped you really shape your shot (such as a flat tee box shot or a nice high arc dropping onto a green for example).

I really liked this game. A nice mix of golf strategy but not too difficult to learn. More realistic golf simulation than arcade game (no 450 yard drives or making a 100 foot putt), which I like a lot in a golf game. And you could play a round in maybe 30 minutes. Some golf games move too slow, but this moves at a nice pace.

The Bad
Nothing

The Bottom Line
I would describe this game my favorite golf game of all time. The graphics, game play, realism of this game really simulate how relaxing, challenging and rewarding 18 holes of golf can be--just like a beautiful afternoon on a real golf course. Well done!

By r h on January 4, 2007

Coaster (DOS)

A LOT of fun!!!!!!!

The Good
I liked the game's ease of use and sense of humor--the folks who ride the coaster make some hilarious comments sometimes. The point of designing a roller coaster is riding it and getting feedback. I also liked the fact that since the number of elements are limited, you're forced to design within the rules of the game and come up with a design the riders like. It's a fun challenge.

The Bad
Like some other reviewers have said, you can't do a wooden coaster or add scenery or anything. But again, this was designed about 15 years ago and back then the graphics were pretty sophisticated.

The Bottom Line
I've played other coaster design games and, while some are more realistic graphically perhaps than this one, I like this one because of the rider feedback. In other games you design a coaster and no one gives any critique...not quite as satisfying for some reason. It's so simple to build a coaster. You can design something fun in 5 minutes and ride it. It's really easy to use. The physics seem pretty realistic and the game's simplicity make the play-again factor very high.

By r h on January 3, 2007

The Lion King (SNES)

Beautiful graphics

The Good
The artists did such a great job on this game, it's almost like watching a cartoon. Terrific soundtrack goes along great with the gameplay and storyline. The first few levels are challenging and fun.

The Bad
About halfway through the game there's a level which me and my wife never could get past. We could play about 15-20 minutes into the game but one of the levels we just weren't skilled enough to solve.

The Bottom Line
Great graphics, requires great skill the further you get into the game.

By r h on January 3, 2007

Pilotwings (SNES)

A lot of fun

The Good
A lot different than any other game I've ever played. The jetpack, the parachute, the fun flying challenges. It was challenging but not impossible to learn in my opinion.

The Bad
I got stuck for awhile at one of the licensing levels, but played it a lot and finally got past that level. I liked the airplane and the parachute, but I wasn't very good at the jetpack.

The Bottom Line
Terrific graphics, a great sense of flying and being in the air, just a lot of fun!

By r h on January 3, 2007

NCAA Basketball (SNES)

One of my favorite basketball games of all time

The Good
This was the first game I bought for the SNES and I can't remember how many entire seasons I played. In fact, I had some minor surgery a couple of years ago and during the couple of weeks I was stuck on the couch or bed recovering, I must have played literally hundreds of games of NCAA basketball. And like the unique 3D perspective of the game. Really captures the back-and-forth flow of basketball quite well.

The Bad
I pretty much liked everything about this game.

The Bottom Line
The key is learning your team's strengths and what each player is good at. And keep an eye on your substitutions. If a player gets tired, he won't help you much. Overall, just a fun basketball game with good graphics and is easy to learn.

By r h on January 3, 2007

NHL Stanley Cup (SNES)

I liked this game

The Good
It's a good first-person game--makes it feel like you're really skating out there on the ice among the other players. I like the sound effects. Graphics are somewhat similar (due to the rotating playing surface) to the SNES college basketball game that I really enjoyed as well.

The Bad
I found it very hard to score. The rotation of the screen/rink is very realistic, but also makes it tough to control the puck sometimes, especially on turnovers. And the perspective makes it hard to see other players to pass to sometimes. But these are VERY minor complaints.

The Bottom Line
This game is a lot of fun. Easy to learn, simple controls, unique 3D perspective of the action. Players are well-animated, especially on checks and shooting and skating. The sound effects make it sound like you're in a rink--the sound of the puck hitting the boards or the ice is pretty realistic. There were many well-done hockey games for the SNES, but this might be my favorite.

By r h on January 3, 2007