Player One Podcast

This week! Games, J Allard leaving, lots more. Games discussed this week include Super Mario Galaxy 2, Red Dead Redemption, Alan Wake, Split Second, Doom II XBLA, Blur, Rock Band Green Day / Rock Band 3 and more!

Own an iPhone/iPod touch? We’ve got an app for that–the Player One Podcast player app is available now. Play shows new and old, read show
notes, access the show Twitter, website, email, voicemail line and more! Plus, you’ll be able to access bonus audio and video content (soon, once we figure out what that is). Click here to download.

Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/p1podcast.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to visit our new web site at www.playeronepodcast.com. You can leave us a voicemail by calling 713-893-8069 or you can send a comment via MP3 to our email address, playeronepodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to join our forums if you haven’t already!

Running time: 1:15:41

Direct download: 05_31_10-Episode188.mp3

Chris Johnston Episodes alan wake, Blur, Doom II, episode, podcast, Red Dead Redemption, Rock Band, Split Second, super mario galaxy 2

Publisher: Good Deal Games (Acclaim)

Developer: Domark

Released: 2004 (1994)

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned Good Deal Games on this blog or not. They’re a great place to find copies of previously unreleased games for some of your favourite classic game systems. They have a decent selection of Sega CD titles available, one of which is Battle Frenzy.

Battle Frenzy was actually released in 1994 in the UK, but didn’t see a North American release until a decade later.

This is another example of a Genesis cartridge game being re-released on the CD format, complete with redbook audio and… not a whole lot else. Considering this is a first-person shooter, it’s not surprising to see other reviews out there on the interwebs saying it was only possible through the scaling and rotation abilities of the Sega CD hardware.

Not true. The cartridge version of the game runs pretty much exactly the same as the CD release.

The goal in Battle Frenzy is to navigate 12 levels of shooty action. Each level contains a core (or something) that you must destroy. Once that’s done, you have to run back to the level entrance before a timer counts down and everything goes boom.

It’s not only very repetitive – it’s very difficult to play. There’s a reason we didn’t see a whole lot of first-person shooters on the console scene before the advent of the dual-analog stick controller. This thing is just a pain to control, with the d-pad controlling both look and forward/backward movement, and a button that you can hold in order to strafe.

When I do these updates, I always try to find something interesting about each title. It was difficult to come up with much in this case. Of course, developer Domark is one of the handful of software houses that eventually merged to create Eidos Interactive (currently owned by Square-Enix).

I thought that was all I’d have to go with. But then a name in the credits jumped out at me. Ian Livingstone is credited with writing the story in Battle Frenzy. If you’re a child of the 80s, you might remember him as a writer of fantasy fiction, as well as one of the people behind the Fighting Fantasy series of books – a sort of single player, RPG-lite series for the younger crowd.

Turns out he’s been a part of the games industry for a long time (and even before that, co-founded Games Workshop in 1975). In fact, he’s still around. When Square-Enix took over Eidos he was apparently promoted to “Life President.”

Sounds fancy.

Greg Sewart Sega CD Battle Frenzy, Good Deal Games, Sega CD

This week! We talk Pac-Man’s 30th, Red Dead Redemption, Split/Second, Truckers Delight Episode 1, PSP2, the Mega Man live-action movie, pimping games we were involved in making, and more!

Own an iPhone/iPod touch? We’ve got an app for that–the Player One Podcast player app is available now. Play shows new and old, read show notes, access the show Twitter, website, email, voicemail line and more! Plus, you’ll be able to access bonus audio and video content (soon, once we figure out what that is). Click here to download.

Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/p1podcast.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to visit our new web site at www.playeronepodcast.com. You can leave us a voicemail by calling 713-893-8069 or you can send a comment via MP3 to our email address, playeronepodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to join our forums if you haven’t already!

Running time: 1:13:56

This week’s links:
Red Dead Redemption: Life in the West
Split/Second
Truckers Delight iPhone
Truckers Delight original video (NSFW)

Direct download: 05_24_10-Episode187.mp3

Chris Johnston Episodes Mega Man live-action, Pac-Man, PSP2, Red Dead Redemption, Split Second, Truckers Delight

This week! We spend the majority of the podcast talking about the past week’s big PlayStation 3 release, Atlus’ excellent retro-style action-RPG 3D Dot Game Heroes.  But also: Picross 3D, Ninjatown: Trees of Doom, Vector Rally, Steam for Mac and responding to a tweet on our favorite western-themed games in honor of this week’s release of Red Dead Redemption.

Own an iPhone/iPod touch? We’ve got an app for that–the Player One Podcast player app is available now. Play shows new and old, read show notes, access the show Twitter, website, email, voicemail line and more! Plus, you’ll be able to access bonus audio and video content (soon, once we figure out what that is). Click here to download. Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/p1podcast.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to visit our new web site at www.playeronepodcast.com. You can leave us a voicemail by calling 713-893-8069 or you can send a comment via MP3 to our email address, playeronepodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to join our forums if you haven’t already!

Running time: 1:08:03

This week’s links:
Headcase Games: 180
3D Dot Game Heroes trailer
Ninjatown: Trees of Doom
Vector Rally
Rising Zan The Samurai Gunman
Sunset Riders
Mad Dog McCree
Custer’s Revenge
Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters

Direct download: 05_17_10-Episode186.mp3

Chris Johnston Episodes 3D Dot Game Heroes, episode, Ninjatown, Picross 3D, podcast, Steam, Vector Rally, Western

Thanks to the good folks at Headcase Games, we have two copies of their excellent new iPhone game, 180, to give away.

If you would like to win a copy, simply head over to this thread and post a comment. That’s all. It doesn’t even have to be anything clever (although you might want to share your OpenFeint name). Your post number will be your entry. If you haven’t signed up for our forums yet, this is as good an excuse as any. Hey, it’s free, so why not?

Make your post by 11:59 PM PST on May 14, 2010. After then, we’ll use a random number generator to choose two winners. The winner will receive a private message through our forums with a promo code for the game.

So what is 180? Here’s what Headcase Games has to say about it:

Think quick! In the action-puzzler 180, you must flip, shoot, and match combos before the wall of coins can crush you.

Each piece on the gameboard has 2 sides.  Touch any coin to flip it 180 degrees. Tap in the empty area to shoot your next coin. Shoot to connect 3 or more of the same front-side color to clear.

If you enjoy games like Tetris and Bejeweled but want something new and addicting, 180 is the game you’ve been waiting for!

Full Version Features:

• 3 Unique game modes: Score Attack, Drop Attack, and Endless
• Easy and Hard levels
• Set up complex chain reactions and magnificent combos, and be rewarded with huge scores!
• OpenFeint integration, challenge your friends on the leaderboards to see who’s the champ.
• Comprehensive stat tracking
• Colorful, detailed graphics and hi-quality sound effects.
• 4 Different characters to cheer you on!
• Extremely simple to learn, with very deep gameplay that will keep you coming back for more.
• Great for kids, adults and hardcore gamers alike, 180 is a unique game that’s suitable for anyone to enjoy.

This is a fairly informal contest, so there’s no laundry list of official rules. Still, here are a few important notes:

• Only one entry per person. Feel free to post multiple times in the thread, but only your first post counts as your entry ticket.
• In order to play the game, you will need an iPhone, iPod touch, or an iPad. The game requires iPhone OS 2.2 or later.
• You’ll also need access to the iTunes App Store in order to redeem the promo code to download the free game.
• Even if you don’t win, you should buy the game anyway. It’s pretty darn good, and it’s only $1.99.

About Headcase Games

Headcase Games is an independent mobile game developer comprised of a small team of industry veterans, whose previous credits include creative development on several popular AAA titles – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series, Neverwinter Nights 2, Alpha Protocol, Heroes of Might and Magic IV, Caesar III, Knights of the Old Republic II, and several others.

Contact:
http://www.headcaseGames.com
info@headcaseGames.com

Links:
What is 180?
180 iTune App Store Link
Headcase Games Blog: Retro Game of the Day
Gameplay demonstration on YouTube

May 15th Update:

The contest has ended!

Thanks to everyone who entered. A good, old fashioned random number generator has determined our two winners:

juanster and Shakey Steve

Congratulations, gentlemen. Be sure to check your private messages for your promo codes.

And a special thanks once again to Headcase Games for providing us with these promo codes to give away. Even if you didn’t win, be sure to check out 180. It’s a very fun game, and at $1.99, it’s a darn fine deal.

Phil Theobald contest, iPhone, Video Games 180, contest, Headcase Games, ipad, iPhone, iPod Touch

During our most recent episode (#184), we discussed some of the best and worst EGM covers. This was the image that a couple of us were using for reference during that talk.

Well, it’s not the exact image. Some time ago, someone compiled the original image and posted it online, but it only contained covers for the issues up to #232 (the Soulcalibur IV issue). I took it upon myself to edit the image to include the remainder of EGM’s original run as well as the “lost” issue and the two different covers for the reborn EGM.

The gimpy Street Fighter III cover that I mentioned can be seen on the fourth row down, eight over from the right. Just to the right of the Twisted Metal cover (click on the image for a proper view).

Phil Theobald Electronic Gaming Monthly, Video Games, Ziff-Davis covers, EGM, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Sendai, street fighter, Ziff-Davis

This week! We’re down a Greg but up a Chris – Baker, that is. Marvel’s Chris Baker joins us to talk about games. That includes Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions, Spider-Man: Lethal Foes, and several other games that have nothing to do with Spider-Man or comics. Tecmo Super Bowl Throwback. Heavy Rain (yeah). Assassin’s Creed. And uhhhh…more!

Hey, the Halo Reach Beta started this week. Play with other Player One Podcast listeners by checking out this forum thread.

Own an iPhone/iPod touch? We’ve got an app for that–the Player One Podcast player app is available now. Play shows new and old, read show notes, access the show Twitter, website, email, voicemail line and more! Plus, you’ll be able to access bonus audio and video content (soon, once we figure out what that is). Click here to download. Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/p1podcast.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to visit our new web site at www.playeronepodcast.com. You can leave us a voicemail by calling 713-893-8069 or you can send a comment via MP3 to our email address, playeronepodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to join our forums if you haven’t already!

Running time: 1:45:36

This week’s links:
Chris Baker on Twitter
Smokescreen!
Skip
Spider-Man: Lethal Foes
Star Wars Car Wash

Direct download: 05_03_10-Episode184.mp3

Chris Johnston Episodes C-Bake, Chris Baker, episode, guest, podcast