Cartridgecade Official Thread

[Secret Identity]

Hi all, this is your one-stop thread for retro gaming.  Jay May and I update the Cartridgecade blog weekly at www.cartridgecade.com, and we'll be returning to having monthly segments on the show soon.

This week I put up a review of a classic Sega Genesis RPG called "Shining Force."  You can read it here:

http://cartridgecade.blogspot.com/2010/09/retro-review-shining-force-sega-genesis.html

[Secret Identity]

Through our Cartridgecade segments on Secret Identity, we like to revisit the good old days of gaming and pay tribute to the games that paved the way for the multi-million dollar, high-definition cinematic experiences that we enjoy today.  We remember the days when a group of friends would spend their Summer vacation playing video games, and as the Summer of 2010 approaches, we want to bring a little of that magic back.  

Get ready for the Cartridgecade NEStacular Summer Challenge!  Three games, three months, all awesome.

JUNE:  Super Mario Bros.—the game that changed everything when it arrived in the US in March of 1986.  Arguably the greatest video game ever created, and a shining beacon of level design, perfect controls and amazing platforming.

JULY:  Metroid—Another groundbreaking game that arrived in August of1986, Metroid eschewed traditional level design and created a world that encouraged exploration and combined great platforming and boss-battling shooter action.  Not to mention the twist ending (we won’t spoil it for you if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 25 years).  

AUGUST:  The Legend of Zelda—A game so epic, it was mind-blowing to think the NES could contain it.  A hero named link sets out into a dangerous world full of dungeons, monsters and strange cave-dwelling salesmen to save the princess.  This one hit American shores in August of 1987, over a year after its release in Japan.  It was worth the wait, and it laid the foundation for console-based roleplaying games.  

So here’s how it’s going to work.  You play and complete one game a month.  Taking a page from the old Activision games of yore, we want you to take a picture of yourself and the completed game screen and send it to us before the last day of each month.  We’ll post the pics on Cartridgecade and Secret Identity.  If you complete all three games within their 30-day timeframes, you will get a prize.  What’s the prize?  A Cartridgecade NEStacular Summer Challenge poster print featuring artwork by the lovely and talented Mr. Jason May himself! You can even sew it on your jean jacket!

The clock starts ticking on June 1, so go out and find copies of the games so you can get started.  All three games are currently available on the Nintendo Wii’s Virtual console service.  All three were released as “NES Classics” for the Gameboy Advance (and work on the Nintendo DS). There are also various sites on the web that offer roms and emulation (although we don’t have money to bail you out if the pirate police come knockin’).

You've got almost two weeks of doing thumb push-ups and playing your current-gen sissy games with their 'save anywhere,' causal difficulty, hand-holding easiness before you take a little trip to retrotown and rediscover your gaming roots.  So get ready!!!!!!!

[invincifan (Ryan)]

what an awesome idea! i didn't even know about this and i had already started to show my 5-yr old daughter how to play super mario bros. cool!

[Wayne]

I started playing Super Mario Bros. last night and I remember it being a lot harder than this.  I'm breezing through it.  I'm going to do it without cheating/jumping levels with the tubes.  I have to say though it looks really weird on my 42" TV.  Back in the day we played it on a small b&w TV.

[Secret Identity]

Chewie wrote

I started playing Super Mario Bros. last night and I remember it being a lot harder than this.  I'm breezing through it.  I'm going to do it without cheating/jumping levels with the tubes.  I have to say though it looks really weird on my 42" TV.  Back in the day we played it on a small b&w TV.

Nice!  I'm glad you're joining in, Chewie!  I've made a few practice runs, and I think world 5-2 is as far as I got.  Damn hammer brothers!

[Sparkster]

hi there,

I'm a long time fan of the podcast(since issue 70)
Keep up the good work guys!

Super mario bros,Metroid and legend of zelda, great choices.
This is a good occasion to play classics again.

A friend/listener sent me a e-mail to join the challenge (he is a beast at super mario bros!)
Of course I replied with the obvious : "challenge accepted"

I just finished mario :the gameplay is smooth and precise as I remenbered.
But man!
After the 6th level it became really difficult.

I'm ready for space pirates killing.

[Secret Identity]

Welcome, Sparkster!

Thanks for coming onto the boards.  I think you'll like it here.

You're totally right about SMB--it gets much harder as the game goes on.  

[Sparkster]

I have to admit it is strange to be quoted on a podcast I'm listening for a long time now.

I was relaxing, reading walking dead and BAM I'm hearing Mr Letendre quoting me and the Mattman laughing at my cheesy remarks.(at the end)

During the news I was laughing out loud !  Very good french here Mr Herring you nailed the "Bonjour"

yeah the thumb up seems a safe choice.
I agree I'm no eye candy, more ladies pictures please.

Oh yeah, Metroid is the real deal...

About my arrival on the boards after all this time,  I'm doing a Podcast too (its about videogames) and a lot of people listen and never comments or send e-mail.
In french we call it "la majorité silencieuse"you can translate it as "the Silent majority."

Besides i'm not posting a lot on forums(I'm gonna try to post more here^__^)

[Secret Identity]

What's the name of your podcast?  Is it on iTunes?  If you have a website, send me the link and I'll put it on our links page.

[Sparkster]

oh thank you. I apreciate it
But it is in french!
It's called "The Gemaz report" (yes inspired by The Colbert report) Gemaz means Gamers in a weird french/english way of speaking.(long story)

we're posting our episode 20 this monday.

You can still listen to our awesome opening theme.

here's the link:

http://gemazreport.podomatic.com/

On I tunes as soon as possible

[Wayne]

Last night I got to level 8-4 with between 30 to 40 lives.  It's hard to tell because instead of a number it was a crown with an odd zig-zag shape behind it.  But because I was small I could not get past with Bowser or the Hammer Brother just before him.  I'm a little deflated right now.  With that many chances I could not do it.  I need to make sure I'm at least a big Mario before I make it the last level.  If I had fireballs I can beat blindfolded.

[Secret Identity]

Chewie wrote

Last night I got to level 8-4 with between 30 to 40 lives.  It's hard to tell because instead of a number it was a crown with an odd zig-zag shape behind it.  But because I was small I could not get past with Bowser or the Hammer Brother just before him.  I'm a little deflated right now.  With that many chances I could not do it.  I need to make sure I'm at least a big Mario before I make it the last level.  If I had fireballs I can beat blindfolded.

Dude, tell me about it!!!  I have been stuck on the 8's for the past week.  I have the GBA NES Classics version, so when I die, I have to start at 8-1 again.  I got to 8-3, but haven't even seen 8-4 yet.  The last world is brutal!  

[Secret Identity]

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just beat Super Mario Bros.!!!

Holy freaking crap, that game is insane and awesome and extremely difficult.  I bet it took me 5 hours total to beat world 8, I died so many times.  The last level is amazing.

On a related note, Chewie and anyone else who is playing along will be getting posters whether they finish the games or not, as the whole goal of this challenge is to go back and experience how great these games are.  If you give each game a sincere shot, a poster is coming your way.

Chewie--if you get to the last hammer bro as a little guy, stand on the left edge of the pipe right before him.  He will get impatient after five or six tosses and start moving toward you.  The you can jump over him and then over the lava to get to Bowser.  

Metroid, here I come!!!!

Oh, and check out my sweet pic in the Pics section of the site.

[Sparkster]

Way to go sir
Great pics (by the way Sem is the friend whose challenged me)

[Jason May]

I should probably sign up on this new board. Great job everyone! I'm going to try and beat it in the next three days now that I've beat a few deadlines. We'll see what my editors say tomorrow. Yikes. Can't wait to see all the picts. Better get my camera ready. I want a patch. Or... a print.

[Wayne]

I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  

[Secret Identity]

Chewie wrote

I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  I beat it!  

Congrats!  Your pic is in the gallery on the Pics page!

[Secret Identity]

Holy crap is Metroid hard!!!!

I beat Kraid, and then I can't get out of his lair.  I think you have to shoot destroyable blocks and then platform up before they re-form, but my timing isn't good enough.  It's driving me crazy, because I can't get out of this place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wayne]

Wow.  Metroid is an unforgiving game.  I start doing good at one point and then get cocky and go too fast into another part only to get my but whooped.

[Wayne]

*sigh* I don't think I'm going to make it.  I am enjoying playing this game very much, but beating it in the next week is probably not gonna happen.