Two items of interest today over at my day job:
First is 1UP Presents #2. This issue turned out really well and is a joy to look at. Please take a few moments to stop by the comments thread and join your fellow man in expressing your sheer indignation that 1UP would dare to create tangible goods for which we expect money.
Secondly, I shanghaied the Daily 1UPdate for a Retronauts-themed video. Thanks to the magic of embedding, you don’t even have to click over to enjoy this one. Also, it is free (aside from the 15-second pre-roll video).
This is something I’ve been wanting to do since our first day in the IGN offices: Set up two cameras at the Ultracade in the lobby and have a casual retrospective chat while playing one of the games on offer. It’s not exactly the most high-polished production imaginable, but we had fun making it and watching it, so I hope you enjoy it, too. (Aside from the music; man, does 1942‘s music suuuuuck.) Our last attempt at a Retronauts video resulted in nothing but complaints because there wasn’t enough depth to the conversation, so we’ve taken the opposite approach here: minimize production, maximize conversation and information. I’m sure that will make people angry, too. Everything on the Internet pisses someone off.
Still, if this particular episode does well enough, we may be able spin this off into its own series, so please share the link. You know, if you like it.
I definitely enjoyed this one, besides the music/sound effects.
I wouldn’t put it past an American developer to make a game in which you control a VC regular! Though it’s hard to imagine it being anything other than sensationalistic.
I saw a game on an episode of Chrontendo and if I remember it correctly it was a strategy game on the Famicom where you controlled the Japanese fleet in WWII and you were supposed to basically win WWII for the Japanese.
Pretty sure that beats what 1942 has going for it.
Huh? How so? That’s the very essence of pro-Japan jingoism by the Japanese.
I just find it odd that 40+ years later, Japan would want the Axis powers to win in WWII.
Alternate reality WWII wish-fulfillment fantasies have been a mainstay of hawkish Japanese writers and otaku for decades.
I wasn’t a fan of the VH1-style Bonus Stage reboot vids, but this is fantastic.
Yeah, this is a good format for things. Some games are going to work better for it than others though. I could totally see having a nice friendly chat over Bubble Bobble, Gauntlet, or Rampage. Something like say, Contra might be too demanding of your attention though.
Mr Parish,
1UP is really headed in an exciting direction. Kudos to all involved!
I remember 1943 on NES being good, am I crazy or was it better than the reviled 1942 port you mentioned in the video?
1943 on NES was pretty interesting, because it added a level-up system that allowed you to allocate points to different stats at the end of certain stages. It wasn’t technically on par with the arcade game, but it worked on its own merits.
I was wondering on why you were hating on the awesome music, until I learned that the game had a completely different soundtrack on the C64: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMZ_kvO5S3w (which I consider a classic)
Fun video. It first reminded me of Giant Bomb’s quicklooks, but your (Parish) consistent narration makes it unique against that likely comparison.
Urgh, meant to reply to the main topic. Sorry.
Jeremy…as the new EIC, I don’t know if you have any pull on this particular suggestion, but here goes:
Is there any way to make the games on 1Up’s Game Videos site downloadable like they used to be? On a slow internet connection it is often difficult to get more than just 10 seconds of video before the stream has to buffer. That isn’t conducive to watching the videos unfortunately.
If the videos could be downloaded like in years past (I don’t know why that option was removed from the site) even on a slow connection it’s possible to enjoy 1Up’s video content.
Ugh… that should say “Is there any way to make the *videos* on 1Up’s Game Videos site downloadable”
The first time I played 1942, I thought the game was glitching out. I couldn’t believe that was supposed to be music.
I enjoyed this video very much.
High praise indeed.