How did the guys up at Arthur’s Hall come up with the idea of giving the world such a list of video games? Shatner (yes, after William Shatner), Arthur’s Viking Assistant, gives us the details:

I had a discussion with Arthur the other day regarding the question, “Are video games manly?” While wasting your life away on a couch playing video games isn’t quite as manly as killing small animals for food, or going to war against the forces of tyranny, we decided that in the end, video games are a manly form of entertainment.

Here’s how I went through Arthur’s Hall’s list:

Pro Wrestling on the Nintendo Entertainment System … check. Counter-Strike on the PC … check. Double Dragon on the NES, in the Arcade, and on the Sega Master System … check. Street Fighter II on multiple systems … check. Ikaruga on the Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo GameCube … what the hell’s Ikaruga? Tecmo Bowl on the NES … never played it since American Football is a very alien sport in my country. Metal Slug on the Neo Geo … check. Custer’s Revenge on the Atari 2600 … yeah, saw it when I was younger but didn’t understand the object of the game (which was to order General Custer to, uhmmm, ravish a young Indian girl). Mike Tyson’s Punch Out on the NES … check. And finally Contra on the NES … perfect!

Then I thought, “Waitaminute! Where’s Leisure Suit Larry?

Leisure Suit Larry is the series of adventure games written by Al Lowe (hail to the chief!) and published by Sierra On-Line from the 1980s to the present. The character, whose full name is Larry Laffer, is a balding, dorky, double entendre-speaking, leisure suit-wearing “loser” in his 40s who spends much of his life trying, usually unsuccessfully, to seduce attractive women.

Undoubtedly, Leisure Suit Larry is the manliest game of all time … that is, if Larry is a bit more manly looking. But where’s the adventure in playing a good-looking, hunky guy in his 40s with the goal of chasing, always successfully, nubile young and attractive women?

Here’s a short overview courtesy of Wikipedia:

Leisure Suit Larry originally stemmed from ideas of Sierra’s first adventure game Softporn Adventure created by designer Chuck Benton. The Larry games were one of Sierra’s most popular games series during the genre’s heyday when it was first released in the mid 1980s. As such, they remain well-known among fans of the type today. The series stands out among Sierra’s catalog in that they are the only games the company produced that contain significant sexual themes.

In general, the games follow Larry’s escapades as he attempts (and mostly fails) to convince a variety of young nubile women (rendered with increasing sophistication throughout the series) to have sex with him. A common link between the games are Larry’s explorations of luxurious and cosmopolitan hotels, ships, beaches, resorts and, more commonly, casinos. One of Larry’s trademarks is his manner of introducing himself: “Hi, my name is Larry; Larry Laffer,” a reference to James Bond’s introduction style, “My name is Bond; James Bond.”

Because of the nature of the games, the first and third episodes of the series featured an age verification system, which consisted of a series of questions to which the authors reasoned only adults would know the answer. However, many of the questions were United States-centric and this frustrated some non-U.S. gamers. Also, the multiple-choice questions did little to deter adolescents with some patience and a notepad.

Post from: EveryJoe

10 Manliest Video Games of All Time: What, no Leisure Suit Larry?!?

So with that in mind, I’ve decided to start a new topic or category, Video games I want to play forever. It’s very literal. It will feature video games that I love and those that I want to keep playing until my computer conks out, or until my body crumples from exhaustion.

Without further ado, I present to you the Total War series on the PC:

Total War is a strategy game series developed by Creative Assembly. The games combine turn-based strategy and resource management with real-time tactical control of battles. On June 30, 2006, a box set of the first three Total War titles and their expansion packs was released. Called Total War: Eras, the boxed set also included several extra features and the Rome: Total War expansion Alexander, which had previously been only available through download.

When I first laid my eyes on the Total War series, via Rome: Total War, I wasn’t impressed. I found the game dragging and lacking in action. But that was just my initial reaction—a way of challenging myself to try out the game. Raymz Maribojoc, the friend who introduced me to the Total War series, was insistent. Thank the gaming gods I listened to him.

So, on a rainy evening around two years ago, I played Rome: Total War on Raymz’s, uhmm, office PC like there was no tomorrow. Upon my friend’s recommendation, I started the game playing the Brutii, one of three playable Roman factions in the game, the other two being the Julii and the Scipii. (The three factions are named after three great figures in Roman history, namely Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Junius Brutus, and Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus.

Check out the details after the jump.

Each faction or house has a campaign to follow, mostly at the direction of the Roman Senate. Here’s a brief description from Wikipedia:

Rome: Total War (often abbreviated to RTW or Rome) is a critically acclaimed strategy game composed of both turn-based strategy and real-time tactics, in which the player fights historical and fictitious battles set during the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire (270 BC – AD 14). The game was developed by Creative Assembly and released on September 22, 2004. It is the third game of Creative Assembly’s Total War series.

The endeavors of the player involve a duality of turn-based strategy and 3D real-time tactical battles. The high-quality 3D graphics engine is able to render over thirty thousand men on a single battlefield. The strategic and tactical modes integrate such that the landscape for the battles is the same as seen on that particular spot on the strategic map where the armies meet.

The player takes a role equivalent to the head of one of the three great Roman houses at the time: the Julii, the Scipiones (known as the Scipii in the game) or the Bruti (called the Brutii). Each of these factions has a different set of attributes and initial objectives. After winning campaign as Romans (or using a simple mod) it is possible to play with other factions and take on a role similar to that of Hannibal, commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian armies during the Second Punic War or the Gallic Warlord Vercingetorix.

Prior to its release, a preliminary but completely workable version of the game engine was used in two series of television programs: Decisive Battles by the History Channel, where it was used to recreate famous historical battles, and Time Commanders by BBC Two, where teams of novice non-gamers commanded ancient armies to replay key battles of antiquity. The game engine was fine-tuned specifically for these TV shows by military historians for maximum historical accuracy.

Speaking of Rome, you might want to check out Google’s Ancient Rome 3D project. Sravan Bhamidipati of That Damn PC wrote about the Ancient Rome 3D layer in Google Earth and the LIFE photo archive late last month.

Cool, eh?

Now I’m looking for a full, updated version of Medieval II: Total War and eagerly anticipating the release of Empire: Total War. Yes, I’m going to play these games for a very long time.

Post from: EveryJoe

Video games I want to play forever #1: Total War series

\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\nThe Legend of Kage isn\\\\\\\’t a NES game, per se; it was actually released in the arcades in 1984 by Taito. The game was ported to several contemporary home computer systems, including the Nintendo Entertainment System and Nintendo Family Computer two years after the arcade version.\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\nHere\\\\\\\’s a short backgrounder on The Legend of Kage:\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\n

The object of the game is for a ninja named Kage to rescue Princess Kiri from mystical villains. Kage must fight his way through a forest and into a secret passageway that leads up a fortress wall and through the castle itself. Each time the pixelated princess is rescued, the seasons change, starting with summer, followed by autumn, and then winter.\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\nNo self-respecting rescuer is complete without an arsenal, of course. Kage is armed with swords and shurikens. Power-ups are also available in the form of crystal balls, which not only change Kage\\\\\\\’s clothes but also give him bigger shurikens and make him move faster; a scroll that strikes down all approaching enemies, and a pudgy butterfly that flits across the top portion of the screen during odd intervals.

\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\nGood news for those who wish to relive those ninja-tastic moments: first, The Legend of Kage\\\\\\\’s NES version has been re-released on the Nintendo Wii\\\\\\\’s Virtual Console in Japan; second, the arcade version has made a comeback via the Playstation 2 title Taito Legends 2; third and last, there\\\\\\\’s a 3D remake of The Legend of Kage in Taito Legends Power Up for the Playstation Portable.

Post from: EveryJoe

Itching for ninja action? Try The Legend of Kage

Oh, I used to enjoy playing it, back when I was, what, 10 years old. I thought I could rekindle the flame by watching a video of Swashbuckler, but no go, unlike other Apple II video games.

The problem: Swashbuckler grew old pretty quickly. Check out this entry in Wikipedia about the reception of the game (emphasis in bold face mine):

Computer Gaming World gave Swashbuckler a glowing review, only lamenting the rollover of the five-digit score at 250 (which was fixed prior to final publication), appended by an editor’s note that, although the graphics were superb and the concept somewhat unique, the players at CGW grew tired of the lack of variety after a few dozen kills.

Not convinced it’s a bad game? If you can sit down in front of the PC for the entire length of the video, Paul might give you a cookie.

Post from: EveryJoe

Swashbuckler: I don’t know why I even played this game

Conan: Hall of Volta was released in 1984, coinciding with the big screen debut of the sequel to the 1982 classic Conan the Barbarian. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Conan: Hall of Volta is a game for the Apple II.

Post from: EveryJoe

Speed Run: Conan: Hall of Volta

Ahh, yes, Chivalry, a 1983 action role-playing game released for the Apple II by Optimum Resource. There are only three things I can remember about the game: 1) The intro screen (shown in the video above) with a knight on a horse, 2) the intro music (dark and sad but catchy), and 3) being called a “CLUMSY OAF” by the miller for dropping heavy sacks of flour.

Well, here’s a little more background for those who are not of my generation:

Chivalry is similar to a board game. Up to four players can play, but must wait their turn to move. On each turn, the computer will either roll a die or spin a wheel to randomly direct the character to move either one, two or three spaces.

Each space requires a player to either compete in a challenge or puzzle, including shooting arrows and catching bags of flour, or make a strategic decision. If you win a challenge, you move forward. Of course, if you lose, you’ll move backwards.

Oh, and be careful, as you may be attacked by robbers, your pack may be stolen by thieves, or you may meet an evil wizard. Fortunately, there are also random beneficial events, such as meeting other characters who give you tips.

Are you wondering what’s so chivalrous about catching sacks of flour? Haha. Actually, the objective of the player in Chivalry is to rescue the king, who has been captured by the Black Knight.

Post from: EveryJoe

Apple II video game: Chivalry

Post from: EveryJoe

Blast from the past: The Ghostbuster theme on Apple II speakers

I remember playing this classic on the Nintendo Family Computer with my sister Pepper, and we spent countless hours trying to master it. TwinBee, as most of you may recall, is a 1985 side-scrolling shooter released by Konami for the arcade. Fortunately for those who don’t have the funds and the time to spend at the arcades, TwinBee was ported to the Famicom the following year.

Since I had been playing TwinBee with Pepper, I remember having the power to wipe out enemy units—mostly flying fruits and vegetables like eggplants and strawberries and dinnerware such as forks, plates and knives—with twin blasters. So when I finally got the chance to play TwinBee again, I was continuously trying to make the little bee fire two shots.

My bad. It turns out you can’t make the twin come out unless you play in two-player mode. Duh.

Here’s a short guide on how to make the most of your TwinBee playing experience:

Like most side-scrolling shooters of its time, TwinBee’s gameplay is very simple. Players use TwinBee in a short string of six levels that repeats infinitely. Of course, the game isn’t complete without the requisite boss monsters at the end. Both characters, or bees, start out with a single shot for aerial enemies, and the ability to launch bombs to destroy targets on the ground. When a bee is hit in the wings, the wings drop off and the bee will lose the ability to drop bombs. Fortunately, an ambulance bee appears to repair the damage. The trick, however, is in catching the ambulance with the ailing bee.

One of the more important features of TwinBee is its power-up system. When a bee shoots its weapon into a cloud, a bell will pop out and drop to the bottom of the screen. Depending on the color of the bell when the bee touches it, a specific power-up or points will be obtained. The color of the bell can be changed by shooting at it continuously until the desired color comes out. Beware, though, as shooting the bell too many times may cause it to turn into a color that can kill the bee that touches it.

Here’s the more exciting part for two-player mode. You can go co-op by combining the two bees side by side. The upside is you get double the firepower, especially if you manage to obtain the double-shot power-up from a bell. The downside, though, is two bees joined at the hip presents a much bigger target for enemies.

Post from: EveryJoe

Can’t get the twin out of TwinBee

The game is based on the manhwa (Korean comic books) Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. Ragnarok Online was first released in, of course, South Korea in August 2001 for Microsoft Windows. Much of the game’s mythology is based, loosely I might add, on Norse Mythology, but its style has been influenced by Christianity and Asian cultures.

Yes, it’s not the first MMORPG, not by a longshot, but it was my first, and it would forever burn in my memory. Proof of its classic video game status is its longevity. No other MMORPG, I believe, can claim the distinction of running for over seven years in more than half a dozen countries worldwide. Ragnarok Online has also spawned an animated series, Ragnarok the Animation, and a sequel, Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World, which, sadly, has yet to be released.

Just recently, the Ragnarok World Championships was held in the Philippines with Team Thailand besting 11 other teams from different countries to bring home the crown. If that’s not a great fanbase for an online game, I don’t know what is.

Personally, Ragnarok Online became the basis on how I choose the online games I’m going to play. Animé-style or chibi-looking characters aside, the gameplay and how a community forms around the game are two factors that heavily influence the future of an online game.

So next time you log in to that new MMORPG, think back and relish the memories imprinted on your mind, heart and soul by your first online game.

For more MMORPG goodness, you may want to check out MMOtaku, your source for news and reviews on Asian-made and operated online games.

Artwork features a male and female ninjas, a character class in the online game Ragnarok Online copyright Gravity.

Post from: EveryJoe

Ragnarok Online: How it shaped the course of MMORPGs

Starship Troopers: Terran Ascendancy is a real-time tactics video game developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment and published by Microprose on October 28, 2000. The game is based on both the 1997 movie Starship Troopers and the book Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein.

It’s so short! Am I the only video game player who played the game?

The graphics and sound aren’t shabby as this video shows:

The gameplay is great, that I can attest to. Me and the guys (read: my college buddies) had a blast playing the game 9 to 5 (yes, we had day jobs, but Starship Troopers took precedence) back in the early 2000s.

Post from: EveryJoe

Starship Troopers: Just a footnote in video game history?