Why ‘Shmups’ are a BLAST – Pun intended

Why is there something satisfying about blasting wave after wave of enemy fighters in to oblivion? What is it about dodging swarms of enemy fire that really gets me going? I don’t know that I have the ultimate answers to these questions, but I do know that the genre of video games known as ‘shmups’ has long been one of my favorites. 

Lifeforce (NES)

  To start off with we should probably define the word ‘shmup’. Simply put, ‘shmup’ is a nothing more than a portmanteau of the phrase “Shoot ‘em up” witch is a subgenre of the shooter style of video games. In a shoot ‘em up the main player engages in a lone assault against a growing number of enemy forces. There are additional styles of shoot ‘em ups that include things like rail shooters, scrolling shooters, and run and guns, but that’s a topic for another conversation.

As a child I played games like Asteroids, Vanguard, and Space Invaders, and while they are technically categorized as ‘space shooters’ or  ‘arcade shooters’ they still have a lot of the same elements found in  ‘shmup’ games. I was too young to really understand the larger picture when I played those early Atari classics, and it wasn’t until I grew older that things started to fall in to place.

                It all started back in the late 80’s, when Nintendo was the king of home video game consoles, or at least it was in my neighborhood. One fateful day a friend of mine invited me over to play a game called Life Force. I had never heard of it, but was immediately drawn to its fast action

AeroFighters (SNES)

packed style of game play. Using the infamous “Contra Code” we each got 30 lives, and co-opted that sucker to completion in what felt like a matter of minutes. After seeing that giant space olive explode on screen and then hearing that final melody of victory start up, I knew I was in love. I was ready to play it all again. And thus my love of ‘shmups’ was born.

                The appeal for me comes from the satisfaction I feel when I complete a level and advance to the next stage with all of my upgrades intact. In fact I would say that on top of the previously discussed definition, a good shoot ‘em up game also includes the following key elements:

·         Upgrades that are easy to use and that feel cohesive.

-          Even though it can be satisfying to blast away at swarms of baddies using the basic primary weapon, there is something to upgrading your gun to one with just a little more oomph. Whether it’s a laser shot of some kind, or a spread shot, the upgrade usually allows you to do more damage at a quicker pace, and makes those boss battles just a little easier to bear. And when you add on secondary weapons like missiles, the level of destruction really takes off.

·         Unique enemies and stage designs that prevent things from feeling repetitive.

-          The clinical definition of insane involves doing the exact same thing over and over again and expecting different results each time. The same can be said for enemy and level designs in video games. Recycling enemies and level design elements generally will cause players to slowly go insane from boredom. And for the record, simply giving an enemy or background a new coat of paint for each stage or level does not constitute as something new.

·         Unique and challenging boss battles.

-          Boss battles are the backbone of any good shoot ‘em up. And if the game designers have done their job up to this point, then you will have just fought your guts out, taking on a diverse swarm of unique enemies in order to reach the stage boss. How disappointing would it then be if that stage boss consisted of nothing more than something simple and weak? I love it when game designers think outside the box in terms of boss design. There is nothing quite like seeing a well-designed boss come on the screen for the first time. Some of the greatest boss designs have actually made me pause the game so that I can pick my jaw up off the floor. That’s how bosses should be.

o   And while we’re at it, I would like to add that while hard boss battles are great, there is a limit to the level of difficulty a gamer should experience while playing a game. I hate it when frustration gets ahead of fun. Challenge is good, breaking controllers in frustration is bad.

·         A masterful soundtrack that matches the fast paced action on the screen.

-          Like in film, video games must use a solid musical score in order to evoke emotional feelings that are otherwise not available to the player through the mechanics of regular game play. A good musical score can help emphasize so much more in terms of story and emotion, it can usually draw the player deeper in to the game, and keep them fighting on with a new sense of emotional investment. Some of the greatest games I have played have usually had masterful musical scores that stayed with me long after the power was been turned off. If I find myself humming the tune to a video game hours or even days later, then I know it is a game worthy of picking up and playing again.

·         Re-spawn vs Restart.

-          This is probably an aspect that’s up for debate, and depending on your own preferences, it may not make or break a quality shmup game. What I mean by re-spawn vs restart in this case is how the game progresses upon your death. Games like Life Force will simply re-spawn your ship in the same area where you just met your demise. Other games, like R-Type will make you start over, either from the beginning of the level, or from a checkpoint. Personally, I prefer to just re-spawn, since I feel like restarting can interrupt game play, and hinder progression. But that’s just me…

Asteroids (Atari 800)

As you can see there are numerous requirements that must be met in order for a casual shoot ‘em up game to be heralded as one of the all-time greats. But when it comes to providing a young impressionable mind with a life altering game play experience, a ‘shmup’ must follow this exact formula. And when it’s done correctly, that game will inevitably become part of that persons hall of fame collection, and it will be played over and over, and over again.

I know that everyone’s tastes differ, so these may not be the same reasons why you enjoy a good shoot ‘em up game. Please feel free to leave comment on what makes these kinds of games fun for you. I would love to hear your feedback. Thanks again for joining me on this journey in to the world of shmups.

Just A Few Minutes More...Spelunky Review (PC)

I hear you all asking, “A PC Game? Is Emmitt really going to review a PC game?” And the answer is a resounding yes. Thanks to THE Champion Gamer, 5NATCH, I have now discovered a wonderful little gem on the PC called Spelunky. I first saw him playing this game on his Twitch feed, and immediately became interested in playing it myself. The game is available on Steam, and I added it to my wish list so I could purchase it at a later date. The universe must have wanted me to have this game, because the very next day I got an email from Steam indicating that Spelunky had now gone on sale for the ridiculously low price of $3.74 (U.S.). Normally it sells for $14.99, and it’s definitely worthy of that full pricing point. As soon as I got a chance, I logged in and purchased Spelunky. My life has not been the same since….

So what is Spelunky? Well, it’s a 2013 independent action platforming game, which provides its audience with a very addictive gaming experience. Like a lot of games coming out as of late, Spelunky offers a nice nostalgic retro gaming look and feel. The graphics are very reminiscent of games found on the older consoles like the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis. In fact, the first time I saw it I was reminded of the old Atari/NES game Spelunker.  It is also worth noting that there are a lot of similarities to the Indiana Jones franchise, including the use of a whip as the primary weapon, and the character’s overt fear of snakes, just to name two.

The basic premise of the game is to take control of one of the four playable characters and explore a series of underground tunnels, using a limited supply of bombs and ropes. Along the way you try to collect as much treasure as possible, all while avoiding traps, pitfalls, and enemies. You start each game with 4 hearts, each one representing a single point of health. If you get hit by an enemy or otherwise take damage while exploring the stage, you lose a heart. Once your heart level reaches zero you die, and the game is over.

 On the surface this sounds simple enough, and generally speaking it is. The trick however lies in the fact that the game randomly generates the level when you first start, and again after dying. What this means is that you will never play the same level twice. So even though you may die over and over, and over again on level 1-1, and you will, the game will re-generate the entire level at random, and it will feel like you are playing something new each time. While the basic elements remain constant, the layout, enemies, treasure locations, and exit points will always shift and change with each attempt. 

In addition to the regular treasure items like gold bars and jewels, there are also damsels to rescue in each level….I think. Since the game randomly generates the level, I have gone through what feels like the entire level without seeing the damsel. Like the spelunker, you can choose one of 3 damsels to rescue during your game, a blonde female character, a blonde male character, and a dog. You can also choose to have the game randomly select any one of those 3 for any given level, so that it changes up each time, much like the level layouts themselves.  

The Damsels: Dude, Dog, and Lady

Rescuing the damsel consists of simply picking them up, once you find them, and exiting the level with them. Kinda like you do with Ruto inside Jabu Jabu’s belly in the Ocarina of Time. The caveat is that they can be killed. If they die, then you do not get credit for rescuing them. If you are successful in rescuing them, the rescued damsel will kiss our hero during a short cut scene, and by doing so will replenish one heart of health.

But wait….there’s more….

Be careful not to piss this guy off

On top of the regular treasure items and the damsel, there are also numerous tools, or special items that you can pick up along the way. Some are hidden in the rocks, pots, or treasure chests sprinkled throughout each level. Just be careful, some of the pots and chests will have a snake or spider inside instead of something delightful. There is also a shop where you can buy  items, including replacement bombs and ropes, just be careful not to anger the shopkeeper, by accidentally blowing up part of his shop with a bomb, or he will go berserk and blast away at you with a shotgun. Sometimes you are also given the option of collecting a golden head idol.

It reminds me of the golden idol seen at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it even comes with a giant rolling boulder that will wreak havoc on the cavern, so watch yourself should you choose to pick it up.

Some of the more notable items available include bomb capacity upgrades, special climbing gloves, a pick axe, special shoes of various varieties, a cape, a machete, a camera, a jetpack, various guns, and I have even come across two instances where the shopkeeper sells the damsel to you, and another two

times where he sells a special helper character. My favorites are the green hulk glove, used for climbing, the pick axe, and the jet pack. The only downside to these items is that they are lost when you die, and they must be reacquired.

So, with the basics out of the way, what do I think of it?

I love it. I was hooked after seeing 5NATCH play through it live on Twitch, and once I had it myself and started playing it, I literally couldn’t put it down. It’s a fun, and highly addictive game. With the random stage generation, it rarely gets old, and always keeps me engaged.

I have yet to complete this game, and have really only scratched the surface of what this game has to offer, and I have only made it as far as level 2-1. I find myself discovering new features all the time, for instance, who knew you could actually pick up and throw the rats? Too bad they are pointless, as they do no damage to enemies, nor do they break the pots or treasure chests. I honestly cannot wait to see what else this game will throw at me next. I have heard there are unlockable items, and characters in later levels, I guess I will have to keep playing and find out who or what lies ahead.

Even though I have a very favorable opinion about this game, it is not perfect, and does have some minor flaws.

First is the ability to only carry one item at a time. I know this is nit-picky, but I really hate having to drop my pick axe just so that I can pick up the damsel or golden idol. I should be able to carry both items, since I am capable of carrying and using my whip, bombs, and ropes all while carrying various items. It should be noted that ability items such as the gloves or glasses are character enhancements and do not count as carry able items.

The only other flaw is the fact that this game, at least on the PC, is only compatible with XBOX controllers. You can use the keyboard to play, but it’s much more fun to use a controller. If you want to use a non-XBOX controller, you will need to find a third-party program that will allow you to map keyboard functions to a controller. I found the free version of joy2key worked fine. Once you have that set up, you are ready to begin your adventure.

So overall Spelunky is a highly addictive little game that will keep you entertained for hours at a time. Just be careful, you will quickly discover just how easy it is to die. Use patience, and watch your step, and you should survive, provided you don’t accidentally kill yourself by throwing a rock and having it ricochet back and hit you in the head. Good luck adventurer, and have fun!

Oh, and in case you haven't heeded my advice by now, get out there and pick this up as quickly as possible.

READY FOR ADVENTURE!

I will admit I am not a huge fan of the Mario Brothers games. It's not to say that I dislike them, it's just that I like other games more. If given a choice between playing a Mario game and say a Metroid game, I am going to go with Metroid almost every time. The Mario games are not bad, and I have a lot of fond memories playing them as a child. Mario Kart to this day is still one of my favorites...they just haven't held my captivation like other games or franchises have. So when I found out that there was going to be a Toad game on the Wii U, I wasn't exactly doing backflips through the streets. I knew enough to know that it was going to be a 3D puzzle game of some sort, but that's about it. I proceeded to file it away in the back of my mind. Then I saw it in a local game store. Well, the demo version anyway. And I gave it a try. Even from that demo version, I knew Captain Toads Treasure Tracker was going to be something special. How special? Well Let me tell you... First off, let me just say that I have only completed the first episode of the game, but I have seen enough of it to at least pretend to know what I am talking about. So what is Captain Toad Treasure Tracker? Well, like I said, it's a 3D puzzle game. It starts out simple enough, you play through a VERY easy course, just to get used to the game mechanics. It really is quite simple, and before too long you get the hang of how it all works. After completing this initial stage, you get your first cut scene, and the storyline for the first episode unfolds. The gist of it seems to be that after collecting that first star, some giant bird swoops in and takes it out of your clutches. Toadette, the stupid whore, doesn't let go in time, and is also snatched away by this flying asshole, and wisked away to who the hell knows where. You must now travel through this strange land of 3D cube environments collecting treasures of all kinds, all in hopes of rescuing Toadette from this flying menace...or at least I think that's the point. Honestly, who really cares, the game play is fun, and you soon find yourself forgetting all about it. In each level, you must explore an expansive 3D environment in search of diamonds, coins, extra lives, various treasures, and finally a single star. On the surface this sounds simple enough, but each stage gets progressively larger and more complicated. You can flip and rotate the "cube environment" in whatever way you see fit so that you can reveal hidden paths, tunnels, rooms, and items that were otherwise blocked or hidden from view. The good news is that there is no time limit to these levels, so you can take your time exploring every square inch of them. And believe me, you will want to take as much time as you can in order to find all the secrets and required items hidden throughout in each course. There are also an ever growing variety of enemies from the Mario universe out to stop you in your tracks. They can be a little tricky at times, but with patience you can defeat them, or otherwise avoid them all together. Each stage also includes a single bonus task to complete. Unfortunately they don't tell you what that bonus task is until after the stage has been cleared once. You will find yourself replaying levels just to complete that single objective and earn the crown. The good news though, is that it's a progressive level system, so you won't need to collect the diamonds again on those additional runs, they are replaced by ghost diamonds that you can technically collect, but you don't get additional credit for doing so. While that's kinda nice, it does prevent you from going back to relive a level from scratch, and that somewhat kills any replay ability for me. The only gripes I have found with this game are that sometimes adjusting the camera to just the right angle can be difficult at times. You can also zoom into make life a little easier, but even with the zoom it can be difficult to find the right angle to see where you need to go next. When all is said and done however, this is a really enjoyable puzzle game. The graphics are amazing. The textures and colors are all rich and vibrant, and really bring each course to life. Speaking of witch, the stage designs themselves are all unique. I never once found myself thinking that they were getting repetitive in an way. The game also makes use of the Wii U's game pad tablet, and you are sometimes required to tap, swipe, and even blow on the screen in order to activate or interact with Toad's 3D environment. It's actually quite innovative, and I felt that added to the game's overall enjoyability. And last but not least is the music. I like it. They use the same song for multiple levels, but there are also enough variations, and unique scores to go around. Overall, its very satisfying. Even though I never played enough of Super Mario 3D World to know about the mini-game that inspired it, I feel like this game really brings a unique experience to the gaming world. I have seen enough so far to keep me plugging away at this fun little puzzle game from the Mario universe. I really look forward to playing through the remaining episodes, and I think you'll enjoy it too. Happy adventuring! BONUS: Highlights from the first episode of the game can be found on my YouTube channel. The link below will take you right to it. Enjoy!

Rant Mode ON: Copyright Silliness

Here's where I go off on a rant. If you don't like it, you can either click on the back button or close the browser window you jerk. No one is going to stop you. But the rest of us will sit here and stare at you awkwardly while you do so.....

All good now? Have all the negative Nancys left? Good, then on with the rant....

There are a few things in life that are important to me, amongst them are video games, and music. I love music, always have. My parents taught me the importance of a good song, and I remember listening to various artists over the years while my family traveled around the far reaches of my home state of Utah. Years later I learned that there was more to a good song than just a catchy tune. As I got older and understood more of the world, I learned to also appreciate the lyrics that often go in hand with a memorable tune. Although sometimes the tune itself is enough to sell a mood/feeling, or otherwise invoke an emotional connection to something. John Williams is a modern composer who has time and time again proven that songs do not need lyrics to provide that emotional response. But I digress.

In addition to the traditional real world music, there is also a plethora of musical scores associated with the world of video games. It's really no surprise though. There is nothing quite like blasting your way through waves of enemies or cruising through a racing circuit while listening to a well-written musical score. I know that over the years there are plenty of classic game soundtracks that have been converted in to ringtones. They are simply superb!

So what am I getting at? "How the hell is this a rant?" I hear you all asking. Well, if you shut your trap for a second I will indulge you. There are some games that just can't quite cut the mustard, as the old saying goes, when it comes to providing a compelling soundtrack. And when I found myself facing one of those rare times where I was in the mood to play an abortion of a game like RoboCop on the NES, but didn't want to rely on the game's built in soundtrack, I had the option of putting something in to my home stereo system and providing my own soundtrack. For the record RoboCop on the NES didn't have the worst soundtrack ever made. It was just kind of boring and left little to desire.

Let's now flash-forward to today. In today's modern digital universe, music is everywhere. You can find it online, and usually it's completely free. This is a thing that wasn't even in the realm of possibility when I was a child. I remember a time in the not too distant past where sharing music digitally was the thing to do. Remember Napster? Remember how easy it was to find new music online? Remember the record companies all shitting their pants about how all of it was wrong, immoral, and how it would lead to birth defects and some great plague that would be even worse than AIDS? Remember that paranoia? Yeah? Well what now? What's changed? Oh there were new laws drafted that brought about this whole thing about digital copyright protection and on and on. But in this writer's opinion, it's worse now than it was in the days of Napster. MUSIC IS LITERALLY EVERYWHERE! There are millions of videos online where you can find and listen to music, even an entire album if you are so inclined. People still share music in the digital realm. Have the musicians/artists/record labels suffered great financial loss? Well if they are, they sure as hell hide it from public very well.

I will pause here to acknowledge some things that need to be clarified at this juncture.

In general, I am in favor of copyright protection. I understand that it takes a lot of effort and time for these artists to write, compose and other wise create these songs that we all love. I have artists in my own family, so I understand the need to preserve intellectual property. I DO NOT WISH TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES.

The problem I have is when it comes to something as simple as using an already published and plentiful song as the backdrop for a larger project. I love music. I love video games. If I want to make a video about a video game experience, and drop in a snippet of a song as either bumper music, or even add it faintly in to the background while I narrate to help set the mood, is that really something to get all bent out of shape over? I will gladly acknowledge the 3rd party requirements that always pop up on certain online video channels, but should that really prohibit me from sharing an experience of my own with the rest of the world, just because I added an already abundant piece of music to it? I think not. The truth is, that the artist and record company associated with the particular piece of music has already MADE MORE MONEY THAN MOST PEOPLE WILL EVER EARN IN AN ENTIRE FUCKING LIFETIME from record and ticket sales, along with other merchandising profits. They are not hurting for income. Yet they stand on that cornerstone all the god damn time. So my choosing to incorporate this song or musical score in to a silly video online is really a neutral act in my opinion. I should be able to construct and share something like that with out fear of having some giant hand come down and thump me on the skull for copyright infringement. FUCKING RIDICULOUS....at least in my opinion.

RANT MODE: OFF

LORD HAVE MERCENARIES!

 Even though the reason I finally went out and bought a used PS2 years ago was because of the game Crazy Taxi, the 2005 Lucas Arts game Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction remains one of the bigger reasons I often recommend people to own a PS2 console. Oh sure the game was also available on the Xbox platform, but at the time Sony had the bigger library of games than Microsoft, at least in my mind. It may be of note to mention at this point that I don't even own Crazy Taxi anymore.

               

So what is it about Mercenaries that has kept it on my gaming shelves for so long? Well, simply put, it's fun blowing shit up. At the time I got this game I had never really played any "sandbox" games. I had heard of Grand Theft Auto, but had never played it. I understood the concept of open world video games, and had played a few of them, but had yet to really experience it on the level that was available in Mercenaries. The day I bought it and put it in to my PS2 system my life changed forever. There was no looking back, I was immediately hooked on this whole sandbox/open world gaming design. From that point forward I wanted all video games to be like this.

I will openly admit at this point that I have never completed Mercenaries. Not once, not even a little bit. The big reason why I have never beaten it is due to the reason why I like this game, it’s fun blowing shit up. I find that it's a lot more fun to just run around blowing up the NK force's buildings, and vehicles. Oh sure, I stumble upon the members of the "Deck of 52" while I am out running around, but I have never actually gotten to all the cards, and I have yet to complete all the different missions and side missions available through the various factions within the game. I guess you could say that I am easily distracted, and get caught up just exploring the streets and country sides of South Korea.

When you toss in the additional cheat codes that are available for this game, plus some of the un-lockable items that Lucas Arts included, it really makes it tough to want to try and complete this game in a point A to point B type of fashion. There are just so many fun things to do. I know I always try to find fun new ways of what I call "Car Farming" With monetary bounty available for all destroyed North Korean vehicles it can be fun to gather large quantities of various ones and arrange them in a line or large group setting, set some C4 explosive nearby, and detonate it for a little extra money. Plus it’s a lot of fun to watch the cars and debris go flying all over the place. For examples of that, please see the following videos:

CAR FARMING 1
CAR FARMING 2 

Even though I have yet to complete this game in full, I still find it to be one of my favorite games from the PS2 era. There is something that just never gets old with running around randomly blowing things up in a fictional military setting. There are just so many areas to explore, and the NPC's inside the game will often times provide additional comic relief. Amongst the funnier actions, I have actually seen citizens and military people alike just walk off cliffs and drown in the lakes/rivers below. What will you see while exploring this land? LORD HAVE MERCENARIES!