What's new Pussycat too?

Isn't that the book full of errors?













LOL....Joking

 

Have you been reading this months Pixel Addict lol?

It still got 85% !!

 

It's a damn good read even though it looks like a pre-proof proof!

Aye, littered with typos and wotnot it still captures the times very well - thanks, Al - I'm v much enjoying it and should put some highlights on here from time to time.

 

Spent the last few days being sick with a viral infection and then trying to catch up with work I haven't had much playtime. Did manage out for a couple of hours on Sunday morning though and picked up five PSP titles from two local branches of CEX. All complete with manuals and games I had looked at before so not just random purchases.




After visiting CEX('s) I headed to the annual Glasgow Video Games Market for a quick look. I was in the market for a couple of tin signs or arcade banners but didn't see anything I liked. Howerever, did pick up a couple of other bargains instead.



Arcade Britannia and Retro Tea Breaks are books that I've been wanting to get for a while and I happened to notice these two mint editions languishing at the back of a stall. Got them for an absolute steal at £5 each. The 3D printed pacman and ghosts along with the Megadrive and Switch signs were from another stall. Very nicely produced and I'll probably order more from them - www.mnjdesign.co.uk if anyone is looking for similar.

The eagle-eyed may also spot Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Paul knows how much I've been after this for the Switch and with a little bit of bartering finally picked it up for £27. Had a quick play in handheld mode and it does see to live up to the hype in this instance.

That's all for now folks. Hopefully Atari 50th Expanded Steelbook for the Switch will arrive in the next week and then that is probably it until TheSpectrum and Atari 7800+ get released near the end of the month.

 

Been having a little game of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch tonight. The graphics and visual effects are brilliant, the colours just pop on the screen. Gameplay is nice and there are plenty of tracks although I feel like I have only scratched the surface so far. This might be one of those games where I end up going online and watching few videos to get some tips on playing it.

 

I watch my daughter play it, as you say it's a wonderful sight for the eyes, and it's got gameplay in masses. Some of the tracks are simply stunning..

 

One of the tracks had a great ripple effect like you were on a carpet moving up and down, then just as I went round a corner the sunrays shone down on the track. Looked awesome.

The Switch is a really nice machine when plugged into the telly, I've been surprised by how much I have enjoyed the games on it and the controls are very good.

 

Yes, it's a cracking little machine, a must see on a TV. Playing Zelda Tears of the Kingdom on a 42" TV is just brill to look at. Obviously it helps to like the Zelda games Yet to try it on the 65" TV.

You tend to find that games from Nintendo are given that extra polish, Super Mario wonder is just so much fun and looks great. Again, if you are not a platformer, then stuff like that will just look like wonderful tech demo's.

Trying to think of a Nintendo in house produced game that has been a failure, personally I can't think of one, some of the licensed to outside can be ropey as hell. Obviously, every console in house team go all out to impress the punters and show off their machine, but Nintendo and their seal of approval, really seems to mean something to them.

Mario Kart on the Snes was loved by everyone (not so much me, looked nice but on my tod playing it was boring) But look how things have moved on, and so much improved, yet the original is still a blast to play (or so I'm told)

 

Got Atari 50 Expanded for the Switch today. Plays very nicely and all the new content integrates well.

 

I was just looking at the Steam Atari 50th's DLC, two for 11.99..Probably would if I had the cash.

Will look at the Switch game

 

Had a few little retro pickups over the last couple of weeks but this weekend has seen one of the years big hitters arrive, The Spectrum.

So far I would say it's the best system that Retro Games have made. The machine itself feels very much just like an original Speccy but now it has an on/off button (as well as usb c power, four usb, hdmi).

The emulation is very well done, takes all sorts of spectrum game images, has a nice CRT filter and easily customisable joystick controls. I'm actually using the Amiga GamePad with it and it works so much better with Spectrum titles than it ever felt with Amiga games. Emulation covers, 48k, 12k, +2 and +2A machines as well as ULA graphics.

I've owned a couple of Spectrums previously but never really got into the system much but have been playing this quite a bit over the weekend. Favourites so far are Deathchase, Chuckie Egg and Arkanoid. Plan to spend more time discovering other titles that I used to be jealous of seeing released for every other system when I was an Atari 800XL owner back in the day

Final thoughts for the moment are that I much prefer the Spectrum to the Commodore 64 (sorry C64 fans) and I'm now considering if I should keep the Amstrad as that was mainly for Deathchase, Arkanoid and 180 Darts which all play just as good on The Spectrum.

 

It really really looks identical to the original and sounds like it plays games much easier than the original and other comparable systems, Al.
Many thanks for that spot on mini-review and if anyone was interested in an original 48K speccy I am about to list one in a travel case with a data recorder a few tapes... if your thang is dead flesh when pressing down your keyboard's keys!
Al, is the dead flesh emulated correctly too on The Spectrum?
Just asking for a Sinclair junkie friend

 

Andy, the flesh on The Spectrum is so dead it could get the lead role in a Zombie movie.

I would say for anyone wanting to get into the Spectrum again this is an ideal easy solution and saves you having to add a joystick and SD interface to an original. Plus you get the quality of life improvements like rewinding games (if you've just made a mistake,been killed, etc) and easy game save and loads.

 

FANtastic, Al.
Btw, just getting reports in from Bev darn larndarn way that she has had a mega experience tonight with her mam and sis watching the ABBA Voyage lasered "thang". I dropped em orf in Durham earlier (7am) and they spent all day on a coach heading down to the Big Smoke but it's been worth it, even in the wind and rain. Amazing what they can do with a network of Speccys, some Swedish laser-generated UDGs and an Abba MP3 CD off The Barras Market...

 

Everybody I know who has been to see Abba Voyage says it is amazing. Pity it's away down in London though. Glad Bev enjoyed it

 

They've had an amazing time, apparently, Al and on their way home now - via the shops - of course Aye, they should send the show around the UK - it would be a sell-out wherever they went...and you know who they've got set to go next year virtually unreal on the Oric? Only the King of Rock n Roll! (no, not our Matt - bleedin Elvis!).

 

An unboxing and play vid here, guys, if any of you fancy The Spectrum, like Al...

 

Good video above Andy. After a couple of weeks ownership I think The Spectrum is the best system they've produced so far. Keeping my fingers crossed for the full size Amiga and rumoured Atari ST next...

My credit card has taken an end of year battering between Christmas, car repairs and a couple of retro items I've been holding out for release. The first was The Spectrum but now I finally have the Atari 7800+ as well Originally pre-ordered from Amazon back in August but then got an email the day before release saying it had been delayed until 21st December. Couple of days later I spotted HMV had it in stock for delivery so 24 hours ago I got to rip open the box like it was 1986 again!

Build quality is excellent and it's almost identical in every way to the original 7800 apart from being 20% smaller in size. The package comes with a homebrew 7800 platform game, Bentley Bears Crystal Quest and a wireless CX78+ joypad. Not only does the joypad come supplied with a 9pin d-sub Atari style dongle but you get a USB receiver in the box as well. This means you can use it with any machine from the 2600, XL, right up to emulators on the PC. All the games I have tried so far play perfectly and look pin sharp running to my 14" crt via an HDMI-Scart adaptor. You get those lovely looking CRT phosphor trails when you fire weapons etc.

I liked the 2600+ but prefer the 7800+ styling and think it looks pretty awesome next to my 2600+ and Atari 800. There are more products planned in the "+" range so it will be interesting to see what Atari come up with next.





It was a bonus week for Atari arrivals, as along with the most recent issue of Pixel Addict, my one-off Atari Addict special also dropped through the letterbox. Only had a quick glance so far but looks like it will be a really enjoyable read. It covers all the Atari systems from the 2600 right up to the ST and Jaguar. Spotted an article on the restoration of an 800XL and looking forward to reading that in particular.



And Finally... this crazy little critter arrive at the start of the week. It's a USB memory stick designed to look like a Sinclair Microdrive and match The Spectrum. How cute is that? Going to load it up with some of the Spectrum games I've been playing around with and test it soon. Good timing as I've just received my copies of the CRASH and ZZAP64 2025 annuals so plenty of new game reviews in the former to cast an eye over.




Now, does anyone want to buy an Amstrad CPC 464 or a Dragon 32? Please!!!!

 

NO!

 

So that's a "maybe" then Paul?

 

In the most remote way possible...

 

Some absolute magic items you now have lined-up there, Al - fuller reply later as we're heading oot the door again ere after y'days wedding, neighbours want us round to re-arrange our features - fair enough. Brilliant looking 7800+ unit there and so so much more going on you retro retail addict Do I want a Dragon and CPC? STOP PUTTING TEMPTATION MY WAY, YOU NAUGHTY FESTIVE FIEND Have you asked Rudolf, I mean Richie??!!!