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Nintendo NES PowerPak

For some gamers, playing downloaded ROMs on emulators just doesn’t cut it. They need the real experience, it it’s truest form.
Whether it’s playing an Atari 2600 on the worst possible blurry RF Signal, or holding that questionably shaped Nintendo NES Pad in your hands, or even hearing the loud screams of the Sega Dreamcast’s laser moving around. These are some of the things that really fuel our love for Retro.

After all, one of the main reasons we play Retro games is to recapture that experience we once had years gone by.

Unfortunately, some of those memories come at a high price or are really tough to track down. The nostalgia you’d like might not be as accessible as it should be. Thankfully, like the previous post on Zaku we have other individuals/groups working hard in their spare time to remove those boundaries for gamers.

In the spotlight today, we have the latest product released by RetroZone. A small company based in America, run by a diehard Nintendo fan. RetroZone are already quite famous in the community for releasing the Nintendo NES PowerPak.

The Nintendo NES PowerPak was a NES Cartridge with a built in Compact Flash card reader, which allowed the direct booting of ROMs on an original NES via an on-screen menu.
Despite being a few years old, RetroZone are still supporting the PowerPak today. Every now and then an upgrade to the PowerPak is put up on the website improving the compatibility of the games.

Power up!

SNES Power Pak Front

A few years later, RetroZone have now shifted their focus over to the Super Nintendo. The SNES PowerPak was born, the SNES equivalent of the NES PowerPak. Something gamers could finally load their SNES ROMs onto and play in their original form.

An announcement was made across various Retro Gaming forums on the 5th November, stating its availability. Unfortunately though, these threads ended up becoming a minefield of unanswered questions and confusion. RetroZone by no means are to blame here, you could say the blame lies with the Super Confusing Nintendo.

How so?

Super Nintendo DSP-1 Chip

Nintendo are always looking for new ways to expand on their systems pushing the most out of them as possible (where as Sega, as we know liked to release new add-ons that were rather pricey). Nintendo began introducing new chips into their cartridges, to allow new types of games to be played without altering/upgrading any hardware. The obvious example here is Starfox/Starwing, one of the first SNES games to be released with the Super FX Chip. A chip placed within the cartridge allowing primitive polygons models possible on the Super Nintendo.

So quite obviously here, the questions thrown out into the open were:
Does game A work? What about games that use Chip A or Chip B? etc…

For someone such as RetroZone to recreate a SNES cartridge that covered every SNES chip ever made (All 16 of them) would become a mammoth task and very expensive for the gamers. In the end, the chip available to the SNES PowerPak is the DSP-1 chip which is possibly the most commonly found extra chip amongst Super Nintendo games (e.g. Super Mario Kart, Pilotwings).

Enough about the history, is it any good?

The good, the bad and the glitchy

SNES PowerPak with CF Card

At first, there nearly wasn’t a review to provide today. My first experience with the cartridge was an unfortunate one.
I took the CF Card from the NES PowerPak, backed up the NES files and gave it a format. Following the instructions online I built up the Card with the neccessary files ready for testing, placed on the CF Card, Super Mario Kart (as advertised as working on the website) and booted it up.

All seemed fine until the game loaded. The graphics were horribly glitched, sound was crackly and half of the in game menus were replaced with black screens. Not a good start…

I managed to find another CF Card to test with, which quickly remedied all the problems above. But for readers looking to get one of these PowerPak’s, check up on the forums as to which CF Cards are confirmed to work. I’ll state now that the Lexar Media CF Card (256MB) does not work, but a Maxell CF Card (128MB) works a treat.

Once up and running, the menu booted up almost identical to the NES PowerPak. The contents of your CF Card are visible in a long list that almost resembles a DOS Prompt in places.
The first thing you will notice is that none of your ROMs or Folders have been sorted alphabetically. The PowerPak doesn’t sort the ROMs as it would add an extra bit of time to the initial load, something RetroZone wanted to avoid. If you’re rather adamant you want them sorted from A-Z, you can look into using this drive sorting software (untested, so comment back with your results!).

The interface is rather easy to use. Navigate through your folder structures to your desired ROM, select it with B, add Game Genie codes if required and then you’re off. ROMs take anywhere between a second or two, to half a minute to load (such as the big games like Tales of Phantasia). Once they have loaded up, if you hid the cartridges, you couldn’t say whether the SNES was running off a real cartridge or the PowerPak.

Compatibility, what works and what doesn’t?

Going by the long list of Chips mentioned above, you can already rule out the games in this list provided by RetroZone. Keep in mind that some of these will work, if you select the DSP-1 chip when purchasing the cartridge (these are stated in that list).

RetroGameDepot can confirm the following games do/don’t work:

Super Mario Kart – Working
Super Mario World – Working
Castlevania Dracula XX/Vampire’s Kiss – Working
Zelda: Parallel Worlds (ROM Hack) – Working
Mario Odyssey (ROM Hack) – Locks up on the first level, will test latest version later
WOZZ (With Fan Translation Patch) – Working

So far so good, with 5/6 games working I’m rather impressed. It doesn’t surprise me that the one that didn’t work was an unofficial game, one that was programmed solely for Emulators.
It’s looking like the PowerPak will be capable of loading almost any official Super Nintendo Game (that isn’t on the incompatibility list).

Should I buy the PowerPak?

Without a doubt! If the SNES is one of your favourite consoles, then the PowerPak is a must buy.
Not only are you getting the ability to play the SNES gems we all know and love, you can now boot up the Super Nintendo Test Station cart if needed, or even M.A.C.S. the Army training unit.
To make the deal even sweeter, there is a vast array of brand new versions of your favourite games to play. ROM hacks of Zelda offering new Quests, new versions of Super Mario World and many more worth checking out.

The PowerPak is a godsend, allowing SNES fans to relive their nostalgic memories cheaply and conveniently, while offering them a whole load of new ones.

Buy one here: http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=84

Zaku - Atari Lynx (2009)

Unfortunately for Retro Gamers, the term ‘Retro’ usually means ‘In the past’. We all live with the fact that our favourite console from decades ago will never been seen in the same light again, nor will there be any new releases for it. It’s the sad truth we face each day as the pixels populate our CRT Televisions.

However out there in the Retro Gaming scene today are small groups of dedicated gamers who refuse to let their favourite consoles die. These groups are doing what everyone thought would never happen.

As you were trading in your Sega Megadrive collection to the local game shop, ready to move on to the Sega Saturn, would you have believed the shop keeper if he said…
“I wouldn’t sell that if I were you, mate. In 15 years time there will be new games for that console.”
That is what these groups are doing. They are breathing new life into long dead consoles, with new software.

There are lots of these groups coding away homebrew software onto home computers. The Tape based computers have hundreds of developers releasing new homebrew games, but what about the Console gaming homebrew scene?

Super Fighter Team has been around for a good while now. They are most commonly known for bringing out the first physical Sega Megadrive cartridge release since the mid nineties, Beggar Prince. Shortly after that, they also brought us Legend of Wukong, another Sega Megadrive RPG.
As great as these releases were, you could argue that they are nothing new, which would be a correct statement. After all, the two releases in question here were actually released on Cartridge back in the day, only in China via a mysterious company called C&E (see Magic Bubble). So where is the homebrew?

Super Fighter Team bought the rights to C&E’s back catalogue and began translating these games for release. As amazing as they are (and they get a big thumbs up from the ‘depot) and how we look forward to many more, a lot of Retro Gamers were still craving something new and original. Well today, we are going to look into that!

Bring out Zaku!

Zaku is the latest game to be published by Super Fighter Team. Developed by the guys at PenguiNet over a long period of six years, it is the most recent release for the long dead console/handheld, the Atari Lynx. This is a title recommended for any Shmup fan, Lynx fan or Retro Gamer looking for new homebrew.

Upon boot up, you are greeted with a traditional gameplay intro, the fate of the world is in Zaku’s hands and it’s up to you to take control.  After sorting out your options, you’re welcomed with a Gunstar Heroes style level select, allowing you to decide how the story goes. Once selected, you’re right into the action.

On the first playthrough, I headed straight to the Thunder Zone. Within seconds of playing, I realised that this game is one that will keep me coming back for more. The enemies have fairly decent defences that require you to power the shots into them repeatedly, as they’re not very forgiving. Parrots were homing into me as Robotic Penguin heads slowly floated into my path providing a real challenge.
After being hit by one of these nasties, I noticed that this Shmup is one of the few that offers a health bar, something I really approve of. As hardcore as some of the Shmup players are, not all of us are able to ‘1-life’ the whole game flawlessly.

Further into the level you really begin to see the effort that PenguiNet has put into this game. Blocking the path ahead are some floating Spike Balls, being carried by a bunch of balloons. Shoot the balloons to make the ball fall, or shoot the ball to send the balloons flying. It’s the extra touches like this that really add more depth to these games.

Zaku has two modes of shooting, a continuous rapid fire and a charge shot. If the charge is held for long enough, Zaku is surrounded by a protective bubble he can force into the enemies for a quick kill. This was something I worked out at just the right time.

At this point PenguiNet once again prove that they have taken their influences from other places to create a wonderful game. In large letters, in a similar style to Ikaruga, the Taito shooters and many more, the word ‘Warning’ covers the screen with a quick description/dialogue from the boss you are about to fight. But by far, the main influence for this game is quite obviously Parodius, as a… uhm… toaster flies into the gameplay ready to ‘toast’ me (literally).

(All pictures from the official Zaku Website)

I’m going to leave the quick mini review/summary here for now as it’s still a fairly new game to me and I’m yet to discover other parts of the game. The only downside I can comment on is that the size of Zaku can sometimes get in the way a bit, whether that’s down to my lack of skill, only time will tell.

Zaku through the collector’s eyes

Super Fighter Team also needs to be given some praise in this review too. Not just for their publishing/distribution, but for the effort they have gone to recreate what appears to be as close to an Official Atari Lynx release as possible. I think the photos below will do the talking for this point. Good job SFT!

(Fits right into any Atari Lynx collection)

Zaku round up

Zaku is a game you should all be considering to buy, not only because of how good it is, but because we need to support these groups. Six years development is a long time; these guys/gals have done all of this in their spare time, to give our consoles a bit more lifespan. If we don’t support them, we don’t get any more new releases. It’s as simple as that.

So before you go waste your money on Call of Duty MW2 (Special Rip-Off edition) or Fifa 10 (No Gameplay Glamour Edition), consider getting Zaku instead and give your Lynx a good dust down. It’s well worth it!

Further Links

PenguiNet – http://www.penguinet.net/
Super Fighter Team – http://www.superfighter.com/
Official Zaku Website – http://www.zaku-lynx.com/index.html

Transport back in time by one week please! This mini review/round up was meant to go live last Saturday on Halloween, however due to a lack of internet speed and video problems it’s been delayed until today!

Jack Bros - Nintendo Virtual Boy (1995)

Happy Halloween…

The spotlight this week is on Jack Bros for the Nintendo Virtual Boy, a perfectly apt choice for Halloween. Jack Bros is a light hearted, spooky game featuring the Jack Bros mascots from the Megami Tensei franchise. Jack Frost and Jack Lantern are joined by one more Jack, Jack Skelton. Released 1995, it was published and developed by Atlus.

Jack Bros is eaisly up there as a contender for the best Virtual Boy game ever released (despite the fact there isn’t much competition).
Wario Land is the only other game to really challenge it for the top spot.

Jack Brothers’ Hee-Ho at the Labyrinth!

Halloween is the only day of the year where fairies can enter the human world. The fairies and human children look forward to this day every year, the Jack Bros head out for the day to have their annual fun. Before they know it, time has ticked to 11pm already. If they don’t get home before midnight, the portal to the world of fairies will soon close.
Taking on the role of one of the Jack Bros, in the last hour of Halloween, you must venture home as quickly as possible. Fighting through multi floored Gauntlet style gameplay with an Anime twist of bizarre.

Gameplay follows a very similar style to Gauntlet; you can move in 4 directions and shoot in four directions, grab the keys and get out of there.
The Virtual Boy was able to make this style of gameplay much more involving using the second D-Pad. The D-Pad on the left is for moving and the one on the right is for shooting, in the direction you pressed. This allows very useful strafing which isn’t possible in the early Gauntlet games.

Instead of a health meter, you are given a timer which slowly disappears as you move around. But you have to watch where you walk, as contact with an enemy or obstacle will shave time off the timer. If it runs out, it’s game over!

There are various types of enemies, slow ghosts, fast cats, sneaky bomb dropping goblins and elves with bows. Once you have passed the initial tutorial floors instructed by Pixie, you’ll soon find yourself having to adopt multiple patterns of dodging and shooting these enemies, almost similar to a Shmup.
To continue its theme as a Shmup in disguise, you’re given a few signature bombs to let off in those times of panic and every level ends with a boss.

Although Jack Bros doesn’t show off the Nintendo Virtual Boy’s faux 3D capabilities, Atlus once again proved that gameplay is much more important than that added finesse. There are some nice effects while swapping floors, enemies that don’t look glued to the ground and if you look carefully, Jack’s Head is on a different level to his body. These are all nice subtle touches, that really add to the depth of the dungeon without making it look messy (Virtual Boy Waterworld, I’m looking at you).

Screenshots

Collector’s Information:

Final thoughts:

Unfortunately for anyone wanting a quick blast of Virtual Boy’s Jack Bros, you’ll have to accept the Virtual Boy was released at the wrong time. A time when all gamers were interested in was Polygons and fancy effects.
Jack Bros is often regarded as the rarest American Virtual Boy game out of the official 14 titles released. But don’t let that put you off this fine game, Jack Bros is well worth the price tag.