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The Courier
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
The best games from Dundee's ZX Spectrum in 1990 - as beloved Speccy entered 'twilight era'
The end was nigh for Dundee's ZX Spectrum in 1990. The home computer produced by Dundee Timex workers was nearing the end of its commercial life after Sega and Nintendo burst on to the scene. Did it go out with a whimper? The Spectrum of Adventure author Tom Christie says there was still gas in the tank. 'By now, programmers had learned how to squeeze every scintilla of power out of the machine's creaking processor, and it seemed hard to believe that any original games were still to arrive for the famous system at this late stage,' he said. 'And yet, somehow, game designers were still able to come up with the goods. 'While the ZX Spectrum may no longer have been cutting-edge, it could still boast a vibrant, highly creative, and community-driven gaming scene, with a dedicated fan base across the UK and beyond. 'This was something of a twilight era for these early computers, but the gaming scene remained active and imaginative, with some surprisingly inventive games.' Tom has chosen 10 classic games to arrive on the platform in 1990. These include the popular SimCity and the brilliant Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge. How many of these games can you remember? Turrican was one of the most hotly-awaited titles of 1990. The shoot 'em up released by Rainbow Arts won big with magazine awards. It involved blasting through five alien environments. 'The game boasted huge levels which invited players to go exploring rather than encouraging them to complete each stage in a linear way,' said Tom. 'The mutant warrior hero was robust enough to handle anything thrown at him.' The tagline was: 'Never forget: shoot or die'. Crash magazine described Turrican as 'one of the best Speccy games seen this year'. The long-running Sim series all started here with SimCity. Tom said: 'It's easy to forget that this game appeared on the Spectrum in a hugely ambitious port released by French company Infogrames. 'All of the classic options were there. 'As mayor, the player had to balance their communities between different zones, while having to keep citizens happy with reliable services. 'The game was just as addictive on the Speccy as it would be on other platforms.' The city management game cost £9.99 on release. Your Sinclair's magazine review stated that the game was 'beautifully simple in concept and hangs together perfectly.' Tom said Activision produced something quite original with Time Machine. The player takes on the role of an eccentric scientist who must 'manipulate history' through five different time zones. Tom said: 'Professor Potts is cast adrift in time, and his every decision can have vast implications – for instance, failure to safeguard a species of clever little mammals will mean that the human race never comes to evolve. 'The game certainly wowed the reviewers of the time, with Sinclair User noting that Time Machine was an absorbing and innovative game. 'It also highlighted its excellent mono graphics.' The game cost £9.99 on release. Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge was a highly playable racing game. There was even a two-player head-to-head mode to race against a friend. Tom said: 'It was a big hit on later systems so Spectrum owners may well have been surprised by how well the game translated to their computer. 'Gremlin Graphics were long-time veterans of the Speccy. 'The third-person perspective works well with smooth gameplay throughout. 'The racing retains the excitement of the game's more powerful versions.' Crash magazine said it was 'one of the best two-player car simulations around.' This puzzle game was heavily hyped by publisher US Gold. Tom said the game played 'like an inspired cross between Thrust and Asteroids'. He said: 'The player has control of a spaceship which must nudge spheres – each of them containing a shape – into each other with force and momentum. 'If the spheres contain identical shapes, they will disappear on impact, but if the shapes are different then smaller spheres will be produced which must also be dealt with. 'It may sound simple, but in execution it could be maddeningly difficult to master.' Crash magazine described E-Motion as 'frustratingly addictive'. And now for something completely different… Were you a fan of Monty Python's Flying Circus? Tom said: 'One of the most surprising game licenses of 1990 was an adaptation of the surreal 1960s sketch show that immortalised the dead parrot. 'Published by Virgin Software, the game was based on Terry Gilliam's bizarre animations – only now repurposed as a sideways-scrolling shoot 'em up.' Reviewers were as impressed as they were mystified. Sinclair User commented: 'There's enough gameplay to keep you engrossed even if you don't know what the hell's going on.' The Spectrum tape included a free Mr Gumby badge. Gremlin Graphics' famous mascot Monty Mole was back in 1990. This was the sixth title in the series. Monty was given a Hollywood-style makeover in this superhero-inspired platformer. He was faced with five different alien environments to tackle. The hapless mole had been called upon to save an alien planet from disaster. Hidden rooms were craftily positioned on each level. Sinclair User said: 'It offers a stiff challenge, full of colourful graphics.' Super Off-Road went down well with gamers at the time of its release. The game was published by Virgin Games. It was endorsed by professional off-road racer Ivan Stewart. Tom said: 'The arcade original had been a brightly-coloured affair. 'Meanwhile, the Spectrum version was monochromatic, making it occasionally difficult for players to keep track of their car. 'That said, the game was never less than fast-moving or addictive.' Your Sinclair agreed. They said it was 'the best super sprint-type game ever seen on the Speccy'. The Last Ninja series had a huge fan following on the 8-bit systems. Tom said System 3 Software produced something special with this Remix edition which was an updated version of Last Ninja 2 from 1988. He said: 'Using an isometric view, the player can employ ninja fighting skills against enemies, improvising weapons and gathering useful items as they go. 'With brilliant stylised backdrops and an atmospheric playing environment, this was a real treat to explore.' Crash said the game was a clever arcade adventure with appealing graphics. Rainbow Islands was a classic platform game. Players could fire rainbows that had multiple uses: to act as weapons, create makeshift platforms, or collect items to increase their score. Tom said: 'Arguably one of the most perfect arcade conversions ever released, Rainbow Islands first hit the coin-ops in 1987. 'Ocean Software brought it to the Speccy in 1990. 'The Spectrum version retained the large, colourful sprites of the original, along with flawless scrolling and excellent in-game music. 'The expansive multi-level worlds also carried over from the arcade version.' The game won several awards from the trade press at the time. 'Rainbow Islands was the kind of game that saved the best for last,' Tom said. 'It showed that the revered Speccy still had life left in it even at this late stage, which is why – even all these years down the line – retro gamers are still enjoying these titles.'
Gizmodo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine' is Finally Getting a Remaster
A year after its sequel arrived, the original Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is coming to modern gaming. The definitive, 'Master Crafted Edition' of the third-person shooter comes of port developer SneakyBox. Producer Vaidas Mikelskas described the update as a 'thoughtful restoration […] a respectful dialogue between past and present, preserving what made the original special while making it shine for a new generation of players.' Along with graphical updates and a modern UI and control scheme, this new Space Marine provides a visual update to the Orks to make them more in line with their current visual identity in the franchise canon, and 'over 100' new voice lines. Originally developed by Relic Entertainment, the first Space Marine released in 2011 to generally positive reviews. It had two planned sequels, but those fell apart when the game's publisher THQ closed down. Sega subsequently gained its publishing rights upon acquiring Relic two years later, and re-released the game on PC back in 2021. Later that year, Saber Interactive revealed it would develop the sequel for publisher Focus Entertainment, which released to pretty strong reviews in 2024 and has its own followup in the works. Rights for the first Warhammer 40K: Space Marine remain with Sega, which currently hasn't announced a PlayStation 5 version of the Master Crafted Edition. So if you're interested, you'll have to buy it on PC or Xbox Series X|S, or play via Xbox Game Pass, on June 10.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Meet Japan's ‘UFO Catcher Artisan', who thinks of ways to make claw machines easier, more attractive
– Crane games, claw machines, or UFO Catchers. Call them what you will, but these brightly lit consoles offering the promise of a prize, through a delicate dance of claw and chance, are undoubtedly the crown jewels of Japan's game arcades. Mr Mitsuharu Fukazawa, 56, knows these machines inside out. The self-professed crane game geek goes by 'UFO Catcher Artisan' on his business card, a nod to the crucial role that he has played in overseeing generations of machines launched by Japanese gaming giant Sega, best known for the iconic Sonic the Hedgehog . Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
UFO Catchers turn 40, and claw machines still have a hold on Japan
People outside Taito Station's outlet in Tokyo's Akihabara district, with five storeys above-ground and one basement floor. ST PHOTO: WALTER SIM UFO Catchers turn 40, and claw machines still have a hold on Japan Letter From Tokyo – Crane games, claw machines, or UFO Catchers. Call them what you will, but these brightly-lit consoles offering the promise of a prize, through a delicate dance of claw and chance, are undoubtedly the crown jewels of Japan's game arcades. Mr Mitsuharu Fukazawa, 56, knows these machines inside out. The self-professed crane game geek goes by 'UFO Catcher Artisan' on his business card, a nod to the crucial role that he has played in overseeing generations of machines launched by Japanese gaming giant Sega, best known for the iconic Sonic The Hedgehog . The distinctive 'UFO Catcher' name has come to be synonymous with claw machines in general, although not many may know that the name is trademarked and used within the industry to specifically refer to Sega-made consoles which were first launched 40 years ago this month , in May 1985. Such is the cultural imprint that these machines have left on the Japanese gaming landscape. The most basic steps involve players using either a joystick or buttons to navigate a mechanised claw to clasp or nudge their coveted item into the pickup box. Gameplay, however, may vary by machine. Mr Fukazawa, who joined Sega in 1991, leads a team of about 20 people overseeing UFO Catchers. Mr Mitsuharu Fukazawa, 56, joined Sega in 1991 and now leads a team of about 20 people in the development of UFO Catcher machines. ST PHOTO: WALTER SIM While he was not with the company for the first-generation UFO Catcher, he has been closely involved in the modern evolution of the game. The latest UFO Catcher 10 was launched in 2023, nine years after UFO Catcher 9, although there were many interim updates much like a smartphone operating system. Before the UFO Catcher, many claw machines were equipped with three dangling arms and unattractive prizes, he says, relegating them to the darker corners of arcades. Instead, more popular video games like Daytona USA, Dance Dance Revolution and Street Fighter took more prominence. Sega saw a business opportunity in redesigning these consoles to be more attractive and offering cute plush toys that could be a draw for families. But they were meant to be called the Eagle Catcher, inspired by how an eagle uses its talons to snatch its prey. The first generation UFO Catcher, which Japanese gaming giant Sega launched in 1985. PHOTO: SEGA Mr Fukazawa says that while the designers wrestled with making the claws look like talons, a brainwave struck his seniors, who realised that the claws look like unidentified flying objects. The rest is history: 'If we stuck with Eagle Catcher, I really don't think the name would be on everyone's lips today.' This would eventually trigger a cultural phenomenon, with limited-edition goods, large plush toys, and other merchandise. The third boom Today, it is not uncommon to find mega-arcades with hundreds of crane games – most costing 100 yen (90 Singapore cents) or 200 yen per play, depending on the type of machine and prizes – in anime hubs like Tokyo's Akihabara and Ikebukuro, or Osaka's Den-Den Town. In Yokohama, the Sarpura Asobi Town arcade has even been recognised by the Guinness World Record for hosting the most claw machines in one venue, at 555. These machines can even be found outside arcades, as prizes evolve beyond the traditional snacks, plush toys and figurines to include fresh fruit and household electronics. Mimasaka Farm, in western Japan's Okayama Prefecture, made headlines when it installed a claw machine in January 2023 offering players the chance to snag fresh seasonal fruits. Convenience store chain Lawson plans to install crane games at 1,000 stores nationwide by March 2026 to woo customers, and as a form of service to residents in rural areas. Japan, however, did not birth this gaming phenomenon, which is traced to a candy dispenser known as Digger, made in America in 1896. But through the UFO Catcher, it has undeniably perfected and popularised these game machines that are now common worldwide, including Singapore. I must confess to being a sceptic who has never bought into the hype of such games. For someone with two left hands, like myself, they seem like a hopeless endeavour and a waste of time, money and effort. Are bragging rights and a stuffed toy really worth the hassle of trying to find the correct angle, only to be foiled by the law of physics? Why not simply purchase the item outright? My curiosity, however, is piqued as UFO Catchers – the grand dames of claw machines – mark their 40th birthday. What is fuelling this enduring fascination with a game that requires skill, strategy and seemingly a healthy dose of chance? Insiders point to a third boom that began in the mid-2010s and shows no signs of fizzling. The growing popularity of anime – which I don't religiously follow – thanks to streaming platforms, is one reason, as is the trend of oshikatsu (fandom) of idols and characters. This echoes the first wave of the early 1990s, when anime character items were introduced as prizes. 'What really lit the fire was (superhero character) Anpanman,' Mr Fukazawa recalls. 'People were displaying their UFO Catcher wins on the front and back of their cars.' This triggered a virtuous circle of better prizes, with the second wave occurring at the turn of the millennium due to a wider diversity of prizes. Then came the ongoing decade-long third wave. Today, game centre operators, too, are actively collaborating with anime studios and talent agencies to create exclusive limited-edition prizes from figurines to plushies and posters to woo customers. Launch days of new prizes are marketed in advance, drawing long queues. And the idea of prizes being not typically for sale has proven appealing. The Covid-19 pandemic, meanwhile, accelerated the popularity of online crane games by companies like Sega and Taito. Players can remotely control a crane game machine in a warehouse somewhere in real time through their phones, with the consoles equipped with cameras that allow players to look at the claw from different angles. One big plus is that unlike brick-and-mortar stores that are limited by space and opening hours, players can play round-the-clock online. They will not, however, get the satisfaction of instant gratification: it takes about a week for prizes to be delivered to doorsteps within Japan, while overseas shipping remains unavailable. Strategy videos on social medi a have also fuelled hype around this game. These trends have made crane games a lifebuoy for the entire arcade industry as a whole. The golden age of the 1980s and 1990s has faded with the launch of home gaming consoles like Sony PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, as well as smartphones today. The number of entertainment arcades in Japan peaked in 1993, when there were about 87,000 stores. But they fell below 10,000 during the pandemic in 2020, according to data by credit research firm Teikoku Databank. But overall revenues are recovering amid business consolidation, and the Japan Amusement Industry Association notes how revenues from crane games now exceed 300 billion yen annually, accounting for about 70 per cent of arcade earnings. Their popularity has attracted criminals. In a high-profile fraud case in 2017, the president of a defunct arcade company was jailed three years for defrauding customers to the tune of 1.23 million yen over three months by rigging claw machines such that they were impossible to win. But most arcades are run by veritable companies and overseen by the Japan Crane Game Association, which issues three levels of kuretatsu ('crane game expert') certifications to enthusiasts for their skills and knowledge. Getting certified can even open the door for job opportunities at game centres. Conquering a claw machine 'The fun of crane games,' says Ms Itsuko Sasaki, a corporate communications manager at Taito, 'is not only about winning prizes, but about the process of getting them, the roller-coaster emotions of a sense of accomplishment of finally snagging a prize, the thrill of navigating the arm, the tensions of near-misses.' Taito produced Japan's first homegrown claw machine in 1965, the Crown 602, which had offered candy as prizes. No known records of its development exist, but Ms Sasaki posits that it came about because foreign crane machines were expensive and often broke down. The Crown 603, which Japanese gaming company Taito launched in 1966. With sweets as prizes, the console was launched one year after Taito produced Japan's first homegrown claw game machine. PHOTO: TAITO The company, best known for developing the Space Invaders arcade game, operates Taito Station arcades that are ubiquitous in Japan today. Sega's UFO Catcher 10 machines occupy prime real estate in Taito Station centres, including at the entrance of its store at Akihabara. The UFO Catcher remains distinctively true to its name, but there are now 'prize machines' by other makers that feature different gameplay, such as by steering a cutter into position to slice a hanging string to drop a prize. Taito's latest console is the Getter Spin G, which was released in 2024 and requires players to press a button at just the right time to activate a push rod that tilts a rotating table, dislodging a prize. Taito's Getter Spin G prize machine at Taito Station's outlet in Tokyo's Akihabara district. ST PHOTO: WALTER SIM Over at Sega, Mr Fukazawa says he is constantly thinking of ways to make the UFO Catcher more attractive for players and easier for operators to use. 'In a sense, we are now just making the 'boxes ',' he says. 'We leave it up to stores to decide how to customise our machines. I visit arcades often, and it is interesting to observe how the gameplay can vary in different stores, even for the same prize.' He laughs sheepishly when he inadvertently launches a discussion on technicalities, including the available array of 11 types of arms and 19 shovels in different angles that are used for machines since UFO Catcher 9. Many machines are set up to be difficult to win on the first try. Mr Fukazawa says players should let go of their pride and ask for help if they find themselves stuck, or if an item needs repositioning. And given that UFO Catchers within the same arcade are connected, some stores can even offer up rousing congratulations when someone does win. In March, Sega launched a multi-language online guide to Japanese arcades, offering tips and tricks to conquer the UFO Catcher. ( Advice differs for different prizes. But the general rule of thumb for large plush toys, Mr Fukazawa says, is to focus on the centre of gravity rather than the centre of the toy – a common rookie mistake. As for what's central to the UFO Catcher's appeal? 'It's fun to go to places like Disneyland, but an arcade is closer to home. People can have fun for as little as 100 yen, and I think that makes it a very attractive place.' Walter Sim is Japan correspondent at The Straits Times. Based in Tokyo, he writes about political, economic and socio-cultural issues. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNET
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Sega's Re-Released Games for Switch 2 Include Yakuza 0 and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
As the Nintendo Switch 2 prepares to launch, its list of third-party games grows, including a trio of Sega and Atlus games that include classics and deep cuts. I got to play all three ahead of the Switch 2 release on June 5. The three games -- Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S and RAIDOU Remastered -- are odd bedfellows that represent distinct eras and genres among Sega's oeuvre. All three play well on the Switch 2, which is unsurprising given the console's rumored PS4-equivalent performance but still reassuring given the original Switch's limited capability. Yakuza 0 is the marquee title of the trio for its role in the series -- a prequel to the original Yakuza and de facto entry point for new players that details the origins of fan favorites Kazuma Kiryu and Daigo Dojima. In addition to the story, Yakuza 0: Director's Cut includes a new mode, Red Light Raid, that lets you pick a character from a roster of Yakuza heroes and nobodies to brawl with successively harder rounds of enemy groups. While dated compared with the sharp combat and graphics of the latest in the series, February's Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Yakuza 0 is still a fantastic game and great to have on the new console. I only played it in docked mode, so I can't say how the game plays in handheld with a 1080p and 120 frames per second display graphics cap. Sega Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a deeper cut, the third game in the Devil Summoner series within the Megami Tensei franchise, which was originally released for the PS2 in 2006. Though the game has been refreshed for modern consoles (the game will also be out on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and last-gen systems), it preserves the charm of the era's games -- one where very little is explained and players have to figure it out for themselves. (I had to have a certain solution to a puzzle spelled out for me.) Starring the eponymous Raidou as a detective assisted by demons he captures and can use to investigate denizens of his town or summon for battle in real-time combat, the game is a little slower and less dense than today's graphically-intense titles. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is the opposite -- a contemporary puzzle game first released in 2020 for current and last-gen consoles, the re-release preserves the bright colors and frantic gameplay with a few new multiplayer modes. In our preview, Sega paired up gamers for 2-vs-2 puzzler matches where we tried to stay out of each other's way while clearing lines. For Switch 2, players can switch from Joy-Con mode to Mouse mode, which is precise enough but adds to the frenetic tension.
