Commodore 128

 

My apologies for the lack of updates on this blog. I've been busy with work commitments and side gigs, as well as spending time setting up the computer lab. The lab setup has been a slow and careful process as each computer, power supply, and monitor requires recapping due to their age, typically 30 years or older.

 

To achieve this, I have been purchasing cap kits and accessories for the various hardware. While I initially had no plans to add the Commodore 128 to my collection, I stumbled upon a near-new boxed unit on eBay last year, and despite its high cost, I decided to buy it. I left it in the box with the intention of connecting it at a later date.

In March, I finally connected the Commodore 128 to my 1802 monitor and discovered that the video output was extremely faded with poor colour display. After conducting research, I found that this is a common issue with the MOS 8701 clock generator chip, which controls colour display and other functions. To fix the problem, I ordered a replacement board from Individual Computers, which also came with a crystal in case that was also faulty. Within days, the replacement board arrived, and my good friend, who is an electronics wiz, replaced all the caps. Fortunately, this fixed the issue with the video output, and it's now running without any flaws.

In addition, I've purchased some accessories for it, including a Userport Saver and an SD2IEC+ from TFW8b, as well as a RAD expansion unit from a custom builder in Canada. In a future post, I will cover these accessories in more detail. 

Apple Arcade

 

I first subscribed to Apple Arcade in 2020, but I only spent a little time on the available games. That’s something I want to change in 2023. So, what is Apple Arcade? It’s a game subscription service that has no ads or in-app purchases. Currently, there are over 200 games available from a list of different genres.

  

Over the last few weeks, I’ve installed several games onto my iPad Pro and paired an Xbox One controller via Bluetooth to play them. Here are some highlights.

Horizon Chase 2 is an arcade-style racer with little to no breaking required.

 

When timed correctly, you can drift around corners, and by using the boost function, you can race ahead of the pack.

 

The competition will take you through five countries with a total of 55 tracks. Early races are easy, but the difficulty ramps up. It’s very challenging to win a race positioned in the top three.

There are several cars to choose from, with several more that can be unlocked by finishing races. You can upgrade your car by collecting blue coins during the race and gaining experience points at the end of the race.

 

Graphics are solid, colourful and detailed with a very smooth frame rate. Environments are dynamic, so certain tracks you can be driving from dawn to dusk. There’s dust on dirt tracks and other weather conditions such as rain.

 

This is a game that I recommend playing with headphones. It has a fantastic soundtrack by Barry Leitch of Lotus Turbo Challenge fame on the Amiga.

 

Overall, I like this game. It wouldn’t feel out of place if it was on a console. It has that one more go vibe to it.

Jetpack Joyride 2 is an action-packed endless runner-type game that is exclusive to Apple Arcade.

  

Equipped with a jetpack, you automatically rush down a hallway-type structure as you jet up and down to collect coins and avoid obstacles. You're also equipped with a gun that automatically starts firing when rockets and flying protagonists appear. At the end of the level is a boss that you must defeat.

  

Controls are dead easy. A single button is used to guide your hero. Timing is critical to avoid obstacles and later levels can get quite chaotic.

Along the way, health, firepower, vehicle and power-ups can be upgraded. These upgrades are optional but boosting them helps you to progress through the later levels.

 

I love this game - it is one of my favourites here. The graphics are well drawn and colourful, with a very smooth framerate. Audio, especially with headphones, is a perfect accompaniment. Levels are short enough that you want to keep playing to the next level.

I’ve been playing Exit the Gungeon for the last few days, and so far, I’ve been really enjoying it.

  

It’s a semi-sequel to Enter the Gungeon released in 2016. An arcade-style bullet hell dungeon climber where you attempt to survive countless waves of enemies and navigation of dangerous elevators.

  

Levels can be very chaotic as your gun transforms several times every minute. Using your dodge roll is the key to surviving, as when you are airborne, you’re invulnerable to enemy fire.

At the end of the level, you will encounter a boss (13 in total) that's well-designed and a joy to fight.  

Using the Xbox joypad, the control is nice and tight, with the mapping of buttons very intuitive.

  

The pixel-style graphics are fantastic and would not look out of place on a PS4 or Switch. Sound effects are suitably crunchy. Very highly recommended! 

Currently, there are over 200 titles available to play, with a small handful released monthly. Like any library available, titles vary in quality, but at around seven dollars a month (if paid yearly), it provides great value. 
  

Taito Arcade Memories Vol. 1

It's great to see companies like Taito continue to support classic gaming and make their games available to new audiences. It can be a lot of fun to play classic arcade games, and the fact that they are being released in packs like this makes it easier for people to access a wider variety of games. Do you have a particular favourite from Taito's library?

Click the above screenshot to view the video.

Fusion Retro Books

Just a shout-out about Fusion Retro Books. They produce publications such as Crash, ZZAP! 64, and Fusion, as well as their annual books. This ZZAP! Amiga 2023 Annual is one of a handful of books I backed on Kickstarter this year.

There are reviews on Turbo Sprint, Tiny Bobble, Metal Gear and Green Beret. A look back at the launch of Amiga Force, an interview with Geezer Games and much more. It's great to see a quality publication for the Amiga platform and excellent new game releases now and in the future.

Another book that I backed is The Commodore 64 Collectors Guide to Mastertronic. It lists and reviews every game released by Mastertronic and its sub-labels. It's beautifully produced, with over 500 pages and a decent paper thickness. Each game covered has box art, screenshots, game description and review, developer details and control instructions.

One of my fondest gaming memories was going to Kmart and seeing which new Mastertronic games had arrived. They were typically on those cassette holders that you would twirl around. Each game was $10, and most times, you purchased the game on the strength of the artwork. It was hit-and-miss, but that's what made it fun. This book is a great reference to go back and replay those classics or to discover titles never played.

Taito Milestones Collector's Edition

Preordered this 12 months ago from Strictly Limited Games, and it just recently arrived. For collectors, it is an excellent addition to your collection, especially for Taito fans. So far, I've spent several hours playing one of my all-time faves Elevator Action, as well as Front Line and The Ninja Warriors. You can change display settings to add scan line filters, but I've found that sharp pixels look the best on the Switch LCD.

Click the above screenshot to view the video.

Atari Flashback 50th Anniversary Unboxing

Here's another video in the Unboxing Series, the recently released Atari Flashback celebrating its 50th Anniversary by AtGames. It's a solid mini console with decent emulation however, the joysticks are pretty spongy and require you to push hard in the direction you want to move. It is compatible with joysticks and paddle controllers from the original console, which is a bonus. If you're looking at purchasing one of these, be aware that the version of Space Invaders included isn't the 2600 version. It's the actual arcade release, which is disappointing as the Atari conversion has unique graphics and sound that I prefer over the arcade release. I purchased this at Kmart for about $129.

Click the above screenshot to view the video.

Evercade VS Unboxing

This is my third video in the Unboxing Series. I purchased the Evercade VS earlier this year from PixelCrib, and it's one of my favourite hardware releases in recent years. My collection has grown to 30 carts with a mixture of console, arcade and original releases. The recently released Commodore 64 collection has kickstarted support for retro computers with more to come in 2023.

Click the above screenshot to view the video.