Retro Gamer's "Perfect Ten Games" for 3DO
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:48 pm
Last week or so I mentioned I was going to type up the Top Ten 3DO games according to Retro Gamer magazine here in the UK. The monthly magazine is a bit pants, but their "Videogames Hardware Handbook", looking at all gaming platforms between 1977 and 1999 was excellent and includes this list. It's in no particular order for the 3DO, which is strange as they've done so for other consoles, but here we go anyway. And yes, I wish my scanner was working, wouldn't have taken anywhere near as long as typing all this up!!
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"Seen by many as folly, Trip Hawkins' 3DO nevertheless featured some stunning games that deserves (sic) to be experienced by the more open gamer and we’ve selected the cream of the crop for you to cast your eyes over.
LUCIENNE’S QUEST (1995)
Developed by: Micro Cabin
By the same developer: The Deep Blue Fleet
When a system is starved of a genre, it becomes easy to lavish praise on unworthy titles. Despite being one of few JRPGs released, Lucienne’s Quest deserves its praise. By no means an epic quest (needing under 20 hours), it was packed with light-hearted charm and clever ideas. Rather than playing a hormonally enraged teenager with spikey (sic) hair like other JRPGs, you control a wizard’s female apprentice who decides to help a warrior cure his lycanthropy, only to be joined by equally colourful characters. You also begin with teleportation magic, which eliminates all backtracking! The battle system meanwhile is fun and unique, allowing real-time damage to the surroundings. Blithe, but enjoyable.
STAR CONTROL 2 (1994)
Developed by: Paul Reiche III & Fred Ford
By the same developer: Star Control
Explore outer space while communicating with strange alien races, having hellishly intense dogfights, and unravelling a millennia old mystery - all in order to free Earth from the “slave shield” problem it’s gotten into. Although a PC port, the 3DO iteration of this epic space opera was vastly superior thanks to all written dialogue being replaced with some excellent voice acting. Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford spent the final six months developing the game without pay, and the last two averaging 18 hours a day, seven days a week - this dedication and effort is clear to see on screen. Worth owning a 3DO for, despite The Ur-Quan Masters port being free.
ROAD RASH (1995)
Developed by: Electronic Arts
By the same developer: M.U.L.E.
It was late arriving on the 3DO, but Road Rash reinvigorated the bikers-and-violence formula like never before. Gone were the cartoony sprites of the MD games, instead replaced with gritty digitised characters - every eruption of violence with a chain or club felt wonderfully savage and guttural. Environments were also truly 3D, with an exhilarating sense of speed. But the biggest improvement was atmosphere: heavy rock bands like Soundgarden allowed their music to be used, which, when combined with the between-races bar-room surreal-pastiche of talkative yet scummy bikers, genuinely made you feel like a member of this carburettor underclass: a social miscreant with a penchant for bikes, booze, heavy rock, and violence.
POLICENAUTS (1995)
Developed by: Konami
By the same developer: Metal Gear Solid
There are many Japan-exclusives worth mentioning - Policenauts was also released on the Saturn and the PSone - but more should know about Hideo Kojima’s “forgotten” game. Created between Snatcher and Metal Gear Solid (both released in the West), it reportedly took six years to finish. Basically another point-and-click adventure (with added light gun action scenes), what makes it so special is the atmospheric storyline. You’re a ‘Police Astronaut’ for an orbital space station, who ends up frozen in deep space for a number of years after a freak accident. Later witnessing your estranged wife’s murder, you must return to the station and solve a terrifying conspiracy. Lucky for us, a group of fans have made an English translation patch, available at http://www.policenauts.net
SNOW JOB
Developed by: Studio 3DO
By the same developer: Blade Force
“An FMV game?!” we hear you collectively cry. Yes, but one that’s very good. It’s actually regarded as one of the all time best in the genre - trust us on this. Instead of having an embarrassing and nonsensical plot (like most FMV games), Snow Job takes place on the gritty streets on present-day New York; you’re an ex-cop trying to bust a drugs ring while preventing the murder of your DA girlfriend. Unlike traditional FMV games, which involve pushing one or two buttons, this plays like a detailed point-and-click adventure - using digitised 360-degree environments and FMV for dialogue sequences. Passable acting and it’s quite complicated; adventure fans should love it.
IMMERCENARY (1994)
Developed by: 5 Miles Out
By the same developer: N/A
Best described as an action adventure, Immercenary secretes the player in the Garden: a virtual world populated with virtual-reality imaginings of 20th Century pop art. The player travels from a lab chair in a cyberpunk 2004 to the Garden, taking on the cyber appearance of the Raven; her growth cycle absorbs and fascinates in equal measure - the more you destroy the stronger Raven becomes. However the inhabitants of this world don’t grow with her. Free-roaming exploration of the world consumes the player’s morality. To see more you must destroy the Garden where violence only happens if you instigate it. RPG overtones imbue with a mesmerising soundtrack and some incredible visual fusions to create one of the rarest experiences in games.
RETURN FIRE (1995)
Developed by: Silent Software
By the same developer: Return Fire: Maps of Death
Designed by Baron RK Von Wolfshield. Return Fire was future real on its release in 1995 combining instant hit gameplay mechanics from the previous generation with a visual and aural candour that could only be realised with the advent of the CD drive. With 100 levels, nine terrains and only ever one adversary, the game was a monumental challenge. The aim was simple: capture the enemy flag and return it to your own base. At your disposal an army equipped with helicopters, jeeps, tanks and armoured support vehicles - steeped in classical music each vehicle had its own signature tune. Unrivalled as a multiplayer game at the time, Return Fire is significant when you consider that most FPSs today contain ‘capture the flag’.
WAY OF THE WARRIOR (1994)
Developed by: Naughty Dog
By the same developer: Rings of Power
Jason Rubin launched a 3DO exclusive in ‘94. It borrowed from the big hitters of the time, most notably Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat 2, Samurai Shodown, and Fatal Fury. The characters were played by actors and the digitisation process worked well and rendered a character-set unequalled since. With names like Major Grimes and Shaky Jake the characters were parodies of type, with indigenous quips like Shaky Jake’s Australian “Now that’s a knife” still raising a smile today. Fatalities dominated the game with each character having their own and every arena having a few. White Zombie chugged away in the background adding depth to the gore that was so over the top at times it was funny. A class act in all departments WOTW’s Achilles’ heel was its exclusive nature.
THE NEED FOR SPEED (1994)
Developed by: EA Canada
By the same developer: Need For Speed: Underground
From the team behind Test Drive, The Need For Speed fell to EA through acquisition. It aspired to create a driving game to equal Ridge Racer and Daytona’s arcade incarnations on a console, at a time when Jaguar XJ220 was deemed the ultimate console racer. Adorned with three tracks, background details gave weight to impressive goraud shading. A slim roster of super cars, deftly underscored with detail, from the FMV intro for each car to a presenter shooting a volley of statistics at you, three camera angles were available and engine sounds were recorded for the first time. Racing against the chosen car’s factory spec sheet added to the perception of detail. To play NFS today is like playing every driving game of the last ten years.
WING COMMANDER 3 HEART OF THE TIGER
Developed by: Origin Systems
By the same developer: Strike Commander
Wing Commander 3 provides synapses of all that Trip Hawkins thought 3DO would bring to gaming, and was the kind of game the 3DO was designed for. A space saga, the game came laden with FMV and starred such acting luminaries as John Rhys Davies and Mark Hamill. Rendered in hi-res the game sets the player aboard the TCS Victory; character interaction shows discord in the ranks and leaves the player feeling isolated. The missions turn into fraught space battles. Polished cut-scenes tell an epic tale, and the later stages become very emotive as you understand the player’s role. Challenging racism, war and loneliness, Wing Commander 3 showed us exactly what 3DO was designed to be."
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So what do we all think...? Do we agree?
------
"Seen by many as folly, Trip Hawkins' 3DO nevertheless featured some stunning games that deserves (sic) to be experienced by the more open gamer and we’ve selected the cream of the crop for you to cast your eyes over.
LUCIENNE’S QUEST (1995)
Developed by: Micro Cabin
By the same developer: The Deep Blue Fleet
When a system is starved of a genre, it becomes easy to lavish praise on unworthy titles. Despite being one of few JRPGs released, Lucienne’s Quest deserves its praise. By no means an epic quest (needing under 20 hours), it was packed with light-hearted charm and clever ideas. Rather than playing a hormonally enraged teenager with spikey (sic) hair like other JRPGs, you control a wizard’s female apprentice who decides to help a warrior cure his lycanthropy, only to be joined by equally colourful characters. You also begin with teleportation magic, which eliminates all backtracking! The battle system meanwhile is fun and unique, allowing real-time damage to the surroundings. Blithe, but enjoyable.
STAR CONTROL 2 (1994)
Developed by: Paul Reiche III & Fred Ford
By the same developer: Star Control
Explore outer space while communicating with strange alien races, having hellishly intense dogfights, and unravelling a millennia old mystery - all in order to free Earth from the “slave shield” problem it’s gotten into. Although a PC port, the 3DO iteration of this epic space opera was vastly superior thanks to all written dialogue being replaced with some excellent voice acting. Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford spent the final six months developing the game without pay, and the last two averaging 18 hours a day, seven days a week - this dedication and effort is clear to see on screen. Worth owning a 3DO for, despite The Ur-Quan Masters port being free.
ROAD RASH (1995)
Developed by: Electronic Arts
By the same developer: M.U.L.E.
It was late arriving on the 3DO, but Road Rash reinvigorated the bikers-and-violence formula like never before. Gone were the cartoony sprites of the MD games, instead replaced with gritty digitised characters - every eruption of violence with a chain or club felt wonderfully savage and guttural. Environments were also truly 3D, with an exhilarating sense of speed. But the biggest improvement was atmosphere: heavy rock bands like Soundgarden allowed their music to be used, which, when combined with the between-races bar-room surreal-pastiche of talkative yet scummy bikers, genuinely made you feel like a member of this carburettor underclass: a social miscreant with a penchant for bikes, booze, heavy rock, and violence.
POLICENAUTS (1995)
Developed by: Konami
By the same developer: Metal Gear Solid
There are many Japan-exclusives worth mentioning - Policenauts was also released on the Saturn and the PSone - but more should know about Hideo Kojima’s “forgotten” game. Created between Snatcher and Metal Gear Solid (both released in the West), it reportedly took six years to finish. Basically another point-and-click adventure (with added light gun action scenes), what makes it so special is the atmospheric storyline. You’re a ‘Police Astronaut’ for an orbital space station, who ends up frozen in deep space for a number of years after a freak accident. Later witnessing your estranged wife’s murder, you must return to the station and solve a terrifying conspiracy. Lucky for us, a group of fans have made an English translation patch, available at http://www.policenauts.net
SNOW JOB
Developed by: Studio 3DO
By the same developer: Blade Force
“An FMV game?!” we hear you collectively cry. Yes, but one that’s very good. It’s actually regarded as one of the all time best in the genre - trust us on this. Instead of having an embarrassing and nonsensical plot (like most FMV games), Snow Job takes place on the gritty streets on present-day New York; you’re an ex-cop trying to bust a drugs ring while preventing the murder of your DA girlfriend. Unlike traditional FMV games, which involve pushing one or two buttons, this plays like a detailed point-and-click adventure - using digitised 360-degree environments and FMV for dialogue sequences. Passable acting and it’s quite complicated; adventure fans should love it.
IMMERCENARY (1994)
Developed by: 5 Miles Out
By the same developer: N/A
Best described as an action adventure, Immercenary secretes the player in the Garden: a virtual world populated with virtual-reality imaginings of 20th Century pop art. The player travels from a lab chair in a cyberpunk 2004 to the Garden, taking on the cyber appearance of the Raven; her growth cycle absorbs and fascinates in equal measure - the more you destroy the stronger Raven becomes. However the inhabitants of this world don’t grow with her. Free-roaming exploration of the world consumes the player’s morality. To see more you must destroy the Garden where violence only happens if you instigate it. RPG overtones imbue with a mesmerising soundtrack and some incredible visual fusions to create one of the rarest experiences in games.
RETURN FIRE (1995)
Developed by: Silent Software
By the same developer: Return Fire: Maps of Death
Designed by Baron RK Von Wolfshield. Return Fire was future real on its release in 1995 combining instant hit gameplay mechanics from the previous generation with a visual and aural candour that could only be realised with the advent of the CD drive. With 100 levels, nine terrains and only ever one adversary, the game was a monumental challenge. The aim was simple: capture the enemy flag and return it to your own base. At your disposal an army equipped with helicopters, jeeps, tanks and armoured support vehicles - steeped in classical music each vehicle had its own signature tune. Unrivalled as a multiplayer game at the time, Return Fire is significant when you consider that most FPSs today contain ‘capture the flag’.
WAY OF THE WARRIOR (1994)
Developed by: Naughty Dog
By the same developer: Rings of Power
Jason Rubin launched a 3DO exclusive in ‘94. It borrowed from the big hitters of the time, most notably Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat 2, Samurai Shodown, and Fatal Fury. The characters were played by actors and the digitisation process worked well and rendered a character-set unequalled since. With names like Major Grimes and Shaky Jake the characters were parodies of type, with indigenous quips like Shaky Jake’s Australian “Now that’s a knife” still raising a smile today. Fatalities dominated the game with each character having their own and every arena having a few. White Zombie chugged away in the background adding depth to the gore that was so over the top at times it was funny. A class act in all departments WOTW’s Achilles’ heel was its exclusive nature.
THE NEED FOR SPEED (1994)
Developed by: EA Canada
By the same developer: Need For Speed: Underground
From the team behind Test Drive, The Need For Speed fell to EA through acquisition. It aspired to create a driving game to equal Ridge Racer and Daytona’s arcade incarnations on a console, at a time when Jaguar XJ220 was deemed the ultimate console racer. Adorned with three tracks, background details gave weight to impressive goraud shading. A slim roster of super cars, deftly underscored with detail, from the FMV intro for each car to a presenter shooting a volley of statistics at you, three camera angles were available and engine sounds were recorded for the first time. Racing against the chosen car’s factory spec sheet added to the perception of detail. To play NFS today is like playing every driving game of the last ten years.
WING COMMANDER 3 HEART OF THE TIGER
Developed by: Origin Systems
By the same developer: Strike Commander
Wing Commander 3 provides synapses of all that Trip Hawkins thought 3DO would bring to gaming, and was the kind of game the 3DO was designed for. A space saga, the game came laden with FMV and starred such acting luminaries as John Rhys Davies and Mark Hamill. Rendered in hi-res the game sets the player aboard the TCS Victory; character interaction shows discord in the ranks and leaves the player feeling isolated. The missions turn into fraught space battles. Polished cut-scenes tell an epic tale, and the later stages become very emotive as you understand the player’s role. Challenging racism, war and loneliness, Wing Commander 3 showed us exactly what 3DO was designed to be."
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So what do we all think...? Do we agree?