Hello, dear readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade roundup for March 13, 2024. This is usually a pretty slow Wednesday, but today I have a nice long review for you to read. Digital Eclipse’s latest interactive documentary, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, released today, and I have full thoughts about it. After that, we have a few other new releases to wrap up, before jumping into our usual conclusion with a list of new and upcoming sales. let’s go!
Comments and mini views
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story ($29.99)
This is the second volume Gold Master “Digital Eclipse” series.In a spiritual sense, this series begins with the outstanding Atari 50. Its “museum first” approach sets a new standard for retro game compilations, pointing the way forward for a new generation of gamers in desperate need of context. Gold Master release, The Making of Karate, proving that this setup is equally effective for focusing on a single creator as it is on large publishers.Jordan Mechner Story asteroid Pushing the boundaries of the emerging gaming medium is quite compelling, and being able to engage with gaming at different points in time shows that this kind of documentary can only exist in this form.
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story It’s not about the journey of a specific game, but the journey of a creator. Although the documentary itself ends on a proverbial high note, the trip has no destination. The old yak himself, Jeff Minter, is still creating games at his own pace. This makes the book more scattered than the previous one, but no less engaging. Minter has always been one of the more colorful figures in the indie game scene, and his games reflect his unique personality. There are many such people here too. In total, there are 42 games here, spread across different platforms and versions.as we are The Making of KarateDigital Eclipse also made its own special remake of one of Minter’s games. GridWalker,nature.
However, I think there is an interesting similarity between the first two volumes. Jordan Mechner and Jeff Minter both got their start as creators by trying to make computer versions of popular arcade games, but their starting point had two very different stories.Mehenna’s love for movies took him from arcade-style action to incredible cinematic styles karateka, Minter’s love for arcade-style games keeps him looking for new twists on his favorite games. Over time, we can also see his love for animals and his favorite musical genres seep into his work. Minter loves to chase points, and it shows in almost all of his games. In contrast, while he does appreciate the lore, he doesn’t seem to have much interest in integrating the story into the game itself.
Like Mehenna, Minter takes his fair share of creative risks. Sometimes they paid off, sometimes he got burned. Minter’s reactions to his successes and failures are another interesting point compared to Mehenna, and through the various magazine columns, fanzines, and other notes he kept, we can see a lot of what he was feeling at the time. There are also video interviews with Minter and many others that provide additional insight into the events of his career. These are valuable things, as Minter is often at the forefront of new platforms and technologies. There aren’t many other developers who could tell us more about Konix Multisystem.
My only real criticism of the documentary aspect of this version is the lack of focus I mentioned earlier. By positioning the previous version as the story of a game, it was able to wrap things up on a smooth note. Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story only to end unceremoniously upon release Tempest 2000, which feels a little weird because the narrative doesn’t really push in that direction. Minter has released a lot of games since then, and while I know it’s a bit greedy to ask for all of them to be included, it would have been nice to see, e.g. Minotaur Project Mobile gaming has found a new life here. If the games can’t be included, I’d still like to see them properly covered in the story. Well, I guess there are worse things than leaving an audience wanting more.
In terms of games, we have quite a bit of variety here.Although I have no problem recommending it The Making of Karate Overall, I have to admit, it’s a bit of a relief if you think about it from the perspective of wanting to play some games. That’s certainly not the case here. There are 33 different games, some of which have add-on versions, bringing the total to 42. They’re not all winners, but they’re all worth playing. When they’re good, they’re very good indeed. While this isn’t an exhaustive collection of Minter games, it’s as close as you can get without having to deal with some serious licensing shenanigans, even within the time frame covered by this article.You’ll start your journey with some basic games on the ZX81 and end it with ultra-slick gaming on Atari’s Jaguar console Tempest 2000, which turned out to be a pretty wide spread of arcade action. I dare say this set is worth it for the gaming alone if you need it.
My reviews of Digital Eclipse’s recent products may sound like a broken record, but for those interested in gaming history, this is another must-have book. It also features a massive catalog of games from one of gaming’s iconic indie developers, which is the cherry on top of the sundae, but it also means there’s plenty here for fans of classic arcade action games to enjoy. After reading the entire story in several sittings, I found myself once again educated, entertained, and waiting to see what these guys would do next.
SwitchArcade Rating: 5/5
new version
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story ($29.99)
Well, there’s a full review above. Unless you skipped all the way to this section, you probably know what this section is about.The second of digital eclipses Gold Master series, this time following the rise of one of gaming’s more eccentric indie developers, Jeff Minter. Here you can watch a fantastic, well-narrated documentary, as well as 42 classic games spread across various platforms.They lasted from the early 1980s to Tempest 2000plus a cool remake GridWalker. If you like Mr. Minter’s work or just enjoy gaming history, this is a must-have.
WebSpam STATYX ($9.99)
This is a side-scrolling action-platformer in which you play as a cyborg woman trying to regain her lost memories while fighting back against the evil corporation that turned you into a mind-wiped cyborg from the get-go. Robot. There is a leveling system in the game that rewards you with experience for defeating enemies. You can upgrade your stats and abilities to give yourself an advantage against enemies and help you progress further in the game. For a game under ten bucks, it looks pretty good. Not sure what the name is about, mind you, but it does catch the eye.
Wisteria ($14.99)
This is obviously right outside,That’s cool. outside Not exactly a top meal, but it’s unique and has a cult following that demands more service.but Wisteria It also does its thing in a number of ways, with its key feature being its colour-coded attack system. You can attack with three different colors, and you can only defeat your enemies by using the correct color for their weaknesses. If you use it wrong, you will be pushed far back, which is bad! Or… is it? Maybe this can be used to cross some gaps that your jump can’t cross? It’s these puzzle-like elements that make this game stand out. Definitely not for everyone, but those who like it will probably enjoy it a lot.
sales volume
(North American e-store, US prices)
It was a small sales list, which made me nervous. Usually, when we have easy days like these, a big sale is just around the corner. But don’t worry! Dig into the outbox, it’s full of great games that are completing sales today. Check out both lists and see what scares you.
Select new sale
Tasmanian Tiger 2 HD ($14.99 until 3/26, from $29.99)
Dead by Daylight: Gold Edition ($41.99 until 3/26, from $69.99)
revenge ($1.99 before 3/27, originally $9.99)
Steam world building (Previously $29.99 on 3/27, now $22.49)
Cub ($14.99 before April 2, now $8.99)
Warhammer 40k: Dust Squadron ($19.99 until April 2, $9.99)
Rail (Up from $12.99 to $2.59 before 4/3)
Sale ends tomorrow, March 14th
dark room (Previously $6.99 on 3/14, now $2.79)
Cattails: The Wildwood Story (Previously $19.99 on 3/14, now $14.99)
citizen sleeper ($19.99, $9.99 until 3/14)
Damascus Outfit: Operation Tokyo (Previously $14.99 on 3/14, now $2.99)
Dariusburst CS Core + Taito/SEGA ($17.99 before 3/14, originally $29.99)
Demon Gaze Extra (Previously $59.99 on 3/14, now $23.99)
Ssangyong & Kunio-kun RBB ($19.99 before 3/14, originally $39.99)
escartos ($16.19 before 3/14, original price $26.99)
European ConquerorsX ($9.99 before 3/14, now $3.99)
existential dualism ($17.59 before 3/14, originally $21.99)
jematombe ($5.99 before 3/14, originally $14.99)
grotto ($1.99 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
hiking adventure ($5.59 before 3/14, originally $7.99)
Incredible Mandy ($5.99 before 3/14, originally $14.99)
Kowloon Secondary School Chronicle ($19.99, $9.99 until 3/14)
small disaster ($1.99 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
Manifold Garden (Up from $19.99 to $7.99 before 3/14)
Mercenary Legend Chronicles ($5.99 before 3/14, originally $14.99)
ferocious muse ($5.59 before 3/14, originally $13.99)
paradise killer (Up from $19.99 to $7.99 before 3/14)
Random Hero: Gold Edition ($1.99 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
save my devil (Previously $8.99 on 3/14, now $4.49)
River City Melee Mach ($4.61 before 3/14, originally $13.99)
River City Legends: Three Kingdoms ($22.49 before 3/14, originally $29.99)
sheltered generation (Up from $19.99 to $7.99 before 3/14)
Xie Fei ($2.49 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
Remote network shooting collection ($40.49 before 3/14, originally $44.99)
the pale other shore ($19.99, $9.99 until 3/14)
red lantern (Previously $24.99 on 3/14, now $2.49)
the silence of the wind (Previously $12.99 on 3/14, now $1.99)
Thunder Claw ($1.99 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
Thunder flash ($1.99 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
magician ($2.49 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
super pixel survival ($1.99 before 3/14, originally $4.99)
witch life story (Previously $19.99 on 3/14, now $13.99)
That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow is Thursday and looks to be a tight race with over 25 games currently on the schedule and more will surely come as time goes on. We will do our best. Of course, any sales and breaking news coverage will be included as well. Hope you all had a great Wednesday, and as always, thank you for reading!