Retro Wrap-Up Archives - oprainfall https://operationrainfall.com/category/news/retro-wrap-up-editorials/ Video Games | Niche, Japanese, RPGs, Localization, and Anime Tue, 05 May 2020 03:06:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 56883004 Online Exclusive Issue of UDON X Capcom Sketchbook Alpha up for Pre-Order https://operationrainfall.com/2020/05/04/online-exclusive-issue-of-udon-x-capcom-sketchbook-alpha-up-for-pre-order/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=online-exclusive-issue-of-udon-x-capcom-sketchbook-alpha-up-for-pre-order&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=online-exclusive-issue-of-udon-x-capcom-sketchbook-alpha-up-for-pre-order https://operationrainfall.com/2020/05/04/online-exclusive-issue-of-udon-x-capcom-sketchbook-alpha-up-for-pre-order/#respond Tue, 05 May 2020 03:06:10 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=306717 Three covers to choose from.

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UDON X Capcom Sketchbook Alpha Covers

UDON Entertainment has announced an exclusive online pre-order issue of UDON X Capcom Sketchbook Alpha. It is currently up for pre-order on their store. The issue will be 48 pages of line art, sketches, rough drafts, and character designs. The issue will also show off some unused concepts for costumes from Street Fighter IV, along with art from the Street Fighter Origins: Sagat comic. There are a few covers that you can choose from for the issue. One is of Chun-Li, the other is of Morrigan, and the third is blank sketch cover. The covers of Chun-Li and Morrigan and be put together to show their battle.

UDON X Capcom Sketchbook Alpha UDON X Capcom Sketchbook Alpha Art UDON X Capcom Sketchbook Alpha Art

SOURCE: Press Release

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SENRAN KAGURA Peach Ball Bounces to Switch In July Summer for PC https://operationrainfall.com/2019/05/29/senran-kagura-peach-ball-bounces-to-switch-in-july-summer-for-pc/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=senran-kagura-peach-ball-bounces-to-switch-in-july-summer-for-pc&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=senran-kagura-peach-ball-bounces-to-switch-in-july-summer-for-pc https://operationrainfall.com/2019/05/29/senran-kagura-peach-ball-bounces-to-switch-in-july-summer-for-pc/#respond Wed, 29 May 2019 23:02:23 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=285711 SENRAN KAGURA Peach Ball will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch in July.

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SENRAN KAGURA Peach Ball will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch on July 9th. The game has also been confirmed for a PC release sometime this summer.

The story here follows one Haruka’s experiments that has turned some of her fellow shinobi into animals, at least mentally, and the only way to reverse the effect is the mystical Peach Ball. Only mistress could cause this much trouble, SAMBA! The girls fit perfectly into a pinball machine now, so it’s time to bounce them back to their normal selves.

Here is more details about the physical and digital release from the press release:

SENRAN KAGURA Peach Ball will launch for Nintendo Switch™ in North America on July 9 with the Accessories Galore set included as part of the base game, adding 30 bonus accessories for free! The title will be available digitally on the Nintendo eShop for $39.99, while a limited physical release with an exclusive new box illustration will contain previously unannounced bonus stickers featuring the girls in their animal form. The physical release also has a suggested retail price of $39.99, and is available for pre-order at the XSEED Games online store and select retailers.

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E3 2018 IMPRESSIONS: Aksys Games https://operationrainfall.com/2018/06/27/e3-2018-impressions-aksys-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=e3-2018-impressions-aksys-games&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=e3-2018-impressions-aksys-games https://operationrainfall.com/2018/06/27/e3-2018-impressions-aksys-games/#respond Wed, 27 Jun 2018 20:00:34 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=263416 Otome and SHMUP go hand in hand, right?

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Aksys Sushi

Good start to a demo!

One of the last demos I had at E3 2018 was with Aksys Games. My colleague Benny and I met with them at a closed off room away from the hustle and bustle, and were invited to sit down, make ourselves comfortable and play some video games. There was a wide variety available, but I decided to play one genre I was familiar with and one I was less used to. The first game I played was SHMUP Quad Fighter K, which I had actually seen release on the eShop prior to E3, but hadn’t noticed it was published by Aksys. The 2nd game I demoed was Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk, which is an otome slated to release in a couple days. I don’t have any firsthand experience with otome games, but I have recently become a fan of visual novels, so I decided to give it a fair shot.

Quad Fighter K | Boss

First, I sat down with a Switch to play Quad Fighter K. It’s always hard to know from a first glance what you can expect from retro inspired games. There’s as much of a chance they can be an utter failure as there is they can do classic games justice. Thankfully, I can attest that Quad Fighter K is mostly the latter, much to my surprise.

Quad Fighter K | Boom

The basic premise of the game is your primary powerups are actually other ships you can attach to any part of your ship, and depending on what’s attached where, get access to different attacks. When you pick up bombs, they are attached like a centipede tail to your ship in the order you pick them up. You can also play with friends, having them either control one of the other ships or join up Voltron style to deal massive mayhem to foes. It’s very simple, and it’s also a lot of fun. While the basic graphics may initially throw some people off, I would highly recommend fans of SHMUPS give Quad Fighter K a try. If you’re still not convinced, check back later when oprainfall’s official review of the game goes live.

Ashen Hawk | Sexy Witch

The other game was Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk. Like I said earlier, I’m not well versed with otome, but I put aside any preconceived notions and decided to come at it with fresh eyes. What I can say is the production value of the game matches my high expectations from other VNs such as Danganronpa and Virtue’s Last Reward. While this isn’t quite as insane as those games in the demo build, I think there’s a lot of potential for things to get crazy.

Ashen Hawk | Master

Oh hai there!

The plot seems to revolve around witchcraft, crimson eyeballs and other supernatural phenomena. Oh, and of course it has lots of eligible bachelors, but I was less interested in that aspect of the game. Thankfully, the art paired with the solid writing has me convinced that the game has potential. What I perhaps liked best about the game was that it’s coming to Vita. Any excuse to keep my beloved Sony portable living is a good excuse.

Ashen Hawk | Red Eye

All said and done, I’m excited about Aksys’ upcoming roster of titles. There seems to be something for everyone, from VNs to SHMUPs to even management sims such as Little Dragon’s Cafe. Stay tuned to oprainfall in the coming months to for more coverage of great niche content.

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METAL MAX Xeno Heading West this Fall on PlayStation 4 https://operationrainfall.com/2018/04/12/metal-max-xeno-west/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=metal-max-xeno-west&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=metal-max-xeno-west https://operationrainfall.com/2018/04/12/metal-max-xeno-west/#respond Thu, 12 Apr 2018 17:37:12 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=258776 More tanks!!

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NIS America has announced they will be bringing the latest entry in the METAL MAX series West this fall. METAL MAX Xeno is Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the series and brings a whole new cast of characters. The game goes back to basics with tank/human hybrid combat and storyline. There are tons of ways to customize your tank, and enemies are everywhere in this post-apocalyptic world.

 

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Nintendo Adds Manuals for NES Classic Games https://operationrainfall.com/2016/11/11/nintendo-adds-manuals-nes-classic-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nintendo-adds-manuals-nes-classic-games&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nintendo-adds-manuals-nes-classic-games https://operationrainfall.com/2016/11/11/nintendo-adds-manuals-nes-classic-games/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2016 00:21:58 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=222622 Nintendo sets up a web page with manuals for each of the NES classic games.

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nes-classic-header

While we’re waiting on the Nintendo Switch to come out next year, Nintendo has given us something else this holiday season. Today, the NES Classic has finally arrived just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. To go alongside the games on the device, Nintendo has created a section of the NES Classic’s official website that has PDF format manuals for each game in two different styles; an electronic type to view on your computer, and a regular PDF you can print out styled like the original manuals. This is great for those who may want manuals for the games listed as well but don’t want the NES Classic, so it can be a nice addition for those who want complete in box games.

The manuals can be found here. They include everything from the original manuals that the games originally shipped with, such as The Legend of Zelda Hyrule maps.

SOURCE

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Retro Wrap-Up: Frogger Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2016/01/03/retro-wrap-up-frogger-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-frogger-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-frogger-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2016/01/03/retro-wrap-up-frogger-edition/#comments Sun, 03 Jan 2016 23:38:42 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=186195 Ribbit!

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Frogger | Retro Wrap-Up

An arcade game spawning a successful long-running franchise isn’t unheard of. Donkey Kong and Pac-Man are two notable examples. One that is somehow often overlooked in the discussion is Frogger. A popular arcade game in the early ’80s, the game was ported to home consoles at the time and became a classic. However, since that time, there have been over 20 Frogger games released. Some are straight ports of the original game, others are sequels with new levels and added features, while some were completely different genres.

The lack of popular recognition for these games, while distressing as a retro game fan, is not completely unfounded. These games may not have had the success as something like Donkey Kong Country, nor has Frogger himself ever made an appearance in Super Smash Bros. games. Plus, Frogger games have been published by Konami, so there’s that, too.

So, to celebrate the original top frog of gaming, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–presents a look at some classic TV moments for the Frogger franchise. Enjoy!

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, and as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know by either Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Not-Quite-Retro Wrap-Up: 2015 Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/27/not-quite-retro-wrap-up-2015-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=not-quite-retro-wrap-up-2015-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=not-quite-retro-wrap-up-2015-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/27/not-quite-retro-wrap-up-2015-edition/#respond Sun, 27 Dec 2015 23:16:16 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=185981 As 2015 comes to a close, let's look back at the games of the past year.

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Hideo Kojima and Konami - An ongoing saga for much of 2015

The drama between Konami and developer Hideo Kojima was one of the biggest stories of 2015.

 

The final days of the year are upon us, and as we get ready to say goodbye to 2015, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–will be showcasing some of the amazing games to come out over the past 12 months.

Below you’ll find ads and trailers from North America, Europe and Japan. So, sit back, relax and enjoy a look back some of the games that made a splash this year.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, and as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know by either Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Pre-Retro Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/20/retro-wrap-up-pre-retro-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-pre-retro-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-pre-retro-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/20/retro-wrap-up-pre-retro-edition/#respond Mon, 21 Dec 2015 01:29:47 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=185730 How old is too old to be retro?

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Computer Space | Retro Wrap-Up

Computer Space, one of the first widely-available arcade games.

There are many debates regarding how old a game or system needs to be to be considered “retro.” For some, retro just means anything not-current generation. Others argue whether the line should be drawn at the Gamecube/PS2 era or before the original PlayStation. I guess it all depends on a person’s age and when they got into gaming.

However, one debate you almost never see is on the other end of the timeline. When does “retro” end and the vintage category begin? When is something too old and too obscure to be retro? Does anyone who considers themselves a retro enthusiast actually care about playing and collecting for some of the game industry’s earliest entries?

What am I talking about? Well, for example, a popular misconception is that Pong is the first commercial video game. Looking at the timeline, that honor goes to Computer Space, the arcade version of the one of the first ever widely-distributed video games, Spacewar. People may be aware that the first home console was the Magnavox Odyssey, but there were other, more obscure systems released before the gaming boom of the late 1970s. I find this stuff fascinating and believe early gaming history should be required learning for anyone interested in retro games. There’s a lot of cool info found in our tribute to the late Ralph Baer, considered to be the “Father of Video Games,” who passed away last year.

This week’s hunt sent the oprainfall Retro Vintage Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–into overdrive to find these classic TV moments from the more obscure side of gaming history. Ads from this time period aren’t very well preserved. I hope you enjoy them.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, and as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know by either Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Game Gear Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/14/retro-wrap-up-game-gear-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-game-gear-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-game-gear-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/14/retro-wrap-up-game-gear-edition/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2015 22:11:52 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=185238 This week, it's the Game Gears turn in the spotlight.

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SEGA Game Gear | Retro Wrap-Up

Nintendo has pretty much always had hold on the handheld market. Going back to the old Game & Watch days to the modern 3DS, the competition has been fairly scarce. The 16-bit SEGA Genesis gave the big N a good run in the home console field, so it made sense they would try their hand at making a portable system of their own.

When the Game Gear first hit the market in 1991 (in North America), the Game Boy already had two years of strong sales. Trying to compete when faced with such a disadvantage, the system’s failure was almost a certainty.

As such, the marketing for the Game Gear was…let’s just call it “adversarial.” From the commercials you can find below, you can see SEGA consistently attacking the Game Boy for being inferior for having a monochrome display, and implying its fans lack intelligence for enjoying such a system. It really was the start of a nasty string of console wars that lasted generations. The few people I knew who owned a Game Gear were insufferably arrogant about it, constantly bragging that their system was superior. To this day, fans still bicker about which system is better using technical specifications as the benchmark. To me, it’s always been about substance over style.

In reality, the color display was all the SEGA Game Gear had going for it. It suffered from a poor library of original games, a high price tag, a poor battery life, and little-to-no support–gee, doesn’t all that sound familiar to modern handheld gamers–and finally discontinued in 1997.

So, take a look at the TV advertisements for the SEGA Game Gear, unearthed by the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me. And don’t be afraid to let us know your experiences with the Game Gear in the comments below.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, and as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know by either Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Donkey Kong Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/06/retro-wrap-up-donkey-kong-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-donkey-kong-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-donkey-kong-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/12/06/retro-wrap-up-donkey-kong-edition/#comments Sun, 06 Dec 2015 19:00:04 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=184702 DK's gaming credentials are quite impressive

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Donkey Kong | Retro Wrap-Up

Everyone’s aware of good old Donkey Kong‘s origins in the arcades back in the early ’80s. And even if you’re aware of just how many games he’s been a part of, it’s still a staggering to number to think of. Between his own arcade adventures, platforming escapades with Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land, or his cameo appearances in Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Party games, DK has become a secondary mascot for Nintendo.

So, as per usual, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–has scavenged around the depths of YouTube to bring some of the best commercials from Donkey Kong’s many games. Let us know what your favorites are in the comments.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, and as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know by either Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Tiger Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/29/retro-wrap-up-tiger-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-tiger-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-tiger-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/29/retro-wrap-up-tiger-edition/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2015 20:00:12 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=184170 Tiger's handheld LCD games were a ton of fun.

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Paperboy - Tiger Electronics | Retro Wrap-Up

Handheld gaming was pretty popular back in the day. In the late ’80s, toy company Tiger Electronics began releasing a series of handheld video games. The games had a simplistic LCD screen that mimicked fluid animation and sound that was closer to the stereotypical beeps and bloops that people thought the old Atari 2600 actually had.

Each individual unit featured a single game (mostly, you’ll see an exception in the videos below) that typically contained multiple gameplay modes to vary it up. Some of them were generic titles like Baseball, Football, Bowling, Pinball, etc. Others, however, were licensed from existing IPs, be they arcade classics, like Paperboy or Double Dragon, or movie tie-ins like Batman or Beetlejuice. Contrary to popular belief, some of these game were actually pretty good, providing hours of entertainment in the pre-Game Boy days.

The oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–brings you some interesting TV commercials for the somewhat forgotten part of gaming history. Be sure to let us know some of your favorite Tiger games in the comments.

Here are the highlights for the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for a variety of videos, including recaps, trailers and more. For example, this week, we have a special unboxing video of the Pier Solar Collector’s Edition.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Foreign Wrap-Up: Anime Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/22/foreign-wrap-up-anime-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foreign-wrap-up-anime-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foreign-wrap-up-anime-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/22/foreign-wrap-up-anime-edition/#respond Sun, 22 Nov 2015 19:00:24 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=183827 Anime-based games have been around for a long time.

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Magic Knight Rayearth | Foreign Wrap-Up: Anime Edition

We cover not just games, but anime as well. For this reason, I’ve been looking for a way to have an anime-focused edition of the Retro Wrap-Up for a while. Unfortunately, aside from a handful of Toonami spots, anime in the West just isn’t advertised on television. I thought about focusing on Japan, as anime is promoted there, but those ads are mostly the promo spots you find on the DVD (or VHS tape if you’re an old fart like me).

However, I found something just as worthy: games based upon anime series. Many anime series have received video game adaptations over the years. The diversity in the genres is vast, including action-adventure games, RPGs, space shooters, and visual novels. Some of the more well-known franchises seem to get a new iteration for each console generation. And of course, only the ones based on the most popular series get localized.

Anime games aren’t advertised much here either, so we go back to Japan where the are some interesting TV moments that the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–has unearthed. Don’t be shy and let us know what your favorite retro games from anime are, or just share your favorite retro anime series. It’s all good.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Movie Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/15/retro-wrap-up-movie-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-movie-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-movie-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/15/retro-wrap-up-movie-edition/#respond Sun, 15 Nov 2015 19:00:00 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=183277 Most movie-licensed games aren't as good as their commercials.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - The Video Game | Retro Wrap-Up: Movie Edition

As the holiday movie season approaches, we recall that many successful films receive video game adaptations. Typically, those games have a reputation of being not very good, although there have been some exceptions over the years.

Movie-based video games aren’t a new thing either. Some of the oldest examples date back to the early ’80s. Whether it’s a way to cross-promote two pieces of media or just a way to cash in on a blockbuster hit, it’s a practice that’s likely to continue into the foreseeable future.

So, this week, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–presents to you some classic TV moments for movie-licensed games. Let us know your favorites in the comments. Enjoy!

Here are the highlights from the past week:

REVIEWS & PREVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Atari 2600 Edition, Part 2 https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/08/retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition-part-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition-part-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition-part-2 https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/08/retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition-part-2/#respond Sun, 08 Nov 2015 19:00:35 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=182557 Revisit the amazing games for the classic Atari system.

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Atari 2600 | Combat

Last week, we took a look at the Atari Video Computer System, colloquially known as the Atari 2600. However, at least as far as the retro commercials go, the focus was on the system itself. Lest we forget, the 2600 had an extensive library of software as well.

While the early years of the system did have some clunkers, like sub-par ports of the arcade hits Pac-Man and Asteroids, there were also a number of classics, such as Pitfall! and Combat. Even after the video game crash, the Atari 2600 continued to receive great releases. H.E.R.O. and Double Dragon are two late-releases that come to mind immediately.

So, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–has dug up some TV commercials for games for the Atari 2600. These ones showcase some of my favorites for the system, but there are tons of others out there (note for future reference). So, enjoy, and let us know your favorites in the comments!

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS & PREVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Atari 2600 Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/02/retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/11/02/retro-wrap-up-atari-2600-edition/#respond Mon, 02 Nov 2015 14:30:49 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=182053 What are your favorite Atari 2600 memories?

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Atari 2600 | Retro Wrap-Up

It was a busy weekend, so apologies for being a day late with this.

The first console I ever played was the Atari 2600. It had a vast library of games, even though some may have been inferior arcade ports. There were also enough controller variations to make the Wii jealous.

Initially released in 1977, the Video Computer System, as it was alternatively known as, had a great run, going all the way until 1992, after the North American launch of the SNES. That spans three console generations, and the 2600 did so well on the market that it even killed its own successor, the Atari 5200.

Ultimately though, it’s success came with a price. Atari and other game publishers started over-estimating the sales of future games–sometimes by a lot. While the games still sold fairly well, the games didn’t come close to meeting expectations. The financial fallout is what we all refer to as the Video Game Crash of 1983. The thousands of unsold cartridges clogged up store warehouses until they were sent back to the publisher, who sent them off to be buried in a landfill–a legend we now know to be true.

I love my old Atari 2600, and still play it occasionally to this day. In true Retro Wrap-Up fashion, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–celebrates the Atari 2600 system with some classic TV moments. Let us know your favorite Atari memories in the comments below.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Foreign Wrap-Up: Fatal Frame Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/25/foreign-wrap-up-fatal-frame-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foreign-wrap-up-fatal-frame-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foreign-wrap-up-fatal-frame-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/25/foreign-wrap-up-fatal-frame-edition/#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2015 18:00:23 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=181301 'Tis the season to be spooky.

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Fatal Frame | Retro Wrap-Up

I’m going pretend I’m not just jumping on a trending topic for this week’s theme and use the fact that Halloween is right around the corner as an excuse to celebrate the survival horror genre. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water was released in North America a few days ago. To say there has been a bit of controversy surrounding this game is quite the understatement. We have news, podcasts, and opinions regarding the new Wii U entry in the series.

To stay on topic, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–presents some television advertisements for Fatal Frame games. Being a niche game, it didn’t get any Western ads, so these come from Japan where the series is known as Project Zero.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS & PREVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Sports Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/18/retro-wrap-up-sports-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-sports-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-sports-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/18/retro-wrap-up-sports-edition/#comments Sun, 18 Oct 2015 18:00:12 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=180750 Good evening, sports fans.

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Blades of Steel - Face off | Retro Wrap-Up

October happens to be that rare time of year when all four major North American sports are in action–five if you count soccer; six if you count NASCAR (and seven if you include golf). If you’re any kind of sports fan, there is probably something for you to watch right now.

The sports genre is one we don’t cover much here at oprainfall. Aside from the occasional Mario Golf, or odd duck like Rocket League, the only time sports games get any coverage is when discussing retro games. Sure the modern sports games can be fun since you get to play as your favorite teams and players, however I believe the retro era was where those games shined. There was minimal licensing of leagues and players leading many games to use completely original rosters. Others took liberties with the rules of the game, resulting in more than one game with robotic players or super abilities.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a sports game fan, I guarantee you’ve played at least one classic game that doesn’t often get considered when talking about the sports genre, like Punch-Out!! or Excitebike. Below, you’ll find some classic TV advertisements for some memorable sports games, as dug up by the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me.

So, what are some of you’re favorite retro sports games? Do you prefer R.B.I. Baseball or Baseball Stars (or, like me, do you think Baseball Simulator 1.000 is better than both of them)? Tecmo Bowl or Tecmo Super Bowl? Ice Hockey or Blades of Steel? Sound off in the comments below.

Here are the highlights from the past week:

REVIEWS & PREVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Do you like Super Mario Maker? Are you looking for more levels to play? Check out our Making it Rainfall series, where we detail levels made by some of the contributors, and try your hand at their creations.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Foreign Wrap-Up: WonderSwan Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/11/foreign-wrap-up-wonderswan-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foreign-wrap-up-wonderswan-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=foreign-wrap-up-wonderswan-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/11/foreign-wrap-up-wonderswan-edition/#comments Sun, 11 Oct 2015 18:00:53 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=180135 A system full of delicious niche game would stay locked in Japan.

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WonderSwan | Retro Wrap-Up

As niche game fans, it doesn’t surprise us much when a game is never released in the West. But, there have been times when an entire game system never makes it out of Japan. One such system was the WonderSwan.

The WonderSwan was a handheld game system initially released in 1999 and ran until 2003. It was created by Gunpei Yokoi, the man who designed Nintendo’s Game Boy. Being manufactured and released by Bandai, many of the games on the systems were based on anime franchises they owned, such as Digimon, Gundam, InuYasha, and so on. The system also had some third-party support, most notably in the form of Squaresoft providing ports of the earlier Final Fantasy titles.

Unfortunately, at that time there was a flooded market for portable consoles. Not only did Nintendo’s Game Boy Color–and later Game Boy Advance–lead the way, SEGA’s Game Gear was still active, as well as the Neo Geo Pocket Color from SNK. The WonderSwan just couldn’t get enough of a market share to earn a Western release, and eventually it faded away.

So, this week the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–dug up some delightfully Japanese TV advertisements related to this forgotten handheld classic.

Here are the highlights from the past week:

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Kirby Edition Part 2 https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/04/retro-wrap-up-kirby-edition-part-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-kirby-edition-part-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-kirby-edition-part-2 https://operationrainfall.com/2015/10/04/retro-wrap-up-kirby-edition-part-2/#comments Sun, 04 Oct 2015 19:30:27 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=179694 The series so nice, we covered it twice.

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Kirby: Triple Deluxe - Cover Art | Retro Wrap-Up

The first time I did a Retro Wrap-Up on Nintendo’s lovable puffball, there were more than enough old commercials to feature Kirby a second time. So, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–will take this week to show you the TV moments that didn’t make the cut the first time around.

Don’t worry, they are just as hilariously cheesy as the first batch.

Here are the highlights from the past week.

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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Retro Wrap-Up: Online Edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/09/27/retro-wrap-up-online-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-online-edition&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=retro-wrap-up-online-edition https://operationrainfall.com/2015/09/27/retro-wrap-up-online-edition/#respond Sun, 27 Sep 2015 18:00:18 +0000 http://operationrainfall.com/?p=178977 Online gaming gives new meaning to "plug and play."

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Satellaview for Super Famicom | Retro Wrap-Up

These are wonderful times we live in. With constant access to the Internet, we have information at our fingertips, as well as services that can make our lives easier. Well, sometimes…

This past week, my Internet connection has been on the fritz. Whether it’s faulty Wi-Fi, congested broadband, or something else, I got a chance to be like those of us who don’t live in areas with stable, reliable service. There are some places in the U.S. and around the world where people can’t just log on at a moment’s notice. And in our connected society, that can leave people out in the cold. What I found out, was that without access to the Internet, access to many other alternate activities were shut off as well. Watching TV or movies from streaming services wasn’t possible, and many mobile apps require a background connection. When it came to gaming, I couldn’t log into my Steam account, nor could I continue my recent obsessions with the Wii U’s Splatoon and Super Mario Maker.

I know this sounds like a lot of “first world problems”, but gaming’s tendency to need online access these days is a hindrance for many potential players. In the past, online services were considered bonus features, not requirements. They were extra things that you could do if you had the capabilities. Sometimes, those capabilities came in the form of peripherals you could buy for your system. And online gaming is older than you think, going back to the early ’80s, when even the Atari 2600 had a dial-up distribution service, called GameLine, where you could download games for a fee.

So, for this edition of the Retro Wrap-Up, the oprainfall Retro Commercial Research Team–in other words, me–will present TV moments from pieces of gaming history that require an Internet connection. Between all the once-available download services, social platforms, and online games, which ones do you remember? Did you use any of them?

REVIEWS

ORIGINAL CONTENT

NEWS

Also, don’t forget to check out Operation Recap on our YouTube channel for an alternate take on this week’s news.

And, as always, if you have any ideas or suggestions for retro commercials, let us know either through Facebook, Twitter, or just leave a good old-fashioned comment below.

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