Disable call waiting and tell your mom not to pick up the phone, ’cause you don’t want to miss our latest digital transmission coming in at a blazing 14.4k baud rate. This time we remember our favorite retro computer games. It begins with educational games like Number Munchers, Word Munchers, the classic Oregon Trail, and of course, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? We can still hear the modulated sounds of the Apple IIc rattling around in our brains. We also recall a few other favorites, like Solitaire, Mine Sweeper, and Microman, thanks to good ol’ Windows 3.11. After we’re done with 2D gaming, we do a line of our 3D / first-person-shooter gateway drug, Wolfenstein 3D–a true classic. Next up is the quintessential 3D FPS to which we sacrificed hours and hours of our early adolescence, Doom, and its successor, the aptly-named Doom II. We mention a few other games, such as Heretic, Hexen, Rise of the Triad, and Quake, but Doom is really where the addiction began for us. So insert floppy disk 1, and get ready to install one hell of a podcast.

Download the mp3 (33:59 / 15.5MB)

related links:
Tricks of the Doom Programming Gurus
Doomworld

corrections: Rob was actually introduced to the wonderful world of computers in 1st grade, not 2nd grade. Thanks, Mrs. Davis! Also, just to clarify, Wolfenstein 3D was produced by id Software and published by Apogee; Doom was produced and published by id Software.

Special thanks to OC Remix, N-JekteD, and Evil Horde for some great video game music remixes.

There are many things I’d rather see than the new Karate Kid movie, but if this junk were real, I’d pay to see it twice, get all my friends to see it, Netflix it, purchase the DVD, purchase the special edition DVD, and purchase the soundtrack.

This time on the Back in the Day Show, we discuss 80s movie remakes, sequels, prequels, reboots, rip-offs, and any other term you can think of to describe Hollywood’s constant recycling of movie franchises. Some we’re looking forward to (The A-Team, TRON: Legacy), some we’re not (The Karate Kid), and some we just have to ask why (Short Circuit)?. Granted, sometimes with the right director/actor/screenwriter combination, a reboot of an old movie–from the 80s or otherwise–can produce outstanding results: Batman Begins, Ocean’s Eleven, Cape Fear, etc. Most of the time, however, Hollywood picks up a beloved franchise, takes a massive dump all over it, then charges movie-goers ludicrous ticket prices to watch the destruction of our childhoods: Transformers, G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Wargames: The Dead Code. But what can ya do? I’ll tell you what you can do. You can join Chris’ new Facebook group, “Stop F’ing With My Childhood,” and commiserate with us, that’s what. And of course you can listen to this podcast as we champion or oppose various 80s movie remakes currently in multiplexes or soon to be. Our advice to Hollywood: either stop the remakes or cast Dave Chappelle as the lead role in all of them.

update: Rob has seen Tron since the recording of this podcast and is looking forward to the sequel.

Download the mp3 (44:08 / 20.2MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples, RushJet1, and Anamanaguchi for some great chip-tunes.

Sorry for the delay, folks, but I’m happy to say that the latest edition of the Back in the Day Show is finally here. And just so you know, this episode was recorded back in February, but with the arrival of our new baby boy, I had no time to edit the audio and, consequently, we had to put the show on pause for a little while. With that said, there is a bit in the show that references Valentine’s Day that may seem a bit dated, but hopefully will still be entertaining. I call it my “Top 5 Retro Gaming Breakups” as a foil to the more traditional view of Valentine’s Day. We also discuss an interesting experiment by Rinry Game Game, called “How Tough Are NES Games.” I mentioned this video in a blog post a while back and thought it would be cool to talk about on the show. Next up is Stump the Chad. Will Chad make up for the question he missed last episode? We’ll find out. As an additional challenge, Josh attempts to solve a Rubik’s Cube before the show ends. Stick around to find out whether he is victorious or fails epically. Finally, we walk through our G. I. Joe Hall of Fame once again to reminisce about our favorite Cobra Vipers. Thanks again for your patience. Enjoy the show!

Download the mp3 (51:44 / 23.7MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples and Mr. Spastic for some great chip-tunes.

Do you like playing retro video games, but wish there were a community with which to share your experiences? If so, check out the Vintage Game Club. Here’s a description from their own website:

“We formed the Vintage Game Club in 2008 as a place where gamers could play through and discuss games that are out of the release-driven spotlight: older games that we feel still have something to teach us, that we either never got around to playing when they originally came out or that we’d like to re-experience in the company of others.”

Michael Abbott, a theatre professor at Wabash College and author of the Brainy Gamer blog and podcast, runs the forum with his co-moderators. I meant to mention this a while back, but since they’ve recently rebooted their format, it seems like now is as good a time as any to bring it up. Check it out and see what you think. My username is 8bitaddict. Maybe I’ll see you there.

It’s been a while since we last posted up a new podcast (like two months), but there’s a good reason why we’ve put the show on pause. Ashley and I just had our first baby, and he’s pretty awesome. Needless to say, with all that goes along with being new parents, extra time is a rare and precious commodity. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to devote much of it to the podcast, but don’t worry. As soon as things settle down for us (hopefully in a few weeks), we will post some new shows. Remember, a pause is inherently a temporary thing, and we’re looking forward to getting back into the game very soon. In the meantime, we thank you for your patience. Thanks again for listening. More to come soon…

Here’s a warning to directors, tread lightly and try not to F these up. In my experience, you can tell a lot about the success or failure of a movie from it’s cast, crew, writers and director. So before these potential failures are released, you can have a good idea of the quality to expect. It’s like when G.I. Joe was released in 2009, it starred Brendan Frasier, so I knew automatically it was going to suck, hard. Here’s a short list of remakes from the 80s and my predicted rating. (Some of these go back farther than the 80s and some may not ever be made, regardless of these tiny details, here are my thoughts.)

Clash of the Titans

The original Clash of the Titans movie was a bit campy, but for 1981 it wasn’t too bad. If you can get past the stop motion clay animation and the sorry excuse for special effects, you’ll love the movie. Now that well done special effects is no longer an issue, I think the remake will be pretty good.

Louis Leterrier is the new director, he also directed The Incredible Hulk, you know the better version with Edward Norton. We’ll see if he can translate the awesomeness of the original into this remake with infinitely better special effects. Sam Worthington is getting a lot of hype for his recent work in Terminator Salvation and Avatar. His performance will probably be more of the same, so not overly thrilled, but not completely let down either. If he keeps it up, he’ll have starred in more 3D movies than 2D ones.

Predicted Rating - 3.5/5

Tron Legacy

I’m a HUGE Tron fanboy. When the footage from Comicon 2008 hit the video blogs, I watched it over and over. I love Tron because there really weren’t many movies about computers that went into much detail. The Tron Legacy trailer looks amazing and I have very high expectations.

Joseph Kosinski hasn’t directed a full length film yet, but I’ve seen his portfolio and I see his attention to detail, which goes a long way for me. Plus the fact that everything he’s ever touched is visually stunning. Add that with some great writers, Adam Horowitz and Richard Jefferies of Lost fame and Daft Punk with the soundtrack you will probably get a masterpiece. Needless to say, I can’t wait!

Predicted Rating - 5/5

Predators

I was very worried when I heard about this. Until I saw the trailer I thought, “Here we go, another notch down for the already failing franchise.” Several A-list actors step up and give me a good feeling that Predators is going to take us closer to the original iteration with the governors Arnold and Ventura.

From what I can tell, the plot entails gathering all the bad asses of earth and dropping them on an earth like planet so the predators can have an ultimate game of hunt the humans. Go watch the trailer and you’ll be as excited as I am.

Predicted Rating - 4/5

Ghostbusters 3

I love Ghostbusters, the original. Peter Venkman is still to this day one of my favorite all time characters. Bill Murray was as awesome back in the day as he is now. They’re trying to drum up the original cast for part 3 and most of them are on board. To me, it looks like a pathetic attempt to use the brand for a last ditch effort to make a little more money. Maybe that’s not the case and maybe they’ll do good by the brand.

Undoubtedly, the new movie will have much better special effects and with everything going 3D these days, it will probably be visually impressive. Ivan Reitman may do a good job with holding the new movie to certain standards if he’s smart. I’d like to see a little bit of horror and comedy in the next Ghostbusters, just to keep it real.

Predicted Rating - 3/5

Taxi Driver

Scorsese + DiCaprio seems to be a winning combination. I loved the original Taxi Driver and I live in a world where Scorsese does no wrong. DiCaprio is also on the top of my list of impressive actors. His versatility is immense and he never lets me down. I know Scorsese won’t let anything bad happen to this brand. I’ll be looking forward to this one if it’s ever made.

Predicted Rating - 4.5/5

In the wake of Super Bowl XLIV and looking ahead to March Madness, we regroup to talk about our favorite sports video games. Chris couldn’t make it, but he’ll be back with us soon. Coincidentally, our good friend Pat lends his voice to the discussion. Here’s just a few of the games we mention: Baseball, RBI Baseball, Bases Loaded, 10-Yard Fight, Tecmo Bowl, Double Dribble, Jordan VS Bird, NBA Jam, Blades of Steel, Track and Field, World Class Track Meet, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out, Pro Wrestling, WWF Royal Rumble, T & C Surf Designs, and more. We comment on the rudimentary, yet endearing, NES sound effects, advancements in graphics and game-play, how to cheat at Track and Field and World Class Track Meet, and the ridiculousness of a fishing video game. You get all that and more in this edition of the Back in the Day Show. Enjoy.

Correction: The umpire sound effects that we mention in the beginning of the show actually come from the NES game, Major League Baseball, and not RBI Baseball.

Download the mp3 (40:34 / 18.6MB)

Check it out–our first podcast of 2010. We kick it off by discussing our memories of the 1985 movie, Teen Wolf. The entire crew is here, except Chris, who has been taking care of more important matters… like getting married. Congrats, bro! Coincidentally, our good friend, Patrick, steps in to reminisce with us. Here’s just a sample of what we cover: everyone’s distaste for the overall “sweatiness” of the movie, Josh’s explanation of said sweatiness as a result of the general “hotness” of the 80s, previous-show sound clips of the girls’ predicting what the movie is about, coach Bobby Finstock’s useless advice, Rob’s explanation of the parallels between Teen Wolf and the Spiderman origin story, Chad’s theory behind the demise of Scott Howard’s mom, a healthy dose of show outtakes, and so much more. Now give me… a keg… of Back in the Day Show.

Download the mp3 (34:46 / 16.3MB)

Now, we at BITDS were very excited when we heard they were making a G.I.Joe movie. (Sadly, to be disappointed).  When I heard they were making a movie about my favorite TV show growing up, the A-Team, I was very excited.  I actually came up with a treatment in college.  Now sit back and enjoy the Trailer for the up-coming A-Team film.

No, I’m not talking about how difficult some games are to play. I covered that in a post entitled, “10 Stupid-Hard NES Games: Then and Now.” I’m talking about the physical resilience of the cartridges themselves. The producer of this video aims to explore just that in a very interesting experiment.

Here it is, the last BITD podcast of 2009. The whole crew joins in as we kick off the show with the 1982 movie, First Blood (AKA Rambo). We go over Ashley’s copious, yet hilarious, notes and learn how accurate the girls’ preview of the movie was. One thing they learned? There was no bandanna. The conversation may be a little late for Veteran’s Day, but it’s always a good time to totally Rambo a podcast. Next up, Ashley and Hannah give us the funniest preview of Teen Wolf you’ve ever heard. Then we bring you the latest news about what’s going on in the retro scene. We report on Doctor Octoroc’s upcoming album, Super Mario Bros. Wii, Excitebike World Rally, and celebrate the 22nd birthday of Mega Man. Once you’re caught up on the news, we pose another Back to the Future trivia question to our resident Back to the Future expert, Chad. Then we round out the show with the latest poll question and reminisce about our favorite 80s action movies. Thanks for listening, and Merry Christmas. See you in 2010.

Download the mp3 (1:15:59 / 34.8MB)

Another example of the effect Mario has on our culture.

I’m just now finding this website that let’s me play classic 80s arcade games online. I just got to round 6 on Duck Hunt and realized I needed to get back to work. Anyway, when you get a break or finish working, check out this website for classic 80s arcades.

We’re planning on discussing the Rambo movies on the next podcast, so with that in mind, here’s the next Poll question: Who’s your favorite 80s action movie star? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

This is the Halloween Multi-Treat Bag Edition of the podcast. Inside, you’ll find a delectable variety of quality goodies with which to satisfy your nostalgic cravings. All six of the crew members–including Ashley and Hannah–are present as we remember the 1984 blockbuster, Ghostbusters, in honor of Halloween. Then, having not yet seen the 1982 movie, the ladies chime in on what they think First Blood is about, which produces even more hilarious results than the infamous Terminator preview. Next up, will we ever perplex our resident Back to the Future expert? Is there no limit to his uncanny knowledge of the BTTF Trilogy? And if so, will Chris and Josh gleefully make fun of his ineptitude? Find out in round two of our newest segment, Stump the Chad. Following that, it’s *GASP* Listener Feedback? Awesome! Our plans for world domination are slowly coming to fruition. And speaking of world domination, the results of our most recent poll question prompt a discussion of a ruthless dictator, evil terrorist, ex- car salesman. Yep, it’s the head snake himself–Cobra Commander. Enjoy the show, and Happy Halloween!

Download the mp3 (56:30 / 25.9MB)

Pacman reminds us that it’s still tough out there in the job world. For all those who don’t need a reminder, stay strong and hang in there.

So with all the hype of the recent G. I. Joe live-action movie (boo) and because it’s been a while since we’ve inducted another character into our G. I. Joe Hall of Fame, we decided to devote an entire episode to the G. I. Joe franchise in all its forms. First we talk about the toys–the action figures and the ridiculous vehicles–and the intricacies of our time spent playing with them. Next we discuss our fond memories of the cartoons as well as the many lessons we learned (and some we didn’t) from the signature G. I. Joe public service announcements. We remember the G. I. Joe Comics and how they contrasted from the cartoons. For example, blood–the comics had it; the cartoons didn’t. And we also mention the movies: G. I. Joe: the Movie (1987) and the garbage that came out a couple months ago. We round out the show with a tiny, new segment that we like to call “Stump the Chad,” wherein we attempt to stump our resident Back to the Future expert, Chad, with a Back to the Future trivia question. Can we outwit him? Listen to this podcast and you’ll know… and knowing is half the battle. The other half is equal parts red and blue lasers. Yo Joe!

Download the mp3 (1:04:07 / 29.3MB)

Related links:
YoJoe.com
G. I. Joe Original PSAs
G. I. Joe PSA spoofs
G. I. Joe Resolute

For this poll question, we need your help deciding which G. I. Joe character we should induct into our G. I. Joe Hall of Fame next? Here are the six we’re thinking about. To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Still have an original Nintendo Entertainment System? Ever think about breaking it out to play a few vintage games only to decide against it because of the hassle involved in hooking it up? Well fret no more. Just follow the steps in this wonderfully simple instructional video, and you’ll be stomping koopa troopas in no time.

One of my favorite movie critics, James Berardinelli, runs a website/blog called Reelviews. He just wrapped up his series of commentaries on some of the more popular movies of the 1980s. His latest blog post includes a collection of links to his 80s movie reviews and a summary of the project. He reviews movies like Big (1988), Stand By Me (1986), and First Blood (1982), just to name a few. Here’s a quote from the introduction of the series:

“Why the ’80s? After all, by most accounts, that was not a scintillating era for movies. However, on a personal level, the ’80s represented probably the most important years of my life. And, since many of my readers are of a similar age, it’s no surprise that, over the years, I have received more requests for reviews of ’80s films than for those from any other 10-year period.”

Check it out, and while you’re at it, check out his latest movie reviews, too. I’ve always found his writing to be equally engaging and insightful.

You need to stop what you’re doing right now and behold the awesomeness. Here’s the full gallery.

Well, it’s been a while since the last show, and we hope everyone has enjoyed their summer break as much as we have. But that time is over, so you know what that means. Yep. It’s back to school time for grade-schoolers, college kids, and teachers. And if you don’t fit into any of those categories, I’m sure you still remember those times with an equal mix of excitement and trepidation (emphasis on trepidation if you’re like me). So with that, I present Episode 13 of the Back in the Day Show–the Back to School Edition. Ashley joins us to kick things off with fond memories of the hit TV show, Saved by the Bell. There’s still a rabid fan-base out there for this show, just as we represent here. Next up, we sit around and talk about our feelings. Just kidding. Actually, we reminisce about one of our favorite 80s movies, The Breakfast Club. Then we conclude the show by recounting incriminating tales of our misspent youth. It’s a special say-no-to-drugs segment that captures some of the crazy things we did when we were younger. Sometimes you have to learn things the hard way; at least we got some funny stories out of it. Enjoy.

Download the mp3 (1:17:50 / 35.6MB)

I just got the sad news: John Hughes has died of a heart attack while visiting family in Manhattan. The 59-year-old filmmaker wrote and/or directed several 80s films, such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, and so many others. Needless to say, we here at the Back in the Day Show owe a lot to him, if only for the amount of material he gave us about which to reminisce on the podcast. Many of his movies took the point of view of young people. In The Breakfast Club, he tackled the issues of high schoolers’ common angst for the future, lack of communication with parents, and peer pressure; in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, he emphasized the need to seize life and enjoy it to the fullest; and in many of his films, he exhibited how ridiculous adults could be at times with hilarious results. I don’t think I can put it any better than Ferris Bueller when he said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Thanks for all the good times, John. We’ll miss you.

But now I know.

Time for a new poll question, which will coincide with our upcoming podcast: Who’s your favorite Saved by the Bell character? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Well, kiddies, this is the 3rd and final installment of the 10 Stupid-Hard NES Games list. Sorry it’s taken me so long to complete it. I’m sure there are plenty of other incredibly challenging NES games that I haven’t mentioned, but these 10 are the ultimate in 8-bit pain for me. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments or share your own list of stupid-hard games. For your convenience (or punishment), here are links to Part 1 and Part 2. Thanks for reading. And now, on to the list…

Wizards and Warriors

< Back in the Day: Whenever I bought a Nintendo game, I would read the manual from cover to cover (yes, I was just as geeky back then). I did this mainly out of excitement for a brand new game and to give me something to do on the ride home from the store. Now some games are pretty straight-forward–Super Mario Bros, Tetris, Contra, and many others–and while an instruction manual may help explain the back-story or some of the intricacies of a game, many times they’re not necessary. Wizards and Warriors is one of those games that doesn’t make much sense without the manual. I either rented or borrowed this game when I played it, so I had no manual. Consequently, the best way I can describe my experience with Wizards and Warriors is a pointless game about a medieval knight battling an LSD addiction. The game has to be some kind of hallucination. You’re a knight bumbling around a maze of forests, caves, and mountains, changing colors, while looking for insane amounts of oversized gems, fighting a myriad of creatures that also change colors by swinging your sword around with your wrists only and without the use of your shoulders or elbows. Sounds fun doesn’t it? It’s a good thing I didn’t describe the game to my mother or she may have had me checked for methamphetamines. I never beat it. Why would I? Every time I felt like I was making the least bit of progress, I would die from the swarms of psychedelic birds intent on my death. Also, any kind of progress took such a long time because I would inevitably fall off any number of impossibly tiny platforms and have to fight my way back up. And I’m not kidding about the way your character swings his sword by using only his wrists. You just had to jump in the direction of a monster and hope you hit it. It was frustrating and didn’t stay in my NES very long.

> Today: Hahahahaha! You’re ridiculous if you think I’m going to play that crap again. I actually went back and read the manual just to see if it would’ve made a difference. I did learn the object of the game, and the reason for all the gems made sense, but the execution is still unbearably clumsy. Compared to this game, Metroid and Ninja Gaiden’s platforming is a breeze. If you have some sick desire to be frustrated into madness, then this game is for you. As for me, I’d like to keep my sanity from deteriorating… at least for a few more years.

Metroid

< Back in the Day: A true classic. Metroid was a smash hit in its day, selling over a million copies. As Nintendo players know, its popularity cemented it as a franchise that still exists today. Metroid is probably the least difficult game on this list, but I had to include it if only for its length. Sure, the game has its share of tough enemies and challenging boss fights, but I’d say the hardest adversary you face in Metroid is Zebes itself–the planet on which the game is set. First of all, Zebes is huge, and trying to find all the different items required to progress in the game takes a lot of time. And then, while you’re searching for those items, you’ll be jumping onto various platforms while simultaneously taking out aliens bent on your destruction. It’s all fun and games until you’ve almost made it up to grab the Long Beam when something knocks you off a platform that sends you reeling into another alien that sends you falling down close to where you started. Repeating the same pattern got old quickly. The main challenge of the game was also it’s most innovative feature: exploration. Like in The Legend of Zelda, the game allowed you to go where you want even if you were too underpowered to survive in certain places. Of course, you would eventually encounter obstacles that were impassible until you found a particular item. Certain items, like the High Jump Boots and Varia Suit, were necessary to complete the game. But you could beat the game without the Screw Attack (why?) and the Wave Beam. Speaking of the Wave Beam, don’t bother with it because you need the Ice Beam to freeze the metroids at the end; unlike in Super Metroid, the beams don’t stack. Moving on… Kraid and Ridley offered a decent challenge, but to my surprise, the final boss, Mother Brain, was a push-over. She was just an inanimate, giant rocket magnet, sitting there just waiting for annihilation. Sure there were blasters around, and those little flame rings were annoying, but it didn’t take much to avoid those. The hardest part was just making it out alive. Maneuvering up the giant corridor with the extra short platforms in only a few minutes was pretty challenging.

> Today: I haven’t played this game from start to finish since I was a kid, and I don’t plan to either. The game is just way too long for that. However, I did put in the “Justin Bailey” code and beat ol’ Mother Brain again for old time’s sake. I played the whole game as a kid and beat it, so really there’s nothing to prove, but every now and then, I’ll load up a game of Super Metroid. This game is definitely on my top 5 best Super NES games of all time. It’s a bit easier than the original, and I really like the graphics and music. Also, I always get that sense of openness and exploration every time I play it.

The Legend of Zelda

< Back in the Day: This classic adventure/RPG is one of my all time favorite games. Like Metroid, the sense of openness and discovery compelled me to keep playing. It was, however, just as challenging as it was fun. For me, the puzzles were the most difficult part of the game. I was pretty young when I first played this game, so my puzzle-solving faculties weren’t fully developed at the time. Consequently, it took some time for me to find some of the initial levels of the game and even longer to find some of the essential items to complete or even enter those levels. I can’t tell you how many bombs I wasted trying to find level 9, or how many bushes I tried to burn to find the other 100 rupees guy. Plus I didn’t actually own this game until later, so I had to borrow it from a friend, and he kept asking for it back, so I had to find another friend willing to part with it. Having to start all over in The Legend of Zelda was annoying. Needless to say, it took me a while to beat it, but I can’t really say I beat it by myself. In my experience, it took a community of friends coming together, sharing secrets, strategies, tips from Nintendo Power magazines, maps, whatever we could get our hands on. It was this type of group-effort that helped us progress in our own games where individually we had failed. I’d go as far as to say that most people beat Zelda by word-of-mouth: “You have to burn this bush” or “you need the recorder to open the entrance to level 7.” Sure, The Legend of Zelda was a difficult game, but it made each small victory–discovering a level or defeating a boss or finding another heart container–seem like such an accomplishment. In this way, getting one more step closer to finding Zelda made the game a fun and engaging experience to be had by all.

> Today: These days, you can buy a game guide or search the Web for walkthroughs for virtually any game you want. I think this kind of readily accessible information has somewhat diminished the communal gameplay we enjoyed back in the day. Yes, we have Xbox LIVE, Steam, and many other forms of online gaming networks, which are great, but there’s something to be said about a “live” gaming session with friends (probably why I dig LAN parties and the Wii so much). I guess The Legend of Zelda represents a sort of “golden age” (no pun intended) of video gaming for me. Searching Nintendo Power magazines and begging your friends for just a shred of information to aid your progress in games has given way to gaming Websites or blogs and in-game tutorials. Most games these days seem easier and only become slightly more challenging when you open the game’s settings and increase some difficulty value. I didn’t replay Zelda for this post for the same reasons I didn’t replay Metroid. After all, I watched the cartoon, I ate the cereal, I can run through the first quest in under two hours–I know the game, so replaying it would not be a challenge. I have toyed with the idea of playing the 2nd quest unaided, since I have never completed it. And since all of the levels and items are moved around in the 2nd quest, it has the potential to recapture some of the mystery and challenge behind the game. It would probably be fun, but I’d rather experience it with a group of friends playing individually with a centralized forum for sharing tips. Hmmm… that gives me an idea. Anyone wanna play?

But it makes sense.  The end of Back to the Future and the beginning of Back to the Future 2 are identical… almost.  The actress who played Jennifer in the original (Claudia Wells) was replaced by Elisabeth Shue for the two sequels, and since that scene appears in both movies, they had to shoot it twice:

I personally enjoy Christopher Lloyd’s enthusiasm in the reshoot.

So many family games enter the scene and fall flat. A Boy and His Blob was one of my favorite childhood puzzle games for the original NES, and now it makes a return on the Wii. We discussed the old game a little bit in the latest podcast.

This is a great video tour of the Forest level of the game, A Boy and His blob. Although, it may seem designed for children, I think there will be plenty of fun in this game for adults and children alike. I am optimistic. See for yourself in this following clip.

Man, things have been busy! But we finally made it into the studio to bring you a new show. This time, we talk about what’s new in the retro scene, like the upcoming album from Doctor Octoroc, plus the comeback of Nintendo’s Punch-Out and A Boy and His Blob. We round out the news by covering some of the new movies coming out that have origins in the 80s: Terminator: Salvation, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Sorry for the excessive use of colons. Next up, we feed our dark comedy appetites with a helping of Robocop. Violence, drugs, killer robots, and loud zippers–it’s got it all! And finally, we reveal our gluttony for punishment by concluding the show with a discussion of some of the hardest NES games known to man. Be sure to check out part 1 and part 2 of the 10 Stupid-Hard NES Games series. Part 3 is on the way available too. “I’d buy that for a dollar.”

Download the mp3 (1:17:40 / 35.5MB)

Related links:
Preview Doctor Octoroc’s latest project
Punch-Out is back
So is A Boy and His Blob
The Onion Star Trek Report
G. I. Joe Resolute
Ghosts ‘N Goblins beaten

Looks like I forgot to put out the message about the poll question, so we’re leaving the current question up for a little while longer. Anyway, here’s your last chance to cast your vote on this one, people: Who’s your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Today we continue with Part 2 of the 10 Stupid-Hard NES Games series in which I look back on some of the hardest NES games I’ve ever played. Then, and for no other reason than I just like abuse, I play them again and see how I fare against them today. Here are the next 4:

Ninja Gaiden

< Back in the Day: Ninja Gaiden, literally translated as “Ninja Story”, is an OK title, but I think Diabolical Ninja Story from Hell would probably be more accurate. It was actually one of the coolest NES games I’d ever played, even despite it’s difficulty. It was well designed, had really good music, featured some cool weapons and even cutscenes, but most importantly, it had ninjas. What more could a kid ask for? How about making it past level 3? Fortunately, Ninja Gaiden was a lot of fun, because it was hard as hell. I don’t remember the bosses being all that bad, but the stages (or Acts) that you had to traverse to get to them were, in a word, evil. You had to wonder what fiendish pleasure the designers drew from victims’ players’ constant failures. Infinite continues kept the game from becoming as crazy as Ghosts ‘N Goblins–that and the fact that you could take more than two hits. But there were parts of Ninja Gaiden that seemed almost completely unfair at times. Many of the enemies exhibited erratic behavior, and sometimes when you got hit, you kept getting hit by other enemies only to then fall off a ledge. Oh, and remember that boxer dude? You first encountered him in Act I. He’d trot up to you until he got close enough, then launch a nasty punch. He was easy enough to take out for the most part, but if he landed a punch, he kept punching you just as you started to recover. Another example is that enemies often regenerated right after you beat them if you had backtracked or advanced the screen by only a few pixels. I don’t think I ever made it all the way through Act III, but it was ultimately a fun game with high production value, which is probably what lead me to try Ninja Gaiden 2–another stupid-hard, but fun game.

> Today: I loaded up this game just a few days ago, fully expecting another beat down. So I was astonished when I made it all the way to Act VI, the final stage of the game. Oh sure, I did receive a healthy beat down, but I made it further than I ever had. Act I was a joke with a pushover boss. Come to think of it, once you learn their patterns, all the bosses are fairly easy. So when you finally make it to a boss’ lair, you feel a bit relieved, having fought through the more difficult part of the level, assuming you don’t screw it up at the last minute. The only one I haven’t confronted is the final boss. Anyway, I made it through Act II without much effort, but Act III gave me a few problems. With persistence, however, I was eventually able to pass. Act IV tried my patience. At this point, I wanted to strangle the designers’ necks. It took several continues, but I finally emerged victorious with another level behind me. Act V made me want to break my machine, and I had to take a break. I paused the game and walked away to grab a drink and watch some Tivo. Yes, it was that frustrating. An episode of Star Trek: TNG later, I resumed my game with a clear mind while chanting a mantra: “It’s just a game. It’s just a game.” Several minutes and continues later, my frustration level was returning to its peak. After dying for the 1,000,000th time, I was furious. I clenched my jaw and, with determination, hit continue again. With the utmost concentration, I began to systematically work my way through the level. I knew the patterns–where to jump, when to slice with the katana, when to throw a ninja star. I got hit a couple times, but was undeterred. Jumping, slicing, bouncing off the walls, dodging trolls, birds, ninjas, robotic blasters, and dudes with machine guns, I flew through the level to finally face off against the boss. After some dialog, I sprang forward with rage and just kept hacking at him with my sword. I ignored his thunderbolt attacks, and kept pursuing my enemy until he lay before me, bleeding and dying on the ground. After the cutscene, I continued to Act VI, got my ass handed to me, and decided to call it a day. The final boss will have to wait until I can obtain adequate mental health insurance.

Shadowgate

< Back in the Day: This was one of the hardest and longest games I ever played. But despite the numerous hours I put into Shadowgate, I still never beat it. One of the few NES games that fit into the puzzle category, Shadowgate’s premise was straightforward enough: You’re a lone hero who must battle the evil Warlock Lord before he summons something out of hell and destroys the world. But the Warlock Lord’s lair is well hidden, so you must venture through Castle Shadowgate and solve a series of puzzles to reveal it. Overall, the game was incredibly difficult and could become quite laborious over time. There were lots of steps involved to solve the puzzles and continue progressing, and there were more ways to die than to live. To make matters worse, you had to keep a lit torch in your inventory at all times. Otherwise, you would lose light, stumble around and fall to your death. With a limited amount of torches in Castle Shadowgate, it imposed a time limit of sorts on an already difficult game. But Shadowgate was still enjoyable in a macabre sort of way. I definitely died a lot, but at least in Shadowgate, you could die in any number of extremely creative ways. In fact, some of the depictions of death were so descriptive, you almost looked forward to it. Let’s see, you could be burned alive by dragon fire, devoured by sharks, sucked into a void, beaten to death by a huge cyclops, dissolved by slime, impaled by a troll’s spear, ripped to shreds by a mutated dog, choked to death by a wyvern’s tail, and so many more, not including suicide and the various castle traps. Ultimately, the game became less about winning and more about discovering new and more gruesome ways to die, which suited us kids just fine.

> Today: I finally beat this game last year. I think all you need to beat it is a sharp mind and a lot of time. So how did I beat it? Simple. An emulator and a walkthrough guide. Yeah, so I cheated. But it was interesting going through the entire game and learning all the secrets to all the puzzles. Some of those puzzles could be quite maniacal. I still died on purpose a few times. It just never gets old.

Tag Team Wrestling

< Back in the Day: OK, this was probably the most stupid-hard game I played–emphasis on stupid. The game wasn’t all that great in 2-player mode; it completely sucked when you were playing against the computer in 1-player mode. This was mainly due to the completely unfair AI. The computer literally cheated. During a match, you could get in a few hits every now and then, but as soon as you maintained any kind of streak, the computer’s wrestler would turn red and become temporarily invincible. There was nothing you could do about it. As soon as the computer transformed into Satan incarnate, all you could do was brace for impact. The computer would repeat this until your strength was drained, then pin you. You just had to get use to the phrase, “Game Over.”

> Today: This was probably the most surprising replay out of the whole list. I loaded up the game and prepared myself for failure, but I prevailed… for a little while at least. I actually won a few matches before I got bored. I developed a strategy: get thrown out of the ring, the computer follows, then proceed to spam-punch the computer until just before the 20 count is up. Your timing has to be perfect because the computer will hop back into the ring quickly if you don’t keep taking him down. I remember trying this strategy to no avail when I was a kid. Maybe I’m faster on the buttons now. Another thing–the computer seems to lose the ability to turn invincible when outside the ring. I tried a variation of this strategy inside the ring, and it worked OK for a while, but I was never able to pin him. The computer tags out too fast if you’re not positioned just right. I was going to keep trying, but I had already defeated the computer a few times, so I had nothing else to prove. I think winning on a technicality is a fair enough strategy against an intermittently invincible opponent.

Castlevania

< Back in the Day: Ah, Castlevania. What a great game. One of Konomi’s best, I’d say. In my experience, this game was the one people played the most on those Player’s Choice 10 cabinets. It was pretty popular on the NES as well. I remember most of my friends owned this cartridge. It was challenging for sure–so much so that I never beat it. But I definitely had fun trying. Like Ninja Gaiden, there are only 6 levels, which doesn’t sound so daunting at first, but the problem is getting through those levels. After the first 2 levels, things can get frustrating fast. Fortunately, you get a limitless supply of continues, but you really had to possess an inhuman amount of coordination to navigate through the Count’s castle. Sometimes I would get stuck at a certain spot that seemed almost insurmountable. Trying to time each jump, each crack of the whip, each boomerang so precisely could get maddening after a while. But finally getting past a spot like that did seem to bring its own sense of accomplishment. You quickly learned why there were only 6 levels. I remember the game having top-notch graphics and sound for the time, but the play control wasn’t the best. Controlling the main character wasn’t as responsive as in other games. In other Konami NES games, such as Contra, you could change directions in mid-air when jumping. Not so in Castlevania. Once you jumped, you were committed. Also, you couldn’t swing your whip diagonally or up and down. They fixed this in the Super Nintendo hit, Castlevania IV. Another vexing aspect of the game was that you had limited sight distance and couldn’t be as proactive at maneuvering at times. This was especially annoying when facing some of the more erratic enemies, like the flying Medusa heads. Still, Castlevania was good fun, even if it did seem hellish at times. Then again, I guess fighting your way through Dracula’s castle against hordes of undead probably shouldn’t be all that easy.

> Today: Still just as fun as it was back then. The graphics, although undeniably dated, are still serviceable. The visual indicators are clear and concise, and each item, enemy, and platform are precisely contoured. The 8-bit music is equally rousing and creepy. I made it past levels 1 and 2 without breaking a sweat. Level 3 gave me a few problems, but I eventually made it. Level 4 was insane, and the Frankenstein monster and Igor are probably the hardest bosses besides Dracula. It took several tries to beat them, but I finally prevailed. After a lengthy, and I mean lengthy, romp through level 5, I finally made it to the Grim Reaper, but I could never beat him. After getting so close to total victory, I may try it again another time. This game still offers a good challenge, although I didn’t have to use as many continues this time around. Consequently, my frustration level remained at a minimum. Castlevania is still one of my all time favorites even after all these years and is well deserving of a replay.

That’s all for now. I’ll be posting Part 3 in a few days. Feel free to leave comments about some stupid-hard games you’ve played and even your experiences with them today.

I’m not sure why lists are so popular on the Internet. Maybe it’s because they’re so easy to read (or write for that matter). Maybe people are brain dead zombies, limited to digesting information broken up into quantifiable, compartmentalized chunks. Maybe people enjoy inherently opinionated rankings of things in a particular category. Whatever the reasons, they’re undeniably popular. Just Google “Top 10″ and see for yourself.

That said, I’d like to introduce you to my latest list: 10 Stupid-Hard NES Games: Then and Now. It’s basically just a list of really hard NES games I played as a kid with descriptions about my experiences then and revisiting them today. But I wanted this list to be different from the usual Internet sludge. So I took the typical “top 10″ paradigm and flipped it on its head a bit. First, this list will be delivered in a three-part series. Today, I’ll be sharing 3 stupid-hard games, then 4 more in Part 2, then I’ll finish up with the final 3 and a conclusion in Part 3. Next, I will be including complementary screenshots to better illustrate the stupid-hardness of the games. Also, this list will be a bit more verbose, which should oppose the notion of instant gratification intrinsic in so many other lists. Finally, this list is in no particular order, so there’s really no “top” to it. Hey, I told you this list would be different. Plus it would just take too much effort to rank these games, and I don’t really feel like it Enough babble. On to the list:

Ghosts ‘N Goblins

< Back in the Day: Of all the games that elicited expletives from me as a kid, this one probably brought out the most. It was easier to catwalk on my BMX bike uphill for a mile while pulling my little brother on his skateboard than beat this game. In this game, you play as a knight, fighting against zombies, ghosts, wizards, and other monsters to finally save your betrothed from the clutches of a big, ugly, winged demon that kind of reminds me of Sardo Numspa at the end of the 1986 movie, The Golden Child. Anyway, if you like abuse, this is the game for you. The mechanics of the game are pretty simple. You run around jumping and throwing weapons at constantly spawning monsters until you or they die. The basic strategy is a combination of killing and running, not that any sort of strategy makes that much of a difference. You start the game throwing lances, which do an ok amount of damage, but are pretty slow. Stay away from the torch or flame weapon like it’s… well, fire. It sucks and has a limited effective range. The dagger is pretty decent; it does as much damage as the lance, and it’s faster. I don’t know anything about the axe, and I never found the shield or cross weapon, but I’ve read that you can use it to block enemy attacks as well as attack. You can only shoot laterally (unlike in Contra, where you can shoot up, down, and diagonally in all directions), so that doesn’t help. Oh, yeah, the monsters must all have acid blood, because if you get hit once, you lose your entire suit of armor and are reduced to your knightly boxers. The next hit turns you into a handsome pile of bones. If you can make it half-way through the level, then you start at the “half-way marker” after you die. Wow, thanks. One more thing: the designers must be masochists or something, because if you pull off a miracle and “beat” this game, you have to do it all over again to get the real ending. I have better things to do with my time… like write more lists.

> Today: I’ll admit, as difficult as it still is, it was kind of fun to go back and play this one. I was determined to get to at least level 2, but it didn’t happen. I got all the way up to the first miniboss and got pulverized. I was actually better at this game when I was a kid. I still had a good time with it, though. With this game, you just have to embrace the inevitability of death. The game that I could only beat with the Game Genie will have to remain unbeaten.

Kid Icarus

< Back in the Day: Kid Icarus was kind of a weird game to me. My first experience was renting it from a mom and pop video rental store. I had heard good things about it, so I got the game home, popped it in, and started it up. It was different from any game I had ever played. The visual style was striking, and it seemed to mesh mechanics from Super Mario Bros, Metroid, and The Legend of Zelda. It had elements of a platformer, a scrolling shooter, and you could collect items throughout your journey. You could even earn experience points and level up. I remember the setting, loosely based on Greek mythology, and sound effects to be a bit eerie for some reason. And some of the monsters freaked me out. I’ve read that there’s a monster in the game called a “Komayto” that resembles a Metroid, which is understandable since Kid Icarus was based on the Metroid game engine. I never made it far enough to see one, however. The game was just too difficult. You had to have incredible platforming skills and a lot of patience, because this game was long. I wouldn’t say it was one of my all time favorites, but it was still a good game and offered a solid diversion, even if it did eventually end in frustration. I guess it’s safe to say I had mixed feelings for the game. It was interesting and entertaining, but ultimately the challenge of finishing it was a little too hardcore for me.

> Today: I recently loaded up this game to see how it’s aged over the years. I still like the style, although the sound effects and monsters still kinda freak me out. My performance has actually worsened, as I couldn’t even get past the first level. So I did what any sensible man would do: I gave up and entered the password to transport me to the final level with weapons and health maxed out. Only then was I able to vanquish the evil Medusa and rescue the Angel Princess. Yeah, yeah, I know I cheated, but I wanted to see the ending. I had only seen it once before when my friend beat it one morning before we went to school. I still don’t know how he pulled it off. Maybe he grabbed the password from a Nintendo Power or something.

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out

< Back in the Day: Ok, this one deserves an explanation. The only real stupid-hard part of this game was Tyson. I remember being able to work my way up to him, but never defeating him. It was easier to play Doom on “Nightmare” mode than beat Tyson. Despite such an insanely difficult final bout, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out was still one of my favorite NES games. If you took the title character out of the equation, I would describe the game as having the perfect balance of challenge and fun. The gameplay stood out in the early Nintendo landscape and offered some interesting mechanics. Each opponent had his own unique fighting style and brought to the match his own distinct challenges. If an opponent gave you trouble, you could press select in between a round to regain some of your strength. Everything felt right until you got to Tyson. Even if you knew his patterns, Tyson was still lightning quick and could knock you out with one punch. Come to think of it, I don’t even think I got past the first minute let alone the first round. It kinda makes you wonder what kind of deal Tyson made with Nintendo to use his name and 8-bit likeness to make him virtually invincible.

> Today: Not much has changed with this game. As before, I can battle my way up to Tyson, but I still can’t beat him. However, I was able to last through the whole first round, which is astonishing to me. Maybe my twitch reflexes have improved over the years. Given more time, I may be able to make it further, but it’s just not worth the effort. It’s not impossible to beat him; I know people have done it. But for me, it would be more repetition than a good challenge. So for now, I’ll just stick to knocking out Super Macho Man and call it a day.

Well, that’s all for now. Be sure to stop by in a few days to catch Part 2 of the series. And we’d love to hear about some of your hardest games. You can tell us all about ‘em in the comments.

Today marks the 20th birthday of the Nintendo Game Boy. Technically, it wasn’t released in the US until August of 1989, but since the Game Boy was born in Japan, we’re celebrating on its original release date. To a lot of people, the Game Boy was just a means to get their Tetris fix, which is understandable since Tetris is one of the most addictive puzzle games of all time. But the Game Boy was more than just a Tetris machine; there were some other cool games out there, as well. So in honor of the Game Boy’s birthday, I’ve listed my personal all time top 5 Game Boy games below. If you’d like to join in the celebration, be sure to include some of your favorites in the comments of this post. I would’ve listed more, but I think those were the only ones I played.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening - Other than Tetris, I think I logged the most time on my Game Boy playing this game. I savored the puzzles and whimsical story throughout the game, and it reminded me a lot of my favorite SNES game, A Link to the Past.

2. Tetris - One of the greatest games of all time. It provided me with hours of fun and my parents hours of quiet. How could this classic not be on my list?

3. Dr. Mario - Another great puzzle game. ‘Nuff said.

4. Metroid II: The Return of Samous - I never finished this game, I guess because I was more preoccupied with other Super Nintendo games, but what I played of it was awesome. This game is currently being remade into a PC version by DoctorM64.

5. Super Mario Land - Similar mechanics to the classic NES game, Super Mario Bros., but with a few extra abilities. Definitely one of the funnest Game Boy games in my opinion.

(Begin gruff, old, Asian man voice here) Gather around, young ones, and I will tell you a tale from ancient time. A long time ago in 1984, a man known as Kevin Eastman partnered with Peter Laird to build one of the greatest empires in all the world. They created the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! (End gruff, old, Asian man voice) OK dramatics aside, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day last week, we’re going green. It’s the All Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Edition of the podcast. Fueled on pizza and Mountain Dew, we talk about the origins, cartoons, action figures, video games, and movies all about the heroes in a half shell. It’s an epic long show, but we felt we had to give the Turtles their due. After all, they entertained us for a countless number of hours. So sharpen your katanas and get ready to kick shell with the original lean, mean, green machines. It’s turtle time!

Download the mp3 (1:25:10 / 39.0MB)

Related links:
ninjaturtles.com
first episode of the TMNT cartoon on Youtube

Researchers at Yale have officially determined the statistical likelihood of finding the Princess in the NES classic, Super Mario Bros. According to the study, players only have a 12.5% chance of finding her, which means you’ll run into the dreaded mushroom retainers for the other 7 out of 8 times. The proof is on the T-shirt, literally. Chances that I want that T-shirt = 100%.

It’s been a while since the last podcast, but now we’re back in action to bring you the first show of 2009. We’re also bringing a fourth crew member on board. Good to have you with us, Chad. Now stop reading this and get back to work! On the show this week, we explore the theme of “chicks in space” as it relates to the 80s. The 1986 movie, Aliens, is up for discussion first. Ripley’s horrible luck, Bill Paxton’s off-the-wall performance, and old-school special effects are just some of the subjects mentioned. Next up is a retrospective of the 1987 NES classic, Metroid, as we recount the first time we entered the “Justin Bailey” code and beheld Samus Aran in all her feminine glory. We then share the results of last show’s poll question and pose a new one (don’t forget to vote). Lastly, and for no other reason than we just felt like it, we remember that old 30-minute animated commercial for Nintendo that passed for entertainment when we were kids: Captain N the Game Master. Rest in peace, Mr. Stubbs. You were one sassy Mother Brain.

Download the mp3 (1:00:49 / 27.8MB)

Related links:
Download the VGAT (Video Game Aptitude Test)
Download the VGAT Answer Key
Dr. Octoroc
Metroid II Remake

New poll here. Your question: Who’s your favorite female G. I. Joe / Cobra? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page. You don’t want to miss out on voting in this one, because whoever gets the most votes will be the subject of our next G. I. Joe Hall of Fame.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Please join me in welcoming the newest member of the Back in the Day Show crew, Chad. He’s been a longtime friend of ours, but has only recently discovered the show through our MySpace page. He began listening to the shows and was instantly hooked. After listening to episode #2, Chad e-mailed us with the answer to the “Name That Game” question of that show. He guessed correctly, but unfortunately, we stopped playing that game a while back due to listener disinterest. So instead of awarding him a T-shirt, we decided to offer him a position on the show, and he actually agreed to join us (sucker!).

Chad’s movie and TV knowledge is impeccable, but since he didn’t own as many video games as a kid, we were a little concerned about his familiarity with the video gaming realm. So we administered a basic video game knowledge test that we have deemed the VGAT (Video Game Aptitude Test). Chad performed admirably, obtaining a solid “B”. Sure, he may not have received a “Super Job!” sticker, but he passed well enough for our purposes, which is a relief because we really didn’t want to fire him and refuse him a T-shirt.

Chad’s debut can be heard on episode #10, which I will be posting up tomorrow. I will also post a copy of the VGAT with an answer key so you, our wonderful listeners, can test your own video gaming knowledge.

Welcome to the show, Chad. We look forward to your input on the podcast and blog. Just don’t screw it up

Well okay, very nerdy.  But also very awesome.

This graffiti of Link went up(and down) in Melbourne in 2006, but it’s new to me. Maybe it’s new to you, too. Another look:

Turns out it wasn’t actually spraypaint, but painted beer coasters that were taped to the wall. Does that still count as graffiti? Maybe. Is it still awesome? Absolutely.

Also, Link appears to be right handed in this…but that’s a minor technicality.

I meant to mention this a while back: DoctorM64 is remaking Metroid II, a Gameboy classic from 1992, for PC. It’s a fan-made remake, so it’s not official, but it looks like it will do the original game justice. It’s nice to see the transition from the bland green-monochrome of the old Gameboy to vivid, Super Nintendo-like color. Check out the website to download the demo and view video samples of the game in action.

This is the Holiday Edition of the podcast, and since it only comes once a year, it’s quite epic. Rob, Ashley, Josh, and Chris reminisce for over two hours about all kinds of Christmas-related retro stuff. The guys kick off the show with a lengthy discussion of 80s Christmas Movies with Ashley joining in later with her thoughts on Home Alone. The foursome then remember some of their favorite toys of the 80s, including Mad Balls, Micro Machines, and the lovable teddy bear/cassette player, Teddy Ruxpin, to name a few. Then Ashley bids the boys farewell as they continue on to name their Top 5 Favorite NES Games. Hope you enjoy the show, and Merry Christmas (or whatever the heck you celebrate) from the Back in the Day Show Crew!

Download the mp3 (2:08:07 / 58.6MB)

Special thanks to Doctor Octoroc for some great holiday chip-tunes from his latest album, 8-Bit Jesus. Keep rockin’ it 8-bit style, man, and we’re glad your dog is doing better.

Notes: This episode was originally posted on December 25, 2008 on a temporary page since our blog went down (which is getting old). So this is just the official episode #9 post to the blog so our subscribers will know we’re still here. Thanks for listening, and sorry for any inconvenience.

While Christmas music is slaughtering the airwaves, the lovers of 8-bit music get no release. All the songs you hear are the “good old” classics. Well, make room in your stockings kids. If you enjoy listening to the 8-bit music from the NES video games, then you’ll get a kick out of Doctor Octoroc’s “8-Bit Jesus: Full Album Release.” Check it out here.

Don’t bother calling yourself a serious gamer unless you know most of these quotes. That’s Syd Lexia’s charge, more or less, and he’s right. Any self-respecting gamer should be familiar with this kind of video game minutia. To quote Lexia, “we determine whether or not another human being is worthy of our attentions by testing them with pop culture quotes and references.” So true, and we do this constantly–most of the time without even thinking about it. The very theme of our podcast was born from this idea. So check out the list of quotes and see how many you know. You’ll either enjoy the trip down memory lane or learn some new, totally useless information. Either way, his list is humorously written with complimentary screenshots. And be sure to check out his Website as he’s also a fan of 80s and early 90s pop culture.

50 NES Quotes Every Gamer Should Know

The list of quotes is pretty awesome (my favorite is 13), but I do have a few additional NES quotes of my own that I’d like to share:

Quote: “HELP!”
What it’s from: Jackal
Context: Several structures can be blown open allowing the POWs within to escape. You can pick them up or drive away.
Comments: Back in the day, Konami took the traditional shooter and added a vehicle element. So you essentially got Contra with jeeps, and it turned out to be a pretty decent game called Jackal. In the game, there are several destructible buildings that house POWs. After blowing open a building, you’d see the POWs cry, “HELP!” and run towards you to be rescued. All you had to do was drive over to them, and you’d get a point bonus and sometimes a special weapon. Of course being the devious miscreant that I am, I would often drive just close enough to them to laugh in their faces, then leave them behind to rot. It was probably the funnest and funniest part of the game. Unfortunately, friendly fire is turned off in the game, so you can’t shoot them. And you can’t run over them like the other foot soldiers. Try to flatten the POWs with your jeep, and you’ll only end up rescuing them. Sometimes I would pick up a handful, then drive into the heat of battle and intentionally get blown up just to see the POWs scatter as they try to get away. The story in the game was supposedly based on a rescue mission, but I guess I didn’t see it that way.

Quote: “Raphael got caught. Who fights next?”
What it’s from: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Context: Whichever ninja turtle you’re playing as (Raphael for example) is captured when your life meter is reduced to zero.
Comments: What the heck is this all about? In this game, you could be shot, stabbed, blown to pieces, ripped to shreds, and even flattened, such as in the screenshot above. But no matter how many ways you “died,” you’d only end up being captured. I’m not advocating turtlecide; I’m just pointing out an inconstancy that diminishes the sense of danger and urgency in the game. Yeah, I know, it’s probably asking too much from a video game. But even if you do survive, why the heck are the ninja turtles trying to take on the entire Foot Clan one by one? They always fight as a team; that’s what makes them such formidable adversaries. Instead, you have to pick a turtle and give it your best shot on your own. The fact that you could rescue your fallen comrades was pretty cool, though.

Quote: “UP! UP!”
What it’s from: Top Gun
Context: The last task in completing a mission is the landing sequence. As you approach the aircraft carrier, you are given instructions on how to crash land.
Comments: Top Gun was not a stellar game by any means. I mean, if you look at all the piece-of-crap NES games based on movies, it definitely wasn’t the worst. That honor goes to Total Recall. Heh, I guess that’s not saying much, but still, Top Gun had its moments. The best part of the game was probably the 2-player verses mode, but the bane of the single player mode was having to land after each mission. As you approached the aircraft carrier, you would receive instructions on how to land. “UP! UP! DOWN! DOWN! LEFT! RIGHT! What the… dang, that Konami Code is everywhere. Anyway, the instructions were vague at best. I had a friend who ignored the instructions, stating that they were bogus anyway. So he just went on instincts, and I swear, he could land the plane every friggin’ time. Not me, though. I’d invariably crash and burn just like in the screenshot above. All because of those stupid instructions, but hey, I’m sure that’s exactly how the Navy trains its top aviators.

Here’s your obligatory note that we have a new poll. Your question this time: What’s your favorite Back to the Future movie? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Rob, Josh, and Chris rev up to 88 miles per hour to bring you the 1.21 gigawatts edition of the podcast. First, the guys talk about the films that the show’s logo is based on, the Back to the Future Trilogy. Next up is a discussion of the best and worst video games based on movies. Some of the bad: Friday the 13th, Total Recall, Jaws, and more. Some of the good: Batman, Willow, and Goonies II among others. Finally in honor of Doc Brown, the scientist, the guys reminisce about some of their favorite 80s educational TV shows. This show is great, but you don’t have to take my word for it.

Download the mp3 (1:21:00 / 37.0MB)

Notes: Covering the full Back to the Future Trilogy easily makes this the longest Back in the Day show so far. As a result, this week’s G. I. Joe Hall of Fame segment will be released separately at a later date. Also, Chris was right about I Missed the Bus, the song that Josh refers to in the podcast as a Will Smith song. It’s actually a Kris Kross tune.

In honor of Halloween last week, here are a few photos of us in our Halloween costumes from years past, which were described in detail in episode #7. These are some of the most awesome homemade costumes you’ll ever see! Hit the link below to see larger versions of the same photos.

First up, we have Chris dressed up as Skeletor from Halloween 2006. Skeletor was the main villain in the 80s cartoon, He-man. Here, it looks like someone is trying to steal his drink. You’d think an evil guy like Skeletor would be able to chill out on Halloween of all days. Tough break. Although constructing this costume mostly just invovled a lot of time in the garage with spray paint, it was no easy task. The mask was just a run-of-the-mill, store-bought thing; the challenge was finding a muscle suit that didn’t have a superhero logo attached. The solution? South Park’s Satan. And for those of you who think turning a red, foam bodysuit bluish-purple is an easy process, you’ve obviously never tried. It’s also kind of hard to go barhopping when your costume doesn’t have pockets, but any true supervillain knows how to get around that.

Next, there’s me (Rob) as a kid, clearly influenced by one of the most iconic heroes in video game history, Link from The Legend of Zelda. The precise time frame of the photo is unknown, but since the game came out in August of 1987 and I didn’t play it until later, we’re going to put this one at Halloween ‘88 or ‘89. Notice all of the elements of the perfect Link costume are in place: the magic word, the shield, the green tunic and cap, and the homemade cloth boots pulled over the sneakers. The accessories completing the outfit are the belt and sheath, elf ears, and you can’t see it, but I’m wearing the magic blue ring. As it turns out, the magic boomerang (referenced in episode #7) was discovered later at a toy store, and it actually worked… sometimes.

We move now to Josh’s Dracula costume also from Halloween ‘88 or ‘89. Whether Josh was representing the arch villain of Castlevania or he was just attracted by the traditional Dracula character hardly matters. Thanks to mom’s handiwork, Josh is the epitome of the evil, blood-sucking Count. While the typical dress shirt, pants, and shoes form the foundation of the costume, the cape, vest, and tie are all homemade. The teeth with enlarged canines are there, although you can’t see them. Add white makeup for a gaunt look, mom’s red lipstick, some generic, artificial blood, and don’t forget the slicked-back hair. Now you’ve got a pretty intimidating Dracula… or at least as intimidating as you can be at seven years old.

Finally, we have me and Josh from the Halloween of… I have no idea, but I’m pretty sure we were a bit younger in this one. I’m dressed up as Rambo, and Josh is Dracula. Apparently, Josh had a taste for blood as well as candy. As you can see, mom’s creativity shines once again. The makeshift, canvass shirt (homemade), beat-up jeans, and work boots are clear indicators that my costume is the Rambo from First Blood. Then of course there’s the signature headband (homemade) and combat knife. The camo facepaint was thrown in for effect as well as some weird pistol that shot penny-sized, plastic discs instead of suction-cup darts. Josh is pretty much wearing the same kind of Dracula costume as before except with a black vest instead of gray and no dripping, fake blood. Here it looks like Dracula is a bit more vulnerable up against the deadly Green Beret Vietnam vet.

Hope you enjoyed this small collection of Halloween photos. Go ahead, tell us about some of your costumes from years past in the comments. Again, to see larger versions of our photos, click the link below.

^ Can't a guy enjoy a drink in peace? ^

^ Where the hell is that blasted Triforce? Under the stove maybe? ^

^ The smuggest Dracula you'll ever see. ^

^ Hand over the candy or the Count gets it. ^

Well, guys, you’ve probably figured out by now that we won’t be posting a podcast this week. Sorry, I completely forgot to make the announcement. My bad. But if everything goes as planned, you can expect a new podcast next week. Also, we’ve decided it would be in our best interests to limit our podcasting to one show per month for November and December only. This plan is designed to help us retain any sanity we might lose during an otherwise enjoyable holiday season. I’m sure you guys know how busy things can get. So we’ll be posting up a new show next week and then our Christmas Edition sometime next month. In the meantime, I’ll be posting up some photos of us in our past Halloween costumes either today or tomorrow. So be sure to check back later.

Break out your holy water and wooden steaks, because Rob, Josh, and Chris have awoken from their coffins to bring you a chilling Halloween edition of the Back in the Day Show. First they recall some of their favorite 80s horror movie moments: the old guy from Poltergeist II, the persistent, undead hitchhiker from Creepshow 2, and of course Chucky from Child’s Play. Then the guys whip it with an in-depth discussion of Castlevania and how it’s so much better than a puppy. The next segment includes fond memories of costumes, candy, and Chris’ plan to legitimize his trick-or-treating as a grown man. Finally, the guys talk about the Cobra master of disguise, Zartan. What better G. I. Joe to discuss on the Halloween show than the man who dresses up in costumes for a living? So sit back and relax, grab a “fun” size Snickers, and enjoy the show. Muahahahaha…

Download the mp3 (1:13:04 / 33.4MB)

Special thanks to Overclocked Remix and Sixto Sounds and Danneman & Silverknekt for some great Castlevania remixes.

Just something to help bear the wait for the next podcast, I think the above artwork speaks for itself. But if it doesn’t speak to you right away, give it a minute. Once you get it, the laughter will be impossible to suppress.

After a slight delay, Rob, Josh, and Chris are back with the latest episode of the Back in the Day Show. It’s the Part Man, Part Machine edition of the show this week, and kicking it off is a thorough discourse about the 1984 movie, The Terminator, as well as subsequent Terminator flicks. Following that, the guys reminisce about the little, blue guy from one of their favorite NES series, Mega Man. The B.A.T. would have been the most appropriate Joe for this show, but since it’s already been covered, the guys round out the show with a hilarious discussion about one of the coolest and probably least celebrated G. I. Joes ever. Seriously, you need to stick around to hear the segment on Barbecue; it’s probably the most entertaining part of the show. Heck, if you don’t have time for anything else, we’ll allow you to skip ahead to the 37:09 mark… just this once, though Enjoy.

Download the mp3 (52:39 / 24.1MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples.com and Anamanaguchi for some great 8-bit chip tunes.

What’s your favorite Terminator movie? You know what to do. To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Well, guys, it looks like this week’s podcast is going to be a little late. We’ve already recorded the show; it’s just that I won’t have a chance to edit the raw audio until later tomorrow night. That’s because I’m going to be helping out Ashley today with her class. It’s field trip day for the kiddies. W00t! I could’ve stayed up super late last night to get it done, but that would’ve required way too much effort. Anyway, I’ll be posting the next podcast on Sunday, October 12. Too bad the flux capacitor is busted on my DeLoreon.

So Mega Man 9 has recently been released for all the current-generation consoles’ respective online services: WiiWare, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade. The little, blue guy has been in so many video games for over 20 years that he’s transcended from video game character to icon. He’s not as ubiquitous as Mario, but he’s definitely popular enough to warrant a fitting tribute. So join me as we look back over the years at one of the most beloved characters in video gaming history. I give you the ultimate Mega Man retrospective. And be sure to tune in next week as we’ll be talking about all our favorite Mega Man moments on our next podcast.

Change can be good. And that’s the attitude we have towards the latest change we’re implementing this week. We’re going to change our weekly podcast schedule to a biweekly schedule. No that doesn’t mean twice a week–that’s semiweekly, foo. It means we’ll be posting a show up every two weeks. So there will be no podcast tomorrow, but we’ll pick it back up next week on October 10. Why the deviation? With all of our busy schedules, this was probably inevitable. Job changes, other commitments, that fact that we’re slackers, blah blah blah. But ultimately it means a better quality podcast for you, our listeners. It will allow us a little flexibility in our schedules and enable us to better meet our deadline every other week. It will also give us more time in post-production to keep the quality of the recordings as high as possible. So we’re going to try the new schedule and see how things work. Thanks, as always, for listening. More interesting stuff is on the way.

What’s your favorite movie directed by John Hughes? You know the drill. To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

After pulling a Ferris Bueller themselves last week, your pals, Rob, Josh, and Chris, are back with the latest edition of the Back in the Day Show to discuss, of all things, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Then the guys retrospect about arcades and their favorite arcade games in a sweet 80s Culture Shock / video game fusion segment… thingy. A scant conversation on Snake Eyes’ ninja clan brother, Storm Shadow, follows. And apparently the guys make plenty of mistakes while recording the show, with one of the longest outtake reels at the end of this show being proof. You get all that plus commentary on the Von Steuben Day Parade, the evolution of quarters to tokens, Chinese hexagrams, social engineering, and arcade game and G. I. Joe action figure inflation on this week’s show. So who wants to have a listen? “Bueller? Bueller?”

Download the mp3 (1:14:55 / 34.3MB)

Special thanks to some talented OverClocked Remixers, including Sixto Sounds, Norrin Radd, and Chris Abbott, for some great arcade game music remixes.

We should also mention that discontinued by popular disinterest is the Name That Game segment. Unfortunately, we had zero–not virtually zero–but zero participation in playing the game. Maybe we’ll bring it back in subsequent episodes, but for now, it’s game over

I thought this was hilarious becuase a couple of my friends from high school are actually doctors now. This technique still works on the NES today!

Rob, Josh, Hannah, and Ashley are back at it again to bring you more 80s and early 90s retrocity (made up word). Sadly, our pal, Chris, had to call in sick, so he wasn’t able to join in the insanity that comprises this week’s show. Kicking it off with WarGames (arguably the best hacker movie committed to film), the guys talk about its awesomeness while the girls are smitten by Matthew Broderick. Then Ashley and Hannah are given their next movie-watching assignment, Terminator, and speculate on what it’s about with hilarious results. The gang then discusses their Tetris addiction and Ashley’s life-long dream to play it on a bigger screen via the NES version. The Game Boy is given some love along with some truly ridiculous peripherals, and then the crew wraps things up with part 2 of their Nickelodeon discussion. Hope you enjoy the show.

Download the mp3 (54:46 / 25.7MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples and Paza for some great 8bit chip tunes.

Just a quick note to let everyone know that there will be no show for next week unfortunately as we’ll be taking a break; however, we will return the following week with plenty of retrospection (actual word).

What Nickelodeon game show did you want to be on? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

I’ll admit, physics was never my strong point in college, but I’m assuming that this plane is going faster than 88 MPH…

http://view.break.com/558731 - Watch more free videos

And let’s just assume that a lightning bolt creates more than the necessary 1.21 Gigawatts of electricity.

So my question is this:

WHY THE HELL DIDN’T THIS PLANE GET SENT TO 1955????

…I’ll bet those Libyan ‘Terrorists’ were a lie too. Probably just his crack dealers that he owed money to…

Yeah! We’re going retro on ourselves. That’s how retro we are. It’s episode #0 of the Back in the Day Show, the very first show that started it all, even predating episode #1. It was originally intended to be a practice run to test out the recording equipment and to feel out the structure of the show. Now it’s being released under the guise of “bonus material.” The audio quality is a little flaky, but the entertainment value definitely trumps any inconvenience. The guys talk about the 1989 movie, The Wizard, along with Josh’s disdain for the Power Glove and the guys’ fond memories of Nintendo Pocket Power. Then Ashley joins in to discuss recollections of Super Mario Bros. 3 as well has her endearing emotional attachment to Mario. The guys then bust out another NES tune to give listeners another chance to win a free T-shirt from 80stees.com in Name That Game. Finally, Snake-eyes is given his due in this week’s G. I. Joe Hall of Fame. Now, “just sit down and have fun, damnit!”

Download the mp3 (59:50 / 27.3MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples and Trash80 for some great 8bit chip tunes.

What’s your favorite world in Super Mario Bros. 3? To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Here’s some nostalgic gaming goodness to help ease the wait for our next podcast. Check out this GamesRadar feature of an insanely comprehensive list of gaming Consoles of the 80s. Yeah, this is kinda old, but I think that’s the point. I’ve never heard of some of these machines, but among the ones I played the most are the NES of course, Apple IIe, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy. The article also contains lists of Consoles of the 70s, 90s, and 2000s. So what are some of your favorites?

Just a quick note, the next podcast will be available tomorrow, as scheduled. w00t!

Josh, Rob, and Chris blow the crap out of episode #3, the “aliens and guns edition” of the Back in the Day Show. And yes, we really do talk a lot about guns. In fact, this week, the guys discuss the 1987 movie, Predator, and Rob can’t shut up about Billy’s M16/shotgun combo. Love for the NES game, Contra, is also given while Chris recounts his experience in Athens listening to Cinemechanica, moonlighting as Contraband. Still no winner for Name That Game. Who will be the first? Our listeners get another shot this week. The complexity of Falcon (and his awesome gun) is discussed as he’s inducted into the G. I. Joe Hall of Fame, and the guys remember their favorite shows from Nickelodeon in this week’s 80s Culture Shock. So go ahead and have a listen. It’s better than bad. It’s good!

Download the mp3 (1:11:11 / 32.5MB)

Special thanks to OverClocked Remix and Goat for the awesome Contra music. Also, special thanks to 8bitpeoples and Phlogiston and Anamanaguchi for some great 8bit chip tunes.

This time we’re asking who your favorite character is in the 1987 movie, Predator. To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

This is just the obligatory post necessary to publish the Back in the Day Show to the Podcast Alley directory. More interesting posts on the way. My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-b9cb068fb326bb7382ee9a016a9d3760}

You have to love technology sometimes. We’ve been informed that some of our users were having problems downloading the entirety of our podcasts. Some would only get the first 30 minutes, while others would only get the first 10 minutes. The problem lies with our Web hosting provider, so while they patch things up on their end, we’re going to be hosting our mp3s on another server. What does this mean for you? Nothing. The entire operation should be transparent to you, our merciful listeners. So now you should be able to listen to any of our podcasts without them cutting off too early. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for listening. Hit the jump below if you’d like more details.

The sporadic nature of the problem leads us to believe it’s an issue with our Web hosting provider. As some of you may have noticed earlier this week, our Website went down due to a database problem. I believe the technical terminology for the problem was that our Website took a dump. We contacted our Web hosting provider who resolved the problem, and within about 18 hours we were back up again. Now we’re having this mp3 downloading issue.

As a temporary fix, we’re hosting the mp3 files on a different server until we get the Website set up with our new Web hosting provider. Our current provider is obviously not up to the task. When we switch over to the new servers, you may notice some temporary downtime. We’ll inform everyone when we’re ready to hit the switch, but for the most part, the change should be transparent.

So if you’ve been listening to our shows and have noticed them ending at odd spots, give it another try. The track duration for Episode #1 should be 56:01; Episode #2 should be 1:04:28. Let us know if you have any other problems. Thanks for your patience as we put the beatdown on our Website problems for good.

Episode #2 is now available for your listening pleasure. This week, the Back in the Day Interns, Ashley and Hannah, join Rob, Josh, and Chris as they wax nostalgic about The Karate Kid. The girls will be on the show from time to time to provide fresh views on some of the classic 80s movies they are shamefully just now seeing for the first time. The guys then send the interns back to work and kick it with Double Dragon for the NES. Favorite moves, NES limitations, and 2 player mode B are discussed in detail along with plenty of other banter. No winner for last week’s Name That Game, but our listeners get another shot this week with another NES tune. The Cobra B.A.T. is inducted into the G. I. Joe Hall of Fame and the guys recount their experiences with VHS and the beginnings of the video renting business. Good times. Enjoy the show.

Download the mp3 (1:04:28 / 29.5MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples and Animal Style for some great 8bit chip tunes.

For as great an 80s movie as The Karate Kid was, I find it a little disheartening that most of the actors(with the exception Elisabeth of Shue) never amounted to anything outside of the franchise(William Zabka= one of the greatest villain actors…EVER). Which is why I was happy to find this….I doubt the band had to pay anyone in this video(Including Dennis ‘Mr. Belding’ Haskins) much of anything.

Yeah, they’re pretty much all there…William Zabka, Ralph Macchio…Even Rob ‘Body Bag’ Garrison(who is the best part of the movie). No Elisabeth Shue(real career), and Pat Morita(dirt nap). Definitely a case of a video making the song better.

My first thought is, “wow!” My second thought is, “It’s about effing time!” When I first heard this was happening I couldn’t believe it. I immediately searched for it on IMDB and read all I could. Then I got depressed… I see that the director is Stephen Sommers, the guy who brought us such awesome titles as The Mummy series, Van Helsing, and Deep Rising. WTF? The only thing of any merit this guy directed was Catch Me If You Can…wait a second, that’s the 1989 version, damnit! Oh well, there goes another one, down the drain.

We’ll just have to wait and see what comes of this disaster in the making. Oh, and don’t look over the fact that he brought Brendan Fraser with him. Does the studio know who their target audience will be on this one? I would think the major audience would be the kids who played with the toys and watched the cartoons. Most of those “kids” are dudes, dudes in their 20s - early 30s. I’m not excited. Sorry for the abundant negativity and sarcasm, but I’m not too happy about this.

We are happy to present the very first episode of the Back in the Day Show, a retrospective podcast focused on the 80s and early 90s! If this is your first visit to our Website, we welcome and invite you to join us as we reminisce about all things nostalgic during that time. On this week’s show, we talk about the 1985 movie, The Goonies, and The Legend of Zelda for the NES. We play Name That Game to give you, our listeners, a chance to win a T-shirt from 80stees.com. We also induct Destro into our G. I. Joe Hall of Fame and find out why Chris wants Seal to play the silver-masked Cobra in the upcoming G. I. Joe movie. Finally, the Trapper Keeper is the object of our affection in this week’s 80s Culture Shock. Hope you enjoy the show.

Download the mp3 (56:01 / 26.2MB)

Special thanks to 8bitpeoples and Yerzmyey for some great 8bit chip tunes.

Capcom is releasing Bionic Commando Rearmed, the updated version of the classic 1988 NES game, Bionic Commando, today for the Xbox and tomorrow for the PS3 and PC. Here are the prices: 800 Microsoft Points for Xbox, $9.99 for PS3, and $14.99 for PC. If it seems like PC users are getting a raw deal, not to worry. Producer Ben Judd from Capcom explains:

“I can give you a song and dance about PC digital content being more expensive as a general rule… but nobody wants to hear that crap. I can say this: for the PC version we are planning on uploading some additional PC-only challenge rooms via a free patch so you will get more bang for your buck.”

I’ll definitely be buying this one. And since we’re on the subject, what other classic games would you like to see “rearmed”? Zelda, Contra, Metroid, Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Final Fantasy, among many others, have all been revisioned on their respective platforms. Not to mention Megaman; although it still tickles the nostalgic bone, on it’s 9th iteration, it has long since shown it’s age. How about some more obscure titles like Blaster Master, Crystalis, or Kid Icarus? I’d like to see those games “rearmed” as well. Go ahead, post your ideas in the comments. You know you want to

If you happen to be in the Hollywood area next week, you might want to check out the 4th annual “i am 8-bit” art show here. The show starts on Thursday, August 14 at 8:00 pm. Check out the official site and blog for more details. For everyone else, you can check out the book or Flickr search to see some great artwork inspired by classic 80s video games. I have a feeling the book will be on my Christmas list this year.

Introducing our new Back in the Day Poll. We’ve just installed the new polling system, and now it’s time to test it out. The plan is to post a poll every week with questions on various topics and then announce the results on the show. This time we’re asking what you think about our Website so far. To cast your vote, hit the link below or view the poll on the sidebar on the right side of the page. Let us know what you think.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

They’re bringing the greatest hacker movie back to select theatres nationwide this Thursday, July 24, 7:30pm. Check out the Website for more info. Sounds like a good time, although I wish they would bring back more great flicks from back in the day. I can think of a few off hand that I’d like to see back in theatres: The Goonies, Back to the Future, Die Hard, Ghostbusters. How about you? What would you like to see back on the big screen?

Well it looks like Nike may be finally coming out with those shoes featured in Back to the Future II. Until they actually do, you can go bid on these prototypes from the actual movie. You have 2 days, 7hours left. The current bid is $2,550. Perhaps by 2015 they will have created the actual thing. Here’s what they’ve come up with thus far. More info at Gizmodo.

Awesome! An 8bit 3D shooter with mouse and WASD controls. It’s a cool little PC game with great lo-fi music and sound effects and tons of 8bit gore. If you’re a fan of retro games, put down your NES controller for a few minutes and download this game now. Here’s the page in English if your Spanish is a little shabby.

This would have saved all those kids from having to deal with nagging mothers about that old wives tale that sitting too close to the T.V. caused damage to your eyes.

Version 2 of the Lego Digital Designer has been released. Now you can play with one of your favorite childhood toys on your computer. Download it and get started designing your own Lego masterpieces with over 763 bricks. The software is easy to use, and you can even upload your creations to Lego’s Website to purchase a custom set with all the real bricks you’ll need to build it… for real!

Welcome to the Back in the Day Show Blog. We’ll be recording our first podcast and posting it here very soon, probably August 2008. Until then, we’ll be blogging about all the retro stuff you remember from the 80s and early 90s. Feel free to sign up and post comments, and be sure to subscribe to the blog now so you can listen to our first podcast as soon as it’s posted. More retro goodness to come…