Apple Arcade launches ahead of Google Stadia

Apple Arcade is coming to macOS, iOS, iPadOS and tvOS beginning on iOS 13 devices 19th September in 150 countries.

The Cupertino-based company's new offering is akin to Xbox Game Pass and is not a direct competitor to Google Stadia launching in November. Incidentally, I recently upgraded to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (with an extra 12-months free), for Gears 5 early access, so cancelled my Stadia Founder's Edition pre-order.

Apple has signed deals with third-party developers including Lego, Konami and Sega. The fine folks at Sega contacted me to announce ChuChu Rocket Universe. ChuChu Rocket was originally released for the Dreamcast, twenty years ago, and was a free mail-away:

"20 years after ChuChu Rocket! invaded the Dreamcast and became the very first online multiplayer experience, the ChuChus are back in a brand-new episode. The storyline is new, but the objective for players remains the same: help all the ChuChus escape by placing directional arrows that lead them to their space rocket. In multiplayer, the objective for players is to help more ChuChus escape than their competitors. Using very creative methods to win is absolutely compulsory.

ChuChu Rocket! Universe will be available exclusively on Apple Arcade."

Confirmed titles for Apple Arcade include:

Atone: Heart of the Elder Tree
Ballistic Baseball
Beyond a Steel Sky
Cardpocalypse
ChuChu Rocket Universe
Doomsday Vault
Down in Bermuda
Enter the Construct
Exit the Gungeon
Frogger in Toy Town
HitchHiker
Hot Lava
Kings of the Castle
Lego Arthouse
Lego Brawls
Lifelike
Monomals
Mr. Turtle
No Way Home
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm
Overland
Pac-Man Party Royale
Projection: First Light
Rayman Mini
Repair
Shayonara Wild Hearts
Shantae and the Seven Sirens
Shinsekai: Into the Depths
Skate City
Sneaky Sasquatch
Sonic Racing
Spidersaurs
Steven Universe: Unleash the Light
Super Impossible Road
The Bradwell Conspiracy
The Enchanted World
The Pathless
UFO on Tape: First Contact
Various Daylife
Where Cards Fall
Winding Worlds
Yaga

Apple Arcade will cost £4.99/$4.99 per month with a free 1-month trial for new members.

Will you be subscribing? Were you hoping for the AAA titles available on Stadia? Let me know in the comments below.

Konami brings PC Engine mini to E3

Konami is joining Nintendo, Sony and Sega by announcing its own range of official mini consoles at E3.

The PC Engine Core Grafx mini, the PC Engine mini and the TurboGrafx-16 mini will be released in three different regions to mark the 30th anniversary of the TurboGrafx-16's launch in the US coinciding with the Sega Genesis.



Confirmed games so far include:

R-Type
New Adventure Island
Ninja Spirit
Ys Book I & II
Dungeon Explorer
Alien Crush

Simultaneous five-player gaming with multitap (sold separately) for compatible titles. The Japanese version will include Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, a regional exclusive which was only available on CD-ROM. Let's hope Konami makes it available for all regions.

The PC Engine was an expensive import back in 1988 and I would leaf through the pages of The Games Machine and drool at the prospect of playing a near-perfect port of arcade classic R-Type. I was given the choice of a PC Engine or Sony Discman as a reward for successfully getting into college that summer. I decided on the latter which included 5 free music CDs.

Are you excited about the PC Engine mini (affiliate link)? Let me know in the comments below.

Netflix's Castlevania is in the vein of Game of Thrones

Without fanfare, Netflix has announced it's releasing a new series based on Konami's Castlevania videogame franchise.

The animated series, an adaptation of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, will be in the vein of HBO's Game of Thrones and is initially four 30-minute episodes centering around "the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepe himself.”

"This is very much Castlevania done in the vein of Game of Thrones," co-producer Adi Shankar told IGN, adding: "[The series is] going to be R-rated as f***. [It’s going to be] America’s first animated series for adults."

Castlevania will join stablemates Trollhunters and Voltron: Legendary Defender as Netflix positions itself as an animation powerhouse.

Expect the Castlevania series to debut later in 2017.

Which classic videogame franchises would you like to see adapted as an animated or live-action series? The Legend of Zelda has a rich mythology and Link, along with Simon Belmont, appeared on television screens as part of Captain N: The Game Master in 1989. Let me know in the comments below.

X-Men arrive on the App Store

Konami has unleashed arcade classic X-Men (iTunes) onto the App Store. Uncannily timed to coincide with X-Men: First Class.

This is a Universal application and unreservedly recommended for fans of the X-Men. Downloaded the PSN version a few months ago and maybe tempted to double-dip.

FIFA 09 wins without WAGs!

Late last night I removed the shrink wrap from FIFA 09 (PS3) and loaded the Blu-ray disc with a mixture of excitement and trepidation! The last time I bought a copy of FIFA was during the heyday of the Sega Mega Drive in the 1990s! Would FIFA 09 rekindle a long lost love and steal me away from Konami's upstart Pro Evolution Soccer (PES)?

FIFA 09 is closer than ever to the pick-up-and-play prowess of PES, without detracting from the franchise's trademark realism, and looks even more attractive. Premier League players move and act like their real-life counterparts. However, lower league players look like zombies leftover from Capcom's Resident Evil franchise!

The online component of FIFA 09 has been bolstered by the addition of adidas Live Season. adidas Live Season, an optional premium service, is activated once you've linked your Playstation Network (PSN) gamer profile with an EA Master Account, which can be set-up directly from within FIFA 09! You are entitled to free updates, for the league of your choice, using an exclusive redemption code found on the back of the manual. Naturally, I've chosen Barclays Premier League in order to follow the fortunes of my beloved Manchester United. Should you wish to subscribe to all supported leagues, additional charges will apply.

Even without WAGs, FIFA 09 is an irresistible football video game package that's almost impossible to beat! I'm looking forward to another friendly between Exeter City FC and Manchester United at St James Park, Exeter!

Dualshock®3

DUALSHOCK®3 WIRELESS CONTROLLER WITH RUMBLE FEATURE TO BE INTRODUCED FOR PLAYSTATION®3

Tokyo, September 20, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it would release DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller, a new controller for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) incorporating a rumble feature, in Japan in November as a separately sold accessory. It inherits the basic design and functionality of the popular PlayStation® controller, while keeping the high-precision, high response motion sensitive six-axis sensing system. Introduction to North American and European markets is expected in spring 2008.

The added rumble feature, combined with the highly realistic motion sensitive six-axis sensing system, takes gamers deeper into the world of interactivity, delivering a more intuitive, realistic and immersive game play experience. The new controller will also benefit PS3 content creators, by giving them the ability to further expand their creative imagination. PS3 titles that are already in the market may become compatible with the rumble feature through software update.

With DUALSHOCK 3 and the attractive lineup of PS3 titles incorporating the rumble feature, SCEI will introduce more new ways of enjoyment that can only be found on PS3, and will further redefine the world of entertainment.

LIST OF PLAYSTATION®3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK®3 IN JAPAN

As of September 20th, 2007

(in alphabetical order of company name)

Title Name Developer/Publisher

Vampire Rain -Altered Species AQ INTERACTIVE Inc.

BIOHAZARD® 5 CAPCOM CO.,LTD.

Devil May Cry® 4 CAPCOM CO.,LTD.

Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER Inc.

Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K.

FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K.

BUMPY TROT2 IREM SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INC.

Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI Co., Ltd.

Fatal Inertia KOEI Co., Ltd.

GI JOCKEY 4 2007 KOEI Co., Ltd.

METAL GEAR ONLINE Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

IMABIKISOU SEGA CORPORATION

Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment

Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment

Resistance: Fall of Men (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment

Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

LIST OF PLAYSTATION®3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK®3 IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE *2

As of September 20th, 2007

(in alphabetical order of company name)

Title Name Developer/Publisher

The Darkness 2K Games

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Activision

Soldier of Fortune Activision

BIOHAZARD® 5 CAPCOM

Devil May Cry® 4 CAPCOM

N-Cube Creat Studios

Warbit Creat Studios

Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER

Turok Disney Interactive

Highlander Eidos

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Eidos

Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS

FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS

Legendary: The Box Gamecock

To End All Wars Ghostlight

RAGE id Software

WarDevil – Unleash the Beast Within Ignition Entertainment

Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI

Fatal Inertia KOEI

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami

Blacksite: Area 51 Midway

TNA Wrestling Midway

Unreal Tournament 3 Midway

Wheelman Midway

Cops (codename, title name TBD) Pyro

Planet One (codename, title name TBD) Pyro

Heroes over Europe Red Mile Entertainment

Condemned 2 SEGA

Iron Man SEGA

The Club SEGA

The Crucible SEGA

The Incredible Hulk SEGA

Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment

Elefunk Sony Computer Entertainment

Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

High Velocity Bowling Sony Computer Entertainment

MLB 08: The Show Sony Computer Entertainment

MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

NBA 08 (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

PAIN Sony Computer Entertainment

Rat Race Sony Computer Entertainment

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment

Resistance: Fall of Man (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Snakeball Sony Computer Entertainment

SOCOM: Confrontation Sony Computer Entertainment

Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment

Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

WipEout HD Sony Computer Entertainment

GirpShift® Sony Online Entertainment

NBA 2K8 Take Two Sports

Destroy All Humans 3 THQ

Stuntman Ignition THQ

Assassin’s Creed UbiSoft

BEOWULF UbiSoft

HAZE UbiSoft

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (*1) UbiSoft

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (*1) UbiSoft

Prototype Vivendi Games

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Vivendi Games

*1　 Users will be able to enjoy the rumble feature through software update.

*2　Actual titles to be released may vary among countries and regions.

Touched by the Hand of God

The innovative Nintendo DS is garnering press acclaim and Konami's Castlevania DS (working title), the sequel to Aria of Sorrow, has closed the deal for me! My GBA was bought primarily to play Circle of the Moon, Aria of Sorrow and Harmony of Dissonance. The DS iteration promises a (stylus-driven) rich gameplay experience.



Further PSP musings. Japanese consumers are complaining of 'stuck button syndrome' and are returning machines. Could this be a quality control issue or inherent design flaw?

Joy To The World

Last evening I attended a private party at The Lord Haldon Hotel. Longtime business friends, of Dad's, kindly invited us. The genial atmosphere and high quality seasonal delicacies afforded a memorable holiday experience.

In the mid '80s when not playing scrolling shooters such as Konami's Nemesis, text-based adventures where a staple of my after-school activities. The Hobbit (1983) introduced me to the genre albeit in a bug-ridden fashion. However, Magnetic Scrolls cemented their referential status with the introduction of an Infocom-beating parser. Between 1985 and 1991 Magnetic Scrolls produced 7 titles for both 8 and 16-bit platforms. I vividly recall The Pawn's luxurious packaging, synonymous with Rainbird releases, and enviously eyeing the superlative Atari ST screenshots (by Geoff Quilley). Mac Users wishing to revisit or, indeed, become acquainted with gaming history should download and support magnetiX.



Apple released Mac OS X 10.3.7. The final Panther update for 2004 adds further polish, but Safari 1.3 has yet to materialize!

Scream

With Halloween only a few weeks away, my pixel-pushing friends over at The Iconfactory have unleashed their ghoulish GUI goodness in the dark n' dank form of Web Attic!

Really looking forward to a late night screening of Michael Jackson's Ghosts and Thriller on the 31st.

In the meantime and in keeping with the Halloween theme. Whilst I'm still suffering post console sale withdrawal, here's the in-game logo taken from Super Castlevania IV (released on the Super NES, 1991).



Holiday season 1992 I hooked the newly unwrapped PAL Super NES to my home AV system (pre multi-channel) and was startled by the quality of the Castlevania IV soundtrack! Sonic detail was in abundance (a maximum of 8-channels were available to sound designers) with excellent 2-channel separation. A peerless platformer (it featured dancing specters Paula Abghoul and Fred Ascare), which still endures to this day. If you're so inclined, I'd recommend hunting down the original 'uncensored' Japanese Super Famicom cartridge entitled Akumajou Dracula (Demon Castle Dracula) - blood and nudity - all the trappings of the vampire genre.

Konami's Castlevania series, one of my favourite video game franchises, rarely disappoints and I've followed the Belmont family cross-platform (no pun intended) from MSX to Arcade and Genesis to GBA.

Desktop Arcade

The Atari® Flashback™ Classic Game Console has been announced for the holiday season. My earliest memory of owning a games console was the Atari VCS 2600 (introduced in 1977 and distributed in the UK by Ingersoll Electronics). It was an unwanted holiday gift for a cousin. So, my Uncle graciously gave it to me on my Birthday (mint in box)! This was alongside Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter, which has a connection other than purely nostalgia!

After only a few minutes playing Space Invaders, Frogger and The Empire Strikes Back (you see there was a connection) I was hooked! For the next two decades I owned a Spectrum 48K, Commodore 64, Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) and Dreamcast, Atari Lynx, SNES and N64, PSOne and PStwo, and XBOX.



The thread that binded these machines together was the relentless pursuit to acquire games that were arcade perfect. Sega's Mega Drive produced an excellent conversion of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. Yet this was a flawed premise in that a conversion, by definition, is anything but (not to diminish the fun that was had). However, the Dreamcast console was based on the NAOMI (New Arcade Operation Machine Idea) PCB that powered Sega’s coin-ops, which culminated in near-definitive releases Crazy Taxi and Dead or Alive 2.



The first time I heard about MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) was from a former coworker (2001). MAME was started in 1996 by Nicola Salmoria as a means of archiving, and by extension preserving, arcade games that would otherwise disappear forever. For example Star Trek (1983), which is a very rare Sega vector game featuring the voices of the principal cast. Also it allows gamers to experience titles that they may never have otherwise played such as the Japanese-only Gaiapolis, replete with gorgeous graphics, and quirky horizontal shooter Parodius and its sequels, both from Konami.



Unlike music or film, arcade hardware is expensive and therefore it’s commercially prohibitive to continue production runs over an extended period of time. As a pleasant side effect, one can play game ROMs (dumped from arcade Printed Circuit Boards using an EPROM reader) under software emulation! The notion of playing the original Gauntlet, After Burner II, Out Run and many others was mouthwatering!



In what can only be described as an act of serendipity, earlier this year I wrote a review of Jedi Academy (for Inside Mac Games) and discovered that Aspyr programmer, and fellow Star Wars fan, Brad Oliver was the author of MacMAME! Subsequently, I downloaded 0.77u2a and my ROM searching odyssey began in earnest.



With the release of 0.87, MacMAME has been extensively rewritten and further optimized to be a better Mac OS X citizen. Sporting many enhancements including preliminary support for Sega's Model 1 PCB (i.e seminal releases Virtua Fighter and Star Wars Arcade) and the removal of legacy code. This release requires Mac OS X 10.2 (or higher).



It is worth noting that the legal ownership of ROM images (for the purpose of backup) may be contingent on possessing the original arcade game. However, it is not clear if it is legal for an individual to have ROM images (even if not for profit) for a game they don't own. Please read legal implications on MAME rom usage from Northwestern University Law School before downloading any roms to ensure legal compliance. Do not ask me how ROMs can be obtained. Some ROM images, such as Atari's, are available for legal purchase here.