Ho ho......Big Earl?

Ah the Christmas season. The presents, the merriment, the building of a spaceship to get back home. Now you may say "hey man...Christmas doesn't include a spaceship!". If you know what I'm refferring to then you can laughingly agree with me. For those of you completely in the dark, I'm talking about the classic game 'Toejam and Earl' from the ye olde days of Sega Genesis. This gem was released back in 1991 and instantly became a game that carved out it's own place in my heart. In this game you play as Toejam and/or Earl, who have crash landed on earth and are trying to get back home to planet Funkotron. In order to do that you need to wander around earth and reassemble the broken parts of your ship which are scattered across the terrain of certain levels. The levels are set up in a ladder style system but there is a small catch, you can both ascend and descend the levels at will. In order to progress you need to find the elevator hidden on each level, but to go back down you simply fall off the edge and hope you land on something solid. Now for the part you started reading this for. As you traverse these crazy levels you will not be without help in some way. PRESENTS! Yes, I said presents. These presents will contain various bits and tools to help you on your journey home. There is just one tiny catch, you have to open them to know what they are. Now you may say "Duh!" at that notion, but once you open them you will always know what they are...until you open one in particular called the randomizer. Just as the name states, it takes all the presents and mixes up the contents again so you have to guess. But wait! There is another way! You can take your questionable box to the carrot man and have him identify it for you. It costs money, but in the long run you end up possibly finding the randomizer before you use it. The presents contain some amazing object, and some terrible ones. First up, the amazing ones.

Amazing presents:
Icarus wings - flight for a brief time
Inner tube - swim in water without drowning
Boombox - temporary hypnosis of enemies into dancing

Not so amazing:
Bummer - lose a life
Book - puts you to sleep leaving you vulnerable to attacks
Root beer- while gaining some health, it leaves you burping and wakes up sleeping enemies

Of course there are more, but I'm not going to give them all away. On top of getting presents, you get to sneak up on Santa to get him to drop extra presents. The presents that you get also can help you defeat the wild enemies that you come across in these levels. The enemies are as hilarious as they are menacing in this game. You get crazy characters that pop up like a cupid that hits you with an arrow that changes your D-pad directions. Or maybe you run across a nerd herd that will run you flat and leave you open to a prod from an insane, laughing dentist. From hula girls to hamsters in a ball, the foe roster is nothing short of a belly laugh. Dodging enemies, collecting your ship parts, and gathering money amount to a little bit more than just a way to beat the game. They also help you gain ranks in the game. You start as a 'Weiner' and then move up in rank, passing titles like 'Dufus' and 'Poindexter' along the way 'Funkmaster'. The increase in rank yields a longer health bar and the occasional extra life. There are many little ticks in this game that have made it a cult classic amoung people who owned a Genesis. If you haven't given this game it's fair due, then go and find it. It's now on the Wii virtual console and I'm sure you can pick it up at your local record store that buys back video games. This one has, and will always, hold a special place for me in history.

When bubbles saved the world.

Moving on to the second game in this series of reviews, we turn our attention to a classic to just about everyone. It combines all the things that a game lover wants in a game. From dragons and candy to a death whale and bubbles. I'm of course talking about BUBBLE BOBBLE! Like most early games, it was originally an arcade game released in 1986. That made me the ripe old age of 2 when I first got my little hands on it. Let me do a little scene setting for you. Two little dragonss named Bub and Bob set out on a ladder like set of levels to save their girlfriends. At their disposal is an unlimited supply of bubbles blown by the two brothers. Along with then bubbles you also get power-ups that can help, or irritate your friend, in your enemy trapping. Power-ups include: speed shoes, blue candy (long range bubbles), potions (a "bonus level" of sorts), and many many more. I must say that the speed shoes are great for stealing all of the food so the other player can't have any. Coerce a friend to play with you and let the good times roll. Now for actually playing. Navigating the levels and avoiding getting hit is the core mechanic, but you have to use them bubbles. Blowing bubbles at an enemy traps them inside until you pop them or, the crappier outcome, they get angry and bust out. When an enemy gets angry the move a great deal faster and become a big problem if you let several get angry at once. The other obstacle in your way is time. Not the "oh jeez I'm going to lose a life" kind of time, but the "HOLY CRAP THERE'S A GHOST WHALE WHO IS TRYING TO KILL ME" kind of time. If you take too long that whale appears to haunt and chase you until he ends you or you eliminate the last enemy. Some of the levels take a certain skill that is difficult to master. You may have to bubble hop to a high platform that has the last remaining enemy that would clear the level. In order to properly hop you need to jump right before you hit the top of the bubble or it will pop.This is a small sample of what is in store when you adventure with these two lovable little guys. I won't give it all away here so find this gem and START BUBBLING!

J-J-J-J-Jet Set Radio!

So here we are. I think that I should start with a game that is near and dear to my heart. While this isn't a retro classic, it is still considered a classic to me all the same.

Jet Set Radio Future. Released in 2002. System: Xbox.

Also known by Jet Grind Radio, this game is a sequel to the Dreamcast cult hit Jet Set Radio. From the crazy art style to the awesome soundtrack, this game is easily in my top ten of favorites of all time. In this quirky and escentric skating (read: inline skating) game the player is thrust into a sort of turf war with the Rokkaku Police. You start as Yo-yo who has to prove himself in order to join the GGs, a ragtag group of skaters who set out to cover Tokyo in graffiti and recover control back from the Rokkaku Police. As you venture into different areas you will find rival gangs and cover their tags with yours along with recruiting other members of various gangs along the way.

With the synopsis out of the way, here are my thoughts and gushing praises. This game is a must play for anyone who, like myself, loves unique art styles and great music. Another amazing feature of this game is the customized tags you can make. If you take the time and effort in this department you can slap your peices of art all over Tokyo and marvel at your handiwork. A big pull in venturing around and recruiting other gang members is doing to an awesome soundtrack. The songs that bellow out your speakers are super catchy and add to the sense of futuristic culture that the game is set in. You may find yourself, as I often have, humming or singing the amazing songs throughout the day. Speaking of songs and music, the game moves itself along with the help of the pirate radio DJ 'Professor K'. This excitable and hilarious DJ will chime in with what is happening on the streets and in the allies or where the Rokkakus are showing up next. Next up is the cell shaded graphics. The style and way everyhting moves is super cartoony and over the top. I love the way the colors pop out from the screen against the hustle and bustle of the city. All the members of the gangs and tags are vibrant and great to look at. In a stark contrast to the wildly colored gang members and locales are the grey suited police that try and stop the onslaught of freedom fighters around Tokyo. While the controls can be a bit janky at some points, overall it controls pretty well on the Xbox 360. I was on the hunt for this title and found it in the bargain bin because it came bundled with Sega GT 2002 and, like most titles with years stuck to them, it was a super cheap four dollars. So if you stumble across this game anywhere I would highly suggest picking it up.

Well there is one down...if you like what you read please let me know. I also will love to take requests and critiques so feel free to give me some feedback. Also catch me with some friends on the Jumponmycake podcast.

Blow on that cartridge and power on!

Good day!

I'm Rob and I love old video games. As of late I have taken up collecting old console games as hobby. My appreciation for these classics knows no bounds and I want to share my findings with anyone who considers this a "cool" collection to have. Currently I have an NES, SNES, and Genesis (with an attachment for Master System carts) and hope to add more in the future.

This blog will have reviews, recommendations, and updates on anything I may come across in my travels. Also, if anyone else has tips or would like to chime in on any game that comes up feel free to do so.

You can find me along with two good friends of mine on our (sometimes) weekly podcast at jumponmycake.tumblr.com.