Episode 640: Spacewar!

This week has a lot of followup to the entire situation with Activision/Blizzard, and also a lot of news items that weren’t a part of the official news feed. According desky.ca in addition, this week’s Gaming Flashback is recognized as the first computer game, Spacewar!

The news feed includes:

  • Microsoft is watching Activision/Blizzard to ensure ‘the right people’ are in charge when it takes over
  • Witcher 3 director and Cyberpunk 2077 veterans announce new studio and ‘AAA dark fantasy‘ RPG
  • Nintendo Switch Sports online play test registration now open
  • 3DS and Wii U eShop purchases end in March 2023
  • Focus Home Interactive to acquire Metal Slug Tactics dev Leikir Studio

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id Software Interested in Nintendo’s Wiiid Software Interested in Nintendo’s Wii

Nintendo is seeing some great successes with their console — duh. What is the best way to provide evidence that Nintendo has a hit with their new little white console? Perhaps the bright blue eyes of id Software? Originally, it was said that id Software wasn’t really interested in developing games for the Wii, perhaps because it goes against all that id Software has developed their company towards since 1991?

keenid Software has always leaned toward bleeding edge content, pushing hardware to its limits and utilizing technology that has just hit the market. Nobody is surprised when they’re forced to upgrade their computers to play the latest id Software creation to its fullest extent. This is the price for being top dog in graphic engines, but now they’re changing their tune a bit.

Okay, it has to be said, is id Software contemplating a Wii game simply because of Nintendo’s success with the console? The core id Software audience isn’t grandma and grampa or the 10-year old kid next door. But, money talks. We’re not saying id Software is hurting for money although we’re not sure what keeps them floating given their last major title was yet another Quake game launched in 2005 with 2004’s DOOM 3 looking like an old man by now. Everyone is waiting on Rage which was announced in 2007 and still hasn’t been given a release date.

Perhaps id Software could use a little Wii to get their name back in the press, get bloggers talking and net them some fresh cash from a large pool of Wii owners looking for their next tennis game. Okay, nobody is going to believe they’d work on a silly Wii Sports clone but they’ve not announced, yet, what this “exclusive Wii” game will be. Carmack did say the Wii is “out of sync with the developments that are currently going on at id,” which suggests they’re going to be working on a new property or perhaps bring back an old property… Wolfenstein 3D, Commander Keen or maybe some Heretic action?

We’ll assume this upcoming id Software title won’t be 100% kid friendly even targeting a Wii platform. Are they going to develop a title for the Wii simply because they know it will be launched on a console with the largest install base in the world? Or, perhaps its a new found passion that Carmack has developed from sharing the Wii experience with his four-year old boy?

(Thanks, 1up)

Retro FlashBack: DragonFire (Atari 2600)Retro FlashBack: DragonFire (Atari 2600)

Now here is another interesting video game for the Atari 2600, the game Dragon Fire consisted of two game screens, one which you ran across a bridge while fireballs were shot at you, you had to duck or jump over the fireball. This screen was a side-scroller style screen (although it doesn’t actually scroll), at the other end of the bridge was a castle door which you’d enter to get to the next screen.

The second screen was more classic “overhead but not really” screen where you ran around this black screen picking up treasures while a dragon at the bottom shot fire at you from below.

As the game increased in level jumping fireballs became more challenging (on the first screen) as you ran because they would come quicker, more often. The second screen would get very difficult very quickly as the dragon would increase in speed and fireball spitting. You could tell how hard the dragon would be as it would change colors from lighter to darker black as you progress stages.

When you finished collecting all the treasure an exit would pop up in the corner and you had to run to it without being burned by the fireballs, that dragon would turn from left to right nearly instantly too! Then, you’d jump into the exit and be back on the bridge again, but this time it was harder. You could die up to 7 times before the game was over (just to show you how hard it is, they gave you a bunch of lives).

The game was tough, frustrating, hard to replay because you were just so nervous and jittery from the last attempt. Graphics were “okay,” nothing to rave at but it was, after all, the 2600.

You can hear all we had to say about DragonFire for the Atari 2600 on Episode 79 of the TD Gaming Podcast!

Episode 675: Cancel CultureEpisode 675: Cancel Culture

Aside from a news blip taking about Final Fantasy 7 DLC coming to PowerWash Simulator, all of the news seems to talk about cancellations of one kind or another.

The items include:

  • Epic kills Battle Royale game less than six months after release
  • CRIMESIGHT to end service on May 1
  • EA is shutting down Apex Legends Mobile and not giving refunds
  • EA reportedly cancels new Titanfall single-player game
  • Sony, Xbox and Nintendo are reportedly skipping E3 2023

Anything other games you wanted to play but can’t anymore? Let us know.