Homebrew Extra - Retro Gamer 268
- andrewrfisher
- 7 days ago
- 9 min read
QUICK LINKS:
Welcome to another column, where we tried something different with certain screenshots [in the magazine] this month. The Jaguar game Jumping at Shadows was reviewed on real hardware (thanks to my friend Wayne for the GameDrive) and screenshots were taken from the screen, while our featured NES title has screenshots that simulate how it will look on a real CRT. The best way to see these titles is on the real hardware, so buy them when available!
INTERVIEW WITH TAKAYUKI KOMABAYASHI
Changeable Guardian Estique (NES) / Chouyoku Senki Estique (Famicom)
What got you interested in developing a game for Famicom?
If the good game runs on real consoles, I think it stands out well and sells a certain number. About the Famicom, I thought it wouldn't take that long to develop as Mega Drive or others.
What is your development environment?
asm6, Famistudio and more
Are you developing in machine code or a modern language like C?
Machine code.
What inspired the plot of the game?
Equites(SEGA/Alpha)
What games have inspired you?
Side Arms(Capcom), Thexder(Game Arts), Volguard II(dB-SOFT)
How did you get in touch with the other team members?
We mainly worked on Skype group chat and sometimes met in Ikebukuro or Akihabara.
Are there any special tricks or techniques you have used?
Double buffering made sprites possible to suppress flickering very well. The less slowdown is the result of the continuous implementation of light loads. (by Jemini Hirono, programmer)
The graphics are very distinctive - how were they designed?
Character design by Kodama Daigattai, original story and design -
Kodama Daigattai:
Estique
All I heard was "transforming robot" so I picked up on something I thought he (Takayuki Komabayshi) might like and designed it. Estique's head came from Thexder.
Heroine
It's a modern take on the 80's and 90's cartoon template. When the game's groove was decided upon, it was modified slightly.
Stage bosses
At first, it was roughly decided that each stage would be based on a real city on the earth, so I tried to make the design as easy to understand as possible so that each country would have its own unique characteristics.
The current design was finalized after a discussion with the director. From there, I made adjustments based on the reactions of the moving parts and field tests.
Stage Design and in-game graphics by Yamatan -
Yamatan:
The stage design was first created in rough form according to the image memo from Kodama-san, and then finalized after reflecting the opinions of the other members. Unlike in the past, the graphics tools are much more responsive, and the tablet pens are very easy to use and draw with, which is very helpful.
The soundtrack is amazing - who was involved?
Shinichi Sakamoto, Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso and sdhizumi (Sakuoki Kudo)
Are you looking forward to having a finished cartridge?
We are in additional work yet, so willing to have the finished cartridge.
Are there any Famicom homebrew games you have enjoyed recently?
Since I am a PCB collector, I mainly play arcade games in my house or go to game centers such as Akihabara Hey more than playing NES games.
Do you have any other projects in development?
Nothing. We all do it on the side.
Is there someone you would love to work with on a game project?
I think current members are the best.
What would be your dream game to develop?
Estique is the dream game to develop because there are transforming robots, girls, and many things I want in one horizontal shooting game.
PHYSICAL EDITIONS:
NEWS BYTES
AMSTRAD CPC: Save the town of Kismet, Texas in Mananuk’s Monster Mayhem. https://bit.ly/monstermayhem-cpc
Mighty Street Fighter was due to launch in December from https://amstrad-ggp.itch.io/
NOTE: Renamed Mighty Steel Fighters - https://amstrad-ggp.itch.io/mightysf
BBC MICRO: Games That Weren’t and Dave Moore helped recover the lost Mikro-Gen game Cruise Attack from 1984, inspired by Missile Command. https://bit.ly/cruiseattack-bbc
C64: Peggle fans, check out Orbix by fleischgemuese, where you must eliminate all the orange Orbz. https://bit.ly/orbix-c64
GAME BOY COLOR: Shane McCafferty (interviewed in RG264) released the follow-up to Hoonigans, a 3D racer with Out Run-style junctions called Nitro. https://thalamusdigital.itch.io/
MEGA DRIVE: old_pirate has converted Matt Hughson’s excellent puzzle game From Below. Clear lines of blocks but watch out for the octopus pushing them up from below! https://bit.ly/frombelow-md
MSX2: Cube Droid Saves The Galaxy is an excellent Soko-Ban-style game from Bits of Bas. https://bit.ly/cubedroid-msx2
NES: RetroSouls released a brilliant conversion of their puzzle platformer Old Towers. https://bit.ly/oldtowers-nes
PC: Spectrum icon Mr Hair appears in Langford Productions’ A Very Hairy Christmas. https://bit.ly/hairychristmas-pc
PLUS/4: Commodore Plus/4 Hungary is running a coding competition, for BASIC and machine code, closing on 31st March 2025. https://plus4gamedev.hu/
VECTREX: Raid Under Vectrexia by John A. Reder puts you in control of a submarine. https://bit.ly/vectrexia2
ZX SPECTRUM: Take My Hand from Sequentia Soft is a text adventure inspired by A-Ha’s classic Take On Me video. https://bit.ly/takemyhand-zx
CHAMPION CODER - BRIAN VAUGHN
(MORNINGTOAST)
[Info]
From: Columbus, Ohio in the USA
Website: https://morningtoast.itch.io/
Format: PICO-8
Previous game: Steel Hunter, Bustin’, Invader Overload
Working on: Chain of Hercules, Tiny Gunner, Mandalorian-themed game
Programming since he discovered QBasic in seventh grade, Brian is an enthusiastic PICO-8 advocate.
What got you interested in PICO-8 programming?
I started programming games back in 7th grade when I discovered QBasic on the family computer. I've used many languages and engines since then, but I've stayed with PICO-8 longer [than] any others. I think that's largely because PICO-8 fits my middle-aged lifestyle and schedule. Even if I have just 30 minutes free, I can act on an idea and get results quickly without jumping through a lot of hoops, it just works. But I'd also be lying if I didn't say the low-bit nature of PICO-8 certainly sparks some nostalgia.
How long have you been using PICO-8?
I started using PICO-8 in 2016 when I got a PocketCHIP. PICO-8 was actually the reason I bought one. I was hoping it would become what the Playdate is today with a baked-in gaming audience. Too bad it didn't turn out that way. But if the PocketCHIP did nothing other than bring me PICO-8, then it was money well spent.
Do you just use PICO-8’s built-in tools to develop, or do you use anything outside it?
The built-in tools are very handy, but I mostly use Pyxel Edit for art and VS Code. I don't typically use any post-processors or other plugins. I don't want to spend my time worrying about workarounds for PICO-8's restrictions because that's half the fun. If I didn't want to deal with the limits, I'd use another engine that doesn't have as many.
Do you enjoy taking part in game jams, and what has been your favourite?
Jams can be fun, but I've only done a handful. I need to try some more in the future. The PICO-8 1k Jams have been my favourites so far. It's amazing to see the amount of fun folks can squeeze into 1k of space.
What gives you inspiration for a PICO-8 title?
I'm always thinking about what could be turned into a game, so inspiration comes from everywhere. Sometimes it just starts as a cool title when chatting and joking with my family. Other times I'll see a game (often in Retro Gamer) with a fun mechanic or gimmick and think about how I could use it in my own original PICO-8 game. It's so much fun thinking about what could make an entertaining game, I never really stop looking for ideas.
Was it fun developing Steel Hunter?
Steel Hunter was one of those cases where I played the old Atari game "Sea Chase" and had fun but felt it could be more. So I took its core concept and added to the story with some new action. I think making "sequels" to older games is a fun way to acknowledge the past while still making a new, original game. The project was also a good reminder that sometimes you just need to make a game without worrying too much about being fancy or technical. Simple, tried & true ideas can still be a lot of fun.
What projects are you currently working on?
It's so easy to try a new idea with PICO-8 that I'm always bouncing between several projects. My most recent game is a hook-and-spin shmup with the working title "Chain of Hercules," while another is a Mandalorian-themed game where you escort baby Yoda through a maze. There's also one that has the player manning a turret to stop an onslaught of aliens while saving colonists. I try to finish at least one game per year, so we'll see which one gets far enough along to get released next.
What would be your dream project to create in PICO-8, or is there someone you would like to work with?
Shmups and bullet hells have been a lifelong love, and I haven't really made one yet, so that's high on my list. Racing/driving is also a favourite genre that I haven't tried and want to. Although not releasing one of those is not due to lack of trying. Creating action is easy...creating action that is fun is always the challenge.
As for collaborations, working with one of the many outstanding pixel artists in the scene would be a lot of fun as I'm lacking in that skill. I've also been reusing the same music for years so teaming with a musician would be a bonus. Honestly, the PICO-8 community often feels like one big collab because it's filled with great folks who love to share, help, and play. None of my games would have crossed the finish line without the support of many people I'll probably never meet. The PICO-8 scene is one I'm proud to be a part of.
DATABURST - REVIEWS
JUMPING AT SHADOWS
[Info]
Format: Atari Jaguar
Credits: Reboot (CJ, Anderlex, Roald Strauss), physical cart by AtariAge
Price: TBC
Web: https://bit.ly/jumpingatshadows (demo) / https://atariage.com (physical)
This devious puzzle platformer draws on Super Meat Boy and Celeste. The graphic style is excellent, with brilliant lighting effects such as red alert bulbs, mist, and darker sections. The robots are cutely animated - especially the large boss robot when it falls apart. The music is superb with great FX. The difficulty level is high throughout, but so satisfying when you make it through a section in this impressive Jaguar release.
[Score] 87%
ABBUC SOFTWARE COMPETITION 2024
[Info]
Format: Atari 8-bit
Credits: ABBUC and creators
Price: Downloads available to club members & elsewhere
Web: https://bit.ly/abbuc2024-thread (AtariAge) / https://abbuc.de (club)
The German Atari user group ABBUC held its annual software competition, with prize money shared amongst the eleven entries.
Special mention to flight sim F-16 Falcon Strike by Jaroslaw “Roeoender” Wosik, with its detailed controls & cutscenes earning 4th spot.
3rd went to puzzle platformer Twist of Souls, an adaptation of Fran Fox’s Ludum Dare 43 entry.
Dimo’s Underworld finished in 2nd place, with the cute character collecting sweets, solving puzzles, and avoiding monsters.
The winner was Shanti77 with the impressive Ruff in Trouble; its large scrolling levels and great graphics saw Ruff collect magic orbs to open the exit gate. Well done to all those taking part.
[Verdict] A high-quality competition with games worth checking out.
FAMIDASH
[Info]
Format: NES
Credits: Kandowontu and team
Price: Free download
Web: rhpz.org/famidash
Geometry Dash is a superb “endless runner” style game, and this NES conversion is incredibly accurate. Twelve of designer RobTop’s levels have been painstakingly recreated, with ultra-smooth pixel scrolling, an authentic palette, and fantastic chiptune adaptations of the music. An outstanding conversion that will be heading to Kickstarter for a physical release.
[Score] 90% - Retro Gamer Sizzler
PROCESSING - ROGUE-ISH 64 PREVIEW
Paul Nicholls interview:
What inspired Rogueish?
I can't recall which I saw first, but I saw Rogue64 which I thought was cool (and its successor, RogueCraft).
I also came across the Pico8 rogue-like video tutorials about building a game called Porklike by Krystian Majewski. I started following the Porklike tutorials and then built my own using similar techniques where I could.
Porklike: https://krystman.itch.io/porklike
I also was inspired by the online game (not available anymore) called Marvel Avengers Alliance that I played to death where you had an agent + 2 other Marvel Superheroes in a team you used to fight others in PvP tournaments, and PvE in campaign story mode. That game was the GOAT! I was addicted to it, pity it shut down back on September 30, 2016 :(
In this game, you have status effects buffs/debuffs like healing, burning, poisoned, biofeedback, etc. which I included in my rogue-like as I loved that sort of thing...
What is your development environment?
1. Microsoft Windows 10.
2. I am using my own IDE and Pascal cross-compiler (Pas6502) written using Embarcadero Delphi Community Edition to build the game.
3. I also use Charpad/Spritepad professional editions.
4. I use Visual Studio:Code for non-Pascal Assembly coding.
5. I also use Kick Assembler for all my 6502-based coding. https://theweb.dk/KickAssembler/
Is there anything unusual or new you have added to the game?
As I mentioned above, the status effects are the main unusual/new stuff I've added.
What needs to be done on the game to finish it?
Reduce memory usage so I can add in a title screen tune (would be nice).
Maybe have an ending, there isn't one yet....have a final tower level you have to get to, unsure yet.
How will you be publishing it - digital or physical?
Digitally first. Physical would be a big plus/bonus :)
Are you working on any other projects?
I would still like to get back to my other projects: Monster Match, Hexed, and miniMIKE and get those out the door!!
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