Well, once again, today is my birthday. Although I’m the one hitting the big 3 to tha 0, you’re the one getting the present, just like we do every year. So click below, and get a quadruple dose of $20 GOTW/Lost Classics goodness.
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You may remember a little known PC game by the name of Battle Chess. When you went to capture your opponent’s pieces, the game showed a battle animation. Sadly, you couldn’t control it, but it was fun to watch. What if you could control the battle however? For one thing, your queen would never be taken out some pawn of knight. Several years ago, there was a game with such a concept, Archon. Designed by Paul Reiche III and Jon Freeman (with the programming being done by Freeman’s wife Anne Westfall), Archon had a similar look to chess, although there were several dynamics in play that made it different. First of all, each piece has its own set of powers to use. When two rival pieces entered the same square, they engaged each other in combat, and players could control both pieces. Also, depending on what color the square was, one piece could gain an advantage over the other. While the game received a few sequels and remakes, it’s this 2010 remake that stands out. Archon Classic adds a number of new options. Power-ups during battle, new animated pieces, a campaign mode, new maps, and pieces that level-up during the game are but a few of the new additions. Best of all, you can turn off any of the new additions as you wish and play with classic graphics, the new updated look, or somewhere in-between. Up to four players can play against each other. Unfortunately, there is no true online multiplayer besides hot-seat play. Even so, Archon Classic gives gamers a new way (and new incentive) to experience this classic game, especially for its price.

After Starcraft, Total Annihilation is perhaps one of the greatest old-school RTS games ever. Although there isn’t much of a plot (something about two armies fighting over weather or not to transfer human consciousness to machines), the strategy options that the game gave players were unprecedented compared to other RTS games around that time. The game is considered a spiritual predecessor to Gas Powered Game’s Supreme Commander (lead designer Chris Taylor developed both games). There is no resource gathering, as the two resources you need (metal and energy) stream into your reserves at a fixed rate, and battles can consist of over 1000 units on the field, which was unheard of at it’s time. The game also featured a rudimentary physics system for explosions, projectiles, and wreckage. Various patches and utilities have been constructed by both developer Cavedog and the fan community, adding new units, races, maps, and other features.

If you’re a fan of the genre, you owe it to yourself to check out this lost classic. The game, along with its two expansions Core Contingency and Battle Tactics are both available on GOG.com.

The original Elevator Action was nice, but it got pretty monotonous. Taito decided to create a sequel which has about as much in common with its predecessor as Final Fantasy 7 does with Final Fantasy 6. Eschewing the first game’s light-puzzle gameplay in favor of a action shoot-em-up, EA2 adds a plot and additional characters, things that the first game didn’t have. EA2 has players taking control of one of three secret agents as they battle a terrorist organization. The first level is a remake of the apartment complex in the original game, but afterward you’ll travel across a variety of different levels. The graphics are crisp, the controls are smooth, and most importantly, it has VARIETY, something the original game sorely lacked.

Note: This game is available on PS2 and PC as part of the Taito Legends 2 compilation.

While this week’s Lost Classic may not be as quirky or unique as this week’s $20GOTW (or should that be FGOTW), it’s still worth its place among the shooter genre’s classics, even if there are a couple of huge flaws. Besides, R-Type is part of the holy trinity of horizontal side-scrolling shooters (its other two members include Konami’s Gradius and Taito’s Darius), so this game deserves a mention.
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First of all, I want to apologize, as I know I promised this last weekend, but I was too busy. Besides, Christmas isn’t the only holiday for beat downs you know. Get together with the guys on New Years Eve, and next thing you know, someone hits the eggnog a little too hard, and then next thing you know, this happens:

Based on the popular British platformer series of the same name, The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy is one of those games where it’s difficult to place in one genre. Playing as the title character, a walking, talking egg who is a member of the Yolkfolk, you set out to stop the evil wizard Zaks, who has kidnapped your girlfriend Daisy and cast spells upon your fellow Yolkfolk. At first glance, it appears to be yet another me-too platforming collect-a-thon. However, the game instantly becomes much more, as you seek out items to progress and help the various NPCs., not unlike an adventure game You’ll even come across a few minigames on your quest. There were a few issues with the game, not the least of which is the the lack of a save system (on the NES at least), and game-killing bugs that get players stuck in a place and have to reset the game. Even so, Dizzy was a fun mashup of platforming, puzzle, and adventure gaming. Maybe one day, we can see a current-gen console update. Until then, this cartridge is a rare find,

Now that the Thanksgiving turkey is digested, and your Black Friday shopping is finished, it’s time for a special 3-in-one edition of $20 GOTW, Lost Classics, and Maximum Letdown! Our first two games on the list are available either at or below the $20 mark anywhere you buy video games, so you don’t need to wait until after any holiday, camp out in front of the store, stand in line at Best Buy, or fight through the parking lot to cash in on these savings. The third game, not so much, but it’s a Maximum Letdown, so chances are, you aren’t gonna want it anyway. Anyway, click below and lets get started!
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