Hi, I hope you’re having a good weekend.
Aside from a bit of time in the sun, I’ve spent it playing the new rerelease of Steel Empire & Over Horizon, which you’ll find reviewed below. I’ve also included some thoughts about the recent interview with Blaze Entertainment’s Andrew Byatt and Dominic Wheatley concerning the future of the Evercade, which we’ll kick off with below.
A quick word to anyone who has shared the newsletter so far – thank you so much!
If you haven’t, how’s this for an incentive? All subscribers go into a draw to win a digital copy of Steel Empire & Over Horizon for Nintendo Switch.
You can help friends or family win this game by getting them to subscribe!
Table of Contents
The future of Evercade is ignoring the past
A recent interview on MCV with Blaze’s Andrew Byatt and chairman Dominic Wheatley has revealed an intention to march on into 21st century platforms like the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Dominic: There will be a time, in three or four years, when the hardware will be upgraded, the chips will be a bit cheaper, and they will be able to do PlayStation 3 games and Xbox games and so you’ll march in step with with the industry as it gets older.
Andrew: We’ve got different hardware, but essentially it’s the same generation of cartridges, so whether you have the original handheld, the EXP, the new EXP-R, or the Super Pocket, it’s all completely consistent so you can play all those games. And as Dominic says, the 32-bit/64-bit era is where we top out on hardware at the moment.
But hold on a minute. Aren’t they forgetting something?
There are 1000s of games that Evercade has ignored, often in favour of “gems” that turned out to be nothing of the sort. While curated collections often feature misses over hits (something I’ve noticed going back to the US Gold Collection series), Evercade has had the chance to poll the community on some of these challenges.
New Evercade consoles for 2024
Tell me, what is the point of a Tomb Raider collection for Evercade when the games have recently just been issued on Nintendo Switch?
I’m left baffled and confused by Blaze Entertainment’s movements during 2024. Until the 8-bit and 16-bit eras have been reasonably represented on Evercade, it makes no sense to charge into the 32-bit era.
They’ve barely scratched the surface of the classic era, and that’s a problem. Because ultimately, curated collections are superficial representations of what they claim to be. It’s the ultimate mix tape, filtered through one person’s idea of what the audience will like.
I’ve seen a lot of “rage quit” posts concerning Evercade lately. I’m still undecided… but I’ve definitely got a foot out of the door.
|
Steel Empire x Over Horizon reviewed
Out from ININ Games this month is a combination pack of Over Horizon and Steel Empire, a pair of early 90s games from Hot B.
Japanese NES classic Over Horizon on Nintendo Switch
1991’s Japan-release Over Horizon (released in Germany in 1992) was a NES game, and the 8-bitness of the R-Type-esque shooter is charming and furstrating in equal measure. However, it does have an interesting feature, a ship editor. This lets you spend points on enhancements to the craft. While not unique at that point in time – other games had ship upgrade options – it’s good to have, and affects the way you approach bosses.
(Interestingly, Over Horizon was originally conceived as a shoot-em-up maker, a bit like Shoot’em Up Construction Kit.)
SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis version of Steel Empire on Nintendo Switch
My favourite of the two, however, is the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive title, Steel Empire. While the two games are apparently linked (but then so much is in Japanese pop culture) I don’t really see any particular similarities. Beyond the genre, gameplay is quite different, with Steel Empire sitting heavily astride the steampunk style. This is a faster game, with some striking design elements (such as attack windmills) and the option to switch between a feathered biplane and an airship as your craft.
Game Boy Advance version of Steel Empire
Also included in this collection is the GBA version of Steel Empire, and the Japanese language editions of both games. The Game Boy Advance adaptation of Steel Empire is a touch more refined, and more suited to the Switch’s handheld mode. All three play great on a decent sized TV, though.
Steel Empire really does just edge it for me, with a better doe of world building and more mature levelling. The lightning weapon is good too, but the reverse shooting is possibly my favourite feature, reminding me of G-Darius.
All games have a Standard and Challenge Mode, the former adding quality of life save states and rewind, the latter providing a more authentic gaming experience. Both also have tweaks for controls, gameplay, and video (that’s where you’ll find the shaders and other related display tweaks).
This compilation is available worldwide for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Check your local online stores for details.
We have one copy of this compilation to give away for Nintendo Switch. All subscribers are in with a shout, so to help your friends and family win a copy, encourage them to subscribe.
(Giveaway ends August 4th, 2024.)
Retro news you might have missed
It’s been a busy week for retro gaming. Here’s some news that didn’t make it into the midweek newsletter.
1986 Namco RPG VS. The Adventure of Valkyrie: The Legend of the Key of Time (original title: VS. Valkyrie no Bōken) is out on Nintendo Switch and PS4 thanks to the Arcade Archives.
Crank-powered LEGO dot art of Mario and Yoshi is coming on October 1st (LEGO 71438 Super Mario World Mario & Yoshi)
Retro gaming video of the week
This week, a ROM hack turns the SNES Super Mario World into Castlemania.
Nice work, Hack Games Longplay Channel!
Game Over
Thank you for reading, and for sharing. We’ve gained more new subscribers this week, and that’s mostly thanks to shares.
Please forward to your friends, or post the link on social media, so we can reach as many members of the retro community as possible.
And don’t forget, all subscribers, old and new, can win Steel Empire & Over Horizon for Nintendo Switch. Share this newsletter, encourage the recipient to subscribe, and they too could win a copy!
Until next time, take it easy…
(Sometimes, this newsletter contains affiliate link(s) that help me to cover the costs of hosting, promotion, and distribution.)
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.