Media Blitz
The future is
now and you
just stepped in it.
Spectrum
Holobyte's
Virtuality arcade
unit (right) is a
free-standing
real-time virtual
reality experi
ence that blows
away all pre-
tenders. While
the graphics lock
the intricate
detail of some
home games,
the wrap-around
sensation of
active per
spective and
the response
between move-
ment and vision
will have you
believing your
"Pterodactyl
Nightmare" is
all too real.
CD-ROM units,
like the Sega/
Genesis model
(below) allow
players to inter-
act with a game
that looks mere
like a real movie
and less like a
chintzy cartoon.
ideo games turned sixteen in 1992.
What began in a few pizza joints as two
lines and a bip on a black and white TV as
Pong has grown into a mesmerizing display
rivaling big screen action movies. The most
important decision for today's recession-era
player is deciding which system and game
cartridges to invest in. Our tech systems
editor Bad Brad goes down on the lowdown
Today's home video game systems are
dominated by 16-bit games like Super
Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Number of
bits refers to how much information the unit
can process. The higher the number, the
better the gameplay and graphics. The old
Nintendo is an 8-bit game, and its days are
definitely numbered. Inferior graphics, action
and cost of the old Nintendo have sent it to
video graveyard.
Since Sega released Genesis in 1989, it
has controlled the 16-bit scene with rich
graphics, quick response and inventive
games. The unit itself was striking: a
streamlined black case with arc-shaped
controllers, like something from Porsche's
design studios. The system came bundled
with Sonic the Hedgehog, a game that
threatened to be too cute like the original
Mario Brothers by Nintendo. It wasn't. Sonic
had attitude. It had graphics that employed
three-dimensional shading, multiple-layered
backgrounds and full-range animation. The
qualities of the cart (cartridge) that provided
most gamers with their first Genesis experi-
ence have proven to be the basis for the
Successful philosophy of Sega.
Even though Nintendo waited to learn
from Sega's experience with a 16-bit model,
it has encountered resistance from the mil-
lions of established B-bit Nintendo users
who felt abandoned by the new system.
Nintendo assured them they would not be
forgotten, but it was inevitable.
Nintendo intended no malice, but technol-
ogy marches on and its 8-bit users are now
the victims of the 16-bit revolution.
The Super Nintendo system edges out
Genesis in nearly all the
technical cate-
gories, but
comes up
short in
terms of the
quality of
games available.
Both 16-bit systems
have so many dif-
ferent carts in every
major category
that the average
user will probably never
SECATING
see them all, but the Sega
games try harder. Per
Everyone's Guide
to Video Game
Hardware
haps this is to make up for the
few hardware shortcomings,
but, just as Sonic makes 16-bit
Mario look pale, Sega games
are generally more fun than
Super Nintendo. But that could
change in 1993
The television playground
business can turn on a
dime, and the future seems
even broader with major
carts for the SNES like
Lucas Film's Super Star
Wars (based on the orig-
inal Star Wars movie
which shares its birth.
year with videogames.
1976), and Capcom's
Street Fighter II (based
on the company's run-
away arcade monstros-
ity of the same name).
The Nintendo com-
pany has long dominat-
ed the portable game
arena with Game-
boy, introduced in
1989. The game
comos fitted with
Tetris, the amaz-
ingly popular and
addictive Russian
video puzzle. Unfortu-
nately, it also comes with a primitive mono-
chrome monitor destined for impending
extinction. Maybe Nintendo can figure out
an upgrade policy to avoid the 8- to 16-bit
fiasco. It is unlikely Gameboy will survive
1993, despite the solid quantity and quality
of carts available. Especially in light of the
competition.
Sega, NEC and Atari all have excellent
handheld color units, provide supreme
game action and double as pocket televi-
sion receivers with an inexpensive adapter.
Sega Game Gear is the hoir-apparent to the
portable game crown with the many big
titles it shares with its senior sibling. The
NEC TurboGrafx 16 can actually share its
home version's game carts (what few there
are), but the company's portable video
game is probably the best current hardware,
with an unsurpassed image quality that rep
resents no compromises. The Atari Lynx
has an incredibly loyal following. Without a
home version to promote it, this system has
survived, and even thrived. The gameplay is
good, the relatively few titles are creative,
and the future looks bright with Jaguar
home unit poised to pounce.
A slice of the future is available in SNK's
Neo-Geo 32-bit game system. Needless to
say, the graphics are incredible. Unfortu-
CYBER
nately, so is the price.
But with few game developers risking the
system and a lot of lawyers and doctors
buying it, the real future for Neo-Geo is in a
drastic price reduction and rental carts.
SF
The recent Consumer Electronics Show in
gave a sneak peek at the next 32-bit
machine, a modified NEC TurboGrafx unit
expected to premier in 1993. This should
accelerate the game and the competition.
Another glimpse of that future can be had
on home computers like the Macintosh and
IBM PC-compatibles. While there are not an
abundance of great game titles available.
the ones that are out there are spectacular
and foreshadow game systems of tomorrow
with their powerful processing power. On
the Mac, the fluid 3D battle action of Spectre
by Velocity allows the player a sampling of
the sensations of virtual reality. Spectrum
Holobyte's Falcon 3.0 on the PC is the
most realistic flight simulator available short
of joining the Air Force. -Brad Dosland
COMING NEXT MONTH
Now that you're ready, we'll tell you what
games are hot and what games, quite
frankly, are not. Also, look for the colossal
cartridge giveaway contest, where readers
can win free game carts for performing
inane stunts.
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22 THRASHER