NES Works Gaiden #037: Zippy Race / Super Arabian / Front Line

NES Works Gaiden #037: Zippy Race / Super Arabian / Front Line

Author: Jeremy Parish April 30, 2022 Duration: 13:06
OK, this week we have the ACTUAL debut of Irem on Famicom, but it's hard to say TOSE's take on Zippy Race makes for a splashier debut than 10-Yard Fight would have. At least 10-Yard Fight had the benefit of not having been shown up by a conversion of the same game to technically inferior hardware more than a year earlier. TOSE also helps a second publisher make its debut here with Sunsoft's first Famicom release: A similarly underwhelming arcade-to-console conversion of the game Arabian. If you love Ice Climber's jump physics (spoilers: you don't), you'll love Super Arabian (spoilers: you won't). Finally, wrapping up the episode, we have another arcade port from Taito. Front Line more or less invented a genre, but does that mean this version has any value besides its place in history? (Spoilers: it doesn't.) Yes, it's dark times for Famicom.

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Jeremy Parish's Video Works by Jeremy Parish is a curated collection of his long-running projects diving deep into the history and design of classic video games. Rather than a single focused series, this podcast serves as an archive and hub for several distinct endeavors. You'll find episodes from Game Boy World, which meticulously documents every pre-Game Boy Advance handheld title in chronological order, offering a unique historical perspective. Another strand explores the interconnected world of "Metroidvania" games, analyzing the design principles that define this beloved subgenre. The Anatomy of Games segments provide thorough, thoughtful critiques of classic game design, breaking down what makes these titles endure. Each episode, whether originally audio or adapted from video content, carries Parish's knowledgeable and considered commentary. This podcast is for anyone with an appreciation for gaming's foundations, presented not as dry history but as an engaging exploration of the artistry and innovation that shaped the medium. Tune in for a consistently insightful look at the pixels and philosophies behind the games you might have played-or always meant to.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Video Works by Jeremy Parish
Podcast Episodes
Segaiden #27: Graphic Tablet / Wonder Boy / Champion Billiards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:55
The penultimate set of SG-1000 games arrives as the system does its best to remain current and competitive in the medium's changing landscape with technology built around the expectations of an earlier generation of game…
Segaiden #26: Ninja Princess / Super Tank / Champion Kendou [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:05
A brief break in the SG-1000's strong run of final releases with a set of titles that will remind you of the not-so-good ol' days when the console's library was generally pretty rough. This trio earns most of its points…
Segaiden #25: C-So! / The Castle / Gulkave [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:14
The SG-1000 didn't have much going on during 1986, with Sega's attention focused primarily on the shiny new Mark III console, but what little did make its way to the older console was pretty strong. After an indifferent…
NES Works Gaiden #31: Chack'n Pop / Dig Dug / Flappy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:43
A real sense of deja vu this week as we look at three games that have all appeared on this channel in other versions. I would like to say that these iterations are all the superior works, but Mom taught me not to be a li…
Segaiden #024: Mark III / Hang On / Teddy Boy Blues [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:56
Continuing on from last week, we go from Hang On II to just plain ol' Hang On. But this in no way feels like a downgrade; quite the contrary. With Hang On (and Teddy Boy Blues), Sega brings its home hardware into line wi…
Segaiden #023: Hang On II / Bomb Jack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:26
This week bring us the first of a two-part episode—or should that be "the second"? Sega's imprecise SG-1000 launch date documentation makes it difficult to know if Hang On II did in fact debut before or after Hang On (no…
NES Works #086: Legendary Wings / Xevious / Galaga [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:10
This week is a bit of an ouroboros: While the primary feature here is Capcom's Legendary Wings, this episode also touches on the NES release of Xevious, the game that very clearly inspired Legendary Wings (not to mention…
Segaiden #021: Rock'n Bolt / Elevator Action / Soukoban [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:30
A bit of an emphasis on day jobs this episode, but fortunately one of these games offers more than mere workmanlike effort. Activision's Rock'n Bolt stands out this week as one of the SG-1000's most appealing puzzlers—ce…