Category Archives: Company

Video game companies.

Salamander, ZX Spectrum

The ZX Spectrum port of Konami‘s classic arcade shooter, Salamander, was programmed by Andrew Glaister, with graphics by Stuart Ruecroft, and was first published by Imagine Software in 1988. While aspects of the game are very good, it is unfortunately a good example of an unfinished and cut-down game being rushed to market…

Continue reading Salamander, ZX Spectrum

The Cyber Shinobi, Sega Master System

Released exclusively for the Sega Master System in 1990, The Cyber Shinobi is a sequel to the first Shinobi, but it’s not really a sequel many will remember. Mostly because it isn’t very good…

Continue reading The Cyber Shinobi, Sega Master System

Bomberman Hero, Nintendo 64

Published by Hudson Soft in 1998, Bomberman Hero was the second Bomberman game released for the Nintendo 64. It is considerably different to the previous N64 Bomberman game (Bomberman 64), but is still set in a fully 3D environment.

Continue reading Bomberman Hero, Nintendo 64

Evil Dead: Hail to the King, Dreamcast

Evil Dead: Hail to the King was developed by Heavy Iron Studios and published by THQ in 2000. It is a survival horror game based on Sam Raimi‘s classic cabin-in-the-woods horror film, and – to be honest – it’s pretty bad. Which is a pity because I’m a big horror film fan (have been since I was a teenager), and this game should be right down my street.

Continue reading Evil Dead: Hail to the King, Dreamcast

Shinobi, ZX Spectrum

The ZX Spectrum version of Sega‘s classic Shinobi was developed by Binary Design for The Sales Curve and published by Virgin Games in 1989. It is a relatively loose approximation of the arcade game, but is nonetheless playable and enjoyable.

Continue reading Shinobi, ZX Spectrum

Shinobi, NES

The 1989 NES version of Sega‘s Shinobi was converted and published by Tengen, in North America only. Why the game wasn’t released in Japan, I don’t know. Maybe because Sega didn’t think it was good enough?

Continue reading Shinobi, NES

Bionic Commando, ZX Spectrum

Developed by Software Creations and published by GO! in 1988, this is the ZX Spectrum version of Capcom‘s classic arcade game, Bionic Commando. And it’s not bad, all considered.

Continue reading Bionic Commando, ZX Spectrum

Dragon’s Lair 3D, GameCube

Known as “Dragon’s Lair 3D: Return to the Lair” in North America, this fully-3D action adventure is a reimagining of Don Bluth‘s classic laserdisc arcade game, Dragon’s Lair. And it works brilliantly well. Dragon’s Lair 3D was published for the GameCube by THQ in Europe, and Encore, Inc. in North America, in 2002. It was also released for PlayStation 2, Windows and XBox.

Continue reading Dragon’s Lair 3D, GameCube

Moon Crystal, NES/Famicom

Released in Japan only for the Nintendo Famicom in 1992, Moon Crystal is a scrolling platform game in the style of Zelda II. The game was developed by Hector (aka “Hect“), and fan translations into English, Spanish, Polish and Indonesian exist, making the game understandable to players who don’t speak or read Japanese.

Continue reading Moon Crystal, NES/Famicom

Shinobi, Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 version of Sega‘s classic Shinobi was developed by The Sales Curve and first published by Virgin Games in 1989. And – while it is a decent conversion in terms of presentation and playability – it is arguably even harder than the arcade original, which can make it extremely frustrating to play at times.

Continue reading Shinobi, Commodore 64