Jess Ragan
@mneko.bsky.social
Game fan, and game designer! Check out my latest release, Operation Hibernation for retro game consoles, on arugulaz.itch.io!
If KOF 2002 UM has any significant flaws, it's that the MAX2 super moves are annoyingly timing dependent in some cases. Ralf's Galactica Vanguard is near impossible to land cleanly enough to get the "Mighty Blow" achievement. This blows, mightily.
December 1, 2025 at 9:53 AM
If KOF 2002 UM has any significant flaws, it's that the MAX2 super moves are annoyingly timing dependent in some cases. Ralf's Galactica Vanguard is near impossible to land cleanly enough to get the "Mighty Blow" achievement. This blows, mightily.
And people have tried to imitate the work of Moto Kikaku, with limited success. I know Cannon Dancer has its fans, but the world doesn't hold together as well as Strider's. Assassin on the Amiga is a few steps below that, and the less said about the Western Strider II, the better.
December 1, 2025 at 1:18 AM
And people have tried to imitate the work of Moto Kikaku, with limited success. I know Cannon Dancer has its fans, but the world doesn't hold together as well as Strider's. Assassin on the Amiga is a few steps below that, and the less said about the Western Strider II, the better.
I'd say Strider was pretty close to that ideal of creating a perfect game atmosphere. Strider has a strong, confident artistic design. Its hero, a futuristic ninja with a light sword, is arguably the coolest in the history of video games. Even his pets, robot hawks and saber-tooth cats, are awesome.
December 1, 2025 at 1:10 AM
I'd say Strider was pretty close to that ideal of creating a perfect game atmosphere. Strider has a strong, confident artistic design. Its hero, a futuristic ninja with a light sword, is arguably the coolest in the history of video games. Even his pets, robot hawks and saber-tooth cats, are awesome.
Every once in a while, you'll find a game that, while not perfect, has such a strong, focused artistic direction that it certainly looks and sounds the part. Darkstalkers, Steel Empire, Alisia Dragoon, Metal Slug... the stars aligned with these games, and every piece fits together like clockwork.
December 1, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Every once in a while, you'll find a game that, while not perfect, has such a strong, focused artistic direction that it certainly looks and sounds the part. Darkstalkers, Steel Empire, Alisia Dragoon, Metal Slug... the stars aligned with these games, and every piece fits together like clockwork.
One nice thing about 2025 is legal access to old video games. Even obscurities like Steel Empire, which I've got running right now on my Switch. Great game with a strong artistic direction. This game knows exactly what it wants to be and achieves it with total confidence.
December 1, 2025 at 12:53 AM
One nice thing about 2025 is legal access to old video games. Even obscurities like Steel Empire, which I've got running right now on my Switch. Great game with a strong artistic direction. This game knows exactly what it wants to be and achieves it with total confidence.
This guy on Star Trek: The Next Generation, John Cothran Jr., sounds like he should be threatening the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
November 30, 2025 at 11:07 AM
This guy on Star Trek: The Next Generation, John Cothran Jr., sounds like he should be threatening the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Rugal certainly fights like a man who's impossible to kill.
November 30, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Rugal certainly fights like a man who's impossible to kill.
Just watched the two-parter Song of Moriko. Wow, that is TRAGIC. Like, Grave of the Fireflies tragic.
November 30, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Just watched the two-parter Song of Moriko. Wow, that is TRAGIC. Like, Grave of the Fireflies tragic.
There's no butthurt like Mortal Kombat fan butthurt. People are acting like the recent MK collection is awful, simply because there's no rollback in online versus fights. It sounds like a perfectly decent collection if you don't play online... and with internet this awful, I don't do that.
November 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
There's no butthurt like Mortal Kombat fan butthurt. People are acting like the recent MK collection is awful, simply because there's no rollback in online versus fights. It sounds like a perfectly decent collection if you don't play online... and with internet this awful, I don't do that.
I'm growing to like the Mayflash F300 a lot. It's the no-nonsense, compatible with practically everything, feels solid on your lap joystick that everyone should consider as their entry point into fighting games. You do have to swap buttons and the stick, but that's not particularly difficult.
November 29, 2025 at 10:22 AM
I'm growing to like the Mayflash F300 a lot. It's the no-nonsense, compatible with practically everything, feels solid on your lap joystick that everyone should consider as their entry point into fighting games. You do have to swap buttons and the stick, but that's not particularly difficult.
Oh man, this Dororo series is the good stuff. I'm enjoying this more than a lot of the anime on Adult Swim... and pretty much everything that was ever on G4.
November 29, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Oh man, this Dororo series is the good stuff. I'm enjoying this more than a lot of the anime on Adult Swim... and pretty much everything that was ever on G4.
Aw, fuck it. I might as well buy NESmaker... it'll be more fun than a new video game anyway.
November 29, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Aw, fuck it. I might as well buy NESmaker... it'll be more fun than a new video game anyway.
I want my games to be as, you know, organic as possible. Unfortunately, what was once a bold line between human-made and AI-made projects has become a smudge.
November 28, 2025 at 7:08 AM
I want my games to be as, you know, organic as possible. Unfortunately, what was once a bold line between human-made and AI-made projects has become a smudge.
I get distinctly irritated when I have to use tools and utilities that were "vibe coded" with AI, because that means AI was at least distantly involved in the game design process. It's a six degrees of Kevin Bacon situation, but unlike Kevin Bacon, I'm not comfortable standing that close to it.
November 28, 2025 at 7:06 AM
I get distinctly irritated when I have to use tools and utilities that were "vibe coded" with AI, because that means AI was at least distantly involved in the game design process. It's a six degrees of Kevin Bacon situation, but unlike Kevin Bacon, I'm not comfortable standing that close to it.
forums.atariage.com/topic/386163... Look, I get it. I absolutely understand how tough it can be to make a video game, BUT. You have to put in at least SOME effort. 80% of BASIC games don't meet a professional standard of quality, and you want ***AI*** to do it for you?
So, I attempted to port the arcade Yie Ar Kung Fu, using AI (Grok and Github Copilot) to the Atari 7800 (7800Basic)...
Yie_Ar_Kung_Fu_7800 source files.zip So I attempted to port Yie Ar Kung Fu to the Atari 7800 using AI (Grok and Github Copilot), as I don't know how to code. One small issue, it won't compile. Most of...
forums.atariage.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:59 AM
forums.atariage.com/topic/386163... Look, I get it. I absolutely understand how tough it can be to make a video game, BUT. You have to put in at least SOME effort. 80% of BASIC games don't meet a professional standard of quality, and you want ***AI*** to do it for you?
The not-so-incredible, edible video game mascot.
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 AM
The not-so-incredible, edible video game mascot.
An oldie from Miiverse, paying tribute to the one, the only, the eternally ancient, Abe Vigoda.
November 27, 2025 at 5:27 AM
An oldie from Miiverse, paying tribute to the one, the only, the eternally ancient, Abe Vigoda.
They've got roach spray. Do they have bug spray for overly expository jumping spider tanks?
November 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
They've got roach spray. Do they have bug spray for overly expository jumping spider tanks?
Hachi: A Dog's Tale started out fine, but I was a little upset when they revealed the subway where Hachi died was actually Richard Gere's butthole.
November 26, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Hachi: A Dog's Tale started out fine, but I was a little upset when they revealed the subway where Hachi died was actually Richard Gere's butthole.
Here's a fun video! It's Fortefyre's Top Ten Best Looking Genesis Games. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db5W...
10 Best Looking Genesis Games!
YouTube video by Fortefyre
www.youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Here's a fun video! It's Fortefyre's Top Ten Best Looking Genesis Games. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db5W...
Part of the problem with XS is its wicked excess of enemies, who are entirely too much for both the player and the hardware to handle. When the game is clogged with sprites, the arcade hardware chugs and chokes, suggesting that it's the same CPU Technos used for the slowdown-prone Double Dragon.
November 26, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Part of the problem with XS is its wicked excess of enemies, who are entirely too much for both the player and the hardware to handle. When the game is clogged with sprites, the arcade hardware chugs and chokes, suggesting that it's the same CPU Technos used for the slowdown-prone Double Dragon.
Technos is best known for its fighting games... Double Dragon, Renegade, River City Ransom, and many more. Xain'd Sleena, an aggravatingly flawed science-fiction action game, suggests that the company probably shouldn't stray from its comfort zone.
November 26, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Technos is best known for its fighting games... Double Dragon, Renegade, River City Ransom, and many more. Xain'd Sleena, an aggravatingly flawed science-fiction action game, suggests that the company probably shouldn't stray from its comfort zone.
Unfortunately, the gameplay is suspect. Sleena (who weirdly resembles Master Chief from the much later Halo series) can double jump, one of the first video game heroes with this ability, but it comes with the usual issues of a double jump. Make a leap and you're committed to it.
November 26, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Unfortunately, the gameplay is suspect. Sleena (who weirdly resembles Master Chief from the much later Halo series) can double jump, one of the first video game heroes with this ability, but it comes with the usual issues of a double jump. Make a leap and you're committed to it.
Xain'd Sleena has admirable artistic aspirations... although it doesn't reach the heights of a Capcom science-fiction epic like Forgotten Worlds or SideArms, it's got an organic and intriguing solar system for you to explore. (I really should save this for a blog entry.)
November 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Xain'd Sleena has admirable artistic aspirations... although it doesn't reach the heights of a Capcom science-fiction epic like Forgotten Worlds or SideArms, it's got an organic and intriguing solar system for you to explore. (I really should save this for a blog entry.)
I just beat Xain'd Sleena. Pro-tip: don't waste your time on Xain'd Sleena.
November 26, 2025 at 9:07 AM
I just beat Xain'd Sleena. Pro-tip: don't waste your time on Xain'd Sleena.