Bandai Solar LCD – Akuryo no Yakata and Hikyo Amazon – Clean Energy from the 80s!

What with the icecaps melting (or freezing – not sure if they’ve decided yet), what better way to show that you care about the earth than to play video games harnessing the power of the sun. Skin cancer is just a small price to pay when you have such a powerful sense of well-being. 😀

How do you get vitamin E, and play games guilt free? The answer is Bandai Solar LCD!

bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata

These games aren’t just special because of the solar energy usage though, they are special in the way that they have two layered LCD screens. Think of the Nintendo’s double screen, but instead of having one screen on the top half and one screen on the bottom half of the console, you have both screens layered over each other.

If you take a look at the following pictures you can see how the screen changes depending on which stage of the game you are playing. Kind of like having two screens in one.

Hikyo Amazon
bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata-1 bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata-2

Akuryo no Yakata
bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata-3 bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata-4

These are extremely fun little games to play. My pick of the two would have to be Akuryo no Yakata though – stabbing monsters is just plain nice for some reason.

bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata-6

The most common question I get about these would have to be regarding the amount of light they need to work. Well I’m happy to report that it’s actually very small. You will definitely be not able to play them in a dimly lit room, but as they aren’t backlit screens anyway (of course), chances are you would have a light source at the ready just to see what you’re doing.

bandai-sola-akuryo-no-yakata-5

The controller does take a bit of getting used to. Nintendo really changed the game having the D-Pad on the left, and it didn’t really catch on with all the game companies early on. Once you do get used to them they are functional, albeit in a fragile kind of way.

I am pretty sure these were only released in Japan (please correct me if I’m wrong there), but if you can find one in your neck of the woods I’d definitely recommend giving them a try, even if it’s only to try and fit in with your Prius driving acquaintances. 😀

Nintendo Spitball Sparky – One of the classics

The first Nintendo Spitball Sparky I owned I sold to a friend of mine back home, but the day after sending it I knew I was going to regret the sale. Within a few short months I bought another one, but unfortunately this one isn’t as good as the one I sold – the hunt continues for a perfect one.

There really is something about this silver beast that isn’t easy to define. I would say it’s one of the more challenging Game & Watches, and I believe it’s the only Nintendo handheld I have that I haven’t actually broken the 1,000 point mark on yet. Actually Donkey Kong II is another one I might not have clocked yet too now that I think about it.

spitball-sparky-nintendo

A few details:

  • Model – Nintendo Super Color Game & Watch – Spitball Sparky (that’s a mouthful)
  • Model Number – BU-201
  • Released – 1984
  • Price then – unknown
  • Price now – $40 to $150

The game in many ways Spitball Sparky is similar to games like Arkanoid or Block Kuzushi, but each time the ball comes within spitting distance you must manually shoot it away. A very interesting gameplay element is the way in which you can shoot the ball before it actually lands. By doing this it means that it’s possible to change the trajectory, and this is what makes the game very fun to play. When compared with other Game & Watches of the time, the gameplay feels almost random.

spitball-sparky-nintendo-2

For the collectors out there who only want the most rare version you can get a hold of, there is the illusive white Spitball Sparky just for you indian viagra alternative. The silver version that you see pictured here is the original colour that the Spitball Sparky is meant to be, but due to an error in manufacturing there were white Spitball Sparky Game & Watches released into the wild. Getting a hold of one of these isn’t easy at all though, and the prices they go for are insane.

I can thoroughly recommend picking up a Spitball Sparky. I am always on the lookout for an immaculate one, and I definitely won’t be selling this one I have here until I find it – learnt my lesson the first time. ?

Skeleton Saturn – Sega gives everyone bones

Sega thinks the Skeleton Saturn is cool (as printed on the unit itself), and I’m inclined to agree. There is something about the clear/semi-clear consoles that really ring a bell with this old gamer.

Some may prefer the Navi, some may prefer the Hi-Saturn or V-Saturn, but I prefer the “coolest” Saturn of them all – the Skeleton Saturn. 🙂

skeleton-saturn-sega

A few details:

  • Model – Sega Skeleton Saturn (HST-3220)
  • Production run – around 50,000
  • Released – 1998
  • Price then – 20,000yen
  • Price now – $50 to $200 (although prices seem to be on the rise)

skeleton-saturn-sega-6

skeleton-saturn-sega-3

An interesting fact about the Skeleton Saturn is that it actually had compatibility issues with some games – Metal Slug, Outrun, and Space Harrier (wiki). I haven’t actually tested this out yet, and if anyone reading has any idea why I’d love you to post a comment. When you look this good, of course some people/software companies are going to have problems with you though – they’re just jealous.

skeleton-saturn-sega-1 skeleton-saturn-sega-2

Everyone I know who sees this machine seems to agree with Sega (see picture bellow). 😎

skeleton-saturn-sega-5

skeleton-saturn-sega-7 skeleton-saturn-sega-8

There isn’t much else I can say about this machine that hasn’t been said already. In my opinion it’s the best looking Saturn out there, and even if it does have compatibility issues with some games (although I haven’t tested this first hand yet), I refuse to believe it’s the fault of this beautiful machine. 😀

*********************************************************************************

An update regarding software incompatibility!

Well, after speaking with Sean from RetroOtaku I have given the Skeleton Saturn a test with MetalSlug – the only game I have that is meant to have trouble with this particular Saturn. For some reason in my collection of Saturn games I don’t seem to have Space Harrier or Outrun. This is weird though, as I could have sworn I had those at least Space Harrier…

Anyway, I’ll let the images tell the story. 🙂

Step one:
Clean the memory expansion cart, open MetalSlug carefully and make all the connections necessary.
skeleton-saturn-metal-slug

Step two:
Power on and take close up shot because it looks just too cool.
skeleton-saturn-metal-slug-1

Step three:
Get completely sidetracked by the glowing LED. 😎
skeleton-saturn-metal-slug-2

Step four:
Realise what I came here to do, pull my eyes away from the LED and………..
skeleton-saturn-metal-slug-3 skeleton-saturn-metal-slug-3

It works! So do I have a different revision of the Skeleton Saturn, or do I have a newer print run of MetalSlug? I wish I had the other titles that are meant to have trouble, so if any one would like to donate a few copies I would be more than happy to test them – of course returning them might be difficult. 😀

Tomy Lupin LSI Tabletop

Tomy released some really great handhelds back in the 80s, and Lupin is no exception. Adorning the same name as the famous animation over here in Japan (wonder if there were lawsuits), you have to shoot your way through mazes in a bloody violent orgy (the ‘bloody violent orgy’ is dependent on imagination). ?

tomy-lupin-tabletop-handheld

A few details:

  • Release – exact year unknown, but in the 80s sometime
  • Power – 4x C size batteries
  • Display Type – VFD
  • Price then – Unknown
  • Price now – $25 – $90

tomy-lupin-tabletop-handheld-1

The VFDs (vacuum fluorescent display) really stand the test of time very well. I am always impressed when I get one that plays just like the day that it was made.

tomy-lupin-tabletop-handheld-2

Again, they didn’t seem to catch on that the controls are better with the D-Pad on the left. ?

tomy-lupin-tabletop-handheld-3

In use the Tomy Lupin is one of my favourite Tomy games so far (not that I’ve played a heap of them though). The controls are very responsive and the mix of key grabbing, maze navigating, and pure shmup madness are a winning combo. They don’t usually go cheap, but it’s one definitely worth grabbing if you’re into VFD based handhelds. ?

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Nintendo Playing Cards – No screens or controllers included

Before Nintendo was known for its video games, it was known for its games of the analogue variety. The following post is about two sets of Nintendo playing cards I stumbled across in two separate junk stores here in Japan. ?

Set One:
You may have seen the modern day Mario playing cards that are still being sold today, but the cards pictured bellow are considerably older – how old I’m not exactly sure, but judging by people I have spoken to here, they may be as early as the 70s. If anyone reading this post has any idea I would love to hear from you though.

nintendo-playing-cards-1

This particular pack is still sealed, and was bought in a store that has very little to do with video games at all. It was a very lucky find, as if these were in a store that had any regular game hunters coming through, they would not have lasted a day!

nintendo-playing-cards-3

nintendo-playing-cards-2

Set Two:
This set also released by Nintendo, but of Irem’s Hammerin’ Harry is another quite early set (I think). Judging by the graphics printed on the cards they may have been released at around the same time as the Famicom version of the game, but again I am not sure at all. If so, these may have been released in the early 90s. I do know of older cards which have the exact same black plastic case. If anyone knows hard facts though, please link me to sites – I’d really appreciate it.

nintendo-playing-cards-4

This set is still factory sealed too. Unbelievable that people wouldn’t even crack them open!

nintendo-playing-cards-5

I was very lucky to find these two sets, specially for the prices that I did. ?

************************************************************************

An Update – March 24th

After making this post I decided to go on the hunt for more of these Nintendo cards. I decided to search outside the areas where Nintendo gear would normally be, and was lucky enough to find an auction selling a bulk lot of 6 completely sealed! Completely amazed I snapped them up quick. The photos bellow show you what I got.

Click to enlarge
nintendo-trump-cards nintendo-trump-cards-1

nintendo-trump-cards-2 nintendo-trump-cards-3

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