#SPEEDBALL 2 BRUTAL DELUXE

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Mega Drive - Speedball 2 Brutal Deluxe

Title: Speedball 2 Brutal Deluxe / スピードボール２

Developer: The Bitmap Brothers / Krisalis Software

Publisher: CSK Research Institute / Ecseco Development / PCM Complete

Release date: 19 June 1992

Catalogue No.: T-68023

Genre: Speedball

Published by CRI in Japan, Speedball 2 is a fine example of how a lazy port of what was originally a game for the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST can really drag down a great premise. The gameplay is still fun, but too few options, dull graphics, and the especially horrible music and sound effects really ruin the experience. It's kind of like putting a star quarterback in a team full of second-rate college footballers: He may deliver a great solo effort, but he alone can't win the game against other pro teams. If you're able to look past the slipshod presentation and are only looking for a few fast games, then it's definitely worth your while. The fast gameplay is truly gripping, and few things are more satisfying than turning around an almost-lost game by scoring a goal in the last few seconds.

What makes it worth it is the sound, if only they made it better, that is. The theme song alone might be able to throw off many possible players. The people responsible for this port tried to copy the original Amiga theme, but while that one had a nice fanfare and a suiting bass, the Mega Drive version is a screeching, garbled mess! Even worse, the same theme plays during the games, too, in an endless loop. Listening to it can really get on your nerves, and it makes concentrating on the game very hard. Fortunately, one of the (very few) options allows you to turn off the music – which leaves you solely with some rather lackluster sound effects. For a tough, brutal, action-orientated, futuristic game one would expect an electrifying sound of cold hard steel. What you get, though, feels more like white noise static over weak tin. Audience is heard when a team scores a goal, but otherwise, it isn’t seen or heard.

[cyberpunkonline]

Sega Genesis: The Cyberpunk Playground of the '90s

In the era when pixels reigned supreme and neon-lit dystopias captivated gamers' imaginations, Sega Genesis stood as the edgy, rebellious counterpart to Nintendo's more family-friendly image. The '90s were a time when cyberpunk thrived on Sega's 16-bit console, offering players a glimpse into gritty, futuristic worlds filled with corporate intrigue, cyber-enhanced mercenaries, and high-speed sports. In this article, we'll delve into some of the iconic cyberpunk-themed games for the Sega Genesis that left a lasting impression on gamers. We'll explore Syndicate, Corporation, Speedball 2, Shadowrun, and two more gems that embraced the cyberpunk ethos.

1. Syndicate (1994)

The Future is Yours... For a Price

Slick Corporation: Syndicate takes you into a dystopian future controlled by mega-corporations. As a newly appointed Syndicate Executive, your mission is to expand your corporate dominion by any means necessary. The isometric view and strategic gameplay immerse you in a world of cybernetic agents and hostile takeovers.

Good Points: Syndicate's dark atmosphere and compelling narrative draw you into its morally ambiguous world. The tactical gameplay offers depth and challenge, and the cybernetic enhancements for your agents are a blast.

Bad Points: The graphics, while atmospheric, may feel dated today, and the controls take some getting used to. The difficulty can be punishing, testing your strategic prowess.

2. Corporation (1992)

Corporate Warfare Like Never Before

Neon Noir: Corporation takes place in a world where corporations rule with an iron fist. As a freelance agent, you're hired to infiltrate rival corporations, sabotage their operations, and seize control. The isometric view and real-time strategy gameplay make for a cyberpunk power struggle.

Good Points: Corporation's real-time strategy elements are engaging, and the cyberpunk aesthetic is on point. The ability to customize your agent's cyberware adds depth to the gameplay.

Bad Points: The difficulty spikes can be frustrating, and the lack of a tutorial can leave you feeling lost initially. The graphics, while serviceable, aren't as polished as some other titles.

3. Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (1990)

The Sport of the Future

Hyperkinetic Blitz: Speedball 2 brings cyberpunk to the sports arena. In this futuristic blend of handball and mayhem, you control a team of ruthless players in a fast-paced, violent sport. Upgrade your players, aim for the goals, and take down your opponents in style.

Good Points: Speedball 2's frantic gameplay is addictive, and the cyberpunk-infused stadiums add a unique twist to the sports genre. It's easy to pick up and play, making it a great multiplayer option.

Bad Points: This game has no bad points ;)

4. Shadowrun (1994)

Magic Meets Technology

Urban Fantasy Noir: Shadowrun combines cyberpunk with urban fantasy. Set in a dystopian Seattle, you play as a shadowrunner, a blend of hacker, mercenary, and spellcaster. The game is a unique mix of role-playing and adventure, where your choices shape the narrative.

Good Points: Shadowrun's rich storytelling and open-ended gameplay provide an immersive experience. The fusion of technology and magic adds a fresh layer to the cyberpunk genre.

Bad Points: The learning curve can be steep, especially for those new to role-playing games. The interface can be clunky, and the combat can be challenging.

5. Ecco the Dolphin (1992)

A Cybernetic Dolphin's Odyssey - you ain't trippin' hear me out...

Underwater Adventure: Ecco the Dolphin may seem like an odd choice, but beneath its serene surface lies a subtle cyberpunk narrative. Ecco, a time-traveling dolphin, must navigate a future Earth ruled by an alien machine intelligence. The game's beautiful visuals and haunting music create a unique atmosphere.

Good Points: Ecco's atmosphere and storytelling are captivating, and the underwater world is a joy to explore. The game's puzzles provide a good challenge.

Bad Points: The difficulty can be frustrating, and some players may find the non-linear gameplay confusing. It's not a traditional cyberpunk game but offers a different take on the genre.

6. Herzog Zwei (1990)

Mechs in the Metropolis

Real-Time Strategy: Herzog Zwei blends cyberpunk aesthetics with real-time strategy. You control a transforming mech, leading armies to conquer the battlefield. Strategic thinking and resource management are key to victory.

Good Points: Herzog Zwei's unique blend of action and strategy is addictive. The multiplayer mode is a blast, and the cyberpunk-inspired environments are visually appealing.

Bad Points: The controls can be challenging to master, and the learning curve is steep. The lack of a tutorial may leave you feeling overwhelmed at first.

In the '90s, Sega Genesis carved a niche for itself in the cyberpunk gaming landscape. From strategic espionage in Syndicate to futuristic sports in Speedball 2, these games transported players to dystopian worlds filled with intrigue and innovation. Whether you were hacking into corporate databases or leading a team of ruthless athletes, the Sega Genesis had something for every cyberpunk enthusiast. So, dust off your console, and immerse yourself in the neon-soaked, cyber-enhanced adventures of the past. The '90s may be long gone, but the cyberpunk legacy of Sega Genesis lives on.

Raz

[retrocgads]

UK 1991

[randomisedgaming]

Some of the many classic Amiga games available with the A500 Mini and the official website.

Games shown in order left to right: Pinball Dreams, Citadel, ATR: All Terrain Racing, Simon the Sorcerer, Cadaver, Alien Breed: Special Edition 92,Project-X: Special Edition 93, The Chaos Engine, Alien Breed 3D, Kick Off 2, Stunt Car Racer, Zool, Titus the Fox, Super Cars II, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Qwak & Arcade Pool

Watch our mini review here: https://youtu.be/uAd8Or26WyM

Follow Randomised Gaming on Tumblr, for video game, art, reviews, features, videos and more. You can also find us on YouTube, Twitch & Twitter for even more gaming & video content! Buy us a tea on Ko-fi

[atariforce]

Speedball 2 Graphic by prowebix

I was feeling nostalgic about some old computer games, and thought I'd have a go a re-creating Speedball 2 - Brutal Deluxe cover art in a different style. Hope you guys like it.

[kinsie]

The World Is Yours

[everygame]

Behold The Kickmen (Nintendo Switch)

Developed/Published by: Size Five Games Released: 18/06/2020 Completed: 6/08/2021 Completion: Finished the story mode! Trophies / Achievements: n/a

If you’re familiar with me, this blog, or even any of my appearances on the Insert Credit Show you’ll be well aware that I consider Sensible World of Soccer one of the greatest games of all time and I wish it came out every year on modern consoles with updated rosters and everyone was playing it online against each other like what it was FIFA.

Unfortunately, it does not. So, even though I boot it up every once in a while, I generally chase the dragon by playing other footy games, of which Dan Marshall’s Behold The Kickmen has been on my radar for a while and once I noticed it was on Switch [“Not a very good radar, then”--Ed.] I picked it up, what with the Switch being the indie handheld of choice (until the Steam Deck shows up, I suppose).

Now. I’m pretty sure I remember reading a review of this where the reviewer got really annoyed at it for sneering at football. And I can see it, in that saying things like “foot-to-ball” or whatever is tedious and just about as boring to people who like football as football is to football non-likers, but Behold the Kickmen has a genuinely funny, absurd little story that you’d have to have quite the chip on your shoulder to take offense to, and the “wrong” football, even it actually came from an sneery, anti-football stance… creates a really interesting video game???

Being annoyed at this because it offends the beautiful game is a big old waste of time. Behold the Kickmen is mostly played like football with a “bullet-time” like mechanic for aiming, shooting, and tackling, but what makes it interesting is that each action you perform while holding possession (or not losing possession for too long, anyway) adds to a multiplier that increases the amount of money you’re going to make when you score a goal. If the opposing team scores a goal or the half ends, you lose it all.

It leads to a really remarkable game where it’s not really about goals--until it is. You’re much better pissing about in mid-field, passing and dodging, until you need to score or lose it all. I played on the default settings and to be honest the AI was nothing to write home about and I beat them handily, but maxing my multiplier (and scoring in time…) became the game, and I loved it.

There’s issues with it--it’s technically “funnier” to have a round pitch but it’s a lot of wasted space and the slow-down is a bit stop-start and means there’s no multiplayer (which I think would work!)--but it does what any good “football” game should do in making every goal feel incredible. The daft story that you follow as you win games had me lollin’--although there’s several set-ups that don’t actually have any pay-off and I wished that there was more of it (I’d be tempted to play again to see if anything different happens if I make different choices, but I suspect not.)

Anyway if you like sports games or games with interesting design twists this is worth every penny of the couple of bucks it’s going to cost you on Switch. Pick it up!

Will I ever play it again? If it had multiplayer I would. Just turn off the slowdown, see how that works.

Final Thought: It includes a theming that parodies Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, the second greatest game of all time behind Sensible World of Soccer [“Steady on”--Ed.] but sadly doesn’t do anything with the theming like adding score pads on the side or slide attacks or something because, I guess, that would be a completely different game. But now I want to play Speedball 2...

Support Every Game I’ve Finished on ko-fi, either via a one-off donation (pay what you like) or by joining as a supporter at just $1 a month.

[fancypantsrecords]

Various Artists - The Bitmap Brothers Odyssey | Read-Only Memory | 2021 | Clear

Includes tracks from the Bitmap Brothers games Xenon, Speedball, Xenon 2, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Cadaver, Magic Pockets, Gods, The Chaos Engine, The Chaos Engine 2, and Z

[aagciii]

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (1990)

[humor-y-videojuegos]

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe Año: 1990 Plataformas: Amiga, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Mega Drive, Master System, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amiga CD32, PC, Acorn Archimedes

[metaljesusrocks]

I finally added an Atari Jaguar to my collection. But is NOW the right time to do it? Games Shown: Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe Fantasy World Dizzy Soccer Kid / Frog Feast Protector Special Edition Defender of the Crown REBootEROIDS Cybermorph

[superchartisland]

Speedball 2 (Imageworks, Amiga, 1991)

Gallup all formats individual formats chart, Computer & Video Games Issue 113, April 1991

I noted with Italy 1990 that it was a rather late moment to finally cover a straightforward football game, but of course there were many, many such games before that. Italy 1990 was fairly representative in not being very good, especially within the class of games going for simulation. The business of attempting to accurately represent a football match tended to get in the way of that kind of game being particularly fun to play. There are two different approaches to solving this problem. One, wait for time and technology to make the aim a bit more possible. Two, take a different gameplay approach to representing football. More on both of those to come. Or three, turn the problem inside out, and make Speedball.

Speedball 2 (which is an upgrade on the original rather than a complete revision) is really very similar to Italy 1990 and other football games of the time -- more similar than certain better football games we’ll see soon are. In both, sportspeople move around a field of play in eight directions from a top-down view, zoomed in to the point where you can’t see very far. Once a participant gets the ball, it sticks to them until they pass, shoot, or get tackled. When your opponent has the ball, your control switches to the nearest defender and you can slide tackle. At heart, it’s the same gameplay model. It’s just much better thanks to one of the best bits of outside-of-the-eighteen-yard-box thinking in sports games history, which is to solve the issue by removing football from the equation.

One by one, the things which get in the way in Italy 1990 and similar are ticked off and chucked out. The whole ball-magnetically-sticking-to-you thing makes no sense? Turn this into a sport where players carry the ball! Defending is too difficult when half of your tackling options result in fouls being given? Make it a lawless future sport fought by armoured goons where the more violent a tackle, the better! Too many hold-ups when the ball goes out of play? Stick bouncy walls at the edges! Goalkeepers invincibly hanging onto the ball slowing things down even more? Make throwing the ball to the goalkeeper and then wiping them out not only possible, but a strong tactic! Matches a bit samey? Have different arenas with different bonus features and randomly appearing power-ups!

Do all of that, and couple it with some well thought through rules and AI, and it turns out that the underlying gameplay can be great fun after all. For me it’s more than enough to overcome a lack of love for the specific acquired taste that is the game’s sports metal aesthetic, though I’ll also grant that in its context the subtitle and team name “Brutal Deluxe” is an absolutely perfect combination of two words. Plus there’s something to be said for the fact that inventing a fictional corrupt and amoral sport means not having to support, license from, or name your game after, any real-world corrupt and amoral sports governing bodies. So Speedball 2 scores a moral victory too.

[megadan94]

Predicting the remaining 20 games on the Sega Mega Drive mini

Aladdin (1P): If they can include both Castle of Illusion and World of Illusion, they clearly have some kind of support from Disney. So why not this game? After all, it is a highly regarded game, with graphics that were hand drawn by Disney animators. And there is an Aladdin remake coming out this year, so it’s re-release would be timely.

Vectorman 2 (1P): Personally, I prefer this one over the first game, I found the difficulty more fair, the visuals more appealing, and enjoyed the ‘insect’ theme. It also had a motion cutscene at the beginning which was kinda cool. But in any case, I feel like at least one Vectorman game has to make it on here, there’s not really that many other great pre-rendered Mega Drive games, let alone ones that are owned by Sega themselves, or that make such great and unique uses of their sprites.

Phantasy Star 2, 3 or 4 (1P): I’ll be honest, I’m still playing through the first game, and so haven’t actually played any of the sequels. But regardless, the system does need at least one great traditional RPG, and if the sequels are anything like the first game, then any one of them would fit that role well.

Alex Kidd and the Enchanted Castle (1P): This game is kind of essential, just for what it represents historically. It was the last instalment for Sega’s original mascot platformer, right before Sonic came along and, well, you know the rest. It’s from a time before platformers were expected to have a standout mechanic of some kind, making it kind of unique in its simplicity as far as Mega Drive games go.

Columns (2P): As far as block-falling/matching puzzle games go, this game is basically synonymous with the Mega Drive. Unlike it’s sequel, or Mean Bean Machine which is already being included, this game has little to no focus on competition, making it more well suited to single-player (though you can still play with a friend if you want to), and much more calm and slow-paced.

Golden Axe (2P): I know we already have Streets of Rage 2 and Comix Zone, but a collection of Mega Drive games just wouldn’t be complete without a Golden Axe game.

Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (2P): Nintendo’s consoles each had a Ghosts ‘n Goblins game, and seeing as Sega has already managed to include Castlvania and Contra games (which were also included in Nintendo’s mini consoles) it would be nice if they could do the same for this series. This is also a very early Mega Drive game, having come out in the very first year of the console’s lifespan.

Sonic 3 and Knuckles (2P): It would just feel wrong to not have all three original Sonic games, especially in the case of this one, since it has the most content, best graphics, and features Knuckles. Some might say that they should have Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic and Knuckles as separate games, but that would feel wasteful, and like padding out the list just for the sake of it. This is essentially one game, it was developed as one game, it plays best as one game, and it should be featured as one game. And if Nintendo can include all three Super Mario Bros games on the NES Classic, despite only including 30 games, and also having other Mario games alongside them, then three Sonic the Hedgehog games is not unreasonable.

Rocket Knight Adventures (1P): They already have Konami’s support with Castlevania and Contra, and Konami did make a sequel to this game a few years ago so they clearly haven’t forgotten about it.

Battletoads and Double Dragon The Ultimate Team (2P): The great thing about no longer being a console manufacturer, is that you can more easily make deals with companies that are console manufacturers, since you’re not directly competing with them. This game has never been re-released, not even on XBOX, so it wouldn’t even be competing with Microsoft in any way, it would just be giving players a chance to play a great game that hasn’t been available for over 20 years. And the owners of Double Dragon were willing to let Double Dragon 2 be on the NES Classic.

Speedball 2 Brutal Deluxe (2P): Every console needs a sports game, and what better or more classic sports game can you get than Speedball? Aside from the Amiga version that is. This game has been ported to mobile platforms, so it doesn’t seem like there’s any resistance to re-releasing it.

Galaxy Force 2 (1P): Like many of the games that have so far been announced for the system, this game was remade for the 3DS by M2. Personally, I prefer this over Space Harrier, if only for the fact that you actually get to travel through space, and if 2D shooters get to have two games, with Thunder Force and Fantasy Zone, then so should 3D shooters.

Ristar (1P): This was one of the last Mega Drive games released before the Saturn came out. It was also developed from the early concepts for Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s also just a great game overall, with a unique and intuitive central mechanic, beautiful and detailed environments and characters, and very distinctly Mega Drive music.

The Ooze (1P): This is a very unique and creepy game where you play as a blob of green goo travelling along the ground trying to defeat enemies, collect more goo to keep yourself alive and eventually become human again. It’s hard to even describe the genre of this game, it’s not a platformer since you can’t jump or anything, it’s not a shooter since you don’t really ‘shoot’ your enemies, it’s not a puzzle game since the challenges don’t require enough creative thinking, and it’s not even really a fighter, at least not in the Streets of Rage/Golden Axe sense. A game this weird and terrifying definitely belongs on the Mega Drive mini. The game has been re-released on a few of the Mega Drive compilations released on consoles, and it was also included on one of the Atgames systems. It was also made entirely by Sega, so I don’t see why they wouldn’t exclusively own the rights to it.

Crack Down (2P): Okay, so far we’ve got 3D shooters, horizontal 2D shooters, and a side-scrolling shooter in the form of Contra, now all that’s missing is a top-down shooter.

Mortal Kombat (2P): While there are a whole lot of beat ‘em up games already included, there’s been no traditional 1-on-1 fighting game announced, and while they could just include Virtua Fighter 2 like they did on Steam and the Console compilations, I think it would be better to save that for a potential Sega Saturn mini, and include Mortal Kombat here. They did manage to include it in one of the Atgames consoles, so I’d be surprised if they weren’t able to include it here as well.

Pitfall the Mayan Adventure (1P): This one is kind of a long shot, and I’m mainly just including it based on personal preference, but the original Pitfall game was included in the recent Atari Flashback console, so it’s certainly possible at least.

Flashback (1P): It would be nice to have at least one cinematic platformer on here, and I feel like if any game would fill that position, it would be this one. Unlike Another World, it wouldn’t be overshadowed by a wide variety of clearly superior versions released on modern platforms, and I feel like this game is more closely associated with the Mega Drive. It was ported to Switch just last year, and had a remake a few years before, so there doesn’t seem to be anything stopping the game from getting a re-release.

Virtua Racing (2P): In the interest of including representatives for every major game genre, I think there needs to be at least one racing game included, and what better racing game could you get than Virtua Racing? It has multiplayer (always a must for racing games), it belongs to Sega, it’s a 3D game (take that Super Nintendo), it’s never been re-released before, and it’s even currently being reworked by M2 for the Switch.

Star Quest (1P): I feel like, for this system to serve as a true competitor to the SNES Classic, they need to include at least 2 3D games to compare with Star Fox 1&2, and preferably include at least 1 unreleased game, just like how Star Fox 2 was unreleased. So, why not include the unreleased localisation of Star Cruiser; Star Quest? It’s a Wolfenstein/DOOM style FPS game, something that didn’t really exist on consoles at the time, and also an RPG. And as far as its original Japanese release goes, it preceded Star Fox on the Super Nintendo by about 3 years, proving that Sega does in fact do what Nintendon’t.

[retrocgads]

UK 1991

[randomisedgaming]

A quick couple of comparison screenshots between the two graphics modes from the 2007, Xbox 360 version of:

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe

We know which engine we prefer, even if it is in a smaller window. Click the link above for our video which shows a match in both graphic types. The added shadows are a nice touch in the 3D engine.

Follow Randomised Gaming on Tumblr, for video game, art, reviews, features, videos and more. You can also find us on twitter and subscribe to us on YouTube for even more gaming content!

[erossiniuk]

Amiga 500 Mini is on the way

A few years after the mini console boom comes the turn of another classic system – the Amiga and now the Amiga 500 is on the way again.

Similar to the VIC20 and C64 Mini – which Retro Games Ltd also produced – this is a reimagining of the 16-bit Commodore personal computer, touting emulation of the original A500 chipset and the Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA) of later Amiga model the A1200.

The A500 Mini comes with both a mouse and gamepad, as well as support for a plugging in a standard keyboard over USB, since we imagine the keys on the mini system itself are too dinky to use.

25 games are included – a confirmed list of 12 is below, including yes, another way to play Zool – with the ability to side-load your own over USB with WHDLoad support.

Alien Breed 3D

Another World

ATR: All Terrain Racing

Battle Chess

Cadaver

Kick Off 2

Pinball Dreams

Simon The Sorcerer

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe

The Chaos Engine

Worms: The Director’s Cut

Zool: Ninja Of The Nth Dimension

It also has the usual features you’d expect from a mini console at this point – save and resume functionality, 50Hz and 60Hz screen refresh options, a CRT filter and various scaling options.

As with the C64 Mini, Retro Games Ltd is working with Koch Media to distribute the system – which is due out in early 2022 for a price of £119.99, €129.99 or $139.99.

The post Amiga 500 Mini is on the way appeared first on PureSourceCode.

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