loderunner

A couple of standout releases in this episode... but first, we have to survive another version of Lode Runner. Look, I like Lode Runner. Great game. But there's been a lot of it here in the mid ’80s! This time, the monk/robot guys win.

Beyond that, however, we have the final entry in Activision's brief dalliance on SG-1000 (or maybe Sega's brief dalliance with Activision?): H.E.R.O. It's a strong conversion from 2600 that loses none of the original quality or originality yet manages to spruce up the visuals and replace the retro helicopter backpack with a jetpack, which of course makes this the objectively superior rendition.

And then there's Champion Hockey, a game that actually makes me angry. No, I'm not angry because it's bad; quite the opposite. My brain tells me I'm supposed to find sports games interminable, and yet I love this ice hockey game. Absolutely unacceptable.

Production notes: SG-1000 footage in this episode was captured from a combination of Sega SG-1000 II with (with Card Catcher; RGB amp mod by  @iFixRetro ) and  @Analogue  Mega Sg with card adapter module and DAC. NES/Famicom footage captured from  @Analogue  Nt Mini Noir. Video upscaled to 720 with @Retro Tink  5X.

Video Works is funded via Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/gamespite) — support the show and get access to every episode up to two weeks in advance of its YouTube debut! Plus, exclusive podcasts, eBooks, and more! Also available in print: Virtual Boy Works Vol. I Hardcover: https://limitedrungames.com/collections/books-board-games-and-more/products/virtual-boy-works-book

It feels like Famicom is kind of playing catch-up with SG-1000 this episode, as every game appearing here arrived on shelves in the wake of a Sega-published equivalent—either the exact same game (as in Space Invaders), one exploring the same root concept in different ways (Soccer), or a game with almost suspicious conceptual and mechanical similarities (Formation Z). Of course, the Nintendo version of these games absolutely eclipsed Sega's, right? Well... maybe not always.

Video Works is funded via Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/gamespite) — support the show and get access to every episode up to two weeks in advance of its YouTube debut! Plus, exclusive podcasts, eBooks, and more!

Production notes: NES and Famicom footage in this episode was captured from an  @Analogue  Nt Mini via RGB out. Arcade footage (when possible) was captured from MiSTer (special thanks:  @MiSTer Addons ). Standard definition video upscaled to 720 with xRGB Mini Framemeister and  @Retro Tink  5X.

Broderbund was one of the most important publishers of the 80s and 90s, releasing seminal titles such as Choplifter, Prince of Persia, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Print Shop, and Myst.
But behind the scenes was a family, a true band of siblings, that proved that business didn't have to be a cutthroat winner-take-all affair.
Gary Carlston, together with his brother Doug and sister Cathy, helped create a legendary company with a legacy like few others.

Gary tells his story from humble beginnings peddling TRS-80 games to local shops to becoming a global powerhouse and, finally, having to call it quits to preserve the family.

Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broderbund
https://www.mobygames.com/company/brderbund-software-inc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80
https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,19676/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softalk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Computer_Faire
https://archive.org/details/softalkv1n03nov1980/page/26/mode/2up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/starcraft-inc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synapse_Software
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_British
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Simulations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius_Software
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Arts
https://videogamenewsroomtimemachine.libsyn.com/ken-williams-interview
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4881/personal-preference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Street_Writer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Sandiego
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lode_Runner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_E._Smith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Mechner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_International
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCity
http://www.psytronik.net/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris
https://videogamenewsroomtimemachine.libsyn.com/don-daglow-interview-part-2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-Force
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment_Software_Association
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlassian

Another step along the Road to NES Works this week as we look again at the next round of software releases for Nintendo Famicom. Unlike last time, only one of these games made its way to the U.S. on NES, the other two (Galaxian and Devil World) seemingly being skipped over due to datedness and, uh, satanism? What was this, 2021?