Retro Console of the Month - December

RETRO CONSOLE OF THE MONTH - DECEMBER
NINTENDO PLAYSTATION
Today I am going to talk about a console that almost was, but never released to the public. In honor of the PlayStation's 25th Anniversary, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the console that started it all, the Nintendo PlayStation.


Cast your mind back to 1988. Sweet Child O' Mine was released by Guns 'N' Roses, Beetlejuice was released in cinemas and VHS tapes were still being used everyday. Sony had signed a deal with Nintendo to develop a CD-ROM add on for the SNES to move them away from the use of cartridges. Both companies wanted to develop a new age for games consoles, and using CDs was going to put them on the up and up. But why did this console not come to be?

One of the reasons was money. There was a dispute between Sony and Nintendo on how much money each company would get. Sony wanted to keep all of the profits made from the CD licenses, but Nintendo disagreed with this.

Another reason (which is speculated) is that Sony wanted to work with 32-bit processors and create 3D games, but Nintendo were less impressed with this idea and wanted to stick with the 16-bit processors.

By 1992, everything had fallen apart between Sony and Nintendo. When showcasing the console in 1991, Sony were left in the dark about Nintendo collaborating with Philips (the DVD player company) to continue pursuing the SNES CD-ROM. Sony and Nintendo parted ways starting the rivalry between them. Sony went on to release the PlayStation in 1994, with Nintendo following in suit with the N64 in 1996.

What happened to the prototypes made? Well for all we know, 200 prototypes were made. One of them was found in 2015, and shown to be fully working. But they do go for £89,000! (About $100,099.99).

What do you think of this retro console? Would it have been a success if released or an utter failure like the Sega Dreamcast (shudders)? Leave your thoughts below!

So until next time,
Peace Out - Geekette

Game of the Week - 04/12/2019

GAME OF THE WEEK - 04/12/2019
LUIGI'S MANSION 3

Hey all and welcome back to another blog post! This week's game of the week is the new Luigi's Mansion game that was released on the Nintendo Switch on October 31. Let's dive right into it!

Luigi's Mansion is a game series developed by Nintendo that was originally going to be released by on the N64, but was delayed and eventually released on the GameCube in 2001. It spawned a sequel that was released on the 3DS in 2013. The general concept of this game is that Luigi wins something in a competition he never remembers entering (in the first game it was a mansion, in the latest release it is a holiday in a hotel), and Luigi being Luigi goes and accepts the prize.

The latest game follows Luigi, Mario, Peach, and the toads as they go on a holiday to a nice, luxurious hotel, or so they thought! I won't give to much away but the main game is about Luigi fighting some ghosts with the infamous Poltergust and help from a familiar face, Professor E. Gad.

I brought this game on day 1 release and haven' stopped playing it since. I love the concept of the game and the fact that they have so many familiar faces returning such as Professor E. Gad and of course, the Polterpup!

Have you played this game? What are your thoughts on the latest addition to the Luigi's mansion family? Leave a comment below!

So until next time,
Peace Out - Geekette

Retro Game of the Week - 03/12/2019

RETRO GAME OF THE WEEK - 03/12/2019
GRAN TURISMO
Hey all,

I'm back with a new post and it happens to be the time for Retro Game of the Week! This week's game is the PS1 classic, Gran Turismo.

I decided to review this game as it is one of my favorites and it happens to be the 25th Anniversary of the PlayStation being released!

Gran Turismo is a driving game that was released on the PlayStation in 1997, but it did take 5 years to complete! The game featured a simulation mode where the player had to qualify to complete in different events with their licenses and the categories. There is also an Arcade Mode where the player could select from a number of cars and tracks. My personal favorite choice is the New Dodge Viper.

I have fond memories of playing this game when I was younger and it was one of the very first games I had played (even though I was never very good at it!).

That concludes today's post on the Retro Game of the Week. I hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for the next post!

So until next time,
Peace Out - Geekette