My pick for this weekend is (funnily enough, considering that Spider also played a game based on this franchise! ) Asterix, for the Master System - a platform game in which you can pick Asterix or Obelix (the level-designs are mostly different for each) and occasionally play bonus-stages as Dogmatix, in a quest to rescue the druid Getafix, who has been kidnapped by the Romans. I grew up with this game, playing it on a Game Gear with a Master Gear Converter (the easiest way by far to play Master System games at 60Hz in the UK at the time), and it was what got me into the Asterix books*, but I haven't ever revisited it! I want to see if it's as good as I remember it being.

*I grew up in a backwards little village with tech-fearing teachers, and, hilariously, they actually tried to discourage my interest in these books purely because I'd discovered the character through a video game first. To this day, I'm always surprised by how many educational opportunities like this are happily thrown away, only for the same sorts of people to later complain that modern kids aren't taking an interest in certain subjects! (See also: The first wave of Pokemon mania, and mathematics. Major fail on a global scale.)

What I remember this game being is a solid platformer that took cues from other games in the genre that were popular on competing systems, mainly the NES. I recall parts of it reminding me a little bit of elements from Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3, but I don't fully remember why at this point. We shall see!


This week I also want to invest some proper time into my Bomberman battle-practise (I usually play a few matches a week, but I don't overdo it), with a specific focus on dealing with characters who have far-reaching special abilities. This is a feature that's more common in the modern installments (and which allows player control of the abilities in some rulesets - for example, Simon Belmont Bomber can throw opponents and bombs some distance using his vampire-hunting whip) but it did appear in some older titles, too. I have to keep myself sharp, after all!

I'll be using Super Bomberman 4 (SNES) for this, which is one of my favourite games in the series, where the Bomber Shitennou (a group of assassins who appear as bosses in Story Mode) happen to have character-specific abilities if you let the computer control them in Battle Mode. My only quibble with it is that Louies don't appear, with different ridable creatures and vehicles taking their place here - boo!

And now it's time for a new feature that I'll occasionally be dropping into my posts going forward, whenever I play games including robots who I find cool. Inspired by an inside-joke with a couple of fellow GOL'ers, it's called...

Pengling's Robot Army!


Bomberman is my absolute favourite robot in all media, so of course this feature is starting with him. Originally created as a slave to an evil empire, from which he escaped so he could use his abilities for the greater good, he's a cute little robot who makes bombs and takes care of his family of eccentric siblings, whilst doing his best to train hard and fight for peace and justice across the universe. Known hobbies include motorcycles and playing guitar, and he is said to be passionate about the pursuit of justice.


My quest to see the ending of Alien Crush (TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine) has passed a big milestone by crossing the 500,000,000 mark this week! The score now sits at 510,228,600 out of 999,999,990!

[+..••] Other stuff that I played this week;


Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PSX)


Jail Escape (Minetest (Native Linux)


Metal Gear Solid (GBC)


Pepsi Invaders ("Coke Wins") (Atari 2600)

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOr maybe…… April O’Neil has been kidnapped and hes on his way to rescue her…….. Its all up to your imagination…….

Hahaha, I vote for April O'Neil - she appears in the weekend posts often enough!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOverall this is quite a good game and I could see you having quite a bit of fun with it if you could import your own music tracks and had any rhythm at all…… Its really unique art style really does a great job as well……. Give it a go for sure if you like rhythm games……...

It sounds like something that has potential for a modern remake that can import standard music files.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderNow for my bad joke of the week……
Little known fact....... Before the crowbar was invented....... Crows simply drank at home......
*ba dum.... tssssh…...*

Oh god.

Last edited by Pengling on 9 June 2023 at 10:53 pm UTC

Everything on the Steam Deck:

I've finished the main story of Lego City Undercover, started replaying some missions to get 100% and done some city stuff, but the huge number of things might be too much for me.

And I've been looking into the Hue (which I got for free) and Pinball FX3 (I got some DLCs as by-catch in a humble bundle).

Hue seems fun, but some of the rooms tend to require more quick color switching than figuring out what to do – I'd have preferred more thinking. Also there are (hidden) Erlenmeyer flasks to collect that seem to require a lot of backtracking.

I've ignored the Pinball FX3 stuff since I got the bundle, but a radio report about the pinball world cup got me to look into the stream which then made me install the game. It's well made and fun, but there are some annoyances. It seems that there is no way to hide the un-owned tables in the main menu and it constantly reminds you if you don't have an online profile linked. At fist I thought that there were no local highscore tables, but they were just hidden in a huge number of you need an online profile messages. Also annoying – there is a successor (with a name reboot ) that requires re-buying the same tables all over again.

I almost want to build a wooden box with some big buttons as a stand-alone controller. That combined with my rotatable desktop screen should be a fun setup.

On the non-Steam Deck end, I've finally managed to start (and finish) sewing a new cushion inner liner for my sofa pillow. Zip fasteners always seem so scary but they usually end up being no problem.

Quoting: Klaasand Pinball FX3 (I got some DLCs as by-catch in a humble bundle).

Ooh, I always love to see video-pinball stuff! What DLC did you get? (I want to pick up the Bethesda Pinball pack at some point so that I can get the Doom table.)

Quoting: KlaasOn the non-Steam Deck end, I've finally managed to start (and finish) sewing a new cushion inner liner for my sofa pillow. Zip fasteners always seem so scary but they usually end up being no problem.

Nice to see someone else here who sews. I thought I was the only one!

Last edited by Pengling on 10 June 2023 at 5:23 pm UTC

Quoting: PenglingWhat DLC did you get?

I've got all Marvell ones and all but the last 7 Star Wars tables.

Have you played Yoku's Island Express (a pinball/platformer hybrid)?

Quoting: KlaasI've got all Marvell ones and all but the last 7 Star Wars tables.

Oh nice! I should pick up the Guardians of the Galaxy one, too, come to think of it - I watched the third film recently and it was great.

EDIT: On that note, I wish that Pinball FX3 tables were sold more like the ones for Zaccaria Pinball, where you can pick and choose, not just being restricted to packs.

Quoting: KlaasHave you played Yoku's Island Express (a pinball/platformer hybrid)?

I haven't, though I've heard good things about it, and I do like both genres. Any good?

Last edited by Pengling on 10 June 2023 at 6:33 pm UTC

Quoting: PenglingAny good?

The pinball part is great. The graphics and sound design as well.

What it doesn't do very good is indicating where you can progress – the metroidvania part is lacking. The story is sparse.

Quoting: KlaasThe pinball part is great. The graphics and sound design as well.

Always a plus.

Quoting: KlaasWhat it doesn't do very good is indicating where you can progress – the metroidvania part is lacking. The story is sparse.

Ahh, that's a bit unfortunate (especially coming in right off the back of finishing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night a few days ago - it's really changed my opinion of Metroidvanias for the better, after having experienced some poor ones)...

Two questions, I suppose: Firstly is that liveable, and secondly if it's not so liveable would you say that it's worth a look if it's in a sale?

Quoting: PenglingMy pick for this weekend is Asterix, for the Master System

Thank god...... something not bomberman related......

Quoting: PenglingBomberman is my absolute favourite robot in all media

God dammit Pengling!!!.....

Quoting: PenglingMy quest to see the ending of Alien Crush (TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine) has passed a big milestone by crossing the 500,000,000 mark this week! The score now sits at 510,228,600 out of 999,999,990!

Only 489,771,390 points to go........ You are no half way there...... You know what that means???

Whoooooaaaaaaaaa…… We’re half way there……..

Quoting: KlaasI've finished the main story of Lego City Undercover

How was Lego City Undercover???

Quoting: KlaasOn the non-Steam Deck end, I've finally managed to start (and finish) sewing a new cushion inner liner for my sofa pillow. Zip fasteners always seem so scary but they usually end up being no problem.

Nice to see someone else here who sews. I thought I was the only one![/quote]I can sew too....... As a punishment at school I was forced to go to sewing class instead of a much cooler class...... And I topped the class....... The only time I ever topped the class......

Quoting: StoneColdSpider

Quoting: PenglingMy pick for this weekend is Asterix, for the Master System

Thank god...... something not bomberman related......

Quoting: PenglingBomberman is my absolute favourite robot in all media

God dammit Pengling!!!.....

ROFL! Ahahah

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderThank god...... something not bomberman related......

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderGod dammit Pengling!!!.....

Quoting: CyrilROFL! Ahahah

Hey, if you guys are gonna say that one of the most laid-back people has a robot army, then I shall build one, hahahaha!

Tune in next week for more cool robots!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOnly 489,771,390 points to go........ You are no half way there...... You know what that means???

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Whoooooaaaaaaaaa…… We’re half way there……..

Heheheheh.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderI can sew too....... As a punishment at school I was forced to go to sewing class instead of a much cooler class...... And I topped the class....... The only time I ever topped the class......

What was the other class?

Last edited by Pengling on 10 June 2023 at 10:15 pm UTC