Brett Weiss's Blog, page 25

Get Your Name in The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 2 (N–Z)

My publisher has a limited time (a couple of weeks or so) offer where you can get your name in The SNES Omnibus Vol. 2 by pre-ordering a copy direct from me. You will be listed in the patrons section near the front of the book. When your pre-ordered book ships, you will also get a copy of The Arcade and Other Strange Tales AND Old School Gamer Magazine #5 for free. For more info, click HERE.

SAMPLE STORY - The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 2 (N–Z)

Check out this sample story from video game journalist Keith Good for my forthcoming book, The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 2 (N-Z). It's a heartfelt, literary account of growing up playing Super Bomberman with childhood friends. Below that, you can read my review of the game, along with my memories of the game and some quotes. The layout of the book will be much better than what you see here, but these are the images and text that will be used. The SNES Omnibus Vol. 2 will release April 28, 2019.

Insider Insight: We were three: Jon, Laura, and Keith. From the day we met waiting for the school bus, our number caused nothing but consternation. Three is not a number equally divided. Three cannot play one-on-one basketball. Three will not evenly distribute the penny candy which always seemed to fill our pockets. Only the swing set behind Jon’s house, with its three plastic seats, and bike rides to the comic book shop kept any truce.

Had we grown up in the ’50s or ’60s, we could have played three-player marbles without worry. Children of the ’80s and ’90s, though, were divided into two discrete groups: Player Ones and Player Twos. The NES—and its two controllers—always left a third of us (impatiently) waiting. Our rules dictated home field advantage won Player One, leaving the two visitors to barter and cajole for the second controller. “Take turns on lives” and “Each play one game” seem like perfectly reasonable sharing systems until you’re at level 8-4 of Super Mario Bros. and the game cheats to kill Luigi. Hand over the controller when the game cheats? Not going to happen.
We all had NES decks, but Jon was the first to get a Super Nintendo. I remember thinking his parents had a sort of technological magic; games seemed to appear in his room before they’d even been released. You can imagine my surprise, in an age before internet forums and publicized release dates, walking into Jon’s room to find him and Laura playing Super Bomberman. Their little avatars toddled around a block maze, setting bombs which exploded in fantastic plumes of red and orange flame. The music bounced as they exploded the computer’s players and each other. The game felt utterly bright and new.
I remember the darkness of the room, the midnight blue carpet, the curtains drawn. Jon and Laura sat cross-legged before the TV, faces glowing bright from the game. Two extra controllers snaked over the carpet beside them. I followed the cords to a half-moon looking hunk of plastic plugged into the player two port. I did some quick math and was left dumbfounded: four controllers?
I pointed to the peripheral (thought I probably wouldn’t have known to call it a ‘peripheral’ in 1993). “What’s that?”
Neither Jon nor Laura looked away from the screen. “Super Multitap,” Jon said. He always knew everything's exact name. “Four players.”
I picked up the third controller like choosing Indiana Jones’ Holy Grail. Super Bomberman felt like a discovery, like the dawning of a new age. Game mechanics quickly learned—blow up blocks, gather power-ups, blow up more blocks (and each other)—the three of us played together. It must have been hours. All three of us playing the same game, at the same time? It felt we’d finally arrived in the future, that following three-player Super Bomberman, hovering skateboards and flying cars couldn’t be long after.
Which isn’t to say our arguments magically disappeared. Who got to be which color sprite caused heated arguments and Jon’s habit of shouting “To the victor go the spoils!” after every single win often caused friction. But we no longer needed to argue over who sat out. Now, with Super Bomberman and a Multitap, we could have the best possible video game argument: who was going to blow the crap out of whom in the next match. - Keith Good


Super Bomberman Publisher: Hudson Soft. Developer: Produce.Maze, 1-4 players (simultaneous). 1993.
One of the best party games for any system, Super Bomberman maintains the basic gameplay of the popular, highly addictive Bomberman for the NES, but adds something crucial that is a trademark of all the sequels and spinoffs: multi-player action. The two-player mode is great, but things get really exciting and chaotic when three or four gamers go at it. This is achievable via a multi-tap adaptor, which is available separately or packaged with the game via a special release packaged in an oversized box called the Super Bomberman Party Pak.
Gameplay is simple, but hugely entertaining, with gamers guiding their BomberMan around a non-scrolling maze (a grid of 143 squares, placed 13x11), setting bombs to kill opponents and other enemies and getting out of the way before the bombs explode. Helpful items appear as you destroy enemies, walls, and opponent Bomber Men. These include extra bomb (increases the number of bombs you can lay on the ground), accelerator (increases your running speed), explosion expander (increases range of your explosions), indestructible armor (makes you impervious to explosions), remote control (lets you detonate bombs by remote), super bomb (lets explosions pass through obstacles like enemies, skulls, and walls), kick (enables you to kick bombs away from where they are placed), power glove (lets you punch bombs away), and more.

There are 12 selectable battle stages, a.k.a. zones: Normal, Western, Bomb, Jump, Belt, Tunnel, Duel, Flower, Light, Power, Warp, and Speed. Destroying certain walls reveals level exits; exiting through there after all the enemies are destroyed clears the level. In multi-player games, the last surviving player wins. The storyline revolves around the evil Carat Diamond and his cohort, Dr. Mook, who are hosting a Robot Tournament in Diamond City in order to steal BomberMan’s advanced combat abilities. The one-player game is a little too easy this time around, and the graphics remain simplistic, but that’s okay: the multi-player action will keep you and your friends entertained indefinitely.
Memories: When my children were little and my wife and I would go visit her mother in Tyler, Texas during the late 1990s, the women and kids would go to the mall or wherever, and I would strike out on my own, haunting game stores, used book stores, thrift stores, and the like. One of my better finds during these outings was a boxed copy of Super Bomberman Party Pakwith the multi-tap and manual included. I paid $10 at a pawn shop. It is now worth around $200.
Notable Quotable: “An addictive game that does not become repetitious…The graphics in Super Bomberman are good and extremely cartoony. They fit the game well, as do the sounds which benefit from the fact that they do not get annoying after a long play period. But where this game excels is in the play.” - Electronic Games (September 1993)
Notable Quotable:“This game is the bomb! Magazine and game development houses across the globe have all missed a deadline or two to Super Bomberman’s charm. Certainly, the one-player adventure has its moments, but the true way to experience Super Bomberman is with three of your friends in multiplayer Battle Mode. It may look cute and happy, but multiplayer Bombermanis nothing but brutal and bloody because, once you start talking smack, the hours just disappear.” - Game Informer#100 (August 2001), which ranked Super Bomberman the 90th greatest video game of all time.

To pre-order a signed copy of The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 2 (N-Z) direct from me, with bonus items, click HERE. 

The SNES Omnibus Vol. 2 -- NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 2(N–Z) is now available for pre-order! It will be available April 28, 2019, but you can reserve your copy today.

You can pre-order Vol. 2 through Amazon HERE, or you can pre-order a signed copy direct from me (U.S. only) by simply sending $59.98 via PayPal to brettw105@sbcglobal.net. With your PayPal payment, please state that you are pre-ordering The SNES Omnibus Vol. 2, and tell me which pre-order bonus you would like.
For those who pre-order The SNES Omnibus Vol. 2 direct, I will include a physical copy of my book of short stories, The Arcade and Other Strange Tales, as a bonus item with your shipment. Plus, I will go ahead and send you a digital copy of The Arcade and Other Strange Tales right away. Or, I will ship a physical copy of Old School Gamer Magazine #5 with your order. I will include some surprises with your shipment as well.
If you want an idea of what The SNES Omnibus Vol. 2 will look like inside, check out samples pages of Vol. 1 on Amazon by clicking HERE.
Volume 2 of SNES Omnibus is a fun and informative look at ALL the original Super Nintendo games released in the US starting with the letters N-Z. More than 375 games are featured, including such iconic titles as Star Fox, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Tetris Attack, and Zombies Ate My Neighbors. Each game, whether obscure or mainstream, is covered in exhaustive detail. In addition to thorough gameplay descriptions, the book includes reviews, fun facts, historical data, quotes from vintage magazines, and, best of all, nostalgic stories about many of the games from programmers, authors, convention exhibitors, video game store owners, YouTube celebs, and other industry insiders. The book also features more than 2,000 full-color images, including box art, cartridges, screenshots, and vintage ads. Plus, there’s a gorgeous centerfold starring your favorite SNES characters. Includes nostalgic stories by such gaming celebs as John Jackson Miller (best-selling author of Star Trek and Star Wars novels), David Warhol (Intellivision programmer), Steve Woita (Genesis and Atari 2600 programmer), Rusel DeMaria (author of SNES strategy guides), Kelsey Lewin (popular YouTuber), John Riggs (popular YouTuber), John Lester (popular YouTuber), and many others.   

The Five Count Interview with Brett Weiss

I was on the latest episode of The Five Count, a fun pop culture radio show. We had a blast talking Nintendo, The SNES Omnibus, and video games in general. Listen in at the 33:00 mark HERE. 

The Last Star Fighter Prototypes Found

Prototypes for toys based on the The Last Star Fighter, a favorite film among video game fans, have been found. Check them out HERE.

Old School Gamer Magazine #6 -- DIGITAL VERSION FREE

Issue #6 of Old School Gamer Magazine is shipping now. It's a pop culture-theme issue with tons of cool content, including my take on The Death and Return of Superman and Super Star Wars for the Super Nintendo. You can read it for free HERE.

FEATURED IN GAME INFORMER MAGAZINE -- The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 1 (A-M)

I was delighted to discover that my new Super Nintendo book, The SNES Omnibus Vol. 1, took the #1 spot in the Fall Reading List in the new issue of Game Informer Magazine. Click on the images for a closer look. You can order a signed copy of The SNES Omnibus direct from me and find out more information on the book HERE.

New Super Nintendo Game Review - Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death

Back in 2014, I reviewed CollectorVision’s Sydney Hunter and the Shrines of Peril, a Smurf Rescue in Gargamel’s Castle pastiche for the Intellivision. Now it’s time for Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death, an action/adventure title for the Super Nintendo. CollectorVision is an independent company producing games for modern and vintage consoles, and Sydney Hunter, an amiable Indiana Jones-type adventurer and geologist, is basically their mascot.
In this 16-bit expedition, Sydney heads to the South Pacific and explores the mysterious Sundial Island, home of Mount Doom. Deep within Mount Doom are treasures untold and a volcano god who demands human sacrifice. Tempted by a colorful jewel on a pedestal in a cavern within the mountain, Sydney ventures boldly inside, only to get trapped. You must help him gather treasure, battle enemies, and find his way out.
Armed only with a boomerang and a torch (for lighting the way), Sydney must run, jump, and climb through the various caverns, hurling his weapon at bats, frogs, ghosts, firebirds, snails, and spiders. There are also obstacles to avoid, including green slime, dropping water, and ghost flames (which can’t be killed). Tricky jumps will test your dexterity, and you must tread carefully throughout the game because one-hit deaths are the rule of the day—unless you are playing easy mode, where Sydney can find hats along the way. While wearing a hat, Sydney can take an extra hit.
There are no inventory systems to manage, magic potions to mix, weapons to upgrade, or other such complications, meaning some will find the goings a little light for their tastes. However, others will enjoy the simple, pick-up-and-play nature of the game. I find myself in the latter camp, especially since the game is deeper than it appears on the surface. As you make your way through the caverns, you must pick up crystal skulls, diamonds, and golden idols and carry them to specific places to make your way out.
Graphically, the game isn’t oozing with detail, but it does have a pleasant appearance, with a cute protagonist, nice lighting effects, glowing walls, and rising lava (when it’s time to quickly exit the cavern). From an aural standpoint, the music fits the mood nicely. More importantly, the game is fun, it has solid controls, and it presents a fair challenge.
As icing on the cake, the packaging is top-notch, old-school SNES, with box art by Joe Simko of Garbage Pail Kids trading card fame. If nothing else, the game is a nice stop-gap while we all wait for the highly anticipated Sydney Hunter & TheCurse Of The Mayan for the Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
You can purchase your copy of Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death HERE.

Foreword by Brett Weiss

This year I had the distinct honor of writing the forewords to two very cool video game-related projects: The Bits of Yesterday, a documentary on collecting vintage video games featuring such celebs as Pat Contri and James Rolfe, and The Minds Behind the Games, a book featuring interviews with developers of such classics as Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and Yars' Revenge. The Bits of Yesterday was directed by Darrin Peloquin while The Minds Behind the Games was authored by Patrick Hickey, Jr. Both are great ambassadors for the retro gaming community.
Click on the image to read my foreword to The Bits of Yesterday:


Click on the images read my foreword to The Minds Behind the Games:

NOW AVAILABLE! - The SNES Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 1 (A-M) with FREE MAGAZINE

You can now purchase a signed copy of The SNES Omnibus direct from me, Brett Weiss, and you will receive a copy of Old School Gamer Magazine #5, which is the new issue, for free. Simply PayPal $59.98 to brettw105@sbcglobal.net, and I will send you The SNES Omnibus (signed) and the magazine. Thanks!
For more info about the book, click HERE.



*Write-ups for 350+ games *2,000+ full-color photos *Nostalgic stories from famous gamers *History *Reviews *Memories *Fun Facts *Essays *Quotes from vintage magazines *And more!

416 pgs. - 230,000+ words - Large Format (9x12) - Deluxe hardcover coffee table book with dust jacket

Click on the image below for a closer look. Click HERE for a bigger and even closer look at several pages via Amazon.

Free magazine with purchase of The SNES Omnibus!