Jeremy Parish

NES Works 110: Q*Bert & Gyruss (Patreon)

Published:

2023-09-06 12:08:11

Imported:

2024-04

Tags:

arcade gyruss konami nes nes works qbert ultra games

Content

Good afternoon! To those of you in Europe. Otherwise, hello. Please enjoy your weekly dose of video content. It's approved by doctors. Well, nine out of 10 of ’em.

This week brings us not one but TWO vintage arcade conversions from Konami, by way of Ultra Games. One of them was Konami's own creation, whereas the other they had simply distributed in Japanese game centers back in the day. You can really tell. They played favorites here. One of these conversions is perfectly acceptable, and the other raises the bar. Poor form, "Ultra Games." Then again, this take on Gyruss is so good that I can't really bring myself to be upset that Q*Bert is merely OK.

Files

Put some spin on it: Q*Bert & Gyruss | NES Works 110

A pair of vintage arcade conversions from Konami... err, sorry, I mean "Ultra Games." Haha, don't know how I could have made that mistake!! Q*Bert and Gyruss only have one thing in common: Both arcade machines used control schemes that don't really map well to the NES D-pad. Otherwise, they don't have a lot of overlap—and that includes here on NES. "Ultra" poured its heart into this port of Gyruss, turning a fairly simplistic arcade shooter into a game on par aesthetically with their big 1988 hits. As for Q*Bert... well, it plays fine. But it doesn't have the Konami spit ’n polish you'd expect (for some weird reason) from a game from Ultra. Production notes: 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! Why watch when you can read? Check out the massive hardcover print editions of NES Works, Super NES Works, and Virtual Boy works, available now at Limited Run Games (https://limitedrungames.com/collections/books)! SG-1000 Works: Segaiden Vol. I is available NOW, and Metroidvania: The First Decade is due in 2024. NES footage captured from Analogue Nt Mini. Video upscaled to 720 with xRGB Mini Framemeister. Camera work courtesy of Diamond Feit!