61 Frames Per Second

Browse by Tags

• 8-Bit Love: The Ten Greatest Vintage Game Songs to Have Sex To, part 2

  Cyriaque Lamar is a New York-based writer with a New Jersey-bred weltanschauung. He’s had original work published at Cracked.com and performed at The New York International Fringe Festival. Cyriaque is thrilled to contribute to 61FPS, as it brings him one step closer to his childhood dream of living on the set of Nick Arcade. 5.) Final Fight CD – “Walk In the Park (Bay Area)” System: Sega CD (1993) Sounds Like: A sweaty nooner with Don Johnson. I always loved the premise of Final Fight. The idea of a city’s mayor stripping down to his underjohns and beating the shit out of unemployed people in order to stimulate job growth was really ahead of its time. Wait? Mike Haggar was actually fighting to save his daughter from an evil street gang? And here I thought the game was some kind of radical Objectivist propaganda. This Bay Area theme is classic whatever console you play Final Fight on, but the Sega CD version pushes it to the limit with gale-force porno guitars. Seriously, these riffs are like an F4 on the Fujita Scale. In my mind’s eye, the person who would get the most out of this track wears a ton of sea foam green and frequents Fort Lauderdale whorehouses. Sometimes, you just gotta be that person. When it comes to the Sega CD, the only thing sleazier is Night Trap. Read More... Posted Apr 16 2009, 05:00 PM by John Constantine with | with no comments Filed under: nintendo, actraiser, game boy, rare, capcom, hideo kojima, satellaview, top ten, final fight, sega, commodore 64, atari, chrono trigger, genesis, metal gear, super nintendo, atari 2600, mario paint, sega cd, tetris, star tropics, donkey kong country 2, kid icarus, solid snake, cyriaque lamar, radical dreamers, zoda’s revenge, matt gray, msx, last ninja 2, david wise, streets of rage 2, metal gear 2, yuzo kashiro

• 8-Bit Love: The Ten Greatest Vintage Game Songs to Have Sex To, part 1

  Cyriaque Lamar is a New York-based writer with a New Jersey-bred weltanschauung. He’s had original work published at Cracked.com and performed at The New York International Fringe Festival. Cyriaque is thrilled to contribute to 61FPS, as it brings him one step closer to his childhood dream of living on the set of Nick Arcade. There are three reasons this list exists. First, I felt obliged to highlight 61FPS’s distinction as the gaming apparatchik of an internet sex publication. Second, I wished to showcase the unsung virtuosos of yesteryear who made masterworks using a limited palette of sounds. Finally, I intend to rebut those critics who still dismiss video games as low culture. Using the below examples, I intend to reclaim the carnal legacy of video games by evincing how early console music illustrated the gamut of human sexuality, from atavistic, heteronormative modes of eroticism to polymorphous perversity as delineated by Freud. Plus, the thought of people sticking penises into vaginas to Nintendo music is funny. 10.) Radical Dreamers – “The Girl Who Stole the Stars” System: Super Famicom Satellaview (1996) Sounds Like: Koyaanisqatsi composed on Mario Paint. Since roughly 95% of all human lovemaking involves someone with a XX chromosome pairing, I thought it necessary to seek out my female associates’ thoughts on which game music best applies to amore. The suggestions I received were few yet incisive — responses ranged from “the Kid Icarus theme” to “Who the eff effs to video games?” Ultimately though, I deferred to my own instincts and picked this pan-pipe jam from the Japan-exclusive, text-based sequel to Chrono Trigger. Composed by the legendary Yasunori Mitsuda, “The Girl Who Stole the Stars” is easily the most romantic theme on our list. Read More... Posted Apr 16 2009, 04:00 PM by John Constantine with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo, actraiser, game boy, rare, capcom, hideo kojima, satellaview, top ten, final fight, sega, commodore 64, atari, chrono trigger, genesis, metal gear, super nintendo, atari 2600, mario paint, sega cd, tetris, star tropics, donkey kong country 2, kid icarus, solid snake, cyriaque lamar, radical dreamers, zoda’s revenge, matt gray, msx, last ninja 2, david wise, streets of rage 2, metal gear 2, yuzo kashiro

• Whatcha Reading: Racing the Beam

  There are a lot ways to think about games—as cultural artifacts, works of art, works of programming craft. Racing the Beam asks you to think about games in a way that is rarely considered: as a negotiation between game developer and hardware platform, between an artist with vision and the constrained tool that must be used to bring that vision to life. It’s a particularly apt metaphor for the platform in question, the Atari 2600, as almost all of that console’s games were made by one-man programmer/artist/designers. The result is a video game history unlike any I’ve ever read. Read More... Posted Apr 16 2009, 12:00 PM by Joe Keiser with | with no comments Filed under: activision, atari 2600, books, pong, joe keiser, combat, whatcha reading, racing the beam, yar's revenge

• Alternate Soundtrack: Adventure vs. Adventure

  Longtime readers had to know this one was coming. Pitting the legendary Atari 2600 classic Adventure against the self-titled album from an electronic musician of the same name was all too easy. What's more, it's all too appropriate. Warren Robinett's groundbreaking Adventure features absolutely no music and only the occassional sound effect for picking up and dropping objects, slaying or being attacked by dragons, and returning the chalice to the gold castle. There's a lot of silence, which is good for atmosphere but bad for fun. Let's see what we can do about that. Read More... Posted Mar 24 2009, 10:00 AM by Derrick Sanskrit with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: alternate soundtrack, derrick sanskrit, adventure, atari 2600

• The Atari Jaguar and the Bit Wars

  The Angry Video Game Nerd is back, and he's kicking off his resurrection with a two-part series on the Jaguar. Part one offers a brief history of the Jaguar, but doesn't explore its impotent game library at any length. Instead, the Nerd talks about how the Jaguar helped loosen a very powerful advertising ankle trap: the “Bit Wars.” Putting it simply, if you were a gamer and conscious in between the years of 1985 and 1996, you were led to believe that more “bits” in a console equals a better system. You also fell for it, at least until certain truths started to leak out from pores of the 32/64-bit system race. The NES was a huge improvement over the Atari 2600. The Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis were a huge improvement over the rinky-dink graphics on the NES. 32-bit systems were capable of orchestrated audio, anime cutscenes and 3D graphics. And that's where the waters started to muddy up. Before the 32/64-bit race began in earnest, I was going through a small obsessive fit with Capcom arcade games. In particular, Street Fighter Alpha, and (sigh) Dungeons and Dragons: Shadows Over Mystara. I thought for certain I'd see ports on the N64, because, duh, Nintendo's system was going to be the most powerful one in the console race! Why wouldn't it happen? I posted the question on my high school's BBS and was laughed at by a lot of angry video game nerds who predated the Angry Video Game Nerd. Read More... Posted Mar 16 2009, 11:05 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: angry video game nerd, atari 2600, final fantasy vii, fan stuff, nadia oxford, mega man x4, castlevania: symphony of the night, jaguar

• Indie Dev Moment: Jumpman

  Sometimes, 8 bits is just too much. When my friends were gawking at San Andreas, I whipped out my plug'n'play Atari 2600 for some Circus Atari. And it ROCKED. So, of course, I love Jumpman, a freeware desktop game by Andrew McClure fashioned as a modern love letter to the 4 bit platformers of old. Yes, the name "Jumpman" is somewhat sacred amongst retro gamers as the original name of Mario, but trust me when I say Jumpman is flippin' sweet. Literally, the sweetness is flippin', as the major brain-bending game mechanic here is rotating the pixelated world around Jumpman to help him evade enemies and get to the exit. There's a certain slickness to the way Jumpman moves, a reduced friction not often found in such games, and though it takes some getting used to, it works wonderfully for allowing Jumpman to glide across platforms as the world rotates around him. Read More... Posted Feb 24 2009, 01:00 PM by Derrick Sanskrit with | with no comments Filed under: derrick sanskrit, mac, indie dev moment, freeware, atari 2600, windows, linux, jumpman

• Microsoft’s New Year’s Resolution

  For the second time in history, an American company has created a massively successful videogame console. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is, without doubt, America’s greatest triumph since the Atari 2600. Of course, this is discounting personal computers of all stripes, and even the achievements of Microsoft’s first green-tinged box devoted to gaming. But 28 million consoles sold worldwide is a monumental feat for any gaming machine and, contrary to some speculation late last year, it looks like the system’s sales have yet to plateau. As far as creativity and growth of the medium, Microsoft pioneered downloadable content on home consoles, established one of the first easily accessible independent games services, and brought online gaming into more homes than ever before. Not to mention how they’ve published some of the most enjoyable traditional gaming fare — shooters like Halo 3 and Gears of War as well as RPGs like Fable 2 — of the last two years. Yes, kudos to you Microsoft. Ya done good. BUT YOU CAN DO BETTER! What’s up with 2009, guys? Halo Wars? That’s what you’ve got? Where’s Alan Wake, you punks! Ninja Blade? How about a freaking action game without a ninja in it?! Geez! Okay, okay. I am calm now. I am fine. Announcing some great first-party software for the 360 would be a pretty logical resolution for Bill Gates’ house of pancakes. But I was thinking more along the lines of modernization. Microsoft should resolve to make Xbox Live free to all Xbox 360 owners in 2009. Read More... Posted Jan 06 2009, 05:00 PM by John Constantine with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: playstation 3, microsoft, xbox 360, halo 3, super street fighter II turbo hd remix, atari, xbox live, too human, atari 2600, alan wake, fable ii, xbox live silver, bill gates, xbox live gold

• The Original Adventure - Now Portable

  The Atari 2600's Adventure holds several special places in gaming history. It was the first game to allow the main character to carry and use objects without entering a menu or command, it infamously featured gaming's very first easter egg, and, as the title implies, it was the first ever action-adventure game for a video game console, paving the way for The Legend of Zelda and countless others. Well now the first ever action-adventure video game is available for the iPhone/iPod Touch. And its free. Go experience some video game history right now. Read More... Posted Nov 20 2008, 03:00 PM by Derrick Sanskrit with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: derrick sanskrit, iphone, adventure, atari 2600, easter egg

• Where Did You Begin?

  61 Frames Per Second has been chugging along for a few months now, collecting readers and writers alike. Whatever differences those who come here may have, we all share an interest in video games and thus, I've become curious. When did you first play a video game? Read More... Posted Sep 12 2008, 10:00 AM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: amber ahlborn, atari 2600, arcade, retro game

• Yahtzee Says, Support Your Local Independent Developer (He's Right).

  If you're 1) a gamer and 2) not insane, then one of your favourite all-time games is Cave Story. Cave Story was planned, designed and developed by one demigod, the radiant Pixel. One of the greatest games of all time came from two arms, two eyes and one brain. Cave Story works so well because the graphics, sound, story and gameplay all compliment each other beautifully. But what if Pixel had proposed the title to, say, EA and had a hive mind work on the game? For starters, it would look and sound radically different because players today are all about the big noises and shiny things according to the Big Men In Charge (which is why Mega Man 9 has everyone leaping like dogs at a lambchop). The aesthetic shift alone would have sent Cave Story's delicate feng shui swirling down the toilet. Yahtzee talks about the importance of indie games this week, specifically Braid on XBLA. His argument for indie titles against corporate titles is that too many cooks spoil the broth—or rather, too many faceless men in suits destroy the original intent. Sometimes we all need to step back and clear our heads with games that don't stray far from the man or woman who originally thought up the idea. Read More... Posted Aug 27 2008, 06:42 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: yahtzee, zero punctuation, cave story, pixel, rant, atari 2600, braid, indie games, corporations

• Raised On the Stuff: A Parental Thank You Letter in the Heart of August

  My father turned sixty years-old today and, while he’s never been too into it, the man has been playing games from the beginning. It ain’t father’s day and it ain’t mother’s day but today seemed like an appropriate time to say thank you to every parent that has encouraged their child to pick up a controller. Happy birthday, pop. Since their inception, videogames have been terrifying red-blooded American moms and dads. As What They Play found just recently, parents are more concerned about their kids playing videogames than they are about them drinking alcohol or watching porn. My parents? Not so much. Read More... Posted Aug 14 2008, 07:00 PM by John Constantine with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: john constantine, bad dudes, mega man, defender, sonic, final fantast vii, atari 2600, raised on the stuff, empire strikes back

• Wow, Superman 64 Really Was Terrible

  The Angry Videogame Nerd isn't beloved by everyone, but I find comfort in his disjointed rantings. It's definitely a hit-or-miss affair, but when he latches onto a game that's actually worthy of his unbridled rage, fun for everyone ensues. Somewhere in the back of the Bible, God warns us against mixing the Angry Videogame Nerd with Superman 64 for fear of igniting an early Apocalypse. We did not heed His warning and instead encouraged the union. Thankfully, we all survived the result and we all had a good laugh about our near-deaths. I found the Nerd's rant particularly educational. We've gotten used to seeing Superman 64 near the top of every "Worst Games Evar" list, often second only to the Atari 2600's E.T.--the title that touched the game industry's with a glowing finger that killed rather than healed. But I never realised how ghastly Titus' disaster actually is. Superman 64's very existence offends me. It does not have the right to be matter. Why should it exist when worms and bugs die every day? Sorry for the dramatic streak, I'm just having a bit of fun. I often review games and manga in exchange for bags of weevil-ridden flour and vials of heroin--er, I mean, vials of not-heroin. Maybe I'm soft-hearted, but I rarely dole out failing grades. There are many, many mediocre pieces of work out there, but (in my opinion) few failures. In my book, you get a grade for having the determination and stones to put pen to paper and keep on going until you have a finished product. There is not one speck of effort in Superman 64. It completely earns its failure. It revels in it like a little boy who picks his nose to gross out his elders. Read More... Posted Jul 11 2008, 07:33 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with no comments Filed under: angry video game nerd, n64, atari 2600, superman 64, bad game, titus, et, worst game ever