Game Sack

[eddiespruce]

I always thought it said "Marino94".

[gamevet]

The whole on-rails designation is necessary most significnatly (and earliest) for 3D/pseudo 3D type 1st or 3rd person shooters to distinguish them from free-roaming 3D/pseudo 3D shooters. (like Star Raiders . . . and those pseudo 3D genres actually predate scrolling vertical/horizontal shooters by a fair margin -fixed/single-screen shooters were very common at that time though)

When I think of on-rails shooters, the vector based Star Wars arcade machine first comes to mind. You basically aim at the targets and the ship moves along a designated path. Star Raiders and Starmaster did this as well, but you could choose where to go from a map, and the ship could change coarse with your input. With games like Panzer Dragoon and Space Harrier, you could move up, down, left and right, but you were still stuck within a designated path.

The term could be applied to conventional scrolling/overhead 2D shooters too (to differentate between autoscrolling vertical/horizontal shooters and free-roaming overhead shooters -like Thunder Force and TFII, or roaming sidecrollers like Defender), but the roaming overhead/2D shooter genre is relatively uncommon/niche, so that distinction is less necessary. (vs on-rails 3D shooters and free 3D shooters/sims which were both relatively common and getting stronger/more popular in the late 80s and through the 90s -both benefiting from the 3D gaming revolution on PCs and consoles)

You also had laserdisc games like Firefox, that used a set path, with computer graphics overlaid on the video. Then there were arcade games like Starblade.

[kool kitty89]

When I think of on-rails shooters, the vector based Star Wars arcade machine first comes to mind. You basically aim at the targets and the ship moves along a designated path. Star Raiders and Starmaster did this as well, but you could choose where to go from a map, and the ship could change coarse with your input. With games like Panzer Dragoon and Space Harrier, you could move up, down, left and right, but you were still stuck within a designated path.

Hmm, I think of Star Raiders and such more as proper pseudo 3D space shooters/sims, more like Wing Commander (albeit much more primitive).

[gamevet]

I worded that wrong. Star Raiders felt alot like those early rail shooters, because the sensation of being in open space was limited to star movement. When it came to the battles, it was pretty much lining the enemy ship with your sites. What set that game apart from those on-rails shooters, was the ability to choose what sector to fly to next and leave when you chose.

Wing Commander, X-wing vs. Tie Fighter and such borrowed some ideas from Star Raiders, but the storylines set those games apart from it.

[M4R14NO94]

I always thought it said "Marino94".

Well yeah but to someone like me it looks like random numbers and letters. Though If I squint really hard maybe I see Marianora?

That's close.

Remove the last two letters and there's my name. You know how many games and/or movies usually put a number in place of a letter for a sequel? Well, me and my brother decided to do that one day, inspired by Driver 3's name (DRIV3R). My bro's came out well, mine... not very well. And the 94 at the end was the year I was born.

Just to clear it out.

[kool kitty89]

I worded that wrong. Star Raiders felt alot like those early rail shooters, because the sensation of being in open space was limited to star movement. When it came to the battles, it was pretty much lining the enemy ship with your sites. What set that game apart from those on-rails shooters, was the ability to choose what sector to fly to next and leave when you chose.

Wing Commander, X-wing vs. Tie Fighter and such borrowed some ideas from Star Raiders, but the storylines set those games apart from it.

What set those games (and Star Raiders, and similar games -and old flight sims for that matter) apart for me is the feeling of free 2-axis 3D movement rather than being stuck on-rails . . . the feeling of an open environment around your ship/plane. (and similar feeling of 3D dogfights . . . more so as AI got more complex -especially for enemies coming up behind you . . . something that's broken in Sega's Shadow Squadron unfortunately -it's probably the biggest flaw in that game, and results in the lack of any real dog fights . . . and sloppy tactics against capital ships -since nothing can hit you from behind)

[Joe Redifer]

New episode!

[Zoltor]

Cool Video, but yea missing some.

You missed Guardian Legend(the one part is auto scrolling, but you were counting those as well), which is a hybrid between Action/Adventure, and Shooter, yet both parts can "technically" be considered, run' n gun as well.

How can you forget one of the best games in the entire NES library

PS. I always liked ailian Syndrome, but as far as I know, every version of it is glitchy as hell, and I can't help to think it would be more fun, without a timer(just add more enemies instead).

[eddiespruce]

Some great games in there, but one game I would've liked to see that you missed was "Ai Senshi Nicol" for the Famicom Disk System. If you don't own it, you should pick it up, as it's really cheap, and a lot of fun.

[Joe Redifer]

We can't please everybody and we're perfectly fine with that. Also, we don't own Famicom disk systems. If you want to see your favorite obscure game, send it to us. That's how we're handling next week's episode, after all.

[Zoltor]

We can't please everybody and we're perfectly fine with that. Also, we don't own Famicom disk systems. If you want to see your favorite obscure game, send it to us.

This means war j/k.

Come on, you want me to believe game enthusiasts like yourselves, don't have Guardian Legend(just admit you forgot)? It was odd to hear someone suggest a Famicom Disc game though(I don't think the AVGN even has that system).

[ace3093]

Another great video!

I swear I have watched all of your videos multiple times!

Keep them coming! =)

[MIZPHIT]

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It is also on SNK Arcade Classics 0 for PSP.

[The Coop]

And of those 18,726, you seem to be missing the run 'n gun 'n beat'em up Ikari Warriors III (Arcade, NES, DOS and C64). For shaaaaaaame

[M4R14NO94]

Man, it's the first time I hear Last Alert's voice acting.

And it is so awesomely bad.