Hold and Give

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Football, the biggest sport in many countries including here in the UK. As I sit and watch the title decider unwind (stress free neither are my team) you can't but wonder would you do anything differently. If we are talking about football, tactics and managers you probably already know which series of games I am going to talk about. Championship Manager (before the SI split) wasn't the instant hit everyone thinks it was. There was a raft of management games in the late 80s early 90s. Some little gems like Tracksuit Manager and The Manager were already established when Championship Manager was released in 1992. The only problem with the original CM release that they didn't use real players names. This was a big mistake and the game didn't really take off. They did learn by their mistakes and by the time they released CM' 93 the real player names had been introduced. From there on CM built on it's success and even moved off the computer base platform and produced CM 01/02 for the Xbox console. This was a still a success but I still say CM is a computer based game and not a console based game as it just loses its fluidity on any other format. CM series introduced us to football management and not football club management. A lot of games concentrated on every aspects of football club management like ticket prices, sponsorship dealings, stadium building and food prices. CM doesn't as a football manager deals with the team, the players and the tactics. We don't care how much a hotdog is but we do care about how a promising youngster is progressing in an U18s league. CM also did one quite major thing and that was to wipeout the competition completely. Nothing could match this game, although some tried, no one came close and gradually they stopped trying. I will always play the Championship Manager series and current playing CM 4 as we don't need a title decider here to see who is the Premier league top dog.

 

Herman and the Hermits

Video gaming has always been a big part of my life from an early age but I have never let it take over my life. Some people take it to extremes and it becomes an obession as they spend whole days fixed to the screen. True I think this is more so with modern gamers but I have always tried to limit my video game time so I could have other interests like actually going OUTSIDE. I know the majority of gamers don't live their life like a hermit and I have never been that way ------ until now. Now I am getting a little bit older, I am finding myself getting more and more contented with my retro game pastime. Just recently I turned down free tickets to go and watch my favourite team because I wanted to finish one of my new features on the blog. I mean this is total madness as I am having to try and convince myself to go and not become what I have said I never will be. The madness doesn't stop there though, I am actually thinking of turning down invitations to the pub because I want to complete a retro game by the end of the week. Pub and beer versus couch and retro gaming. What is happening to me? I am turning into a............geek????

Sunday Jukebox - No.1

I had the idea of the Sunday Jukebox which takes a look at the music that inspires so many people in so many games but I have decided to evolve it a little bit. Sunday Jukebox will take a look at music and also include some great opening sequences. I did think about showing closing sequences but this would be a spoiler for people who want to complete/play games. So welcome to Sunday Jukebox No.1 and I have three tracks to share with you.
The first track on the jukebox is the opening theme music to the Amiga game Magic Pockets. Although the music wasn't an original score it still went down it my books as I good opening to an average video game. The theme music was an adaptation of Betty Boo's "Doin' The Do" which was a cult hit back in the day. Enjoy the track especially the drum beat solo at the end.
The second track is an intro to a game which once held the title of being the biggest selling French title ever. Flashback was mistakenly known as the sequel to Another World which it exactly wasn't. The lead character, Conrad, has discovered a plot to destroy earth by aliens disguising themselves as government officials. In this opening clip Conrad is trying to escape with what he knows.
The last track on the Sunday Jukebox is one of my personal favourites from a game that I constantly played throughout my childhood. This great tune was constantly in the background as you progressed from level to level whilst controlling one of the two colourful bubble blowing dragons. Bubble Bobble tune was so simple but not one of these annoying in game tunes that you wanted to mute as soon as you heard it.

Re-launch Sunday

So been putting a bit of time in the blog recently for the re-launch of Add Coin to Play. I know some people have already been look at the blog but the official re-launch will be this Sunday. This will also the mark the start of the Jukebox Sunday feature which looks at retro game music. So for all you people who can't wait for Sunday please keep checking out the blog, commenting and if you want get in contact with me or contribute. Roll on Sunday!!!!

Future plans and all that

The blog posts are growing and I am trying to put more and more content but I need a plan. I have decided to put together a few weekly features so I can get some routine in the blog and hopefully start growing from there. My first weekly feature will happen be published every Thursday. Now the thing I am going to do is a mammoth task but everyone has to start somewhere. I have wanted to play as many retro games as possible and I have always thought how many have I actually played? Every Thursday I will pick three games to play throughout the week and make my way through as many games as I can. The feature will be called The Thursday Trio and will be a great feature for me. The next feature will look at the real heart of games and evokes so many emotions. Put a coin in the Sunday Jukebox and listen to the retro game music classics. Some are good, some are bad and some are almost definately ugly. The last weekly feature will be a look at the crazy world of gaming and the lengths people go to either play their favourite games or the reactions when they don't get their own way. Twisted Tuesdays feature will identify the spoilt brats, the real game heads and the sheer loonies.

Who are You!!!!

I know there is an 'About' section on the blog which is a short snapshot who I am (addcointoplay) but I wanted to compose a post giving you more gaming background of myself so you can see my credentials. Started gaming in the early 80's when my father bought me and my brother's a Dragon 32 home computer. According to my dad this shouldn't be used just for gaming, yeah right. I remember playing games like Chuckie Egg and Beserk constantly but don't feel that this was when a got hooked on gaming. That came later in the 80's when my eldest brother bought a second hand Commodore 64 with loads of games dirt cheap from a mate. I came home and there it was in all its beauty, this was the point I was dragged into the virtual world which I haven't been able to escape ever since. So after years of playing Bruce Lee, Bubble Booble, Microprose Soccer, Way of the Exploding Fist and many more classics I finally decided to upgrade to my beloved Commodore Amiga (still my fave to this day). My mate had one and I saw Xenon II then thought I must have one of these. I saved all my money and bought my Amiga 500+ then promptly played it to death. Next was not one of my finest, I bought a CD32, yes I know before anyone says but still enjoyed games such as Roadkill. By this time the SNES was firmly placed in the market and again one game made me buy this console, that was the great NBA Jam TE. I loved the SNES and still think the controller for this machine is still the best layout and iconic looking. The next to console buys were again influenced by two games (can you see the trend), the first was Virtua Cop for the Sega Saturn and then House of the Dead 2 for the Sega Dreamcast. The latter was such a good console as everyone knows but just lacked games and support from Sega. Then I bought the consoles from the two biggest names currently in modern day gaming. I had a PS1, PS2, Xbox and also an Xbox 360 but I can't really remember in which order other than the 360 came last. I have always played retro games even when I had my 360 but never really concentrated on them. But it didn't end there, I always said that I wouldn't hand cash over for an over-priced PS3 but luckily my wife bought me one as I have always been a Sony lover. SO WHY DO YOU PLAY RETRO NOW THEN????? I love all gaming but old games come with so my memories which I enjoy revisiting as I had a very good childhood. My parents worked hard for everything and made us all appreciate what we have or been given. Add this to the fact that I have had 3 PS3's which have all broken and finally thought I can't be bothered shelling money out on things that just don't work. The more I play retro games and get immersed into the community, the more I get hooked. This is probably why I started the blog as I want to get involved with other retro gamers, get involved in a good community and also share my stories, opinions and experinces.

A Broad Spectrum

So the ZX Spectrum is 30 years old. This iconic computer stormed the UK back in the early 80's and still has a loyal fan base. I never really got ZX Spectrum as it was my sworn enemy as I owned a Commodore 64 at the time but I understand it's appeal, now I'm older and slightly more sensible. ZX Spectrum was the follow up to the ZX81 and hit the UK marketplace in 1982. The pricing of the ZX Spectrum was the main reason why it out sold it's higher spec rivals (C64 still miles better - once a fanboy always a fanboy). It boasted titles like Manic Miner, the wonderfully weird Jet Set Willy and the simple Horace Goes Skiing. It's slimline design, attractive packing and rubber keys set it aside other heavy, dull and boxy computer systems. The ZX Spectrum was iconic milestone for Sir Clive's company and I want to wish it Happy Birthday!!!!

Hi Everyone!

This is the first post of my new blog - Add Coin To Play. I will be taking a look into the wonderful world of retro gaming and be voicing my opinions, sharing my experiences and basically telling you what I like and don't like. Retro video games stirs up so many emotions and memories for me which I want to share with anyone who is willing to read/listen. So please subscribe, contribute or just look around as I full immerse myself into this majestic world. More coming soon!!