Retro Game Club: Crusader of Centy, Destruction Derby

Episode 214 of the Retro Game Club podcast covers Sega's plans to put Game Gear games inside Yakuza Kiwami 3 and reviews two very different 90s titles. The hosts discuss a mix of modern emulation news, hardware mods, and the weekly game club picks that range from expensive RPGs to car-crashing simulations.

The news roundup

Sega is breaking tradition with its in-game arcades. According to reports discussed in the episode, Yakuza Kiwami 3 will include playable Game Gear titles from Bandai Namco. The Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series is famous for letting players visit virtual Club Sega arcades to play actual Sega classics like Virtua Fighter or Space Harrier. Including third-party titles from a rival publisher is a significant shift for the franchise.

On the hardware side, the hosts discuss the OpenKSK project. This is an open-source replacement for the Sega CD laser board. The Sega CD is notorious for hardware failure. Capacitors leak and laser assemblies die. This project allows enthusiasts to replace the aging control boards while keeping the original optical drive functional. It is a vital project for those who prefer spinning plastic over optical drive emulators (ODEs).

The episode also touches on a hardware mod for the ASUS ROG Ally. A modder managed to attach a physical cartridge reader to the handheld PC for about $60. This allows the device to read original Game Boy and Game Boy Advance cartridges. While the Ally can easily emulate these systems via software, there is a specific charm to jamming a 30-year-old cartridge into a modern windows handheld.

This week's game club games

Crusader of Centy

Released in 1994 for the Sega Genesis (and known as Soleil in Europe), Crusader of Centy is often described as Sega's answer to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Developed by Nextech, the game features a young hero who loses the ability to speak to humans but gains the ability to talk to animals. It arrived late in the console's lifecycle and had a small print run. Consequently, it has become one of the most expensive cartridges on the secondary market. The gameplay involves solving puzzles and fighting enemies using a sword and various animal companions that grant special abilities. Listen to the episode to hear what we and the listeners thought of the games.

Destruction Derby 64

Reflections Interactive developed this vehicular combat game, which hit the PlayStation in 1995. It also saw releases on the Sega Saturn and MS-DOS. Destruction Derby 64 was released on Ninitendo 64 a few years later. It is a much brighter and better experience than it's predecessors. Destruction Derby was a technical showcase for the time. It featured real-time damage modeling where cars would crumple, lose hoods, and smoke based on impact physics. While the frame rate and draw distance are rough by modern standards, it was a key title in establishing the PlayStation as a machine for older audiences who wanted to smash things rather than jump on turtles. Listen to the episode to hear what we and the listeners thought of the games.

Next episode's game club picks

Mario Bros.

Before the Super era, there was just Mario Bros. Released in arcades in 1983 by Nintendo, this single-screen platformer introduced Luigi and the concept of attacking enemies from below. It is an endless high-score chaser defined by its slippery physics and cooperative (or competitive) multiplayer.

Gyruss

Konami released this tube shooter in arcades in 1983. Unlike Galaga or Space Invaders, the player's ship rotates in a 360-degree circle while enemies fly out from the center of the screen. It is famous for its stereo sound and its driving synth-pop arrangement of J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

Retro Game Club Podcast is associated with Pants Pants Revolution. For more information on Retro Game Club, visit the Retro Game Club link tree.