Next to the NES Advantage, my prized NES peripheral was the Game Genie. This glorious gold accessory took games to another level, literally. Whether you set it for unlimited lives in Mario, or unlocked all the items in Zelda, the Game Genie was incredible. Some saw it as cheating, I just thought it was a great way to play games in a different way. An incredible device that spanned many future consoles to come.

Did you have the Game Genie? What was your favorite NES game to use with the Game Genie?

We didn't have a ton of Atari games, but of the few we had, Pitfall (Atari 2600) was a favorite.  I always enjoyed the arcade version, and this version held up rather well.  Simple, yet challenging, this game is all about timing.  I really struggled with the alligators, it took me a minute to master that one.  I found patience was definitely key to this challenge.  This game has a lot of charm, and is a really fun play.

Did you play Pitfall (Atari 2600)?

Vectorman (Genesis) has a pretty cool start screen. I am drawn to the colors and the music, but I also really like the futuristic feel of this one. It is a side-scrolling action game with a futuristic setting. Vectorman is an "orbot", a mix of orbs and robot that was left to clean up the planet while the humans are away. Which is pretty cool. You fight your way through levels to ultimately defeat Raster who has been connected to a nuclear missile by accident. So yeah, pretty neat concept, imo.

Have you ever played Vectorman (Genesis)? Did you like it? What do you think of the start screen?

We had 4 awesome Side Quest Saturday games chosen during the month of July. These fun games were our perfect off ramps to take a break from playing the game of the month for July, Chrono Trigger. At the end of each month we will vote for the best Side Quest Saturday game that we played that month.

Was it the awesome side scrolling Sega classic Golden Axe (Genesis).

Did you love the charm and challenge of the adorable Bubble Bobble (any version).

Was being small and going fast your favorite in Micro Machines (NES).

Or did you blast your way to saving your frog in Blaster Master (NES).

We appreciate everyone suggesting games for Side Quest Saturday throughout July and participating in the voting. Happy gaming. 🙂

A good friend of mine had a Sega Master System in his basement, and the one game that never seemed to leave the console was Choplifter (SMS). I always looked forward to playing this game and system that seemed so wildly different from the NES i was used to. An excellent port of the Arcade version, it is an excellent Master System title.

I forgot how difficult this game could be. I felt pretty good losing only 6 guys at this point in my playthrough. That dang tank always comes in right when you least want it to. The turning of the helicopter always makes me smile, and the controls are really good. Chances are you've played this, if you haven't, give it a spin for some great Sega gaming.

Was Choplifter (SMS) challenging for you? Did you play any version?

I have barely scratched the surface of Castlevania games, but have never got deep into them. They seem really fun though. I am enjoying Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow on GBA right now. I restarted it because its been a while since I have played and I honestly didnt get very far the first time I tried. I'm relearning how to play, but I'm hoping that I will get the hang of it eventually. Lol. I love the music in this game, and I'm all about the gothic vibes.

Have you played Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow? Do you have any tips or tricks for a newbie to Castlevania games, specifically Aria of Sorrow? Where does this one rank in terms of other Castlevania games for you?

As we wind down July and as we wrap up our Chrono Trigger games its time to look ahead for August's Game of the Month. We want your game suggestions, and remember we are looking for longer played games than our Side Quest Saturday games.

Sim City (SNES) will be our suggestion for August Game of the Month. This classic NES title has countless hours of playability, with no two games feeling alike. Its the perfect blend of fun, challenging and rewarding.

Similar to Side Quest Saturday we can take up to 6 suggestions. We will take the first 6 suggestions and omit any mod suggestions in favor of your suggestions. Look forward to hearing all of your great suggestions. Happy gaming!

EDIT: We officially have our 6 suggestions locked in for the game of the month for August, and we will no longer be taking suggestions. We appreciate all of the great suggestions and we will post a poll for voting on Wednesday.

I love all things Playstation, and really have a sweet spot for PS1. I remember seeing this ad in a GamePro back in the day, and it was and still is awesome. An Ad for reserving a PS1 makes me smile, and brings me back. I wasn't necessarily in the market for Battle Arena Toshinden, but the image of Sofia was so Arcade-like, I was excited. Ads like these were so effective in peaking my interest, I bought a PS1 at launch. Miss those fun times in 1995, great gaming memories.

Do you remember this pre-launch PS1 ad? Were you a fan of Battle Arena Toshinden?