Enter the Emulator
by Godzprototype, HSM filmmaker
I have to say, this year has been jampacked with blood, sweat and tears in Home. Developers are working extremely hard at not just creating a multitude of quality experiences, but deeper ones as well.
Norse is right: this is Home’s golden year. What is even more pleasing to me is that it doesn’t seem to be slowing down on any level. We have all gone through some bumps in the road, and are coming out the other side shining. There are new things coming things everyone wants for one reason or another.
I remember when this year rolled around, some of us were holding discussions about arcade cabinets. Many talked of having their own arcade rooms, and how important it was to have those cabinets. One of my first goals in Home was to get all those Namco arcade cabinets. Being in an ever expanding virtual world that is immersive, and social, it always seemed a foregone conclusion that having an arcade room was not only important but at my age it is a rite of passage!
It occurred to me that watching a friend standing at an arcade cabinet playing a game would give being in Home a whole new level of immersion.
There have been quite a few arcade cabinets that have come along, most of which I found entertaining. Scribble Shooter was genius! All of the Namco arcade cabinets, the VEEMEE games and cabinets. Clusterpuck. Dance Dance Revolution. A few cabinets that were availible through purchase of their respective games. Dragon’s Lair. Space Ace. House of the Dead. All of these game cabinets gave users who are old enough to appreciate the arcade room another level of appreciation and depth to their personal space. My first arcade room was set in the Wizard’s Den. Then I built one in my Sodium Blaster’s Paradise.
Enter the emulator. Intellivision has entered the Home community — with a bang.
I owned one of these growing up, and played alot of the games it offered. Donkey Kong Jr. was one of my favorites, along with Tron Deadly Discs, and most of the timeless classics.
Emulation of hardware from a game system that is no longer on the market’s mainstream is really a cool thing! For Sony to allow a company that owns the IP rights to an old game system to build an emulator for their games says a lot about just how far we have come. Intellivision will be bringing us some of their classic games into Home with more cabinets for us to continue building on our arcade palaces. One question, of course, is whether they will be able to give us the timeless classics: Burgertime, Donkey Kong, Tron Deadly Discs, Qbert, Zaxxon. I really enjoyed playing Zaxxon!
While I would like to keep this article Intellivision oriented, the specualtion of further such emulation is actually huge. What other accomplished game system will Sony be bringing on board? Intellivision had a great system, and will be upgrading their games while retaining their classic feel and 8-bit looks. This is a door that is opening, and it would seem Sony is embracing some really good ideas here!
Emulation has been around for a long time. Tons of people that are tech savvy actually build arcade cabinets for the MAME arcade emulator. Emulators are software that acts like the hardware for the game system of choice. For Sony to embrace this, and a company as well known as Intellivision to get together to make PlayStation Home more immersive, says a lot about Sony’s goals for the future. Intellivision is bringing us known classics; I would like to see a reward that came with the cabinet of the actual console. Hanging out with a room full of friends playing games, or just chatting around those that are, is just awesome.
To state that these are classics brings something into focus: a new level of gaming in Home.
It should be very interesting to see where this goes with emulation in Home. What other consoles from yesteryear may like to contribute to Home and all of its gamers? And if you were too young to have ever seen an Intellivision, play the games. They are a part of history. Most of the people I know have played every game system from the time this all started. I will be looking forward to this coming to Home.
Thank you, Intellivision, for opening this door with Sony. I am sure people that enjoy the classics will be looking forward to what you guys come out with in the future. I know I will.
September 16th, 2012 by Godzprototype | 5 comments
Godzprototype is learning the art of creating Machinima, and would like to share it with you. Hope you enjoy.
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Wow, Remember them, I still have one and most of the games for it. The funny thing is I don’t know if I still have a TV that you could connect to it. This console was the memory maker for me. I used to play it with my family, grandfather included. I still smile when I think back to those days. Now it’s coming to Home, what a way to bring back a classic console. This will be a welcome addition to home. Great read, thanks for making my day!
I hope it really does open doors, as a guy from the UK I remember games from systems like the ZX Spectrum an C64. So, stuff like Spy Vs Spy, Dizzy and Jet Set Willy would be really cool to see as well. I’d love to see things like Bomber Jack, Gauntlet, Rampage or Joust come into Home as arcades too. Although they’re a bit younger than those of Intellivision’s offerings I think there’s a huge potential for retro games within Home.
This could all be topped off with a large pier space lined with arcades, and a lovely, dark, dingy arcade hall to get lost in too!
I once proposed in an article that we get a real arcade attached to the Pier Park area and these types of consoles would be perfect for that, along with all of the others they can come up with. We also need a few life like pinball games to add to that idea, then they would really have something. I hope they do bring Donkey Kong and Burgertime as those were ones I really remember playing as a younger person.
Nice read as always Godz.
I’m pretty sure Nintendo will hold the rights to most Donkey Kong games now so I wouldn’t hold breath for many of those I’m afraid. Credit where it’s due Burbie; you did indeed mention the idea of a pier area with arcades and pinball machines so, kudos for that. I just jumped all over the idea like an excited toddler over chocolate coz I love it so much!
I leave for a few days and what I hear on return? Old console emulation on Home! WOW!
I had a Colecovision and my friend an Intellivision. We spent countless hours on these. Can’t wait for that now, I have to search for more info.
Althou I put some arcade machine at my luxury lake cabin, my very first private place. My arcade is set at my Red bull skate house, and there is plenty of space left