Blast Corps. Scribes Excerpts
The following excerpts detailing the development of Blast Corps. was originally published on Rare’s Scribes letter page from 1998-2011. We’ve scoured each edition in order to provide you with every mention of the title to be found in Rare’s posted answers in chronological order below.
We’ve also included a link above each heading which will re-direct to the original letters page that the question was featured in should you wish to view it in the original context – otherwise you’ll find that the entries below only focus on answers related to Blast Corps. for a comprehensive listing for any fan wanting further information on pre-release content, hidden easter eggs, abandoned features and development secrets:
Dear RW,
First, hey!!!! kiler instyint ROX!!!!!1!!. Second, what is Conker’s Quest going to be like: cartoony (a la DKR), sarcastic and wacky (a la Gex: Enter the Gecko, though I thought it was a tad corny), just plain fun (a la Mario), or other? And can you hint obscurely at any future games (not too obscurely)? Third(?), I love every Rare game I’ve played and now you have an awesome webpage to back it up (it’s better than NOA’s, chortle). Fourth, make a Blast Corps sequel, and that’s an order (just kidding). Fifth, hey!!!! kiler instyint ROX!!!!!1!! Sixth, sorry, I’ll quit wasting your time. Seventh, pretend I didn’t post the last one or this one, either. Thanks you!
Incoherently yours,
Chad A. (RTQLIT@prodigy.net)
First, yeh we konw tahnxxx!!1!!1 Second, Twelve Tales: Conker 64 (Conker’s Quest having been consigned to the arse end of obscurity) should hopefully bear a marked difference to both the titles mentioned, though we are aiming for an element of mischief to liven it up. Were the Perfect Dark teasers obscure enough for you? Third, tahnxxx!!1!!1 Fourth, alright then. Oh, you’re just kidding? Alright, we won’t. Make your mind up. Fifth, yeh we konw tahnxxx!!1!!1 Sixth and seventh, I’ve no idea what you’re talking about (wink, nudge).
Dear Scribes,
I would like to know if it is official Rare policy to take a game that has sold well and make it look nicer? It seems thats what you always do; DKC was just a nicer looking (but shallower) Mario, DKR was just Mario Kart. Why don’t Rare actually utilise all the great machines and staff they undoubtably have and produce some original games? Don’t get me wrong, Rare make good games, but they could make great games. The only game that Rare have done that will survive the test of time (aside from their early stuff) is Goldeneye.
I know you probably won’t print this letter because I’m not singing your praises and actually have a few serious questions (as opposed to telling you how great all your games are and asking you why Orchid doesn’t marry Donkey Kong). But I’d like to know your opinions on this. Maybe I’m wrong. What do you think?
Michael Owen (existential11@hotmail.com)
Have Orchid marry Donkey Kong? That’s a brilliant idea! Thanks.
Okay, now let’s see. How can we be expected to invent a completely new genre with every game we release? It’s not possible. The only way that DKC was like Mario was that both followed the same scrolling platform formula, just like several thousand other games since the dawn of the industry. Everything else (graphic style, modes of play, blah) was different – just as different as GoldenEye is from Doom, and yet you quote that as an example of originality.
There’s no denying that sometimes you have to stick to a recognised format for your game to be accepted, but you can hardly accuse Rare of banging out inferior tat just to make money. Neither can you say that we wouldn’t touch originality with a bargepole. Blast Corps, anyone?
Dear Scribes:
Okay, I didn’t know where to ask this (obviously Uncle Tusk only does game related stuff hehe) so I think I will start off with a few sentences and then ask… I see you changed headquarters… I see also that it looks almost like (if not precisely) the drawing that I saw next to the old HQ… so answer me this
a. Were u getting cramped in that small modified place (old headquarters building)?
b. Are u comfy now in ur new surroundings?
c. Did u ever have to sleep in the old farmhouse that u were based in (and will any programmers, betatesters, etc. have to sleep in the new building) cuz of being so involved in game design and stuff?
d. So who/what is going on at the old farmhouse now that u all are gone?
I know these aren’t the best things I could ask but hey… would you rather be arsed to hear about Tiptup, Kazooie secrets, or the silly Goldeneye stuff that never got used?
Doppelganger
Ouch! Ouch! Look at those ‘trendy’ spellings. Never mind, I’ll turn a blind eye just this once…
a. Well, the car park was just about big enough for half the cars there, for a start.
b. Extremely comfy, thank you very much. Our chairs swivel and rock back and everything.
c. People did sometimes stay overnight at the old place when deadlines were looming, and I’m sure the same thing will happen here. The Blast Corps programmer who curled up around a Silicon Graphics Onyx to keep warm one winter’s night is the best example I remember. Oh yes, he knows who he is.
d. Not much, really. The dogs and chickens are probably wondering why it’s all gone so quiet.
While your efforts are appreciated, I’m afraid that the day I stop hearing about Tiptup, Kazooie secrets and the silly GoldenEye stuff that never got used is the day Satan starts skating to work.
Dear Scribey,
I have a confession to make. I love my N64, but have yet to buy a single Rare game. I will soon make amends for this despicable behaviour and get Goldeneye and maybe Blast Corps. I would certainly have bought Killer Instinct if you’d put a bit more effort into it.
This brings me nicely to my question:
Why is Rare so gay? Your characters are all cutesy animals with sweet little names like Banjo and Luftus. (Eh? – Ed)
Leaving aside Goldeneye (your most successful game) and Perfect Dark (your most highly anticipated game) everything else has the kind of twee-factor that can only possibly irritate any player of 14+.
I hope I can make a polite suggestion without causing you any offence, but please stop all this arsing around with nauseatingly cute 3D platformers. I am looking forward to playing DK64, but why didn’t you try to give us the fighting game we want, or the RPG we’ve been crying out for. Instead of making 3 of the 4 games up for a ’99 release so whimsical.
Yours sincerely
Cynical old b&%$d
P.S. I hope you will put this letter in your Scribes section with your usual top wit and charm. Alternatively you could take a print off, roll it up into a tight ball and shove it up your…
So apart from GoldenEye, Perfect Dark and Blast Corps, which aren’t gay and which you liked, and Killer Instinct, which isn’t gay but which you didn’t like, and of course DK64, which is gay but which you still like, all our games are gay and you don’t like them. Am I right? If so, that’s a hell of an argument you’ve got there, son.
Dear you rocking daddios down at Scribes,
I must ask, how evil do you become when developing games? Do you ever say “Oh dear that level was frightfully difficult, I’d better tone down the level of skill needed in fear of making our beloved gaming public frustrated”. Our do you say “Bwha ha ha ha ha! I shall [insert terrifically hard moment here] to make the people who buy our games to be cast into near purgatory! Now let my evil creation render! (Cue over the top laughter that I can’t spell)”. Methinks it’s the second one (anyone would say its the second one after Grunty, DKR‘s silver coin challenges and cheating bosses who run off before go, and practically any level in Blast Corps).
Arse 64 (sigh) The lack of the word Arse in this mail may have frightened you (it must begin with a capital letter!), so here is an Arse related thing:
That big green thing is Tiptup (of course! What else could it be?), releasing his evil army of sporks (is it more spoon or fork? One of the great mysteries of the universe there) on to the hero, Mr Pants. I’ve done the box and now it’s up to you for the small matter of the game.
Mr Ed the talking horse
P.S I’m Henry the Eighth I am I am.
P.P.S I wonder how SirSlush2 will bring us closer to enlightenment today?
P.P.P.S Say boom, boom, boom, let me hear you say wayoo!
Did you have a bet on with someone about whether this would get printed? Are the standards of this page really such an international laughing stock? I suppose you’re right. Never mind, eh?
We’re not evil. We’re all lovely. We just have to throw in a few, um, ‘tricky’ bits and pieces towards the end of a game to add replay value and give the seasoned veterans something to chew on. And we do it in as nice a way as possible, though occasionally we do slip: for instance, I bet you didn’t know that up until the very last minute, Blast Corps’ Diamond Sands actually featured the Ramdozer instead of Backlash. Now that was a moment of pure evil, I’ll grant you.
Say boom boom boom, and let me hear you leave the room immediately.
Dear Scribes,
Curse ye! I screeched Curse ye, I did! Why, oh why, did you put that woman in the Blast Corps map! It’s Amber, but you’ve mutated her! Her voice is too squeaky! And she keeps saying, “Time to get movin’! Time to get movin’!” Is she telling me to jump on my treadmill and exercise my dear, dear arse till it bleeds? It sounds like Amber made a cameo appearance in an amusing, if not stupid episode of the Pokemon anime where Team Rocket makes everyones’ voices stupidly high-pitched! Yeah, that’s it! Amber makes a cameo in that episode! She goes into the van full of voice gas, makes her voice high, then goes back to Rare and records the idiotic voice sample on the map! I knew it! I’m on to you!
Behonkiss@aol.com
What are you talking about? What voice? Who’s Amber? There are only three members of the Blast Corps team, and none of them are called Amber, nooooo no no. Has this ‘voice’ been telling you to do anything more specific than “get movin’”? If and when it does so, you should report immediately to your local sanitarium.
Dear Scribes,
Most of the things that you say are always correct, but I can’t help saying: “Of course there are 4 members of the Blast Corps team, and Amber IS one”, plus she does have really annoying lines, but I hardly think HDudeMan has even a slightly remote possibility of a feasible conspiracy on his hands, or whatever he cares to lay it on.
Also that Nhoj bloke was worrying me until you replied back. Complex is to me, and my 3 mates’ most bestest, favouritest level ever, because it’s the most interesting, has four (I think) illusionary walls and is just more… COMPLEX than any of the others.
Paul Morris
Sigh. I know there are four members of the Blast Corps team. I was doing this thing called ‘lying’ in order to perpetuate a comical misunderstanding. It obviously worked, then.
Dear Scribes,
THE most original game to grace the likes of the N64, and for that matter any other system as well. A game which takes destruction to an unsurpassably fanriffic level. A game that takes little time to discover, but a lot of time to forget. You know what I am talking about. Blast Corps. Kudos to Rare for this most triptabulastic hunk of fandemonious plunkterwilly!
But, you see, my friends, what this masterfully pugilicious game needs is a follow-up! I mean, as the slogan for Lay’s potato chips goes: “You can’t eat just one.” (I think.)
Please, could you find it in your heartiddliest of hearts to dabblize into the munjifunks of a second rompage through the kingdom of Blast? (If you are already working on the sequel, then consider this email to be praise of your astoundtastic work.)
Dan
Blast Corps 2 – not at the moment, no. It’s one of those love-it-or-hate-it games, an “underground hero” as we’ve heard it called (bless), and unfortunately that’s not the type of game which is guaranteed the old sequel greenlight. Have a useless Blast Corps fact instead: the Moraine Chase level is a tribute to crap British sitcom actress Lorraine Chase, who was once seen playing one of the designer’s previous games with a handful of other crap soap stars on now-defunct UK games programme GamesMaster. True story.
Bah…
I recently bought Blast Corps… used (what a cheap **** I am), but I had a question. What occurs when one gets all the platinum times?
I hope for this:
Twenty new planets filled with carrier levels and mini-games galore.
What I’ll probably get:
Good job. You beat the game.
So, what actually happens, and explain it without too many insults.
Zablotny
Um… let’s just say you shouldn’t be too optimistic. In fact you’re probably being too optimistic already. But I won’t spoil the surprise for you because then you might not bother spending day after day fighting and cursing your way through the last infuriating Platinum stages, and that’d be a prime comedy situation gone to waste.
Rare-me-do,
I have this theory about the black sheep in the Rare family – the secret Stamper brother.
Y’see Rare games are all fun and lead you in gently explaining the rules, always gently encouraging, little thumbs-up every now and again. And then you finish the game on its initial settings. You feel good. Rewarded. It got a bit hairy at times but, hey. You pulled through. Why not have a go at the harder levels/try and find some of those secrets? you think. Then the nightmare begins. The barbarity of the game is unleashed.
And herein lies my theory. The nice Stamper boys and all their chums down Twycross spend years polishing together a lovely, fair, playable game. But, on the the week before release, in a severe lack of sanity Chris takes the game down to the third Stamper in the basement. Let’s call him Jerome. Jerome has no sense of decency or politeness or basic human respect. It is he who puts in the hair-removingly difficult sections, decides where to put the secrets, thinks up bizarre logic. This also, incidentally, explains your constantly pushed back release dates. You haven’t submitted the game to Jerome yet.
I don’t feel anger towards Jerome. In fact it goes along the lines of pity the emotions I feel. There he is in the Rare basement on a diet of hairy pie and fish suppers (don’t worry the Americans won’t get it) with no company. You can understand his bitter streak. But for the love of humanity please stop showing your fine, fine games to him.
Thank you,
Ben Murray
P.s. Any chance of a sequel to Blast Corps? Ta, chuck.
P.p.s. I named this email The Third Stamper and my spell check corrected it to ‘The Turd Stamper’ which made me laugh. For a bit.
The funniest thing about this letter is the fact that there is indeed a third Stamper brother here at Rare. He doesn’t go by the name of Jerome in any circles that we’re aware of, but it’s true that he never seems to be in his room, so he might well spend most of his time down in the basement sampling the latest wares of our in-house restaurant. We’ll certainly look into this disturbing possibility.
PS You make it, we’ll publish it. Or not.
PPS What kind of half-arsed spell-checker are you using that doesn’t know the word ‘third’?
Dear Scribes,
WHAT THE #&!!? Jet Force Gemini is one of the best N64 games out there, but the ending is what, a whole 2 MINUTES LONG?!!?! Come on, 2 MINUTES!! Sure it’s a happy ending, and it’s also a good ending, but after 40 hours of playing the game, saving all the Tribals, and having to fight with Floyd to get him to go where you want him to, all we get is a 2 minute ending?! You guys should take a note from Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and have a 10-15 minute ending. I mean if you can give DK64 such a long ending, why not JFG? And Juno was my favorite character until I saw his fruity disco dance. I just hope Perfect Dark‘s ending is worth it.
Robert Culton
Oh, stop complaining. JFG’s ending was fantastic. If its ‘fruity’ nature made you scowl rather than laugh, you should lighten up a bit before you find yourself writing letters like the next one. And besides, the designer’s last attempt at an ending sequence was in Blast Corps: think Platinum medals and say no more.
Dear Scribes,
Well the N64 era is drawing to a close. It still amazes me every time I browse the current selection games for the last cartridge-based Nintendo system. I think back to the beginning and how every time a game was released it was a very special event; there were so few titles to begin with. I recall long periods of being faced with the choice of only two or three games – Fortunately, though; we were blessed with a few quality titles that still stand up as the best of the system. One, which comes to mind, is Blast Corps.
Make no mistake; I purchased this title out of sheer desperation. Mario had been played through in drunker fervor to 120 stars of completion and Pilot Wings had reached pure monotony. I bought Blast Corps simply because it looked to be the only new thing under the sun. Still, what surprises me to this day is the utter brilliance of this title. To me this game is still one of the best on the system; One of the best on any system, really. The simple charm of smashing buildings cannot, in my opinion, be matched by any pure genre title. To this day I still pop the cartridge in occasionally to remind myself of what a good Nintendo experience is all about; solid gameplay, depth and quality play control.
To my dismay a sequel has never surfaced. Perhaps this can be attributed to the seemingly underground status of this title. Even friends of mine who claim to be Rare fanatics have rarely played or purchased this title. It’s a true shame. As for the gaming press on which so many of us hard-core fanatics rely so heavily; well, they gave it the limited due any simple game receives when a system first launches. I read Blast Corps being dismissed as a blurry puzzle title that only hinted at the hidden powers of the N64 – something that would just as easily been at home on the Playstation. Sad. Sad because if this game had launched later with that latter perspective kept clearly in mind… well, maybe those in charge of guiding our wallets would have called more attention to such a solid game.
So I say to anyone who’s forgotten about Blast Corps; please do yourself a favor; pick it up and play it. Play it to death. Even if you’ve played it before and didn’t care for it – try it one more time. It still manages to be about the most fun I’ve ever garnered from a single cartridge. It’s the closest thing to original since Mario was dropped into the Mushroom Kingdom.
Thanks for listening,
-Nick
To be fair, while it’s never been the most high-profile of N64 titles, BC has probably sold enough over the four years since its release to finally transcend “underground status”. And the reviews at the time were pretty good, on the whole. But it does deserve better. Cynically speaking, I suppose it makes it easier to understand the whole ‘wring every last drip of cash out of a franchise’ mentality… as I said before, people are always going to question what they don’t know.
Dear Scribes,
I’ve been a Rare fan since the NES days. I’ve loved (and still do) Battletoads, Snake Rattle ‘N Roll, Wizards andWarriors, RC Pro-Am and obviously Cobra Triangle.
The Super NES days have been great, too. The DKC series (especially #2) is probably my favorite ever (and DK’s my favorite VG hero, too). Killer Instinct was cool too, although it hasn’t aged as well has its brethren.
The N64, however, is another story. I didn’t like Goldeneye and hated Perfect Dark (framerates, framerates…). Donkey Kong 64 is my personal biggest disappointment ever (I’d say PS2, but I already knew it would suck). Jet Force Gemini was bad. Banjo-Kazooie was damn cool. Banjo-Tooie was average, as was Diddy Kong Racing. I’m eager to play Conker.
But there were two outstanding N64 Rare games: Killer Instinct Gold and… the most difficult game ever, Blast Corps. I’ve heard the US version had harder times to beat (that’s the only version I’ve played). Oh yes, I have played a great lot of Blast Corps… I’ve broken two controllers, but I can proudly say that I’m a YOU CAN STOP NOW. Pure gaming goodness. Pure talent required.
You know, that’s what made you guys great. Cobra Triangle, Battletoads, Blast Corps and the DKC series, to a lesser extent. Hard games. But great ones. Nowadays, you have collect-this, collect-that, run around in circles while fighting dumb, easy enemies. DK64 didn’t feel like Donkey Kong. It was slow, awkward, easy… and not fun. The N64 games also suffer from horrible framerates and slowdown… unsweet.
But, HERE COMES THE GAMECUBE!!!! With all that’s been said about this console, my guess is that you’ll be able to put out REAL Rare games. No slowdown, 60 frames per second games. Here’s what I’d like to see:
–Killer Instinct 3 (a pure 2D fighting game with great graphics… I want the Humiliation back… and I also want the [best computer-enhanced announcer ever] to say the combo names!) Well, good old KI, with combos galore. Bring on whichever characters you want, but absolutely keep Jago and Glacius. I’d like to say that KI‘s characters are the best in ANY video game… EVER.
–Blast Corps 2: Same classic gameplay… multiplayer stuff, more levels, more of everything… it was all perfect… except the too-close, too-bad camera angles in some levels (Gibbon’s Gate comes to mind). Oh, and MORE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!! That’s what made Blast Corps so full of replay value.
-A Donkey Kong game worthy of that name (and if you DARE, make it 2D.)
-Any other cool new (or old) franchise, but bring back the old Rare “Stamper” of approval (and fanfare music).
Loved your old games… some of your newer ones… I can’t wait to see what you’ll have in store for the Gamecube… only one more request… (from what I’ve read, you’ve done it in Conker, but anyway)… I want real challenge and fun, whether the game’s long or not. DESTROY the tedious collecting stuff of DK64 and other cheesy ways of making games longer than they really are.
You have the potential. Prove it. Again.
Segadji
Aren’t you the bad guy in Along Came A Spider? Cheers for the feedback, though you must be aware that your vehement championing of KI Gold over the likes of GoldenEye and PD puts you in a substantial minority.
Harder times in the US version of Blast Corps? Only if the PAL version kept the same times but ran a wee bit more slowly. On a related note, all the versions would have run more slowly (and jerkily) if the camera had been pulled out much further. See? The ongoing compromise of the aesthetic ideal with technological considerations, and stuff.
And just for you, because of the nice things you said about KI’s characters, here’s a fantastic pic of your two favourites squaring off against each other… from a stupid angle. Enjoy.
Dear Scribes,
I have to say, the new site redesign DOES grow on you after a while. I guess it takes a bit. But it needs more odd ALT tags scattered hither and fro. But enough of that two-sentence banter, here’s some questions…
1. How do you pronounce Kameo‘s name? My friends say it’s just like the word ‘cameo’ (KAM-ee-oh), I think the emphasis is on a different syllable, more like cah-ME-oh…
2. When are the Scribes/Uncle Tusk archives coming back up? We at least need Sean Williamson’s first appearance in its full glory!
3. Would you be so kind as to give us some Blast Corps MP3s?
That’s it. See? Relatively painless. Relatively.
-Nicholas “Captain Spam” Killewald
1) Kameo. Just Kameo. Kam-ee-oh. As in codpieces and Word Up. Get away with your fancy alternative syllable emphasis.
2) I’m tackling ’em whenever I’ve got some spare time, working back from the most recent.
3) Don’t hold your breath – the composer’s been off frolicking in different pastures for some time now…
Dear Scribes,
Guess what today is…? After 3 years of playing Bond, it has finally been done. I have beaten Goldeneye. The break came yesterday when the Caverns and then Control and then the Cradle fell. After a year of not beating any levels, I beat three in one day. I was on fire. Then today I finished all three of the Egyptians. What a great day. It’s been my life’s work trying to beat that game, there’s almost a religion in itself. Granted, I didn’t play everyday since I pre-ordered it in 1998, but not more than a month or two would go by without me trying again. It outlasted other games as well, including Perfect Dark (which I beat more easily). Now I never have to play again, I still will though… Thankyou for such a great game.
-Dan Cole, Troy, MI
Dear Scribes,
I have been hacking away at Blast Corps platinum times since March of 1997 and was told “you can stop now” after finishing the game today, September 18 2001. After 3.5 years of attempting the “impossible” I think that I deserve a t-shirt or something for my loyal efforts. If nothing else, at least tell me I did a good job.
~Zach Hazen
Lock up your daughters! It’s Jack Flash and Lightning Strike!
Sorry, sorry. Good job. Anyway, I never managed to unlock Egyptian and my Platinum total stands at a proud 0, so feel free to retort with something nice and scathing. Perhaps I should try Mr. Cole’s unusual tactic of setting himself on fire before starting a game. How does that work, then? Increased reaction speed or something?
Dear Scribes,
I’m certainly not holding my breath waiting for a sequel to Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll (a true sequel, not a standard side-scroller like Sneaky Snakes), but considering that it’s easily one of my favorite NES games ever, I’d like to know whether you (meaning Rare in general; I’m not sure whether you were even working at Rare at the time this game was made) had ever considered making another version of Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll.
And I’m taking a wild guess here, but is the Blast Corps/Jet Force Gemini team the one working on Kameo? I’m guessing they are, if for no other reason than because of the size of Kameo’s breasts. I’m not really a fan of overly-large breasts, but Vela’s had a nice jiggle to them, so if it’s the same animator working on Kameo’s, then I feel they’re in good hands. And any imagery of a pair of hands cupping Kameo’s large, jiggly breasts is a product of your sex-obsessed mind, not mine. Or maybe both, but not mine exclusively, at any rate.
Josh Townzen
More breast letters? Sigh. No, the Kameo team consists more of DK64 veterans than grizzled Jet Force squaddies. Popular misconception: the JFG team wasn’t identical to the Blast Corps team. It just had a few of the same people (including the designer), along with quite a few drafted in from DKR and elsewhere. People invariably move around between (and during) projects.
As for a Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll revival, you can take your standard response of “we might do, maybe, at some point” and be happy with it, you scamp.
Dear overly patient Scribes editor,
I was gadding about your website, looking at the games you have coming out, and for some reason I became disappointed. Not that I’m thinking that your current slew of announced (which I’m thinking is the key word) games are bad, just nothing truly grabs me by the throat as absolutely must have. Just thought that was an odd thing coming from a game company that I have come to adore. I think it’s said best in Conker, “a niggling little tagnut”. Not sure if I got that right, but close enough. I’m still gonna get most of your titles. Just seems something’s missing, is all. Thought I would share that, cause I know how important the opinion of a regressed teenager matters so much to you. Thanks for your time.
Aaron Mayoras
Who are you calling patient?
Interesting observation, though. I mean, compare Rare’s first wave of GameCube titles with Rare’s first N64 titles. A lot of people look back on them fondly now, but KI Gold and Blast Corps didn’t exactly make waves at the time. Having well-established characters such as Donkey Kong and Fox McCloud in the vanguard of GC development is nothing to sneeze at… and while we’ve got a far bigger range of high-profile franchises to work with now than we did five years ago, we’re still devoting time to original titles such as Kameo too. You wait until the hype really kicks in. It’s early days yet.
Hey Scribes,
Would you be so courteous as to answer my letter? No? Well then how’s about if I press this gun to your head?? Ha ha ha! Here it is… um, no wait… Dang! Left it in my other coat’s pocket. Well, in that case, it wouldn’t kill you to answer my letter, ‘specially since I’ve sent it real early after the last mailbag. May 8th, that is. Here goes, then. Oh, by the way, I don’t feel right not using numbers, so here they are. Sorry.
1. Surely you’ve noticed that many levels in Blast Corps are bloody near impossible? Could you set up a sort of strategy guide thingy for the whole, near-impossible game–for the racing and Pac-Man levels, at least? Because most walkthroughs on the Web really suck when it comes to strategy on those whacked levels. Sure, I’ve got the tricky racing controls mastered, despite the lack of the convenient behind-the-car view. But many levels still seem downright weird. For example: In Cooter Creek, I try taking ‘short-cuts’ beside the road, but the grass will slow you down too. So whaddaya say?
2. Me very angry. Me hungry. Me want flesh. Or at least, a widescreen mode in Star Fox Adventures that DOES NOT require a widescreen TV and crap. It’s rather annoying to see these demanding new 16:9 modes in games like Donkey Kong 64 and Rogue Leader and not have a widescreen TV. (Like most gamers’ parents are going to shell out an extra $900+ for a fancy television.) I, personally, don’t mind the letterbox modes so terribly, so it would still be much appreciated if you could be bothered to put a letterbox mode in SFA as well as a special widescreen mode. Thank ye kindly.
3. Blast Corps team, thanks for getting the DKR group to do your art in JFG and Mickey. No offense, but Amber and the lot look like they came from the Vault of Scrapped Hairless Chunky Kong Designs. [shudder]
4. Be thankful I didn’t call you “Jibey Scribes” like last year.
5. In God’s name, which team is making Kameo??
6. Mr. Pants. Gawd, I couldn’t resist.
JetDog
1) Probably couldn’t, no. None of us can really remember. Mind, we didn’t have much of an idea five years ago either.
2) I asked the team leader, who declared: “All the cutscenes in the game will display in letterbox mode when you play on 4:3 TV to give them that extra cinematic feel, is that enough for you? Of course it does look great in 16:9 so why don’t you stop being a tightarse and go out and buy a new TV?”
3) Amber looks like a bald Chunky Kong? Where are you getting this stuff from?
4) Yeah, because that really hurt my feelings.
5) The Kameo team. Do you see? But most of them worked on DK64 before that.
6) As Gandalf would say, “there are few who can.”
Dear Scribes,
I’m playing Blast Corps at the moment… and I just observed something which I must congratulate you on.
I love the way you modelled retrograde motion into the level select screen. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this. Tell me, did you use a realistic model, or did you go for epicycles?
This is what comes of revising for a Physics GCSE, I suppose.
Philip Eve
Scary letter! Scary letter! Forward immediately to Blast Corps programmer!
“Eh? Unfortunately my GCSE Physics knowledge has long since been killed by beer.
“Ummm, the planets all orbit according to figures I pulled from a Solar System Atlas that I found, although I’m fairly sure that they only follow circular paths. When a planet is selected, the camera is fixed to it as it continues to orbit, which is perhaps the source of the retrograde motion (not that I know what that means).
“It’s been six years since I did that level select screen – took me ages as I was even more of an amateur than I am today. Actually, it was the tracing of the paths between levels along the planet’s surface which was really hard.”
Dear Scribes of Rareware, the best thing to come out of England for over a century (insult or compliment? Your choice),
Cheers! You guys actually published my E-mail? I must say you have pretty low standards!
Anyway, I just wanted to say that my name is truly Greg Head, and that I have ALL the platinums in Blast Corps(thanks for completely wasting my summer a few years ago).
Now for questions… questions… it’s a shame your games always end out perfect or I’d have to ask more… have you guys ever considering making a full-fledged party game (Mario Party style)? It’s unneeded as of now, with Mario Party 4 on the way, but since your games take about 4 to 6 years to make, if you get started now, that would be jolly good.
Cheers!
— Greg Head
Except of course we might have a completely different stable of characters in six years’ time. There was no Banjo, Kazooie, Conker, Jo Dark, Juno, Vela or Lupus this time six years ago, for instance – it would have ended up as Glacius playing Twister with Funky Kong or something, which just… no, hang on, that would have been brilliant.
Are you saying that you didn’t find the Blast Corps platinum payoff totally satisfactory? (We still laugh about that.)
Dear Scribes,
Why the hell did you wait until the move to Xbox to make a Blast Corps sequel?! Don’t tell me it was because of the sudden acquisition of funds from the sale, because I don’t buy it. I would have KILLED (not really) for a Blast Corps sequel on Gamecube!
If the rumor hasn’t been disproven yet, then please, don’t [censored] up the game for the few hundred (my friend included) still with Xboxes: please, please, please don’t make the game easy. The original Blast Corps was all about the seeming impossibility of such classics as Diamond Sands or Oyster Harbor (though Oyster Harbor you could at least cheat at), and the long, hard process of getting better medals. Blast Corps is one of the hardest games I’ve ever played, and it stayed in my N64 for months. Mainstream gamers today may be unwilling to accept a true challenge, but for those dedicated few, please make a hard-arse game.
Now then, to round out this letter, I must include the following:
1) A British slang word saying how good/bad you lot are;
2) A reference to Mr. Pants and/or Trout;
3) A broken link to a rubbish picture attachment;
4) A completely random sentence simulating a sense of humour;
and 5) The thought that I’m being original by jabbing at the usual syntax of a typical Scribes letter.
Thank you and good night.
Spacecow
Eh? Are we making a Blast Corps sequel? I hate it when nobody tells me these things.
Sadly the Blast Corps team leader is no longer around, but most of the other demolition veterans are – not that you could produce a game in a decent length of time with only 7-8 people these days, mind. Anyway, it’s not a huge franchise, but it is a fondly-remembered one, so you never know. And I can assure you I always check the links on RPAs, because I’ll be damned if I’m not making sure you lot suffer the way I do.
Alright Scribe-guy, I’ve got a couple of questions for you:
1) Am I stupid for only just realising that that weird thing in your logo creates a ‘R’? I first saw your logo when Donkey Kong Country came out and never noticed it…
2) Will you include “Extra Features” on your X-Box games (as Splinter Cell) with Making Ofs, trailer or demos? That would rule.
3) Did Nintendo do some kind of offer to get you to stay with the Cube?
4) Is it weird because I giggle everytime I hear or read Twycross? It just sounds funny.
5) PLEASE… Make a sequel to Blast Corps!
6) Is Kameo going to kick as much ass as it looks it will kick?
That’s it, goodbye.
FSFunky
1) Have you noticed it also looks a bit like a slightly unravelled 3D toilet roll?
2) Dunno. Possible, I suppose, but we wouldn’t want to scare anyone with close-up documentary footage of our staff.
3) Well, they did get ‘first dibs’, if that’s what you mean.
4) Not nearly as funny as Sheepy Magna, Barton in the Beans or Norton Juxta Twycross – all within a few miles.
5) I’m sensing a flavour of the month here…
6) No. Twice as much.
Dear Scribes,
Okay, maybe I’m just too dumb to find it, but I haven’t seen the coveted Mr. Pants “Please Leave” pic ever since you changed your site around. Whatupwitdat? I have decided that the best way to get my hands on that pic would be to make comments against your company, thus making you want to give me the coveted prize.
Here I go reads cue cards:
1. What’s the deal with highlighting the names of your games in Light Green? I mean, if you’re going to do that, why wouldn’t you also make the words link to the game’s web-page? Pretty stupid
2. No Blast Corps sequel? What’s up with that? Utilizing the XBox’s brilliant power, you could like have like six nuclear warheads instead of two, thus making a much better looking explosion. But you’d go and make it so nothing happens when you get all platinums again. Fools
3. looks down at cue cards Oh yeah, Star Fox Adventures sucked
4. Kevin Spacey?
5. (I can feel them tremble, time for the kill blow) What are the push-button codes for Perfect Dark?
6. You still don’t want to give me the “Please Leave” award? Okay, I’ve got one more insult. In Jetpac, when you are at the edge of a level, an enemy can suddenly appear without warning and kill you. I find this to be shoddy work. FOR SHAME, ULTIMATE
Greg Head
P.S. Is Nintendo making Donkey Kong Racing?
I won’t be forced into handing out the treasured Please Leave award to any old thug, but I will present a special variation in honour of your name. Enjoy.
We resent the allegation that nothing happens when you get all the platinum medals – you know very well what happens. You just weren’t prepared for its unconventional approach to the accepted notion of ‘reward’. And as for the Jetpac thing, well, I find that to be a matter of shoddy reflexes. Overall I give your reflexes 4/10, and your failed master plan 3/10.
Dear Scribes,
Banjo Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge is but a few weeks away, so I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask for a bit of confirmation on some basic things…
Some sites, having operatives at ECTS, claim that the game takes place in an alternate reality, where Banjo-Tooie never happened. This, of course, was your contention in 2001. When the THQ thing came down last month, and you put up your BK:GR page, you stated it took place between BK and BT (at least, before she travels in time). So which is it? Does it happen with BT, or instead of it?
Since GBTG is being done by the Banjo team, I’m guessing you all have Kirkhope doing the soundtrack. Hopefully, he’ll lay a bit off the brass this time. The only future title whose musician I can’t quite peg down (and would be polite to ask of) is Sabre Wulf. Who is doing its score?
I’m rather disappointed about your decision to make a Mr. Pants game. Sure, I’ll buy and, and likely love it to death. But Mr. Pants is more of a Scribes junky in-joke than a character everyone will “get”. But then again, it’s not my investment on the line.
On a final note, I’d like to ask a yes-or-no question, which you only need to answer in the proffered format (this is to keep you from avoiding the question and launching out on a tirade about Chewits or something): Is It’s Mr. Pants a retooled Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers?
Peace out,
Saf
The BK:GR scenario change question is one that may never be properly answered, as the game’s lead designer is no longer around for us to ask. Which is a pain, as I was curious myself. But what I do know is that it was never intended to replace Banjo-Tooie in the timeline, just to be another possibility. Which is irrelevant now anyway, as they eventually settled on a “what happened between Kazooie and Tooie” setup instead.
Kirkhope lay off the brass? In a haunted house game? You’re having a laugh. And it’s Big Boy Beanland on Sabre Wulf.
I couldn’t possibly answer such an impertinent It’s Mr. Pants question, but then again I probably don’t need to, do I?
Dear Scribes,
Is there any way to wipe a save game on Blast Corps? I’ve got a second hand copy, and the bstrd who had it previously has fairly comprehensively completed the game. I want to start again from scratch, but can’t find any option to wipe the slate clean.
I’ve got the same problem with Advance Wars on the GBA, but not having programmed that I understand if you can’t help.
Cheers,
Concerned of Glasgow
PS: I have a friend who has always referred to the gun in Goldeneye as a DOSTOVEL, despite the fact it is clearly called a DOSTOVEI. Any and all insults, reprimands, threats or general abuse you could send his way would be much appreciated. His name is Mangan. eVRey1 L0vEs TEh# BAkCLsaSh!!!!]!1
This old chestnut again? Standard N64 Controller Pak wipe procedure, cunningly modified by BC programmer to apply to the cartridge save data: hold down Start as you switch the machine on. Voila. Now it’s only fair that we give GE’s designer the opportunity to slag off your friend (er, and you).
“I’ll avoid the obvious reply ‘Mangan? Minging, more like’, and go instead for ‘yU0 aR? B0hT tEh \ / \ /r0Ng!!!1!1 gNu is T3h d0E5t3sT1viLLL10n!!1!1!!!1!!1!!1! n00bz SUX0r!!!!’, which is ultimately more satisfying to write since it insults and annoys both of you at the same time as being utterly incorrect.”
Dear Scribes,
Speaking from a purely personal view, I reckon you guys need to sort yourself out and do an update of Blast Corps for the ‘cube. There are just not enough Heavy Machinery Save The World From Nuclear Disaster games on the market right now so I reckon your niche awaits. So there you go. Get on with it.
What are you doing still reading this? You know what you have to do.
Then we can talk about JetPac…
Alex Trowers
I thought your name was ‘Alex Trowsers’ at first. Sadly, the reality wasn’t half as funny. Have you thought about changing it?
Blast Corps update = unlikely. GameCube version = currently impossible. Put the two together, and you have…
Hello again, lordies,
Whilst waiting for Conker, Kameo and Knight Lore 2 to be released, I decided to brush off my immaculate copy of Blast Corps. Tragically it is not as immaculate as I thought, as I have either misplaced or consumed via osmosis its manual. And now I do not know how to delete my old save games so I can begin from the very start. Any advice on how to do this or a downloadable copy of the manual would be lovely. More preferable of course would be a copy of the manual sent to my house along with preview code of Banjo 3, PDZ, Battletoads: Dude Where’s My Toad, and Alien 8000.
Ta!
Chuck Norris, Reverential in a Clog
This one again? Not so much an old chestnut as an entirely new chestnut recreated by extracting tissue from the fossilised husk of the old one, then prematurely aged through intensive tanning sessions. Anyway, I believe it’s a matter of holding down Start as you fire up the game, which was supposedly the standard method for deleting N64 save data. As such, I don’t think it was ever mentioned in the manual, so there wouldn’t be much point in us sending anything to your house – which is a shame, because Dude Where’s My Toad is shaping up quite nicely and we’d have valued your input.
Hello brilliant game makers,
A few little questions from a humble gamer.
1. When will the shiny new multiplayer maps be available for PD0 and how many will there be? (I know you have probably been asked this a lot, but I bought a 360 on the strength of PD0 alone and am desperate for info.)
2. Will Conker: Live & Reloaded ever be compatible with the 360?
3. Ever considered a High Res/Next Gen version of Blast Corps? Drool.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Boli Boy
P.S. Please let the new multiplayer maps for Zero be as good as the awesome ‘Urban’ level.
Numbered lists… numbered lists everywhere…
1) Uncle Dunc: “Very soon if not actually by the time you read this, and there are four of them.” Hang on – what do you mean, “by the time you read this”? Isn’t it bad enough that unwashed outsiders like Trebonius Bat up there are having a pop at our update frequency without my own colleagues chipping in as well? You’re practically inciting a revolution, Botwood. Restrain yourself.
2) We certainly hope so, but there’s nothing new to report since we last answered the question.
3) ONLY EVERY TIME SOMEONE WRITES IN AND DEMANDS IT.
PS D-Bot cryptically claims: “It’s very much down to how you play them.”
Dear Scribe(s),
I have only two words for you: Blast Corps. Is there potential for a sequel here? As a teenager it was one of my favorite games and I’d kill for a 360/DS sequel or remake. Come on, pretty please? Blowing things up is fun. Driving things is fun. Giant demolition robots are fun. What are you waiting for? If nothing else, can you give me a hard “no, never happening” answer so that my dreams of blowing things up can be squashed?
Either way, thanks for your time.
Adam
The thing is, we’ve made a lot of games. We’re lucky enough to have made a lot of games that people like. We like them too, so of course we think they’ve got lasting appeal. But we can’t revive them all if we ever want to do anything new, and that alone ensures there’s no way we’ll keep everyone happy. On the other hand, if we flat-out said “no, never happening” about something like Blast Corps then we’d look stupid if we ever did go back and revive it. So we can’t even do that much for you. Merry Xmas, chums!
Dear Scribes,
BK:N&B. OK, I’m a big fan of the original games, downloaded the demo last week, a bit wary and have played it a lot. It’s a lot of fun.
However, the game is so nearly a platformer it’s very frustrating that it’s not despite being very good. So here’s the plan: The mechanics of the game world and artwork are mostly done so cranking out a platformer as well could be done in a few weeks. Get to it. And while you’re at it, can you do a sequel to Blast Corps. I loved that.
Ben Murray
Back to Shaun: “Hi Ben. Glad you’re finding the new game fun, go tell your mates!
“Cool plan with only one minor flaw. To be honest, two weeks is a slightly ambitious timeframe for a modern, triple-A platform game. Make it four and we’ll see what we can do…
“Blast Corps was great, wasn’t it?”
That was not a confirmation of anything. Repeat, not a confirmation. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Dear godlike masters of games,
I downloaded L.O.G.’s Lost Challenges earlier today, and I just finished Klungo’s new arcade game. That is to me the final proof that there is no game developer like Rare. The simplicity and excellent level design, the epic boss battles and the music that is beyond anything I’ve ever heard in a game. That game shows that it doesn’t have to be flashy to be great. I really hope that you continue with the Klungosssoft games. It’s definitely one of the greatest games ever, and I hope you make a complete 360 game of this. Just don’t make the same mistakes that so many game developers have done before and “improve” everything by including frustrating new gameplay modes. But that would never happen at Rare, right?
Talking about frustrating new gameplay modes, Nuts and Bolts is a great game, but I really want a “real” sequel to Banjo-Tooie, is that ever going to happen or is that impossible? I know that you’ll neither say yes nor no to this question, I just wanted to point out that people out there still like old-school platforming.
Two final questions:
First – What are the chances of a Blast Corps sequel? That game had enormous potential, and a replay value off the charts, but not even close to Klungo’s, and that game could really work well with the youth of today who just want to blow stuff up.
Second – Jet Force Gemini was a great game, is there any work going on on a sequel there or is that game as dead as my old hermit crab?
With adoration,
Victor Johansson
Platformer preference duly noted. Again. I hope you’re not being sarcastic about Klungo’s Arcade, as he’s trying his best and it’s not nice to pick on people when they’re trying their best, even if they’re thick and green and insurmountably delusional.
In an ideal world I would be playing Blast Corps and Jet Force sequels right now, but reality is a harsh mistress. We’ve got other things on the boil. Maybe XBLA would be a good place to reintroduce the whimsical savagery of the originals first, what do you perky young noobs/jaded old hands reckon?
Sorry to hear about your crab. I’ve got a giant millipede at home but apparently those buggers live for years.
Hello,
A friend and I were having a conversation about games that had good music and so I referred him to some Blast Corps music.
I then realized that I missed the game and thought to myself, “I’d definitely download it if they had it on the Wii Shop Channel”, is there any possibility of that happening? Or is it owned by Rare/Microsoft?
Troy
Good old Blast Corps, one of the few games with tunes I can always remember. Fine work by Mr. Norgate. However, as you suspected, it’s owned by Rare (and thereby Microsoft) so the chances of seeing it in the Wii Shop any time soon are pretty remote. XBLA is a better bet, although looking at this official list of upcoming XBLA projects I see Captain Skyhawk 2010 and Killer Instinct Zinc are still ahead of it in the queue NO REALLY.
May I humbly suggest browsing our on-site MP3 collection for some quality tunes to keep you and your demanding friend occupied? If you’re after stuff from the same era it includes pretty much the full JFG soundtrack, which I’m surprised you didn’t mention in the first place considering it’s full of win.
Hello Scribes.
So the general consensus is that Rare never developed a sequel to Blast Corps because 9/11 somehow made it politically incorrect to demolish old buildings, even if it’s done to clear the path for a nuclear head to send it to a safe detonation site, thus ironically protecting the world from terrorism, not encouraging it. But we all know the general public is too stupid to grasp such a concept, and besides, you’re from England, the headquarters of diplomacy and mindless PC bullcrap.
I need some sleep, but I’d rather carry on daydreaming about a sequel to Blast Corps. I mean, seriously, just release it on XBLA or something if you’re afraid it won’t sell well (again, stupid public). Regards.
Arthur
PS. Do you still have any belongings of Grant Kirkhope since he left? Can you send me something that was touched by him, like his old coffee mug, or one of his synthesizers? I’m not a fetishist, I just believe in energy channeling…
Is that really the general consensus? That’s a stupid general consensus. The real reason we never developed a sequel to Blast Corps is that, you know, we can’t develop sequels to every game we ever do. Although there were mutterings a while back…
If I happen to stumble across the plastic arse that Grant traditionally wore on stage at our Xmas parties, I’ll keep you in mind. Let’s see you channel energy through that monstrosity.
Dear Scribes,
I’m starting to enjoy the little off-topic questions from people on here, so I decided to ask a couple of my own.
1. Are you guys at Twycross good friends? Do you guys eat out together? Are there specific members of the team that you’re close to? I imagine sitting in chairs a large part of the day would seem a tad monotonous, especially without someone to at least poke fun at.
3. Are you in particular stationed at the studio? If so, how is it possible for certain projects to be hidden from you or other members? Is there just an “I solemnly swear…” oath taken amongst the developers? Or am I entirely wrong?
4. I’m not sure if someone has asked you this already, but what’s your favorite and least favorite Rare title? Yes, you have to answer the second part of the question too!
6. Is there always that little “nitpicking” about other games from other developers? It would seem logical if Halo would be the source of some of this, considering how cliché it is (you know… the moon jumps, 100% sensitivity, small maps, extraterrestrial interactions). Perhaps such games are a popular hit there, but there’s bound to be something you guys sneer at. Anything in particular?
7. So how was Elvis so fortunate to have been named after a little alien cast in one of the most prominent shooters in history? Oh wait, maybe I worded that wrong.
9. Believe it or not, club music is comprised of a huge catalogue of tracks which are mostly produced in your country. Do artists like Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, Markus Schulz, Airwave and Armin Van Buuren sound familiar? If you are familiar with the scene, what are some of your favorite producers?
10. Last but not least, I saved you the easiest question! In fact, you could just call up one of the devs to answer this one. I knew I was going to have to word it correctly though, because you might just skip it altogether (means it’s so simple). Here it goes… uhm… ‘ahem’ uhhhh… so when is the next Perfect Dark coming out? Anytime soon?
Eli Davies
Random question removal time! Rein it in a bit next time, Davies, there are plenty of other people lining up to have their own questions slyly avoided. Let’s see what’s left.
1) There are between 150 and 200 of us these days, so all of us hanging out together would take a bit of logistical planning. Of course we all have our own friends and colleagues, and of course we all indulge in the traditional British pastime of cheerfully slagging each other off whenever possible. And don’t knock sitting in a chair all day, man.
3) Development at Rare HQ takes place in five separate buildings, not all of which are accessible to all employees, for many reasons including confidentiality. It’s not as clear-cut as ‘everyone gets to see everything whenever they like’.
4) Straw poll! Let’s get us a nice spread of answers. Designer Shaun: “I’ll go with Blast Corps as my favourite and… err, KI as my least, purely ‘cos I hate scrappers…”
Artist Gav: “Favourite would be Jetpac (original, which scored bonus points for ‘SPECTRUM CARTRIDGE!’). Hmm, I don’t truly hate any with my official hat on, but of course Star Fox Adventures technically stole most of my life…”
Community rep Mike: “Favourite has to be GoldenEye – wasted way too much time playing four-player split-screen, so much in fact that it almost made my brother fail his GCSEs. Least favourite – I’m not that stupid, I like working here, well, the time not spent playing Banjo-Tooie anyway… damn it.”
Musician Robin: “Favourite: the BAFTA-winning Conker’s Bad Fur Day, least favourite: Ken Griffey or whatever it was.”
6) Again, we’re a big company, we all have our likes and dislikes, it’s not as if we can (or would particularly want to) come to a consensus on a single game and publicly declare it to be a load of old bumcakes. And there are more deserving targets than Halo, you sassy young stirrer.
7) Obviously Mr. and Mrs. Presley invented time travel, went forward to Chicago in 2023 and were so struck by their experiences that when they came back they named their son Elvis. Or maybe they took Elvis the alien back with them and they are actually THE SAME PERSON.
9) I don’t know which aspect of any given Rare game (Rock Solid/Big Bug Fun Club aside) led you to ask us this question, but, er… not really, no.
10) This winter on XBLA okthxbye.
Q: dear rare
you almost caused me to panic when you announced sports champions. i was worried you would become a shovelware developer. but once i saw scribes i think all hope was not lost.
also a few questions
1 is scribes going to have the funny ways you guys anwser the letters again?
2 is sports champions going to have your famous humour?
3 is banjo going to get another game?
4 can you release blast corps on xbox live?
5 you may have heard that another companys releasing your goldeneye game on the wii. how do you feel about this?
and thats all my questions.
roy chris
A: Shovelware developer! Won’t somebody think of the casuals? Wait, no, last time I cracked that gag the fansites went on a rampage.
1) Even now, everyone in the room is wearing a clown wig – and an expression of simmering violence.
2) Not sure, you might want to ask Sony about that one.
3) Grunty seems to think so, although we’re not officially on board with her yet. Never say never. Gesture-based egg shooting could revolutionise the industry.
4) Technically we could, if MGS wanted it, but I doubt it’s top of their priority heap. They should play it. It stands up well. EVERYTHING EXPLODES. Timeless.
5) Far be it from me to state Rare’s official position on that, on the blog, in a half-arsed letters column.
Q: This is a little mockup I did of Blast Corps on the ZX Spectrum — I hope you like it! I tried to make it as accurate as possible, but living in the US I really don’t know much about the ZX Speccy, nor its internal hardware. I WAS raised on BC, though. !#!@% SIDESWIPE!
Evan Gildow
A: Don’t you mean !#!@% BACKLASH!?
This is very nearly incentive enough to rouse the old 48K beast from hibernation in the attic and see if it still works. You just know top-down cyan Blast Corps with one-channel bleepy ukulele music would have been a Crash Smash and a Your Sinclair Megagame.