Video Game Collecting

Here we have another thrift store find.  This time it’s Black Belt for SEGA Master System.

I read somewhere prior to playing this game that its Fist Of The North Star… just rebranded as Black Belt with graphical changes.

Well, that’s for damn sure.  It is Fist of the North Star with changed graphics.  Everything is there down to the exploding bodies.

I never understood why only Nintendo Released real Fist of the North Star games and SEGA always released remakes.  They did the same damn thing to the SEGA Genesis version with Last Battle:

When I found GhostBusters for SEGA Master System at a thrift store I was pretty excited.  Somehow, someway, the game did not make it onto the www.videogamepriceguides.com website, but I heard before that the game is excellent and one of the better GhostBusters video games.

Boy was I misled.  It’s pretty much the same thing as the NES version… or the Atari 2600 version.  And about as boring as those versions as well.

The driving has slightly better graphics, but thats about it.  Its the same thing as the NES version.  Use a vacuum to suck up ghosts while you drive.  Avoid other cars.

Ghosts Travel to the ‘Zuul’ building.  Flashing buildings mean there is a Ghost to exterminate.  There is a shop and the GhostBusters headquarters where you have to empty your traps.

Not much difference in capturing ghosts either.  Don’t let the means cross.. yadda yadda… yawn… What a major disappointment.  Only the Arcade version of GhostBusters and the SEGA Genesis version of GhostBusters has any originality to them.  It’s games like these that make videogames seem like work some times.  Buying stuff, empting traps, driving around for no reason… Its not fun.  Activision really worked the GhostBusters license.  Shesh what a waste.

Is this really the greatest SEGA Genesis & Master System thrift store find ever?  Quite possibly, well at least for me it is.  Let’s see what we got:

So I go to the Goodwill thrift store near my house and first I find a complete copy of Yoshi for Nintendo NES.  Then I find Alex Kidd in Miracle world.  I head to the back of the store and I find a SEGA Master system with one controller and the arcade stick ($5).  Then I find the phaser ($3), and then I find a SEGA Genesis with two controllers AND a mint Power Base Converter for $10!

I pay for this stuff put it in my car and go back inside.  Then kablamoo!  The motherload!  All for SEGA Master System: Zillion, Rescue Mission, Shooting Gallery, After Burner, Black Belt, Great Football, Gangster Town, Ghostbusters, Great Soccer, and Hang On/Astro Warrior.  But the story doesn’t end there.  The next day I go back and I find Transbot, with the game still in its case.  I buy it for $2, open it in the parking lot to find TWO copies of the game in the box.  SCORE!

All of the SEGA hardware must of came from the same person, as all of the cartridges have ‘Cuco’ painted on them in blue.  Also, a hate crime obviously occured infront of these games.  Look at Zillion:

What fool ‘tags’ a video game cartridge?  Why couldn’t they have abused Great Soccer and not Zillion?  Shesh.  I’m certain there is a circle of hell for what ever punk tried to ruin this SEGA Master System game.  The good news is I’m already in the process of restoring it.  Restoring it?  How can I restore a game that has been this abused?  Well, I guess we’ll have to wait for the second part of this post.

Choplifter for SEGA Master System.  Choplifter remains one of the most significant video games in history.  It has all of the elements of a perfect game.  SEGA’s arcade version is hands down the best.  In music, presentation, controls, computer AI, etc. etc.  The only real port of this version was the one they released on SEGA Master System.  There is also a Famicom version which was never released in the United States which is absolute crap.

The game is simple.  Rescue hostages.  Fly in by helicopter while avoiding the enemy.  You can blow them the hell the way if you want but its not necessary.  Destroy the prison that the hostages are being captured and they’ll run out.  Land the chopper, pick them up, and return them to base.  It’s that simple.  Or is it?

Jets. Anti-Aircraft weapons, battleships… the list goes on and on.  They all want to kill you.  In the arcade version if you were shot down you could eject some of the hostages who would then parachute to the ground.  The Master System version doesn’t have this luxury.

Everything about this game is right.  Right music, great graphics, everything!  This is exactly what an arcade port should be like!