Question #140
FROM: Darrell Albert

Hey thanks for the answer. I thought against there was anything either because yeah there were "limited item slots" as well as the cinemas are all "Adol based". It was strange because D-Boy sounded so sincere. But some people really are good at starting false rumors....like the fabled "secret world" in Mischief Makers. Here was D-Boys actual quoted segment from his walkthrough. It sounded convincing so I had to write to you. Thank you very much for your help!!.......

Play As Dogi? - There is a "Play As Dogi" rumor floating around here somewhere. I never believed it, until I actually saw my friend playing as Dogi. I have no idea how he did it, but if anyone knows, please fill me in.

Secret Rooms? - I've heard someone say that there are hidden rooms behind walls you can walk through in the Ilvern Ruins and the Ballactine Castle. I'm not too sure about this, but if anyone can confirm this, let me know.

End of quote. As you can see this was quite a stressful thing when Im the type to "unlock" everything in a game.

Aside from all this I dug your Ninja Gaiden 2 and R-Type graphx on top of your page and EVERYTHING else that brings me back to the golden age of games(NES/SNES)...awesome....I will be checking in to your site often such as your reviews of all the old classics...I told Darrin about it too. he is just like me and into vintage games...thanks again for your help by the way....

Dear Darrell,

A long time ago when I used to go to Nintendo.com's forums around the time The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time had just been released, someone was inquiring how to reach the treasure chest in the optional room of the Fire Temple before the timer ran out. Someone replied and said he used the Flying Carpet to get to it. People asked him where he got the Flying Carpet and he said it was in the Bottom of the Well. He sounded so sincere that it began a rumor around the forums of there really being a Magic Carpet that you could acquire as an item. Of course, this all turned out to be false (there is that flying carpet in the desert that the bomb salesman rides on, but you can't take it from him). It also prompted a lot of people to start making up other fake codes that would supposedly lead to the Triforce, or unlock a makeout scene in the ending, or get a rocketpack, or play as Dark Link, or find a hidden pyramid level, and various other things that were all untrue. I think some people meant for the fake codes to be taken only as jokes due to how ridiculously over-the-top the explanations were for them, but others seemed as though they actually wanted their fake codes to be taken seriously.

Anyway, thanks for the comments and I hope you enjoy the site. It's been around a long time, so my old reviews are really craptastic, but I'll be working on some new ones eventually.

Question #139
FROM: Darrell Albert

Hi. I "discovered you" while I was going through Wanderers from Ys three for Super Nintendo and searched for codes and found your contributions. I browsed your site for the first time and it is awesome for starters. Im a huge vintage gamer that loves NES/SNES games.

My problem is that I keep hearing about this "Play as Dogi" rumor. D-Boy, who wrote the largest faq on the game, says he "saw his friend playing as Dogi but didn't know how he did it". You'd think he could have "asked him" but this baffles me. He also says there are unconfirmed rumors about secret items hidden behind walls. Im driving myself crazy with this rumor. Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

Dear Darrell,

I don't believe there is any way to play as Dogi and I don't know why anyone would want to. Adol is always the hero of every Ys game and even though they return to Dogi's hometown in Ys 3, I don't believe Dogi was ever intended to be a playable character. As for hidden items, I don't know why there would be any considering that every slot in your inventory gets used for something eventually. Sometimes game ROMs contain data for items that are not used anywhere in the game (see the Breath of Fire DrWarp or the unused items in Knights of Justice), but they normally exist only as "dummied" code, not just sitting slightly off-screen where you can't get to them.

Question #138
FROM: darkman111678 Knight

Dude you are a godsend. I've been wanting to get mp3 for old nintendo and playstation games for the longest time. I got a few questions for you and I hope you have the time to answer them:

1) what software do i need to achive the same goal?

2)Super turricane. Can you get some of that soundtrack?

3)Demon's crest. I know you said you weren't a fan but I friggin fell out playing that game. I'd appreciate if you could make mp3s for it or at least tell me how to get some.

THANX!

Dear Darkman,

It sounds to me like you really need to get into using SPCS. Go to Winamp.com and download Winamp. Then go to SNESmusic.org to get the Winamp plugins that you need and the game soundtracks that you want.

Question #137
FROM: Freezair SilverEye

Thought I'd offer up some game music for the site. Hope you like them! These particular tracks come from Vexx, a fantasy-themed platformer. For what it is, it ain't too bad, and considering I got it for 8 bucks, I'm not complaining. The music is actually rather nice, in my opinion. All of these tracks come from the OST, and I wish I had some kind of music-capture device that isn't a microphone, because there's a couple songs that are missing from it whose exclusion baffles me.

1st Track: Tempest Peak Manor
The theme music from the game's fourth level. The level is set in a giant, abandoned house, and the music has a suitably desolate, empty feel. It sounds to me like rain falling on a haunted house. This is one of my favorite pieces in the game.

2nd Track: The Neverglades
The theme music from the game's third level, a large swamp filled with ancient ruins. This one has a very epic, movie-like feel. Melodically, I find it a little boring, but I like the way it changes "emotions" throughout the piece, from tense and dark to open and sweeping.

3rd Track: The Below
The theme music from the game's fifth level, a large underwater "dome city." This music is very cool and calm, in keeping with the underwater theme of this level. It's a little sparse, but it's rather soothing.

4th Track: Lava Theme
The theme of the game's lava areas. Sort of. I say "sort of" because there's only two of them, and the larger of the two uses a different variation on this theme--and I actually like the other one better! Nevertheless, this is the one on the OST. Some of the sound effects make me think it was also intended to be a "night theme" for one level, but was scrapped for that purpose.

5th Track: The Giant Machine
This track is used in only one area of the game--a giant mechanism inside a mountain in the game's seventh level, the Summit of the Sages. I wish it were longer, because I just love the beat in this one! It makes me think of a Looney Toons cartoon.

Dear Freezair,

Thanks very much for your suggestions and thanks for going through the trouble of uploading them, too. Of all of those songs, the one I really liked the most was "The Neverglades". On a side note, I actually own the Vexx game but haven't played it yet.

Question #136
FROM: Mario the Fool

Just thought I'd contribute a little something to the site. This song is called "Theme of Laura". It's from Silent Hill 2, and it's composed by Akira Yamaoka. It is essentially the game's main theme. Also it's named after a bratty little girl for some reason.

Yamaoka, Akira - Theme of Laura.mp3

Dear Mario,

Thanks very much for your suggestion. Sometimes the recommendations I get for game music are less-than-impressive, but that's actually a pretty good one. I'll be sure to add it to the music section eventually, but for now it can be downloaded right here.

Question #135
FROM: Mando Garza

Thank you for leaving my name about Contra 3 being similiar to Independent Day! It is after ten years. I'm pleased to see that it is still there!

I want to add the common rules for RPG:

Never fight someone shorter than you. You might just lose.... badly.

Be very careful of clowns. They will fight... hard. Just hope they are on your side for your chance of winning the game

No matter how badly you want to beat someone, you can never change the fate (powering up to beat Rydia and Kain in F2).

You can beat the game on your own or trio or more, but never even in pair. Mysteric Quest don't counts!!!!

Clerics are thinly guised medics.

Apparently, no one have the idea of using snipers or spray bullets at their heated adversaries (Barot, are you reading this?!)

it didn't pay off for bad guys to become hero because he will eventually lose his/her HP to "acceptable level"

The crappier the profession, better their unique skills are.

Humans are endangered species. That is why monsters never invade their towns and castles due to unwritten protected species list. Only when they cause enough trouble or having something of value is when this policy is written off.

Be careful how you answer yes or no questions or your game may end prematurely.

Only spellcasters can die a dramatic death. If it is a fighter, expect him to be a dwarf.

Black folks are totally rare. Asian and European people are prominent species in any game, but African folks are not noticable unless he is a main character. However, expect a character to be male with Asian children.

Mando Garza
--mrmando

Dear Mando,

Thanks for the suggestions. Some of those are pretty funny. The pairs one is particularly thought-provoking because it's true that Final Fantasy Mystic Quest is the only RPG I can think of off the top of my head in which you can only have two characters at the final boss, and the helper is computer-controlled in that case. The "yes or no questions" one is true of The Magic of Scheherazade.

Question #134
FROM: Mike McDaniel

Can I submit some video game songs sometime?

Dear Mike,

If they're good.

Question #133
FROM: Mike

Good afternoon. I don't want to sound too clique-but I love your site. I've been reading it on & off since 2004.

My question is: How do you take screenshots from Gameboy and/or Nintendo and put them on the web? I really would like to know.

Once again, I enjoy your site! :) Always brings back memories of playing games.

Take care,

Mike

Dear Mike,

For older systems like Gameboy, NES, Super NES, Genesis, Master System, and Atari systems, I use emulators for screenshots. Most emulators I've dealt with have built-in screentaking capabilities, but if it doesn't, you can just use the Printscreen key and then paste the image into any picture editing program, like MS Paint. For disc-based and modern consoles, I have to plug the system into my computer's capture card and take them with ArcSoft or Fraps.

Question #132
FROM: Camie

Hey flyingomelette,

I am so happy to have found you website I am a Nintendo girl all the way and I think Nintendo have the best games and game music. I was wondering can u please add the Winky's Walkway theme to your Donkey Kong Country list. It is such a smooth and sweet melody and I can't find it anywhere on the internet. And I also noticed that you don't have Donkey Kong Country 3 on your list. They have some really good songs. My favorite is the Cavern music or Cavern Caprice theme. Can you please add DKC3 to your download list please?!!!

Thank You,
Camie

Dear Camie,

I didn't think Donkey Kong Country 3's music was anywhere near as good as the first two games in the series. I'll take a listen to Cavern Caprice since you've recommended it.

Question #131
FROM: Pom

Dear FlyingOmelette,

Hi! I found your website and it is awesome! I have been playing games since I was 8 years old when the first Atari came out and 11 years old with NES from Japan. Thanks a lot for creating your website, it's simply an awesome place for all retro gamers.

Your reviews of the games that you've played comes straight from the heart and I appreciate it very much (I'm agree with you in many points but some points I'm not appreciated such as megaman2 that's my all time favorite game )

I think you are the greatest girl that play NES games I've ever met.Because you can perfectly play wide range of game style such as action shooting RPG simulation and adventure. You thinked that Megaman2 and Karnov are easy!!!!!! Oh my god!!!! ( I must play it many and many times in several days to pass it.) Which game styles you like it most?

Have you ever played the original NES-ghost'n goblins and if you did, did you like it? If you haven't played it then I strongly recommend it. It's the hardest game that I've passed through it. Another game is rockman1(Japan) or megaman1 in US.This game I've played it all without "Paused glitch" technics.Yellow devil boss is the hardest boss of Dr.Wiley stage that you have to jump,jump and jump about 6 -7 times in each shot and it take 7 shots to defeated him(another boss that's very hard is copy robot.)

Nice to meet you
Pom

Dear Pom,

Thanks! I'm glad you've been enjoying the site. I don't really have a particular favorite game genre, but I have been somewhat of an RPG freak in the past. But I like to get equal doses of RPG, adventure, platformers, and shooters, and occasionally something from other genres, too. I have played and beaten the NES Ghosts n Goblins and Mega Man 1. Both are quite difficult, but not the most difficult games I've beaten.

Question #130
FROM: Mario the Fool

Hey there. I was wondering if you could put any of the following songs on your site: the Bubble Bobble theme, the Karnov theme, or anything from Maniac Mansion. If you could put any of them on there I would be a very happy individual indeed.

BTW, you say the list of your "top 100 favorite games" is out-of-date. I was just wondering when it was actually made?

Dear Mario,

Ack! Isn't the Karnov theme kind of annoying? I do like Dave's theme from Maniac Mansion, though. I'll keep your suggestions in mind when I'm able to update that section again. As for the Top 100, I don't remember when I originally wrote it (I'd have to check my update logs), but I know it was back when the site was still on Geocities, so that was quite a few years ago. I'm guessing sometime around 2001.

Question #129
FROM: Mako Heitzinger

Dear Flying Omelette,
If it isn't too much trouble could you get the song that plays after one passes the tree in Monster Party. That song is really awesome and if you could that would be great. Thanks!

Dear Mako,

Luckily, it's under 4 megabytes, so I was able to upload it:

Monster Party - After the Tree (MP3 Format)

That's the only song I can really remember liking from that game.

Question #128
FROM: Freezair SilverEye

Simple question this time, on par with the other "do you have this song from this game?" questions. Specifically, do you have an MP3 of the Twinklies' theme from Banjo-Kazooie? If I recall correctly, it's the song that plays both when you open the Twinkly box and play the Twinkly-muncher minigame.

Dear Freezair,

Would that be this song? If you're capable of using USF's, you can get that game's entire soundtrack at USF Central.

Question #127
FROM: Ricky

Found your site (& bookmarked your page) via Google (GREAT STUFF!!). Got my 3 FAVOURITE Axelay songs though I wished you had added the last stage (no I don't mean the ENDING song, just the song you hear when you're playing throughout the last stage (THAT song/medley ROCKED!) music. Doubt you'll do it now but something to consider in the future maybe?

Have a GREAT weekend! - Ricky

Dear Ricky,

I could put it up in the next update to that section. Crawl had wanted me to add the Level 2 theme anyway, so I don't see why not. I think the final level theme was basically a remake of the title theme.

Question #126
FROM: Mako Heitzinger

Dear Flying Omelette,
what the hell was up with that ending to Monster Party? I swear that made little to no sense. What with the gift to the princess to the weird screwed up monster where everything was messed up. Then he wakes up or something. Do you know how this ends to the game in any way? I don't

Dear Mako,

It's meant to be one of those "Oh, it was all a dream...or WAS it???" type of endings. Considering how weird and screwed-up the rest of the game is, it's pretty consistent. It's also possible the kid hallucinated the whole thing after ingesting too many of those pills. There used to be a site that had an animated gif of the skin-melting sequence, but I can't find it now.

Question #125
FROM: Vern18

I am writing a small book about cockatiels. Unless I'm lucky it will probably never be published. I love your graphic jpg simple black and white cockatiel. You asked that we get permission to use your graphics. May I have your permission to use this jpg. in my book? If published, your site will be given credit for it in the Index.

Thank you much.
Vern18@hotmail,com

Dear Vern,

Are you referring to this cockatiel?

Since he's not an RAU or Image Arcane character, then I'll grant permission to use him, but he might require some cleanup to look nice in a book. My scanner picked up lines around his right wing that were supposed to have been erased. Let me know if you ever get the book published.

Question #124
FROM: James Torrance

Hey. Was Honen Calzoun named after Honen Shonin, founder of Jodo Shu, aka, Pure Land Buddism?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dnen_Sh%C5%8Dnin

Dear James,

No. I made up the name "Honen" long ago and I had no idea until I got on the internet years later that it was even a real name. Don't ask me how I came up with it, because I don't remember. There was a joke about that and Lizaki's name in the "Taura in Wonderland" sketch.

Question #123
FROM: Mako Heitzinger

Dear Flying omelette,

Is there a reason why you haven't reviewed The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask? I mean, you beat both of them right? So why haven't you written reviews for them?

Dear Mako,

I've actually only finished Ocarina of Time. I've only played a little bit of Majora's Mask and didn't make any progress in it. The reason I haven't reviewed Ocarina of Time is because twofold: The first reason is that I simply haven't been too into writing reviews lately. I probably will try to get back into it once the problem of archiving the forums has been resolved. The other reason is because there are a LOT of games I want to review and I'm not quite certain when I'd get around to reviewing Ocarina. I'd definitely want to replay it first.

Question #122
FROM: Freezair SilverEye

I have a question about the Switched at Birth gallery. A... really WEIRD question.

Would pieces of video game MUSIC be applicable for this section? You see, I've occasionally noticed that pieces of video game music sound a lot like other songs out there. Not counting places it's intended, like Grunty's Lair being an obvious riff on "Teddy Bears' Picnic," but others. For example, I've noticed that Ocarina of Time's famous Lost Woods theme sounds a bit like the Jupiter section of the "Planets" symphony by Gustav Holst, and the "Fever" music from Dr. Mario bears resemblance to the Beatles' "Lady Madonna." Presumably the supplier of the musical SAB would also supply the MIDIs. Would this work at all, or could it just not be done?

Thanks!

Dear Freezair,

A topic about this very subject recently came up on one of my affiliate's message boards. I actually at one time kinda, sorta had a section like this. It was Oddities 27, which is the musical oddities page. However, I eventually changed that article so that it now only contains unused game music. However, I probably wouldn't mind doing a separate page for musical similarities eventually, too, and I could even put back some of those entries I took down from that page. However, I'm sitting on a bunch of normal SAB submissions that I should probably get to first. But if you want to send midis, feel free to do so. It just might be a little while before I can get to writing the article.

Question #121
FROM: James Torrance

Several questions today:

1. How does Airforce Delta Strike compare to Star Fox? I can't wait until you upload a video of a space stage in AFDS. I want to see what they look like.

2. How long before the next RAU Gallery sketch?

3. What does Dr. Honen Calzoun eat?

4. Which of your characters is most likely to be the biggest fan of Jimmy Buffet?

5. Sparta or madness?

6. Cheesburger in Paradise or Margaritaville?

PS. Your midi of the final boss theme of Breath of Fire 2 was pretty good. That's always been one of my favorite final boss tunes.

Dear James,

1. It's really hard to compare AFDS to Star Fox because they're not really all that similar. I would still definitely say Star Fox is a superior game, although I have been liking AFDS more than Star Fox 64. One thing about AFDS is that it's more of a "puzzle" challenge than an "action" challenge, if that even makes any sense. A lot of stages are a matter of figuring out what to do, and then they're ridiculously easy once you know what to do. Some of the better planes you can unlock (especially the "special" planes from other Konami games) make the game even easier still.

2. I'm working on more RAU sketches, but nothing's anywhere close to being completed. I've sort of hit a dry spell in which I don't have a lot of ideas for humor right now.

3. Crawl's actually asked me that, too. Since Onis lived on an island, and they have shark-like teeth, I imagine their diet consists primarily of fish. I imagine Honen would eat a lot of rice and sushi and he mostly drinks water.

4. Dr. Lizaki

5. I didn't get to see that movie. Crawl saw it while he was in San Francisco, but I couldn't go with him.

6. Margaritaville