♦ Livestream of 2000s MegaZeux games ♦
Moving the calendar forward a decade and checking out some MegaZeux titles from the 2000s. By this point, games are quite capable of distancing themselves from their ZZT roots when desired. Here's what we checked out:
(2:28) Aura MZX - A port of a ZZT game I made in my teens. Fast paced arcade game where players change the color of their aura to allow them to defeat enemies with matching colors while being harmed by those that don't. Feels extremely ZZT. I can't play this one without constantly questioning my sense of design.
(7:12) Pandora - Pilot a flying saucer through an underground complex to discover the knowledge of an alien species wiped up by a solar flare. Problem: You are wayyyyy too big for this.
This game is notoriously difficult, requiring extreme levels of precision to navigate the halls below. Yet its over the top introduction and striking presentation made it a crowd favorite. You can't help but want to succeed and see what lies below.
(19:09) Demon Earth - One of those "best MZX games ever made" games. A Zelda-ish action RPG where you are sent to Earth to liberate it from Zodimus, who twisted the world in his own image. Lets players customize their character a bit not only in name/appearance, but in the form of fragments that can be applied to Body/Sword/Spirit to imbue your character with unique abilities. Kind of reminds me of the soul systems seen in GBA/DS Castlevania games.
(39:09) Morning Star - Only being recommended "Noahsoft games", I had to pick this one out myself, and chose it thanks its trippy chaotic appearance. I didn't know what to expect, but after a slow start of trying to figure out how to get past the first screen this one really won me over, and was easily my favorite game of the stream.
You're told to check on your brother, which means leaving the vestibule for the first time. As you do though, disaster strikes, with the strange world you live in slow being annihilated by the higher ups.
Great to look at, excellent music choices (I guess I should listen to more Boards of Canada), and the unusual setting make this one I want to return to on my own time for sure.
(1:05:47) Zeux Drop - A Magical Drop clone for MegaZeux. The actual playfield is a mere 11 columns wide out of 80, so the author decided to fill the rest of the screen with a large drawing of a chibi fox making a ^_^ face. Everybody agreed this was the correct call.
(1:08:36) Insanifest - A frantic chaotic comedy action shoot-em-up! Lives up to its title for sure. Includes a lot of MegaZeux explosion based humor, which still works on me sometimes. Features some cameos of folks before my time. If you enjoy games that just get weird with it, this may be for you.
(1:21:53) SMZX Tetris - Showing off the Super MegaZeux graphics mode, an unofficial video mode that reduces character pixel density in exchange for more color. Demonstrated with a basic Tetris game that has a fancy looking title screen. Was also the source of historical drama as the MegaZeux port that introduced it didn't release its source code.
(1:29:41) Call of Caethrath - A game tailored to my interests. A Zelda-styled action RPG with larger character graphics, and it's an Interactive Fantasies title. A comedic intro, some slightly askew grammar, and then running around a forest with a plasma gun in search of fame and fortune. This one has a vibe that just resonates with me. It's the kind of ZZT game I'd want to make as a child, but benefitting immensely from MegaZeux's improved graphics, sound, and tech.
(1:47:31) Castle of Zeux - A retro MegaZeux title where you must escape from your prison deep within the Castle of Zeux. Plenty of action with spells to discover, making it feel a bit Caverns-y yet with a personality of its own.
♦ Play these worlds ♦
• https://digitalmzx.com
♦ Originally streamed on April 12th, 2024 ♦
