Funco Land - A land of Fun...co..

Where kids came to trade in their games for $3 and buy pre-owned ones for $50 with nice colorful cases. The good 'ol days!

Toys'R'Us Video Game Slips Nostalgia

When all it took was a video game slip to purchase your favorite video game

A Re-seller RANT

The days of where we could find NES and SNES games for a few dollars are gone...thanks to the RESELLER. A RANT.

How I let EARTHBOUND slip through my fingers...

My ultimate prize...gone again.

The Ultimate NES Review Collection

Join me as I suffer through every single NES game known to man! Prepare yourself!

Friday, May 30, 2014

Copernicus Nerdicus #1 : "Yard Sale Gold"


Well folks, it has begun. The start of the COPERNICUS NERDICUS Web Comic. New strips will be posted every Wednesday and Friday, but if it actually gains some momentum I may do it three times a week instead. For the time being, I'll be posting reviews and comics on the same day, with reviews coming first, and comics coming later on.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the strip. The story line was a blast to work on, and it's honestly great to get back into comics again. Even drawing these quick strips gives me an opportunity to combine my lust for gaming and desire to get back into goofy cartooning again.

What dangers awaits Copernicus???? And have any of you ever seen any games with no label on it at garage sales? Lol..I see it all the time, and when I end up buying em they usually end up being absolute crap, or games that don't even work. Why can't it just be STADIUM EVENTS?

And why the hell can't people take care of their games?!

Nerdicus SNES Review # 22 : Super Mario Kart



Title : Super Mario Kart

Publisher : Nintendo

Genre : Racer

Players : 1 / 2 Player

Release Date : 1992

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $10-$15

Today is May 30, 2014. A typical Friday by any means, but one that holds very special meaning for Nintendo fans everywhere. Why do you ask? Well if you don't know, then you must have been living under a rock for the past few months. Today, is one of the greatest days in history! It is the release date of MARIO KART WII U!!!

Mario Kart games, for me anyway, have been one of the saving graces of every Nintendo Console. It's the game that secures my desire to own each of their systems, as it's the one game I can never put down and will always revisit. Not to mention, the Mario Kart games have provided me with some of the greatest childhood memories that I experienced with my friends. Some of those stories which I'll share with you today. 

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Nerdicus Genesis Review #17 : Arcus Odyssey


Title : Arcus Odyssey

Publisher : Renovation Products

Genre : Arcade Action RPG

Players : 1 / 2 Player

Release Date : 1991

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $25-$30

During the rise of the 16-bit consoles, a lot of game developers were trying to figure out new and refreshing takes on classic game styles. One of the most common games out were the arcade-style hack and slash. I assume most of these games came from the wildly successful Gauntlet series which was the epitome of dungeon crawler. It was pretty much expected to see companies bombard gamers with this type of game play. But, how do you grab a gamer's interest if it's already been done before?

Enter Renovation Products and Arcus Odyssey. 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #100 : BreakThru


Title : BreakThru

Publisher : Data East

Genre : Vehicle Combat

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1986

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $3-$5

Wow, so I finally made it to 100 reviews for the NES. First off, a huge thank you to those who actually read these reviews and comment on them. Honestly, I didn't think anyone would look at these. I have been writing these reviews for myself as an excuse to continue to play video games, while at the same time writing consistently during the week when I'm not working on my next novel.

But a few months in, I'm actually getting a following which is insane and highly unexpected. There are hundreds, if not thousands of Video Game review sites out there, but I like to think mine is a tad different from the rest. I go off on tangents, but a lot of it is because I am reflecting on how these games affected me as a child. It's funny how some games I don't even remember playing, but they do rekindle the love I had for games in the 80's when I was just a wee lad. Gaming really did have that much of an influence on me. I wouldn't be doing what I do today without them. Not to mention, It's great to hear everyone's reactions in the comments and reacting in similar ways that I do. Hell, just seeing my site traffic climb each month is making me want to do this even more.

Just to make an announcement, now that I have hit 100 reviews, I have decided to do something a little bit different twice a week. A few years ago, a friend of mine and I used to create a web comic called Porterhouse based on the life of a comic book artist. It was a hell of a lot of fun, but obligations got in the way. But, my lust for being creative artistically has been reborn and I have decided to work on a web comic again based on my middle-grade novel, which is yes, about video games.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Nerdicus SNES Review #21 : Batman Forever



Title : Batman Forever

Publisher : Acclaim

Genre : Brawler

Players : 1 / 2 Player

Release Date : 1995

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $7-$10

Happy Memorial Day, everyone (late one day, I know). Hope you all had a chance to enjoy some good BBQ'ing, but also took the opportunity to thank all our servicemen and women. Without them, we wouldn't be where we are today. They've sacrificed more than you know, so while we do have Memorial Day, every day should be considered a day of respect and reflection on what they do for our country.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #99 : Break Time : The National Pool Tour


Title : Break Time

Publisher : Fujisankei

Genre : Billiards

Players : 1 / 2 Player

Release Date : 1993

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $10-$12

When I was younger, I really didn't need to have a console version of a billiards game. I was one of those lucky kids who grew up with a pool table in the basement. In fact, my dad had decked out the entire basement to be some sort of man cave. Surprisingly enough, he never really took advantage of it because he much rather just take a nap on the recliner upstairs. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity of having my own little getaway when I was a teenager.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Nerdicus Genesis Review #16 : The Aquatic Games : Starring James Pond and the Aquabats


Title : Aquatic Games : Starring James Pond and the Aquabats

Publisher : Electronic Arts

Genre : Platform Track N Field

Players : 1 - 4 Players

Release Date : 1992

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $10-$12

Are you serious? Is someone really just trying to annoy me this week with the absolute crap I've been subjected to? What is this? I'm not even joking, what is this supposed to be? I don't even know what I'm looking at it. I see the box, and I think "okay a kids game with some sort of anthropomorphic fish". Then I look closer, and I see its starring the James Pond character, which is to this day still one of the worst game mascots ever.

Why is Sega torturing me? I can't blame them though, SNES did the same thing.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #98 : Bram Stoker's Dracula


Title : Bram Stoker's Dracula

Publisher : Sony Imagesoft

Genre : Platform

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1993

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $15-$20

If you're looking for another Castlevania, you're looking the completely wrong way. This may have the Dracula name in it, but this is based off that bizarrely addictive movie starring Keanu Reeves, Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder. Something about that movie...I don't know what it is. I can't pull away when it's on TV. It must be Dracula's curse or something reeling me in and possessing me. So badly good lol.

Meh, it must be Gary Oldman.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Nerdicus SNES Review #20 : Ballz


Title : Ballz

Publisher : Accolade

Genre : Fighting

Players : 1 / 2 Player

Release Date : 1994

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $10-$12

Balls....

If you're wandering around a video game story, and you happen to come across a game called BALLZ, what the heck goes through your head? I mean, do you really want to buy a game called BallZ. Oh, I'm sorry. Ballz 3D! You know, when that 3D imaging gimmick came out back in the 16-bit console era. Those games that claimed they were 3D, but they weren't'.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #97 : A Boy and His Blob : Trouble on Blobolonia


Title : A Boy and His Blob : Trouble on Bloboonia

Publisher : Absolute / Jaleco

Genre : Platform / Puzzle

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1989

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $7-$10

One look at the box art of this game, and you have absolutely no idea what you're in for. It reels you in with that comic book feel, but then it disturbs the hell out of you. You've got a kid, who looks a little bit like Bart Simpson hugging some marshmallow blob in the middle of the city at night. I mean, okay, that's weird.

Then it just dives right off the deep end. Tools with eyes? Why does everything have eyes?! And that's when you read the fine print. Apparently this Blob is an alien creature who has the supreme ability of turning into various tools by ingesting different flavored jelly-beans.

YUP! They were smoking up when they designed this game, that's for sure.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Nerdicus SNES Review #19 : B.O.B.



Title : B.O.B.

Publisher : Electronic Arts

Genre : Run 'n' Gun / Platform

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1993

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $10-$12

It was really entertaining to see what sort of mascots companies were coming up with back in the 90's. I mean, some of them were downright idiotic, while others, well I could have seen them getting places. I was a sucker for robots when I was a kid, and I still love 'em even know. Heck, my middle-grade book is about robots in video games, so why shouldn't I love em? 

In comes B.O.B. (what a great name for a game eh?). I don't know what it stands for though. How can you give us a name for a game that's an acronym and not tell us what it stands for!? DAMN YOU!!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review # 96 : Boulder Dash




Title : Boulder Dash

Publisher : JVC

Genre : Arcade Puzzle / Strategy

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1990

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $7-$10

A long, long time ago, there was a little game called Boulder Dash. A relentless puzzle game, that was just as frustrating as it was challenging. Sometimes, it was even a tad entertaining. You play as Rockford, treasure hunter extraordinaire, and a man with a name that drives women wild!

When I was first looking through my list of games, I thought to myself oh this must be a video game version of the table top game BALDERDASH. Now that game was insanely fun. Making up definitions of words has such a high entertainment value it drove me, my family and my friends into fits of hysteria. I still even have some of those cards saved. I digress, this game has nothing to do with that.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Nerdicus Genesis Review #15 : Another World (Out of this World)



Title : Another World (OUT OF THIS WORLD)

Publisher : Virgin Games

Genre : Cinematic Platformer

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1992

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $15-$17

The first time I had ever played OUT OF THIS WORLD (ANOTHER WORLD in the UK), it wasn't on the Sega Genesis or the SNES, it was on the PC. I was with my folks in COMPUTER CITY, at least I think that's what the name of the store was and we were looking around trying to find a new computer to buy. Nowadays I just build my own computer, but when you're 10, you really don't know how to buy and install computer parts. So we had to stick with going to a store and buying them.

Anyway, as you probably recall, some computers are set up to be tested out and every so often you'll run into one that has a game loaded on the screen. Some times, you'll be lucky enough and see OUT OF THIS WORLD on it. 

Friday, May 9, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #95 : Bonk's Adventure


Title : Bonk's Adventure

Publisher : Hudson Soft

Genre : Platformer

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1994

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $300-$350

Just say BOOGA LOOGA. Yup, we all remember this lovable, bald headed cave-kid who would run around with a juicy flank all in a quest to beat up dinosaurs. Oh, and that bald head serves a purpose you know. It's called BONK for a reason, because you literally BONK creatures with that huge cranium of yours. Don't laugh, it's a serious problem afflicting cave-kids today.

But who can resist that sort of hilarity?

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Nerdicus SNES Review #18 : Axelay



Title : Axelay

Publisher : Konami

Genre : Scrolling Shooter

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1992

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $35-$40

There's something mindlessly satisfying about a scrolling screen, massive explosions, and a huge array of weapons. So what are you in the mood for? A side-scrolling shooter, or a vertical shooter? Oh, what's that? You want to play both? Well you're in luck, because have I got the shooter for you thanks to the brilliant minds over at Konami.

Konami, to me anyway, was the king of scrolling shooter games. After all, they were the creators of the famed GRADIUS series, which is by far one of the greatest, if not THE greatest scrolling shooter ever devised. I'm willing to open up on debate regarding that though, but I shall prove you wrong!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #94 : Bomberman II


Title : Bomberman 2

Publisher : Hudson Soft

Genre : Arcade / Puzzle Maze / Strategy

Players : 1 / 2 / 3 Player

Release Date : 1993

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $75-$100

Looks like Bomberman went through a little bit of design change. Gone are his stormtrooper ways and we welcome the style we know and love to this day. Just look at that cute little face. Who would have ever though he was a vicious bomb slinging devil. I mean, just think about it. This guy goes around blowing up bricks that were placed with delicate love, and then he goes on to kill the monsters that probably helped create it.

What a villain. Shame on you Bomberman.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Nerdicus SNES Review # 17 : Art of Fighting



Title : Art of Fighting

Publisher : Takara

Genre : Fighting

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1993

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $10-$12

Fighting games never really did it for me when I was younger. When I first started playing the NES, they were all pretty much garbage, and I just ended up frustrated as hell. The games, for me anyway, we're impossible unless you set the difficulty at the lowest setting. Maybe I just sucked, which is highly likely because I never was any good at those games. I was the kid that mashed buttons. I admit it, because it was the only way I could win.

You know how I won at Street Fighter 2? I spammed electric shock with Blanka. Sue me. I don't care, it's the only way. THE ONLY WAY DAMMIT!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Nerdicus NES Review #93 : Bomberman


Title : Bomberman

Publisher : Hudson Soft

Genre : Arcade / Puzzle Maze / Strategy

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1987

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $5-$7

When I was younger, and my parents came home with a new game (mind you, my parents played video games almost just as much as I did, though not anymore), I didn't know what to expect. Most of the times whatever they picked up was a miss with me. I mean, I was a kid who had no interest in playing Nintendo Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. 

Ahem, I lie. I played those games a lot.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Nerdicus Genesis Review #14 : Altered Beast


Title : Altered Beast

Publisher : Sega

Genre : Beat 'Em Up

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1988

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $4-$6

RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!!!!

This was it folks. The one Sega Genesis game besides Sonic that has survived with me since I owned the original system. When I first got my Genesis system, it was packed with Altered Beast. This was before Sonic made grounds into becoming the bundle game with the system, so you know this was the original bad ass game for the Sega.

One thing I will give Sega games, their box art was always freaking amazing. Altered Beast box art is by far one of the creepiest, fantasy art styles I've ever seen. That "werewolf" is the epitome of frightening. And what the hell is with that murloc looking thing in the bottom right corner. And who can forget the "YEAAAAAA!" jumping demon in the background.

How appropriate to shade out the werewolf man parts though.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Nerdicus SNES Review #16 : Ardy Lightfoot



Title : Ardy Light Foot

Publisher : Titus / ASCII

Genre : Platform

Players : 1 Player

Release Date : 1994

Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $25-$30

Every so often I encounter a game that I never knew existed. Occasionally this is bad thing, but sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. When I first saw the box art to this game, I thought to myself "Oh boy, it's like another Conker." To me, Conker was one of the greatest characters ever devised, and the N64 game was the epitome of brilliance.

So here we have Ardy, who is a....uh......fox...? Cat? Catfox? Foxcat? Bobcat? I don't know what the hell he's supposed to be. And he has a blue penguin as a sidekick...sure why not. Oh, and he has to defeat this evil king named Visconti who stole pieces of a rainbow that grants wishes.

I kid you not.