Saturday, 17 November 2012

A superlative assortment of links with sugar cube hi-jinks Ud 18/12/12

I've added some more additions.  Look for the *

At the end of the sequel, I promised that the final part will be anything other than ordinary and something rather special.

Well I’m putting my house that this prediction wasn't the alcohol talking as I'm in no doubt that you'll be glad you gave it the time of day.

If this was pie, it would be my warmest slice.

The best cube will take the longest to dissolve in my cuppa so put your feet up, keep your clicking tackle close by and enjoy my notoriety for linking the unthinkable and general goodies.

Films, video games and music are my passions and specialties.

All are featured and will be exploited.

I’ve given the last the big build up because it deserves such oomph.

Mikey Forrester told Rents that suppositories were fucking custom design for his needs.

I hope this will be of similar status.

Let your ears intake Knives and Pens by Black Veil Brides in 2010.


Then Unholy Confessions by Avenged Sevenfold from 2003.


How about the tune lads and lasses?  It’s another amazing act plagiarism.

Okay, okay, you just have to know video games for this amazing sound spot.

Below is a vid from Resident Evil Code: Veronica X.

The Dreamcast original is famous for being the first Resident Evil game to be released outside of a Sony machine.  Don’t let the X fool you into thinking that it was a huge upgrade because in truth, it’s largely the same game but with just some added scenes with Wesker.  That’s too old to be interesting but I can beat that with this.

Use this vid and spin on until 27m 46s to 50s and remember the main audible noise…


Then listen to this sound from the intro of Wolf Team’s 1991 shmup Sol Feace on Mega CD at any point from 2m 13s until 37s.


If that is anything other than absolutely ridiculous, then I am Minnie Mouse.

Can there really be many alarms in video games that sound identical?

Are there many alarms that sound like this at all?

I remain sceptical.

*Observe how the guys die and turn into skeletons in System 3's 1989 adventure Tusker on C64 from 53s to 56s and see it twice.



*Then see exactly the same prinicple in Ocean's 1986 interpretation of Rambo: First Blood Part II, also on C64 from 42s until 45s.


What an amazing rip off, right?

This is Geese Howard falling to his apparent demise in SNK’s 1991 Fatal Fury.  Watch from 14m 15s to 20s


Then watch Dick Jones falling to his death in the 1987 Verhoeven classic Robocop from 2m 39s to 2m 42s


It’s the same idea, different taste.

Indulge in the title theme from the NES version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 10s to 19s.


You are then compelled to listen to the intro of Queen’s Stone Cold Crazy (especially 6s to 21s).


This is more pointless than a broken pencil but it’s still fun.

This is a vid of Namco’s 1990 Dragon Saber and spin on until just before the staff roll at 31m 30s and watch very carefully at 32s.


Did you notice a very strange gaffe?  I hope so.

Oh, if you didn’t catch it and/or proves too difficult to pause, it’s just the Dragon Saber logo without the dragons.

For the final act of weirdness and/or mistake by Namco, if you start this video from the beginning, you’ll notice that the same logo is green and not red which suggests it was a perverse error.

Listen to this piece of music from SNES classic Contra III bang on 21m.


Then Alan Silverstri’s theme of Predator, I’d say it’s best from 2m 45s.


Well at least in Konami’s world; you were deep in alien territory.

Here’s the very limited but obviously incredible looking Dragon’s Lair all the way back in 1983. Wow!


Taito began a string of rip offs.

First there was Ninja Hayate in 1984.


Then Time Gal in 1985.


This is another one of those that’s debatable but I’m pretty convinced it’s similar.

Listen to the first 20s or so of When All Is Quiet by Kaiser Chiefs.


Okay, now slam on the wonderful NW5 from Madness and listen to its beginning.


Like I said, it’s not by any means identical but…

Here’s something that might make you laugh or frown.

Please forward this vid to 6m 55s featuring weird fighter Best of Best.

Wait a mo and you’ll see one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen in a fighting game.


It’s impossible to miss and seriously, what the fuck were these boys at Suna on?

Here’s fun, make a practical carbon copy of Mortal Kombat but in 3D.  That’s exactly what Midway decided to do in 1996 with War Gods.


The announcer’s voice is rather amusing, especially ‘Fatality’.

I’m just relieved that MK was a Midway creation.

This is a scene from the spy film Stormbreaker, featuring Stephen Fry as an alternative Q.


It’s obviously in homage and/or parody but there are ways and means….

Watch this Terminator 2 T1000 lift scene and observe from 2m 29s until 3m.


Then forward this vid until 2h 16m 58s to 2h 17m 37s and watch the William Birkin attack on a tram in Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 on PS1.


Wow, only pixels separate the matching nature.  Bravo Capcom!

This is New Super Mario Bros Wii and Game Over.


It’s the same for Super Mario 64 but that has annoying speech over it.

Listen to the music (between adverts) from classic C4 comedy Father Ted.


I can’t imagine this is a rip-off by Nintendo and is just an astounding coincidence.

James Horner is responsible for countless brilliant compositions but I have a problem with a snippit from his main theme from Aliens. 

Open your ears from 8s to 16s.


Then listen to The Awakening of Jacob by Krzysztof Penderecki used in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic The Shining.  He originally composed this in 1974.

It helps if you listen from 11s to 18s


Well that’s great, that’s just fucking great man.

For a bit of more superhero fun, watch this clip of Flimbo’s Quest on C64 from 57s to 1m 08s


Did you see Batman and why is he green?

This is Ken’s theme from Capcom’s Street Fighter II.  I could have chosen any version but the 1991 arcade original seemed a spiffing idea.  Only listen to 0s to 5s.


You simply must listen to 0s to 13s of Mighty Wings by Cheap Trick from 1985, used in the Top Gun soundtrack.


Well what the fuck do you know about this?  I don’t think any combo or Dragon Punch or can disguise that light-fingered snatch.

Here is Michael Nyman’s The Other Side, composed for the 1997 film Gattaca.


This is Heavy Rain’s main theme on PS3.


Listen to Joseph Loduca’s Different Sword from Spartacus Blood and Sand.


This is the brilliant In the House, In a Heartbeat, composed by John Murphy as heard in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later and its sequel 28 Weeks Later.


Loduca clearly ripped it off.

Mobile phone video game company Gameloft decided to make one of the most blatant rip offs of Castlevania by releasing Soul of Darkness.

It’s much in the mould of Symphony of the Night but as this is a mobile game, I suppose it is better comparing it to the spate of handheld Castlevanias that appeared from the GBA to the DS.

Just because it’s for a mobile phone, does that automatically excuse it?

Without Resident Evil 4, would we have Dead Space?

Even though it’s clearly a totally different premise, the over-the-shoulder aiming is undeniably stolen.

PS2 game Ruff Trigger: The Vanocre Conspiracy rips off elements of Jak & Daxter and more so, Ratchet and Clank.

Released in 2008 by Maxis, Spore is a highly received God game which sees the player oversee the development of a species and depending on player interaction, it can develop into an intelligent creature.  That is pretty unique eh?

Wait a second, rewind time and this concept was either plagiarised or is total coincidence.

Eco was an ancient 1988 Amiga/Atari St game by Denton Designs.  The whole idea of it was evolution and survival.  Depending on the skill applied, the player could see the organism evolve into a higher form of life such as a fish and even a human.

It’s probably lunacy to suggest otherwise, but I’ll suggest it anyway so Maxis, how dare thee?

Want to see an awful T-1000 clone in a beat em up?

Just watch this lump of horse shit called Shadow Fighter in 1994 by Gremlin from 29m onwards.


This is the T-1000 before he meets his demise.  Watch from 3m 08s to 3m 10s.


Then the attract mode in Sonic the Hedehog from 9s to 12s


Both were released in 1991 and Sonic was released before T2.  To say that Cameron must have thought the finger wagging by Sonic was so brilliant that he needed to duplicate the speedy hedgehog is absolutely preposterous and I maintain this.

In case anybody cared or didn’t know, Sega really did steal death screams from 80’s action films and digitise them for their 1989 classic Golden Axe.  It’s mighty handy that somebody else also knew...


This is the main theme to Metal Gear Solid 2 by Tappy on PS2.


Then listen to Georgy Sviridov’s composition, Winter Road.


Another amazing piece of shoplifting and deserves a well directed shot with a howitzer.

Konami reduced its use in the third game and totally omitted it in the fourth.  If that’s not an admission of guilt, then I don’t know what is.

This one is particularly mental.  It’s not direct but certainly smacks of inspiration.

Listen to the fantastic melody of Resident Evil Code: Veronica, The Ending of the Beginning from 0s to 1m 22s


This is John Murphy again and Frank’s Death heard in 28 Days Later and again used in the sequel.


While this is just the music, I picture that scene with poor old Frank....

It’s ironic that its most emotional scene is the prelude when the film turns stupid with the introduction of soldiers.

Sob sob....

Pulling myself together, while it’s not directly copied – surely it’s undeniable that it’s got a definite likeness to it.

Did John Murphy even know this game existed?  Did he know this tune existed?  Who knows?

This is just funny, check out the special mission intro from Time Crisis on PS1 from 26s to 29s.


The feminine features, red lipstick obviously don’t give it away.

Her gender needs questioning?  Ricky Tomlinson and my ass it does.

The funnies keep rolling in the same vid.  Roll forward until 5m 16 to 5m 20s.

This is supposed a woman in fear of her life, displaying terror, panic and unease.  Instead that has to be among the worst voice acting I have ever heard or maybe the most feeble and pathetic orgasm ever.

It’s appallingly wonderful.

Sega’s House of the Dead was meant to be awful so that doesn’t count.

Here’s a very curious one that hints of stealing.

Listen to Ocean Colour Scene’s Beautiful Losers also from 0s to 9s.


Then hear Layla (piano exit) by Derek and the Dominos from 0s to 9s (freaky) used in Scorsese’s gangster classic Goodfellas.


Keep playing it and you’ll hear it or you may agree after just the one listen.

Are Sega trying to be funny and parody Ghost Busters?

Watch this sequence from Alien Storm to find out beginning at 21s and ending at 33s.


After presumably receiving a distress call, changing their van from Alien ‘Burgers’ to Alien ‘Busters’ surely suggests this...

Then from 10s to 47s, this is the title sequence for Jaleco shmup Super E.D.F. on the SNES.


Using the same principle but this time only the climax zoom out, how about NCE and Assault Suits Valken in 1992.  Many may know it as Cybernator but whatever; watch the intro from 24s to 29s to catch my drift.


Consider each and compare both to the title sequence of Cameron’s classic The Terminator.


This is Naughty Dog’s marmite tasting Way of the Warrior and watch a stage fatality from 8m 38s to 46s.


Then do same with this vid from the notoriously gory Bloodstorm from 2m 11s to 15s.


It’s different but same yes?  Both were released in 1994 so therefore remains a mystery who stole from whom.  I’d put it down to a freaky accident.

Use the same WOTW vid again and watch Major Gaines from 45s to 47s.

Then go to the fatality king of Mortal Kombat with Liu Kang 40s to 41s


Shameless originality!

One thing’s for sure though, I do take my hat to Naughty Dog for including some of the cheesiest speech I’ve ever heard.  The emotion, the passion and the sincerity is just incredible.

This isn’t particularly unknown but for everybody’s benefit, ever wondered what that mode select symbol is from Capcom games released on the SNES in early 90’s?

Well it’s obviously something to do with Capcom but what?

It’s actually the extra life symbol first seen in the ancient 1986 Side Arms.

Here's the Mobichan actually in the game.



Okay, Capcom changed the colour and look slightly but here's an example.


Here's something that really makes no sense.

Watch this vid of Konami's 1986 limited joystick killer Combat School from 5m 30s to 54s.


I know what you're thinking and I bet those caps are still orbiting space...

Thrash Rally is an elderly 1991 racing game by ADK.


It wasn’t without its imitations.

Watch the vid of U.S. Gold’s and Rage 1994 Power Drive.


ADK’s pseudo sequel to Thrash Rally was Overtop in 1996.


So knowing Thrash Rally now helps clear up that Overtop was not a rip off of Power Drive.

Attention all Namco fans and those who adore retro.

The credits in Dragon Spirit are happy to oblige.  Watch this vid from 5m 53s to 6m 46s


Well I certainly found it interesting.

This the end boss from Turrican 2 on C64 from 41m 05s onwards until 41m 38s


Then watch the end boss from Taito’s amusingly named Megablast from 19m 16s to 20m.


It’s a very similar end boss and it moves the same but surely Manfred didn't nick the idea?  It's possible of course.

*Keeping with Turrican 2, use the above vid and watch from 24m 55s to 26m 20s to get the scoop.

Then watch this bit from Air Busters on the Mega Drive.  The original game was released on the arcade by Kaneko in 1990.  Anyway, watch from 5m 24s up until 6m 24s.



Well what do you think?  You've got to agree it's incredibly similar.

Can it be topped better than a cake?  Of course it can.

Watch the intro to The Bitmap Brothers and their Magic Pockets.  Please excuse me but I’m good, I’m really good.  Please observe from 23s to 45s.


Then I have to revert back to Taito’s Operation Wolf again so watch from 0s to 13s.


Everything points to a perfect photocopy with very slight changes…

Watch Way of the Warrior again.  Observe from 4m 18s to 4m 25s.


Watch this Samurai Shodown V Special fatality vid from 6m 55s to 7m 09s.


The original controversy king was Midway’s Mortal Kombat in 1992.   Kano is all heart from 24s to 30s.


Why Naughty Dog and Yuki decided to rip off something so famous is beyond me.

Look lads, you need to be subtle.

In the Farrelly brothers’ 1996 sporting comedy Kingpin, Roy Munson pays the price for hustling after been double-crossed by Bill Murray.  Instead of losing his head, he loses his hand.

Eddie Felson has his thumbs broken for doing exactly the same thing in 1961 classic The Hustler.

Okay, I like that film so I’m giving Bobby and Peter the benefit of the doubt.  It’s definitely the same principle.

This is either in homage or was stolen by Sega.

Again, it’s Golden Axe.  Please watch this vid at 11m 14s...


Then watch this superb scene from 1963 classic, Jason and the Argonauts.  Starting from 7m 37s until 8m 17s, it’s all made possible by Ray Harryhausen and his wonderful stop motion animation wizardry.


Here’s the brilliant It’s a Wonderful Life by Sparklehorse


Then listen to Noble Experiment by Thinking Fellers Union Local 282.


Oops.

Watch a memorable script chomp from An Officer and a Gentleman from 41s until 49s.


This is a clip from one of the funniest Red Dwarf episodes ever.  In Meltdown, listen to Rimmer prep his wax droid troops for war...

Pay careful attention of what the loathsome hologram says to Saint Francis of Assisi from 57s to 1m 02s


A very clever parody.

Hundreds of these exist but this is a nice choice.

This is the infamous Visual Concepts 1993 pile of shit Lester the Unlikely on the SNES.  Watch not to torture but to purely get the idea...


Here is Sega’s 1992 totally obscure Greendog.  Watch how much you want because it isn’t worth the time...


Both are very similar and equally shitty games right?

To me, further proof that Lester is a rip off is that they both use a surfboard in the ending, albeit in slightly different circumstances.

Forward until 11m 08s to 11m 28s in this vid from Data East’s Sly Spy for a truly corny Oddjob variant from Bond classic Goldfinger.


This vid demonstrates the very decent Solar Assault by Konami from 1997.  It becomes immediately obvious that this is Gradius 3D.


Then take a peek at Nintendo’s classic Starfox from 1993.


Another film ref now and concerns the 1999 Adam Sandler film Big Daddy


This is the Whammyburger scene from the excellent 1993 Michael Douglas thriller Falling Down.  Please watch from 0s to 1m 05s.


His factual opinion of the burger that we actually get from a McDonalds, Burger King et al still makes me laugh.

I don’t know about the validity or proof of this but Irem’s 1991 shmup Lethal Thunder featured a rubber finger facility that resulted in the standard shoot weapon built up via a power bar.

Okay, that’s not particularly innovative but spin on four years and the same capability was seen in Aicom’s Pulstar.

Like I say, did Aicom rip this off or is it just another one of those ‘coincidences’?  I’d go with the former as because Pulstar obviously looks nothing like R-Type…

Another ‘odd’ spot is both games have seven stages.

As I’ve previously said, the inexplicable and unconfirmed myth of Aicom being made of disgruntled Irem employees rages on.  Even now, this remains unanswered.

Anyway, apart from its fantastic looks, listen to the music the first stage of Pulstar from 2m 07s to 2m 55s. 


Then have a listen to this theme from Stage 1 in Lethal Thunder from 51s to 2m 44s


There’s certainly something about it.

In comparison, the truth behind Nazca and why the art style in Metal Slug looked very similar to Gunforce 2 is fairly well known.

Watch the credits in Sega’s obscure Aurail from 36m 51s to 39m 48s.


Then the title sequence to Richard Donner’s Superman...


Watch this boss from Jacelo’s 1995 P-47 Aces from 6m 30s to 9m 05s


This is a very similar situation with a boss in Capcom’s 1989 UN Squadron.  Watch from 8m onwards to get the idea.


Well this is it; my sugar cube has dissolved and I’m just about ready to take a sip but before I do, I have one final act.

For the purposes of this feature and everything before it, this defeats the lot and takes the cake.

Like they say, I've saved the best until last…

Oh I’m absolutely bursting and can’t hold it in any longer.

It’s time to let it all out.

First of all, listen to the music from the intro of Capcom’s Dungeons & Dragons sequel Shadow over Mystara from 2m 54s to 3m 14s.  This was released in 1996…


Now surely you must have heard it but just in case you didn't...

Holding you at gunpoint, I insist that you literally go Back to the Future with Alan Silvestri’s Overture theme composed in 1985 from 1m to 1m 12s.


See, I told you and remember, you heard it here first.

It’s only a sample but to me it’s far worse than Sorgens Kammer as Capcom clearly plagiarised a very famous movie theme.

I bet Mr Silvestri will be blissfully unaware as I’m sure Capcom didn’t get on the blower to him.

In my opinion, it’s astonishingly ironic that the supreme powerhouse in Capcom got away with the most striking of all.

Even when it comes to stealing from an iconic movie score, they appear to be immune.

I don’t expect everybody to agree with everything and some may believe that I belong in a padded cell but whatever; I really do hope that you enjoyed my intricate interpretation.

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