Doom (MS-DOS)

The Doom franchise is 20 years old this year so I thought it'd be a good time to take a brief look at the original Doom, id software's fifth first person shooter (but their first to have four letters in its title and end with 'm'). The anniversary is actually 10 days into December but I'm impatient so you're getting this early.

I'll admit right now that I'm not going into this one even slightly blind and I doubt I'll be able to think of anything worthwhile to say about the game that you haven't heard a thousand times already, but it's not like I've ever let that stop me before. There's a Doom shaped hole in my website and that needs fixing.

To be accurate I'll actually be playing Ultimate Doom, not the ORIGINAL version of original Doom, despite the fact I've used the original title screen here. I apologise for the unnecessary confusion. Basically Ultimate Doom is Doom with the latest patch installed and a fourth episode bolted on, but there's at least one sneaky change to an earlier level.

Virtua Racing Deluxe (32X)

Not the flashiest title screen, but it's got a voice shouting "Virtua Racing!", so I'm happy.

The original arcade version of wasn't the first polygon racing game, not by a long shot. But back in 1992 it was probably the most graphically advanced ever made, the test game for Sega's shiny new Model 1 arcade hardware. But this is just the 32x port, so I'm not expecting much.

Virtua Fighter (32X)

It's Virtua Fighter, the first 3d fighting game to ever hit arcades! Though I'll be playing the 32X port that came out two years later. Not really as impressive.

I'm sure I've played this one before, I just don't remember... well, anything about it. It's really my not my genre but I'll give it shot. I already like the music. "Get get down, get down, get get down, get down."

Toughman Contest (32X)

Wrestling, maybe?

Zaxxon's Motherbase 2000 (32X)

I'm not sure what's going on there, but it has explosions so surely it can't be that bad.

Motocross Championship (32X)

I thought that I'd saved the picture wrong, but no those compression artefacts are in the actual game.

Tempo (32X)

Is his hair a bird?

The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire (32X)

Even I know that making a web out of fire is a really stupid idea.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Starship Bridge Simulator (32X)

Wow, what is it with the 32X and 3d space games? This doesn't look like it's going to be one of the best of them.

Metal Head (32X)

I guess that's Sergeant Metal Head then. That looks very PlayStation era to me.

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (32X)

THAT is what a decent looking title screen looks like. This was a pretty popular game if I remember right, definitely more than Super Pitfall ever was anyway.

T-Mek (32X)

That would be a cool title screen if it wasn't for the low colour depth. Seems like this could be a decent game.

Star Wars Arcade (32X)

Another 32X 3d space game! It's actually making a decent attempt at playing the theme music here.

Stellar Assault / Shadow Squadron (32X)

Or Shadow Squadron if you're in the US.

Kolibri (32X)

I think this one's called Kolibri. Or maybe it's Kplibys, it's hard to tell.

Knuckles' Chaotix (32X)

I'm really sorry you had to see this.

Cosmic Carnage (32X)

Spiky.

DarXide (32X)

Damn, those textured polygons look a bit ass don't they? Wait, textured polygons on the 32X?

Brutal: Above the Claw (32X)

My first Sega 32x screen, and it looks quite nice. It's a definite step up from standard Mega Drive/Genesis graphics, though nothing incredible. There's a similar number of colours on screen to a good looking SNES title, though it seems to have more subtle variations of colour.