Page 18 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #3

match, with devoted players returning the gameplay.
to the same games year after year. I think one thing that has hurt Sega
Today, the vast majority of video- is that they have never fully accepted
games are largely "novelty-driven." In- this paradigm shift. Sega still puts great
deed, many have dispensed with effort into making the gameplay inher-
scores altogether. The "hook" that ently enjoyable, often at the price of
keeps the player returning is not the including less "stuff" to reward the nov-
desire to improve his skills, but rather elty-driven player. The classic criticism
the desire to be rewarded with some- of Sega's arcade games is that they
thing new. And ultimately, when he fi- are too short, because Sega expects
nally exhausts everything that the players to play each level over and
game has to offer, he expects an over until they attain true proficiency. It
"extra-special" reward. This has led to is telling that so many Sega games,
a shift in the meaning of "replay value." including Crazy Taxi, provide the player
Today, a game that is acclaimed for its with some kind of a performance rating,
"replay value" is simply one that has a and achieving a high grade typically
lot of stuff to see, or multiple endings. requires extensive practice. Unfortu-
The gameplay itself no longer has to be nately, I think that fewer and fewer
all that enjoyable if the novelty payoff is players appreciate this classic style of
great enough. Often, games merely gameplay. However, I find the popular-
require persistence, not great skill, to ity of Crazy Taxi encouraging. Here is a
"beat," and some players even feel game that supports what is essentially
cheated if they are unable to beat the classic, skill-driven play, while provid-
game in relatively short order. One ing enough novelty, in the sense of a
consequence is the rising interest in large city, multiple destinations, and
"cheats," which enable the player to get multiple routes, to satisfy at
the "reward" (see the whole game) least some (although clearly
without doing the "work" of mastering not all) novelty-driven play-
ers.

shaw’s initials,
“HSW2,” will appear
in the inventory once
the Daily Planet to finish the game has been
the game. This Easter completed.
Egg will only appear on
the early cartridges Space Invaders
Second Easter Egg:
Start the game and Hold down the
“Reset” button while
move Clark Kent to the
center of the screen to turning your Atari
where the Daily Planet 2600 on. In doing so,
your cannon will fire
entrance would be. Hold
down the “Select” button on the con- 2 shots instead of one. Submitted by
sole and wait until the Daily Planet ap- G.P. Fornasiero and Clarence Sherrell

pears. When it appears and you have
Clark aligned correctly, Dragonstomper
release the “Select” While the image
switch and move into the of the Handaxe is
door to win the game. It showing, execute
doesn’t make for a very the "Use Shield"
exciting game, but the command. The ini-
Superman (Atari 2600) novelty is still there. tials of programmer,
While turning on the power, hold Steven H. Landrum,
down the button on the joystick for Raiders of the Lost will appear..
about 2 sec- Ark
onds. When you Take the
release the but- Chai and a Double Your Fun
ton, Superman parachute to the
will not trans- flying saucer mesa. Walk off
form into Clark the mesa and immediately Have an Easter Egg or cheat
Kent, and the drop the Chai when Indy be- code you want to share? Send
bridge will not gins his descent. Yar, from
explode (you Yars’ Revenge, will appear. it on in and we’ll print it here.
will, however, Second Easter Egg
see its three Completed in 2 Seconds Flat! After finding the Yar, con- E-mail it to:
pieces in the tinue the game as usual and cav@classicgamer.com
subway). Quickly capture Lex Luthor obtain a high score. Howard Scott War-
and his gang and proceed directly to
Classic Gamer Magazine Spring 2000 18