Game and Watch: Parachute for Android (No longer on Market)

If you were a gamer during the 1980's, you'd probably know about Nintendo's Game and Watch handhelds. It was one of the marvelous handhelds created by the late Gunpei Yokoi (created the original Game Boy). One of the cool things about this handheld is the fact it is a game with the function of a watch (hence Game and Watch). Many of these games were later ported to various Nintendo consoles but the beauty of it lies within the original handheld. You can definitely see the resemblance found in the Nintendo DS.

Original G&W on the left, DS on the right 

Interestingly, a developer (sorry I can't remember the name of the dev from the top of my head) created one of the many Game and Watch games for Android. The game is called Parachute. You're a person in a rowboat trying to catch parachuters from a helicopter. If you miss, they'll fall into the water only to be eaten by a shark. The object of the game is to save as many parachuters as possible.

Overall, it's a short sweet game. It has two modes along with a watch mode. The game can be a bit cumbersome as it gets quite difficult (my highest score was 22). The sound is reminiscent of the 8-bit gaming era. The skin definitely brings some nostalgia since it is designed after the original Nintendo Wide Screen series.

Sadly this game was taken off the Android market possibly to prevent a lawsuit from Nintendo. I have the .apk if anyone is interested. Thought I'd share some of the nostalgia with anyone who is interested. Just leave a comment. =)

Minigore for Android (apk included)

Here's the Minigore.apk I promised to post. Now you can enjoy the popular iphone game on your Android phone. Just download it and install it from your sd card or sideload it. Check it out!

http://www.4shared.com/file/igIzW2RL/minigore120.html

From what I understand, it was a sanctioned leak by the Minigore developers. Multitouch works great but this seems more like a beta so it's not optimized for all screens. It does not fit my HTC Aria's screen well. Other than that, it's a pretty fun game. Reminds me of Super Smash TV for the SNES. I love how there are different power ups. The soundtrack is awesome and the graphics look great as well.

Edit: One of the permissions asks to look at your Contact information..I'm sure the developers will address that once this game reaches full release.  

You can check out a vid in my previous post. Enjoy =) It's quite addicting !!

Retro Gaming- Snesoid (Super Nintendo Emulator)

If you grew up during the 90's like me, you'd definitely know about the Super Nintendo. This powerful 16 bit system had a great library of games. It won the console wars against the Turbografx and Sega Genesis. This system was so popular, it lasted well into the 32 bit era before ceasing production in 1999 (Japan ceased production in 2003).

If you were also like me, you were flat broke. As a child, I didn't have much money so I wasn't able to afford many games. Years passed and many games became rare gems. Some games can cost up to $300 per cartridge. You can spend much money on games but I decided to take the more cost effective route.

Emulation using a certain Android app is the way to go! If you don't want to sit in front of your tv screen and want some gaming on the go while pinching a few pennnies, SNesoid by yongzh is your solution.

Snesoid is the best Super Nintendo emulator on the Android Market. Developer yongzh is also very prompt with updates unlike other developers we know *cough*. Many options can be found in this emulator such as frameskip, c-core emulatior (runs Super Mario RPG, Starfox, Kirby Superstar; anything with the enhanced graphics), and various button mappings to name a few.

I've been using this app for quite a while. I have yet to find a ROM that does not work. It's also simple and easy to use. Just download a ROM, create a folder named "SNES ROMS" then drag all ROMs into the folder. While running the app, click the ROM and you're good to go. It should work on just about any Android device. The QR code is posted below =)


There are two version of SNesoid app: A free version and Full version. The free version doesn't have "quick save" states but it does have normal save states you'd find throughout the game. The Full version costs $3.99 which includes the "quick save" states. If you like taking risks between save states, the free version is suitable but if you're like me and don't want to risk an important battle, I suggest you get the Full version.

Edit: If you need help finding roms, let me know =)

Chrono Trigger

The rare, Tactic Ogre (English Patch)

Starfox 2 Prototype (Not released but I got it =P)

Super Mario RPG

Free Version of SNesoid App

Full Version of SNESoid app