Sega Master System Light Phaser Games
I have been on a quest for a while to collect all the light gun games for the system and submit to Twin Galaxies on all of them.
Here is the short version of my progress:
1. Marksman Shooting - 397,000 points, already verified. UPDATE: increased score to 431500, awaiting verification.
2. Trap Shooting - 78,900 points, already verified. UPDATE: increased score to 83500, awaiting verification.
3. Safari Hunt - 1,130,600 points, already verified.
4. Shooting Gallery - 16,200 points, already verified.
5. Gangster Town - 90,100 points, already verified. UPDATE: increased score to 114860, awaiting verification.
6. Missile Defense 3-D - do not own game
7. Rescue Mission - 95,100 points, already verified. UPDATE: increased score to 105200, awaiting verification.
8. Rambo III - 34,400 points, awaiting verification.
9. Wanted - do not own game but have purchased, awaiting arrival.
10. Operation: Wolf - 61,250 points, already verified.
11. Assault City - do not own game
12. Laser Ghost - 38,440 points, awaiting verification.
13. Space Gun - 811,560 points, awaiting verification.
Now -- lets break down this awesome roster of games.
MARKSMAN SHOOTING
I got this game as the combo with Trap Shooting. It is quite a bit of fun, given the decent accuracy of the Light Phaser. It's an FBI style range and like Shooting Gallery and Trap Shooting, you clear a screen, it tabulates your new score, then you move on until you fail. I probably played this for 15 minutes and currently hold the only submitted score and therefore world record.
TRAP SHOOTING
Combo cart with the above game. Not nearly as fun though, much more difficult. Feels to me as real trap shooting would be in terms of difficulty. Only was able to make it through a handful of rounds even after repeated attempts before getting DQd again and again.
SAFARI HUNT
Great, great game. Nice to see Sega's shot at 'Duck Hunt'. In my estimation, they succeeded. Great mini-marathon session game, you can take it down in about 90 minutes of repetitive gameplay. Using the SMS handy pause button, anyone can have a go at reaching the end screen but be advised - you'll need a touch of strategy if you want to go the distance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGKVqLCkJF0
I failed after only 10 minutes or so quite a few times until I located the manual online (my cart did not include one) and realized how I needed to approach the game. I fell just short of taking the #2 spot from Nik Meeks - ironically, the TG SMS referee who validated my score.
SHOOTING GALLERY
Difficult game nearly on par with Trap Shooting. Still, after some practice it can be mastered to a greater extent. Nice variety of 'galleries' to plug away at, element of fun is used well.
GANGSTER TOWN
A big aspect of retro gaming for me (and many others, no doubt) is reliving the games of their childhood. This is a bit ironic because I only knew one person that had an SMS (it was not me). Due to Nintendo-mination I assume others were in the same place. The friend I had owned only a couple of games including My Hero...and this! What a great game! Perfect level of difficulty makes finishing the final screen quite difficult but not impossible. That being said, I have never succeeded in completing the game's final level in the harbor. Can't say enough good things about this, makes the cost of owing the console, cart and gun worth it easily.
I am on my second SMS currently...a couple years ago I sold off the first one I owned for need of space for other consoles. I posted this YouTube video to demonstrate in the eBay auction that the light phaser and console worked properly. (Check out the piss-poor TV I had at the time!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtgoy1F4Ras
Ironically, that light phaser was in sad shape. When I purchased it it was damaged badly in shipping and I had to super glue a good portion of the barrel back together. The specimen I own now sits on a pegboard with the rest of my collection of light guns -- it was NIB when I bought it. I have since disposed of the box after long saving it as a trophy but I do not regret doing so as my dusty video game museum is overloaded as it is! (The box is pictured at the top of this blog post)
MISSILE COMMAND 3-D
I do not own the game and have little plans to do so as I do not currently have the 3-D glasses and suspect I will have to spend a fair amount to get a hold of a pair of relative decent quality. However during the time I was in possession of my first console and Light Phaser, I did have the glasses. They were in BAD shape, though they did work! (I also had this cart as well - though now I honestly do not remember even playing it, though I must have).
RESCUE MISSION
Half decent game, not sure if it has an end (I guess it must). Has three difficulty levels. When I submitted my score the game was not in the TG database so I submitted on all three difficulty levels. Alas, Mr. Meeks decided that only one shall be listed so the other 2 are gone to the annals of video game oblivion.
RAMBO III
Had a couple false alarms in local video game stores as I came across carts for other SMS Rambo games. At one point I even found a case - with a different cart inside. Just got this in the mail about a week ago, I was swiftly able to defeat the game. The game is unique as while you have only one life, you get three continues and you keep your score, so they function somewhat as lives. I already have a video of the entire game being conquered but as I use one continue it will be deleted and a new performance recorded. (I gambled that Mr. Meeks would accept the one continue as the game [which has no current scores] had no advice whether continues would or would not be allowed, as per standard. He has since resolved that).
WANTED
Eager to take this one on. Just one a fun counter offer on eBay's 'Make Best Offer' function and picked it up for about $11 in box (I have all my SMS games in box, refuse to collect them in any other condition). I am particularly interested because there actually is a high score on this obscure gem already posted, and furthermore there are two additional variations for Level 2 & 3. I will submit on all three soon upon receipt of this gem.
OPERATION: WOLF
This port of the arcade classic is relatively accurate. Only problem - my cart is faulty and resets on its own accord. I was never able to achieve much of a high score but submitted the best I could come up with after many attempts. I have scrubbed the contacts with alcohol, can't imagine why it does this. I know my console works fine......
ASSAULT CITY
This is the final bastion of my quest. This game has two versions - one for use with the light phaser, one without. I rarely come across the light phaser version and when I do it usually is not cheap. Like the two games below, this one also almost always comes in the form of a PAL version from overseas.
There are at least 2 ways to identify which version you have. In the upper right hand corner of the box on many of the light phaser games there should be a small picture of the light phaser (ignore the fact that it says 'shooting' in the left hand corner - they all say that); however this game does not seem to subscribe to that format. On the back cover of the box near the bottom there is a box that lists what peripherals are used with the game, and Light Phaser should be listed. And it seems on the cartridge itself there is an annotation:
LASER GHOST
Got this one complete in box for only $4.34 -- then paid double that for shipping, from Australia! I already know PAL games play fine on any SMS so I'm not worried. This is still in transit so I do not have it yet. One thing I am worried about is that I did not purchase a version that specifically states it is for use with the Light Phaser. Perhaps it will still work - or perhaps it will use control pad only. I do not know. The price was right, so I rolled the dice, we'll see....... [uPDATE: the game does indeed work just fine with the light phaser. Thank god!]
SPACE GUN
Got this one from the UK for only $2.97! What a steal. It is also in my possession, but I have not taken it on yet.
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