Category Archives: Playstation

Wipeout Blasts into your Browser with Fan-Made Port

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Psygnosis was a vaunted British game developer and publisher, perhaps known mostly for their games for the Commodore Amiga, such as the smash hit Lemmings. The iconic futuristic racing game Wipeout was their second-biggest seller, getting a boost by being a launch title for the blockbuster PlayStation console.

Now, Wipeout is back, but this time you can play it in your browser. A fan-made port of the original 1995 game has been released, and it’s surprisingly good.

The port was created by Dominic Szablewski, who reverse-engineered the PC version of Wipeout and recompiled it to run in a web browser. The game features all of the original tracks and vehicles, as well as the iconic anti-gravity racing gameplay.

The port is not perfect. The graphics are a bit dated, and the controls can be a bit slippery. But overall, it’s a faithful recreation of the original game that’s sure to please fans of the series.

Here are some of the highlights of the browser version of Wipeout:

  • Full game experience: The port includes all of the original tracks, vehicles, and gameplay modes from the 1995 game.
  • Easy to play, hard to master: Wipeout is known for its challenging but rewarding gameplay. The browser port does a good job of capturing this, with tight controls and fast-paced racing.
  • Free to play: The browser port is completely free to play. You can download it and start racing right away.

If you’re a fan of Wipeout or futuristic racing games in general, I highly recommend checking out the browser port. It’s a great way to experience this classic game without having to dig out your old PlayStation.

Here are some tips for playing the browser version of Wipeout:

  • Use a keyboard and mouse to control the game. The controls are not as good with a controller.
  • Start with the easier difficulty settings until you get the hang of the game.
  • Be careful not to overheat your vehicle. Overheating will cause your vehicle to slow down and eventually explode.
  • Use the boost wisely. Boosting will give you a speed boost, but it will also overheat your vehicle.
  • Practice makes perfect. The more you play, the better you will become at racing.

I hope you enjoy blasting your way through the browser version of Wipeout! Click here to play it now.

Brown Box gameplay, precursor to Magnavox's Odyssey 1972

The Odyssey – What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been

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Today, Nov. 15, 2013, the latest in modern console gaming drops. The Playstation 4 features 8G of RAM, a 1.84 teraflop graphics chip, a 500G hard drive and an eight core CPU running somewhere in the neighbourhood of 1.6 GHz per core.

Now, follow me back through the murky mists of time.  Here, just put your hand on my arm, I’ll lead you through. Watch out, don’t trip over that original Playstation, it’s grey and hard to see in this fog.  Look, there’s Panasonic’s 3DO Real console, that monster is hard to miss. Be careful not to trip over those joystick cords for the Atari VCS.  Wait… ah, here we are.

The Odyssey, a home video game system by Magnavox 1972

Odyssey with controllers plugged in, and game cards

 

The Odyssey, released by Magnavox in 1972. Developed at military contractor Sanders Associates by Ralph Baer, it was the very first home video game console. The Odyssey didn’t have gigabytes of RAM, nor a graphics processor, nor a multi-core processing unit.  It didn’t have ANY CPU or any of that other stuff; inside it was a board made up of discreet components like capacitors, resistors and transistors. Its black and white graphics were so rudimentary that packaged with the console were mylar overlays you would slip onto your TV screen to simulate various backgrounds.  You then played virtual Ping Pong, or shot at dots with an available light gun accessory. The Odyssey didn’t transport you onto a fully-rigged sailing ship as you plied the green waters of the Caribbean, nor did it place you on a frantic battlefield full of soaring jet fighters or rumbling tanks.

The Odyssey set, a home video game by Magnavox 1972

Beginning the Odyssey

 

The Odyssey did, however, take the first tentative step towards those later worlds.  It was the starting point, with the PS4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One as the current destination. We will keep moving forward, but on these occasions, it’s good to also take a look back at where we’ve been.

For more information on the Odyssey, consult your local Dot Eaters article.