UpDaTeS sChMuPdAtEs...

As much as I would have wanted to continue doing comparisons, I had to resort to doing this quick Updates entry because of one rather considerable and inconvenient reason. One of my external hard drives broke down completely all of a sudden, without it having taken any physical damage or anything of the sort, and this particular hard drive had most of my work files for FRGCB's YouTube material (along with plenty of irreplaceable work-in-progress music stuff and videos), so I'm only able to finish this season of My Nostalgia Trip Games, before having to redo all my previous plans. Right now, I'm trying to salvage things from my other USB hard drives, which are even older, and on surface, in an even worse condition than the one that broke down, so it'll take a week or two before I'm able to put all my usual focus on blogging and making videos. So, just to get something out to get this month started, I took the time to do this Updates entry to mention a few previously undocumented game things worth mentioning, some of them quite recent, too.

First off, some of you might have noticed from the comparison of IK+ having been updated a few days ago, that the retro gaming YouTube channel WORG - World of Retro Gaming - has given permission to link their comparison videos to my text comparisons, whenever possible. This means FRGCB is now collaborating with five different YouTube channels: WORG, Gaming History Source, Theshadowsnose, mikroman01 (the Mikroview series) and Retrocore. Thanks again to each of you for the permissions, if you're reading! ;)

Now, for the actual game updates that have been waiting to be done. As far as I've been able to dig into the blog's past, I can only update four entries now, but it's all better than nothing, so let's get on to them.

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NEW TI-99/4A VERSION OF DRAGONFIRE

Approximately three months ago I was approached by a YouTube user called TheArmchairrocker, who mentioned that a new version for the TI-99/4A was coming soon, and a month later, the game was released. So, now was the perfect time to get back into Dragonfire, which meant that before I could start playing this new TI-99 version, I had to dig back into the other old versions first.

This new version of Dragonfire takes its design choices from the Intellivision, Apple II, Colecovision and C64 versions, with the inclusions of the archer in the bridge screen and the zig-zagging guard in the dragon's room later in the game. Stylistically, the TI-99 version is the closest to the Apple II version, but gameplay-wise, it's around the same level of greatness as the VIC-20 and Atari 2600 versions, with a slightly more sedate pacing; only the dragon blows fireballs in a different pattern. The sound effects are brilliantly made, with a wide variety of filters giving this version an almost arcade-like overall quality. I have to admit to having smiled audibly when I noticed the song used in the title screen was none other than Dio's "Rainbow in the Dark", which kind of fits the theme of the game in a roundabout manner.

Huge thanks to TheArmchairrocker for notifying me about the TI-99 version of Dragonfire! As of now, I'm considering this version my favourite from all version of the game, although there are some valid points as to why some might enjoy, say, the Atari 2600 or VIC-20 version better. It does have its own pacing, which might not be to everyone's liking, but I found myself enjoying the game more in this form than ever before. I will try to edit the original comparison sometime in the near future.

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TWO PREVIOUSLY UNCOVERED VERSIONS OF BANK PANIC

I had forgotten to mention this first one in my previous Updates entry a year ago, but an anonymous reader had mentioned already in 2022, that a Basic version called BANK PANIK also exists for the Atari 8-bit computers.

Screenshots from Bank Panik (type-in/Computer Kontakt, 1985) on the Atari 400/800.

This one was written by Oliver Schmidt of Propaganda Software, and published in the Computer Kontakt magazine as far back as in 1985. So, it could well be, that this version is actually the first home conversion to be released in some form. As you would expect from a Basic game, Bank Panik is truly a bare bones kind of a deal, because the graphics are close to what you would expect on an Atari 2600, but no real animations; the sound effects are effective but not particularly interesting, and there is no music. The gameplay is rather good, as I was given to understand, although I thought it was a bit strange that you couldn't move your position in the bank by yourself - you just had to get three money icons into one area before you would be taken to the next area of three doors. You also get only one life, so if you get shot or shoot an innocent one, it's Game Over. The other unofficial Atari version, Bank Bang!, which was mentioned in the original comparison entry, is the preferable option, but just the early appearance of Bank Panik makes it an interesting one.

While I was browsing through LemonAmiga and Hall of Light for redoing my Amiga nostalgia trip plans, an oddly familiar-looking screenshot of a game caught my eye. It was clearly a Bank Panic / West Bank clone, which would make GUNSHOOT the first - and as far as I can tell, the only 16-bit home conversion of the game available.

Screenshots from Gunshoot (Axxiom, 1988) on the Commodore Amiga.

Even though it's not an official version, it is close enough to be considered as one, at least to similar extent as West Bank can be considered official. The variety of people coming through the doors is similar to West Bank, but the proximity indicators above each door comes from the original Bank Panic, and the bonus level's head-to-head shootout is not completely unlike the one you see in West Bank. The only annoying thing I can pick up from Gunshoot is the game's relative slowness compared to any other version of West Bank or Bank Panic that I have played previously. I suppose the minor differences are still enough to make Gunshoot its own thing, and the only option you have on any 16-bit computer.

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NEW POLISHED C64 VERSIONS OF AASIPELIT GAMES

What can only be possible in this day and age, is that two C64 games based on earlier NES games have been considerably updated since their original release - and my comparison of them from two and a half years ago.

Aasipelit's already legendary games about the epitome of Finnishness - Juhannussauna 2016 and Juhannusolumppialaiset 2017 - were originally released for the NES in 2016 and 2017, and the original C64 versions by SopuisaSopuli followed in 2020 and 2021, respectively. My non-traditional review/comparisons of them both, as well as Aasipelit's NES-only third game, Perkele! Suomi 100 Vuotta, were written and Let's Play'ed into video format for the 2022 Independence Day special feature.

Screenshots from the 2025 updated version of Juhannussauna C64.

Of the two C64 updates, JUHANNUSSAUNA C64 has the more obvious differences, which extend to graphics and gameplay. At least, I didn't notice anything different in sounds. The sauna room itself, along with all its details, are better defined and squeezed into a more natural-looking size compared to the earlier C64 release. In terms of gameplay, the way your sauna athlete is handling the heat and its accumulation is made better, but I'm not so sure about the way the sauna status title gets upgraded. But all in all, it does feel closer to the NES original, and I actually prefer the sauna stove's new fire glow animation here. So, definitely an upgrade.

Screenshots from the 2025 updated version of Juhannusolumppialaiset C64.

Unfortunately, JUHANNUSOLUMPPIALAISET C64 has lost its epic loading (or start-up) screen in the update, but everything else looks closer to the NES original. In terms of gameplay, I couldn't find much of difference, except for the rowboat urination event, where the contestants' levels of inebriation seems less drastic than in the earlier version. Hard to say, though. Perhaps further experimenting would reveal some new things, but at least we now have something closer to the NES versions on the C64. Thumbs up.

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THE GREAT GIANA SISTERS... ON ACORN ARCHIMEDES?!

Quite by accident, no more than two days ago, I also found out that there is an Acorn Archimedes version of The Great Gian(n)a Sisters floating around online, which I managed to track down, but I have no clue as to how to make the game run. I have managed to get the disk image launched by using the Arculator, but every time I try to start the game, the emulation freezes, sometimes with a message. I suspect it might have something to do with the virtual machine I'm using in the emulator, but I couldn't find any information on how to run the Archimedes version of Giana Sisters.

Screenshots from the Acorn Archimedes version of The Great Giana Sisters.

What I did find was someone complaining about the lack of sounds in the game, but that might be an issue with the game being unfinished, as the only bit of new information offered is "Gogo Softbuster gruesst E.Braun". Thankfully, there was some video footage of the Archimedes version on YouTube, from which I have taken one of these screenshots, which shows us that the graphics are taken straight from the Amiga version. The weird arrow thing next to Giana there is actually a mouse pointer, which would suggest the Archimedes version is actually playable on mouse, which you can see better in the video right here. I cannot imagine it being particularly playable with a mouse, though, but I shall have to spare my judgment on that until I have actually tested this one properly.

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Well, that's all I realistically have for now, and you're going to have to wait for the next actual comparison entry for a while longer due to the issues mentioned at the beginning of this entry. Until then, thanks for reading, and remember to keep your data safe!