Sega Genesis + Aladdin

I'm exhausted from a very long shopping trip and a night without sleep earlier this week, but I owe it to my loyal fans to post something new, so here it goes.  Today we discuss Sega Genesis and the greatest game created for it, Disney's Aladdin.

Alot of people might think that the Genesis deserves an entire week's worth of blogging, but seeing as I found this system to be sub-par to other systems of its time, I think I could fit this into one day's worth of commentary.  Debuting in the U.S. circa 1989, this system was actually rather sleek looking compared to its competition.  Unfortunately for Sega the look of the console was pretty much the only thing Genesis had going for it.  Apparently, in almost every other part of the world Sega Genesis was known as Mega Drive.  Both names build up alot of hype, and apparently Genesis was Sega's best selling game console ever, so I guess in part, it lives up to that hype.

Of course everyone who owned a Sega Genesis also owned Sonic the Hedgehog.  I believe it may have been bundled with the system, but correct me if I'm wrong.  Sega Genesis actually belonged to my brother and I simply mooched off of his system as much as possible. I distinctly remember playing hours of Sonic the Hedgehog, but I don't think I ever got past the 4th level.  My skill level had nothing to do with this utter failure.  Rather, there were parts of the game when there would be what seemed like hundreds of those gold rings you had to collect all over the screen.  Well, this at times was too much for the 16-bit console to handle.  Whenever there was too much going on in one frame, the game would lag as if in slow motion.  I'd either get mad and quit or I'd be surprised when it returned to regular speed and instantly run myself off a cliff or into a bad guy.  And don't get me started with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 when Miles "Tails" Prower showed up.  That freakazoid fox with two tails did nothing to help matters and was often the cause of many deaths in my ventures into the Sonic the Hedgehog world.  I'm complaining, but now I really wish I knew what we did with that game, because I have a strong urge to give it a go .  That is, of course, until the screen freezes up again.

And now onto the game that made this system worth owning:  Aladdin.  Sega was the first to release this game after the movie came out in '92 (game release 1993).  First let us analyze the box for this game.  Please note that the snake is breathing lightening bolts.  I can't for the life of me figure out why, because I cannot recall any point in the game when this happens, but its been a few years, so I could be wrong.  On the back of the box, Aladdin's sword is described as a "shining scimitar," which I think is a very fine choice of words.  Now, on to the game.  The background music was phenomenal.  It was taken directly from the movie, so there's no going wrong there.  The basic idea of the game was that a player would control Aladdin through the streets of Agrabah to the palace and ultimately defeat Jafar (ala movie script).  Though Aladdin was equipped with his scimitar, I found that at times the best form of defense was the trusty apple.  One could collect apples in each board and throw them at enemies.  Things got pretty amusing when you would strike a palace guard and his pants would fall down, revealing his heart-patterned boxers.  For me the hardest board was the escape from the Cave of Wonders.  Thanks to that damn monkey who followed you around, the cave caves in (no pun intended) and you're left to use a flying rug (some may refer to it as a magic carpet) to dodge waves of lava.  Honestly, it's not very clear where the lava comes from because there is no indication of a nearby volcano, but Virgin Games and Sega were just being true to the movie, so we'll let that one slide.  Many a time I'd fly through that board dodging rocks and molten lava, only to forget that I shouldn't try for that Abu face taunting me from the lower portion of the screen.  Inevitably, I'd slam into a rock and have to start all over again, or, if I was lucky to get far enough, I'd start from the halfway point.  The Abu face awarded you a bonus level where you could control Abu for prizes.  There were also Genie faces.  I know you could rack up extra apples and lives with the Genie faces, but I don't recall exactly how.  I just remember whenever you collect a face, the Genie would say "YEAH!"  To this day, I still remember the cheat to this game (ABBAABBA).  If you pressed those buttons, something cool would happen (maybe you skipped a board), but I can't quite remember.  I just now googled this cheat to see if I could find out what it did and discovered that you could use a cheat TO SKIP THE RUG RIDE!! ugh, oh well.  I don't really like to use cheats anyway.  That's all for now.  I'm tired.  I'll leave you with an image of Sega Genesis and Aladdin joined together, as they should be. 

Monster Mash

Today we discuss Monster Mash

This Parker Bros. game is a real gem.  Copyrighted in 1987, this game had everything going for it.  The concept went as follows:  2-4 players (ages 5 and up) each select a red "THWACKER" with a suction cup fused "hand."  27 cards picturing unique monsters are spread out on the table.  One player presses the button atop the Monster-Maker Machine, then the three panels spin and stop to reveal a monster.  The players search for the card matching the revealed monster and use their THWACKERS to claim the card. 

So that was the boring description I wrote.  Here's Parker Bros.' version from the included directions sheet:  "Imagine that you're a hunter in the deep, dark jungle.  But it's not just any jungle.  This one is filled with big, blobby monsters that run wilde.  Shhh! They're hiding everywhere.  But not for long.  Press the button on the Monster-Maker Machine and...aha...one appears in a flash!  That's the one you've got to mash with your THWACKER hand.  Can you do it before the other hunters do?  If you think you can, then it's time you started off on this slap-happy adventure called MONSTER MASH.  Happy hunting!"

My sister and I recently played this game over a bottle of wine and let me tell you, it is still hours of entertainment.  The suction cups work fairly well on their own (even after 23 years), but I distinctly recall giving them a lick before playing back in the 80s.  I guess we figured that gave you that extra edge.  Amazingly, not only have we retained the instructions after all these years, but we also have all 27 cards.  And no, I didn't learn that we had all the cards by counting them.  My sister and I played until every monster appeared on the Monster-Maker and never once did the spread of monster cards leave us empty handed.  Things could get a little violent in this game.  As soon as one player "mashed" a card, regardless of whether it was correct or not, every other player felt the need to slap the same card in the hopes of releasing the suction. 

The instructions say that a player wins once he has collected 5 cards.  Our hours of entertainment come from a varied version of the rules.  We decided that there would be no winner until one person had collected ALL the cards.  Also, if a monster came up and someone had already captured it, you could steal it by mashing the card in from of him. 

For your viewing enjoyment, here is a few video of the game in action:

Heart to Heart Bear

After having a week of Barbie posts, we'll switch to a new topic today:  Heart to Heart Bear

Heart to Heart Bear was and is by far my favorite teddy bear of all time.  My Nana gave him to me for my 4th birthday in June of 1988.  He was manufactured by Chosun International, Inc.  Unlike Barbie, there's nothing to joke about with this guy.  He possesses no questionable qualities.  He came ready for bed in his jammies.  His night cap was sewn to his head, so there were no worries of losing it.  I do, however, remember when the pink puff ball at the end of his hat fell off.  I'm sure it's around our house somewhere. 

And now I'll discuss the feature that made him the greatest bear of all time:  his heart.  The seam at his left side closed with Velcro.  Inside was a plastic red heart powered by a 9 volt battery.  Whenever you hugged Heart to Heart bear, you could hear and feel his heart beat. 

On one side of the plastic heart was a dial that you could turn up or down to adjust the volume and intensity of his heart thumps.  I always had mine set to high.  I don't recall ever replacing his battery, and yet somehow, 22 years after I first received him, he still works.  That fact is a real testimony to the quality of Panasonic manufacturing in the late 80s.  I'll allow the below image and the graphic design of the battery serve as proof that his battery is not a product of the 21st century.

 

Besides losing the puff ball on his hat, the only other damage Heart to Heart Bear sustained over the years was to his nose.  His shiny black plastic nose was originally covered with black material, but over the years, it has worn away, leaving material only at the outer rims of his nose.  Overall, the durability of this bear is pretty impressive considering I slept with him for many more years than I probably should have. 

Below are a few more detail shots of H2HB.  I'm never giving him away.  He is a god among mortals in the teddy bear world. 

Teen Talk Barbie

Our final Barbie Doll highlight of the week:  Teen Talk Barbie

I have to admit, I almost didn't blog about Teen Talk Barbie because I couldn't find her clothes.  I found her in the nude in a storage bag.  After sifting through several suitcases of Barbie clothes, I was able to slowly locate the majority of her clothing.  At first, I thought she only wore the shorts and top, at which point I was a bit concerned.  That shirt doesn't even cover up her battery pack. 

Turns out she's not as hooker-esque as I thought she was.  I did a bit of research and discovered she had black leggings, a skirt, a purse, and a patchwork jacket with see-thru red sleeves.  Sadly, the jacket appears to be lost.  Thank God her hat is sewn to her head, otherwise I'm sure it never would have survived.  I'm amazed I managed to keep her red pumps, but seeing as they are the best part of her outfit, how could I not keep track of them?

I received Teen Talk Barbie for Christmas.  Her obvious appeal was that she talked.  Originally, there was some controversy with Teen Talk Barbie.  Some versions of the doll said "Math class is tough," prompting some women who had nothing better about which to complain to demand Mattel change the doll.  Supposedly, Mattel obliged.  Although I got my doll fairly early in the game, I wasn't lucky enough to have the one that said the controversial phrase.  Supposedly, Mattel recorded hundreds of phrases and programmed each doll with a random combination of 4 of any of the recordings.  Below is a video of my doll in action.  I haven't found any other videos online with another Teen Talk Barbie saying even one of these phrases, let alone all four, so I guess Mattel's claims for a unique doll are valid. 

The talking is awesome, but what the heck is she doing asking a 7 year old what kind of wedding she is going to have?  There was no telling what your doll was going to say until you got her out of the box, so I guess I was just lucky Barbie had already begun planning my wedding, because apparently I wasn't on the ball. 

I requested this version of the doll becaues of her look.  I was sick of having Barbies (or really most other dolls for that matter) with blonde hair.  Forget about finding one with red hair.  Don't get me wrong, they existed, but they were hard to come by.  I was pumped when I saw this doll had strawberry blonde hair.  She also has green eyes, pratically the spitting image of me. haha, j/k.  I was never that fashion forward.  Plus, her outfit colors were the best out of the Teen Talk Barbie options. 

this image is copyright barbieboygr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41085062@N08/4060403577/)

Totally Hair Barbie

Up next:  Totally Hair Barbie

I received Totally Hair Barbie as a gift from Gram and Pop circa 1992 and she quickly replaced my old favorite Barbie.  The commercial jingle went something like "Totally hip, totally cool, Totally Hair Barbie!" I'm not convinced the outfit she's wearing in this picture is the outfit in which she came.  I think it was more of a multi-colored spandex dress, but honestly, the acid-washed jean vest with matching ruffled skirt is way more stylish.  She came with a tube of DEP hair gel, which is awesome in theory, but if you want to keep this doll's long locks looking good, giving a small child a tube of hair gel is not a good idea, as evidenced by her current hair condition: 

Keeping her hair krimped was not an easy task when you're styling it as a child, and for me, that attempt was apparently an epic fail.  She also came with a ring on her right hand, but that was lost long ago, leaving a large hole in her hand (see photo above).  Because her hair was so long, keeping it in a ponytail was a strain on her little head, so much so that today her head is inclined to lean back a bit, exposing some strange mark that looks like a hickey.  I'm sure the mark was just a sad attempt to draw a necklace on her or something of that nature. 

Now I've done a bit of web research on Totally Hair Barbie because unlike my other features, I actually know the real name of this doll.  According to Business Week, this doll holds the record for most Barbie Dolls sold worldwide, and honestly, I can believe it.  She was awesome and to this day is still my favorite Barbie.

Who Dis?

Continuing with our Barbie theme this week....

Today's highlight: Who Dis?

I have entitled this post Who Dis? because I'm not quite sure who this doll is. She is Barbie-esque, but she's rather flat-footed, so I can't be sure if she is in fact part of the Barbie line.

Update: I just checked her bottom. She is an imitation. She is a product of Hasbro, not Mattel.

Regardless, she deserves a commentary. She's wearing some pretty sweet acid-washed jorts (jean shorts) and her bangs are a bit side-swept, but most importantly, her feet are more rubbery than your typical Barbie.

The rubbery feet are her most crucial awesomeness factor. They were the perfect consistency for chewing when you needed something on which to nibble when you're playing with your dolls. Please allow this photo to serve as evidence of such:

If anyone can identify this doll, please do so in the comment section below.

Lingerie Barbie

I'll open the first week of DeLorean Travels with a Barbie theme. Granted, Barbie was originally a 1960s phenomenon, but Mattel manufactured some pretty sweet Barbie dolls in the 80s and 90s, so I figured I'd take a look at the few Barbies that survived beyond my childhood. My sister and I probably owned close to a hundred Barbies at some point in time, but in the great playroom cleanout of the late 90s, we were instructed to trash all but about 10 of them, so this week we'll take a look at the survivors.

Today's highlight: LINGERIE BARBIE

So I received this doll as a gift in kindergarten. I'm pretty sure it was a Christmas gift at school. Maybe a Secret Santa or maybe one of those games that involve the participants trading around gifts until the last box is opened. Regardless of how I got this doll, I was pretty pumped to receive her. She was waaaaayy cooler than some of the other gifts other kids were receiving. She came in the classic 1989 shiny hot pink Barbie box that every girl was really excited to see. I loved her blue eyes and her pink "bathing suit". She instantly became my favorite Barbie.

Now, however, as I look at her through the eyes of a 26 year old, I'm pretty sure her bathing suit is, in fact, lingerie. The sparkly lace is pretty much a dead giveaway, not to mention the fact that her "bathing suit" is made out of a silky material. I wonder where Mattel was going with this one. I also wonder what the Malaysians who made this doll thought of her. At least she made it out of the 1990s clothed, which is more than I can say for her near-twin sister, a doll I found next to her in the storage bag.