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So, last video dedicated to the GX4000.
- to GX4000 games, accurately.
And let's continue with Switchblade.
My personal favorite,
well, among the games I had at that time.
Among the dozen of games I've played on the GX4000 or the Amstrad 6128 plus,
Switchblade is the one I have the best memories of.
I have good memories with this game.
And even today: I played it again, and I wasn't wrong: it's quite a good game,
even if it isn't well-known at all.
But really, I liked it.
So, you control Hiro.
It's a platform adventure game.
You control Hiro, the character you see on the screen.
You can jump.
Both buttons are used.
There are several attacks: an attack like that.
Punches.
Kicks like that.
So for a start, the gameplay is quite advanced, for the GX4000.
It makes a change.
You can destroy...
There'll be lots of items to collect in the game, as you just saw.
- Oh, the ***. Scumbag! -
Lots of items to collect: about 20 different items.
But the main purpose of the game is to collect the 16 pieces of the Fireblade.
Careful, that's serious stuff.
You'll see: here, I'm on the surface, but the whole game takes place
here, in the "UnderCity".
That's it, I'm here.
The whole game takes place here, in this underground;
in this cave, where you'll fight only robotized enemies.
Because Hiro, the character you control, is the last...
Ah!
...the last hope of mankind.
The world has been invaded by the robots, and stuff...
I'll skip the details.
In the booklet, the story fits into one page.
I'm not sure that's really useful.
Anyway! You control Hiro, one of the last humans,
and you'll have to restore peace in the world, as usual.
and you must collect the 16 pieces of the Fireblade,
because the final boss can only be killed with the Fireblade.
So, that's not bad.
I like the graphic style:
black and white style, except enemies and items which are colored;
otherwise the rest looks black and white...
It's quite special, but I like it.
And the music is really great.
I hope you can hear it well.
Anyway, I'll let you listen to it later.
I'll turn up the volume;
because I find this tune excellent, quite simply.
Let's go this way.
You won't only fight with your hands and feet.
There are 6 or 7...
Heck, I didn't remember this trap.
There are 6 or 7 weapons...
Ah, I didn't remember him either. OK; let's move.
There are 6 or 7 different weapons; but you must find them.
I don't know if I'll be able to show you one.
So, in fact, the punch is the weakest attack.
Look: at the bottom right, there's the power gauge.
When I hold the button, the gauge completely fills up;
and when I release, Hiro performs the most powerful kick - a low kick.
If I press the button quickly, he gives punches.
And if I press until the gauge is half-full, he gives a kick.
That's the game's fighting system.
Oh!
There you go, this way.
I know I must go over there.
There'll soon be a...
Up there: it's one of the 16 pieces of the sword.
But I can't reach it.
I must use a box, here.
I can destroy this jar.
What's in there?
There's a lot of bonuses.
Half of them only raise your score.
Others can give you weapons,
raise your life gauge,
raise your power gauge.
Look at the top right: the sword is starting to be formed.
I started to get the pieces of the sword; there are 15 left.
Let's go on, I'd like...
Ah, I didn't remember this trap!
At the bottom left, it's my life gauge.
I'm almost dead. Luckily, I have 5 lives in all...
No, maybe 3 lives? I thought I had 5 lives.
Let's beat him, before he arrives...
Good.
So I only have 3 lives. I'm surprised...
Oh!
Or else, I've already lost 2 lives; but I don't remember that...
What else can I say?
Yes, not only is it a good game, but the astonishing thing...
- I can't get him. -
...is that this game was almost entirely created by only one person,
whose name is...
- Wait, I wrote it down... -
Simon Phipps.
He made 95% of the game.
He made everything but the music and the sound effects,
that were made by...
- I'm looking at my notes... -
Ben Daglish.
Frankly! Wait: one guy made 90% of the game.
That's impressive. That totally blows my mind.
Some crappy games on the console were made by 5 or 6 guys - a team of programmers -;
and this game, made by one person, is more advanced than many other games.
Heck, I think there was a weapon earlier,
but I didn't get it, unfortunately.
Never mind. Anyway, I don't know where to go.
It's a kind a maze. The maze of the UnderCity.
What's this item for?
Heck, it disappeared; never mind...
That's about it.
Yes, there are also letters to collect.
You can see the letter R appeared.
You have to form the words EXTRA or BONUS.
The word EXTRA gives an extra life...
Oh my, I'm being surrounded!
The word EXTRA gives an extra life;
and BONUS only raises your score.
Heck, I wanted to show you a weapon; but I couldn't.
Unless there are some in these jars, but I'd be surprised...
No, that's not a weapon...
Maybe this one...
No, that's just a diamond, to raise the score.
Heck!
Well, never mind.
Anyway, as for the weapons, you can throw knives, fireballs, shurikens; things like that.
But it's limited: you can use them 20 or 30 times;
and then you fight with your hands and feet again.
I like this game, frankly.
Well, it's not extraordinary, but compared to other GX4000 games...
Moreover, it's one of the rare action-platform adventure games, on this console.
And since I like this kind of games...
Damn!
Damn!
Let's go up there...
I think I'll let you enjoy...
These ones are annoying; they're hard to kill.
I'll let you enjoy the music.
I'll turn it up.
I'm turning up the volume. See you later for the next game.
Just listen to this tune.
Obviously, there's no sound effects.
You must choose: either sound effects, or music.
Burnin' Rubber.
The launch game of the GX4000, but also of 464 and 6128 plus computers.
Besides, according to the information I got, this game was never sold alone;
it was always bundled with the computers, or with the GX4000.
So, it was the launch game of this new range of Amstrad machines.
And when you see it, you can say it was a good omen for the console;
because it's quite nice.
Frankly:
the feeling of speed is well rendered;
the colors are well chosen...
- Oh, the ***, he got me. -
Well chosen colors, nice graphics...
Frankly, it's nice for the GX4000.
So you could think that the console could've had a better career.
That might have done it.
But no: this game is by far superior
to Crazy Cars II or Fire & Forget II I've already reviewed;
whereas they came out after!
So, there's something wrong, here.
Careful!
Oh!
You saw there was an accident...
So, it's a pure racing game, between arcade and simulation, I'd say.
This first race is only used...
- That's it, "Finish". -
It's only used for a qualifying session for the real race; for the real 24 Hours.
You drive a Porsche.
You can't choose: you'll always drive this red car.
This is the real race.
So the game is a time trial, quite simply.
In the beginning, it's a little slow to start.
I'm accelerating at full speed,
but it takes a little time...
Come on! Move!
So, it's a time trial.
You see: there's a timer at the top - I've got 70 seconds -,
and I simply have to reach the checkpoints before the timer...
- Damn! Damn!
I almost screwed up! -
...before the timer reaches 0.
You can see there are many differences in heights;
small hills like that... It's well made!
You go up, down... It's well made.
Downwards...
I like it. Really, it's a good game.
It was my brother's favorite game, on the 6128 plus.
Damn! I spun round.
There are two kinds of accidents: you can spin round like that;
but above all, when you bump into a sign or an obstacle with full force;
it's very well made, you roll over...
Oh...
It's OK.
...you roll over, and it's really well made.
You can see I've got 32 seconds left to reach the next checkpoint.
I hope I'll make it.
That's about it.
You can't use... There's no nitro...
There's nothing more.
In the options, you can choose manual or automatic transmission.
Careful, I'll try to overtake him on the left...
Great.
This way, I've got more time.
I've almost told you everything.
There's no music; you've got only sound effects, but decent ones.
Well, decent for the GX4000, I mean. We're in 1990... Decent for that time.
I like these small hills. It's really well made.
Careful here...
Oh!
I...
I was lucky here, because I bumped into a tire.
When you drift like that:
if you bump into a sign, you completely fly off the road;
and if you bump into a tire, the tire puts you back on the road.
That was just luck.
Let's go on; I'm doing quite well for now...
Careful, I screwed up.
Let's try to brake.
I bumped into the car.
That's it, you know almost everything.
Also, time passes: here, it'll soon be...
I think there are tunnels, too; if I recall correctly...
And the night can fall, too.
Good, I bumped into the car, so I'll avoid the signs on the left.
It's a decent game.
I'll just reach the next checkpoint,
I'll bump into a sign with full force...
Oh, look!
Here's a tunnel.
I knew it!
And yet, I hadn't played it for 15 years!
But I remembered that.
Also, I think you can drive by night.
Well, it's logical, because these are the 24 Hours.
OK, I'll bump into a sign with full force, and we'll stop here.
Careful...
***!
So, last game I'll show you on the GX4000:
Tennis Cup II.
Not the worst game. Far from it.
I feel like saying it's one of the best GX4000 games.
It's to be said that it came out in 1992,
so it must be one of the last games on the console.
And it's obvious when you look at the graphics:
it's beyond all the other games.
It looks like a 16-bit game; honestly.
When you see this game, you can say
that the console was much more powerful than what the previous games suggested;
and that the console could've had a better career.
It's a pity.
So obviously, there's a 2-player mode.
A lot of game modes: Practice, Demonstration...
In the options, you can choose the game speed, the number of sets...
Well, I won't show you everything.
Let's choose "One player".
Look at the bottom: I've got 30 credits.
You see: serve, forehand, backhand, smashes...
I can increase by 30 points, some of those skills.
For example: 10 points for serve;
"Forehand"... - does it mean right hand? I don't know -:
go for 20 points.
This way, I'll have more powerful strokes.
Then you can choose Singles exhibition, Doubles exhibition.
It's really diversified; it's a very complete game. It's surprising!
Training, Tournament, Davis Cup... Lots of things.
Let's choose "Singles".
You can select your opponent.
I'll choose a not so strong guy.
Him, for example, from Argentina.
Then, you can choose the court:
clay, indoors, grass...
Let's choose clay.
Then, you can hear the national anthems.
Besides, you can't skip them.
That's a bit annoying, in the end...
Now, the anthem of Argentina.
Wait, I'll try to adjust the zoom...
Moreover, this game's resolution isn't 160x200.
It's not full screen, but bigger. Something like 300x300.
Even there, the game is more advanced.
I'd say it's a new generation game for the GX4000.
Too bad it was one of the last games.
I'm the server, at the top.
Heck. It's true; you must switch...
Wait.
I must switch controller ports.
It's something I've never understood!
I must plug the controller in the second port.
That's it.
It should work, now...
It's OK.
So, I'm the server, at the top.
I'll try not to fail...
Oh, I screwed up.
Well, I've barely trained, frankly.
But look at the graphics...
That rocks! Frankly!
Amazing animations, nice colors...
It looks like a 16-bit game.
It's really impressive, in my opinion.
Moreover, it's precise; it's quite a technical game.
You can give effects to the ball, you can do...
There are lots of things.
I'll try to show you how it's played.
Ah, it can't be!
You can do lobs, smashes; you can come up to the net.
Look, I'll come up to the net...
Smash!
Oh, I missed. That was close.
I wanted to play as an ace, but I missed.
You've understood.
Another good thing is the double screen, at the top and at the bottom.
This is excellent when you play with a friend,
because each player has his own screen;
no one is penalized because he's in the background.
And when you play alone - I should've changed it in the options -,
you can have only one screen.
So, there's a lot of options. A very well made game.
I'll try to...
He made a fault. Second serve.
Of course, there's no music.
As for the sound effects...
Over there...
Oh, the ***!
Oh, damn!
He got me.
As for the sound effects; I think that the ball...
The sound when the rackets hit the ball is a little too...
I mean...
metallic.
Listen.
Come on, on the right!
Oh, it can't be! I missed my smash again.
Never mind. Anyway, I won't go on and on...
30-0.
That's it. That was my last video.
I hope you enjoyed this series of videos dedicated to GX4000 and 6128 plus games.
I think I'll make other console reviews
- sometimes about little-known consoles.
I won't tell you which console, it'll be a surprise.
But I promise I'll make other console reviews.
Otherwise, about this GX4000 console:
Obviously, I don't recommend it.
It has two flaws.
First big flaw: the gameplay of most games is awful.
That is: it's annoying to play with the controller.
You have to push like a brute on the buttons...
Sometimes, you don't understand what's happening on the screen.
For most games, the main issue is the crappy gameplay.
They didn't manage to create a good gameplay, and that ruins the games.
Magnificent, down the line!
Take this, ***!
I'll come up to the net.
Oh the ***!
No, it's OK. In the net.
So, the gameplay is crappy in most games,
and that spoils most of the games of this console; and it's a pity.
And the second flaw is the sound; as I told you in the previous videos:
usually, you can only have either music, or sound effects.
For a console that came out late 1990!
It was like going back ten years; playing the Atari 2600, or at least the 5200 or the 7800.
Really, the sound chip is prehistoric; it's ten years outdated!
That's impossible! There's really a big issue, here.
These are the two big flaws of the GX4000, in my opinion.
We'll stop here.
With the 11 games I've shown you in all,
you've got an overview of what the GX4000 offers, in terms of graphics, etc.
I've almost told you everything.
As usual, I'll tell you...
Oh, I failed.
Wait, I missed my serve.
I'll try to finish with a winning point.
I'll try to lob him...
I totally failed.
Never mind.
I tell you bye bye, see you next time;
and, there'll be a next time.