slow DOWN dude.
Played as part of Atari 50.
Very good looking for the time, and it's a novel take on the oversaturated genre of Pac-Man clones that arcades saw in the 80s. Unfortunately, though, the movement even with a mouse feels a bit too clunky (and I only can imagine it's worse on a trackball), and the complete void of difficulty in the first few levels and absence of continue options make this not really enticing for more than a couple games.
Very good looking for the time, and it's a novel take on the oversaturated genre of Pac-Man clones that arcades saw in the 80s. Unfortunately, though, the movement even with a mouse feels a bit too clunky (and I only can imagine it's worse on a trackball), and the complete void of difficulty in the first few levels and absence of continue options make this not really enticing for more than a couple games.
Very stylish with its isometric level design and overall art direction. It's fast-paced Pac-Man with a trackball, and it works well.
This game is great man, probably my favorite classic arcade cabinet.
Crystal Castles is structurally very similar to Pacman, the key difference being its trippy, isometric levels, and trackball in place of joystick. Said levels are not only brilliant aesthetically, they also keep the game fresh, and an absolute blast to play. Where Pacman always maintains a steady pace, a skilled Crystal Castles player can zoom through levels at a breakneck pace, the only speed cap being how fast one can spin the trackball. As such, this game has a really high skill ceiling, and as much as I suck at it, I personally find chasing that ceiling a lot more satisfying than in many other arcade games. I always come back to this one when hitting up the Galloping Ghost.
(Also, this game's cabinet art is gorgeous, iirc the reason I picked it up in the first place.)
Crystal Castles is structurally very similar to Pacman, the key difference being its trippy, isometric levels, and trackball in place of joystick. Said levels are not only brilliant aesthetically, they also keep the game fresh, and an absolute blast to play. Where Pacman always maintains a steady pace, a skilled Crystal Castles player can zoom through levels at a breakneck pace, the only speed cap being how fast one can spin the trackball. As such, this game has a really high skill ceiling, and as much as I suck at it, I personally find chasing that ceiling a lot more satisfying than in many other arcade games. I always come back to this one when hitting up the Galloping Ghost.
(Also, this game's cabinet art is gorgeous, iirc the reason I picked it up in the first place.)
my favorite arcade game, I have a blast with it.
(Atari 50)
Another one I appreciate more for its technical advancements than its gameplay, bear controls too fast and would probably benefit from only having one lane to move on at any time rather than 2 adjacent spaces
Another one I appreciate more for its technical advancements than its gameplay, bear controls too fast and would probably benefit from only having one lane to move on at any time rather than 2 adjacent spaces
Fun Gem collecting game with the puzzle being the entire location your bear charges and runs like a maniac through. It's fun energetic and exciting, though has major difficulty spikes.
I played this on Atari 50 Collection and had a great time with it.
I played this on Atari 50 Collection and had a great time with it.
their second album is my favourite, i'm so excited to see Alice Glass at Stag and Dagger
(played as part of Atari 50)
Excellent isometric look and fun level designs set it apart from other PAC-MAN or DONKEY KONG clones, but the controls are super finicky and the levels seem to not really be designed with them in mind or optimized for them at all.
Definitely one where you want to keep playing to see what's coming next - something that you can't say for too many games like this.
P.S.: This reminds me of that fake arcade game from CATHERINE. Is that deliberate? Seems like an obscure reference point for those guys, so I'm guessing it's a coincidence.
Excellent isometric look and fun level designs set it apart from other PAC-MAN or DONKEY KONG clones, but the controls are super finicky and the levels seem to not really be designed with them in mind or optimized for them at all.
Definitely one where you want to keep playing to see what's coming next - something that you can't say for too many games like this.
P.S.: This reminds me of that fake arcade game from CATHERINE. Is that deliberate? Seems like an obscure reference point for those guys, so I'm guessing it's a coincidence.
The control scheme was weird but man me and the students and the high school I worked at had a huge competition around this game and that was a blast
Some proto-survival-horror right here.
Hours of life. Just for that snake thing to bounce me straight into insanity.
Points for being a unique take on the maze game. The isometric view and varied level designs keep it fresh throughout. The sound design is ok, and I'm not a huge fan of any of the sprite designs. Bentley the Bear especially looks like the guy in the bear suit from The Shining so that doesn't do the game any favors.
This game is very pretty, even for a game from 1983. Love it's 70s fairytale aesthetic.
Probably one of the more unique, and my personal favorite, Pac-Man clones. You run around collecting gems, similar to how Pac-Man collects dots, but now in an entirely 3D environment, allowing you to take elevators and find hidden gems inside buildings. I don't know how the game compares on console to the arcade cabinet, but I'm not a huge fan of how fast the trackball throws you around, especially when a good chunk of the game needs you to be specific with your movement (like when needing to use the elevators) or backtrack to pick up the one gem you may have missed. The trackball makes it practically impossible to not just zoom to the other side of the screen. I feel the bees are too quick to come attack the player, too, quickly catching notice that the game sends them after you when they feel you've spent too long on a level. That might just be me complaining though because the bees always kick my ass lmao.
Overall, Crystal Castles is a game I enjoy, and I always get excited to play it when I see it at an arcade.
3/5
Overall, Crystal Castles is a game I enjoy, and I always get excited to play it when I see it at an arcade.
3/5
One of my favorite arcade games to play. The trackball is really responsive and you can get going to absurd speeds if you want to, so it has a lot of room for skill and quick reactions. Love the aesthetic of it, and it's just fun!
I wasn't sold on their first album, but after hearing songs like Doe Deer, and Baptism on II, I knew that this album was different from their first. The album really benefited by going for a much more witch house inspired sound. I've only listened to their first 2 albums, but I definitely plan on checking out the rest eventually.
To my own chagrin, this was not based on the electronic music group "Crystal Castles" (obviously) or really even inspired them as it was a quote from She-Ra: Princess of Power instead of this game. The game itself is pretty cool visually and with a cool audio motif from the nutcracker when you finish a level. The biggest thing is the finicky controls for playing in a 3D space because for some reason, this bear is legit always acting like he has to use the restroom to the point it almost looks comedic when you move him around the area. Gotten myself killed several times because of this but it's a cool concept for a game and almost fun to play barring that.
Astonishing leap in graphics and actual music but holy shit why is the bear so fast he's out of control.
~ Juegos que Hay que Jugar Antes de Morir ~
Parte 2 — Los 80: Caída y Resurgir
Juego 55: Crystal Castles (1983)
Pac-Man pero en feo, contra-intuitivo y tosco. El primo politoxicómano.
Parte 2 — Los 80: Caída y Resurgir
Juego 55: Crystal Castles (1983)
Pac-Man pero en feo, contra-intuitivo y tosco. El primo politoxicómano.
THEY GOT THE LAST GEM
NO BONUS
NO BONUS