We are much alike in many ways, Zen...rough chilhood, both like to draw, similiar tastes in games......and I liked amidar as well back when it was all I had! You like what you got I guess! (although I still thought the 2600 version was too slow).
When I got a colecovision, one of the first games I got for that was Pepper II! now THAT was a great Amidar-like conversion!
I also love "Crush Roller", or as we Amerikans call it, "Make Trax"...I never could figure how a game that popular never made it to the home early on. It was so WEIRD-goldfish chasing a paintbrush painting over cats, tires and birds! I never saw the Neo version but I have this game on Mame as well.
9/24/2006: Atari 2600: Pooyan, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Stampede
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Zenzerotron
9/24/2006: Atari 2600: Pooyan, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Stampede
Both the North American and Japanese copies of "Crush Roller" are called "Crush Roller"......the "Make Traxx" name was swept under the rug completely.
I've never played the orginal "Make Traxx" arcade game, but I'm 100% sure that the NeoGeoPocket version has some serious modern upgrades, observe..........
1. there's multiple routes throughout the game, and the game saves all of the routes you have taken.
2. the game has a beginning and ending
3. each board has a "boss" and when you catch him, he becomes a collector's card. I'm not sure what collecting all the boss cards does, I've never found/explored every possible route in the game, so I haven't collected every card.
Just in general, how Crush Roller is structured, you must play through the game several times, to see all the various levels and to collect all of the boss-cards.
I'm assuming, correct me if I'm wrong, that the old arcade game of Make Traxx simply had a handfull of boards that kept repeating, and the game had no ending, just high-scores.
I've never played the orginal "Make Traxx" arcade game, but I'm 100% sure that the NeoGeoPocket version has some serious modern upgrades, observe..........
1. there's multiple routes throughout the game, and the game saves all of the routes you have taken.
2. the game has a beginning and ending
3. each board has a "boss" and when you catch him, he becomes a collector's card. I'm not sure what collecting all the boss cards does, I've never found/explored every possible route in the game, so I haven't collected every card.
Just in general, how Crush Roller is structured, you must play through the game several times, to see all the various levels and to collect all of the boss-cards.
I'm assuming, correct me if I'm wrong, that the old arcade game of Make Traxx simply had a handfull of boards that kept repeating, and the game had no ending, just high-scores.
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Alienblue
9/24/2006: Atari 2600: Pooyan, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Stampede
Now I want a pocket Neo! 
You are right Zen, "make Trax" just had the boards repeating, although the colors changed and on each board you had a character come out and "make trax" in the paint...first board it's a kitten, then a bird, mouse, invisable man, tire, etc... you must roll over these guys to stop them ruining your paint job!
Only thing I don't like about Make Trax is it got too hard too fast. The Goldfish have superb A.I., and will corner you and avoid the rollers after just a few minutes of play. Who knew fish were smarter then ghost-mansters?
You are right Zen, "make Trax" just had the boards repeating, although the colors changed and on each board you had a character come out and "make trax" in the paint...first board it's a kitten, then a bird, mouse, invisable man, tire, etc... you must roll over these guys to stop them ruining your paint job!
Only thing I don't like about Make Trax is it got too hard too fast. The Goldfish have superb A.I., and will corner you and avoid the rollers after just a few minutes of play. Who knew fish were smarter then ghost-mansters?