Microvision Perspective

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VideoGameCritic
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Microvision Perspective

Postby VideoGameCritic » May 4th, 2021, 4:44 pm

NOTE: I just received this very informative email I thought I'd share with you all! -VGC

Servus!
(Common Bavarian greeting with Latin roots)

First of all let me express how well made and informative your website is for a retrogaming collector over here in Germany.
I've often checked articles on games there prior to placing bids on ebay - or maybe refrain from doing so.

Since I have specialized in collecting those systems that are in one way or another innovations, I am a real fan of the MB Microvision system.
This handheld was a tremendous achievement back in its day.
But you already know this much, don't you...

Most of your reviews covering the modules of the MB Microvision are spot-on.
My opinions diverge only on some of them.
The most striking gap between your and my opinion exists when it comes to Pinball.
Of course this is just another ball and bat variant and it is certainly not the best title on the Microvision.
But unlike its two Breakout siblings the ball's angle of deflection from those 4 pins is not predictable.
Block Buster and Super Block Buster always exhibit predictable ball behaviour but Pinball does not - which is fun in my humble opinion.
This way Pinball keeps you on your toes and it is more difficult to rack up a good score because you cannot apply a tried and tested procedure of play.
All in all I would rate Pinball as a C+ because the appeal of the game wears thin rather soon.
But it's always good for a few goes.

To me Vegas Slots is the strangest beast of the Microvision bunch.
It is, well, a slot machine and that's about it.
And if you are not playing for money - what's the point of it all?
But still a nice bit of programming, though, hi-res graphics n' all (cough!).

Star Trek Phaser Strike and Bowling deliver exactly what you expect from them.
Target practice and split second timing when pressing those buttons.
That's not much, even by pre-1980s standards.

But apart from these three, less-than-exciting modules the rest of the MB Microvision lineup is short but pretty good or even excellent.
My favourite game is Alien Raiders which in Germany (or Europe?) had the nice title Blitz - history buffs may shake their heads in disbelief.
The pace and suspense of Alien Raiders are pitched just right.
And the fact that due to system limitations you never know just how much ammo you have left adds a bit of frustration and nail-biting.
Even thogh there is no time for the latter.

One last remark on Block Buster.
I think it is in some respects the better game compared to Super Block Buster.
There is a technique you can try to use in order to get high scores.
Block Buster is not just about clearing away one wall; with a lot of practice you should be able to do this several times over.
When you deflect the ball in an angle of 45 degrees and you leave your bat just where it is, the ball will hit the other side of the bat.
And this will repeat a few times as long as do not move you bat.
In order to do this you have to use the broad bat (the small two-pixel bat is unplayable anyway).
And, of course, no bricks should stand in the ball's way.
If you keep bouncing the ball from the left side of the bat to its right side, you will soon notice that Block Buster will move the ball one pixel further when the ball hits the top of the screen.
It takes a few turns but Block Buster will do it. As soon as you notice this, you have to move your bat one pixel in the corresponting direction, too.
Keep the ball bouncing around like before.
Block Buster will soon alter the course of the ball again by one pixel.
This way you can move the action around the screen carefully and pixel by pixel.
You are in control now and admitteldy your hands will hurt a little bit after some time ;-)
But now you can plot a course to strike that last brick from above!
And then the new wall appears with the ball bouncing behind it.
Catch that ball when it comes through again and keep it bouncing from one end of your bat to the other.
I think you yet the picture.
Use this technique to clear away as many walls as you can.
My personal record is somewhere around 1250 points. I do not remember the exact score since I played my record game some 40 years ago.´
Fun fact: Microvision counts the score up to 999 and starts at 0 again as soon as you reach 1000 points.

I never got that far in Super Block Buster but that game sports more hectic action and the groans of the player when the bat deflects the ball back into the very wall you wish to protect are beyond count.

So these are my experiences with the legendary (IMHO) MB Microvision.
Feel free to include some of this gibberish on your website, if you so please.

Keep up the excellent work and website!

Cheers from Germany!

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