My friend Simon has created a few interesting "how to" setup guides for various retro gaming consoles. With all the serious technology guides out there, I was really surprised when I saw this video!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSkaEJqVkeYSimon (or "Shambles11" as he is also known), has a great personality and sense of humour! He creates a great mix of videos on YouTube such as game reviews for the SNES and Xbox One, pick-up videos, mini let's plays, helpful guides (actually helpful... not like this!) and much more.I often watch his Super Nintendo videos as he gives some great commentary and plays/records the real games on the original hardware (no emulators here). He's constantly building his collection and sharing that journey (he's found some great deals in the past!).I'd say he's definitely worth following on twitter and subscribing to his YouTube channel.He has also done instructional videos for the GameBoy, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and PlayStation 1.

That's right; Gamestop have decided it will no longer sell console bundles that include digital copies of games instead of physical ones.I know that a lot of people out there seem to be very anti-GameStop, but personally I think this is a great move for gamers and collectors, although obviously I don't think we were the core focus here. This appears to be more of a business decision for protecting GameStop's future.As a collector of retro games, I love having them all displayed on the shelves and sharing photos online with the gaming community. It's a popular thing to do on social media networks like instagram, twitter and facebook. With this newer generation of consoles, the majority of my collection seems to be digital, which feels a bit empty.Taking photos obviously isn't my main concern here! Originally digital games were presented as a convenient method of distributing games; No printed manuals, plastic boxes, shipping costs, storage costs, etc. All these savings would then be passed onto the customer, right? Cheap games for everyone! Yay!!! ... Nope. Not the case. Instead we are presented with over inflated costs (sometimes double the cost or more than what you could buy in retail) for the "convenience"?Anyway, this decision by GameStop to only sell bundles that come with physical games is cool, but there is also a selfish reason behind this too. Namely their business model and the profits they make with trade-in games. In fact I believe it is where they make the most of their profit? So of course they wouldn't want this to go away (their shareholders certainly wouldn't!), which is why I believe they are trying to slow down the inevitable digital take over.I say "inevitable" because as much as I dislike the idea (mostly due to nostalgia and the love of collecting physical things), I do believe we will be muscled out and forced to use this method at some point. Nintendo are already rumoured to be going "digital only" with their next console (the NX) and I'm sure Microsoft and Sony already want to do the same.

Your Thoughts?

I'm interested to know what you think of this announcement and the sale of digital vs physical games in general? I'd also like to know what you think of me creating these types of videos in the future (opinion pieces / podcast kind of things).Let me know in the comments below!

Bart vs the Space Mutants was released for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive back in 1992 and is basically just a graphically updated version of the NES game released the year before, which was in fact the first Simpsons game ever created for home consoles.The basic story for the game is that aliens have invaded Springfield and it is up to you (Bart) to prevent them from building a "super weapon" by spraying things purple, collecting hats and stealing balloons… Yeah… you heard me right…

"Don't Have a Cow, Man!"

At least the graphics are okay for an early 16 bit game. The first level in particular is a colourful representation of the streets of Springfield, with plenty of references to keep Simpsons fans happy. One example I really enjoyed was the ability to prank call Moe's Tavern. It took longer to work out than necessary and with no hints or direction at all, but it was a fun discovery.I'm afraid that's about all I have nice to say about the game though. One of the main things that makes or breaks a platformer are its controls and unfortunately Bart vs the Space Mutants is an absolute mess. Both run and jump are assigned to the same button and a long jump requires you to hold down two buttons at the same time. The inventory management is also a bit of a pain to use, often requiring you to pause the game to switch items.

"Ay Caramba!"

Another issue I have with this game is the punishing difficulty. I don't mind games being tough and I do enjoy a challenge, but this just feels either lazy or broken. The collision detection feels off in places, especially in later levels and to be honest, I've only ever made it far in this game by using save states on an emulator. You only get five lives, no continues and it only takes two hits to kill you, so... good luck! If you're looking for an enjoyable Simpsons game, then I'm sorry to say that Bart vs the Space Mutants isn't it. This game is tough and barely worth the effort and patience required for even some of the biggest Simpsons fans out there. Every few years I seem to forget just how bad it is and play it again. Somehow there's some nostalgia here that keeps me coming back, but it doesn't take too long to get frustrated with it.

"Eat My Shorts!"

I've heard that the NES version of this game is slightly better, although still pretty horrible, so if you want to experience some Simpsons fun, I recommend you play the original Arcade game! Now that really was awesome! There's also a couple of fun titles on the PS2 like "Hit and Run" and "Road Rage", so check those out if you get a chance.As for me, that's all for this video, so please like and subscribe if you haven't already. If you've played this game before, feel free to share your opinions and experiences in the comments below. I love hearing what you guys think of the games I review and as always; thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next video!