3DO Interactive Multiplayer

Easter break is almost over for me, so this is that last video for a while. Please enjoy!

Works eased up a bit and so I found sometime and motivation to carry on with this epic task.

Hope you enjoy the videos. It's always nice to see stuff running.

I've got a whole bunch of games to put up. Mostly japanese but also things like Crash 'n burn, Fatty Bear amd things like cinderella.

I've taken down the list of 3do games, largely because it was so wrong it wasn't not funny. The U.S. list of releases seem pretty good but the list of Japanese games had glaring ommisions and stuff that was merely a EU/US game with a Japanese title, and then the EU/US version was also on the list for Japanese releases. So, I'm going to tidy it up.

Kamachi's Museum. After a bit of digging around on the web, the story of Yamada Kamachi revealed itself. And, of cause, the story of the Kamachi Museum.

Yamada Kamachi was a 17 year old Japanese kid who died in 1977. He remains something of a phenomena. One hint to this phenomena is if you keep an eye out for his game on Yahoo auctions Japan, you'll see Kamachi's Museum always fetches a premium. The game has hardly depreciated in value. Which is unusual for a 3DO game. The only ones I can think of that have achieved that are soft porn games and Star Control II. So, straight off-of the mark, there something special about either Kamachi or this game.

Well, if there is something special about Kamachi Museum, it's not the game. Kamachi Museum is not really game mind, it's an edutainment title, sort of an interactive museum of Yamada-sans works.

And full credit to the kid. He was a poet and an artist. Have painted over a 1,000 pictures and having written many many poems, he is something of a role-model. By 17 years old he would often say that "24 hours in a day is not enough" and looking at what he got up to in that time it's certainly true for him. I personally can't say that, and I'll be honest, I wish I could.

In 1977 Japan was still pretty insular you have to remember. The Japanese 80s bubble had not bloomed, Japanese culture had not been exported to the rest of the world in any meaningful way; the Americans dominated the video game market, Anime did not exist, Manga meant nothing to most westerners. Still, one Japanese kid, who would have been a little older than me if he had not died, achieved so much. I'm not saying being a kid in Japan in the '70s was a disability mind you, but... what inspired him? What drives someone to do that? To be that artistically industrious? It's on a totally different motivational level to, well, me. It's sort of humbling.

In Japan there are books on Kamachi. There is a museum. TV shows. CDs of his spoken poetry. 30 Years after his death, they are making a film about him. It's all pretty incredible. It makes me wonder what my legacy will be. Or not as the case may well be.

Simply put I have admiration for Kamachi. It's easy to sit and bitch and moan, and pick fault in everything (like a half-baked amateur games reviewer) it's more difficult to contribute. And Kamachi was certainly a contributor.

So - there we have it. On one side I have a humbling admiration for this young Japanese artisan. The other side? Well actually it's all pretty boring. Sorry -- but it is. The style of art, poetry and music really isn't me. Maybe it's you? Who knows? it's just not me. Moping around the museum, well, once was enough. I enjoy museums. I love wandering round obscure foreign museums, but just the once. And, having done a quick whirl wind tour of Kamachi's Museum it's unlikely I'll be returning.

Rare? I've never seen a western copy.

3DO Kid.

Every wondered what Ultraman is like to play?

Wonder no more.

Watch out me-hearties, it-be strumpet-stripping time again.

Japanese-style.

If the Japanese produced media is anything to go by, which it isn't, but if it was, the worlds view of Japanese women would be somewhat strained.

They are either manically chasing geeky looking apprehensive reluctant hero type nerdy-males, looking for an unrequited relationship or so coy and innocent, butter wouldn't melt on their over-slender thighs. My first-hand experience is neither is true but hey, I shouldn't, wouldn't and couldn't mess with the fantasy.

Today's 3DO game is Kisekae Paradise, which plays to the coy-sex-mad stereotype of Japanese females.

Kisekae means dress-up. I think. So this game is Dress-up paradise. Which is self explanatory. The idea is to choose the right outfit for the right girl, of which there are three girls. Each correctly chosen garment is a heart in your favour, each incorrectly chosen one is a blow to the lady in questions ego and her opinion of you.

Run out of hearts and the game ends, max-up your collection of hearts and the girl will parade around in front of you in various states of undress.

The dress-up element is limited to lingerie, tights or indeed stockings, and an outfit. Each girl, after extensive play, seems to only like two items from any particular set.

After picking the correct tights or bra-and-knickers you get the option to peep on the girl while she puts them on. For some reason, a reason Ican't explain, some girls prefer you to peek through the window, while others prefer you to peep through the keyhole. I can't begin to explain the reasoning - that's just the way it is.

As with a lot of these types of games, games such as Paper, Scissors, Stone and Twinkle Knights, the pictures on the box doesn't do the young ladies in question justice. The graphics designer seems hell bent to portray these girls in the worst light possible. It not being until the girl is parading around in her in underwear you realise they are all quite pretty. They aren't Playboy pin-ups, but extremely cute girl-next-door types. Yet they still fail to beat the girl in the pink dress from Virtual Cameraman 1.

Still, the first girl in Kisekae Paradise once down to her underwear did have a certain charm. As did the third one. The second-one? The second one is a matter of taste.

The final round of Kisekae Paradise has you guessing which body part belongs to which girl. Getting it wrong separates you from ultimate victory and ultimate nudity.

Is it fun? When isn't looking at half-naked women fun? Seriously. It's not a great game by any measure. It's kind of pervy fun. The imagery is pretty innocent. The girls are topless and the area below the waist is tastefully obscured from view at all times. This game is naugty, rather than slutty.

Is it rare? Well, I never seen a copy on Ebay UK or Ebay US, so I'm guessing it is. It crops up on Yahoo Japan Auctions quite frequently mind you.

3DO Kid.