Comparing the two NES games to each other was an easy task. The Contra game released on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive is a much more difficult task. Called Contra Hard Corps. here in the States it was simple referred to as Probotector on the Megadrive in Europe. What makes comparing these two games more difficult than the last two is the fact that the Megadrive version is relatively rare, making getting a hold of a manual difficult. Second, the game has four different playable characters ans seven different endings! Ending in which the character your playing as has a prominent place. In order to get screenshots of each ending with each character in both version of the game I’d have to play through it 56 times! That is not going to be happening anytime soon.
I heartily recommend playing Hard Corps. though! The game has an excellent soundtrack, a branching storyline, and furiously, difficult gameplay. The western versions are exceptionally difficult as the health system that was put in the Japanese version of the game has been removed.
Covering Hard Corps is going to take more than one post. In this one I’m just going to compare the various playable characters:
Hard Corps on the left, Probotector on the right
These are the mug shots you see at the character select screen, except for the last one. That guy down at the bottom is the military officer/robot who gives the orders at the beginning of each level. There is another playable character not included in the comparison, it’s the little robot that looks identical in both games. In-game the characters look like this:
So far there doesn’t seem to be any difference in the enemies you are facing. But, I haven’t played through the all seven routes in both of the games. The next post, will reveal changes in enemies and will compare at least two of the endings from the game!
Last weekend I participated in the Warrior Dash. It’s a lot like the tough mudder run, but a lot easier, it’s a feel good run. The dash is only 3 miles and has about 12 obstacles which consist of: climbing over cars, crawling through a tunnel, and jumping over a tiny flame. The only truly difficult obstacle, and this is being generous, was the mud crawl at the end.
So, it wasn’t very difficult but it was a lot of fun! D and I went with a group of friends and made a day out of the event. I’m okay with my time, but I know I can do better. If I bothered to do any sort of real training when it comes to running. I already swim three times a week as well as doing core training multiple times of week and running only happens sporadically.
I’ve already decided to do the dash next year and I am contemplating signing up for the Tough Mudder, but if I do I’m going to have to come up with a new workout regimen.
Here’s another picture, sorry about the size but there is no way am I paying $25 for a single print.
This was an odd election here in California. Democrats took every statewide office from Governor to Insurance Commissioner, but the majority of the propositions that the Democratic party endorsed failed at the ballot. So let’s take a look at those:
Prop. 19 – Legalize Marijuana – Failed – The war on drugs really does need to end. This isn’t the end of the argument though. I’m sure Assemblyman Tom Ammiano will introduce his pot legalization bill again in 2011. The Secretary of the State has also stated that younger people voted ‘yes’ on the proposition 2 to 1. Eventually, prohibition 2.0 will end and we’ll all be a lot freer for it.
Prop. 20 – Redistricting of Congressional Districts – Passed – The brand new Citizen’s Districting Commission will now be in charge of drawing congressional districts in the state. I’m not for this as, we voters, have no control over the commission. In addition, the commission has yet to be set up or have any guidelines or rules written up for it. It has no track record. I don’t know how I feel about giving an experiment that much control.
Prop. 21 – State Park Funding. Vehicle License Surcharge – Failed – I can tell you right now that funding for state park’s isn’t going to be in the next budget and so they the state’s park system will continue to deteriorate. I thought this was a reasonable way to fund the park system and encourage Californian’s to take advantage of the beautiful state they live in.
Prop 22. – Prohibit State from Taking Some Local Funds – Passed – Thought the budget was hard to pass before? Tired of having education funding raided? Then you should have voted ‘no’ on this proposition. Legislator’s next year will find their options for balancing the budget even more limited…
Prop 23 – Suspend Air Pollution Law – Failed – Finally, one goes my way! California’s visionary Air Pollution Control Law (AB 32) will be implemented. This is the first piece of legislation in the nation that attempts to address the issue of global climate change.
Prop 24. – Repeal Allowance of Lower Business Tax Liability – Failed – Large, multi-state, corporations and businesses can continue to use accounting tricks and gimmicks to avoid paying taxes.
Prop 25. – Simple Majority Vote to Pass Budget – Passed – If this proposition had passed and Prop. 22 and 26 had failed then actual budget reform could have started, but that didn’t happen. So, now while the budget can be passed on a simple majority vote, as long as it doesn’t carry any taxes in it, that budget can’t include borrowing from local governments, transportation funds, and can’t include fees of any sort. How likely do you think that is?
Prop. 26. – 2/3 Vote for Some State/Local Fees – Passed – When people think fees they probably think the fee they pay on gas or for their car. They don’t want to pay more for those things which is understandable. That isn’t what Prop. 26 is about though. This proposition will make it difficult to insure industrial polluters pay for the harm they do. So who will have to pay for it? The taxpayer! Congratulations Californians! Corporate polluters now don’t have to clean-up their messes because you’ll do it for them. I wonder where we’ll get the money to do that…
Prop. 27. – Eliminate State Redistricting Commission – Failed – The commission will continue to exist and has even more power now with the passing of prop. 20. I worry that the commission will be co-opted by one special interest or another and gerrymandering will continue, except now, voters have no control over it. I realize they only had a small amount of control before, but it was something.
It’s going to be interesting next year, the Democratic controlled legislature will be working with a democratic governor. The redistricting commission will begin drawing new “competitive” districts throughout the state, and we’ll all trudge along and see how this election changes California. As always I remain cautiously optimistic, though that might be delusion
This is going to be a short post as I’ve had a busy weekend and the beginning of this week is also going to be busy (until the elections are over.) Whatever you do tomorrow make sure you vote, if you already haven’t. It only takes five or six minutes, and it is the least you can do to participate in the one form of government that might actually represent you…
“People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote – a very different thing.” ~Walter H. Judd
So far there doesn’t seem to be any difference in the enemies you are facing. But, I haven’t played through the all seven routes in both of the games. The next post, will reveal changes in enemies and will compare at least two of the endings from the game!
