AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Working my way through 1998 again tonight!
Tonight's game is the psychological horror Sanitarium
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Retro Revisits tonight but just one game this time. I'm a bit distracted by the NHL playoffs, so what better games to play than a hockey game? NHL 98 tonight! Watch hockey. Play hockey.
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

This one is particularly fun when playing against another person. The action is chaotic - giving players equal chance to score. Losing a fight amusingly causes you to take a penalty, giving the fight winner a powerplay for a bit. The sound/music are both good and hilarious. Still fun today.
CFF: 8

Blades of Steel (1987)
First released in the Arcade and the NES a year later, this game from Konami was the hockey equivalent to the earlier Double Dribble. 5-on-5 action, goal celebrations, player entrances, and fighting all gave the game unique flavor proving that an NHL license was not necessary.

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Working my way through 1998 again tonight!
Tonight's game hint: Presented by a French rooster named Footix
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

The game didn't do well in North America and by the time SF2 came out, nobody cared to find the original. This is understandable if you try and play it today. It's clearly the imperfect genesis of a fighting game powerhouse to be, and not particularly enjoyable with the clunky controls.
CFF: 3

Street Fighter (1987)
The original game in this series is largely forgotten, but was important in video game history for the evolution of the fighting genre. Players had three different punch and kick attack strength types to use as well as special combination moves. You could only fight as Ryu.

Oh shit that's Castlevania II! Nevermind, we can take turns on that one 😉

Looks cool, but I'm not sure about Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 😬 Hopefully you have some better games, preferably co-op! 🤞

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

First time play tonight of StarCraft! Gaming Through History continues through the year 1998 with this PC classic.
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

For some reason, people don't seem to like this game as much. True, there are almost no hints on what to do or where to go, but if you follow a guide, the game is quite as enjoyable as the first game was. The music is just as outstanding even if you need to grind for those hearts at times.
CFF: 7

Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (1987)
Departing from the gameplay of the original, in this game you control the cursed Simon Belmont who must roam the land to find a cure. It's a non-linear RPG helping coin the term Metroidvania. Day/Night cycles result in shops opening/closing & different monsters.

Likely the first racing game I ever played, this one holds a special place for me. The action is still fun today - a challenging game of anticipating the other cars moves & not getting caught out by sharp turns. You have to find a mix of driving safe & being aggressive to make it to the end.
CFF: 8

Rad Racer (1987)
Arcade style racer by Square with fast-paced action to navigate point-to-point circuits from around the world. Players pick a Ferrari or Formula-style racecar, avoiding the other cars, and getting to checkpoints before time expires. Also had iconic soundtrack and a 3D glasses mode.

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Tonight I'm doing a Retro Revisit stream! Going back to revisit three randomly determined games that I've previously played in my Gaming Through History journey. Come check out which games the randomizer picks!
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

The opening scene to the game features a villain punching a woman and carrying her away - a bit cringe here in 2026. The gameplay doesn't age great either. Appreciating the game for its innovation and influence doesn't change the fact that there are much better beat em ups to play instead.
CFF: 2

Double Dragon (1987)
A genre-defining co-op beat em up game by Technos. Players use a variety of different moves & weapons as they deal punishment on their way to rescue the girl. Colorful & detailed sprites and levels let the game stand out, marking the beginning of a golden age for this genre.

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Continuing with games from '98 again. This time it's 1080 Snowboarding on the N64.
First time play for me but excited to give it a go!
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

Twitch Twitch is the world

Continuing Gaming Through History tonight again in 1998. Triple Play 99 for the PlayStation. A baseball game that came out in 98 with player ratings from 97... 🤔
For sure this will be exciting and exhilarating.
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

Difficult and frustrating. Even if you use save states, you better be prepared to learn what's coming before it appears. I'm not really a fan of these types of games, so I'm not the best judge. Regardless, the art in the game is outstanding.
CFF: 4

R-Type (1987)
Iconic and superbly difficult space shooter with mechanical/alien type enemies and environments. Enemies and bosses followed specific patterns that led to player success if memorized. The player ship had powerups could fire charged shots and produce a shield. Released on many platforms

Don't let the ASCII style graphics fool you. This is a serious and hardcore RPG with no hand holding. The 1987 version is not for the faint-hearted and it can be clunky. If you want a better experience you can try the many different versions. The latest official one is from 2023.
CFF: 5.5

NetHack (1987)
Based off the game Hack, this free open-source title is essentially "Rogue-on-Steroids" - a sneaky deep turn-based RPG with procedural dungeons, many classes to play, strategies, and permadeath of course! The goal is to get to the bottom floor and find the elusive Amulet of Yendor.

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Continuing Gaming Through History tonight again in 1998. This time for Wario Land II - one of the launch titles for the new Game Boy Color. First time play for me on this one!
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

California Games is very much the same game on all these platforms with very few exceptions - actually amazing if you think about that. The gameplay is... okay.. but it's not a deep dive game at all, and with all of the events being single-player, it leaves a lot to be desired.
CFF 3.5

California Games (1987)
An event compilation game from Epyx in the vein of Track & Field, but featuring X-Games-like events: roller-skating, surfing, BMX, and hackysack, etc. Released on more than 12 platforms with remarkable consistency, it filled the gaming void for a growing set of "Alt-sports."

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Catfish returns for more Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit - this time for the PC version! Going back to 1998 again...
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch I’m Catfish. I stream retro games, racing games, and whatever else I feel like deep-diving into. Expect cozy vibes, random phases, and a chill place to hang while I explore gaming history one obsessio...

Back to streaming regularly again starting tonight! Gaming through History, continuing with 1998 and Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit for the PSX
www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

AstoundedCatfish - Twitch Retro revisits tonight - random picks

Streaming again after long hiatus. Doing some random retro revisits tonight. Come hang out and sit on the virtual couch with me.

www.twitch.tv/astoundedcat...

Alas that unique perspective doesn't actually add anything to the gameplay to make it better. Trying to bat from this view is mostly a crap shoot and it takes longer than necessary to understand the timing. Pitching isn't any better. Overall the game is only worth a short nostalgic play.
CFF: 5.5