I think it's because the ps1 dev kit at the time emphasised gourad shading, if you look at the dev info, untextured was almost twice as fast and had little to no resources.
Fantastic review, I know just stumbled on a PS1 copy of TAMA for $5 and couldn't pass with a subtitle like that. Really learned a lot about the link to MD Marble Madness from this
I know I'm 2 years late saying this but I'd say, considering how uncommon (rare?) that title is... That's a steal! Especially if it has the obi strip/spine card with it. I gotta admit that I, myself, never even knew Tengen & Time Warner Interactive were the same company (for the most part). I'd also say TAMA does have quite a bit in common with the MD Marble Madness, considering one is quite different than the other. I don't know if that makes TAMA better or worse than MD Marble Madness, however; Especially since MD MM is on a 16-bit console, whereas TAMA is on a 32-bit console.
What was with early Japanese PS1 games being completely textureless? Was it a style choice or couldn't they get their head around that weird texture squashing issue a lot of PS games had. Doesn't seem to be an issue they ever completely fixed, as I remember it in Driver 2 when I got it the same day as my launch PS2. This game reminds me a bit of Mercury on the PSP/PS2 as well!
Interesting fact about Time Warner Interactive is that the Japanese division actually seemed to slightly outlast the main American one, as their last game, the somewhat known Shinrei Jusatsu Taromaru for the Saturn, came out some months after Midway's purchase of them.
Also Tengen was staffed by former Namco employees, the CEO of Tengen was the CEO of Atari Japan and was hired by Masaya Nakamura aka the founder of Namco. Atari Games became the company that it was because Atari went through bankruptcy after the video game crash of 1983. The story of Tengen deserves it's own episode but it already is covered by a more prominent gaming RUclipsr, in that case, The Gaming Historian.
Warner Bros. sold Atari Games, which became Tengen, which was bought again by Warner and renamed Time-Warner Interactive, which was sold to Midway, which in turn was purchased by Warner Bros. after it went bankrupt. The company's like a friggin' boomerang, man.
Just when I think you've gone off on a completely unrelated tangent, you always manage to tie it back together. Good vids.
I think it's because the ps1 dev kit at the time emphasised gourad shading, if you look at the dev info, untextured was almost twice as fast and had little to no resources.
Fantastic review, I know just stumbled on a PS1 copy of TAMA for $5 and couldn't pass with a subtitle like that. Really learned a lot about the link to MD Marble Madness from this
I know I'm 2 years late saying this but I'd say, considering how uncommon (rare?) that title is... That's a steal! Especially if it has the obi strip/spine card with it. I gotta admit that I, myself, never even knew Tengen & Time Warner Interactive were the same company (for the most part). I'd also say TAMA does have quite a bit in common with the MD Marble Madness, considering one is quite different than the other. I don't know if that makes TAMA better or worse than MD Marble Madness, however; Especially since MD MM is on a 16-bit console, whereas TAMA is on a 32-bit console.
What was with early Japanese PS1 games being completely textureless? Was it a style choice or couldn't they get their head around that weird texture squashing issue a lot of PS games had.
Doesn't seem to be an issue they ever completely fixed, as I remember it in Driver 2 when I got it the same day as my launch PS2.
This game reminds me a bit of Mercury on the PSP/PS2 as well!
please release these more often!
Interesting fact about Time Warner Interactive is that the Japanese division actually seemed to slightly outlast the main American one, as their last game, the somewhat known Shinrei Jusatsu Taromaru for the Saturn, came out some months after Midway's purchase of them.
Also Tengen was staffed by former Namco employees, the CEO of Tengen was the CEO of Atari Japan and was hired by Masaya Nakamura aka the founder of Namco.
Atari Games became the company that it was because Atari went through bankruptcy after the video game crash of 1983. The story of Tengen deserves it's own episode but it already is covered by a more prominent gaming RUclipsr, in that case, The Gaming Historian.
Great episode!
Warner Bros. sold Atari Games, which became Tengen, which was bought again by Warner and renamed Time-Warner Interactive, which was sold to Midway, which in turn was purchased by Warner Bros. after it went bankrupt. The company's like a friggin' boomerang, man.
Actually, PS1 Version was released in December 3rd as launch Title.
i've never played this game, but i'm sure i'd have a ball!