November 25, 2024

VIDEO WIZARDS PODCAST – Episode 30: Autumn 1991

7 hours 27 minutes

Let us take you with us to the turbulent autumn period of 1991 in this new and improved seasonal Video Wizards podcast format. While the Soviet Union’s dissolution is in effect mode and things are kicking off in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, we yet again look at the world of arcade games and the popular culture of this time.

Just about half a year after Street Fighter II’s seismic initial release, the rest of the arcade industry hasn’t quite caught up yet. In this moment in time, games in a variety of genres other than versus fighters are hitting the arcade floor. We see beat ’em ups like Captain America and The Avengers by Data East, SNK’s Robo Army and Capcom’s Knights of the Round. Shoot ’em ups like Armed Police Unit Gallop by Irem, Taito’s Metal Black and Acrobat Mission by UPL. And then there are Konami’s seminal Western themed run and gun Sunset Riders and Technos’ mammoth grappler WWF Wrestlefest… which incidentally features classic monster heel Earthquake as a playable character.

But the quaking doesn’t stop there, as the Grunge movement takes over everything guitar music based. And Hip-Hop sees a slew of successful sophomoric albums reach record store shelves, while some regional rivalries start brewing in the background.

In the European home gaming market, SEGA’s 16-bit console the Mega Drive has begun to gain proper momentum following the release of Sonic the Hedgehog – with hits like Streets of Rage, Toejam & Earl and Phantasy Star 3 – and there is a plethora of other gaming platform palates to take your pick from, from handhelds, to consoles, to home computers. While in cinemas the pickings are much more slim, as we look at 2 turds and one much better effort: the spooky season staple The Addams Family.

So get very comfortable indeed, for a 7 and a half hour audio fest of nostalgic warmth that should sort you out just nicely, as the days are getting colder and the nights are getting longer.

The top billing arcade games of the era we discuss on Episode 30, L-R-T-B: Sunset Riders, Acrobat Mission, Armed Police Unit Gallop / Cosmic Cop, Robo Army, Captain America and The Avengers, WWF Wrestlefest, Metal Black, Knights of the Round

Other music used in this episode:

Smuggler’s Wharf – by ??? for 64th Street: A Detective Story, 1991

Magnificent Four (Attract Mode) – by Motoaki Furukawa for Sunset Riders, 1991

Countryside (Mission 1) – by Yoshio Nagashima & Hiroshi Nishikawa for Acrobat Mission, 1991

The Funky Flamingo (Zone A) – by Takushi Hiyamuta for Armed Police Unit Gallop / Cosmic Cop, 1997

Mechanical Forest – by Yasumasa Yamada & Kazuhiro Nishida for Robo Army, 1991

Attract Mode – by Tomoyoshi Sato & Tatsuya Kiuchi for Captain America and The Avengers, 1991

Royal Rumble Theme – by Yoshihiro Kameoka for WWF Wrestlefest, 1991

Red & Yellow (Attract Mode) – by Yasuhisa Watanabe of Zuntata for Metal Black, 1991

Player Select Theme – by Isao Abe for Knights of the Round, 1991

Title Theme – by Yuzo Koshiro for Streets of Rage / Bare Knuckle, 1991

Verses from the Abstract – by A Tribe Called Quest featuring Ron Carter, 1991

Uptown Anthem – by Naughty by Nature, 1991

Livin’ Like a Troopa – by Greyson & Jaysun, 1991

Excursions – by A Tribe Called Quest, 1991

Buggin’ Out – by A Tribe Called Quest, 1991

The Choice is Yours – by Black Sheep, 1991

True to the Game – by Ice Cube, 1991

Mistadobalina – by Del The Funky Homosapien, 1991

Releasing Hypnotical Gases – by Organized Konfusion, 1991

Fuck Compton – by Tim Dog, 1991

Step To Me – by Tim Dog, 1991

Even Flow – by Pearl Jam, 1991

Smells Like Teen Spirit – by Nirvana, 1991

You Could Be Mine – by Guns N’ Roses, 1991

Suck My Kiss – by Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1991

Rusty Cage – by Soundgarden, 1991

Don’t Cry – by Guns N’ Roses, 1991

Black or White – by Michael Jackson, 1991

Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) – by Rozalla, 1991

Always There – by Incognito featuring Jocelyn Brown, 1991

Now That We Found Love – Heavy D & The Boys featuring Aaron Hall, 1991

Cream – by Prince & The New Power Generation, 1991

Gett Off – by Prince & The New Power Generation, 1991

BB’s Blues – by The Bum Notes for Bottom, 1991

Episode edited by: Juli Reed & Michiel Kroder

And finally: our special thanks to Andy Hofle.

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By Michiel Kroder, Ben Cartlidge

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