The Apple Mac does not have a great reputation for games, as there are relatively few titles available for it compared with the IBM-compatible PC or the hugely popular Sony PlayStation. There is a small possibility, though, that things are about to change dramatically.
Connectix Corporation (producers of Virtual PC and Ram Doubler for the Mac) have announced a new program called Virtual Game Station (VGS). This emulates the PlayStation and allows its games to be played on the Mac.
So far, VGS will run only PlayStation CDs made for the US market. If the idea takes off - and Sony may not be too pleased if it does - it is almost certain there will be a version suitable for PlayStation games available in Ireland. A VGS PlayStation emulator for PCs would surely follow. PlayStation emulators in themselves are nothing new. There are several web sites dedicated to them, with free program downloads. At best, however, they work with only a handful of games and audio is rarely supported.
Virtual Game Station, on the other hand, is the first commercial PlayStation emulator. If people are going to pay money for it (no price has been announced) they will expect it to work well. It claims to support an impressive list of games. Connectix says about 80 games (including Crash Bandicoot 3, Spyro the Dragon and Final Fantasy VII) have been tested and run well enough to be playable.
The company does admit that there may be limitations, such as having to skip a frame or two to keep up with the flow of the game. Ridge Racer and Tekken 2 are not among the recommended games. The VGS supports input devices like the Gravis Game Pad Pro and even selected flight sticks and pedals, and the user can define functions associated with various buttons and keys. The VGS emulator requires an Apple Mac with G3 processor, Mac OS 8.0 or higher, 10 MB of free physical memory and 3.5 MB hard disk space.
According to Connectix president, Roy McDonald: "While the product is not a perfect substitute for Sony PlayStation consoles, we believe that our customers will be pleased with the experience of using games with the Connectix Virtual Game Station on their Macs."
However, the product is not authorised, endorsed or licensed by Sony. Further information and updates are available at www.virtualgamestation.com
Buck Bumble, Nintendo 64, £54.99
Become a cyborg bee and slog it out with mutant insects - that's the theme of Buck Bumble. The sticker on the box claiming ratings of 90 and 92 per cent from specialist Nintendo magazines gives the impression that Buck Bumble is a buzz.
Maybe the reviewers at those magazines think that percentages are ratings out of a thousand rather than a hundred. Okay - maybe it's not quite that bad. The player takes control of a bee which buzzes around quite effectively and can be equipped with plenty of weapons. There are two types of multi-player game and 20 missions to accomplish.
The problem with Buck Bumble is fog. Fog is often used to some extent in games to blur out distant objects. Receding before the player, it helps the game to run faster by reducing the graphic detail. It is never great to see fog but sometimes it is simply necessary. In Buck Bumble, though, the fog is never very far away, and in fact is usually right in your face. As a result it's hard to see where to go and easy to get lost through no fault of your own. This is a shame because the game has some good points, but these are certainly not worth the £50 sting in the tail.
games@irish-times.ie