ChinnyVision - Ep 95 - Ping Pong - Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Sinclair Spectrum

[@blatherskite3009]

I had the Speccy version on some compilation and I remember it being the biggest surprise of the collection. I expected it to be total pants but ended up playing it a lot and thinking it was a really slick and well-made dose of pure unpretentious gaming goodness. Rockstar Table Tennis on the Xbox 360 was similarly good, very much like an updated version of this.

[@NigeJones]

On the CPC version you can hold down fire to reverse the bat and hit real backhands. This adds a lot to the gameplay!

[@chinnyvision]

+Nige Jones Ooooh, I will go and check! Probably knew this back in the day when I was a hardcore player but certainly I've long since forgotten! Cheers.

[@mrbedford]

The speccy version seemed off unless I missed it on the others that even when it's in it says OUT and gives the point.

[@paulpetroleum]

Speccy version plays just like the arcade if you play with keys. And having the fire button separate to hit is so you can choose your shot before it gets to you. If you watch the bat on the Speccy version. It changes depending on which way youre holding the joystick. Gives you lots of control.

[@Popmetalj]

I only ever played the C64 version. It was on a compilation. Never had an issue with having to press fire to select a direction but I suppose it's what I was used to. Got lots of fun out of it!

[@TezzAtari]

They did a great job with the CPC version.

[@chinnyvision]

+TezzAtari It's a nice port. I've now got the MSX cart as well and that's even better. CPC still has slightly better graphics though.

[@kingstonlj]

I also had this on the 'Konami Coin-op Hits' compilation and really enjoyed it. Watching this video showed me that it's just as good as I remembered. The Amstrad version just beats the C64 version imo. The crowd noise in the Spectrum version is very unsettling. :-o

[@SoftNFuzzy]

Konami's penguin is called Pentaro. And surely that's him in the audience of the CPC version, not an alien! "I don't want to appear Amstrad biased..." - since when? ;-) Would probably agree with you anyway in terms of conversion accuracy. C64 still plays well in any case. The audience sound in the Speccy version is truly terrifying!

[@chinnyvision]

+Steve Robb Could be but if so its a terrible drawing of him. My mate always said it was an alien!

[@chinnyvision]

+Steve Robb Actually you are right. On the arcade version its quite clear its the penguin but on the CPC it looks like a man with 3 eyes!

[@ArneKlopp24]

Never heard of this, looks awesome! :)

[@Novabug]

I say that I'm not biased either.... I think I fib sometimes. I can't help it. ;) I always found the movement and physics on this were impressive.

[@commodorehorizons]

Play the Speccy Version with keys :-) cracking version, and one of the best Martin Galway beeper tunes as well :-), and this from a C64 fanboy :-) Love the Channel :-)

[@BeyondTheScanlines]

"I don't want to appear biased to the Amstrad" - ummm… the fact that Sugar's emblazoned on your outro says otherwise ;) (You don't see me including Jack Tramiel on my intro/outro ;p) I remember giving this the C64 port a whirl as a kid, and I never could get into it. Maybe that addition of needing to hold fire to hit was enough to throw me off. The CPC one looks like it's pretty solid - and I guess the control tweaks are probably enough to boost it over as a nice version… but it ain't a system seller ;)

[@chinnyvision]

+hellfire64 The Alan Sugar testcard is probably a joke lost on non UK viewers what with Lord Sugar being on TV alot and Test Card F being a famous piece of imagery especially to people of the age who would know these games. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_Card_F

[@BeyondTheScanlines]

hehehe. Non-UK audiences would probably remember it from Life on Mars though ;) (Test cards on TV here weren't that exciting from memory, probably just PM5544 or something… though I do remember one channel overlaying a scroll text on top when the station wasn't broadcasting :))

[@jezz2k]

I enjoyed this game on my Speccy and occasionally still do through emulation, but why oh why are the crowd yellow and blue instead of cyan and blue like the arcade original? There's absolutely no reason for this. Also, is it Konami or Kanomi? I always thought it was the former, as that's how it's spelled, but my Japanese isn't that great.

[@Blerkotron]

I have to say, I never really understood the love that this game got among the Speccy community - I always found it pretty much unplayable and not really any fun. I put that down to me being absolutely crap at it, though. Perhaps I should give the other versions a try and see if I fare any better. Or failing that at least *prove* that I'm crap. :-)

[@chinnyvision]

+Blerkotron I found the Speccy version annoying, the audience terrifying and the screen transitions slow down the gameplay. Try it on the CPC.

[@mariosiklic7416]

Msx version is the best version.