Get Psyched!
Deep in that dusty corner of my mental filing system, where childhood memories are shuffled off to be archived by those few working brain cells I haven’t saturated with Captain Morgan, there resides a special place for today’s selection: Wolfenstein 3D.
This was not only the first FPS that I ever played, but it was my first PC game as well (not counting my Texas Instrument days). I remember well the 5-1/4-inch floppy that contained the shareware version of the first episode (or was it freeware?). I never played more than this episode, so I never got to take on Hitler himself. But the first episode was satisfying enough, especially when playing in “Death Incarnate” mode. This was also probably the only FPS I ever played without the aid of any cheat codes. Guess that’s why it took me so long (damn the Internet for not being there for me when I needed it!).
I distinctly remember the terror of leading our hero, “B.J.” Blazkowicz, into his encounter with the first episode’s final boss (I later learned that his name is Hans Grosse). I knew something bad was coming when I entered the antechamber and there was nothing more than ammo and med kits. And then I opened the final door and that ginormous Nazi mo-fo came roaring out…I have no shame in admitting that I was shaking by the time I finished that level. That surge of adrenaline was just overwhelming. And addictive. This game set me on the path of pixelated destruction and I’ve been carving up bosses with spiked gauntlets, dragon claws, chainsaws, and BFGs ever since.
I should acknowledge that I do understand that this game trivializes in many ways what the Nazis did during World War II. Yes, it makes them the villains, and yes, you increase your score by blasting them out of existence. But the history behind the inspiration for Wolfenstein most definitely isn’t a game or something to be taken lightly. In fact, the game was banned in Germany where it remains a federal offense to display swastikas or other Nazi propaganda. Since this game is not only littered with swastikas but also uses as part of its soundtrack a MIDI version of the “Horst-Wessel-Lied,” the anthem of the Nazi party, it’s understandable why this would be a verboten game in Deutschland.
As is always the case with classic games, they have given B.J. and his Nazi enemies several sequels and snazzy updates, trying to keep up with ever-improving graphics capabilities. In fact, in July of this year, Blazkowicz will be given a 21st century revamp for PCs, XBox 360, and Playstation 3. I’m a little reticent about this. I’ve played some of the other updates to games I loved to play “back in the day,” and they left me feeling a little empty. I don’t really know how else to explain it. True, they looked spectacular…but I think the glossiness of the look deadened the awesomeness of the feel. Does that make sense?
Anyway, you can check out the new game at the official Wolfenstein Web site. The screen captures look interesting, even if a bit much. Call me a simple wolf, but sometimes less is more. Looking at these shots makes me reminiscent for the pixel-rough simplicity of that original castle, with its turquoise doors and cheesy MIDI music. So I leave you with the following YouTube video of beating the big boss from the first episode. Made me smile when I realized that I remembered this final level perfectly as I watched this clip. Guess Captain Morgan hasn’t taken me down just yet…
