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Tag: Duke Nukem

The History of Duke Nukem – Part Four: Making It Your Way

by on Jun.06, 2011, under Specials

When the full version of Duke Nukem 3D shipped in May 1996, the Build level editor was included on the disc. This was the exact same editor that was used to make the levels included in the game. The editor was easy to use and well documented – anyone, regardless of experience, could assemble a basic level in Build. Tools were included that could port levels and textures from Doom, meaning that user-created levels were available almost overnight.

Communities of Duke 3D level builders sprung up quickly too. Within weeks of release, people were trading levels, writing tutorials on the more advanced aspects of the editor, and adding new textures for use with the game. Some of the best level creators found themselves being scouted by professional development studios – Valve Software’s Aaron Barber and Matt T. Wood were originally hired by Xatrix Entertainment and 3D Realms respectively based on their work with the Build engine. (continue reading…)

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Video Game Ad of the Day: Duke Nukem 3D (Saturn)

by on Jun.06, 2011, under Video Game Ad of the Day

How about one from the UK?

The Sega Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D was developed by Lobotomy Software and published by Sega. The game is quite different to the PC version, as it uses the full 3D Lobotomy Engine, which allows for coloured lighting, proper up/down looking and other nice effects. They still had to chop out a bunch of animation, though.

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Duke Nukem: The TV Commercials

by on Jun.05, 2011, under Specials

We promised you Duke Nukem TV commercials, so here they are. These are all tied to the major console releases – there wasn’t an ad for the PC release of the original game that we know of.

First up is a teaser for Duke Nukem 64 and Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown


(continue reading…)

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Duke Nukem Week at the Mana Bar

by on Jun.05, 2011, under Specials

We’re not the only one getting in on the Duke Nukem Forever launch festivities. The Mana Bar, the world’s first video game bar, is running a Duke Nukem week celebration of their own from today. Yug, co-founder of the Mana Bar and Australian Gamer is going to be heading up the celebrations, returning to his old Fortitude Valley haunts.

Tell them Retro Gaming Australia sent you for a free baffled look.

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The History of Duke Nukem – Part Three: Duke Nukem 3D

by on Jun.05, 2011, under Specials

Duke Nukem 3D (1996, 3D Realms, DOS)

Duke Nukem 3D effectively picks up at the end of Duke Nukem II, with Duke returning to Earth aboard an alien spaceship. As Duke prepares to land in Los Angeles for a much needed vacation, his ship is critically hit by an energy blast. While sending out a distress signal, Duke discovers that Los Angeles has been attacked by a new alien threat, which has transformed the LAPD into pigs.

The game begins with Duke ejecting from his ship, and swearing revenge on “those alien bastards” for shooting up [his] ride.” The opening level, set around an adult movie theatre and street, does an excellent job of establishing the tone of the game, and demonstrating the factors that set Duke Nukem 3D apart from the competition like interactivity and destructible environments.

The opening episode has some unforgettable moments and locations. One level that sticks with most players is the game’s second level, which features a strip club, complete with scantily clad women that will give you a little show for some cash (of which Duke has an unlimited supply). (continue reading…)

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Video Game Ad of the Day: Duke Nukem: Zero Hour

by on Jun.05, 2011, under Video Game Ad of the Day

Duke Nukem: Zero Hour was Duke’s second outing on the Nintendo 64.

You can read more about Zero Hour and the rest of the Duke Nukem series in our special History of Duke Nukem article series.

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The History of Duke Nukem – Part Two: The Road to 3D

by on Jun.04, 2011, under Specials

The Shift

After Apogee released Wolfenstein 3-D, the company’s focus began to change – a moment which Scott Miller recalled in an interview with Gamasutra:

It was like, “Okay. Do we want to keep making games that make us $15,000 a month, or do we want to start making games that make us $200,000 a month?” So that’s what happened; what really happened was Wolfenstein. It kind of rewrote the whole rule book on the potential of what we could earn from games. At that point, everyone’s eyes opened to the power of 3D. Pretty much from that point onwards, a lot more focus went into making games that were 3D in nature.”

Apogee had licensed the technology id built for Wolfenstein 3-D to make their own first-person shooters: Blake Stone and Rise of the Triad, which were reasonably successful in their own right, but sold half as well as Wolfenstein. Scott Miller and George Broussard knew they’d need their own technology to stay in the game with their cross-town rivals, and it came from what now seems like the unlikeliest of places; the room of a seventeen year old kid called Ken Silverman. (continue reading…)

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Video Game Ad of the Day: Duke Nukem Forever & Time to Kill

by on Jun.04, 2011, under Video Game Ad of the Day

GT Interactive started running ads in magazines promoting the release of Duke Nukem Forever as early as 1998, around the time of Duke’s first console exclusive outing, Time to Kill.

You can read more about Duke Nukem in our 7 part history feature that’s running all week.

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The History of Duke Nukem – Part One: Origins

by on Jun.03, 2011, under Specials


Duke Begins

The origins of Duke Nukem trace back to the late 1980s, when programmer Todd Replogle was working on a side-scrolling action game called Metal Force, his fourth title for Apogee. The hero of the game was called Duke Nukem, but Apogee boss and producer Scott Miller suggested that the game should use the character’s name as its title. (continue reading…)

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Video Game Ad of the Day: Duke Nukem 3D

by on Jun.03, 2011, under Video Game Ad of the Day

On the first day of Duke Nukem Week, we bring you an Italian ad for Duke Nukem 3D

Duke Nukem 3D was the game that made Duke a household name. For more on the history of Duke Nukem, read our massive 7-part feature this week.

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