Better know as "Raguy" in the Land of the Rising Sun, 1991's Blue's Journey is your next HAMSTER Neo Geo title to be re-released on the Switch eShop, due on 7th September.
Opening the month of September with a two player cooperative platformer is a rather nice change of pace from the regular stream of one-on-one fighters, the trademark of SNK's venerated hardware. In this Alpha Denshi-developed game the action takes place on the planet of Raguy, which is on the verge of a massive ecological disaster. Player one controls the titular Blue while player two takes control of the pallet swapped Princess Fa.
Both characters have the ability to stun and use enemies as weapons, and even to shrink down in size on demand, allowing them to reach secret areas where regular sized characters could not and jump further at the cost of being unable to attack. This gives the game a unique risk/reward mechanic: Will you play it safe at regular size and miss out on lucrative flower pickups (the in-game currency) or risk premature demise by going tiny?
These were some of the hard choices we had to make while pumping real currency into the arcade cabinets back in the day.
A nice throwback to simpler days of colourful cute platformers. Will you be jumping and shrinking next week?
Comments 50
I'm blue..
Another NEOGEO? Sheesh.
@Yasaal Until Nintendo decides to say something about the vc (Best case scenario, the beginning months of 2018 at the earliest) this will be all you'll be seeing for the time being.
Which I don't understand why you're so down about.
Wow, that is some artwork. From the days when developers let their younger, less talented siblings illustrate their cover art and manuals. Yikes.
Even if you don't enjoy the game, at least you can turn up the music as an excellent insect repellent.
A certain download from me. It will be my last purchase for a couple of months as I'm off on a trip to sunny Scotland,so it's fitting the game is called Blue's Journey. If only it was called Oor's Journey.
<<----Would be more interested in this "Blue" was the main character. Only another 90+ titles to go...c'mon Baseball Stars Professional!!
@Captain_Toad I'm down about it 'cause it's too long a timeframe. The Wii had VC pretty early and even the Wii U (insert even the Wii U had ____ meme) had VC right off the bat. Why the downgrade about it on Switch then? Because of the new membership releasing next year? If so, then it's a horrible reason to put such titles behind the paywall of a membership (coming from a guy who likes the idea of Amiibo).
Another issue, these titles are dropping in quality. The only good title was King of Fighters (or something, not sure on the name) out of all the bunch. Too many indie games are one thing, but too many NEOGEO titles? That's too much. Better just at least give news on about VC to keep others interested on the Switch. Nintendo needs to fire on all cylinders to make the Switch successful, and VC plays a part too...
Or maybe I'm just too impatient. I waited 4 years for BotW and painfully long for Metroid, so perhaps I'm going overboard, but I don't wanna wait this long for a simple thing such as VC...
@Yasaal Heh, yes I along with many others agree that it shouldn't be taking this long to set up something this simple as putting nes games into the switch, can't argue too much on that. Something HAS to be going on behind the scenes.
Although the dip in quality in neo geo games? Huh? The only bad ones out recently to my memory was Puzzled and there's many more neo-geo games still waiting in the backburners. There's may be some duds along the way but there's still gems around the corner. Have you even took a look at the entirety of the Neo-geo libary on Wikipedia/youtube and wish for that game of your choice to come to that system and/or checked out the games that have been already released like Garou: Mark of the wolves, Magical Drop, Alpha Mission 2? Geez that paragraph sounded like the virtual console right now.... wait a minute...
So ya, I suggest you still your waters for the time being and let Nintendo work their magic and enjoy what hamster's giving ya. No use being impatient.
@Captain_Toad Although I have seen most of the NEOGEO games I haven't been impressed by any of them. But maybe that's just me. I'll keep my waters still for now as you said and explode again if Nintendo delays the announcement or availability by even one day XD
Let's just hope that it comes soon. These NEOGEO titles aren't at all good in my eyes, though many would (rightfully) disagree...
This might be fun. Will wait for a review
Just bought Windjammers on vita yesterday, great game
I'll be playing Destiny 2 next week.
@Yasaal That's my boy. (Pat's head)
@Captain_Toad Purrs contently XD
Yuck and Yuck.
With the pace Hamster is maintaining at one classic a week, it's funny how this was pretty much the same pace Nintendo had on the Wii U- with some rare exceptions. Let's not even talk about Switch as we continue to wait on Nintendo to reveal their plans!! Someday....
Love this game. Definitely buying next week.
@EDF I really, REALLY wished that was on Switch already...
@Yasaal I totally agree with you on the wait. But FYI Wii U did NOT have VC right out of the gate. It's started sometime in the summer of 2013. So it was perhaps 7-8 months later after the Wii U launched in 2012.
@Shiryu
Can't see why it won't come to switch, OK it's not a SNK game but that shouldn't matter. The game came to vita after the developers asked online with a survey what neogeo games they would like, there was 5 on the list, not SNK ones, Windjammers wasn't on the list but everybody was asking for it, so fanservice was reason it finally made it to vita 2 days ago. People were also asking for Street Hoops but haven't heard anything about that yet,
@EDF Because Hamster doesn't have the distribution rights of the game, DotEmu does. They re-released the game on The PS Vita and PS4 recently with added online versus play and leader boards. As such, if the game does show up on Switch it won't be by Hamster in their regular emulated form but rather as a standalone release by DotEmu... maybe.
Nice Colors but I'm passing on these Neo Geo titles. Bring me some PCEngine
@joey302 seems to me the plan is to release all the Android/Apple games they can on Switch with a very rare retail release. I'm sorry it's so frustrating for me to be a Switch owner right now. I actually thought we had a chance of getting Dragon Quest X. #Buyersremorse
This game is ok, better Neo Geo games out there though.
@Windy I agree the only bright spot thus far are the indie games are lining up nicely. But the whole virtual console Switch situation is beyond ridiculous. Let's hope it changes for the better! Dragon Quest could still possibly come if the Switch keeps flying off the shelves. Lost Spear is a good sign that Square is watching Switch closely. 👍
Alpha is synonymous with average in my book. Low down on my wish list. (Can't wait for Spinmaster though!)
@Yasaal Complaining about NEOGEO games coming out every week is the same as complaining that the sun comes up every day or that you have to go to work/school. It's gonna happen, it's not gonna stop until it's over, there's no point in complaining, just let it go.
Feel free to complain about VC all you want, that's on Nintendo. But don't blame HAMSTER for doing their thing. They WILL put out 1 NEOGEO game per week until they're done. That's what they said they'll do.
Also, the NEOGEO titles are not "dropping in quality". This, and Puzzled, are one of the earliest games for the system, of course they're not as high in quality as the later ones. But that's what you have to put up with when releasing practiclly all the games. Both the good AND no-so-good games have to come out because it's part of the deal, part of preserving the NEOGEO and arcade games' history.
@masterLEON Hope they start churning out their coin-ops too. Contra, Gradius, Bomb Jack...drool!!
@GrailUK ...Life Force/Salamander, Crazy Climber 2, Ajax, The Ninja Warriors, Gradius II, to add a few!
BRING THEM ALL!!
@masterLEON nomnomnom
The music and the sound effects NOSTALGIA ~
Certainly does look interesting. Considering getting this.
@Windy talk about nonsensical, Konami finally getting around to T-16 VC games on the Wii U (now that it's dead) instead of jumping into the Switch with those classics. Maybe they're waiting on Nintendo also?? Smh 🤦♂️
@Yasaal actually it's because they are adding online play ect to a lot of the old games.
@faint I don't think it'll take so long to add that to retro games, I mean they're practically ancient technology, so it would be very easy to add online play, if it takes 4 years to make BotW, it should take a few weeks or maybe 4 or 5 months for all necessary VC titles to be completed. Unless, if Nintendo is gonna stick the games behind the paywall of the membership, where things could (and will) get ugly...
@masterLEON Sheesh. Then looks like I'll have to put up with these titles (which are getting lamer by the week) until Nintendo decides to jump in too late? I'm not blaming Hamster for no VC, but blaming Nintendo for supposedly pushing their VC titles next year (or God knows when) because the NEOGEO titles are a substitute for VC for now. Why do I say that? Because I doubt NEOGEO titles and VC titles will overlap in their releases. Nintendo is substituting NEOGEO for VC... It's like they're saying "Put up with these games for now while we relax". The fall in quality for NEGEO titles is a different story, but why is Nintendo not releasing VC? Bc of a Paywall? Bc they're substituting? That's the issue here.
I used to like NeoGeo, until they were sold on the Switch... something about NeoGeo on Switch that is just not right. 🤔
NeoGeo used to be the most expensive console system, the game cartridge cost a few hundred dollars each and that was in the 80's/90's! Now each of these games is sold for a few bucks, it's sort of humiliating for a legendary console system. And for Switch, a powerful console running NeoGeo is also demeaning.
@Yasaal Nintendo is not saying "put up with" anything. The Neo Geo titles so far are quality titles minus 2-3 duds or so in my book but generally most of what is on offer are quality even Blues Journey is held in high regard and considered a classic by many. I never really hit Blue's up on arcades so I don't have an affinity towards it and will most likely skip it but damn the Metal Slugs, Shock Troopers, Samurai Shodowns, Garou and KOF series alone are critically acclaimed titles and own several of Hamsters published titles myself. Clearly this isn't just some quick holdover for VC but a legitimately good attempt at emulation with many updated and welcome features. No need to downplay the quality of Hamster releases cuz there's no VC yet. This is the VC of Neo-Geo titles and I doubt Ninty could do much better than what they've achieved thus far.
Love the tag in the opening headline 😂🤣
@Nincompoop Heh, funny how times change.
@MaSSiVeRiCaN First of all, actions speak louder than words. And. Nintendo is doing just that by not getting any VC on the Switch so far, though they haven't said so directly it pretty much makes sense why this is happening, bc Ninty just wants Switch owners to put up with NEOGEO titles, why else wouldn't they release VC early?
I've yet to see a NEGEO title that impresses me. You may be impressed but I'm not. In fact, I expected better, but got worse instead. Well, that's just an opinion... An opinion many on Reddit have mutually agreed upon too... I guess it depends on where we look.
@joey302 I cant wait for Xenoblade 2 also and will definately feel better when I get that in my grubby hands. I do like alot of Nindie titles and also look forward to Golf story. I also have issues with the eshop prices for switch. Im planning to get Gear.Club and Golf Story I just hope they dont hit us with some shocking prices.
@Windy jeez I haven't even played the first 2 lol. Have them both but still factory sealed. Golf story looks interesting and different. Gear Club is on my radar as I love a good arcade style racer. My guess is it will clock in at around $30. Some of the eshop prices are a bit high but that's why I usually wait on a sale even though Switch eshop hasn't had one yet. Hopefully the way the Switch library is quickly building, we will get a sale soon. Microsoft and Sony's crazy sales make me broke lol 😂
@joey302 actually the Switch eShop has had a sale on 2 games thus far. Tumbleseed & Graceful Explosion Machine.
@MaSSiVeRiCaN right and Snake Pass which I grabbed & Graceful. I read tumbleseed was too hard so I passed on it for now. But when I say sale I mean multiple titles discounted weekly. Waiting to see that. Would love to see a Neo Geo sale too lol! Probably too soon yet.
@joey302 yeah I usually hit the sales too. I have so many games on my 3DS it's sick. A majority I picked up on sale. I also have about 60 cartridges most of which I got on sale or used. It's the beginning of the Switch life and I sometimes forget that the 3DS pretty much started out this way.
Oh btw.....You should really unwrap that Xenoblade. It's pretty incredible. I didn't like the Wii-U version but the Wii version was pretty incredible. The 3DS version is great too. Either way awesome.
@Windy honestly haven't touched my 3DS since the Sega 3D classics games! I know many wouldn't agree, but I wish Nintendo would dump it already and focus solely on the Switch 😬 There I said it. Lol. But there's just too many 3DS owners to ignore right now. As far as Xenoblade goes I know I'll never even put a dent in it as lack of free time would not permit me to even try!
@joey302 The end of 3DS is coming. Although I'm in the keep it going camp. I am looking forward too Dragon Quest XI if Square will stop being stupid and just port it. I think Nintendo has already announced they will be handling the port for 3DS. Dragon Quest XI for Switch is going to be a huge ordeal on porting. I doubt we see that port for a very longtime if at all. I swear there is something wrong with Square and there has been for years. They take very minimal chances on ports and when they do take a chance, it seems to be digital anymore. They frustrate me to no end.
@Windy l hear ya. Very frustrating but again that port may still happen if Switch continues to sell. But even worse to me yet, is when you talk about Square from a classic perspective, they're doing absolutely nothing with all the Taito classics they own!! Space invaders, operation wolf, bubble bobble, rainbow islands, zoo keeper, Rastan, Qix, Ninja warriors, jungle hunt, Phoenix, elevator action, Darius Gaiden series, Legend of Kage, etc etc all must be locked up in a chest somewhere in the basement of Square's office building. Talk about a waste of classics! 🤢
(Sorry for the necro reply)
@Nincompoop I own a NEOGEO home system and I don't see it that way, though I may be in the minority. The only people I can think of who might lament investing in the NEOGEO home system and games are those collectors who only saw the system as an investment or as an "elite status" symbol, that's the portion of the hobby I shake my head at.
And nowadays, with the rereleasing of the games on current gen consoles and PCs, the old hardware is pretty much obsolete, anyway. Heck, the emulators have been good enough since 2000-01 if one were to go that route.
That said, I may never sell off my NEOGEO and my remaining 2 games. It's been with me for 23 years, and I'll never regret buying it. Because I know what I wanted it for, and I put in more than enough game time to make it worth every quarter.
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