Topic: Dark Void Zero: first impressions

Why should we go and read it in the help menu if you're gonna post the whole thing here?

Glad you like it, slapshot.

@Odnetnin.... yeah I do. As a old Nintendo Hardcore Guy. Im a huge Capcom fan, and getting to play a literally lost 2D Capcom game is flippin EPIC. Its a piece of gaming history that was nearly lost and somehow managed to see a release. That is really really cool in my book. I swear I almost felt like a 10 year old kid last night playing through it again, its been a long since anyone has played a New IP from Capcom in 2D, and man did it bring back some memories. If you didnt know the backstory of how Dark Void Zero came to be, it would be easy to pass it on as a really good cash in game for a handheld from a HD release game, as Dark Void released today on PS3/360. Ill take my DSi Dark Void Zero anyday. I really hope Capcom will bring out a release like Metroid Fusion, imagine how great of a game that would be!

@slapshot I would totally buy a full retail release (large expansion or sequel) in an instant.

How many people actually believe that whole backstory thing, just outta curiousity?

@Mickeymac It's way too convoluted and overwrought, so Capcom themselves have pretty much made me not believe it.

I'm sort of wondering if this Jimmy Fallon person in the backstory is the Jimmy Fallon we think he is, or just some random dude who has the same name as a celebrity.

I seriously doubt its not true. I think Its actually might be true, REASON, the HD Dark Void has the same cheesy character and enemies, I dont know, maybe its not true, but I kinda think it might be. I think if they put the time and effort into it to make the game, they would have put together more than just 3 levels. The Blow in the Cartridge is reason enough to buy the game at any rate

How is it way ahead of its time? Aside from the jet pack, it's quite ordinary. Good, but ordinary. And the jet pack, while fun, is not really revolutionary either. There were plenty of flying games before.

As for the history, well... Someone from Capcom was quoted in a Destructoid article: "It [Dark Void Zero)] was one of those ideas that sort of started out as a joke while listening to Bear McCreary’s 8-bit mix of the Dark Void theme, like 'wouldn’t it be funny if we did this?'... and then we actually did it." Doesn't sound too much like it's real, and all of the history has been over the top, especially the part about late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon winning the only copy of the game as a kid.

I'm playing through it for the tenth time (giving it the good old Mega Man test).

It's still good.

Rejoice.

The history is just a joke. I thought most people knew that. But it was fun playing along with it while it lasted.

Yeah I just thought the the kids name was Jimmy Falon, but yeah its kinda over the top.

@Adam.... had the game really been released in 87, Im sure it would have been a major hit, as the controls and gameplay to me are better than Bionic Commando.

Any controls are better than Bionic Commando's. But that's just one game. It's still just a generic run n gun with generic enemies + jet pack.

Blasphemy!!

I'm not sure I'd call it the best game on DSiWare. The lack of content disturbs me, and I'd really have liked an option to cycle through the levels at any time. This is a portable game, after all -- it should be heeding my schedule, not the other way around.

But I agree with everyone else that it is quite fun, despite the finicky flight controls. I didn't expect the music to sound so good, either. The best retro game on the service, hands-down, even if that doesn't mean much.

@WAIW.... well my friend it is a hardcore gaming experience and they usually Always are very lacking in the user options department as they usually make things a good bit easier.

Yes, there really ought to be an unlockable option to choose your level. They could have offered it as a time trial if keeping the game score-based was so important. The game isn't long, but it's still much too long to play in short bursts if you just want to play a certain level.

@slapshot How would that make it easier? The levels themselves would be unchanged, and you wouldn't be playing the whole game.

@Adam.... when you have to play through the first 2 levels to get to the 3rd one, with limited lives and no continues, it makes the difficulty harder, or maybe just more time consuming, seems harder as when you get there you sure not blazing thru it lol.

They could always reduce the number of lives if that were a concern. It's not a very portable experience this way. But if you're just playing a single level, why does it matter? Sure, they don't want you to breeze through the main game, but playing a single level? Even a no-extra-lives time trial mode would have been nice. The game is really short on content in all regards -- levels, features, enemy types, etc. -- when you consider the more fully developed NES titles going for the same price.

Not that most NES games of this sort have a level select, but they make up for it by offering more levels, enemies, and other stuff. For a portable game, a level select is pretty much the first thing you'd expect. But because they dressed the game in retro clothes, all these shortcomings are overlooked. I just hope it doesn't set a precedent for lazy games.

It just froze on me too... I was almost at the last boss of the final level. Since when do DSiWare games freeze?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!!? D:D:D:D:D:D:D: