I'm not complaining, Dazza. I respectfully disagree (about Mega Man 2), but I'm not complaining. There shall be more (hopefully respectful) controversy!
I mean, I can think of how a certain somebody here on the staff is reacting to not even a single shooter (such as Gate/Lords of Thunder) not getting a 10, either.
Zelda games are fairly distinct. Link to the Past has a really solid feel of classic fantasy done right (Lord of the Rings vein). This and OoT really towed the line of making sure they covered all the bases and could be called the ultimate Zelda games; big, epic, and didn't take as many chances or experimentation as Majora's Mask or Link's Awakening (the latter being my personal fav). The trade-off is risking coming across a tiny bit generic and by-the-book, which does happen a little.
Yeah, this is one of the two greatest orthodox Zelda games; in my mind, probably the better one. Great stuff, and lots of it--lots of big, gloomy dungeons. More story, more items than you could ask for (though remarkably, many of them prove awfully useful).
On the new rating scale, I'm going to look like the meanest reviewer ever to some people: 9/10
Yeah, it's less agreeable. And there will be more debate about old reviews matching the new scores like you said.
MM2 is my favorite game ever. So you can bet there was a little reaction from over here.
You're also right that most people don't use the scale right with 5 being average (Game Informer nixes that and compares their scaling to school. Who the hell wants to be reminded of SCHOOL when their reading about games?! ), and that's partly circulated by the people who don't want to see stuff they really like get called an average or just-above-average game. Who knows why, but to some, 3 stars tends not to look as bad as a 6/10. Plus, most of the stuff on the VC (generally) happens to be picked fairly well out of the vast number of games on their systems.
I'm sure VCR took what they did seriously, here, though. And that's what matters to me, I guess. (I just hope the same reviewers did the re-rating, of course).
With 1-10 scales there's more room for subjectivity, yeah. I know what ness is saying.
I mean, Nintendo makes "perfect" games (really, not to be messed with). Like, you're not going to pick at it and find a lot of technical flaws. And then other times you have games that aren't quite so "perfect," but arguably have a higher ambition level, which means more opportunities to make mistakes (and therefore results in varied opinions). Games I would personally give perfect 10's to are very few.
I think with scoring systems you can just do your own translation, like 8-10=5 (Rpgamer converted their ranking system the other way around )
Yeah, I tend to agree with the separate comments page thing. I can imagine what you guys are aiming for, but I don't know if people would think a whole lot about "is this comment pertinent to the game news or the game in general." I mean it's different from Wiiware because a lot of people comment based on already knowing what the game is like before it gets released on the VC. Just my 2 cents.
I'm really going on, but it might be kind of cool just to be able to see each others' "my games" thing. Especially for the eds, here.
^Haha. My sentiments exactly for Sonic in general. Sonic 2 is easier than the first game, except for the final bosses that suddenly decide to make sure you'll be playing this game all the way up to the end a zillion times. A really pretty game with nice music. 6/10
"It should be noted that in many platformers of the time, if you run faster, you jump higher--(mario, kid chameleon, etc)--Sonic doesn't follow this silly physics fallacy"
I'm going out on a limb, here, but is that really a physics fallacy? I'm picturing the Olympics . . .
The system of the rings--where you lose them all whether you have one or two hundred--I always feel is the dumbest platformer life-system ever. (That and the speed thing . . .) It's all not really aiming to be a thing of game-design perfection like Mario.
Sonic 3 had some great shticks. I mean, lots of clever action that you actually interact with.
But one thing is just weird about it, and that's the out-of-place exploration. The stage design is really enjoyable and is meant for blazing through rather quickly . . . and so why would you want to look around for secrets while you're at it? When I pick up this game again, I always think "oh yeah, I have to FIND all this junk in the game." Meh. Bad design choice. The stages are a lot longer than the other two games (I remember having trouble getting through one of them in under ten minutes), which is interesting and different.
Not bad at all, really. I think the original is the best (aside from Sonic CD) but this one is a good deal too. 7/10
General comment . . . thanks for the hard work on the site. It's especially great for us gaming oldsters. How old is 24 in video gamer years? <shudders>
Also--and this is just me--the generic Mario avatar still makes me do double-takes and think "gee, that guy sure likes to make a lot of posts."
Speaking of observant, it also let you guys completely re-rate some stuff. Not that I'm complaining; it's just funny to think that some of the flak on those boards that you guys got will be obsolete.
Overall, I've always liked the 1 to 10 scale better. Enough distinction without being overly hair-splitting.
Wow. It's that hard? I'm sorry to hear that you guys are disappointed.
You guys should try Castlevania Chronicles, the non-remixed version (I forget its original name). It's damn near impossible.
I thought Rondo and Vampire's Kiss were tougher than this. Everybody's pining for Rondo of Blood (Dracula X) . . . I wonder if people will change their minds about how much they thought they wanted the thing when it actually comes out.
I had a hard time believing that VC thing anyway. Even though Nintendo has jerked them around, does Hudson have much of anything better to do these days?
Ah, but then, perhaps, become more powerful than we can possibly comprehend? Not advisable.
But seriously, Earthbound has been extremely anticipated. How can anybody forget the weekly "WHERE'S EARTHBOUND" posts. It was that and SMRPG every single week for such a long time. And for all who bothered to pester Nintendo over the thing, thanks for the community service.
This was probably the first or second game I downloaded onto the VC. It's a classic? Okay . . . I'm determined to stick with it and wring as much fun out of this sucker that everybody else gets. It may take awhile (though I haven't yet persisted past level 3 since I got it).
My first impressions were, the platforming is murder; some of the weirdest mid-air physics ever. Really touchy and unforgiving. "Welcome to early-NES," right?
I own this game in two forms: Super Mario All-Stars and on the GBC Super Mario Bros. DX . . .
It's not as fun as SMB. Somehow, it just feels like a meaner rearrangement of the original. The original game (one of its remarkable feats) had such a nice crescendo of difficulty that made it so compelling and easy to pick up even after starting over for the millionth time. The difficulty here just feels more uniform to me, and the challenge is counter-intuitve--kind of "uncomfortable"--which takes away the rewards of progress. "Lost Levels" is a good title for this game--more SMB levels. Kind of like "deleted scenes."
I don't think I considered it too hard so much as kind of unsatisfying and unrewarding. To me, it only reinforces that SMB really was as great as I thought it was in the first place.
@Radioshadow "But why didn't Nintendo get sued in 1995? Why could they get sued for a game that is 14 years old?"
Excellent point. They didn't BUY any licenses at the time. So it's not like some properties with temporary licenses that ran out or something. So then, if they could get sued now for releasing it on the VC, they should be able to be sued for doing it in the first place 14 years ago just as easily. XD
I just wonder, with all this licensing stuff. Does this happen when, say, movies get rereleased (DVD or Blu-Ray)?
But (1) they didn't worry about being sued at the time and (2) getting sued for similarities to songs made afterward is . . . well, can that even happen in the most reason-deficient parts of the world?
^I don't think you'll be lost or anything. But a lot of plot points will be more meaningful if you've gone through the original.
For best results, play 'em all. The next best way is PS2 and then 4, as 2 is the game where most of the references are made. They really are all worth playing.
I enjoy lots of game music. The Genesis did have some moments, I'll admit. Maybe it's kind of an acquired taste, too.
But since you listed game music on the Genesis . . . well I can agree with a couple of those (namely Streets of Rage 2 and maybe the original. Some cool rhythms.) I would have added Castlevania: Bloodlines, Ristar and Contra Hard Corps (maybe). Genesis music really was at its best when it emphasized rhythms . . . where some of those harsh synths managed to give it a certain style.
But really, would you stack that up against:
Final Fantasy II+III Chrono Trigger Super Metroid (the king of awesome 16-bit sound in general) Super Castlevania IV Super Mario Kart ActRaiser Super Mario RPG Castlevania Dracula X aka Vampire's Kiss (AMAZING sound!) F-Zero Contra 3 Mega Man X (series)
Man, so many more . . . but I actually own a couple of those soundtracks.
I remembered when I played Super C again, it really pushes me over the edge in that overhead stage with the mouths coming out of the ground (I think stage 6). COME ON!
Super C is definitely inferior to the original. The design just feels kind of plain and not as interesting. Like so many such games, the value skyrockets with two players, tho.
I actually did find all the exits, both times I owned this game (SNES and the GBA port). I was kind of annoyed at all the koopas getting giant mario-esque heads with baseball caps (and stranger yet, you'd throw the heads around in the place of shells). Misfire.
But where do you even start? Super Mario World is a completely timeless classic. Similar to SMB 3 with its overworld stage select, which was more dynamic and exciting this time. In contrast, the difficulty was somewhat lower, and it hands out 1-ups like candy on Halloween--people regularly get a stock of over a hundred by the time they've beaten the game. It's one of the most frustration-free games I've ever played that doesn't feel "too easy."
SMW was a fantastic evolution from SMB3, keeping great ideas and adding all kinds of new ones. It's not as intense, for sure, with pacing feeling more scaled-out (that is, less focused than the quick action of SMB3) and with so many stages and multiple paths, it just gives and gives with memorable stage design every time (out of 96!). Required material!!! 9/10
. . . you know, one thing about this and most other pure platformers. The boss battles were largely kinda lame. But still fun.
Contra on roids? Nah. It kinda depends on my mood (they really are pretty close), but:
Contra 3>Gunstar Heroes>Metal Slug
GH's mostly uninteresting stages bug me. It's all in the boss fights which are epic (and oppressively strung-together toward the end. Sheesh). Both of those stomp all over MS in the control department.
Why is that "cheating"? What do you miss because of that? I knew they used the PC version of Sonic R--which made it look a LOT better.
In my wildest dreams, I'd love to see Sonic CD on the VC with the Japanese soundtrack. Memory compression worked for TG-CD stuff (though almost entirely for music). . . who knows? I suspected that Sega CD games mostly took up a lot more disc space, especially the actual game data file . . . prolly couldn't get it under Nintendo's limits. Plus, Sonic CD has a few anime cutscenes which are REAL space hogs.
Haha. It's Galaga but "Holy crap is that a space station painted in the background?!?! How dare anyone mess with one pixel of Galaga!"
This remake is amazing. By today's standards, naturally, 1988 doesn't seem like a date for a video game "remake." The design choices are extremely reverent of the source material, really just adding a little bit of flavor to the original's more dry experience. A risky move, but it preserves the pure, retro experience that predates efforts of complicating the space shooter genre and adds a little atmosphere.
5/5--HIGHLY recommended. The difficulty isn't all that nasty either. Very accessible, and just really hard not to like.
Tail's Adventure? Really? I tried that on Gems Collection briefly. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
I sure hope anybody who really likes Sonic gets a chance at Sonic CD (like, on the Gems collection for GC). It sure doesn't look like Sega CD titles will make it to the VC.
This game is surprisingly good. "More than meets the eye" has never been truer . . . cuz man, it sure doesn't look like much. It's got such a nice, slow, methodical pace that makes it a thinking-man's strategy more than an overhead twitch-fest.
Indeed the soundtrack is great. What a great surprise. Highly recommended for variety's sake! A must for an old-schooler.
I have this on the Anthology. Good stuff . . . somewhat style-over-substance, in my mind, but a great game to get AFTER Contra 3 and Gunstar Heroes. Unlike those two, however, Metal Slug is all macho without the acrobatics; it's more about having a quicker trigger-finger than the bad guys' rather than dodging dots, which is really unique to games prior to its time.
Many racing games of this era started getting real A.I. which makes them a great deal more legitimate today than racers of earlier times. I question "Super Mario Kart's" classic status, but the charm and interesting short courses keep it entertaining. MK for the DS, GC, and even the GBA are worth playing today. I'm not really sure why Mario Kart 64 was a big deal in the first place. Cheating racers (I had a racer right on my tail while I was using a mushroom), surprisingly ugly graphics, horrible collision detection and control (steering is ridiculously touchy, here). The racers aren't even 3D!
The only thing that makes this game entertaining is multiplayer, for which everyone is on the same page with its frustrations. What's so bad about Super Circuit, exactly?
Anybody heard of a game called "Brave Fencer Musashi" for the PlayStation1? Somehow I immediately think of it when I try to think of a game that did what SoM was trying to do, a little better--action/RPG with a good, more lighthearted plot, amazing music . . . or this other one called "Alundra."
I picked this up again, and finally got past that final boss . . . the most absurd boss fight in recent memory for me. It sticks its tongue out at you six times and, frankly, when I finally got it I lucked out.
The shop system is really annoying, because you have to equip a special weapon for a certain amount of time immediately after you leave the shop (limiting its usefulness in the last boss fights--when you would REALLY NEED them, you can't use them unless you die and can use the shop again). The bombs, likewise, can only be expended BEFORE you get to use your unlimited bombs again. There's not much to the stages, just blasting the enemy factories and avoiding really unpredictable (sometimes a good thing, for this kind of game!) hazards.
It sure isn't spit and polished. Like, the last string of boss fights could have been easier if the ship didn't reverse directions when flying away from a boss (where previously, it would stay pointed at the enemy).
But I love it anyway. It's way different, it's wonderful to look at, and it's just plain fun to mess with the gizmos you can buy--even if the high price for lightning speed rocket packs make no sense (who has THOSE kinds of reflexes? Sheesh) . Great cute-em-up, with an outrageously over-written back-story.
Even though I like to play FZ so much, I can't say I agree with it appearing on anybody's (IGN) top ten shmup list. As fun as it is, its design choices are overly sloppy.
^ Gate of Thunder may very well be the greatest shooter on the VC INCLUDING the arcade-style run-and-guns (like the Contras, Gunstar Heroes, Metal Slug . . .). I consider it about as different from Lords as any other side-scrolling space shooter, really.
But if you absolutely don't want Gate of Thunder . . . Axelay is the easy #3 for me. Six stages, three overhead, three side-scrolling. R-Type and Galaga are kind of the bread-and-butter classic shooters that might be a little too vintage for some, so newbies to shooters would prolly have trouble with that. Haven't gotten to Star Parodier or MUSHA yet, but the rep is good.
^yeah, it's definitely there. The most noticeable example is Zelda: Ocarina of Time which had a bare-minimum framerate to begin with (I have the Zelda Collection anyway, but I tried the demo of the emulation on SSBB), now looks downright choppy--consistent, but choppy.
". . . along with bonus content from the Master System and Sega's own 80's arcade games"
I'm bracing myself for seeing every Sega-developed VC SMS game on the thing. That was just the first link I googled for the collection. The game's official page says the releases are "yet to be revealed."
I thought it was a Genesis game, at first. I think I looked at the list and quickly saw "MD" where it would have said "SMS". I guess I'm kind of astonished, since it's actually a Sega-developed game.
You know the "Sega Ultimate Collection"? I want to see if this is one of the Master system games they're waiting to announce.
Cuz that would totally figure, as for why they're waiting to announce the MS titles on that disc. That collection got announced shortly after Shining Force 2 was available for download.
Surely. I just meant staring at the list of Castlevania 1,2 and 4. I've been all, "WHERE'S THREE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
It's IGA's (of the "Metroidvania" fame) favorite, which he references all the time with descendant characters like Alucard and Sypha. The optional characters thing was really mind-blowing back then, even if it's debatable which ones are worthwhile (Trevor could pretty much do everything himself anyway). Different Epilogues per character with all the different paths mean four different playthroughs--including lonely Trevor.
I actually liked Sypha, because of her amazingly powerful lightning spell.
"Sadly this probably indicates that they're not coming out on the VC anytime soon,"
Why? Weren't some games removed before (like SMRPG) and then come out suddenly before a rating came out again? Lots of games came out without having a rating on the site beforehand, right?
Piping into that discussion about N64 games, yeah, I had a hard time getting into the visual style of many of them, especially the character models. Ocarina of Time came the closest to tolerable I'd ever seen, and still, they looked kinda creepy.
Otherwise, finally, the gaping hole in Castlevania on the NA VC is filled. I don't know if I prefer this one or IV, but they are both, in my top ten on each respective platform (probably . . .).
Very cool. I also want Illusion of Gaia, Terranigma, and Lufia 2, Castlevania Bloodlines, Guardian Legend, Herzog Zwei, Faxanadu . . . Sheez, I could go on for a while.
I remember renting Battle of Olympus when I was a kid.
Imports: Ys IV!!!!!!!! . . . and all those other Turbo CD games Japan is holding hostage . . . Seiken Denetsu 3 ("Secret of Mana 2") SNES Mega Man: Wily Wars (curiousity, at least) Sonic CD, with the Japanese soundtrack
Yoshi's Island without the voice-over in the GBA version would sure be nice indeed (I'm a big fan of the GameBoy Player). I think people will be amazed when they try out the first Phantasy Star, especially knowing that it came out at the same time Dragon Quest in Japan.
Comments 386
Re: Super Metroid
Perfect 10/10 from me.
Re: Take Five and Double It!
I'm not complaining, Dazza. I respectfully disagree (about Mega Man 2), but I'm not complaining. There shall be more (hopefully respectful) controversy!
I mean, I can think of how a certain somebody here on the staff is reacting to not even a single shooter (such as Gate/Lords of Thunder) not getting a 10, either.
Re: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Zelda games are fairly distinct. Link to the Past has a really solid feel of classic fantasy done right (Lord of the Rings vein). This and OoT really towed the line of making sure they covered all the bases and could be called the ultimate Zelda games; big, epic, and didn't take as many chances or experimentation as Majora's Mask or Link's Awakening (the latter being my personal fav). The trade-off is risking coming across a tiny bit generic and by-the-book, which does happen a little.
Yeah, this is one of the two greatest orthodox Zelda games; in my mind, probably the better one. Great stuff, and lots of it--lots of big, gloomy dungeons. More story, more items than you could ask for (though remarkably, many of them prove awfully useful).
On the new rating scale, I'm going to look like the meanest reviewer ever to some people: 9/10
Re: Take Five and Double It!
Yeah, it's less agreeable. And there will be more debate about old reviews matching the new scores like you said.
MM2 is my favorite game ever. So you can bet there was a little reaction from over here.
You're also right that most people don't use the scale right with 5 being average (Game Informer nixes that and compares their scaling to school. Who the hell wants to be reminded of SCHOOL when their reading about games?! ), and that's partly circulated by the people who don't want to see stuff they really like get called an average or just-above-average game. Who knows why, but to some, 3 stars tends not to look as bad as a 6/10. Plus, most of the stuff on the VC (generally) happens to be picked fairly well out of the vast number of games on their systems.
I'm sure VCR took what they did seriously, here, though. And that's what matters to me, I guess. (I just hope the same reviewers did the re-rating, of course).
Re: Take Five and Double It!
With 1-10 scales there's more room for subjectivity, yeah. I know what ness is saying.
I mean, Nintendo makes "perfect" games (really, not to be messed with). Like, you're not going to pick at it and find a lot of technical flaws. And then other times you have games that aren't quite so "perfect," but arguably have a higher ambition level, which means more opportunities to make mistakes (and therefore results in varied opinions). Games I would personally give perfect 10's to are very few.
I think with scoring systems you can just do your own translation, like 8-10=5 (Rpgamer converted their ranking system the other way around )
Re: Review: Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (NES)
I feel bad every time I die in this game. "Man, that guy had a short life."
I love that screenshot: Baby with a snorkel!
Re: Take Five and Double It!
@ Captain_Konami
Yeah, I tend to agree with the separate comments page thing. I can imagine what you guys are aiming for, but I don't know if people would think a whole lot about "is this comment pertinent to the game news or the game in general." I mean it's different from Wiiware because a lot of people comment based on already knowing what the game is like before it gets released on the VC. Just my 2 cents.
I'm really going on, but it might be kind of cool just to be able to see each others' "my games" thing. Especially for the eds, here.
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
^Haha. My sentiments exactly for Sonic in general. Sonic 2 is easier than the first game, except for the final bosses that suddenly decide to make sure you'll be playing this game all the way up to the end a zillion times. A really pretty game with nice music. 6/10
"It should be noted that in many platformers of the time, if you run faster, you jump higher--(mario, kid chameleon, etc)--Sonic doesn't follow this silly physics fallacy"
I'm going out on a limb, here, but is that really a physics fallacy? I'm picturing the Olympics . . .
The system of the rings--where you lose them all whether you have one or two hundred--I always feel is the dumbest platformer life-system ever. (That and the speed thing . . .) It's all not really aiming to be a thing of game-design perfection like Mario.
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic 3 had some great shticks. I mean, lots of clever action that you actually interact with.
But one thing is just weird about it, and that's the out-of-place exploration. The stage design is really enjoyable and is meant for blazing through rather quickly . . . and so why would you want to look around for secrets while you're at it? When I pick up this game again, I always think "oh yeah, I have to FIND all this junk in the game." Meh. Bad design choice. The stages are a lot longer than the other two games (I remember having trouble getting through one of them in under ten minutes), which is interesting and different.
Not bad at all, really. I think the original is the best (aside from Sonic CD) but this one is a good deal too. 7/10
Re: Take Five and Double It!
btw . . .
General comment . . . thanks for the hard work on the site. It's especially great for us gaming oldsters. How old is 24 in video gamer years? <shudders>
Also--and this is just me--the generic Mario avatar still makes me do double-takes and think "gee, that guy sure likes to make a lot of posts."
Re: Take Five and Double It!
Speaking of observant, it also let you guys completely re-rate some stuff. Not that I'm complaining; it's just funny to think that some of the flak on those boards that you guys got will be obsolete.
Overall, I've always liked the 1 to 10 scale better. Enough distinction without being overly hair-splitting.
Re: Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Wow. It's that hard? I'm sorry to hear that you guys are disappointed.
You guys should try Castlevania Chronicles, the non-remixed version (I forget its original name). It's damn near impossible.
I thought Rondo and Vampire's Kiss were tougher than this. Everybody's pining for Rondo of Blood (Dracula X) . . . I wonder if people will change their minds about how much they thought they wanted the thing when it actually comes out.
9/10
Re: Hudson Not Abandoning Virtual Console After All?
I had a hard time believing that VC thing anyway. Even though Nintendo has jerked them around, does Hudson have much of anything better to do these days?
Re: Rumour: EarthBound Not Coming to Virtual Console
@The Fox
Ah, but then, perhaps, become more powerful than we can possibly comprehend? Not advisable.
But seriously, Earthbound has been extremely anticipated. How can anybody forget the weekly "WHERE'S EARTHBOUND" posts. It was that and SMRPG every single week for such a long time. And for all who bothered to pester Nintendo over the thing, thanks for the community service.
Re: Sin and Punishment
Great game. Had it for ages now, barely got around to it. Nutty scenario, but great pacing for an all-out, on-the-rails action game.
Re: Kid Icarus
This was probably the first or second game I downloaded onto the VC. It's a classic? Okay . . . I'm determined to stick with it and wring as much fun out of this sucker that everybody else gets. It may take awhile (though I haven't yet persisted past level 3 since I got it).
My first impressions were, the platforming is murder; some of the weirdest mid-air physics ever. Really touchy and unforgiving. "Welcome to early-NES," right?
BTW, the GB Kid Icarus is AWESOME!
Re: Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
I own this game in two forms: Super Mario All-Stars and on the GBC Super Mario Bros. DX . . .
It's not as fun as SMB. Somehow, it just feels like a meaner rearrangement of the original. The original game (one of its remarkable feats) had such a nice crescendo of difficulty that made it so compelling and easy to pick up even after starting over for the millionth time. The difficulty here just feels more uniform to me, and the challenge is counter-intuitve--kind of "uncomfortable"--which takes away the rewards of progress. "Lost Levels" is a good title for this game--more SMB levels. Kind of like "deleted scenes."
I don't think I considered it too hard so much as kind of unsatisfying and unrewarding. To me, it only reinforces that SMB really was as great as I thought it was in the first place.
8/10
Re: Rumour: EarthBound Not Coming to Virtual Console
^yeah, you're probably right about the time-window.
Re: Rumour: EarthBound Not Coming to Virtual Console
@Radioshadow
"But why didn't Nintendo get sued in 1995? Why could they get sued for a game that is 14 years old?"
Excellent point. They didn't BUY any licenses at the time. So it's not like some properties with temporary licenses that ran out or something. So then, if they could get sued now for releasing it on the VC, they should be able to be sued for doing it in the first place 14 years ago just as easily. XD
I just wonder, with all this licensing stuff. Does this happen when, say, movies get rereleased (DVD or Blu-Ray)?
But (1) they didn't worry about being sued at the time and (2) getting sued for similarities to songs made afterward is . . . well, can that even happen in the most reason-deficient parts of the world?
Such nonsense.
Re: Phantasy Star IV
^I don't think you'll be lost or anything. But a lot of plot points will be more meaningful if you've gone through the original.
For best results, play 'em all. The next best way is PS2 and then 4, as 2 is the game where most of the references are made. They really are all worth playing.
Re: USA VC Update: Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS
I got this on Capcom's Classic Collection. It was fantastic there, and co-op made it.
Re: EU VC Update: ClayFighter and Sonic Chaos
@Radioshadow
I enjoy lots of game music. The Genesis did have some moments, I'll admit. Maybe it's kind of an acquired taste, too.
But since you listed game music on the Genesis . . . well I can agree with a couple of those (namely Streets of Rage 2 and maybe the original. Some cool rhythms.) I would have added Castlevania: Bloodlines, Ristar and Contra Hard Corps (maybe). Genesis music really was at its best when it emphasized rhythms . . . where some of those harsh synths managed to give it a certain style.
But really, would you stack that up against:
Final Fantasy II+III
Chrono Trigger
Super Metroid (the king of awesome 16-bit sound in general)
Super Castlevania IV
Super Mario Kart
ActRaiser
Super Mario RPG
Castlevania Dracula X aka Vampire's Kiss (AMAZING sound!)
F-Zero
Contra 3
Mega Man X (series)
Man, so many more . . . but I actually own a couple of those soundtracks.
Re: Japanese Virtual Console list - February 2009
I got Section Z on Capcom Classics. Kind of interesting.
Re: Super C
I remembered when I played Super C again, it really pushes me over the edge in that overhead stage with the mouths coming out of the ground (I think stage 6). COME ON!
Super C is definitely inferior to the original. The design just feels kind of plain and not as interesting. Like so many such games, the value skyrockets with two players, tho.
Re: Super Mario World
I actually did find all the exits, both times I owned this game (SNES and the GBA port). I was kind of annoyed at all the koopas getting giant mario-esque heads with baseball caps (and stranger yet, you'd throw the heads around in the place of shells). Misfire.
But where do you even start? Super Mario World is a completely timeless classic. Similar to SMB 3 with its overworld stage select, which was more dynamic and exciting this time. In contrast, the difficulty was somewhat lower, and it hands out 1-ups like candy on Halloween--people regularly get a stock of over a hundred by the time they've beaten the game. It's one of the most frustration-free games I've ever played that doesn't feel "too easy."
SMW was a fantastic evolution from SMB3, keeping great ideas and adding all kinds of new ones. It's not as intense, for sure, with pacing feeling more scaled-out (that is, less focused than the quick action of SMB3) and with so many stages and multiple paths, it just gives and gives with memorable stage design every time (out of 96!). Required material!!! 9/10
. . . you know, one thing about this and most other pure platformers. The boss battles were largely kinda lame. But still fun.
Re: Soldier Blade
Axelay!
Re: USA VC Update: Sonic Chaos
@ Clayfrd + Starwolf
Oh . . . sheesh. I don't know why I had a hard time understanding that comment. O_o
Re: Gunstar Heroes
Contra on roids? Nah.
It kinda depends on my mood (they really are pretty close), but:
Contra 3>Gunstar Heroes>Metal Slug
GH's mostly uninteresting stages bug me. It's all in the boss fights which are epic (and oppressively strung-together toward the end. Sheesh). Both of those stomp all over MS in the control department.
Re: USA VC Update: Sonic Chaos
@Starwolf_UK
Why is that "cheating"? What do you miss because of that? I knew they used the PC version of Sonic R--which made it look a LOT better.
In my wildest dreams, I'd love to see Sonic CD on the VC with the Japanese soundtrack. Memory compression worked for TG-CD stuff (though almost entirely for music). . . who knows? I suspected that Sega CD games mostly took up a lot more disc space, especially the actual game data file . . . prolly couldn't get it under Nintendo's limits. Plus, Sonic CD has a few anime cutscenes which are REAL space hogs.
Re: Galaga '90
Haha. It's Galaga but "Holy crap is that a space station painted in the background?!?! How dare anyone mess with one pixel of Galaga!"
This remake is amazing. By today's standards, naturally, 1988 doesn't seem like a date for a video game "remake." The design choices are extremely reverent of the source material, really just adding a little bit of flavor to the original's more dry experience. A risky move, but it preserves the pure, retro experience that predates efforts of complicating the space shooter genre and adds a little atmosphere.
5/5--HIGHLY recommended. The difficulty isn't all that nasty either. Very accessible, and just really hard not to like.
Re: USA VC Update: Sonic Chaos
@rhytwo
Tail's Adventure? Really? I tried that on Gems Collection briefly. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
I sure hope anybody who really likes Sonic gets a chance at Sonic CD (like, on the Gems collection for GC). It sure doesn't look like Sega CD titles will make it to the VC.
Re: Gain Ground
This game is surprisingly good. "More than meets the eye" has never been truer . . . cuz man, it sure doesn't look like much. It's got such a nice, slow, methodical pace that makes it a thinking-man's strategy more than an overhead twitch-fest.
Indeed the soundtrack is great. What a great surprise. Highly recommended for variety's sake! A must for an old-schooler.
4/5
Re: Metal Slug
I have this on the Anthology. Good stuff . . . somewhat style-over-substance, in my mind, but a great game to get AFTER Contra 3 and Gunstar Heroes. Unlike those two, however, Metal Slug is all macho without the acrobatics; it's more about having a quicker trigger-finger than the bad guys' rather than dodging dots, which is really unique to games prior to its time.
Re: Mario Kart 64
In my opinion, this game borders on obsolete.
Many racing games of this era started getting real A.I. which makes them a great deal more legitimate today than racers of earlier times. I question "Super Mario Kart's" classic status, but the charm and interesting short courses keep it entertaining. MK for the DS, GC, and even the GBA are worth playing today. I'm not really sure why Mario Kart 64 was a big deal in the first place. Cheating racers (I had a racer right on my tail while I was using a mushroom), surprisingly ugly graphics, horrible collision detection and control (steering is ridiculously touchy, here). The racers aren't even 3D!
The only thing that makes this game entertaining is multiplayer, for which everyone is on the same page with its frustrations. What's so bad about Super Circuit, exactly?
Re: Secret of Mana
Anybody heard of a game called "Brave Fencer Musashi" for the PlayStation1? Somehow I immediately think of it when I try to think of a game that did what SoM was trying to do, a little better--action/RPG with a good, more lighthearted plot, amazing music . . . or this other one called "Alundra."
Re: MUSHA
Hey, so (calling Mr. Shooter Experts) this or Star Parodier for best overhead shooter on the VC?
Re: Fantasy Zone
I picked this up again, and finally got past that final boss . . . the most absurd boss fight in recent memory for me. It sticks its tongue out at you six times and, frankly, when I finally got it I lucked out.
The shop system is really annoying, because you have to equip a special weapon for a certain amount of time immediately after you leave the shop (limiting its usefulness in the last boss fights--when you would REALLY NEED them, you can't use them unless you die and can use the shop again). The bombs, likewise, can only be expended BEFORE you get to use your unlimited bombs again. There's not much to the stages, just blasting the enemy factories and avoiding really unpredictable (sometimes a good thing, for this kind of game!) hazards.
It sure isn't spit and polished. Like, the last string of boss fights could have been easier if the ship didn't reverse directions when flying away from a boss (where previously, it would stay pointed at the enemy).
But I love it anyway. It's way different, it's wonderful to look at, and it's just plain fun to mess with the gizmos you can buy--even if the high price for lightning speed rocket packs make no sense (who has THOSE kinds of reflexes? Sheesh) . Great cute-em-up, with an outrageously over-written back-story.
Even though I like to play FZ so much, I can't say I agree with it appearing on anybody's (IGN) top ten shmup list. As fun as it is, its design choices are overly sloppy.
Re: USA VC Update: Wonder Boy in Monster Land
Could this Wonderboy craze on the VC might mean we might see Monster World IV?
I dunno. They couldn't get away with not translating it. But here's hoping anyway.
Re: Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Don't have this emulation yet. I think start, select, A, B at the title screen gives you a music select.
Re: Lords of Thunder
^ Gate of Thunder may very well be the greatest shooter on the VC INCLUDING the arcade-style run-and-guns (like the Contras, Gunstar Heroes, Metal Slug . . .). I consider it about as different from Lords as any other side-scrolling space shooter, really.
But if you absolutely don't want Gate of Thunder . . . Axelay is the easy #3 for me. Six stages, three overhead, three side-scrolling. R-Type and Galaga are kind of the bread-and-butter classic shooters that might be a little too vintage for some, so newbies to shooters would prolly have trouble with that. Haven't gotten to Star Parodier or MUSHA yet, but the rep is good.
Re: ESRB Cleans Up
^yeah, it's definitely there. The most noticeable example is Zelda: Ocarina of Time which had a bare-minimum framerate to begin with (I have the Zelda Collection anyway, but I tried the demo of the emulation on SSBB), now looks downright choppy--consistent, but choppy.
Re: USA VC Update: MUSHA
http://kotaku.com/5078305/sega-reveals-splotchy-40-game-mega-drive-compilation
". . . along with bonus content from the Master System and Sega's own 80's arcade games"
I'm bracing myself for seeing every Sega-developed VC SMS game on the thing. That was just the first link I googled for the collection. The game's official page says the releases are "yet to be revealed."
Re: USA VC Update: MUSHA
@Stuffgamer1
. . . . . .
I stand corrected.
I thought it was a Genesis game, at first. I think I looked at the list and quickly saw "MD" where it would have said "SMS". I guess I'm kind of astonished, since it's actually a Sega-developed game.
Re: USA VC Update: MUSHA
You know the "Sega Ultimate Collection"? I want to see if this is one of the Master system games they're waiting to announce.
Cuz that would totally figure, as for why they're waiting to announce the MS titles on that disc. That collection got announced shortly after Shining Force 2 was available for download.
Re: ESRB Cleans Up
Man, the N64 sure has lost a lot of its thunder on account of licensing, no expansion pack, no controller pack, Rare being gone . . .
. . . but then, the N64 emulations had framerate issues anyway.
Re: USA VC Update: Castlevania III
@Shadx
Surely. I just meant staring at the list of Castlevania 1,2 and 4. I've been all, "WHERE'S THREE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
It's IGA's (of the "Metroidvania" fame) favorite, which he references all the time with descendant characters like Alucard and Sypha. The optional characters thing was really mind-blowing back then, even if it's debatable which ones are worthwhile (Trevor could pretty much do everything himself anyway). Different Epilogues per character with all the different paths mean four different playthroughs--including lonely Trevor.
I actually liked Sypha, because of her amazingly powerful lightning spell.
Re: ESRB Cleans Up
"Sadly this probably indicates that they're not coming out on the VC anytime soon,"
Why? Weren't some games removed before (like SMRPG) and then come out suddenly before a rating came out again? Lots of games came out without having a rating on the site beforehand, right?
Re: USA VC Update: Castlevania III
Piping into that discussion about N64 games, yeah, I had a hard time getting into the visual style of many of them, especially the character models. Ocarina of Time came the closest to tolerable I'd ever seen, and still, they looked kinda creepy.
Otherwise, finally, the gaping hole in Castlevania on the NA VC is filled. I don't know if I prefer this one or IV, but they are both, in my top ten on each respective platform (probably . . .).
Re: Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
This is in my top 10 NES games.
Re: Ten Games We'd Like To See On The Virtual Console In 2009
Very cool. I also want Illusion of Gaia, Terranigma, and Lufia 2, Castlevania Bloodlines, Guardian Legend, Herzog Zwei, Faxanadu . . . Sheez, I could go on for a while.
I remember renting Battle of Olympus when I was a kid.
Imports:
Ys IV!!!!!!!!
. . . and all those other Turbo CD games Japan is holding hostage . . .
Seiken Denetsu 3 ("Secret of Mana 2") SNES
Mega Man: Wily Wars (curiousity, at least)
Sonic CD, with the Japanese soundtrack
Yoshi's Island without the voice-over in the GBA version would sure be nice indeed (I'm a big fan of the GameBoy Player). I think people will be amazed when they try out the first Phantasy Star, especially knowing that it came out at the same time Dragon Quest in Japan.