@everyone who criticizes people who are irked by Cho Aniki
Let's be honest here--is Cho Aniki trying to be homoerotic or not? There's no way you can deny that it's sequels aren't. Try differentiating between the content of something and what that something condones (not all violent movies suggest it's okay to go on shooting sprees, for instance).
"So back to SMRPG. Has anyone fought and beatin that final fantasy IV boss that's in Monstro town? Edit: I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who actually hasn't killed him. I've tried numerous amounts of times and I've gotten nowhere."
I did. Not exactly the toughest extra boss in an RPG. I cannot remember a strategy for it or anything after all this time.
That was why I thought Elecman was just about the coolest boss in the series--he looks awesome too. Use Cutman's weapon on him, he'll fall in three hits.
Hm, I'm still reading comments about Ys battle system. Time for another Ys report from this N00b.
Let me see if I can illustrate it as a sort of "auto-battle." Stats and equipment are compared with the opponent as you approach making it sort of a cross between an actionRPG and a traditional one (just quickly calculated, instead of cutting to a battle sequence). The final battle of Ys I, especially, really made me appreciate the effectiveness/uniqueness of the battle system. Plus, you can also throw fireballs liberally in Ys II. Beyond that, it's so well-designed for what it is--being a remake, it's highly polished with EASILY the most well-balanced difficulty I've ever seen in a game this age. The dungeons are just right, too, not to easy or too hard, and the ability to save anywhere (not just the Wii's temp-save) is a big plus.
"About the only downside to playing Super Mario RPG first is that it will make the visuals in Ys seem downright pitiful."
Yeah but the hand-drawn artwork is timeless. My favorite Turbo-16/Duo game by far, followed by Gate of Thunder. Ys Book I & II vs. SMRPG . . . hm. The former is new to me, the latter is near and dear to me ever since it came out in '96. Gosh . . . as amazing as it sounds, I might just be leaning toward Ys Book I & II (haven't QUITE finished book II). It certainly runs circles around what I've played of Landstalker, Beyond Oasis, Star Tropics, Neutopia . . .
As for the debates that come up around here (and in general), Corbie said it right. I tend not to mind outrageous statements or heated arguments so long as the one starting it doesn't pull the "Waah you're being MEAN" noise when he/she gets rebuked equally passionately--throwing stones from a glass house. Be prepared for a passionate/aggressive response (to the argument, not the person), if you know a statement is going to disagree with others' the way it does, then it's fair game and nobody's going to let it get under their skin--at least that's how it is for me, so even if I'm wrong about a detail or two I don't feel like a loser . Lots of us, myself included, have been there, picking battles and leaving others.
As someone who is in seventh heaven with Ys for the first time, it is kind of unfortunate that that might get overlooked--especially since Hudson's success with the thing might vaguely mean some hope of its sequels (not to mention remakes) getting localized, finally. It wouldn't be the first time for such a thing to happen with an old JRPG.
But about this release:
As someone who got both SMRPG and Paper Mario when they both came out, I have a really hard time with the Paper Mario when I compare it with this game, which is to say, when I don't, I end up enjoying Paper Mario for what it is.
Square has been the equivalent of Disney (hence their collaborations) in their expertise of creating worlds and original characters. Their RPGs are exceptional at taking a player through many distinct, fully-realized worlds while still holding onto a cohesive storyline. Super Mario RPG actually took all kinds of chances with the Mario universe for once, even daring to write fairly filled-out personalities for characters like Peach and Bowser that succeeded and made sense (the latter being absolutely classic), and take them through new territories while expanding familiar ones. I find it hard to argue that Super Mario RPG didn't take WAY more chances in this regard than any of its successors (yes, my library is TTYD-deficient for the time being).
Super Mario RPG is probably more a "Square game" than a "Nintendo game," but this gig for Square was handled with such great respect for its source material that this neither feels like an "RPG with Mario pasted in it" nor a lazy cash-in with established icons. (the latter is kind of how I felt about Paper Mario at the time, with almost NO new worlds, characters, or storyline more than an extension of the platformers' stories) Looking back, it also probably didn't help that I was playing Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2, Final Fantasy IX, and Chrono Cross and many other super-ambitious RPGs around the same time. (As for FFIX, old-school look with new horsepower and some gameplay WAS ambitious for the time) I believe the collaboration was an epic success.
Easily one of my top-ten SNES games, which I don't say lightly. It's simply escapist entertainment at some of its finest.
I'm in the middle of Book II of Ys right now. I plan to write some more on the game's comment page when I finish.
The short of it, though, is that you really do have to get this game. It is as simple as that. It's kind of profound that almost ALL of the first game's action is done with one hand walking into enemies, but it's not a bad change of pace, so to speak (the second game you use magic with a button). The story--while many stories in games today are often seen as overwritten--is rather minimalistic but quite excellent and well-told. It's basically a really good (and very playable) old-style RPG, not hard to get into or finish at all. I got stuck once, I think, in Book 1. Just FYI
I haven't played as many games on the Genesis as on the SNES or even TG-16, but I really think Phantasy Star 2 is one of the very best games on the system. PS2 and 4 (and the original on the SMS) are a wonderful, fantastic franchise which would have very nearly been worth mentioning along with Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest had it only kept GOING--granted, PS1, 2, and 4, are basically a trilogy that are a complete story, and 3 is sort of a sidestory that ties into it in an interesting way.
I recommend somehow getting the original Phantasy Star and going through that first as (for once) these RPGs have some continuity. The first two games have some of the meanest dungeons ever (PS2 was originally packed with a guide with maps). I'm tempted to say that, in spite of its quirks, this is the series' high point, though they ALL must be played. The overall story and presentation is fantastic, with a compelling setting.
I'm into Ys now. Loving it. I am incredibly happy now. I'd even call it one of the best reasons to own a Wii all by itself, especially since this is the only way to own this game other than tracking down an old copy and a turbo duo ($300 or so).
Plus, as a jaded RPGamer, it's a fantastic treat to me to play another classic RPG (that is, from that era).
And what is this noise about the file size? How long do some people expect to go before they'll need an SD card at some point?
@Corbie
Sorry to be a pill, but I was still curious about the question I had about which Ys IV you were talking about before as I am now determined to track it down.
Free at last. Ys is finally out. It's been in Japan for well over a year. This was the game I was biting my tongue and refraining from going on about week to week. I almost paid over $250 on ebay to get a Turbo Duo just for this game.
Now I can finally see what all the old fuss was about--$8. Samurai Shodown 2 I'll check out with the SS collection (should be less than the cost of three of those games).
"Ys IV was fan translated and is what I consider the best of the series."
@Corbie
Which Ys IV, Mask of the Sun (SNES) or Dawn of Ys (Turbo CD)? I'm going to HAVE to find that fansub, then. Also, have you done Ys V and was it good?
Gah. I am so annoyed with all these writers saying how hard MM1 is (note: not VCR). It's definitely the hardest in the original series, but I wouldn't call it as hard as ANY shmup on the VC. But then, that may be because of that genre's miserable habit of limited continues (oh yeah, I'm absolutely in LOVE stage 1 after seeing it after the millionth time ) that adds stress of an actual threat of making you lose progress. At least THAT doesn't happen in Mega Man. Speaking of which, that was a completely awesome Mega Man tradition, of eight selectable stages and THEN a sequence of levels. The lack of energy tanks (in all the sequels except MM8) makes it tougher too. Still, no limited continues
^^ In that case, totally go with the collection. I haven't played the GC version of it, so I don't know how it controls. But indeed those games should NOT be missed. In fact, I've never known an old sidescroller action series of any kind to have such an intricate story.
I agree with Adamant's comments, except that for us purists, the A/B swap really is a problem with the collection--tapping with the inside of your thumb while holding jump with the outside=soreness and somewhat less efficient. And the yellow devil is not hard, it just takes paying attention to what parts fly at you to the other side (you get some warning). I can't believe retrogamer described Mega Man 2's difficulty as something like "trying to live without kidneys" or some stupid comment like that.
It's not as hard as any shmup here. No limited continues. It's challenging but almost entirely fair. Maybe as tough as Super Mario Bros or so? Hard to compare.
It varies shooting with platforming in ways that I can't say I've seen anywhere else quite like it, which means pacing and less frustration. I'm kind of "biased" I guess since Mega Man 2 is my fav game of all time, and the first Mega Man isn't all that inferior, but distinct.
Terrific platformer! It can be rather difficult, since losing all your lives means starting at the beginning. It's probably the best Sonic game next to the series pinnacle, Sonic CD, partly thanks to predating the rather nonsensical Sonic and Tails team-up, and better level design than its three Genesis sequels. The speed thing is decidedly a gimmick (and a red herring in its marketing), since there is simply no way to see far enough ahead to be running at Sonic's higher speeds and yet be able to react to surprise hazards--speed kills, and the level design of all the Sonic games never really catered to the act of running at high speeds more than any other platformer; Sonic 2 was loaded with way too many "watch Sonic go fast" sections which was a rather questionable way of solving that issue. It also has some of the Sega edginess in its mascot with "attitude," though the quality of level design prevails here, edged out only by Sonic CD. 4.5/5
When I first got this in its day, my first reaction was how such a technically impressive (for its time) game seemed to be so simple and straightforward.
This game is more enjoyable when thought of as part of a great trilogy of platformers. It really isn't all that inspired and definitely not too ambitious, especially in the face of other SNES platformers, although its still really enjoyable. Sequels did nothing but improve, however. 4/5
What I don't understand is why Mario keeps Donkey Kong around. I mean, Donkey Kong wanted the princess, but what does Mario want with DK?
Yeah this is almost as fun as Donkey Kong. Similar goals but plays totally differently. Like DK, classic but can be beaten in five minutes--a buck a minute.
This really is a classic, there's no question of that. The problem is, It can be beaten in less than five minutes, which makes it HARD to justify spending $5 on it. And after that I'm not sure I'd want to play it over and over again.
(See if you can find the absolutely, ABSOLUTELY awesome Donkey Kong on the Gameboy, which was very long and had more moves and levels for probably the same price used.)
This game has fantastic style, like the whole series. The whole theme of beating through classic monsters all the way up to the final boss, Dracula, is great, with cool variety in environments up to that point. Great music, character design, and good gameplay mechanics, with the whip and a secondary weapon. I beat this game when I was a kid and find it to be easier than I remember, but it is definitely a challenge--though mostly a fair one. A great, classic beginning to a great series. 5/5
EDIT: Everybody raise your hand if you LIKE medusa-heads! . . . . . . .
. . . . . I don't see many hands. See Konami? That was MEAN. (sorry, was just playing Rondo of Blood)
I really wish they made a new Castlevania in this style, especially in 3D. 4/5
The toughest thing for me about this game is the crazy level layout. I mean, you'll descend stairs from the middle of a forest underground, and then you'll be in a town . . . that's underneath a forest! (yet the sun is out) So it's hard to remember how to get to places in light of that making no sense at all. Otherwise talking to townspeople (if only you could whip some of them), buying items and power-ups, and just generally exploring the wilds rather than just point A to point B are a really cool variation on the theme. Great graphics, artwork and music here, too! The level-layout REALLY hurts it more than anything else--especially since you get different endings based on how fast you finish the game--and the absence of bosses, except for the lame Dracula battle.
"Metroid is the single most dated classic Nintendo game ever made. I can't honestly recommend it to anybody, really. Super Metroid does everything it does except 50 times better."
For awhile, I thought the same thing. Super Metroid completely improves on this game.
As strange as it sounds, however, there's a certain eeriness to the way this game almost doesn't feel like it's meant to be beaten. Sometimes game design can often feel rather deliberate, like the game-world is clearly catering to the player. In Metroid, oftentimes when you wonder what to do next, the solution is rather unspectacular, like placing a bomb over just the right place that seems completely meaningless. Or "why did I just go through three caverns that were mostly the same thing?" (yes, a few areas are totally redundant, which is not good). Yup. You're in a totally unfriendly, unexplored place. Why should it "make sense"?
I might be inclined to knock certain things as dated game design, but I'm compelled to reconsider, as the fact is the feel of haphazardness actually adds to the eerie atmosphere that this game is aiming for. It's not really nasty-hard, either, and knocking around in it methodically WILL get you through it. I've played through this game like a thousand times, in spite of thinking that I shouldn't be enjoying it as much as I was. 5/5
There are plenty of sequels that supposedly "improve upon the predecessor in every way." People say that about Super Mario Bros. sequels all the time, yet many still respect the original like the Citizen Kane of videogames (which it is). In this case, yes, Super Metroid is superior to its predecessor for sure, but I'm veering away from the camp that calls the original obsolete because of the fact.
I had this back in the day. I got it again, and remembered something that I totally forgot about it.
It's fun, but it's too bad it's essentially a total sham, as I am 99% sure that this is one of those CHEATING RACING GAMES, where the computer speeds up or slows down the opponents relative to your performance (as likewise, it's suspiciously easy to recover from a low position). The difficulty settings, of course, therefore effect how much magic the computer gives the other racers. Granted, this is extremely common in old racing games (what's A.I.? ) but when you know your loss is due to something like this it's hard to put up with.
For a nostalgia trip only. It's dated. It's been improved upon in its most fundamental game design. Some may like the visuals, but I thought they were rather phony-looking even at the time, and the whole thing looks inescapably FLAT and yet pixelated (well, okay, two layers of flat, including the backdrop for the roads).
Another game on the VC that I can't imagine anyone who's really familiar with would download. There are games we want to remember, and others forget about. 2/5
I own this game three ways--the original cart (a gold one;)), the Zelda GC collection, and the other one that includes Master quest.
I played the demo on SSBB for this, and I can't believe nobody's complaining about the framerate. This clearly happens with all the N64 games on the VC to some extent--again, I'm amazed no one's noticing--but it's really noticeable here since OoT's framerate was pretty much the bare minimum for 3-D in the first place.
Anyway, yeah, this game is epicness. The only thing that hurts it for me is that I feel it slightly over-hyped. A major problem I have with this game--Hyrule field. How long did we spend just running into the distance through that nondescript central area, dissipating the excitement of getting to where we wanted to go? The slower, more spread-out nature of this game clearly hurts the Zelda-draw of using new items to reach old, previously unaccessible places (and items). This is why I felt Metroid Prime was a slightly better 3D adaptation of its respective source material, better preserving that quickness felt in 2D, where Zelda really lost that in the gameplay department (in the interest of making this game feel more realistic and immersive). Also, though the scope and feel of the game are really epic, the story and scenario within seems really standard fare. And the early dungeons were pretty weak.
Anyway, that was just me trying to pin down why this game wasn't QUITE the second coming to me as it was to others, but my gripes are really rather minor. 5/5
I played this game on the Genesis Collection and thought, "they did WHAT?" I cannot believe they even made this game, let alone re-release it three times (PS2, PSP collections, and VC), even while the series still goes on why would they want this to be remembered?
It's actually some dumb fun if you somehow forget the fact that this is based on a top-tier 3-D fighter, but the prospect of anyone spending eight bucks on this thing . . .
I got my Nintendo with this game and Super Mario Bros. when I was six. This was actually the first game I ever beat, and little did I know how unfairly I was being punished back then. This was the kind of game on the NES that turned lots of us into child-soldiers! "Kiddy" games are synonymous with easy, now. They weren't back then (though I don't think games are "too easy" these days like some people do--try Ninja Gaiden on "master ninja" difficulty and then rave about how easy games are now).
It's really hard for me to be unbiased, here. It doesn't feel like a half-hearted attempt at a game at all, compared to many shovel-ware titles back then (this is a Konami game, after all). They threw in lots of interesting ideas and rather interesting scenarios of gameplay. In the end, though--thanks to so many frustrations in control, respawning enemies, and weird obstacles to progression--it is decidedly damned to mostly being remembered videogame Exhibit A of cheap, cheap, CHEAP! 2/5
Gunstar Heroes is full of epic action and great boss battles. Anyone who knows anything about Treasure is familiar with its "boss fetish" (to borrow the phrase from Wikipedia).
Therein lies a major complaint I have with this game. Many stretches of the levels in this game are really repetitive or non-descript, just throwing more and more bad guys at you, clearly indicating that the developers gradually lost interest in the level design and left it in the boss fight they were crafting for the end of the level--this is especially frustrating when you are repeating a stage, trying to preserve your life for said (often fierce) boss fights. Another unfortunate problem is the way you have to choose, before you even start playing, whether you have the capacity to run-and-gun or fire in all directions from standing in place, thanks to the limitations of the Genesis controller (though the excellent GBA sequel, Gunstar Super Heroes, fixed this problem VERY well). It's rather sad, since the ability to do either per different situations would really help.
It's a Genesis classic, to be sure. The graphics are colorful and energetic, and controls are unique among shooters for having moves like sliding to attack enemies in addition to shooting. However, some of its faults make memories of it less perfect than similar games in the genre (Contra 3 comes to mind). 4.5/5
This game is a tough pill to swallow. The review says it all.
The execution is so poor, here, with the concept of a knight who, somehow, absolutely CAN'T slow down or turn around (what the hell? Is the land sliding off the edge of the world behind him?!) it's rather hard to imagine how this idea could have been done right.
As much as I want to give it a tiny bit of credit for the fantasy setting and original idea, it's frustrations and lack of any sense makes it a miserable experience if taken with slightest bit of seriousness. 1/5
I thought the first Bonk was solid, good fun, but kind of bizarre and unremarkable--not exactly a console mascot to brag about in the face of Sonic or Mario.
But Bonk 2! Totally a classic platformer. Some serious creativity and passion managed to come out in a sequel that makes the original a shadow by comparison. I actually don't think it compares badly with, say, the Genesis Sonic games. 5/5
As soon as I pick up fire 3 and the shield item, I can reliably make it ALL the way to area 9 without losing a single ship.
And then I get consummately stomped, all the way through sixteen ships and four continues. HELP!
Oh and great game of course. Fluid controls, great stages, and not overly-oppressive on the number of killer, slow-moving dots at once. My favorite vertical shooter, I think, though I haven't gotten Star Parodier yet. My only criticism--although this hits pretty much every such shooter ever made, really--is that it's so incredibly hard (hence my above frustrations) to re-power-up your ship after it gets destroyed that one death is very likely to result in another soon after. And that obnoxious difficulty spike at the end.
I stumbled on your top ten list of shooters under the Gyrostarr thread. I didn't pay too much interest to old-style shooters in their time, but I have about a dozen on the VC now and I instantly thought Gate of Thunder was the greatest ever and (likewise) slightly better than Lords. GoT is just superbly-crafted and totally inspired, really feeling like the developers meant every single enemy placement and obstacle in level design for once, rather than just throwing all their ideas at you haphazardly. Plus, the ability to shoot backward is another huge aspect of the gameplay. Lords has its own fantastic innovations, but is not quite the exact science that is GoT, where it's totally your own fault if you get hit by something. And have you played the masterpiece Panzer Dragoon Orta (modern, on-the-rails shooter)? Same thing--challenging without cheapness.
But Axelay was #4 on your list but here you said that Star Parodier was the best vertical-scrolling shooter on the VC. What the deal?! Also, is there a particular reason you picked the Dreamcast version of Ikaruga?
Yeah, I agree: the ending changed the bummed feeling you get from the sidequests being undone. This may be another memory lapse on my part, but maybe the some of the completed sidequests stayed complete once they were totally done? (not midway through) And yes I know about the inverted song of time and it does make life a lot easier for getting things done. I also have that Versus Books guide too, and it is excellent. Casey Loe is the best guide-writer ever.
For whatever reason, almost all of the games on the Genesis Collection for the Playstation2/PSP are on the VC now, which had Phantasy Star 2, 3, and 4, Sword of Vermillion.
I didn't know about that controller pack/expansion pack thing. I thought some game (maybe it was Waverace 64?) did have a controller pack function. But that's totally lazy of Nintendo to not work around those issues.
"The side quest part especially put a bad taste in my mouth, since most of the time it just made what you do seem pointless, since once the three days were over, whatever you were trying to fix just went back to the way it was."
Though I praised the cool sub-plots that are especially strong in Majora's Mask, that did kind of hurt the meaningfulness of doing all the good deeds, knowing that everything would be undone aside from procuring the rewards.
@StuffGamer1
The VC is definitely weak on traditional RPGs. Another reason is surely because they're so ageless and marketable for rerelease--nobody's going to gripe too much about paying full-price for a mostly unaltered version of the thirteen-year-old Chrono Trigger on the DS. A shmup would never get away with that. People want longevity for their buck these days.
Maybe this sounds weird, but an RPG is also something I like to be able to put on a shelf like a good book.
Guys . . . look up "Mad World," "No More Heroes," or BMXXX or whatever it was called. 'Nuff said. And Wolfenstein 3D (full of Nazis) came out on the GBA.
There was also the matter of TIMING. My memory about specifics is hazy, but many events won't start until a certain or day, leaving time constraints on how long you had to deal with a quest or explorations of areas. That also means you can't just wander around and stumble on things to do quite as easily--you have to be there at the right time. I can't remember, but I think some dungeons were like this. I agree Majora's Mask should not be missed, but just abandon a LOT of preconceived notions about how to play a Zelda game and what to expect. Some of it is clearly somewhat broken (not to put it too severely) because of inconsistencies in the time-travel mechanic, with what somehow stays and what doesn't, but it's totally unique and epic in its own right.
I also didn't mean the absence of Zelda to be a knock on it at all, btw.
Yeah, you're right, except for a heart piece that's obtainable when you've deposited 4,000 rupees or whatever it is. I think there were other deposit-bonuses too, like larger wallets. I mostly meant that as an example of inconsistency--that is, trying to use logic or common sense about what goes and what stays is a lost cause. It's trial and error for a lot of things without a guide--especially the sidequests. But I really do think it's worthwhile to stick it out and call it a classic (the final boss was awesome and fairly challenging, as I recall). I just remembered, Majora's Mask is the only Zelda game without Zelda in it (Link's Awakening technically didn't, but there was Marin).
EDIT: On the positive side, the emphasis on sidequests (MAN did you have to work for heart pieces!) isn't a bad thing in itself, as all the sub-plots were legitimately interesting--this, rather than working them into a detailed main storyline. It's just so different from other Zeldas I think people go in with expectations. Majora's Mask+guide=worth it.
I had a hard time with Majora's Mask myself, but the dungeon designs were absolutely fantastic (once I got over the fact that there were only four). The mask system was also a very cool variation on the Zelda theme.
But why do I keep heart pieces, special items and yet lose all my rupees? You had to use that (rather dishonest ) bank system, which was just one of the many things that was kind of a pain. Not to mention being in the middle of a dungeon on day three and you had to restart the days, and crawl all the way back to it to finish it--kind of added stress. I also thought it was sidequest hell, especially with the less-than-absolutely-consistent time mechanic leaving you wondering what's going to stick in the world and what isn't (and why should anything, if you're really going back in time?).
Still, it's more than worth putting up with when you think of it as an experimental Zelda (otherwise people would complain about it feeling like a rehash of Ocarina of Time) and admire its ambition. I recommend playing with a guide.
@Stuffgamer1
I tend to agree, RPGs age gracefully thanks to story, artwork, and music and the fact that technology doesn't affect the gameplay so much one way or the other.
I think people are mostly mad at the fact that Nintendo doesn't give answers to questions one way or the other. Nobody has their facts completely straight, and that's kind of the point. When nothing is said at all, it's rather easy to assume that the reason for the silence actually is because the reality would make people nuts. I've never seen so many interviews with people saying "I can't answer that" with games as with the VC. So most of us suspect that the real reasons, therefore, probably don't have our short-term interests in mind.
Morale on the Wii front is kind of on the low side right now without major releases happening and looking rather distant, and Black Monday was a serious insult to injury, seeing as how it's all but certain Nintendo could have totally given the green light to that crowd-pleasing trio of releases.
I dunno. Maybe people should be more trusting?
EDIT: Granted, I'm not really. I generally think it's good for people to speak their minds and feelings (honesty the best policy) to give the powers that be a clue what they can do for their consumers.
"As for buying SS1 or waiting for SS2, that's a tough one. Both are outstanding and since we don't know how long the wait will be for the US Virtual Console release of SS2, it might be worth it if you just can't wait any longer. If it were me, I'd at least give it until next Monday and see if it comes out then."
What about waiting for the collection that will have every Samurai Shodown game on it?
If Rearmed is coming out for everything but Wiiware, I imagine that the Wii hardware must not be up to running it. But Mr. Cheez's explanation of why Nintendo doesn't want the original is the only explanation that vaguely makes sense.
I always wondered if Nintendo holding back RPGs had something to do with the longer playtime. Shooters essentially go by faster, or you finally start giving up for a while after seeing level 1 a thousand times and level 6 ONCE. (Does it sound like I HATE limited continues?)
But if you were engrossed in a sixty-hour RPG or two, how often would you check the VC and be clamoring for more games?
Panzer Dragoon Saga is a four-disc game--I somehow doubt it. Sega failing to re-release that game in any form since the Saturn version is totally inexplicable, and is the worst videogame tragedy I know of. Even with data-compression I can't see how that game would fit onto the Wii's entire system memory.
I want to know what happened to Ys IV (both of them) and V. WHY did they not make it westward, all the way to this day? There were even remakes of some of this series and still they weren't localized. (And Japan-only remakes of the Phantasy Star series too)
For everyone skeptical about Ys--I've never played it either--isn't it also the timeless elements of story, artwork, and music that makes RPGs age better than most other genres? And relatively non-frustrating gameplay, too, which is another nice break.
As for the music, I also scored a few remix CDs of the stuff which is priceless ("Symphony Ys" and "The Best of Ys") and the orchestral arrangements are superlative, almost making it hard to hear the original sound version for me.
LOL--more/different people wanting Earthbound and Super Mario RPG! Let 'em speak!
Really, if it were a case of a game getting delayed because it needed more time to get polished or something, I'd be on people's cases about whining too. (I don't think I've ever complained about a development-related delay for games I'd been following)
Star Parodier really looks fantastic and I'm glad it's finally out, but I'm taking a break from buying shooters for now (I have about a dozen). They really can start to get old a bit faster than other genres, in my opinion, but I'm glad to finally get to dig into this genre a bit with the VC since I passed it up back in the day--I didn't consider them worth $40-$50 compared to other games back then.
Comments 386
Re: USA VC Releases: Cho Aniki and Final Soldier
@everyone who criticizes people who are irked by Cho Aniki
Let's be honest here--is Cho Aniki trying to be homoerotic or not? There's no way you can deny that it's sequels aren't. Try differentiating between the content of something and what that something condones (not all violent movies suggest it's okay to go on shooting sprees, for instance).
Re: USA VC Releases: Super Mario RPG and Clu Clu Land
"So back to SMRPG. Has anyone fought and beatin that final fantasy IV boss that's in Monstro town? Edit: I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who actually hasn't killed him. I've tried numerous amounts of times and I've gotten nowhere."
I did. Not exactly the toughest extra boss in an RPG. I cannot remember a strategy for it or anything after all this time.
Re: Mega Man
That was why I thought Elecman was just about the coolest boss in the series--he looks awesome too. Use Cutman's weapon on him, he'll fall in three hits.
Re: USA VC Releases: Super Mario RPG and Clu Clu Land
Hm, I'm still reading comments about Ys battle system. Time for another Ys report from this N00b.
Let me see if I can illustrate it as a sort of "auto-battle." Stats and equipment are compared with the opponent as you approach making it sort of a cross between an actionRPG and a traditional one (just quickly calculated, instead of cutting to a battle sequence). The final battle of Ys I, especially, really made me appreciate the effectiveness/uniqueness of the battle system. Plus, you can also throw fireballs liberally in Ys II. Beyond that, it's so well-designed for what it is--being a remake, it's highly polished with EASILY the most well-balanced difficulty I've ever seen in a game this age. The dungeons are just right, too, not to easy or too hard, and the ability to save anywhere (not just the Wii's temp-save) is a big plus.
"About the only downside to playing Super Mario RPG first is that it will make the visuals in Ys seem downright pitiful."
Yeah but the hand-drawn artwork is timeless. My favorite Turbo-16/Duo game by far, followed by Gate of Thunder. Ys Book I & II vs. SMRPG . . . hm. The former is new to me, the latter is near and dear to me ever since it came out in '96. Gosh . . . as amazing as it sounds, I might just be leaning toward Ys Book I & II (haven't QUITE finished book II). It certainly runs circles around what I've played of Landstalker, Beyond Oasis, Star Tropics, Neutopia . . .
As for the debates that come up around here (and in general), Corbie said it right. I tend not to mind outrageous statements or heated arguments so long as the one starting it doesn't pull the "Waah you're being MEAN" noise when he/she gets rebuked equally passionately--throwing stones from a glass house. Be prepared for a passionate/aggressive response (to the argument, not the person), if you know a statement is going to disagree with others' the way it does, then it's fair game and nobody's going to let it get under their skin--at least that's how it is for me, so even if I'm wrong about a detail or two I don't feel like a loser . Lots of us, myself included, have been there, picking battles and leaving others.
Take it or leave it.
Re: USA VC Releases: Super Mario RPG and Clu Clu Land
As someone who is in seventh heaven with Ys for the first time, it is kind of unfortunate that that might get overlooked--especially since Hudson's success with the thing might vaguely mean some hope of its sequels (not to mention remakes) getting localized, finally. It wouldn't be the first time for such a thing to happen with an old JRPG.
But about this release:
As someone who got both SMRPG and Paper Mario when they both came out, I have a really hard time with the Paper Mario when I compare it with this game, which is to say, when I don't, I end up enjoying Paper Mario for what it is.
Square has been the equivalent of Disney (hence their collaborations) in their expertise of creating worlds and original characters. Their RPGs are exceptional at taking a player through many distinct, fully-realized worlds while still holding onto a cohesive storyline. Super Mario RPG actually took all kinds of chances with the Mario universe for once, even daring to write fairly filled-out personalities for characters like Peach and Bowser that succeeded and made sense (the latter being absolutely classic), and take them through new territories while expanding familiar ones. I find it hard to argue that Super Mario RPG didn't take WAY more chances in this regard than any of its successors (yes, my library is TTYD-deficient for the time being).
Super Mario RPG is probably more a "Square game" than a "Nintendo game," but this gig for Square was handled with such great respect for its source material that this neither feels like an "RPG with Mario pasted in it" nor a lazy cash-in with established icons. (the latter is kind of how I felt about Paper Mario at the time, with almost NO new worlds, characters, or storyline more than an extension of the platformers' stories) Looking back, it also probably didn't help that I was playing Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2, Final Fantasy IX, and Chrono Cross and many other super-ambitious RPGs around the same time. (As for FFIX, old-school look with new horsepower and some gameplay WAS ambitious for the time) I believe the collaboration was an epic success.
Easily one of my top-ten SNES games, which I don't say lightly. It's simply escapist entertainment at some of its finest.
Re: TurboGrafx-16 Releases - September
Heheh. More rocket science.
I can do weird stuff. Cho Aniki's style just comes across to me as just kinda stoopid. Otherwise, I don't know how good of a shooter it is, of course.
Re: EU VC Releases: Super Mario RPG and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
"Hating on SMRPG is a cool thing to do. It gets a lot of hate on various sites despite still being an extremely good game."
WHAT?!
<Storms out the door with Sephiroth's Masamune>
Re: TurboGrafx-16 Releases - September
I'm in the middle of Book II of Ys right now. I plan to write some more on the game's comment page when I finish.
The short of it, though, is that you really do have to get this game. It is as simple as that. It's kind of profound that almost ALL of the first game's action is done with one hand walking into enemies, but it's not a bad change of pace, so to speak (the second game you use magic with a button). The story--while many stories in games today are often seen as overwritten--is rather minimalistic but quite excellent and well-told. It's basically a really good (and very playable) old-style RPG, not hard to get into or finish at all. I got stuck once, I think, in Book 1. Just FYI
Re: Phantasy Star II
I haven't played as many games on the Genesis as on the SNES or even TG-16, but I really think Phantasy Star 2 is one of the very best games on the system. PS2 and 4 (and the original on the SMS) are a wonderful, fantastic franchise which would have very nearly been worth mentioning along with Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest had it only kept GOING--granted, PS1, 2, and 4, are basically a trilogy that are a complete story, and 3 is sort of a sidestory that ties into it in an interesting way.
I recommend somehow getting the original Phantasy Star and going through that first as (for once) these RPGs have some continuity. The first two games have some of the meanest dungeons ever (PS2 was originally packed with a guide with maps). I'm tempted to say that, in spite of its quirks, this is the series' high point, though they ALL must be played. The overall story and presentation is fantastic, with a compelling setting.
Re: USA VC Releases: Ys Book I & II and Samurai Shodown II
I'm into Ys now. Loving it. I am incredibly happy now. I'd even call it one of the best reasons to own a Wii all by itself, especially since this is the only way to own this game other than tracking down an old copy and a turbo duo ($300 or so).
Plus, as a jaded RPGamer, it's a fantastic treat to me to play another classic RPG (that is, from that era).
And what is this noise about the file size? How long do some people expect to go before they'll need an SD card at some point?
@Corbie
Sorry to be a pill, but I was still curious about the question I had about which Ys IV you were talking about before as I am now determined to track it down.
Re: USA VC Releases: Ys Book I & II and Samurai Shodown II
@ Mr. Cheez
Your avatar. I get surprised by the change, especially by the usuals. Just teasing.
Re: USA VC Releases: Ys Book I & II and Samurai Shodown II
@ Mr. Cheez
Is that your third face?
Re: USA VC Releases: Ys Book I & II and Samurai Shodown II
. . . Oh thank God . . .
Free at last. Ys is finally out. It's been in Japan for well over a year. This was the game I was biting my tongue and refraining from going on about week to week. I almost paid over $250 on ebay to get a Turbo Duo just for this game.
Now I can finally see what all the old fuss was about--$8. Samurai Shodown 2 I'll check out with the SS collection (should be less than the cost of three of those games).
"Ys IV was fan translated and is what I consider the best of the series."
@Corbie
Which Ys IV, Mask of the Sun (SNES) or Dawn of Ys (Turbo CD)? I'm going to HAVE to find that fansub, then. Also, have you done Ys V and was it good?
Re: USA VC Releases: Mega Man and Neo Turf Masters
Gah. I am so annoyed with all these writers saying how hard MM1 is (note: not VCR). It's definitely the hardest in the original series, but I wouldn't call it as hard as ANY shmup on the VC. But then, that may be because of that genre's miserable habit of limited continues (oh yeah, I'm absolutely in LOVE stage 1 after seeing it after the millionth time ) that adds stress of an actual threat of making you lose progress. At least THAT doesn't happen in Mega Man. Speaking of which, that was a completely awesome Mega Man tradition, of eight selectable stages and THEN a sequence of levels. The lack of energy tanks (in all the sequels except MM8) makes it tougher too. Still, no limited continues
Re: USA VC Releases: Mega Man and Neo Turf Masters
^^
In that case, totally go with the collection. I haven't played the GC version of it, so I don't know how it controls. But indeed those games should NOT be missed. In fact, I've never known an old sidescroller action series of any kind to have such an intricate story.
Re: USA VC Releases: Mega Man and Neo Turf Masters
I agree with Adamant's comments, except that for us purists, the A/B swap really is a problem with the collection--tapping with the inside of your thumb while holding jump with the outside=soreness and somewhat less efficient. And the yellow devil is not hard, it just takes paying attention to what parts fly at you to the other side (you get some warning). I can't believe retrogamer described Mega Man 2's difficulty as something like "trying to live without kidneys" or some stupid comment like that.
It's not as hard as any shmup here. No limited continues. It's challenging but almost entirely fair. Maybe as tough as Super Mario Bros or so? Hard to compare.
It varies shooting with platforming in ways that I can't say I've seen anywhere else quite like it, which means pacing and less frustration. I'm kind of "biased" I guess since Mega Man 2 is my fav game of all time, and the first Mega Man isn't all that inferior, but distinct.
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog
Terrific platformer! It can be rather difficult, since losing all your lives means starting at the beginning. It's probably the best Sonic game next to the series pinnacle, Sonic CD, partly thanks to predating the rather nonsensical Sonic and Tails team-up, and better level design than its three Genesis sequels. The speed thing is decidedly a gimmick (and a red herring in its marketing), since there is simply no way to see far enough ahead to be running at Sonic's higher speeds and yet be able to react to surprise hazards--speed kills, and the level design of all the Sonic games never really catered to the act of running at high speeds more than any other platformer; Sonic 2 was loaded with way too many "watch Sonic go fast" sections which was a rather questionable way of solving that issue. It also has some of the Sega edginess in its mascot with "attitude," though the quality of level design prevails here, edged out only by Sonic CD. 4.5/5
Re: Donkey Kong Country
When I first got this in its day, my first reaction was how such a technically impressive (for its time) game seemed to be so simple and straightforward.
This game is more enjoyable when thought of as part of a great trilogy of platformers. It really isn't all that inspired and definitely not too ambitious, especially in the face of other SNES platformers, although its still really enjoyable. Sequels did nothing but improve, however. 4/5
Re: Donkey Kong Jr.
What I don't understand is why Mario keeps Donkey Kong around. I mean, Donkey Kong wanted the princess, but what does Mario want with DK?
Yeah this is almost as fun as Donkey Kong. Similar goals but plays totally differently. Like DK, classic but can be beaten in five minutes--a buck a minute.
Re: Donkey Kong
This really is a classic, there's no question of that. The problem is, It can be beaten in less than five minutes, which makes it HARD to justify spending $5 on it. And after that I'm not sure I'd want to play it over and over again.
(See if you can find the absolutely, ABSOLUTELY awesome Donkey Kong on the Gameboy, which was very long and had more moves and levels for probably the same price used.)
Re: Castlevania
This game has fantastic style, like the whole series. The whole theme of beating through classic monsters all the way up to the final boss, Dracula, is great, with cool variety in environments up to that point. Great music, character design, and good gameplay mechanics, with the whip and a secondary weapon. I beat this game when I was a kid and find it to be easier than I remember, but it is definitely a challenge--though mostly a fair one. A great, classic beginning to a great series. 5/5
EDIT: Everybody raise your hand if you LIKE medusa-heads! . . . . . . .
. . . . . I don't see many hands. See Konami? That was MEAN. (sorry, was just playing Rondo of Blood)
Re: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
I really wish they made a new Castlevania in this style, especially in 3D. 4/5
The toughest thing for me about this game is the crazy level layout. I mean, you'll descend stairs from the middle of a forest underground, and then you'll be in a town . . . that's underneath a forest! (yet the sun is out) So it's hard to remember how to get to places in light of that making no sense at all. Otherwise talking to townspeople (if only you could whip some of them), buying items and power-ups, and just generally exploring the wilds rather than just point A to point B are a really cool variation on the theme. Great graphics, artwork and music here, too! The level-layout REALLY hurts it more than anything else--especially since you get different endings based on how fast you finish the game--and the absence of bosses, except for the lame Dracula battle.
Re: Metroid
"Metroid is the single most dated classic Nintendo game ever made. I can't honestly recommend it to anybody, really. Super Metroid does everything it does except 50 times better."
For awhile, I thought the same thing. Super Metroid completely improves on this game.
As strange as it sounds, however, there's a certain eeriness to the way this game almost doesn't feel like it's meant to be beaten. Sometimes game design can often feel rather deliberate, like the game-world is clearly catering to the player. In Metroid, oftentimes when you wonder what to do next, the solution is rather unspectacular, like placing a bomb over just the right place that seems completely meaningless. Or "why did I just go through three caverns that were mostly the same thing?" (yes, a few areas are totally redundant, which is not good). Yup. You're in a totally unfriendly, unexplored place. Why should it "make sense"?
I might be inclined to knock certain things as dated game design, but I'm compelled to reconsider, as the fact is the feel of haphazardness actually adds to the eerie atmosphere that this game is aiming for. It's not really nasty-hard, either, and knocking around in it methodically WILL get you through it. I've played through this game like a thousand times, in spite of thinking that I shouldn't be enjoying it as much as I was. 5/5
There are plenty of sequels that supposedly "improve upon the predecessor in every way." People say that about Super Mario Bros. sequels all the time, yet many still respect the original like the Citizen Kane of videogames (which it is). In this case, yes, Super Metroid is superior to its predecessor for sure, but I'm veering away from the camp that calls the original obsolete because of the fact.
Re: F-Zero
I had this back in the day. I got it again, and remembered something that I totally forgot about it.
It's fun, but it's too bad it's essentially a total sham, as I am 99% sure that this is one of those CHEATING RACING GAMES, where the computer speeds up or slows down the opponents relative to your performance (as likewise, it's suspiciously easy to recover from a low position). The difficulty settings, of course, therefore effect how much magic the computer gives the other racers. Granted, this is extremely common in old racing games (what's A.I.? ) but when you know your loss is due to something like this it's hard to put up with.
For a nostalgia trip only. It's dated. It's been improved upon in its most fundamental game design. Some may like the visuals, but I thought they were rather phony-looking even at the time, and the whole thing looks inescapably FLAT and yet pixelated (well, okay, two layers of flat, including the backdrop for the roads).
2.5/5 (and that IS nostalgia talking)
Re: Altered Beast
Another game on the VC that I can't imagine anyone who's really familiar with would download. There are games we want to remember, and others forget about. 2/5
Re: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
I own this game three ways--the original cart (a gold one;)), the Zelda GC collection, and the other one that includes Master quest.
I played the demo on SSBB for this, and I can't believe nobody's complaining about the framerate. This clearly happens with all the N64 games on the VC to some extent--again, I'm amazed no one's noticing--but it's really noticeable here since OoT's framerate was pretty much the bare minimum for 3-D in the first place.
Anyway, yeah, this game is epicness. The only thing that hurts it for me is that I feel it slightly over-hyped. A major problem I have with this game--Hyrule field. How long did we spend just running into the distance through that nondescript central area, dissipating the excitement of getting to where we wanted to go? The slower, more spread-out nature of this game clearly hurts the Zelda-draw of using new items to reach old, previously unaccessible places (and items). This is why I felt Metroid Prime was a slightly better 3D adaptation of its respective source material, better preserving that quickness felt in 2D, where Zelda really lost that in the gameplay department (in the interest of making this game feel more realistic and immersive). Also, though the scope and feel of the game are really epic, the story and scenario within seems really standard fare. And the early dungeons were pretty weak.
Anyway, that was just me trying to pin down why this game wasn't QUITE the second coming to me as it was to others, but my gripes are really rather minor. 5/5
Re: Virtua Fighter 2
I played this game on the Genesis Collection and thought, "they did WHAT?" I cannot believe they even made this game, let alone re-release it three times (PS2, PSP collections, and VC), even while the series still goes on why would they want this to be remembered?
It's actually some dumb fun if you somehow forget the fact that this is based on a top-tier 3-D fighter, but the prospect of anyone spending eight bucks on this thing . . .
2/5
Re: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I got my Nintendo with this game and Super Mario Bros. when I was six. This was actually the first game I ever beat, and little did I know how unfairly I was being punished back then. This was the kind of game on the NES that turned lots of us into child-soldiers! "Kiddy" games are synonymous with easy, now. They weren't back then (though I don't think games are "too easy" these days like some people do--try Ninja Gaiden on "master ninja" difficulty and then rave about how easy games are now).
It's really hard for me to be unbiased, here. It doesn't feel like a half-hearted attempt at a game at all, compared to many shovel-ware titles back then (this is a Konami game, after all). They threw in lots of interesting ideas and rather interesting scenarios of gameplay. In the end, though--thanks to so many frustrations in control, respawning enemies, and weird obstacles to progression--it is decidedly damned to mostly being remembered videogame Exhibit A of cheap, cheap, CHEAP! 2/5
Re: Gunstar Heroes
Gunstar Heroes is full of epic action and great boss battles. Anyone who knows anything about Treasure is familiar with its "boss fetish" (to borrow the phrase from Wikipedia).
Therein lies a major complaint I have with this game. Many stretches of the levels in this game are really repetitive or non-descript, just throwing more and more bad guys at you, clearly indicating that the developers gradually lost interest in the level design and left it in the boss fight they were crafting for the end of the level--this is especially frustrating when you are repeating a stage, trying to preserve your life for said (often fierce) boss fights. Another unfortunate problem is the way you have to choose, before you even start playing, whether you have the capacity to run-and-gun or fire in all directions from standing in place, thanks to the limitations of the Genesis controller (though the excellent GBA sequel, Gunstar Super Heroes, fixed this problem VERY well). It's rather sad, since the ability to do either per different situations would really help.
It's a Genesis classic, to be sure. The graphics are colorful and energetic, and controls are unique among shooters for having moves like sliding to attack enemies in addition to shooting. However, some of its faults make memories of it less perfect than similar games in the genre (Contra 3 comes to mind). 4.5/5
Re: King's Knight
This game is a tough pill to swallow. The review says it all.
The execution is so poor, here, with the concept of a knight who, somehow, absolutely CAN'T slow down or turn around (what the hell? Is the land sliding off the edge of the world behind him?!) it's rather hard to imagine how this idea could have been done right.
As much as I want to give it a tiny bit of credit for the fantasy setting and original idea, it's frustrations and lack of any sense makes it a miserable experience if taken with slightest bit of seriousness. 1/5
Re: Bonk 2: Bonk's Revenge
I thought the first Bonk was solid, good fun, but kind of bizarre and unremarkable--not exactly a console mascot to brag about in the face of Sonic or Mario.
But Bonk 2! Totally a classic platformer. Some serious creativity and passion managed to come out in a sequel that makes the original a shadow by comparison. I actually don't think it compares badly with, say, the Genesis Sonic games. 5/5
Re: Blazing Lazers
I'm going nuts here.
As soon as I pick up fire 3 and the shield item, I can reliably make it ALL the way to area 9 without losing a single ship.
And then I get consummately stomped, all the way through sixteen ships and four continues. HELP!
Oh and great game of course. Fluid controls, great stages, and not overly-oppressive on the number of killer, slow-moving dots at once. My favorite vertical shooter, I think, though I haven't gotten Star Parodier yet. My only criticism--although this hits pretty much every such shooter ever made, really--is that it's so incredibly hard (hence my above frustrations) to re-power-up your ship after it gets destroyed that one death is very likely to result in another soon after. And that obnoxious difficulty spike at the end.
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
@kevenz
How politically correct was Conker's Bad Fur Day and BMXXX?
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
@Corbie
I stumbled on your top ten list of shooters under the Gyrostarr thread. I didn't pay too much interest to old-style shooters in their time, but I have about a dozen on the VC now and I instantly thought Gate of Thunder was the greatest ever and (likewise) slightly better than Lords. GoT is just superbly-crafted and totally inspired, really feeling like the developers meant every single enemy placement and obstacle in level design for once, rather than just throwing all their ideas at you haphazardly. Plus, the ability to shoot backward is another huge aspect of the gameplay. Lords has its own fantastic innovations, but is not quite the exact science that is GoT, where it's totally your own fault if you get hit by something. And have you played the masterpiece Panzer Dragoon Orta (modern, on-the-rails shooter)? Same thing--challenging without cheapness.
But Axelay was #4 on your list but here you said that Star Parodier was the best vertical-scrolling shooter on the VC. What the deal?! Also, is there a particular reason you picked the Dreamcast version of Ikaruga?
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
Yeah, I agree: the ending changed the bummed feeling you get from the sidequests being undone. This may be another memory lapse on my part, but maybe the some of the completed sidequests stayed complete once they were totally done? (not midway through) And yes I know about the inverted song of time and it does make life a lot easier for getting things done. I also have that Versus Books guide too, and it is excellent. Casey Loe is the best guide-writer ever.
For whatever reason, almost all of the games on the Genesis Collection for the Playstation2/PSP are on the VC now, which had Phantasy Star 2, 3, and 4, Sword of Vermillion.
I didn't know about that controller pack/expansion pack thing. I thought some game (maybe it was Waverace 64?) did have a controller pack function. But that's totally lazy of Nintendo to not work around those issues.
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
"The side quest part especially put a bad taste in my mouth, since most of the time it just made what you do seem pointless, since once the three days were over, whatever you were trying to fix just went back to the way it was."
Though I praised the cool sub-plots that are especially strong in Majora's Mask, that did kind of hurt the meaningfulness of doing all the good deeds, knowing that everything would be undone aside from procuring the rewards.
@StuffGamer1
The VC is definitely weak on traditional RPGs. Another reason is surely because they're so ageless and marketable for rerelease--nobody's going to gripe too much about paying full-price for a mostly unaltered version of the thirteen-year-old Chrono Trigger on the DS. A shmup would never get away with that. People want longevity for their buck these days.
Maybe this sounds weird, but an RPG is also something I like to be able to put on a shelf like a good book.
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
Guys . . . look up "Mad World," "No More Heroes," or BMXXX or whatever it was called. 'Nuff said.
And Wolfenstein 3D (full of Nazis) came out on the GBA.
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
@Andrew
There was also the matter of TIMING. My memory about specifics is hazy, but many events won't start until a certain or day, leaving time constraints on how long you had to deal with a quest or explorations of areas. That also means you can't just wander around and stumble on things to do quite as easily--you have to be there at the right time. I can't remember, but I think some dungeons were like this. I agree Majora's Mask should not be missed, but just abandon a LOT of preconceived notions about how to play a Zelda game and what to expect. Some of it is clearly somewhat broken (not to put it too severely) because of inconsistencies in the time-travel mechanic, with what somehow stays and what doesn't, but it's totally unique and epic in its own right.
I also didn't mean the absence of Zelda to be a knock on it at all, btw.
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
@Virus
Understood.
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
@Adamant
Yeah, you're right, except for a heart piece that's obtainable when you've deposited 4,000 rupees or whatever it is. I think there were other deposit-bonuses too, like larger wallets. I mostly meant that as an example of inconsistency--that is, trying to use logic or common sense about what goes and what stays is a lost cause. It's trial and error for a lot of things without a guide--especially the sidequests. But I really do think it's worthwhile to stick it out and call it a classic (the final boss was awesome and fairly challenging, as I recall). I just remembered, Majora's Mask is the only Zelda game without Zelda in it (Link's Awakening technically didn't, but there was Marin).
EDIT: On the positive side, the emphasis on sidequests (MAN did you have to work for heart pieces!) isn't a bad thing in itself, as all the sub-plots were legitimately interesting--this, rather than working them into a detailed main storyline. It's just so different from other Zeldas I think people go in with expectations. Majora's Mask+guide=worth it.
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
I had a hard time with Majora's Mask myself, but the dungeon designs were absolutely fantastic (once I got over the fact that there were only four). The mask system was also a very cool variation on the Zelda theme.
But why do I keep heart pieces, special items and yet lose all my rupees? You had to use that (rather dishonest ) bank system, which was just one of the many things that was kind of a pain. Not to mention being in the middle of a dungeon on day three and you had to restart the days, and crawl all the way back to it to finish it--kind of added stress. I also thought it was sidequest hell, especially with the less-than-absolutely-consistent time mechanic leaving you wondering what's going to stick in the world and what isn't (and why should anything, if you're really going back in time?).
Still, it's more than worth putting up with when you think of it as an experimental Zelda (otherwise people would complain about it feeling like a rehash of Ocarina of Time) and admire its ambition. I recommend playing with a guide.
@Stuffgamer1
I tend to agree, RPGs age gracefully thanks to story, artwork, and music and the fact that technology doesn't affect the gameplay so much one way or the other.
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
@Virus
I think people are mostly mad at the fact that Nintendo doesn't give answers to questions one way or the other. Nobody has their facts completely straight, and that's kind of the point. When nothing is said at all, it's rather easy to assume that the reason for the silence actually is because the reality would make people nuts. I've never seen so many interviews with people saying "I can't answer that" with games as with the VC. So most of us suspect that the real reasons, therefore, probably don't have our short-term interests in mind.
Morale on the Wii front is kind of on the low side right now without major releases happening and looking rather distant, and Black Monday was a serious insult to injury, seeing as how it's all but certain Nintendo could have totally given the green light to that crowd-pleasing trio of releases.
I dunno. Maybe people should be more trusting?
EDIT: Granted, I'm not really. I generally think it's good for people to speak their minds and feelings (honesty the best policy) to give the powers that be a clue what they can do for their consumers.
Re: EU VC Update - Samurai Shodown II
"As for buying SS1 or waiting for SS2, that's a tough one. Both are outstanding and since we don't know how long the wait will be for the US Virtual Console release of SS2, it might be worth it if you just can't wait any longer. If it were me, I'd at least give it until next Monday and see if it comes out then."
What about waiting for the collection that will have every Samurai Shodown game on it?
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
"Didn't Bionic Commando appear on the GBAdvance a few years back in a "Capcom Classic Collection" game"
The arcade and console games are completely different. The arcade version is kinda lame.
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
If Rearmed is coming out for everything but Wiiware, I imagine that the Wii hardware must not be up to running it. But Mr. Cheez's explanation of why Nintendo doesn't want the original is the only explanation that vaguely makes sense.
Re: Bionic Commando Not Approved For Virtual Console
So Rearmed isn't coming out for Wiiware anyway, and yet Nintendo still doesn't want the original on the VC?
These guys are a psychoanalysts' nightmare.
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
I always wondered if Nintendo holding back RPGs had something to do with the longer playtime. Shooters essentially go by faster, or you finally start giving up for a while after seeing level 1 a thousand times and level 6 ONCE. (Does it sound like I HATE limited continues?)
But if you were engrossed in a sixty-hour RPG or two, how often would you check the VC and be clamoring for more games?
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
@Mickeymac
Panzer Dragoon Saga is a four-disc game--I somehow doubt it. Sega failing to re-release that game in any form since the Saturn version is totally inexplicable, and is the worst videogame tragedy I know of. Even with data-compression I can't see how that game would fit onto the Wii's entire system memory.
Re: Ys Book I & II
I want to know what happened to Ys IV (both of them) and V. WHY did they not make it westward, all the way to this day? There were even remakes of some of this series and still they weren't localized. (And Japan-only remakes of the Phantasy Star series too)
For everyone skeptical about Ys--I've never played it either--isn't it also the timeless elements of story, artwork, and music that makes RPGs age better than most other genres? And relatively non-frustrating gameplay, too, which is another nice break.
As for the music, I also scored a few remix CDs of the stuff which is priceless ("Symphony Ys" and "The Best of Ys") and the orchestral arrangements are superlative, almost making it hard to hear the original sound version for me.
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
"[sarcasm] MORE SHOOTERS PLEASE!!!!!!! [sarcasm]"
LOL--more/different people wanting Earthbound and Super Mario RPG! Let 'em speak!
Really, if it were a case of a game getting delayed because it needed more time to get polished or something, I'd be on people's cases about whining too. (I don't think I've ever complained about a development-related delay for games I'd been following)
Star Parodier really looks fantastic and I'm glad it's finally out, but I'm taking a break from buying shooters for now (I have about a dozen). They really can start to get old a bit faster than other genres, in my opinion, but I'm glad to finally get to dig into this genre a bit with the VC since I passed it up back in the day--I didn't consider them worth $40-$50 compared to other games back then.