@zionich - Unless you send lots of time in the Ancient Cave, or revisiting areas just for fun, about 15 hours for a single playthrough (not counting New Game +)
I don't post here much, but I just wanted to say--excellent review. I enjoyed the original Lufia II, and loved this game as well. Most fun I've had with an RPG all year. Not sure why some fans of the original seem to hate this one so much. To me, its like being able to enjoy both the original Batman and Batman Begins. Same basic story, but each with their own nuances that make them unique and equally good.
@ 8. brandonbwii -- has EA Sports ever made a competent title for Wii besides the Tiger Woods series? -- I loved Madden 07, and 09 wasn't terrible either. I know people are skeptical, but I'm definitely interested to see what they can come up with here. It'll be worth a rental for sure.
Actually, Vanderbilt's nickname is the Commodores. And "brick house" must referr to famous the Commodores song of the same name. Yep, it's definitely the C64.
Wow, dare we dream that a US release of Secret of Mana is forthcoming? How odd that it and Ys Book I & II were basically my two most-wanted VC games (RPGs I missed back in the day). We have one and the other may soon be on its way? Fantastic!
I don't know about everyone else, but Ys Book I & II is exactly the kind of game I go for on the VC -- a rare game, hailed as legendary, in a genre I really dig, on a system I never had the chance to own. If that's not worth $8 then I don't know what is.
I'm thrilled to see Ys out this week. I've been itching to play it ever since Game Informer featured it as one of the Top 10 rare RPGs everyone should play, and now I finally get that opportunity. Ain't the Virtual Console great?
@ 158. Rexy I'm sure both games are fine. But you know, sometimes when someone tells you you're going to have steak, you get your mouth all set for steak. And then... whoops! No steak, have some chicken instead. Sure, chicken's good, but you had your heart set on steak. Of course you're gonna be disappointed. Well, that's how I feel with Ys.
I definitely plan on getting Wild West Guns down the road, but that's not the gaming "flavor" I had my mouth all set for this week, you know?
@Mazero: Sure, the games are good games. I'll probably be picking up Wild West Guns. But if you're promised one thing and delivered something else, don't you think you have a right to get a little ticked off? I'll admit, I was psyched up for Ys Book I & II and I'm very disappointed it's not coming this week as promised. So I certainly don't mean to knock these games, but at the same time, I find it hard to be happy with today's releases.
You know, I'm highly annoyed by this (as I'm sure a lot of people are), but I can't help but think... if Nintendo did actually tell Hudson, SNK and Capcom that the games would be out today, and they sent out press releases to that effect, how ticked off must they be right now? They look like idiots for promising something that didn't get delivered, and now will probably have more than a few angry emails to deal with. If NoA did promise those companies that those games would be out today, I wonder how ticked off they must be with NoA right now?
Sad to say, but this week leaves me a bit lukewarm. Bloody Wolf would be more interesting if it were two player, and I've never been a huge fan of console golf games. World Sports Competition might be worth a shot (used to play Winter Games and California Games to death on my 800xl). I sure wish they'd finally tap into that vast library of SNES RPGs though. Don't really care which title.
This is what makes the VC great... I had never ever heard of this series before (despite gaming for most of my life), and picked it up because of a YouTube video. It looked great, and man, I was not disappointed. Awesome game, and if you're on the fence about it, take the plunge - it was a great deal of fun.
Now I've got to decide if I want to plunge into Dragon's Curse or not...
NES - Dragon Warrior IV / Tecmo Super Bowl Okay, I know, I'm cheating by listing two. But I'm an RPG nut and I've never had a chance to play this DW IV, so I'd really like to. But Super Bowl was my favorite NES game of all time, and I'd love to play it again.
TG16 - Cadash I used to love this game in the arcades, and I hear Working Designs did the translation on the TG version. I'd like to see how different it is.
Megadrive - Streets of Rage 2 / NHL '94 Yes, I'm picking two again, sorry. But SOR 2 was one of the best side-scrolling action games I've ever played, and NHL '94 is still the best hockey sim ever make. Honorable mention to the Mutant League games.
SNES - Earthbound First RPG I've ever beaten. Would love to play it again. Plus my nephews have never played it. They only know Ness from Smash Bros. I'd like to show them what the fuss about this game is all about.
N64 - Starcraft 64 Since I still have my N64, this isn't a huge deal, but I haven't been able to track down a copy of this game, and I love Starcraft on the PC. Would very much like to give it a try.
Comments 16
Re: Review: Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals (DS)
@zionich - Unless you send lots of time in the Ancient Cave, or revisiting areas just for fun, about 15 hours for a single playthrough (not counting New Game +)
Re: Review: Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals (DS)
I don't post here much, but I just wanted to say--excellent review. I enjoyed the original Lufia II, and loved this game as well. Most fun I've had with an RPG all year. Not sure why some fans of the original seem to hate this one so much. To me, its like being able to enjoy both the original Batman and Batman Begins. Same basic story, but each with their own nuances that make them unique and equally good.
Re: NHL Slapshot Includes Wii's First Dinky Hockey Stick
@ 8. brandonbwii -- has EA Sports ever made a competent title for Wii besides the Tiger Woods series? -- I loved Madden 07, and 09 wasn't terrible either. I know people are skeptical, but I'm definitely interested to see what they can come up with here. It'll be worth a rental for sure.
Re: USA VC Update: Life Force
Actually, Vanderbilt's nickname is the Commodores. And "brick house" must referr to famous the Commodores song of the same name. Yep, it's definitely the C64.
Re: Japanese Virtual Console list - September 2008
@Bass X0
Me too. You'd think a DS version of Secret of Mana with the weapons ring on the touch screen would be a no-brainer.
Re: Japanese Virtual Console list - September 2008
Wow, dare we dream that a US release of Secret of Mana is forthcoming? How odd that it and Ys Book I & II were basically my two most-wanted VC games (RPGs I missed back in the day). We have one and the other may soon be on its way? Fantastic!
Re: USA VC Releases: Ys Book I & II and Samurai Shodown
I don't know about everyone else, but Ys Book I & II is exactly the kind of game I go for on the VC -- a rare game, hailed as legendary, in a genre I really dig, on a system I never had the chance to own. If that's not worth $8 then I don't know what is.
Re: USA VC Releases: Ys Book I & II and Samurai Shodown
I'm thrilled to see Ys out this week. I've been itching to play it ever since Game Informer featured it as one of the Top 10 rare RPGs everyone should play, and now I finally get that opportunity. Ain't the Virtual Console great?
Re: USA VC Releases: Star Parodier and Break In
Star Parodier looks pretty neat, but I'm having trouble convincing myself to part with the $9 to get it. Pretty pathetic, eh?
Re: USA VC Update: Sonic (Master System) and Splatterhouse 2
@ 158. Rexy
I'm sure both games are fine. But you know, sometimes when someone tells you you're going to have steak, you get your mouth all set for steak. And then... whoops! No steak, have some chicken instead. Sure, chicken's good, but you had your heart set on steak. Of course you're gonna be disappointed. Well, that's how I feel with Ys.
I definitely plan on getting Wild West Guns down the road, but that's not the gaming "flavor" I had my mouth all set for this week, you know?
Re: USA VC Update: Sonic (Master System) and Splatterhouse 2
@Mazero:
Sure, the games are good games. I'll probably be picking up Wild West Guns. But if you're promised one thing and delivered something else, don't you think you have a right to get a little ticked off? I'll admit, I was psyched up for Ys Book I & II and I'm very disappointed it's not coming this week as promised. So I certainly don't mean to knock these games, but at the same time, I find it hard to be happy with today's releases.
Re: USA VC Update: Sonic (Master System) and Splatterhouse 2
You know, I'm highly annoyed by this (as I'm sure a lot of people are), but I can't help but think... if Nintendo did actually tell Hudson, SNK and Capcom that the games would be out today, and they sent out press releases to that effect, how ticked off must they be right now? They look like idiots for promising something that didn't get delivered, and now will probably have more than a few angry emails to deal with. If NoA did promise those companies that those games would be out today, I wonder how ticked off they must be with NoA right now?
Re: US VC Releases - 8th October - Neo Geo Week
Man... if they were going to give us 3 NeoGeo fighters in one week, would it have KILLED them to make one of them Samurai Shodown?
Re: US VC Releases - 18th June - Bloody Wolf
Sad to say, but this week leaves me a bit lukewarm. Bloody Wolf would be more interesting if it were two player, and I've never been a huge fan of console golf games. World Sports Competition might be worth a shot (used to play Winter Games and California Games to death on my 800xl). I sure wish they'd finally tap into that vast library of SNES RPGs though. Don't really care which title.
Re: Wonder Boy in Monster World
This is what makes the VC great... I had never ever heard of this series before (despite gaming for most of my life), and picked it up because of a YouTube video. It looked great, and man, I was not disappointed. Awesome game, and if you're on the fence about it, take the plunge - it was a great deal of fun.
Now I've got to decide if I want to plunge into Dragon's Curse or not...
Re: Top Five Most Wanted Virtual Console Games
NES - Dragon Warrior IV / Tecmo Super Bowl
Okay, I know, I'm cheating by listing two. But I'm an RPG nut and I've never had a chance to play this DW IV, so I'd really like to. But Super Bowl was my favorite NES game of all time, and I'd love to play it again.
TG16 - Cadash
I used to love this game in the arcades, and I hear Working Designs did the translation on the TG version. I'd like to see how different it is.
Megadrive - Streets of Rage 2 / NHL '94
Yes, I'm picking two again, sorry. But SOR 2 was one of the best side-scrolling action games I've ever played, and NHL '94 is still the best hockey sim ever make. Honorable mention to the Mutant League games.
SNES - Earthbound
First RPG I've ever beaten. Would love to play it again. Plus my nephews have never played it. They only know Ness from Smash Bros. I'd like to show them what the fuss about this game is all about.
N64 - Starcraft 64
Since I still have my N64, this isn't a huge deal, but I haven't been able to track down a copy of this game, and I love Starcraft on the PC. Would very much like to give it a try.