RetroOutcast

@KayFiOS In all honesty this may be a good time to push a Sonic Mania sequel. Wouldn't be nearly as hard or time consuming to make and personally I'd love more of the same because of just how good Mania was.

@Moistnado I actually liked the art style. It just felt really unbalanced compared to the original games...just made me want to go back to SOR2 after the credits roll.

Maybe FnR has kind of just ruined other games in this genre because of how much it gets right, lol.

@Moistnado I got way more mileage out of Fight n Rage, which was released at a similar price. 50+ hours on that and I still like to play through it from time to time even after beating all the paths. a SOR4 I was kind of sick of it by the time I finished it just one time (couple of hours maybe).

@Znake I see somebody lacks basic reading comprehension skills.

DotEmu doesn't have any control over it at this point. If anyone is to blame, it's Nintendo.

@the_beaver That's the problem when a company has several decades of brand recognition/loyalty and a fanbase that will defend any stupid decision said company makes. At least people are starting to wake up to the fact that Nintendo has gotten extremely lazy.

It's scary to think that in the near future, they may try and charge us $20-30 for a licensed ROM of Super Mario Bros. and I'm sure there will still be people out there who pull the "bE gRatEfuL" card.

So basically...nostalgia and stupidity.

@the_beaver b-but...that might actually require some work on their part

@Fazermint Jelly Boy was okay from what I played of it ages ago. Can't think of many other games where you're basically punching things with your, uhhhhh beavis and butthead laugh. (At least, that's what it looked like)

Wake me up when Sparkster and Plok are added to this bare bones VC

I doubt this will be a Switch killer, but I feel like it's proof that we could (and should) expect better from a company that's been around as long as Nintendo. This thing is going to be great for indies. Access to more games and oftentimes sooner- which considering how long it takes for console ports to happen (especially with how delay-happy the industry is) is going to be a major plus. Steam sales are also way, way better than anything the Eshop has ever offered. Not to mention that Valve has an actual refund policy so nobody will get burned as much.

Also...it's hard not to give these guys respect for the way they're handling pre orders. They're clearly aware of how Nintendo has never done anything to prevent scalpers/resellers and seem to be taking steps to avoid that with the reservation system.

Socket on the Genesis- Okay, maybe it's not as bad as something like Awesome Possum...but the late game level design is crap and it suffers from that "beeping when low on health" syndrome that plagued a lot of other mid tier games. That being said, the music slaps and I thought it was a clever choice to break off levels between speed/exploration.

Widget on NES- It's very obvious that it's a poor man's Mega Man, and anyone can see that within five minutes of gameplay. It's a ton of fun to just "break" this game...holding left and right on the D-pad allows you to zip around and clip through walls.

NES Nightmare on Elm Street- It's a shame that the original concept for the game was scrapped (originally, you were going to be Freddy himself and travel through the dream world and reality). That said, the concept behind what we got wasn't half bad. I guess it helps that the game wasn't actually developed by LJN, but rather Rare and it's also loosely based on Dream Warriors. Kinda makes me wish we'd get a modern NIghtmare game. I could see an action/RPG format with different "class" types based on the teens' dream world interpretations of themselves being decent.

@gurtifus Well, when it comes to platformers, I feel like a lot of these smaller developers saw the ridiculous amount of critical praise that "rage" and single screen platform games like Super Meat Boy and Celeste got. Success often breeds imitation, and this along with journalists claiming even the most forgiving NES games such as Super Mario Bros. were obnoxiously hard has probably led a lot of them to believe that the only "good" retro inspired games have to be insanely hard.

It's why I'm so thankful things like Shovel Knight, Freedom Planet, Sonic Mania, Shantae and the original Curse of the Moon exist. The era those games were inspired by was not just about difficulty. Being stuck on a single screen for 15 minutes and then not even being entirely sure what you did differently on a triple digit attempt to advance was not fun to me when Meat Boy style platformers took over, and I just don't see it as enjoyable now either. I wish we'd see more games like the ones I've mentioned as opposed to things like this.

@Dragonslacker1 in terms of durability the joy cons are probably just slightly above the Atari 5200 controllers. Got a hori split pad pro for when I'm undocked and I'll never look back.

Not surprised in the slightest. It's just kind of pathetic considering they want $350 for this thing and still can't be bothered to fix an issue that has been going on for several years.

Looks like more of the same...but I don't mind. Zero 2 rocked and addressed some of the balancing issues I had with the first game (which was just far too easy to cheese through once you were fully powered up and got the item that prevents you from immediately leveling down after taking a hit) and this looks like it was built right off of that. Definitely checking out the day it arrives as modern gaming as a whole has been entirely disappointing and the only other title that really has my interest (at least for next month) is Cotton REBOOT...which honestly shouldn't have been delayed as much as it was for US but better late than never I guess.

I have a few things I need to say after reading this review, and hopefully it doesn't come off as me being an *****.

First, when it comes to the Janken matches, there was a set pattern you could follow to win every single time so long as you didn't deviate from it. As a fan of the original game, this was something I was eager to test to see if it was kept the same. As it turns out, it still works. For those who don't feel like pulling up Gamefaqs, here you go-

1st: Rock, Scissors
2nd: Scissors, Paper
3rd: Rock, Scissors
4th: Paper, Paper
5th: Rock, Rock
6th: Rock, Scissors
7th: Paper, Paper

Now, the M2 port was pretty brilliant for sneaking these into the border art. I think it's kind of silly that this information wasn't incorporated into the game somehow (would've been a nifty hidden slab/scroll to find since Miracle World DX already has a bunch of collectibles that weren't in the original game) but at least it's faithful in that regard. It completely takes the randomness (and one major flaw of the game in my opinion) out of the equation.

In addition, while you can lose the telepathy ball via a game over, these patterns will always be the same as long as you don't stray from them no matter how many times you die or get a game over.

I will agree that the controls feel a little off, and I will never for the life of me understand why developers change the physics when it comes to platforming remasters. It was dumb in the case of the N Sane Trilogy, and it is dumb here. (Also, I can't believe Vicarious Visions basically said "yeah, we know it's different. It's an extra challenge- deal with it" in that scenario) Hopefully they'll patch things, but I don't think it makes the game unplayable.

I'll also agree that it's kind of stupid that the "Classic Mode" isn't just a ROM of the Master System game or the Sega AGES port. Personally, it's a non issue for me as I already own the original game on Switch and Wii but I still think that's a valid point of criticism 100%.

Part of me feels like the reviewer just wasn't a big fan of the original game to begin with, which is also fine. This one's definitely a love-or-hate affair, even for hardcore retro gamers. 5/10 is pretty harsh IMHO. This felt more like a 7 or 7.5/10 to me. It did a lot right, but you're still probably better off playing the M2 port unless you're a big Master System/Alex Kidd fan due to the fact that they messed with how the character handles and the butchering of "Classic" mode.

Can't believe how many people hated the first movie on this thread.

Been playing Sonic for over 20 years now and I absolutely loved it. Seems like they've got Knuckles right as far as how he was in Sonic 3 so far. I just hope there's a turning point where he figures out he's being tricked/duped and doesn't just remain an antagonist for the duration of the film.

Also, I'm hoping for a Casino/Carnival scene. Carnival Night was one of my favorite zones...and it's even better with the prototype music enabled. (Hopefully they reference that damned barrel somewhere, too)

Oh wow, a game that's already been rereleased a few times on Switch already (Caveman Ninja/Joe and Mac) and a bunch of filler garbage. Whoop-de-doo.

I can't wait for all the 30 somethings to whine about the "Invincibility" feature and how gamers nowadays just want their hands held/insta-win button.

Disappointing, but that's kinda par for the course nowadays it seems. Looked cute and I kinda got Shantae vibes from the trailer (ALWAYS a good thing), but I guess I'll just wait until it inevitably gets a deep discount.

Grew up on the first one and I even remember the commercial for it!

That being said, $40 is way too much when this isn't even a physical release. Bring it down to $20 and we'll talk.

I've never had a problem with Nintendo doing "just enough" as far as graphics and hardware power are concerned.

I just wish that mentality didn't bleed into the stuff that matters. Y'know...the games? I haven't had anything really wow me since the Wii era- primarily Super Mario Galaxy.

@SleeplessKnight ok boomer

@Wavey84 I liked both takes on Wonder Boy.

Agreed about Toejam and Earl as well as Bubble Bobble though. It seems that there are more misses with retro revivals than hits, unfortunately. Even with this game...all it really made me want to do is fire up Ghouls n Ghosts on my Genesis again.

@Wavey84 I think they did a great job with Wonder Boy, but I'll agree on SOR4. That game just didn't do anything for me in general. The art style and gameplay felt extremely off.

@Zeldafan79 Might I recommend the Genesis port of GnG? It's probably the best of the series thanks to some rather ahead-of-its-time sensibilities. Elitists might moan and groan that it's too easy, but adding a single checkpoint and having a special weapon that's actually worth getting (the way it whips through anything when boosted by the golden armor is great) makes it a very pleasant game to play in comparison to the others.

I'm not going to lie- I'm beyond tired of all these remakes and reboots attempting to outdo their source material in difficulty. What was wrong with where these games were at in the 90's?

That being said, I'm glad they're using the checkpointing philosophy used in the Genesis port of Ghouls n Ghosts- midway and before a boss. Part of what made these games so unforgiving was having only a midway checkpoint in the original, the arcade version of Ghouls n Ghosts and then again on Super Ghouls n Ghosts. I've finished all of these, and I'll say that Super Ghouls n Ghosts was the most ridiculous simply because of the final level. Three bosses, two hit points and the second loop forces you to use an absolute joke of a special weapon. At least in Genesis GnG, getting the psycho cannon actually felt rewarding with the way it just tears the ***** out of anything in its path. (Hopefully, this game's special weapon will be the same way)

So snazzy <3 shame it didn't make the cut

At the end of chapter 5 and I'm enjoying it but god damn is it hard. I'm starting to think it's just as hard, if not harder than the original Ninja Gaiden on NES. I've died at least 30 times on this boss, and it would appear I'm only halfway through the game. I kind of wish they would've kept the same difficulty/pacing as Shovel Knight, where you could make progression as smooth or as slow as you wanted by using or smashing up checkpoints.

GOOD! Honestly, the joy cons are the second worst controller ever. The only thing that really tops them are the Atari 5200's- I've never found one of those that works properly in the wild. The "d-pad", if you can call it that, is pretty bad on top of the drift issues. I've also gotten plenty of hand cramps from using the things in handheld mode. I basically never use them now that I have a Hori Split Pad Pro (which I highly recommend if you spend more of your time in handheld) and the standard Switch pro controller.

@SonOfVon it’s kind of sad when that alone can get me interested in an indie game at this point

@SalvorHardin ngl you’re definitely right. I loved this when it came out but after having played it again...it has not aged well at all in the gameplay department. The difficulty is entirely dependent on the leveling system. It goes from NES hard to a complete joke once you grind and max things out. The music and art still shines tho.

Fight n Rage may as well be the best beat em up ever made though. I can’t think of ANY other game in this genre where I’ve sunk like 100 hours in and am still not tired of it.

@Sandro89 They're getting away with it because people continue to simp for this company that does not, in any way, care about them so long as they continue to get money.

@Retro_Player_77 You're seriously defending Nintendo on this?

First of all, while not nearly as old as wired controllers, bluetooth has still been around long enough for Nintendo (and any other company) to get their ***** together. This would have been acceptable back during the Wii/PS3/360 era, but it's just sad two console gens later.

Second, you're not wrong but at least the craftsmanship wasn't shoddy. They did have their own little problems, but I've never ran into a controller having issues barely two years after purchase especially when I've opted to use my Pro Controller most of the time.

Third, and maybe it's just me, but I'd gladly deal with tripping over a wire and falling flat on my face over a controller that steers my character in the opposite direction unless I cough up another $80+ for another one.

I've just now started to experience drift on my left joy con. Bought my Switch a few months after launch. Still inexcusable and unacceptable. It's kind of sad considering I've bought NES and Genesis pads at thrift stores that are over 30 years old at this point, and yet somehow they still manage to work. There's no reason they should be doing this after just a couple of years, especially when I've used my pro controller more than anything since I got the thing.

@Razer i kind of feel bad for their social media person, but at the same time, it’s probably the only way the higher ups are actually going to notice or pay attention. It’s not like writing letters or emails is going to do ***** all of anything about the situation.

At this point, they had it coming. Yeah, I know I'm in the minority here considering almost all of the comments I've seen are people whining about how "entitled" gamers are but I have to be blunt. Nintendo has made so many terrible moves as of late and I'm glad people are finally striking back (myself included on that Tweet) instead of just settling for it because "it's Nintendo".

Don't forget that these companies are not perfect and your favorite developers are not Gods/Goddesses who are incapable of doing harm. At the end of the day, it's business and they're here to take our money. If they do ***** wrong, they should have to face the consequences just like anyone else.

You know, at first I wanted to think "okay, maybe the Nintendrones won't defend them this time".

Should've known better. At this point, Nintendo could send a virus via an "update" to every Switch and brick them...there would still be defenders.

I like the games in this collection and as I no longer own a 64 or GameCube, this is a perfect way to get them on the go. That being said, damn. It really shows just how lazy Nintendo has gotten over the past few generations. Even with the covid situation, I find it hard to believe that they really needed a month or two just to remove things like debug blocks and add incredibly basic features that should’ve been there from the beginning.

@Unit_DTH maybe I’m just wrong and 2D platforming really started with Super Metroid. 😂😂😂 anything that didn’t have a billion branching paths doesn’t count

@Unit_DTH Whatever happened to point A to point B platformers? Even that would be refreshing!

@Goat_FromBOTW Aw man someone else beat me to it

@Unit_DTH I felt it was overkill as soon as games like OwlBoy and Celeste started becoming the norm. It’s actually pretty cool when the games actually seem like they can run on older hardware (Shovel Knight, Retro City Rampage, sprite based Shantae games, Sonic Mania, Freedom Planet) but I’m beyond sick of MS Paint pixel graphics. It’s gotten to the point to where it’s an automatic “nope” whenever I see that style and I know it’s shallow but these games are all started to look the same. Shame too, because the premise reminds me of Gex.

Not sure how I feel about this Gex reboot.

Too many delays. This has been one hell of a disappointing year.

At least Sackboy is around the corner for PS4.

Another day, another delay. Guess I’ll just get it on PC since we probably won’t even hear another date until Q3 of next year.

Very disappointed. I could understand if this game was being built from the ground up or something, but that's not the case. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's an incomplete ROM/board that they've decided to finish up? Guess I'll just wait for a deep sale sometime next year if it even comes out.

Looks great, but they lost me at "Metroidvania". I really miss traditional point A to point B platformers. :l

@Tibob I honestly had more fun playing this than Celeste. It's really only similar in appearance. Whereas Celeste is a game that's meant to put you in a bad mood with its difficulty and demands frame perfect precision, this is a more laid back experience revolving around a primary gimmick. Think Rocket Knight or Ristar- it's a platformer but not in the traditional sense.

@Retro_Player_77 basically boils down to "it's not 1:1 with my childhood waaaahhhhhhhhhh game bad"

Agree that the frame rates kind of stink from what I'm seeing here but I'll chalk it up to the game still being in development and it's probably something they'll optimize later on.