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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Dec 20, 2018 9:18:48 GMT -5
Yeah, if the whole game was as good as the final level and they tightened up the controls a bit... and reduced the janken stuff it would be a really solid game.
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Post by 🧀Son of Suzy Creamcheese🧀 on Dec 20, 2018 11:32:44 GMT -5
I tried Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle earlier this year, but I couldn't stand it for more than 10 minutes.
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Post by dsparil on Dec 20, 2018 13:15:09 GMT -5
i don't mind the janken since there's an item in the grey chests, the necklace, that lets you see what "bosses" are going to do in the few levels that have them. All the other items can easily be skipped. You can also get a staff in a chest at some point before the castle which can help there as it lets you freely move about the screen. The bracelet right at the beginning is the only one I'll actually play for. You only lose if it's equipped when you die so it's easy to keep around if used for block breaking.
Alex Kidd is a bit of an acquired taste, but Enchanted Castle has a fairly even difficulty so it isn't hard to get through once you get going. It definitely would have been better if it had either a few castle size levels or just a single larger castle.
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Post by Woody Alien on Dec 20, 2018 18:30:25 GMT -5
External Visions (PC)
A puzzle platformer/metroidvania that you can find for free on Steam because it didn't sell anything. The main gimmick is that there are three kinds of projectiles that can be upgraded and also are needed to solve several of the puzzles: one destroys certain blocks, one creates sticky blocks and the other makes metallic blocks move, and they also have different abilities depending on the upgrade you give them. It's interesting at the beginning, the pixel art and some psychedelic effects are nice, though it overstays a bit its welcome near the end, and the droning music and the pseudo-philosophical stuff that passes for plot don't help much. Nice but nothing special in the end, though it's free if you have a soft spot for metroidvanias like me.
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Post by toei on Dec 20, 2018 19:36:47 GMT -5
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle (Switch) I like the Alex Kidd games a lot and do wonder a little bit what Sega would have been like if Alex Kidd had stayed their mascot. It would have been nice to at least get more of them! The Alex Kidd "Christmas present" in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was a delight though. This isn't the last game, but it's the only Genesis game; the last game is a Shinobi parody. I've always liked how the last level, the eponymous castle, is actually a fairly lengthy and winding area. HLTB lists this as 1.5h. Total: 144 Letters: Complete Time: 632.5h + 438:19:08 I played this one for the first time this year too, it's actually pretty good. The structure is really weird; the first few levels aren't really platformer levels at all, they're like wide open areas with a lot of vertical spaces and even semi-hidden underground areas where you main job is to collect money and buy items from NPCs; you could just run through them really fast if you didn't care, but that's not the point. Then you have a few levels that play more like a standard platformer (the mountains you have to climb), and finally the castle, which is like half the game, a large, non-linear area that even has a few puzzles. It's almost more of an action-adventure game than a platformer. Kotaro Hayashida has said in an interview that his initial plans for Alex Kidd was closer to an action RPG, and I think you can really see it in this one, even if it's not all that polished. And the rock-paper-scissors thing isn't actually bad when you get some pendants that let you read bosses' minds. I even liked the offbeat ending. EDIT - Hadn't seen all those other answers. I think the fact that it only has one castle actually works, because the rest of the game is clearly a build-up to it. The first levels let you gather money and items, the second part tests you a bit, then the big castle at the end.
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hades
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by hades on Dec 20, 2018 23:02:58 GMT -5
Shadowrun (Mega Drive) I love both the SNES and MD Shadowrun games, though admittedly this one took me a little longer to get into than the SNES one which is much easier to just pick up and start adventuring around in. Not that I've played the Pen and Paper game but this one apparently sticks closer to it, which I would believe as it has many more stats/skills to manage which gives the game much more replay value.
Phantasy Star (SMS) While I play through PSIV probably at least once a year, I haven't picked this one up in ages. I was surprised at how well it flows after the rather slow beginning where you are essentially forced to grind until you have enough meseta to purchase a roadpass and passport. After this though I never had to grind again which I was not expecting. You very quickly gain the remaining companions and are powerful enough to survive most encounters, and it is quickly obvious when you are in over your head forcing a retreat. The way the game after a certain point opens up and gives you a few options in which way to approach the quest is welcome. The '3D' dungeons while fairly simple compared to other dungeon crawlers are always fun to explore, and the music while in these is fantastic. Actually even the combat could be considered simple, as you mostly only attack. Magic is very limited so not generally a good idea to use except for 'oh shit' situations or against the few bosses. With that said it is still always fun, especially seeing all the different animated monsters the designers have put in. Actually the whole package is probably fairly simple as far as gameplay goes compared to even its contemporaries, but that is not necessary a bad thing. I think I'd rather play this than most 8 bit turn based jrpgs.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time(SNES) user toei recommended this after I was underwhelmed by Captain Commando, I have played this before and it is a very enjoyable game. I just described Phantasy Star as simple even compared to its contemporaries and I think that applies here too. But it's great! All of the music feels like it was birthed from the old TMNT cartoon theme, even if this was crap to play I think it'd be worth trying just to hear all of the 'turtley' music! I played through this twice once on normal, and once on hard using Leonardo both times. This game is always easy. Except Slash, he is an asshole.
Wonderboy 3: The Dragon's Trap (SMS) This was one of my favourites growing up and I probably haven't played it in probably more than 15 years. This game still holds up today. Having not played it in such a long time I basically had no memory of what to do, but the game gives environmental clues as to where to go next so you are never stuck. The controls are responsive but you're character is a little slippery which can take a little adjusting. The graphics are fantastic, all the player sprites and monsters exude a cartoon like cute personality with there big eyes and facial expressions that are never menacing. Always fun to find all the secrets littered about the land as well
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Dec 21, 2018 1:27:46 GMT -5
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle (Switch) I played this one for the first time this year too, it's actually pretty good. The structure is really weird; the first few levels aren't really platformer levels at all, they're like wide open areas with a lot of vertical spaces and even semi-hidden underground areas where you main job is to collect money and buy items from NPCs; you could just run through them really fast if you didn't care, but that's not the point. Then you have a few levels that play more like a standard platformer (the mountains you have to climb), and finally the castle, which is like half the game, a large, non-linear area that even has a few puzzles. It's almost more of an action-adventure game than a platformer. Kotaro Hayashida has said in an interview that his initial plans for Alex Kidd was closer to an action RPG, and I think you can really see it in this one, even if it's not all that polished. And the rock-paper-scissors thing isn't actually bad when you get some pendants that let you read bosses' minds. I even liked the offbeat ending. EDIT - Hadn't seen all those other answers. I think the fact that it only has one castle actually works, because the rest of the game is clearly a build-up to it. The first levels let you gather money and items, the second part tests you a bit, then the big castle at the end. I prefer the structure of Miracle World, with a few castle levels (which play basically the same as in EC) in-between mostly straightforward action levels and a few designed around the vehicles - something EC doesn't quite do. It also has a few more action adventure elements, plus the puzzle element with how items spawn and can despawn the otherwise invincibile ghosts. Which I explored thoroughly in my hacks btw. Janken is annoying to have in every shop, it's fine for the bosses.
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Post by toei on Dec 21, 2018 3:10:06 GMT -5
I haven't played Miracle World much, I could never get far in it. If it has more castles like that, I might have to put some real time into it.
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Dec 21, 2018 6:25:18 GMT -5
In MW it's the blue crystal ball that lets you read bosses' minds and you get it after a few levels, though the whole game has a set order in which to play the janken game if you simply ignore it, so you could look that up if you wanted to for the levels prior (the only major flaw of the game imo). The bosses actually fight you after you win over them in MW, another plus. There's also an alternate exit in one level. Overall it's the most ambitious AK game.
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Post by dsparil on Dec 21, 2018 7:13:04 GMT -5
I really need to replay the Master System games. Enchanted Castle shows up on every single Genesis compilation so I end up replaying it fairly frequently, but I haven't touched the SMS games in a while. I might as well do that now since there're all so short.
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Post by toei on Dec 21, 2018 15:10:07 GMT -5
Claiming Phantasy Star IV (Genesis). It's easily the game I've finished the most times in my life, but it had been a long time. I'm glad to say it held up to my memories. Easily one of the best RPGs. Also made me realize that the Genesis peaked qualitatively in 1993 in Japan (with what games like this and Shinobi 3 represent for their genres), while I'd say it was 1995 for the SNES, so it really took the same amount of time, since the Genesis came out two years before.
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Post by dsparil on Dec 21, 2018 15:54:40 GMT -5
Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Master System) Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars Alex Kidd: High-Tech World Alex Kidd in Shinobi World And now I remember why I only play Enchanted Castle these days. They others are not as good sometimes significantly.
Miracle World is the best out of the others. You get two castles although both are smaller than EC's and a little less interesting. The other levels are also shorter and more linear although the first level is in a L shape. There are also three vehicle levels instead of one with the first two giving you a secondary water section if you lose the vehicle. You also have regular shops (and less of them) but the inventory system is worse. You only have one of each item and they can't be unequipped. Vehicles are used immediately. So, you gain some castle content but lose some niceties and regular level content.
Lost Stars is pretty bad. It was originally an arcade game and plays totally differently. You have a time/life bar which is replenished with Sc icons so can get hit quite a bit if you don't dawdle. You also shoot instead of punch but you need ammo and start with none. The actual game is in two loops. You go through 6 differently themed levels and get a zodiac sign at the end. Then there's a 7th level in space. Then you go through those 7 levels again but in a slightly harder form. The arcade version is probably better as this one has performance and display issues on top of being a pain in general.
Alex Kidd: High-Tech World was originally not an AK game and had that added on outside of Japan. The original version is based on a series that seems to be set in medieval Japan. The HTW is an arcade you're trying to get to. Almost everything else is traditional Japanese. The first level is an adventure segment where you need to collect 8 pieces of a map. That's the best part. There's a few nice puzzles although it's a little obtuse in parts. The second level is an unremarkable platformer where you fight ninjas in a forest. The third level is a small adventure section. The fourth level is another platformer level with animals in addition to ninjas. Then it's over. This is very much in line with other schlocky licensed games.
Shinobi World is actually kinda fun but on the short side. There's four rounds with two levels and a boss fight each. It is short to the point that it's over right as it should be ramping up in difficulty. It also feels less like a parody of Shinobi than I remember with only the bosses being the tiniest bit silly. It's a regular ninja game for the most part.
HLTB lists MW as 2h, LS as 1h, HTW as 1h and SW as about 1h.
Total: 148 Letters: Complete Time: 637.5h + 438:19:08
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Post by toei on Dec 21, 2018 17:11:22 GMT -5
Miracle World and Enchanted Castle are the only ones designed by Kotaro Hayashida, AFAIK, so they're really the core series. He was probably the most important game designer in Sega's home consumer division in the Master System days and the first year of the Mega Drive - Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Zillion, Phantasy Star (contrary to popular belief, Rieko Kodama didn't design the game, she designed the characters and graphics), Space Harrier 2 (which doesn't hold a candle to the arcade prequel, but was still an impressive showcase as a launch title), Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle... But Shinobi World is nice, too.
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Post by dsparil on Dec 21, 2018 17:16:08 GMT -5
Alien Storm (Switch) Altered Beast I was originally planning on putting the rest of the "A"s in the Genesis collection together, but Alien Soldier is a bit beyond me. I did manage to get get about halfway though.
Alien Storm I had never heard of although the site has an article. It's sci-fi Golden Axe with some shooting gallery sections. The site mentions that the Genesis version is blander than the arcade version with missing cutscenes and humor. I still liked though. The final level is on the alien mothership and features multiple sections and a map. The weird thing is that the shortest path to the final boss is to just take the first door three times…
Altered Beast you inflict upon yourself rather than play. I have never managed to beat it using the default 3 bar health and 3 lives and have always bumped it up both to 5. I suppose it did have a certain novelty on release, but time has not been kind.
HLTB lists AS as 1h and AB as 1.5h which is way too long.
Total: 150 Letters: Complete Time: 640h + 438:19:08
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Post by toei on Dec 21, 2018 17:20:54 GMT -5
How do you beat all these old action games on your first try like that? Sounds like many of them are replays, but Alien Storm on Genesis is pretty hard, even on Normal. You have to get most of the health items in the shoot-'em-up stage, learn the best path in the final level, and learn to deal with those weird boss patterns. Hell, it's harder than Altered Beast, IMO (and I actually like Altered Beast better).
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