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Post by steven on Oct 25, 2016 1:31:21 GMT -5
10 years ago, October 24, 2006, this holy grail arrived at long last after a dramatic nine month odysseyTonight (as I write this it's October 24, 2016) marks the 10 year anniversary since my lot of 40+ Super Play issues arrived. For those who don't know, Super Play was a UK published Super Nintendo-exclusive magazine that ran 48 issues from 1992-1996. Considered the definitive SNES magazine, I fondly remember reading through the 48 issues from late October through Christmas of 2006. I look back on that time period and it holds a great deal of nostalgia for me. I was also going through my Obscure Super Famicom Impressions topic at that same time, as well as getting ready to launch my site (RVGFanatic, which went live January 2007). That time period is just incredibly nostalgic for me 10 years ago I posted that the Super Play issues had finally arrived. One guy actually came out to share the following: HOLY SH*T...Wow. Talk about lucking out! It's mind-blowing to think... had he remembered to enter his insane bid... I might still be searching for a complete Super Play set today. Or at the very least I would have paid a whole lot more. It was truly one of those "once-in-a-lifetime" eBay wins that you'll always remember with a real deep fondness. What a great 10 years it has been. Super Play is truly the perfect companion piece to your SNES library. One of my favorite things to do in this hobby is to play a Super Nintendo game for the very first time, form my own initial impressions and then flip to the proper Super Play issue to then read their thoughts of said game. It's a blast to compare my opinion with that of theirs. Good times. Anyone else here a proud owner? Have you read Super Play before? Feel free to share your thoughts and memories of the magazine here as well. For additional Super Play reading material: THE SUPER PLAY DRAMA SUPER PLAY'S TOP 100 SNES GAMES
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Post by retr0gamer on Oct 25, 2016 4:22:51 GMT -5
Super Play was a fantastic magazine. Really loved how they championed import games as well, they were instrumental in getting Mystical Ninja and Secret of Mana released in the West apparently with pressure campaigns and one of the first, possibly the first, magazine to champion importing or modding of PAL systems to play imports and also to play them in 60 Hz, especially considering how awful Street Fighter 2 was in 50 Hz.
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Post by steven on Oct 29, 2016 23:36:42 GMT -5
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Post by steven on Nov 6, 2016 3:12:33 GMT -5
Apologies for the 2-week delay, been super busy with work and life. Just completed a race that I've been training the past several months for. Back to the countdown! 50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix #21: DOSSUN! GANSEKI BATTLE Dossun! Ganseki Battle feels like a precursor to Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. A Columns-esque puzzler, you select from 3 characters in the 1 player mode or 9 characters in the 2 player versus mode. Pieces drop in 3 or 2 and disappear when 3 or more like pieces are connected. Unfortunately, similar to Columns, you cannot switch pieces to lay horizontally. You can only switch them on a vertical basis. Connections are formed either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Not all puzzle games allow diagonal connections but this one does, and it leads to some nice chain combos. When combos are pulled off, your character attacks your rival (or vice versa). I love how their sprites enlarge as they attack. Neat stuff there. It really gets you into the fighting spirit of the game. It makes it feel like it's more than a puzzle game -- it's a puzzle WAR. Like I said, this kind of feels like a beta version of Puzzle Fighter, which is meant in the most positive way possible. Remember, this was back in 1994! In addition, the game is made further unique because it features an energy bar. Yes, in a puzzle game. There are actually two ways you can win a match. 1. The player's screen fills up or 2. Health meter hits rock bottom. I like the versatility that those two options bring. To make things even more interesting, the five different types of pieces each serve a different purpose. Some are defensive while others are offensive (of course, when connected together). Green rocks, red scrolls and yellow swords act as offensive attacks. Blue potions replenishes your health slightly (if applicable). Purple squares have no effect. Major attacks cause pieces to suspend themselves in mid-air which can really clutter the field and throw the player off his or her game. Competitive and cutthroat, Dossun! Ganseki Battle is one of the finest Super Nintendo puzzle games ever created. It's basically Columns meets Puzzle Fighter with a medieval theme thrown in for good measure. Sounds like a winning formula to me!
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Post by steven on Nov 11, 2016 5:31:32 GMT -5
Ah, down to the last 20! 50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle #20: PUZZLE'N DESU! What's up with the Japanese including exclamation marks in their gaming titles? But hey, if a game is as enjoyable as Dossun! Ganseki Battle, or today's entry, Puzzle'n Desu!, then well, by all means. You move a cute little blob thing around the screen. Your goal? Clear any given field of all its blocks. Blocks disappear when 3 or more of the same color connect. You can only push blocks -- they travel until they come into contact with another block or obstacle. As you can bet, the later puzzles get downright brutal. I'm not a huge fan of the timer, though. I feel these games benefit best when you're free to stare at the screen as long as you can until inspiration breaks through with the resolute "AH-HA!" On the up side, it does lend the game a real sense of urgency. It's quite the rush completing a puzzle just in the freaking nick of time! But what makes this game really special is its 4 player battle mode. The main story mode also allows 3 friends to join you -- now how many action puzzle games do you know of that allow such an option? But my favorite thing about this game is hands down the battle mode. There are ten battle arenas to pick from, and most of them are littered with various gimmicks that would make any Bomberman title proud. It never felt so good before to push a block across the screen and crush a loved one. Yup, nothing says good times quite like that. Unfortunately, for some wacky reason this mode can only be experienced with 3 other friends in tow. It's a shame there isn't an option to play against 3 computer-controlled opponents. But hey, I suppose we're lucky to get the game mode at all. I dare say I might even enjoy it a tad more than any of the Bomberman titles. If only there was an option to disable the timer as well as being able to play against 3 computer-controlled opponents in the battle mode, Puzzle'n Desu! would undoubtedly have ranked even higher on this list than #20.
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Post by steven on Nov 11, 2016 20:10:50 GMT -5
50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! #19: SUTTE HAKKUN Think you've played one puzzle game that you've played them all? Sutte Hakkun will force you to think otherwise. You take control of a strange transparent creature similar to a dipping bird and your task is to reach the orb(s) on each level. To get to these orbs, one must "suck and blow." Yes, you will suck and blow. And you'll do a lot of it. [Insert token dirty joke here]. Transparent blocks are placed throughout a level. There are also preset color blocks. Jars appear in three forms: red, yellow or blue. By sucking paint out of a jar (or block) you can then transfer that color into a transparent block. Red moves a block up and down, blue moves it horizontally and yellow makes it travel diagonally. Of course they don’t travel the full length of the screen — there would be zero strategy if that were the case. Rather, the blocks travel a short distance back and forth. You can freeze a block’s movement by sucking the paint out of them. It’s this method that allows you to change a block’s height to better suit your goal. There are a ton of levels to complete, and the later ones get pretty brutal pretty fast. The game is filled with that classic Nintendo charm. Little details bring a smile to your face, such as a smiling stone that frowns the second you hop on its head. Speaking of which, yes, this game was developed by Nintendo and started out as a BS-X download in the late '90s. It was so popular however that Nintendo decided to release a Super Famicom cartridge of it on June 25, 1999. I like to think of Sutte Hakkun as the last great Super Nintendo game ever released. And it probably is. As such, it's a piece of history one could argue. It's definitely a piece of video gaming art. There is no timer here so unlike Puzzle'n Desu! you can take your sweet time (pardon the pun) solving the case. If you've never played this before and you love (action) puzzle games, give it a shot. It's sure to become one of your new favorites.
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Post by steven on Nov 13, 2016 2:40:00 GMT -5
50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun #18: GUNDAM WING: ENDLESS DUEL March 29, 1996. It had to have been a bittersweet day in Japan for diehard Gundam fans. The 49th and final episode of the Gundam anime aired on that fateful day, but it was also the same day that Bandai released the Natsume-developed Super Famicom fighting game, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Duel. Or Shin Kidō Senki Gundam Wing: Endless Duel to give it its full proper Japanese title. And what a fighting game this is. Gorgeous, fluid and full of crazy combos, Endless Duel is sure to impress any fighting game fan. Being released in '96 it features more contemporary fighting game tropes. This includes dashing (both forwards and backwards), mid-air blocking (you can also block during a dash for goodness sake), cancelling and even double and TRIPLE jumps. Each of the 9 fighters (plus a 10th character, the boss Epyon) has a slew of special moves including a super special attack that can be performed at any time during the match provided you have enough "battle points." You start with 300 points. It drains each time you use a special move. Some specials cost more points than others. You refill this counter by attacking with regular moves. Each of the fighters play a bit differently. Some are more agile while others are a bit more bruising. The overall difficulty isn't hard at all, that is, until you meet the final boss, Epyon. Let's just say he would make any SNK final boss proud. There are four buttons (weak punch, strong punch, weak weapon, strong weapon) and three game modes: 1. Story 2. Trial (fight as many computer controlled fighters as you can until you're eliminated. Max is 99) and 3. Versus. There is only a bit of Japanese dialogue with the post match comments. Interestingly enough, there is an English translation floating out there that is completely unnecessary but hey, why not? Endless Duel feels a bit like an early version of one of Capcom's "versus" fighters. Never thought I would say that about a Super Famicom developed fighter. It isn't without its flaws, though. You'll notice that there is no speech samples whatsoever. All you hear is music and the sound effects of steel connecting on steel. I never realized how much I miss "ROUND ONE, FIGHT!" as well as the fighters announcing their special moves until I played Endless Duel. It makes sense though, they had to sacrifice something to make this game look and run as smoothly as it does. All in all, this is probably the best Super Famicom exclusive fighting game to never hit the US. If you haven't tried it yet and you love fighting games, then you should probably make it a point to do so, and soon.
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Post by Weasel on Nov 13, 2016 12:13:05 GMT -5
Firstly, thanks for all of these, I should really get around to trying some of these games, dammit (especially Sutte Hakkun). But I wanted to bring up Endless Duel having a pretty awesome soundtrack:
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Post by steven on Nov 13, 2016 21:18:01 GMT -5
You got it, Weasel. My pleasure. Yes, Endless Duel has a nice soundtrack, and it helps to cancel out somewhat the lack of speech samples. 50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun 18: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel #17: PRO YAKYUU STARAt first glance you probably thought to yourself, "SAY WHA?" Let's try this again. "Super Baseball Simulator 1.000." OK, now I'm seeing a few nods. Good. So remember the Baseball Simulator games from Culture Brain? Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 developed something of a semi-cult following. It was a baseball game, sure, but it featured outlandish gimmicks such as crazy pitches and the like. Did you know Culture Brain went on to release FOUR sequels to SBS 1.000? But they only came out in Japan, and technically, only one was a true sequel. That one being Super Ultra Baseball 2 (1994). In 1992, the firm launched Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban, which plays almost exactly like Super Ultra Baseball (Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 in the US) but now features real Japanese ball players. Confused yet? Here, let me show some pictures. People like pictures. I like pictures. So pictures it is. Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 (SNES, 1991. Japanese title Super Ultra Baseball) Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban (SFC, August 28, 1992) Super Ultra Baseball 2 (SFC, July 28, 1994. AKA Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 Part 2) Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban 2 (SFC, December 22, 1994) Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban 3 (SFC, October 27, 1995) I like how the Jitsumeiban games each had a distinct visual style. The first one looks like SBS 1.000. The second one looks like Super Ultra Baseball 2 but in Super Deformed style. As if the men from SUB 2 went into the dryer. And the third resembles well, see below Pro Yakyuu Star (SFC, January 17, 1997) All these baseball games are solid in their own right, and I really like SUB 2 and Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban 2, but why did Pro Yakyuu Star make this list? Simple. From a pure gameplay standpoint, it is the most playable and pure baseball game of the (sand)lot. Being Culture Brain's SIXTH Super Nintendo baseball outing, they've had plenty of time to iron out the kinks and as a result Pro Yakyuu Star feels the most polished and refined. You know how in vintage baseball games the outfielders can't throw for jack squat? None of that bouncing ball business here thankfully, as these professionals play like, you know, professionals! Pro Yakyuu Star does get rid of the gimmicks and antics of Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 (which is a selling point for some fans) but makes up for it with crisp gameplay. The ability to throw the ball without weak bounces, swipe bags and the like make for a pleasant, straight forward baseball game. It's also interesting to point out that this is Culture Brain's final baseball game. They planned a few Ultra Baseball games for the Game Boy Advance but those projects were scrapped. Also of worthy note is that they chose to make Pro Yakyuu Star its own stand alone entity rather than "Super Ultra Baseball 3" or "Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban 4." I like to think of it as sort of the definitive Culture Brain baseball title. It's the last of its kind, and it's kind of neat to see how the Baseball Simulator series started and ended here more or less. These quirky baseball games deserve a little more recognition. I hope this gives you a few new intriguing oddities to try out for yourself. And since we're talking baseball, a belated congratulations to the Cubs for ending their 108 year drought. Back to the Future II was off by just one year as it turns out, but guess how many minutes BTTF II was... 108. It's as crazy as if I were to tell you Donald Trump would be our next United States president! Oh... um, yeah. I think this is my cue to call it a wrap. "PLAY BALL!"
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Post by steven on Nov 18, 2016 2:15:56 GMT -5
Down to the Sweet 16! 50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun 18: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel 17: Pro Yakyuu Star #16: BS ZELDAThe NES classic Legend of Zelda gets a "remake" of sorts on the SNES. It was available on March 30, 1997 in Japan via the Satellaview only. The Satellaview was a downloading service that was ahead of its time. If players played the game at a certain time, they were treated to live voice over acting. There was an in-game clock and so you could only play it for a certain length of time. Certain times triggered special in-game events, such as all enemies being stunned or killed. Of course, since then there's been hacks and fan translations, and SNES players can now experience BS Zelda in all its glory. And a glorious action adventure it is! The overworld has been altered somewhat, and the dungeons are brand new, but it's the same classic game you remember with spiffy 16-bit souped up visuals and dare I say even better sound and music than the original. It still plays like classic NES Zelda, but now you can switch items and weapons by using the shoulder buttons. The game is simply a delight to play, and although it's not NES Legend of Zelda to a 100% tee, it's damn close enough. Makes you kinda wish there was also a BS Metroid, or a BS Contra, or gosh, the list goes on and on. BS Zelda is a must-play if you love the first game and you love the Super Nintendo. It's a match made in 16-bit Heaven, and that's certainly no BS.
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Post by steven on Nov 20, 2016 5:21:50 GMT -5
50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun 18: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel 17: Pro Yakyuu Star 16: BS Zelda #15: DEAE TONOSAMA APPARE ICHIBAN This just might be the weirdest Super Famicom game ever. Think of Tonosama as Pocky & Rocky on an acid trip. A strange alien force is out looking to cast its iron fist over the entire universe and two brave (but bumbling) souls set out to save the day. Their names are Baka-dono and Baka-ouji, which translate to Lord Stupid and Prince Stupid. You can't make this stuff up. There are 10 stages in all. It's a globe trotting adventure. Battle crazed curry plate chucking madmen in India one minute, and the next minute sees you contending with rotting zombies in a cursed Japanese village. The best part of the game, other than its wildly bizarre atmosphere, is the fact that two can play at once. Baka-dono attacks by swiping his fan. Baka-ouji plays the long distance game with rose projectiles. Two player mode allows you the best of both worlds. Beware, there is some slowdown as the game isn't afraid to throw more than three bad guys at you at any given time. Personally though, that wasn't a dealbreaker for me. The game has a ridiculous abundance of explosions. EVERYTHING EXPLODES. Elephants? They explode. Stray chickens? They explode. Japanese shoji screens? Yep, even inanimate objects explode. It's not uncommon to see the TV light up in an array of explosions as if it were the 4th of July. It's way over the top, and it's all done with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek with a wink to boot. You can also morph into your deceased overly muscular father. TGR points determine how long you can stay in this mode. Press X at any time (provided you have enough TGR points) to transform into a hulking steroid-injected brute. Each punch sends forth explosions! Any time you get hit or deliver a hit of your own, your TGR points decrease. Once down to 0 it's back to being regular ol' Prince Stupid or Lord Stupid. Slain enemies may drop TGR percentage points, health refills or bombs. You also get to choose your stage order. The game is on the easier side, but I didn't mind that so much. There are a ton of mid and mini bosses along the way, and some of them are pretty "out there," if you know what I mean. Deae Tonosama Appare Ichiban, unfortunately, doesn't come cheap these days. But find a way to play it if you haven't done so already. It's a fun, bizarre two player action romp the likes of which you probably won't be forgetting any time soon. Besides, who isn't enticed by the idea of killing hopping vampires, astronauts on Mars, Bruce Lee wannabes, aliens, zombies, demons, ninjas, sumo wrestlers and the like? Good times, I say. Good times.
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Post by steven on Nov 21, 2016 1:05:57 GMT -5
50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun 18: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel 17: Pro Yakyuu Star 16: BS Zelda 15: Deae Tonosama Appare Ichiban #14: UMIHARA KAWASE Bionic Commando on the NES was a cult favorite of mine growing up, and it saddened me that Capcom never released a 16-bit sequel on the SNES. The closest thing to a 16-bit Bionic Commando? Umihara Kawase. You control a girl who wears a pink backpack. For reasons unknown you find yourself in a strange world full of towering platforms and ledges. There's an exit somewhere in each level and it's your job to safely reach those exits. You do this by performing various tricks with your elastic rope. Enemies come in the form of mutated marine life. You don't actually kill them, though. Instead she hooks them and puts them into her pink backpack. The game is delightfully weird (in that ever lovable Japanese sort of way) and a total blast to play, on account of figuring out how best to utilize the rope in any given situation. Using momentum and understanding the rope's physics is what makes it such a pure joy to play. The graphics are very basic and almost comes off as being minimalist. At a first glance it appears to be a budget title, but don't let its basic looks fool you. What lies underneath is a complex game that hooks you and reels you in (pardon the puns). It's always fun to see what the next twisted level will look like, as well as what new sea creatures may be milling about. Navigating through the game's levels and figuring out how to reach the exit is rather addicting. This is one of those games that's perfect to pop in after a long hard day at work. There's something wonderfully relaxing and soothing about it. The music and sound effects fit the game to a tee; it does a good job transporting you to this bizarre alternate universe. A dimension in which sea creatures are mutated, veggies are overgrown and magic stand alone doors are tucked away at the oddest heights and places. Umihara Kawase has earned its positive reputation the past decade plus for good reason. It's almost impossible NOT to like this game. The game world is so strangely captivating -- it's as if you're deep in some twisted recurring nightmare that (thankfully) plays like an absolute dream.
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Post by steven on Nov 22, 2016 2:06:45 GMT -5
Today (as I write this anyhow) marks the 26th anniversary of the Super Famicom launch. November 21, 1990. The day gaming changed for the better. Crazy that it's been over a quarter century now, huh? This also marks 26 years of Super Mario World and F-Zero. Here's a toast to one of the greatest gaming systems of all time. I would say you're getting old, dear buddy, but what would that say about me? Lol. So I'll just say thank you for the memories, and here's to another 26 years. The countdown will resume tomorrow with lucky number 13. Tonight I would like to plug a friend's product. Some of you probably already bought a copy and have received it by now, for others you may have missed it. Jeffrey Wittenhagen, who wrote The Complete NES, recently published The Complete SNES. It's basically a quick rundown of all 700+ North American Super Nintendo games in a giant 500+ page coffee table style book. It also covers several other aspects, including PAL exclusives, homebrew reviews, etc. There were many contributors, including some esteemed and respected retro gaming YouTube content creators such as My Life In Gaming and The LJN Defender. I also had the honor of contributing to Jeffrey's book. I was humbled to be included with such a knowledgeable and passionate group of retro gamers. Got my copy in the mail a few weeks ago and I highly recommend it to any SNES fan. Jeffrey is also launching the SNES Compendium soon, which will include more in-depth reviews and articles. For more information on either book, including picture samples, check out this link below: THE COMPLETE SNES BOOK AND COMPENDIUMDefinitely a nice holiday stocking stuffer (well maybe not, the book is FRIGGIN' huge!)
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Post by steven on Nov 23, 2016 2:24:48 GMT -5
50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun 18: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel 17: Pro Yakyuu Star 16: BS Zelda 15: Deae Tonosama Appare Ichiban 14: Umihara Kawase #13: CLOCK TOWER My favorite PlayStation video game of all time is Clock Tower. I purchased a used copy in late 1997 and played the hell out of that sucker. I was obsessed with Scissorman -- I genuinely saw him as the second greatest fictional horror villain of all time. Of course, those of you who have been following this topic know my #1 is Michael Myers (see game #49). Clock Tower was a point and click adventure game in which you control different characters in different settings trying to solve the Scissorman puzzle piece by piece before he can get to you. For example, in one scenario you play as Jennifer Simpson at a creepy deserted university late one night. In another scenario, you play as Stan Gotts trapped in a suburban house where Scissorman roams somewhere in the halls. There were multiple endings based on your performance. Scissorman sometimes pops up at random points. When he does, his creepy theme music plays and gets your heart pumping. I love Scissorman's theme music. He stalks after you with a limp and giant hedge clippers. You run and hide (or use an object to bash him over the head with). Sometimes he fails to detect your hiding spot, thus exiting and leaving you to breathe a sigh of relief (at least until the next random encounter). But other times... he figures out where you're hiding and you can guess what happens next. The game is insanely atmospheric and creepy. It blew my mind at the time to see some of the things I saw. For example, at the library one man checks the clock tower and the giant clock hand actually decapitates him! It was gruesome stuff, and I completely ate it up. Years later I found out Clock Tower actually originated on the Super Famicom. I was excited to play it for the first time but I recall not having the highest expectations. Although there was a LOT of praise for the game, I just wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. I was so used to PlayStation Clock Tower and although the polygons were nothing to write home about, the various camera angles added a lot to the game I felt and the angular blocky polygons actually made it feel that much more "primal." Obviously the Super Famicom game is in 2D, so I wasn't sure how much I was going to like it. I also didn't think it was going to be all that scary. Man, was I wrong. I never dreamed in a million years a Super Nintendo video game could ever unnerve me a bit, but Clock Tower succeeded in doing just that. This time you only control one character and the game takes place at a giant mansion, but it still works like gangbusters. This is where Scissorman was born! It should be noted that it's a slower paced game so action junkies should approach it with the proper mindset. Think of it as a really good slow burn horror/thriller. In that proper context the game works extremely well. My favorite memory? I visited my parents on Christmas Eve 2010. I brought my Super Nintendo along and that night played Clock Tower at 2 AM in the dark. The house was emitting all kinds of weird noises as the heavy rain was whipping outside and against the windows. I felt a chill creep up and down my spine. Scissorman stalked me throughout the night. By the time I turned the game off, I staggered off to the guest bedroom in a bit of a daze. Not wanting to wake my parents up I kept the lights off so I fumbled around in the dark for a bit, feeling a bit uneasy, before finding my way to safe haven at long last. As I closed my eyes and began drifting away, I could still hear the faint snip-snip of Scissorman's shears... a twisted smiled crept across my face as I soon fell fast asleep. Merry Christmas, indeed.
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Post by steven on Nov 26, 2016 3:00:23 GMT -5
Hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Now that we've recovered from our food coma, let's continue on with the countdown. 50: Battle Cross 49: Mickey Tokyo Disneyland 48: Little Magic 47: Rendering Ranger: R2 46: Violinist of Hamelin 45: Super Back to the Future II 44: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun 43: Keeper 42: Ghost Sweeper Mikami 41: Go Go Ackman 40: Poko Nyan! 39: Araiguma Rascal 38: Super Tekkyu Fight! 37: Ganbare Daiku no Gensan 36: Power Soukoban 35: The Firemen 34: Super Genjin 2 33: Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World 32: BS Shockman 31: Majyuuou 30: Mickey and Donald: Magical Adventure 3 29: Ghost Chaser Densei 28: Magical Pop'n 27: Pop'n Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventures 26: Pop'n Smash 25: Sanrio World Smash Ball! 24: Spark World 23: Super Bomberman 5 22: SD F-1 Grand Prix 21: Dossun! Ganseki Battle 20: Puzzle'n Desu! 19: Sutte Hakkun 18: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel 17: Pro Yakyuu Star 16: BS Zelda 15: Deae Tonosama Appare Ichiban 14: Umihara Kawase 13: Clock Tower #12: ROCKMAN & FORTE In the mid 2000s it came to my attention that Mega Man X3 was not the final Mega Man title on the SNES. Rockman & Forte was. AKA Mega Man & Bass, Capcom released this on the Super Famicom on April 24, 1998. It blew my mind that Capcom made a Mega Man game for the SNES as late as '98. Pick between the Blue Bomber and relative newcomer, Bass (or Forte), who made his debut in 1995's Mega Man 7. Bass can double jump, dash and shoot in all directions (except straight down). Now like everyone else, I always used to play Mega Man games back in the day and inevitably at some point I'd think to myself, "MAN, IF ONLY THIS FOOL CAN SHOOT IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS." Well, Capcom now gives you that option (more or less). It's fun to use both characters and it extends the game's longevity. I personally find Mega Man to be the stronger character because Bass can't shoot and move. That and his shot is weaker. So Bass kind of, in some ways, operates as sort of a "hard mode" if you will. Other improvements include stunning visuals (you could seriously fool me at a cursory glance that this is a PlayStation or Saturn Mega Man title) and there is now a SAVE system. About friggin' time, Capcom! King is the big bad in this game, and he leads eight robot masters. Things open up with the obligatory introductory level. You face off with the Green Devil at the Robot Museum. It's an impressive looking first boss that sets the tone for the rest of the game. The Green Devil first appeared in 1996's Mega Man 8 and was a version of the Yellow Devil from 1987's Mega Man. From here you have three robot masters to pick. Beat them and five others are unlocked. The game is moderately challenging. Not impossible but not a cakewalk, either. Throughout the stages you'll find bolts. Collect them so that you can buy upgrades and power-ups through Auto's shop. This ranges from an auto charge on Mega Man's Mega Buster shot (!) to an Energy Balancer (picking up a weapon refueler automatically refuels the lowest one). In addition to bolts, you'll also find CD's strewn about the stages. Collect them to view character bios. There are 100 in all. It's like a mini Mega Man in-game compendium! You'll get bios for all previous robot bosses from to Knight Man (Mega Man 6) to Frost Man (Mega Man 8) to even Saturn from Game Boy Mega Man V! Some CD's are not immediately accessible and thus there is a bit of backtracking to do once you've gained certain boss weapons that allow you to free these previously inaccessible CD's. Note: the Japanese version has a bit of Japanese obviously, but there's a fan translation floating out there... If it weren't for 1999's Sutte Hakkun, Rockman & Forte would be the last great SNES game ever created. Whatever the reasons were that Capcom gifted us with this title in 19-freaking-98 (my theory is they felt guilty for Mega Man 8 being only on the 32-bit systems), I'm damn glad they did. It's an amazing Capcom swan song for loyal SNES owners, and the second best Mega Man title on the system for my money (only trailing the epochal Mega Man X). In many ways I feel like Rockman & Forte should never have been, but somehow mysteriously and miraculously was. It makes it all the more worthy to be celebrated and cherished. Rock on, Rockman.
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