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Post by spanky on Dec 13, 2022 8:22:04 GMT -5
đ§Son of Suzy Creamcheeseđ§ The blatant lying about the amount of levels in the game always drove me nuts as well. Are they counting the bonus areas I'm guessing? It reminds me of when Nintendo claimed Ocarina of Time would take over 100 hours to beat. excelsior We never got that CD in the US. Nintendo did sell an OST album here though. I think the sequel rule is a good idea but I think that spinoffs and side games shouldn't be considered part of the series necessarily. Like if we wanted to cover Kirby Super Star before we did Kirby's Avalanche I would be OK with that as they don't really have anything to do with each other except for having the same characters. Just my two cents!
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Post by Snake on Dec 14, 2022 12:21:29 GMT -5
P.S.: I wish I had something to say about Mega Man Soccer since it seems like I brought that upon this thread (shouldn't we have gotten Mario Paint before Kart though if this is the rule?). But I have absolutely no thoughts or comments on it, or recollections of the one time I emulated it for 5 minutes. I give the fly swatter game in Mario Paint a Rank - A rating! Does Mario Paint qualify as a "game?" But it was definitely creative fun, making music and short sprite animations. |
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Post by windfisch on Dec 16, 2022 11:19:41 GMT -5
Donkey Kong CountryReportedly the success of Aladdin on the Mega Drive prompted Nintendo to assign Rare with making DKC. But Iâd argue that the latter also was a late response to the Sonic games. For one, it features anthropomorphic animals with attitude, our stubborn former villain (âs son, to be precise) gets his own sidekick, single-tailed only, but sporting a basecap to make up for it. Or how about the ostrich that can go really fast and gets to put on some sneakers? But where are the bathing shorts for the swordfish or the hoodie for the rhino? Speaking of going fast, DKC generally puts a bit more emphasis on speed than Mario. And those cannon barrels are similar to what youâd find parts of Sonic 2. Even the roll attack is a little hedgehog-like. Now, DKC does have its own identity and undoubtedly Mario was its main influence. But it still was a direct competitor to Mr Needlemouse, acknowledged by this little jab found in DKC 2. Eventually, Sonic would return the favour by going fully pre-rendered in his Blast-outings. Or maybe Iâm wrong and it all goes back to Rise of the Robots? Rivalries and politics aside, Donkey Kong Country remains a well-designed game. I especially like how enemies are often placed so you can jump from one to the next. There is a satisfying rhythm and flow, if you know what youâre doing. Which is a big if admittedly, since it can get pretty tricky. Luckily, you get plenty of opportunity to farm for extra-lives. That said, there are still some more complaints to be made, like a camera that cannot always keep up with the player sprite. Or it wonât let you see far ahead at times, especially when swimming up or down. Cheap deaths are guaranteed. The gameâs physics, which include some literal slippery slopes, also do take some getting used to. And the bosses are not that exciting and the recycling of the same banana background is a bit lame. As a whole, DKC still looks very good. And, as pointed out by others here, playing on a CRT monitor would likely hide most of its flaws: Some backgrounds look washed out and grainy and slightly too busy on modern displays. The seams between tiles also do show on occasion. On the other hand, the game makes great use of parallax scrolling, gradients, colour cycling to simulate changing daytime and transparency to create quasi-light cones. Maybe the *coolest* effect would be the slowly approaching snow storms, gradually adding one snowy layer after the other. Naturally the biggest selling point would be the wonderfully fluent character animation, adding a great deal of personality to the sprites, without affecting playability. My favourite animation would be the running on a rolling steel barrel, like a lumberjack or a circus performer. Sadly that game mechanic doesnât get used too often. But it still shows the artistsâ dedication and attention to detail. Plus, despite displaying tons of objects at the same time, the game runs smoothly. Considering it doesnât use any extra chips, that is some impressive âblast processingâ right there! The sound design is just as good, letting you hear grunting apes, buzzing bees and ambient noise mixed with fantastic music tracks, which perfectly suit the stages. Aquatic Ambience being my fave. I give DKC an A for apetastic. Its sequels are even better. This wouldnât be a post of mine, if I failed to mention the Game Boy version. In this case Donkey Kong Land is less of a port but rather a remix. Naturally the originalâs camera issues are amplified, with less screen estate to work with. And at times it is almost impossible to decipher whatâs going on, due to lack of foreground-background contrast. But when I borrowed it from a friend back then, I was crazy enough to 100% it, defying the tiny, blurry, non-backlit screen. Even today I still kinda enjoy it, warts and all. While arguably the worst designed of the Land-trio, it feels the most unique, offering some exclusive stage themes and enemies, including bosses. And the reworked tunes still sound pretty good!
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Post by excelsior on Dec 16, 2022 12:04:27 GMT -5
spanky - The CD was bafflingly unrelated with few memorable tracks. It was just a bizarre inclusion. At least the Killer Instinct one, 'Killer Cuts' made sense. A rare western release of a Nintendo soundtrack would have been a genuine delight. windfisch - I'm actually surprised you haven't done an ongoing thread discussing various Game Boy games in some form. Screen real estate was particularly highlighted on Game Boy so there was always a question as to how to handle things. Large sprites looks pretty for sure, but not always great for gameplay on the handheld. Nowadays we still experience issues - though often with developers going the other way and making everything too small to see in order to show as much of the oncoming environment as possible.
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Post by windfisch on Dec 16, 2022 12:31:53 GMT -5
windfisch - I'm actually surprised you haven't done an ongoing thread discussing various Game Boy games in some form. Screen real estate was particularly highlighted on Game Boy so there was always a question as to how to handle things. Large sprites looks pretty for sure, but not always great for gameplay on the handheld. Nowadays we still experience issues - though often with developers going the other way and making everything too small to see in order to show as much of the oncoming environment as possible. Yes, I have considered doing a Game Boy thread. But first I'll probably do one about the Watara Supervision, which, believe it or not, is actually something I've been meaning to do for quite a while now. It's a tough sell, since nobody cares about an obscure Game Boy wannabe with a library that mainly consists of some of the worst clones of much better games. But that's exactly what fascinates me and I might have found just the way to make others interested, too (fingers crossed). Many of the games are based on Game Boy titles, so it'll be a stealth GB thread anyway. 
edit: On the subject of relative sprite sizes I go back and forth. More detailed sprites do add to the immersion. DKL needs those large sprites to replicate that specific DKC style, without which it would've been just another platformer. And camera is less of an issue in its more polished sequels. On the other hand, in the first GB Batman the titular hero is tiny and barely recognisable as such. But it is still a good game that benefits from a greater sense of scale. You win some, you loose some.
I even tend to enjoy action games featuring extremely zoomed out cameras: Bangai-O and the wonderful indie title Destructivator 2 come to mind.
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Dec 16, 2022 13:30:53 GMT -5
DKC1 is basically peak SNES nostalgia for me since I got the system with it (I believe I got the SM All-Stars pack-in release), relatively late I know but I had a MD, GB and could play SNES with friends and relatives pretty often. But it's a legit great game beyond the novelty of the pre-rendered sprites, with very good controls, great flow, good variety and neat touches like weather and day-night cycle effects, or the faux ending which I had never seen before in a game. Some of the most memorable and well produced music on the system as well.
I got into it rather quickly because the speed, rolling, relatively simple mechanics and overall vibe was reminiscent of the Sonic games I had been playing before. While the sequel has more variety and the characters are better balanced (not much use for the slam move and rolling into a few more enemy types is only good for certain levels), I find it more frustrating with some gimmick levels I'd rather not replay and I think it actually highlights some of the camera and hit detection flaws of the first game, using basically the same engine. A more straightforward experience isn't necessarily worse for this genre. The main flaws of DKC1 I'd say is it not saving lives when collecting them is such a focus, and the repeated bosses later on.
A
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Post by personman on Dec 19, 2022 2:37:38 GMT -5
Everyone said what I would have for Megaman Soccer (I'm struggling to keep up lol). I remember seeing it in a JCPenny catalogue and didn't think it was real. Some neighbors gave it to me many years later and I could barely believe what I was playing. Thing is amusing but to actually play I could never bother, especially these days knowing its so plainly unfinished. I give it an F.
I'm not quite sure what got me so interested in DKC when it was new. Even back then I wasn't so blown away by graphics, much as I thought they looked great and at a glance the whole tropical theme and such never interested me a ton. I may have simply been I grew up in such a strict household that the things I was allowed to get were limited and back then platformers were usually a sure pass so hearing everyone else's hype I figured I needed to grab it as well.
Once I actually played it though it really clicked with me and still holds up pretty well. It's more straight forward than later entries but that's not a bad thing. Only things I think I can say against it is the water stages are particularly cheap with those damn spiked tire things flying out of nowhere in later stages. I never liked how they handled save points where if I recall some areas you'd have to go through nearly half of its stages before you could save. The need to visit Funky to go between areas always seemed a little pointless too but it was amusing so I didn't mind that much.
It's my least favorite of the trilogy but I still really like it. I think it's what spurred on my appreciate of the mood and atmosphere games can achieve instead of just judging them on gameplay. All three of the SNES games have points with an impeccable haunting vibe but I think DKC has the most pleasant one, its just a little more subtle and immersive and it had the most humorous touches like the little dance and fanfare they went through on the world map after finishing a stage. as opposed to the overt feel of 2 or the bizzare surreal mood of 3. I'll give it an A, tis a classic and I'm sure I'll give it a playthrough again some day.
And that map theme. I can just relax to that all day I swear.
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Post by excelsior on Dec 19, 2022 4:45:29 GMT -5
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Post by excelsior on Dec 19, 2022 4:54:22 GMT -5
Yes, I know that wasn't much of a break, but I'm bed/couchridden at the moment with difficulty standing and moving around so I'm at a loose end. Back to the original plan then.
So Daze Before Christmas is another one of those Euro style platformers which are perfectly fine to play - though this one contains a fair few leaps of faith - but the game is strung on further than it's concept really asks. Really I would want to be able to play through this game within half an hour since there's not really much variety on offer to the platforming. Still, there's the appropriate Christmas music in the background, even if I don't like some of the renditions, and some late on sleigh stages give a festive feel.
Rank - C-
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Post by spanky on Dec 19, 2022 7:54:47 GMT -5
For years I used to see the "DKC is bad, actually" take on various corners of the internet, so I'm kinda impressed and pleased at the unanimous positive response that DKC received here!
I actually played Daze the whole way through a few years back. Not sure what possessed me to do so, but I did it! The Santa Claus themed game is pretty common on the PC(I watched all of LGR's Christmas videos recently and there's really no end to Christmas themed shovelware), but is pretty rare on consoles. I'm going from memory here so details might be a bit foggy...
This game is...below adequate. The most interesting thing about it is that you can drink coffee to turn into "Anti-Claus" a red, horned version of Santa Claus that is invincible and smashes enemies with his sack (of toys, that is). I think I read in a magazine somewhere that in the original design for the game you were able to smash presents while in Anti-Claus mode but that must have been too spicy as they removed it from the final game. You can't pick open presents (which contain power ups) in this mode which is annoying.
You collect presents scattered around levels, but there doesn't seem any point to it - you don't have a set number you need to collect or anything. It's just for points*. There's an early level where you can rescue the various reindeer from behind ice walls, but there's no point to this either. You don't need to rescue them all to complete the level, you can just complete it as normal.
The game is not without it's charms. It looks nice and Santa is animated well though nothing else really is. And I like how the level screen is set up like an advent calendar. Each individual level has it's own unique illustration before which is a nice touch. The music isn't bad with the evil remix of Jingle Bells that plays when you're in Anti-Claus mode is probably the highlight.
I'm not a real fan of this game. It feels a bit rushed, like they were trying desperately to get it on store shelves before the holidays. It's the kind of thing your parents might rent for you to keep you busy while they clandestinely wrapped your presents or got loaded on spiked egg nog. Platformers at this time really needed to bring something new or interesting to the table to really stand out and this is just too generic for me unfortunately. I hate to be a Grinch but this gets a D from me!
*NEVERMIND I just looked up a playthrough and you need the presents to drop in chimneys during the bonus levels...which once again is just for points (unless you feel guilty about ruining Christmas by denying children their presents in a video game).
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Post by Apollo Chungus on Dec 19, 2022 8:34:25 GMT -5
Oh heck, a SNES game I've actually played a decent amount of! I can actually contribute to this thread after all these months lol! I quite enjoyed Daze Before Christmas (I suppose I ought to, considering I wrote the HG101 article for the game). It's a basic enough platformer but I appreciate that basicness and how easy it is to make my way through the game; I reckon it'd make for a nice replay on an early morning or when you've got nothing to do. I particularly dig the soundtrack for its slow and sometimes jazzy vibes, though I prefer the Mega Drive version cuz that Yamaha sound just does it for me more. Yeah, this was originally a Mega Drive game but the SNES version is more widely known due to it getting released in Europe and Australia, whereas the Mega Drive version only came out in the latter region. And in general I prefer the Mega Drive version because it has a wider field of view, making it easier to see platforms and anticipate enemies. Maybe I should give this one a replay, considering that most games I've been playing at the moment are taking a while for me to get through. |
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Post by dsparil on Dec 19, 2022 10:11:58 GMT -5
Get well soon!
Funcom is such a weird developer. They really made a name for themselves with the adventure game The Longest Journey on PC (a huge flop in the US despite good reviews but successful in Europe), and then made the MMO Anarchy Online which caused them to shift towards MMOs for the most part. I only learned about Daze Before Christmas as a weird factoid about them although they also did the Pocohontas game for Genesis which I did play a lot since I had a neighbor that liked it. I emulated and finished the Genesis version around 1999/2000 and the SNES game is basically the same after poking around in both. The music is better but the graphics seem to be identical. It's an inoffensive game but nothing special. The crouching sprite is cute so maybe a little bonus for that.
C
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Post by excelsior on Dec 20, 2022 23:45:48 GMT -5
dsparil - Thanks, I'm much more mobile now after a couple of days rest. There's some pain, but I'm pretty much used to that. Glad to see I'm not the only one who got some enjoyment from this. A rare case of spanky being the biggest detractor here - though he didn't go as far as personman on Mega Man Soccer who made thread history with the first F. Welcome to the thread to Apollo.
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Post by windfisch on Dec 21, 2022 6:42:08 GMT -5
For years I used to see the "DKC is bad, actually" take on various corners of the internet, so I'm kinda impressed and pleased at the unanimous positive response that DKC received here! We're enlightened beings here, obviously, above that sorta edginess. (... said the guy who gave Smash TV an F out of pure spite)
Anyway, going from From DKC to DBC: This is my first time playing Daze before Christmas and it's better than I thought (well, kind of). First of all, it looks quite pretty, with fluid animation and nicely drawn backdrops, the individual titles cards are also neat. And that short tune that accompanies them is from a Christmas (and/or drinking) song, popular in Northern Europe - a rare instance of the Norwegian developers inserting some regional flavour into an otherwise Disney-fied presentation. The audio in general is fairly decent.
Despite all that, I agree with spanky that it feels unfinished. New concepts get dropped as abruptly as theyâre introduced. For example: Most stages are pretty straightforward. But all of a sudden you have to do backtracking with little to indicate where to go. It's ultimately not that hard to figure out and it made the game slightly more interesting (at that point stages started to become a bit dull). But there was very little of that. Even weirder were the two instances of having to drop down a chasm to finish the stage, again with nothing pointing towards that and bottomless pits being deadly usually. Plus, said stages only last a couple of seconds, which initially made me think it was a glitch. I also got the feeling that in the original design documents rescuing elves and reindeer mightâve been of greater importance than in the final product. There is not much sense of urgency here.
Once more, the main culprit is the camera, which wont let you see far ahead or down either. Sometimes you get only hints of platforms at the very edge of the screen and you won't have much time to react to enemies. That means you might want to spam Santa's Hadouken blindly, hoping for the best, or use a stop and go approach. A smarter, scripted camera, wouldâve been welcome. On top of that, platforms are drawn from an angle, which can have you guessing what parts are safe to land on. In a less forgiving game all this wouldâve been really frustrating. But you get generous amounts of health, checkpoints and unlimited continues. You even can increase Anti-Claus time in the options menu, letting you breeze through larger portions of a level - as long as you don't care for collectibles. So even though they might've run out of time/budget, the developers still made sure less-experienced players (younger kids) could make it to the end, which is a nice gesture.
The Mega Drive seems to have been the main development platform. Stages were obviously designed with the larger horizontal resolution in mind and it really makes a differences. You can see further ahead and thus the game flows better. That said, you still have to scroll down manually at times. At least the SNES version has got a slight edge aesthetically, adding a pretty colour gradient sky here and some transparent water there.
Iâd still give the Mega Drive game a low C rating. But the cropped view on the SNES justifies a downgrade: D
edit: I wish you a quick recovery, too, excelsior !
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Post by excelsior on Dec 22, 2022 6:07:12 GMT -5
Hi all. Sorry for the long delay but I've now brought the front page up to date. Rankings, with number of participants in brackets, should now be fully legible for each game, with them appearing in ranked order from highest to lowest. I do need to do a double check through the thread to ensure I haven't missed any - perhaps if they were ranked out of order or something. I've also been through all the links to jump to the weekly discussions are correct. If anybody notices any inconsistencies or errors please let me know.
It's been a while since I've been selecting the weekly games, so I look forward to being at the helm once more in that respect. I have a good amount of upcoming content planned out for early next year, which will include something a bit different to bring in the new year, following which I have a number of more niche games to expand into. I look forward to hearing your thought on those.
Thanks
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