Hydlide

[jameseightbitstar]

metrackle said:

While not the worst game in the world (I'd play it over Dragon Warrior and Tower of Druaga anyday),

Did you just say Hydlide was better than Dragon Warrior 1?

No. Heck no.

[[UNPERSON]]

When I say that Hydlide is better than Dragon Warrior, I mean marginally better.

Dragon Warrior plays too sluggishly for my liking, and the "Ye Olde English" got on my nerves after a while. Hydlide's also slow, but at least it gives you an option to speed everything up and can be beaten much more quickly. Plus, it doesn't take nearly as long to level up, and there's no overpriced equipment to buy (all equipment is practically free).

[jameseightbitstar]

Ahhh. Well, I guess I just have different views on RPGs than most people. Dragon Warrior, for me, was the near-perfect old-school console RPG. Things SEEM overpriced, but if you play it in the old mindset of exploration and discovery (as opposed to today's "OMG what am I supposed to do I need a walkthru!" mentality) it actually works out. And you get the best equipment for free anyway. That, and it was challenging, magic was actually USEFUL for something outside of doing extra damage, there was a "detective story" element (talking to townspeople was actually important, as opposed to most RPGs where all people say is bunk or stuff you figured out for yourself), and overall...

Hydlide was a coffee-break RPG, and while that makes it an entertaining short-term romp I can't see a coffee break game standing up to Dragon Warrior.

[Discoalucard]

I made a quick video of Virtual Hydlide:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS6dOJGz0bg

It's...pretty boring. Watch me run around aimlessly after a harrowing (that is a lie) battle with a tree monster.

[jameseightbitstar]

... I really, really wish I had a Saturn now.

[johnh]

Dragon Warrior doesn't hold up well over time, it's just too simplistic, while Hydlide at least has real-time play. From DW2 on, however, it's no contest.

[Discoalucard]

oh shit I forgot about this article. Anyone wanna write something about Hydlide 2?

[NINJA IN U.S.A.]

admin said:

I think Hydlide came before Ys. It may have out before Zelda, actually.

Hydlide was first released in 1985. Ys was released in 1987.

[sfchakan]

The NES game was just pure crap. I never went anywhere near any of the following titles because of the horrible memories and being angry at spending $5 on it years ago... >.>

[Neo Rasa]

I have to say, while the hatred I display for the franchise is high, I've only played Hydlide on the US NES and Virtual Hydlide on the Saturn. I can't find anything redeeming in these besides the somewhat nice soundtrack in Virtual Hydlide. Are the others better in some way? Is there something I'm missing? Mind you I do like the basic premise of going around assembling the the stuff (in this case the fairies to re-form the princess) and fighting the great evil at the end of the castle and such. I tend to really like this kind of game usually.

[Gilder]

Zombie Bump

Whatever happened to this article? I mean, it appears as though it was almost done with it missing Virtual Hydlide.

[Pitchfork]

Hydlide: worst game on the NES. End of story. Even Deadly Towers and Superman laugh at Hydlide in derision. I honestly have a hard time believing they didn't accidentally publish a 75% complete beta version of the game.

[Discoalucard]

Ended up not having someone to write about the 2nd game. I might go back and redo a bunch of it and post it eventually as a part of a "Oh God Why" series when I feel the need to torture myself for an afternoon.

[adolbundy]

okay so i just played the NES Hydlide and it's pretty bad, but in all fairness at least it's pretty short. i can sorta see how it became popular in japan since the ENTIRE game is based upon grinding and they just love that stuff.

I remember seeing an ad for Virtual Hydlide, didn't it have live action video sequences?

[chaoticgood]

johnh said:

Dragon Warrior doesn't hold up well over time, it's just too simplistic, while Hydlide at least has real-time play. From DW2 on, however, it's no contest.

How does 'real-time play' make a game better? IMO in RPGs it more often than not makes them worse.