gustav
New Member
Hey Kid Ying, have you heard the news?
Posts: 11
|
Post by gustav on Dec 12, 2016 16:57:06 GMT -5
#5: TSUYOSHI SHIKKARI SHINASAI TAISEN PUZZLE-DAMA In the early 2000s I bought a rare Saturn puzzle game by the name of Chibi Maruko Chan No Taisen Pazurudama. It became one of my instant favorites. The bright colors, the whimsical atmosphere and the charming characters really brought that puzzle game to life for me. So when I found out in 2006 that Konami made its "prequel" for the Super Famicom, I knew I had to see if the first game had the magic touch as well. I dare call Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai Taisen Puzzle-dama Konami's best kept SNES secret. It plays like an early beta version of Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. Select from one of 10 characters, each with their own block patterns, and duel it out to the death. The combos can get rather insane. It's not uncommon to pull off (near) double digit chain reactions. Match 3 (or more) like color faces to make a connection. Think Puyo Puyo but much more forgiving since it's 3 to match rather than 4. It's also made more forgiving because debris come in the form of imprisoned pieces. When you make a match next to an imprisoned block, it releases whatever piece is inside. You can thereby imagine the insane domino effect this may achieve. Sure, some may say it's way too easy to fall into big combos rather than skillfully and masterfully crafting them, but it also makes the battles a bit unpredictable. Skill still wins out (most of the time) but there's a certain luck and timing factor that plays a role too, and I like that actually. Unlike many of the other games on this countdown, Tsuyoshi is going for peanuts even in 2016. Literally. I see two copies selling on eBay for a BIN price of $2 as of this writing. Two freaking bucks! It's definitely worth that and more. However, the game isn't without a few blemishes. One, it's a bit weak in the graphical department. Now I know puzzle games aren't known for their impressive visuals generally speaking, but the somewhat drab looking green background seen here isn't all that appealing. Thankfully though, the character animations in the background help to negate this negative somewhat. You feel their emotions when they're celebrating a big combo as well as when they're wincing in pain and anguish. Secondly, the pieces aren't as operational as in other puzzle games. You know how when you have two pieces going down a narrow column you can usually switch them, right? But in this game, once you go down a column where you're sandwiched in-between blocks on either side there is no more switching allowed. This may annoy puzzle fans who are used to a little more operational freedom with their blocks. However, it's not a deal breaker for me (obviously since I have it ranked this high). It's still an awesome puzzle game despite these two small blemishes. And in my book it's one of the best SNES puzzle games ever made. It's probably not a stretch to suggest that this is arguably the best Konami SNES game hardly anyone ever talks about. Nice top! I like the atmosphere of Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai Taisen Puzzle Dama too. The soundtrack reminds me of the Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu series. Here is some additional information: -Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai is actually an anime. It was even broadcast in France under the title "Un garçon formidable" during the 90s (I watched a few episodes back then and it was pretty funny) -The original game "Taisen Puzzle-Dama" came out in 1994 (arcade). It was hidden as a bonus in TwinBee Taisen Puzzle-Dama (Playstation). -So Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai Taisen Puzzle-dama, TwinBee Taisen Puzzle-Dama, Tokimeki Memorial Taisen Puzzle-Dama, Chibi Maruko-chan no Taisen Puzzle-Dama, etc. are actually themed versions of the original Taisen Puzzle-Dama
|
|
|
Post by steven on Dec 13, 2016 3:58:13 GMT -5
Thanks for the added info! I also own Tokimeki on Saturn. Like that one a lot, too. Looks like I will be posting #3 Friday. Got a couple "bracket busters" coming up here... I will do my best to explain my love for these last three titles
|
|
|
Post by steven on Dec 17, 2016 2:36:07 GMT -5
#3 is a true "bracket buster." By the way, this post is dedicated to the memory of Craig Sager. He passed away yesterday at the age of 65. The basketball world lost a legendary sideline reporter who touched lives everywhere he went with his infectious smile, positive vibes and outlandish wardrobe. Rest in Peace, Sages. 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 11: Super Soukoban 10: Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium 9: Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen 8: Otoboke Ninja Colosseum 7: DoReMi Fantasy 6: Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling 2: 3-4 Budokan 5: Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai Taisen Puzzle-dama 4: Tetris Battle Gaiden #3: DREAM BASKETBALL: DUNK & HOOPIn October of 1994, EGM ran a preview on a Super Famicom street ball title by the name of Dream Basket Dunk & Hoop. It very well might have been my first exposure to Engrish. I just know the funky title immediately caught my eye as did the game pictures (blurry as they were... God were things different back in 1994, lol). I remember thinking I couldn't wait to play it as soon as it hits North American shores. But of course it never did. And then I eventually fell out of favor with the SNES before donating it to my cousin circa late 1998 / early 1999. Years later, 2006 to be precise, I experienced a massive SNES resurrection. I was on the hunt for all my old favorite games, as well as ones I never got to play but always wanted to. One evening my mind recalled Dream Basket Dunk & Hoop. The rest is history. So, what is it that I like so much about this game? Sure it's got your standard 5 on 5 mode, but what really drew me to the EGM preview was the blurry screenshot of a 3 on 3 street ball mode. At that time I was just beginning my fascination with the sport of basketball (a hobby I would explore deeper in my teenage and early college years). I was always fascinated by the idea of a 3 on 3 street basketball game. This game did not disappoint. While it's got its fair share of flaws (too easy to steal the ball, block shots, hell you can even legally goaltend, and the music isn't too hot), this game is simply mad fun. I've never played a basketball game before where making a shot was so based on timing. Being that it's from Human, go figure, right? If you release the ball at the very peak of your jump, your odds of swishing the shot go up significantly. Likewise, any other deviation from the absolute peak of your jump often times result in a brick (or it may rattle the rim for a bit before going through the hoop). It's a satisfying feeling to time it just right and see and hear that SWISH. Incredibly satisfying. To boot, there are stats and fun energy bars done in a Marvel 1991 trading card style that really connects with me. It never gets old flipping through the players to see how they stack up! The 3 on 3 mode is truly where it's at. In this mode you can play on two different courts, but Human even threw in some little tricks. On one court if you enter SUNSET or YONAKA (Japanese for midnight) then you can unlock exactly that. There's a simple yet elegant gorgeousness to these settings that speak to my soul in ways I cannot explain. Maybe it's because it brings back memories of playing ball with my buddies late at midnight, or even getting up early in the morning playing ball right as the sun breaks over the horizon... those old school memories wrapped up in this old mind... it touches a sweet spot and takes me back to the days where I was balling with my friends without a single care in the world. But Human didn't stop there. At the versus screen if you press on the d-pad it will change the color of the courts. Not only can you do up, down, left or right, but in typical Human fashion (think Fire Pro and all its combinations) you can even do up-left, up-right, or down-left or down-right to select all sorts of different colors. Also, you can pick from four different basketball colors. It's just colors we're talking here but it's these little touches that add up to make this one of my all time favorite games, period. Yeah, call me crazy but we all have that one game that clicks deep in our soul for one reason or another that won't click with the masses. It's our special game. Our... spirit animal in video game form, if you will. The NBA Jams and NBA Lives of the world are technically far superior basketball games, but for outright fun I'll take this game over any other bball title on the SNES. That's what I love about video games. There are so many games out there -- you never know when a game that's largely been forgotten and hardly ever talked about grabs your heart by the strings and refuses to let go. It's been 10 years since I bought Dream Basketball: Dunk & Hoop, and I still find myself playing it frequently. Did so again last night in honor of Craig Sager. It never gets old for me. And that's why this completely unexpected "bracket buster" (har har) ranks #3 in my personal book.
|
|
gustav
New Member
Hey Kid Ying, have you heard the news?
Posts: 11
|
Post by gustav on Dec 17, 2016 15:12:13 GMT -5
Interesting choice. I like Human games too (Super Formation Soccer, Neo Metal Fantasy...) and I think I still have got the EGM issue you refer to. Never played that one though. How does it compare to Super Dunk Shot? It seems more similar to Super Dunk shot than NBA Jam.
|
|
|
Post by steven on Dec 18, 2016 2:51:49 GMT -5
Interesting choice. I like Human games too (Super Formation Soccer, Neo Metal Fantasy...) and I think I still have got the EGM issue you refer to. Never played that one though. How does it compare to Super Dunk Shot? It seems more similar to Super Dunk shot than NBA Jam. I never liked NCAA Basketball much. It was far too slow and plodding. Dunk & Hoop plays much faster and smoother, particularly in the half court street ball mode. I would say Dunk & Hoop moreso resembles NBA Give 'N Go (just with way smaller sprites) than NCAA Basketball (AKA Super Dunk Shot). If you end up checking it out at some point, let me know your thoughts on it. --- Speaking of bRACKET busters... 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 11: Super Soukoban 10: Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium 9: Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen 8: Otoboke Ninja Colosseum 7: DoReMi Fantasy 6: Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling 2: 3-4 Budokan 5: Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai Taisen Puzzle-dama 4: Tetris Battle Gaiden 3: Dream Basketball: Dunk & Hoop #2: SUPER FAMILY TENNIS Unlike Dream Basketball: Dunk & Hoop, I don't have much of a history with this next game. It was never a game I saw previewed in a magazine that I wondered about for 12 years. I bought it as part of a large lot from JapanGameStock back in late 2006 because it was super cheap. I never played it until about two years ago. We always hear about how great Super Tennis is, and how it's the best tennis title on the Super Nintendo. Super Family Tennis doesn't get much props. So I was completely caught off guard by how AWESOME this game turned out to be! I think it's even better than Super Tennis. Let's see, the control is smooth as hell, a four player option is included and some of the court designs are completely bonkers, filled with amusing gimmicks and sight gags. Plus it has that inexplicable Japanese charm to it. Look no further than knocking the ball into a tranquil pond in front of a Japanese Shinto shrine (complete with a traditional Torii gate). Or smashing the ball so hard against a coconut tree that it drops a coconut on a bystander's head, completely taking the poor sap out. It's these quirky details that I always enjoy seeing in a video game. It doesn't make a game, but it certainly puts a nice finishing touch on things that leaves you with a positive lasting impression. The best thing about Super Family Tennis though is how fun it is, and how it doesn't take things too seriously. Anyone can pick this up and play. It's a lot more forgiving than Super Tennis. When you mess up, you know it's on you and not the controls. It's a total blast with four players, and it packs a ton of non/casual gamer appeal. It's something that your friends or significant other can easily pick up and play with you, even if video games typically aren't "their thing." There are 20 characters to choose from, all with varying skills and abilities. Nothing's better than making a clutch last second diving save and having the ball sail over the head of your opponent while just BARELY staying in bounds. Let the trash talking commence! It should be noted that this game really doesn't have any music. Instead, it relies on ambient sound effects. And it works. From the soothing crashing waves of the ocean to the echo chamber sounds of the mountain stage, there is sort of a surreal feel to this game that wouldn't be the same had there been music to boot. And as an aside, this game was released in Europe as "Smash Tennis." All in all, Super Family Tennis quickly became one of my all time favorites after I finally played it about two years ago. At first I thought, "Nah, it's probably just the initial rush of discovering an "obscure gem" this late into my fandom." So I played it some more. And more. After a couple months passed and I found myself constantly playing it with a smile on my face, it reaffirmed to me that this was no flash in the pan. Rather, this is the kind of game (God willing) that I'll probably still play (and love) 10, 20 years from now. It's that good, and it's that damn fun. Its wacky sense of humor, outrageous court designs, super smooth control, 20 different characters and surreal sound makes Super Family Tennis a definite smash hit for the whole family.
|
|
gustav
New Member
Hey Kid Ying, have you heard the news?
Posts: 11
|
Post by gustav on Dec 18, 2016 16:49:20 GMT -5
Interesting choice. I like Human games too (Super Formation Soccer, Neo Metal Fantasy...) and I think I still have got the EGM issue you refer to. Never played that one though. How does it compare to Super Dunk Shot? It seems more similar to Super Dunk shot than NBA Jam. I never liked NCAA Basketball much. It was far too slow and plodding. Dunk & Hoop plays much faster and smoother, particularly in the half court street ball mode. I would say Dunk & Hoop moreso resembles NBA Give 'N Go (just with way smaller sprites) than NCAA Basketball (AKA Super Dunk Shot). If you end up checking it out at some point, let me know your thoughts on it. Yes, NCCA Basketball/Super Dunk Shot/World League Basketball is slow. It was ok when it came out in Japan, but I remember my friends being shocked by its slowness when I played it in 1994. I will get a copy of Dunk & Hoop next year and let you know what I think about it. I still prefer Super Tennis to Super Family Tennis. I didn't really like the controls of the latter. As you said, there is almost no music, but the few tracks Super Family Tennis has got are quite good. I have always loved that one in particular: Very curious about your number one!
|
|
|
Post by steven on Dec 19, 2016 3:10:14 GMT -5
Well guys, this is it. We've finally come to number one. I'll post a few honorable mentions tomorrow and wrap it all up with a few final thoughts then, but for now, let's take a look at what I consider my all time favorite Super Famicom obscure exclusive. 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 11: Super Soukoban 10: Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium 9: Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen 8: Otoboke Ninja Colosseum 7: DoReMi Fantasy 6: Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling 2: 3-4 Budokan 5: Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai Taisen Puzzle-dama 4: Tetris Battle Gaiden 3: Dream Basketball: Dunk & Hoop 2: Super Family Tennis #1: BS OUT OF BOUNDS GOLFMy favorite Super Famicom exclusive game of all time is BS Out of Bounds Golf. Ever since I saw EGM's preview of it back in 1994 I have been curious about it. In 2006 I got back into the SNES scene and went hunting for a copy. Much to my chagrin it turns out the game was cancelled and never released on a physical cartridge. Alas, it did come out via the Satellaview Broadcast device... a Japan downloading service in the late '90s. Thanks to the modern wonders of technology, it's possible to experience this fine gem on a real TV using your real SNES. As if it came out on cartridge all those years ago. Ah, technology. So what makes BS Out of Bounds Golf so awesome? The fact that it allows up to four players to compete and you even have the ability to knock your opponent's ball out of bounds (hence the name of the game). Of course, knocking them out of bounds will cost them precious stroke points. Or even just blocking their path is wicked fun. The battles get competitive and cutthroat like few other SNES multiplayer games can match. Also, because one player plays at a time, it's a more methodical multiplayer experience, but I find it works refreshingly well. There is a ton of strategy, scouting and sabotaging involved here. It's Schadenfreude at its finest (or worst...) There are three modes to select from, as well as 12 characters. Among these 12 characters include two felines. That right away tells you the developer (NCS, who also made Cybernator) didn't take themselves too seriously, which is nice as back in the mid '90s golf games tended to be a little too dull. This one was full of personality and I'm positive had it been released in the US back in 1994 that today we would see it on more SNES recommendation lists. After selecting your character you get to pick your theme. There are six themed worlds in all, with each world home to 8 courses. There are 48 courses total, and they range from a beach setting to even outer space. What makes this game so much fun is the amount of options you have. Just look at the process of hitting the ball. First, you get to select from a power meter of 1 to 100. This becomes oddly compelling in its own right. Do you use 47 or 52? 77 or 79? 91 or 95? Sometimes one point off can prove to be the difference between glorious victory and crushing defeat. It's a thrill to see your ball barely crawl into the hole. On the flip side, nothing is more embarrassing than misjudging the power meter by one point and seeing your ball a mere centimeter shy of the goal! After selecting your power, you then get to choose from one of 17 (!) different strike points on the ball. Much like pool, these strike points will determine the trajectory of your shot. While you'll be using the dead center shot most of the time, there will be instances where using the trajectory shots skillfully is essential to winning. It's kind of like a game-within-a-game. You're not only battling three rivals, but you're battling yourself. And it works like absolute gangbusters! Check this out. One spot. But there are four ways to make the shot. First way: straight ahead shot. Second way: curving to the right. Third way: curving to the left. Fourth way: trick shot city -- off the plate bumper ricochet into the cup. Beautiful! There are even weather effects and power ups. Gift boxes are strewn across the courses. Touch one and get a random power up. There are at least 11, ranging from being able to control your ball after hitting it to randomly switching all the balls in play. That means you could possibly swap places with a rival who is near the cup and send them way back to the beginning of a course! Like I said earlier, sabotage is the name of the game. It gives it a Super Mario Kart-esque feel. Also, each of the 48 courses have four different cup destinations. These are randomly generated so you can't master a course simply by memorizing a certain "playbook" so to speak. It speaks to the game's brilliance that there are nearly 200 possible scenarios here. Add in the 17 strike points, the power meter and the power ups and you get a game that feels slightly different each time you play it. Oh, and don't even get me started on some of the short cuts on some of the courses. More shades of Super Mario Kart, which is never a bad thing Not much else needs to be said about BS Out of Bounds Golf. I absolutely love it and find it to be a total riot with three friends in tow. Expect a lot of cursing, laughing, cheering and taunting. It brings out the best and worst in people and it's kind of amusing to see individual personalities come out in their truest forms. There's no other game quite like this on the SNES. By the way, a fan translation recently came out (February 2016) so what little Japanese there was is now all in English. The game is entitled "I Love Golf" which I find to be highly appropriate. I love BS Out of Bounds Golf, and if you haven't played it yet, I think there's a good chance you will, too.
|
|
|
Post by Sturat on Dec 19, 2016 9:35:05 GMT -5
I'd never heard of Out of Bounds Golf; it certainly looks interesting. Does it play anything like Kirby's Dream Course?
Thanks for putting together this list. The games certainly are obscure! The only ones I own are The Firemen, Super Genjin 2, Twin Bee Rainbow Bell Adventure, Umihara Kawase, Rockman & Forte, and Tetris Battle Gaiden, but thanks to your website, a lot of these other games are on my wanted list.
|
|
|
Post by steven on Jan 8, 2017 0:18:14 GMT -5
I'd never heard of Out of Bounds Golf; it certainly looks interesting. Does it play anything like Kirby's Dream Course? Thanks for putting together this list. The games certainly are obscure! The only ones I own are The Firemen, Super Genjin 2, Twin Bee Rainbow Bell Adventure, Umihara Kawase, Rockman & Forte, and Tetris Battle Gaiden, but thanks to your website, a lot of these other games are on my wanted list. It kind of plays like Kirby's Dream Course, but it also plays differently enough where the two feel like two unique mini-golf titles. Glad to have helped! My 5 honorable mentions: Flying Hero Iron Commando Jaki Crush Ranma ½: Chougi Rambu Hen Undercover Cops RVG turns 10 years old today!It's crazy that this thread was started over 10 years ago. As some of you may recall, this topic was responsible for me launching my SNES-dedicated fansite, RVGFanatic. I launched my site back on January 7, 2007. Yes, today marks the 10 year anniversary. Time flies, and I can hardly believe it. To celebrate, I just published a huge in-depth article that walks you through my SNES collection with commentary and pictures galore. Warning: it's a beast. For the curious, check out MY SNES COLLECTION. (It only features my American games, though). It's been fun sharing my thoughts with the retro gaming community. Feel free to leave a comment on my site or even bookmark it if you like -- I'm looking to be fairly active in 2017 with updates. Here's to 10 more years
|
|