Pub: Nintendo | Dev: Taito | November 1997 | 4 MEGS
Last year, many SNES games celebrated their 25th anniversary. 2018 will mark 25 years for SNES games that came out in 1993. Meanwhile, Arkanoid: Doh It Again just turned 20. Released just in time for the Christmas season of 1997, Arkanoid is one of the last SNES games to come out in North America. Most gamers had long migrated to the PlayStation or N64 by then, but loyal SNES owners were treated to a nice update of an old classic title.
RECLAIMING THE RELICS OF MY YOUTH
Many of us who got back into classic gaming at some point I think fondly remembers that feeling of getting back into the fandom for the first time in ages. I’ll never forget that first quarter of 2006. The SNES bug bit me hard and on many early Saturday mornings I would wake up at the butt crack of dawn, hop into my car and drive down many windy roads in search of local flea markets. With a list of wants in the hundreds and a pocket full of dead presidents, it was a winning formula for always going back home with at least something. I met many vendors in my time, most memorable of all being “Mr. Mean.” He had tons of Super Nintendo games but they were way overpriced and he was generally a miserable grouch (hence the nickname). One day I saw Arkanoid and felt my heart leaping for joy. Mr. Mean quickly shattered that when he gave me a ridiculous price quote. I walked away feeling a tad discouraged. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish…
Still, I kept my head up and continued happily exploring the rest of the flea market. At the 4th vendor I spotted Pac-Attack and *DUN DUN DUN* Arkanoid: Doh It Again. Funny how life can work in mysterious ways. I was denied Arkanoid just five minutes earlier by Mr. Mean, but here I was with another vendor who happened to have a copy of the same game as well. However, he was hesitant to sell Arkanoid off the bat.
“I don’t know… isn’t this game rare?” he asked, scratching his head.
“Nope.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I actually just saw it at the very last vendor.”
He examined the glossy game label long and hard, squinting even. He studied the Easter Island statue with burning intensity. Finally he looked back up. “Alright, I trust you… $5 it is then. With the Pac-Man game it’ll be $10.”
In your face, Mr. Mean! Ah, ARKANOID. I have some fond memories of playing the game on my computer in the late ’90s when my bro and I first discovered emulation. Kevin and I had already donated our SNES to our cousin David by the time my brother found out about roms and such. I remember it well; I was a sophomore in high school at the tail end of the ’90s, walking home from school one day talking with a buddy about my brother’s discovery the night before. This was how I first experienced Arkanoid: Doh It Again. I was taken aback by its simple and addictive gameplay. Fast forward to that day in 2006 at the flea market, things came full circle some 7-8 years later when I finally bought Arkanoid at long last.
THE STORY GOES…
Commander Therle searches for a home but Doh blocks him. Doh is a heinous intergalactic entity hellbent on causing contamination and utter destruction.
Sending out a scout ship to analyze the surroundings, the sentient being Doh immediately springs into action.
It reminds me fondly of the Easter Island heads I grew up seeing in the Gradius games and Godzilla movies.
Rocking that Mode 7 to the very bitter end, eh?
With 99 levels to beat, this comes in mighty handy
SICK POWER-UPS
Barriers can be a true lifesaver as can the “Viagra” power-up. Touch the blue capsule and watch your ship grow!
There’s a limit to how long it can grow but at its max, it can cover damn near one half the playing field! Nice.
Another awesome power-up, this capsule shoots out eight balls. Brings new meaning to the term, “Balls to the walls,” no?
FUN LEVELS
So pass it cross the table like ping pong.
I’m gone, beating my chest like King Kong.
And when it comes to get another stogie…
fools all kick in like Shinobi. I GOT 5 ON IT!
[More like this, right? -Ed.] I swear, it really was 5 minutesLittle enemies litter some of the stages
Arkanoid: Doh It Again throws a boss at you every once in a while. This is a nice break from the norm and helps to add some much needed variety to freshen things up.
Backgrounds change every 11 levels. The backgrounds are well done and add a certain atmosphere to the game. I particularly like the one with the humans traveling in space.
Boss fights are the best part of this game. It adds a fresh feel to an old formula. They’re very much welcomed, indeed.
TABLE FOR TWO, PLEASE
Game B is my favorite mode
Arkanoid is pretty fun on your own but it really shines when playing with a buddy. There are three different 2 player modes. Game A has you and a bud alternating turns. Game C pits both players against the same map and the first to clear said map is declared victorious. But Game B is clearly the bread winner. Team up with a friend in some awesome co-op action. Player 2 plays behind you and can swat away any ball player 1 misses. You switch places for each level. This is incredibly fun and one of the better 2 player co-op experiences on the SNES.
This isn’t shabby but it’s got nothing on Mode B
This is so true. I’ve played this mode with my sister in law and my girlfriend. Both of them are casual game players and don’t go out of their way to play games as a solo hobby. But they both loved playing this game. It’s perfect to play with a friend or significant other who isn’t into video games. It’s so simple and fun that anyone can play this and have a good time.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
December 1997. EGM issue #102 (January 1998) arrived in my mailbox. We were in the thick of the 32-bit era as you can see from the cover. Resident Evil 2 was the big title at the time. Yet in the back of the magazine, in the reviews section, I saw something that caught my eye. There was a Super Nintendo game being reviewed! It had been forever since EGM last reviewed a Super Nintendo game. Fun trivia tip: Arkanoid was the last SNES game EGM ever reviewed. It received scores of 7.0, 7.5, 8.0and 8.5. Very respectable scores indeed. My brother and I were both out of the Super Nintendo scene by then but still, I remember being happy seeing the review. It was like seeing a dear old friend again after so many years and finding out that life had been good to them.
This was a comforting sight to see back in late 1997
CLOSING THOUGHTS
There’s something cool and soothing about Arkanoid: Doh It Again. Maybe it’s the contrasting combination of retro gaming goodness spliced with futuristic ambience. Or maybe it’s the awesome and addictive co-op 2 player mode that is instantly accessible to all. It’s probably all of that and then some. The graphics won’t wow anyone but they get the job done, although on some stages it can get tough at times to make out the ball due to the background. Some of the tunes fit well like a glove and there’s nothing like the sound of your ball bouncing off of a bad guy. The game has a timeless quality to it. Whenever the latest game lets me down, I know Arkanoid will always be there ready to whisk me to a far away world where lasers thrive and Easter Island heads rule.
Several years ago my sister in law wanted to sample one of my Super Nintendo games. She’s not much of a gamer at all, mind you. I mulled over my collection trying to select just the right 2 player experience that she might enjoy. It was an instant no-brainer the second my eyes landed on Arkanoid. As soon as we set up the 2 player co-op mode, we were both talking trash at the TV, high-fiving each other and shouting at every missed ball and subsequent second player save. It quickly dawned on me then and there that Arkanoid: Doh It Again presents one of the best 2 player experiences on the SNES. More recently, I’ve introduced this game to my girlfriend and she too digs the co-op mode. Sadly, because it came out so late in the system’s life, Arkanoid is something of an unsung gem in the SNES library. It’s one of those rare special games that anyone can pick up and play whether they’re 8 or 80. Not to mention have a blast along the way. As such, Arkanoid is definitely deserving of a spot in any SNES collection.
WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw, celebrated 25 years this past Monday. Many iconic old wrestling legends made special guest appearances for the big birthday bash. In addition, the 31st annual Royal Rumble was held last night so let’s just say I am in a WWE state of mind. Having just recently reviewed WWF Royal Rumble, I can’t think of a better time to look at the sequel, WWF Raw, than right now.
25 GAWD DAMN YEARS
Congratulations to Vince McMahon and the entire crew. 25 straight years of weekly episodic TV is nothing to sneeze at. These guys and gals have entertained me and millions of others over the past quarter century. It kinda makes one feel old, eh? Although the actual 25th anniversary show was admittedly a bit of a flop, it did bring back to mind a ton of fond Raw memories.
The very first episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Manhattan Center in New York on January 11, 1993. It was an intimate venue and there was a raw energy (pardon the pun) to the whole show. It was must-see TV back then. I rarely missed a week.
Nowadays Raw is held in much larger venues and often has crowds of 15,000 or so. The show also went from one hour to three hours over the years. It’s way too much to consume these days yadda yadda insert bitter old timer wrestling fan rant here. But I still keep up with the product if nothing else out of habit and to relish those fleeting genuinely great moments that gets me jumping out of my seat like I’m five years old all over again.
TOP 5 RAW MOMENTS
Thanks for the memories, RAW
There have been many epic moments in the history of Monday Night Raw. The night Mick Foley (AKA Mankind) won the WWF Championship. The retirement speeches of Ric Flair and Edge. Goldberg’s touching speech the night after WrestleMania 33. The invasion of ECW and WCW. Pee Wee Herman and The Miz trading verbal jabs on the mic. CM Punk’s pipe bomb. Chris Jericho’s countdown debut interrupting The Rock. And so much more. But here are my top 5 moments from 25 years of Monday Night Raw.
5. GET FAMOUS, KID!
Back then Vince McMahon was an on-air commentator. He often screamed “Welcome to Monday Night Raw, where ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!“ It wasn’t just a throwaway comment, either. Back in those days especially, it rang true. Perhaps never more than one fateful night on May 17, 1993.
Perennial superstar Razor Ramon was throwing the Kid around the ring like a rag doll. The Kid had appeared on TV for a while now, always losing matches left and right. Surely Razor was going to pick up the squash victory, right?
Not so fast! A crazy moonsault from the Kid and it was 1-2-3! The Manhattan Center erupted and the Kid launched his career into the stratosphere. Now known as the 1-2-3 Kid, this was a life changing night for Sean Waltman and made Monday Night Raw truly must-see TV.
4. THE END OF THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR
For years WCW and WWF went head-to-head for wrestling supremacy on Monday nights. Nitro and Raw found themselves embroiled in a heated rivalry until it officially culminated on March 26, 2001. It was a historic simulcast of both Raw and Nitro. Shane McMahon was live on Nitro while his dad Vince was live on Raw. And that’s when Shane dropped the infamous bombshell, “The name on the contract does say McMahon… *audience gasp* HOWEVER, the contract reads SHANE MCMAHON! That’s right — I NOW OWN WCW!“ Such a historic announcement and Vince’s shocked expression was simply priceless.
3. A STUNNING SAVIOR
One of the creepiest images in Raw history
Before Stephanie McMahon became the “Billion Dollar Princess” and Authority figure gone wrong, she was little innocent Stephanie. On April 26, 1999, wrestling fans bore witness to one of the craziest angles ever shot for national TV. It was set to be the unholy wedding between Stephanie and The Undertaker. They strapped Steph to a cross-like symbol and it made for some WTF is happening right now TV.
Seeing The Undertaker (in his Ministry of Darkness incarnation) caressing a 22 year old Stephanie McMahon made for some uncomfortable TV. At the same time, you couldn’t help but not look away.
Paul Bearer read Steph her unholy vows. Who was going to save poor Steph from the evil clutches of the vile Dead Man? Out of nowhere the glass shatters and the fans in Hartford, Connecticut erupted in unison. STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD!
Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon were bitter rivals at that time, so it was hard to imagine Austin saving Vince’s daughter. But it was the unlikeliness of the event that added layers to Austin’s character. At the end of the day, Stephanie was innocent and undeserving of such heinous acts. Austin was simply out to restore order and deliver justice when no one else could (and many tried such as Ken Shamrock and The Big Show). I’ll never forget the emotional embrace Stephanie gave Austin after he untied her from that wicked cross-like symbol. Austin held his arms out like “OK OK whoa calm down, take it easy… just doing my job, young lady.” It felt like the satisfying conclusion to some big action summer blockbuster where the bodyguard saves the damsel in distress. Rarely have I felt so emotional watching Raw than this moment right here!
“Alright you safe now. Easy there!”
2. THE ULTIMATE FAREWELL
One of my favorite superstars from the ’80s was The Ultimate Warrior. He was larger than life, crazier than a pet coon and just a comic book superhero come to life. Sure his matches weren’t all that great but it was the moments and memories he created that live on forever.
After a near 20 year hiatus from WWE for various reasons, the Warrior returned in 2014 to headline the Hall of Fame class. The night following WrestleMania 30, Warrior made his first Monday Night Raw appearance in nearly two decades. He gave a short but moving speech. In it he talked about how every man’s heart one day beats its final beat and his lungs breathes its final breath. Eerily enough, Warrior died the following day due to heart issues.
Vince and Warrior embrace each other one last time
On the bright side, he got to make amends with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and a host of others right before he passed away. He also got to go out in a blaze of glory before his adoring fans. Not so many people get that chance. I know Warrior did and said some crappy things in his life, but I like to think by the end of his life he had changed and made peace with everything. That’s the version I like to believe in. At any rate, his speech on April 7, 2014 stands as one of my most favorite Raw memories.
The Ultimate Warrior’s haunting final remarks
1. THE “HART” OF THE MATTER
Speaking of unresolved issues and personal vendettas, my number one favorite Raw moment was when one of my favorites, Bret “The Hitman” Hart returned to WWE TV for the first time in over 12 years. January 4, 2010, Bret Hart finally came home to guest host Monday Night Raw. But more than that, Bret came to clear the air once and for all.
Wrestling fans know all too well about the infamous Montreal Screwjob from Survivor Series 1997. It changed wrestling history forever. For a long time Bret and Shawn lived in its shadow. But on this very special and surreal night, the two came together to hash it out in front of a live national TV audience.
Seeing two of my all-time favorites shake hands and bury the hatchet on live TV gave me the feels. According to Bret and Shawn in later interviews, this was their first real interaction in nearly 13 years since the Screwjob. This moment was not rehearsed — the emotions displayed from the two were real and genuine. I also love that it transcends wrestling. How many relationships in our lives have we let pride, ego and vanity get the worst of us? Sometimes forgiving someone as well as yourself is the key to true freedom.
GET RAW!
Glitchy? Nope, it’s the classic original Raw intro nicely replicated. Gotta love that early-mid ’90s grungy style (or not).
RAW RASSLERS
The 1-2-3 Kid (AKA X-Pac AKA Sean Waltman) is most well known for upsetting Razor Ramon in a match that launched Monday Night Raw from a fun novelty to must-see TV.
Finisher: MoonsaultJust like old times, eh?
The Beast From The East is one of the most underrated and agile big men of all time. And hey, not many wrestlers can claim that they headlined a WrestleMania! Which Bam Bam did with Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania 11.
Finisher: Diving Headbutt
Bret Hart is one of the best in-ring technicians of all time. It blew my mind when I discovered years later why his finishing maneuver is called the Sharpshooter. That’s because he’s Bret “The Hitman” Hart. How did I miss that back in the day?
Finisher: Sharpshooter
Initially a badass bodyguard to The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, Diesel eventually broke out and became one of the company’s biggest stars, both literally and figuratively. Big Daddy Cool also played SUPER SHREDDER in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
That’s Kevin Nash under all that get-up!Jackknife Power Bomb
Some may remember Doink as a silly gimmick character, but the original Doink was straight up evil and diabolical. That version, played by Matt Osborne, was absolutely brilliant. There’s something very unsettling about evil clowns.
Finisher: Whoopee Cushion
Vince McMahon tried to turn Lex Luger into the next big thing after Hulk Hogan left the company in mid 1993. Luger received a massive push and even got his own Lex Express. Unfortunately for Lex and Vince, the vision was never fully realized as Lex Luger never panned out to the level either man had hoped for.
Finisher: Running Forearm
Before the WWE went crazy with their “Women’s Evolution” marketing and branding, Luna Vachon was breaking down barriers in the mid ’90s. She was the first female superstar to appear as a playable character in a WWF video game. Long before you had the Lass Kicker Becky Lynch or the Boss Sasha Banks, you had Luna Vachon — a badass woman not to be trifled with.
Finisher: Luna Eclipse
Bret’s younger brother, Owen Hart, emerged as a supreme talent in 1994. Cocky and brash, Owen had it all. In-ring skills, high flying moves and he was a great talker, too. It’s a shame he fell to his tragic death from a pre-match stunt gone horribly wrong in 1999. We’ll never forget ya, Owen.
Finisher: Sharpshooter
Hey yo. Razor was one of my favorites back in the day and it saddened me deeply when he fell into hard times following his wrestling career. An alcoholic on the verge of death several times, he managed to clean himself up with the help of his good friend and all around good guy Diamond Dallas Page. Using DDP Yoga and living with DDP propelled Scott Hall to quell his demons and get his life back in order. His 2014 induction into the Hall of Fame was a touching moment, and produced one of the best lines I’ve ever heard: “Bad times don’t last… BUT BAD GUYS DO!”
Finisher: Razor’s Edge
Shawn Michaels is arguably the greatest in-ring performer of all time. When comparing Shawn with his peer Bret Hart, one guy said it best when he said “Bret had the best matches but Shawn put on the best performances.” I’ve never seen another wrestler rise to the occasion quite like HBK. Truly a once-in-a-generation talent!
Finisher: Slingshot Suplex
It’s often been said that The Undertaker is Vince’s greatest creation. That’s certainly debatable with Hulk Hogan and whatnot, but there’s no debating the fact that The Undertaker has had one amazing and storied career. There’s a reason why so many fans and wrestlers respect Mark Calaway so much. No one else could have pulled off the character the way that he did.
Finisher: Tombstone
The man who killed Hulkamania, Yokozuna was a friggin’ beast. He was extremely agile for his size and his Banzai Drop always made me quiver in my seat. To cap it off, he was managed by both Mr. Fuji (the devious one) and Jim Cornette. Talk about being a heat magnet!
Finisher: Banzai Drop
MEGA MOVES AND MORE
WWF Raw was an improvement over WWF Royal Rumble in a number of ways. For starters, Raw assigned more unique moves to the wrestlers. There are also secret super special moves known as “Mega Moves.” In addition, Raw incorporated a rating system. Although it’s a little shady to say the least. Each wrestler’s rating total equals 26 points. I have a really hard time believing that Diesel’s strength is only a measly 6 out of 10. Honestly though it doesn’t seem to matter as far as I can tell. The wrestlers’ speed and strength don’t appear to differ in execution. On a side note, Raw made history being the first 4-player WWF game on home consoles.
Mega Move: Coast to Coast
Mega Move: Torpedo Head Butt
Mega Move: Tornado Squash6 strength? That’s BS!Mega Move: Upsy-Daisy
Mega Move: Field Goal Kick
Mega Move: Dynamite Uppercut
Mega Move: Cyclone Splash
Mega Move: TwisterOwen was clearly inspired by Taffy
Mega Move: Cyclone Elbow DropHBK’s stats are all messed up!Mega Move: Cyclone Dropkick
Mega Move: GIT DA FUQ OUT DA WAY
Mega Move: Cannon Ball
MODES OF MAYHEM
Raw is jam packed with modes galore. This is another aspect that Sculptured Software improved on from Royal Rumble. With the Royal Rumble match carrying over, Raw effectively renders Royal Rumble obsolete more or less.
Bedlam free-for-all Brawl is my favorite mode. It lets all four wrestlers battle in the ring at the same time in a fight to the finish. I like the campy small television monitors hanging out around ringside. It brings back memories of Raw’s earliest days in the Manhattan Center.
Trademark moves such as Razor Ramon’s fall away slam are nicely represented. Royal Rumble featured unique finishers but the wrestlers all shared the same moveset. Not so much with Raw.
Backdrop your opponents out of the ring in the Royal Rumble match.
Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon are knee deep in the drop zone. Diesel wins it all. If this were 2018, he would be pointing at the WrestleMania sign right about now…
*Pointing intensifies*
RATTLE THE REF
Just like in WWF Royal Rumble, you can knock out the ref. It never gets old.
Refs bump just like in real life
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Although never reviewed by either EGM or GameFan, they spoke rather favorably of WWF Raw in previews. Super Play called it bigger and better than its predecessor, Royal Rumble, and rated it 84%.
Interestingly enough, WWF Magazine rated it an 8 out of 10. I was subscribed to WWF Magazine back in 1994 and I can remember being a little quizzical when I first saw that score. The official WWF Magazine only gave Raw an 8 rating? Usually these things tend to oversell a product by a point or two. For Raw to only get an 8 gave me a little bit of pause.
WWF Magazine certainly didn’t overhype it
CLOSING THOUGHTS
My brother and I bought WWF Raw back in late 1994 and we had a blast with it. It was fun for its time but similar to Royal Rumble, it hasn’t aged so well. I’m just not a big fan of its “who can tap the buttons the fastest” system. I much prefer grapples being determined by timing. It’s a shame we never got a definitive WWF game on the SNES. But WWF Raw is probably the closest thing to such.
It was the first WWF home console game to feature a 4-player mode. My friends and I wasted hours on the Bedlam Brawl mode. The Mega Moves added an extra layer to the game and there were plenty of modes to go around. Raw is by no means a bad game, but at the same time it’s a little disappointing. It’s a competent game, especially if you don’t mind its button mashing nature, but it still feels like a lot of unrealized potential.
While WWF Raw may not fully measure up in the way I would have liked, it’s still fairly fun especially when played with three pals.
I grew up on professional wrestling and have been a fan for over 30 years now. I first fell in love with the WWF when I witnessed the birth of the Mega Powers on a Saturday Night’s Main Event episode in late 1987. Throughout the years I’ve attended shows and followed the product. It’s had its ups and downs but it’s one of those things that has become a part of me, much like video games. One of my favorite WWF events growing up was the Royal Rumble. So imagine my joy back in the summer of 1993 when WWF Royal Rumble was released on the SNES. The previous WWF game on the SNES, WWF Super Wrestlemania, was pretty meh. Would Sculptured Software redeem itself with Royal Rumble?
Not so super. Wish we got WWF Wrestlefest insteadOh what could have been
Released in 1991 by Technos, WWF Wrestlefest was something of a mythical legend in my gaming group growing up. The game was larger than life and as colorful as the wrestlers themselves. One of my biggest SNES disappointments is that there was never a Wrestlefest port. Instead we got WWF Super Wrestlemania and it sucked.
“TELL ‘EM, HAWK!”“WEEEEEEEELL!!!!!!”It captured the WWF perfectlySelect from these 12 wrestlersThe action spills to the outsideNO HOLDS BARRED!!Two of my all-time favorites“WHAT CHU GONNA DO, BROTHER?!”Despite all my rage I’m still a rat in a cageThe stuff legends are made ofBut we got this instead Now this is more like it. Not Wrestlefest, but hey
THE ROYAL RUMBLE
The Royal Rumble has always been one of my favorite WWE events of the year. 30 men duking it out, a new wrestler comes out every two minutes (ish) and surprises galore. From returning superstars to one-off legend returns to debuting talent, that buzzer always brings a certain level of excitement and anticipation.
Tonight marks the 31st Annual Royal Rumble. It will also feature the first ever 30 women Royal Rumble match. Whatever happens and whoever wins, I’m expecting a pretty good show. My favorite Rumble would have to be the 1992 edition where “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair went the distance to win not only the Rumble but the WWF Championship as well. Besides, who could ever forget Bobby “The Brain” Heenan’s classic commentary on that match? “THAT’S NOT FAIR TO FLAIR!”
Another personal favorite is the 2006 Royal Rumble. I remember this one fondly for a number of reasons. For starters, it was one of the few WWE pay-per-views I bought and the last one I purchased before the WWE Network launched in early 2014. Secondly, I watched it with my cousin David and we both became five year old wrestling marks again that fine evening. Last but not least, it was the night before I received my massive Super Nintendo package along with 30+ games. I remember that Sunday night at David’s house like it were only yesterday. January 29, 2006. Crazy that it’s been 12 years.
It was an exciting time. I was at David’s house watching the Royal Rumble with him and knowing that my big SNES package was probably just a day away. It was just a perfect evening… one of those nights that live on forever in your soul.
2006 Rumble was when Rey Mysterio went over and began his Cinderella run to the top following the death of Eddie Guerrero.
God damn, look at all those Hall of Fame legends. It’s sad though when you think about who has already passed. Cue Dead Wrestler Beach.
Who will win the 2018 Royal Rumble later tonight? Some are saying Shinsuke Nakamura. Others are citing a returning Daniel Bryan. The safe bet may be Roman Reigns. Regardless, I look forward to another fun evening with the boys.
One of my favorite things about the Rumble? The theme, particularly from 1991-1992. Talk about childhood memories. Remember the wrestlers’ portraits flying in and out of the screen as Vince McMahon would scream their names? Classsic!
SMASH!
HAAAA-KUUUUU! THE ULLLLLLL-TIMATE WARRIOR!!!!
ROYAL RUMBLE THE VIDEO GAME
Being huge WWF and SNES fans back in 1993, my friends and I were super hyped for WWF Royal Rumble. I remember a lot of boasting about its hefty 16 MEGS. It’s funny looking back what a huge deal was made out of games that boasted 16 MEGS. It was just a sign of the times.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of its “who can tap the fastest” gameplay system, though. Then again, I always had the slowest thumbs of my gaming group
Each WWF wrestler has a special finishing move that WWF Royal Rumble nicely duplicates. This was one of the many things missing from Sculptured Software’s initial effort, WWF Super Wrestlemania. No finisher is better than Undertaker’s Tombstone!
There are plenty of modes on hand but the main appeal is of course the Royal Rumble match itself. Up to six wrestlers can be on screen at a time. Unfortunately this game doesn’t take advantage of the multitap. So only up to two people can play, which is a shame. Luckily, Sculptured Software learned from this and made the appropriate changes to their follow-up game, WWF Raw.
Knock out the ref just like in real life WWE. This entertained the crap out of me and my friends back in the day.
Chair head shots have long been banned from the WWE, but you can still relive those glorious headbangers in Royal Rumble.
Nothing like a little cheating. Choke ‘em, rake ‘em and kick ‘em!
We had way too much fun with this back in the day.
THE WRESTLERS
Bret Hart was always one of my favorites. The Excellence of Execution was one of the best wrestlers I’ve ever seen. His 2006 Hall of Fame speech was awesome.
Crush started out in the WWF as the third member of the declining Demolition. He then turned babyface and took on this Hawaiian persona. I always liked him.
Ah, Mr. Perfect. It’s hard not to appreciate Curt Hennig. He was one of the first heels (bad guys) I can remember liking. He was just so athletic and smooth in that ring. Everything he did, he did it to perfection. And who could forget his classic manager, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan? Good times.
Lex Luger made his WWF debut coincidentally enough at the 1993 Royal Rumble. Unveiling a brand new gimmick, The Narcissist flexed and posed in front of many elaborate mirrors. This was before he became Mr. America Lex Luger with the Lex Express
My favorite wrestler of all time, Macho Man Randy Savage is the total package. Personality, charisma, mic skills and in-ring acumen. The dude had it all. “Oooh yeah, DIG IT!”
Say hello to the Bad Guy. Oozing with machismo, Razor Ramon had an IT factor unlike many other guys. Whether he was flicking his toothpick at the camera or hoisting up fools in the Razor’s Edge, Scott Hall was always entertaining as hell.
16-time world champion The Nature Boy Ric Flair is one of the few who have managed to transcend the sport of professional wrestling. The dirtiest player in the game is right at home with those eye rakes and choke holds. “WOOOO!”
The Icon. The Main Event. The Show Stopper. Mr. WrestleMania! Before Shawn went on to become all those things, he was simply Shawn Michaels. A brash up and coming youngster who quickly rose through the ranks with his superior athleticism and knack for putting on the best performance of the night. This is the beginnings of The Heartbreak Kid, even before he used Sweet Chin Music as his finisher.
The Native American made his WWF debut in 1992 and was undefeated for a great many months (nearly two years). Tatanka went 10 years between Royal Rumble appearances — 1996 was his last Rumble match until he came back 10 years later in 2006. Speaking of battle royals, Tatanka competed at the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32 in front of over 100,000 screaming fans a few years ago in 2016. Maybe we’ll see the great Tatanka in another battle royal in 2026…
The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase was one of the truly iconic wrestling villains of ’80s lore. He and Mr. Perfect were my guys, so it was nice to see both of them make the cut here. DiBiase was showing his age by 1993 and his last WWF match was against Razor Ramon in a short seven minute match at SummerSlam ’93. Thanks for the memories, Ted. I’ll never forget the time you kicked that kid’s basketball. So dastardly!
THE PHENOM. The Undertaker. A mainstay in WWE for over 20 years, who knew when he made his debut back in 1990 at the Survivor Series that he would go on to become one of the biggest superstars to ever grace a squared circle. Much respect!
I always thought as a kid that Yokozuna was Japanese. It wasn’t until years later that I found out Yoko is actually Samoan. He’s part of the famous Anoa’i wrestling family, which includes the likes of The Rock, Roman Reigns, Nia Jax, Rikishi, The Usos, Umaga and many more. I hated Yokozuna as a kid. He defeated Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in Hogan’s last WWF match in the ’90s. King of the Ring 1993 AKA The Day Hulkamania Died.
GENESIS VS. SNES
Want to play as Mr. Perfect? Better go with SNES then
The SNES version came out in June of 1993 while the Genesis version was released in September. Each version had five exclusive wrestlers. SNES: Ric Flair, Mr. Perfect, Ted DiBiase, Yokozuna and Tatanka. Genesis: Hulk Hogan, IRS, The Model Rick Martel, Papa Shango and Hacksaw Jim Duggan (the first ever Royal Rumble winner way back in 1988).
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
WWF Royal Rumble fared pretty well with the critics. Many considered it the first viable and legitimate home console game under the WWF umbrella. It’s certainly come a long way since the days of WWF WrestleMania on the NES. EGM gave it scores of 7, 7, 7 and 7. GameFan gave it ratings of 84, 85, 85 and 89%. Super Play rated it 79%.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
WWF Royal Rumble was a definite step in the right direction as far as WWF games were concerned. Wrestlers were given their finishing moves and visuals were significantly upgraded. I guess that’s what 16 MEGS can do for ya! The Royal Rumble match is a fun novelty but unfortunately, time has not been so kind to this game. WWF Raw, which came out in November of 1994, is essentially an improved version of this game. I’ve never been a big fan of the grappling meter. I much prefer wrestling games that are based on timing rather than who can mash the buttons faster. Some fine examples of the former include the Fire Pro and Zen Nippon Wrestling games. Another thing that Sculptured Software missed the mark on here is that every wrestler shares the same moveset, sans finisher. Part of what makes wrestling so much fun is that each guy has his own set of moves unique to him. At least WWF Raw fixed this.
Tonight, the 31st Annual Royal Rumble emanates from Philadelphia. As someone who grew up loving the Royal Rumble event, I am so looking forward to it. And being that it’s Rumble season, I recently played WWF Royal Rumble for the first time in… gosh… almost 25 years. My friends and I had a blast with it back in the day but it definitely hasn’t aged so well. Back in mid 1993 when the pickings were slim, this was a good game. But now there are so many better wrestling games on the SNES alone that it renders WWF Royal Rumble a bit obsolete. It’s not bad, but it’s not really that good, either. If you absolutely have to play a WWF game on the SNES, make it WWF Raw.
Graphics: 7 Sound: 6 Gameplay: 6 Longevity: 5
Overall: 6.0
***ROYAL RUMBLE 2018 SPOILERS***
I just finished viewing the 2018 Royal Rumble and wow. I’ll be damned. WWE finally gets it right. The two Rumble matches were a ton of fun and I can’t complain about the booking. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a lot better than the past five years or so. Hats off to the guys and gals. I was thoroughly entertained.
I marked out so hard for the return of Rey Mysterio! He was the winner of the 2006 Royal Rumble which I ordered on Pay-Per-View and watched with my cousin David the night before my SNES package arrived. Fond memories and seeing Rey coming back tonight was a rush of nostalgia. Best of all, Rey can still go. Bravo!
The biggest moment though might have been Ronda Rousey. Sure it was corny and cheesy, but I loved it. Ah Royal Rumble, you did it again.
Pub: Kaneko | Dev: System Vision | January 1993 | 8 MEGS
Power Moves, believe it or not, turns all of 25 years old this month [said no one ever -Ed.]. Hey! I just said it! [Like I said, said no one ever -Ed.]. Ahem, at any rate, 2018 is a crazy time. A lot of our favorite (and not so favorite) SNES games from 1993 will be turning 25 years old. Power Moves didn’t move the needle at all back then, and it’s a safe bet you won’t be seeing many (er, any) “Happy 25th Anniversary” messages for this game. Nonetheless, it stands as a critical game in my SNES fandom. I have a ton of nostalgic memories tied to this game even if it isn’t any good. Why is that? Well, let’s fire up the DeLorean…
THE YEAR WAS LATE 1992…
My brother was too shy to go rent video games so he would always ship me to do his dirty work. 90% of the time he gave me a specific game to rent. On this particular Saturday morning however, he didn’t have a choice title in mind. It was one of those rare “just rent whatever looks good” weekends.
“I’M NOT WORTHY!”
Around this time a hot new rental store called GAME HUNTER burst onto the scene. Game Hunter prided itself on catering to the hardcore. No movies, just video games. You name it, Game Hunter had it. NES, Genesis, SNES, portables and even Neo Geo. But best of all were the imports galore! Walking in seeing a wall plastered by exotic Super Famicom boxes was mind blowing especially back in late 1992. Game Hunter had a HUGE cult following in my area and for damn good reason. They were, simply put, gaming paradise personified.
My very first import experience ever
Strolling the SNES aisle I was taken aback by the countless rows of boxes on display. It was a visual feast! A game by the name of POWER ATHLETE eventually caught my eye. A Street Fighter II clone, eh? I was sold. Sadly for me, I didn’t realize until I got home that it refused to play on my SNES. My brother snapped at me. Not only did I waste my dad’s money and time, but now we had a game we couldn’t even play for the weekend! I immediately called Game Hunter to explain the situation and they told me about the special adapter that would allow an American SNES console to play Super Famicom imports. Thanks guys — a little warning in advance would have been appreciated! My dad, being a great father, drove me all the way back to rent that damn adapter.
Some 40 minutes later, all systems were GO. And the rest is history. Power Athlete was my first import experience. My brother’s best friend came over that weekend and he loved the game. I liked it for what it was, and so did my brother. We had fun with it that weekend. It was no Street Fighter II but it has a cheesy charm to it. Now granted, I think we all knew it wasn’t good per se, but we still enjoyed our time with it. After all, kids have a funny way of making the most out of any given situation.
Nothing like playing a game months before it hits the US
***13 YEARS LATER: JANUARY 2006***
Saturday night fever? Psst, I had SNES fever!
During my winter break of December 2005-January 2006, I developed a nagging feeling I could no longer ignore: it’s time to get back into the SNES. On January 17, 2006, I logged on eBay to search SNES. The first auction ending (in 38 seconds) was none other than Power Moves. What were the odds? It was fate. How fitting, too, that my first import rental ever would become the first game purchase of my SNES comeback.
Of these 51 games, which one to play first?
By the time the SNES came on January 30 I already had 51 games in my possession. Can you guess the first game I chose to play? Of course… POWER MOVES.
Seeing the old sights and sounds for the first time in 13 years was rather surreal. A lot I’d remembered precisely like certain stages, special moves and the cheesy fighters. It was quite the neat little trip down memory lane of a bygone era.
The graphics brought a smile to my face. They’re decent in some places while lacking in others, all while having a semi-nice (nostalgic) look to it all — if that makes any sense. The images of Warren and Baraki’s stages were burned into my retina 13 years ago. Warren’s stage features a big raft sailing across a ocean. Floating high in the air in the background is a blatant and shameless KANEKO blimp. Sure, it may look largely unappealing today, but back in late 1992 it was quite a sight.
“FIRE!”
Baraki’s stage, located in the exotic outreaches of Kenya, sees the fight taking place on soiled ground full of foliage. Littering the background quite nicely are a pair of huge dinosaur remains. A small river flowing about can be seen beyond all this. 13 years later, it still looked pretty damn cool to me at least.
Each character has two special moves. These are executed by holding punch and kick, and tapping forward or back then forward, etc. Control could have been better. They can be somewhat difficult to pull off in the heat of battle at times. Sound and music is generic but passable.
Hey look, it’s Average Joe
The 1 Player mode only allows you to control Joe. You must build up stats in various categories as you progress through the ranks. It’s an interesting idea in theory but not so in execution. It’s a shame too that you can’t pick from any of the eight fighters in this mode. Only the 2 Player mode allows you full access.
The combo system is very basic and simple. It’s nothing special, although it does feel sweet to jump kick someone deep followed by connecting a hard punch straight to the jaw. Like I said, there’s sort of a weird nostalgic charm to this game. Let’s meet the characters now.
POWER ATHLETES
Meet Joe [Black -Ed.]. You better get used to liking him because he’s the only fighter you can control in the 1 player mode. One of the most generic and forgettable Ryu clones of the early-mid ’90s, Joe is obsessed with being the best in the world. Hmmm, where have I heard that before…
Hadoken? No, meet the Ken-Do-Ha! That’s not its official name of course; I just like to think of it as such. To Joe’s credit, his Dragon Punch is pretty cool and looks different from most other Dragon Punch variants. The Rising Dragon Palm is Joe’s ticket to victory.
Baraki is what you’d get if Blanka and Baraka had a love child. This savage beast hails from Kenya so he’s near and dear to my heart (see my Kenya adventures for more). Baraki’s stage is quietly underrated. The huge dinosaur bones littered about and the quaint little river flowing in the background blew my mind when I first saw it 25 years ago in December of 1992.
“FIRE!”shouts the savage each time you unleash his Sonic Boom-like fireball. Not creative, but cheesy and charming in its own weird Power Moves way. He also rolls up in a ball and launches himself at opponents with no regard for human life. A goofy Blanka clone with a fireball? Yes, please.
I remember calling Warren “The Old Muscle Man” as a kid. He’s got one of the creepiest looking portraits I’ve ever seen in a fighting game. Imagine running into Warren down a dark alley. No thank you!
Warren is a dangerous and capable adversary in spite of his goofy looking ass. The Hawaiian brute is deceptively agile and quick.
Hey look, it’s Discount Chun-Li! Reayon is your standard token female fighter. Nothing about her really stands out — she’s pretty forgettable. I couldn’t even remember her name until I went to write this review. Considering my memory, that’s saying a lot…
Shades of Sonya Blade!
Kabuki fighters weren’t too uncommon in fighting games back then. Kyoshiro from Samurai Shodown is probably the most famous one, but Buoh came out about seven months prior. He’s nowhere as interesting, though.
Teleport and use Buoh’s long hair to your advantage. Battles take place in front of a Japanese shrine complete with a Torii gate.
Shades of Neo Geegus from World Heroes, anyone? This mutant is the strongest fighter in the tournament.
Vagnad is the king of the double attack. This includes a double piledriver and a double rushing punch. Combatants duke it out on a roaring train. The scrolling was rather impressive for its time to a nine year old kid, anyhow. Dreary as hell, which suits the character perfectly.
An elite athlete, Nick spent years honing his craft. He tried to channel all his inner energy to unleash a fireball but he could never muster enough chi. Fed up, one day he realized, “Shit, I could just use daggers.” And the rest is history.
Flamboyant and graceful, Nick uses his breakdancing skills and deadly daggers to inflict barrels of pain unto his opponent. His stage is reminiscent of Rolento’s from Final Fight. Nice looking sunset!
China, known for its savage warriors, has produced Gaoluon — Master of the Bladed Tonfas.
Gaoluon’s deadly tonfas act like boomerangs and has the ability to hit you twice. He also does one hell of a Flash Kick impersonation.
After defeating all seven opponents, you face off with the big bad bruiser known only as Ranker.
Ranker isn’t exactly top tier M. Bison Geese Howard Wolfgang Krauser level but hey, it’s Power Moves. In its own weird little universe, he’s not the worst final boss I’ve ever seen.
BONUS ROUNDS
Piece of cakeNot so much this one, though
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Not exactly champion…
GameFan, notorious for doling out generously high review scores, gave this game ratings of 80, 85, 87, 90 and 90%. Pretty safe to say they would admit in hindsight that those scores were way too high. Power Moves is often considered a poor fighting game. Coming out roughly half a year after the amazing SNES port of Street Fighter II didn’t do it any favors, either. It would have fared better had it been released a year earlier in January of 1992. Power Moves felt like a massive step down by early 1993. Super Play, ever the reliable voice of reason especially when contrasted to GameFan, rated it 49%.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I always say when it comes to the SNES that nostalgia is a nice added bonus, but there has to be more to a game than just nostalgia. After all, that will only take one so far. The game still has to be fun to play. Unfortunately, Power Moves falls flat in that department. It isn’t your typical single plane fighting game. Imagine a beat ‘em up playing field, shrink that down and you get Power Moves. This means that pressing up moves your character up instead of jumping. Pressing down moves them down; fighters cannot duck. To jump you must press a button. Thankfully, blocking is still holding back on the D-Pad. While the freedom of movement is certainly unique — it’s easy to avoid fireballs and attacks — this engine sadly doesn’t make for a good 2D fighting game. It’s even more baffling when blocking special moves doesn’t inflict any harm whatsoever. It takes away from the gimmick of the more open ended playing field. Dubious decisions all around plague what could have been a semi-decent fighting game.
To make matters worse, players can only control (Average) Joe in the 1 player mode. You can only use the seven other fighters when playing against a friend. So whatever limited replay value there was to begin with has been slashed even further. Surely there must be some sort of code? Nope. Not that it would have helped much, but hey, it can’t hurt to have more choices. Speaking of bad, special moves are awkward to implement. If there’s one thing a fighting game absolutely cannot suffer from, it’s bad controls.
Still, there’s a part of me that will always appreciate what this game means personally to me. It was my very first taste of import gaming at a time when the word “import” still meant something very sacred and special. Nowadays with the internet and everything, gamers can play and buy imports at the drop of a hat. But things were a little lot different 25 years ago in late 1992. Imports back then carried a certain high level of mystique. They were exotic and almost mythical, even. I’ll never forget that weekend I rented Power Athlete in December of 1992, and the stupid fun my brother, our friends and I had with it. In addition, Power Moves became the first SNES game I bought during my SNES comeback 12 years ago in January of 2006. It also marks the first SNES game I reviewed exactly 11 years ago on my original RVGFanatic website. While the game itself borders on being bad (although not entirely unplayable), the rich history it has in my gaming fandom cannot be understated. As such, Power Moves will always have a spot in my gaming heart.
Happy New Year! I wanted to kick off 2018 by reviewing a blockbuster title. One that would be worthy to ring in the new year with. A few games came to mind but in the end I couldn’t think of a better choice than Super Metroid. Considered arguably the greatest Super Nintendo game of all time, Super Metroid is an action platforming adventure unlike anything else you have seen on the SNES. It’s a bonafide first ballot Hall of Fame classic that stands as one of the best SNES, nay, 16-bit, nay, video games of all time. Few games are as atmospheric, immersive or engrossing as this 24 MEG masterpiece. So grab your Grappling Beam, don your Power Suit and join me for a blissful jaunt down memory lane!
IN THE BEGINNING…
Metroid originated on the 8-bit Nintendo, arriving on the Famicom August 6, 1986. It landed in North America in August of 1987 and made quite the splash. I remember my brother and his friends loving this game. Being so young at the time, I didn’t quite get it. But I watched them play it and I was enthralled. Nintendo had created a unique alien-like world. Bright purple and orange colors. It was like a Sci-Fi film come to life.
EGM ranked it the 44th best game of all time
Metroid went on to become one of the NES greats. Often hailed as a benchmark title, it put players right in the shoes of one, Samus Aran. It’s hard to think about the NES and not think about Metroid somehow. Naturally, when the SNES came along in 1991, everyone clamored for a Super Metroid. It took a while but the wait was worth it.
THE STORY CONTINUES…
Years ago, having demolished a Metroid army and eviscerating the Mother Brain, Samus Aran descended to the planet known as Zebes.
After Zebes was taken care of, Samus blasted the Metroid population of SR388 only to discover a hatchling.
Samus took the Metroid hatchling to Ceres Space Station where scientists could study and look after it.
The scientists discovered that the Metroid hatchling had energy-producing characteristics.
Answering a distress call, Samus returned to the Space Station to find the lab in ruins. That wasn’t the only thing Samus discovered. For there stood the Space Pirate Ridley, with the hatchling firmly gripped by Ridley’s talons.
Samus and Ridley immediately opened fire on one another, turning the once peaceful Space Station into a violent war zone of death and destruction.
Without warning Ridley suddenly made its escape with the hatchling and took off for the planet Zebes. Ridley scales beautifully out of the screen, laying waste to what remains of the lab.
Better get the F*CK out!
Narrowly escaping the earthquake, you hop into your space ship and head directly for Planet Zebes where the hatchling awaits rescuing. God knows what they plan to do with the poor little thing…
Unfortunately for you, many nasty monsters lie in waiting ready to rip your head off. Better find some upgrades fast to ensure yourself even a snowball’s chance in hell! Between you and the hatchling lies countless chambers, catacombs, caves and chasms. Good luck!
WHAT’S ON THE MENU?
This menu tracks what you’ve acquired. You can mix and match to your heart’s content. Toy around with a combo of beams and who knows, you may even get some new ones…
SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST
Just like the NES classic So satisfying to find a new item!
The Super Missile is the power equivalent of five regular missiles. You can carry up to 50. Certain doors can only be opened via the Super Missile.
Bombs never run out and can send blocks sky high, leading to hidden passages.
The Energy Tank stores 100 units of energy. A maximum of 14 can be carried.
RUN FOREST RUN!Eat your heart out, SonicThe Grappling Beam was a game changerEnter these pods to save
I GOT PLACES TO GO
AND PEOPLE MONSTERS TO SEE KILL
Crateria is crawling with all sorts of creepy creatures.
The farther you go the more bizarre things get…
This guy is my favorite non-boss enemy. Zebesians are bipedal crustaceans with lobster-like claws and lethal laser beams.
They attack often times in packs. Watch your back!
I don’t have many complaints but I wish there were a greater inclusion of bipedal enemies. As such, the Zebesians really stand out for me.
After securing the bomb power-up, the Torizo statue crumbles and comes to life! It’s the first official boss battle of the game. It’s a cinch but a nice introduction to the big bad bosses that await.
Samus isn’t one to get spooked easily but even this gives her some pause.
Bust out the heavy artillery!Well said, EGM!What in the blue hell is this…GAWD DAMN!
CONFESSION TIME
I never reallyplayed Super Metroid until a fateful Saturday night back in February of 2007.
I played it briefly back in the spring of ’94 at KB Toys. From those five minutes alone, I knew it was an awesome game. But I never got to play it thoroughly. We never bought it as kids and the opportunity never arose. Getting back into the Super Nintendo nearly 12 years ago (January 17, 2006) gave me a second chance at gaming redemption.
My mind was blown to pieces
Not only did it live up to the massive hype and billing, but it absolutely shattered my gaming world. It was easily one of the best video games I ever played. And to this day I can still say that with all the confidence in the world. Super Metroid is a fantastic work of art. OK, whew, now that I got that confession off my chest, let’s carry on.
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Samus begins the game atop her trusty Starship. I remember playing this at KB Toys in ’94 and being blown away. It’s such a small thing but I recall being amazed that the opening involves going left instead of the traditional right.
Speaking of unusual, not many games at that time had doors up top and below. Such is the unique diversity of Super Metroid. The little details captivated my imagination and pulled me deeper into its world.
Atmospheric is a word often used to describe this game. Look no further than the elevator shafts. There’s a sense of anticipation and tension that percolates as Samus rides the lift to her next destination spot, knowing all too well that it could very well be her last.
Collecting goodies and using them effectively is the name of the game.
Zebesians and Geemers litter the caverns of Crateria.
Bloodthirsty bats wait for you to come near before swooping in.
Congrats on attaining the bomb! But of course, the Torizo statue explodes, revealing a hideous monster underneath.
Killing a boss leaves behind a trail of goodies. I always got a kick out of the health refills in this game — it’s like a purple Target sign!
Combine different skills and power-ups to make your way through. Use the combo of the Morphing Ball and Bomb to forge new passageways.
Believe in the power of prayer? If not, now’s a good time to start!
Audrey, I mean, the Spore Spawn, is a horrific plant monster that guards the lair of Brinstar.
Those energy recharge capsules are a real lifesaver. Try blasting bombs over the thinner surfaces — you never know what new ground you might discover!
Demonic statues doesn’t deter the likes of Samus. Especially not when the Spazer Beam is in your clutches.
Foreshadowing at its best…
Scarcely have I seen a more impressive looking boss than Kraid. Truly a memorable sprite and one for the ages.
Spazer Beam can destroy certain surfaces, even. After venturing a bit in Norfair, you’ll come to the aptly named Bubble Mountain.
Watch out for the many bizarre and gruesome monsters that call Norfair home.
Samus is an agile sucker. This ain’t no Sir Arthur from Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts! The Ice Beam allows you to freeze enemies and use them as makeshift platforms. Nice.
Freeze those little bastards! Later on, a group of Etecoons (a race of non-violent intelligent mammals) will show you how to perform the Wall Jump.
Crocomire cannot be killed by missiles or beams. Instead, you must use your firepower to push the monstrosity into the lava. What a glorious demise!
“This will look great over my mantle.”
Grappling Beam further expands the game world. Shades of Simon Belmont from Super Castlevania IV! The Phantoon guards the Wrecked Ship.
Figuratively and literally, Super Metroid shattered the glass ceiling.
Lurking in the murky underground maze of Maridia lies a huge aquatic serpent.
Draygon and its hatchlings are all too happy to say hello.
Special Charge Beam Attacks offer you even more firepower. Part of the fun is messing around and finding out what suits you best and when. Remember the Torizo from way back in the beginning? Here’s the MUCH tougher Golden Torizo. And suddenly I’m in the mood for some chorizo…
Menacing mouth inside of a menacing mouth? Nice one, Nintendo. Ridley is back. Don’t forget: no one can hear you scream in space.
METROID!
MOTHER BRAIN!
That… doesn’t look too good for you.
Good luck…
COVER GIRL
Super Metroid graced the cover of many gaming magazines. By the way, Chris Marett, if you happen to read this, I’ve got your childhood Nintendo Power issue.
Gorgeous artwork by the one and only Wil OvertonYou go, girl!
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Silly Samus — we love ya!
Critics and fans alike raved about Super Metroid. Many consider it as the pinnacle of 16-bit gaming. EGM gave it scores of 9, 9, 9 and 9. It earned GAME OF THE MONTH honors. GameFan scored it 96, 98 and 98%. Super Play rated it 92% in June 1994 and then 94%in October 2017 in their special “reunion” issue. You would be hard pressed to find many Top 10 SNES games list that doesn’t feature Super Metroid on there.
Super Play issue #20 (June 1994)Super Play reunion issue #48 (October 2017)EGM ranked it as the 6th best game of all timeBloody well said!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
From the moment you turn on Super Metroid to the bittersweet end, you’re in for one wild ride. I’ll never forget finding myself on Crateria for that first time. You’re being drenched in an absolute downpour as you head for shelter. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you know what lies inside (and beneath) is far worse than the terrible weather outside. You can’t help but get sucked into its gritty and dank universe.
The beauty of Super Metroid is that it’s so wonderfully interconnected. Though you may be able to access Brinstar from the very beginning, there are certain regions you cannot pass until much later in the game after discovering a brand new power-up. Then you go, “Oh yeah! With this new ability, I can go back to X and now do Y!” And it’s all wrapped up in a very polished package. While the graphics won’t exactly wow anyone, they’re crisp and well detailed. Each region has a distinct look. The music is highly atmospheric and different for each section with each tune fitting the respective area to a tee. Some themes are haunting and creepy, crafting a feeling of desolation and despair in the air. Other themes have sort of a melancholy to them that will stick to your crawl as you explore the caverns and catacombs. The gameplay is simply divine. With so many hidden secrets, weapon combinations, power-ups, special techniques and so forth, Super Metroid plays like a dream.
My only minor gripe is that it’s far too easy, especially with the multitude of energy tanks available. Oh that and the annoying wall jump (AKA the triangle jump). Wall jumps aren’t as easy and smooth to execute as I expected. Thankfully though, there’s only one section in this game where the wall jump is required, so it’s not like it’s a huge deal or anything. Other than those two very minor flaws I just listed, Super Metroid is virtually untouchable. Control is tight and the gameplay is a masterful concoction of intuition and discovery. Each time you grab a new beam, item or suit, the game’s incredibly intricate design expands before your very eyes. You can’t help but love every second of it. Samus is an agile sucker capable firing in all directions and swinging from cliff to cliff (once the grappling beam has been found). Hell, she can even kneel! She couldn’t in the previous Metroid games and it gives Samus a whole new wrinkle. I could ramble on and on but here’s the bottom line… this is 16-bit gaming at its very best.
Graphics: 9 Sound: 9 Gameplay: 10 Longevity: 8
Overall: 10
Platinum Award
It’s clichéd but Super Metroid isn’t just a video game. It’s a loving work of art, it’s an experience, it’s lightning in a bottle. Few games on the Super Nintendo are as atmospheric or immersive as Super Metroid. It stands as a hallmark title in the annals of gaming history.
1987 was a special year for me. It was the year that my childhood pretty much began. 1987 was the year my uncle bought an 8-bit Nintendo for me and my brother. It was also the year I discovered Godzilla and professional wrestling. And of course, you know where this is going, it was 30 years ago today (TO THE DAY) that the first cartoon episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aired. I still remember watching the premier and being completely blown away. The Ninja Turtles became a huge part of my childhood, and I can’t think of a better way to close out 2017 here on RVGFanatic than to honor the franchise that began (in cartoon form) 30 years ago today.
TURTLE POWER
Any child who grew up in the late ’80s remembers the above all too well. It was a staple of many childhoods, and had kids glued to their television sets on Saturday mornings all across the world. Who could ever forget that classic first episode? We learned about how the turtles came to be and the challenges that lay before them. The original series ran from 1987-1996 and spawned a whopping 193 episodes.
Mutagen!The irony of ninjas and turtles. Think about it…I love my exposition scenes when it’s done right
The Turtles became a massive hit. Not only was a cartoon series flourishing but soon came the toys and video games.
Oh, the memories…I loved my Rat King toyI also had a soft spot for Mutagen ManRemember playing with the sticky green ooze?Super Shredder was such a badassFun fact: he was played by former WWF Champ, DieselBig Daddy Cool! AKA Big Sexy AKA Kevin NashAnother fun fact: Shredder was voiced by James AveryThen came the movies. Man did I love the first two
The Turtles became a cultural phenomenon by the early ’90s. They were everywhere you looked. It was a great time to be a kid.
Years later I bought the series on DVD
The design on Season Four was my personal favorite thanks to Raph’s gorgeous face protruding out of the cover. Not to mention the set contained a whopping 39 episodes.
Bought the last two DVD sets in early 2013Taken on December 20, 2017
About a week ago, my girlfriend took me to this arcade pub in her hometown. They had a bunch of old arcade cabs. I almost fell over when we spotted the original Ninja Turtles arcade game. I hadn’t played it in well over 25 years. Too bad they didn’t have Turtles in Time as well but this definitely brought back memories.
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
Hmmm, whoever could they be??Who else but our favorite Renaissance Italian artists!Arguably the best beat ‘em up on the SNES
HEROES IN A HALF SHELL
NA: Normal Attack RA: Rush Attack ST: Special Technique D: Defense S: Speed
COWABUNGA!
Konami’s faithful and awesome intro never gets old, especially when you factor in the steller Ninja Turtles theme.
Mikey was always my guy.
Konami did such a great job porting the arcade game over. They even threw in some bonus features, such as a Time Trial and Versus mode. Options were plentiful and you could customize it to your liking. It doesn’t make up for losing the four player mode (the SNES probably couldn’t handle it properly) but it’s better than nothing.
Channel 6 News is on the scene with April O’Neil. Wherever April goes, trouble usually isn’t too far behind.
Shredder does his evil laughter and the Turtles spring into action.
Silhouette of the stage’s boss is shown at the beginning of each level. I always thought that was a nice touch. The Foot Soldiers make for the perfect beat ‘em up cannon fodder.
Watch out for the wrecking ball! I love how the Foot Soldiers explode into oblivion.
Avoid Krang’s laser eye beams. What a brilliant way to incorporate Krang’s exosuit early on. I love it when games use a bit of foreshadowing. The first boss is good ol’ Baxter Stockman. Eat yer heart out, Jeff Goldblum.
Things can get sticky fast. Time to put this pest down!
Alleycat Blues, what a great friggin’ name. Can’t have a beat ‘em up without some back alley brawling, can we?
Interact with the environment and use it to your advantage. You can also deflect manhole covers back at the Foot Soldiers. Nice!
DON’T try this at home, kids.
Roadkill Rodneys may well become the bane of your existence. Foot Soldiers can fill the screen quick.
Become a tornado of destruction by touching the pizza box with the bomb symbol.
MechaGodzilla, I mean, MechaTurtle, I mean, Metalhead… damnit.
Scrapheap that ass!
Totally tubular! Sorry. But yeah, this is a nice break from the norm.
Careful or you’ll be doing the Turtle Dance.
Yellow Pizza Monsters… ah, my childhood. The Rat King gives a little speech at the end. Oh my foolish child. You had to do the whole bad guy exposition spiel, didn’t ‘cha?
Firepower game is on point, admittedly. But Donatello spots a weak point and exploits it for all it’s worth. See ya in hell, Rat King!
Technodrome! What a nostalgic sight.
Turtles leap into action like only they can. The silhouette reveals Tokka from the second TMNT movie. Nice.
Mobile Offensive Underground Search Excavation and Retrieval Sentries, or Mousers for short (thank goodness), are introduced here. They’re as annoying as Mousers.
These two were featured in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
Tokka and Rahzar can freeze or grill you.
AWWW! How stinkin’ cute. But the level continues.
Never gets old tossing Foot Soldiers at the screen
Shredder has an obsession with turtle soup. This boss fight was not in the arcade. Konami made this exclusively for the SNES to further utilize their Mode 7 Foot Soldier tossing, which was also new to the SNES port. Bless those Konami lads.
Maybe I’m operating on a hunch here but ya know something… I think Shredder might have some anger management issues.
Traveling back in time… way back!
Dinosaurs AND TMNT? TAKE MY MONEY!
Revenge of the Foot Clan: they certainly are a lot tougher now. And to make matters even worse, the Rock Soldiers join the fray.
Break out your special move in a pinch. It’ll damage nearby enemies from both sides. Of course, this comes at the expense of some health. And hey, beat ‘em up trope #87: bad guys throwing explosives and running away.
Flattened like a pancake. Blue Foot Soldiers fly at the screen butt first.
Slash… AKA one tough son of a bitch.
Metalhead this ain’t. I can never beat him on just one life.
Finally. GAWD DAMN.
Marty McFly would be proud.
Announcer reading the title of each stage always takes me to a happy place. Ouch — I felt that one too, Mikey.
Archery lessons. Lucky me. Careful where you step!
These Rock Soldiers are giving Michelangelo one hell of a hard time. Sorry.
Rocksteady and Bebop… it just wouldn’t be a proper TMNT game without these two buffoons.
Another awesome stage name — Bury My Shell At Wounded Knee. I can’t help but smile each time I see that title. The Foot Soldiers keep learning new tricks, don’t they?
Riding horses and playing hide and seek, even!
Keeping up with the (Casey) Joneses, the Rock Soldiers reveal a few new tricks of their own.
Leaping over rolling barrels is always a good time, especially when said barrels knock over a few Foot Soldiers in the process. Leatherhead (no relation to Leatherface) is still pissed at that little kid who flushed him down the toilet…
Animations are incredibly detailed and, at times, hilarious.
2020… it’s crazy that we’re just about two years away. TWO! 2020 back in 1992 felt like it would never come. Neon Night-Riders was truly mind-blowing back in 1992.
Mousers and flying Foot Soldiers can really put a damper on your night.
Details help make a game more memorable. I love being able to see Super Krang flying in the background. It builds up the anticipation of the eventual showdown.
Bosses flash like crazy as they weaken. Classic.
Welcome to the year 2100, Where No Turtle Has Gone Before. The sliding attack works well so be sure to use it.
Flinging Foot Soldiers at the screen never gets old.
Nothing beats karate kicking a Foot Soldier upside its head. Beware of the futuristic traps that lie ahead.
Watch out for the Rock Soldiers who have some new toys to play with.
Krang is back. Time to pop his bubble!
Krang’s beautiful demise leads our heroes to the portal back home. Quick, don’t miss it!
Prepare to meet the Super Shredder. There are no Foot Soldiers, Mousers or Rock Soldiers to fight beforehand. You’re taken straight to the final boss. No boss gauntlet. Super Shredder wants you all to himself…
Somebody really wants their turtle soup. Save the Statue of Liberty!
HOME BONUSES
Versus Mode pits you against a friend. Pick from any of the four Turtles. It’s not the greatest mode in the world, but at least it’s something extra. There is also a Time Trial Mode.
Select from either the classic animation look or the 1984 comic book look, which is darker and grittier. Doesn’t really make much of a difference but it’s a neat little bonus for diehard TMNT fans.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Turtles in Time was well received by the press. EGM gave it scores of 9, 9, 9 and 9. Super Play rated it 84%. Most people call this game the best beat ‘em up on the SNES. I certainly don’t disagree, although I would rank Super Double Dragon (in its Japanese form) a close second place. You know a game is special when people are still talking fondly about it more than 25 years later.
Perhaps the coolest usage of Mode 7 in SNES history!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The Ninja Turtles celebrate 30 years today. Although they made their first appearance in May of 1984 through the comic book medium, they are perhaps most well known for their 1987 cartoon iteration. I know that’s how I was exposed to TMNT as well as countless other kids who grew up in the late ’80s. They’ve given us so many memories over the years. My girlfriend and I recently played Turtles in Time and it still holds up extremely well. Of course, some animations and speech samples had to be sacrificed. Not to mention the epic four player mode is nowhere to be found, but at its core still lies an awesome and fast moving beat ‘em up. The visuals are well animated and cartoony; it feels like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life. The sound and music are memorable as well and complements the onscreen mayhem nicely. Hearing the TMNT theme blare during the opening intro never gets old. Best of all, the game is fast, smooth and a joy to play alongside a friend. Many SNES beat ‘em ups capped out at three enemies simultaneously appearing on the screen, but Turtles in Time pulls off four enemies without a hitch. Sometimes there is even more. This leads to a more frenetic experience that truly feels like a slice (pardon the pun) of its arcade original.
My fondest memory with this game took place seven years ago (Christmas 2010). My cousins flew in from Texas and that night the lot of us rotated turns playing Teenage Mutant Ninjas Turtles IV: Turtles in Time. We had a blast and my cousin was drunk with nostalgia, saying how this was her favorite arcade game from her childhood. Ironically, it wasn’t just the Ninja Turtles who went back in time that night. It’s one of my fondest gaming memories. TMNT was born to be a beat ‘em up. Four heroes to pick from, a ton of Foot Soldier variants and a badass end boss in Super Shredder. It was a match made in Heaven. I had a great time playing this game 25 years ago in 1992 and it’s just as fun to play 25 years later in 2017. Along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, Konami gave SNES owners two of the best TMNT games of all time. Speaking of time, that’s my exit cue. See y’all in 2018! I hope 2017 treated you well. Here’s to a kickass new year — “COWABUNGA!”
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja was one of those games I briefly played with my buddies back in the day but never fully explored. I bought a copy in 2006 during my my SNES resurgence but it took me over a decade later to finally play it. Around this time last year I wrote a massive article highlighting my SNES collection. In it I talked about some of my most anticipated titles. That is to say, the most high profile games in my collection I’ve yet to play but can’t wait to. I cited Legend of the Mystical Ninja as one example. Some of my readers told me this was a matter that needed to be rectified ASAP. So this past October my girlfriend and I sat down and started going through the game. It is every bit the SNES classic that most say it is. Ah, it seemed like Konami could do no wrong back in the early ’90s.
25 YEAR CURIOSITY AT LAST QUELLED
The excerpt above is a story/article I wrote that my buddy Jeffrey Wittenhagen published in his SNES Compendium book released earlier this year. This article is about the seven reasons why I love the SNES so much. Reason #4 is the ability to quell longstanding childhood curiosities. As you can see, Legend of the Mystical Ninja was listed first. Glad I righted that wrong!
Thanks Cindy!
And yes, it is late Christmas night as I write this. A few minutes to midnight, in fact. Look what my girlfriend got me. Best Christmas ever
THE EVOLUTION OF GOEMON
Goemon started out as an arcade game in 1986There were four Ganbare Goemon games on the SNES
WHY MYSTICAL NINJA ROCKS
The following pictures come courtesy of Retro Gamer Magazine. It gives a great overview on what makes Legend of the Mystical Ninja so good.
MEET OUR HEROES
MASTERING THE ART OF JUTSU
In addition to your regular attacks, you can master the art of Jutsu throughout the game which grants you some special powers that will make your life a whole lot easier.
THE STORY GOES…
Diabolical forces has struck the village of Horo-Horo. Their beloved princess has vanished and without her powers, a plague of locusts will ravage the helpless. Only two brave souls can save the village… Kid Ying and Dr. Yang!
I THINK I’M TURNING JAPANESE
Oriental flavor was thankfully retained. Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for SNES games featuring Japanese-esque elements to be Americanized. Luckily, there wasn’t much of that here. There are 10 Warlock Zones in all with each composed of two sections. It’s not a long game but it’s certainly fun (especially co-op) while it lasts.
SHOP ‘TIL YA DROP
Rather than being a straight-laced action platformer, Konami added in shops where you can buy useful items or simply gather information by speaking with the locals. It helps to break up the action and definitely adds a bit of strategy. Here’s a more in-depth look at the places you can visit.
I like how Konami gave players a choice. Sure, you could rush to the end of the level to face the boss and avoid entering any of the shops, but it will make the game a lot more difficult. Take your time, explore what each town has to offer and fortify your skills! All of the shops are helpful in their own little way but keep an eye out for the Travel Logbook Shop. It will give you a password (albeit an absurdly long one) that pretty much acts like a direct save system.
You get a short password when you Game Over. This allows you to continue at the last level.
However, with the Logbook password, although much longer and more tedious to input, it allows you to leave right off where you were, items and power-ups intact. Pretty cool that we got both options! I don’t really recall many games using a similar style as this one. On a side note, I’m sure this was a bitch to write down back in the ’90s. Playing Mystical Ninja in the year 2017 with smart phones FTW.
Don’t say I never did anything for ya!
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Sinister samurais and fretful fishermen mill about. Bash them with your not so peaceful pipe. Killing them earns you coins which can be redeemed at the various shops. This is crucial to getting better equipment and the like. Also, you can fire your coins as a projectile attack. Obviously the more coins you have the better. The first level even transitions to a spooky night time. Oooh.
Tanuki (raccoon dog) greets you. This leads to the second section of the first level, which now takes place on a single plane. If playing with two, the Tanuki will even give you a choice: go solo or play with two. This allows more skilled players the chance of beating these sections without a less experienced player struggling to keep up. It’s nice Konami gave us options, but my girlfriend and I like to team up. Besides, it’s all part of the fun.
Pound that big bell to extinguish the flames. The first boss can only be hurt by deflecting her projectiles back at her. Pro Tip: it’s a good time to fire off some of your coins. That’s why you don’t want to rush through the levels!
Cutscenes break up the action in-between the levels and advances the plot. It’s nothing mind blowing but a nice touch nevertheless.
Warlock Zone II is most memorable for this wacky bit. It’s so peculiar that it feels like a sordid scene right out of a weird nightmare. If you have plenty of coin then try standing on those ledges there and firing away at the lantern boss.
Warlock Zone III takes you across a lovely bridge that leads into an amusement park.
What’s more Japanese than being a contestant on a quiz show? [I can think of a few things that shall go unmentioned… -Ed.]. Later on, you even encounter an arcade where you have a choice of playing the original Gradius — nice! Or you can play Tear Down The Wall. Insert Donald Trump joke here.
Gradius in all its miniature glory. This was quite the lovely surprise. Of course it’s no Gradius III, and you only get to play the first level, but hey it was still pretty damn cool!
Amusement parks with sumo wrestlers posing as statues can never be trusted, I’ve always said. Fun Konami fact: the end boss for this stage is Takosuke, a giant octopus which first appeared in Parodius Da! (1990).
Warlock Zone IV takes us back to another small village, this time by the sea. Get to the second section where more hi-jinx ensues. My favorite being the ability to go either into the background or foreground of the dojo.
Starts out pretty standard before evolving into an impressive bit of Mode 7! Talk about getting big-headed…
Warlock Zone V intensifies with savage barbarians, rock firing henchmen and wild boars. Not to mention a bomb-infested race to the interior of a ninja castle where your troubles have only just begun.
Travel by way of those giant golden wrecking balls. Thankfully, control is pretty tight and snug. The boss, a ninja assassin, throws a ton of foot soldiers your way before deeming you worthy enough to crush.
Warlock Zone VI takes us to Tengu Mountain. Beware of the crazy monkeys that litter the second part of this stage. More than mischievous, they are downright nasty if not defeated immediately.
Awesome set piece! The Tengu Demon Warrior statue leers at you ominously while you’re fighting for your life. Those two Tengu Warriors may look like the end boss but they are in fact only mid bosses. The actual boss defending Tengu Mountain is a killer Kabuki fighter. The difficulty ramps up with each passing stage.
Four more taxing levels await. My girlfriend and I are currently stuck on Warlock Zone VI. We’ll beat it one of these days!
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja is heralded as a Super Nintendo classic, and rightly so. Super Play rated it 90%, ranked it a lofty #7 on its Top 100 SNES Games list back in 1996 and deemed it “Konami’s finest hour.” Very high praise indeed. The folks at Retro Gamer seem to agree, calling it “a timeless classic.” The game is well beloved by SNES fans and is considered one of the finer action games on the system. Certainly no SNES collection is complete without a copy.
Super Play sure loved them some Mystical Ninja
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Phase I
I remember playing this game with my good buddy on a lazy Sunday morning in Sacramento 25 years ago. We only got to play it briefly however, but I remember having a blast with it. I always wanted to play it more thoroughly but never did until very recently. This past October, my girlfriend Cindy and I began tackling the game together. We’re having a good time! Whether it’s hopping from shop to shop, playing mini games galore, farming (i.e. killing bad guys for coins and goodies), or performing tag team techniques in the single plane sections, there’s always something to see and do. I also like the fact that there is a very minor open world aspect to each stage, or at least the first part of each stage anyhow. It’s not a linear game as you can travel up and down the towns and villages as well as left and right. This gives the game sort of an open feel but it never gets so big that it gets frustrating or requires you to chart out a map.
Phase II
For more traditional action platforming fiends, that’s where the second section of each stage comes in. The open world shrinks into a single plane field where it’s a lot more linear. Versatility is a major positive as this game offers something for almost everyone. And it does it with bucket loads of charm that will appeal to even the most casual of players. My girlfriend for example is a fairly casual gamer. She’s played games before meeting me but it’s probably not something she’ll feel compelled to do on her own. However, she loves the wacky Japanese charm of this game and enjoys playing it with me. I’ve played it both with her and without. It’s fun both ways but it’s definitely more fun playing with two. Nothing beats a good couch co-op after all and this is certainly one of the better two player offerings on the SNES.
The visuals are very good but they’re not quite on par with some of Konami’s other SNES titles from that era (such as Contra III: The Alien Wars). But they more than get the job done, with nice colors and an authentic Japanese style that makes it stand out from the crowd. The music and sound are typical classic Konami. Town themes are serene and soothing while action sections get a bit more intense. Boss themes are frenetic and intimidating, just like the bosses themselves. Control is tight and responsive. Very rarely did I die and felt like it was the fault of the game. Difficulty picks up steam with each stage. I wouldn’t call it insanely hard but it’s no walk in the park.
Some games live up to the hype and some don’t. I always approach playing these higher profile games for the first (legit) time with some form of trepidation. I want to like them too obviously, but that’s not always the case. Fortunately, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja proves to be a damn good game. In fact, I don’t hesitate to call it great. I don’t quite agree with Super Play calling this Konami’s finest hour however. There’s some stiff competition there but it speaks more to the greatness of those other games. Bottom line, I’m glad I finally played this game. 25 years late to the party but better late than never. Now, where’s my trusty yo-yo?
The SNES is blessed to have a stacked library that features some of the finest RPGs from the 16-bit era. Of course you have the good old standbys: Chrono Trigger, EarthBound, Final Fantasy III and so forth. But there are some lesser known RPGs that, while not quite in the same class as the aforementioned titans, are definitely worth your time. Similar to Gunman’s Proof, Treasure Hunter G is a “hidden gem” that doesn’t get nearly enough credit. Thanks to a dedicated community, lost gems like this have been fully translated and are ready to be explored. Ever wake up one morning and find yourself thinking, “Man, if only there were a game where I can save the world using two brothers, a girl and a monkey” — let’s be real here, who hasn’t? Well then, you’re in luck. Enter Treasure Hunter G!
A HIDDEN TREASURE UNEARTHED
Treasure Hunter G was one of those games I never knew about until 2010 or so. I feel it flies under the radar and doesn’t get nearly the recognition it deserves, even in SNES circles. It can sort of be described as Donkey Kong Country meets a strategy RPG. It’s not hard to see why given the pre-rendered graphics and a primate companion. Sadly, by the time this game came out (May 1996), the SNES was pretty much dead in the water here in North America. As such, it was doomed never to touch American soil. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of a gentleman by the fine name of Metalhawk, gamers can now experience “lost” gems like Treasure Hunter G in all its English glory. What I love most about this game is how much you can explore your environment. By comparison it makes searching in other RPGs look downright primitive. If you see it you can smash it. We’re talking jars, pots, barrels, hell, even bushes aren’t safe from your OCD to treasure hunt. This leads to discovering useful items and the like, which make exploring the landscape very rewarding indeed. It’s a blast just to run around, destroying your surroundings and discovering secrets galore.
It’s a congruous marriage of tactics and role playing
Treasure Hunter G has a charming exploratory feel to it, and it’s only fitting given the title. You’ll traverse many unique locations and bear witness to some truly awe-inspiring sights, all in the good name of treasure hunting. Along the way there are plenty of apoplectic bad guys to dismantle, funky NPCs to interact with and various allies that are certain to leave a lasting impression.
THE STORY GOES…
Lacking a little originality there are we, Gamrius IV?I’m looking at you, Star Ocean…This is proof positive RPGs don’t have to be 40+ hours*cue dramatic air horn blare from most trailers*Impressive indeed. The Dark Lord is already at workLink, ever the glory hogBecause silly, it’s obviously a dramatic plot point…Uninspired plot but who cares — the game is fun!The last SNES game published by Squaresoft…Damn right it just might be
THE HEROES
Red is the main protagonist. Not surprisingly, he’s the strongest character in your posse. Although he cannot use long-ranged weapons, he does swing a mean sword. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was young, and his father, Brown G, is often away on his treasure hunting expeditions. Therefore, Red was forced to fend for himself and take care of his younger brother for all those years. Robbed of a robust childhood, Red can be defiant and rebellious. He has the least amount of action points so he doesn’t get around as much as the others, but Red does possess the most evade and health points. Overall, he is a solid and capable combatant.
Growing up a latchkey child, Blue has been (pardon the pun) rendered helpless. He is often found crying and whining; it’s safe to say that he’s one of the most feminine male characters in SNES history. However, don’t judge a book by its cover because Blue proves handy in battle. He can effectively wield either an axe or spear, which can strike two squares away and hit up to two bad guys at once. Owning the second highest amount of action and health points, he can set deadly traps as well. Eat your heart out, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin).
Who is this mysterious girl that goes by the name of Rain? You’re not entirely sure when she shows up but being compassionate (and possibly horny) you take her in all the same. Fulfilling the RPG rule to have at least one female party member, Rain is the kind of gal that trouble can’t help but follow. And surprise surprise, she is the weakest of the group. On the bright side, she has the most action points and she also knows some powerful (healing) spells that are sure to come in handy. She can also communicate with her primate pal. So while she may be physically weak, she contributes in many other ways.
Monkeys. You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them. Or so the saying goes… [There is no such saying, fool -Ed.]. Ponga is a cool little bastard who makes it impossible for you NOT to fall in love with. Able to play the violin and use magic, Ponga is unusually gifted for a monkey. He strikes with cutters which can hit up to two spaces (be careful that you don’t hit your own allies, which YES, you actually can). In addition, he is capable of learning all the spells within the game. Not just here to be a token cute mascot, Ponga is well rounded and will quickly endear himself in your gaming heart.
THE ART OF WAR
The combat system is unique and different from most other SNES RPGs you’ve played. While it is turn based, that’s where the similarities end. Players operate on a grid that sees every movement count as an action point. Of course, you only have a set number of action points per round. Blue, yellow and red squares represent different point values, making forward thinking and game planning crucial to one’s success. Each color, then, eats up a certain amount of action points. The game thus works your brain a bit as you can’t just pound the attack button over and over again like you can in most RPGs from that era. I love strategically positioning my party in the right squares to maximize my strikes. It makes fighting very fun and much more rewarding than your standard turn based RPG.
Most RPGs don’t allow you to level up (and regain health as a result) mid-battle. Experience points are usually doled out post-battle. Not so here! Each blow successfully landed grants you experience points on the fly. This means you can actually level up in the middle of a fight and regain full health. It’s such an awesome little feature and one of my many favorite things about Treasure Hunter G. Also, you know how in most RPGs the more you level up the more points you need in order to make the next jump? Well, once again, not the case here. Instead, characters level up for every 100 points accumulated. Nice! The game moves along steadily as a result and it never gets old seeing your levels climb rapidly.
Another unique aspect is that the game never shifts to a new battle scene. You fight it out wherever you are. This ensures that each battle will be unique due to the ever shifting landscape. And yes, sometimes the scenery comes into play. Certain weapons allow you to clobber from a couple squares away, saving you precious action points for more strikes and less maneuvering. Brilliant.
There aren’t many tactical strategy RPGs on the SNES, so it’s nice that this not only fills the void but does so with flying colors. You can attack in 8 directions, cast spells, use items, hell, even set booby traps. Crowding a miscreant, or luring one to be blown SKY HIGH by means of a well placed land mine, is immense loads of fun!
Playing Treasure Hunter G hearkens me back to when I first played Shining Force on the Sega Genesis. I immediately found the grid tactical battle style appealing and unique. It felt more rewarding killing bad guys when you actually had to move your way through any given war zone. Shining Force remains a classic that holds up well to this day. If you liked that game then chances are you’ll dig Treasure Hunter G, too.
THE JOURNEY BEGINS…
The game is loaded with humor right from the startThe characters really grow on you fast“Oh yeah? Did it involve me beating your ass?!”Nothing like a flashback to provide some backstoryIncessant bickering made for an interesting storylineThe old man isn’t lying. There really ISa Ferric Falcon…… and a magical tree. *cough*Secret of Mana…Deep shit, eh?Now THAT’Senough to make ME cryGotta love crazy old Gramps He’s an original (Treasure Hunter) G… [Oi -Ed.]Behind his rough exterior lies a tender heart clock You can actually hear the atmospheric tick tock. Nice!
The ability to interact with much of the environment made exploring in this game fun rather than a tedious chore. Some RPGs aren’t very interactive. Treasure Hunter G, on the other hand, lets you can snoop around to your heart’s content!
Manage your inventory wiselySNES flexing its graphical muscles
The overhead world map is gorgeous and simple. The map is much smaller than most other SNES RPGs because the game isn’t nearly as long, but I don’t mind that. In fact, one of the reasons I enjoy this game so much is partially due to how quickly it moves along. Pacing is tight and it never wears out its welcome. I can’t say that about all SNES RPGs (*cough*Breath of Fire). Give me quality over quantity!
Nothing like seeing a save point after a long section
These Saturn statues serve as your classic save or restore points (depending on the color). Nothing beats seeing one of these bad boys after a particularly long and difficult stretch of dungeon crawling.
Enemies are either visible or ambush at set intervals
Throughout the existence of RPGs, fans are split on enemy encounters. Should battles occur at random with no warning, or is it best if enemies are visible on screen prior to the battle? Some love the old school random battles but others find it archaic. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” It’s a bit ironic though if you think about it. It’d be like going to a baseball game and bitching that it isn’t a brisk two hour affair. But I digress. I don’t mind random battles so long as it’s not taking place every few steps. I like being able to see enemies on the field but it does take away a bit of the “suspense,” if you will. Well the good news is that Treasure Hunter G satiates both sides by featuring a bit of both. Though the random battles aren’t random — they’re more like set ambushes, á la Chrono Trigger. On a side note, enemies are eliminated forever once you kill them. Convenient, indeed.
She teases a large donation but only gives out 20
I love everything about the text, from how it looks to the actual words used. It’s just got a very pleasant aesthetic; the font and avatar catches the eye.
Oops, I originally thought Blue was my younger sister hence I I named her Jenny. In reality, Blue is actually my younger brother. Well, it was hard to tell, what with all the crying and long hair! My bad, Blue…
Who is Blue? Guess I wasn’t the only one then…Characters can face diagonally. Nice
Most RPGs from that era did not allow you to face diagonally. Not so in Treasure Hunter G. It’s the small details, and this game is loaded with them.
At least he owns it, eh?
One of my favorite things about RPGs is interacting with all different kinds of NPCs. The NPCs in this game are fun to talk with. Some spew philosophical musings while others lament over their youthful regrets. It’s all handled in a very slick and quirky package that keeps you entertained from start to finish.
Patience is a virtue… or NOT
And then there are tongue-in-cheek moments of tomfoolery, showing you that the game never takes itself TOO seriously.
Um, yeah. Talk about an awkward silence there…
Later you’ll run into a strange little cat named Mio. Mio, ahem, takes a liking to Rain. Talk about something that would never happen in America back in the ’90s.
The grid adds an extra layer ofstrategy to boss fights
Any RPG worth its weight needs to have some big, bad, memorable bosses to liven things up. Treasure Hunter G has a solid selection on offer, starting with Hel the witch. Hel has an undying loyalty to serve the Dark Lord and she can unleash some nasty spells in addition to teleporting anywhere on the grid. This will keep you on your toes. Kill her zombie minions first, and then go for the head!
A little gang bang action… wait, what??
Nothing satisfies like cornering a boss. Take turns teeing off until you pound them into submission. Poor Hel here finds herself trapped, much to the twisted and sick delight of my foul heart.
Who needs Lyft or Uber when you got Kujira the whale? Seeing him streak across that vast ocean with the coalition nestled on top is a sight to behold.
Gotta love Ponga’s reaction. Never change, buddy
Of course, peace doesn’t last long. Trouble looms over the horizon…
Kill those nasty slime creatures to protect Kujira
Nothing like playing a game, seeing something cool happen and thinking to yourself, “Man, that’s exactly how I would have programmed it, too!” Using Kujira’s backside as an impromptu war zone? Brilliant.
I won’t spoil it but this was a memorable momentNice dude but lose the “last mad scientist” shtick, eh?
Meet Dr. Hello. He’s the zaniest cat in town, filled to the brim with personality. Not just a pretty face, he also invented some mighty things that will aid you in your quest.
Sometimes less is more…
Ah, exactly 20 hours in and it hardly feels like it. That’s when you know a game is doing its job. The pace never dragged; it’s a breath of fresh air when compared to some other RPGs that require 40+ hours to beat.
“No, it’s Iowa…”[D’oh. Somebody missed the punchline -Ed.]Always awesome when a spell accounts for all
Besides physical attacks, you also have at your disposal a variety of handy spells. These range from pillars of flame to shards of ice. Different spells have different effects, and bigger spells cover more grid tiles. I love it when a spell damages every bad guy in one fell swoop.
Pops wasn’t lying after all. The Ferric Falcon LIVES!
This mammoth winged goddess directs you to the path of serendipity. She is quite the impressive sight, displaying the growth the genre made compared to character models from early SNES RPGs such as Final Fantasy II and Inindo: Way of the Ninja.
Everything I needed to know I learned from RPGs…
Like that old TV show Father Knows Best, at the end of the day your pops knows what’s up.
Behold — the Dark Lord in all his evil glory!
Like most major RPG bosses, the Dark Lord has more than one form. Keep your hero up front because he can only attack up close, and keep Ponga in the back to cast spells.
He’s defenseless. Deliver a monster-sized ass kicking
But just when you think it’s over, the Dark Lord’s prized treasure, the Bone Dino, is resurrected! Er, at least partially, anyhow. Still, it makes for quite the spectacle as Dino’s half rotting corpse remains firmly buried in the frozen cliff. With each blow the Bone Dino emits an ear-shattering cry as the screen shakes like a sumbitch, making this final fight very satisfying and memorable. In a weird sort of way, it’s almost a tragic fate for the trapped, half-resurrected monstrosity. Unable to defend itself, you and your party unleash Armageddon on its frozen ass.
G STANDS FOR GRACIOUS
Treasure Hunter G is incredibly easy. You actually recuperate some of your health following each battle. It’s like possessing the Sword of Miracles (for all you Dragon Quest V fanatics out there). But truth be told, I’ll never hate too much on an overly easy game when it’s as much damn fun as this one is.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Another feather in the Super Nintendo’s mighty cap
The SNES was left in the dust more or less by mid 1996. Thus, Treasure Hunter G sadly never saw the light of day here in the good old US of A. But suppose for one second that it did. If so, there’s no doubt in my mind that it would be hailed and lionized as one of the better RPGs on the SNES today. In reality though, only dedicated and devoted SNES gamers who scour retro gaming forums and spend hours looking for hidden gems they might have missed, will ever experience all the joys this game has to offer. Although gaming history cannot be rewritten, thankfully the original Japanese dialogue was so that English users can enjoy this game as though it were officially released. And enjoy it they did — I have yet to meet anyone who didn’t like Treasure Hunter G after giving it a shot.
Super Play gave Treasure Hunter G some good loving
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Squaresoft goes out with a bang as SNES publishers
Treasure Hunter G just might be the best SNES RPG you’ve yet to play. It combines cutting edge visuals (for its time) with good old fashioned RPG traits. This includes a simplistic four person party, zero class changes and plenty of fun NPCs to interact with. Add to this a unique grid style battle system and you have something that is truly special. The game looks beautiful and plays like a dream. Every battle is a little different due to the shifting landscapes so there’s more strategy to be found here than your average RPG. The formula works extremely well and makes going through the zany universe a blast. With plenty of rich locales to traverse, nasty bad guys to kill, wacky locals to meet and rare treasures to be found, Treasure Hunter G is a great adventure from beginning to end.
That’s what she said {What year is this… 2005? -Ed.]
But of course it’s not without some flaws. You can only carry 20 items per character which can be annoying at times when the goods begin to quickly pile up. On the other hand, this added even more strategy as you’re forced to work out what to keep and what not to. Though developer Sting did a fairly admirable job with the sound and music, it’s not up to par with the likes of Square or Nintendo. The game is also on the easy and short side. But honestly, after playing so many 40+ hour RPGs I found it refreshing to play one that only took me 26 hours and could probably be finished in 20. Rather than dragging on and wearing out its welcome, Treasure Hunter G moves along at a very brisk pace. And by the time you finally imprison Bone Dino in its frozen grave, you almost feel a sense of sorrow that the end is nigh. If you love the genre and the SNES then do yourself a favor and play this game. Besides, I ask you, where else could you save the world with a violin playing monkey? I rest my case. Put this at the top of your queue; you’ll be glad you did. Squaresoft’s last game published on the SNES is not only worthy, it’s a damn fine swan song.
Graphics: 9
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 9
Longevity: 8
Overall: 9.0 Gold Award
Bone Dino is perhaps the most tragic SNES boss ever
You can’t help but feel a little empathetic for Bone Dino. What did it ever do? The Dark Lord is the true evil one here. He resurrected Bone Dino in the hopes of making the creature do his evil bidding. But the Bone Dino was only halfway resurrected and is basically left defenseless as you pick its bones.
Hey, it has to defend itself y’know
It’s definitely not like any other end boss I can think of on the SNES. Ultimately, Bone Dino was less an abomination of destruction and more an unwilling victim of circumstances. Truly tragic, then.
After beating Tales of Phantasia in February of 2013, I knew there was only one game that I could play next. And that was Tri-Ace’s SNES follow-up, STAR OCEAN. Just like Tales of Phantasia, Star Ocean clocks in at a hefty 48 MEGS. I guess Tri-Ace only does it big, eh? For years I had heard about what a great game this Star Ocean is. Some even say that Star Ocean is one of the best RPGs not only on the SNES but of the entire 16-bit era. After having a blast playing through Tales of Phantasia, let’s just say I had very high hopes for Star Ocean. Was it able to live up to the lofty hype? Well…
THE HUNDRED DOLLAR GAME
I never paid triple figures for any one game sans one
The topic of retro gaming prices has long been a hot topic of discussion (and frustration). The prices some of these old games commands, particularly the less common SNES titles, is downright scary. You want manuals and boxes, too? Then be prepared to give up an arm and a leg. Whenever I read about today’s astronomical prices, I’m reminded of how lucky I was to get back into the SNES scene when I did (January 17, 2006). Back then, you could easily secure 95% of SNES games, cart only, for no more than $40. Most, however, went for $10 and even as low as $5! The one game that did run me over $40 was Harvest Moon, and that came with the manual. $40 was always sort of my magical mark, and I managed to get games like Earthbound, Ninja Gaiden Trilogy, Aero Fighters and Castlevania: Dracula X for $40 or less. Good luck getting that deal today.
A charming and whimsical RPG
I say that all to say… I’ve been damn lucky in this hobby. So when it came to buying Star Ocean, I did something I thought I would never do. Star Ocean marked the first time in my life that I paid $100 for a video game. During my Saturn days, I prided myself on never breaking the $100 mark. I scored games like Radiant Silvergun, Panzer Dragoon Saga and even Psychic Assassin Taromaru all for under $100. The Star Ocean reproduction cartridge back in 2012 was hard to come by as very few people offered to make it. Supposedly, it was one of the more difficult reproduction cartridges to make. Therefore, they sold like hot cakes whenever they did pop up, and often at $100. With all the great bargains I’ve scored throughout my gaming career, I felt it was OK to splurge this one time and finally break the magical $100 mark. Of course, about three weeks after buying one for $100, people started marking down the price to $85. Go figure. Alas, what’s done is done. All I cared about now is whether the game was worth it or not. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
Not sure what this isOr this. But it sounds important
It has a nice cinematic quality to itYOU PLANET! Ahem, sorry…It’s my party and I can die if I want to. Die if I want to…
… lived Ratix Farrence (AKA Steve)“You know, to break up the monotony of Clatos a bit”“Monotony… or is it really tranquility…”Dorn asks Steve for his thoughts regarding Milly…Steve: Uh, uh, Dorn…Dorn: Dude, WHAT?! Can’t ya let a brother finish!?*BOINK!*Dorn: Uhhh… no one in particular! *nervous chuckle*Dorn: Shaddup Steve!
Milly: Classic Dorn, always talking a good game but never backing it up. Be a man for once and tell it straight to my face! Yeah, I thought so. PUNK ASS
Steve: Probably just gonna be another quiet day…*CLANK!* *UPROAR* *SCREAMS*Lackey 1: My Parkour training pays off, haha!
Lackey 1: C’mon, let’s make the boss proud! Get down from there!
Lackey 2: Just because you’re Lackey 1 doesn’t make you the boss of me!
Not exactly a ninja, are you?
The battle system is different from other SNES RPGs but more on that later.
Baird: So you are the mighty group that will take our empire down? HA! Don’t make me laugh.
Steve: How about we make your tombstone instead?
Dorn: Steve, please leave the trash talking to me…
Baird: HEY! What is this, comedy hour? Prepare to meet your DOOM!
Milly: Uh boys, how about we NOT agitate the big bad ugly guy?
It took me a while to get used to the battle system. First you have to press A, which makes arrow symbols pop up. Then you select the bad guy you wish to target. Hit A again for your main hero to strike. Part of me can’t help but wonder what if they just used a Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past control scheme instead…
Act fast — battles happen in semi-real timeLove them sandwich strikes
Ah, the gentle pitter-patter of rain just outsideAny RPG worth its salt does well to whisk you away
Steve: Sorry, something heavy weighs on my heartEver get that ominous feeling… a premonition?Where hatred and war is replaced by peace and loveThe stage is set for an epic adventure…Star Ocean is like Secret of Mana in this regard
Instead of the typical world map you get in most RPGs, you travel across pathways like this one. As you can imagine, the world is much smaller and more compact than your average 16-bit RPG. It took me a while to adjust. But it somehow works for this game.
Better recruit some allies fast, pal!
Special skill moves consist of projectiles and deadly swordplay combos.
Special skills are akin to magical attacks
The first special skill earned is the Rift Wave. It creates a shock wave around you, granting you temporary protection while damaging any unlucky fool standing in its way. Effective mastery of these special skills is crucial to your success.
Very impressive looking for a Super Nintendo gameOne second the waves are flowing toward the oceanAnd the next they crash against the shore. Nice![I like that Ed guy. He’s my kind of guy, that Ed -Ed.]
Milly: Where were you?
Steve: I was at the beach.
Milly: Quit it, Steve. This is serious! Come take a lookWhat or who could have caused this nasty outbreak?From day…… to night we goDorn: Don’t worry. I’m sure there’ll be a happy ending…[Steve acting really weird? Oh that’s the norm -Ed.]A pigeon brings you a life-altering letterSteve: Looks like we’re heading to Cool, then…
Dorn: Um, I think we really oughta respect a dying man’s final wish. You guys heard the man. Let’s just stay right here in Clatos.
Milly: DORN! YOU’RE SUCH A DAMN JERK!!! GRRR!
Steve: Oh good. Thought you contracted the disease
Dorn: Ha! Disease?! Who, me? You so FUN-NAY, Steve… *coughs violently*
Talk about getting stoned… [HAR HAR -Ed.]They have no choice but to scale Mount Metox. They’ll risk life and limb in order to find the cure.
Maltos: Is that Steve and Dorn over there?
Steve: It is.
Dorn: Sir.
Maltos: Please come closer so I can get a better look.
Dorn: Oh, we just fine right here, sir. Yeah we good back here.
Milly: What happened to respecting a dying man’s last wish?!
Dorn: … oh… *nervous chuckle*
Please, look at my black book [You don’t have one -Ed.]Later on, Milly and Dorn have a little moment in the moonlight. It is then that Dorn crumples over out of pain and discomfort, sending Milly to run off to find her man, Steve. Hey, I’m liking this story…
So you not only have to save Milly’s dad, Maltos, but now also your best friend, Dorn. After scaling to the top of Mount Metox, you’ll run into some Federation folks from the future. It’s a quest to save the world from a grand intergalactic war. No pressure, eh?
Talk about mooning someone. SorryThey soon meet crew members from the far futureOUCH
[Can we leave Steve behind in ’89? I have cash-Ed.][Who needs college when you have cinema? -Ed.]
Along the way you’ll meet different kings asking you for favors. A lot of the king scenes appear in this isometric fashion, which is highly reminiscent of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Super Mario RPG (May 1996)Different party members affect the game differently
Of course, you won’t have to go at it alone. There are a bevy of characters to recruit. And deciding which ones to take on is all part of the strategy and fun.
Cyuss: Wanna step outside and handle this?
Pretty soon you’ll be such a hit that you’ll have your very own groupie.
Stunning visuals help bring the game to vibrant life
Star Ocean hands down has the best looking castle entrance of any 16-bit RPG. I dare you to name one finer. It looks epic in scale and I love how you can see birds flying by overhead.
Emojis before emojis became a thing!Star Ocean had some nice innovations for its time
Indeed a lot can happen. Customize your party depending on certain actions you take or don’t take. You gain skill points each time you level up. These points can then be allocated to many different skill categories such as knowledge, sense and technique. There’s plenty to do, from compounding items to smithing weapons — the insane amount of choices may be daunting to a newbie.
Where will you allocate points to?
Choices, choices…
And even that piece of information has great value…
The status screen is loaded with information. Heck, it even tells you their favorite food!
There are a total of 12 characters; you can have eight at any given time. Only four will fight, however. You can switch from any of the four in battle, although it’s cumbersome to do so. You can also adjust computer AI tendencies but much like Tales of Phantasia, it has its limits. I felt some of the characters were a little flat, which was disappointing. Star Ocean didn’t quite hook me in the way that Tales of Phantasia did.
FACEBOOK! ARGH! SHEEP, Y’ALL MINDLESS SHEEP!
BRING THE (PRIVATE) ACTION
I WANNA SCREAM AND SHOUT AND LET IT ALL OUT
Another unique feature is the ability to enter towns apart from the rest of your party. Doing so will lead to a cutscene with special actions taking place that you would not be able to see or produce otherwise. It’s brilliant for character development and extending the game’s longevity if you’re the type to turn over every last leaf. Pure old school RPGers, on the other hand, may feel slightly overwhelmed. There is certainly no shortage of things to see and do in this game.
GAME LENGTH AND BATTLE COMPARISON
Tri-Ace thankfully learned from their previous SNES outing. Tales of Phantasia was flooded with an insane amount of random battles. Not so in Star Ocean. It’s also a much shorter game. Tales of Phantasia took me 43 hours to finish while Star Ocean only took me 26.
So, which one do I prefer? That’s an easy call for me
Read on to find out, although I think you already know…
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Compiled below are varying opinions of this 48 meg beast
Until I discovered Star Ocean, I felt that Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy III stood alone as the last great 16-bit RPGs. Only one hour into the game I knew that Star Ocean was the last gasp — the final relic of the 2D RPG era-Bobo the King
Honestly, coming from the team that developed Tales of Phantasia, I was expecting something as good, if not better. I was disappointed, but to be fair, Star Ocean has its own unique features that serves to redeem its weaker areas. It’s a beautiful, lovingly programmed game that will be forever immortalized for years to come in the hearts of gamers. It’s obvious that it was developed by a professional programming team. Though Star Ocean deserves to be evaluated independent of its close relative, in my opinion, there is no worse game than one that promises much and delivers little -Standalonechild
Star Ocean is what many people would consider the last great RPG of the “Golden Age” in the 16-bit console era. Created in 1996 by Tri-Ace, an offshoot of Wolf Team who had created Tales of Phantasia a year before, the game would only be released in Japan and unavailable to the English speaking world until DeJap Translations released a translation at the tail end of 2003. It’s fun for what it is and is enjoyable, it’s just that there’s always something niggling away at you which prevents you from truly getting the experience Tri-Ace wanted you to. Its innovation is to be admired, if not the execution -Vermillion
I like Tales of Phantasia better than Star Ocean by a fair margin. Star Ocean just lacks that magical something for me. It’s a decent RPG but it’s nothing super special -Faltain1
For those who had an SNES in its day and look back wistfully at the days when RPGs were inexplicably more fun to play… it can be sad to think that there are only so many RPGs from that era to play before they’re all exhausted. Star Ocean is great news for fans of the golden era of the genre, as it provides a title few Americans have played but has the look and feel of a bonafide 16-bit RPG with the richness of Chrono Trigger-EB
Star Ocean is the greatest SNES RPG westerners never got to play. In terms of its scope and design, it blows even Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy games out of the water. With its cutting edge skill system, superb graphics, memorable music, variable endings, voice acting (in an SNES game!), hectic combat, secret characters, and generally sublime gameplay, Star Ocean is that rare peerless RPG that serves as a benchmark to all other games in the genre, proclaiming “This is what’s possible. This is what can be done” -JQC
As you can see, opinions vary wildly on Star Ocean. While some claim it’s the best thing since sliced bread and even better than the likes of Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy III, there are many others who will contest it’s full of great ideas BUT the execution leaves a bit to be desired. Obviously, your mileage may vary.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Play it in the dead still of night with the lights off
After finishing Tales of Phantasia, I knew there was no better game to play next than Star Ocean. The two Tri-Ace RPGs share a few things in common while being vastly different at the same time. There’s a lot more to do in Star Ocean, in terms of innovative new quirks such as the Private Action system, skill points and the ability to recruit several allies. Tales of Phantasia is much simpler by comparison. The visuals in Star Ocean are stunningly detailed and brilliant, from footprint tracks in the sand to curtains flapping on a windy day. The voiceovers are an elegant touch and the music is even better than that of Tales of Phantasia. The battle system is not as fun, though. The fighting is fast and furious but a control scheme akin to Link to the Past would have been preferred. Instead, we got a tap-tap fest that’s just not as smooth or intuitive.
Staring out contemplatively is the order of the day
It’s difficult not to compare Tri-Ace’s two SNES RPGs. I prefer Tales of Phantasia by a comfortable margin. Tales has a more interesting game world, I connected better with its characters and the overall experience was simply more enjoyable and memorable. While I enjoyed my time playing Star Ocean, it left my mind as soon as I completed it. By comparison, Tales of Phantasia left a lasting impression long after completion. I appreciate Tri-Ace experimenting with Star Ocean — there’s the Private Action system, skill points, recruiting characters, a cast of 12 and a party of eight — but sometimes less is more. As crazy as it may sound, perhaps the game gave you too much to do. None of it felt fully fleshed out and more like they went 80% with each idea, which ends up diluting the experience a bit. Personally, I love the pure simplicity that backs Tales of Phantasia. Star Ocean is definitely a good RPG but I can’t call it great. It’s undoubtedly full of great ideas but the execution is “only” good at best. That still puts it in a fairly strong class but it’s not quite in the upper echelon of epic SNES RPGs. Star Ocean is one of those weird games that is both good and slightly disappointing all at once.
Graphics: 10 Sound: 9.5 Gameplay: 8 Longevity: 7
Overall: 8.0 Silver Award
That’s just wrong and taken WAAAY outta context -_-People say the universe is a star ocean…
22 years ago today saw the release of the biggest SNES game. Weighing in at a whopping 48 megs (16 of which were devoted exclusively to the sound), Tales of Phantasia was unleashed in Japan on December 15, 1995. Since my SNES resurgence back in early 2006, I’ve heard the hype hovering one, Tales of Phantasia. The rumblings and whispers made the game feel damn near mythical. It was time at long last to see what all the hype was about. And to see for myself whether this game is truly deserving to be listed as one of the mighty titans of the SNES library. Let the journey commence…
TALES OF REDEMPTION
The biggest SNES game, literally
For years I never thought I would ever own this game. This was due to some folks back in 2008 talking about how they got a Tales of Phantasia reproduction cartridge that ran them HUNDREDS of dollars. As much as I wanted to play it, I wasn’t going to spend a couple hundred. Then a beautiful thing happened: prices began dropping around 2010, making the SNES repro scene much more accessible. With sellers offering copies for $65 or so, I suddenly found myself in the race. When I began buying translated repro copies of Japanese SNES games, I initially focused on titles such as Clock Tower and Terranigma. Finally, five years ago in December of 2012, I bit the bullet at long last. The following is a stroll down memory lane of my experience with Tales of Phantasia.
Oh he’s SO getting laid tonight
Have you ever wanted to go back in time to right a past wrong? I’m sure at some point you have. The main plot of this game involves our young hero wanting to prevent the death of his parents at the hands of a mega evil entity. The only way he can achieve this, however, is by going back in time. Talk about a serious reason. What would you do if you could go back in time? Remember: Safety Not Guaranteed [I see what you did there… -Ed.]
Some other reasons might not be so serious…
Personally, I don’t believe in going back in time to right a wrong. Sure I would like to travel back for 24 hours to maybe relive or revisit a memorable day from earlier in my life, but to go back to purposefully change events? Nah, I’m from the school of thought that everything in life happens for a reason, and it all helps to make up who you are today. Both the good AND the bad.
It opens with this spoken in Japanese. Haunting!
Dhaos is reawakened years later. And he’s after the pendant that your dad gave to you. Thanks a lot, pops!
I like the map. It’s clean, crisp and nicely detailed
Our hero looks like a giant on the overworld map. Your character moves around briskly, perhaps more than any other SNES RPG I’ve played. Be prepared for thousands of random battles, though.
You give chase after spotting a spooked boar. Gotta love the sweat drop!
Look at that lush forest. Backdrops ooze with detail
Our hero has a habit of running away after launching an attack unless you strike without first getting a running start. It can be annoying at first but you’ll get used to it before long.
I particularly like the elegant simplicity of the beachBattle system is flawed but it’s unique and different
In addition to your normal strikes and stabs, there are also special skills to learn and use in battle. These moves can be assigned as your shoulder buttons and are executed with the single push of a button. Sweet!
“IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD…”
Navigate the skies to avoid those nasty random battles down below. The view is especially nice from here. The SNES flexes its graphical muscles. 48 MEGS, BABY!
What spells might you discover along the way?
You’ll find different spells to use in battle throughout the game. These spells are critical to your success as they deal out a ton of damage.
Ifrit appears in yet another game…
Different enemies have different weaknesses. Each spell produces a voice sample. It becomes readily apparent where a decent chunk of the 48 megs went — 16 in fact. The Ifrit are supernatural creatures in Islamic and Arabic folklore.
Be careful what you wish for…
The game starts out with a pleasant stroll through your hometown of Totus. Your father runs a rigorous training center. Be careful not to get caught in the way of their training or else you’ll get whacked in the head! It’s a fun sight gag. Speak with the locals. It’s all cheery and nice but you know it won’t stay that way for long. It never does!
Atmospheric playing this at night with the lights off
The visuals are amazing. Reflections and other little details add up to a simply stunning package. This depressing scene is indicative of Totus’ fate and the denizens that dwell there. It’s as if Heaven itself is weeping…
It’s so Japanese anime, this. You can’t help but love it
I love the handful of symbols that this game uses. So much is communicated with just one simple tiny picture. Lots of cute and amusing moments are sprinkled throughout thanks to this style of expression.
One minute he’s soaking in the rays of the sun…The next he’s shrouded in the mist — NICE!
OK maybe the dungeons aren’t the best place to show off the game’s ace visuals, but still, look at those bloody reflections! The water even ripples as you walk across.
No relation to Mint from RobotrekRobotrek is a quirky and fun RPG[Ever the gentleman, that Steve -Ed.]“Why don’t you take a seat over there…”
This was a classic moment. Mint urges our hero to encourage the heartbroken girl. He does so but with some, ahem, questionable “tact.” Mint then comes screaming to the rescue.
It’s nice being able to play a game uncensored
Tales of Phantasia has some Christian themes. Early on there is a church scene with some Scripture and edifying words. It’s the only SNES game I know with the Lord’s Prayer in it. I guess it’s a little bit ironic, considering how the translation for the rest of the game is rather crude and raunchy.
That nosy Steve being up in everybody’s businessEvery 16-bit RPG needs to have a classic bridge bitThe fan translation doesn’t hold back
Back to the Future and RPG fans will be right at home
Incorporating time traveling elements, the plot is pretty cool and definitely has an epic feel to it. Sure, it could have been fleshed out a bit more but my interest in the game never once waned.
Now that’s one badass rideSoundtrack is stellar. Each town theme fits perfectly
The journey takes you through some pretty wild locales. Each town has its own unique feel and atmosphere. Not to mention the MUSIC. Here our travelers embark upon the Abyss of Thor. The music here is absolutely haunting. The Abyss of Thor is a city completely submerged under water, said to contain a time traveling device. Is the legend true, though? Our heroes will find out soon enough…
Arche Klaine (AKA Klein) is no doubt one of the most interesting female RPG characters in SNES history. Comments like such really endear the character to your heart. Check out some of her other feisty comments a bit later below. She is a feisty little firecracker!
Nothing bonds like midnight conversations
I’m a sucker for night time scenes where the characters interact and some (subtle) character development is made. It’s one of my favorite things about RPGs.
Mr. Tumnus to pop out behind that lamp post?
The dark snowy town of Freezekill is enchanting and melancholy all at once. It feels like a scene out of a weird dream. You almost expect talking woodland animals to start milling about. Tales of Phantasia does an excellent job of pulling you into its mystifying world.
Mr. Tumnus from The Chronicles of Narnia
TALES OF PORNOGRAPHY
We’re just scratching the tip of the iceberg…Say whaaaa?!Where’s Chris Hansen when you need him?!
Of course I wasn’t serious about the translation being fairly accurate. Call it creative liberties by the fine folks at DeJap. Some purists might scoff at this but I say it all adds to the fun.
This almost made me fall out of my chair
This blew my mind. I must have sat staring at the screen for a good minute the first time I saw this. Never in a million years did I ever envision myself reading the F word in a Super Nintendo game — even if it is fan translated. The graphic nature in how the F word was used really put it over the top as well.
She’s a lady on the streets but a freak in the sheets“I’LL HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING!”Feel like a rerun of that old TV show CHEATERS!
You can enter most houses but a few are closed off. This one was closed for, ahem, shall we say, renovations…
Oh snap, she really is a freak!
WHAT IN THE — there’s a term for this and it’s gan — oh. My bad. Believe it or not, this is NOTa sexually explicit scene. Arche is actually talking about flying them over one at a time. But by this point in the game, they’ve got your mind firmly planted in the gutter [Nah, just you, you pervert -Ed.]
Speaking of perverts…Mint gets rather jealous. Steve can handle two ladiesThe fan translation makes it feel very progressive
And just to show that there’s no bigotry, there’s even a bit of this going on. I don’t mind Richard saying that as long as he ain’t saying it to me!
That Arche… you never know what she’ll say next!Oh I think you know where this is going…Never a dull moment with ArcheSteve: Did we hear WHAT?Chester is all about that CARPE DIEM lifeChester: Shut up Steve. No one can resist my charm!
Before Steve can knock some sense into Chester boy, he’s off the races.
Klarth dropping some words of wisdom!
TALES OF GRINDING
Whoa, ONE THOUSANDbattles in under 20 hours
One of the biggest criticisms this game has received is the insane amount of random battles. If you recall Lufia & the Fortress of Doom, imagine that random encounter rate multiplied by two. Sometimes it feels like you hardly take three steps before another battle pops up. Thankfully, there are Holy Rune bottles which drastically reduce the encounter rate. For a limited time only, of course, but hey it’s better than nothing. Obviously, the high encounter rate didn’t ingratiate itself to all gamers but it wasn’t enough to deter me from going through the game.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Here are some opinions I’ve found on the net…
A game like this only comes once every decade. Tales of Phantasia is the wonder of the ’90s -Sarysa
There’s no such thing as a perfect game, but if there was one, Tales of Phantasia would definitely be on top of the list. It showed the true power of the SNES and its capabilities, that no other game has shown before -WizardRyo
I must admit, when I was advised by a close friend that this game was the best RPG for the Super Nintendo, I gawked a bit. Tales of Phantasia? I had never heard of it before, and I knew nothing of the series. Still, if for no other reason than to entertain her, I found a copy of the game and started playing it. No sooner then had the introduction popped up, showcasing some of the prettiest graphics ever to grace my SNES, I saw the sprites, read the story, and saw some gameplay footage. My jaw dropped; I was hooked! -Bearsman6
It’s really a shame the battle system turned out like this. Tales of Phantasia has all the necessary tools to be a great game. It looks great, sounds great, has a great story and tons of things to do in a wide variety of locales. But, I simply got sick of it all partway through. I got tired of wading through countless (and lengthy) encounters in one vast dungeon after another. Initially, I looked forward to playing this game and didn’t want to put it down — by the time I neared the end, I was playing it solely out of a grim determination to finish it. The joy had faded and I was only left with a sense of resignation as I steeled myself for another hour or two of tedium. You could say most RPGs are exercises in repetition, but Tales of Phantasia is one of the few where I truly can agree with that -Overdrive
When Namco released Tales of Phantasia for the Super Famicom in December 1995, the video game industry was going through some changes. However, the Super Famicom was still going strong at the time and wasn’t going to give up to the next generation systems without a fight. Tales of Phantasia was quite a milestone for the 16-bit system, because not only was it one of the biggest carts ever at the time (48 MEGS), it also contained actual voiced dialogue and even a full Japanese pop theme song. With its revolutionary sound and beautiful 2D graphics, Tales of Phantasia was quite the experience for RPG fans. Unfortunately, Namco never saw it fit to release this game in the US, most likely due to the fact that at the time, RPGs were still considered a niche market and it’d be almost two years before Final Fantasy VII would make them more mainstream. Tales of Phantasia is indeed a great game, but far from the epic RPG masterpiece people thought it would be -YusakuG
What else can I say about about this video game except for ”truly breathtaking!” Every aspect of this wondrous work of art, whether it be the visuals, the soundtrack, or the simple yet engrossing plot, deserves an honorable mention -Alain Garamonde
A game that mixed the best of both Eastern and Western RPG conventions… Tales of Phantasia is an unsung classic. It’s a great game that was released too late onto a console on the way out. Had it been released at the same time as Final Fantasy III, we might have seen a different page in RPG history -Enker
As you can see, opinions range wildly from “absolute classic” to “disappointing, all things considered.” Personally, I have a big threshold for random battle encounters, and so I wasn’t too bothered by the high rate. But I can see how if you detest random encounters then this probably isn’t your game.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Ah yes, let me stare out in space contemplatively…
Tales of Phantasia opens up with a Japanese voiceover reading the quote, “Truly, if there is evil in this world, then it lies within the heart of mankind.” It’s followed by a masterfully crafted tune that pulls you in, bewitching you to the core. It sets the mood for the game perfectly. Right away I knew I was in for a special treat. One month and 43 hours later, the game reached its final chapter. It was bittersweet. On one hand, I was excited to see the conclusion of a long journey. But on the other hand, I was sad that the epic adventure was at last over. Even though there are many SNES games better than Tales of Phantasia, as far as experiences go, this is right up there at the top. If nothing else than for its incredibly memorable and modernized fan translated dialogue which gave me a chuckle or two along the way. In addition, its sprawling universe, memorable characters, unique battle system, excellent visuals and stellar sound makes it a journey well worth taking for those patient enough to brave the quest.
Staring out in space contemplatively part 2…
RPGs are all about creating an imaginary world full of colorful characters, memorable villages, powerful spells, intriguing dialogue and nasty bad guys. Tales of Phantasia does all of that quite well. There are also some quirky side quests to carry out, plus interesting plot developments to keep the story moving along briskly. It isn’t without a few warts, however. Namely, the encounter rate is set way too high. Battles can occasionally drag and since there are so many, this game will test your patience (and possibly sanity at times). You can only control the main hero and the computer AI of your three allies isn’t always so hot. Thankfully though, you can adjust their strategy. This ranges from all out attack mode to focus on healing, and so forth. That helps out a good bit and at times you will find yourself strategically selecting specific behaviors of your computer controlled compadres. It should also be noted that the final boss is one of the most frustrating final bosses in SNES history.
Son of a bitch…
In spite of these blemishes, Tales of Phantasia is one to be experienced if the noted flaws are not deal breakers in your book. If you consider yourself an avid Super Nintendo gamer and you have yet to play Tales of Phantasia, then you owe it to yourself to right that wrong. Thankfully, you won’t need to board a time machine in order to do it.
Graphics: 10 Sound: 9.5 Gameplay: 9 Longevity: 8
Overall: 9.0 Gold Award
All: Naw we good back here. Yeah, we good right here
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![[I like that Ed guy. He's my kind of guy, that Ed -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/StaOc42.jpg)
![[Steve acting really weird? Oh that's the norm -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/StaOc47.jpg)
![Talk about getting stoned... [HAR HAR -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/StaOc51.jpg)
![Not true. Look at my black book [You don't have one -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/StaOc53.jpg)
![[Can we leave Steve behind in '89? I have cash-Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/StaOc57.jpg)
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