By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 05:41:53 +0000

Dropping some knowledge with the music info there, StarBoy! Appreciate that. Yes, I agree that Skyblazer is better than Hook (although I still like Hook a fair bit simply because of how simple and whimsical it is — it could have fooled me as being a Capcom effort). I disagree with you on one thing regarding Skyblazer though. The flying sections weren’t very fun for me because I found them to be slightly clunky and as a result — a bit awkward to navigate through. Something about it felt off that AAA games don’t falter from, which is one of the reasons I don’t view Skyblazer as a 9+ out of 10 SNES game. My other pet peeve is that the levels are criminally short. Just as they are getting good, they end. It’s a classic case of, pardon my French here, blue balls (a bit).

But overall, still a fine action platformer on the SNES and very worthy when you compare it to other non-AAA releases. A “best of the rest” class, if you will.

By: StarBoy91

StarBoy91 — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 01:06:49 +0000

Out of the handful of games I played that were developed by Ukiyotei (including the one I posted a review of recently on my blog), I do personally like Skyblazer the most as I found it to be the most polished and enjoyable of all them. =) No, it’s not without blemishes as it’s easy and too short for its own good but I did find it an improvement over Hook if only because Sky is not slow like Peter Banning was before him (even if you held down the action button to run in that game) plus there’s more variety and versatility in the controls and magic you learn and utilize throughout.

I liked Sky’s detailed animation when he runs and jumps, visually it is very pretty to look at (the water layering effects of the Lair of Kharyon, Petrolith Castle, and Tower of the Tarolisk with the Nebulus-style rotating tower being some of my favorite examples), it features one of my favorite soundtracks from Harumi Fuijta, I like the various sound designs for when you collect gems and garner a life (as well as the ding sound) created by her husband Yasuaki Fujita, the bosses are designed wonderfully despite being a cakewalk once you know their pattern, and the Mode 7 flying sequences (including the secret one that leads you to the rafting stage that has got occasional tidal waves) are nice even if they don’t last long (whether you lasted throughout or if you got in contact with a floating spike).

Something I found amusing is that when you access the password screen there are four symbols that almost resemble the ones that would appear on Sony’s PlayStation controller; the game WAS published by Sony, but maybe that one was a coincidence. I do love the Japanese charm and quirkiness whenever the enemies get hit and defeated (even fireballs), I like the expression the old man makes upon showing you the “mystic pattern”, and I also liked the cultured settings layered throughout.

David Jaffe was one of two test players for the American version of this game and was one of his first video game credits before going on to design for Travellers’ Tales’ Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse and creating the Twisted Metal franchise (not a bad early start). The most difficult segment is the final boss Raglan, and while I’m glad Ukiyotei saved the legitimate challenge for the end (kinda), it’s one of those instances where it’s nigh impossible to clear him unless you know exactly how to dodge his attacks (the first time I played it almost seven years ago, and admittedly on subsequent playthroughs, I kept losing health and lives until I realized and subsequently remembered what to do survive).

Although despite the issues it has I do still enjoy coming back to Skyblazer once in awhile as it is still good platforming fun, even if I agree that an added degree of length and/or challenge would’ve improved the package as a whole.

To each their own

Comments on: Skyblazer (SNES)

By: Steve

By: StarBoy91