Are you a sadistic and bloodthirsty game player? Do you enjoy partaking in the odd boisterous barbaric brutality? If you answered yes, then you sir probably enjoy the classic beat ‘em up genre. The SNES is loaded with them. Take control of the Lee brothers, the Battletoads, ninjas, knights, hell, even Batman! Final Fight was the very first to hit the SNES and helped pave the way for others to come. It’s hard to believe it’s now been over 25 years since it came out. It’s amazing how so many of our childhood favorites have been celebrating 20, 25 and even 30 year anniversaries in the past year or so. These games keep getting older, but our memories remain!
By the way, talk about a funky box art. I imagine their dialogue like this:
“Are those skull earrings?”
“Why yes, Mommy got me them.”
“Cool, I have a pair just like that at home.”
“Yeah ain’t they great. They accentuate my scar!”
THE FIGHT BEGINS
Final Fight originated as an arcade in Japan (December 1989) and shortly made its way to the US at the turn of the 1990s. No, it wasn’t the first beat ‘em up ever, but it was one of the earliest and the first to hit the Super Nintendo. It will forever hold that distinction as #1… but is it truly number one, as in the best?
Let us take a closer look then…
FINAL FRIGHT: A HAUNTING TO REMEMBER
Not only was Final Fight the first beat ‘em up to hit the Super Nintendo, it also happened to be the second SNES game I had ever played. Way back in December 1991 on a cold and dreary morning while vacationing in beautiful Lake Tahoe. As documented in F-Zero, the first SNES game I ever played, I found myself home alone on a Sunday morning in a huge cabin that my family rented out. My family and friends left for breakfast while I was still asleep. My mom didn’t want to wake me up after a long night of hanging out with the guys so she decided to let me sleep in. The moment I woke up, I felt a chill and knew something wasn’t right. The cabin was right out of a horror movie, with demonic looking hallways and weird noises hissing everywhere as though it were a real breathing entity. The cabin was freezing too! I crept downstairs and found a note from my mom explaining why she let me sleep in, and telling me to make some Honey Nut Cheerios. But food was the last thing on my mind!
Ever feel a presence in the room with you? That someone, or something, is watching you? That’s how I felt on that cold, dreary December morning of 1991. But being 8 years old and resourceful, I believed spirits would not mess with me if I had the radio or TV turned on — any kind of noise. I believed they only attacked those who were alone. So I turned on the TV and watched a WWF show for a while. Then I spotted Tommy’s Super Nintendo lying on the floor. It suddenly dawned on me that this was my chance! With all the “cool” older kids gone, little ole me could finally have a turn. I started with F-Zero and then played Final Fight until my family and friends came back. Sure, part of me was ecstatic to see them again — I was no longer the lone prisoner trapped inside this cabin from hell — but something funny happened during my inaugural playthrough with the SNES. It made me forget about evil spirits and instead transported me to the future of video gaming, where you could snap a guy’s neck in two and soar 200 feet across a race track suspended high above a futuristic city — all in stunning graphics and sound. And it was nothing short of magic.
Damn, can’t believe it’s now been 25 years since that fateful December morning. For more details, check out My Super Nintendo Genesis.
THE STORY GOES…
“Forget GUY, it’s just you and me, old-timer!”
How dare you accuse Capcom of milking a series!OK you might have a point there…
Yes, there is an option mode but you had to do this code to activate it first. With Extra Joy on, your special move is just “A” instead of “Y” + “B” — hey, every little bit of help counts, right?
Nope, but damn can they fight… observe!
MIKE HAGGAR
Haggar has perfected his German Suplex to a tee, ramming his victim head first into the canvas. That’ll give them something to remember you by! Er, that is, if they are still conscious…
Pick their sorry carcass up, give them a few headbutts and send them packing with a smooth piledriver. Simple but effective combo.
Sometimes you just need a little space. In such instances, employ the devastating spinning clothesline. It’ll teach the bastards a thing or two about personal space!
Did you know you can punch twice then immediately throw them? Just hold up or down on the control pad while you’re delivering your punches. I never knew about this back in the day! It completely makes the game a much easier (and more enjoyable) experience. It turns you into a lethal, efficient killing machine.
CODY
Cody’s knuckle sandwich combo. Want fries with that?
For major damage and a sick looking combo, jump in with a downward strike, punch them three times and polish it off with a shoulder throw. +10 for style, +100 if you knock out some other baddies on the opposite side too!
Cody’s Spiral Kick makes the Lee brothers proud
MAP QUEST
Starting out in the classic slum, march your way through crime-ridden Metro City in five different war zones. Yes, the arcade had six. But more on that a bit later…
PUTS THE “FINAL” IN FINAL FIGHT…
Who could ever forget Final Fight‘s perilous continue screen?
It’s OK… you certainly weren’t alone… *evil grin*Ah quit yer bitching. I like to cut it close, “BUDDY”
STAGE ONE — THE SLUM
So, what’s one to do?Extend the olive branch!
Maybe Haggar’s got some candy there, or money. You know, the homeless epidemic has really hit Metro City hard as of late…
[Or maybe Haggar is offering him a black eye -Ed.]
There’s that, too…
“That’s the last time I buy deodorant at Dollar Tree…”What’s inside is enTIREly a mystery
Sorry, that was pretty bad. Knock over tires or drum cans to reveal items for extra points, weapons or food to replenish your health. I wonder who puts it there? I guess every major crime lord has a little bit of heart in them after all…
Whoa, that’s harsh. Come on, it’s almost 2017!“YOU WANT SOME? COME GET SOME!”They never learn, do they?“I’m warning you — step back, bitches!”
OH CRAP! Surrounded by a group of petty thugs, what’s a guy to do in this ruthless day and age?!
Yup, they never learn
Connecting on your special move takes away a small portion of your health, but it’s the right call when surrounded. Otherwise, you’ll most likely be on the receiving end of a gang attack and lose significantly more energy than you would had you used your special move at the first sign of trouble.
Uh oh…
Haggar can only toss the knife while Cody can actually hang onto it for a bit and go MICHAEL MYERS up in this mutha! Cool little touch to further differentiate the two. If you’re playing as Cody and wish to launch the knife, then simply hold down. Sweet.
“Here, fatty fatty…”Very similar range of motion
Much love and respect to baseball pitchers. It’s such an unnatural throwing position and why so many pitchers have jacked up shoulders. By the way, it’s a little known fact that Mike Haggar was the MVP of the Metro City Maniacs* — a softball recreational league that plays ball every other summer. *Complete and utter BS.
Talk about the wrong side of town…*whistles* “Damn you look fine today, Mike!”
Say hello to the first boss, Damnd! Er I mean, Trasher. Damn that censorship, pun intended.
At any rate, Damnd is a bit of a puss who prefers calling on his lame lackeys to do the fighting for him. His trademark sit and whistle makes the seamless leap over to the SNES port. At opportune times, Damnd will try to blindside you, the gutless git!
“Come at me, bro!”Most dramatic death ever
“UGH!”
“That’s right! Shouldn’t have messed with me, pal!”
Hey, he did minor in acting
“How could I lose to a guy in the middle of a mid-life crisis!?”
“HEY! SHHHH! Keep that on the down low, will ya!”
Damnd crumples over
“Damnd bastard! Throwing shade at me huh? This serves you right!”
“Trump woulda killed me anyway!”
“Jeez would you go on and die already!?”
STAGE TWO — THE SUBWAY / PARK
I’ve always loved the rumbling sound effect here
El Gado with the ol’ reliable KIDNEY PUNCH.
… and Hags with the even more reliable sword slash!
Check out how deceptively deep this game is. Yup, when timed right, you can deflect the enemy’s projectiles. Sure, you could just sidestep it, but we all know one universal truth: REAL MEN DROPKICK!
That you are, El GadoCue that audience “ooooh” soundtrackPublic transportation: making the world a better placeI guess he never grew up in a big family…Sodom, er, Katana is a very lethal and agile bossAndore in the front row. I’ll deal with him later…
BONUS ROUND
WHOAAA OHHHHH!
WHOAAA OHHHHH!
We’re not gonna take it! No! We ain’t gonna take it! We’re not gonna take it anymooooooore!
NO WAY!
“WE’RE FREE, WE’LL FIGHT, YOU’LL SEEEEE!!”
Ah, you gotta love Twisted Sister. Their cult song “We’re Not Gonna Take It” became something of a rebellious cry for teenagers and young adults in the mid ’80s with its never-say-die, take-no-BS mantra. In some circles it became the anthem of a generation more than 30 years ago.
Oh my car indeed
STAGE THREE — WESTSIDE
Haggar, you don’t like very many things do you?
Forgot to RSVP? As long as you didn’t forget how to pull off a dropkick, you’re good to go.
Gado isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer *rimshot*Cody pops in for a special cameo like only he canThey told him don’t you ever come around hereSO BEAT IT! But you want to be bad…These two Andores are the sub-bosses of Westside
Speaking of Andore, the big beefy goons in beat ‘em ups were always my favorite kind of enemies to fight. Abobo was an actual boss while Andore is a top-tier regular enemy. I have a soft spot for bad guys who aren’t quite boss-worthy, but are much tougher than all the other regular bad guys. Whenever I think “beat ‘em up baddies,” Andore and Abobo are the first two I always think of.
J moonlights as a Streets of Rage baddie… it’s true
There ya go Haggar! Now you got the rhythm down!Meet Metro City’s corrupt police force!Beware his Billy Club…
STAGE FOUR — BAY AREA
“WOOF!”
“Cute dog.”
“Hey Haggar!”
“What? Have I taken one too many blows to the head? Doggie, YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?”
“You’re lucky! Capcom took out a WHOLE stage to make life easier for ya, and for them as well! You know, less programming on their part.”
“Don’t let the mustache fool you. I don’t play that…”
Nobody did bathroom scenes better than Capcom. Remember Birdie’s stage from Street Fighter Alpha 2? It’s always a riot to beat up bad guys against a grimy and dodgy looking backdrop! This is FINAL FIGHT after all, not friggin’ ballet!
Capcom certainly knew how to work their restroomsYeah let’s not piss off the angry maniac, no?
BONUS ROUND
Smash several glass windows in succession. It’s a lot tougher than breaking the car. Who knew glass could be harder to demolish than a car? Oh those silly Capcom hipsters.
STAGE FIVE — UPTOWN
What a macho lot we are“Curse my bloody mid-life crisis!”Neither of them are too smart…Boys will be boys!They don’t really hide in the hedges. Just a glitchShouldn’t have dropped out of Metro City High…[Gee, thanks for the helpful tip, Einstein! -Ed.]Another flunky glitch
Watch out for the shattered glass. See what happens? OH CRAP, HAGGAR’S LEGS! It proves that broken glass isn’t safe at all. [Maybe you shouldn’t have dropped out of Metro City Community College -Ed.]
This ain’t his first barbeque — quite literally
Or even better, if you could pick your own pathThat ain’t right…
Say hello to the final boss, Belger. He must be real happy to see Haggar, because he’s got a second arrow gun hiding in his pocket there…
Jessica has no eyes. Damn, Haggar with them freaky genes. Belger is a handful, but you can actually grab and throw him consecutively if timed and positioned correctly.
A neat touch. Belger really only cares about himself
[Hmmm, where have I heard and seen this before? -Ed.]
‘TIL THEN I WAAALK ALONE
It doesn’t take much for a lady to be… persuasive
ARCADE VS. SNES COMPARISON
Guy is missing in the SNES port
Fans of Guy were bummed out to find he was nowhere to be found in the SNES port. Capcom then released Final Fight Guy on the SNES in July 1994. This version allowed you to play as Guy but Cody was taken out and there’s still no simultaneous 2 player mode. What the hell, Capcom? Shame on you.
We hardly knew ya, two player mode *sniff*
More disappointing than losing Guy was losing the 2 player mode. Early beat ‘em ups like Rival Turf proved it was possible. Even with one player, Final Fight occasionally slows down to a crawl at certain points. Capcom didn’t quite yet master the ins and outs of the SNES in 1991, but as we all know, they soon would in the years to come.
Arcade original
Elevators were modified. You don’t actually see your character ride through the elevator in the SNES port.
Metro City ought to look decayed and decrepit
Obviously the SNES could only replicate so much of the arcade. Of all the little details I personally missed the rundown jagged wooden set piece there. Baddies remain the same for the most part though, sans one major change. But more on that later.
“Excuse me sir, do you by chance have any Mentos?”
SNES couldn’t have the word “SEXY” sprawled across their bathroom doors, could they? Instead, they have the word “kiss.” Come on, Capcom! At least change it up completely. How about something like “Mad Gear rules!” Sure, it’s super generic, but it’s still a lot better than just “kiss.”
Three is a crowd in the SNES port
The SNES port sees a maximum of three baddies onscreen at any one time. The arcade had as many as eight! Obviously, you can’t expect much on this end. There were many 16-bit beat ‘em ups that maxed out at three bad guys.
The lost stage
Here’s the missing fourth stage: the Industrial Zone. It’s very tough and I’m fine without it, but it does lose points for pure authenticity. Oh, see the scantily clad broad there?
“Ch-ch-ch-changes!”
Roxy and Poison were way too controversial for Nintendo of America, so Capcom altered it to be this lame looking bloke instead. Sid and Billy, sorry to say this but y’all just weren’t the same.
Rolento did show up in Final Fight 2, though
Rolento, being the boss of the scrapped Industrial Zone, is also MIA.
Belger returned as a zombie in Final Fight Revenge
Belger didn’t change much in the SNES port. Though in the arcade he actually had a wheelchair while in the SNES port it looked more like a mobile love seat, which would suit Jessica just fine I’m sure [OH LORD! The images… AHHH! -Ed.]
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Being one of the earliest SNES releases, some critics were kind enough to overlook its deficiencies. Many fans, however, were not as forgiving.
EGM: 8,7, 7, 7
Super Play: 86%
“Yeah, don’t be so Damnd harsh!”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
“UHH… any one of you boys happen to be BIGDICK69?”
The Super Nintendo port of Final Fight is undoubtedly flawed. No 2 player mode, no Guy, an entire missing stage and only up to three enemies on the screen at any one time. It sounds like a lot is missing but when you actually play it, it still comes off a quality beat ‘em up. The gameplay is still there and when you consider this was one of the earliest SNES releases, the whole thing somehow manages to come off as impressive. Those visuals were mind blowing back in 1991. You had to see it 25 years ago to truly appreciate it. I mean, the characters were HUGE for the time, and I remember thinking to myself, “Where the hell is the coin slot?” As kids obviously we didn’t know any better. Nowadays it’s easy to see what the shortcomings are, but for an early launch game Final Fight impressed. The sound effects had a nice crunch to them and it did bring a lovely arcade feel home to our living rooms.
Rest In Peace, Guy
For all of its shortcomings, Final Fight still plays remarkably well. Compared to other SNES beat ‘em ups that came out later, Final Fight plays as well if not better than a good handful of them. It’s one of those weird games that you kind of have to grade on a bit of a curve. Viewed strictly in a bubble of its release date — September 1991 — this was a quality product, despite the missing elements. It’s not the first SNES beat ‘em up I reach for when I’m in the mood to kick some 16-bit ass, but I have to admit I do enjoy playing it still to this day because the gameplay has held up 25 years later. If it had a 2 player mode it would earn an even better score but as is, it’s still pretty good. Hardcore anal fans need not apply, however. This one ain’t for you. For the rest of us, you could play far worse beat ‘em ups on the Super Nintendo than Final Fight.
Man, Super Mario Kart. Where do I begin? The Super Nintendo is loaded with awesome games; my memories with this system run long and deep. Super Mario Kart not only ranks as one of the very best, but it also gave me and my gaming buds countless epic memories. It was a brilliant idea — take Mario, his chums and throw them in a crazy, zany go-kart world. It was instant Nintendo magic. And the rest, as they say, is history. As clearly evident by the success the Mario Kart franchise would go on to enjoy, Nintendo caught lightning in a bottle.
THE NIGHT IT CAME BACK HOME
THE RETURN OF SUPER MARIO KART
On April 9, 2006, I reacquired Super Mario Kart by trading my copy of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (Limited Tin Edition). Only 40,000 were ever made. My girlfriend at the time bought it for me in 2004. Two years later, I turned it into Super Mario Kart, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time, Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2. The tin edition was going for roughly $25-$30 at the time. It goes to show you how great the retro gaming market was back in 2006. I made the deal with a nice guy off DigitPress. While I’m a big fan of the Halloween films, I couldn’t pass up on this golden opportunity to get four of my favorite childhood video games in one fell swoop.
Thanks for the steal, Mikey! Uh, we ARE cool, right?
THE NEW KINGS ON THE BLOCK
Super Mario Kart turned my bro and me into gods
It was 24 years ago that my brother and I made the best trade of our gaming lives. Exchanging Death Duel for Super Mario Kart instantly made us kings of our neighborhood. All the kids living nearby came flocking to our place weekend after weekend, month after month. Being the only ones who owned the game, our quaint little home morphed into a madhouse as we had friends coming and going nonstop. Even now, whenever I close my eyes and listen closely, I can still hear the incessant chiming of my childhood doorbell. As a kid I would lay there in bed on lazy Sunday mornings trying to enjoy my peace and quiet. No such chance of that. By 8:45 every Sunday morning, like clockwork, Ben and our other friends were banging down our door. We were truly the new kings on the block.
FLASHBACK TO CHRISTMAS 1992
Talk about turning chicken shit into chicken salad…
Christmas ’92 proved to be one for the record books. In addition to my mom buying me King of the Monsters, that same year our uncle bought us Death Duel. I remember the ad from EGM. It looked cool and all, but honestly, my brother and I were a bit disappointed. Of all the games on our wish list, Death Duel certainly wasn’t even in the top 20. We tried not to complain though as our mom always taught us to be grateful and that any gift was better than none at all. Still, Kevin and I went home that night talking about how awesome it would be if Death Duel magically transformed into Super Mario Kart instead (the game that topped our Christmas wish list). It was rare that my brother and I both wanted the same game — he was a “mainstream” guy while I was more fond of the obscure underdog titles. However, Super Mario Kart transcended all of that. It was just that kind of game.
Good thing my brother was still only 11 at the time!
And then, as we were talking, an epiphany struck us. We suddenly recalled the ad for Death Duel in EGM. We pulled out the latest EGM issue that we had bought weeks earlier and madly flipped through it in search of our great loophole. Ah, there it was. Not suggested for children under 14. I was only nine and my brother was 11. My brother wouldn’t be able to play Death Duel for another three years! And five for me! Not that we couldn’t break the rules but when the rules benefit you, why not follow them?
We struck gold
After showing the ad to our mom, just as we predicted she would, she promptly called our uncle to explain the situation and asked if he kept the receipt. Luckily, he did and since we hadn’t opened the game yet, it was ripe for a swap. So later that week my mom took me and Kevin to exchange Death Duel for Super Mario Kart. I remember thinking that it was the greatest trade in the history of mankind. I still laugh thinking about this Christmas memory. Who knew a silly ad could bring about such a dramatic turn of events?
Thanks a lot, EGM!
Rather ironic that I originally acquired Super Mario Kart via trade, and then 14 years later reacquired it by trade. I’m hanging onto my copy this time for sure!
Everybody was go kart racing
My brother and I played the crap out of Super Mario Kart that Christmas season and well into 1993. It was such an addicting game. My favorite character was Yoshi. My brother loved using Koopa. One of our friends, Ben, liked using Bowser or Donkey Kong Jr. Ben liked them most because they had the size to push others around. We were the only kids in the neighborhood who had Super Mario Kart, so our neighborhood friends were banging on our door like bloodthirsty zombies. I remember many Sunday mornings where the doorbell chime woke us up at 8:45! Kevin and I quickly became the kings of our block, all thanks to Super Mario Kart.
THE GO KART RACERS
I like the cancel / confirm choice
There are a total of eight racers, but really four different types. They come in four pairs which vary in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
Mario takes a break from stomping goombas, but this is hardly R&R! He’s sort of a jack of all but master of none type. He doesn’t have the highest top speed and his acceleration is only average. However, he doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. Also, due to his slightly bulky build, he’s able to hold his own a little bit even when bumped by the heavyweights Bowser or Donkey Kong Jr.
The man who lives in the shadow of Mario. I always liked Luigi because I enjoy cheering for underdogs and sidekicks. He basically has the same abilities as Mario but he lacks the size to adequately counter a Bowser bump.
The damsel in distress is out to get hers! She’s top of the line when it comes to acceleration, but only average when it comes to top speed. Look at those demon-possessed eyes. Yeah, I would advise against cracking any sort of “kitchen barefoot” jokes here.
Yoshi has always been my go-to kart driver. Come on, a dinosaur in a go-kart? You just can’t beat that. The beauty (Princess) and the beast (Yoshi) share the same qualities and both are especially ideal for Donut Plains and the battle mode. On the flip side, they rather stink when it comes to Vanilla Lake.
For the first time ever, you can control one of gaming’s most iconic villains. I remember this being a huge deal in my gaming circle back in late ’92. Using a special customized XXL go-kart, Bowser is as nasty as ever. Because of his enormous size, he’s slow to accelerate but once he gets going, there’s NO stopping that immense momentum… until you bump into a barrier, that is. That’s gonna suck. A lot. But as far as top speed is concerned, Bowser is king.
Donkey can shove the competition aside and is the only one who can truly withstand the impact of a Bowser bump. Both struggle with Donut Plains and the battle mode, but they excel at Koopa Beach.
Koopa was my brother’s favorite back in the day. He lacks in top speed but makes up for it when it comes to control. Koopa steers corners extremely well, which means you can stay on the gas pedal a little longer than most other racers when rounding corners.
Toad is similar to Koopa but rumor has it Toad has the slight edge in terms of acceleration (being just a hair better… again, just a rumor). Both of them are cornering champions though and perform well particularly on Choco Island. But look out for Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr.!
THE GOODS
The mushroom is a classic, basic and useful card to have in your back pocket. When you’re at the beginning of a long straight path, or right before a jumping strip, press A to give yourself a short and sudden burst of speed. Remember using this to scream ¼ across the tracks of Ghost Valley 1, or Mario Circuit 2? It never gets old! ^_^
Ah, the green shell. The shell for real men. It shoots out straight, so that means you have to aim it with skill. Of course, some luck factors in as well, but the green shell is largely based on positioning, timing and skill. Misfire and it will ricochet off walls until it finds a victim. Don’t get in its way! Also, you can drop it behind you. It makes for a defensive tool if timed properly. Nice!
For less skill and a much higher rate of success, the homing red shell will quickly stir up words not quite appropriate for this site. Once in a blue moon you can avoid the red shell. For example, power sliding around a corner can free you of the red shell’s death grip. But the wise and discerning player will only fire the red shell when their target is right there for the taking. A banana peel or green shell can nullify it, however…
The banana peel isn’t the best offensive tool in the game, but it can be surprisingly effective when you’re neck and neck with the competition. You can also launch a banana peel about 10 yards ahead of you. While a fun sight, it’s rarely effective. Its best attribute isn’t its offensive capabilities, but rather its defensive potential. It has the ability to act as a defensive buffer to a red or green shell.
Although it doesn’t quite enjoy the glamour among Mario Kart fans as the vaunted lightning bolt does, the star has always been my personal favorite. It’s a combination of various powers: your speed is increased, you’re immune to track obstacles and enemy weapons, but best of all, anyone you touch instantly spins out. However, if you fall into water, lava, or off an edge, you’ll lose the power.
The game’s most infamous and adored power-up, the lightning bolt is both devious and dangerous. The fact that it’s so rare only increases its legend. Releasing the lightning bolt affects all seven competitors. Doing so shrinks them down which decreases their speed, but best of all, it allows you an opportunity to sadistically crush (literally) the competition. The lightning bolt is no doubt a game changer!
The coin is often viewed as the worst item of the lot, but it’s not useless. It’s definitely a no-brainer item though, since as soon as you get it, you should press ‘A’ to use it. It adds two coins to your count. Coins affect your overall top speed, with 10 being the max. So while it may not be as sexy as the other items, it’s handy when you have few or no coins.
Mr. Ghost is only available in Battle Mode, sadly. I wish it was available in the two player GP mode as well, but I guess one can’t have it all. The ghost not only snatches your friend’s current item but it also makes you “invisible.” Stealing your rival’s red shell or star in particular tends to lead to a curse word or two being uttered. And let’s face it, that’s probably half the fun of the battle mode
The feather allows you to make a great leap of faith. It’s particularly handy for Ghost Valley 1 and a few other tracks. Sure, you can jump with the L or R button but this turns you into the second coming of Michael Jordan. You can also use it to leap over an incoming shell (which is super satisfying) or a well-placed tricky banana peel. You can also use it to cut corners, too. Good stuff.
Its basic formula was nothing short of KA-CHING!
You get the items by passing a question mark tile. Let the randomness run its course or if you’re in a rush then press ‘A’ to stop it. It was (and still is) a fun gimmick that made Super Mario Kart extra awesome. The racing itself is fine, but the weapons add an extra dosage of strategy and fun.
THE TRACKS
MARIO CIRCUIT 1
This is by far the game’s easiest course, as well it should be. It eases you into the mechanics. There are no major tight corners. Instead, you get plenty of straight away paths. Not a lot of frills or thrills here, but that’s fine since there are 19 other tracks that are much more gimmicky. Mario Circuit 1 is plain but a memorable beginner’s track nevertheless.
DONUT PLAINS 1
To the casual observer, at a cursory glance, this track may appear to be a tranquil setting with a beautiful pond. However, experienced kart drivers know behind the serenity lies a deceivingly semi-tough course that can eat up unsuspecting novices. Some corners have loose dirt and debris strewn about. Ease up on the gas during these points or else pay the price.
GHOST VALLEY 1
Ah, Ghost Valley. The mushroom super jump bit, the feather trick and its unique elevated wooden track make this course unforgettable. Oddly enough, whoever built this course from long ago randomly inserted a jump bar in the middle. Remember the first time you used the mushroom right before the jump bar? Talk about a “holy shit” worthy moment indeed.
BOWSER CASTLE 1
Bowser’s got some of the trickiest tracks around, but his first one is fairly straight forward. It has some memorable features that help make it stand out. Midway through there are three zipper bars for you to drive over, granting you a quick speed burst. It was always a rush to turn the corner tightly and hit one of those zipper marks right on the, er, mark. And watch out for those annoying Thwomps!
MARIO CIRCUIT 2
I’ve always enjoyed the Mario Circuits because they have sort of a ‘pure’ untainted kart track feel to them. At the same time, there are just enough tiny gimmicks here and there that keep things interesting. This one is most notable for its famous great big jump bump at the end. Sabotaging players here was wickedly fun. Try dropping a banana peel just to the right of the second marker on the left side for computer opponents. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about
CHOCO ISLAND 1
A slippery dirt course way out in the desert, the infamous piranha plant calls Choco Island home. The terrain is dominated by bumpy surfaces and mud slicks so don’t get too pedal happy here. Be weary also of the mud bog that lies somewhere in the last quarter of the track — try using a mushroom here and see what happens!
GHOST VALLEY 2
While the first Ghost Valley track will always be the best one in my book, all of them are special in their own unique way. This one has a zipper for the final stretch of the course, with a small jumper off to the far right side… allowing you to take to the skies with a mushroom. I like how the small jumper is randomly placed there.
DONUT PLAINS 2
Try using the mushroom to skip the edge of the pond! This course is a perfect place to show off your great power sliding technique. Donut Plains 2 is littered with monty moles up the wazoo. They pop out of holes in the ground and even magically jump out of the grassy areas. If one latches on, you have to shake it off. I shake it off, I shake it off! But I keep cruising. Can’t stop, won’t stop moving. It’s like I got this music in my mind saying it’s gonna be alright. Er, sorry. [I don’t know this guy. Security! -Ed.]
BOWSER CASTLE 2
This place can be a little confusing at first. Luckily, Bowser’s kind enough to place some arrows to guide you along. You can choose different routes to take. Alright, the routes are basic, but having a choice is still nice. If you have a feather, you can pull off a really awesome trick but it requires absolute precision. It’s not as easy as the jump in Ghost Valley 1…
MARIO CIRCUIT 3
There are a dozen square question mark blocks waiting for you just after the start / finish line, which may allow players to get an early advantage right out of the box. There is a serious hairpin turn in the middle of the track, and just for the hell of it there’s a nifty turbo plate in the final straight away leading up to the goal.
KOOPA BEACH 1
The good news: there aren’t any tight turns. The bad news: the sand surface isn’t the best for traction. Your kart has just enough buoyancy that it can travel safely across the water… except for the deeper, darker blue parts. Touch that and you’ll be swimming with the fish! [HAR HAR HAR -Ed.]
CHOCO ISLAND 2
Strange, suddenly I’m craving Coco Puffs. Choco Island 2 has a much bigger patch of chocolate goo waiting for you in the middle than the first Choco Island. There’s also a very narrow road which is the perfect place to drop a green shell or banana peel. Avoid the heavy dirt off-road sections — they slow drivers down to a crawl.
VANILLA LAKE 1
Brrrr! It’s a good thing the engine of your go-kart is so hot because you’re going to need that warmth as you race around this slick frozen lake! It’s probably the shortest track in the whole game. Vanilla Lake 1 is filled with annoying ice blocks that really impede your progress if you can’t skirt around them successfully.
BOWSER CASTLE 3
Bowser’s castle tracks just keep getting fancier and fancier. This one gives you three different lanes to pick from. The inside and outside lanes have a turbo tile to zip you past the competition. But the middle path has two question mark tiles. It does require, however, a well-timed leap to acquire…
MARIO CIRCUIT 4
This is a fairly long track that’s packed with corners of all sizes and shapes. It’s also home to many pesky pipes looking to block your path. Nothing beats the thrill of successfully blowing past them on your way to the finish line. On the flip side, nothing’s worse than being clipped by a centimeter, slowing you down to finish in second place (or worse). D’oh!
DONUT PLAINS 3
Graced by two rickety old bridges, literally. One of them is missing some wooden planks and the second bridge is really FUBAR… requiring you to leap safely across. It’s so narrow too that you’re likely to get bumped if another racer is nearby. You can knock others into the pond, but keep in mind that it goes both ways! And to top it all off, the bloody monty moles are back.
KOOPA BEACH 2
It’s time for another bash at the beach! This beach is loaded with some serious greenery that will slow down anyone who drives on it. As it was with Koopa Beach 1, watch out for the dark blue patches of water. They’ll drown you faster than you can say “CRIKEY! FLOPPING CHEEP CHEEP!”
GHOST VALLEY 3
The trickiest of the three Ghost Valley tracks, this one is filled to the brim with gaping holes. Carefully navigate your way through or you’ll pay a dear price. Just like the two previous Ghost Valley tracks, the feather can prove to be a difference maker here.
VANILLA LAKE 2
A very slippery course that’s more lake than land. Advanced players know how to jump around the edges of the lake to shave a precious second or two off their time. To complicate matters, this track is filled with ice barriers that can bring you to a complete and fatal stop. Winter Wonderland this ain’t!
RAINBOW ROAD
It would only be appropriate for the final course to be the toughest. Rainbow Road, in that context, certainly doesn’t disappoint. There’s no room for error with narrow paths galore and some very difficult to avoid Thwomps. Oh yeah, those plain Thwomps from Bowser’s castle tracks? Yeah, they’re now enhanced with an electrical force field. One touch and it’s Spin Out City. Rainbow Road separates the boys from the men.
The nightmares are coming back!
BATTLE ZONES OF DEATH
Select from four battle zones in the 2-player battle mode. The first course is basic and pretty much wide open, while the second one has more nooks and crannies for players to take cover. The third one, surprise surprise, is the slipperiest of the four. The fourth, as you can see above, is the nuttiest.
Lot of bruised egos in this mode
The battle mode is real simple. Each player has three balloons strapped to their go-kart. The first to pop all three balloons of the other player wins. This led to some serious cutthroat battles. The Ghost icon was a bitch! Great memories…
Setting a record by mere tenths of a second FTW
We also had a blast with the Time Trial mode. Getting the best time meant bragging rights. It was a gloat worthy accomplishment any time you beat out your brother, friend or even your own records. Not only could you be recognized for the best total time but the game also took account of best single lap time. Nothing was better than breaking both the single lap and total time record simultaneously.
Gotta break all the records…
PERFORMANCE CHECK-UP
I remember studying these two pages like crazy
Ah, the performance chart from the game’s manual. The SNES had some great instruction manuals, bursting with both color and useful information. Kind of sad to think about how today’s kids will never fully grasp the simple joy of studying a game’s manual in the backseat of their car going home from the video rental store. Life today is better in a lot of ways, but I can think of a few things technology simply cannot supplant.
Super Mario Kart has a simple but effective ranking system. If you ranked at 5th or worse, you had to then replay that course. The point system is as follows:
1: 9 points 2: 6 points 3: 3 points 4: 1 point
I’ve always felt that this scoring system worked really well. Take a look:
Classy, elegant and yet simple. Gotta love it. The music that plays here is awesome and to this day remains stuck in my head.
You can’t cut it any closer!
Nothing is more exhilarating than a photo finish race. Check out how crazy close Donkey Kong Jr. came to my Yoshi — 1’17″52 vs. 1’17″53!
I love the set-up screen here. Super Mario Kart just oozes with class and brilliance. You start out by earning the Gold Cup on all three races of the 50cc class. Then do the same in 100cc. Doing so unlocks Special Cup. Earn the Gold Cup there and you’ll unlock 150cc. 150cc is no joke!
MUSHROOM CUP OVERVIEW
Passing someone causes them to crane their neck
Few things satisfy like using a mushroom to burst past your top rival during that finish line finale.
I love seeing the exhaust fumes kick up like that
Power sliding around a tight corner to zoom past the competition is simply the best. And if you have the star, using it right after power sliding around a corner really puts you ahead of the pack!
Wind at 17 MPH east…
I liken the green shell to that of a bow and arrow. When aimed properly and used effectively, it proves to be both fatal and satisfying. While the red shell is a more effective weapon, the green shell is the one that allows players to show off their mad skills and ability to project accurately. Here I am setting up poor unsuspecting Koopa in my line of fire. Let’s see what happens to ol’ turtle face…
I love how his eyes bug out. Good stuff!
Release the sucker at just the right time and BAM! They spin out in a frenzy dropping coins every which way as you speed on ahead. Was there anything better than this? Even a mere child can use the red shell successfully. But the green shell now, ah ha. That, my friends, is entirely another matter. The green shell is for true Mario Kart masters
Or using the lightning bolt right before they jump…Koopa is in for one hell of “shellshock” [Har har -Ed.]Super Mario Kart is as entertaining as it is sadisticThe music here is still stuck in my head *hums tune*
Nowadays 150cc Special Cup laughs at me *sigh*
SEND IN THE CLONES
Surprisingly not, there came an inevitable flow of Mario Kart clones on the Super Nintendo. Shockingly however, most of them came out in Japan only. The most blatant clone is SD F-1 Grand Prix. Think Super Mario Kart meets the animatronic rejects of Chuck E. Cheese’s. As far as clones go though, this one is quite good. It has slightly better visuals than Super Mario Kart (October 1995 vs. September 1992). However, to no one’s surprise, it doesn’t play as well. The same can be said for all the other clones below. They’re all very competent and fun in their own right, but they’re NAGASMK (not as good as Super Mario Kart). SD F-1 Grand Prix is my favorite of the clones.
Definitely the least blatant clone of the lot, Battle Cross is what you might get if you threw Super Bomberman and Super Mario Kart into a blender. Who didn’t dream of that crossover at some point during the early-mid ’90s? Battle Cross is a single screen racer featuring six drivers and various weapon power-ups strewn across its nine wacky tracks. It does suffer slightly however from “It sounds better than what it actually is” syndrome. It’s pretty good but ends up feeling a bit “lightweight.” Still, it allows up to five human players and when approached with the proper mindset it can be a rather fun affair. Just temper those expectations going in.
Battle Racers took Bandai’s famous Kamen Rider-related characters and dumped them into a Mario Kart-esque game. I love the gorgeous sunset effect as seen above. It’s a very solid racing game but as stated before, it’s simply NAGASMK. Still, it’s worthy enough to warrant a look.
Finally, we come to the lone American clone in this lot. Street Racer features a four player split-screen mode. That alone makes it something to write home about. Well worth adding to your SNES collection, Street Racer has got its own bizarre personality and world. Give it a shot.
HONEY I SHRUNK THE KARTS!
My brother and I loved this code back in the dayWe turned the code into its very own mini-game!
The rule was simple. If you were “IT” you could pick any driver. The other person had to select Bowser (or Donkey). Why? They were the slowest to accelerate. The goal? Tag big ol’ Bowser (or Donkey). We found Vanilla Lake 2 to be most conducive for this makeshift mini-game. I can’t tell you how many hours we wasted on this. It was so cool because we felt like we had discovered an extra ‘secret mode’ to the game, which only increased its already excellent longevity. When shrunk, the small courses suddenly loom large, and what healthy child doesn’t love a spot or two of tag? It only added to the game’s brilliance and was a testament to just how stellar the game was. GP and Battle Mode are great and everything… but for sheer laughs and kicks, try out this miniature game of tag! It was classic childhood innocence sprinkled with that impeccable Nintendo magic that made it a winning combination
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Damn right it’s better than Mario Kart 64 ;)
Super Mario Kart was considered a universal smash hit. While today many are divided on where they stand — some feel it has stood the test of time while others think it hasn’t aged too well and that later renditions have rendered the original a bit obsolete — back in 1992 practically everyone was blown away. Along with Capcom’s Street Fighter II, Super Mario Kart was THE two player game to have on the Super Nintendo. Those two showcase titles were responsible for moving Super Nintendo systems by the truckload back in 1992. EGM gave Super Mario Kart ratings of 9, 9, 8 and 8. GameFan rated it 97, 96, 95 and 90%. Super Play scored it 93%. In EGM’s Top 100 Games list printed in issue #100 (November 1997), Super Mario Kart ranked in at a lofty #15. Their “Most Challenging Moment” blurb made me smile because I completely agree with them. It was a heated argument back in the late ’90s on which was better: Super Mario Kart or Mario Kart 64. I do love me some four player Mario Kart 64 but come on, the tracks on the original game was simply superior. It’s a debate that continues to stir passionate opinions to this very day…
It was a trailblazing innovator
Nintendo Power Magazine published their Top 100 Nintendo games list in issue #100 (September 1997). By the way, I found it cool (and such a wild coincidence) how EGM and Nintendo Power Magazine reached 100 issues at almost the same time. Nintendo Power ranked Super Mario Kart #32 while Mario Kart 64 placed #4. They hit the nail on the head with their very first sentence. I owned both Mario Kart games growing up, and while I really enjoyed Mario Kart 64 as well, Super Mario Kart was my favorite.
You’re good, kid, but your older brother is betterA beautiful cover for a beautiful game
Super Play Magazine published their own Top 100 SNES Games list back in April 1996. Super Play ranked Super Mario Kart as the third best SNES game ever created.
#1 in Retro Gamer’s book, er, magazine
Retro Gamer Magazine printed a special article on the SNES back in issue #23 (March 2006), highlighting ten “perfect” SNES games. Super Mario Kart topped that list at #1. Speaking of lists, I’ve been working on my very own SNES list the past 10 plus years.Whenever I get around to publishing it, you’ll see I also have Super Mario Kart ranked fairly high
A “DY-NO-MITE!” COMMERCIAL
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Hats off to one of the best SNES games ever crafted
It’s crazy to believe it’s been nearly 25 years since Super Mario Kart raced its way into our hearts. Time flies. It’s almost been 25 years since my brother and I pulled off the greatest gaming trade in the history of mankind (well, at least of our lives). This was the kind of game that brought all your neighborhood friends over like ants to sugar. Hell, even that one guy you barely knew! Whether it was the intense battle mode, the heart-pounding GP race, or even the brilliant makeshift tag mode we created out of a simple code, Super Mario Kart provided so many rich memories for me and my friends. It features great graphics (although it had to be seen in 1992 to truly be appreciated), excellent sound and unforgettable music, and finely tuned gameplay that only the Big N could perfect. The racing just feels right, and the creativity of the weapons and tracks only added to the game’s zaniness and appeal. Nintendo delivered another legendary gem and proved there was indeed life for Mario and friends outside of the platforming genre.
Thanks for all the memories, you silly bastards
I still play Super Mario Kart to this day. It’s one of my “go to” games whenever I feel like I might be heading into a gaming slump. It’s like that tried-and-true classic on the menu that you always order when you want to be reminded of how good food can taste. Super Mario Kart always reminds me of why I love gaming in the first place. It’s got an outlandish universe filled with classic characters, practical weapons and power-ups to use that never gets old, and memorable courses that are still as fun to race on now as they were then. Almost a quarter century later, Super Mario Kart still finishes in first place in my book in many categories. And it remains one of the finest Super Nintendo games ever created.
Graphics: 9
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Longevity: 10
Overall: 10
Platinum Award
Regardless of later renditions and what else may come in the future, Super Mario Kart will forever be a true testament to how GREAT video games can be. It’s the best racing game on the SNES and one of the best Super Nintendo games ever. Thank you, Shigeru Miyamoto!
Ah, Christmas. As a kid growing up, there was something truly sacred about Christmas. It was a magical time of the year where miracles happen and wonder is in the air. Every kid I knew looked forward to Christmas. Whether we were writing letters to Santa or out shopping at the local mall with our parents, Christmas was magic. And the best time of the year to be a kid. As soon as that calendar strikes October, you were in kid Heaven. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. The promise of frights, food overload and video game presents. I’ve had some great gaming-related memories of Christmas over the years. Here they are
CHRISTMAS 1989: THE GAME WAS CHANGED
Sega had truly taken gaming to THE NEXT LEVEL
In December 1989, my brother and I owned an 8-bit Nintendo. We loved it dearly. But one day we went to our family friend’s house. Denny was raving about his new game system, the Sega Genesis. I was only six years old, but I remember it as if it was yesterday. Denny showed us the cool clamshell box of Altered Beast. The art on the cover blew me away with its wild beasts and savage wolf man. Before Denny opened the box he asked me, “How big do you think the game is?” Hmmm, I figured since it was bigger than Nintendo, surely the cartridge had to be huge. Denny shook his head with a sly grin. He slowly opened the box to reveal the tiniest cartridge I had ever seen in my life. I was stupefied. The next big leap in video gaming was that small? Denny popped Altered Beast in and I sat back to watch. From the moment the game fired up and I heard the infamous voiceover “WISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!” I was hooked and sold. The graphics were jaw dropping! So too was the sound. I never looked at gaming quite the same after that fateful December day of 1989.
Altered Beast forever altered the game…
Over the years I remember going back to Denny’s place a lot during December. We held many family friend gatherings there. I remember watching him play games like Dynamite Duke, Thunder Force III and Gaiares. Man, what a time of innocence it was. Not only were we on the verge of a new decade, we found ourselves standing smack dab in a new generation of hi-tech gaming! And life, well, life was awesome. But just when I thought gaming couldn’t get any better, it did…
One of the greatest level one bosses ever!
CHRISTMAS 1991: SUPER NINTENDO GENESIS
Some vacation trips stay with you for the long haul…
I was eight years old on vacation with my family and friends. My family forged a strong friendship with four families. Between the five families you had 10 parents and 16 kids (11 boys and five girls with birth years ranging from 1977-1987). We had some of the most legendary sleepovers in the history of such. We had monthly sleepovers and each time we would stay up until 1, 2 AM playing video games. It was a glorious time, and some of the best times of my childhood.
In December 1991, the parents wanted to go skiing at beautiful Lake Tahoe. We rented out a huge cabin where all twenty six of us stayed. It was insanity! The brothers, Tommy and Denny, packed their newly acquired Super Nintendo. This is the same Denny that first introduced me to the Sega Genesis and Altered Beast. You know how in every childhood gaming circle there was that one guy who got all the coolest newest games and systems first? Denny was that guy. Tommy and Denny also brought Super Mario World, Final Fight and F-Zero.
I loved Home Alone but I didn’t want to live it out!
That Sunday morning I woke up to an empty cabin, with weird noises emanating in every which direction. A cold chill swept down the back of my neck as I tip-toed downstairs timidly. Desperately calling out the names of my family and friends, it wasn’t long until I realized I was the lone prisoner trapped inside this cabin from hell.
The only response I received for my cries was the hissing of the cabin. I felt a chill creep over once more. Some thing wasn’t right…
Once I managed to make my way to the kitchen I found a note taped to the fridge with my name on it.
All alone in that demonic looking cabin… or was I…
Steve, The rest of us got up early to go out for breakfast. We’ll be back soon. You stayed up really late last night so I wanted you to get the extra rest. Make yourself some Honey Nut Cheerios and don’t watch too much TV. We’ll be back very soon.
Love, Mom
Gee, thanks mom. I’ll be sure to remember this when I go to the booth next week to cast my vote in for Mom of the Year! I opened the fridge and saw an ice cold can of 7 Up. It was my favorite soda but there was no chance in hell I was going to brave it down that demonic looking hallway to make it to the restroom. No siree!
Ever felt that someone or something is watching you?
Ever feel a presence in the room with you? That someone, or something, is watching you? That’s how I felt on that cold, dreary December morning of 1991. But being eight years old and resourceful, I believed spirits would never mess with me if I had the radio or TV playing — they only attacked those who were alone. So I turned on the tube and came across a WWF show. Ah, wrestling. It’s always comforted me and did so here. But before long the show ended and I was left thinking about what evil spirits might be milling about. That’s when I spotted Tommy’s Super Nintendo lying on the floor. All the older “cool” kids were taking turns with it the night before, and the younger kids (of which I was right on the cusp of) could do nothing but peer on wishing life had dealt them a better hand. So it suddenly dawned on me that this was my chance. This was my moment.
It’s true — you never forget your first time
Powering up F-Zero, I was instantly transported to Mode-7 Heaven. Every single racing track blew my mind. I couldn’t believe how fast it played, and how AMAZING the game looked. And that MUSIC… oh man. F-Zero led me from thinking about ghosts to obsessing over intergalactic racing warfare! Later I plugged in Final Fight and found myself saving the good citizens of Metro City one jaw dropping stage after another, as I smeared the streets with the blood of the hooligans from the Mad Gear Gang. I had never seen such state-of-the-art arcade-like graphics before. The characters were unbelievably HUGE and at times I found myself wondering, “WHERE THE HECK IS THE COIN SLOT?!”
Back in 1991 this was absolutely mind blowing!
I played Final Fight until my family and friends came back. Part of me was ecstatic to no longer be alone in the cabin from hell, but something funny happened during my inaugural SNES playthrough. It made me forget about malicious ghosts and evil spirits. It instead transported me to the future of video gaming, where you could snap a guy’s neck in two and soar 200 feet across a race track suspended high above a futuristic city — all in stunning graphics and sound. Even 25 years later, I still recall that Christmas with great reverence
CHRISTMAS 1992: KING OF THE KARTS
There was a certain magic in the air that night…
My mom and I used to go to the mall all the time. It was one of our traditions. She took me after school every Friday, rain or shine. I loved it because this was a time in life when the world was a different place. Even as young as 8, my mom allowed me to hit up my stores while she went shopping for clothes. This gave me a great sense of independence and for about 30 minutes I was on my own completely! I always visited Suncoast, Kay Bee Toys, Walden Books, Sam Goody, and of course, the classic SOFTWARE ETC.
Now rarely did she ever end up buying me anything once we reconvened, but that was never the point. It was fun enough thumbing through books, EGM magazines and drooling at the various action figures. It was the feeling that it produced. Just knowing you were on your own for half an hour made going to the mall a fun time. But the best times always came during Christmas season.
That little blond kid was me just a year or two ago…
The mall Santa was there taking pictures, kissing babies and shaking little hands. At nine and a half years old now, I was too old for that stuff, but not old enough to not still believe in the magic of Christmas. So instead of sitting on Santa’s lap, I simply sat back from afar to admire what had been, and what once was.
My mom came over asking if I wanted to meet the mall Santa, but I told her I was too old. She looked at the kids rushing up to Santa just 20 feet away from us, lost in her thoughts. Somewhere in her aging face I saw her loosen up, as if she suddenly missed the days when I was that young scampering around. Perhaps it was the right kind of Christmas magic I’d need for what was about to transpire on that most magical late December evening…
This was like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
There it was, plastered in big and bold blue letters. I always made it a point to hit up SOFTWARE ETC. each time we visited the mall. Of course, I could only dream of my mom complying to buy me a video game. Still, like a moth to flame, those bold blue letters always sucked me in. I stood there that evening in sheer awe of the endless shelves of SNES goodies — games in which I could only dream of owning. And then, there it was. High on the shelf I saw it, shining like a beacon of light. KING OF THE MONSTERS for the Super Nintendo! It was just one short year ago that I’d beaten the arcade and thought to myself, “Man, I can’t wait for this to come home!” And now, it finally has. Only one problem, of course. How can I convince mom to buy it? Standing there, staring at the pristine shiny King of the Monsters box, my mind desperately raced through everything I could think of in order to weigh the odds in my favor.
I didn’t have very long to think…
“C’mon honey, we gotta get back home now.”
“WAIT!”
“What is it?”
What kind of compelling, poetic point would I make?
“That…” I pointed to the King of the Monsters box sitting on the top shelf. “I want that.”
OK, so much for poetic language and convincing arguments.
My mom gave me “the look.” Uh oh. In the history of “momkind” the look has never been good news. Whether it was a look of frustration, disappointment or disgust, the look has denied kids an untold number of desserts, toys and video games. This task, I could tell, was going to be about as easy as Quantum Physics.
“Honey, that’s fifty five dollars.”
“No, it’s fifty four ninety nine!” I quickly countered. HA! I thought I had her — ahh, the bliss of being nine years old…
“Well actually with tax it’s about sixty,” she corrected.
Well DAMN. Talk about backfiring!
And then, out of nowhere, it hit me. My trump card. I explained to her how it was my favorite game, how I had to have it, and how much joy it would bring Kevin and me. And that if she bought it, it would count for not only my Christmas gift but also my birthday as well.
My mom grabbed the box to examine it closer. “Hey, isn’t this the game you played all night last year at Chuck E. Cheese’s? Is this the same one?”
***FLASHBACK TO DECEMBER 1991***
This only took me an hour and about 500 quarters
December 1991. My parents took me and my brother to our favorite place, Chuck E. Cheese’s, to celebrate the end of the year. My mother was rather strict so these rare opportunities where she allowed us to binge on our desires were not taken for granted! They ordered two large pizzas and got us 50 tokens. I knew where I was going to be for the rest of that night — at the King of the Monsters cab determined to beat it! It took me some time and way too many quarters to count but at last I did it, all while my mom sat back at the table eating unwanted leftover pizza crust and watching the whole thing go down.
***BACK TO DECEMBER 1992***
I nodded furiously and watched as my mom bit her lower lip, contemplating what to do. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she took the game to the counter. I stood there in awe watching as they swiped her credit card. It was the first video game she bought for me. Outside I could hear the chattering of youngsters and the HO-HO-HOs of the mall Santa. The Christmas season was ringing in full force, and this bit of Christmas magic only punctuated the moment. My brother and I played King of the Monsters as soon as I got home. It turned out to be a ho-hum translation but at the time I remember not caring a great deal about that. I was just grateful and still buzzing with excitement at the fact that the Christmas magic was still alive and well!
Downtown Christmas was our Yuletide tradition
A couple days after my mom bought the game, I was playing it one night with my brother when she urged us to turn it off so we could drive downtown to see the fancy Christmas lights. It was a basic tradition in my family that every Yuletide we do so. I love the lights but that year my parents had to pry me away from my Super Nintendo. I guess as my brother and I got older, the more my mom fought to keep tradition alive. Like how she wanted me to sit on Santa’s lap the night she bought me the game. I guess that’s something I’ll find out for myself one of these days… [Sitting on Santa’s lap? How kinky. I see you’re on that naughty list… -Ed.]
But wait! That Christmas is about to get even better
Christmas ’92 proved to be one for the record books. In addition to my mom buying me King of the Monsters, that same year our uncle bought us Death Duel. I remember the ad from EGM. It looked cool and all, but honestly, my brother and I were a bit disappointed. Of all the games on our wish list, Death Duel certainly wasn’t even in the top 20. We tried not to complain though as our mom always taught us to be grateful and that any gift was better than none at all. Still, Kevin and I went home that night talking about how awesome it would be if Death Duel magically transformed into Super Mario Kart instead (the game that topped our Christmas wish list). It was rare that my brother and I both wanted the same game — he was a “mainstream” guy while I was more fond of the obscure underdog titles. However, Super Mario Kart transcended all of that. It was just that kind of game.
Good thing my brother was still only 11 at the time!
And then, as we were talking, an epiphany struck us. We suddenly recalled the ad for Death Duel in EGM. We pulled out the latest EGM issue that we had bought weeks earlier and madly flipped through it in search of our great loophole. Ah, there it was. Not suggested for children under 14. I was only nine and my brother was 11. My brother wouldn’t be able to play Death Duel for another three years! And five for me! Not that we couldn’t break the rules but when the rules benefit you, why not follow them?
Everyone wanted this game that Christmas season
After showing the ad to our mom, just as we predicted she would, she promptly called our uncle to explain the situation and asked if he kept the receipt. Luckily, he did and since we hadn’t opened the game yet, it was ripe for a swap. So later that week my mom took me and Kevin to exchange Death Duel for Super Mario Kart. I remember thinking that it was the greatest trade in the history of mankind. I still laugh thinking about this Christmas memory. Who knew a silly ad could bring about such a dramatic turn of events?
We became the kings of our blockThanks for a great Christmas memory, Death Duel
CHRISTMAS 1993: FIGHT CLUB
This quickly became my next most wanted game
Leading up to Christmas that year I was completely fascinated with Interplay’s Street Fighter II clone, Clay Fighter. Endless controversial ads filled the pages of gaming magazines and I studied the many previews drooling in sheer anticipation of this new promising fighting game. And who could forget the Clay Fighter ad campaign? I sure haven’t — it’s one of the greatest ad campaigns in 16-bit gaming history.
Oooh! SHOTS FIRED. Interplay wasn’t playing around
I still remember fondly my cousin calling me one night in early December of 1993. It was rare in those days for her to call as we usually just saw each other in person and communicated that way. But on this fateful night she called asking for my Christmas wish list. My heart was racing as I knew there was really only one thing I wanted: a copy of Clay Fighter. I remember explaining to her over the phone what Clay Fighter was, and being positive that she was going to buy it for me. Yep, it was only a matter of days now…
The gist of what I told my cousin that fateful night!As a 10 year old, I thought the ads were the best
Of course, she bought something else for me. It ended up not being a video game at all. After that phone call and everything, I couldn’t help but feel massively disappointed. In retrospect though, I’m lucky she didn’t buy me Clay Fighter…
“C’mon Steve, do the Dragon Kick here! One more time!”
I would be remiss not to mention World Heroes. My best pal Nelson bought it when it first came out around September of ’93, and we played it well into the winter. Nelly even lent me the game here and there. Uncle Ben flew in that Christmas and watched me play as Kim Dragon. Uncle Ben didn’t care for video games whatsoever, but even he was drawn into World Heroes. He rooted me on, suddenly morphing into an armchair gamer! He loved Kim’s Dragon Kick and called for me to do it each time. It’s a quirky memory that has stuck with me all these years.
World Heroes will always have a soft spot in my heart
Christmas ’93 was simply a great time to be a robust 10 year old kid growing up in suburban America. If you had a Super Nintendo, a best friend and you loved fighting games — what a time to be alive! With choices such as Street Fighter II Turbo, TMNT: Tournament Fighters, World Heroes, Ranma ½: Hard Battle and Clay Fighter, there were plenty of fighting games to choose from. The 16-bit war was in full swing, and if you had the SNES and Genesis like I did, you were the ultimate winner.
Nothing like an unexpected post Christmas score!
Having hounded my parents about Clay Fighter and them knowing how disappointed I was that I didn’t get it that Christmas, my mom allowed me to buy one video game in January of ’94. Thankfully, I rented Clay Fighter just prior to this once-in-a-lifetime decree. It wasn’t a terrible fighting game, it just wasn’t very good. My parents took me to Good Guys and I bought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters. Ninja Turtles meets Street Fighter II? Take my money, er, my parents’ money!
Yep, I sure made the right call!“COWABUNGA!!”
CHRISTMAS 1994: KAREN KOMBAT!
SNES fans were vindicated with an awesome port
Christmas ’94 was marked by the return of my cousin Karen, whom I hadn’t seen in a while. She was now eight and my Uncle Ben also had a one year old daughter, Liz. My bro and I bought Mortal Kombat II for the SNES and we were playing it well into that Christmas season, much to Karen’s chagrin as it would turn out.
Chill Karen, it’s only a game. Don’t lose your head…
When Karen and baby Liz came over that holiday season, we showed off Mortal Kombat II in all its glory. Upon seeing the first blood spewing Fatality, Baraka slicing Jax’s head clean off his shoulders, Karen imploded like a soccer mom at a backyard wrestling event. Grabbing her baby sister in a mad panic, she screamed at us, “OH MY GOD! A ONE YEAR OLD BABY CAN’T BE EXPOSED TO THIS R-RATED VIOLENCE!”The way she yelled at the top of her lungs coupled with her mannerisms made it a moment in time. To this day I still give her a hard time about it whenever we see each other.
As it would turn out, Christmas ’94 was the last great gaming-related Christmas I can remember. Well, that was until…
CHRISTMAS 2010: PARTY LIKE IT’S 1994
You could say it was a powerpak’ed Christmas…
November 2010. I bit the proverbial bullet and purchased an SNES PowerPak. This great device allows you to play almost any SNES game ever created. It comes at a steep price but as I found out firsthand later that Christmas season, it’s worth the asking price. Guess who visited that Christmas? None other than Karen and (no longer baby) Liz. Karen was now 24 and Liz, 17. It’s funny how life comes full circle sometimes.
See the love mark my SNES left on the carpet?
Saturday, Christmas afternoon. Uncle Ben, his wife, Karen and Liz were visiting from out of state and staying at their second home. Uncle Ben invited the whole fam over for a night of Christmas family fun. Normally I take the Sega Saturn with me (for Saturn Bomberman), but this time I thought I’d try the Super Nintendo instead. It was the right call.
Love how it all fitted perfectly. A nice snug fit ^_^
Ah, the advantage of having a PowerPak and not having to haul 20, 25 games with you. With one cartridge you can effectively carry hundreds of SNES games. That alone makes having some kind of flash cart worth the asking price.
That night we went back in time
We enjoyed a pleasant family Christmas dinner together that night. Then my cousins Karen, Liz, David, Mia and I retreated to the living room. I unpacked the Super Nintendo to a warm nostalgic reaction. “Oh my God, I haven’t seen one of these in forever!” Karen was most eager of all being that she was old enough to really remember it. The PowerPak worked its magic. I let her browse through the endless list of games. Her eyes popped when she saw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time. “I remember playing this back in the day!” Karen had turned into a wide-eyed six year old kid before my very eyes. “WE GOTTA PLAY THIS!” she declared. Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting her to pick Mortal Kombat II.
Karen and David started out on the first level. The three of us felt like we were back at the arcades in the ’90s. Liz and Mia, being young teenagers and Wii fans, didn’t get the hype so they didn’t care to join in. But Karen, David and I were having a blast. The Ninja Turtles weren’t the only ones going back in time here…
It felt like we were back in 1992
The three of us rotated turns playing the two player mode. Each new stage brought about “Oooh I remember this!” memories. When we made our way to the sewer stage, with the giant yellow pizza monsters leaping out at us, Karen said, “I TOTALLY REMEMBER THOSE PIZZA MONSTERS FROM THE CARTOON SHOW!” We made it to Super Shredder, but soon fell at his evil hands.
Karen, David and I had a, er, blast
After Turtles in Time, we switched over to Super Bomberman 2. It brought back memories of the early-mid ’90s when my old gaming group spent countless Saturday nights blowing each other up. We ended up playing the SNES from 6:45 to 9:20. We spent the next two hours talking and hanging out. Nothing like quality family time mixed in with a little multiplayer gaming
World Heroes 2 is a terrific and underrated SNES port
I slept over at my parents’ house that night since they live only 15 minutes away from Uncle Ben’s second home. Arriving around midnight, I was still in a Super Nintendo state of mind. I immediately popped in the PowerPak and fired up the beta version of World Heroes 2. Although I love the finished product, the beta version is more combo friendly and therefore more accurate to the arcade original. It’s almost like playing two different games! One more reason to love the PowerPak — you can play beta versions (if available) of your favorite games and compare.
Don’t have one yet? Better catch and ride that wave!Love it but the computer is tough
After World Heroes 2 beta, I had the urge to revisit another childhood favorite, TMNT: Tournament Fighters. After the tough computer foes put a thorough whupping on my ass, I felt the need to do some whupping of my own, so I fired up Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling 2: 3-4 Budokan.
The fatal four way match is good for a quick fix. After this, I went to brush my teeth. My parents had already gone to bed. I turned off the lights and lowered the volume. I hadn’t slept over in a long time so the house making all kinds of unusual noises in the dark was a bit creepy. I decided to go from one obscure Super Famicom import to another.
Fans of the unusual and Pocky & Rocky will like this
One of the weirdest games on the SNES, Deae Tonosama Appare Ichiban is also rather fun. I had a blast going through the whole game. It was now 2:45 AM, and the house grew eerily darker and darker. It was the perfect time to load up the scariest Super Nintendo game ever created.
Now there’s a stocking stuffer you don’t want to see
There couldn’t have been a more perfect setting to play Clock Tower. Weird noises emanated from the house as heavy rain crashed against the windows with fierce velocity. I never imagined in a million years that a Super Nintendo game could actually scare me. But on that night, Clock Tower succeeded. Scissorman left a wake of terror as he pursued me relentlessly throughout the mansion. It was one of the best gaming sessions I’ve ever had.
SNIP SNIP — I could still hear Scissorman’s shears…
It was now 4:30 in the morning. Whoa, I played the SNES from midnight to 4:30. I staggered over to turn off Clock Tower, then I fumbled up the stairs in the dark. I was in a bit of a daze, feeling uneasy still thinking about the grisly images. I crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling in the darkness. What an epic gaming session and what a great Christmas! I laid there for a while just reflecting on the night before drifting off to a deep, peaceful sleep…
CHRISTMAS 2012: BIRDIES AND BOMBS, BABY!
Nothing beats a good old fashion multiplayer party!
Once again the PowerPak proved its worth. My brother, his girlfriend and I went to visit David and Mia. We spent the night playing 4-player BS Out of Bounds Golf and 5-player Super Bomberman 5. Nothing screams quality family time quite like blowing up your brother, or knocking your cousin’s ball out of bounds. Both games quickly grew heated as the trash talking (and laughing) compounded. The fondest memory I have of this evening came when David miraculously nailed a miracle trick shot. He bounced his ball against a plate bumper, which then ricocheted its way into the cup. Everyone in the room jumped and shouted in stereo. It was certainly mic drop worthy! We all gave David a hi-five and he wore the fattest grin I ever saw. To see him have that one moment of glory made my Christmas that year. Fittingly enough, we even gave him a golf clap
David bounced a shot off that bumper and in, wow!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a very good night :)
Christmas time always brings back such fond memories of time well spent with loved ones and video games. Especially when you were a kid, there was just something special and magical about Christmas season. Whether you received a new video game system or a new video game, many of us have nostalgic memories surrounding Christmas and video games. These were mine. And they’ve stayed with me long after the snow has faded and the lights have been taken down. As tomorrow marks the beginning of winter and as we draw closer and closer to yet another Christmas, I’m reminded of all these nostalgic memories. There’s something about gaming during the winter season that can’t be beat. Those early darkening late afternoons. The whipping rain lashing outside late at night as you play childhood favorites, or unearth new ones. Wherever you are at in this stage of life, may you be blessed each day and a blessing to others, too. After all, isn’t that what life is all about?
Thank you good sir, and God Bless everyone else too
When you think of the Super Nintendo, what characters come to mind?
Mario?Link?Ryu?LESTER THE UNLIKELY?!
… On second thought, that last one’s unlikely, I reckon.
[Oh dear -Ed.]
Well…
How about MARK CALLOWAY?
Possibly unbeknownst to most of us, Mr. Calloway actually has more in common with the SNES than one might initially think.
THE DEBUT OF TWO PHENOMS
The world forever changed on November 21, 1990
A little over 26 years ago as I write this, the Super Famicom (Japanese Super Nintendo) launched in Japan. It made a huge splash and as history dictates it went on to smash a lot of video game records and burrowed its way deep into our gaming hearts.
Who’s the mystery partner?!
Meanwhile, over in America, with no internet back then and being all of seven years old, I had no idea that the Super Famicom just made its big splash. All I knew was I couldn’t wait for the 4th Annual Survivor Series event! It was Dusty Rhodes’ Dream Team (R.I.P. Dusty) versus Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Team. But wait, DiBiase had a mystery partner. The match graphic to this day is seared into my memory bank. I remember my brother and I having long discussions about who it possibly might be. An old familiar face from the past, or a brand new superstar? It was exciting times. Finally, the day of the 1990 Survivor Series came. November 22, 1990. It was exactly one day after the Super Famicom made its debut.
Get the scoop, Sean Mooney!
I’ll never forget the moment DiBiase hit the ring with only two of his three team partners backing him. The WWF (World Wrestling Federation) played up the drama perfectly to the very end. My brother and I were on the edge of our seats. Who and where was this mystery partner?
Tell ‘em, Ted!
DiBiase grabbed the microphone and made the announcement himself. It was unheard of as the ring announcer always made the announcements. This only proved to punctuate the moment even further. This was a moment in time. A moment in wrestling history none of us would ever forget.
“I’ve said it a million times before — EVERYONE’S GOT A PRICE FOR THE MILLION DOLLAR MAN! So without further ado, I’ll introduce to you now my mystery partner. Led to the ring by his manager, Brother Love, weighing in at THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY POUNDS, from DEATH VALLEY — I GIVE YOU… THE UNDERTAKER, HAHAHAHA!!!”
Gorilla: The Undertaker — the mystery partner — is now revealed!
Piper: I never heard of him –
Gorilla: OH TAKE A LOOK!
Piper: HO-HOLY COW! … LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT HAM HOCK! … Check out them drumsticks, baby!
Gorilla: Three hundred and twenty pounds, looks to be 6’9″ 6’10” — somewhere in that neighborhood, Rod.
Piper: 6’10″… I don’t know, it’s hard to tell from here…
Gorilla: There’s only supposed to be four members on a team — this guy makes four and a half, MAYBE FIVE!
WHOA MAMA!
The music, the look, the entrance, the commentary… everything added to create a perfect storm. It was an unforgettable debut — one of the best in the company’s history. The Undertaker was an instant star.
He scared many of us that nightWhat a star in the making!
There was something different about the Undertaker. You just knew he was going to be a mega star. Little did we know… just how big of a star he would become. But yeah, such great memories that night over 26 years ago now. The Undertaker towered over everyone in that ring, and he just looked like he was in a whole ‘notha league compared to the others, and there were some true legends in that ring! Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, Honky Tonk Man, Dusty Rhodes and Bret Hart to name a few. Taker held his own and then some. Great wrestling memory!
OLD SCHOOL!
Billed at a towering 6 foot 10, and seemingly impervious to pain, fans quickly took notice of his unparalleled combination of size, power and agility.
R.I.P. HULKAMANIA
The Undertaker dominated the WWF, going undefeated for over a year in his meteroic rise to the top. Just one year removed from his debut, he made history when he pinned the IMMORTAL Hulk Hogan to become the new Heavyweight Champion at Survivor Series 1991. Few titans before could touch Hulkamania. But the Dead Man was a different sort of beast. The industry never saw anyone quite like the Undertaker before.
The Super Nintendo was released in the US August of that same year, and as the Undertaker cemented his place in wrestling history in ’91, so too did the SNES (in gaming history, mind) by beginning its worldwide march toward market domination.
The Undertaker appeared in no less than six SNES games, and even more. That’s more than most other SNES characters, and gave Mario a run for his money!
The Streak
The Undertaker had an unprecedented WrestleMania record of 21-0 before Brock Lesnar defeated him at WrestleMania 30 (2014) to make the Dead Man 21-1. Currently, his record sits at 23-1 and he’s definitely gunning for 24-1 at 2017’s WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida. Amazingly, 26+ years later the Undertaker is still wrestling (albeit on an extremely part time basis). The Super Nintendo, although long “dead,” continues to live on in the hearts of retro gamers worldwide. The Undertaker and the Super Nintendo are two phenoms in their respective line of business. Their legacies speak for themselves and I’m positive both will be remembered fondly for generations to come.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Undertaker and SNES go hand in hand!
I’ve always been a pro wrestling fan from the days of the late ’80s when I first saw the union of the Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage) on an episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event in the fall of 1987. I remain a fan to this day and the Undertaker is a true force in the industry. I got nothing but love and respect for the man and the myth. The Super Nintendo, of course, is my favorite gaming system of all time, and it’s fun to think about the similarities the two share with one another. Who knew the SNES and the Undertaker would have so much in common? They’ve given us 26 years of countless memories, left a lasting legacy and are sure to still be lionized in the years and generations to come. A toast to two awesome phenoms — the Undertaker and the SNES!
Growing up I was a huge fan of all things Halloween-related. My favorite month of the year was October. I just love the fall season. Everything from falling leaves to all the ghoulish sights around town and of course, the feeling of excitement as you count down to the night of nights… HALLOWEEN! “8 more days to Halloween, Halloween, Halloween. 8 MORE DAYS TO HALLOWEEN — SILVER SHAMROCK!” Argh! GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD!!! Ahem, sorry.
SUPER NINTENDO HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
SNES just a kiddie system? I beg to differ
If there was one thing I loved just as much as Halloween back in the day, it was without a shadow of doubt the Super Nintendo. The SNES has been known as a “kiddie” system especially when compared to the Sega Genesis, which featured more darker, mature titles. While it’s true that the SNES didn’t have as many as the Genesis had, that doesn’t mean it was completely devoid of “darker” games. Tonight, I’m proud to highlight 35 games that SNES fans can play this month of October in preparation for Halloween. Not all these games are great or even necessarily “mature” or “darker,” but they certainly fit the mood of the season in general. Some of these games are classic mainstays while there are a few you might have never heard of. I hope this inspires you to dig up a few SNES games to play this Halloween season.
Happy Halloween gaming!
There is something real special about gaming around this time of the year. The rainy days, shorter days and longer nights create an atmosphere conducive to staying in and snuggling up with old gaming favorites by the fire, or discovering some new ones for the first time! Perhaps this list will introduce you to a few new titles to throw into your Halloween rotation. Without further ado, let’s begin the countdown in alphabetical order. Here are 35 Super Nintendo games to play during the month of October!
They’re creepy and they’re kooky. Mysterious and spooky. Ah, you know the rest. Released in March 1992 from Ocean, this was one of the earlier Super Mario World clones during the Super Nintendo’s infancy. It’s got quite a few fans. It’s obviously not nearly as polished and awesome as Super Mario World — I’m not a big fan of its somewhat slippery control or overly brutal difficulty, but it’s definitely not too shabby. It’s got a ton of secrets and you can tell the programmers had a blast making this one — hell, they said so themselves. Worth a look if you like your platformers difficult and somewhat quirky.
#2: THE ADDAMS FAMILY: PUGSLEY’S SCAVENGER HUNT
The follow up to The Addams Family, Pugsley’s Scavenger Hunt also has its fair share of fans. It’s quite an upgrade visually, but I think I actually prefer the first game. The programmers were quoted once saying that they tried to recapture the “magic” of the first game but just couldn’t with this game. Nevertheless, it’s decent enough to kill a few hours with. And if you’re going to give this a try, might as well do it during October.
#3: ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES
The last in the SNES trilogy, Addams Family Values switches it up a bit by being an action RPG rather than a typical platformer. It sounds and looks enticing on paper, but unfortunately it’s something of a slight disappointment. I remember back in the day being super hyped for this. Uncle Fester in a Link to the Past clone? Sign me up! The main issue is the lack of a backup battery. Sure, it’s got a password system, but these passwords are scarce. On top of that, they’re awfully long and cumbersome. On the bright side, the game has a nice atmosphere for October, and the gameplay itself is generally fairly solid. If there was ever a game meant for using save states, it’s this one. Still, it’s the best of the SNES Addams Family trilogy.
#4: THEADVENTURES OF DR. FRANKEN
Ah, the early-mid ’90s. I love that era of video gaming. It was a period in time that was ransack with Mario clones left and right. Some of these games were great, some were just OK and others were better left forgotten. TheAdventures of Dr. Franken is one of those forgotten platformers lost in the “me too” SNES crowd of the early-mid ’90s. This is just what the doctor ordered, or not. I wanted to like it but ended up rather disappointed. It’s not unplayable, but it’s probably the weakest game on this list. It’s better than terrible crud like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Musya, though. By the way, none of those games are on this list because they are truly terrifying (to play).
All right, now we’re talking! Alien³ is a very solid movie-game adaptation. Just like the ALIEN films, Alien³ has a dark and foreboding feel to it. The aliens come at you fast and furious from all directions, making it a worthy candidate to play late at night with all the lights turned off. The difficulty is a bit steep, but that just makes the whole thing all the more tense. There is a password system and cheat codes to make life a bit easier, if you need it. Sure, it’s a bit repetitive but damn if it ain’t fun blasting an alien in the face with a flame thrower.
The picture above pretty much says it all. But yeah, the mine levels in particular go really well against the backdrop of October’s rainy and dreary days…
Brandish is a classic example of a love or hate game. Give it a shot, because if you’re one of those people who end up loving it, like I do, you are in for a rare treat. Players take on Varik, a bounty hunter who falls into a deep underworld maze filled with 55 different monster breeds roaming the cursed halls. The game’s music and atmosphere does an excellent job convincing you that you are 40 floors buried underneath the surface. As you fight to make your way back to the top, there is a real sense of dread that works well with the Halloween season, not to mention the 55 different monsters. There’s a little something for everyone. From menacing minotaurs to towering dinosaurs to even Death itself — almost every creature imaginable is milling about the hell hole! I beat it almost 10 years ago now, and still to this day it remains a fond memory. Once in a while a game resonates with you in such a way you can’t explain. Brandish is that game for me. If you love atmospheric games and monsters, and like a more methodical action RPG, give it a shot. No better time to than October! It has more than its fair share of creepy moments…
The sequel is bigger as it now features outdoor playing areas, but it’s not necessarily better. I prefer the original but I still enjoyed beating Brandish 2. It’s the first Japanese game on this list as it never left Japan. There is an English fan translation floating out there, and I recommend playing it if you really like the first one. It’s got better visuals and all, but is missing the “magic” of the first game. That’s not to say Brandish 2 isn’t any good. It’s very solid in its own right; it still features monsters and a seedy adventure that goes well with October’s rainy days.
Best to get this out of the way early… OK so it isn’t anywhere as epic as Super Castlevania IV. And yes, you can’t help but wonder what if Konami had made a proper sequel using their SNES know-how by 1995. Got you drooling a bit there, eh? Well, Dracula X isn’t quite up to those standards, BUT it is a pretty solid (and damn difficult) action game, with Konami’s signature stellar soundtrack. In my book, Dracula X doesn’t get nearly the credit it deserves, and it’s just good enough to warrant firing up every October…
You cannot talk about Halloween SNES games without bringing up Clock Tower. Hands down the most frightening game on the system, this is where the epic Scissorman story began. Who would ever believe that a Super Nintendo title can make your heart skip a beat? But play this at 2 in the morning with all the lights turned off and it just might genuinely creep you out. The game has an uneasy feel to it — Scissorman popping up randomly is the main reason why! Just an awesome survival horror game and a must play for the Halloween season.
Pocky & Rocky fans rejoice. This game is ultra bizarre. I mean, where else can you kill Asian hopping vampires, astronauts on Mars, giant bamboo eating pandas, vile rotting zombies, aliens, ninjas, knights and Bruce Lee wannabes — all the while transforming into a large steroid-injected muscle maniac who oh yeah JUST happens to be the spirit of your deceased father?!? Intrigued? If you are not then you have no pulse! Love the subtle Halloween vibes it has, too.
One of the most underrated SNES games around, once upon a time, anyhow. In the past 10 years, I’ve seen Demon’s Crest get the adulation it deserved back in the mid ’90s. On top of excelling in all the basic video game categories, Demon’s Crest exudes atmosphere and coolness like very few other SNES games. Playing as a winged demon that collects orbs, changes form accordingly and breathes fire is too damn badass, y’know?
When Doom exploded on the scene back in 1993, it took the gaming nation by storm. As great as Wolfenstein 3D was, Doom was that much better. Ask any gamer over the age of 30 or so and they’ll regale you with a Doom tale from their childhood. In 1995 Doom was ported to the Super Nintendo to mixed reviews. I didn’t like it back then because I couldn’t shake the fact that it was far inferior compared to the original PC game. 15 years later, 2010, I bought the game and came to appreciate the port for what it is. Naturally there were many sacrifices. The game only features 22 maps and there is no save or password feature. Despite this, it’s still impressive what they were able to pull off considering the limitations of the hardware. On a side note, the Japanese Super Famicom version is superior due to the fact that it allows you to start off on any episode on any difficulty level. You can start on any episode in the US version, but the later episodes require you to play it at a higher difficulty level.
This isometric action adventure is packed with epic music from Tim Follin and a haunting atmosphere that makes it an ideal Halloween selection. It is damn difficult, though, but well worth persevering through. It allows you to save the game at any point, which makes the rather high difficulty a little more bearable. Each level requires you to collect keys to open up the various locked gates. Grabbing these keys can be one hell of a challenge, and sometimes just finally grabbing one particularly elusive key is satisfying enough to call it a night. It’s one of those games that you can play and enjoy for 20 minutes or 2 hours. I wish there were more games like this on the SNES but at least we’ll always have Equinox.
I was intrigued by this game the day I saw EGM previewing it in early 1993. It looked different than most of your average “bright” SNES games. First Samurai is dark and has a dreary foreboding look to it. When I finally tried it in 2006, I wasn’t much disappointed. I never expected a stellar game, but just a fun adequate one. And that First Samurai is. From its abnormal enemies to the “Hallelujah!” song and “OH NO! MY SWORD!”sound effect, First Samurai just has a different feel from your typical SNES game, and is one I enjoy playing in October. The game’s mood fits this time of the year perfectly. Try it for yourself. It’s not good enough to be considered a hidden gem or anything, but it’s one of those funky little games that leaves you going, “Hey, that was kind of fun in a weird sort of way…”
A highly difficult game that seems passable at first but is made somewhat worthy when playing with a friend (as one can block and one can attack). Not my first choice to play for Halloween, but you can’t deny Kitarou’s strong Halloween spirit. Check it out only if you can, but don’t go out of your way to.
A surprisingly solid action game based off a manga. Too many times such efforts are hack jobs and cheap attempts to cash-in. Ghost SweeperMikami, on the other hand, is handled well. It won’t rock your world but it’s fairly fun and you gotta love its ghoulish look and spooky atmosphere. A great choice to play in October.
LucasArts tried to reinvent the magic of Zombies Ate My Neighbors with this differently named “sequel.” Unfortunately, they didn’t succeed on that end. But, not all is lost. Ghoul Patrol has some decent things going for it. It’s just nowhere as good or fun as the original. However, this game is much more forgiving, allowing you to advance much further in the game even when you go at it alone. All in all, it’s not a shabby sequel but it’s missing considerably the fluidity and charm of Zombies Ate My Neighbors.
#19: JAKI CRUSH
A Super Famicom pinball game that centers around demons, monsters and the occult. The last in the Crush trilogy (Alien Crush and Devil’s Crush), Jaki Crush is full of Halloween-esque sights. If you enjoy video game pinball then you’re sure to have a good time with this.
Thisgame goes hand-in-hand with Halloween. It’s not quite the epic action game I was hoping it might be, but it’s pretty solid and gives us Super Nintendo fanatics one more sinister game to enjoy. You can transform into various demon forms — giving it an Altered Beast feel. At first glance it appears to be a cross between Castlevania and Resident Evil. As long as you leave your lofty expectations at the door, Majyuuou (AKA King of Demons) is a ghoulishly fun time.
I love the SNES port of Mortal Kombat II. My bro bought it when it came out back in September of 1994, so I have fond memories of playing it during Halloween season that same year. Characters like Baraka and stages like the haunted forest give it a lovely Halloween spirit. FINISH HIM!!
Nosferatu is one of those games I studied and drooled over in gaming mags way back in the day… only to finally play some 15+ years later and find out that, sadly, it fell short of the gem my mind had built it up to be. Nevertheless, it’s not all bad. In fact, it’s decent (at least, for the first couple levels before the difficulty becomes far too daunting). It’s not the superb smooth playing Castlevania meets Prince of Persia mix I was hoping for, but you can’t win them all. Still, I love the macabre atmosphere and it’s fun to play the first two or three levels during Halloween time.
#23: POCKY & ROCKY
A widely regarded Super Nintendo classic that’s worth playing any time but especially during Halloween time. Better yet, it’s even more fun with two skilled players at the helm. Yeah it’s not the first SNES game you associate Halloween with, but it’s got that nice subtle ghoulish touch to it. Be forewarned though, it’s not as easy as it looks. It’s actually quite difficult and requires much practice to excel at. But damn if it isn’t fun.
#24: POCKY & ROCKY 2
Natsume released a sequel the following year (1994) to solid reviews. There are some nice new features that makes this a worthy follow up to the classic original. These new features include multiple paths within the levels and partners. When you talk about great 2-player co-op SNES games, you gotta talk about the Pocky & Rocky series. They’re great fun to play whenever, but especially during October.
#25: PORKY PIG’S HAUNTED HOLIDAY
Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a decent little platformer that came out late in the SNES’ lifespan. Therefore, it was overlooked even more. It’s no Super Mario World, but I do enjoy its wacky levels and it’s an underrated Halloween choice. An interesting aspect of the game is that the weather changes every time you turn it on, and often weather will vary during the game itself. From one level to the next, it may be raining, snowing, or sunny, and may have summer, autumn, or winter color schemest. Overall, you could do far worse than Porky Pig’s Haunted Holiday.
Gritty, grimy and great for October. For goodness sake, you start the game out by waking up on a slab in a morgue… suffering from amnesia. Talk about morbid and sordid. The control takes some getting used to, but the game’s cyberpunk feel is what makes it special. Shadowrun is a very unique game and something I wish the SNES saw more of. I have very fond memories of playing it on a rainy Halloween night of 2014. The game’s gritty “shady city” atmosphere fits in perfectly with the mood of Halloween.
#27: SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI
Shin Megami Tensei isn’t for everyone — it’s a rather plodding first person RPG from the early days of 1992. But its sordid universe suits the Halloween season very well. You can recruit enemies to be your allies, and you can either side with the angels, the demons or go neutral. If you can withstand the somewhat slow nature of the game, it’s a rather fascinating and morbid trip through a hellish Tokyo. Note: it can be downright brutally difficult at times. You could be walking along destroying enemies easily but just as easily get in a battle with a monster that wipes out your party in no time flat. Be sure to save often!
#28: SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI II
More of the same, but now faster and more accessible. If you enjoyed the first game then you’re sure to like this one, too. Naturally, the monsters, demons and devils make both Shin Megami Tensei games ideal to play during the month of October. They do require a bit of patience and perseverance, but the payoff is substantial — very few SNES games are as thought-provoking and politically incorrect.
This is the first title that jumps to mind right away when I think of SNES Halloween games. And why not, seeing as it has practically every creature of the night represented on its monster roll call. Featuring a stunning soundtrack, great graphics (for its time specifically) and satisfying gameplay mechanics, it’s a bloody sin not to, at the very least, pop this game in for a quick go every October. Turn off the lights, grab that ancient magical Belmont whip and hack away at mummies, frankensteins, and oh yeah, Dracula himself, as you try to eviscerate the Prince of Darkness and his minions one more time. It doesn’t get any better than that, folks. An essential Super Nintendo classic that is perfect for Halloween.
Long before Resident Evil and even Sweet Home, this was Capcom’s first original “horror” franchise. And a mighty fine one it is, too. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts sports a high difficulty (but somewhat overrated in my humble opinion, at least, on easy mode). Featuring stunning graphics (mind, for 1991 standards) and sound, this game always delights and is a reminder of the Super Nintendo’s early GLORY days. You absolutely can’t go wrong giving this some October play time.
The Twisted Tales of Spike McFang is a super short yet sweet game that you ought to play if you haven’t already. It’s so criminally short that it can be beaten in a measly 3 to 4 hours. Players control Spike McFang, a young vampire warrior in the making. A very good game that scores high on the fun and quirky scale.
#32: WARLOCK
Warlock has a nice creepy, ominous atmosphere going for it. It’s not the greatest game around, but it’s got its moments. There are various spells at your disposal and there is some strategy and sorcery at play here. Not your typical hop ‘n bop platformer, which I appreciate. Give it a try. A low key under the radar choice.
You transform into a wolf and shoot down bad guys like empty tin cans sitting on a fence. Wolfchild is a bit reminiscent of Werewolf (NES) and perhaps even Altered Beast (Genesis). Decent fun to be had and worth playing through at least once for the diehard SNES fanatic. A forgotten game that was lost in the me-too SNES crowd of early-mid 1990s, but not forgotten to RVGFanatic!
While this game may not seem like a “Halloween title” right off the bat, I ask you, where else can you pump mutant chunks full of lead in a mere matter of 10 seconds? In my book, there are few adrenaline rushes on the SNES quite like the one that Wolfenstein provides. With its many menacing monsters and large labyrinths, this is a solid choice to play during the Halloween season. Besides, you gotta love its scare-inducing sound — I’ve flinched more than once when turning a seemingly innocent corner only to be greeted by the loud crack of gunfire and a gravelly, sharp “STOP!”
What a perfect game to end this list. It’s impossible to talk about Halloween SNES games and not think of Zombies Ate My Neighbors almost immediately. When this game dropped on our laps back in late 1993, man, none of us knew what a cult classic it would become. It goes along perfectly with all the horror movies you’ll watch throughout October as many of its enemies are knock-offs of various horror movie villains. Whether it’s the evil doll Chucky, the lumbering brute Jason or cheerleader snatching aliens, it’s a veritable who’s who of horror movie icon lore. Zombies Ate My Neighbors shines best when playing with a buddy. It’s couch co-op gaming at its finest. It may feel cheap at times, but with a skilled friend in tow it’s still one zombie blasting good time. Perfect, indeed, for the Halloween season.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Ah, Halloween. How I love thee. There’s just something magical about this season that I absolutely adore. I hope you enjoyed going through this list, recalling old Halloween Super Nintendo favorites in addition to maybe discovering a few new titles to add to your Halloween mix. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for both Halloween and the Super Nintendo. Both have given me countless memories over the years, and deep down inside, there’s a little robust 10 year old boy still yearning for one last great American Halloween adventure. There’s nothing like watching horror movies at night and playing some of these SNES games as I count down the days to Halloween. With that said, there’s really only one thing left to say…
HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y’ALL! MWAHAHA! ^_^Halloween and Super Nintendo — good times
In the early days of the Super Nintendo, games like Super Mario World, F-Zero, ActRaiser, Final Fantasy II and Super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts help set the foundation for what would be one epic gaming library. Such a list would be incomplete without citing Super Castlevania IV. Its intensely atmospheric levels, striking music and satisfying gameplay etched an indelible mark on all those who have played it. Nearly 25 years since its release, it still resonates with gamers all over the world to this very day. That speaks volumes to the game’s greatness.
And now, with Halloween nearly upon us, let’s look back at the game that was, is and forever will be one of the cornerstones of the SNES library.
YOU’RE SO VAIN-IA! [OH LORD -ED.]
Heads are gonna roll…
Confession time: I never played this game back in the day sans a quick go or two at a friend’s house. Yup. The ghoulish feel definitely did appeal to me, but my tastes back then were quite different (I enjoyed playing mostly the ‘underdog’ titles) and of course, my bro pretty much made all the buying decisions as well as 90% of the renting choices. He was an RPG buff and 2-player guy, so with this being 1-player, we never bothered to rent it. As I returned to my old SNES roots in January of 2006, this game was right at the top of my list to buy and beat. What a sweet opportunity at gaming redemption it was. I got my copy on April 8, 2006. Driving home on the freeway, windows rolled down, the radio blaring, I couldn’t wait to finally right a 15 year wrong. Later that night I began my journey to slay Dracula and his minions of the night. At long last I had quelled my 15 year long folly. And it was bloody sweet.
IN THE BEGINNING
The classic franchise begins
My brother Kevin and I, as children born of the early ’80s, grew up on a steadfast diet of good ol’ hearty 8-bit Nintendo adventures. When our esteemed fun-loving uncle moved in with us in the mid-late ’80s, life couldn’t have been more swell. My parents rarely bought us Nintendo video games. Rather it was our benevolent Uncle Jimmy who helped us procure much of our 18-game collection, over a 5+ year span of 1986-1991.
Castlevania was a game I’d seen in Nintendo Power Magazine, and one we rented. There was something about the cover art that captivated my imagination. Being a fan of monsters and such, Dracula’s vile mug immediately intrigued me. I wanted badly to be that barbaric chap there on the box, armed with my trusty magical whip and broad sword, thwarting the evils of Dracula and his cronies. Our childhood friend Tommy had a huge NES collection — I’m talking around 100! Nowadays such a collection is not as impressive, but back in ’89 it was mind-blowing (with carts going $50+ a pop). Lucky rich bastard. Anyway, I vividly remember seeing Castlevania in his collection. We’d play it here and there. Never got too far but I enjoyed the atmospheric music and concept very much. As the series grew and evolved, it become a juggernaut of a franchise beloved by countless gamers who are still talking about it and playing its various games to this very day. No doubt Konami hit the jackpot with this one!
1986 for the Japanese version and yeah, who knew?The most different game of the NES trilogyRegarded by many as one of the best NES games#57 on EGM’s Top 100 (Issue #100, November 1997)It was time for a 16-bit rebirth
With the Super Nintendo lying in the wings, it was only inevitable to see a souped up 16-bit version. And sure enough, on Halloween 1991, Dracula was once more unleashed. The game came out stateside a little over a month later. Did it live up to expectations? Only the individual can discern that, but the consensus answer is a RESOUNDING YES.
By the way, did you know that Super Castlevania IV is actually a remake of the original? It still centers around one, Simon Belmont and the year 1691, just one year prior to the infamous Salem Witch Trials. And now, kick your feet up and make yourself comfortable. Let’s usher in Super Castlevania IV with severed, blood dripping arms…
THE STORY GOES…
“HUR-RY UP! HUR-RY UP!”
“Come on, old-timer! Let’s go!”
*COUGHS**HONK HONK*“Get in here old man! I AIN’T GOT ‘TIL JUDGMENT DAY!”
“Thank you.”
“Anything for a fellow pilgrim. We’re all on a quest. Sometimes we need help getting where we want to be.”
“HA-CHOO!”
“Reverend Jackson P. Sayer of Dumont County. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“How far you going, Mr. Sayer?”
“God’s country… Promise Land. Where are you heading, Mr. uh?”
“… Loomis. Haddonfield.”
“Car trouble?”
“… Sort of…”
“… You’re hunting it ain’t ya?”
“GOD DAMN YOU MICHAEL. DIE DAMN YOU!”
“YEAH you’re hunting it all right. JUST LIKE ME”“What are you hunting, Mr. Sayer?”“Apocalypse, End of the World, Armageddon.
It’s always got a face and a name.”
“I’ve been hunting the bastard for 30 years, give or take. Come close a time or two.”
“TOO DAAAMN CLOSE”
“You can’t kill damnation, mister. IT DON’T DIE LIKE A MAN DIES.”
“I know that, Mr. Sayer.”
“OH you’re a pilgrim all right! Yeah, I saw it on your face back there in the dust. I saw it clear as breasts and blue suede shoes.”
“You’re sharp, Reverend.”
“Speaking of which, let me tell you a story about a fellow pilgrim of ours; one that my great grandfather used to tell me….
… his name was Simon Belmont…”
Note: Click on the video below as it goes along with the text to follow. However, if you’re reading this on your smart phone, it doesn’t work as clicking on the link takes you to the source.
“Those fools should have never revived the dark demon! But they did JUST THAT on one foul and malicious night — the night HE CAME HOME!
It doesn’t matter where you go, Mr. Loomis. It can be Dumont County or Haddonfield; evil’s all the same — always got a face and a name. In Transylvania, a small peaceful country out in medieval Europe, there lies a legend that says once every 100 years, when the power of Christ wanes, the forces of evil revive through the prayers of those with wicked hearts. That corrupted evil manifests itself in the form of the one and only, Count DRACULA.
And with each revival, his dark power grows stronger. His goal is to turn all humanity into creatures of darkness, to be ruled under his iron fist. He has appeared in this world many times, and there are many people who fear that in his next appearance, he may well be unstoppable.
There is one group that has always been around to see that Dracula is defeated: the Belmont family. For generations the Belmonts have passed along the secrets and skills of vampire-hunting to the eldest child of the family. While many of the Belmonts have lived peaceful lives without encountering the Duke of Darkness, they remain ever vigilant. There are occasional skirmishes with lesser monsters, but the Belmont clan would always emerge victorious.
100 years have passed since the last battle between Dracula and the Belmonts. Tensions mount as Transylvanians reported mysterious sightings of odd creatures appearing under the cover of darkness. Some folks believed it was an omen while many others were convinced it was nothing more than a mere bout of paranoia. Despite the divided ties, the good citizens remained united and a curfew was invoked for precautionary reasons. Children were encouraged to stay out no later than 5 PM.
With the curfew in full effect, weeks passed without incidence. Then tragedy struck when a farmer slept walked into town at the witching hour. The next morning, shrill screams of horror echoed across the land when only the farmer’s entrails were found lying on the cobbled road by the clock tower. But rather than fleeing, the people banded together in this time of great need. On the night of Easter, a grand carnival was held in town to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town inside an old abbey, a heathenistic group held a ceremony attempting to revive the Duke of Darkness. As they carried out their ritual, dark thunderclouds descended over the countryside. The sinister group stirred itself into a frenzy of mysterious chanting and pagan dancing when a single thunderbolt struck the abbey. The ground shook violently under their feet as the abbey walls shattered. Once more, the almighty Dracula LIVES!
The time has come for the young successor Simon Belmont to call forth the powers of good to aid him in his battle. Armed with his mystical whip, his courage and the centuries-old knowledge of Belmont family training, he sets forth on his mission. The mist clears… but the battle before Simon Belmont is only beginning…”
Remember the haunting howling of the wolves here? EPIC!
WHIP IT! WHIP IT GOOD!
When a problem comes along, you must whip it
Simon Belmont indeed knows how to whip it well. Never before have players enjoy this much whipping prowess, as Simon can direct his whip in eight directions. In addition, his new and improved whip can be swung in a circular motion. This whip wave isn’t as powerful as a straight strike, but has its uses and certainly is very pleasing to employ. Also the whip can latch onto anchors and be used as a swing to cross open spaces. Simon can jump better than ever as well. He can also squat and move at the same time allowing him to pass through low ledges. Now you can jump onto stairs by holding up, and jump off them by holding down + jump. These little touches go a long ways to making the game play like the kind of game we have always dreamed of.
“R” to use. No more Up + Attack nonsense. Nice!
The same 5 sub weapons (only one can be carried at a time) from the NES games return. But thanks to Simon’s newfound whip skills, these sub weapons aren’t nearly as critical as before. The stop watch serves its purpose of freezing annoying winged baddies from knocking you off into an abyss f’rinstance, and the boomerang remains a game changer.
LEVEL ONE
You begin your quest on a chilly, ominous nightI thought I saw that skull somewhere…The classic Castlevania theme hits. What a rush
Once inside, players must contend with savage skeletons and swooping bats. What a memorable romp this is, especially how in the beginning the iron gates rise from the depths of Hell! And of course, the classic Castlevania sound roaring.
Love the whip’s versatility
Ah, Simon has never been better with the whip. Picking off enemies from a safe distance is utterly satisfying, and you gotta love how their bones go flying every which direction!
Letting the whip just hang at your side acts as a shield of sorts from such projectiles. Simply hold on to the attack button. As for the whip wave, move the D-Pad accordingly as you continue holding down the attack button. Works like a dream.
You hafta get up early to fool me… [10 AM? -Ed.]Step on a crack. Break your momma’s back!
As Pee Wee once said, some night huh?
Once inside, you quickly realize this isn’t your average stable… beware the vicious nest of vipers clinging to the ceiling above you. They patiently lie in waiting for unsuspecting fools.
DIE MR. ED! [Heeey -Ed.]Told you this wasn’t your average stable! These wretched creatures, oddly dubbed Mr. Hed, float after you often in packs. Sure, we’ve all heard of the Headless Horseman, but this is nuts!
Those damn annoying Medusa Heads are back to wreck havoc and generally shorten your life expectancy, maybe in more ways than one. But thankfully they’re not too bad in this game. Watch out for those loose floorboards!
He’s no Skeletor
Your first boss encounter comes in the form of Rowdain and his “little” pet. I love pet and rider boss fights. You get to kill two for the price of one *evil grin*
There goes his ride
Rowdain is a very easy boss fight, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. He’ll try to impale you with his evil lance. In many action games from this era, bosses flash white or red when damaged. Here they flash a weird green-red-ish color. He also twitches in pain with every whip shot. Keep your distance or he’ll lunge at you with his lance. It’s a very simple boss fight. Sure, the boss fights are short and of the whip-whip-whipuntilthey’re dead in 15 seconds sort. But it’s still a blast and doesn’t take anything away from the greatness of the game.
At the conclusion of each successful boss fight a Magic Crystal (sometimes called the Ball of Light) magically falls from the Heavens. Grab it to restore vitality to 100% and prepare for the next challenge.
1 down, 10 more to go
LEVEL TWO
Deep in this dark and twisted forest lies a haunted cemetery where its guests are just DYING for you to stay a while.
Hope you don’t hate spidersCandlevania, M I RITE? *crickets*
Whip as many candles as you can. They provide hearts (used to determine the amount you can utilize your sub weapon), replenishment, money, sub weapons and so on. Sure they make the place look festive, but a romantic dinner this ain’t. The only date you got here is the one Drac wishes to carve on your tombstone!
Remember the grunts they made?These suckers move alarmingly fastThe bushmen are one of my favesThey’re no match for SF Bushman though. R.I.P.
After the forest make your way through a swamp and this subterranean river.
Cross this creaky old bridge and you’ll soon come face to face with the one and only…
… Medusa!
Boy, if looks could ki — [Don’t even try it mister -Ed.]
Snakes here, snakes there, snakes everywhere
She’ll lob snakes at you. It’s another easy but cool little boss fight.
Cross this stream after defeating Medusa to pass level two. It’s kind of strange that beating Medusa doesn’t lead you straight into the next level, but I actually kind of like it.
LEVEL THREE
You hear something rustling in the distance…
Now Simon must venture through this cold, creepy cavern. They say that caves are the unknown wonders of the world. And some believe some caves weren’t meant for man to cross. Such as this one…
A flock of bloodthirsty bats come swooping after you as a giant golem meanders just ahead. The golem is easily my favorite regular bad guy — it’s so much fun to kill him. It never gets old to see him breaking down into smaller versions of himself.
Whipped into shape
You see!? He splits into many smaller versions as you whip him like a sorry government mule. It’s always the little things, eh?
Talk about being cut down to sizePerfect place to use the whip wave
Gotta love how this pillar of bones is oddly positioned here. I love when game programmers place baddies in the weirdest spots; it just kind of gives a game a certain pulse to it.
It’s always fun uncovering secret rooms
Keep an eye out for hidden rooms. Whip the blocks and wait in case a top one drops. It’s really cool how these blocks shatter when you whip them.
Don’t question it, just take it!
MEAT?!
It’s one of gaming’s longest and greatest mysteries… why is food like burgers and fine pork chops just lying out in the wide open? Or, as in this case, buried deep within a cave behind some heavy rocks no less. But perhaps it’s just an answer mankind was never meant to know.
Ah, the classic collapsing bridge
Their color change warns you of incoming fire, so get that whip ready.
They apparently failed to attend KindergartenThe water bubbles Simon kicks up is a nice touchThey defend the moat by spewing streams of poisonHead north as Simon must scale the Tower of FearOne (er, two?) of the most memorable bossesBeware of the poisonous gasThe cross works very well hereOne head down, one head to go!
LEVEL FOUR
For some reason I just love that wooden staircase
Dracula’s domain includes many towers and castles. Level four takes travelers to the Outer Keep, a place of unspeakable horrors and wonders. Face multiple bosses and experience some of Super Nintendo’s most graphically brilliant moments!
Unsettling…
Watch out for twisted Japanese horror movie-esque monsters popping inexplicably out of the castle walls. What malpractice!
Skeletons even pop out in the cracks of the wallThe first of two bosses here in Drac’s Outer Keep
The peculiarly named Puweyxil is your first test here. A giant skull with a long serpentine tongue filled with acid. Never before has the term “Crackin’ skulls!” been more appropriate.
Whoa, WHOA, WHOAAAA
Who could ever forget this rotating room of doom? Better hang on for dear life!
Simon goes on an acid trip
And then you have this spectacular spinning corridor. Ooooh, ahhhh. It still impresses to this day, and I could only imagine how TRULY mind-blowing it must have been to experience this back in December 1991.
Talk about having a rocky day…
LEVEL FIVE
Level 5 is a very short romp though one of Dracula’s courtyards. There is no boss to contend with here. It’s merely a race against the clock. Beware of the harpy.
Who said the wave went out of style?Vintage Vania, baby
I love this little scene. It just reminds me so much of the NES Castlevania games. While flashy colors and trippy Mode-7 can be great, this goes to show you how even the most basic colors can be effective to setting an atmospheric tone.
As you gaze up at the statues, you see some form of ill-play has plagued the region. Remaining ever vigilant, you push on ahead, ready for any and all challenges…
LEVEL SIX
You now find yourself in the hallowed halls of one of Drac’s castles. Fine statues and chandeliers decorate the place, but you quickly discover your average hall this ain’t!
Ghastly apparitions haunt these hallsLove whipping enemies from below
I dig the soft green tiles found within these hallowed halls. The cool thing about the graphics is that they don’t give you the reality of a castle, but rather the impression of one. Video games shouldn’t be about mimicking reality in my view. They’re a form of escapism. And Super Castlevania IV does a great job of that.
Cross spiked-filled gaps by quickly hopping from one narrow block to the next. To make matters more dire, these blocks crack if you stand on them for more than a split second. Make haste!
So satisfying!
Ahh, one of the simple pleasures of this game: to take a dump while whip waving two lowly skeleton guards into a pile of scrap. If this ain’t fun [and relieving -Ed.] then quite frankly I don’t know what is.
Remember the annoying red resurrecting skeleton from the NES games? He’s baaack!
The house always wins
“Well Simon, which hand is the ball in? Come on, I ain’t got all day now. Well actually, I do. But still — come on now!”
If these ghostly dancing partners ever sign up for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, they’re a shoe-in for the title. Simply because they’ve been partners for eternity!
Paula Abghoul and Fred Askare. Cute, KonamiSend them back to their sorry graves!
LEVEL SEVEN
Knights are double tough bastards
Making your way past the hallowed halls and into the library, Simon must deal with all sorts of unholy knights. They require multiple strikes to kill.
Be nice to have a stopwatch in real life, eh?
These winged-demons make crossing through this bit rather perilous. If you have the stopwatch sub weapon, now is a perfect time to use it.
Oversized floating books serve as your means of transportation in this slightly tricky bit, thanks mostly to the red resurrecting skeleton standing guard there.
Now that’s one creepy looking portrait!
A chill runs down your spine as you step foot into this ominous hallway. You feel as if you’re being watched, and that one wrong step could be your very last…
The perfect Halloween game ^_^
SURPRISE! The spooky woman in the portrait springs to life, holding you hostage in her iron grip. Meanwhile, a flock of ravenous bats come swooping for ya as an unholy knight heaves a bloody ax with your name written on it. Great stuff.
I love bizarre and creepy enemies like the old witch in the portrait there. These type of strange creatures really adds an extra bit of mystery and atmosphere to a game. It makes Super Castlevania IV the perfect game to play on a stormy night with the lights turned off.
The ax sub weapon works well here
YIKES! Check out the size of this sucker. What a nasty bugger.
Be ready to duck or say hello to the Grim ReaperBreak in case of stupidity
The guardian of this level is Sir Grakul, a giant knight who was peacefully resting until you came along…
Great entrance. Now it’s a duel to the death!Compensating, hmmm?
Sir Grakul attacks with a giant ax and sword. Though he’s a rather simplistic design and more akin to a level 1 or 2 boss, he’s still a blast to slay. Send him to an eternal slumber.
LEVEL EIGHT
Venomous spiders litter Drac’s dungeonsAs do deadly spiked platformsSkeletons dwell within the darkness
Tricky bit this is! Thank God for an energy bar and no one-hit wonders eh?
Gotta love those 2-for-1 specialsThe triple shot cross is almost too unfairAh, that weird Super Castlevania IV flash
LEVEL NINE
Love this level. So freakin’ atmospheric
All whom have traveled to the Treasury have been driven mad by the endless gold pieces and treasure chests, as well as all the vengeful spirits that fill this place of unspeakable horrors.
Trespassers couldn’t believe the wealth of gold and jewelry that laid before them. Alas, Simon cares not for riches but only to thwart the evil plans of the Duke of Darkness.
“AWAY FROM MY TREASURE!”
Earn yourself a pork chop if you leap on one of these treasure chests 255 times. Weird but true.
At times Super Castlevania IV is about deliberate pacing, but other times you must high-tail it. This part is the latter, as the riches-filled platforms give way immediately following contact.
Ferocious long necks look to impede your quest“I’LL SHOW YOU WHO’S GOT THE BIGGER WHIP!”“Looks more like Fool’s Gold to me!”
LEVEL TEN
Navigating on the giant gears can be a bit tough
You’re so close to Dracula’s keep, but before you can meet up with the Duke of Darkness you must survive this clock tower jaunt.
Tensions mount as you hang on for dear lifeSkeletal Knights are top-of-the-line in their breedI can’t help but think of ole Doc here [Dork -Ed.]“GREAT SCOTT!”It’s the token-but-classic collapsing bridgeShame these guys only appear in this level
There are bad days and then reallybad daysNow is definitely not the time to linger! A massive buzz saw gives chase, and of course, the stairs fall off as soon as you touch them.
Plus you must contend with these fools. GreatOddly satisfying bit this was
I bet you remember this cool part too. These stairs just fall off as you barely catch the next flight. Good stuff.
“Let’s see what you got, Birdman!”
The evil bird-like Slogra is the first of three boss fights you must beat in order to face Dracula. This was the first boss to give me some trouble. He must have been pretty popular as Konami resurrected him for PlayStation’s Symphony of the Night.
Eventually you’ll get to Death itself. Good luck!
THE DUKE OF DARKNESS
“YOUR BLOOD — I VANT IT!”
Ol’ Drac can be a tough customer. He has a deadly wave of purple projectiles and can even conjure the powers of lightning. I guess being the Duke of Darkness has its perks, eh? He’s not so tough though if you know about the infamous pre-battle trick… and I hope you know what I’m talking about. Because if you don’t, where the hell have you been living for the past 25 years?!
The infamous cheat to easily knock off Dracula
WHAT’S THE PASSWORD?
Psst, that’s the code to face Drac
Konami sees to it that every gamer will find success with Super Castlevania IV. Included is a slightly cumbersome yet very handy password system.
SUPER CENSORVANIA IV
Japanese cover of Akumajō Dracula
There are some slight differences between the US version and the Japanese version (Akumajō Dracula). F’rinstance, in stage 8 the pools are filled with blood, but in the US version that color was changed to be green, becoming an acid-filled pool. Blood also no longer drips from the ceilings. There are some other small changes. Overall, nothing worth crying about, but it just reminds us of how conscious Nintendo was about keeping things PG in the early days of SNES.
Oops! Strange oversight by NoA *scratches head*
SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT
Epic game that furthers Castlevania‘s top legacy
Castlevania‘s debut on the PlayStation came in a BIG way in ’97 with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It’s considered by many as one of the finest action adventure games in not just 32-bit gaming history, but of all time. No longer was it about merely getting through 11 stages. It’s a massive backtracking adventure that helped form a new gaming phrase dubbed “Metroidvania.”
The Saturn version (Akumajou Dracula X)An amazing game in a great series
TIMELINE OF TERROR
Thanks Sega Saturn Magazine for this info
Very few video game series stand the test of time, but Konami’s Castlevania series has managed to provide more than a few surprises over the years.
With Castlevania X: Symphony of the Night for the PlayStation and now Saturn, the series has reached a new generation of gamers. However, Castlevania didn’t earn its impressive reputation over night. Since 1986, when the first game appeared, the Castlevania series has earned a loyal following. Almost everyone who has played any game in the series loves it, and anyone who hates the series probably hasn’t played it at all!
One of the most enthralling aspects of Castlevania is its story. So far, each game has fit perfectly within a century-spanning storyline.
Originally, Castlevania was planned as a Star Wars style epic, with three games set in the past, three set in the present, and three set in the future. However, it now looks like that idea has been scrapped, as more games take place in the past (although CastlevaniaBloodlines was the most contemporary of the Castlevania titles, as it takes place in the early 1900s). To get SSM readers up to speed, here’s the complete Castlevania timeline to date with important characters and events included. Some of the entries don’t actually take place in a specific year, so we’ve used a bit of artistic license in the compilation of this trip through yesteryear…
1421: Elizabeth Bartley Count Dracula’s niece, Elizabeth Bartley, was put to death after she was found guilty of being a vampire
1431: Count Dracula Dracula was at the height of his power and fully terrorized the country of Transylvania
1450: Sonia Belmont
Sonia is the first female Belmont character in the Castlevania series. Sonia is also the main character in an upcoming Castlevania title for Game Boy. The game has no title yet, but apparently Alucard also makes an appearance. Sonia is 17 years old
Trevor is the originator of the Belmont “warrior chromosomes” and takes the center stage in Dracula’s Curse, the biggest and best of the 8-bit titles. Along his perilous journey to Dracula’s castle, one of three characters could join Trevor: Sypha Belnades, a sorcerer, Grant DaNasty, a thief, and Alucard, Dracula’s rebellious son (who appears again inSymphony of the Night). The Japanese version of Castlevania III was an easier game, and Sypha’s character was a woman
1592: Christopher Belmont The Castlevania Adventure(Game Boy, 1990)
Christopher Belmont was limited to just two Castlevania titles — both for the Game Boy
1607: Christopher Belmont Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge (Game Boy, 1992)
Christopher’s son, Soleiyu, is kidnapped by Dracula. Christopher takes on Dracula again in the hopes of finding his son alive
1692: Simon Belmont Castlevania (NES, 1987)
Super Castlevania IV (Super NES, 1991)
Simon Belmont took up the battle 100 years after Trevor defeated Count Dracula. Super Castlevania IV is actually a remake of the first 8-bit title and possibly one of the best games in the series
1699: Simon Belmont Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (NES, 1988)
Simon Belmont discovers he was cursed by Dracula to die a slow and agonizing death. To lift the curse, he must revive Dracula and then destroy him
1792: Richter Belmont Dracula X (PC Engine, 1993)
Castlevania: Dracula X (Super NES, 1995)
Richter’s story is set long after Simon’s game. Dracula X introduced Maria, Richter’s sister-in-law. Although she is not of the Belmont vampire hunter bloodline, she has super powers nonetheless. Richter is 17 years old; Maria is 11
1798: Alucard Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PlayStation, 1997; Saturn, 1998)
Alucard awakens from his self-imposed eternal slumber only to sense that Dracula is going to be revived. Alucard sets off to Dracula’s castle in the hopes of stopping his father once and for all. Symphony of the Night’s ending opens up a potential relationship between Maria and Alucard, which will (hopefully) be explained in future titles
1892: Eric LeCarde is born in Segovia, Spain
1895: John Morris is born in Texas, USA
1897: Quincy Morris dies
The latest Belmont descendant. Quincy dies moments after defeating Dracula. Watching in the shadows are his son (John) and his best friend (Eric)
1917: Elizabeth Bartley is revived and rejuvenated Castlevania: Bloodlines (Megadrive, 1994)
Drolta Tzuentes, an amateur witch, accidentally brings Elizabeth Bartley back to life. Bartley immediately makes plans to revive Count Dracula. John Morris, Quincy’s son and latest vampire killer in the Belmont bloodline, joins his friend Eric LeCarde. LeCarde’s girlfriend, Gwendolyn, was turned into a vampire by Bartley
That’s where the Castlevania timeline ends… for now. However, with an N64 title looming on the horizon, as well as potential PlayStation and Dreamcast games, this chilling saga is thankfully far from over!
(Special thanks once again to SEGA SATURN MAGAZINE, issue #34, August 1998, for that Castlevania timeline of terror!)
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
“BLOODY BRILLIANT” -RVGFANATIC
Super Castlevania IV was lavished with high praises and nearly everybody who played it fell in love with its ace soundtrack, visuals and gameplay. As you can see, the critics absolutely ate it up, as did the fans. It’s widely regarded as a top-tier Super Nintendo title, and rightfully so!
EGM:9,8, 8
Super Play:91%
EGM ranked it 20th best (issue 100, November 1997)
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Simon says DO THE MONSTER MASH!
Super Castlevania IV lived up to the hype and then some. It’s got it all: incredible graphics, amazing sound and classic gameplay. Some might say it’s not nearly challenging enough and while I agree it leans on the easy side, I much rather have a game be slightly too easy than for it to be impossible. The last couple stages can be very grueling, but of course, your mileage may vary. Yes, the game does have some slowdown (see the boss fight with the Orphic Vipers) but honestly I didn’t find it nearly as bad as some were claiming. It didn’t take away much from the game at all. Speaking of the bosses, while they’re not Konami’s very best, they still are quite a treat to behold (and even more satisfying to slay).
The classic age-old rivalry wages on once more!
I believe the very best video games are the ones that take you on a journey. Super Castlevania IV simply possesses an epic quest feel to it, and that’s what makes it special for me, nevermind the excellent graphics, sound and gameplay. You’re Simon Belmont with the sole goal of defeating Dracula. You trek through 11 wide-ranging and diverse stages ranging from haunted cemeteries, zombie-infested woods, creepy caverns and cursed castle halls to name but a few. It’s simple but so highly immersing. You latch onto the quest. It’s escapism at its best! Many of us play games to be swept away to a land of wonder, mystique and adventure — Super Castlevania IV certainly does that well. And it’s a shame there aren’t more epic games like this.
Simon says DIE!
As mentioned earlier, the colors of the game give it a striking and surreal feel. It doesn’t give you the reality of a castle, but rather the impression of one. I don’t want my games to simulate life or be too realistic. I like digging into a fantasy adventure, get swept away and become totally enraptured with its atmosphere, action and world. From the very chilling moment you press start at the title screen and hear that wolf’s haunting howl, you knew you were in for a special treat. The kind that sadly, games all too often fail to achieve. Then, as you make your way across that introductory sequence, with that hulking skull looming in the distance, you pass through the massive drawbridge with the classic Castlevania music kicking in. Beautiful. The early stages may not impress much but the later levels really take it up a notch. I enjoyed the first couple levels but it wasn’t until stage 3 — the Creepy Caverns — that things suddenly clicked. From there, I never looked back.
One of the great SNES classics of our time
While many prefer the newer style of play (the exploring, leveling up and backtracking), I still prefer this basic style. Just move forward, not worrying about having item X, conversing with side characters or any of that. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy that type of game too, but when a game is this good and doesn’t need all that extracurricular activity, I can’t help but love it even more. The bosses have their energy bars, I have mine, and soon, one of us won’t. Simple as that. And sometimes the simplest things are among the best things. Not just in life but also in video games. I look back to that Saturday night of April 8, 2006, when at last I had finally began my quest to slay Dracula and his minions of the night, and a devilish grin crosses my face. I was damn near 15 years late to the party, but it was worth the wait. I wished I’d experienced this back in the early ’90s, but that’s OK. I had the luxury of playing it as an older, wiser and more appreciative gamer. Dracula may indeed revive every 100 years but damnit, every Halloween or so, I’ll send him BACK to his bloody grave!
Super Castlevania IV is a stirring classic and a must-own for any Super Nintendo fan, period.
“And so, that’s how the great Simon Belmont put an end to the Duke of Darkness… for now…”
“Very interesting story there, Mr. Sayer.”
“He was a great pilgrim, that Simon. We all have our own demons to conquer, just like he did. 300 years later Mr. Loomis, and things haven’t changed all that much…”
“I know that, Mr. Sayer.”
“Ah, Haddonfield. Here we are. It was my pleasure, fellow pilgrim! And good luck in your hunt.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Sayer. I’m gonna need all the luck I can get.”
Back in 2006, when I repurchased a Super Nintendo and began my SNES resurrection, there were three Super Famicom platformers I was insanely curious about. I referred to them as the Big Three. It was DoReMi Fantasy, Majyuuou (AKA King of Demons) and Magical Pop’n. I was blessed enough to find a loose cartridge copy for just $25 (September 18, 2006). The game as you can imagine currently commands an arm and a leg. Timing is everything, eh?
Magical Pop’n is a platformer with traits that are more or less reminiscent of timeless classics like Metroid, Zelda, Castlevania, Mega Man, etc. Your main weapon is a sword. Sub weapons, each requiring a certain amount of stars per use, are available as well.
Here’s a look at the game’s first two levels.
Sensing something foul in Denmark, your quest begins atop this roof on a dark, rainy night.
A stroke of lightning reveals in the distance endless and ominous-looking hills.
Escape the frightful weather by way of chimney. Unfortunately for you, danger aplenty still lurks.
A healthy boost sends you sky high to the next floor.
As you navigate the mansion you uncover creepy dungeons.
Look out, U-Haul
Your first mid-boss encounter comes with this occult heathen.
After the mid-boss tangle, this dirty little goblin attempts to impede your expedition.
Who said church is boring?
Level two takes place in the woods… on the surface, at least…
Wait, I’ve seen you before…
Our heroine enters a dank cave filled with critters of all shapes and sizes.
To meet the mid-boss of the cave and claim your next sub weapon, you must cross this bit.
Not as tricky as it looksThat’s one big mid-bossBe careful when it freaks outHmmm. Deja vu…
Now you may claim your Bionic Commando-like extension grappler. Therein lies the beauty of Magical Pop’n. Each new sub weapon allows our female protagonist added firepower in her quest.
The grappler can be used an unlimited amount of times as it eats up zero stars, but it’s strictly used for swinging purposes. It certainly adds a hint of Bionic Commando to the proceedings, which isn’t a bad thing at all.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Not quite magical, but close
Magical Pop’n isn’t quite the 9+ out of 10 game I was hoping for, but it’s still very good. It presents a fairly decent challenge to boot. The game features six stages. Unfortunately there is no save/password system. Fortunately there is a debug menu cheat code that negates this. Pause the game and press Up, Down, X, Y, Left, Right, A, B, Up, Up. Unpause the game and it will activate the debug menu where you can tinker with lives, stars, the almighty God mode and a very handy level select. Gotta love codes like such! They go a long way in enhancing my enjoyment of a game as well as increase longevity.
Of the Big Three, DoReMi Fantasy is light years ahead, but I’d rank Magical Pop’n a respectable second place and Majyuuou a very close third. Having said that, Magical Pop’n is a fine platformer that conjures memories of classic franchises. It never reaches the level of greatness as those classic games, but coming from an obscure developer who only has four titles to their name (Polestar), this is an admirable effort. It probably isn’t worth the insane amount it goes for, but it’s certainly a noteworthy and memorable Super Famicom-exclusive title. Just don’t expect it to be the best thing since sliced bread.
The beat ‘em up genre is one of my all-time favorites. There’s something pure and satisfying about walking along, smashing bad guys and looking really macho while doing it. The SNES received its fair share of solid beat ‘em ups. To name just a few, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time, King of Dragons and Final Fight 3. But the best Super Famicom brawler to never leave Japan is hands down Ghost Chaser Densei. If you enjoy the genre and own a Super Nintendo, there’s really no excuse not to have this in your collection.
It all began when I saw EGM’s preview back in the day
On a side note, it’s funny — the preview mentions ghosts and spirits and the title has “ghost” in it, yet the game is seriously lacking any sort of ghoulish atmosphere. No biggie, but worth mentioning. I would have liked to seen a more macabre setting or tone.
Select from 1 of 3 characters — the well-balanced male, the strong robot or the quick token female. In most of these games I prefer the strong dude, but the main guy here is actually quite a hoot. What makes Ghost Chaser Densei different is the power meter system. Below your energy bar is another bar that depletes any time you perform a special move. But your health meter is not compromised in exchange! I wish more games from this genre would use this feature.
POWER UP!
The power meter slowly regenerates, but if you stand still you strike this pose here and the power meter recharges at quite an alarming rate. So, if you ever wished that a beat ‘em up would allow you to do 360° spinning specials without penalizing your health, you will LOVE Ghost Chaser Densei. Some may call this system cheap, I call it lots of fun! Plus, there are MULTIPLE special moves at your disposal, giving this game far more range than others from the genre.
SPECIAL DELIVERY
Here’s his running special… a deadly chain attack!
It culminates in this lovely and devastating uppercut swing!
In a grapple? With Mr. Roboto you can either do a regular jumping pile driver or hit “R” for his special move — it really shocks the competition.
That hits the markHer running attack on display
In a tight pinch? Merely hit “R” for the swing-around special! As long as your special meter has some juice, you’re good to go! Your health won’t be reduced.
The main character is the best choice. Knee ‘em twice, flip over and german suplex their ass! Streets of Rage you say? Hey, I never said the game was ORIGINAL — just loads of fun!
Talk about crashing the party!The 3rd Lee brother?!It ends with a nice leg sweep. SweetRunning Hadoken for the winLove this special move. So beautifulSiiiick!
It has the potential to connect multiple times, charring the victims to a crisp!
You can even block
How many beat ‘em ups do you know that has blocking? This game’s got the lot!
THE BAD GUYS
Some roll out in eggs before hatching. One breed emits electricity. Fairly tough bastards they are. Hmmm, I’m starting to detect a real serious Street Fighter II vibe now…
Another breed breathes fireAh, the token charging fattyBig, bald and bad to the bone
These tough blokes are, as you might guess, the Andore of Ghost Chaser Densei.
The sweeping hurricane kick shows who’s boss
War knights are nimble and hardened warriors trained to maim. Nothing that the flame kick can’t take care of, though!
Brilliant entrance
Some enemy entrances are memorable, like the eggs and this fella here.
[Better Sanjaya than Trump! -Ed.]And of course, you have your low tier chaps and the ol’ token female.
OUCH
Nothing beats a good ol’ knife to the shin.
Bonus round. Don’t nail the civilians!
THE BOSSES
The good news? The first boss isn’t much difficult at all. The bad news? It becomes a regular enemy after stage one. Rats.
KA-BOOMNice trident ya got thereOh my…The bosses get crazier and crazierUm, what?Uhhh, let’s move on…“HADOKEN!”Now there’s two of them. Just great…There is a small bit of Japanese but no biggieDamn, hands in pockets even!The final boss is a bonafide badassHey, this *was* the mid ’90s after allHis second and true form. HOLY SH*TNow this is what I call a final boss!Too damn cool for wordsGo out in a blaze of glory!Love that lush effect in the background
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Nothing like cleaning a city of its thugs and goons
Ghost Chaser Densei is a top-notch beat ‘em up. Sure, it’s quite derivative in many ways: enemies, stages, the heroes, etc. But there are touches that help make it stand out. This includes the separate special move meter, the ability to block, and yes, even tag team special moves! Hell, when you’re knocked down, you even kip-up and take out whoever is in your way! Now that’s cool. It’s a shame that this game is still somewhat obscure within the SNES community. The move set is larger than the average beat ‘em up which makes it a blast to play. Definitely worth buying! After all, sometimes you’re just in the mood for a brawler from the halcyon days.
Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse received much fanfare for its smooth gameplay, beautiful graphics and polished feel during the Super Nintendo’s infancy. It was yet another Capcomsmash. In ’94 the sequel The Great Circus Mystery added a 2-player mode with Minnie. The next year gamers in Japan were graced by the last in the trilogy — MICKEY & DONALD: MAGICAL ADVENTURE 3.
Today we examine the game that sadly never was in the US (though Capcom ported the trilogy to GBA in 2005).
If you liked the first two, this will be no different. You still get suits with different abilities as you advance through the game, it still employs the snatch-a-block-out-of-the-air-and-toss-it-at-the-baddie system, and it’s still all quite easy. A password system is included to make your life even easier. Animation, as always, is top-notch.
You won’t find anything new here, but perhaps that’s just as well.
Never trust a book that lights up
The intro shows Mickey visiting Donald. Huey, Dewey and Louie, being bored, venture upstairs to the attic. There they find an ancient book, and, well, curiosity killed the cat, er, duck?
[What am I paying you again? Oh, that’s right. Nothing -Ed.]
Oh for Pete’s sake…
And so you’re off with the choice of Mickey or Donald in the 1 player game, or 2 player game if you have a friend on hand. Mickey and Donald have different suits which is a plus. There are 7 stages, with multiple levels in each. Here’s a quick peek:
STAGE ONE
Looks-wise, not much has changed from the original in 1993… but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, ne?
The two blocks up top can be pulled an unlimited number of times.
Use your knight suit to eliminate the first boss, which shows off the system’s Mode 7.
STAGE TWO
Donald displays the power of this particular garment.
The poor chap hasn’t grown into it quite yet!
STAGE THREE
Mid-boss is “dying” to meet you. Sorry.
STAGE FOUR
This costume packs a mean wallop!
STAGE FIVE
The wavy blocks are a nice touch. The bubbles allow Mickey to catch his breath… so don’t stray far away from one!
STAGE SIX
I guess it’s a platforming rule to have at least one ice / snow level eh?
Boy, talk about getting cold feet!
And you wonder why he carries such a big hammer…
STAGE SEVEN
This is just the opening, and already things are heating up!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!
If you enjoyed Magical Quest, then you’ll like this one, too. The sequel, The Great Circus Mystery, was a tad disappointing, but this game delivers the goods. I like that Mickey and Donald have different suits with different powers. The visuals are lush and gorgeous. Typical Capcom quality soundtrack. And of course, the gameplay is super polished and fun, especially with a friend at the helm. It’s a shame this game never came out to American shores, but it’s understandable considering it came out in Japan December 1995 (a time where the 32-bit era was beginning its dominance of the market and 16-bit machines were quickly fading away). Thankfully, there isn’t much Japanese text to worry about here, and it’s completely playable without an ounce of Japanese knowledge. I still prefer Magical Quest but this is the sequel The Great Circus Mystery should have been.
In the simplest layman terms, it’s Mickey. It’s Capcom. It’s MickeyBY Capcom. It’s damn good.
The Bomberman franchise is one of the most beloved series of all time. Especially when you’re talking about multiplayer gaming series. Almost everyone knows about those games. But what not many may be aware of is this puzzle rendition of the franchise. And I’m happy to say it’s pretty damn good. Hell, it even features a 4-player mode because, BOMBERMAN!
3 pieces drop at a time. The goal is to match 3 in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal).
In addition to the Bomberman pieces you have 3 others:
The unlit bomb
The lit bomb (put these babies on the unlit ones for a blast!)
Love the explosions
Note: This blast doesn’t destroy the Bomberman pieces. Rather it ignites the unlit bombs, taking them off your field.
And once you’ve filled up your power bar, you receive the almighty MEGA BOMB.
Whoa!Sweet
It can take out almost every piece on the field, depending on block positioning.
The mega bomb is the most visually impressive “clear-all-ish” piece I’ve seen in a puzzler. Panic Bomber actually uses a special chip. The mega bomb definitely gets the treatment as it pulsates with flames and makes a huge boom when dropped. It’s sheer, raw, unadulterated POWER at its finest. Thank you, Mr. Special Chip Thing.
Of course, while the goal is to keep your playing field from filling up, the best way to beat the opposition is by crafting chain reactions. The 3-falling pieces instead of 2 format will take some getting used to for many of us, but once you do the combo’s flow. Here’s a basic 2 hitter:
Connect the greens thereThe green guys wipe out…… And the whites follow suit
To create huge chain reactions you have to set yourself up. Here’s a 3-hit combo. Notice I’ve stocked up on red and green. Not to mention some white…
Green connects horizontally…Oh yeah!
Not only do the greens connect horizontally but diagonally as well for a sweet 6 piece combo. It drops the stack of 3 reds…
Look at all the reds…
Let’s see — I see red horizontal, vertical AND diagonal connections!
8 piece knockout
Major poppage happens. The white pieces fall…
YOU DA (BOMBER)MAN
Your simple run-of-the-mill 3-chain 19-piece combo!
But of course, being a Bomberman game, what good would it be without a 4-player mode?
Good stuff
Simply brilliant… brilliantly simple. The smallness of it might be a bit off-setting initially, but you’ll quickly adjust. Besides, a tiny amount of the occasional squinting is more than worth it for a chance to duke it out with 3 buddies, puzzle style.
And like any classic Bomberman title, it’s very user-friendly — 2, 3 or 4 players can play, with 1-5 matches to win the trophy. “B” allows you to go back to the previous screen.
Check out this 3-hit chain on the 1 Player side. (The most I’ve done so far was 5).
Drop the green on green…… it drops the blue piece…… which diagonally connects…… dropping a stack with a green…… to complete the 3-hit chain
Of course, when you chain together combos you can cause much grief to your rival opponent(s).
In the 1 player mode after beating your opponents you get a password.
Speaking of the passwords, there are some cheat codes to alter the visuals.
SD Bombermen (4622)Balloons (5656)
Why? Why not. Little touches like these are always welcomed in my book.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Boom goes the dynamite
Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World is a fun puzzle game that is more than a cheap cash-in. It’s more than a lame gimmick to milk a popular franchise name. It’s a game I would happily pull off my shelf to play, and in fact, I often do. It takes the classic formula and spins it well within the world of a puzzle game. True, there’s nothing ground breaking here, but it’s solid through and through. Even the classic Bomberman tune is replicated nicely here, and it fits very well with the puzzle madness.
By far the standout feature here is the 4-player mode. The only other 4-player puzzle game on the SNES that I can think of is Super Tetris 3. It’s definitely a novelty that’s worth experiencing at least once. Perhaps it won’t ever supplant your regular Bomberman 4-player battles, but it’s definitely an entertaining and competitive good time. Panic Bomber – you alright!
![[Gee, thanks for the helpful tip, Einstein! -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FiFight76.jpg)
![[Hmm, where have I heard and seen this before? -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FiFight94.jpg)
Overall: 7.5
![Koopa is in for one hell of shellshock [Har har -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SuMaKa74.jpg)
![YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! [You're SO cheesy... -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/BSOoBG38.jpg)
![You hafta get up PRETTY DAMN early to fool me... [10 AM? -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SCV1-8.jpg)
![[Step on a crack. Break your momma's back! Er, damn you -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SCV1-10.jpg)
![DIE MR. ED! [Heeey -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SCV1-20.jpg)
![Beware the poisonous gas [I got your poisonous gas right here -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SCV3-16.jpg)
![I can't help but think of ole Doc here [Dork -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SCV10-5.jpg)
![You ever had a REALLY bad day? [I'M HAVIN' ONE RIGHT NOW! -Simon]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SCV10-8.jpg)
![[Better Sanjaya than Trump! -Ed.]](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GhChDe24.jpg)
