I love puzzle games. The good ones are fun, colorful, competitive and addicting as hell. I love how puzzle games appeals to even the most casual of gamers. There’s something about the genre that’s really satisfying and pure. And they’re the perfect type of games to introduce to your special lady friend for some quality couple gaming sessions. Lately, my girlfriend and I have been pouring hours into Tetris Attack, which I consider the best puzzle game on the SNES hands down. But there are plenty of worthy and honorable mentions. For example, look no further than Bust-A-Move. Known as Puzzle Bobble in Japan, Bust-A-Move is an offshoot of Taito’s 1986 arcade classic, Bubble Bobble. Taito struck gold once more as the Bust-A-Move series went on to become some of the most beloved and popular puzzle games of the ’90s.
LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING
Bust-A-Move originally came out in the arcades over 20 years ago in 1994. I didn’t have any memories of it until around 1996. It all started with my cousin Vivian. Growing up, she was the older sister I never had but always wanted. In late ’96, she embarked on a wild goose hunt to find a copy of PlayStation Bust-A-Move 2. I recall watching her walk a groove in her living room one late Fall afternoon as she called up one local gaming store after another. But no store carried this game and at the time we hadn’t yet been fully exposed to the power of the internet. She was never really a big gamer but Bust-A-Move 2 was her absolute favorite game. Somehow, it’s a memory that has stuck all these years later.
She eventually found a second hand copy later that year, and I recall all the crazy bubble bursting competitive fun we had that winter. It was a sentimental time for me as Christmas 1996 marked the last Christmas we spent at Vivian’s classic childhood home — they moved in 1997 so that Christmas proved to be the end of an era. Bust-A-Move 2 was such an excellent game with its simple bright colorful graphics and its mighty addicting bubble busting antics. It was the last time I remember gaming with Vivian, her brother Vince and my brother Kevin. We never really played another game after Bust-A-Move 2… not that I can recall. Good times they were. I can’t think of the Bust-A-Move series without thinking about those special times from a bygone era.
The ole neighborhood. Thanks for the memories
Coincidentally, my next memory of the Bust-A-Move series came nearly five years later. My gaming fandom came full circle in January of 2001…
I saw a Sega Saturn lying on the ground at my buddy’s house when I came over to study for a huge physics exam. Keep in mind that the PlayStation was all the rage back then and by 2001 the Saturn was a long afterthought.
“Hey, you’re the first person I know who has one too,” I said, pointing to his Saturn.
“Oh yeah? I didn’t know you had a Saturn, too. To be honest with you, I haven’t touched that thing in years.”
What’s this? I noticed Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Bust-A-Move 2 beside the system. Both games were looking real pretty in their big bulky American cases. Seeing all that triggered something deep inside of me that I thought was long dead. Suddenly I felt very excited about gaming again in a way I had not felt in some time.
“I still play my Saturn, but it’s been a while too,” I told my friend.
“If you want some of the games, go ahead. Take some. It’s cool.”
I nearly fell over. “Wow. But I can’t do that, man.”
“No, go for it. Really. I don’t play them anymore. Plus I never even bought any of them to begin with.”
“I can’t, really, but thanks…”
“You sure?”
“… I’ll just take these two,” I said quickly as the moment overtook me. I lured Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Bust-A-Move 2 out of the pile. I remember seeing BUG! but not caring enough about it. I just wanted some Street Fighter and BAM 2 action!
I found it difficult the rest of the study session to focus on atoms or Murphy’s Law, and who could blame me. The moment of truth arrived when I came home and fired the games up one by one. I cheered for every successful Dragon Punch, and I cringed for every “NO, I AIMED THE FREAKIN’ BUBBLE OVER THERE, NOT THERE!” moment. And it was freaking GLORIOUS.
Street Fighter Alpha 2 blew me away. It played so smoothly and had the right mix of style and substance. Playing Bust-A-Move 2 was like being back at an arcade hall, plopping a quarter into a simple but delightful puzzle game to tide me over until the line for the latest fighting game died down a bit. Ah, good times.
It was an amazing arcade-like experience I had that fine evening. I felt like I was right back in the arcades. It made me think about what other gems the Saturn has to offer. As they say, the rest is history.
HOW TO PLAY
The beauty is…Anyone can play it!Good stuffLink up 3 or moreBall busting funEven better…… is this!
MEET OUR HEROES
MODES OF PLAY
There are four different ways to play. You have the single player quest where you’re given 100 levels of set bubbles. It’s your job to burst them all before the ceiling comes crashing down on ya. In this mode there are three special kind of bubbles, in addition to the eight normal different colored bubbles. Bubble Bobble fans will find these special bubbles familiar…
1. The Flame BubbleIt’s lit. Sorry2. The Thunder BubbleHorizontal destroyer3. The Water BubbleIt converts others…… to the same color
This mode offers 100 levels of mayhem. A password is given when you lose all of your 7 continues. It’s always fun to see what the next stage might bring. Some of the designs are rather creative. Take this octopus stage for example!
How far can you go before losing all your continues? It starts out easy but quickly becomes a house of horrors. The password feature is a huge help since it lets you finish the game at your own pace.
Next up we have the Challenge Mode. Play on a single screen until you bust. The total amount of bubbles you burst is tracked. This is a simple and nice little mode when you’re in that endurance mood.
Next up is the VS. CPU mode. Perfect for when you want some competition but no one is around to play with.
But the best mode is 2 player versus. It’s super competitive and has that “just one more match” magic. This can suck hours from your life. It’s so cute and fun that anyone can play this and have a good time, even the most casual of gamers.
You damn right it is
AGONY AND TRIUMPH
Part of the agony of Bust-A-Move is the ill-aimed bubble. You’ll try to squeeze it through but ultimately to no avail. It doesn’t get any more frustrating than that. One misplaced bubble can change the tide of battle. For example, I just missed connecting with the four yellow bubbles there.
Dare squeeze it in?*fist pump*Pop the clingersAwesome feelingAimed correctly…You can bounce…… bubbles off the wallWatch the ricochetIt’s a match!Down they all go
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Bust-A-Move was well received. EGM gave it scores of 7, 7, 8 and 9. Super Play Magazine rated it 84% and ranked it as the 48th best SNES game back in their April 1996 issue. Speaking of Top 100 lists, Nintendo Power ranked it as the 96th best game in their 100th issue. While the ad obviously uses hyperbole to market the game, Bust-A-Move is nothing short of being highly competitive and addicting. It’s kind of a shame that I rarely see this game being talked about much even in SNES circles, but I guess that’s because most people would rather play one of the later renditions. But that doesn’t change the fact that the original is still a winner.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Bust-A-Move is one of those rare games that I can pick up and play at any time. I can go at it solo for 20 minutes or battle a buddy for 2 hours. Aiming the bubbles to align correctly is crazy addictive and it’s awesome when you get locked in the zone. Some people feel the gameplay involves too much luck for their own liking, especially with the wall shots, but there’s definitely a need for skill. There’s more luck involved here than a puzzle game such as Puyo Puyo but that’s part of what makes it different and unique. No matter how good you get, you can always misfire a bubble and lose by the smallest margin of error. It keeps the matches exciting and unpredictable.
While this admittedly isn’t the best rendition of the series you could play, it’s still pretty awesome. I enjoy the Sega Saturn sequel even more, but this game certainly has a place in my SNES library. It has that classic “one more game” quality to it. Few games can match the intensity that Bust-A-Move provides. This is the type of game that will never go out of style and will always entertain. Thank you, Taito, for giving SNES owners a small taste of bubble busting glory.
Pub: Nintendo | Dev: Intelligent Systems | August 1996 | 8 MEGS
Tetris, released in the summer of 1984, is the most classic puzzle game ever created. Hell, EGM deemed it the best video game of all time (issue #100, November 1997). More than a decade later, Tetris Attack redefined the puzzle genre. Originally released on October 27, 1995 in Japan as Panel de Pon, the game received a Yoshi’s Island makeover for its North American localization in the summer of 1996. It was also granted the Tetris name to further increase its appeal, even though technically it has nothing to do with the Tetris formula. Regardless, Tetris Attack effortlessly worked its way into our hearts and stands as arguably the greatest 16-bit puzzle game of all time.
ATTACK OF THE FLEA MARKET -Saturday, February 4, 2006-
*beep*
*Beep*
*BEEP*
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
Staggering out of bed like Otis Campbell on a Saturday night, I shifted my way through the darkness to put an end to the madness. The thought of crawling back in bed was nearly as tempting as Jessica Alba herself. The idea, however, went quickly as it came.
After brushing my teeth and helping myself to a bowl of cereal, I found the dawn just breaking between two white buildings. The sky was mostly gray but a streak of white stretched itself from the end of a flagpole. By the time I finished breakfast, the sky was lighter than it had been when I woke up — the streak of gray broadening into a patch of brilliant day.
I was a man on a mission. Three weeks into my SNES rebirth (1.17.06), I was gearing to embark on my first flea market voyage since 2002. With a wish list the size of Rosie’s waistline and a wallet jammed full of dead presidents, I headed off into that cool early morning, the light February breeze brushing against my face. As I pulled into the parking lot something told me today was going to be a good day. Maybe even a great one. I gazed at the box office where I saw the growing crowd purchasing their tickets. Just think, I thought to myself… beyond that building there… lies a part of my childhood.
My first flea market haul (2.4.06)
I remember the morning rather well; the smell of apricot in the air, the bustling crowds all jabbering for bargains, and at long last — the lady with the game stand parked over at the far end. I dove head first into the SNES bin like Rickey Henderson stealing third base. All her games were wrapped. I eagerly waded through each one, picking out Final Fight, Dino City, Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, Flashback and Tetris Attack.
What a FLASHBACK to my youth…
Each of those games ran me $5 except for Tetris Attack. Some of these games I hadn’t played in 12, 15 years! There’s nothing quite like the rush of rediscovering games from your youth on a brisk, early Saturday morning. There’s just something awesome about it. It’s hard to look back on one’s early collecting days and not break out a nostalgic smile. It was the rush and the feeling of getting back into the fandom after so many years, acquiring games left and right… those are some sacred memories right there!
The vendor was a nice elderly lady in her 50’s. I showed her each game that I wanted as she sprouted off, “Five dollas, five dollas,” but she paused when Tetris Attack came up. Somehow, I knew she would.
There was no way in HELL I was getting Tetris Attack for a measly five bucks…
She grabbed the game from me and squinted long and hard at it. Oh boy, I thought to myself, here it comes. $20, maybe $25. Yup, Steve-O, you can kiss this bargain goodbye. She burned a hole through Tetris Attack before finally saying…
“… MMMM… seven dollas OK?”
I wanted to jump in the air and pump my fist. But I kept my cool and told the lady in a calm voice, “Sounds good.” All in all, it was $27 well spent! Crazy to think this happened just over 12 years ago now… (read more about my Flea Market Memoirs).
CHAIN GANG
As is the case with most puzzle games, the name of the game is chaining together combo hits to quickly derail the competition.
Don’t worry, there’s even a handy tutorial to acclimate new players.
Eliminate all 10 panels with one simple switch.
Switch the gray block over which drops the red heart. This leads to all 18 panels being cleared.
Combos are nice but chains are deadly. Check out this three hit chain reaction.
Recently I introduced a friend to Tetris Attack. We took time to view the combo tutorial. She kept saying, “Yeah right, like that shit ever happens.”
Speaking of improbable, skill chains are crazy. All this time and I have still yet to pull off one of these bad boys in actual versus competition.
GAME MODES
There’s plenty of 1-player modes to keep you busy even if you’re going at it solo. Let’s check out the VS. mode first.
Clearing four or more panels will drop a garbage block on your opponent’s screen.
Clearing three shock panels (the gray blocks with the white ! marks) drops a Shock Block on your opponent’s screen. Shock Blocks prevents any garbage blocks or other Shock Blocks on top of it from being cleared. Match four shock panels to send two Shock Blocks, match five shock panels to send three Shock Blocks and so forth.
Rather than being your typical falling piece puzzler, you move a cursor around the screen and switch pieces around. Part of the fun comes in clearing out one group and quickly yanking out another piece to cause another combo, as seen above. Tetris Attack favors the swift.
Computer opponent is almost done for. Apply the finishing touch by switching those two pieces there. Six piece combo!
Unfortunately there is no battery backed memory here. Just passwords. Yoshi liberates those that he beats.
Computer gets its revenge with a sick 3-hit chain attack, followed up by a 6-piece combo for good measure.
Dropping loads of garbage blocks is the name of the game. After you liberate the eight main characters, you face four bosses.
Hookbill the Koopa and Naval Piranha are the first two bosses you’ll face.
Magikoopa Kamek and Bowser are the final two.
OTHER MODES
There’s plenty of modes to pick from in the 1-player game. Puzzle Mode gives you a limited amount of moves to clear all the pieces.
Things start out easy but fools rushing in can easily get tripped up.
Another mode is Stage Clear. Clear all the panels above the special clear marker to beat the stage and move on. In addition to the VS. CPU mode, there’s also a Time Trial and Endless mode.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Tetris Attack fared extremely well with the critics. It was widely beloved by most that played it. EGM gave it scores of 7.5, 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0. Super Play rated it 90%. Nintendo Power ranked it the 17th best game in their 100th issue. EGM placed it #16 on their own Top 100 list.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It’s fitting I’m writing this on Valentines Day because I freaking love Tetris Attack. Its main appeal is that it’s competitive and fun as hell. It’s also very accessible — literally almost anyone can play it and enjoy it. The handicap options ensure that everyone has a fighting chance to win, especially with a little practice under their belt. Few things are as intense as a match that goes down to the wire with both screens about to hit critical mass. It’s just a shame that it was released so late into the Super Nintendo’s lifespan. Alas, the old cliché rings ever true: better late than never.
Whereas most puzzle games depend on random falling blocks and a fair bit of luck, Tetris Attack stands out by letting you move a cursor around to rearrange the blocks as you see fit, creating your own combos and chains. It’s easy to pick up and play but difficult to master — the mark of a truly terrific puzzle game. The visuals are simple but bright and pleasing to the eye. There are some catchy tunes as one might expect but ultimately it’s the addicting gameplay that is the main draw of the game. 20+ years and counting and Tetris Attack still finds itself frequently occupying the slot of my SNES. For my money, it’s the best puzzle game on the system and easily one of the Super Nintendo’s top 20 games. Very few games can you constantly play and not get sick of. Tetris Attack belongs in that elite fraternity.
Pub: Nintendo | Dev: Taito | November 1997 | 4 MEGS
Last year, many SNES games celebrated their 25th anniversary. 2018 will mark 25 years for SNES games that came out in 1993. Meanwhile, Arkanoid: Doh It Again just turned 20. Released just in time for the Christmas season of 1997, Arkanoid is one of the last SNES games to come out in North America. Most gamers had long migrated to the PlayStation or N64 by then, but loyal SNES owners were treated to a nice update of an old classic title.
RECLAIMING THE RELICS OF MY YOUTH
Many of us who got back into classic gaming at some point I think fondly remembers that feeling of getting back into the fandom for the first time in ages. I’ll never forget that first quarter of 2006. The SNES bug bit me hard and on many early Saturday mornings I would wake up at the butt crack of dawn, hop into my car and drive down many windy roads in search of local flea markets. With a list of wants in the hundreds and a pocket full of dead presidents, it was a winning formula for always going back home with at least something. I met many vendors in my time, most memorable of all being “Mr. Mean.” He had tons of Super Nintendo games but they were way overpriced and he was generally a miserable grouch (hence the nickname). One day I saw Arkanoid and felt my heart leaping for joy. Mr. Mean quickly shattered that when he gave me a ridiculous price quote. I walked away feeling a tad discouraged. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish…
Still, I kept my head up and continued happily exploring the rest of the flea market. At the 4th vendor I spotted Pac-Attack and *DUN DUN DUN* Arkanoid: Doh It Again. Funny how life can work in mysterious ways. I was denied Arkanoid just five minutes earlier by Mr. Mean, but here I was with another vendor who happened to have a copy of the same game as well. However, he was hesitant to sell Arkanoid off the bat.
“I don’t know… isn’t this game rare?” he asked, scratching his head.
“Nope.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I actually just saw it at the very last vendor.”
He examined the glossy game label long and hard, squinting even. He studied the Easter Island statue with burning intensity. Finally he looked back up. “Alright, I trust you… $5 it is then. With the Pac-Man game it’ll be $10.”
In your face, Mr. Mean! Ah, ARKANOID. I have some fond memories of playing the game on my computer in the late ’90s when my bro and I first discovered emulation. Kevin and I had already donated our SNES to our cousin David by the time my brother found out about roms and such. I remember it well; I was a sophomore in high school at the tail end of the ’90s, walking home from school one day talking with a buddy about my brother’s discovery the night before. This was how I first experienced Arkanoid: Doh It Again. I was taken aback by its simple and addictive gameplay. Fast forward to that day in 2006 at the flea market, things came full circle some 7-8 years later when I finally bought Arkanoid at long last.
THE STORY GOES…
Commander Therle searches for a home but Doh blocks him. Doh is a heinous intergalactic entity hellbent on causing contamination and utter destruction.
Sending out a scout ship to analyze the surroundings, the sentient being Doh immediately springs into action.
It reminds me fondly of the Easter Island heads I grew up seeing in the Gradius games and Godzilla movies.
Rocking that Mode 7 to the very bitter end, eh?
With 99 levels to beat, this comes in mighty handy
SICK POWER-UPS
Barriers can be a true lifesaver as can the “Viagra” power-up. Touch the blue capsule and watch your ship grow!
There’s a limit to how long it can grow but at its max, it can cover damn near one half the playing field! Nice.
Another awesome power-up, this capsule shoots out eight balls. Brings new meaning to the term, “Balls to the walls,” no?
FUN LEVELS
So pass it cross the table like ping pong.
I’m gone, beating my chest like King Kong.
And when it comes to get another stogie…
fools all kick in like Shinobi. I GOT 5 ON IT!
[More like this, right? -Ed.] I swear, it really was 5 minutesLittle enemies litter some of the stages
Arkanoid: Doh It Again throws a boss at you every once in a while. This is a nice break from the norm and helps to add some much needed variety to freshen things up.
Backgrounds change every 11 levels. The backgrounds are well done and add a certain atmosphere to the game. I particularly like the one with the humans traveling in space.
Boss fights are the best part of this game. It adds a fresh feel to an old formula. They’re very much welcomed, indeed.
TABLE FOR TWO, PLEASE
Game B is my favorite mode
Arkanoid is pretty fun on your own but it really shines when playing with a buddy. There are three different 2 player modes. Game A has you and a bud alternating turns. Game C pits both players against the same map and the first to clear said map is declared victorious. But Game B is clearly the bread winner. Team up with a friend in some awesome co-op action. Player 2 plays behind you and can swat away any ball player 1 misses. You switch places for each level. This is incredibly fun and one of the better 2 player co-op experiences on the SNES.
This isn’t shabby but it’s got nothing on Mode B
This is so true. I’ve played this mode with my sister in law and my girlfriend. Both of them are casual game players and don’t go out of their way to play games as a solo hobby. But they both loved playing this game. It’s perfect to play with a friend or significant other who isn’t into video games. It’s so simple and fun that anyone can play this and have a good time.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
December 1997. EGM issue #102 (January 1998) arrived in my mailbox. We were in the thick of the 32-bit era as you can see from the cover. Resident Evil 2 was the big title at the time. Yet in the back of the magazine, in the reviews section, I saw something that caught my eye. There was a Super Nintendo game being reviewed! It had been forever since EGM last reviewed a Super Nintendo game. Fun trivia tip: Arkanoid was the last SNES game EGM ever reviewed. It received scores of 7.0, 7.5, 8.0and 8.5. Very respectable scores indeed. My brother and I were both out of the Super Nintendo scene by then but still, I remember being happy seeing the review. It was like seeing a dear old friend again after so many years and finding out that life had been good to them.
This was a comforting sight to see back in late 1997
CLOSING THOUGHTS
There’s something cool and soothing about Arkanoid: Doh It Again. Maybe it’s the contrasting combination of retro gaming goodness spliced with futuristic ambience. Or maybe it’s the awesome and addictive co-op 2 player mode that is instantly accessible to all. It’s probably all of that and then some. The graphics won’t wow anyone but they get the job done, although on some stages it can get tough at times to make out the ball due to the background. Some of the tunes fit well like a glove and there’s nothing like the sound of your ball bouncing off of a bad guy. The game has a timeless quality to it. Whenever the latest game lets me down, I know Arkanoid will always be there ready to whisk me to a far away world where lasers thrive and Easter Island heads rule.
Several years ago my sister in law wanted to sample one of my Super Nintendo games. She’s not much of a gamer at all, mind you. I mulled over my collection trying to select just the right 2 player experience that she might enjoy. It was an instant no-brainer the second my eyes landed on Arkanoid. As soon as we set up the 2 player co-op mode, we were both talking trash at the TV, high-fiving each other and shouting at every missed ball and subsequent second player save. It quickly dawned on me then and there that Arkanoid: Doh It Again presents one of the best 2 player experiences on the SNES. More recently, I’ve introduced this game to my girlfriend and she too digs the co-op mode. Sadly, because it came out so late in the system’s life, Arkanoid is something of an unsung gem in the SNES library. It’s one of those rare special games that anyone can pick up and play whether they’re 8 or 80. Not to mention have a blast along the way. As such, Arkanoid is definitely deserving of a spot in any SNES collection.
WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw, celebrated 25 years this past Monday. Many iconic old wrestling legends made special guest appearances for the big birthday bash. In addition, the 31st annual Royal Rumble was held last night so let’s just say I am in a WWE state of mind. Having just recently reviewed WWF Royal Rumble, I can’t think of a better time to look at the sequel, WWF Raw, than right now.
25 GAWD DAMN YEARS
Congratulations to Vince McMahon and the entire crew. 25 straight years of weekly episodic TV is nothing to sneeze at. These guys and gals have entertained me and millions of others over the past quarter century. It kinda makes one feel old, eh? Although the actual 25th anniversary show was admittedly a bit of a flop, it did bring back to mind a ton of fond Raw memories.
The very first episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Manhattan Center in New York on January 11, 1993. It was an intimate venue and there was a raw energy (pardon the pun) to the whole show. It was must-see TV back then. I rarely missed a week.
Nowadays Raw is held in much larger venues and often has crowds of 15,000 or so. The show also went from one hour to three hours over the years. It’s way too much to consume these days yadda yadda insert bitter old timer wrestling fan rant here. But I still keep up with the product if nothing else out of habit and to relish those fleeting genuinely great moments that gets me jumping out of my seat like I’m five years old all over again.
TOP 5 RAW MOMENTS
Thanks for the memories, RAW
There have been many epic moments in the history of Monday Night Raw. The night Mick Foley (AKA Mankind) won the WWF Championship. The retirement speeches of Ric Flair and Edge. Goldberg’s touching speech the night after WrestleMania 33. The invasion of ECW and WCW. Pee Wee Herman and The Miz trading verbal jabs on the mic. CM Punk’s pipe bomb. Chris Jericho’s countdown debut interrupting The Rock. And so much more. But here are my top 5 moments from 25 years of Monday Night Raw.
5. GET FAMOUS, KID!
Back then Vince McMahon was an on-air commentator. He often screamed “Welcome to Monday Night Raw, where ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!“ It wasn’t just a throwaway comment, either. Back in those days especially, it rang true. Perhaps never more than one fateful night on May 17, 1993.
Perennial superstar Razor Ramon was throwing the Kid around the ring like a rag doll. The Kid had appeared on TV for a while now, always losing matches left and right. Surely Razor was going to pick up the squash victory, right?
Not so fast! A crazy moonsault from the Kid and it was 1-2-3! The Manhattan Center erupted and the Kid launched his career into the stratosphere. Now known as the 1-2-3 Kid, this was a life changing night for Sean Waltman and made Monday Night Raw truly must-see TV.
4. THE END OF THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR
For years WCW and WWF went head-to-head for wrestling supremacy on Monday nights. Nitro and Raw found themselves embroiled in a heated rivalry until it officially culminated on March 26, 2001. It was a historic simulcast of both Raw and Nitro. Shane McMahon was live on Nitro while his dad Vince was live on Raw. And that’s when Shane dropped the infamous bombshell, “The name on the contract does say McMahon… *audience gasp* HOWEVER, the contract reads SHANE MCMAHON! That’s right — I NOW OWN WCW!“ Such a historic announcement and Vince’s shocked expression was simply priceless.
3. A STUNNING SAVIOR
One of the creepiest images in Raw history
Before Stephanie McMahon became the “Billion Dollar Princess” and Authority figure gone wrong, she was little innocent Stephanie. On April 26, 1999, wrestling fans bore witness to one of the craziest angles ever shot for national TV. It was set to be the unholy wedding between Stephanie and The Undertaker. They strapped Steph to a cross-like symbol and it made for some WTF is happening right now TV.
Seeing The Undertaker (in his Ministry of Darkness incarnation) caressing a 22 year old Stephanie McMahon made for some uncomfortable TV. At the same time, you couldn’t help but not look away.
Paul Bearer read Steph her unholy vows. Who was going to save poor Steph from the evil clutches of the vile Dead Man? Out of nowhere the glass shatters and the fans in Hartford, Connecticut erupted in unison. STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD!
Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon were bitter rivals at that time, so it was hard to imagine Austin saving Vince’s daughter. But it was the unlikeliness of the event that added layers to Austin’s character. At the end of the day, Stephanie was innocent and undeserving of such heinous acts. Austin was simply out to restore order and deliver justice when no one else could (and many tried such as Ken Shamrock and The Big Show). I’ll never forget the emotional embrace Stephanie gave Austin after he untied her from that wicked cross-like symbol. Austin held his arms out like “OK OK whoa calm down, take it easy… just doing my job, young lady.” It felt like the satisfying conclusion to some big action summer blockbuster where the bodyguard saves the damsel in distress. Rarely have I felt so emotional watching Raw than this moment right here!
“Alright you safe now. Easy there!”
2. THE ULTIMATE FAREWELL
One of my favorite superstars from the ’80s was The Ultimate Warrior. He was larger than life, crazier than a pet coon and just a comic book superhero come to life. Sure his matches weren’t all that great but it was the moments and memories he created that live on forever.
After a near 20 year hiatus from WWE for various reasons, the Warrior returned in 2014 to headline the Hall of Fame class. The night following WrestleMania 30, Warrior made his first Monday Night Raw appearance in nearly two decades. He gave a short but moving speech. In it he talked about how every man’s heart one day beats its final beat and his lungs breathes its final breath. Eerily enough, Warrior died the following day due to heart issues.
Vince and Warrior embrace each other one last time
On the bright side, he got to make amends with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and a host of others right before he passed away. He also got to go out in a blaze of glory before his adoring fans. Not so many people get that chance. I know Warrior did and said some crappy things in his life, but I like to think by the end of his life he had changed and made peace with everything. That’s the version I like to believe in. At any rate, his speech on April 7, 2014 stands as one of my most favorite Raw memories.
The Ultimate Warrior’s haunting final remarks
1. THE “HART” OF THE MATTER
Speaking of unresolved issues and personal vendettas, my number one favorite Raw moment was when one of my favorites, Bret “The Hitman” Hart returned to WWE TV for the first time in over 12 years. January 4, 2010, Bret Hart finally came home to guest host Monday Night Raw. But more than that, Bret came to clear the air once and for all.
Wrestling fans know all too well about the infamous Montreal Screwjob from Survivor Series 1997. It changed wrestling history forever. For a long time Bret and Shawn lived in its shadow. But on this very special and surreal night, the two came together to hash it out in front of a live national TV audience.
Seeing two of my all-time favorites shake hands and bury the hatchet on live TV gave me the feels. According to Bret and Shawn in later interviews, this was their first real interaction in nearly 13 years since the Screwjob. This moment was not rehearsed — the emotions displayed from the two were real and genuine. I also love that it transcends wrestling. How many relationships in our lives have we let pride, ego and vanity get the worst of us? Sometimes forgiving someone as well as yourself is the key to true freedom.
GET RAW!
Glitchy? Nope, it’s the classic original Raw intro nicely replicated. Gotta love that early-mid ’90s grungy style (or not).
RAW RASSLERS
The 1-2-3 Kid (AKA X-Pac AKA Sean Waltman) is most well known for upsetting Razor Ramon in a match that launched Monday Night Raw from a fun novelty to must-see TV.
Finisher: MoonsaultJust like old times, eh?
The Beast From The East is one of the most underrated and agile big men of all time. And hey, not many wrestlers can claim that they headlined a WrestleMania! Which Bam Bam did with Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania 11.
Finisher: Diving Headbutt
Bret Hart is one of the best in-ring technicians of all time. It blew my mind when I discovered years later why his finishing maneuver is called the Sharpshooter. That’s because he’s Bret “The Hitman” Hart. How did I miss that back in the day?
Finisher: Sharpshooter
Initially a badass bodyguard to The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, Diesel eventually broke out and became one of the company’s biggest stars, both literally and figuratively. Big Daddy Cool also played SUPER SHREDDER in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
That’s Kevin Nash under all that get-up!Jackknife Power Bomb
Some may remember Doink as a silly gimmick character, but the original Doink was straight up evil and diabolical. That version, played by Matt Osborne, was absolutely brilliant. There’s something very unsettling about evil clowns.
Finisher: Whoopee Cushion
Vince McMahon tried to turn Lex Luger into the next big thing after Hulk Hogan left the company in mid 1993. Luger received a massive push and even got his own Lex Express. Unfortunately for Lex and Vince, the vision was never fully realized as Lex Luger never panned out to the level either man had hoped for.
Finisher: Running Forearm
Before the WWE went crazy with their “Women’s Evolution” marketing and branding, Luna Vachon was breaking down barriers in the mid ’90s. She was the first female superstar to appear as a playable character in a WWF video game. Long before you had the Lass Kicker Becky Lynch or the Boss Sasha Banks, you had Luna Vachon — a badass woman not to be trifled with.
Finisher: Luna Eclipse
Bret’s younger brother, Owen Hart, emerged as a supreme talent in 1994. Cocky and brash, Owen had it all. In-ring skills, high flying moves and he was a great talker, too. It’s a shame he fell to his tragic death from a pre-match stunt gone horribly wrong in 1999. We’ll never forget ya, Owen.
Finisher: Sharpshooter
Hey yo. Razor was one of my favorites back in the day and it saddened me deeply when he fell into hard times following his wrestling career. An alcoholic on the verge of death several times, he managed to clean himself up with the help of his good friend and all around good guy Diamond Dallas Page. Using DDP Yoga and living with DDP propelled Scott Hall to quell his demons and get his life back in order. His 2014 induction into the Hall of Fame was a touching moment, and produced one of the best lines I’ve ever heard: “Bad times don’t last… BUT BAD GUYS DO!”
Finisher: Razor’s Edge
Shawn Michaels is arguably the greatest in-ring performer of all time. When comparing Shawn with his peer Bret Hart, one guy said it best when he said “Bret had the best matches but Shawn put on the best performances.” I’ve never seen another wrestler rise to the occasion quite like HBK. Truly a once-in-a-generation talent!
Finisher: Slingshot Suplex
It’s often been said that The Undertaker is Vince’s greatest creation. That’s certainly debatable with Hulk Hogan and whatnot, but there’s no debating the fact that The Undertaker has had one amazing and storied career. There’s a reason why so many fans and wrestlers respect Mark Calaway so much. No one else could have pulled off the character the way that he did.
Finisher: Tombstone
The man who killed Hulkamania, Yokozuna was a friggin’ beast. He was extremely agile for his size and his Banzai Drop always made me quiver in my seat. To cap it off, he was managed by both Mr. Fuji (the devious one) and Jim Cornette. Talk about being a heat magnet!
Finisher: Banzai Drop
MEGA MOVES AND MORE
WWF Raw was an improvement over WWF Royal Rumble in a number of ways. For starters, Raw assigned more unique moves to the wrestlers. There are also secret super special moves known as “Mega Moves.” In addition, Raw incorporated a rating system. Although it’s a little shady to say the least. Each wrestler’s rating total equals 26 points. I have a really hard time believing that Diesel’s strength is only a measly 6 out of 10. Honestly though it doesn’t seem to matter as far as I can tell. The wrestlers’ speed and strength don’t appear to differ in execution. On a side note, Raw made history being the first 4-player WWF game on home consoles.
Mega Move: Coast to Coast
Mega Move: Torpedo Head Butt
Mega Move: Tornado Squash6 strength? That’s BS!Mega Move: Upsy-Daisy
Mega Move: Field Goal Kick
Mega Move: Dynamite Uppercut
Mega Move: Cyclone Splash
Mega Move: TwisterOwen was clearly inspired by Taffy
Mega Move: Cyclone Elbow DropHBK’s stats are all messed up!Mega Move: Cyclone Dropkick
Mega Move: GIT DA FUQ OUT DA WAY
Mega Move: Cannon Ball
MODES OF MAYHEM
Raw is jam packed with modes galore. This is another aspect that Sculptured Software improved on from Royal Rumble. With the Royal Rumble match carrying over, Raw effectively renders Royal Rumble obsolete more or less.
Bedlam free-for-all Brawl is my favorite mode. It lets all four wrestlers battle in the ring at the same time in a fight to the finish. I like the campy small television monitors hanging out around ringside. It brings back memories of Raw’s earliest days in the Manhattan Center.
Trademark moves such as Razor Ramon’s fall away slam are nicely represented. Royal Rumble featured unique finishers but the wrestlers all shared the same moveset. Not so much with Raw.
Backdrop your opponents out of the ring in the Royal Rumble match.
Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon are knee deep in the drop zone. Diesel wins it all. If this were 2018, he would be pointing at the WrestleMania sign right about now…
*Pointing intensifies*
RATTLE THE REF
Just like in WWF Royal Rumble, you can knock out the ref. It never gets old.
Refs bump just like in real life
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Although never reviewed by either EGM or GameFan, they spoke rather favorably of WWF Raw in previews. Super Play called it bigger and better than its predecessor, Royal Rumble, and rated it 84%.
Interestingly enough, WWF Magazine rated it an 8 out of 10. I was subscribed to WWF Magazine back in 1994 and I can remember being a little quizzical when I first saw that score. The official WWF Magazine only gave Raw an 8 rating? Usually these things tend to oversell a product by a point or two. For Raw to only get an 8 gave me a little bit of pause.
WWF Magazine certainly didn’t overhype it
CLOSING THOUGHTS
My brother and I bought WWF Raw back in late 1994 and we had a blast with it. It was fun for its time but similar to Royal Rumble, it hasn’t aged so well. I’m just not a big fan of its “who can tap the buttons the fastest” system. I much prefer grapples being determined by timing. It’s a shame we never got a definitive WWF game on the SNES. But WWF Raw is probably the closest thing to such.
It was the first WWF home console game to feature a 4-player mode. My friends and I wasted hours on the Bedlam Brawl mode. The Mega Moves added an extra layer to the game and there were plenty of modes to go around. Raw is by no means a bad game, but at the same time it’s a little disappointing. It’s a competent game, especially if you don’t mind its button mashing nature, but it still feels like a lot of unrealized potential.
While WWF Raw may not fully measure up in the way I would have liked, it’s still fairly fun especially when played with three pals.
I grew up on professional wrestling and have been a fan for over 30 years now. I first fell in love with the WWF when I witnessed the birth of the Mega Powers on a Saturday Night’s Main Event episode in late 1987. Throughout the years I’ve attended shows and followed the product. It’s had its ups and downs but it’s one of those things that has become a part of me, much like video games. One of my favorite WWF events growing up was the Royal Rumble. So imagine my joy back in the summer of 1993 when WWF Royal Rumble was released on the SNES. The previous WWF game on the SNES, WWF Super Wrestlemania, was pretty meh. Would Sculptured Software redeem itself with Royal Rumble?
Not so super. Wish we got WWF Wrestlefest insteadOh what could have been
Released in 1991 by Technos, WWF Wrestlefest was something of a mythical legend in my gaming group growing up. The game was larger than life and as colorful as the wrestlers themselves. One of my biggest SNES disappointments is that there was never a Wrestlefest port. Instead we got WWF Super Wrestlemania and it sucked.
“TELL ‘EM, HAWK!”“WEEEEEEEELL!!!!!!”It captured the WWF perfectlySelect from these 12 wrestlersThe action spills to the outsideNO HOLDS BARRED!!Two of my all-time favorites“WHAT CHU GONNA DO, BROTHER?!”Despite all my rage I’m still a rat in a cageThe stuff legends are made ofBut we got this instead Now this is more like it. Not Wrestlefest, but hey
THE ROYAL RUMBLE
The Royal Rumble has always been one of my favorite WWE events of the year. 30 men duking it out, a new wrestler comes out every two minutes (ish) and surprises galore. From returning superstars to one-off legend returns to debuting talent, that buzzer always brings a certain level of excitement and anticipation.
Tonight marks the 31st Annual Royal Rumble. It will also feature the first ever 30 women Royal Rumble match. Whatever happens and whoever wins, I’m expecting a pretty good show. My favorite Rumble would have to be the 1992 edition where “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair went the distance to win not only the Rumble but the WWF Championship as well. Besides, who could ever forget Bobby “The Brain” Heenan’s classic commentary on that match? “THAT’S NOT FAIR TO FLAIR!”
Another personal favorite is the 2006 Royal Rumble. I remember this one fondly for a number of reasons. For starters, it was one of the few WWE pay-per-views I bought and the last one I purchased before the WWE Network launched in early 2014. Secondly, I watched it with my cousin David and we both became five year old wrestling marks again that fine evening. Last but not least, it was the night before I received my massive Super Nintendo package along with 30+ games. I remember that Sunday night at David’s house like it were only yesterday. January 29, 2006. Crazy that it’s been 12 years.
It was an exciting time. I was at David’s house watching the Royal Rumble with him and knowing that my big SNES package was probably just a day away. It was just a perfect evening… one of those nights that live on forever in your soul.
2006 Rumble was when Rey Mysterio went over and began his Cinderella run to the top following the death of Eddie Guerrero.
God damn, look at all those Hall of Fame legends. It’s sad though when you think about who has already passed. Cue Dead Wrestler Beach.
Who will win the 2018 Royal Rumble later tonight? Some are saying Shinsuke Nakamura. Others are citing a returning Daniel Bryan. The safe bet may be Roman Reigns. Regardless, I look forward to another fun evening with the boys.
One of my favorite things about the Rumble? The theme, particularly from 1991-1992. Talk about childhood memories. Remember the wrestlers’ portraits flying in and out of the screen as Vince McMahon would scream their names? Classsic!
SMASH!
HAAAA-KUUUUU! THE ULLLLLLL-TIMATE WARRIOR!!!!
ROYAL RUMBLE THE VIDEO GAME
Being huge WWF and SNES fans back in 1993, my friends and I were super hyped for WWF Royal Rumble. I remember a lot of boasting about its hefty 16 MEGS. It’s funny looking back what a huge deal was made out of games that boasted 16 MEGS. It was just a sign of the times.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of its “who can tap the fastest” gameplay system, though. Then again, I always had the slowest thumbs of my gaming group
Each WWF wrestler has a special finishing move that WWF Royal Rumble nicely duplicates. This was one of the many things missing from Sculptured Software’s initial effort, WWF Super Wrestlemania. No finisher is better than Undertaker’s Tombstone!
There are plenty of modes on hand but the main appeal is of course the Royal Rumble match itself. Up to six wrestlers can be on screen at a time. Unfortunately this game doesn’t take advantage of the multitap. So only up to two people can play, which is a shame. Luckily, Sculptured Software learned from this and made the appropriate changes to their follow-up game, WWF Raw.
Knock out the ref just like in real life WWE. This entertained the crap out of me and my friends back in the day.
Chair head shots have long been banned from the WWE, but you can still relive those glorious headbangers in Royal Rumble.
Nothing like a little cheating. Choke ‘em, rake ‘em and kick ‘em!
We had way too much fun with this back in the day.
THE WRESTLERS
Bret Hart was always one of my favorites. The Excellence of Execution was one of the best wrestlers I’ve ever seen. His 2006 Hall of Fame speech was awesome.
Crush started out in the WWF as the third member of the declining Demolition. He then turned babyface and took on this Hawaiian persona. I always liked him.
Ah, Mr. Perfect. It’s hard not to appreciate Curt Hennig. He was one of the first heels (bad guys) I can remember liking. He was just so athletic and smooth in that ring. Everything he did, he did it to perfection. And who could forget his classic manager, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan? Good times.
Lex Luger made his WWF debut coincidentally enough at the 1993 Royal Rumble. Unveiling a brand new gimmick, The Narcissist flexed and posed in front of many elaborate mirrors. This was before he became Mr. America Lex Luger with the Lex Express
My favorite wrestler of all time, Macho Man Randy Savage is the total package. Personality, charisma, mic skills and in-ring acumen. The dude had it all. “Oooh yeah, DIG IT!”
Say hello to the Bad Guy. Oozing with machismo, Razor Ramon had an IT factor unlike many other guys. Whether he was flicking his toothpick at the camera or hoisting up fools in the Razor’s Edge, Scott Hall was always entertaining as hell.
16-time world champion The Nature Boy Ric Flair is one of the few who have managed to transcend the sport of professional wrestling. The dirtiest player in the game is right at home with those eye rakes and choke holds. “WOOOO!”
The Icon. The Main Event. The Show Stopper. Mr. WrestleMania! Before Shawn went on to become all those things, he was simply Shawn Michaels. A brash up and coming youngster who quickly rose through the ranks with his superior athleticism and knack for putting on the best performance of the night. This is the beginnings of The Heartbreak Kid, even before he used Sweet Chin Music as his finisher.
The Native American made his WWF debut in 1992 and was undefeated for a great many months (nearly two years). Tatanka went 10 years between Royal Rumble appearances — 1996 was his last Rumble match until he came back 10 years later in 2006. Speaking of battle royals, Tatanka competed at the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32 in front of over 100,000 screaming fans a few years ago in 2016. Maybe we’ll see the great Tatanka in another battle royal in 2026…
The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase was one of the truly iconic wrestling villains of ’80s lore. He and Mr. Perfect were my guys, so it was nice to see both of them make the cut here. DiBiase was showing his age by 1993 and his last WWF match was against Razor Ramon in a short seven minute match at SummerSlam ’93. Thanks for the memories, Ted. I’ll never forget the time you kicked that kid’s basketball. So dastardly!
THE PHENOM. The Undertaker. A mainstay in WWE for over 20 years, who knew when he made his debut back in 1990 at the Survivor Series that he would go on to become one of the biggest superstars to ever grace a squared circle. Much respect!
I always thought as a kid that Yokozuna was Japanese. It wasn’t until years later that I found out Yoko is actually Samoan. He’s part of the famous Anoa’i wrestling family, which includes the likes of The Rock, Roman Reigns, Nia Jax, Rikishi, The Usos, Umaga and many more. I hated Yokozuna as a kid. He defeated Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in Hogan’s last WWF match in the ’90s. King of the Ring 1993 AKA The Day Hulkamania Died.
GENESIS VS. SNES
Want to play as Mr. Perfect? Better go with SNES then
The SNES version came out in June of 1993 while the Genesis version was released in September. Each version had five exclusive wrestlers. SNES: Ric Flair, Mr. Perfect, Ted DiBiase, Yokozuna and Tatanka. Genesis: Hulk Hogan, IRS, The Model Rick Martel, Papa Shango and Hacksaw Jim Duggan (the first ever Royal Rumble winner way back in 1988).
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
WWF Royal Rumble fared pretty well with the critics. Many considered it the first viable and legitimate home console game under the WWF umbrella. It’s certainly come a long way since the days of WWF WrestleMania on the NES. EGM gave it scores of 7, 7, 7 and 7. GameFan gave it ratings of 84, 85, 85 and 89%. Super Play rated it 79%.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
WWF Royal Rumble was a definite step in the right direction as far as WWF games were concerned. Wrestlers were given their finishing moves and visuals were significantly upgraded. I guess that’s what 16 MEGS can do for ya! The Royal Rumble match is a fun novelty but unfortunately, time has not been so kind to this game. WWF Raw, which came out in November of 1994, is essentially an improved version of this game. I’ve never been a big fan of the grappling meter. I much prefer wrestling games that are based on timing rather than who can mash the buttons faster. Some fine examples of the former include the Fire Pro and Zen Nippon Wrestling games. Another thing that Sculptured Software missed the mark on here is that every wrestler shares the same moveset, sans finisher. Part of what makes wrestling so much fun is that each guy has his own set of moves unique to him. At least WWF Raw fixed this.
Tonight, the 31st Annual Royal Rumble emanates from Philadelphia. As someone who grew up loving the Royal Rumble event, I am so looking forward to it. And being that it’s Rumble season, I recently played WWF Royal Rumble for the first time in… gosh… almost 25 years. My friends and I had a blast with it back in the day but it definitely hasn’t aged so well. Back in mid 1993 when the pickings were slim, this was a good game. But now there are so many better wrestling games on the SNES alone that it renders WWF Royal Rumble a bit obsolete. It’s not bad, but it’s not really that good, either. If you absolutely have to play a WWF game on the SNES, make it WWF Raw.
Graphics: 7 Sound: 6 Gameplay: 6 Longevity: 5
Overall: 6.0
***ROYAL RUMBLE 2018 SPOILERS***
I just finished viewing the 2018 Royal Rumble and wow. I’ll be damned. WWE finally gets it right. The two Rumble matches were a ton of fun and I can’t complain about the booking. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a lot better than the past five years or so. Hats off to the guys and gals. I was thoroughly entertained.
I marked out so hard for the return of Rey Mysterio! He was the winner of the 2006 Royal Rumble which I ordered on Pay-Per-View and watched with my cousin David the night before my SNES package arrived. Fond memories and seeing Rey coming back tonight was a rush of nostalgia. Best of all, Rey can still go. Bravo!
The biggest moment though might have been Ronda Rousey. Sure it was corny and cheesy, but I loved it. Ah Royal Rumble, you did it again.
Pub: Kaneko | Dev: System Vision | January 1993 | 8 MEGS
Power Moves, believe it or not, turns all of 25 years old this month [said no one ever -Ed.]. Hey! I just said it! [Like I said, said no one ever -Ed.]. Ahem, at any rate, 2018 is a crazy time. A lot of our favorite (and not so favorite) SNES games from 1993 will be turning 25 years old. Power Moves didn’t move the needle at all back then, and it’s a safe bet you won’t be seeing many (er, any) “Happy 25th Anniversary” messages for this game. Nonetheless, it stands as a critical game in my SNES fandom. I have a ton of nostalgic memories tied to this game even if it isn’t any good. Why is that? Well, let’s fire up the DeLorean…
THE YEAR WAS LATE 1992…
My brother was too shy to go rent video games so he would always ship me to do his dirty work. 90% of the time he gave me a specific game to rent. On this particular Saturday morning however, he didn’t have a choice title in mind. It was one of those rare “just rent whatever looks good” weekends.
“I’M NOT WORTHY!”
Around this time a hot new rental store called GAME HUNTER burst onto the scene. Game Hunter prided itself on catering to the hardcore. No movies, just video games. You name it, Game Hunter had it. NES, Genesis, SNES, portables and even Neo Geo. But best of all were the imports galore! Walking in seeing a wall plastered by exotic Super Famicom boxes was mind blowing especially back in late 1992. Game Hunter had a HUGE cult following in my area and for damn good reason. They were, simply put, gaming paradise personified.
My very first import experience ever
Strolling the SNES aisle I was taken aback by the countless rows of boxes on display. It was a visual feast! A game by the name of POWER ATHLETE eventually caught my eye. A Street Fighter II clone, eh? I was sold. Sadly for me, I didn’t realize until I got home that it refused to play on my SNES. My brother snapped at me. Not only did I waste my dad’s money and time, but now we had a game we couldn’t even play for the weekend! I immediately called Game Hunter to explain the situation and they told me about the special adapter that would allow an American SNES console to play Super Famicom imports. Thanks guys — a little warning in advance would have been appreciated! My dad, being a great father, drove me all the way back to rent that damn adapter.
Some 40 minutes later, all systems were GO. And the rest is history. Power Athlete was my first import experience. My brother’s best friend came over that weekend and he loved the game. I liked it for what it was, and so did my brother. We had fun with it that weekend. It was no Street Fighter II but it has a cheesy charm to it. Now granted, I think we all knew it wasn’t good per se, but we still enjoyed our time with it. After all, kids have a funny way of making the most out of any given situation.
Nothing like playing a game months before it hits the US
***13 YEARS LATER: JANUARY 2006***
Saturday night fever? Psst, I had SNES fever!
During my winter break of December 2005-January 2006, I developed a nagging feeling I could no longer ignore: it’s time to get back into the SNES. On January 17, 2006, I logged on eBay to search SNES. The first auction ending (in 38 seconds) was none other than Power Moves. What were the odds? It was fate. How fitting, too, that my first import rental ever would become the first game purchase of my SNES comeback.
Of these 51 games, which one to play first?
By the time the SNES came on January 30 I already had 51 games in my possession. Can you guess the first game I chose to play? Of course… POWER MOVES.
Seeing the old sights and sounds for the first time in 13 years was rather surreal. A lot I’d remembered precisely like certain stages, special moves and the cheesy fighters. It was quite the neat little trip down memory lane of a bygone era.
The graphics brought a smile to my face. They’re decent in some places while lacking in others, all while having a semi-nice (nostalgic) look to it all — if that makes any sense. The images of Warren and Baraki’s stages were burned into my retina 13 years ago. Warren’s stage features a big raft sailing across a ocean. Floating high in the air in the background is a blatant and shameless KANEKO blimp. Sure, it may look largely unappealing today, but back in late 1992 it was quite a sight.
“FIRE!”
Baraki’s stage, located in the exotic outreaches of Kenya, sees the fight taking place on soiled ground full of foliage. Littering the background quite nicely are a pair of huge dinosaur remains. A small river flowing about can be seen beyond all this. 13 years later, it still looked pretty damn cool to me at least.
Each character has two special moves. These are executed by holding punch and kick, and tapping forward or back then forward, etc. Control could have been better. They can be somewhat difficult to pull off in the heat of battle at times. Sound and music is generic but passable.
Hey look, it’s Average Joe
The 1 Player mode only allows you to control Joe. You must build up stats in various categories as you progress through the ranks. It’s an interesting idea in theory but not so in execution. It’s a shame too that you can’t pick from any of the eight fighters in this mode. Only the 2 Player mode allows you full access.
The combo system is very basic and simple. It’s nothing special, although it does feel sweet to jump kick someone deep followed by connecting a hard punch straight to the jaw. Like I said, there’s sort of a weird nostalgic charm to this game. Let’s meet the characters now.
POWER ATHLETES
Meet Joe [Black -Ed.]. You better get used to liking him because he’s the only fighter you can control in the 1 player mode. One of the most generic and forgettable Ryu clones of the early-mid ’90s, Joe is obsessed with being the best in the world. Hmmm, where have I heard that before…
Hadoken? No, meet the Ken-Do-Ha! That’s not its official name of course; I just like to think of it as such. To Joe’s credit, his Dragon Punch is pretty cool and looks different from most other Dragon Punch variants. The Rising Dragon Palm is Joe’s ticket to victory.
Baraki is what you’d get if Blanka and Baraka had a love child. This savage beast hails from Kenya so he’s near and dear to my heart (see my Kenya adventures for more). Baraki’s stage is quietly underrated. The huge dinosaur bones littered about and the quaint little river flowing in the background blew my mind when I first saw it 25 years ago in December of 1992.
“FIRE!”shouts the savage each time you unleash his Sonic Boom-like fireball. Not creative, but cheesy and charming in its own weird Power Moves way. He also rolls up in a ball and launches himself at opponents with no regard for human life. A goofy Blanka clone with a fireball? Yes, please.
I remember calling Warren “The Old Muscle Man” as a kid. He’s got one of the creepiest looking portraits I’ve ever seen in a fighting game. Imagine running into Warren down a dark alley. No thank you!
Warren is a dangerous and capable adversary in spite of his goofy looking ass. The Hawaiian brute is deceptively agile and quick.
Hey look, it’s Discount Chun-Li! Reayon is your standard token female fighter. Nothing about her really stands out — she’s pretty forgettable. I couldn’t even remember her name until I went to write this review. Considering my memory, that’s saying a lot…
Shades of Sonya Blade!
Kabuki fighters weren’t too uncommon in fighting games back then. Kyoshiro from Samurai Shodown is probably the most famous one, but Buoh came out about seven months prior. He’s nowhere as interesting, though.
Teleport and use Buoh’s long hair to your advantage. Battles take place in front of a Japanese shrine complete with a Torii gate.
Shades of Neo Geegus from World Heroes, anyone? This mutant is the strongest fighter in the tournament.
Vagnad is the king of the double attack. This includes a double piledriver and a double rushing punch. Combatants duke it out on a roaring train. The scrolling was rather impressive for its time to a nine year old kid, anyhow. Dreary as hell, which suits the character perfectly.
An elite athlete, Nick spent years honing his craft. He tried to channel all his inner energy to unleash a fireball but he could never muster enough chi. Fed up, one day he realized, “Shit, I could just use daggers.” And the rest is history.
Flamboyant and graceful, Nick uses his breakdancing skills and deadly daggers to inflict barrels of pain unto his opponent. His stage is reminiscent of Rolento’s from Final Fight. Nice looking sunset!
China, known for its savage warriors, has produced Gaoluon — Master of the Bladed Tonfas.
Gaoluon’s deadly tonfas act like boomerangs and has the ability to hit you twice. He also does one hell of a Flash Kick impersonation.
After defeating all seven opponents, you face off with the big bad bruiser known only as Ranker.
Ranker isn’t exactly top tier M. Bison Geese Howard Wolfgang Krauser level but hey, it’s Power Moves. In its own weird little universe, he’s not the worst final boss I’ve ever seen.
BONUS ROUNDS
Piece of cakeNot so much this one, though
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Not exactly champion…
GameFan, notorious for doling out generously high review scores, gave this game ratings of 80, 85, 87, 90 and 90%. Pretty safe to say they would admit in hindsight that those scores were way too high. Power Moves is often considered a poor fighting game. Coming out roughly half a year after the amazing SNES port of Street Fighter II didn’t do it any favors, either. It would have fared better had it been released a year earlier in January of 1992. Power Moves felt like a massive step down by early 1993. Super Play, ever the reliable voice of reason especially when contrasted to GameFan, rated it 49%.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I always say when it comes to the SNES that nostalgia is a nice added bonus, but there has to be more to a game than just nostalgia. After all, that will only take one so far. The game still has to be fun to play. Unfortunately, Power Moves falls flat in that department. It isn’t your typical single plane fighting game. Imagine a beat ‘em up playing field, shrink that down and you get Power Moves. This means that pressing up moves your character up instead of jumping. Pressing down moves them down; fighters cannot duck. To jump you must press a button. Thankfully, blocking is still holding back on the D-Pad. While the freedom of movement is certainly unique — it’s easy to avoid fireballs and attacks — this engine sadly doesn’t make for a good 2D fighting game. It’s even more baffling when blocking special moves doesn’t inflict any harm whatsoever. It takes away from the gimmick of the more open ended playing field. Dubious decisions all around plague what could have been a semi-decent fighting game.
To make matters worse, players can only control (Average) Joe in the 1 player mode. You can only use the seven other fighters when playing against a friend. So whatever limited replay value there was to begin with has been slashed even further. Surely there must be some sort of code? Nope. Not that it would have helped much, but hey, it can’t hurt to have more choices. Speaking of bad, special moves are awkward to implement. If there’s one thing a fighting game absolutely cannot suffer from, it’s bad controls.
Still, there’s a part of me that will always appreciate what this game means personally to me. It was my very first taste of import gaming at a time when the word “import” still meant something very sacred and special. Nowadays with the internet and everything, gamers can play and buy imports at the drop of a hat. But things were a little lot different 25 years ago in late 1992. Imports back then carried a certain high level of mystique. They were exotic and almost mythical, even. I’ll never forget that weekend I rented Power Athlete in December of 1992, and the stupid fun my brother, our friends and I had with it. In addition, Power Moves became the first SNES game I bought during my SNES comeback 12 years ago in January of 2006. It also marks the first SNES game I reviewed exactly 11 years ago on my original RVGFanatic website. While the game itself borders on being bad (although not entirely unplayable), the rich history it has in my gaming fandom cannot be understated. As such, Power Moves will always have a spot in my gaming heart.
Today marks 12 years since I got back into the Super Nintendo. January 17, 2006. Who would have guessed that I would still be going strong with the SNES a dozen years later? It either speaks to my insanity or to the clout of the SNES. Hopefully the latter but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. I can’t help but grow nostalgic around this time of the year as it brings back to mind some truly great memories. This is the story of how I began my SNES renaissance. It’s a look back at that fateful first month of January 2006 and all the different crazy stories that came along with it. So kick back and join me on this jaunt down memory lane. This is my story. This is… my SNES comeback.
IN THE BEGINNING…
There was nothing like playing SNES with your buds
My brother and I had a Super Nintendo from early 1992 to 1998 or so. We owned about 20 games over that time and we loved it. It took everything awesome about the 8-bit NES and injected it with steroids. There were so many great memories forged, from renting SNES games to midnight sessions with your friends on Saturday nights to the simple joy of eagerly anticipating the next arcade translation. It was a great time to be a kid growing up.
Always fun anticipating the next arcade to home port
But as it is with these things in life, my bro and I eventually moved on. The system was donated to our cousin, David, in the late ’90s. My brother moved onto the PlayStation and aside from a few select titles, I really didn’t care a whole lot for Sony’s new machine. I was a disenchanted teenage gamer secretly longing for the glory days of 8 and 16-bit.
Damn right I did
In 1999 I found myself venturing onto planet Sega Saturn. As detailed in my Sega Saturn Saga, I acquired 350 Saturn games from 2001 to 2005. Speaking of 2005…
Cue the flashback montage!
JANUARY 15, 2005
On this day I found myself at the local Game Crazy by my childhood home. Some guy was playing Super Mario World on the SNES and I stood there watching him play. I still vividly remember he was right at this spot in the picture above. And I stood there thinking to myself, “Should I buy a Super Nintendo?”
Later that night I made a post on a video game forum asking for opinions.
I ended up not buying it. So I carried on sans SNES and concentrated on finishing my Sega Saturn collection in 2005. Then a funny thing happened. My Saturn passion, which at one point seemed endless, gradually faded. In late 2005 I found myself playing it less and less but even more telling, my heart was no longer in it. The burnout was real.
CHILDHOOD DREAMS REALIZED
As a young child growing up in the late ’80s to mid ’90s, I was fascinated by sitcoms such as Full House, Home Improvement and The Wonder Years. I found the art and magic of acting to be really intriguing. In fact, one of my dreams was to one day be in a movie.
FALL 2005
September 2005 I made my on stage acting debut
That fateful semester in college I saw a dream of mine come true when I was cast in my very first University play. It was the thrill of my collegiate career. Those late night rehearsals, dressing room ribbing and performances will live on forever in my soul. It was everything I expected and more. The cast got along like we had known each other our whole lives. We went out clubbing, grabbed dinner after shows, and even had a sleepover party. I’ll never forget the rush coursing through my veins when I finally made my acting debut on the big stage. I burst out of the curtain with a vengeance and knocked my opening monologue out of the park. I never felt more alive during my college years than those three weeks in late 2005. I’ll always look back on those days with a real deep fondness.
I drove all over town like a mad man just to audition
Riding the huge wave of momentum following my performance in the play, along with a renewed sense of self-confidence, I drove three hours to audition for an independent movie in December of 2005. It was a childhood dream of mine to one day be in the movies.
My independent movie debut!
Long story short, I was cast two days following my audition. I remember that time well. It was an exciting time that felt like anything could happen. I only had a few speaking lines but I was thrilled for the opportunity. I was only 22 at the time and not many of my peers could claim IMDB.com credit like I could. It made for a great icebreaker!
One of my favorite things about college were those fat six week winter breaks. I’ve always joked that there’s something about those long lazy winter weeks that does things to a man. During this time my cousins came over a lot and we found ourselves playing a shit ton of 10-player Saturn Bomberman. It was a blast, pardon the pun. Prior to these sessions though, my Saturn laid dormant for a few months thanks to my crazy rehearsal schedule for the play, my independent movie role and also, like I said earlier, I could feel my Saturn passion waning. But all those epic Saturn Bomberman sessions definitely got me in the mood to dig back into my Saturn library.
Wait, is that it?!
After my cousins left one night in late December, I had the strongest urge to play a platformer. I looked at my Saturn collection and saw some potential choices: Tryrush Deppy, Keio Yugekitai, Steamgear Mash and Willy Wombat just to name four. Yet none of them met my need for a pure old school traditional hop ‘n bop. I suddenly realized precisely at that moment what I had secretly been yearning for. And right on cue, that’s when an old friend from the past came roaring back to mind…
Now that’s more like it!
JANUARY 2006
“FIRE!”
I still had about three weeks until the Spring semester would begin. I started entertaining thoughts (again) about whether I should buy a Super Nintendo or not. I had my doubts — was it worth it? Perhaps this was all just a nostalgic trip best kept locked in my box of memories. That’s when fate decided to step in. By mid January I decided I was all in. I posted the following on a gaming forum, coincidentally, almost one year since my last SNES post (as shared earlier).
January 17, 2006. It was just another ordinary Tuesday night, or so I initially thought. I logged on eBay following dinner. Just for fun, I typed in SNES. And the VERY FIRST item I saw ending was none other than Power Moves. I couldn’t believe it — what were the odds? Power Moves and I go way back; it was the first import game I ever rented back in late 1992. It was ending in 38 seconds. I didn’t even have the system yet but I knew this was no mere coincidence. Nope, this was fate. The very first import I ever rented back in the day would now become the very first game purchase of my SNES resurrection. It was meant to be.
I didn’t have long to just sit there and get all mushy. Clicking on the seller’s other items, I also won Prehistorik Man, Ignition Factor and Fatal Fury Special all within the next 10 minutes. Now that I had time to digest things a bit, my mind was running at 200 MPH. I really did it. I was back in! One minute I went from having zero SNES games to having four! The next day I bought five more titles. Not one to stop there, I was back at it again two days later with five more. The games were a mix of childhood favorites, games I missed out on, or games I always was curious about but never got to play. It was an exciting time with a want list literally in the hundreds, left-and-right buying and building up my brand new SNES library. But there was one slight problem you see — I didn’t buy the system itself yet! That’s when I found a friend online to sell me one for $39. He also had over 20 games I was interested in, so it became a bulk buy of epic proportions. The final damage? $192. YOU DAMN RIGHT it was worth every last dime!
It all began with this…
What started out as “Should I or shouldn’t I?” ended up in one simple impulse buy (Power Moves), opening up the flood gates completely. In 72 hours I went from zero SNES games and no SNES to having the system and 38 (!) games. There was no turning back now… a monster was born.
I posted the following on a gaming forum the next day on January 18, 2006.
Saturday night fever? Psst, I had SNES fever!
Like I said, I don’t know what it is about mid January but those long six week winter breaks does things to a man
SCHOOL’S BACK IN SESSION
Wednesday. January 25, 2006. It was the first day of my Spring semester at University. I only had one class that day (from 9 to 10:15 AM). My SNES was still in transit but that didn’t stop me from buying even more games. After class that day I had a couple girl friends go buy some books with me at the campus store. We ate brunch and talked excitedly about the future. All the while I was thinking about the past in the back of my mind, and what SNES games I might find later that morning to add to my rapidly growing collection. It was an exciting time in my life — an odd but irresistible clash of looking toward the future while also looking back.
A most welcomed sight in those days of 2006
Afterward it was 11:30 and I decided to drive to a nearby Game Crazy to see what SNES goodies they might have that day. Game Crazy was a hub attached to Hollywood Video back when these relics existed. Game Crazy used to carry a solid variety of SNES games in early 2006.
Thursday. January 26, 2006. This was a big day for me. It marked 10 years since I had moved from my childhood home. After my classes ended that late afternoon, I decided to stop by my old stomping grounds for a reunion tour. I loved my old hometown. We lived there from mid 1985 to January 26, 1996. 10 and a half years of my life. From infancy through childhood. Some of my best memories came in my old hometown, my old house and that old neighborhood.
Ah, the vintage train tracks of my childhoodHello, dear old friend
So off I went, revisiting the old sights and sounds. I stopped by my childhood Toys R Us. I dropped by a few Game Crazy locations in the area but found no SNES games of interest. Finally I arrived right around my old house roughly at 6 PM, and I headed straight to my childhood Hollywood Video.
The actual “scene of the crime” in all its gloryAnother nice haul
Added Art of Fighting, Clay Fighter, Mortal Kombat II and Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 to the collection. These games represented the crux of my SNES comeback well — two games I loved playing as a kid and two I always wanted to play but never did.
They had a glass full of SNES goodies but I decided I’ll just pick these four for now and come back later for the others…
With another bag full of old childhood favorites and memories, courtesy once again of Game Crazy, I made a beeline toward my old house. There was no way I was ending this 10 year reunion trip without seeing my old house.
I was a man on a mission
By now it was 6:30 and darkness had devoured my old hometown. Driving by I took full inventory of all that assaulted my senses. I remember those old roads… that old street corner… the little hill where my brother, our friends and I used to play tag and flag football. The smell of the crisp cool night air. And the soothing sounds of the grass and leaves swaying gently in the calm of a quiet January evening.
It was more than just a Super Nintendo comeback…
I spotted my house at long last. Memories came flooding back like a tidal wave crashing over me. It was an ordinary house, like any other house in America, in a suburban neighborhood just like any other. But it was home. My home. Or at least, it once was, anyhow. Somewhere in the depths of my heart though, it will always be to some degree.
I took a moment to take it all in
I turned off the engine and radio. I sat there for a couple quiet minutes, admiring my house from across the street in the dead still of the night. Has it really been 10 bloody years?! Gawd DAMN.
There she is. Still as pretty as ever, too
I was lost in a trance admiring the sight that stood before me when suddenly I had a crazy idea. Now I’ve had a few crazy ideas in my life before but this one… THIS ONE might be the craziest of them all…
Before I knew it, I found myself standing at the front door. Like a man possessed, I rung the doorbell before I could talk myself out of it.
Well, it certainly helped that my parents still owned the place and rented it out to some tenants. I wasn’t close with them but they knew who I was. So when a lady opened the door I asked if I could use the restroom since I was passing by the ol’ neighborhood.
It’s the home where my bro and I grew upAll the birthday parties and fun we shared. Priceless!
Using my old bathroom for the first time in 10 years was a little surreal, as was being back in the house I grew up in. After using the facilities, I thanked her for her generosity.
The house was still in good shape. I couldn’t help but glance around fondly. The lady and I spoke for a good 15 minutes or so about the house and my memories there.
And that opened up a 10 minute conversation
We talked about how cold the house gets during the night time, like really REALLY cold. We talked about my old room where her daughter now occupies, and so forth. It was a really nice conversation and an awesome way to end what had been a crazy reunion tour.
Time to head back home. My real new home…
Finally, we bid one another farewell. I slipped inside my car, took a glance at the new SNES games resting on the passenger seat, cranked up the radio, stole one last glance at my old house and floored the hell out of there.
That night, driving home on the freeway with the windows down and the music blaring, was truly one for the ages. A tale to be retold to my future children. Daddy was a crazy kook [Wait, was?? -Ed.]
JANUARY 30, 2006
I remember this fateful rainy Monday afternoon quite well. It was around 12:45 PM. I was sitting at home waiting for my big SNES package as well as my Advanced Acting class at 1:30. I’ll never forget the sight of the UPS man carrying a huge box to my door through the whipping rain. My baby has finally come home! The raindrops pelted my window and looked like melting silverware. I had 45 SNES games waiting in the wings to be played, and now, after a good seven or eight years, I finally had a Super Nintendo again. Alas, with class beginning in less than an hour, I had no time to delve in. Oh how badly I wanted to just stay home and have one major binge session. Reasoning got the better of me when I decided if I already waited this long, then surely a couple more hours wouldn’t kill me, right?
My Advanced Acting class that day ran from 1:30 to 4. After class got out, I drove to Game Crazy by my old house once again to buy the other enticing titles I saw just a few days earlier on January 26.
The actual pic I took on that rainy Monday evening!Game Crazy comes through againActRaiser and Equinox are the best of this bunchWhat a crazy time it was — that January 2006 I tells ya!Can you guess which game I played first?
Arriving home late that Monday night, I had a whopping 51 SNES games from which to choose. Which one would I play first? It suddenly became clear to me that there was only one appropriate choice. It’s certainly not the best game, but for all intents and purposes, it had to be my first.
You win if you guessed Power Moves
Yup, it had to be Power Moves. It was the first import I rented back in late 1992 and it was the first SNES game I bought during this whole comeback reunion tour. A reunion tour, mind you, that has now lasted for 12 years and counting. To say that I was nostalgic as Power Moves fired up would be a grand understatement. I felt like I had gone into a time machine and was transported back to my youth for a few minutes. Even though the game was kind of bad, I knew there were tons of great games to beat and that this was going to be a hell of a comeback. As it turns out, my gut was right.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
There is something special and sacred about the Super Nintendo. It reminds me of a simpler time in my life. A time in which playing games with your best bud took center stage on a lazy Saturday night. A time where damsels in distress must be saved and red shells and fireballs must be thrown with malice and joy alike. But perhaps best of all… a time where junk emails and bills didn’t yet exist.
My SNES comeback these past 12 years has been a fun-filled ride down memory lane and beyond. I don’t just play these games for nostalgia. There are many I have yet to play, so many are actually brand new experiences for me. Yes, even 25 years later in the year 2018. I’ve had a blast going through my SNES collection the past dozen years. With many more yet to go, here’s to 12 more years!
My dream is to one day pass my love of these vintage classics down to my son or daughter. Maybe they’ll never know what it feels like to stroll through a Hollywood Video on a rainy Monday night. But I hope they’ll get half the joy out of these games as they’ve given to me over the years decades. Call me corny but I like to think of this whole SNES comeback, which started way back 12 years ago in January of 2006, as more than just one big epic gaming adventure. I like to think of it as reclaiming bits and pieces of my childhood and one day being able to share that joy with my children. One thing is for sure… there’ll be no shortage of video games for them to play. Long live the Super Nintendo, indeed.
Can you believe RVGFanatic turns 11 years old today? I remember that day like it were only yesterday. January 7, 2007. It’s hard for me to believe RVGFanatic is now 11. Most webmasters burn out in less than a year or two, so RVGFanatic’s longevity is a true testament to my passion for the SNES. To commemorate the occasion, I’m transferring (and slightly tweaking) an article I wrote on my original site about why my fire for the SNES still burns even after all these years.
Now 12 years and counting!
7 REASONS WHY I STILL LOVE THE SNES
There’s an infamous term known as “The 7 Year Itch.” Supposedly, it’s that point in some marriages where things head south and peter out. Well, it’s been about 7 years (12 years now) since I got back into all things Super Nintendo and quite honestly, I still love it today as much as I did then. As I approach yet another anniversary, I can’t help but think about why the fire still burns. What exactly is it about this system that has kept me coming back after all these years??
The first two things that came to mind? The library and the memories. The SNES has arguably the best gaming catalog of all time. It’s so stacked that you could take the best SNES games ranked #11-20 and they would stand up well against any other system’s TOP TEN. The top 25 SNES games alone include some of gaming’s best, period. So, there was that. And then there are my memories. The SNES came along during a special time in my life. Being a robust kid living in suburban America during the rise of the SNES was simply awesome. It was my favorite system of my childhood, and is now my favorite system of my adulthood. In some ways I feel like I’m fulfilling my childhood dreams, as corny as that may sound. But I digress. Let’s kick off the countdown!
BUT FIRST, LESSONS I LEARNED
Prior to my SNES resurgence in January of 2006, I was a huge Sega Saturn fan from 1999 to 2005. During those six years I built a collection of 350 Saturn games. I loved it.
Before I knew it, it sneaked up behind me
However, as much fun as I had with the Sega Saturn I fell into the trap of never beating the games. I’d play them for 30 minutes to an hour here and there but never commit to completing one. For me at least, I don’t do so well with such a disposable mindset. I am the kind of gamer who likes to keep playing the same game until I can beat it. So this casual reckless playing blindsided me and led to my burnout by the summer of 2005.
Casually playing the games led to my burn out
As I reflected on my Saturn journey during the late summer of 2005, one of my biggest regrets was never logging my Saturn experiences. From purchase dates to game playing notes, all my Saturn memories were relegated to my mind which is fleeting at best. My fire for the system was quickly waning and six years of undocumented memories were only going to fade away with time. But the funny thing about life is that sometimes you get a second chance when you least expect it. And that’s when the SNES came calling.
Advice well worth taking!I kept a detailed account of all my SNES buysAs well as a journalI definitely did it right second time aroundThanks Sega Saturn for the lessons and memories
SEVEN REASONS WHY I LOVE SNES
1. Beating the games 2. Discovering new gems 3. Replaying childhood favorites 4. Quelling 15 to 20+ year curiosities 5. Continuing to expand RVGFANATIC
6. Memorable multi-player SNES sessions 7. Being truly content with my collection
1. BEATING THE GAMES
There’s something to be said about beating a video game. As previously noted, I fell into a trap of casually playing my Saturn games never really sticking with one until I could squeeze it for all it’s worth. Getting back into the SNES I realized I wanted to right a wrong from my childhood, and that wrong was never beating many of its games. Too many as a child I didn’t even get a chance to (thoroughly) play. My SNES resurrection was a chance, then, at gaming redemption.
I typically pop in a game these days with the intent of beating it, or at least until I can no longer progress. It gives me a great feeling when I eventually swap it out for another game. It’s like only then am I able to put the game back on the shelf with a real sense of peace and fulfillment. What a concept right? PLAY THE GAMES. BEAT THE GAMES. I adopted that mantra for SNES round two and it made all the difference in the world.
I view beating games the same as watching a movie or reading a book. It would be silly to stop a quarter or three quarters through (unless it’s too boring or difficult). These days I always focus on playing (through) one game at a time. There’s something special about seeing a game through and not shelving it until you’ve maxed it out. I guess it reminds me of the good old days when I did just that with the limited number of games my parents bought for me. It’s the best of both worlds: owning a ton of games yet playing them as if you only had a few.
2. DISCOVERING NEW GEMS
Although I loved the SNES and had one from 1992-1998, there were still a ton of quality games I missed out on, or never really played. Since I missed out on them, even if those games are “old” titles from 1993 or ’94, they’re still brand new experiences to me. These past dozen years I have been able to experience many SNES games for the FIRST time. And there’s nothing like discovering new gems. Some of these games I never even knew existed back in the ’90s, like Super Famicom gem DoReMi Fantasy.
Always wear protection…
A stellar action game released in 1996, DoReMi Fantasy is undoubtedly one of the best platformers on the SNES. There’s nothing like uncovering a new game for the first time, seeing a few screenshots, getting super excited, finding it on eBay and then playing it only to discover that it’s awesome. Doing so only continues to further fan the flames.
Terranigma is another excellent gem that I discovered during my second SNES stint. It’s one of my absolute favorites and one of the best games on the entire SNES. Discovering and then beating games like Terranigma go a long way in keeping my flame lit.
3. REPLAYING CHILDHOOD FAVORITES
Nostalgia. Memories of a simpler time. I’ll never deny that one (small) reason why I love the SNES so much is how much history I have with the machine, dating back over 25 years to 1991. There were a handful of SNES games that I cherished for one reason or another as a child. Being able to play them again over the past 12 years has been a blast from the past. Some haven’t aged so well while others remain just as you remember them being. My brother and I used to play The Combatribes a ton back in 1993. It was a very surreal feeling when we played through it more than a decade later. For one brief moment we were kids again as we turned back the hands of time. The SNES gave me so many great memories. Whenever I play any one of my childhood favorites, I can’t help but get the warm fuzzies. And I’m instantly transported back to a time in my life where junk emails don’t exist and life was only as complicated as taking out the trash and doing homework.
Never fails to take me back to a simpler time in my life
4. QUELLING 15-20+ YEAR CURIOSITIES
There were many SNES games I wanted to play back in the day but never did. My SNES resurrection gave me a chance to rectify matters. I’ll never forget the night I first slayed Count Dracula in Super Castlevania IV back in April of 2006.
Remember seeing all those cool looking SNES games featured in small blurbs within the pages of GameFan or EGM? And then wondering for years on end how they might play? Being able to put those childhood curiosities to rest is simply the best. Even better yet is when the game instantly becomes one of your all-time favorites. One example is BS Out of Bounds Golf. I LOVE that game!
BS Golf rocks and that’s no BULL
5. BIRTH + EXPANSION OF RVGFANATIC
For as long as I can remember, I love sharing (in written form) my opinions with others. Back in 5th grade I was writing book reviews for Goosebumps and having the time of my life knowing that my classmates would be reading my thoughts and possibly even basing their reading choices off my impressions. One of my deepest regrets with my Sega Saturn stint from 1999-2005 was my failure to document that whole experience. So I knew getting back into the Super Nintendo that I was going to do things right. Namely, I placed a focus on beating the games and documenting my journey somehow. I never dreamed that I would one day have my own website but sure enough that far-fetched fantasy suddenly became reality when I launched RVGFanatic 11 years ago today. I still remember that day vividly and recall it with a deep fondness. It was a cold and dark Sunday night. January 7, 2007. RVGFanatic was thrust into the vast wilderness of cyberspace.
The first day opened with this brief note to the reader
The next day I published my review of the Super Famicom exclusive brawler, Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen. Immediately following this, my dad called asking if I could drive him to the auto repair shop to pick up his car. There was light rain falling that Monday night as I recall the vigor of knowing that somewhere someone was viewing my content and among the first visitors to do so. It was quite a high for me knowing that as I drove my dad on that wet drizzling freeway. It’s a moment in time that I remember fondly even to this day 11 years later.
It’s crazy to think that my one man fansite has been around for 11 years now. Eleven! Gaming fansites usually have a limited shelf life. It’s not uncommon to see these sites either losing steam over time or flat out become obsolete. Whether the webmaster burns out, loses interest or gets caught up in life’s craziness, it happens far more often than not. Yet somehow, I’ve managed to buck the trend. I am still going strong 11 years and counting. My passion for the SNES and to continually expand RVGFanatic is as strong now in 2018 as it was in 2007. It’s crazy. The SNES is the system that just keeps on giving. Working on my baby RVGFanatic the past 11 years has been a blast, and one of the big reasons why I keep coming back to the SNES time in and time out.
6. EPIC MULTI-PLAYER SESSIONS
Nothing beats a good old fashioned gaming party
I’ve been fortunate enough to have some memorable multi-player SNES romps over the years, and they always leave me feeling recharged and re-energized.
Taking my SNES instead proved to be the right call
While immersing myself in a classic one player quest is tough to top, perhaps there’s nothing better in gaming than an epic night of rollicking couch co-op. One session in particular: Christmas 2010. My cousins invited the family over for Christmas night. Normally I haul the Sega Saturn and Saturn Bomberman along with me, but that night I decided to take the Super Nintendo instead.
I picked up a PowerPak cartridge about a month prior. It’s basically a memory card capable of storing hundreds of SNES games. Talk about super convenient. I found the perfect box to fit everything. A nice snug fit!
Karen texted me earlier that night, pleading me to come over soon. In her own words, “STEVE! We need you to get your butt over here — we are in dire need for some entertainment!” That Karen, I tell ya, she always cracks me up. I busted out my Super Nintendo upon arrival and Karen nearly fell over. “OH MY GOD, I haven’t seen one of these babies in eons!” We set it up. She was stunned by the amount of choices available on my PowerPak. I let her browse the endless list of games and her eyes popped when she spotted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time. “I remember playing this back in the day!” Karen shouted, turning into a six year old kid before my very eyes. Karen and David started out on the first level and we rotated turns. We had a blast going down memory lane. Safe to say, the Ninja Turtles weren’t the only ones who went back in time that fine Christmas night.
After Turtles in Time, we switched over to Super Bomberman 2. It brought back so many rich memories of the early-mid ’90s when my old gaming circle would spend countless Saturday nights dunking on each other in NBA Jam and blowing up one another in the Super Bomberman games. It was, pardon the pun, an absolute blast.
Ah, New Year’s Eve 2012
Once again the SNES PowerPak proved its worth taking center stage when my cousins came over. 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. We rung in 2013 laughing and roaring. Epic gaming sessions like these stay with you for the long haul and only help remind me of why I love gaming so much.
7. HAPPY RETIREMENT FROM BUYING
I acquired a whopping 51 SNES games that first month
It all started with one seemingly innocent impulsive buy on eBay nearly 12 years ago. I bought Power Moves, an old SNES fighting game my brother and I rented way back in late 1992. I was lucky. The SNES bug bit me earlier than most of my peers. Early 2006 was a grand time to be buying SNES games left and right as they were still dirt cheap a dozen years ago. My library steadily grew until it morphed into a massive monstrosity.
No rest for the weary, however. No sooner did I win Power Moves I also won Prehistorik Man. Ignition Factor and Fatal Fury Special all soon followed. The next day I bought Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball, Mega Man X, Plok!, NHL ’98 and Sky Blazer. Not one to stop there, I was back at it two days later with buys of NBA Give ‘N Go, Super Turrican, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Super Tennis and Kirby’s Avalanche. Ah, those were some Wild Wild West days!
Getting the best of both worlds… literally
Not only was I buying the North American games but I was also buying the Super Famicom imports that never came out stateside.
Early on I didn’t care to get the manuals and boxes. I just wanted the cartridges. But I came across some cheap manual and box lots that I couldn’t pass up. Once they started coming in, the memories of reading these manuals and boxes as a kid once upon a moon came roaring back to me. And I figured why the hell not? Go big or go home!
I was lucky I got back into it when it was still cheapI’ll never forget that “lost weekend” I assembled them
My biggest stroke of luck came when I met an eBay seller from Minnesota by the name of Jenn back in 2007. She had a ton of SNES boxes and manuals she was looking to unload. I bought in bulk and she cut me a great deal. She sold me over 200! I doubt my collection would be what it is today were it not for Jenn.
Life is truly all about timing. Thanks Jenn!My last huge get: the ultra rare 3 Ninjas Kick Back box!
I finished off 90% of my collection by 2008. My final big buy was the 3 Ninjas Kick Back box which I acquired in 2012. I’ve pretty much been done buying SNES stuff for five years now, and THAT FEELS GREAT.
It’s one of the rarest SNES boxes around. I lucked out!Even got my email printed in Retro Magazine!Got my collection featured in that magazine as well!
SNES games were incredibly affordable back in 2006. I really lucked out in terms of timing. The SNES scene didn’t explode until 2010 or so. Fortunately I was able to beat the rush. It’s only because of my early start that I have what I now have. If I started back in 2009? Forget it. These games now cost an arm and a leg!
Having a complete boxed collection of all the SNES games I ever wanted has unquestionably kept my passion burning all these years. Being able to play these games whenever I want and no longer worrying about getting sniped on eBay and what have you is simply priceless. I feel like I’ve come full circle in many ways and that I have fulfilled my childhood dreams, as corny as that may be to say. If you had told me 25 years ago when I was a kid in 1993 that 25 years later I would somehow own 500+ boxed SNES games… I would probably die laughing.
I just love walking into my game room randomly sometimes. I don’t even have to play a game. Sometimes all I do is stand back and admire it for a few minutes while taking a stroll down memory lane. The memories come rushing back and it’s almost therapeutic in some ways. It’s escaping from the real world for a brief moment to slip back to a time in your life where things were simpler and more “magical.” Having an awesome collection that you’re 100% content with helps keep the fire burning. Glad to be retired from collecting but definitely not retired from playing
A quick shout out to Super Play Magazine. My acquisition of the 47 issue publication in late 2006 is another highlight of my collection. It’s the perfect companion piece to any Super Nintendo collection. Every once in a while I still pick up a random issue to read.
Good to see the one-off reunion issue last year!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I can’t believe RVGFanatic turns 11 today, and it’s crazy that in 10 days I will celebrate 12 years since the day I began my SNES comeback. The Super Nintendo has always been in my life in one way or another. First when I was a kid and later as an adult. 12 years later the fire still burns. I’ve played so many great SNES games the past 12 years and I still have a truck load remaining. No matter what direction life takes me in going forward, it’s safe to say I’ll always carry a special bond with this system. And somehow, I suspect the SNES fire will always burn in the backdrop of my life.
8. SPECIAL LOVE FROM MY READERS
BONUS! If I had to cite an 8th reason why my SNES passion still burns, it’s whenever I hear from one of my readers that something I wrote touched a small part of their past. I think many of us can relate to my experiences growing up in the early and mid ’90s and what it was like growing up with a Super Nintendo and some good friends to play it with. There’s an unspoken special bond there that you’ll only know if you grew up in that era. Here’s some of the feedback I’ve received over the past 11 years.
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If you haven’t read Steven’s stories about his collection, you’re missing out. The stories are fun and poignant, and it’s nice to know that other people have their memories and feelings from their history all tangled up with a video game background. The stories from his childhood, losing and making friends, and developing feelings that don’t always work out will make you feel like you know him a bit, even if like me you’re a guy from Missouri who couldn’t pick him out of a lineup.
~CeleryStalker
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Hi Steve,
I stumbled across your site thanks to a strange detour thrown at my feet while I was checking up on the Sega Saturn (a console I never owned but want to know more about) and found myself reading and reading. It’s rare these days, when everyone and their dog has a website (often about their dog) that you find someone who captures your imagination so vividly. I can’t explain it honestly. I find it odd that I’m writing this… but we share a love of the SNES and the long lasting summer evenings of childhood, something you describe so perfectly. And also Super Play… it was the only magazine I ever bought every month. It looked like nothing else on the shelf and rewarded with each and every read. The Japanese focus was so rare back then and the oddities and the sense of humor still makes me laugh. Oh, and the [Oi! – Ed.] thing goes back a little further as many of the Editors and staff worked on the magazine issues for the ZX Spectrum and other early ’80s computers so the [ – Ed.] inserts you sometimes incorporate are close to my heart. It made me laugh when I saw them on your website.
There’s no real point to the email other than to say thanks for writing. Something in your writing connected with me here in London and threw me back to my old childhood, rekindled my love for the SNES and the obscure, and has propelled me onwards as I continue to check out what the Saturn has to offer.
Now I’ve got many more pages of your site to read. I plan on going through them all as I never know what bizarre retro games I’ll find, or what other long-forgotten nights from my childhood I’ll remember.
Once again, thanks.
~Jon L.
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Hi Steven,
I’m an avid reader of your website. I can’t wait to read your next update on RVGFanatic. I’m a huge fan of your personal essays and memoirs, as well as the reviews. You have no idea how many times I’ve read your Sega Saturn Saga. If I ever launch a website, I hope it will be as emotionally evocative as yours!
OK, I don’t want to sound too much like a fanboy. I promise I won’t annoy you with any more praise, haha. Thanks again for your time.
Sincerely,
William D.
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Wow man, been reading this site for a while now and thought I would comment. The stuff you’ve written on here is simply a gold mine of awesome stories and nostalgic memories. I swear you could have been a friend or close relative of mine back in the day. Some of these stories on here are literally pages right out of my childhood, from the renting stories, to stuff like replaying Contra with my uncle and brother time and time again, to loving shows like The Wonder Years, etc.
Incredible stuff. Also love all your “ramblings” as you call them. I just cannot get enough of this stuff, lol. Please, whatever you do, do not stop writing. I find myself coming back here time and time again to read through some of these articles and remember the good times. Keep up the amazing work!
~Rich
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Hi Steve,
Your reviews and articles are a joy to read. I appreciate the passion you put into your work; it never fails to strike a nostalgic chord with me. Better still, you have opened my eyes to a few games I ignored during my 16-bit youth, such as Brandish and Hook, which I now enjoy greatly.
Keep up the great work. I’m looking forward to the next review.
~LisVender
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Hey Steve,
Just sitting here, reading your site, throwing a few back, and I figured to myself, “Hey, I might as well give Steve some love here.” I’m sure you get a lot of praise, but I’m sure it never hurts to hear some more to let you know your hard work is not for nothing.
Steve, you kick ass. I love your site. So many fansites are advertised, and people say great things to just be nice, but I gotta say… RVGFANATIC is truly great. I find myself reading the reviews and articles over and over… it’s just like a good book where I just keep reading it and re-reading it. It’s written so well and very entertaining.
Happy New Year! I wanted to kick off 2018 by reviewing a blockbuster title. One that would be worthy to ring in the new year with. A few games came to mind but in the end I couldn’t think of a better choice than Super Metroid. Considered arguably the greatest Super Nintendo game of all time, Super Metroid is an action platforming adventure unlike anything else you have seen on the SNES. It’s a bonafide first ballot Hall of Fame classic that stands as one of the best SNES, nay, 16-bit, nay, video games of all time. Few games are as atmospheric, immersive or engrossing as this 24 MEG masterpiece. So grab your Grappling Beam, don your Power Suit and join me for a blissful jaunt down memory lane!
IN THE BEGINNING…
Metroid originated on the 8-bit Nintendo, arriving on the Famicom August 6, 1986. It landed in North America in August of 1987 and made quite the splash. I remember my brother and his friends loving this game. Being so young at the time, I didn’t quite get it. But I watched them play it and I was enthralled. Nintendo had created a unique alien-like world. Bright purple and orange colors. It was like a Sci-Fi film come to life.
EGM ranked it the 44th best game of all time
Metroid went on to become one of the NES greats. Often hailed as a benchmark title, it put players right in the shoes of one, Samus Aran. It’s hard to think about the NES and not think about Metroid somehow. Naturally, when the SNES came along in 1991, everyone clamored for a Super Metroid. It took a while but the wait was worth it.
THE STORY CONTINUES…
Years ago, having demolished a Metroid army and eviscerating the Mother Brain, Samus Aran descended to the planet known as Zebes.
After Zebes was taken care of, Samus blasted the Metroid population of SR388 only to discover a hatchling.
Samus took the Metroid hatchling to Ceres Space Station where scientists could study and look after it.
The scientists discovered that the Metroid hatchling had energy-producing characteristics.
Answering a distress call, Samus returned to the Space Station to find the lab in ruins. That wasn’t the only thing Samus discovered. For there stood the Space Pirate Ridley, with the hatchling firmly gripped by Ridley’s talons.
Samus and Ridley immediately opened fire on one another, turning the once peaceful Space Station into a violent war zone of death and destruction.
Without warning Ridley suddenly made its escape with the hatchling and took off for the planet Zebes. Ridley scales beautifully out of the screen, laying waste to what remains of the lab.
Better get the F*CK out!
Narrowly escaping the earthquake, you hop into your space ship and head directly for Planet Zebes where the hatchling awaits rescuing. God knows what they plan to do with the poor little thing…
Unfortunately for you, many nasty monsters lie in waiting ready to rip your head off. Better find some upgrades fast to ensure yourself even a snowball’s chance in hell! Between you and the hatchling lies countless chambers, catacombs, caves and chasms. Good luck!
WHAT’S ON THE MENU?
This menu tracks what you’ve acquired. You can mix and match to your heart’s content. Toy around with a combo of beams and who knows, you may even get some new ones…
SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST
Just like the NES classic So satisfying to find a new item!
The Super Missile is the power equivalent of five regular missiles. You can carry up to 50. Certain doors can only be opened via the Super Missile.
Bombs never run out and can send blocks sky high, leading to hidden passages.
The Energy Tank stores 100 units of energy. A maximum of 14 can be carried.
RUN FOREST RUN!Eat your heart out, SonicThe Grappling Beam was a game changerEnter these pods to save
I GOT PLACES TO GO
AND PEOPLE MONSTERS TO SEE KILL
Crateria is crawling with all sorts of creepy creatures.
The farther you go the more bizarre things get…
This guy is my favorite non-boss enemy. Zebesians are bipedal crustaceans with lobster-like claws and lethal laser beams.
They attack often times in packs. Watch your back!
I don’t have many complaints but I wish there were a greater inclusion of bipedal enemies. As such, the Zebesians really stand out for me.
After securing the bomb power-up, the Torizo statue crumbles and comes to life! It’s the first official boss battle of the game. It’s a cinch but a nice introduction to the big bad bosses that await.
Samus isn’t one to get spooked easily but even this gives her some pause.
Bust out the heavy artillery!Well said, EGM!What in the blue hell is this…GAWD DAMN!
CONFESSION TIME
I never reallyplayed Super Metroid until a fateful Saturday night back in February of 2007.
I played it briefly back in the spring of ’94 at KB Toys. From those five minutes alone, I knew it was an awesome game. But I never got to play it thoroughly. We never bought it as kids and the opportunity never arose. Getting back into the Super Nintendo nearly 12 years ago (January 17, 2006) gave me a second chance at gaming redemption.
My mind was blown to pieces
Not only did it live up to the massive hype and billing, but it absolutely shattered my gaming world. It was easily one of the best video games I ever played. And to this day I can still say that with all the confidence in the world. Super Metroid is a fantastic work of art. OK, whew, now that I got that confession off my chest, let’s carry on.
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Samus begins the game atop her trusty Starship. I remember playing this at KB Toys in ’94 and being blown away. It’s such a small thing but I recall being amazed that the opening involves going left instead of the traditional right.
Speaking of unusual, not many games at that time had doors up top and below. Such is the unique diversity of Super Metroid. The little details captivated my imagination and pulled me deeper into its world.
Atmospheric is a word often used to describe this game. Look no further than the elevator shafts. There’s a sense of anticipation and tension that percolates as Samus rides the lift to her next destination spot, knowing all too well that it could very well be her last.
Collecting goodies and using them effectively is the name of the game.
Zebesians and Geemers litter the caverns of Crateria.
Bloodthirsty bats wait for you to come near before swooping in.
Congrats on attaining the bomb! But of course, the Torizo statue explodes, revealing a hideous monster underneath.
Killing a boss leaves behind a trail of goodies. I always got a kick out of the health refills in this game — it’s like a purple Target sign!
Combine different skills and power-ups to make your way through. Use the combo of the Morphing Ball and Bomb to forge new passageways.
Believe in the power of prayer? If not, now’s a good time to start!
Audrey, I mean, the Spore Spawn, is a horrific plant monster that guards the lair of Brinstar.
Those energy recharge capsules are a real lifesaver. Try blasting bombs over the thinner surfaces — you never know what new ground you might discover!
Demonic statues doesn’t deter the likes of Samus. Especially not when the Spazer Beam is in your clutches.
Foreshadowing at its best…
Scarcely have I seen a more impressive looking boss than Kraid. Truly a memorable sprite and one for the ages.
Spazer Beam can destroy certain surfaces, even. After venturing a bit in Norfair, you’ll come to the aptly named Bubble Mountain.
Watch out for the many bizarre and gruesome monsters that call Norfair home.
Samus is an agile sucker. This ain’t no Sir Arthur from Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts! The Ice Beam allows you to freeze enemies and use them as makeshift platforms. Nice.
Freeze those little bastards! Later on, a group of Etecoons (a race of non-violent intelligent mammals) will show you how to perform the Wall Jump.
Crocomire cannot be killed by missiles or beams. Instead, you must use your firepower to push the monstrosity into the lava. What a glorious demise!
“This will look great over my mantle.”
Grappling Beam further expands the game world. Shades of Simon Belmont from Super Castlevania IV! The Phantoon guards the Wrecked Ship.
Figuratively and literally, Super Metroid shattered the glass ceiling.
Lurking in the murky underground maze of Maridia lies a huge aquatic serpent.
Draygon and its hatchlings are all too happy to say hello.
Special Charge Beam Attacks offer you even more firepower. Part of the fun is messing around and finding out what suits you best and when. Remember the Torizo from way back in the beginning? Here’s the MUCH tougher Golden Torizo. And suddenly I’m in the mood for some chorizo…
Menacing mouth inside of a menacing mouth? Nice one, Nintendo. Ridley is back. Don’t forget: no one can hear you scream in space.
METROID!
MOTHER BRAIN!
That… doesn’t look too good for you.
Good luck…
COVER GIRL
Super Metroid graced the cover of many gaming magazines. By the way, Chris Marett, if you happen to read this, I’ve got your childhood Nintendo Power issue.
Gorgeous artwork by the one and only Wil OvertonYou go, girl!
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Silly Samus — we love ya!
Critics and fans alike raved about Super Metroid. Many consider it as the pinnacle of 16-bit gaming. EGM gave it scores of 9, 9, 9 and 9. It earned GAME OF THE MONTH honors. GameFan scored it 96, 98 and 98%. Super Play rated it 92% in June 1994 and then 94%in October 2017 in their special “reunion” issue. You would be hard pressed to find many Top 10 SNES games list that doesn’t feature Super Metroid on there.
Super Play issue #20 (June 1994)Super Play reunion issue #48 (October 2017)EGM ranked it as the 6th best game of all timeBloody well said!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
From the moment you turn on Super Metroid to the bittersweet end, you’re in for one wild ride. I’ll never forget finding myself on Crateria for that first time. You’re being drenched in an absolute downpour as you head for shelter. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you know what lies inside (and beneath) is far worse than the terrible weather outside. You can’t help but get sucked into its gritty and dank universe.
The beauty of Super Metroid is that it’s so wonderfully interconnected. Though you may be able to access Brinstar from the very beginning, there are certain regions you cannot pass until much later in the game after discovering a brand new power-up. Then you go, “Oh yeah! With this new ability, I can go back to X and now do Y!” And it’s all wrapped up in a very polished package. While the graphics won’t exactly wow anyone, they’re crisp and well detailed. Each region has a distinct look. The music is highly atmospheric and different for each section with each tune fitting the respective area to a tee. Some themes are haunting and creepy, crafting a feeling of desolation and despair in the air. Other themes have sort of a melancholy to them that will stick to your crawl as you explore the caverns and catacombs. The gameplay is simply divine. With so many hidden secrets, weapon combinations, power-ups, special techniques and so forth, Super Metroid plays like a dream.
My only minor gripe is that it’s far too easy, especially with the multitude of energy tanks available. Oh that and the annoying wall jump (AKA the triangle jump). Wall jumps aren’t as easy and smooth to execute as I expected. Thankfully though, there’s only one section in this game where the wall jump is required, so it’s not like it’s a huge deal or anything. Other than those two very minor flaws I just listed, Super Metroid is virtually untouchable. Control is tight and the gameplay is a masterful concoction of intuition and discovery. Each time you grab a new beam, item or suit, the game’s incredibly intricate design expands before your very eyes. You can’t help but love every second of it. Samus is an agile sucker capable firing in all directions and swinging from cliff to cliff (once the grappling beam has been found). Hell, she can even kneel! She couldn’t in the previous Metroid games and it gives Samus a whole new wrinkle. I could ramble on and on but here’s the bottom line… this is 16-bit gaming at its very best.
Graphics: 9 Sound: 9 Gameplay: 10 Longevity: 8
Overall: 10
Platinum Award
It’s clichéd but Super Metroid isn’t just a video game. It’s a loving work of art, it’s an experience, it’s lightning in a bottle. Few games on the Super Nintendo are as atmospheric or immersive as Super Metroid. It stands as a hallmark title in the annals of gaming history.
1987 was a special year for me. It was the year that my childhood pretty much began. 1987 was the year my uncle bought an 8-bit Nintendo for me and my brother. It was also the year I discovered Godzilla and professional wrestling. And of course, you know where this is going, it was 30 years ago today (TO THE DAY) that the first cartoon episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aired. I still remember watching the premier and being completely blown away. The Ninja Turtles became a huge part of my childhood, and I can’t think of a better way to close out 2017 here on RVGFanatic than to honor the franchise that began (in cartoon form) 30 years ago today.
TURTLE POWER
Any child who grew up in the late ’80s remembers the above all too well. It was a staple of many childhoods, and had kids glued to their television sets on Saturday mornings all across the world. Who could ever forget that classic first episode? We learned about how the turtles came to be and the challenges that lay before them. The original series ran from 1987-1996 and spawned a whopping 193 episodes.
Mutagen!The irony of ninjas and turtles. Think about it…I love my exposition scenes when it’s done right
The Turtles became a massive hit. Not only was a cartoon series flourishing but soon came the toys and video games.
Oh, the memories…I loved my Rat King toyI also had a soft spot for Mutagen ManRemember playing with the sticky green ooze?Super Shredder was such a badassFun fact: he was played by former WWF Champ, DieselBig Daddy Cool! AKA Big Sexy AKA Kevin NashAnother fun fact: Shredder was voiced by James AveryThen came the movies. Man did I love the first two
The Turtles became a cultural phenomenon by the early ’90s. They were everywhere you looked. It was a great time to be a kid.
Years later I bought the series on DVD
The design on Season Four was my personal favorite thanks to Raph’s gorgeous face protruding out of the cover. Not to mention the set contained a whopping 39 episodes.
Bought the last two DVD sets in early 2013Taken on December 20, 2017
About a week ago, my girlfriend took me to this arcade pub in her hometown. They had a bunch of old arcade cabs. I almost fell over when we spotted the original Ninja Turtles arcade game. I hadn’t played it in well over 25 years. Too bad they didn’t have Turtles in Time as well but this definitely brought back memories.
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
Hmmm, whoever could they be??Who else but our favorite Renaissance Italian artists!Arguably the best beat ‘em up on the SNES
HEROES IN A HALF SHELL
NA: Normal Attack RA: Rush Attack ST: Special Technique D: Defense S: Speed
COWABUNGA!
Konami’s faithful and awesome intro never gets old, especially when you factor in the steller Ninja Turtles theme.
Mikey was always my guy.
Konami did such a great job porting the arcade game over. They even threw in some bonus features, such as a Time Trial and Versus mode. Options were plentiful and you could customize it to your liking. It doesn’t make up for losing the four player mode (the SNES probably couldn’t handle it properly) but it’s better than nothing.
Channel 6 News is on the scene with April O’Neil. Wherever April goes, trouble usually isn’t too far behind.
Shredder does his evil laughter and the Turtles spring into action.
Silhouette of the stage’s boss is shown at the beginning of each level. I always thought that was a nice touch. The Foot Soldiers make for the perfect beat ‘em up cannon fodder.
Watch out for the wrecking ball! I love how the Foot Soldiers explode into oblivion.
Avoid Krang’s laser eye beams. What a brilliant way to incorporate Krang’s exosuit early on. I love it when games use a bit of foreshadowing. The first boss is good ol’ Baxter Stockman. Eat yer heart out, Jeff Goldblum.
Things can get sticky fast. Time to put this pest down!
Alleycat Blues, what a great friggin’ name. Can’t have a beat ‘em up without some back alley brawling, can we?
Interact with the environment and use it to your advantage. You can also deflect manhole covers back at the Foot Soldiers. Nice!
DON’T try this at home, kids.
Roadkill Rodneys may well become the bane of your existence. Foot Soldiers can fill the screen quick.
Become a tornado of destruction by touching the pizza box with the bomb symbol.
MechaGodzilla, I mean, MechaTurtle, I mean, Metalhead… damnit.
Scrapheap that ass!
Totally tubular! Sorry. But yeah, this is a nice break from the norm.
Careful or you’ll be doing the Turtle Dance.
Yellow Pizza Monsters… ah, my childhood. The Rat King gives a little speech at the end. Oh my foolish child. You had to do the whole bad guy exposition spiel, didn’t ‘cha?
Firepower game is on point, admittedly. But Donatello spots a weak point and exploits it for all it’s worth. See ya in hell, Rat King!
Technodrome! What a nostalgic sight.
Turtles leap into action like only they can. The silhouette reveals Tokka from the second TMNT movie. Nice.
Mobile Offensive Underground Search Excavation and Retrieval Sentries, or Mousers for short (thank goodness), are introduced here. They’re as annoying as Mousers.
These two were featured in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
Tokka and Rahzar can freeze or grill you.
AWWW! How stinkin’ cute. But the level continues.
Never gets old tossing Foot Soldiers at the screen
Shredder has an obsession with turtle soup. This boss fight was not in the arcade. Konami made this exclusively for the SNES to further utilize their Mode 7 Foot Soldier tossing, which was also new to the SNES port. Bless those Konami lads.
Maybe I’m operating on a hunch here but ya know something… I think Shredder might have some anger management issues.
Traveling back in time… way back!
Dinosaurs AND TMNT? TAKE MY MONEY!
Revenge of the Foot Clan: they certainly are a lot tougher now. And to make matters even worse, the Rock Soldiers join the fray.
Break out your special move in a pinch. It’ll damage nearby enemies from both sides. Of course, this comes at the expense of some health. And hey, beat ‘em up trope #87: bad guys throwing explosives and running away.
Flattened like a pancake. Blue Foot Soldiers fly at the screen butt first.
Slash… AKA one tough son of a bitch.
Metalhead this ain’t. I can never beat him on just one life.
Finally. GAWD DAMN.
Marty McFly would be proud.
Announcer reading the title of each stage always takes me to a happy place. Ouch — I felt that one too, Mikey.
Archery lessons. Lucky me. Careful where you step!
These Rock Soldiers are giving Michelangelo one hell of a hard time. Sorry.
Rocksteady and Bebop… it just wouldn’t be a proper TMNT game without these two buffoons.
Another awesome stage name — Bury My Shell At Wounded Knee. I can’t help but smile each time I see that title. The Foot Soldiers keep learning new tricks, don’t they?
Riding horses and playing hide and seek, even!
Keeping up with the (Casey) Joneses, the Rock Soldiers reveal a few new tricks of their own.
Leaping over rolling barrels is always a good time, especially when said barrels knock over a few Foot Soldiers in the process. Leatherhead (no relation to Leatherface) is still pissed at that little kid who flushed him down the toilet…
Animations are incredibly detailed and, at times, hilarious.
2020… it’s crazy that we’re just about two years away. TWO! 2020 back in 1992 felt like it would never come. Neon Night-Riders was truly mind-blowing back in 1992.
Mousers and flying Foot Soldiers can really put a damper on your night.
Details help make a game more memorable. I love being able to see Super Krang flying in the background. It builds up the anticipation of the eventual showdown.
Bosses flash like crazy as they weaken. Classic.
Welcome to the year 2100, Where No Turtle Has Gone Before. The sliding attack works well so be sure to use it.
Flinging Foot Soldiers at the screen never gets old.
Nothing beats karate kicking a Foot Soldier upside its head. Beware of the futuristic traps that lie ahead.
Watch out for the Rock Soldiers who have some new toys to play with.
Krang is back. Time to pop his bubble!
Krang’s beautiful demise leads our heroes to the portal back home. Quick, don’t miss it!
Prepare to meet the Super Shredder. There are no Foot Soldiers, Mousers or Rock Soldiers to fight beforehand. You’re taken straight to the final boss. No boss gauntlet. Super Shredder wants you all to himself…
Somebody really wants their turtle soup. Save the Statue of Liberty!
HOME BONUSES
Versus Mode pits you against a friend. Pick from any of the four Turtles. It’s not the greatest mode in the world, but at least it’s something extra. There is also a Time Trial Mode.
Select from either the classic animation look or the 1984 comic book look, which is darker and grittier. Doesn’t really make much of a difference but it’s a neat little bonus for diehard TMNT fans.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID
Turtles in Time was well received by the press. EGM gave it scores of 9, 9, 9 and 9. Super Play rated it 84%. Most people call this game the best beat ‘em up on the SNES. I certainly don’t disagree, although I would rank Super Double Dragon (in its Japanese form) a close second place. You know a game is special when people are still talking fondly about it more than 25 years later.
Perhaps the coolest usage of Mode 7 in SNES history!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The Ninja Turtles celebrate 30 years today. Although they made their first appearance in May of 1984 through the comic book medium, they are perhaps most well known for their 1987 cartoon iteration. I know that’s how I was exposed to TMNT as well as countless other kids who grew up in the late ’80s. They’ve given us so many memories over the years. My girlfriend and I recently played Turtles in Time and it still holds up extremely well. Of course, some animations and speech samples had to be sacrificed. Not to mention the epic four player mode is nowhere to be found, but at its core still lies an awesome and fast moving beat ‘em up. The visuals are well animated and cartoony; it feels like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life. The sound and music are memorable as well and complements the onscreen mayhem nicely. Hearing the TMNT theme blare during the opening intro never gets old. Best of all, the game is fast, smooth and a joy to play alongside a friend. Many SNES beat ‘em ups capped out at three enemies simultaneously appearing on the screen, but Turtles in Time pulls off four enemies without a hitch. Sometimes there is even more. This leads to a more frenetic experience that truly feels like a slice (pardon the pun) of its arcade original.
My fondest memory with this game took place seven years ago (Christmas 2010). My cousins flew in from Texas and that night the lot of us rotated turns playing Teenage Mutant Ninjas Turtles IV: Turtles in Time. We had a blast and my cousin was drunk with nostalgia, saying how this was her favorite arcade game from her childhood. Ironically, it wasn’t just the Ninja Turtles who went back in time that night. It’s one of my fondest gaming memories. TMNT was born to be a beat ‘em up. Four heroes to pick from, a ton of Foot Soldier variants and a badass end boss in Super Shredder. It was a match made in Heaven. I had a great time playing this game 25 years ago in 1992 and it’s just as fun to play 25 years later in 2017. Along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, Konami gave SNES owners two of the best TMNT games of all time. Speaking of time, that’s my exit cue. See y’all in 2018! I hope 2017 treated you well. Here’s to a kickass new year — “COWABUNGA!”
Overall: 9.0
![[More like this, right? -Ed.] Har har](http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/5hours-e1517699307699.jpg)
