Ultraman (SNES)

Pub: Bandai | Dev: Nova | October 1991 | 4 MEGS
Pub: Bandai | Dev: Nova | October 1991 | 4 MEGS

One of the earliest SNES games released in North America, Ultraman owns the distinction of being the first 1-on-1 fighting game on the Super Nintendo. If you were around any game rental store back in late 1991, chances are you too came across a boxed copy of Ultraman: Towards The Future. To its credit, the box art is pretty snazzy, blasting your senses with its frenetic energy and seemingly hi-octane larger than life action. Back in those days, the box art was often your first impression of a game, and Ultraman certainly made a nice splash in that regard. Flipping to the back of the box revealed promising screenshots of a fighting game with monsters. What could go wrong, right? Sadly, as it turns out, much.

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If you were a monster and video game lover like me in those days, then the box art of Ultraman and the description on the back undoubtedly had you sold. Taking the box to the counter, you handed it over to the clerk as you watched your old man plunk down the dollar ninety nine. You felt like the luckiest kid in the universe — Street Fighter II with monsters!? Is this real life? I would soon come to find out that mentioning Ultraman and Street Fighter II in the same breath was the gravest of sins…

MONSTER LOVER

The King of the Monsters
The King of the Monsters

Some kids grew up with greats such as Cal Ripken Jr., John Elway or Michael Jordan as their idol. I, on the other hand, grew up on the 24-inch pythons of the immortal Hulk Hogan and the fire spewing, train chomping big guy himself, Godzilla. Thanks to my dad, Uncle Jimmy, some local mom and pop rental shops and the infamous Godzilla POWER HOUR, I rarely missed any of the big guy’s adventures. If someone was decked out in a rubber suit stomping around miniature cities, chances were I was probably there with a grin plastered across my kisser as cheesy as the monster movies of my youth itself.

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While I loved all monsters small and big, my absolute favorite was without a doubt GODZILLA. Remember all those old box covers for the Godzilla movies? Most of them are seared into my retina, with Godzilla 1985 in particular sticking out. Who could ever forget that classic yellow golden border or the menacing up close money shot of Godzilla (complete with fangs and all) leering over Tokyo. A blurb by Joel Siegel “THE BEST GODZILLA IN 30 YEARS… HYSTERICAL FUN.” Good times.

I must have read the back of this box 50 times! ove that iconic shot of Godzilla looming over Tokyo
I must have read the back of this box 50 times!
Love that iconic shot of Godzilla looming over Tokyo

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One Saturday night in 1989, my parents took me to this fancy mall. Being 20 minutes away from home and a little farther out than our neighborhood mall, this mall was less frequented and thus carried with it an extra air of mystique. It was like that exotic mall that truly had all the good shit. I can recall the excitement welling up in the pit of my stomach as my dad wrestled to find a parking spot on that hectic Saturday night. I still remember bypassing the escalator and running up the stairs to make my way to the inviting neon purple glow of the classic SAM GOODY logo. The sign seemed so huge as a kid — it looked like it stretched on for miles and miles.

Ah, the nostalgia...
Ah, the nostalgia…

It’s funny how as kids the simplest pleasures brought us such great satisfaction. For me, going to Sam Goody back in the late ’80s was one of those simple joys, especially at this particular mall that felt larger than life. I wasted no time making a beeline toward the SCI-FI section. I scoured over the Godzilla movies to see if there were any I had missed. Due to this mall having a certain mystique, in my head as a kid I rationalized that maybe it might carry exclusive Godzilla movies. Ahh, the innocence of being six or so!

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After my disappointment of not seeing any new Godzilla films, I was ready to leave when I saw it… GAMERA VS. GAOS. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the distinctive VS. on the side of the box. I knew those two magical letters could only mean one thing: MONSTER MOVIE MADNESS!

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I could hardly contain my excitement as I plucked out the VHS box to examine its glorious front and back cover. It was my first exposure to Gamera. Even at my young age I could tell Gamera was clearly a Godzilla ripoff, but it was the thrill of discovering something brand new in a genre you hold near and dear to your heart. I shoved the tape in my dad’s face. My old man whipped out the ol’ credit card and like so many times before, he made the magic happen. The rest of the evening I walked around the mall with my mom, dad and brother happily clutching the SAM GOODY bag, occasionally glancing inside to admire that cheesy yet glorious Gamera vs. Gaos box art.

Such an awesome back cover
Such an awesome back cover
I remember gawking at this as we went through the mall
I recall gawking at this as we went through the mall

What can I say? I loved giant monster movies. Fast forward to 1992 where I would meet my latest daikaiju addiction…

ULTRAMAN: TOWARDS THE USA

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January 1992. I was 8 years old and woke up every Saturday morning around 7 to catch all the latest cartoons. One Saturday I caught the first episode of Ultraman: Towards The Future. I didn’t know who Ultraman was at the time. But I knew the show featured giant monsters and that was good enough for me. I remember watching Ultraman fighting a nasty alien creature (Gudis) with limbs that would make Dhalsim green with envy. Best of all, his brain was on top of his head!

Gudis came back later in the series revamped as Gudis II
Gudis came back later revamped as Super Gudis

Ultraman, like Gamera, was no Godzilla but I cheered on Ultraman nonetheless. There were 13 episodes in all — the last one airing more than 25 years ago on March 28, 1992. I never missed an episode and loved the camp value.

The toyline was pretty damn badass
The toyline was pretty damn badass

Ah… the memories (of what wasn’t). Dreamworks Toys released an Ultraman lineup in the spring of ’92 to go along with the US TV series. The figures were around 10 inches tall. Kerwin, my brother’s best friend at the time, asked me what I wanted for my 9th birthday. I told him I wanted Majaba. Kerwin assuredly told me, “You got it, Steve-O.”

Wait a second... Majaba that ain't
Wait a second… Majaba that ain’t

Fast forward to the summer of 1992. Right off the bat I knew something was off when the wrapped present with Kerwin’s name on the tag was about 5 inches tall. I opened his gift and out came Launchpad McQuack. Now don’t get me wrong, I love me some Darkwing Duck and Launchpad’s a cool cat but he ain’t Majaba! Way to get a guy’s hopes up, eh? Nonetheless, in the end I was grateful for his generosity. After all, he was my brother’s friend. He wasn’t obligated to get me jack. Speaking of Kerwin, after my family moved in 1996 my brother lost touch with him. He managed to track him down around 2003 where we found out that Kerwin was in Las Vegas trying to earn his DJ stripes. Big guy, wherever you are out there, I hope you are in good health and peace of mind. Even if you got me Launchpad McQuack instead of Majaba as you promised me, you big fat bastard :P

EVERGREEN VIDEO

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In the late ’80s and early ’90s my brother Kevin and I frequented a little mom and pop shop named Evergreen Video. Oh how I loved that place. I can still hear the little chime that rung each time you entered the hallowed halls of Evergreen Video. The smell of the oakwood shelves permeates to this day. As documented in Memories of Renting, Tom was the source that corrupted us. One day in early 1992 my dad and I made our traditional Saturday afternoon trek to rent the latest video game. Tom recently bought some SNES games to keep up with the changing of the guard. At that time we didn’t have the internet and I had yet to follow gaming magazines religiously. So imagine my shock and excitement when I saw Ultraman! I’ll never forget how it came with a HUGE blown up 8×11 black and white photocopied manual as opposed to the original booklet. I guess Tom was protective of his instruction manuals!

FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2008

Peering in the defunct remains of Evergreen Video
Peering in the defunct remains of Evergreen Video

On this night (now nearly 10 years ago, damn) my cousin Vivian threw me a graduation dinner with the family. We ate at this Chinese restaurant that coincidentally just happened to be a couple stores down from where Evergreen Video once stood proudly. I hadn’t been to that area in eons. On my drive to the restaurant, I couldn’t help but reminisce about all the fond memories of my dad taking me there every Saturday to rent the latest NES game. The wave of memories came flooding back as I pulled into that parking lot. It was my first time being back in that plaza in a good decade or so. I decided to pay a quick visit to the defunct remains of Evergreen Video before heading inside the restaurant. It was sad standing there and seeing the place devoid of any sort of life. Tom’s friendly smile behind the register counter was long gone. As I stared through the glass door like a frozen statue, I couldn’t help but wonder where was Tom and his family — were they OK? Were they continuing to live the American Dream? My conscious stream of thought was shattered when my phone rang.

“Steve! Where are you? Only you would be late to your own party!” Vivian joked.

“I’m right outside. Be there in half a minute…”

Taking it all in one last time
Taking it all in one last time

After a scrumptious dinner celebrating my graduation from grad school, we found ourselves hanging out in the parking lot. It was good to see all of them again. Billy, Vivian’s crazy husband, enthusiastically shared his latest cash cow scheme with my brother and me as we made our way to our cars. Never change, Billy. My cousins invited me to movie night but I told them I’ll catch them in a few. First, I had some unfinished business to take care of: I wanted one final glimpse at my dear old friend. There was now only a glimmer of sunlight striking the top of all the stores’ windows in this plaza. It was surreal and felt like a scene right out of a Hollywood movie. I stole one last peek in the empty store where Evergreen Video once stood. Turning my back to the store, I stood there for a minute to take in the cool night air, reflecting and also thinking about the future.

Always sad to see one of your favorites go bye bye
Always sad to see your favorite stores go defunct

It was a very raw and exciting time in my life. I was 24 years old, I just earned my teaching credential and I was this close to realizing my dream of having my very own classroom of students to teach and positively impact. As the final shards of sunlight pierced the storefront, I decided that was enough pontification for one night. I placed my childhood memories back in the box, texted my cousins that I was on my way and fired up my old 1992 Honda Accord.

THE NIGHT WAS STILL YOUNG... AND SO WAS I
The night was still young… AND SO WAS I

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BLOODY GOOD TIMES… LITERALLY

Originally written June 2008. Revived April 2018!
Originally written June 2008. Revived April 2018!

THE STORY GOES…

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Not bad... pretty close!
Not bad… pretty close!

Ultraman is fairly accurate to its source material. That’s good. Unfortunately, the gameplay is very stiff and limited. But hey, minor kudos for replicating the look, eh?

FINISH HIM!

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Beating a monster for good is somewhat cumbersome. To do so, their energy bar must signal “finish” AND you must blast them with a Level 4 power shot. And because they can recover health, make sure they’re really “finished” before firing your L4 shot. Nothing’s worse than seeing them recuperate a smidgen of their health right as you fire your L4 beam — d’oh!

FANTASTIC FOUR

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L1 sends forth the basic KNUCKLE SHOOTER. You also have the option of firing off four consecutive L1 shots if you’re at level L4.

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L2 fires the moderately improved ARROW BEAM. You can emit two of these beams at L4 if you wish or one at L3 and then one L1. At least you get choices, right?

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L3’s MAGNUM SHOOTER does quite a number but you’re so close to L4… why waste it in one single shot? I tend to use L3 the least.

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L4’s BURNING PLASMA is Ultraman’s ticket home. “HADOKEN!”

MEET THE MONSTERS

Crappy game but I do love the art style!
And you thought Uncle Fred at Thanksgiving was bad

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Gudis is an evil space virus determined to destroy and consume every life form in the universe. Once infected with the Gudis virus, the victim is unable to control itself and becomes part of Gudis’ plan. The power of Gudis continues to grow and multiply as it assimilates other creatures into itself. Stop the vile monster before it reaches the city!

PROTIP: Avoid
ProTip: Avoid enemy projectiles
"HI-YAH!"
“HI-YAH!”

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Bogun is a gruesome genetic mutation. With a horrific head at each end of its sluglike body, Bogun defends itself and attacks you using its strong antenna. Unfortunately, Bogun has already infiltrated the city. Hurry up and exercise damage control!

THABTO. Shout out to Ghost Wrtier ;)
THABTO. Shout out to Ghost Writer ;)
Just like me after Taco Bell
Just like me after Taco Bell
Oh you wish
Oh you wish

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Degola is originally a God of the Australian Aborigines. In full force, Degola appears as a whirlwind, destroying everything in its path. This whirlwind, however, is merely to disguise the Gudis infected creature within. Whatever it is, one thing’s for sure: it’s a force to be reckon with that must be terminated pronto.

I always found Degola to be a bit intimidating as a kid
I always found Degola to be creepy disturbing as a kid
I rest my case!
I rest my case!
"MWAHAHA!"
“MWAHAHAHA!”
Whos finishing whom first? The drama...
Who’s finishing whom first? The drama…

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The way monsters died in this game was pretty glorious
The way monsters died in this game was pretty glorious

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Barrangas, emphasis on the last three letters, can emit a toxic gas from its hideous body. I dig the quiet peaceful looking city backdrop. What a shame it’s actually anything but peaceful!

Just like me again...
Just like me again…
Aw damn, that ain't cool
Aw damn, that ain’t cool
"Quick, Ive got less than two minutes!"
“Quick — I’ve got less than two minutes!”

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Look who’s back and uglier, stronger and deadlier than before! Super Gudis is a wormlike creature that slithers alarmingly quick. Make sure you leave his bloody carcass scattered in pieces across this miserable war torn land!

Didnt I just say that?
Didn’t I just say that?
Damn straight! Another nail-biting finale
Damn straight! Another nail-biting finale

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Zebokon is usually a lethargic lumbering monster who lives in the depths of the forest. But after being infected with the Gudis virus, Zebokon has gone mad and is now attacking anything that moves. He has one hell of a battering ram to boot. Dark and ominous thunder clouds decorate this atmospheric backdrop.

[Har har -Ed.]
[Har har -Ed.]
What is he -- a Samoan wrestler?!
What is he — a Samoan wrestler?!
Look all around, there's nothing but blue skies. I can see clearly now...
Look all around, there’s nothing but blue skies.
I can see clearly now…

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Majaba, a giant pesticide-mutated grasshopper, is very quick and jumps really friggin’ high. Its razor-sharp claws will tear apart any metal known to mankind.

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Kamacuras (AKA Gimantis) was one of the lesser monsters from Toho’s kaiju cannon. Majaba definitely takes some form of inspiration from Kamacuras.

He even finds time to work out in the heat of battle
He even finds time to work out in the heat of battle

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Kodalar scared me as a kid. He even defeated Ultraman in the TV series finale and is the only monster able to claim that. Tough son of a bitch!

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Major hang time
Major hang time

[Did Ultraman turn into Hacksaw Jim Duggan? -Ed.]
[Did Ultraman turn into Hacksaw Jim Duggan? -Ed.]
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Kilazee comes from the darkest corner of the galaxy. He’s no King Ghidorah, but he is Ultraman’s final test.

Eat your heart out, Spider Man
Eat your heart out, Spider Man
"HA CHOO!"
“HA-CHOO!”

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Ultraman gives the universe a golden shower... [Um... yeah... -Ed.]
Ultraman gives the universe a golden shower!
[Um… nevermind… -Ed.]
Ultraman no longer needed... for now...
Ultraman no longer needed… for now…

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ULTRA MISCELLANEOUS

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"How dare you piss on our contract!"  *rimshot*
“How dare you piss on our contract!”  *rimshot*
Without the slobber, please
Without the slobber, please
See? They're not such a violent lot
See? They’re not such a violent lot

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Tainted love, tainted love. Don't touch me, please
Tainted love, tainted love. Don’t touch me, please
You need someone to hold you tight. But I'm sorry I don't pray that way!
You need someone to hold you tight.
But I’m sorry I don’t pray that way!

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Flying straight to the trash
Flying straight to the trash bin

Ultraman: Towards The Future was critically panned. In fact, some even dubbed it Ultraman: Towards The Trash Bin. As bad as it is, it wouldn’t quite make my top 10 worst SNES games list. There’s a handful of crappy SNES games out there that are even more unplayable than Ultraman.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

DAT COVER THO
DAT COVER THO

Ultraman captures the look of the TV series well and had the potential to be decent. Unfortunately, the execution was terribly flawed. You can only use Ultraman, there’s no two player mode, the moveset is limited and compounding that error is the stiff control. Ultraman moves around like he just crapped his pants. Where’s the agile karate kicking warrior as seen on the cover, eh? Sure, some monsters require small strategic changes but due to the limited amount of moves at your disposal that strategy is extremely marginal. Visually, the game fares a bit better. Though the graphics didn’t wow anyone even back in 1991, it’s got a certain rubber monster charm to it. The sprites could be bigger though, and the lack of animation is quite disappointing. On the plus side, the cheesy monster roars fit right in and some of the tunes are even a bit catchy. But it’s not a good sign when a game’s high point is the box art…

I hate when that happens
I hate when that happens

In spite of all its warts, there’s something oddly charming about Ultraman. I guess first generation SNES games have a certain charm to them. Of course, things were a lot different back then. My dad rented the game for $1.99, my brother invited all the kids on our block to our house and we played it like it was the last video game on Earth. If nothing else, I’ll always cherish those memories of a more innocent time in my young life. Ultraman was a victim of lazy programming but I’m proud it’s part of my SNES library due to the history I have with the game. It’s there purely for the nostalgia of a simpler time. Oh, and that badass cover art.

Graphics: 4
Sound: 5
Gameplay: 3
Longevity: 3

Overall: 3.0

Super Tekkyu Fight! (SFC)

A twist on the ol' Bomberman formula
You guys, AGAIN?!

I discovered this game during the summer of 2006. Its Bomberman-esque look immediately grabbed my attention and I had high hopes for it. You know the feeling you get when you see screenshots of a game for the very first time and you go “Oh damn, this game looks like it could be a REAL hidden gem!” Yeah, that was me 10 years ago. It took me several months to secure a copy but I finally did and couldn’t wait to play it. For the most part, it delivered. I probably had way too high expectations. It’s a fun little (party) game for sure, but definitely doesn’t topple Super Bomberman. Still, it makes for a solid alternative. Let’s take a closer look.

Super Tekkyu Fight! features four heroes:

Ultraman
Ultraman
Kamen Rider
Kamen Rider Black RX
Gundam RX-78
Gundam RX-78
Fighter Roar
Fighter Roar

At a cursory glance it appears to be a Bomberman clone. But it puts an interesting spin on things. Instead of dropping bombs of one variety or the other, you simply bash the others to oblivion with your chain ball. You begin with a short chain. But power-ups soon come into play, and these include:

Longer chain
Longer chain
Double chain (now we're talking!)
Double chain (now we’re talking!)
The Almighty Gold Chain Ball
The Almighty Gold Chain Ball

This power-up rips through consecutive blocks in one hit. Very powerful.

THE SUPER DESTROYER!!!! (4-way chain!)
THE SUPER DESTROYER!!!!

Get this baby and you’re sure to rule the match. As you can see with Ultraman and Fighter Roar, players can nullify each other’s chain attack. Note that the GOLD chain does 2 health bars of damage when up-close.

NO BOMBS, OK, WHAT ELSE IS DIFFERENT?

Each player has 8 health bars. So battles here tend to be lengthier than your regular Bomberman match. When hit, you’re invulnerable for a few seconds, eliminating cheap consecutive hits. “A” jumps. If you jump on their head, it stuns ‘em for a few seconds. “Y” sees your guy flipping the tiles, stunning anyone caught in its path. This certainly makes your life easier, but it’s not mandatory.

Ultraman flips the tiles
Ultraman flips the tiles
Fighter Roar is stunned
Fighter Roar is stunned
Ripe for the picking
Ripe for the picking

When hit, you lose the last power-up you had — the icon goes flying back on the field waiting to be claimed by anyone. This is great since it prevents a potential “Ah crap, he got Boardwalk and now we’re all screwed” type of deal.

THAT *IS* KINDA DIFFERENT

Gun... DAMN!
Gun… DAMN!

You betcha, and beware where you jump! Each player can jump past 1 square. Each stage has plenty of holes to be weary of. In the heat of the battle it’s very easy to misplace a jump and plummet to the bloody rocks below. However, it doesn’t ALWAYS spell instant doom. The price is 4 precious health bars.

Lovely scenery eh?
Lovely scenery eh?

And don’t you hate when you’re alone playing 3 computer-controlled opponents and you die first, having to sit there waiting 2 minutes for them to kill each other? The programmers have sympathized with our plight as anytime you die, the tiles fall off one by one until one computer rival is standing. BLOODY SWEET. Give those chaps at METRO a hand *golf clap* A rather underrated feature that more Bomberman-esque games should employ.

HOW’S THE ONE PLAYER STORY MODE?

If you must know, there are 6 worlds with 8 levels each (the 8th being the boss). You’re free to pick from any of the 6 worlds. It’s not bad. It sorta reminds me of an updated version of TRAMPOLINE TERROR.

Enemies from each of the four protagonists’ world appear, which is very cool.

Ice to see you... har har
Ice to see you… har har
Awesome wavy effect here
Awesome wavy effect here

The bosses are huge and pretty tough. Exclusive to the Story mode (1 or 2 player by the way) are bombs (hidden in blocks). If you don’t have at least 1 for the bosses, it’s going to be far more difficult.

Here are four of the six:

Easy bloke
Easy bloke
Mobile sucker!
Mobile sucker!
Focus, young Jedi!
Focus, young Jedi!

Juggling the act of avoiding the falling rocks and slipping through the cracks requires great concentration.

HOLY ISH. Love this boss!
HOLY SHIT
Watch out for the hand crush
Watch out for the hand crush
Love the orange flashing
Love the orange flashing

This demon fellow here is my personal favorite. Look at how badass he is. Resting one hand on his cheek he uses the other to pound the tiles while emitting laser beams from his demonic eyes. I love how he flashes when you hit him, too!

FOUR PLAYER MAYHEM

The meat of these games are the 4 player battles. Here’s a look at the 8 arenas.

ZONE ONE

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Standard first stage except for the arrows which can effect the direction of tile flipping. Enjoy the friendly jumping layout while you can…

ZONE TWO

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The silver blocks are unbreakable. Jumping on blocks will break ‘em, but it takes two leaps. Make sure you have a space to land back on!

ZONE THREE

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Arrows act as they do in the first battle arena. Hmm. Kind of lazy, no?

ZONE FOUR

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The middle part sends you sliding across.

ZONE FIVE

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More arrows in a sort of X-shaped field.

ZONE SIX

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Forces each player to jump from the get-go… who will be on the attack and who will be on the defensive?

ZONE SEVEN

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Lots of solid ground in the middle, and the many blocks are home to numerous power-ups.

ZONE EIGHT

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Ice with arrows. Note the slippery sections. Like a combination of zones one and four.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Cracking under pressure!
Cracking under pressure!

Super Tekkyu Fight! appears to be another Bomberman clone but play it for a few minutes and you’ll quickly realize it really isn’t. The battle system is refreshingly different. The combination of jumping, avoiding pitfalls and being able to take up to 8 hits makes the 4-player mode its own unique animal.

On the downside, the battle zones seem a little too similar to one another and don’t have enough gimmicks to differentiate them TOO much. Especially when you compare it to the variety of Bomberman‘s battle arenas. But all in all, this is a fun little game. And particularly a blast for anyone who can gather three other like-minded buds to play with.