Summer Games Challenge 2023 - STARTS NOW!

[SpaceBooger]

Illusion of Gaia (SNES) 5/31/23
Wonderboy in Monster World (Genesis) 6/15/23
Final Fantasy Legend (GameBoy) 7/2/23
The Lost Vikings (Genesis)
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Metroid Prime (Wii Version)

Final Fantasy Legend (GameBoy)
I got the game in the early 2000s and was confused since it was not like any Final Fantasy game I ever played before so I moved on from it. After learning that it wasn't really a Final Fantasy game and reading up on the SaGa series, I figured it out and really loved the game. The first three Dragon Warrior games on the GB are in my top ten RPGs ever and right now I am considering adding this to the list. I don't know what it is about these older RPGs - I know the stories are not that great, but man the accomplishment you feel from griding with a goal and taking the time to plan out how to configure your characters is great. My favorite thing about this game was saving before a boss, playing the boss, and losing but knowing what equipment and stuff works, then rebooting to the save, and reconfiguring your weapons and equipment so that you can beat the boss is so much fun.

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Next game up Metroid Prime

[Key-Glyph]

I wonder if every Final Fantasy Legend game ends with a tower? Now I'm really curious. The third definitely does, and now we know the first one does. Admittedly though, I've not played a great deal of JRPGs, so maybe a lot of them end with towers.

And Shinobi III sounds so awesome. I've never played any of the Shinobi games. What's the opinion on which one to start with as someone new to the series?

1. Out of This World (GEN)
2. Journeyman Project: Turbo! (PC)
3. Theme Park (GEN)
4. Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town (GBA)
5. NHL Hockey '95 (GEN)
6. Lethal Enforcers (GEN)
7. Prince of Persia (NES)

I finished up with Prince of Persia a while back, but I wanted to give the thread a bit of breather from me, haha. But with this, I've actually already accomplished what I set out to do -- complete the Veteran Mode goal! Now I'm excited to really settle into Harvest Moon and cozy my way through the rest of the summer.

One immediate thought I have to put out there about PoP on NES. Through cultural osmosis I was aware of and looking forward to a Big Deal moment in this game, something that lives on in people's minds as a really awesome and unexpected experience unprecedented for its time. What I'm alluding to is

the moment the Prince confronts his shadow self and has to figure out how to best them in a duel.

However, this seems to be absent from this version? I would almost think I'd missed it somehow, but this game is very deliberate about funneling you through routes to discover particular things, so I don't think this would be an optional situation I could just... miss. If it's really not there in this port, I'm super curious as to why it was left out. And if it wasn't left out, I'd love to know why a player's missing it was considered acceptable here. I have to assume it's not optional in any other iteration, right? Maybe?

I don't want to watch a runthrough to confirm this because I don't want to see anyone else's techniques, but I've found at least one FAQ purporting that the NES version does indeed leave this encounter out -- and moreover that it was the only port of the game to do so. That said, if I hadn't known about this event ahead of time, I probably wouldn't have felt like a thread was left dangling. I just would have thought, "Oh wow, what a mystery," and wondered if a sequel was going to expand on it.

As for my personal experience with the game, I did really enjoy it once I learned how to deal with long jumps immediately after screen breaks and how to suss out if ledges were above me or doors were to the side of me that weren't visible. There were certain jumps that were truly ridiculous; I save stated before one particularly terrible one to see if it was even possible, and only managed to succeed one time out of maybe fifty attempts. (Then I discovered that this specific long jump was technically not required, but just saved time. ) But if you're good with memorizing levels and testing, testing, and retesting your timings without succumbing to frustration, the game feels great to succeed at. You never really get to a point where you can rely on your instincts to see you through entirely; it's about inching your way through levels until you iron out all the details, then going back for a good run. Every time I made my way to an exit door I think I said something quietly to myself like, "heck yeah" or "all right all right," just because I was continually pumped about it.

I'm surprised to say that I do have the itch to go back and polish my runs more. I thought I'd finish this game and be done forever. But something about it keeps calling to you. Maybe it's because along the way I sometimes discovered some really clever and interesting routes that weren't immediately apparent to me, and that maybe more epiphanies like that are waiting for me. Maybe it's just how the game generally entices you to be awesome all the time instead of fumbling your way to the finale.

Oh, and the finale! I really loved the last level. It was intentionally designed to make you think, "Is this it? Did I do it? DID I DO IT???" instead of just plunking you into an ending. A really cool concept that affected you through narrative instead of just action or standard gaming logic, you know?

Anyway, what a fantastic bit of gaming history to experience and look back on, especially in the current gaming climate that seems to be flush with climbing/parkour elements in many different genres and settings. Really interesting how this kind of mechanic became a thing of longevity even without having to be the selling point of a particular title. And Jordan Mechner's games are all incredibly special in how they use different approaches or unexpected setups to move you emotionally and create tension. They always feel like gems, things to appreciate having played due to how they mix storytelling with interactivity to create something that reaches beyond both.

[marurun]

Honestly, all of the early Shinobi games are good. While the arcade is hands down the best, the SMS and PCE conversions are both very good and fun to play. The game is hard, though. It was designed to steal your quarters. Shadow Dancer, which is sort of Shinobi-adjacent is also good, both in the arcade and Genesis versions, which are quite different. If you are sensitive about animals getting hurt, though, the game may not be for you. A dog is your companion and he can get hit and turned into a little puppy. Revenge of Shinobi on Genesis is great. The music is by Koshiro and is superb and the action is great, if a bit slower-paced. Shinobi games tend to be slower and more thoughtful. Shinobi 3 on Genesis is sort of the exception to that. It feels very fast paced in places and is action-packed. Very fun and not as challenging as the original or Revenge of Shinobi. Finally, Shinobi Legions (Shin Shinobi Den, Shinobi X) on Saturn is also good, though more inconsistent than the earlier titles. It gives you a variety of moves, some very challenging levels and enemies, digitized-style graphics with cheesy ninja movie live action cut scenes, and levels which can sometimes feel a bit on the long, confusing, and repetitive side. Overall worth a play, but not quite as tight as the earlier games. Some people also regard the GameGear Shinobi highly, though I'm not as into them. They're VERY hard at times but do have some cool ideas. I think AlienJesus played through them not too long ago, so you can probably find them in one of his pandemic review threads.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Don’t overlook Shinobi (3DS). I LOVED it, and I think it is one of the best ninja games of all time (and easily my favorite game in the Shinobi series).

[alienjesus]

I'm very impressed by your commitment to games like Prince of Persia and Another World Key - I've tried playing both of those (and also the very similar Flashback) multiple times and just couldnt get into them at all. I did manage to play through Oddworld back in the day, but I've ultimately concluded that whole cinematic platformer genre just ain't my thing.

On the Shinobi series, I've played a few of them and generally agree with the list Marurun offered up as recommended titles. Shinobi III on Mega Drive is probably the best, most polished and most accessible of the games, but I think I might slightly prefer Revenge of Shinobi on the same console instead, which is a slower, tougher and more deliberate game but such a good one. After that I'd personally recommend both of the Game Gear titles, followed by Shadow Dancer on Mega Drive, and then finally Shinobi X for Saturn. I'm not a big fan of the original title or it's Master System adaption, and I can't say I share Prfsnl's love of the (alright, but unspectacular) 3DS title.

I've been cracking on a bit with Terranima when I get the chance. After restoring all of the continents in the world almost by accident, I've been sent to the surface of Earth to restore life as we know it, not through the methods you might expect but instead through dungeon crawling as in all good action RPGs. I cleared a giant dead tree in the Amazon of an evil poison parasite and in doing so seem to have resurrected literally all plantlife on the planet. They're also surprisingly talky for plants!

[prfsnl_gmr]

prfsnl_gmr’s 2023 Summer Games Challenge List
Blazing Lazers
Karate Champ
Legendary Axe
Mappy
MERCS
Metal Slug 3
Shock Troopers
Trojan
Twinkle Star Sprites
Windjammers

…..

I knocked three games off my list!

The first was MERCS. It is the sequel to Capcom’s Commando, and it is a very OK overhead run ‘n gun game. I played the arcade version first, and it is probably the most fun version of the game. You play as Joseph “Super Joe” Gibson - the titular “Commando” from Capcom’s Commando - and you run around shooting stuff and making things explode. (The game supports three players, and there are three unique MERCS. I only played it with one player, though.) At certain points in the game, you can commandeer vehicles, such as Jeeps, jet skis, and tanks, but they don’t add much to the gameplay. Mostly, again, you just dodge bullets, fire your gun, grab power ups, and throw grenades. Although I really like the game when I was younger, it seems unremarkable to me now, and some of the design choices (e.g., a short, easy first level, coupled with enemies late in the game that kill you instantly from off screen) clearly favor getting players to feed the game more quarters.

I played the Sega Master System port next, and it’s dire. It’s a straight port of the arcade game, but since the hardware would only support so many sprites on the screen at once, you’ll only encounter two enemies at a time. This makes for a much less frantic experience. The game makes up for this by limiting you to zero continues and by making the timer your worst enemy. That is, you have to run through the levels as quickly as possible, or you will get a “game over” (and have to restart from the beginning of the game!) because you ran out of time. This happened to me multiple times, and nothing quite compares to making it to the end of a level unscathed, having mercilessly slaughtered every enemy soldier, only to realize that you have to defeat the boss in 15 seconds….

I played the Genesis port last, and it really does some interesting things. In addition to containing a very solid port of the arcade game (and giving you a very fair five continues to reach the end), the Genesis version also contains an “original” mode that is entirely unique to that port. The “original” mode plays mostly the same - you still run around shooting stuff and making things explode - but it contains all new levels and bosses and incorporates some light RPG elements into the gameplay. Specifically, you acquire new characters as you progress; you power up the characters permanently by grabbing power ups, and you can buy power ups and restoratives in shops. It is pretty neat. Ultimately, and unfortunately, however, the “original” mode is just a bit too hard and too frustrating to be much fun, and despite its good ideas, I don’t think I’ll be coming back to it again.

…..

I played Blazing Lazers next, and I agree it’s a stone-cold classic shmup. Compile knew how to make a system work, and Blazing Lazers runs flawlessly on the TG16. The game looks great; it sound great; it’s amazingly intense; and there isn’t a hint of slow down. It is also designed almost perfectly, and it plays wonderfully. My only complaints are that it’s a bit too long for a single sitting; a poorly placed checkpoint in the last level can render the game almost unwinnable; and a crucial extra life mechanic is not explained at all. Otherwise, it’s a perfect 16-bit shmup.

…..

The Legendary Axe is another TG16 classic. A side-scrolling action platformer, it plays a lot like a mash up of Castlevania and Rastan. Notably, however, it also plays, IMO, a lot like modern “Souls” games. That is, it is incredibly challenging, but (almost) completely fair. If you play patiently, and take some time to study enemy behavior, you can make it past almost everything the game throws at you completely unscathed. I really appreciated this, and I can see myself returning to the game occasionally to get better at it. (Also, the soundtrack is really stupendous!)

…..

Finally, I want to note how much I’m enjoying this thread this year! Great work everyone!

[Note]

...I finished Shinobi III a few weeks back and it was for the most part just as awesome as I remember it being. The game just delivers and is easily one of the best action games of the 16-bit era regardless of platform. I played the game using the hidden 6-botton mode and imo that was a game changer, everything just clicked, I especially enjoyed the melee attack and block having dedicated buttons assigned. The action is intense, the regular enemies aren't much to write home about but the bosses for the most part are great. Honestly, there's only one area I think the game falls down at...the final level is flat out punishing if your platforming isn't on point. After getting through that though, the final boss is sort of uninspired...no where near as cool as the final boss in Revenge of Shinobi and w/o the stakes or various endings either. As a matter of fact, if you've done well throughout the previous stages you'll be stocked w/lives and can just spam the Mijin ninjitsu and wrap things up pretty quickly. Other than that very small, ummm issue, Shinobi II should have a place in the collection of anyone who enjoys top tier action games. Well onto Midnight Resistance.

Nice work, Syndicate! I really like this game, and it's probably my favorite title in the series. However, I can never get past the sequence in Stage 6, where you need to continue double jumping up through the falling rocks. Any tips or hints to get through this area would be appreciated!

Also, I didn't realize there was a hidden six button mode in this game. Will have to check that out sometime.

[alienjesus]

Been working through some more Terranigma. After restoring all plantlife on Earth in the Amazon, I made my way north through the world map to Colorado, where I explored a cliffside maze full of monsters. After making it to the top I resurrected every bird in the world. They couldnt fly very far though as there was no wind, so a friendly seagull dropped me off in the southeast US where I threw some boulder into a hole and somehow woke up the wind. Using this the seagull could then fly me to Africa, where I landed in the Sahara and found all animal life to be missing.

After exploring the savannah and freeing some souls to help me with a rain ceremony, I managed to swim by way to the boss and defeating him resurrected all the animal life on earth. The lions tried to eat me but the king of the animals (also a lion) was a pretty chill dude and made them not as thanks for resurrecting all animal life.

Turns out he's less of a chill guy then I thought though, as he sent his only son to a dangerous cliffside full of monsters to prove he's strong enough to inherit his title. I went on a rescue mission to escort the tyke out, which resulted in an escort mission dungeon. At the end though I got dropped down a cliff and the lion defeated a monster on his own, before getting my seagull buddy to come help me. As thanks for helping his kid, King lion ordered the animals to help me cross the river to the east, where I walked through Saudi Arabia and across the south of Asia to Tibet.

Tibet is where human life was lying dormant, but to free them I first needed to explore a snowy mountain. I gave a yeti some medicine and he threw me across a river, and then I climbed the mountain. At one point I slid down a slippy slope face first into a wall, which started an avalanche. I was caught up in it and woke up stuck in a deep icy cavern with a billy goat. The billy goat explained her and her husband had been caught up in the avalanche and then took me to show me her husbands corpse. He had apparently landed badly and died. Holy tonal shift batman! We curled up together for warmth, and in the morning she offered me some of her husbands corpse for breakfast. My character was not so OK with this, but the billy goat ate some as she said her husband would prefer her to survive. After that she managed to find a thin wall, which she butted down. This opened a new room which I could climb out of, but which the goat could not. She told me to go and that she would find her own way out soon enough. I'm not so sure though...

Anyhow, I finished climbing the mountain and defeated the boss, restoring all humankind to earth. After this I fell into a deep trance and was told that humans are special creatures but creatures who need guidance and direction to apply their talents. I woke up to find a monastery had appeared in tibet and the monks had kept my sleeping body safe for 3 years. Looks like I best go explore the newly awakened civilisation next!

[alienjesus]

1. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES)
2. Terranigma (SNES)
3. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GC)
4. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (GC)
5. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1)
6. Jumping Flash (PS1)
7. Dark Cloud (PS2)
8. Sly Raccoon (PS2)
9. Sakura Wars (Saturn)
10. Samba De Amigo (DC)

I'm still playing Terranigma - today I picked up at the resurrection of human civilisation and began exploring the world. I found a phantom town in the Gobi Desert filled with illusionary villagers which then turned out to be full of zombies. After that I crossed another desert and walked to France, where I competed in a contest to marry a princess and revealed the crimes of a corrupt king. Then I voted for a new leader of the local town and became the deciding vote after my candidate won 25-24. Following that I crossed to the south to the Iberian peninsula and visited a town in Portugal, where I learned that Spain is kinda fucked due to a ghost queen taking over a castle. I arrived at the castle and saved up for the day.

I wasn't done though, as I decided to mix it up a bit and spend some time with another of my summer games, and jumped into Tony Hawks 3. This game is a bit of a cheat I think as I did rent it back in the day, but it's my first time owning it and it's been fun to play it again. I made a custom skater and was surprised how much fewer options there were for character creation compared to my memories, but I have enjoyed blasting through the game after that. I've completed the first 5 levels with all objectives completed and all additional stat points found, although I'm missing one or two of the new decks that are hidden in the stages. Airport is definitely a contender for best Tony Hawk's stage of all time. Anyhow, that's about the halfway point for the game (a little past it actually) so it shouldn't take too long to wrap this one up - I suspect I might finish it before Terranigma.

[Note]

Due to an emergency at my apartment building, I had to pack up all my things for the time being, including my games. Because of this, I'll have to change my list of games for the Summer Challenge. I've decided to pivot to titles that I don't own physical copies of and would need to play through emulation.

So, instead of playing Resident Evil 3 (PS1) next, I've been playing Snatcher (SCD). I'm really enjoying it so far! I haven't played many visual novel games, so this is a very different experience for me. Also, I love the cyberpunk setting and the humor thrown into the mix. The action sequences every so often are a nice touch too, and I'm liking the soundtrack.

I'm currently in the middle of Act 2, at the part where you have to search for Queens Hospital.