Together Retro 2011: Year In Review

[noiseredux]

so last year I asked you all which was yr favorite 2010 TR title. This year, I'm asking the same. I know that the year isn't quite over yet, but figured as we're almost half-way through the month, we can start looking back at our year's worth of TR titles.

PERSONALLY my favorite game of the year was easily Shining Force. I just adored this game, and happily played it every moment I got. What makes it even better is that there's an entire subsequent series to dig through for me now.


and the rest:

Jan: Riviera - I really, really liked this one. I know it's a niche title, but I'm the right audience for it. I've since picked up the other two Dept. Heaven titles (Yggdra Union and Knights in the Nightmare).

Feb: King of Fighters '98 - a really good game that I never got that good at. Fighting games are definitely a genre I love, and I have a certain admiration for KOF series now. Thought it'll take me a while to get confident with them.

Mar: Dark Forces - much better than I expected. I'm not huge into FPS games but this one had some great maps. I hated that you couldn't save during a level though. If you could, I'd probably have gone back to beat it since. But otherwise, I feel like I COULD someday, if I had the time.

Apr: Deja Vu - this was my idea. And I'm sorry you guys. Seriously. It seemed so much cooler in theory than in actuality. Fuck this game.

May: Zoop - fun for a bit, but there are a lot of other puzzle games I'd play first. That being said, I'm keeping my PS1 copy. It's good enough to hang on to.

Jun: Gradius III & Parodius - Gradius III, you are a total asshole. Parodius, you are loads of fun. That said, I'm glad we're finally going vertical for next year's shmup.

Jul: Rayman - such a pretty game. Too bad it relies so heavily on collect-some-shit to proceed. That made me lose interest.

Aug: Populous - didn't play it.

Sep: World Series Baseball '95 - I didn't play it. I played World Series 2K2 on PS2 instead. That was fun. But not the same game you guys played.

Oct: Splatterhouse - I love Splatterhouse. I love the series. I did before Oct. I wish I had beat it that month though.

Nov: Shining Force - best. See above.

Dec: Super Monkeyball - meh. I think this is a great party game, and kind of a frustrating single player game. Unfortunately I'm playing it alone this month.

[Flake]

My biggest month was one that everyone seemed to burn out early on - February and the King of Fighters '98. The rest of the year was a list of solid games that for some reason or another did not catch on with me.

Shining Force was a disaster for me. I literally fell asleep trying to play it, a reaction that stood in stark contrast with how much you guys loved it.

[noiseredux]

Shining Force was a disaster for me. I literally fell asleep trying to play it, a reaction that stood in stark contrast with how much you guys loved it.

weird. Though admittedly, SRPG's are an absolute favorite genre of mine.

[o.pwuaioc]

I started playing in May

May: Zoop - This game only becomes fun if you're trying to be competitive. Otherwise, it's a bit lackluster.

Jun: Gradius III & Parodius - The SNES version was loads of fun to play through. I wish I had the PS2 during the month, and I don't think I'll give up on it yet. If only I can get through the moai heads boss...

Oct: Splatterhouse - Never played Splatterhouse before, so this was a pleasant beat em up. Stuck with 3 for most of the month as much as I could, but I didn't actually beat it. Maybe next October.

Nov: Shining Force - I really like this game, and although I've played it before, I still haven't beaten it. Perhaps after winter I'll get back to it. Gets a bit tired emulating it, though.

[dsheinem]

Jan: Riviera - played a half hour and was met with almost every JRPG trope I hate...I could not continue.

Feb: King of Fighters '98 - had some fun with this one, though I found it to be a little tougher than what I was up for.

Mar: Dark Forces - awesome game that I wish I had discovered years ago. Amazing work all around, and probably my favorite Star Wars game.

Apr: Deja Vu - fuck you, noise.

May: Zoop - i got really competitive with this and even recorded some runs - so I obviously enjoyed it a good deal. discovering things like this is why it is worth playing every TR game, even if you are dubious.

Jun: Gradius III & Parodius - Parodius appealed to the joyful child in me, Gradius III to the sick masochist. Both were excellent.

Jul: Rayman - glad i tried the series, finally. pretty but vapid.

Aug: Populous - it took me 5 minutes to remember why I don't like this genre. i'm sure the game is good if you do...

Sep: World Series Baseball '95 - I played a bit of three versions of this game. Fun for a trip down memory lane.

Oct: Splatterhouse - Beat it again and loved every second.

Nov: Shining Force - this is probably my TR GOTY too. It is the first SRPG I have played through to the end, so I now have some interest in exploring the rest of the genre. Again, this is how TR should work!

Dec: Super Monkeyball - I will play some Monkeyball this month, but I sorta feel that my monkeyballin' days are mostly behind me now.

[noiseredux]

Jan: Riviera - played a half hour and was met with almost every JRPG trope I hate...I could not continue.

Feb: King of Fighters '98 - had some fun with this one, though I found it to be a little tougher than what I was up for.

agree. That shit is HARD.

Mar: Dark Forces - awesome game that I wish I had discovered years ago. Amazing work all around, and probably my favorite Star Wars game.

had you not played this before TR? I figured you had. I figured it'd be yr TRGOTY.

Apr: Deja Vu - fuck you, noise.

rightly so.

[dsheinem]

Mar: Dark Forces - awesome game that I wish I had discovered years ago. Amazing work all around, and probably my favorite Star Wars game.

had you not played this before TR? I figured you had. I figured it'd be yr TRGOTY.

nope. it and shining force are a close call, and since SF introduced me to a new genre, it gets the nudge.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

I didn't join in till Shining Force but absolutely loved it. Super Monkey Ball gets a "meh" from me. I just don't like it.

Next year I'll be more involved though.

[ExedExes]

It was unfortunate I joined just as Shining Force was wrapping up.

Jan: Riviera - Never heard of it!

Feb: King of Fighters '98 - I can say without question that this is the best the KOF series had to offer. Could have joined up with my KOF 99 Dream Match port (on Dreamcast)

Mar: Dark Forces - I HAVE THIS GAME. I was not much of an SW fan but I played a demo and I was hooked because I am an FPS nut (when I'm not in shmups!)

Apr: Deja Vu - Loved the ICOM/Kemco NES ports. This one got you to thinking!

May: Zoop - Read my story about how I got to playtest a VERY early build version of this game in the Zoop thread.

Jun: Gradius III & Parodius - I have the SNES game and as I stated, beaten it on the Arcade difficulty (which isn't as hard as the real thing, SUPPOSEDLY)

Jul: Rayman - genre (and Jaguar) defining title.

Aug: Populous - Read about it in Nintendo Power, would not have quite understood it. Liked the worlds including the one made of SFC consoles

Sep: World Series Baseball '95 - Aware of the game, but not a huge Genesis fan back in the day.

Oct: Splatterhouse - Ports a plenty on Gen and TG-16! Have never played it (seriously)

Nov: Shining Force - Have a save file from the Sega Smash Pack on DC (with the horrible audio)

Dec: Super Monkeyball - Again, I didn't feel a game with such few ports, and the 10-year newness didn't deserve to be here, but you all have your methods for nomination, so....

Looking forward to next year's lineup. Unfortunate because this year I would have had fun with these games for sure! BUT, next year I get to whip out the Dreamcast for a few months, as well as start up the PC for C&C and some new RPGs to try, and of course DODONPACHI -- a fantastic choice for shmup!

[o.pwuaioc]

Jun: Gradius III & Parodius - I have the SNES game and as I stated, beaten it on the Arcade difficulty (which isn't as hard as the real thing, SUPPOSEDLY)

If you read the thread, I too asked the same question. It was Xeogred, I believe, who said the easiest arcade version was harder than the hardest SNES version (I too figured out that tapping A over and over again would allow me to try the arcade version). Let's just say this: using the konami code, I can't get past the fifth level in the PS2 version. Using the Konami code, I think I made it all the way to stage 9 (where I'm currently stuck at).

If you've beaten it on arcade difficulty, you're the better player, no doubt, but now try your hand at the real version!

Looking forward to next year's lineup. Unfortunate because this year I would have had fun with these games for sure! BUT, next year I get to whip out the Dreamcast for a few months, as well as start up the PC for C&C and some new RPGs to try, and of course DODONPACHI -- a fantastic choice for shmup!

Hey, at least you're now with it! Welcome to the club!