Together Retro: Fantastic Dizzy

[dsheinem]

I just snagged a copy on eBay for $7 for the Genesis. I'll give it a go soon.

[noiseredux]

Wait, so it's a collectathon?

[ExedExes]

Wait, so it's a collectathon?

It's a save the damsel of distress type of story, but there are 250 stars strewn throughout all the stages. You must get all of them to enter the final area. You'll also be picking up items and solving puzzles with them. There are also scrolls that take you to bonus stages. On my playthrough last night, I came across one of them, a sliding puzzle that needed to be completed in about a minute and a half. As I said earlier, this is more like an adventure-platformer in the style of Gods.

[Ivo]

I just finished it on the Mega Drive. Pretty nifty game, I felt all the puzzles were reasonable.

The scrolls always give you the same slide puzzle for a chance to get an extra life. There are about half a dozen spread through the game.
The other mini-games are accessed in specific locations, in the Mega Drive version you have to do 1 to get to a specific area, and the other 2 to get all the stars (which you need to finish the game). The mine cart mini-game can be a bit unfair a couple of times but you can always re-do it.

I think I will have fonder memories of Treasure Island Dizzy and Fantasy World Dizzy overall. Undoubtedly this one has better graphics but the older ones felt more classic to me (may be just nostalgia though).

As I wrote in the article, the item management is clunky. I think the game would be better off not limiting what items you could carry - there would still be plenty of backtracking. I don't remember feeling so strongly about the limitation of the inventory in the older ones (perhaps because they are shorter or something like that?).

The somersaulting is a special characteristic of the series. It can be frustrating at times. I'm pretty used to it so it will be interesting to read what others think. I can readily imagine people really disliking the jumping and rolling.

Particularly annoying is when the somersaulting combines with the limited inventory space and you are forced to re-do some tricky jump sequences (near the end of the game you will have a bit of that, just to get the few leftover items you need for the final area).

The collecting aspect is not terrible, although I was dreading reaching the end and missing a few stars, that didn't happen. I think the game is pretty fair about hinting to you where all the areas are, and if you visit all of them you will see all the stars. I will make a few spoiler comments about stars.

There are several you can only get when you acquire the flippers, and when you do be sure to explore all the water area with them.

Likewise grab all the stars - and the DIY kit - from the troll castle the first time you go there so that you do not need to return.

I think it is possible to screw yourself and be forced to restart the game, but if you don't abandon items in bad locations that won't happen to you.

I quite liked the ending, really suited the game.

The tower climb and the confrontation with Zaks was nicely setup and designed, although missing jumps here can also be frustrating.

[ExedExes]

Went over to the big city. Checked out a pirate ship, and played a new mini game where Dizzy must get in the castle. 50 more stars collected. 150 to go!

[Stark]

I'll put the Genesis ROM on my DSi when I get a moment. Need to do this for Shining Force II as well, so I might as well break it out.

[Stark]

Is Exed Exes the only person playing this? I started this up the other day and it seems ... not that great. I mean is the inventory system really such that you have to drop every item and pick it back up to get to the one you want? I may pop it in again at some point, but my first impression wasn't good.

[dsheinem]

Is Exed Exes the only person playing this? I started this up the other day and it seems ... not that great. I mean is the inventory system really such that you have to drop every item and pick it back up to get to the one you want? I may pop it in again at some point, but my first impression wasn't good.

mine arrived the other day and I have not popped it in. I am concerned that the funny shaped cart might be the coolest part of this game...

[Ivo]

Is Exed Exes the only person playing this? I started this up the other day and it seems ... not that great. I mean is the inventory system really such that you have to drop every item and pick it back up to get to the one you want? I may pop it in again at some point, but my first impression wasn't good.

I already finished it, as described above. I think it isn't really very long if you explore methodically, but I'm used to the series (finished 2 of the earlier ones many years ago) and some of the puzzles are re-used or at least inspired on ones that I remembered.

Yes, the inventory system in this one really is that clunky. But the puzzles are pretty decent, and the platforming generally enjoyable. It is like a hybrid of a point and click adventure with a platform game.

[alienjesus]

I just finished downloading the rom for the game, so I'll try it tonight. I bought the game for Mega Drive, but don't have my console to hand right at this moment.

I think that even if you don't expect much of the game, it's worth giving it a go.