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Exhuminator wrote:

laurenhiya21 wrote:The emulator I've been using is fceux.

For future NES emulation on PC, I recommend Nestopia.

Seconded. Nestopia is my first choice for NES emulation although FCEUX is my backup. I've actually encountered some translation patches that work in FCEUX but have some issues in Nestopia (moreso for FDS). I'd actually recommend checking out Nestopia UE for an up to date and actively maintained fork of Nestopia (the original hasn't been updated since 2008). (Nestopia UE is the version that RetroArch uses for its Nestopia core) Come to think of it, the issues I mentioned above may have been with the base version of Nestopia; I'm not sure I've had any issues with the UE fork.

Sorry to hear about your troubles with FCEUX Laurenhiya!

So, it may have been on the very last day with only a few hours remaining, but I final got to play a game from the 1980's with a lead party member that is a female. I talked about it in another thread, so here is my response.

I was glad that I was able to finally participate in this Together Retro, even if it was for just a day...

I started Final Fantasy II on the Nintendo Entertainment System this afternoon!

So, I am basically playing a Reproduction cart of the translated version of Final Fantasy II on the Famicom. It was translated, upgraded and released on the Playstation 1 in the form of Final Fantasy Origins, but this is the original copy.

So, no auto targeting, no running and no multiple items. It's taken me some time to get used to the old way of doing things. But, I also soon remembered that this game was released basically a calendar year after Final Fantasy I, so I'm trying to keep that in mind. It feels very heavy in the grinding and the stat growth is so much slower compared to the PS1 version.

However, it is offering that NES Final Fantasy nostalgia that I love so much. It is very interesting and always a unique take on the genre. I cannot wait to play more of it and see what the differences are in this version.

I also have been playing an 80s RPG - working through Earthbound Beginnings, AKA Mother.

I managed to push through to the point where I recruited Ana, the only female party member, just before the month ended.

Her stats are pretty bad right now, but she is also about 14 levels lower than the other 2 party members. Back to the grind!

...I only just finished levelling up Loid aswell...

Markies wrote:So, no auto targeting, no running and no multiple items. It's taken me some time to get used to the old way of doing things. But, I also soon remembered that this game was released basically a calendar year after Final Fantasy I, so I'm trying to keep that in mind. It feels very heavy in the grinding and the stat growth is so much slower compared to the PS1 version.

The original version actually has the fastest stat growth if you're willing to exploit a bug. A bug that you might accidentally take advantage of without realizing it.

I tried playing Athena, y'all. I tried.

The NES version is a little more fair, but both are absolutely janky messes, especially the NES game. I feel sorry for anyone who had to spend money on this game. Interesting story, though: Many, many years ago my school had a Halloween carnival, and one of the contests was the usual cake walk, except with other prizes. I actually won this game. Seeing as how I didn't have an NES, I had to choose another prize. I still kinda wanted the NES game, though, but all the other kids made sure I didn't get it, I'm sure because they wanted it. Joke's on them!

EDIT: I cheated a little bit and quarter-spammed through Alien Storm. It's not '80s, it's 1990... but I wanted to play something quick and better than Athena. Alien Storm feels a little like a sped-up Golden Axe, although in my opinion it isn't as good as that game. The original GA felt quite balanced, despite the arcade setting. Not so much this game, which feels like it was designed first and foremost as a quarter-muncher.

You don't jump in this game, you have a dodge roll. At least with the girl (Karla, I think?). You can take out enemies on the ground, too; you'll often torch them with your flamethrower. Honestly, I'm not sure there are many beat-'em-ups that move quite at this pace. Both you and enemies move very quickly, and even your run feels not much faster than your default walk; you're bookin' it by default!

Thrown into the mix are shooter segments, both side-scrolling and first-person in nature. The former ones are pretty easy. The latter, not so much. Hope you're good at Operation Wolf-style games, 'cause they throw a ton of stuff at you. Keeping on firing lets you put out a lot of firepower, but also slows down your reticle.

Other than that, there's a little bit of a Ghostbusters vibe, except with aliens instead. There's a lot of really gross enemies, as you'd expect. Stuff explodes and burns quite well, too; the last boss explodes in a shower of gore.

Do I recommend this one? Eh... not particularly. Not terrible, certainly, but I'm sure there are much better brawlers with aliens in them... like Alien vs. Predator. Go play that instead!

Welp, that's it folks, month's over, thus Eighties' Ladies' Night is too.

Here's the final tally of what our 21 ELN TR participants played and beat:

Ack - Beat Golden Axe, beat Gain Ground, beat Flicky.

AlienJesus - Beat Legacy of the Wizard, beat The Legend of Zelda (modded version), beat Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (modern remake), played Valkyrie No Densetsu, played Earthbound Beginnings (AKA Mother).

Bone - Played Valkyrie no Bouken, beat Tomboyish Becky's Large Adventure, beat Metroid, played Valis.

CFFJR - Played Shubibinman.

Dsheinem - Beat Jenny of the Prairie.

Dunpeal2064 - Played The Guardian Legend.

ESauced - Played Athena, played Ms. Pac Man.

ElkinFencer10 - Beat BEAT 'EM AND EAT 'EM, beat Phantasy Star.

Elricorico - Played Phantasy Star.

Exhuminator - Beat Dirty Pair: Project Eden, beat Layla, beat Gall Force: Eternal Story, beat Space Hunter, beat Titanic Mystery: Melody of Blue, played Shiryou Sensen: War of the Dead, beat Time Gal, played Flashgal, played Bullet, beat Alien Syndrome, beat Body Slam, beat The NinjaWarriors, beat The Wing of Madoola.

Laurenhiya21 - Played Metroid.

Markies - Played Final Fantasy II.

Nemoide - Beat Metroid.

Noiseredux - Played Phantasy Stary II.

NullPointer - Beat The Great Giana Sisters, beat The Colonel's Bequest, played Athena, played The Guardian Legend.

PartridgeSenpai - Beat Dragon Quest II, played Dragon Quest III.

Pierrot - Beat The Wing of Madoola, beat Legacy of the Wizard.

PresidentLeever - Beat Märchen Maze.

Prfsnl_gmr - Played Takahashi Meijin no Bug-tte Honey, beat Ghost Lion.

Sarge - Beat Psycho World, beat Golden Axe, beat Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder, beat Mugen Senshi Valis, beat Flashgal, beat The Wing of Madoola, beat Valis II, played Athena, beat Alien Storm.

Sload Soap - Beat Phantasy Star.

Xeogred - Played The Guardian Legend.

That's the final tally to the best of my knowledge. If I missed anything, let me know, and I'll fix it.

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IT WAS LIKE... TOTALLY RADICAL TO THE MAX!

AWESOME JOB DUDES! SEE YOU IN THE NEXT TR!

whoa quite the dedicated final post my man

BoneSnapDeez wrote:whoa quite the dedicated final post my man

Agreed . Great job with this, Exhuminator! This year’s Together Retro has been tremendously fun, and this thread is a triumph.

MrPopo wrote:

Markies wrote:So, no auto targeting, no running and no multiple items. It's taken me some time to get used to the old way of doing things. But, I also soon remembered that this game was released basically a calendar year after Final Fantasy I, so I'm trying to keep that in mind. It feels very heavy in the grinding and the stat growth is so much slower compared to the PS1 version.

The original version actually has the fastest stat growth if you're willing to exploit a bug. A bug that you might accidentally take advantage of without realizing it.

I know about the one where you beat up your own party members to gain stats rather quickly.

That is one that I refuse to do. I've played the PS1 version enough that I just can't bring myself to do it.

But, that is the only one I know about.

There are several other tricks besides that one.

Problem with the game is that the stat growth is broken. It takes forever to level up playing "normally." Exploiting the game is the only way I find to make things bearable.