Summer Games Challenge 2017 - Begin when ready!

[Exhuminator]

As I said earlier, I'm approaching the "Summer Games Challenge" in a totally wrong and not intended manner. Instead of focusing solely on widely accepted "classics", rather I'm going with games that have a summer related theme to them. The themes I've identified are ocean and tropical island. So here's my tentative Summer of Love Challenge list:

Aquaria (PC) (metroidvania) (Related theme: Ocean)
BioShock (360) (FPS) (Related theme: Ocean)
Dead Island (360) (action adventure) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Deep Blue (TG16) (shmup) (Related theme: Ocean)
Dive: The Medes Islands Secret (action adventure) (Wii) (Related theme: Ocean)
Ecco the Dolphin (GEN) (action adventure) (Related theme: Ocean)
Everblue 2 (PS2) (action-RPG) (Related theme: Ocean)
Finny the Fish and the Seven Waters (PS2) (action-RPG) (Related theme: Ocean)
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (GEN) (platformer) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Sakura Beach (PC) (visual novel) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Startropics (NES) (action-RPG) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Submarine Attack (SMS) (shmup) (Related theme: Ocean)
Super Adventure Island (SNES) (platformer) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
TransWorld Surf (PS2) (sports) (Related theme: Ocean)
Treasures of the Deep (PS1) (action adventure / shmup) (Related theme: Ocean)

Most of these I've never played, and I've beaten none of them before. A few are probably considered legit classics, so I'm not totally off base here. I may add or delete other entries before June 1st, but after that, I'm locked in. Yes I realize this is already 15 games. But I plan to play these during June, July, and August, so that's three months to beat them all. Plenty of time if real life plays fair.

My apologies to Dsh's poor wrecked soul.

[marurun]

Deep Blue? I am so sorry for what you will experience. Just make sure your loins are properly girded for that one.

[alienjesus]

As I said earlier, I'm approaching the "Summer Games Challenge" in a totally wrong and not intended manner. Instead of focusing solely on widely accepted "classics", rather I'm going with games that have a summer related theme to them. The themes I've identified are ocean and tropical island. So here's my tentative Summer of Love Challenge list:

Aquaria (PC) (metroidvania) (Related theme: Ocean)
BioShock (360) (FPS) (Related theme: Ocean)
Dead Island (360) (action adventure) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Deep Blue (TG16) (shmup) (Related theme: Ocean)
Dive: The Medes Islands Secret (action adventure) (Wii) (Related theme: Ocean)
Ecco the Dolphin (GEN) (action adventure) (Related theme: Ocean)
Everblue 2 (PS2) (action-RPG) (Related theme: Ocean)
Finny the Fish and the Seven Waters (PS2) (action-RPG) (Related theme: Ocean)
Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! (GEN) (platformer) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Sakura Beach (PC) (visual novel) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Startropics (NES) (action-RPG) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
Submarine Attack (SMS) (shmup) (Related theme: Ocean)
Super Adventure Island (SNES) (platformer) (Related theme: Tropical Island)
TransWorld Surf (PS2) (sports) (Related theme: Ocean)
Treasures of the Deep (PS1) (action adventure / shmup) (Related theme: Ocean)

Most of these I've never played, and I've beaten none of them before. A few are probably considered legit classics, so I'm not totally off base here. I may add or delete other entries before June 1st, but after that, I'm locked in. Yes I realize this is already 15 games. But I plan to play these during June, July, and August, so that's three months to beat them all. Plenty of time if real life plays fair.

My apologies to Dsh's poor wrecked soul.

Some other fun games to consider swapping in:

New Adventure Island (PCE) - My favourite in the series so far
Beach Spikers (GC) - Fun Volleyball game by Sega
Wave Race 64 - Jetskis!
Densetsu no Stafy (GBA) - Underwater fun, easier than Ecco though.
Survival Kids (GBC) - Stranded on a desert island survival game

[Sarge]

I actually started up and played about halfway through Super Adventure Island last night. Mostly to hear the soundtrack.

[Exhuminator]

New Adventure Island (PCE) - My favourite in the series so far
Beach Spikers (GC) - Fun Volleyball game by Sega
Wave Race 64 - Jetskis!
Densetsu no Stafy (GBA) - Underwater fun, easier than Ecco though.
Survival Kids (GBC) - Stranded on a desert island survival game

I might swap the SFC for the PCE version, I'll check it out.
I played and finished Beach Spikers, Wave Race 64, and Survival Kids already. I considered doing Survival Kids 2, but decided to wait on it. I've played the DS version of Starfy and it was "OK", just unengaging due to how easy it was. Do the GBA versions need much in the way of Japanese skill to play? Are they any harder? I might considering going back to the DS Starfy because it definitely is summer flavored.

[alienjesus]

New Adventure Island (PCE) - My favourite in the series so far
Beach Spikers (GC) - Fun Volleyball game by Sega
Wave Race 64 - Jetskis!
Densetsu no Stafy (GBA) - Underwater fun, easier than Ecco though.
Survival Kids (GBC) - Stranded on a desert island survival game

I might swap the SFC for the PCE version, I'll check it out.
I played and finished Beach Spikers, Wave Race 64, and Survival Kids already. I considered doing Survival Kids 2, but decided to wait on it. I've played the DS version of Starfy and it was "OK", just unengaging due to how easy it was. Do the GBA versions need much in the way of Japanese skill to play? Are they any harder? I might considering going back to the DS Starfy because it definitely is summer flavored.

The first GBA starfy was playable without knowledge of Japanese, and is the only one I've played. It is very easy.

[PartridgeSenpai]

I've played the DS version of Starfy and it was "OK", just unengaging due to how easy it was. Do the GBA versions need much in the way of Japanese skill to play? Are they any harder? I might considering going back to the DS Starfy because it definitely is summer flavored.

The first GBA starfy was playable without knowledge of Japanese, and is the only one I've played. It is very easy.

As someone who has also beaten Starfy 1 and played a fair bit of Starfy 2, I can confirm that they are quite easy and somewhat dull as a result. I'm fairly sure the whole point of the franchise is that they're somewhat introductory platformers for children, so I wouldn't expect any of them to be terribly difficult. If the difficulty of the DS one turned you off, I don't think you'll ever enjoy any of them.

[Xeogred]

Its getting increasingly hard to differentiate what people are saying not to play because they don't like it, and what they're saying not to play because they don't think it's classic.

You guys are miserable buggers who between you seem to hate every game ever made me too probably

Yes, this thread is testing my RB friendships...

I actually started up and played about halfway through Super Adventure Island last night. Mostly to hear the soundtrack.

How is it? I played the weird larger scale Super 2 on the SNES, but I'm a little curious about the rest of the series. They look like simple fun quick romps. How did Nintendo allow them to have that hat?

[Ack]

I see my choice of Descent II really upsets Xeogred.

[pierrot]

GEN = Landstalker: Treasure of King Noble
N64 = Beetle Adventure Racing

Beetle Adventure Racing is pretty fun for a while, but really more of a hidden gem, at best.
I thought Landstalker was a bit too long, and drawn out, with controls that are not at all ideal for the precision platforming involved. The music can be pretty good, though.

Mario Kart 64 (N64)

I hope you enjoy AI that will rubber-band your face off. That's a game that does not hold up to my memories of it from when I was eight. I'm sure the battle mode is still good, though.

Pikmin
Seiken Densetsu 3
Eternal Darkness Sanity's Requiem

You should definitely keep Pikmin, and SD 3 in there. I don't know if I'd call Pikmin a classic, but it's a good game.
I 100%-ed Eternal Darkness, but usually feel pretty ambivalent about it. I wouldn't go in expecting something that's actually scary, or chilling. It's rarely even tense, but it's a fairly fun game.

Billy Hatcher and The Giant Egg (GCN)
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS1)

Don't do it, man. It's not worth it. I'd go with the Sega CD version of Lunar, at least. It may not look as nice, but it plays a lot better, with zippier battles, and less fluff. It's a good game, either way, though. Billy Hatcher is kind of a tough game to recommend. It has some good ideas, but poor execution.

Dragon Warrior III (GBC)
Jet Grind Radio (DC)
Shenmue (DC)

These are winners.

5. Little Nemo
6. Dark Cloud

Little Nemo is such a great platform game. I wish it were regarded as a classic, but--. Dark Cloud is really great, too.

YU-NO (PC)

This shows up all the time in "best of..." lists for the Saturn, on Japanese websites. I've always been curious about it considering how highly regarded it is. Is this on Steam, or something?