How Is Your SNES Gaming Going?

[MrPopo]

It's definitely less complex than a Final Fantasy title. But I think it's some nice simple fun, and the robot customization and part building does add some depth to it.

[SNESdrunk]

I've moved onto Mega Man X3. Substantial differences from the first two games. Most of the levels are longer, and my god Tunnel Rhino's level seems to stretch on forever. Whoever was responsible for putting the checkpoint in that level needs to be slapped in the face.

There's a LOT of recycling of the same enemy sprites which is a big disappointment, especially in a Mega Man game, which usually has such a big variety of enemies.

The constant enemy respawning is NES Ninja Gaiden-like at times and probably the main reason the game is as difficult as it is. You do get two energy tanks pretty quickly though.

I've never beaten this game so I'm excited to see how far I can get.

[Gunstar Green]

Once you get the armor X3's difficulty really takes a dive, but before you get it the levels can feel like an endurance test.

I did come out enjoying it a bit more during my last playthrough of it. The ride armors are pretty cool but underutilized and I was more prepared for the changes.

It's still really kind of off compared to the first two. There's a lack of polish that shows in the level design and enemies and even some of the music. Zero's extremely limited use is just really weird and never really necessary and it feels like he was just thrown into the game because Inafune demanded it. Thankfully we see a much more fleshed out and fun to play Zero in the sequel.

I get the feeling they wanted to go BIGGER IS BETTER with the idea that this was the final X game on the SNES so they wanted to throw lots of things into the game and make the levels longer and harder but it ended up creating an experience that overall was much less finely tuned than what came before.

But at least it's not Mega Man X6 or anything. By 16-bit X series standards it's kind of weak but as an action platformer standing on its own it's still a great game.

[BoneSnapDeez]

A love discovering obscure retro developers.

When I finished Magic Knight Rayearth today I noticed that it was developed by a company called Pandora Box. Here is their list of Super Famicom RPGs:

Burai: Hachigyoku no Yuushi Densetsu
Ryuki Heidan Danzalv
Soul & Sword
Kishin Korinden Oni
Magic Knight Rayearth
Bakumatsu Korinden Oni
Arabian Nights: Sabaku no Seirei Ou
Traverse: Starlight & Prairie

Pretty impressive. Too bad none of these games made it outside of Japan.

Translation patches exist for Magic Knight Rayearth and Arabian Nights. I've beaten Rayearth several times and played a bit of Arabian Nights. Both are decent.

Pandora Box also developed Zool: Majuu Tsukai Densetsu for the Nintendo 64, one of the few RPGs to show up on the console (and no, the game is in no way related to the European Zool platformers).

[ExedExes]

I can say that I played MKR and had a really good time with it. Easy enough for an RPG beginner.

[Xeogred]

I'm never sure how I'd rank the X games myself and the difficulty across the series is as inconsistent as ever. I like X3 a lot and more than most I think, but X2 definitely feels more polished and to the point. Whereas the original X always stands out with some of the best tracks and brought in all the new ideas with the X series, but it's a cakewalk for me.

I think the PSX games spike the difficulty up a fun amount. Zero has always been easy mode for me. Even though he lacks range, his saber just does so much damage it's insane. Last I replayed them all and went through these as X mostly, and I probably enjoy them more that way since they still feel more designed around him... whereas the Zero series on the GBA is when they got awesome with his stuff.

I like X6. But it's definitely cheap and rushed around the edges (6-12 month gap between the release of that one and X5 I think?), and the difficulty level curving system in that one is completely jacked up. It was brutal as hell when I ran through it last year for whatever reason, but I managed to get through it.

Still never attempted X7 and I think I plan to keep it that way. And X8 while playable, was utterly forgettable. I can't remember anything about it other than Vile was back again, but was green so he looked horrible.

[Ack]

Thinking of buying robotrek. The robot fighting seems interesting & a bit "pokemon-like." How is it?

... Bonez, Popo... know one of you guys has played it

ZeroAX is the member that Bone was talking about. He loves it.

I haven't spent more than five minutes with it, but I'm considering playing Robotrek sometime in the near future. After Live-A-Live, I may attempt to get back into Secret of the Stars, or I may go for one of the other SNES RPGs that I own and haven't beaten yet.

[SNESdrunk]

Ack, how did you like Brain Lord? What would you compare it to?

[SNESdrunk]

Once you get the armor X3's difficulty really takes a dive, but before you get it the levels can feel like an endurance test.

I did come out enjoying it a bit more during my last playthrough of it. The ride armors are pretty cool but underutilized and I was more prepared for the changes.

It's still really kind of off compared to the first two. There's a lack of polish that shows in the level design and enemies and even some of the music. Zero's extremely limited use is just really weird and never really necessary and it feels like he was just thrown into the game because Inafune demanded it. Thankfully we see a much more fleshed out and fun to play Zero in the sequel.

I get the feeling they wanted to go BIGGER IS BETTER with the idea that this was the final X game on the SNES so they wanted to throw lots of things into the game and make the levels longer and harder but it ended up creating an experience that overall was much less finely tuned than what came before.

But at least it's not Mega Man X6 or anything. By 16-bit X series standards it's kind of weak but as an action platformer standing on its own it's still a great game.

Agree with the bolded points. It's hard to put my finger on, but it definitely feels much different than its predecessors. The music is almost somber in places (Blizzard Buffalo in particular) which is weird. Again, the re-use of the same three or so enemies REALLY bothers me. The whole game kind of comes across as uninspired. I get the feeling they made the levels longer in lieu of a more creative approach.

[Ack]

Ack, how did you like Brain Lord? What would you compare it to?

I actually liked it quite a bit. The closest games I have to compare it to would be Lagoon(but with better and more interesting combat) combined with the likes of Lufia 2's puzzles. I'd recommend checking it out if you want a solid action RPG that will challenge your mind with riddles and your sense of timing and coordination with some platforming and rapid movement segments.