Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

[Sumez]

I gave up really quickly with Sword Master. I'm not a fan of games where the main challenge is figuring out how the enemies were programmed so you can abuse the game's quirks.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Yie Ar Kung Fu? Play it once every other month without fail. Speaking of - Blues is my other longtime rival who has been tormenting me since the mid 80's.

I haven't played the arcade original much, but I love the Famicom port, and have previously achieved a 24-ALL (reached Stage 121, rolling over both the stage and score counters along the way ).

There are indeed games like that, that are always fun to play no matter how long you've been doing it.

I gave the Arcade Advanced port a couple of credits lately with practically zero childhood memories of the title and yep - that one's entertaining. Arcade Advanced collection keeps giving, rivalling Game & Watch Gallery Advance in my private ranking of GBA carts' usefulness of late.

[BrianC]

How does Sword Master compare to Castle of Dragon/Dragon Unit? I'm under the impression that they are similar.

[BIL]

I've not played FC Dragon Unit nearly as much as Sword Master, but from briefly reacquainting myself tonight, I think Macaw summed them up well in his wonderful Gamengai FC Action thread. Quoting him from there:

Completely altered port from the arcade original. The action isn't the greatest since the game is rather buggy and at the start it seems like the best tactic for the numerous mid bosses is to just sit next to an enemy and mash the attack button. With some more play though you'll discover that damage from bosses can be avoided with certain strategies, and the cool aspects of the game really shine, such as all the different equipment you get and all of it being satisfying such as awesome looking dragon armor and later gold dragon armor, different elemental swords, throwing knives and the ball and chain which is totally awesome. You can also level up to get a bigger life meter, and in addition to the main stages of the game that mostly consist of a series of mid boss battles there are also bunch of super bosses in the game that are huge and cool. Once again I have to stress the technical aspects of the game are really shoddy, but with all the other cool stuff the game has this strangely actually became one of my favorite fantasy side scrollers.

The successor to Dragon Unit. Technically the game is dramatically improved over Dragon Unit, with everything moving super smooth and also boasting some of the best visuals on the Famicom. Unfortunately they took out all the cool different equipment that Dragon Unit had, and all the bosses are now rather small and nowhere near as cool as Dragon Units. Instead of equipment Sword Master does add a mage character that can be used, but he isn't much fun and pretty much useless compared to the knight. Its definitely the better playing game of the 2 and a fantastic game, but in the end I actually like Dragon Unit myself more because of the cool equipment, more exciting bosses, and more satisfying platforming and harder difficulty.

I agree, pretty much. Sword Master is much smoother-handling but ultimately a bit boring (hoppity hop). Dragon Unit feels kusoge-rickety, but is also less formulaic. Each has something the other lacks, unfortunately. Muddy, endearingly deranged garage EP versus studio-polished but radio-sanitised pro LP. ;3

[Sumez]

More of a "cute platformer" than "sidescrolling action", but with all the Run 'n Gun going on right now, I can't imagine it's too far off topic.

Played through Time Zone for Famicom last weekend. Really a surprisingly solid platform game. It showers you with 1ups, so it's a really easy clear, but it's also purely one-hit-KO, so I had to retry the stages a lot. I think I was taking it pretty lightly though, but it could be fun going for a no-miss.
The controls seemed oddly unresponsive at first, but once I got used to them, I didn't have any issues with them at all, and even though it's immensely floaty, the game controls extremely well. Your only attack is throwing a "boomerang cap" that behaves somewhat like the big shuriken in Ninja Gaiden, except it tries to return to you immediately after hitting something. There's a slight delay to the attack which takes a little getting used to, but it feels completely intentional, and if you miss your target, you can't attack again until you get your cap back, which adds a nice element of prcesision to the game.



Since it's really just a very simple and short sidescroller, I can't see myself returning to it any time soon, but it's definitely fun, and recommended since it's still a pretty cheap game, unlike its "sequel of sorts", Panic Restaurant, which was made by the same people, and it definitely shows.

If it weren't for a large amount of autoscrollers, I can imagine Time Zone being a lot of fun going for a speedrun of. Especially because you can run with the B button, but you're already pretty fast without it, so holding it down just makes you zoom through the stages at full speed, kind of requiring you to know the layout beforehand. Cursiously, none of the stages feel like they are designed around the B-button run even existing at all, so any time you do it, it kinda feels like you're breaking the game, which is a lot of fun! If you know where you're going you can bypass almost every single sequence of moving platforms with it.

[__SKYe]

Played Cabal for the first time, since my last post (a week or so), and managed to reach Level 4-2 on the first credit.
Managed to reduce the credits needed to 2 this time, and with a life in stock.

Lost 2 of the first credit's lives very early (the first was on stage 1-2, and the second soon after), but still managed to get my best record yet.

It's funny how, perhaps counterintuitively, not playing a game for a few days yields better results than just going at it all the time. This definitely happens to me often, and some of my 1CCs (or better than average runs, such as this one) come after a few days break from playing a game (Final Fight for the SFC went pretty much like this as well).

[BIL]

More of a "cute platformer" than "sidescrolling action", but with all the Run 'n Gun going on right now, I can't imagine it's too far off topic.

I like hearing about cuter stuff tbh. Harder for me to tell at a glance whether those are any good. ;3

Coincidentally, I tried out Panic Restaurant/Wanpaku Kokkun no Gourmet World the other day. Seemed like a very solid simpler game, but not especially compelling. Time Zone is one of those FC action games I've never even heard of... the speed dynamic sounds interesting. Art style certainly rings a bell.

Recent pickup, caught me totally unawares: Totsuzen! Machoman aka Amagon (Aicom/FC/1988).



Rockman-esque precision platform/shooter, gone 1HKO for high intensity. Tonewise I'd call this a Ninja Crusaders to Rockman's Ninja Gaiden. A few staff went onto Gun-Dec; although Totsu's icy tension is very unlike GD's freeform rough-housing, there are resemblances - the player's slight offset to the left, the cagily hover-and-charging birds, and the short-ranged gun.

From a hazy rental BITD, I recalled this being frustrating and gimmicky. With Vic Tokai never being much of a quality barometer, I'd perhaps never have revisited. Did so after being offered a nice copy; was slowly but decisively won over by its triad of sharp control, nonstop pace and devious stage design. Tough, addictive! As st1-1's guillotine bat/bird setups will reveal, it's an uncommonly hard console original, with mastery of enemy behaviour for deft dispatch critical. Seen a snake? Don't run, the mortar spread will own you (or drive you into worse danger). Rush in and shoot the sneaky fuckers to defuse the threat.

Spoiler

Besides adequately nailing its platform/shooting fundamentals, the game adds a welcome layer of strategy via HENSHIN mechanic. Nail varmints with Weeman's rifle to boost your score (which is much more accurately described as a power meter), then activate BIG'UN who shrugs off flak, slays the baddest beasts with stiff uppercut and MEN'S BEAM, and generally makes life much easier. But don't be sloppy, you sexy muhfucka! Finish the round with excess HP, and it'll convert back to meter for the next. You wanna hit that magic 70k ASAP, for a full tank of beastman-slaughtering power! Nice little tech-rewarding creep and snipe -> hulk out and bust fuckin heads system. Ammo is tight enough that you'll want to make shots count - an effect complemented perfectly by skittish zako, often Galaga-satisfying to plug - but not so much you'll hesitate to hose down swarms. BIGGUN is dominating but never a free pass nor, outside of some bosses, ever mandatory.

There are rough edges, on both mechanical and system levels. The way jumps ascend and descend at equal, linear velocity will jar, and as hinted immediately above, the transformation system can leave Weeman utterly SOL against some bosses (sans autofire, at least). The game's very good at ensuring a transform item and plenty of meter before your rematch, but it's a shame the simple bosses let the far more complex and better-balanced stages down.

Overall it's more than well-executed enough to survive these flaws - I was pleasantly surprised to find such an ambitiously challenging sidescroller hiding under the radar. The silly aesthetic and garish looks won't be to everyone's taste, but I found them growing on me... it feels consistently knowing in its goofiness ("Tortoise is the only friend of you"), and takes a fairly unique identity amongst the FC's harder-edged sidescrollers. There's a nice bit of continuity in the island setting too - notice the final stage visible on the first's horizon, and vice-versa. Dracula-esque!

JUDGEMENT: A minor surprise hit. :O Tightly executed, inventive and tough methodical platform/shooter. Worth a look for tolerant fans of such bent.

[Sumez]

I think you also mentioned Machoman a few posts back which tuned me into it. I'll definitely be picking it up real soon, looks like it will be right up my alley.

Great to have you back, the thread has been going awfully slow.

[BIL]

tbh after the thread exploded through 2.5 years' worth its usual growth recently, I like to think it's just hibernating a bit. ;3 I've been a bit scarce lately due to IRL Bullshit™ but I take solace that the payoff will secure phase II or teh bonering. ¦3

[Sumez]

You also need to get around to indexing the gold mine of information in the thread :3 It's worthy of its own product, shedding light on both popular and less known action games, investigating what makes them unique and interesting. You could call it "Hardcore Gaming 101".

[BIL]

You could call it "Hardcore Gaming 101".

I wouldn't dare! HG101, bless 'em.

[__SKYe]

As a break from Senjou No Ookami, Cabal & co., I decided to play Trip World (GB).
I always told myself I should play it through, but I ended up not ever doing it, so today I finally sat down with it, and just got the 1CC.



Overall, it's a pretty easy game, though there are a few situations where you're bound to die on the first playthough.

The hardest part, for me, was the final boss(es).
Since reaching the them for the first time, I've been able to go through the entire game without losing any lives, but I got a game over 2 times from them alone.

The first 2 buggers, aren't too hard, but they usually do 2HP of damage to me, although it isn't too bad, since you get an HP refill on the next fight.
The next guy, though, is a bit harder, and although I've manage to beat him everytime except on 2 occasions (the first of which, was on my first time facing him, where I only had 1HP, and was trying to pick up the health item quick, but he killed me before I could do it), he's still dangerous, and of all the times I've reached the (next) final boss, except once (incidentally the exact time I got the clear), he always left me with 1HP left.

Now against the last boss, I've lost some 5~6 times, mostly from not knowing what he'd do.
The first time, and since I only had 1HP left, I sat back waiting for him to make a move, to see if, by some miracle, I could get the pattern down. He kicked once (it didn't reach me), and afterwards he fired a shot, which I attempted to jump over, but was hit, and died.
My first thought was that the shot had a fixed upwards curve, and I just happened to jump into it, so the next time I faced him (again, with 1HP left), I stood still, but the shot is aimed, so I got hit, and died once again.
On the next try (you guesses, 1HP left ), I tried to jump over the shot, but it is fast, big and aimed, so I failed to do it.

Finally on my last life of the credit I was playing (there're no continues, so if you lose all your lives, it's back to stage 1), I managed to reach him with 3HP left, but I still couldn't figure out how I was supposed to avoid those shots, so I just walked towards him, and attacked him, avoiding his kicks.
As it turns out, if you're close to him, he won't fire the shot, and instead he'll just kick, and those kicks come out at a fixed rate, so you can (somewhat) easily avoid them, and at the same time, you kick him.
I won (and only lost 1HP too), and got the clear. I suppose the aimed shot is to punish you by staying far away, and it's one hell of a punishment.

Oh, and you need to beat all 3 (the 2 buggers, the guy that looks like an evil version of you, and the final boss) again, if you lose a life.

Other than that, the visuals and audio are absolutely fantastic for a GB game.

I do have mixed feelings about the denizens of the game's world.
For one, I like how most of them aren't hostile (not unless you hit them, at least), as it complements the cuteness of the world (and in fact you get no score for defeating them), and figuring out which are hostile is part of the fun.
But on the other hand, most of the levels can be pretty much "skipped", because there's almost no danger whatsoever (bar spikes, etc).

But all in all, it is a very nice game, and both visual and aurally-wise, it is most certainly one of the best on the platform, and I can understand why Kitten liked it so much.

I'm also going for the 1LC, as it feels like a shame to not do it, since I'm fairly positive I can do it without much trouble, now that I've cleared it (and know what the bosses' behaviour is).

You also need to get around to indexing the gold mine of information in the thread :3 It's worthy of its own product, shedding light on both popular and less known action games, investigating what makes them unique and interesting. You could call it "Hardcore Gaming 101".

For awhile now, I've been meaning to read the thread from the start, just to see what's been discussed, what games where mentioned, etc, so I can help if you guys want.
No promises on when I'll do it, but I do promise to post about it, when I do.

EDIT:

-----

After clearing Trip World, I was browsing GB games, and decided to play Ikari No Yousai, and got the 1CC on the first try.



It was developed by Jaleco, and it's a topdown shooter with a screen-by-screen (aka: no scrolling) map, and it plays like Metal Gear, but without the stealth.

You have 2 characters and can switch between them at any time. They each have their own lifebar and special actions.
The guy is the slowest, but can shoot 5 bullets at once, and can also use special weapons (like grenades, flamethrower, etc).
The girl is faster, can jump, but can only shoot 2 bullets at once, and cannot use special weapons (the A button, which is used for them, if you're using the guy, is the button for jumping).

Each stage fits a map of 5x4 screens, with each stage after the first one, having 2 floors (so 2 maps of 5x4 screens). They have your usual assortment of enemies, spikes, mini bosses, etc.
Some of the rooms are sort of like a "trap", in that when you enter the exit(s) will lockdown, and you have to defeat whatever enemies are there (sometimes even rockets or some sort of projectiles?), and when you do the exit(s) will re-open, and you'll often get an item too.
There are 4 types of items: special weapons (of which there are about 4 types (grenades, flamethrower, rocket, and vulcan/rapid fire)), keys (which are necessary to unlock doors, which in turn are necessary to complete the stage), medikits and health boosters/upgrades (which heal the current character, and extends their health by 1 point (or 2? not sure)).

The medikits work both as an healing item (if you pick them up when your character is damaged, their health will be replenished), and as an extra life (if the current charater has full health). You can stock up to 8.
You can also stock special weapons, which I *think* happens when you pick up one of the same type you're already carrying, when your ammo is full.

You can only move and shoot in the 4 cardinal directions, by the way.

Overall, it's a pretty easy game, though it has some annoying things.
Your character's sprite is pretty tall, so it's easy to get hit by enemy shots, although they usually travel slowly, so it evens out.
There are some sections (starting on stage 3, I believe) that are in absolute darkness, and you need to destroy a machine to light them up (and sometimes to open a door as well), so you need to blindly search for a path to the machine (there's usually multiple paths into thee rooms, but only one is correct).
The problem is that some of those paths have spikes/holes in them, so it comes down to pure luck whether you went through the correct path or not, and it is often a case of turning back immediately, if you start taking damage, as it is obviously not the correct path. You do have a pretty nice amount of i-frames, so it's not too bad, but the luck-based approach is still bad.

Other than that, there are several mini-bosses spread throughout the stages, and a boss at the end of each (2 bosses on the last stage). They're all pretty easy, overall, and if you play decently, you'll be able to amass quite a few lives as well.

It's a pretty short (there're are only 4 stages) and overall easy game, but it's fun to play.

[Sumez]

There's a SNES "version" of Ikari no Yousai. Bought it recently, have been meaning to get around to it, but didn't put the time aside for it yet. I'm trying to maintain my NES binge, and I'm already getting sidetracked enough by Ibara as it is.

[Mortificator]

I played through the US release (Operation Logic Bomb) some years ago. It's an average game. Part of the de-arcade-ized branch of the Commando family, like The Chaos Engine, which means its Ikari is lessened from that of a Warrior. There's a wordless story in the vein of Half-Life running through it, which doesn't seem to be related to either of the Game Boy games.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jaleco reused its code or "engine" for The Ignition Factor, which handles much the same way aside from having the player shoot fires instead of aliens.

[__SKYe]

I just tried both the SFC game and the 2nd Game Boy game.

INY 2 (GB) is quite better (and more refined) than the first, but changes a couple things along the way.
You still have the 2 characters, and can change between them at any time, and jumping is also still available to the girl only.
But instead of the special weapons for the guy, there're are 3 different weapons available to both characters, and they all have infinite ammo, so weapon drops are no longer available (nor necessary). They are a auto-fire machinegun, a 3-way spread shot and a grenade launcher.
The grenade launcher does some area damage, and is able to fly over some obstacles, which both the other (and the enemies') weapons cannot. It is very slow to fire, though.

This thinner difference between the characters, makes the guy much less useful (other than the added lifebar), because his major advantage over the girl in the first game (the ability to use specal weapons) is gone.

The speed difference between the characters remains from the first game, with the guy being slower than the girl.
There are also no longer health upgrades (the ones that increase your life). Instead, each character has a fixed lifebar (the guy has more HP than the girl).
The medikits are still here, but they can no longer be hoarded as lives, and only replenish one character's life.
If both characters get killed, it's game over.

As for movement, you can now move and shoot in 8 directions, so it is a much more enjoyable experience.

There are also breakable walls now, where you need to use the grenade launcher, so it increases the exploration aspect of teh game a bit more.

On the other hand, the map (each level still has a 4x5 grid of screens, with 2 floors per stage, at least as far as I've played) no longer shows exits from the current room, until you've gone through them. This makes it a bit harder to remember which rooms connect to each other, unless you make a point of going through all the exits.
Granted, this is a minor issue, but it's still a bit annoying.

Other than that, the game's harder, especially the bosses, and I got a game over on the 3nd stage's boss.

-----

The SFC game, although similar in gameplay, feels like a different game altogether.

It no longer uses flip-screen rooms, and instead has proper scrolling. There's also only one character this time.
Initially he has 2 weapons (the rapid-fire, and the 3-way spread), but you'll gain new ones as you go.

It plays, and looks like Contra 3's overhead levels, but without the screen rotation, and it plays pretty smoothly.
You can also strafe and lock your shot in one direction, by holding the shoulder buttons, which is very useful.

There are terminals around each map, which you can use (only once) to either get a map of the current area (you'll start without one), or restore your HP.

I found the, sort of, continuous level (as in, there's not a clear distinction between each stage, instead you teleport around, and it feels like a continuous world) pretty cool, and the way you need to find the map for the current room, instead of having it from the start, also pretty nice.

The story segments (if you can call them that) are also cool, not so much because the plot is great, but by how it is presented.
You get insight on the game's plot by either approaching terminals (like the ones you get the map), and then the game will show a sort of recording of some place, and you see what happened there (like the aliens or whatever they are taking over some base), or by touching certain objects (like a scrap from a boss you just beat).

For example, one time, you'll reach a room that has 3 dead bodies (which you can destroy, amusingly) and what looks like the remnants of a mechanical claw(?), and when you touch it, you'll see a vision (flashback or whatever) of how they ended up there.
You'll see the 2 soldiers fighting a huge enemy, and getting killed, and then a third soldier showing up with a flamethrower, and destroying the "claw" of the enemy, before being killed as well. And that "claw" is the one you just touched.
That huge enemy, is the boss for that stage, and, you guessed, he's missing that claw. It's pretty neat.

These visions will also show how the enemies corrupt the stages (when you first start each stage, there's several areas that are "corrupted", as in, you can't move there, and they'll transform into something that looks straight from MegaMan battle Network), and after you beat the enemies (which are more like mini bosses) you see in that vision, the stage will get restored to normal, and you'll be able to move on.

All in all, although it isn't a groundbreaking game, it's still pretty enjoyable, though it no longer has that screen-by-screen feel of the previous games.

[__SKYe]

Sorry for the double post, but my last one was not only quite a few days ago, and I feel like editing it would cause more trouble than double posting.

So, I got the 1CC (or 1LC, since there're no lives) for Ikari No Yousai for the SuFami (like it's been mentioned, it's called Operation Logic Bomb in the US).

Here's the ending (with the ubiquitous "standing on a hill watching the fortress go down" (without it actually going down this time )).

Spoiler

As far as I can tell, there are no differences between regions, apart from the title screen and the credits. There's also no text whatsoever, so the JP version is perfectly playable by a non-JP player.

I want to retract (and apologize for ) my previous comparison between this game and Contra 3's overhead levels, visual-wise, as they're not quite the same.
I guess I was biased by the macho/futuristic aspect of both games.
It has more similarities with the 2D Zelda games' 3/4 view (if Link was proportionally correct), and this influences gameplay, as your character is more tall than wide.

To add onto what I've previously said:

You start with 2 weapons: a rapid-fire machinegun, and a 3-way spread shot. The spread, although weaker, is very useful due to its radius.
Over the course of the game, you'll gain an additional 2: a ricochet gun (or something along those lines), whose bullets ricochet when they hit walls, and a flamethrower, which, besides being very powerful, 'hugs' walls' corners, allowing you to shoot things that are around corners, and cannot be shot with any other weapon.
Besides these weapons, you also get access to 2 items: a hologram-thing (which projects an hologram of you, and attracts enemy fire), and claymores, which take a second to explode (they explode in a line, and not an area, like one would think, and the line's direction is where your character is facing when you plant it), and do massive damage.

There are a total of 3 levels, but they consist of multiple maps/segments (except the final stage), so they're somewhat long (the game's isn't too big though, and can be beaten in under an hour).
The first and second levels have 3~4 areas each, and the last one has only one. There's also another area between the first two levels (on a canyon/mountain).

There are terminals spread across the first 2 levels, and they contain one of 3 things: HP refills, the current area's map, and a plot segment.
There are 3 plot terminals, 4 HP refills, and one map for each area, and only the plot terminals are mandatory (you need to use them, or you won't be able to proceed).

My one issue with this system, is that you they are visually identical, so unless you've played the game before, you won't be able to tell which type they are.
This isn't a problem with the plot and map terminals (as you'll want to access both of them as soon as you can), but you may want to save an HP refill for later, and you won't know if a terminal is the map you need, or the HP refill you want to save.

As far as I can tell, the plot involves some kind of creatures (the crab-like ones that you fight as mid-bosses) invading the facility where the first two levels are situated. They install some sort of machine that 'corrupts' the area (perhaps to aid the invasion?), and fill it with enemies.
These machines, are what you need to destroy in order to 'decorrupt' the area, and move further on.
After winning against the strongest mid-boss (after the 2nd boss), you'll get an item that transforms (enables?) your character to go to the enemy's territory/planet. He'll gain a blue glow, and you'll have to move to one of the previously inaccessible 'corrupt' areas, and be transported to the final level.

The story is told in recordings/flashbacks (your character is an android, so I assume he somehow access various items' memory and retrieves this information), which are triggered by using some terminals or enemy parts (left behind by defeating mid-bosses, or just found laying around).
On them, you'll see how the current state of affairs came to be, and/or what you need to do to proceed.
Whenever you pick up a weapon (claymore and hologram-thing included), you'll get a cutscene much like these, showing how to use them. It's pretty neat.

Now, about the bosses and mid-bosses.

Mid-bosses:

Spoiler

There's only one mid-boss type/design, but with 3 different colors and abilities (or rather, different colored ones gain more firepower). You'll encounter blue ones, red ones and one grey, in that order of difficulty.
The main change between them, is the number of bullets they fire in their spread shot. They'll fire 2 spreads when you're facing them either from the north or south, and 1 spread if you're facing them from either east or west.
The reds will fire 2 BPS, the blues will fire 3 BPS (but will still fire only 2, if you're either east or west), and the grey will fire 3 BPS regardless were you're standing.
The grey one also has the particularity of being immune to the flamethrower.
None of them are hard, but it's difficult to not take damage when facing the grey one.

For the red and blue ones, the easiest way to beat them, is to stand on either of their sides, and fire at them, while avoiding their spread shots (there's only 2 bullets, so it's not too hard).
Against the grey one, standing on any of the 4 cardinal directions will make you get hit (their spread density is too big), so you could try to stay on their diagonal, but there's no guaranteed you won't take damage, since they move quite erractically.
The easiest way to beat it is to simply blast away at it, and take the hits. You won't take much damage, and there's a health pickup a little before it, but you won't get another after it (final boss included).
You could also not pickup the HP item before it (and go back for it after you beat the mid-boss) provided you have enough health after the 2nd boss.
Anyway, it isn't really that much of a deal.

1st boss:

Spoiler

The first boss looks intimidating, but it's actually very easy.
I just use the flamethrower (as it does and obscene amount of damage), and take its claw first (there's only one claw).
The claw launches a few homing shots (you won't be able to destroy it before it fires them), which you can avoid by staying in the center of the screen, and let them circle around you, until they dissipate.
With the claw still attached, the boss will fire a few 2-bullet spreads, which are quite hard to avoid, but aren't really threatening, as they'll only do 1HP of damage (again, he'll always fire at least one of these).
Once the claw is destroyed, it will resort to simply firing several fast homing missiles, which are a pain to avoid (I don't know if they're all possible to avoid at all), but it's not really important, as you only need to stand right in front of it, and blast away with the flamethrower until it's dead.
This is a Malth type-thing (similarly, there's also an HP item near the boss, so you can fight it with full HP), except you'll be able to destroy it by losing about 1/4th of your HP.
You won't get a refill after beating it (your HP is never refilled, except when using the HP terminals), but it's not too big of a deal.

2nd boss:

Spoiler

The 2nd boss is more dangerous, and must be beaten with claymores. You'll need to hit him with 4 of them, which isn't too hard, but you'll take a decent amount of damage while doing so.
The problem is that his shots are fast, numerous, and many of them ricochet on the wall behind you, to hit you.
Much like the homing missiles of the first boss, I find it's better/easier to just kill it fast, instead of trying to dodge its shots (you can dodge some of them easily enough, but the ricocheting ones are a pain in the ass).
There's really not much to say about it, except that every so often he'll move in front of you, and you have to time your claymore right, in order for them to hit him.

3rd (and final) boss:

Spoiler

Now, I found the final boss to be actually very nice.
It has two turrets (one on each side) which fire a stream of bullets towards you (you're in the middle of them). While there're 2 turrets, it's hard to dodge those bullets, so you'll want to destroy one of them as fast as possible, using the flamethrower and claymores (I found it useful to drop a claymore in between shooting it, so it is destroyed faster).
After one is down, you can take your time destroying the other (as it is the only thing firing at you). It is also made easier, by the fast that its shots don't reach the other side of the screen, so you can even stay away from it, and destroy it slowly. Either way, it's pretty easy.
Once you destroy both of them, the enemy's core will open (it's smack in the middle of the screen), and 2 of the blob-type enemies will appear (these also appear throughout the game).
The blob's are pretty fast, do a nice chunk of damage, and re-spawn. This is made harder, by the fact that there's not much room to avoid them (but there's enough), and even less to kill them (which you shouldn't do anyway).
The core itself will do nothing, and the blobs don't fire shots either, so there're no bullet streams to avoid, but for every shot you fire at the core, he'll retaliate with a nasty ray/beam that moves fast, does big damage, and comes straight at you. The blobs also re-spawn immediately, so trying to destroy is a waste of time and HP (since you have little room to shoot at them, even with the flamethrower, and they soak up quite a bit of damage).
So my strategy is to use claymores only against the core, and run away from the blobs and the core's retaliation beam.
Every claymore you use against it, will make it fire 2 beams, and, once again, they're fast, so if you're standing below it, you won't be able to dodge them.
The best way to do it, is to move in a horizontal 8 figure (you know, an infinity symbol ), and dropping a claymore as you're passing in front of the core. This way, the claymore will explode more or less as you're near one of the screen's edges, and you can move diagonally to avoid its beams.
With 4~5 claymores, it will go down, and you're done.

I should say that, the first time I've reached it (the final boss), I lost two of the continues, and got the game over there, and on my first clear (but not 1CC), I still had to continue once against it, so I really enjoyed the fight.

Aesthetically, the first two levels are on some sort of mechanic/scientific facility (sort of Metroid-like), and the last one looks like it came from MegaMan Battle Network. I find the backgrounds and enemies/bosses designs to be pretty good, given the game's sci-fi theme.

I also found the music pretty nice, and one of the cutscene tunes gives a very nice feeling of sci-fi horror (once again, much like you'd find on a Metroid game).
Perhaps the only issue, is that there is only one tune for each level, so not much variation.

Here's a few pics, showing the 'corruption' of the levels.

Spoiler

Spoiler

And the final stage, and some of the bosses.

Spoiler

Well, I don't know what else to say, so that's about it.
It's a pretty fun game, and very arcade-like in its length (but not difficulty, like it's been said), so I believe it's worth playing.

-----

As for Ikari No Yousai 2 (GB), I've managed to reach the 4th (and I assume last) level, but I was tired, and ended up stopping playing (it wasn't a 1CC run anymore, anyway).

I finally managed to beat the 2nd boss, where I previously got the game over, and figured out why I died so easily the first time around.
Although there's plenty of stuff going around in that fight, touching the boss is a 1HKO, and that's exactly what I did accidentally, when trying to avoid its bullet streams.

After reaching the 3rd level, I managed to beat its boss on the first try (and only taking 1 hit).
It has a much easier pattern, making you go around it while avoiding a bullet stream, but he's ultimately much easier to beat.

I didn't manage to reach the 4th stage's boss, because, like I said before, I got tired of running around (and it was pretty late, and I was tired myself), so I ended up shutting the game down.

There's a lot more exploration/running around in this game than the first, and the later levels get somewhat confusing, but they aren't terribly hard.
The one spot were I dislike, is were there are 2 fast, damage sponge enemies, in a very small corridor, that you are unable to kill without them hitting you (and it's 2HP just by touching them).
I may be horribly worong, but I was unable to go past them without taking, at least, a hit, and it's the only place that the game feels cheap. And you need to do this four times (there are two places like this, which you need to go through, and back again).

I mentioned before that the guy is no longer as useful as in the first game (and it's true), but he does have almost double the girl's HP, so you still end up using him a lot.
If one of the characters die, you won't be able to use them, at least until the end of the current stage (I don't know if their death persists until the end of the game, as I haven't tested it).

I still have to clear it, so that's about it.

-----

On Trip World (GB), I tried to get a quick 'n' cheap 1LC ( ) a few days ago, but it didn't go quite as planned.

For one, I failed to account for the lack of healing items on the final level, and you need to go through a midboss on your way to the end, so the damage piles up (it's like a NG 1CC, counting with the HP restore when dying on Act 6, vs a 1LC, were every bit of damage counts).

Also my initial assessment of the final boss' behaviour is not entirely correct.
I thought (going by my first experience) that he wouldn't fire his homing shot in close quarters, but I was mistaken. He does.

I still might go for the 1LC, but not at the moment. Although I enjoyed playing it (and it looks and sounds amazing), it's not one of those games that I'll willing to put a healthy amount of effort in (apart from the 1CC, of course).

-----

By the way, do you guys mind me posting my boss' strategies for games you've yet to play?
It's kinda silly of me to ask this now, after having just done it, but I just thought there might be some who prefer to beat them without the spoilers, so I might as well ask.

EDIT: Added spoiler tags to the boss' strats/details. Fixed typos. Rewording.

[BIL]

By the way, do you guys mind me posting my boss' strategies for game you've yet to play?
It's kinda silly of me to ask this now, after having just done it, but I just thought there might be some who prefer to beat them without the spoilers, so I might as well ask.

I don't mind - it's easy enough to skip over a post if it's a game I'd rather play blind (tbh, in those cases I'll avoid discussion of the game in general, then catch up later).

I sometimes use spoiler tags, if I'm posting a particularly game-demolishing bit of info. I figure the reader can decide for themselves. Needless to say, the most important thing is that the information is there for later reference. Excellent posts as usual, by the way!

[__SKYe]

I don't mind - it's easy enough to skip over a post if it's a game I'd rather play blind (tbh, in those cases I'll avoid discussion of the game in general, then catch up later).

I sometimes use spoiler tags, if I'm posting a particularly game-demolishing bit of info. I figure the reader can decide for themselves. Needless to say, the most important thing is that the information is there for later reference. Excellent posts as usual, by the way!

Yeah, I think I'll start using spoiler tags as well. In fact, I'll edit the previous post as well, since it's recent.
Personally, I prefer not to know others' strategies for (most) games I've yet to play (and intend to do so), as I find it very satistying to figure out how to beat their levels/bosses. This goes double for particularly challenging fights (or some that, at least at first, seem very challenging).

Only as I was writing that post, did I remember that posting them might potentially lower the overall enjoyment of anyone playing that game, although I honestly believe it is the strategy most would reach (so nothing special), when trying to beat it (the final boss, I mean).
And I've also posted these things before, so I wasn't sure.

[BIL]

Chaps I am dying, of cheeto dust inhalation. x_x Pardon if the below rambles a tad. TLDR: tiny changes have BIIG FUCKIN IMPLCATIONS for fine-tuned 2D action ;3

Little Annoyed Hell Containment Breach: wieners who claim NG1's swordbox doesn't connect at pointblank. I don't know where this came from but it's a bunch of crap. I've been methodically running baddies, projectiles and other targets clean through all morning without issue. Even deliberately letting them get too close for comfort! :O What gives? Shoddy player timing when dealing with aggressively charging foes like boxers, hoppers and eagles is my snooty hypothesis. ¦3 Or maybe they're attacking at normally impossible proximity while in hitflash, with Ryu's arm ghosting straight through the target? That can happen in NGI+II! Regardless, Dr. Biruford's RX4U is L2P YOU FUCKIN GODLESS SHITBIRDS

Anyway, this was one of the thread's earliest points of contention way back when, and it recently came back up - with the implication that NG's sequels fixed the supposed issue. I didn't bop the libelous whack-a-mole down as hard as I should've, because I hadn't played NGII decently in years and frankly didn't have my documents in order! UNTIL NOW >:3 Actually I recorded a cutscene-less NGII 1LC several weeks back, but forgot to add to OP. And while making the below GIF to showcase the awesome bottleneck-obliterating damage a tooled-up Ryu can inflict on the screen, I was reminded immediately after of what a burden the swordbox is. A GIF of two halves, you could say!

Spoiler

First is sweet screen-raking overkill, payoff for a well-planned and placed unleashing (that third turret you can barely see before it's shredded is one nasty ledge guarder I never tire of nuking). Second is nervous dispatch at lethal proximity, with precious little of the swashbuckling abandon NG1 fosters in even its deadliest straits. Try my damndest, the sense of disaster is always just a bit too close for comfort.

Spoiler

Less "hoho, I'll save ammo with a crafty swipe" more "u wot m8, fook that malarkey wheres me shoota!" (to Tecmo's credit a competent player's shooter is never far away, or lacking ammunition)

To be certain, NGII's among my favourite sidescrollers - even moreso now I've gotten some decent routes down. For pinpoint-precise maneuvers, hurtling velocity and monstrous firepower I'd say it surpasses the other two, albeit losing out on their close-ranged grit. It's just one of those games I'll forever consider a tiny, critical degree off of absolute success. Perhaps the very tiniest of degrees, among such cases.

Oh hey Sumez, Ikari III (FC) is actually really good! :O You asked a while back and I kinda went "eh is ok" but I finally figured it out, you gotta treat it like a topdown STG/brawler hybrid. Suddenly all the weirdness like "bonus waves" AKA dudes running past without attacking made sense. Unfortunately I have exhausted my nerdboner for now and must crash without further elaboration. Fairly cheap too, unlike Guevara! Not as good as that fullbred topdown murderfest but pretty fine in its goofy topdown fistycuffin/flying roundhousing way. I recommend if you can indulge (or especially enjoy!) buff shirtless dudes kicking chumps in they fuckin mout.

[FinalBaton]

Always knew there was nothing wrong with Ryu's sword connecting in NG1. There's still something a bit odd about the sword swing though, making killing birds mid-air VERY timing specific. Maybe the hitbox just stays on for a very short amount of time, is what it is? Anyway, a good player will adapt with no problems. I personally have no gripes with the sword swing.

I gotta play NG2 more, I didn't give it enough of my time. I remember liking the powerups less... but maybe that's just because I haven't played NG2 enough and don't know just yet when to grab which powerup for an optimal route. The wall jumping/climbing abilities, while more fleshed out, feel less satisfying to me... weird eh? I know... I'm sure it's just a personal preference thing. I just happen to prefer how the first games handles it, even though it's a very primitive system. Feels more satisfying to pull off, I guess. NO WALL CLIMBING FOR YOU, NINJA! NOW YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR WAY UP THAT WALL BY WAY OF WALLJUMPS, MWUHAHAHA!!!!

NG3, while a great game, is not for me. It's basically a Shadow Of The Ninja game and lacks the speedburst, visceral feel of the first two.

[BIL]

Always knew there was nothing wrong with Ryu's sword connecting in NG1. There's still something a bit odd about the sword swing though, making killing birds mid-air VERY timing specific. Maybe the hitbox just stays on for a very short amount of time, is what it is? Anyway, a good player will adapt with no problems. I personally have no gripes with the sword swing.

I suspect NG1's modification of Castlevania's three-frame attack sequence might throw off some; to be fair, it does sacrifice a little functionality for aesthetic's sake.





CV1's whip is in startup until the final frame, syncing closer with the animation. NG1's sword is visually out by the second frame, but it actually goes active a split-second later, with the final frame carrying through. So it's technically possible, if an advancing enemy has gotten very close, to visually run them through without connecting. Solution to this is obvious, ofc. ;3 It's toe-to-toe, not nose-to-nose! :O

Clearly Tecmo wanted an iado effect, but expressing it in three frames without completely abandoning the tactical element of startup took some frame-bending chicanery. To be fair, you can "run through" in Castlevania too, but NG's attack is shorter-ranged, and threats generally quicker, upping the pressure. The tradeoff is of course the sword can be jump-cancelled out of, and you can also bend vertical jumps to keep targets at optimal distance (notice how I retreat slightly while slicing that bird in the first GIF above; I tend to do this almost subconsciously in both games).

CV1xNG1 is my favourite cross-company action game design bromance.

I gotta play NG2 more, I didn't give it enough of my time. I remember liking the powerups less... but maybe that's just because I haven't played NG2 enough and don't know just yet when to grab which powerup for an optimal route.

It's a shame NGII didn't use some form of candle marking, ala NGIII or Vampire Killer. The designers clearly wanted the player to switch subweapons regularly, and knowing where they are, it becomes a real rush. The lack of markers means you've got to put the time in, unfortunately - moreso than in NG1, given the even higher pace and greater reliance on subweaponry.

Downshot going down (sterilise the pit!), Upshot going up (get the scroll FFS!), free up time to catch the wind for a no-wait jump (WAITING IS 4 CHUMPS):

Spoiler

Less pressure, but a fun sequence with the same sense of shifting gears on uneven terrain:

Spoiler

I don't mind, being the sort who loves breaking a game down to its nuts and bolts in pursuit of competent play... but along with the tiny sword, it's another stiff obstacle in what would've worked best as a high convenience/high speed/high risk game.

NGII Dream Hackz:
-Comfy swordbox for Ryu ala NG1 (shadows are fine as-is)
-Marked candles ala NGIII.
-Crank the damage scale up a tad, make enemies do a point more apiece.
-No score extends! NGII's easier than the other two, but the pile of extends makes it seem even moreso.

NG3, while a great game, is not for me. It's basically a Shadow Of The Ninja game and lacks the speedburst, visceral feel of the first two.

That's a good comparison, don't know how I missed it over the years. Definitely a few resemblances between Kage (1990) and NGIII (1991)... there's the extensive use of a hanging grip mechanic, as well as enemies capable of blocking, and a sword powerup (as CIT pointed out once, Strider is coming to mind here too). There's also Ninja Gaiden GB - I usually describe it as a mini-Shadow, but (particularly with the floaty gravity) there's an argument Natsume were evoking NGIII too.

What anchors NGIII to its own series is the hybrid of treacherous platforming and high-octane killing. The large hitbox, floaty movement and aggressively encircling spawns definitely create a more methodical sort of intensity than NGI+II, but it's still all about shredding hordes of zako over a near-omnipresent abyss.

[Sumez]

No one would deny that NG3 is the outlier of the series, and almost everything I love about NG1 is missing in it.
But god damn is it a fine representation of the classis NES sidescrolling action game, doing pretty much everything to perfection - a final sturdy bastion of a genre that would soon start to dwindle among the bells and whistles of the 16-bit generation!

Once I've built some more experience in level design, this is the type of game I will be creating.

Oh hey Sumez, Ikari III (FC) is actually really good! :O You asked a while back and I kinda went "eh is ok" but I finally figured it out, you gotta treat it like a topdown STG/brawler hybrid. Suddenly all the weirdness like "bonus waves" AKA dudes running past without attacking made sense. Unfortunately I have exhausted my nerdboner for now and must crash without further elaboration. Fairly cheap too, unlike Guevara! Not as good as that fullbred topdown murderfest but pretty fine in its goofy topdown fistycuffin/flying roundhousing way. I recommend if you can indulge (or especially enjoy!) buff shirtless dudes kicking chumps in they fuckin mout.

Hereby added to the shopping list!

[FinalBaton]

I suspect NG1's modification of Castlevania's three-frame attack sequence might throw off some; to be fair, it does sacrifice a little functionality for aesthetic's sake.





CV1's whip is in startup until the final frame, syncing closer with the animation. NG1's sword is visually out by the second frame, but it actually goes active a split-second later, with the final frame carrying through. So it's technically possible, if an advancing enemy has gotten very close, to visually run them through without connecting. Solution to this is obvious, ofc. ;3 It's toe-to-toe, not nose-to-nose! :O

I think you've hit the nail right on the head here. The hit no yet registering when the 2nd animation frame, where your sword is fully extended, pops up, has got to be what I was talking about (except I couldn't put my finger on it)

CV1xNG1 is my favourite cross-company action game design bromance.

It's an amazing one indeed! So many similarities, yet boh games still have their own personalities. And two masterpieces to boot...

There's also Ninja Gaiden GB - I usually describe it as a mini-Shadow

Fun fact : that game was actually a legit Shadow Of The Ninja entry during development, but got slapped the Ninja Gaiden name on at the last minute!

[BIL]

Fun fact : that game was actually a legit Shadow Of The Ninja entry during development, but got slapped the Ninja Gaiden name on at the last minute!

Yeah, there's tons of nods to Shadow throughout, in the stage, enemy and boss designs, as well as the whole "city under siege" aesthetic. It even reprises Shadow's final boss BGM.

The biggest addition from NG is the much simpler weapons system; just a sword and a screen-raking upshot. I prefer that, tbh... Natsume were clearly fans of the powerdown-on-damage mechanic, and I like how it makes you really earn the big guns in stuff like Kiki Kaikai. Shadow's low-level weapons are overly puny, though, and even the maxed ones aren't that great. Then there's the weird way its highly situational projectiles outright replace the main weapon, requiring advance knowledge to use efficiently. Particularly as the homing shuriken are... easily confused.

Behold! Homing Jutsu!

Spoiler

Makes enjoying Shadow tougher than it needed to be, particularly the FC version with its slightly hardier enemies. It does pay off eventually though! Solid upper-second tier favourite along with Dragon Fighter. I'd say Shatterhand/Solbrain was where they really broke into the highest echelon. 2P cooperative, too, a rare treat in this sort of FC sidescroller.

I've seen the GB game's origin described variously as both a Shadow sequel, and a loose remake ala Bionic Commando. I could see it being either, but the last ascent and final boss are unmistakable reduxes. The final elevator's laser battery isn't quite as great as Shadow's sniper/stabber nest, but I think the last boss is far superior. More moves, and also much more volatile. Plays more like Solbrain's finale actually.

[__SKYe]

Hey all, it's been a prolific week, and I've managed to beat a few games.

First, one that is sorta overdue, finally cleared Ys III (PCE CD).



There's not much to add to what has previously been posted about this game, other than I find myself agreeing heartily with what Blinge said about the need to run back and forth between farming EXP and healing, in order to actually being able to survive each new area.
The Mountain Of Evil (or whatever it's called, the penultimate area) is a good example of this, as inside, there are randomly spawning enemies, which *will* eventually spawn on top of you (and more often than not, damage you for a few hits worth), and you'll most likely not survive this section without gaining a couple levels first (and/or buying equipment).

On the very last area, there are a couple spots where you'll reach a new screen by climbing some stairs, and there will be enemies right on tpo of you, as the new screen appears. Granted, there are very few spots like this, but it feels pretty cheap.

I did enjoy most bosses, as they were pretty satisfying to beat, even though their choppy animation (much like the game's scrolling) is not too good.
I also enjoyed the fact that the Protect Ring can't really be abused to obliterate the last boss (though it is very useful on the 2nd-to-last boss), so you'll need to formulate a strategy to beat it, and either augmne tyour attack of defense through the respectice rings.

For all the bosses (again, except the 2nd-to-last, where I use the protect ring), I always used the Attack ring, because otherwise, most of them will simply take too many hits to kill.

I would thought that there would be a second phase to the last boss (given that your HP is restored, and for a moment, it seems as ifyour character will help another character sela the bad guy), but I was wrong.
The final boss is cool though, so it's all good either way.

I did find it easier than the final bosses for the previous two games (and much easier than Dark Fact), but then again, if you touch one of his attack patterns (he only has two), you'll lose half of your HP (this at max level, and full attack/defense), so it still takes a few tries to get his patterns down.

All in all, and even though I haven't played the other ports (the MD and SFC ones) enough, I wouldn't recommend this one over the others.
The music is very nice, but the choppy scrolling, and equally choppy character movement (both player and enemies) really ruins it.
It is by no means unplayable, but it would be much better, if this issue didn't exist.

-----

The second game I cleared was Magical Pop'n for the SuFami.
It was developed by Polestar (which from what I gather, only developed one other game besides this one) and published by Pack-In-Video. It is, of course, Japan only.

I actually forgot to take the screenshot on the The End screen, so please make do with a cool pic of the princess.


This is a very fun game, and has very nice visuals and music. I would put it right there with Monster World IV (MD) in terms of quality/similarities.

Your character is an adorable princess, which looks like Link, if he were a girl, and had blue clothes.
She was voiced by Ai Iijima, former AV idol, and TV personality (she is deceased now), and as far as I can tell, it was her only video game voice acting.
Not really relevant to the game's discussion itself, but I thought it was pretty interesting.

The game plays like a typical side-scrolling action game.
Your character carries a sword, and can perform a basic slashing combo forward (by tapping the attack button), but can also attack upwards and downwards (when in the air).
She also has access to special weapons/tools, which you unlock throughout the game, and you can also perform a sort of super move by pressing select.
I believe this move is different depending on which tool (I'll call them tools) you have equipped, but I'm not sure, since I almost never used them.

All of the tools except one, require a certains number of "stars" to use (much like hearts in Castlevania), and the number varies for each tool.

You start with 3 hearts (that is your HP meter), but you can find more spread throughout the stages.

Speaking of which, there are 6 stages in total.
On each stage, except the final one, you find a tool (which you need to complete the level), and a heart extension.
There might also be an extra heart on the final level, but I didn't find one, so I can't really tell for sure.

The tools are as following:
- The 1st (and the one you start with) is a sort of beam, which travels straight forward. Costs 2 stars to use.
- The 2nd is a lollipop bomb, which works sort of like the axe in CV, but explodes on impact. Costs 4 stars.
- The 3rd is a chain thing, which is used to swing from specific nodes, spread thoughout the stages. Costs no stars to use, and can also be used to kill enemies.
- The 4th is a 3-way ice shot. Costs 3 stars.
- The 5th is a flamethrower, and is unique in that it is the only weapon that needs the button to be held down, for proper use. Costs 3 stars.
- The 6th, makes your character roll, and climb a vertical wall, until she hits the ceiling. Costs 2 stars.

All of the tools, except the first, are required to clear some sort of obstacle in the levels, but can also be used as sub-weapons.
The rolling one, is the only one that cannot be used to attack (at least I think so, but I could be wrong).

The only other items in the game are stars (which come in small and large varieties, and, not surprisingly, fill your star stock), healing items (in order of importance: a wrapped cookie (fills half a heart), a cake slice (fills 1 heart), and a whole cake, which fill your HP entirely), and little icons that look like your character, and when you collect 3, you gain a life.
Sometimes you'll find a bomb when you open a treasure chest, but it explodes (damaging you, if your close) and can't be picked up.

The levels themselves (and the enemies) are pretty fun, and can either be long of short, depending on whether you want to collect everything, or not.
If you know what to do, and/or don't care about non-necessary items, you can beat them pretty fast, but if you try to pick up all the stuff, they are quite a bit bigger.
The later levels, especially, are pretty big, and take a while to beat.

There're are minibosses on every level (multiple on the later stages), along with a boss on each one as well. They are pretty fun to fight, and are all different.

As for the difficulty, is is not too hard.
On my first playthrought, I got a game over on the last stage, but on my second, I only lost 2~3 lives, the first of which was right on the 1st stage.

It's definitely worth playing, and I'd say even more so, if you enjoyed Monster World IV (and the like).

I might elaborate a bit more later, but right now I'm pooped, and I really can't think of anything more to say.

-----

Lastly, I've finally got a 1CC on Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun (FC) on the hardest level (Level-3).

Honestly, this screen shot doesn't really show much, since the ending is the same for all difficulties, but oh well...


I've since cleared it a few more times, while attempting to get a 1LC.
On my best attempt, I lost a life on the last room before the final boss(es) due to a time out.

Having to beat 6 bosses (3 at a time, with 3 more in 'stock') in 2 minutes is absolutely madness. And you have to do this, at least, twice (depending on which route you take).
You also fight 3 of the final boss (Sabu), though only one at a time.

A big part of why the 1CC took so long, was because I had to map out the final level's maze, which is pretty big, so if I used a FAQ/walkthrough, it would've been much quicker.

I'm working on the 1LC now, and expect to get it soon, but that very strict time limit, is a killer.

That's about it, I can't really think of anything else to add right now, so I'll stop.

[FinalBaton]

Nice selection of games cleared, __SKYe! Always cool to have screenshots too


I received my copy of Splatterhouse 2 for the Genesis a couple weeks ago and I'm having a freaking blast. haven't cleared the game yet though, as I didn't have a lot of time to game.

people who know me, know that I love action platformers that are memorization heavy and that require precise movements and that you can take your time going through (Shadow Dancer, Ninja Gaiden(although you can play that last one in many a way)).

Well, Splatterhouse 2 falls squarely in that camp. Like, it couldn't fit the bill more than that, it absolutely hits bulls-eye. Enemies of the same kind behave differently, but they're constant from one play-through to the next so you can plan your route in excruciating detail (which I LOVE ). So say, 1st purple monster after the first pit always attacks once then moves, and repeat, and 2nd purple monster after that first pit always strikes twice rapidly, then moves, and repeat. Best thing though is that those jumping monsters' behaviour offers surprising depth since once you hit them, their behaviour will change (but again; same monster will always change to the same behaviour after the 1st hit, in every play-through). So it's weird; monster behaviour is simple, but deep at the same time. So thight. So so tight. Ohhh Namco, you cheeky bugger

This makes it a tun of fun to plan your run. Enemies are basically traps that you gotta difuse. And those sequences of monsters and pits for each level are extremely well thought out. They are varied and have a nice rhythm to them.

I was worried that a huge character sprite like Rick would handle sluggishly but to my surprise he is very nimble. Sure he's slow but as I mentioned above I personally love some slow & methodical action in my platformers. Hitting enemies require precision but I'm fine with that too. Jumping enemies get some i-frames when landing so you gotta adjust and hit 'em before they land. No big deal. Punching while walking only freezes you for a micro second, then you're back at walking full speed. This gives Rick a lot of fluidity actually. Love how this is handled.

So far, what I'm experiencing here is a beastly arcade action platformer. Extremely well done. Levels are short (which I like) and they're pretty much all fun and well designed. Presentation is killer, of course, with creepy scenery, great use of colours to convey that feel (gritty but still uses rich & saturated colours in spots) and a killer soundtrack (I will be capturing this one and uploading it to my channel, you can bet on that). Boss fights are not the most balanced ever, but they do their job just fine.

Leave it up to Namco to pump out a stunning arcade experience like this without breaking a sweat!

[Stevens]

Rick is slow, but I remember his slide being particularly useful during one of the bosses.

Great game.

[Sumez]

I recently bought a lot of single-plane brawlers - I really need to get into them soon. Splatterhouse 2 was one of my first MegaDrive games back in the days, and I still haven't played it.

[__SKYe]

Alright, finally got the 1LC in Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun on the hardest difficulty. Kitten would be proud.

Also went ahead and posted the video on Youtube.
It's not the exactly the most thrilling kind of game footage to watch, but it took me one hell of a tough time to get it, so why not.

Much like my Ninja Gaiden video, there are some silly situations, primarily due to being tired of playing the damn levels over and over again. Also having to constantly double tap, all the time, is quite taxing on the hands, and it shows.

These situations are most obvious when you see me sort of just walking in front of an enemy and doing nothing (where I fail the double tap, and the character doesn't dash), or just a random dash against a wall with absolutely no purpose (where I accidentally double tap instead).

Some quick points about the game, to give people unfamiliar with it, a bit of reference:

The reason I give some space in between run+punching an enemy (most obvious against bosses) and not just stick closer to them, is because you have to do so, otherwise the enemy will go down, but it will do no damage.
You can see this happening on the last boss (the first one, I believe), where I mistakenly get on top off, thinking I had shaved enough life to pound him (and he throws me off). That's because the previous 2 hits didn't register any damage.

Mounting a knocked down enemy allows you to punch them until they're dead. Obviously, when other enemies are around, you can only punch them a few times, and have to dismount. But even if you don't have the time to attack a downed enemy, simply mounting and dismounting them, will make them take more than twice as long to get up, giving you time to beat up the other enemies.

The random hearts that occasionally appear when you mount an enemy (the ones that fly upwards on a wavy pattern) are 1-UPs. I'm not really sure what causes them to appear, but it goes without saying that in a no-miss run, they are not needed.

That's the gist of it, as I can't really remember anything else too important to say.

Well, it was pretty though, mainly because of those "6 boss rooms", which are, by far, the hardest part of the entire game.
Now I can safely put this game behind me, and focus on new and nicer things.

I received my copy of Splatterhouse 2 for the Genesis a couple weeks ago and I'm having a freaking blast. haven't cleared the game yet though, as I didn't have a lot of time to game.

Yeah, the series as a whole really nails the gory visual and brutal gameplay.
I haven't played the second game, but I did play the first a fair bit, and it is pretty damn good.

I also think that this type of more dark games (visually) really fit the Mega Drive, much more so than more bright/cutesy games, given it's *rougher* palette compared to the other consoles (like the SFC, for example). Splatterhouse looks pretty damn cool on the PC Engine, though.

I still find it amazing that Namco put out this game (well, the first) back in the day, when pretty much everything the did before was standard (visually and theme wise, of course), if not cutesy games.
Quite the departure indeed.

[BIL]

Loving the FC Kunio loop 3 revenge, with detailed notes too! Will be referring to those and your earlier posts before long.

Coincidentally I've been revisiting Technos' FC canon myself. I've a great fondness for Technos, the FC, and Technos on FC, but for years I've been content with their superlatively great DDII. First stop was longterm missing link Double Dragon, whose playability really surprised me. For sure, it's got a bizarre experimental bent, some harsh technical shortcomings, and even a few outright crash bugs... no match for 1988's other iconic FC port, the masterful Contra. But as a brawler it's surprisingly well-done, and entirely better than popular misconceptions suggest.

One thing that is instantly noticeable about this version is its poor combat system. Basically, enemies don't get stunned. So while you're unleashing your barrage of punches and kicks, the other guy is fighting right back. This causes players to lose quite a bit of energy when they shouldn't, and it proves to be a serious problem for those who choose to take Abobo head-on.

Double Dragon is a beat ‘em up game for the NES. A lot of people really like this game, but I honestly find it quite frustrating and poorly executed. The main issue is that you get hit completely uncontrollably. A well designed game can be beaten without taking a hit, but in this game, you will be hit as you’re hitting other enemies, which is really dumb.

The Dojo's a cool site I enjoy browsing, but on such sentiments and hazy childhood memories, I recalled the game's combat being an absolute shitshow of button mashing and random knockdowns (or alternatively, whiffing safe, weak jumpkicks ad nauseam). Turns out it's yet more misinformation born of poor play! IT KEEPS HAPPENING. 3: You should not be mashing, or getting hit without deliberate gambling, at all in DD1FC. Pardon as I indulge in a bit of low-hanging fruit, for time's a tad short lately. ¦3

Part 1: "OH NOES, HE GOING TO PUNCH MEH, HAPL MEH PLES DR BIRUFORD" Where effective dispatch is concerned, DD1 enemies can be divided into range-vulnerable grunts (Williams/Roper/Linda) and close-vulnerable midbosses (Abobo/Chin). For a guaranteed clean knockdown of the former, you want to KKPP from kicking distance.

Spoiler

That's what kicks are for, you see - sticking grunts before they can get in close! If you're more confident at zoning, you can KPPPP for a nice chunk of XP (K10 vs P20), at the mild risk of taking an inconsequential smack or two. It's by no means impossible to do cleanly, however!

Spoiler

Hell, with good timing and spacing, you can clean barrage 'em with punches alone if you really want to. I find this unnecessary though, with the bevy of easy XP you'll get by punching out Chins in Missions 2+3. Wait what? Punching out Chins?! "OH NO DR BRUFORD HE GOING TO KICK MEH, ALSO DID U KNOW U CAN JUST CLIMB DOWN THE - " No don't worry, you want to get in close. Chins and Abobos are lethal at range. Get pointblank and punch the fuck out of him with impunity. Or kick him, but P's easier to connect and you may as well enjoy the bonus XP. PPPPP's a snap, or PPPPK for variety (uppercut/roundhouse get same XP).

Spoiler

Now yes, his sweep and back kick are indeed brutal at range and can easily stuff you, but if you want a little excitement you can gamble on beating him with a boot of your own, which chains nicely into a grab.

Spoiler

But wait! If you've played very foolishly and ended up in some godawful predicament where you need a grab, but can't afford to gamble on a kick, you can get into safe range, boot him a couple times, then retreat - the grab will lock in as you enter range.

Spoiler

Pretty nice huh? I love pointblanking mechanics. "YE ME 2 LMAO, BUT W/ABOUT ABOBO, HE RLY STRONG AN HE FITE U RLY BAD" Yes he'll kill you in seconds at range, but again - not a problem! He's vulnerable to the same zoning as Chin. Jumpkick into safe range - if he ducks, all the better - and kick the shit out of him.

Spoiler

Punching is risky, unlike on Chin, but doable with practice. The trick, as with the far nastier Jimmy Lee, is to stand over him while he's floored and start PPPP a tick ahead of his recovering, so he stands up into a barrage of punches. You can get tons of XP this way - honestly though, even playing it safe with kicks, by the time I hit Mission 3's end I'm about to get the back roundhouse for XTREEM Bobo-killin' action, so I don't bother. It is pretty satisfying punching him out, though! KKPP will suffice.

Spoiler

Part 2: "BUT WHAT IF THERES 2, AND THEY GANG UP RLY BAD" Learn 2 Technos, you fucking godless flipperbaby! :O Actually, forget that - learn 2 beltscroller! Naw for real, besides using good positioning to avoid getting pincered, try maneuvering a pair of Chins or Bobos into overlapping, then whoop 'em both. Efficient and visceral!

TLDR: DD1's engine works just fine. It's all in the zoning, mostly. Notice I didn't even mention the cheesy elbow tricks, because THEY RLY LAME. I think so anyway. Try tagging Jimmy with KPKK or even PPPK, keeping KKE to a minimum / last resort.

So, yes - I really took a shine to this one, rather unexpectedly! It's by no means flawless, and DD2FC comprehensively blows it away (seriously... most improved next-year sequel ever?), but there's a short, intense and decently technical 1LC in here, along with a cute n' crude early example of Technos's inimitable semi-SD agonyfaces & mean streets. The "arcade imperfect" expanded Famicom port is one of my favourite little subcategories, and in that context I find this quite lovable, albeit not a Contra-calibre classic.

What's not lovable, and briefly made me consider returning my copy, are the rare crash bugs. This reset one's easy to set up, and even easier to avoid. This one

Spoiler

outright freezes the game (note the boned statbar), and I actually found it myself... seems to occur near that spawn point, when the Lindas are in a very specific area of the platform and Billy is in rising state. I just avoid that particular doorway and kill 'em all at the top of the cliff, job done. I wonder if both areas being 2D with eight-way scrolling and multiple spawn points is significant? Eh, either way both are a snap to avoid. Haven't seen any others, fortunately. I find a degree of rookie scuff endearing, especially in a production with such obvious heart - but I draw a line at crashes. Kills the groove! That's some lame-ass oldschool PC shit, and here I can't even download more RAM!

Of course there's also lots of harmless goofs. On a happier note, MAGICAL BOUNCING BARREL

Spoiler

("OH GAWD IM SORRY ARE YOU OKAY")

The 2P versus mode is ruefully amusing in its badness. I really wish they'd used the ROM space on the main game - not more stages or anything (I think the duration's perfect), just polish. Guess they were really conscious of the 1P-only thing. Amusingly the back of the FC box shows Billy's versus sprite in Mission 2, though it's at the sepia intro screen only. Pretty sure those intros also use similarly beefed-up graphics, compared to the in-play backgrounds.

Oh, the wall. I figured out on my own that

Spoiler

its segments deactivate once passed, making it safe to stop and wait. However I was relying on luck and generally getting through with 2 hits taken, so I consulted some more mathematically-oriented chaps and holy fuck those Einstein muhfuckas blew my caveman brain. Happily there's an easy TLDR: get pointblank to current active segment, wait for the second-lowest block to fire, jmpkick over immediately, repeat 3x, done.

Unscathed every time and ready to whoop some Chins. It's silly but eh. If it were a total lottery I'd probably have passed up the game, glad it wasn't. I love Technos, they goofy but heartful and their pain sounds/faces are unbeatable. *BWAP*

Addendum: Actually, there a few significant things DD1 does better than its distinguished sequel. DD2 enemies can't interfere when you've grappled their partner; DD1 thugs will ruthlessly foil you, adding a nice bit of extra pressure and skulduggery. You can't attack grounded enemies in DD2, where DD1 lets you mount a flagging foe and smash their face in. Fills a small but persistent bit of vacant time with decisive brutality, and again, their partner will actively interfere. Knives and dynamite are mortal threats in DD1, the wielder to be neutralised swiftly; in DD2 they're more novelty/annoyance.

You also never fight DD2's strongman enemies two at a time. Granted, DD2 (FC Hard Mode)'s Right Arms are a helluva lot more menacing than DD1's Abobos, as are its wickedly agile Ninjas and Chins, but it's still a curious omission. Mission 7's lone O'hara following an onslaught of paired foes could've definitely used a buddy.