NES Recommendations (very specific)

[BrianC]

Which version of Battletoads & Double Dragon is the best: Original NES version or Mega Drive version?
I only played the NES version, Rare did some cool stuff back in '93.

From what I heard about it and how easy it is to get stuck on ladders in the Genesis version (didn't seem to be a problem with the NES version, unless I'm mistaken), I'm guessing NES. At least Rare actually designed the Genesis one this time around. Oddly enough, the first Battletoads on MD/Genesis was actually programmed in Japan.

[BIL]

I've just gone a couple hours with XX to see if I was being too rough on it and am now just a teensy bit miffled - or as you might say, impotently seething with an irrational and insatiable hatred of all that I contemplate. Previous post edited! Mediocre game. Shit Dracula. Forum hipsters with e-deathwishes come at me.

(is "XX>Rondo brah" some kind of crazy new fad with the kids these days, like pogs or strangling yourself while jacking it?)

SOTN
Rondo
IV

There you go. I said it!

IV is a bit weak compared to the other two but at least it's not XX!

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Abadox
S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team
Gargoyle's Quest II
Wanpaku Graffiti
Metal Storm

[Sinful]

IV is a bit weak compared to the other two but at least it's not XX!

Oh no you didn't just go there! Well, that's it, That vania comparison topic is coming up.

[soprano1]

Abadox
S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team
Gargoyle's Quest II
Wanpaku Graffiti
Metal Storm

Oh man, S.C.A.T.! Nevermind Ninja Baseball Bat Man having the best name ever for a videogame, this one takes the cake!
Incidentally, it's another great 8-bit game.

[BIL]

Oh no you didn't just go there! Well, that's it, That vania comparison topic is coming up.

Cool I guess. I'm not sure we'll have much to discuss though. CVIII and Bloodlines are my joint favourites too, depending on whether I want an epic strict game or a shorter freewheeling one. I too think IV plays the weakest of the [good] traditional games, and only makes up for that with its uniquely downbeat atmosphere - even then I'll sometime lose interest halfway through a run. I don't consider SOTN a great game in the sense of the traditional series, just a great sidescrolling ARPG to relax with. I don't consider Rondo the untouchable zenith of the traditional games, just another installment of a consistently excellent line (1986-1994) with its own strengths and weaknesses. Seems it's XX>R that's the point of contention here, and that CVD thread doesn't give me much hope.

Does XX have a more consistent difficulty curve than Rondo? Yeah. It also has inferior handling, slower pacing (all too literally! *rimshot*), bland level design that relies on the hobbled engine to create resistance, a smaller and weaker boss roster, and broken route select which demands you accept failure to see one side of the game. And idiotic design like Stage 4's attempt to use the game's most powerful subweapon as a handicap (unless you're meant to abuse the Key's item crash - but even then, what's the point? why not just design a proper challenge?)

And Rondo's still the harder game overall. I'll take an entertaining game with optional dispersed difficulty over a soul-destroyingly dull one with a consistent curve. Yeah, Rondo's Dracula battle blows. XX's is nothing special either, just swap "easy" with "tedious."

I've not even mentioned the obvious audiovisual or stylistic downgrades, not that they matter. Hacky pastiches can still play well. This one doesn't! Not by Dracula standards anyway. I totally get liking it, I can just about stand it in occasional doses myself. But it's not a superior game in any sense.

Oh man, S.C.A.T.! Nevermind Ninja Baseball Bat Man having the best name ever for a videogame, this one takes the cake!
Incidentally, it's another great 8-bit game.

More Natsume (Shatterhand) goodness! And if you combine it with the Euro title, you get... Scat Action In New York! Bad localised name police gave this one a kicking in the cells. Jesus, I'm glad there's FINAL MISSION to restore some dignity here. FM also has the genocidetastic attract intro that was deemed too hot for Western children!

[BrianC]

CVIII and Bloodlines are my joint favourites too, depending on whether I want an epic strict game or a shorter freewheeling one.

What about Akumajo Densetsu with its major differences from CVIII?

[BIL]

Actually, despite owning and mainly playing Akumajou Densetsu and Vampire Killer, I sometimes pine for the US versions I grew up with (for now I'm not into collecting NTSCU stuff earlier than SS/PS1). CVIII's second loop is significantly tougher with some exclusive enemy upgrades, Grant's lack of a throwing knife makes him far more interesting to outmaneuver, close in on and knife enemies with (he's flat-out overpowered in Densetsu) and I don't mind the lack of VRC6 music at all. Bloodlines' Expert difficulty is just a smidgen tougher than VK's, but I still prefer it.

OTOH Densetsu feels more luxuriously produced with the VRC6 sound, and it's a very substantial game even without the upped US difficulty (it's certainly still on the stricter side if you want a no-death run). And BL Expert is only relevant if you're getting battered by VK and relying on the lower damage scale to survive. If you can ace VK you can ace Bloodlines. So I tend to stick with them.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Seriously, no-one played different Green Beret/Rush'n Attack versions? Not even Castlevania people? On emulators, map jump onto something else than up and you're good to go.
I wonder how Journery to Silius/[rʌf] World apologists would like The Wing of Madoola. The situation's ripe for Blaster Master/Metafight to be namedropped, but guess which Sunsoft Famicom games I did not enjoy terribly.

[BIL]

Never tried Rush n' Attack, it sounds racist against Russians like Rocky IV: The Quest for Freedom. :[ I do enjoy a spot of "RAMBO III: Johnny and his Mujahideen Pals VS Ivan Teh Grouchy Bear" on my MD though! edit: Also...



NOW THAT IS SOME MOTHERFUCKIN DRACULA

[Obiwanshinobi]

GBA version (on Konami arcade something collection) has:
a) flamethrower,
b) proper jump button and
c) co-op.
The music is ye olde drum roll rather than whatever NES played. Wikipedia says:

Konami code unlocks versions of the two stages exclusive to the Nes/Famicom version. These stages have graphics on par with the arcade game and their backgrounds are of better quality.

[KennyMan666]

The NES version of Battletoads & Double Dragon is pretty hilariously glitchy.

RE: Little Samson being easy, did you play on Easy or Normal? Because the stages cna be pretty bitchy on Normal, though I might be saying that because I speedrun the game and the amount of enemies added makes a run on Normal absolutely horrible.

Also.

First, on-topic; the original Metroid is actually better the the Zero remake

Correct...

and possiby even the SNES one? (I really don't know, as I really need to play the SNES more + finish it at least once) So yeah, it must be played by everyone at least once. True masterpiece... not sure about replay, though?

...and incorrect. While the original Metroid has a lot of charm and I think Zero Mission did many things wrong, Super Metroid is a MASSIVE improvement upon the original, and is by far the best 2D Metroid. Replay value of the original I don't really know about unless you're into speedrunning it, but Super is fantastic every time - I play through it at least once a year.

[evil_ash_xero]

The NES version of Battletoads & Double Dragon is pretty hilariously glitchy.

RE: Little Samson being easy, did you play on Easy or Normal? Because the stages cna be pretty bitchy on Normal, though I might be saying that because I speedrun the game and the amount of enemies added makes a run on Normal absolutely horrible.

I played it on Normal. It's not a cakewalk or anything, Maybe playing it next to Bucky O'Hare clouded my judgement.

[BIL]

NES/FC Bucky O'Hare is something of a proto-IWBTG. It throws out lethal memoriser setpieces quite mercilessly, letting the checkpoints and continues make up for a lack of restraint. The lava run in Red Planet is a good example, as are the Blue Planet's snakes and Yellow Planet's monorails. I don't hate it or anything, it's quite fun to execute once learned, it handles well and it's got an exceptionally catchy soundtrack. But I recently passed up a nice FC copy after trialling it in emulation and remembering just how much a series of bitesized deathtraps it is. The balance seemed off compared to other spike-happy FC games like the Rockman series. I actually finished it as a kid, don't want to imagine how many continues that took.

[blackoak]

NES/FC Bucky O'Hare is something of a proto-IWBTG.

Would you say it compares to Battle Kid then? I really liked that. Recently found out I've been playing on a ~60ms lag HDTV though, so I think my NES aspirations are on hold until I get a new TV...

[BIL]

I don't really know Battle Kid, but if it's of any help Bucky's not as consistently extreme as IWBTG, Kaizo Mario etc. Each stage is broken up into several themed checkpoints, and while most are pretty open to improv with instant death lurking around via spikes and pits Rockman-style, there are a handful of alarmingly cruel ones like this where you're going to die rapidly until the segment is learned inside-out and executed unhesitatingly. If you're okay with those occasional veerings off into rote learning it's certainly worth a look. Do the Green Planet first and get Blinky so you won't be condemned to death by falling quite so easily in the other stages.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Holy Diver
Over Horizon
Mr. Gimmick

I can't believe that they never released Mr. Gimmick. It seems like they worked so hard on it.

[BrianC]

Seriously, no-one played different Green Beret/Rush'n Attack versions? Not even Castlevania people? On emulators, map jump onto something else than up and you're good to go.
I wonder how Journery to Silius/[rʌf] World apologists would like The Wing of Madoola. The situation's ripe for Blaster Master/Metafight to be namedropped, but guess which Sunsoft Famicom games I did not enjoy terribly.

The JP Green Beret is on FDS only, which is the main reason I haven't played it (I did "sample" it via emulation, though).

[KennyMan666]

I can't believe that they never released Mr. Gimmick. It seems like they worked so hard on it.

What

Okay, so it was only released in Japan and Scandinavia, but...

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I can't believe that they never released Mr. Gimmick. It seems like they worked so hard on it.

What

Okay, so it was only released in Japan and Scandinavia, but...

Oops, I thought it was unreleased game that someone found.

What about Sweet Home? Gradius II? Crystalis?

[BrianC]

I can't believe that they never released Mr. Gimmick. It seems like they worked so hard on it.

What

Okay, so it was only released in Japan and Scandinavia, but...

Doh. I misread that as ever. Mr. Gimmick/Gimmick! was released, it's just rare.

What about Sweet Home? Gradius II? Crystalis?

Not sure what you are asking here. All three have obviously been released. Sweet Home is Japan only and in Japanese, though, as far as I know, it has been fan translated. Gradius II I have the cart of and it's good stuff. Crystalis is the only one of those three games with a US release. The JP one is called God Slayer. I only played the GBC Crystalis and it was alright, but I heard the NES one is much better.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I was just throwing some more recommendations out there.

Guerrilla War is pretty great. Hard as nails too. It has got to be the toughest nes game.

I like Jackal really well also. I'm surprised there aren't more shooting games like it.

[Ed Oscuro]

Sweet Home is Japan only and in Japanese, though, as far as I know, it has been fan translated.

"This house of resident evil"

It's not a bad translation, really.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Mr. Gimmick/Gimmick! was released, it's just rare.

There's a PSX version bundled with Battle Formula as Memorial * Series: Sunsoft Vol. 6. RGB colour makes it the definitive one. I wonder whether it's ported or emulated.
NES library emulated on PSX has been enjoying afterlife of prosperity in countries where Famiclones, modchips and PlayStations made it big in the nineties.

[Sinful]

Not sure about recomending Graidus 2 NES. As a hardcore Graidus fan, that one dispapoints me the most. Way to easy (and I just started shmups), and a second loop where you don't notice a difficulty increase until covered core boss where he this time release suicide bullets for each shuuter broken like Arcade version loop 2. Sure wish the rest of the game had suicide bullets instead of the 2 extra giantnormas options follwing you and eating up of the systems on screen sprite limitations. They should of made maybe all sprites smaller too, to again fit more enemies & bullets (though there is a max amount of sprites too, so if that hasn't been hit only). ... Ditto for SNES version. Sprites should of been smaller for more stuff on screen in comparison to empty deserts for every level.

Yeah, Rush N-Attack I just discovered thanks to it also being on X-Box Live (I can't get the remake though, that got taken down too?).

Yeah, US versionn of Castlevania III is superior. Mainly due to higher difficulty (more enemies in levels & such), kinfe-less Grant (really is for the best. Wish people stop wishing for more broken gameplay. It's always the case it seems), and all that other game balance & refinements stuff. I too don't mind the music either in the US. Fine to me... heck, doesn't mean I still don't play the Japanese version too once in awhile (I love comparing & checking out game comparisons. One of my fave things ever).

lol at not finishing Super Castlevania in one sitting. This seems to be everyones problem too I'm noticing (further proof it ain't that good? Even thought it's still good).

Well, is Super Metroid is more replayable then Metroid, then yeah. That should be an automatic "best by default" scenario.

[Mortificator]

It wasn't too long ago that I played through Metroid and Zero Mission in succession. It was striking that, for as different as the remake was, it wasn't really better.

I don't love the original Metroid, though. Metroid II felt like a huge improvement, despite being more linear.

NOW THAT IS SOME MOTHERFUCKIN DRACULA

So glad Bloodlines kept the original jump mechanics.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I don't love the original Metroid, though. Metroid II felt like a huge improvement, despite being more linear.

The claustophobia of the maps really added to Metroid II's atmosphere. I didn't have any serious issues navigating or exploring, despite some of the complaints I've read. The biggest improvement is not starting you off at only 30 health which was a bit annoying, and having those max health/max missile areas so you didn't have to grind for ages just to fill up your empty tanks if you got damaged.

[BIL]

lol at not finishing Super Castlevania in one sitting. This seems to be everyones problem too I'm noticing (further proof it ain't that good? Even thought it's still good).

Replied in the Dracula thread ;3

[GSK]

Mr. Gimmick/Gimmick! was released, it's just rare.

There's a PSX version bundled with Battle Formula as Memorial * Series: Sunsoft Vol. 6. RGB colour makes it the definitive one. I wonder whether it's ported or emulated.

I can't speak for the Gimmick collection, but some of those earlier memorial discs are definitely emulations.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Why is there no love for Contra Force? I just started playing it but it seems to be good so far. Sure it has too much slowdown and the scrolling is kind of wonky. But Conta is too easy and Super C is way too easy. I think I like Contra Force the best out of the NES Contras.