NES Recommendations (very specific)

[BrianC]

Like around 200 or 300?

I don't think it was nearly that high. It think it was more like 30-50 loose and 80 complete, but this was years ago.

[evil_ash_xero]

Like around 200 or 300?

I don't think it was nearly that high. It think it was more like 30-50 loose and 80 complete, but this was years ago.

Oh, that's surprising. I was just going by the prices on Amazon for the U.S. copy. Who knows though, a lot of games have spiked lately.

EDIT: Just to update on the JP differences, 6-1 seems to have a big difference right off the bat. There's an electrical forcefield on the top and bottom of the screen, so you can't do that flying through the roof, and shooting up from the bottom of the screen thing that you could do in the US version. Makes more sense, as I thought that was really weird. Also makes it harder.

[Ed Oscuro]

It wasn't all *that* long ago that I got a sealed Metal Storm off the old 'Bay for like $15. Somewhere around five years ago most likely, maybe even more recently than that. Holy @ the prices up there now!

I did check up on the FC prices within the last couple years and those are pretty ridiculous though.

[BrianC]

I usually see US ones for 50-70 loose and Amazon's prices are around there. It looks like the JP one is selling for more if the Amazon sellers are any indication. The lowest price for the JP version on Amazon is around 120 (but with 20 dollar shipping. ouch!). No indication if they are loose or complete either.

[evil_ash_xero]

Even though I'm getting used to these insane Famicom prices, it doesn't make it any easier on the bank account.

[blackoak]

Yeah, I would love to have a real Famicom collection. The art on boxes/carts/manuals is really enjoyable. But lacking the funds/space, I get by with a powerpak.

Finished Kabuki Quantum Fighter last night. Its funny that some people consider this hard... maybe with tough bosses it would be, but its a breeze as-is. Still very fun. The kind of game I would probably have played and beat on a weekly basis as a kid. I think the difficulty likely comes from people playing these games today on laggy emulators/lcds (that applies to so many older games really, sad they're destined to be misunderstood under typical conditions). I've minimized my setup to ~1 frame of lag and its very responsive.

I started Bucky o' Hare too, mixed feelings there. I guess this is one you have to 1cc to really get the enjoyment out of? There's so many checkpoints and so many instant deaths, it feels weirdly balanced otherwise.

[Ghegs]

Yeah, I would love to have a real Famicom collection. The art on boxes/carts/manuals is really enjoyable.

That's a big part why my Famicom collection of ~100 games is all CIB, even if just the carts with their multitude of colors and designs are more interesting than in any other cart-based system.

[evil_ash_xero]

Just beat Metal Storm. Very good game.

To the above poster, about Bucky...it becomes enjoyable once you get decent at it. The game's deaths are so based on surprise, and trial and error, that the first time through you'll be like "what the hell!". But if you stick with it, it gets fun. But it's unlike any other game I've played, with it's deaths and checkpoints.

The Famicom has pretty cool art and booklets, but I've always been sort of in love with the Mega Drive's cover art(the Japanese ones). They're just awesome.

[BIL]

Metal Storm (FC) is so much better than the NES version with its tougher version of stage 6. Masterful stage design from Irem/Tamtex, and a perfect final challenge for the game's gravity-switching mechanic. The climactic effect is totally lost when you're able to just bounce around willy-nilly without the killer electric fence to keep track of. It's refreshing to not be on the wrong end of the regional nerfing stick for once. Just cleared the first loop, going to enjoy working on a 2-ALL this weekend. This is Ninja Spirit-good.

And fuck the NES palette change that turns the crisply detailed Gravity Armor Unit STORM GUNNER into a jellybaby. Hell, even the intro that was removed from the overseas version is great. Just like Final Mission, apparently planet-obliterating attract modes simply weren't on. At least MS didn't also get a pornographic/soul-numbingly bland overseas name change (take your pick, US or EU).

Top Secret/Bionic Commando is apparently harder on FC as well, supposedly has more enemies overall. I wasn't aware of this at all and just went in blind, but it's been a hell of a good time as well. Favourite Capcom game on the console along with 2010 Street Fighter.

Obscure ZERUDA NO DENSETSU 1 (FC cartridge) info: Pols Voices still require a microphone for quick kills just like the FDS original, despite the AV Famicom having been released prior. Arrows won't do jack. Can be a bit tricky if you lack a mic.

[BrianC]

The most perplexing thing about the color change is that the mech on the US box art looks more like the sprite of the JP version.

[BIL]

I can at least understand the background tile changes for stuff like the first stage. The flashing orange/white bullets enemies fire in the second loop are genuinely near-invisible in the FC version, their black outlines aside, and you have to learn to anticipate them (or preferably, blow away the enemies before they can fire). That's the only stage with the issue, though. As with The Ninja Warriors Again (SFC), still a great game in both regions, but JP edges out US.

[evil_ash_xero]

Bump!!!

Anyway, I've been NESing for a long time now(and in style, thanks to the NESRGB), thanks to everyone's recommendations. I'm actually wondering if there's anything I missed.

Here's what I have been enjoying:

Mega Man 2 + 3
Bionic Commando
Little Nemo
Vice
Kabuki
Shatterhand
Batman
Bucky O'Hare
Recca
Little Samson
Ninja Gaiden 2
Ninja Ryukenden III
Castlevania III(Japan)
Metal Storm(Japan)


OK...so are there any other games you guys could recommend? Platformers from late in the system's life seem to be gaining interest with me.

I've tried other games such as Holy Diver, the ninja games that were made by the guys who made Shatterhand, Moon Crystal...and some others.
Moon Crystal upsets me so badly. It's such a nice looking game for the NES, and I have enjoyed it, but those controls have made me quit playing in frustration. I might get over it, as it seems pretty good otherwise. But still....
I didn't like Batman: Return of the Joker. Looked great though.
Holy Diver is on my "get back to it" list. It's just so hard.
The ninja games kind of lost me a bit, because I felt like they were NG clones.

Any ideas? And for the record, every one of those games that I've been playing are really good to great. Really strong games.

[Ed Oscuro]

There's always stuff we missed. That's why the library is so great - there's all kinds of hidden gems. Give Sword Master a go, even if you despise Castle of Dragon.

[opt2not]

Power Blade 1 and especially Power Blade 2.

[Ed Oscuro]

Ugh, how did I forget Kage (aka Shadow of the Ninja for NTSC/U, and Blue Shadow in PAL territories)? Neat Castlevania-alike, though the robotic Bone Wall Snake-alike was big trouble for me.

[BIL]

the ninja games that were made by the guys who made Shatterhand

AFAIK Natsume have only one ninja game on FC: Kage (aka other names in US/EU, as Ed mentions). Not to be confused with Taito's The Legend of Kage, which is also on FC. It doesn't play much like the NGs at all IMO - the less twitchy, more methodical combat and navigation put it nearer Batman or (of course) its successor Solbrain/Shatterhand. The first level isn't too interesting but it really picks up from the second onward.

There's also their earlier sentai sidescroller, Chojin Sentai Jetman, which is merely competent and totally outmoded by the progressively more sophisticated Dragon Fighter, Kage and Solbrain.

Maybe you're thinking of NMK's Ryuuga: Ninja Crusaders? That one really does feel like a NG knockoff. Not a bad game per se, but artistically and mechanically very insubstantial compared to the system's first-rate sidescrollers, and the one hit deaths don't complement the fast movement at all. It'll make you appreciate how assholish NG really could've been, if anything.

Quoting myself on Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti, which I picked up since this topic's last appearance. TLDR it's actually a really good game, not the novelty consolation prize for FC I was leery of it being.

I picked up Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti (FC) after giving it a go, and being surprised to learn it's actually really damned good! I'd seen praise of it before, but usually focused on the comedy which never appeals to me on its own. But it's totally arcadey from the ground up. Level design moves briskly between sprinting hack and slash, action/platforming and highly aggressive miniboss encounters. Presentation is incredibly strong with chunky, vivid sprites, rapid-fire scene changes and an overarching sense of deranged fun ("be garbage of cesspool!" "ghost comes with a ray"). In particular, the way you can slash things without breaking stride feels Rastan/Strider-good, as does monsters being visibly sliced up by the cleaver, or blown to bits by the shotgun.

The walking control is noticeably a bit loose, in that Rick will sometimes complete his walk cycle after you release the pad, but the designers seemed to take this into account with the generous weapon collision and forgiving platforming, along with the game's strong focus on running and slashing. Very smooth handling overall. Strong recommend.

Seconding (thirding? can't remember if it was mentioned before this bump) Top Secret/Bionic Commando. Essential (JP is tougher, with more enemies about). Unfortunately it's gotten pricey but it's a hell of a good time - the bionic arm is still an amazingly flexible, kinetic way of getting around.

[Ghegs]

Moon Crystal upsets me so badly. It's such a nice looking game for the NES, and I have enjoyed it, but those controls have made me quit playing in frustration. I might get over it, as it seems pretty good otherwise.

I think Moon Crystal is a tad overrated. I like the controls, they're sort of like Prince of Persia, but the bosses are stupid. Until the very last couple of bosses, the best tactic against all of them is to rush in and hit them repeatedly as fast as you can. You'll kill them just before they kill you, every time.

It's still a decent game, but not worth the price it tends to go for nowadays.

[Ed Oscuro]

I wanted to mention that one - cute game, nice ideas, but some annoying platforming (not difficult in a good way, not interesting like jumping against the wind in NG2, just annoying) and yes - very very dumb combat, especially bosses. It's another example of why developers should avoid making half-hearted concessions to tradition. That said, if a person doesn't really care about having every boss be super interesting, then maybe it's more palatable because you can get to the end that much easier! Wow!

[louisg]

That Shadow of the Ninja game definitely kicks butt. I prefer it by far to Ninja Gaiden. It's 2-player, too.

[blackoak]

I took a break from the NES to play Yoshi's Island with girlfriend, and now that that's completed (great game btw), I can return to the fold.

Shadow of the Ninja really frustrates me. I like a certain briskness to my platformers, and the game seems much more methodical unless you have the full sword power-up. I made some progress last time I played it, maybe it will finally click soon. I love Shatterhand and Dragon Fighter though.

I agree about Moon Crystal. Too bad about the bosses since the stages are very fun. I've never played Bionic Commando actually, but if BIL says it's "essential", I should get to it. Never cared for military themes as much as fantasy/sci-fi, so I think I may have overlooked a lot of great games as a kid.

[BIL]

Try out the JP version of Bionic Commando (Top Secret) if possible. The arm was a blast as always, but I thought its shooting seemed more intense and entertaining than I'd recalled the US one's being. Turns out enemy appearance rate and behaviour is tuned somewhat harder on FC, making things feel almost Rolling Thunder-taut. And the rampant, Wolf3D-esque Nazi imagery is a much better backdrop for stoical videogame justice than the bowdlerised NES version!

I want to get back to Kage sometime soon. About the pacing, something I notice is with Natsume's often employed "damage=powerdown" system, the usual progression from tentative to authoritative play is especially demanding. It's a really satisfying game to tear down once you're consistently packing the best weapons and decking one stage after another, much moreso than it might initially seem. It's definitely not the NG style of simple, naturally brisk action/platform hurtling. I've come to the conclusion not a lot is, actually - Ryuuga's technically zippy, but totally lacking NG's essential contrast of explosive collision.

I've been replaying Batman, most recently. I'd forgotten how loveable the deactivating of enemies' hitboxes upon hitstun was. This is the feature that lets you leap fists flying from a wall onto an enemy's perch, landing safely for the kill instead of getting unceremoniously bumped off the platform yourself. It's a small, marvelous detail that absolutely makes the game's most demanding passages, like the 5-1 gear tower climb. The celebrated walljumping wouldn't work nearly as well without it.

I didn't know until a recent bout of wiki-ing that the US manual labels random grunts as established Bat-villains. When crouching, he's DeadShot. When sprinting - that's MAXIEZEUS cominatcha! The link to the '89 movie license is so wonderfully tenuous, haha. Check out this issue of Batman's Power Life!

[Squire Grooktook]

Check out this issue of Batman's Power Life!

Aww man, I have that instruction booklet. It's so good.

Electrocutioners MOON SLASH always stuck out to me for some reason lol.

[BIL]

Yes - it's a goldmine! Impossible to choose just one quote.

"JOKER made this biological weapon to jump on BATMAN."*

"BATMAN defeated his brother, so Firebug will stop at nothing to kill BATMAN."

I appreciate knowing that Firebug's projectiles are SIX HUNDRED MILLION DEGREES CELSIUS (even hotter than a TEN MEGA-GIGA VOLT BEAM)

*much like DORAKYURA made this biological weapon to jump on BERUMONDO

[Ed Oscuro]

Apparently we're also playing as the Batman from Red Rain (...sort of), because Bats apparently can be dissolved and reformed multiple times on one lifebar by those instantly-atomizing 600 million degree fireball blasts. Hmm, maybe that explains the invincibility flashing...

[BIL]

Besides the alarming hotness of its enemy fire, something else I never really appreciated until this most recent Bat-session: how many other FC endings have our hero promptly execute his defeated rival? You even have to manually walk Bats over to Joker's helpless, battered form so that extrajudicial Bat-justice may be done!

That and the way Bats defiantly bursts into phoenix flame upon death makes me think Tokai Engineering, those undersung heroes of Sunsoft's FC salad days, were really going FUCK THE POLICE to the '89 movie and channeling the GOOD OL' MANGA DAYZ. Ignore the FC box! You think that's MICHAEL KEATON punching criminals so hard their bodies explode? Pshaw!



THATS RIGHT, IT'LL TAKE A REAL BATMAN TO FUCK UP THESE CHUMPS

[evil_ash_xero]

Giving Shadow of the Ninja a second look. It's pretty good! It's not Shatterhand good, but it seems promising.

And BIL, I was thinking of Legend of Kage as well. So, I thought there was two of them. I remember really disliking LoK as a kid. I don't know what I'd think of it now.

[BIL]

I had a similar mixup of Yami no Shigotonin Kage (Natsume) vs Kage no Densetsu (Taito), while shopping around for the former. Unfortunately I didn't specify clearly and was offered a nice copy of the latter instead. Considered it, but I think Irem's Ninja Spirit (AC/PCE) vastly improved on its theme of graceful yet mortally intense ninja moonjumping. Might go back to it sometime - for now Spartan X is the definitive blood simple sidescrolling martial arts murder sim in my FC set. GAME B ain't no picnic!

[Ed Oscuro]

That's almost exactly what happened to me. Let's buy Legend of Kage! Oh, this Japanese game box is all pretty and surreal, and the game is cheap too (LOL @ the only boxed Kage I see on eBay right now - $150 OR BUST BITCHES). MASTER GAME GET.

The original Legend of Kage arcade release has a simplicity and sharp look to it that makes it easy and fun to loop through a few times. The console port just doesn't capture that feeling well enough for me.

[evil_ash_xero]

Off topic, but I had an "interesting" experience the other day, whilst gaming.

I was playing Valis IV, and dealing with stage 8. The game gets REALLY frustrating at points, and stage 8 is a phenomenal example.
Well, I was dying over and over and over, trying to learn the stage. I was dying so much, and getting so fried, that I was beginning
to make really stupid mistakes. I was at the point of "maybe I should put this down for a while".
Well, I got killed again, and was just getting ready to scream, and then I got stung by a wasp. I mean, what the hell? It's funny thinking about it now, but
I was like "you've got to be kidding me!". That's the first wasp I've seen this year, and it was in my house!

Well, I tossed the wasp outside(I showed it mercy), and then proceeded to beat stage 8.

[BIL]

and was just getting ready to scream, and then I got stung by a wasp. I mean, what the hell? It's funny thinking about it now, but
I was like "you've got to be kidding me!". That's the first wasp I've seen this year, and it was in my house!

Well, I tossed the wasp outside(I showed it mercy), and then proceeded to beat stage 8.

Taking that hit from the wasp must have lowered the rank!