The Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Thread (NEW)!!!

[Skykid]

Gonna play the SFC version to see how it compares, but I'm guessing it won't be as good.

Very different game. You might be pleasantly surprised though.

[BIL]

Greatest thing about it though, the Stage 1 music – kind of like Castlevania and Shinobi tunes got fused in a groove reactor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaOlDwRyjjI

Holy shit, nice. I wonder if that's the same composer from Shadow Dancer MD? That relentlessly hammering bass instantly brought to mind this tune. edit: just looked up Keisuke Tsukahara aka "Tsukachan," Shadow Dancer MD's composer - Jewel Master isn't in his CV but apparently that game has no ending credits. Wouldn't be surprised if he was involved.

I'll have to check out the game too, I've been on an early MD kick lately with E-SWAT, Rambo III, Kujaku Ou 2 and Castle of Illusion.

[Rob]

Next up: Jewel Master

Nice write-up. Definitely on par with KO2, Alisia Dragoon-types. Only gripe with the game is that the final stage (or the section before it) is a bit of a bore and not fun to replay to get another stab at the final boss. They forgot to put some enemies in there.

[greg]

Gonna play the SFC version to see how it compares, but I'm guessing it won't be as good.

Very different game. You might be pleasantly surprised though.

Yeah, and the PC Engine version is also different. It may be worth owning all three for the different experiences they present.

[Ed Oscuro]

Gonna play the SFC version to see how it compares, but I'm guessing it won't be as good.

Very different game. You might be pleasantly surprised though.

Yeah, and the PC Engine version is also different. It may be worth owning all three for the different experiences they present.

There's also personal computer versions (at least one on one of the NEC PC series computers).

[greg]

Right, that was the very original Popful Mail game. I've never played the original, but it seems that the PCE version tried to be the most like the original computer game, with its small sprites and such. Of the three console ports, only the SFC version was handled directly by Falcom, for what that's worth.

[BIL]

Cleared Kenseiden last night, good stuff! A far better ARPG take on Dracula-style action than Konami's FDS sequel - sports the robust dungeons, bosses and nonlinearity it lacks, and ditches its bloated RPG elements for a seamlessly incorporated, progressively more dominant expanding moveset. It does have one glaring flaw: enemies/projectiles pop into existence at the far edge of the screen instead of scrolling smoothly in, leaving little time to react. Generally this can be countered by staying alert, but it degenerates the training rooms into memory tests since you'll have to know where an arrow will pop in prior to a jump. Still, I can overlook it with them being short, intense optional challenges.

Evading and striking down monsters with perfect timing and economy of movement in the main stages is really satisfying, especially once you've earned some techniques and can cleave through six or so swarming goons in one leaping overhead chop, or wipe out a would-be pincer attack with the circular slash. I love that you've got a choice of trekking all over Nippon taking down bosses and training rooms for an ultimate character, or a kamikaze run straight to the last boss, or anything in between. The overworld map and upgrade angle bring to mind Demon's Blazon, somewhat. Will update if I have any trouble running it on MD (just to keep this on-topic!)

I'm pretty sure Jewel Master, Kujaku Ou 2 and Rambo III were all by the same team, or at least involved some of the same people (only KO2 seems to have a staff roll, unfortunately). Besides that distinct garish shading and stock options menu, they all share the same straightforward "supercharged 8-bit" style, keeping extraneous mechanics and graphical flash reined in for the benefit of simple, fast and sharply responsive twitch action. JM is reminding me a lot of Irem's excellent Holy Diver on the FC. The walk animation is indeed a little lacking, but in a quasi-run and gun with fast enemies and bullets, I'll take a sparsely-animated character who pivots frame-instantly over Alisia Dragoon's inexplicable Prince of Persia turnaround delay.

The fourth stage on Hard is exactly the kind of fast, maneuverable and perilous action I want from shootier sidescrollers. The Metal Slug-style locked vertical shot while moving is awesome, feels great shooting down hordes of flying enemies while keeping clear of the beefier ground enemies' brutal attacks. I actually kinda like the JM's look, his buff physique, preening attack poses and 80s gymwear remind me of that lovable fruitcake Joseph Joestar.

[MommysBestGames]

Next up: Jewel Master

Good explanations of the appeal of the game. I definitely love this one though it always felt like a sleeper hit. Agreed, music is great, especially level 1. The ice level had such a dreary but interesting feel to it. It was odd how much of the game was foreboding and dour but still appealing. I liked the few jewels you had to find that were fairly hidden. I really enjoyed that the power ups you found were unique, rather than just another 1-UP.
I remember being blown away by how much parallax the clouds had in the first level. Reminded me of how much parallax was supported in the lava level in Mystic Defender.

I actually kinda like the JM's look, his buff physique, preening attack poses and 80s gymwear remind me of that lovable fruitcake Joseph Joestar.

Great line.

[BIL]

I remember being blown away by how much parallax the clouds had in the first level. Reminded me of how much parallax was supported in the lava level in Mystic Defender.

Yes - that's another thing I notice in all three of the games I mentioned. It's like heavily layered parallax was the devs' only graphical indulgence and they went nuts with it where they could. The clouds above JM's frozen ocean are another standout use of the effect, feels like you can see for a mile into the distance.

Speaking of which, sat down with MD Chelnov for the first time in way too long tonight, and holy fucking parallax @ the third stage. The sense of depth looks absolutely incredible in motion, diorama-like.

[ST Dragon]

I have to confess even though it's a mess of a game.... I actually enjoy Earnst Evans on Mega CD.

Does no one else like El Viento on here?

I've always wanted Aero Buster but have been torn between the MD and PCE version. Any feedback between the two ports?

Hell yeah! The entire El Viento/Earnest Evans series is awesome. I think we actually talked about it a bit in the Anime thread, if I do recall.

It was with regards to the cancelled sequel Annette Again

I don't know why, but I every time I see that pic, I get a suspicion that she must have been having her way with every single chap on that cover

[ST Dragon]

Finished MD Batman with a couple of continues, but it's honestly not that compelling a sidescroller that I'd be motivated to do better. Particularly as Hard seems to be one of those "fiddle with the hitpoints" jobs that disinterest me even in first-rate action games (Hagane, Super Shinobi II, etc). Passable game with a total lack of hooks that feels absolutely primitive in comparison to the FC title, and several other action highlights from that system. A glorious HITLER NO FUKKATSU this game's grappling ain't!

The ability to knee-drop out of the game's tumbling double jump is midly interesting, but scuppered since it's so weak it won't kill any but the weakest scrubs, and you'll still take damage if you collide with enemies stunned by it. Bosses all suck - ironically the only good battle is versus Jack Nicholson (with 1HP), who's perched on a ledge above some toxic waste. Fun using the double jump to clear the gap, dodge Jack's bullet and smash knee into skull in one swoop, knocking him into the toxic shite below.

Gains nothing artistically from the extra bittage, either. Quite the opposite in fact:



YES.



NO.

Funny how Michael Keaton is on the FC's box yet it maintains only a vague thread with the 1989 movie, employing a fantastic comic book world of hulking mutants, flamethrowing mecha and supercomputers bristling with vicious security apparatus. The MD's box is Keaton-less but it attempts to mirror the movie closely, and comes off worse for it (so many Inexplicably Levitating Platforms in the museum). Oddly enough the FC game's demigod elemental wizard Joker is here too, albeit favouring Terry's power wave rather than Iori's 8 wine cups.

Music is comparably good, though. Besides it sharing the FC's boss theme riff, there are definitely shades of the brilliant Raf World and Gremlins 2 FC soundtracks in there. Along with Capcom, Konami and Tecmo, Sunsoft are my FC game music heroes.

edit: got the clear. achievement unlocked!

I always thought the NES version was better than the MD version. But I don't remember them sharing the same Boss music. The NES batman Boss theme along with Ninja Gaiden 2 & 3 Boss tracks, is one of the best on the NES

[BIL]

It's only an underlying riff they share - compare the FC's boss theme from 2 seconds in to the MD's at 10 seconds. Not exact but it definitely caught my ear.

FC version's is better of course, as it is in all other regards. That first two seconds with the guitar roar and battering drums would've been totally wasted on the MD version's lame-assed bosses. It just screams "BATMAN VERSUS SLAUGHTER MACHINE" as opposed to "batman versus some weiner with a boombox," doesn't it?

[null1024]

I was playing lots of Puyo Puyo 2. Sure, there's a billion releases of it, but I was playing the MD version because Genesis Does [even if it's missing endless mode, unlike the other ports].

and now when I close my eyes, I see a full grid of Puyos
effing Tetris Effect...

Played an asston of matches against my friends, went home, and then played Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine.

The lack of garbage countering makes playing it much harder, because I'd be sending stuff over, and the CPU'd do a 4 combo, and I'd just get assfucked with no hope of escape. And then there's the times where I mess up, the next piece will save me, and a single garbage Puyo covers the all-important 3rd block from the left [where they spawn]...
also damnit, the speed ups as the game goes on doesn't affect the CPU because it can react instantly, whereas a person would fuck up thanks to it, so I got stuck on that pig-with-wheels...


But Puyo Puyo is probably my favorite vs puzzle game. Some of my friends would rather play Puzzle Fighter, but Puyo Puyo 2 is so much faster and more intense, gah.


Oh, and on another note, I was playing Streets of Rage 1 with a friend. The choppy framerate really bugged me, but it's still gobs of fun. Bosses eat health like crazy though, enough that I don't know how to really approach. And there's 2 of them at once!

and the police that rain fire and brimstone upon your enemies, such a cool bomb

[BIL]

Both MD Puyos give me a massive boner because they have the REAL ARCADE FEEL. Seriously, I love having the PCB's input test and everything straight from the MD-based arcade hardware, on a tiny cart in a cool snapcase.

Ba-zing!

[ST Dragon]

It's only an underlying riff they share - compare the FC's boss theme from 2 seconds in to the MD's at 10 seconds. Not exact but it definitely caught my ear.

FC version's is better of course, as it is in all other regards. That first two seconds with the guitar roar and battering drums would've been totally wasted on the MD version's lame-assed bosses. It just screams "BATMAN VERSUS SLAUGHTER MACHINE" as opposed to "batman versus some weiner with a boombox," doesn't it?

Yes you're right, That specific riff indeed sounds similar, but the rest of the MD Boss track sounds so underwhelming, so I had forgotten completely about it all together. Generally all the Boss fights sucked big time and the sprites looked lame and weak.

I noticed that Batman Revenge of the Joker is a lot more similar on all 3 platform NES, MD & SNES, but interestingly enough the NES versions again seems to have the edge on the music department, sprites, level design & overall theme. That's quite a task for an 8-bit system that could display only 16 colours on screen (24 with special cartridge chips on Mario 3) to compete against true 16bit systems. I guess even though it was published by SunSoft, it was developed by different programers on the 3 systems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyO4L-pF28g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-ykPd5EgO0

[CIT]

Just beat Kujaku-Oh 2. I like its solid controls, interesting weapons and the dark, horror-esque tone. Stage 2, the foggy pagoda with creepy monks materializing giant butterflies and transforming into giant heads especially stands out. Stage 4 really brings on the challenge with the precision jumps and boiling acid death pits and almost takes the game into Ghosts 'n Goblins territory. From then onward I felt the level design really turns a bit sloppy though with "walk right and kill everything stages" and a rehash of the H. R. Giger stage. Nobunaga is a very fun and intense boss fight though.

Next up: Shiten Myouou (a.k.a. Shadow Blasters)
Interestingly plays a lot like Kujaku-Ou 2, with similar charge 'n blast mechanics, although the power-up system and four selectable characters bring in a lot more depth. BIL mentioned that KO2 feels a lot like an 8-bit game, well, this one even LOOKS like one. Very unimpressive presentation, but that doesn't necessarily mean unappealing. Stay tuned for more.

[BIL]

I was actually reminiscing about Shadow Blasters while playing Jewel Master, wondering if I should give it a second chance! Played it once eons ago on my old Genesis, hated it for the lack of graphical prowess (I was ten or so). Interested to hear what you think of it.

[null1024]

aaaaa
Playing Streets of Rage 3 right now. SOR1 and 2 are so much easier than this, SOR3 hates me.

and as much flack as it gets for the music, it really puts you in the mood to smash some face in really well
At least for the most part. Some of the songs don't make sense even in that context, and even for random-generated stuff, Yuzo certainly must have specifically selected bits and pieces to choose.


Also, when I saw that legit arcade-style test menu in Puyo Puyo 2, my mouth opened wide.

[stryc9]

aaaaa
Playing Streets of Rage 3 right now. SOR1 and 2 are so much easier than this, SOR3 hates me.

and as much flack as it gets for the music, it really puts you in the mood to smash some face in

You probably already know this given your breadth of knowledge, but Bare Knuckle 3 is the way to go as the western versions balance is screwed. A 1CC of BK3 on Hard w/good ending is no thing. BIL said Splatter House 3 is different in terms of balance as well, just for the record.

As far as the music goes, the only track I really have a problem with in SOR3/BK3 is the one that plays in the nightclub before the fight with the twins in the Blue Island bar. It's hard to wonder what Mr Koshiro was thinking as the section it plays in is not short yet the track loops quickly and is annoyingly repetitive.

This is then immediately followed by the boss track which is one of the best tracks in the game

To be honest the main problem with the audio in SOR3/BK3 is the samples cutting out all the time. Pissed me off something chronic back in '94, and still annoys me today.

[BIL]

The stage 2 nightclub music is utterly awful - it's actually kind of embarassing. I like the scene too, the strobe effect gives it a nice chaotic look, but the soundtrack undermines it all. Quite fond of III's OST otherwise though, even its more discordant material. The first two BGMs (warehouse and docks) are seriously good stuff, the second has an incredible volatility.

Splatterhouse III US is my pet favourite "forehead-smackingly dumb regional change" example. It actually manages to have no balance whatsoever, haha. There's no reason to not use its obscenely powerful roundhouse, ever. How Namco could turn the JP version's expertly designed RH (does negligible damage, lasts a split second, but knocks down on all sides, is invincible, and can counter otherwise unstoppable boss attacks with good timing - perfect emergency escape / finesse move) into Final Fight's bomb minus the health penalty just blows my mind. They evidently tried to make it more demanding to perform but l,r,l+p is hardly an execution barrier.

Well, there is one limitation to the US RH, a handful of boss-calibre enemies can block it just like in JP. But they'll be batted out of retaliating range, and with all the POW meter you'll have saved spamming the RH elsewhere, Monster Rick will always be on standby to choke the shit out of them. I know I've posted this all before in this very thread but it bears repeating once in a while, the US version is basically worthless if you want a quality beat 'em up (if you just want to enjoy the awesome presentation while beating abominable ass, OTOH, it's still good - at least it's not censored).

By the by, Monster Rick's choke lift is simply the most satisfying beat 'em up kill I know of. Master Boreworm is just a sinuous tube of fetid toothpaste to his murderin' mitts!

[null1024]

aaaaa
Playing Streets of Rage 3 right now. SOR1 and 2 are so much easier than this, SOR3 hates me.

and as much flack as it gets for the music, it really puts you in the mood to smash some face in

You probably already know this given your breadth of knowledge, but Bare Knuckle 3 is the way to go as the western versions balance is screwed. A 1CC of BK3 on Hard w/good ending is no thing. BIL said Splatter House 3 is different in terms of balance as well, just for the record.

As far as the music goes, the only track I really have a problem with in SOR3/BK3 is the one that plays in the nightclub before the fight with the twins in the Blue Island bar. It's hard to wonder what Mr Koshiro was thinking as the section it plays in is not short yet the track loops quickly and is annoyingly repetitive.

I'm actually wondering if he was making fun of club music at the time. That's the only reasonable conclusion that I can come to, haha.

And yeah, I know SOR3's balance is fucked.

[CIT]

I was actually reminiscing about Shadow Blasters while playing Jewel Master, wondering if I should give it a second chance! Played it once eons ago on my old Genesis, hated it for the lack of graphical prowess (I was ten or so). Interested to hear what you think of it.

Beat it tonight. Well, essentially it's a poor man's Shinobi, but what's there is not bad. You get four characters, each with distinct weapons and 8+1 varied and pretty interesting stages. Controls are solid and the power up system is rather unique. I have a feeling if it was a Master System or NES game it would be really highly regarded, but on the Mega Drive the underwhealming presentation does kind of get in the way. I really do like the dark tone of the game though, and the final two stages (after the selectable ones) actually look really nice. Stage 7 is doomy hell pit, with faces of agony and despair distorting in the background, while stage 8 takes you to a kind of Buddhist heaven, with seven layers of parallax and golden pagodas. These are the only instances where the game actually looks distinctly 16-bit.

Before the final stage 9 the four Ninjas combine into a giant Vidyaraja and you battle the last boss in outer space in a rather intense scene. The first time I used one credit to beat him and thought I got the bad ending, but when I 1CC'd it I got the same ending, so yes, it really is this misanthropic.

I'd say check it out again, especially since you tend to like Ninja games anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Next up: Saint Sword

[pestro87]

Next up: Saint Sword

I actually picked this up no too long ago. I thought that the boss music and the music on the second stage were amazing but everything else was fairly mediocre. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it!

[null1024]

So, I've always known SOR3's balance was fucked. I never knew just how fucked. BK3 is so much nicer, it's not a horrid pain.

although, Axel seems to be able to do a jab infinite with distressing ease

[BrianC]

So, I've always known SOR3's balance was fucked. I never knew just how fucked. BK3 is so much nicer, it's not a horrid pain.

although, Axel seems to be able to do a jab infinite with distressing ease

While I still plan to get the real cart, I love how the SoR Sega Vintage Collection for 360 has Bare Knuckle 3, even if it's untranslated. I tried SOR3's easy mode and it really is easy mode with enemies dying in 1 to 2 hits and nothing like BK3's normal (which is what I was hoping for since SOR3's normal is messed up), which is more like SOR2's difficulty.

[Leandro]

Next up: Saint Sword

I actually picked this up no too long ago. I thought that the boss music and the music on the second stage were amazing but everything else was fairly mediocre. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it!

I also played this for the first time recently. Enjoyed the bass-heavy soundtrack; the gameplay, while nothing special, was decent enough so I cleared it twice. I doubt I'll ever touch it again though.


About SOR/BK III, my favorite song happens to be the one that never plays on the good ending path, the White House level song

[CIT]

So... interesting factoid about Saint Sword: apparently it was made by the unknown developer Cyclone System, the same guys responsible for Shiten Myoou.

However, Saint Sword is clearly the lesser of the two games for me. I was hoping for some Rastan or Cadash vibes, given the Taito logo on the box, but the game left me rather unimpressed. It's essentially a "yes, but" game. Yes the music is good, but the only tunes that really stand out are stage 2 and maybe two or three others. Yes, the graphics have some nice details, but overall it lacks effects and looks too dreary for its own good (actually felt a lot like Faxanadu in that respect...). Yes, the transformations are an interesting game mechanic, but the centaur-form is essentially useless and the transformations are never connected with exploration and progression in the game – it would have been nice to use the transformations to access hidden areas, for example. Yes, the pace and controls are alright, but the collision detection seems a bit off sometimes, and the kill-enemies-until-they-drop-key-then-find-exit game system turns otherwise well-designed stages into repetitive slash-fests with zero buildup of tension.

I will usually try to 1cc 16-Bit action games, but I couldn't be motivated with this one, especially since the final boss will send you back to stage 1 Ghosts 'n Goblins style the first time you meet him. I gave in and used the passwords to continue later. Don't expect any significant increase in Loop 2 though. It's pretty much more of the same, except levels are nighttime versions and the helpful arrow pointing you in the direction of the exit is gone.

Next up: Pulseman!

[ST Dragon]

By the by, Monster Rick's choke lift is simply the most satisfying beat 'em up kill I know of. Master Boreworm is just a sinuous tube of fetid toothpaste to his murderin' mitts!

This is quote of the month! Spontaneous, fearsome, sinsiter, ominous and comico-tragic! I couldn't agree more.

[BIL]

Super Fantasy Zone get! For a fleeting second I wish all MD snapcases were tiny like Sunsoft's, so convenient. But I also got Hellfire in the same batch which quickly put paid to that idea.

SFZ feels a bit tame on Normal (made the boss rush without knowing what I was doing) but put it on Hard and mein gott in himmel! It plays just like an arcade sequel to the 1986 original. Fast bullets and relentless enemies everywhere. God help you if you die on a boss and lose all your powerups, best have some moves son. Warning: a frickin' huge salmon is approaching fast!



Technically I already had SFZ in the superlative PS2 Fantasy Zone AGES 2500 disc, but as with the 2500 Treasure Box, Thunder Force Gold Packs and Capcom Generation 2, even if the port is sound I still like to go with the original cart. <333 16-bit. (the PS2 FZ set is still required owning for FZ fans for its System 16-based Fantasy Zone 2)

[Edmond Dantes]

Recently found Twin Cobra at a thrift store for $1.

Been getting my ass handed to me ever since.

It's too bad I didn't find MUSHA... I hate myself. I used to have a complete copy of that game, but I traded it, and now that I'm into shmups I want it back.