The Super Famicom / Super NES Thread

[BrianC]

It has been awhile since I have played, but I remember the first one being decent, but not essential.

[drauch]

I grew up with Fortified Zone, as it was one of the only games I had. Loved it then, still do now. I've tossed the nostalgia goggles years ago and still find it incredibly fun. But yeah, as said, not essential but worth playing.

[Ed Oscuro]

[Op Log Bom] Liked the strafing, but as with Ahnuld Licensed Hit above that ain't enough.

Hold-to-strafe on the SNES actually bugs the hell outta me, 'cuz if you're using a regular SNES pad and the shoulder buttons aren't just so it will happily drop you out of it. If memory serves, pressure to hold those down constantly might be a bit hard to manage also. And third-party sticks use arcade style layouts which probably totally bung up the idea, though on second thought maybe the game has button mapping to fix that to some degree.

[BIL]

Chaps, my balls are in your hands. Please sell me on OR drive me away from the following SFC Beltscrollers:

GHOST CHASER DENSEI

UNDERCOVER COPS

They seem cool enough, just wondering how essential they are (they expensive yo).

Best regards, Colonel BIG BLACK WILLY_RZR

[Skykid]

Chaps, my balls are in your hands. Please sell me on OR drive me away from the following SFC Beltscrollers:

GHOST CHASER DENSEI

UNDERCOVER COPS

They seem cool enough, just wondering how essential they are (they expensive yo).

Best regards, Colonel BIG BLACK WILLY_RZR

Ghost Chaser is one I can highly recommend for you BIL, and last time I checked much cheaper than UC. Despite having fewer characters than the arcade original, it has elements to the combat that are actually preferable, particularly accessibility of your move set on the pad. There's no home scrolling beater quite as rich for furious combo mix ups, the game is plenty limber.

UC is a spectacle: every time I turn it on I'm bowled over by the port accuracy - and I own both SFC and PCB versions, so I've been able to directly compare them. The loss of graphical detail in the background is marginal in the grand scheme, it's really a first rate port from little known Varie.

That said reccomending UC at the price is tough unless you want to take on one of the most brutal hard games in the genre and certainly on the SFC. Varie not only made it graphically impressive, they maintained the arcade's coin eating difficulty profile - and it's really bastardly aggressive to the point where I've given up on my 1cc dreams several times from stage 3 onward. For you that may just sound like a challenge, and if so it's a wonderfully gritty Irem gem with above average variety.

The price tag is almost at PCB heights though.

[BIL]

Ta, was hoping to hear from you re Undercover Cops SFC v PCB. ^__^ You and a few others I trust have mentioned it being accurately painful, which always drew me to it. I like ports that whoop ass like they're getting paid... sounds good, price aside but oh wellz. I'm way late to the party, just glad I dodged the majority of recent SFC agonies. I'm gonna road test teh ROMZ a bit and see how I go.

[Skykid]

I'm gonna road test teh ROMZ a bit and see how I go.

It's a good idea. Both games have a breaking in period. Initially Ghost Chaser looks underwhelming and you won't know its full range of moves until there's a good deal of experimentation applied: but once the secrets are tapped it becomes glorious, moreso on hard setting.

UC is similar but kind of a reverse approach. After you chuck the first boss into a trash compactor with Brian Battler's American Football alter-ego, you'll be on a high, but the game tightens its screws formidably. It's certainly not unfair: you need to learn how to keep the balance stable - but it certainly feels like war. I can only describe it as a gritty learning curve matched to a viscerally gritty game.

[BIL]

Oh, gave Ikari no Yousai 2 a spin last night. Plays like the 2D Metal Gears minus stealth. Lots of flickscreen rooting about for keys while blowing away baddies with simple but responsive shooting. Not bad at all, but not the hardcore action I'm looking for atm. Nice graphics (especially the boss machine designs), excellent music. Would certainly stick with this before the SFC entry.

I almost feel kinda bad constantly filing Jaleco games in the "nice, but..." folder. They make solid stuff, just never quite grab me like other devs. I do love TEH LORD OF KING on FC though.

[Skykid]

Don't feel bad for Jaleco, to me they're gaming's greatest court jesters: both entertaining and mind bogglingly stupid.

Every Jaleco game seems to have some major deficiency among several neat ideas and opportunities. It's almost like they fucked their games up on purpose somehow.

Super Ninja Kun is surely the greatest offender. I mean, it's all there on the face of it - so why so broken? Why is the stage design so limiting? Why so frustrating? Why is the same music track repeated into madness. Why do some stages have no music at all?

[andsuchisdeath]

Chaps, my balls are in your hands. Please sell me on OR drive me away from the following SFC Beltscrollers:

GHOST CHASER DENSEI

Not sure how familiar you are with the Denjin Makai games in general, but Ghost Chaser is certainly the most interesting belt scroller on the SFC. Like Skykid said, it has three less characters than AC Denjin Makai. Outside of obvious hardware limitation driven changes, I'm not sure to what degree the engine's differences are (I've never played AC Denjin Makai, nor have I seen a competent display of the engines mechanics).

That being said, Ghost Chaser Densei is a 1994 futuristic, special move filled, juggling, comboing, OTG-ing, romp. Certainly ahead of it's time as a belt-scroller, let alone as one ported to a 16-bit console.

I will say though 90% of the bosses can be killed with corner throw loops. Grab, knee, knee, throw (no damage, enemy falls back into a grab), knee, knee, throw… You can finish off the loops with combos too. The game is still essential as far as I'm concerned.

[BIL]

Thanks, good to hear from you on this! Not at all familiar with the AC Denjin Makais, though I always liked what I saw and read of the second. Putting both UC and Densei on my short list for now.

It's too bad the 32-bit systems didn't get more beltscroller ports... there's just what, Captain Commando, Tenchi wo Kurau II and PuLiRuLa?

[BrianC]

It's too bad the 32-bit systems didn't get more beltscroller ports... there's just what, Captain Commando, Tenchi wo Kurau II and PuLiRuLa?

Don't forget the two pack of Dungeons and Dragons games for the Saturn. Disappointing that the Saturn Final Fight is a poorly made western developed 1 on 1 fighter.

[BIL]

I retconned that comp out of existence with the debut of the loadtime-free PS3 disc. I was this close to forking out for it too, before Chronicles of Mystara was announced.

Final Fight Revenge is a god damned karmic abomination. FF returns to arcades, on capable hardware ideal for a perfect Saturn port! Only it's some lameass fighting game developed by Capcom's US branch. Whaaa?

I wish they'd just bunged FF Tough onto STV with the obvious enhancements that'd allow. Maybe throw in Cody for SFZ3 crossover.

[BIL]

Goddamn, THE FIREMEN is great.

Skykid covered its merits sterlingly a few pages back; I'll just add that this is, however improbably, the new SFC top-down shooter I was looking for. Adios Logic Bomb! Superb strafing action on par with my roaming seek/destroy favourites Granada and Metal Stoker. Wonderful game.

[drauch]

Hell yeah! The sequel isn't bad as well, but way too text heavy for a story that doesn't matter that takes away from the frantic experience of the first game.

[Skykid]

Goddamn, THE FIREMEN is great.

Skykid covered its merits sterlingly a few pages back; I'll just add that this is, however improbably, the new SFC top-down shooter I was looking for. Adios Logic Bomb! Superb strafing action on par with my roaming seek/destroy favourites Granada and Metal Stoker. Wonderful game.

Flame on!

Yes, a real surprise gem, glad you gave it a spin. I feel a rush of pure 80s bravado every time I run through its feature length cinematic gaming goodness. It took way too many years for me to sink my teeth into it, but I was never expecting it to be quite so atmospherically absorbing.

And that backdraft rocks.

[Domino]

Month old bump time.

What are people's opinions of the Capcom Arcade ports to SNES/SFC (minus Area 88 and the SF games)?

I was thinking about picking up SFC King of Demons since from playing it for a bit it is faithful to the arcade game. Maybe Magic Sword too....

I got too many games coming in the mail it is getting nutty.


Oh yes: Magical Drop II on SFC isn't half bad.

[BrianC]

What are people's opinions of the Capcom Arcade ports to SNES/SFC (minus Area 88 and the SF games)?

I was thinking about picking up SFC King of Demons since from playing it for a bit it is faithful to the arcade game. Maybe Magic Sword too....

In most cases, they pale in comparison to the arcade. It has been awhile since I played Magic Sword, but I remember it being less intense and easier than the arcade. It also lacks 2p mode. I haven't played King of Dragons. Knights of the Round seemed decent for SNES and keeps 2p mode, though it has less mounts and I heard claims that it's unbeatable (not sure if that is true).

[BIL]

I picked up Magic Sword recently, having had the AC version on Capcom Classics Collection Vol.2 (PS2) for years. As you'd expect, the difficulty is toned down and there's some heavy slowdown at busier points. It doesn't switch things up like Area 88 either - it's pretty much the AC game downscaled.

Having said that, the arcade version is such a brutal pressure cooker of a game, I found myself enjoying the SFC version in its own right. It's nice being able to mess around a little with weaker allies and less efficient routes that'll get you punished hard on AC. Sort of a Gradius III situation... I'd keep the AC version if forced to choose, but the port has its own charm. It's not a cakewalk either - more than tough enough to entertain.

Magic Sword itself is pretty neat. Dead simple action/platformer with masses of enemies in front and HP drain nipping at your heels, treasures popping up everywhere. Fun game to either knuckle down to or unwind with, depending on what version you're playing. AC is total war, SFC's more of an adventure.

I've not bothered with any of their beltscroller ports to date... unlike STG and action/platformers, that genre very rarely satisfies me on SFC, though there are a few good ones.

edit: Capcom Classics Collection Vol.2, that is.

[BrianC]

I'll probably give Magic Sword another play since I have the cart. I did like what I played of it. I watched some videos of the SNES Knights of the Round. It looks like, despite the final boss missing his horse, he is definitely beatable.

I plan to get the Firemen. I did see one at the convention, but the price was too high for a loose one.

[Domino]

I'll probably give Magic Sword another play since I have the cart. I did like what I played of it. I watched some videos of the SNES Knights of the Round. It looks like, despite the final boss missing his horse, he is definitely beatable.

I plan to get the Firemen. I did see one at the convention, but the price was too high for a loose one.

There are cheap copies of Firemen on ebay ATM from Japan. Saw once that is only $24 shipped to US via SAL.


And I am curious of people opinions on Sonic Wings/Aero Fighters for SFC? Not good, too overprice for a port, etc

[BrianC]

There are cheap copies of Firemen on ebay ATM from Japan. Saw once that is only $24 shipped to US via SAL.

yeah. I saw that. That's one reason I'm glad I didn't pick up the 40 dollar loose one at the convention.

[Skykid]

Month old bump time.

What are people's opinions of the Capcom Arcade ports to SNES/SFC (minus Area 88 and the SF games)?

I was thinking about picking up SFC King of Demons since from playing it for a bit it is faithful to the arcade game. Maybe Magic Sword too....

SFC Knights of the Round is broken, as far as I can tell from extensive playing. There's a section approximately halfway through where in the arcade you would get an enemy on a horse that you could dismount, and then use the horse yourself. The stage needs methodical attacking so you don't lose the horse, because you need it for the boss, who's borderline unfair.

Unfortunately the SFC hardware limitations means that the horse ain't there, so by the time you make it to the boss you can expect to be raped in a most unceremonious manner, your 1cc hopes frittering away simultaneously.

I am yet to find a 1cc of the SFC version anywhere (played on defaults) so if someone stumbles on one, please let me know.

[Squire Grooktook]

^^^Man, I want to like Knights of The Round so much for it's parrying and swordplay. But even in the arcade version, there's just too many offputting memorization gimmicks (like the aforementioned "horse or die" moment) for my tastes.

[BrianC]

That Iron Golem boss looks cheap and it doesn't look like you get a horse for it in either version.

[Skykid]

^^^Man, I want to like Knights of The Round so much for it's parrying and swordplay. But even in the arcade version, there's just too many offputting memorization gimmicks (like the aforementioned "horse or die" moment) for my tastes.

It's clever though. It's not particularly difficult and you could technically have a great time making your way through if it weren't for the nigh-on unintelligible decision to code most of the bosses as impenetrable bastards. That's where your lives get claimed. There are methods of course, but the SFC version is less detailed and therefore has more rope to hang yourself with than the arcade. I've come close to the end so many times, but thanks to a perfect curve of life deductions via boss encounters poor Lancelot never quite makes it.

I got bored of trying and gave up.

[Squire Grooktook]

^^^Man, I want to like Knights of The Round so much for it's parrying and swordplay. But even in the arcade version, there's just too many offputting memorization gimmicks (like the aforementioned "horse or die" moment) for my tastes.

It's clever though. It's not particularly difficult and you could technically have a great time making your way through if it weren't for the nigh-on unintelligible decision to code most of the bosses as impenetrable bastards.

Yeah, the boss fights are really what pushes the envelope for me. So many attacks that feel like they're on the limit of reactability, forcing you to figure out their wacky ai. Kind of takes the fun out of having a block imo when you basically have to defensively preempt a lot of attacks instead of whipping it out for improv.

It's a good game though, I enjoy it when I play it, but I wish parts of it were a bit more intuitive.

[OdiousTrident]

The parry feature basically asks players to turn Knights of the Round into a rhythm game. I think alternately parrying and attacking to a certain "beat" can be used to beat most of the bosses... definitely Hammer Balbars who would otherwise seem too cheap.

[Bloodreign]

The one thing I found out about some Capcom SNES ports of their arcade titles, besides the loss of 2 players in some of them, their speed. The games just seem to move sluggishly, yet really fly for the arcade versions. King of Dragons is solid, but the speed is slower, Knights of the Round, same thing, though that one is one of the slower Capcom arcade beat em ups. Captain Commando, for the prices it goes for now, that one seems to have suffered the worst. Drab colors, music seems terribly downgraded, and it moves far slower than it's arcade counterpart, though that could either be poor programming, or the slower SNES CPU coming into play.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to own KotR and Cap Commando, but they are too expensive now. King of Dragons, thankfully I bought that one before the price skyrocketed on it.

[BrianC]

I'm glad I got X-Men SNES at a decent price since that one is started to go up. I like it a lot so far. Feels like a mix of Mega Man X and a Capcom beat 'em up. Is Marvel Super Heroes War of the Gems worth picking up? That one seems to be more sluggish, from what I tried, but that may just be the first level.