Poll: best 16-Bit style mech game?

[Turrican]

Here's September poll: cast your preference!

[Mischief Maker]

How could you forget Battletech for the Genesis?

[Kino]

.

[Sumez]

Metal Warriors is surprisingly cool. It might not be the best game on the list, but it really scratches all my itches in regards to what I feel constitutes the full "mech" experience, much more than any of the Assault Suit games do.

[Immryr]

You forgot gigantic army!

[Turrican]

You forgot gigantic army!

That's the one I didn't forget, thanks to HG101 really (haven't tried it myself), but eventually I only had 9 slots, and remembered Wolf Fang, I thought it was cool to add at least one arcade entry.

[Turrican]

How could you forget Battletech for the Genesis?

Final Zone as well, has a the "feel" you're controlling a mech. I had to make choices though, so I really focused on Leynos' spawn.

[Mischief Maker]

You forgot gigantic army!

I was thinking the list was limited to actual games of the 16-bit era. If we're expanding the list to modern games that mimick 16-bit style then this contest is already over because...



...Brigador is clearly the winner!

[Despatche]

Seeing as most of the choices are Assault Suits titles or direct derivatives (Gun Hazard is AS people, Gigantic Army is a fangame, Gunhound is... AS people? I forget), I'm going with Brigador.

[Deadliar]

I'm legit sad about not being able to select two on this one.

Heck even three.

There's so many good ones, and separate genres too!

Guess i'll take gun hazard.

[CIT]

Well, Valken set the bar really high and is still the best, imo.

Second and third I'd give to Gunhound EX and Ex-Ranza respectively.

[Turrican]

What's the best PCE / DUO has to offer to the theme?

Spriggan Mark 2...?

[TransatlanticFoe]

Valken. What it lacks in challenge, it makes up for in awesome. The control really gives you the impression you're chucking around several tonnes of heavy armour and conversely, not when it's zero gravity. The opening stage is the only negative really, seeing as there's little threat from anything and not much to destroy beyond turrets - almost like you're supposed to speedrun through it and snag napalm.... but then the game gets far too easy.

It's very different but is an actual 16 bit mech game - Mechwarrior on the SNES. Tries to be a bit simmy but is too simplistic, yet not fast-paced or exciting enough to be arcadey. Story progression is nice though.

[Xyga]

Walken.

[CIT]

What's the best PCE / DUO has to offer to the theme?

Spriggan Mark 2...?

Blood Gear. Although it's an Action-RPG with a lot of plot and hasn't been translated yet. But all the action segments play like Valken, etc.

[Immryr]

You forgot gigantic army!

I was thinking the list was limited to actual games of the 16-bit era. If we're expanding the list to modern games that mimick 16-bit style then this contest is already over because...



...Brigador is clearly the winner!

well, the list is limited to the 16 bit era.......... other than the saturn game and gunhound ex on the psp.....

[Turrican]

Yes, it's 16-bit and I stand in my decision to include those two: the Saturn as a direct sequel that is very close to the age (1997 saw one megadrive release and quite a bit of Snes last minute offerings). Gunhound EX is far removed, but it is so clearly created in that vein that it basically has all the qualities to be there.

You know, I've rapidly come to conclusion that this poll would have been A LOT more exciting if only I had titled it: "what's the best aside from Valken"

P.s. nice Brigador gif, but to my 16-bit sensibility this looks sexier (thanks to BIL for the gif!)

[Vludi]

You know, I've rapidly come to conclusion that this poll would have been A LOT more exciting if only I had titled it: "what's the best aside from Valken"

I'll go with Wolf Fang, solid game that will satisfy both shooting and melee bloodlust

[Turrican]

Good choice! Also one of the first to satisfy a supreme need for mecha fans: exchangeable parts. It even has the totally cool four-legged option.

[Ruldra]

Metal Warriors is genuinely awesome. Love the variety of mechs and missions, and it's pretty tough to beat as well. So I'm voting for that.

Big fan of Gigantic Army too.

[Specineff]

I suppose that Armored Warriors doesn't count because it's a beat-'em-up, right?

[Turrican]

I suppose that Armored Warriors doesn't count because it's a beat-'em-up, right?

Heh it does, the poll could only have 10 options though, and in my view the whole mech thing was also generated by a strive for "realism", at least reflected in a complication of controls. Armored Warriors (as Wolf Fang, if you want) loses a bit of points in my scale because you're doing things you could do with any other sprite, only with a mech flavor painted over it.

That's why such a list would be so difficult for the 8Bit systems: sure you have plenty of robotic characters, but do they "feel" like you're controlling a mech? Or are they just platformers and action games that happen to have a sci-fi setting... (*)

With 16bit having more buttons did the trick... but it also comes down to animation, and choices like weapons that do overheat, or anti-gravity stages...

You could even argue that the reason why Valken is reaping all the votes, while Target Earth doesn't get any, is due to the implementation of the Snes controller.

(*) that's what keeps most (all?) shmups out of list, I guess. I mean, the Metallic Uniframe Super Hybrid Armor Ellinor is a wonderful mecha. Control-wise though, you could replace it with a pink panda and not notice the difference...

[Sumez]

One day I really need to try figuring out why people like valken at all.

[Turrican]

One day I really need to try figuring out why people like valken at all.

it's a case of being there at the right time (*). Offering the interactive conterpart to space opera drama, with colonies, the mandatory "re-enter the atmosphere" scene, basically giving a chance to players to live the "real robots" phenomenon in videogames, long after Gundam and the likes had betrayed it.

It's not a case why there's not a Gundam game on the list. The series that sparkled the "realism" thing in mechas degenerated as a franchise with stupidity such as G Gundam (fighting tournaments)... Arguably the Super Robot Taisen series in games is the antithesis of what is being represented here.

(*) like, being available for the system at the height of popularity (1993) in all three regions, compare that to Metal Warriors, released late in 1995 and in one region only.

[Sumez]

I'm talking about the way the game plays though. I think I'm missing something.

[Turrican]

I'm talking about the way the game plays though.

Maybe it strikes right in the middle between giving the impression to pilot a mech, while still being arcade-y enough for the casual, to just go and blow up stuff?


p.s. I'm genuinely surprised that Gun Hazard is doing that well in the poll.

[Sumez]

Yeah, Gun Hazard is like a poor man's Metal Warriors. It's fun for a while, but then it gets extremely samey.
At least the box art is amazingly cool.

I still can't believe that LucasArts of all people made Metal Warriors. It feels like it should be Japanese made, but it's completely USAian.

[CIT]

I still can't believe that LucasArts of all people made Metal Warriors. It feels like it should be Japanese made, but it's completely USAian.

It may look Japanese because of the mechs and anime cutscenes, etc. but the game design is thoroughly euroshmups territory, with large, needlessly meandering levels and segments with unavoidable enemy spam. Plus it's way to long for its own good.

I'm not saying Metal Warriors is a bad game (the presentation is top-notch), but Valken has an underlying arcade design philosophy that just makes for a much more clear-cut (as in: you can actually no-miss it if you're skilled enough) and enjoyable experience. On top of that it's a great example of "storytelling through action." There's so many neat, dramatic set-pieces, like the re-entry into the atmosphere, halting the rocket launch, or the final showdown in the president's office. I think if you play both games through to the end it should be obvious why Valken is held in such high regard.



EDIT:

Let's not forget about the excellent Night Slave.

[Turrican]

or the final showdown in the president's office.

Spoiler

I think if you play both games through to the end it should be obvious why Valken is held in such high regard.

I agree, is has a great arcade feel. It's not the only one on the list that can sports that though, and when it comes to challenge, Target Earth has more.

[Sumez]

You could convince me anything about Valken. I can't beat the second stage for some reason.