Virtual Console game mini-reviews

[Julius Seeker]

So I have been playing ActRaiser and Donkey Kong Country 2 a lot in the last little bit. My mini-reviews:


ActRaiser: This is the first Square Enix title for the Virtual Console, and quite an interesting one. Essentially the plot of this game is you are the god of the humans. In order to gain greater powers you need to increase the number of people populating the world. The only problem is the continent which you can rule over (as 'The Master') is covered with other lifeforms (Monsters). Your goal is to essentially commit genocide against all of the other creatures who inhabit the land. Though these creatures aren't the only obstacle to human expansion, there are vast forests of palm trees and marshes that need to be destroyed as well. This is the plot, genocide and destruction of nature all so you can get level ups =)

Gameplay: There are two modes of Gameplay, Hero Mode and God Mode.

Hero Mode: Is essentially the phase where you play in a 2D sidescroller action/hack and slash platformer type title. You go through a dungeon, and then fight a boss at the end. The monsters have a VERY Illusion of Gaia/Soul Blazer/Terranigma feel to it; as do the sound effects, they are re-used throughout the Soul Blazer Trilogy; and the graphics are also very similar. For those who have played any of the later games, you will find a lot familiar elements. Graphically, this game is quite good for an SNES launch title.

God Mode: Once you have defeated the inital dungeon, a Shrine emerges to the God, which is you. Here the people ask the God for various things from time to time; similar to the old Dos game Castles, but with greater function (Role playing didn't have a huge function in Castles. Anyway, here you can lead your people to build cities, you don't really have control over what they build, their building style changes as you complete more quests (Hero Mode, or some sort of trading mission). Lets just say, if you liked the game Sim Earth, you'll like this portion of the game no problem.

Overall length, I am not new to the game, so it took me about 6-8 hours to finish it. I had a lot of fun with it, it offers just enough challenge that you'll probably only have to do things over again once or twice.

Overall: I found the game a lot of fun, I'm a huge fan of this development team, Quintet, who developed for Enix in the 90's, and are currently not dispanded, but inactive. I like this game, it does a lot with fairly simple mechanics, and ends up being a lot of fun. It is a game that appeals to certain hardcore fans.


Donkey Kong Country 2:

It is a game that is very similar to the first one, though it offers more challenge, it has MUCH better level design, and just has MANY more fun levels. Everything about this game is better than the first one with the exception of originality. Though, if you played the first game, and liked it, you'd be foolish not to play this one. If you played the first one, and kind of liked it, but felt like it was missing a lot, you will ALSO like the second one =)

This game has a lot more side-quests and minigame features, the first one is a straight forward platformer, this one has a lot more meat on it. The levels are also more atmospheric than the first one by quite a bit, and the music really adds. I just, overall, find this one to be a lot more fun than the first one, mainly because there's a lot more to do. This is about as perfect as a 2D platformer can get.

On a side note, I expect DKC3 to be out before the years end, this one is essentially the same quality as the second one except it has better music and atmosphere on the levels; the third one is overall the best of the series, in my opinion; but the second one is definately worth it. I recommend getting all three, but at the very least get the second game, and the trhird one when it comes out. The first one is really good too, it is very polished, it is just you get a lot more with the second game, and it is difficult to explain, but it just feels a lot better.

Two weeks in a row with great titles, DKC2 is a must have for 2D sidescroller fans, and ActRaiser comes highly recommended for Enix fans (probably a must have if you're into the games I mentioned above in the review). Actraiser, I am REALLY hoping that we see a third game in the series that takes after the first; the second ActRaiser does not have a hardcore fanbase like the first one does; mainly because they took out the God Mode.

[SineSwiper]

Radiant, G-Darius, Thunderforce V, R-Type Final, and Ikaruga came out.

I wasted my money on Ikaruga because you dolts were glowing about the game. What the hell is so special about it?

[Zeus]

Radiant, G-Darius, Thunderforce V, R-Type Final, and Ikaruga came out.

I wasted my money on Ikaruga because you dolts were glowing about the game. What the hell is so special about it?

It pwned you, didn't it?

It's HARD, real hard. But it's also brilliant in its design. Simple idea with the dark/light and since you're forced to use it to progress through levels and beat bosses, it adds a ton of strategy to the game. It's incredible intense the entire time and has very good level design around the gameplay elements. It only has 5 levels but they're very well done and it takes you a while to work through them.

Then, add the fact that you get chain bonuses for scores if you shoot only dark/light enemies, leading to increased continues earned and other unlockables, and the special attack from collecting bullets and it just adds that much more to it.

That and Radiant really are on a whole other level for shooters IMO. Treasure also made Gradius V, but I haven't tried that one yet.

[SineSwiper]

It's HARD, real hard. But it's also brilliant in its design. Simple idea with the dark/light and since you're forced to use it to progress through levels and beat bosses, it adds a ton of strategy to the game. It's incredible intense the entire time and has very good level design around the gameplay elements. It only has 5 levels but they're very well done and it takes you a while to work through them.

Well, yes, one, it's real hard. I like to be able to play through the game without cheating. I don't mind hard games, but even Capcom games have a decent difficulty scale, if normal is too hard for you.

Two, if it's only 5 levels, how is it different than some Metal Slug game that takes an hour to beat? Granted, the skill level makes it 3 hours instead of one, but that's just a cheap way to increase gameplay.

Three, there's nothing new except the light/dark shit. No new weapons, no power-ups, no nothing. I play space shooters for the billion different weapons I can play with. Or, in the case of Rez, the awesome soundtrack that mixed in with the gameplay. See, that's an example of an awesome shooter!

[Zeus]

It's HARD, real hard. But it's also brilliant in its design. Simple idea with the dark/light and since you're forced to use it to progress through levels and beat bosses, it adds a ton of strategy to the game. It's incredible intense the entire time and has very good level design around the gameplay elements. It only has 5 levels but they're very well done and it takes you a while to work through them.

Well, yes, one, it's real hard. I like to be able to play through the game without cheating. I don't mind hard games, but even Capcom games have a decent difficulty scale, if normal is too hard for you.

Two, if it's only 5 levels, how is it different than some Metal Slug game that takes an hour to beat? Granted, the skill level makes it 3 hours instead of one, but that's just a cheap way to increase gameplay.

Three, there's nothing new except the light/dark shit. No new weapons, no power-ups, no nothing. I play space shooters for the billion different weapons I can play with. Or, in the case of Rez, the awesome soundtrack that mixed in with the gameplay. See, that's an example of an awesome shooter!

Well, in response

One, it's a more rewarding experience IMO. The levels are hard 'cause you can't just barrel through them, you have to figure out how to do them properly. And there is an easy mode for pussies.

Two, you get a finite number of continues. That's why it's so hard. But that's also part of the reward. You get more continues as you play more. Add that to your level of learning and you progress more and more each time.

Three, I agree there is no other guns, which is one of the main reasons it's not as good as Radiant (Radiant had six guns, one for each Saturn button). But the depth in the design in using that light/dark more than makes up for it IMO.

I play shooters for the challenge and for the fun factor. This one happens to have those in spades but also almost like a puzzle element to it in trying how to get through the levels using the light/dark system.

But it's an opinion thing. If you don't like that, then you won't like it. I happen to love it 'cause of that.

[SineSwiper]

Hey, I'm just saying that a game like that shouldn't be $50, or the $39 used that I bought it for.

[Zeus]

Hey, I'm just saying that a game like that shouldn't be $50, or the $39 used that I bought it for.

I don't necessarily disagree. But then again, I think most games are too expensive. I bought mine for $31 Cdn used and that was the limit of my budget for it. It would have been lower had I not had the DC one already and loved it.

But I judge all games by the amount of time I'm expected to, or do, get out of them. I've already gotten, say, 15 hours out of it. So I've paid $2 an hour for entertainment, relatively cheap IMO. Tetrisphere I paid full price for, over $100 Cdn after taxes, but I got at least 100 hours out of it, so again, worth it.

I guess that would mean that the best "deal" I ever got was Goldeneye since we had about 6 people put over 200 hours each into an $80 game.

[Kupek]

How much time did you put into Ikaruga, Sine?

I've never played the game. But the praise I see heaped on it has to do with the depth of its gameplay and the design of its levels. I also have heard it's hard. What this tells me is that in order to enjoy the game, you're going to have to put a decent amount of time into it.

[Julius Seeker]

Hey, I'm just saying that a game like that shouldn't be $50, or the $39 used that I bought it for.

I don't necessarily disagree. But then again, I think most games are too expensive. I bought mine for $31 Cdn used and that was the limit of my budget for it. It would have been lower had I not had the DC one already and loved it.

But I judge all games by the amount of time I'm expected to, or do, get out of them. I've already gotten, say, 15 hours out of it. So I've paid $2 an hour for entertainment, relatively cheap IMO. Tetrisphere I paid full price for, over $100 Cdn after taxes, but I got at least 100 hours out of it, so again, worth it.

I guess that would mean that the best "deal" I ever got was Goldeneye since we had about 6 people put over 200 hours each into an $80 game.

Civ 2 here =)

[Julius Seeker]

June 1, 2007 - Nintendo of America on Friday announced that approximately 4.7 million Virtual Console games have been downloaded since the service became available in November of last year. According to the company, that means players have purchased VC titles at the rate of 1,000 an hour.

"With an Internet connection rate reaching 40 percent, Wii owners have more options than ever to find the kinds of games they love to play," said George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Beyond the Wii Shop Channel, all types of people are getting connected and checking out the information and entertainment options available on the Wii Menu. Whether voting, creating a Mii or just checking the weather, everyone has a favorite channel."

Nintendo revealed these figures to coincide with the release of its 100th VC title, which is the classic NES effort Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, available for download on June 4.

-IGN



I know Zelda 2 wasn't the most popular title, but I fucking loved it the latest time I played it. It feels much more epic than either Legend of Zelda or Link to the Past felt. Also, unlike other Zelda games, this one has a sufficiently interesting level of difficulty, it isn't as difficult as the early Castlevanias, but it is also not the cakewalk that the post SNES Casltevanias were. The world just feels vast in comparison to the other two early Zelda titles, and the gameplay is actually quite well done. This game stands up a lot better than the other two do in my opinion. It is a different formula: this game has multiple towns, level ups, many more secrets and hidden things, and side scrolling action. What Zelda 2 does, it does well, and is one of the very best games released on NES in my book.

[Zeus]

I always liked Link's Adventure. Didn't feel like Zelda but it was a solid game

[SineSwiper]

I would split this topic, but I don't know where to begin.

[Julius Seeker]

I always liked Link's Adventure. Didn't feel like Zelda but it was a solid game

It has a lot of elements in it that weren't seen again until later on in the series, it was quite an advanced game for its time. Zelda 3: Link to the Past, simplified things from Adventure of Link; it was a prettier game, but quite dumbed down from the last part. I also liked how the Sages of later Zelda games were named after Zelda 2's towns.

[SineSwiper]

It has a lot of elements in it that weren't seen again until later on in the series, it was quite an advanced game for its time. Zelda 3: Link to the Past, simplified things from Adventure of Link; it was a prettier game, but quite dumbed down from the last part. I also liked how the Sages of later Zelda games were named after Zelda 2's towns.

I thought I liked Zelda 2 until I played it again. I forgot how hard and tedious it was. I dropped it like a bad habit after the 2nd or 3rd dungeon.

[Zeus]

Sine, I think this is a recurring thread and probably best left as it is

[Kupek]

Actually, I'd prefer to lock it and make Seeker start a new topic every time he wants to tell us stuff we already know about VC games, but forcing a posting style on someone is just more trouble than it's worth.

[Julius Seeker]

Actually, I'd prefer to lock it and make Seeker start a new topic every time he wants to tell us stuff we already know about VC games, but forcing a posting style on someone is just more trouble than it's worth.

Kupek just wants his ridiculous comments (about DKC) earlier in this thread to be buried.