#gamesnoonetalksabout

[retrosys]

Games No One Talks About (Gameboy Edition)

The Nintendo Gameboy is one of the greatest inventions, not only in video games, but of all time. My generation spent most car trips without entertainment until it came along. We might have had travel Battleship, Connect 4, or Scrabble, but really, how many times could you play those on an 8 hour car trip?

Gunpei Yokoi, on a train, saw the man next to him playing with a calculator, and formed the idea of the Game and Watch series. Game and Watch were LCD games; some were original conceptions, and others were ports of popular arcade games like Donkey Kong.

In 1989, Nintendo was at the height of their popularity, and along came Gunpei Yokoi's new invention, the NIntendo Gameboy, which flew off shelves, and launched portable gaming into the mainstream. No more car trips without entertainment ever again. Sure, today the launch games look primitive. Just take a look at Super Mario Land, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Tetris was the system seller, and it was the pack in game for many years. Tetris was so popular, it sold 30 million copies. Granted that was a pack in game to start with, but consumers really went crazy for it.

The Gameboy would go on to see different variations in color, but it was really perfected with the Gameboy Pocket which saw the end of the green and black screen, and brought it to a plain black and white screen. Eventually, full color would be added, but that is for another time.

We all know the popular games like Super Mario Land 1 and 2, Link's Awakening, Pokemon Red and Blue, Mega Man, and Tetris, but there are so many Gameboy games that aren't talked about. Here are three that really should get more attention.

Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land (1994)

This game isn't unknown and wasn't unsuccessful, but the reason I included it is because Wario games are really overlooked today. I don't know if people just don't like the character, or find his games a little too slow, but either way, his games are rarely talked about.

Wario was introduced as the rival in Super Mario Land 2 as kind of the Bizarro-Mario. Unlike Mario, Wario is all about greed. He's not saving a princess here; all he cares about is money and a castle of his own after being kicked out of Mario's in SML2. It's not a hard game, but it is really fun finding the hidden courses and treasures. In all, there are 40 courses with 15 treasures to find. That's a pretty substantial amount of play in a Gameboy game, especially a platformer.

The thing I want to talk about the most here is the fact that this game is perfect on Gameboy. The sprites are big and detailed, the level design is great, and the music fits Wario as a character perfectly. The pirate themed enemies are great, and Captain Syrup is a perfect rival for Wario.

Everyone praises Super Mario Land 2 as the best in the series, but really, I believe Wario Land is the better game. There's more of a challenge here, and there's more to do. After finding the secret levels in Mario Land 2, there's no reason to return to the game, but Wario Land requires you to find all courses, all treasures, and max your coins out to 99,999 in order to get the best ending; that's right, there are multiple endings. Mario Land 2 just doesn't have the content that Wario Land has.

I hope there are people out there like me that enjoy the Wario Land series. They're very unique, and often times, overlooked. I highly suggest this game should be in any Gameboy collector's collection.

Gargoyle's Quest (1990)

Capcom ported many games over to the Gameboy, and while they may not be direct ports like how the Mega Man series served as in-between games for the main NES series, they all share the same gameplay and concept. Gargoyle's Quest is different from all of them. It's actually a part of the Ghosts 'N Goblins series, but it plays completely different than any of those. You'll control Firebrand, and while he can jump and shoot projectiles like Arthur in Ghosts 'N Goblins, Firebrand can also fly and cling to walls.

This is an RPG/Platformer hybrid which no one had seen at the time. Firebrand will go around towns talking to ghouls and demons, traverse an overworld map, get into random battles (which are really just short platforming segments), and face off against bosses while powering up his abilities.

Gargoyle's Quest was a marvel when it came out. Only 1 year after the release of the Gameboy, Capcom was already pushing the system to its limits. The sprites are big and detailed, the music is great, and the platforming is wonderful.

I'm glad to see this series get a little love in the form of Virtual Console releases, and I really hope people play all three games because they really are some of the best Capcom games out there.

Donkey Kong (1994)

Donkey Kong for the Gameboy is a rare case in which what looked like a port from a distance was actually way more. Donkey Kong is a stepping stone to many other Donkey Kong and Mario games. This is the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series before it was called that. It starts out simple enough, taking Mario through the original four arcade levels to rescue Pauline, but after that, well, you'll just have to see. Rest assured that your game does not end there. A big addition to this game is Mario's acrobatics. These moves were only seen again in Mario 64 and other 3D Mario titles.

Another great thing this game has going for it is its exclusive Super Gameboy features. It has unique music, sounds, and a background that looks like a Donkey Kong arcade cabinet (pictured above). It's wonderful, and if you have a Super Gameboy, this game is a must buy. 

Do not pass this up thinking it's just another port of Donkey Kong. It definitely is not. It's too bad it got overshadowed by the Donkey Kong Country/Land series because it's rarely talked about today.

That's Part 1 of my Gameboy series. Hope you enjoyed it, and I'll be back with more in a week or so!

[retrosys]

Games No One Talks About (NES Edition) 3

Welcome back to another entry in the "Games No One Talks About" segment of my blog. This will be the final week for the NES for a while, but I have three more great games to share with you. You may have noticed that I did not have an entry to post last week. Truth is, I did have something, but at the last minute I made some purchases that made me rethink my entry choices. Without further delay, here they are!

Guerrilla War:

             Guerrilla War has ties to historical events, specifically that of the Cuban Revolution. In the Japanese version of this game, you play as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. If you know anything about Cuban history, you know that they overthrew the Batista regime in the 1950s. Enough of the history lesson. In the US however, you play as two unnamed soldiers liberating an unnamed Caribbean island.

   The gameplay is similar to Ikari Warriors, but the control is much better, and the game itself runs at a faster pace. You will die a lot, but there are unlimited continues, so this is an easy one to see through to the end. On the way, you'll encounter many soldiers, tanks, bosses, and power-ups to deal with them. You'll also have to rescue some POWs on the way; be sure not to shoot them or you'll lose points.

   Graphically speaking, Guerrilla War is nothing special, but there are some good music tracks in there. The game's length is also pretty good for a game like this. Even with unlimited continues and running through the levels, it still took me a good 30 minutes. Guerrilla War is also very affordable, I was able to get a copy for four dollars.  

   This is also a great co-op game, so grab a friend and liberate Cuba... er... I mean the unnamed island!

The Lone Ranger:

             A couple weeks ago, I wrote an entry on Konami games. At the time, I did not know this existed. I bought The Lone Ranger on a whim, expecting it to be mediocre at best, but what I uncovered was yet another NES hidden gem.

   The Lone Ranger has so much variety. There are overworld stages where you must buy items, fight outlaws, and talk to townsfolk, but there are also platforming, shooting, and riding (on Silver) stages. It never gets boring because the game is always changing things up. You can even use the zapper for the shooting segments. I personally think since the zapper is so unreliable, that using the controller option is much better.

   The music here is great. I could listen to The Lone Ranger's theme (William Tell Overture) Konamified all day. There are a few tracks that don't quite hit the mark, but overall it's another good Konami soundtrack. Graphically speaking, The Lone Ranger was released towards the end of the NES lifespan, so the graphics here are pretty good.

   If you see this game out in the wild somewhere, give a Hi-Yo Silver and saddle up for a unique licensed game experience.

Donkey Kong 3:

                           This one isn't exactly unknown, but it is hated among Donkey Kong fans. No one talks about the good aspects of the game. Essentially, Donkey Kong 3 is like Galaga. Donkey Kong is on some vines in your greenhouse, and you (Stanley The Bug Man), have to stop him. Donkey Kong will hit bee hives to send waves of bees after your plants, and also throw coconuts at you. If Donkey Kong reaches the bottom, and if you lose all your plants or lives, the game is over. A stage ends when you either shoot Donkey Kong all the way up the vines, or kill all the bugs.

   Stanley can only shoot up, move left or right, jump, and drop down levels. Every once in a while, Donkey Kong will knock down a super shot power-up which is able to hit Donkey Kong from the bottom level of the stage. Donkey Kong 3 is quite addictive actually, and while it's not a platformer like it's predecessors, it's not a bad game. Most of the complaints I hear about it are that it's not a platformer, and Mario isn't in it. Mario was already in several games, including his own arcade game at the time, so Nintendo wanted to try something new. Poor Stanley would never be seen in a game again.

   There isn't much to talk about here in terms of music, and the graphics are early NES quality. There isn't a big variety of stages, in fact, there are only three and they are randomized, so it can get repetitive. However, Donkey Kong 3 likes to throw new enemies and challenges at you, so it stays challenging.

   Give Donkey Kong 3 a try, and go in knowing it's not a platformer. You'll be surprised at what you find. Is it the best? No, it's certainly not, but it's a solid game, and among the least talked about Black Box NES games, especially for a franchise as popular as Donkey Kong.

[retrosys]

Games That No One Talks About (NES Edition) 2

Welcome back to another edition of Games That No One Talks About. This week, I'll be examining 3 more obscure NES games that get little to no attention.

I want to take a moment and say that these are going to be games that haven't been mentioned in popular videos such as Mike Mattei's Obscure NES games, or games that have gotten way too much attention lately, like Little Samson.

Today I'm going to take a look at three Konami games that don't get the attention they should.

Stinger: 

  Stinger is a game in the Twin Bee series. Most of the Twin Bee games are vertical shooters, but Stinger is unique. Much like Life Force, Stinger alternates between horizontal and vertical scrolling stages. The enemies in this game are food, yes that's right, food; anything from green peppers to popsicles, you shoot it. The power up system is unique as well. In order to get the power up you want, you'll shoot a cloud and a bell will appear. You'll have to juggle the bell until it turns the color that corresponds to your desired power up. The music is classic Konami, and it's catchy. I actually highly recommend this game, as it is very entertaining. It's also pretty inexpensive; you can probably find it anywhere from 5-10 dollars.

Monster In My Pocket:

  Not one of Konami's greatest, but still a lot of fun. You take on the role of Vampire or The Monster to fight against their arch nemesis, Warlock. Since this was based on miniature figures, the game represents that by putting the characters in everyday environments, which are much bigger than they are such as, a house, construction site, and a sewer. Monster In My Pocket is an action/beat-em up game, but it's an easy one. Enemies are take straight from the figure series, but do not pose much of a challenge, same with the bosses. The best part about the game is the simultaneous co-op. It's not cheap, and goes for 20-30 dollars on average, but if you're looking for a two player game for you and a friend to play, and you missed this one, go ahead and see if you can find a good price on it. It's worth a playthrough.

Zen: Intergalactic Ninja:

  This is one game that I really never see or hear anyone talking about. There is one review up on YouTube for it, and it's very short. Based on a comic series of the same name, Zen is an odd game. Take one part ninja game, and one part Captain Planet, and you have Zen. Every level is different in that the type of gameplay changes. You have 4 levels to pick from before the final level much like a Mega Man level select. In one level, the camera is at a three-quarters view while you are escaping time bombs, in another, you're reviving flowers that are being damaged by acid rain while fighting a boss. In between levels, you'll hit garbage into a furnace for bonus points. You'll fight enemies like oil slick monsters, and bosses like Smogger, who turns into smog and hurts you. It's weird to be sure, but it's quite fun. The music isn't the most memorable, but it's still Konami music, which is always better than most games. Zen isn't cheap. I happened to run into it the other day for a good price, so I bought it. If you can find it for less than 30 dollars, I'd say it's worth your time, but right now it's going to run you between 35-45 dollars. 

[retrosys]

Games That No One Talks About (NES Edition)

Retrosys here after a long break from blogging about video games to bring you a segment that should be interesting to all gamers. There are literally tens of thousands of games out there to play, and sure, everyone knows their Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Final Fantasy, and even Halo games for various systems, but what about games that are never talked about?

This is: Games That No One Talks About.

This time, I'll be bringing you the NES

There are over 700 games for the NES, and about 20-30 games always hog the spotlight. I only own about 150 of them, so even I don't know every game out there. However, I've come up with a few that I think deserve some time in the spotlight. 

Popeye - Before Donkey Kong, Miyamoto wanted to make a game based on Popeye. He had trouble securing the rights, so he went on to make Donkey Kong instead. Popeye eventually got made, but it was overshadowed by Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. Popeye has you catching various objects (hearts, music notes, and letters) from Olive Oyl while at the same time, avoiding Brutus (Yes Brutus, not Bluto, this is a different character altogether). If Brutus gets too close to Popeye, you can grab that trusty can of spinach, and punch him off the screen. You only get one can per level though, so be careful about when you use it. Brutus is a formidable foe, he can jump up and down levels without warning, and he has some help from his bird on level 3 and the Sea Hag that throws skulls at you. You can punch the skulls and the bird, but you cannot punch Brutus without the spinach. There are only 3 stages, so it is short, but it is a lot of fun for a quick pick up and play. Popeye is one of the most overlooked original Black Box games, and isn't super expensive, but it isn't cheap either.

Cobra Triangle-  Cobra Triangle is a RARE production. You know them as the guys who brought you classics like Battletoads and RC Pro-Am. In this game you don't just race against rival boats, in certain levels you'll be protecting ships, disarming mines, trying to avoid hazards and get to the finish line before time runs out, and also defeating bosses. It's really one of the most unique games I've ever played, and it is very affordable. It's not in anyone's top ten, but it's still an enjoyable game that most people overlook.

Journey To Silius - A silly title to be sure, but this Sunsoft game is rarely talked about, and it's really too bad. It has some of the best music the system has to offer. This game was originally supposed to be based on The Terminator, and boy does it show. It's a run and gun in a post-apocalyptic city run by machines. It almost feels as if it were meant to show the events before Kyle Reese went back in time. Perhaps you were meant to be John Connor, but speculation aside, this game is very Terminator influenced. The rights were sold off to LJN, so Sunsoft had to stop production on their game. They changed the name and some of the enemies, and behold, Journey to Silius. It's difficult game, and I know some people out there sing its praises, but not enough. It's not a cheap one, but it's not the most expensive game out there either. You can find it for under $20 if you look in the right places or find the right eBay auction.It's been going up in value lately, so get it now before it starts hitting Mega Man heights.

I think that's enough for today. I want to keep doing these segments for a while, so I don't want to cover every overlooked game in one blog post.

Until Next Time!