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Post by Sarge on Jan 9, 2021 1:58:57 GMT -5
Oh, I forgot to respond to your post. Saw it the other day. Those titles are pretty weird - not very Ultima-like at all. They're basically ARPGs, and the second Game Boy game even got an SNES port. I always thought they looked neat in Nintendo Power, but I always bounce off of them otherwise.
Anyway, I made a quick run through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters for SNES. Clearly Konami had their A-team working on this title, because it's definitely one of the best fighters on the system. I used Raphael, who is mostly a charge character. That's not my norm, but I don't much care for Leo's moveset even if he's the de facto shoto. Raph gets an M. Bison-ish drill attack, and a faster flipping kick, to go with a projectile. Against some fighters, he absolutely dominates, but there are a few that take advantage of his weaknesses. The best thing I found with Shredder is to wait for his jump-ins and just do a crouching uppercut - that's Raph's best anti-air. Against Karai at the end, the best defense is a good offense - if you can get her down, do not stop applying pressure, at all! She will make you pay otherwise.
I'd say this is... 8.5/10 territory. SNES kids were probably stoked to get this game. I feel for the Genesis kids, though. (NES version is better, in my opinion, than Genny.)
EDIT: Test of the fast USB polling on the MiSTer with MTPO. Fast enough to get me past the Tyson fight (although I only won by decision - I missed a lot of opportunities and was very inefficient on knockdowns), so I guess it's working pretty well.
EDIT 2: Fiddled around with the NES port of Shinobi. Managed to clear it? Without save states? Huh. Also didn't fail a bonus stage. Guess it's an easier game than the SMS version, or I got very lucky. I've probably beaten this one before, but I honestly don't remember. If I did, it didn't happen in the last six years. I'd give it... eh, let's go 6/10. It's a decent time. Not amazing, not bad. SMS port is better overall, but that's probably also a 6/10 for me.
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Post by Moulinoski on Jan 16, 2021 9:08:34 GMT -5
Anybody ever play these:   Thoughts? Runes of Virtue 1 is probably my favorite Ultima game so far. It’s not an interesting game but it’s certainly fun. It’s a lesser Zelda clone so of course I’d like it... I actually reached the end of the game. The ending isn’t anything special. There’s nothing to get angry about it. It’s simple but it’s fun and it doesn’t feel horribly unfair. Runes of Virtue 2 is okay. It’s got more intricate towns and the map is supposedly accurate to the other Ultima games. Still, there’s something about it that feels like they could have polished it up more. This one I quit practically a floor or two away from reaching the end. There’s this pie factory in the Stygian abyss (there’s no explanation for it). There’s a puzzle that revolves around it but you also need to clear the room of enemies so they don’t kill you while you’re doing the puzzle. Anyway, up to that point, it was already a cheap and frustrating game but that floor took the cake for me and I just dropped it. I can still go back to it anytime but I’m not sure that I want to. At least I didn’t play the SNES version. That one looks just as frustrating but also way, way ugly. |
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Post by Ex on Jan 16, 2021 10:59:39 GMT -5
MoulinoskiInteresting, I had no idea the Game Boy Ultimas were action-RPGs, especially not in a Zelda vein. To quit a game when you're 99% through it already requires a special kind of frustration mixed with searing disappointment. I understand that frustration, and have done so a few times myself.
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Post by anayo on Jan 16, 2021 12:05:32 GMT -5
The MiSTer has been inaugurated with a Contra run. Not a very clean one, but still a win - four deaths. As usual, I was playing very fast and loose, losing the spreader because I decided, ah, who cares, I'm just gonna keep climbing while I have invincibility in the waterfall stage and getting myself in a bind when it wore off. I was surprised to learn that apparently some retro gamers consider a "no Konami code" run of Contra to be a huge achievement? I beat it that way in 2019, and while I could see that being a Herculean achievement for a kid, as a grown-up it felt quite routine (by NES standards anyway.) |
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Post by Sarge on Jan 16, 2021 19:37:07 GMT -5
I think for people that never stopped playing NES games, Contra isn't that hard after a few cracks at it. It is a pretty solid accomplishment in an absolute sense, though - most folks played with the 30-life code and so didn't really put in the practice needed to get good. Well, that's not entirely true; I got good by playing a lot that way, and eventually decided, hey, I think I can take this down legit. Now a no-death run? That's a little tougher.  As for beating games, I finished off DoReMi Fantasy. Fun little game, although it only really got teeth with the sixth world and the final boss. That's okay, though, what's here would have been perfectly acceptable back in the day, and since you get passwords, it's hard to not eventually finish it if you've got any action gaming skills. If I had to estimate time spent, I'd probably say around four hours (seven worlds, most of them 20-30 minutes a pop). The final boss chewed up a fair amount of time at the end. I'll give this... 7.5/10. A very good time, just not something that's outright special. I can see where a few folks would love it, though - controls are super tight and responsive, so movement feels really good. |
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Post by Moulinoski on Jan 19, 2021 11:38:23 GMT -5
Moulinoski Interesting, I had no idea the Game Boy Ultimas were action-RPGs, especially not in a Zelda vein. To quit a game when you're 99% through it already requires a special kind of frustration mixed with searing disappointment. I understand that frustration, and have done so a few times myself. I don't think they're brought up very often. They're spin-off games for the Gameboy. That's a recipe for getting overlooked (unless if it's Pokémon). Graphically, they're not very special. They're not ugly but they're not amazing either and the music is... Sometimes there is no music and when there is, it plays and then just ends. Most of the sound is just the sound effects from fighting. I definitely recommend the first one! Just know that you're playing it for the journey and not the ending or you'll be disappointed at your one word ending, haha! |
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Post by Sarge on Jan 21, 2021 22:12:56 GMT -5
Made a run through Cadillacs & Dinosaurs. Definitely one of Capcom's better brawlers. It feels like an extension of Captain Commando, improving on that game pretty much across the board... and CC is no slouch! I'd give this an 8/10. Definitely a lot of fun, and probably more with friends. I also found that the "default" guy (Jack) was better overall because his sliding kick is a bit safer than the other characters' running attacks. On paper, the big guy should be the best, but I don't care for his moveset. And despite not seeming the best stat-wise, Hannah is also very effective.
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Post by Ex on Jan 21, 2021 23:16:53 GMT -5
Honestly can't remember if I ever beat Cadillacs & Dinosaurs or not. It looks familiar in screenshots, I'd wager I've played it at least. Certainly looks fun. Still hoping you give the arcade version of the Sailor Moon beat 'em up a fair run this month tho. |
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Post by Sarge on Jan 22, 2021 1:29:04 GMT -5
I really should. Will try to remember to add to my list. With the "list" being my ever-failing memory.  |
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Post by toei on Jan 22, 2021 1:48:05 GMT -5
Honestly though, the arcade Sailor Moon beat-'em-up is really nice looking but it's nothing amazing to play. It's just okay.
Cadillacs 'N Dinosaurs is one of the Capcom beat-'em-ups I want to replay at one point. My biggest issue with it, IIRC, was that the bosses have an absurd amount of health. It also doesn't have the varied and abundant weaponry from The Punisher. But it's a Capcom beat-'em-up, so the feel is just really chunky and satisfying.
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