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Post by nullPointer on Nov 2, 2018 14:01:34 GMT -5
Seems like everybody (well, out of the few who've joined this thread so far) is playing Power Blade this month. I might just end up jumping on that bandwagon. Haha yeah it's definitely on my list as well, probably the sequel too. Natsume really had a strong action game lineup on the NES, though if memory serves, most of them were either short, easy or both. As a result they made for some really great rental games;I'm not sure I knew anyone who actually owned them. AT any rate, I think I'll be kicking things off with Shadow of the Ninja. I seem remember it as being one of the better ninja games on the NES. We shall see!
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Post by toei on Nov 2, 2018 18:43:08 GMT -5
Beat The Ninjawarriors (SNES) last night. I'm still not that fond of single-plane beat-'em-ups, it turns out. The sort of semi-3D movement is an essential element in an already simple genre; take it away, and what's left is too basic. Since you can't approach enemies obliquely, you have to crouch a lot not to get hit by those who have more range than you; I spent like 70% of the game crouching. One advantage of the single-plane approach is that you can integrate VS fighter moves that are harder to include in traditional beat-'em-ups where the directions all already serve a function, but Ninjawarriors doesn't. The movelist is even a bit more limited than usual; you can't even run. You can block, which is sometimes useful, but not that often, because blocking an enemy's move doesn't necessarily create an opening, and there's a special screen-wide attack that slowly charges up as long you don't get knocked down. One move that's pretty slick is that you can pull a sort of standing slide with the Kunoichi from which can segue into a grab. There are a few different throws per character, and in fact, the final battle revolves around that mechanic; there's some weak-looking old man sitting at the control panel of the sort of machine Dr. Robotnik tends to come up with, and you have to throw enemies at the glass that protects him over and over in order to finally break it. I think you have to do it about 15 to 20 times, which is a ton as all the different enemy types attack you from both sides and energy beams come out of the ceiling all the while. It's a lot like the Shredder fight in Turtles in Time, except super tricky and annoying. It took a bunch of attempts before I got lucky enough to pull it, but in the end, I beat it without save-states. A major, questionable design choice is that you get infinite continues, but you have to restart from a checkpoint when you die, and those are pretty sparse. This removes most of the motivation that gets you to continually play at your best because you know you'll just beat the game eventually, while also forcing you to replay certain tricky parts, which gets tedious and breaks the momentum in a genre like this. The game is also too long not to have a password system; I was ready for it to end after stage 5, but there turned out to be 3 more. I had to take an hours-long break in between.
When I played those SNES Natsume Power Rangers beat-'em-up/side-scrollers recently, I assumed The Ninjawarriors would be that much better. The truth is, not really. It's okay, but that's it. Rating: **
As a side-note, I don't know why so many sites refer to it as an "adaptation" or a remake of the arcade Ninja Warriors. It's an entirely different game, with all-new levels, bosses, and many changes to the gameplay.
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Post by Xeogred on Nov 2, 2018 19:16:13 GMT -5
Props toei, I think it was a combination of that final boss being annoying AND boring for me to not care about using save-states on that part. Like you said, it takes forever to take him down and was very tedious.
I agree the genre is weird with no Z-axis movement and being a single plane... but I still enjoyed this one a lot up to the final boss. Not many other single plane examples come to mind though. I beat that Power Rangers game back in the day but only remembered the VS fighter boss fights in the mecha I think, haha.
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Post by Ex on Nov 2, 2018 23:37:30 GMT -5
I've beaten the first two stages of Power Blade 2. So far it kicks absolute ass. Lots of improvements over the first game. Hopefully I can finish it up over the weekend.
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Post by toei on Nov 3, 2018 1:26:02 GMT -5
There's a game I haven't seen mentioned that I bet some of y'all would like: Gear Senshi Dendoh (PSX) (sometimes known as Gear Fighter Dendoh). It's another single-plane beat-'em-up, this one starring giant mechas. I played it briefly a few years ago and remember thinking it was pretty smooth and had a decent moveset. Feels like an improved version of The Ninjawarriors.
The animations are great, too, and the music is nice. Check this out:
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Post by Xeogred on Nov 3, 2018 5:24:55 GMT -5
That looks freaking awesome.
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Post by Ex on Nov 3, 2018 10:45:10 GMT -5
I was into this beater back in 2007, played a good bit of it. I never finished it. I don't think it's better than the Ninja Warriors personally, but Dendoh is absolutely worth playing.
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Post by nullPointer on Nov 3, 2018 14:10:49 GMT -5
There's a game I haven't seen mentioned that I bet some of y'all would like: Gear Senshi Dendoh (PSX) Wow, yeah that looks pretty great. I love how both these Power Blade games feature prominent likenesses of "Our Lawyers Have Assured Us This Is Definitely Not Arnold Schwarzenegger" Shadow of the NinjaI put this one in the bag last night. I'll have a review forthcoming, but I have to say this one made me eat my words about Natsume action platformers on the NES being short and/or easy. I was sure I'd beaten this as a kid (I know I played it), but I had no memory of the later levels which provided plenty of challenge. And for that matter it was of a respectable length for an NES platformer. Shadow of the Ninja is a solid title, but not enough to dethrone Ninja Gaiden as the preeminent ninja game(s) on the NES. All the same, it's definitely worth playing for all fans of 8-bit ninja action.
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Post by Sarge on Nov 3, 2018 23:37:03 GMT -5
I wasn't going to say anything until you went at Shadow of the Ninja, but it looks like you found out. Good job beating it!
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Post by Ex on Nov 4, 2018 0:09:20 GMT -5
73. Power Blade 2 | NES | 1992
"Power Blade 2" is a platformer developed by Natsume, and published by Taito Corporation in 1992. "Power Blade 2" was released in Japan and the USA, in the same year. Although in Japan, this game was called " Captain Saver". "Power Blade 2"'s plot is a direct sequel to "Power Blade". Once again secret agent Nova (who may or may not be Arnold Schwarzenegger) must save the day. This time a terrorist is threatening the President with a cyborg army. The President sends Nova to destroy the headquarters where the cyborg army resides. Or something like that. Run around, jump around, shoot everything dead, that's what matters. +Maze levels are gone, linear levels save the day.
+More detailed and colorful backgrounds, now with animation. +Four different powerful power suits of powers.
+Difficulty has been racked up a solid notch.
+You can do a floor slide.
-Sparse checkpoints.
-Nothing original from a concept aspect.
-Some of the forced scrolling platforming is annoying.
-Boss rush at the end.
-Grinding for hamburgers.
"Power Blade 2" picks up right where the original "Power Blade" left off, and improves every aspect. The biggest difference is the power suits. Nova can now kill a mid-boss in four of the stages, and acquire said power suits. Each suit has a specific use. The newt suit lets you climb walls, the water suit makes swimming easier, the rocket suit lets you fly, and the patriot suits blocks enemy shots. (These suits all use energy, which depletes as the suits are used.) Also Nova can now do a floor slide maneuver, which is useful for dodging enemy shots. If you enjoy old school action-platforming on the NES, consider "Power Blade 2" a must play. The gameplay is like if you mixed "Contra", "Mega Man", and "Castlevania" in a blender. Natsume obviously learned a lot between "Power Blade" and "Power Blade 2", and they put all that knowledge to good use. "Power Blade 2" is a hidden gem.
Ex's time to beat: 48 minutes Ex's rating: 8/10
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I think I'll hit up Shatterhand next.
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