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Post by Ex on Feb 28, 2019 16:57:10 GMT -5
This month's theme celebrates the SEGA Master System! If you are unfamiliar with the console, here are some informative links to read: This 8-bit '80s console holds a special place in my heart. The Master System was the second console I personally owned (the first was an Atari 2600). I received a SEGA Master System for my 9th birthday back in 1988. Afterwards I ended up owning about twenty games for it, with the ne plus ultra being Phantasy Star (which took me a year to beat as a kid with no internet). Since then I've beaten other Master System games, yet sampled many more that I haven't beaten yet. I'm certainly looking forward to putting more SMS shaped notches on my belt this month. The SEGA Master System has a considerable library: This console has something for everyone. If you would like genre recommendations, just let us know.
Aside from playing/beating games for the Master System, please do share your thoughts on the console and its games in general.
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Post by Sarge on Feb 28, 2019 17:31:15 GMT -5
Basically, folks should be using their Mark Is to play the Mark III this month.
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Post by Ex on Mar 1, 2019 10:59:14 GMT -5
Sarge You'd asked about recommended platformers for this system somewhere else on the board. Here's what I recommend in that genre:Alex Kidd in Miracle World Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Danan: The Jungle Fighter Disney's Aladdin Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Action Game Kenseiden Master of Darkness* Ninja Gaiden Psychic World* Psycho Fox Quartet* Wonder Boy Zillion* Zillion II: The Tri Formation*I have sampled all of those, some I've gotten very close to beating. Only the ones with the * have I actually fully beaten though. - One thing that's interesting to me about the Master System, is how many Genesis back-ports it has. The SMS didn't gain much traction against the NES in USA or Japan, but in certain parts of Europe and especially South America, the SMS dominated. Because of that, well into the '90s, publishers were putting out Master System versions of popular Genesis games in said regions. Just a handful of the many examples:
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Post by Sarge on Mar 1, 2019 11:11:31 GMT -5
Excellent. I've played through Kenseiden and Master of Darkness. I didn't care much for the former, but the latter was a lot of fun, if a little too easy. I was reading last night that the Aladdin game was good, and not just a downport of the Genesis version. I'll likely give that a go, and Ninja Gaiden looks good as well. Psychic World I might skip just because I played the MSX2 version last year, although it might be interesting to see the contrasts between the two. I was planning to actually get started last night, but forgot to copy the SMS/Game Gear ROM set over to the PS Classic when I was setting it up. Derp! I'll get it done tonight. So yeah, the SMS did great in Brazil. Mainly because of their awful tax structure, which is incredibly punitive towards imports. Since TecToy had a deal with Sega to manufacture there, the systems were actually affordable, compared to trying to import other systems. That still continues to this day; when the PS4 launched in Brazil, it cost a whopping $1850!
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Post by toei on Mar 1, 2019 13:11:31 GMT -5
Sarge I was going to recommend this as well: Castle of Illusion - If you're up for a mascot platformer, this game handles surprisingly well and has some solid level design. I say surprisingly because a lot of early Master System platformers like Alex Kidd or Psycho Fox feel slippery, but this one doesn't at all. It's also not a port of the Genesis game with the same title (which is also above average), but a Master System exclusive. There are two more Illusion games on Master System that you might want to check out. And obviously, Zillion 2, which is one of the best pure arcade-style action games on a 8-bit system. Also, Spellcaster would be a nice choice. Part side-scroller, part graphic adventure, very unique title. You might need a guide for the last section, just so you don't end up wandering back and forth forever (and you might want to look into the different spells and how they work), but until then it progresses at a nice pace. As for me, I'm aiming for Wonderboy in Monster Land. There aren't too many games I'm interested in that I've haven't already played on the system otherwise.
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Post by Sarge on Mar 1, 2019 13:40:20 GMT -5
Spellcaster is definitely on my list. I've always wanted to give that game a further shot. I remember seeing it in a few of my magazines, and always thought it looked really cool.
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Post by Ex on Mar 1, 2019 14:57:40 GMT -5
Personally I've got about 30 games in my "would like to play and possibly beat" list for this month. That number is wholly unrealistic, especially considering I'm in the middle of a time consuming WRPG at present. Still, I'll at least talk about the SMS games I sample, and will endeavor to beat at least three. I don't know how much interest our little community has in general for this particular theme (I hope everybody participates), so I will post a top 5 different genre "must plays" for the SMS curious: Aztec Adventure (action-adventure) Long before Nathan Drake pillaged sacred burial sites, there was Nino. But Nino's smarter than Nate ever was, because Nino hires mercenaries to help him ravage ruins for treasure. (Disregard said mercenaries are ducks and dogs.)
Alex Kidd in Miracle World (platformer)
Before Sonic, Alex Kidd was SEGA's mascot. This game starring Alex was SEGA's answer to Super Mario Bros. It may seem a little strange at first, but the longer you play Miracle World the more interesting it becomes.
Fantasy Zone II (shmup)
Probably the best home port of this title. It's a gorgeous shooter with great design that will likely kick your ass sideways.
Phantasy Star (RPG)Considered by some (me) to be the greatest 8-bit JRPG of all time. Innovative, beautiful, epic, and unforgettable. Sukeban Deka II: Shoujo Tekkamen Densetsu (Delinquent Girl Cop: Legend of the Maiden's Iron Mask) (adventure) Based on an '80s TV show named Sukeban Deka II. This game's about a Japanese schoolgirl who has chosen to fight crime. Her special power is a brutal yo-yo she beats the bad guys up with. This game is part brawler, part first-person adventure (Japanese menu driven style). A full English fan translation is here.
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Post by Sarge on Mar 1, 2019 15:54:37 GMT -5
I definitely recommend folks at least give Phantasy Star a shot. I'm impressed by the scope of the game, at any rate. I have some quibbles, but not enough to dissuade anyone from playing it. I think my 8-bit tastes were probably shaped too much by Dragon Warrior III/IV to be totally objective about them.
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Post by toei on Mar 1, 2019 18:15:31 GMT -5
As much as I love PS4 and PS as a series, and as impressive as I find PS, I still think DQIV is a much better game. But then again, by the time DQIV came out, PSIII was nearing release, and the genre as a whole had just progressed a lot in those years. DQIV may have used old technology by then, but in terms of story, character development and game design it basically heralded the 16-bit generation of RPGs.
Oh yeah, I wanted to add - if you're willing to give another Japanese adventure game a try, Ex (or Sarge, or anybody), Hoshi wo Sagashite / Story of Mio is a nice little game. It's even got a bunch of Phantasy Star references - Mio is basically a more dog-like version of Myau. It's a much cuter game, though, and there's no great threat to humanity of anything of the sort - for most of the game you're just trying to find where that strange animal came from to return it to his true home.
Another rec would be Danan, the side-scrolling arcade-style RPG. It's pretty good too.
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Post by Sarge on Mar 1, 2019 19:07:12 GMT -5
I looked at the list over at Retro Sanctuary, and saw a lot of the games y'all have mentioned. I'm very happy to see some confirmation of which ones I should be giving a go. I thought that Danan game that you and Ex recommended looked pretty nice. I'm very much looking forward to diving in tonight into something.
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