|
Post by Sarge on Mar 5, 2019 11:58:13 GMT -5
I think if it were a more fully-featured FM synthesis chip, I'd say it would sound good. But the SMS chip has a sort of Adlib sound that I also don't care for in most cases.
As far as the sprites go... you're right! Weird. It just looks smaller to me. It must be more of the way the levels are laid out, and perhaps the redraw makes him look a bit slimmer, with more hard black edges as well making some features look smaller. NES Ryu feels "fatter" to me.
While it's entirely possible I have NES bias, the levels and control just feel tighter to me in the NES game. There's certainly the same complaints about getting whacked into pits, and I'd definitely say that NES Ninja Gaiden is far, far harder than the SMS game. Still, and this is going to sound incredibly homer-ish, but the NES game just feels right to me. If there's anything I've learned over the years, I tend to really enjoy games that feature really tight control and fun movement tech. And while the SMS game is certainly good, I just think the NES game has it beat there.
|
|
|
Post by Ex on Mar 5, 2019 16:20:17 GMT -5
I tend to really enjoy games that feature really tight control and fun movement tech. And while the SMS game is certainly good, I just think the NES game has it beat there. I agree that the NES input detection/hardware interpretation/software reaction does seem more "tight" than the Master System's. I don't think that's a placebo effect, but I can't offer any concrete reasons why this is without spending hours reading over archaic hardware documentation - something I don't feel like doing today. I know your comfort food is platformers, and I won't even pretend the SMS can hold a candle to the NES in that regard. But there are still plenty of quality platformers on the Master System regardless. Both of the Zillion games are excellent platformers, as is Shinobi, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, and the original Wonder Boy. Also check this out: That's not too shabby for 8-bit my dude.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Mar 5, 2019 16:41:35 GMT -5
Oh, yeah, I'm still diving in. I want to be impressed, honest! I played through Deep Duck Trouble last year, so I'll probably give Lucky Dime and the Mickey games a go as well. I also saw where several of the Asterix games are considered good.
I do find it hilarious that I've become such a "platformer guy" in my later years. I used to be so heavy on RPGs that it was ridiculous.
EDIT: I completely forgot, y'all, that I "beat" Masters of Combat last night. Decent 8-bit fighters are rare, and I'd say this probably falls into that, but just barely. Most of that comes courtesy of a very strange movement scheme compared to most fighters. You have a "jump" button and an attack button. The former also works as an evasive dodge maneuver depending on which direction you're holding when you hit the button. That also means that to jump, you have to be holding up or up-diagonal and then hit the jump button. A similar method applies to your attacks, with the direction held modifying the move you pull. On top of that, it eschews the normal SFII-style motions for a special move system that requires hitting the diagonals. For example, the ninja I used throws shurikens by hitting down-back, then up-forward and attack. One of the sword moves requires an up-back, down-back, and down-forward move. Even the anti-air uses a down-back, up-back input. It's all very strange, and I don't think the PlayStation Classic controller were doing me any favors hitting said diagonals, either.
And the reason I put beat in quotes is because I totally save-stated on the last boss. Ridiculously aggressive, hits like a tank, and since I couldn't quite figure out how to consistently land my moves (my best run was when I managed to trade blows or keep him trapped with shuriken and hit the inputs effectively), I just decided to cheese the fight. Oh, right, the game only gives you two continues by default. C'mon, guys, what kind of fighting game limits your continues?!
Despite all that, I think the game looks quite nice, and despite the limited cast, the movesets are a lot more deep than most 8-bit fighters. I actually see some potential in this one if you were willing to put in a bit more time. I think what's here is a 6/10, curved down to a 5/10 for me just because of my inability to land moves and a last boss that made me feel way, way worse than M.Bison ever did. I'd say try it out for a bit at least, though.
I also played some Batman Returns and... well, I'm of the opinion that grappling hooks make all games better. And maybe it does, but it takes this one from "argh, screw you, game" to "well, I died again, but at least I got to grapple around a bit" territory. I might fiddle with it a little more, but hitting some of the hook points can be quite tricky. Oh, and it's one-hit kills. Those are always fun. (Protip: In this game, they are not.)
|
|
|
Post by toei on Mar 6, 2019 9:17:54 GMT -5
So, given that Monster Land's short sword and structure turned me off, I'm looking for something else to play, as I've already been through the Master System games I was really interested in. As far as pure platformer goes, I've played a little bit of Asterix, and it does seem solid, but I tend to get bored pretty quickly with that genre. Castle of Illusion was also really well-made, but I still stopped after maybe 4 levels.
I wonder if anybody's played Cyborg Hunter? Seems somewhat in the same vein as Zillion, but I guess it's probably not as good since no one ever talks about it.
Right now I'm exploring the shooters. I know Fantasy Zone was a big hit and is considered a classic, but I don't like the multi-direction gameplay much. I only had about half an hour to mess around with two games this morning: Aerial Assault and Aleste /Power Strike. The first is a pretty ordinary horizontal shmup. The levels seem really, really long, and I hate how sluggish the plane moves until you grab some power-ups. It even makes it hard to grab some power-ups, ironically. This game does have some really impressive effects. Watch the way the background lights up when thunder strikes:
That level also has some nice parallax scrolling, and goes from day to night as you advance; all great stuff for an 8-bit system. Just not a big fan of the game design.
Aleste is kind of the opposite; not super pretty, but very impressive in its ambition and intensity. Just in the first level, there are tons of enemies, at least 8 secondary weapons (thankfully, they're identified by numbered icons rather than pictures, so they're easy to memorize and identify), and you can use both weapons at once. It definitely seems much harder than Compile's 16-bit era shooters, maybe too hard for me at this point, but I have to put more time into it before I can tell.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Mar 6, 2019 12:13:11 GMT -5
I actually did boot up Cyborg Hunter briefly. And... couldn't figure out how the elevators worked in my very short time playing. Apparently I'm an idiot or something.
I played some Lucky Dime Caper last night, and holy mackerel, that game ain't easy. Did they forget who was most likely playing? I like how it plays, although I think I'm going to swap over to a different place to play; I'm thinking I'm getting some input lag that might be making things worse. It might be worth me just giving it a go on the Genesis.
|
|
|
Post by toei on Mar 6, 2019 12:28:29 GMT -5
I actually did boot up Cyborg Hunter briefly. And... couldn't figure out how the elevators worked in my very short time playing. Apparently I'm an idiot or something. It's one of those games where you really have to read the manual. I know I wasn't too clear on my objective when I tried it. I looked it up, and there's a section about elevator use.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Mar 6, 2019 12:30:25 GMT -5
Yeah, I didn't have my computer up and running at the time, so I didn't look it up. Thanks for the link!
|
|
|
Post by Ex on Mar 6, 2019 13:10:34 GMT -5
Just gonna chime in to say I'm enjoying reading what you guys are writing. Unfortunately I've been short on free time so far this week. I'm on the road for my job right now, but should be getting back home tonight. I plan to hit up the SMS stuff for a good while after that, gonna try to knock out some more beats. Here's hoping a few more HRG members join in the fray along with us.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Mar 6, 2019 13:26:53 GMT -5
It's cool, Ex. Hope things settle down for you soon. I'm trying to avoid the longer games right now, but I feel like I might give Golvellius or Golden Axe Warrior a go. The latter might serve well in the "white whale" category, though, given my several aborted attempts at the game.
|
|
|
Post by toei on Mar 6, 2019 13:33:33 GMT -5
Seriously y'all, play Zillion 2. It's one of the best pure arcade experience on 8-bit, and one of the rare games with two distinct gameplay styles where they both work. Intense, yet not cheap. And read the manual, else you'll miss some vital stuff (segaretro.org has it).
I got the new job I was talking about, so I'm a lot busier. I also have plans to go through the new Toejam & Earl with a friend, probably this weekend, but the good thing is SMS games are typically pretty short, so if I find something else to play I should be able to really get on it the weekend after.
EDIT - Maybe I'll try Golvellius again. I never liked the top-down, Zelda-style parts - they always seemed too hard and directionless - but now that I'm a fan of the action gameplay styles found in the actual levels, I might get into it.
|
|