The Newest Oldies Round-Up: March '10
After months of writing about painfully bad lineups on the "Virtual Console Round-Up," the revamped monthly article "The Newest Oldies" has demonstrated that there are still plenty of good titles on the way for the Virtual Console. Meanwhile, PSOne Classics lags behind, and XBLA gives us the occasional gem.
The Fatal Fury (Garou Densetsu) series makes me feel simultaneously more and less masculine compared to its cast of characters.
Let's start with Virtual Console. On March 1st, SNK's FATAL FURY SPECIAL hit the VC store. This Neo Geo originally costs 900 Wii Points, for reasons unknown to me. This is an enhanced/updated version of FATAL FURY 2. You can play as the "boss" characters, plus they brought on some cast from the first game. Known as GAROU DENSETSU in Japan, this series of 2D fighters never really grabbed my attention. If I want to rock some SNK action, it's usually via KING OF FIGHTERS. Nonetheless, it's quite the rarity, and fighter-fans might want to check it out.
So the good news here is that Fatal Fury Special is the least interesting of March 2010's four VC releases. Next up, we have FINAL FANTASY II on SNES, released on March 8th. That's the one that's really FINAL FANTASY IV "Easy Type" in Japan. So, do you want to play the inferior version with whole sections of script cut, abilities and items "dummied out," etc? Well, if you are like me and you played the game in 1992, maybe the nostalgic experience will make it worthwhile. But it is a solid $8 to download; and as I said in my review of the DS version, the DS version is a great way to experience the game. And you can probably find that used for $20. Your call. Super-old 2D original or thrice-remade 3D DS version. Or any of the other remakes in-between.
CASTLEVANIA: RONDO OF BLOOD for the TurboGrafx is the game that paved the way for Symphony of the Night (which in turn started the Metroidvania craze). The game is a lot like SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV, but with a rudimentary inventory system, but lacking 8-directional whipping. Whipping straight-forward only? "That's no good!" Much like FFIV, this game is available in all kinds of random places, most prominently on DRACULA X CHRONICLES for PSP. The game itself is a 3D upgraded version of Rondo of Blood, but the original game (as well as the complete version of Symphony of the Night) can be unlocked while playing the game. For 900 Wii Points? Eh... I guess I'd say it's worth it. It's a fun game to be sure. This one was released on March 15th.
"Only for Nintendo 64" ... until now!
Finally, and most importantly, Square Enix very recently (March 29th, to be exact) published the old Quest-developed Strategy RPG OGRE BATTLE 64: PERSON OF LORDLY CALIBER. I saw a dude at Anime Boston this past weekend selling a used, but boxed, copy of the N64 cartridge for like $80 or something. This is one rare frickin' game. And, apparently, it's also a great game. I'm behind on my "Ogre" goodness, but the general verdict from RPG fans is that this game is a rare treat, one of a fistful of worthwhile RPGs for the N64 console. So yeah, for only $10 (1000 Wii Points), this is pretty much the best thing ever. I'm probably going to buy this and play it.
One "PSOne Classic" hit the docket in March. I actually played this one to completion as a kid, and I tentatively recommend it to people who remember the game and say to themselves "hey, was this a good game?" The game is ONE. It has no relation to the Metallica song. Instead, you play some sort of military enhanced-soldier guy with a gun-arm and a barcode on your neck. Right from the start, you're being chased down by hostile police forces and stuff. This 3rd-person, 3D run-and-gun platformer/shooter spans six levels, forces you to conserve ammo, and pits you against some mighty intriguing bosses. Very hard, but if I recall, pretty cool concept as well. It's also from some (in my mind) no-name companies: developer is Visual Concepts, publisher is ASC Games. The PSOne Classics version hit the store on March 18th.
In the land of Xbox Live Arcade, developer 4J Studios did a visually upgraded remake of Rare's N64 classic PERFECT DARK. Improvements outside the graphic realm include online multiplayer and added voice acting. We already mentioned this one on The Jurassic Hour, but I thought I'd plug it here too. I'd much prefer they take this same approach to the game's engine-based predecessor, GOLDENEYE. I'll mess all you Odd Job players up. You can't karate-chop my ankle when I'm rockin' prox mines.
Joanna, do you play mind games? I play "mine" games. GOGO REMOTE MINES!
Finally, and this is slightly outside the scope of this series of articles, MEGA MAN 10 is out. That's not to be confused with MEGA MAN X. And it's out on like, every current-gen platform. It was a "timed exclusive" from one week to the next, with Wii getting the first shot. But yeah, this is just a direct follow-up to MEGA MAN 9, which was what brought the "intentionally retro development" scheme into the forefront of chic gaming. I haven't really sunk much time into this one yet, but I loved 9, so I will almost undoubtedly love 10 as well.
In other news, FINAL FANTASY IX is on its way to the Japanese PS1 archives. We're waiting anxiously for its North American (re)debut.
The Newest Oldies Round-Up: February '10
(This time with no images, because I think my clever writing trumps screen shots.)
February had one classic-ish game on XBLA, three good ones on VC, and a ridiculous load of PSOne Classics (only one of which is worth talking about).
Starting with the XBLA release, DARWINIA+ (released Feb. 11) is a repackaging of two games: DARWINIA and MULTIWINIA. We mentioned it on a recent episode of Jurassic Radio. The original Darwinia was released in 2005, so this really is a newer "oldie." But it's worth mentioning, if only because developer Introversion Software deserves the love for making such a strange hybrid of RTS and Tactical goodness. Darwinia+ was released a few months ago for PC on Steam, but now Xbox 360 owners can pick it up for 1200 MS points (that's $15).
Among the PSOne Classics, the one that's really gettin' me feeling nostalgic is GRANDIA. This classic RPG from Game Arts (the developers who also created the LUNAR franchise) deserves attention and accolade. Again, this was mentioned on a recent episode of Jurassic Radio. Even though the protagonist is an annoying kid, and the voice acting is all-around awful, the battle system, art, music, and sense of grandeur from the game's world all make it a worthwhile RPG. For $10? Yeah, it's a worthy download, right up there with FFVII and VIII. And it just came out a little over a week ago (Feb. 25). Go get!
The Newest Oldies Round-Up: January '10
This monthly article used to be the "Virtual Console Round-Up." But you and I both know that old games are being directly ported to all kinds of current-gen platforms. The Wii doesn't exclusively hold all the good stuff. PSN, XBL, even iPhone / iPod touch has "new" releases of old stuff, including HD remakes of classic games. The point of this whole monthly article was to help you, dear reader, re-live some excellent oldschool gaming experiences. That, or, discover something excellent for the first time.
So that's what we're doing from now on. In the immortal words of Five Iron Frenzy, we hope you hate it.
Virtual Console Round-Up: December '09 (with some *actually good* games!)
I gotta say, I'm shocked. I guess Nintendo was saving some of the "big-name" downloadables for the Holiday season. There was some great stuff released in the month of December. And I'm going to talk about every release, in descending order, from what I consider the best release of the month on down to the stuff that doesn't matter quite as much.
Ah, PILOTWINGS. We love you so much. We love you so much that we personally entreated Shigeru Miyamoto to make a new version of the game for the Wii. And by "personally," I'm talkin' about Facebook stalking.
I could devote a whole article to the original Pilotwings. But since I have six other games to cover in this article, I'm not going to touch on it now. If you haven't played this game, though, you should. It's worth the $8 to download and play it. Though, personally, I much prefer PILOTWINGS 64. The point is, it's a really strange objective-based "flight sim." Quotation marks used to loosen the definition of the genre.
Virtual Console Round-Up: November '09 – Attack of the Ports!
Every Monday in the previous month, Nintendo was able to release not one, but two titles to the Virtual Console library. That's a total of ten new (old) games to check out!
Here's the bad news. Among those ten titles, three of them already existed on the Virtual Console. When I use the phrase "attack of the ports," I am not referring to the fact that, technically, any VC title is a port. I am referring to games that were already released on NES, and then they decide to also release the Arcade version, which has minimal differences.
Remember the Street Fighter "Retsu?" I sure don't!
Let's take them as they come. On November 2nd, we saw two releases. one was called FIGHTING STREET, from Capcom, for Turbografx 16. Can you guess what that game really is? That's right, it's the original STREET FIGHTER! This game had very little exposure in North America, and it had no need to after SF2 took off in full force. But if you want to see what the original looks and feels like, the TG16 version is a fairly accurate re=creation of the arcade cabinet. But, again, it's not a very fun fighter. It serves more as a history lesson than an enjoyable game.
But if you do want a truly enjoyable game, why not check out R-TYPE? The very first in a long-running series of side-scrolling shooters from Irem, the original R-Type as it appears on the Sega Master System is a surprisingly strong shmup. I've played it, and I definitely think it's on par with the early GRADIUS titles.
November 9th brought us one Commodore 64 classic, and one waste of a release. The wasted release is WONDER BOY III: THE DRAGON'S TRAP for Sega Master System. Why is this a waste? Check out the TG16 VC library, and find DRAGON'S CURSE. That's the exact same Sega Action RPG, under a different name. And by "exact same," I should be quick to point out that the TG16 version features some small improvements. And it's been in the VC library since April 2007. So why, again, are we getting this SMS version release? That was a waste of energy on Sega's part, and as cheap as it is to get a game released via VC, I'd be happy if no one downloaded this one and they ended up losing money. We have one version, arguably the superior version; that's enough.
It's *really* hard to take 20-year-old game PR seriously.
The C64 classic, on the other hand, might be worth grabbing. CYBERNOID: THE FIGHTING MACHINE was programmed by Raffaele Cecco, and is the precursor to a specific type of "strategic arcade shooter." You move from frame to frame, instead of fluid motion, shooting stuff you see, or *not* shooting, depending on what it is. You've probably played this game, or some clone of it, at some time in your life. Interestingly, there is an NES port of this game, but it's not on the VC library. If you're into really old games and you want it on your Wii, the price is a little high (like any VC release), but it's a good treat to have.
LucasArts brought a bunch of great games, including the Super Star Wars trilogy, to VC in recent months. On November 16th, we got INDIANA JONES' GREATEST ADVENTURES for SNES. I will say that this game is certainly a step up from the SNES Pitfall (in my opinion). But I'd still say that if you haven't picked up those Star Wars games, they're more fun and balanced than this particular platformer. Also out on this day, STREET FIGHTER II: CHAMPION EDITION for Turbografx 16. It's a follow-up release to "Fighting Street," but again, you can pick up SF2 (in one form or another) for other consoles on VC, and a million other places. I have no attachment to this particular version. But maybe you do, and you'll want to pay the absurd $8 to play this version of SF2.
Timed strategically after the release of the new game that bears no relation to its namesake, A BOY AND HIS BLOB: TROUBLE IN BLOBOLONIA was released on November 23rd. I didn't even know, until I saw it on Wikipedia, that the original NES "Boy and His Blob" had a subtitle. But it does, so there you have it. In this game, you walk around sparse environments and find things to feed your Blob. Then you feed it to him, and weird stuff happens. The game is open-ended in the sense that it has no ending, no achievements or collectibles, and generally nothing to keep someone playing more than about 15 minutes. On the other hand, the second release for November 23rd was SUPER MARIO KART for SNES. Yes, the hit "racing" game that started yet another Mario sub-franchise is here. Looking back, and playing this game again, I really can't bear to play it. MARIO KART 64 is just so much better. And if you like the particular tracks from Super Mario Kart, updated versions of them appear on the Wii and DS iterations of Mario Kart.
(Then again, I might be an ultra-jaded douche. Honest Gamers, after all, gave the game a perfect 10!)
And on the final day of November, there were two generally not worthwhile games. The first is SOLOMON'S KEY, arcade cabinet version, from Tecmo. So here's the deal. You can pay six dollars for this version, or you can pay five dollars for the NES version, which has been on the VC for a long time. And while I loathe this quirky game for its unyielding difficulty and obscure "rules" (I'd almost call them "puzzles"), I'd rather play the NES version than the arcade version. And beyond that, I'd really rather play the original TOWER OF DRUAGA, which, while even more punishing in some ways, holds some sway over me on a personal level.
Awful memories abound when I look at this image. NES or Arcade, they're both equally evil.
Finally, there's the SNES title THE COMBATRIBES. I don't know how I never heard of this game in the past. It's developed by Technos Japan, the same company that made DOUBLE DRAGON and other beat 'em ups from that era. Aksys Games got the publishing rights for the VC version. I haven't played the game, but looking at screens, I suspect it's exactly what you'd expect it to be. The most exciting part of the game is that there's a lot of stuff in the environment that you can pick up and throw at enemies. I guess you can't go wrong with that gimmick.
Phew! That was a long list of games; and among them, not many I'd recommend. I suspect this trend will continue indefinitely until Nintendo either finds more solid games to put on the VC (which, in my opinion, would be relatively easy to do), or lower prices. Come on, you and I both know that if you found an old cartridge of any of these games sitting around used in a box at a garage sale they'd sell for 30% the price we find on the VC. And that's a collector's item, not just downloaded code! Le sigh...
Virtual Console Round-Up: October '09
October 2009 showcased some high-profile titles for the Virtual Console. Let's get right to it.
Best. Box art. Ever.
October 5th was undoubtedly the biggest deal of all. Why? FINAL FANTASY, that's why! Though this game has seen many remakes in its time, the fact is that the original remains an important gaming experience. each remake tweaked the game a little, and though there's no question that there are "balance issues" with Squaresoft's first true RPG, the historical value of the game in its original form, flaws and all, make it a worthwhile purchase. Plus, the "classic" graphics and sound bring back all the treasured memories.
Seriously, I don't want to cast spells with mp. Give me the slot/usage system for magic any day of the week, and keep my Marsh Cave difficulty at the "purgatorial punishment" level while you're at it.
Next up? FINAL FIGHT 2 from Capcom, on SNES. If you haven't played any of the Final Fight games, you're missing out on classic beat 'em up action. It's worth noting that while the original game was released first for arcade, and later for SNES, this game was an SNES exclusive.
Other games in our VC list, however, were not console-exclusive. And what does that mean? More unnecessary releases.
The arcade version of RYGAR was released on October 19th in the "Arcade" section of the VC store. For 600 Wii Points, people can have a game that you may not have even realized existed. Yes, you've played the NES version of Rygar, but did you know that the NES game is a completely different game than what was released in the arcade? Yes, that's right! The NES Rygar played like a cross between the Legend of Zelda and Metroid. The arcade Rygar is another 2D action platformer. So, hey, maybe this one's actually worth paying for! Tecmo is generally known for good action games, not good puzzle-centric adventure games.
Back when arcade machines were still cool.
On October 26th, we got the arcade version of Sega's GOLDEN AXE. Now *this* was just unnecessary. I know the arcade version looks better than the Genesis version, but not by much. Fans of Golden Axe who own a Wii may well have already purchased the Sega Genesis version of the game (released November 2006) for 600 Wii Points. Now they would have to pay another 900 Wii Points (yes, that's a $9 price tag) to get the arcade version. I'm going to go ahead and say that's downright ridiculous.
Fortunately, October 26th also saw the release of a game that many people will be happy to download. It's the SNES version of ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS from LucasArts. Yes, the run and gun platforming classic that took over our 16-bit consoles in 1994 is back, and for only 800 Wii Points, you can get back into the groove. Certain elements of the game, such as the character art, scream "late '80s" more than "early '90s," so there's some double-layered retro happening right there. As for the gameplay itself, it's nothing special by today's standards, but anyone who remembers the game probably has a hankering to play it again before they die. Here's your chance.
"Player 1"? There's no such thing! Screw convention, we're all about Player Left and Player Right in our hip new game!
Virtual Console Round-Up: August and September '09
After a two-week hiatus of releases at the end of July, Virtual Console came back with a vengeance. We've seen one release every week for the last two months. Mondays were good days, and not just because the releases were regular: we actually got some decent games this time around.
16-bit Luke rides a 16-bit Tauntaun.
The most notable releases were a trilogy of titles from LucasArts for the Super Nintendo. SUPER STAR WARS, SUPER STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and SUPER STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI are absolutely classic 2D platformers. Among the handful of games actually worth the 800-point price range of SNES titles on VC, I have to recommend these three. They are hard, they are crazy, and they are certainly worth giving a try. If you only want to try out one of them, go with Empire Strikes Back. That's the best movie of the three after all, right? (Flame wars start?!) These three games were released two weeks apart, on August 10th, 24th, and September 7th, respectively. All I have to say is that it's about time we start seeing great games pop up on VC instead of stupid obscure crap that no one wants.
Oh hey, speaking of, how about the arcade version of TECMO BOWL for 600 points? This was released on August 3rd, and the redundancy of the release pinpoints exactly what I dislike about VC: multiple releases of the same game. Two years ago, VC had this same game released on the NES. The arcade version is slightly better, but not enough to warrant a separate release (or, worse, a separate purchase).
I'm a man-beast. And I'm very very expensive.
While on the topic of original arcade versions of a game that are superior to console ports, why not check out ALTERED BEAST, released on VC September 28th? I'll tell you why! They're charging 1000 points (that's $10) for the frickin' thing! Look, Altered Beast is a fun platformer, and the arcade version is certainly the version you want compared to the dumbed-down, ultra-censored Sega Genesis version. But I really have no desire to pay a solid $10 for this game. Do you? Granted, the arcade cabinet was always a collector's item, and will forever be worth lots and lots of money. But yeah, seriously...I just can't get over the high price point for this one. Quit the price-gouging, Nintendo!
Next, in the war of pirates vs. ninjas, we know that ninjas dominate. Here are two games to prove it.
First up, we have THE LAST NINJA 2: BACK WITH A VENGEANCE for Commodore 64. Released September 21st, this C64 classic is something that every gamer should try at least once. You're a ninja, and you run around these zones in isometric view and chop up stuff. Meanwhile, you're also picking up items and solving some basic puzzles. It's a fun, happy time. Many people have never even heard of this series, which is fine. But if you're one of the blessed few who know and love this series, here's your chance to re-live the glory days. Sweet.
Creepy ninja eyes overlooking a city. I think Ninja Gaiden did this as well...
And then, there's the mother of all ninja games, THE REVENGE OF SHINOBI for Sega Genesis. This one hit the VC store on August 17th. It requires no explanation. As far as side-scrolling platformers went on the Genesis, this and Sonic were really all I ever cared about. So um...yeah. This one might actually be worth buying.
As a side note, the audiophile in me must point out to y'all that if you're willing to buy import Japanese soundtracks, you'll want to get this recently-released four disc set of awesomeness. Every Shinobi score ever, packed into one box. That includes some work from the legend Yuzo Koshiro himself. Yes sir, it's a winner!
Alright, this next one is super cool. Aksys Games actually picked up the publishing rights to this next one. CRASH 'N THE BOYS: STREET CHALLENGE was originally released on the NES. It's from Technos Japan, and it's part of the Kunio-kun series (y'know, RIVER CITY RANSOM and all that). It's a variety sports pack kind of game, and it's super cute in an "isn't it fun to beat people up?" kind of way. It came to us on September 14th. Thanks, Aksys!
Finally, and I don't know why this took so long since it's available on nearly every Sega "best of" collection released on consoles in the last five years, we have PHANTASY STAR. The game that started it all, man. This is one classic RPG. If you're ready for some action on the Sega Master System (that's the 8-bit NES rival), and you have your graph paper out, ready to draw your own maps for dungeons, it's time to load up this beast of an RPG. Level-grinding required. Love of really old stuff is a plus as well. Released August 31st.
Leave the what? WHAT?! Oh, the town. Right. It's dangerous.
Virtual Console Round-Up: June and July '09 (and some angry commentary)
The releases on Wii Virtual Console have continued to dwindle. June was so depressing that we didn't even report on it at the time. And July...well, let's just say they didn't release anything for the last two weeks. As to why that is, there's a questionable email from an unnamed Nintendo of America representative, and we'll get to that later. But first, the (overpriced) VC titles. This is going to be a lengthy post, so please hit that lovely "more" button to check out the full article.
Virtual Console Round-Up: May '09
It was slim pickin's this month for those of us who like to spend lots of money downloading old games. Wii's Virtual Console service offered one measly release per week. And, of course, only one of them stood out from the crowd.
That one was THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: MAJORA'S MASK. This "classic" N64 title is now seeing its third outing, as it was also packed with a "Collector's Edition" bundle on the GameCube. However, initial reports confirm that this is probably the best of the three versions. The GameCube version was known to be glitchy, and this Virtual Console port runs slightly more smoothly than the original N64 version, due to the beastly hardware that is the Wii (note the sarcasm, but also note that the Wii is still far more powerful than the N64).
Goron-Link will pwn j00.
If you're not familiar with Majora's Mask (from under which rock did you just crawl out?), it's a standalone adventure incorporating the same 3-D graphics as THE OCARINA OF TIME, wherein Link is forced to wear different masks to complete his quests. Putting on a mask transforms him into an entirely new creature, be it a Goron, a Zora, or something far more monstrous and intimidating. After putting on a mask, Link has a time limit (approximately one hour IRL, which is 72 hours in-game) to complete whatever needed to be completed using said mask. This shape-shifting phenomenon was (and still remains) new to the Zelda series, and word on the street is that the dungeons and puzzles in this game are top notch.
Also worth noting is that Majora's Mask marked North America's 300th Virtual Console release. Only 300? Come on, Nintendo (and all third parties)! Get your act together!
The other releases for the month were TOWER TOPPLER (C64), GALAXY FORCE II (Genesis), and CLAYFIGHTER (Genesis). Let's take a quick peek at each.
Tower Toppler, also known as "Nebulus" and a pile of other names (depending on region and console), is a game that had one great concept going for it. You control a cute little ball of fluff with legs named "Pogo," and your objective is to get to the top of eight towers and bring them down. When climbing the tower, holding left and right sends you around the perimeter of the cylindrical tower. However, the camera stays fixed on your character, and all movement is done by sending 2D, pixelated objects around the front and back of the tower. Great concept, to be sure, but worth 500 points? The game deserves credit for inventing the concept, but it was executed better in games such as BATTLETOADS (see level 12: The Revolution). Of course, you have to be good enough at Battletoads to reach the last level to enjoy it. So, maybe it is worth the download after all. Still, 5 dollars? For a Commodore game? Yuck.
Evil clay snowmen? It seemed like a good idea at the time.
ClayFighter was a cute novelty for its time. All these made up claymation characters, almost all of them a spoof of some pop culture icon, would battle it out Street Fighter style. The original game was released for SNES and Genesis. There were two sequels, neither of which (in this Gameosaur's opinion) are as cool as the original, despite the enhanced graphics with each subsequent game. My beef with this release is that the SNES version definitely had the superior graphics (though I suppose that may be trivial to some people at this point: the game looks downright gross by today's standards). But, regardless of version, the actual gameplay here wasn't all that great. If you're a fan of fighting games because you actually want a balanced match, look elsewhere. There are fairly big differences between each character, so there is some "cheapness" to go around. And, IIRC, the last boss was a big jerk (he was also a giant pearl necklace).
Finally, a rail shooter hit the VC this month. Galaxy Force II has a tiny following across teh internetz to this day. But compared to great shooters like GRADIUS and the infamous TOUHOU franchise, I don't much see the point of buying this. Then again, I never played it as a kid, and nostalgia is a big selling point for the majority of VC titles.
If you're gonna blow some dough this month, I'd recommend picking up Majora's Mask and nothing else from the releases this month. At least we have some half-decent WiiWare to look forward to in the near future (hi2u FFIV THE AFTER YEARS and VANDAL HEARTS).
Virtual Console Round-Up: April '09
In terms of raw quantity, it's been slim pickins for the Wii's Virtual Console this month. Though Nintendo technically could bust out a huge load of surprise releases before the month ends, we've only seen three releases in North America thus far, with one release per week.
Fortunately, the quality of the releases is fairly high. I have a place in my heart for each one of these games. Let's take a quick look.
Pirates!, or New Horizons; which is the better age-of-exploration Sim?
On April 6th, KOEI released UNCHARTED WATERS: NEW HORIZONS, which was originally an SNES title. The second game in the series (which has since spawned its own MMORPG, UNCHARTED WATERS ONLINE), New Horizons is best remembered for two things: 1) being a knock-off of SID MEIER'S PIRATES!, and 2) having incredible music written by Yoko Kanno (COWBOY BEBOP, GUNDAM WING).
Regarding the music, it's worth noting that Kanno wrote the majority of the music for KOEI titles from 1990 to 1995. Though no one has delved deep into Kanno's composing process, it almost can be assumed that she did not write the music with the intent of having it "fit" on the limited chiptunes of the day. Much like Koichi Sugiyama (DRAGON QUEST), Kanno had grand schemes for her music. But Kanno's specialties are jazz and ethnic/world music. Import soundtrack collectors should note that Uncharted Waters II: Special Edition ranks among my all-time favorite arranged soundtracks, and it's probably my favorite Kanno score (or at least tied with NAPPLE TALE).
The real Catalina pulled a Mulan. Fortunately, KOEI's portrayal of Catalina is far less androgynous.
The game itself is a hybrid Simulation/RPG, and as I said already, it's something of a Pirates! clone. That said, despite the popularity of Pirates!, I would argue that New Horizons is a far superior product. The game was actually released on both SNES and Genesis, but here we're specifically getting the (superior) SNES version. What sets it apart from Sid Meier's games are the six protagonists, of which you choose to play as only one per playthrough. Sid Meier's games tend to have "blank" protagonists, allowing you to play the role as you would see fit. But these six characters hail from different nations and have different back-stories. And their stories are rather interesting. The most interesting, in my opinion, is Catalina Erantzo, who is based on a historical figure. The game is worth playing through with multiple characters. I particularly enjoyed playing as the Turkish merchant, if only because it's so rare to have a Turkish protagonist (and from a Japanese developer, no less!).
PITFALL: THE MAYAN ADVENTURE came out on April 13th, and it's based on the Sega Genesis version (note that there are, like, a bazillion ports of this game for a variety of platforms). Loosely based on the concept of the original Atari 2600 game PITFALL, this particular platformer remains near and dear to my heart primarily because it didn't suck. It was challenging, but it wasn't cheap (like the original Pitfall, or um...all Atari games ever). If you don't have a copy of this game lying around for any number of different consoles/handhelds, it may be worth the download now. Don't tell anyone, but this is one of the few games that I prefer to play on the Genesis over the SNES (though I'm told that the Sega CD version is the true superior, despite the load times).
Another Genesis game was released on April 20th. WONDER BOY III: MONSTER LAIR is part of the MONSTER WORLD series. However, it is technically a "Monster Land" gaiden title. The main-series Monster Worlds play as a platforming-action-RPG hybrid (a genre first seen in ZELDA II: THE ADVENTURE OF LINK and further popularized, decades later, by the MMORPG MAPLE STORY). The Sega Master System had a game in this vein titled WONDER BOY III: THE DRAGON'S TRAP. But that's a wholly different game. This Wonder Boy III, as a "gaiden" game, is strictly a side-scrolling platformer with origins in arcades. I first experienced this game at a roller rink as a young boy, and I was immediately captivated by how much more fun this game was than attempting to rollerskate (and falling on my butt) while Garth Brooks' "The Thunder Rolls" played over the loudspeaker. Unfortunately, my mom had only so many quarters and thought that "practice makes perfect" as a mantra works for clumsy eight-year-olds. By the way, my mom was wrong.
The only game where mere existence knocks your health bar down.
In any case, I wouldn't have the chance to play it again, because the only American version of the game was released on TurboGrafx (as simply MONSTER LAIR, with all the Wonder Boy nonsense dropped so as not to confuse fans of the RPG series). I didn't have any friends who owned the console at the time that I first played the arcade version. For all I knew, the arcade version was all I'd ever aspire to play. The Genesis version, which now has been released to us, actually was published in Europe originally; so this is, technically, an "import" title.
Anyway, it's a simple and fun platformer. Also rather difficult. You don't just lose health from running into enemies. No no, just the fact that you're *alive* is a drain on your health. The health bar slowly decreases, and you need to collect items (primarily fruit) to stay alive as you venture forth. Good times! I recommend you play this one.
Next month, who knows what will come out! Square Enix has announced plans to release the original FINAL FANTASY on NES (which is worth it for one key reason: none of the recent ports and remakes are even half as difficult as the original). But we don't know when that will be. In the May round-up, we'll also be sure to analyze the game(s) that drop(s) on April 27th.