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aion-rsa · 3 years

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15 Best SNES Platformers Ever

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Platformers have long been an entry point for new gamers. Video games may have greatly expanded in scope over the years and now offer so many different genres and experiences that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of them, but that’s actually a big part of the reason why it’s still so much fun to look back at these timeless games where the main objective was often to simply jump from one place to the next.

There is no console that celebrated the brilliance of the platformer better than the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The SNES may be best known for expanding the adventure and RPG genres, as well as raising a generation’s expectations for video game graphics, but few consoles have come close to rivaling the Super Nintendo’s library of classic platforming titles.

It’s hard to narrow this list down to just 15 games, but from action-based platformers to pure platforming classics, these are the best examples of this timeless genre that the SNES gifted the gaming world.

15. Jelly Boy

Putting you in control of a jelly baby (a candy that is popular in the U.K. and surrounding areas), Jelly Boy was only released in Europe when it debuted in 1994. The game has a colorful aesthetic and some unique platforming elements built around the main character’s ability to transform into a myriad of vehicles, tools, and other objects. Those metamorphoses will be familiar to anyone who has played a Wario Land title or Kirby’s Epic Yarn.

Admittedly, Jelly Boy‘s mechanics can be a little clunky and the controls are deficient compared to some of the later games on this list. Still, you will be hard-pressed to find a more original platformer on the console that isn’t made by Nintendo themselves. You can even play it now via the Nintendo Switch Online service.

14. Demon’s Crest

Released by Capcom in 1994 as the third game featuring the character Firebrand (who debuted in the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series), Demon’s Crest is a forgotten gem in the SNES catalog. It adds some variety to the traditional action-platformer by giving the playable protagonist the ability to fly and shoot fireballs as well as access other upgradeable attacks and maneuvers as their quest rolls along. That feature adds a little Zelda-like adventuring to the mix, and you’ll certainly need those late-game power-ups because this platformer means business.

There are many difficult platformers on this list, but few boast the plethora of boss battles seen in this one. It’s actually similar to Mega Man in terms of its fighting style and jumping requirements, so if you are looking for an alternative to the Blue Bomber that keeps the basics of the genre intact, you’ll have a hard time doing better than Demon’s Crest.

13. Joe & Mac

Joe & Mac is honestly a fairly basic platformer for its era. What gets it onto this list of the best games in that genre, though, is the creativity and execution of its setting.

The game sees you control two different cavemen who rely on basic prehistoric items such as fire, bats, bones, etc. The bosses are pretty cool (dinosaurs are fun for all ages) and the controls hold up well enough that you won’t ever feel like you have to force the avatar into doing something that the interface simply won’t allow for. The game spawned a sequel that was also released on SNES, but the original is unique enough to get the nod here.

12. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts

Despite what the title may suggest, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is actually the third game in the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series. Like the previous games, this classic sees you battle various monsters and bosses that fit the setting nicely. Although the game is maybe a little too action-heavy to get the nod over the SNES’ best platformers, it uses its platforming elements to elevate the entire experience.

The difficulty is insanely high and the sheer amount of sprites on screen at once can lead to some lag that only adds to the frustrations of this arduous journey, but the game has a way of keeping things light and humorous when the frustration sets in. How many other games see the protagonist stripped of their armor, quite literally, when he takes too many hits?

11. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble!

The third installment in the beloved Donkey Kong Country trilogy certainly isn’t hated by many, but it is usually viewed as a step down from the first two games. Whether that has to do with a change in composer for the soundtrack, the inability to play as Donkey or Diddy, or the fact it was released after the Nintendo 64 was on the market, the title’s sometimes mixed reputation often prevents it from being appreciated as a divine platforming experience.

The environments and storytelling in this game are well-executed. If you’re observant, you may even notice that the developers were trying to say something about the sad state of ape habitats and pollution in the wild. Even if you didn’t dive too deep into that surprising bit of social commentary, you’ll likely find that the platforming in this one remains top-notch and that the overall experience remains severely underrated.

10. DoReMi Fantasy: Milon’s DokiDoki Adventure

As the only game on this list that wasn’t initially released outside of Japan, many gamers may not know that DoReMi Fantasy is a whimsical experience that features some of the key elements of Mario and Kirby’s best adventures in terms of gameplay and graphics. Starring a young child whose objective is to reclaim music for the forest, DoReMi utilizes some clever puzzles that may not be unusual for the platformer genre but certainly add to the fun.

The game got a Virtual Console release in North America in 2008, but that’s sadly the best chance many gamers have had in recent years to take a chance on this title. It’s a great example of how people should be more open to experiencing games that weren’t localized the first time around.

9. Donkey Kong Country

Perhaps the most famous game starring Nintendo’s lovable ape, the original Donkey Kong Country was Rare’s first big title for the SNES and practically started their decade-plus long relationship as a second-party developer with the Big N. Tasked with showing off off the console’s pre-rendered graphics system, the crew from Britain proved to be up to the task. Honestly, this game still looks halfway decent in 2021.

While the actual platforming is not as good as the Super Mario games on the SNES, it offered a different flavor of jumping that is still very much appreciated. The “weight” of Donkey Kong and Diddy means that the platforming is less flighty than in Super Mario games, and the rideable animal buddies you encounter along the way add a little flair to the experience.

8. ActRaiser

As a game that serves as both an action-platformer and a God simulator, this underrated and forgotten gem from Enix and developer Quintet showed off the visual and audio capabilities of the SNES in the early days of the console. You play as the “Master” who is tasked with building towns around the world and fending off the evils that threaten them. It’s hard to juggle two completely different genres like that, but ActRaiser finds a great balance.

The game was re-released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2007 but has otherwise been paid little attention in the years since its release. That’s unfortunate because there aren’t many games from 30 years ago that provide this much depth and versatility. Both parts of the experience are extremely solid in their own right, and together add up to become something truly special.

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7. Kirby Super Star

Even the most ardent Kirby fans would probably agree that the franchise can get a little stale at times. There are only so many ways Kirby can suck an enemy up, transform his powers to match theirs, and ultimately defeat King Dedede. That’s why Kirby Super Star is still arguably the best game that the pink cutie pie has ever starred in.

Featuring eight different games within the game, the genre-mixing in this one is really off the charts. There are racing elements, adventure tones, and shooting sequences amongst the different sections of the playthrough. The experience was so beloved that it was eventually remade for the Nintendo DS as Kirby Super Star Deluxe. There is something for everyone in this package, and it shows the best parts of Kirby’s history.

6. Mega Man X

The original run of NES Mega Man titles are arguably still more famous than all of the others, but Mega Man X just has more of what makes those games great. It retains the eight bosses and weapon upgrades that can be completed/acquired in whatever order the player chooses, and it even has that same incredible soundtrack that the Blue Bomber’s adventures are always famous for.

Mega Man X‘s graphical upgrades admittedly take some of that eight-bit nostalgia out of the experience, but the game ultimately makes up for it by offering new gameplay experiences. Jumping on walls and acquiring upgrades to defensive maneuvers gives Mega Man an even more badass skillset, and the game generally does an excellent job of emphasizing the “platforming” parts of its action-platformer mix.

5. Super Castlevania 4

Super Castlevania 4 is actually a kind of soft remake of the original game, and the developers at Konami did a great job of making that game more digestible for newcomers while keeping all of the iconic elements from the classic NES title.

The Castlevania basics are all here (you still control Simon Belmont, equipped with his famous whip and ax, and battle through the game’s 11 stages before reaching Dracula), but an ideal mix of combat and platforming makes this one of the most irreplaceable platformers in the SNES catalog. It’s still an airtight action-platformer experience in 2021.

4. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

The second game in the DKC trilogy took all of the best parts of the first title and refined them to create a truly unique platforming game that was a lot more than fancy graphics (a reputation the original game has had a hard time shaking). Diddy’s Kong Quest expanded upon the game design that fans loved while keeping the jungle hijinx, masterful soundtrack, and weighted platforming intact.

That last part is what truly separates the middle installment of this franchise from the other two. Many people have said that these games were sometimes more style than substance, but after playing through the myriad of environments on display in DKC 2, it becomes clear that this title has endured over the years because its tight mechanics are executed at a high level.

3. Super Metroid

If this list were just a ranking of 2D games or if it encapsulated the entire SNES library regardless of genre, Super Metroid would most likely take the top spot. Alas, this icon of game design settles in the third spot because it isn’t the best example of a “pure platformer.” It’s more of an action/adventure affair, though the game’s platforming elements are still as satisfying now as they were in the 1990s.

What separates this game from so many that have tried to emulate it in the nearly three decades since release is that every ability upgrade and every part of the map fits together with nearly flawless foresight and execution. It’s never a hassle to re-explore a section that you’ve already seen. The game has a masterful flow that is incredibly modern and perhaps even more popular today because of the prominence of this design style on the indie game scene.

2. Super Mario World

With its flawless controls, colorful sprites, cheerful soundtrack, and ageless platforming, Super Mario World is the title that all other 2D games in the genre are still compared to. The extra graphical power of the SNES gave Nintendo the opportunity to expand upon Super Mario Bros. 3‘s best ideas while exploring new concepts that simply weren’t possible before.

That is why this game remains so playable. Super Mario World combines the most enjoyable elements of the NES Super Mario classics and then elevates them to fully realize the world that Miyamoto imagined when this basic concept was created. It still doesn’t make sense to have a plumber jumping on top of turtles and occasionally getting lost inside of a house full of ghosts (those damn Boo mansions still haunt me), but when you combine this much creativity into one package, you have no choice but to admit how special it all is.

1. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

Shigeru Miyamoto and his team knew that it was futile to try and surpass Super Mario World simply by emulating it. So when developing the sequel, they made the decision to craft an entirely different type of platformer in which Mario isn’t even the main protagonist. The concept was bold, but the execution needed to be flawless if the game was ever going to be more than another disappointing follow-up.

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It’s safe to say Yoshi’s Island exceeded all expectations. Putting Yoshi at the forefront of a platformer that included mini-games, evasion, puzzle-solving, item collection, and the most timeless color palette in gaming history was brilliance personified. Yoshi’s Island is not as famous as its older sibling, but its daring creativity and irreplaceable charm have inspired many to argue that it is the better game in retrospect. Whatever your opinion is, the fun and escapism of the green dinosaur’s finest hour (as well as the horrors of Baby Mario’s screams) will be remembered until the end of gaming.

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eggoreviews · 5 years

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Top 10 New Remixes in Smash Ultimate!

Hi! I'm here to give some love to an often overlooked part of this frankly enormous game, the 30 hours of music. It made me extremely happy that it wasn't just the newer series games that were getting all the attention in terms of new remixes, that the music team were going back through Nintendo's history and giving us a great selection of remixed tracks from much older titles too. So here comes Bias McGee to give you their top 10 remixes new to Smash Ultimate!

10. Main Theme (Luigi's Mansion)

The music team really went ham on making a full on Scooby doo-level spooky remix of the original Luigi's Mansion theme, and it definitely ended up being one of my faves. This one is a fully orchestral, catchy accompaniment that obviously goes especially well with its home stage. For the first time since Brawl, it feels like Luigi has been given his own identity within the game again! He's not just Mario 2: Electric Boogaloo and Smash is finally giving a bit more of a nod to his own franchise.

9. Brinstar Depths (Metroid)

This one is another that sort of goes into the realm of 'spooky', but perfectly encapsulates the feel of Metroid in Smash, specifically the character of Dark Samus. This track feels a little disjointed and weird and builds an atmosphere that blends well with the genre Metroid belongs to, sci-fi with a bit of horror thrown in. I'm a big fan.

8. Termina Field (The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask)

Boy, I hope you're ready for a lot of Zelda! Because I pretty much adored every Zelda remix in this game, but one of the standouts for me was this adorable redo of the Termina Field theme from Majora's Mask. I always loved this theme anyway, with the series' main theme snuck in there, it's a suitably epic but at the same time fast paced and catchy melody to go gallavanting around Termina with, but it's been given new life in Ultimate and I'm so happy that there's new music for the older Zeldas too.

7. Delfino Plaza (Super Mario Sunshine)

Definitely my favourite Mario remix in the game and, if it wasn't for the existence of Jump Up Superstar, it'd be my favourite Mario track altogether. Another criminally catchy redo of a classic track, in this case the Delfino Plaza theme from Sunshine, is also a little underrated in my opinion. Plain and simple, this song slaps, and it's got a cheeky bit of accordion at the start so it's a big thumbs up from me.

6. Destiny (Ablaze) (Fire Emblem: Awakening)

I'm going to preface this by saying I know basically nothing about Fire Emblem apart from what's in Smash, so the actual origin of this track as well as what the original version sounds like is totally lost on me. But what I do know is this is incredibly catchy and cool and I'm a bit in love with it. Noticeably, I've got very little to say about this but oh boy does it get stuck in my head way too often.

5. Vampire Killer (Castlevania)

Again, I know very little about Castlevania. But what I do know is that this remix is awesome. Smash has gotten me interested in picking up Castlevania at some point, and it's pretty clear that the music team were pretty hot on making some cool remixes for the game. They really didn't need to go all out and give us 34 tracks, but they did and it was glorious. I nearly gave this one to Divine Bloodlines, but Vampire Killer was the track that amped me up the most to go hunt some mythical creatures and, on top of that, it was the backing track to the brilliant introduction of Simon. Doesn't get much cooler than this.

4. Main Theme (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

Oh look, Zelda's back again. And here's a remix of one of my personal favourite tracks from BotW, the game's main theme. A sped up, souped up and fully orchestral war cry of a track that certainly has more of a fighting vibe do not than the original (even though I do prefer it). My almost obsession with Zelda might be what put this so high, as any Breath of the Wild content will pretty much make me cry. Not really related, but whoever's idea it was to put the Hyrule Castle theme in the game needs a raise.

3. Gang-Plank Galleon (Donkey Kong Country)

DIDLIDADIDALDAIDIDLALIDODIDOO DEEEEAAAAAAA

This needs to appear in everyone's list. It's fast, catchy, intense, involves many trumpets and has a rap section. This is a total masterpiece and I'll forever cherish it. Plus, I was really hoping for more DK content in Ultimate and boy did I get my wish.

2. Beneath the Mask (Persona 5)

As the most recent remix to appear in the game, I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw this pop in the music menu when the first fighter pass dropped. I'm a fairly intense lover of Persona 5 and it's one of my favourite games now, so this totally unexpected remix of a track you really wouldn't expect in Smash kind of blew me away. The original is one of the most chill tracks in gaming and is great to have in the background of basically anything. But this remix picks you up by the limbs and swings you around in the air and IT SLAPS.

Before I ramble aimlessly about my favourite new remix in the game, here's some that didn't quite make the list:

King Bowser (Super Mario Bros. 3)

Death Mountain (The Legend of Zelda)

Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer BGM

Staff Credits (Kirby's Dream Land)

City Trial (Kirby Air Ride)

Battle! (Trainer) (Pokémon Sun/Pokémon Moon)

Fourside (EarthBound)

Lost In Thoughts All Alone (Fire Emblem Fates)

Main Theme (Pikmin)

Bloody Tears / Monster Dance (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest)

Divine Bloodlines (Castlevania: Rondo of Blood)

1. Kass' Theme (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

And of course, I had to top it all off with a bit more Zelda. Much like Persona 5's awesome and unexpected remix, this was a track I never thought they'd put in the game. I expected the main theme, the Calamity Ganon boss theme and Hyrule Castle made a lot of sense. But this track in its home game is a chill, atmospheric piece composed completely by accordion to relate to everyone's favourite Rito bard, Kass. But the Smash team plucked this one out, sped it all the way up, gave it some percussion and now holy heck this track makes me want to go outside and accomplish things. Or, you know, at least play another round on the Breath of the Wild stage. Point is, they nailed this and I never knew how much I could loved this song until I heard this remix. A big ol' well done from me.

Thank you for reading if you got this far! Let me know down below what your fave Ultimate remixes are if you want to and I'll be back at some point with another post. Maybe about music, maybe not. Who the heck knows. Stay hydrated.

#super smash bros #smash #Smash Bros #smash bros ultimate #nintendo #botw #zelda #loz #mario #persona #persona 5 #joker #list #ranked

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thecheapsteaks · 5 years

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VIDEO GAMES... 2018

2018 was a thing. It felt like it lasted 2 or 3 years. It is honestly a bit difficult to track which media I consumed during the year. I'll start pondering a game that I feel like I played last year only for it to dawn on me that, oh, it happened this year. It makes keeping track of this stuff a bit tricky, honestly. Anyway, I am still going to try to do that, to get my thoughts in order and let everyone see what I had in mind. I will go over all of the important things needed to survive: video games, music, anime, and other things.

VIDEO GAMES

Again, it's a bit tricky to remember what even came the hell out this year game wise. I am not going to rank things, because I suck at ranking things and also comparing a lot of the things I played this year is like comparing apples and termites. I'm just going to make a good effort to go over some nice highlights of the year.

Bayonetta 1 and 2

Bayonetta is a game series I have been interesting in playing forever, but just haven't gotten around to due to circumstances despite it being released on multiple systems I owned. I passed it on the PS3, couldn't afford to buy it when it was out on the WiiU, so when it came out on the Switch I had to give it a shot, and it was worth it. Admittedly, I sort of sucked at it (I take a ton of damage playing games, which isn't the best for getting high ranks) but I still enjoyed it and am glad that I played both of them (except for that one part in the first game in the angel territory where you fight those thunder and fire claw dudes who are immune to witch time, they can eat my ass). The characters are fun, the over the top action and enemies are neat, and Bayonetta is just too damn cool. I'm definitely interested in the third one and looking forward to seeing where the sequel goes.

(I had forgotten this game had came out this year, it was in February, goddamn how long was this year)

Kirby Star Allies

I will admit, I am heavily biased towards Kirby to a fault. If a Kirby game makes a reference to a past Kirby game I will gleefully clap as I notice it like a trained seal, and Kirby Star Allies, serving as a Kirby anniversary title, plays into that nostalgia hard. Compared to the other modern 3D Kirby games (Return to Dreamland and past) I feel that the single player experience is on the weaker end, admittedly. The main campaign, while satisfying, blazes by quick, and the game does re-use boss styles a lot, which is a shame since the past few Kirby games had some very satisfying bosses. Fortunately the extra content, including the post game modes and extra DLC support, was a marvelous way to keep the game running way after its release. The nods and references to past games worked wonderfully for me, and it was admittedly great to see long dormant characters such as the animal buddies, Gooey, and Adeline/Ribbon return as playable characters. The game's single player campaigns, both the initial story mode and the DLC conclusion “Heroes in Another Dimension” have very satisfying conclusions, and the challenge offered by the obligatory Arena mode is wild. Really, I just love Kirby, and this game is a nice love letter to Kirby. I have no idea where the game will even go after the plot line from this, but I am ready for the ride.

Octo-Expansion

Being able to play as an Octoling was definitely a long anticipated update for this game, and the way they were integrated into the game was amazing. The initial Octo-Expansion trailer oozed almost rude amounts of style, and getting a whole new bonus single player campaign made purchasing an expansion worth it. The additional stages were absolutely geared for challenge, and I don't think I will go back to finish the ones I didn't finish any time soon, but they had so many cool new implementations and spins on the Splatoon formula. Splatoon on its own would make a decent game if it were just the single player campaign or multiplayer, so having both just makes for a nice, complete experience. The whole climactic sequence, from finally completing the challenge of the subway to escaping to freedom, has that absurd escalation I just love in video games too. Also I love my stylish Octoling.

Kemono Friends Picross

Somehow I made it so long without ever playing Picross, but this finally brought me into it. I have no idea how this combination came to be, but it finally got me into a fun puzzle system and I enjoy it. Somehow I have put in nearly as many hours on this game as I have Star Allies. A lot of it does come from having the game paused as I idly go through puzzles while working on other projects, but having a game that does not demand a ton is pretty nice and fits with my gaming and lifestyle. I'm looking for friends.

WarioWare Gold

WarioWare is one of my favorite video game franchises and a bit of an underdog, I feel. The original Mega Microgames was my favorite experience on the GBA, with its unique game play mixed with a silly style. The games that followed in the series for the DS and Wii were fun, but Made in Wario on the WiiU changed from the Microgame based high score hunting style to a collection of modes and games based on the WiiU game pad. There were some bright ideas in there that might have done better as their own eShop titles, and the shift towards multiplayer games didn't quite fit as well with my style of gaming. After that there was silence from the Wario Ware camp until the announcement and release of WarioWare Gold, which like Star Allies is a celebration of the series's past. It was fun to have another Microgame experience that blended all of the weirdness and frantic gameplay that made me love the series, with a solid selection of classics built in. It even has fully voiced cutscenes (an expansion on Smooth Moves's narration for each different style) that are oddly charming in a Saturday morning way. It was good to have this series back, and I hope to see more unique takes on Microgames in the future.

Katamari Damacy Reroll

The original Katamari was a quirky game I bought on a whim back in the PS2 days that was sold to me on its weird look, style, and nice price point. I enjoyed the first so much, and We <3 Katamari is one of my favorite games of all time. Having a nicely touched up port on the Switch was welcome. Somehow, despite having not played the original or its sequel in decades, I took to it like I had just played it yesterday, rolling up incredible Katamaris like a pro. The original does have some warts in its gameplay that the sequels ironed out marvelously, and the dual stick controls do bother my thumbs at times, but it's still so satisfying to play and it's great that this game has a new chance. Please go by this one, it's so enjoyable, but also because I want them to port We <3 Katamari so badly so you can all play that and see Katamari perfection.

Super Smash Brothers Ultimate

Smash Bros games seem to live on hype. I will admit I never expected to see a Smash Bros game so early in the Switch. It doesn't even feel that long since Smash 4 came out! So having a trailer in the beginning of the year and a release in the same year was a bit astounding. There was lots of drama and intrigue with leaks, character additions, and whatnot, and even if I am sad for some that didn't make it (pour one out for Ashley and Shadow, please) having every character available, along with some fun new additions, is definitely nice. The spirits mode is a nice twist on the event mode, and the rebuffs to classic are nice. Really, the best part is just being able to play Smash again with my pals, try out all of the characters, and just enjoy it with everyone. I look forward to the DLC, and that we get Banjo and Crash to create some sort of bizarre realization of every ones mid-2000s dream game. It was a fun ride leading up to it, and I look forward to playing it more with pals in the new year.

STUFF I STILL NEED TO FINISH

There are some games I got really recently that I still need to finish as gifts from the Steam Sale and whatnot. I have right near the end of December received Celeste, Donut Country, and I finally got Cuphead thanks to the kindness of friends. These will be some nice games to get me started on the new year even if one of them is from last year. At some point I may go back to Hollow Knight and Dark Souls, although admittedly the requirements for the true ending of the former are a bit of a turn off and I am having a bit of difficulty getting into the game play, controls, and progression style of the latter, but who knows! I am also intrigued and interested in Yokai Watch 3, Yoshi's Crafted World, in the near future, and hope to see some nice news on Animal Crossing. Lastly, may Platinum Games heed my calls and give the world a Wario World sequel where Wario wrestles God or something in the pursuit of money. Amen.

Also I still need to finish Persona 5. Really at this point I’m just doing it for Futaba. She’s the best.

Next up, I will write about my favorite music from the year, as well as cartoons and film, which admittedly I have not gotten as much into this year!

#2018 in review

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always-thirsty-pocket · 7 years

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Did you play either Kirby Planet Robobot or Kirby Triple Deluxe yet? And what about Shantae and the Pirate's Curse? Also, completely unrelated but how did you come up with your characters? Design wise, I mean.

Played none of those yet. Funds are tight lately, and i’m probably going to put my meager little paychecks aside until the Switch comes out.

As for my characters,

Sheila came first, I actually had my old OC-verse in mind when I made her, I wanted to mix a creature of the black lagoon type character with a dragon type creature, also won’t lie, I had Wendy O. Koopa as an inspiration, which explains why my first few drawings of Sheila looked so damned grouchy.

Witchy was created because I wanted a recurring antagonist for my series of Little Big Planet characters. So I made this super short witch thinking she would be some kind of emperor pilaf type character... She’s changed a lot since then. She’s one of my taller characters for one, and she’s a lot less of a dumb goofy villain.

Shino was sort of made up on the spot, but also sort of not. I wanted to make a comic about the series of Little Big Planet levels I made, and when I needed a protagonist, I decided to look to a random costume I made in Little Big Planet, which happened to be a blue haired elf in green with a brown cape, would be a perfect hero for a fantasy setting ( I was inspired by Final Fantasy 1 to even start building this world )

Eko and Mute were both random NPCs in the Little Big Planet levels, Eko looks basically identacle to her source material as a sack-girl, and Mute used to be super fat with a majin buu like antannae.

Lydia was the first boss in the Little Big Planet Levels

Odran, Morris, and Akane evolved from a trio of identacle blue gremlin looking monsters that stalked Shino and Sheila, and reported all of their actions back to witchy.They were also generic enemies in the Little Big Planet levels.

Quil was made because I was playing For the Frog the Bell Tolls at the time and I really really wanted to have my own prince character. The fact that he’s attempting to learn shapeshifting magic but can only turn into two small animals is a nod to the Prince of Sable’s ability to shift into Frog and Snake forms.

Nuru and Finch were both OCs I made based on 3-heart challenges I did in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. I intended to do this with all the Zelda games, but I only made OCs out of those two runs.

Mako was created because I always intended to have part of the Little Big Planet leves take place on a Pirate Ship, I figured I should design a pirate captain, I just thought having a mask with one eye would look cool, I didn’t even think about what he looked like under the mask until a couple months later. The little bit of crew he has are recycled OCs I made when I was on a one piece kick.

Kano was made because I wanted Witchy to have at least one cool, human, henchman, no idea why he’s a cowboy, I was thinking of Sam Elliot from Ghost Rider when I designed him. His daughter, Darlah, was designed simply because I was bored, and I decided she’d be a good antagonist in the desert.

Bruce was made up on the spot because I needed a Doctor in the story, but I ended up liking him more than I thought, and gave him a larger role. His Nurse, Reese, was made just because I wanted a character with a fluffy mohawk, after being inspired by my friend Shana’s character, Zack.

Giiravonni was made up on the spot to be a jobber for Shino to introduce himself as a hero, inspiration drawn from Dragonball’s Giran, and all the “animals in gangster suits” you see in Dr. Slump

That’s all I can think of for now, let me know if I left anyone important out.

#long post #pocket arsenal #notsofriendlyelemeandor

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retrosys · 7 years

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Side Post: My Top 11 GameBoy Games

I’ve been playing a lot of GameBoy lately, and it got me to thinking what would I consider to be my personal top 11 on the classic portable. Why 11? Well, because this one goes to 11! Keep in mind, this is my own personal opinion, one game per franchise rule applies except in one case which I will explain when I get to it.

11. Final Fantasy Adventure (AKA: Sword of Mana): This was one of my first experiences with the GameBoy and I was blown away by it. Fantastic music, a long epic adventure, extremely satisfying gameplay… It has it all.

10. Operation C: As far as Contra games go, this is a really good game. It’s not just a straight port of any NES Contra game, it has its own levels, exclusive weapons including a homing spread shot, and although it does borrow music from both of the NES games, it sounds great. The GameBoy actually has an impressive sound chip, and Operation C is a great example of how great it can sound.

9. Bionic Commando: While the story is similar to the NES game, the game itself has different levels, and a rocking soundtrack. The first level is one of the most memorable tunes I’ve ever heard. Gameplay with your bionic arm is just as fun as it was in the NES game. It’s challenging, but extremely rewarding. It also has a password system which is very helpful because it’s a long game. I highly recommend this game.

8. Kirby’s Dreamland 2: The first Kirby game was a fun pick up and play game when I was younger. It didn’t offer up much of a challenge, but Dreamland 2, while still simple, had secrets to find and introduced animal buddies, each of which had their own powers for each copy ability. I spent hours finding the rainbow shards to unlock the true final boss, and I loved every minute of it. Dreamland 2 is a must own for every GameBoy owner.

7. Castlevania II Belmont’s Revenge: Unlike the NES Castlevania II, this one sticks to the classic stage to stage formula. Yes, it’s Konami, so it sounds amazing just like Operation C. There are 7 stages in all, and you get to pick which order you do the first 4 in. This is the best Castlevania game on GameBoy, and it’s very challenging, especially the last couple boss fights.

6. Pokémon Red and Blue. It had to be on this list sooner or later, Pokémon changed portable gaming for me, I spent countless hours on the bus in middle school playing this game, I managed to even catch all 151 Pokémon and even caught Missing No. I tore this game apart looking for secrets, spending more hours of my life than I would like to admit searching for all of the Pokémon, learning which ones would only evolve by trading, and fighting other players in link battles.

5. Metroid II: This game kept me busy. I still to this day have not beaten it on my own without following a walkthrough, but I continuously come back to it for more. I enjoy the exploration, the various secrets and it’s hands down the most underrated Metroid title of all time. Many people write this game off, but I actually prefer it to the original. I wish there were more music in it, there are several sections where it’s just ambience noise, and that’s still cool, but the music that’s in the game is enjoyable.

4. Tetris: Well, it’s Tetris; it’s the most addicting puzzle game of all time, and it never gets old. Not a lot I can say here other than it’s a GameBoy staple, and everyone should have it.

3. Super Mario Land 2 and 3: I have a hard time picking between 6 Golden Coins and Wario Land, and this is where I’m breaking my franchise rule because I love both of these games a ton. Super Mario Land 2 gives us a great platformer with fun unique levels, secrets, the bunny ears which allow Mario to float down, and introduced Wario as Mario’s rival. Wario Land gave us a huge adventure with tons of levels, all new power ups that Mario has never had, fun boss fights, and treasure everywhere. Finding all the secret treasures is a difficult task and there’s a lot of game here for a small cartridge! You can’t go wrong with either game.

2. Link’s Awakening. I chose to put this here in #2, because while Link’s Awakening is a fantastic game, there’s one I just can never put down; we’ll get to that in a minute. Link’s Awakening is one of my favorite Zelda titles. I never knew how well Zelda would translate to the GameBoy, but it did it extremely well. There’s so much to see and do in this game, and I absolutely love all the new items, the dungeons, and most of the boss fights with the final boss gauntlet at the end being one of my all time favorites in the series. The DX version gets an extra nod for the 9th dungeon, and cool extras like GameBoy Printer functionality.

Before I go into #1, I have an honorable mention.

Mole Mania: An original Nintendo IP for the GameBoy that hasn’t been touched since, and it’s a shame. Mole Mania is a very satisfying game. It’s hard to describe the gameplay other than you progress through the levels in a top down view kind of like Zelda, you can go underground to get around enemies or get around obstacles, and you can throw giant bowling balls at enemies. You fight bosses, you rescue your family one little mole at a time, and you solve puzzles along the way.

Drum roll please……………

1. Donkey Kong: Now hear me out. While yes, it does start as what seems to be a port of the arcade game, it is in fact not what it seems. You get through the original 4 arcade levels, and instead of looping back to level 1 to start all over again, you are taken to the main game. Yes, the 4 arcade levels are just a prelude. You now have 97 more levels to get through. Donkey Kong ‘94 (as it is referred to), takes elements from Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., and Super Mario Bros. 2 and combines them to make a very memorable platform puzzler experience. In fact, DK '94 is the basis for Mario vs. Donkey Kong. I have so much fun with this every time I play it, and for an added bonus, it was built from the ground up for Super GameBoy capabilities. It most certainly doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It often goes under the radar because people assume it’s just a port of the arcade game, but I cannot express enough just how great this game is. There are 8 worlds here, yes, 8; most made up of 9 or more stages. The objective in most stages is to get the key over to the door. Mario has a ton of moves to help you accomplish this, from somersaults to the triple jump, all which would get adopted into Mario 64 later. There are just as many puzzle elements as there are platforming elements, and each location offers a new challenge for Mario. Every 4th stage or so, you’ll have a battle with DK, after which you’ll be invited to save your game. This makes the game great for short play sessions which is why I love it so much. If you can own only a couple GameBoy games, make sure you pick up Donkey Kong. I’m sure not everyone loves it as much as I do, but to me, it’s my favorite game on the GameBoy.

#gameboy #retrogaming

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