Retro Club - 8 & 16-bit puzzlers - The Bear and Badger

JonB

davyK wrote:

Jesus - that poochie level? Find that hard to complete never mind go for score.

No it's not that. Once with flying platforms in the skies.

davyK

JonB wrote:

Jesus - that poochie level? Find that hard to complete never mind go for score.

No it's not that. Once with flying platforms in the skies.

Must be a later world - 1-9 is the Poochy one.

I've been scouting through the worlds on my clear game save file - 3-1 is a great level with the melon seed spitting. The fortresses are all pretty good too - just put my world 7-8 score up into the 60's.

I've only unlocked the world 1 extra level - should have perservered back in the day as I'm now pretty hamfisted and its going to take some going for me to unlock anything now....shocking how the skills can go - I don't remember it being as hard.

Moot_Geeza

It's funny how some games get harder when you go back to them and some games seem easier. I used to think Alex Kidd in Miracle World was pretty tough, but I breezed through it recently. Remembered to pick up the letter to the king and everything.

regmcfly wrote:

Moot_Geeza wrote:

I think I'm ready for Generations. Colours was good but not great, definitely one of the better recent efforts though.

I'm up for the Super Metroid idea, I'll definitely pick it up for 30p. There was talk of doing it in the Book club thread though, so I'll need a Reg seal of approval.

This is the only gaming retro thread that matters. Get it done.

Good stuff, I'll get the schedule sorted out tomorrow. Within a few months I'll have finally played (and hopefully completed) Castlevania IV and Super Metroid.

JonB

davyK wrote:

JonB wrote:

Jesus - that poochie level? Find that hard to complete never mind go for score.

No it's not that. Once with flying platforms in the skies.

Must be a later world - 1-9 is the Poochy one.

Poochy's 1-10 - I was playing this morning. Gave up on it. Absolutely hate Poochy - just too unreliable. Think they went wrong on that one. Moved on to World 2.

davyK

You playing the GBA version? I'm playing the PAL SNES version and "Poochy aint Stupid" is 1-9. Actually it's called "Extra 1" at the level intro screen - but it's the 9th level along on the level select screen....just scored 85 on it!!!

Poochy is just about controllable - it's an example of how Nintendo really push the frustration stakes when going for 100%-ing one for their better games.

It's the bats that are the little bastards in that level - especially the bit where you ascend and descend a hill trying to avoid a collision. I always have a tough time with any flying enemy in a game that follows a sine wave movement the way those bats do - just like those effing medusa heads in Castlevania.

Twice now - I have died right at the end of the Poochy level with a score of 99 - missing the last coin at the last lava jump. Effing twice.

JonB

Yeah I'm on GBA. There's a level before Extra 1. I went onto world 2 just now. Eventually did the two extra levels with scores of 89 and 98. I probably just spent an hour trying to get a decent score on the Hit the Switches level and finally did it just missing 2 coins.

davyK

Persistence pays off - 100pts on the Poochy level and now 2-5 100pt-ed too. 2-7 and 2-8 to be done and then I'll unlock the extra level in world 2.

dynamiteReady

davyK wrote:

I was like that until this gen...but I've now become quite set in my ways. One of the reasons I cancelled my Edge sub was I just got depressed looking at games that involved running around in 3D environments

Bayonetta was toight' though.

Also, the Poochie level's not that bad. This one's the bitch (5-9)...

Spoiler:

davyK

Funny - on day 2 my latent skills seem to come back and Poochy fell after a while without too much pain and 2-5 which looked impossible to me on day 1 fell quite quickly.

WIll perfect world 2 before moving on - I like to think I'll achieve quite a bit by 28th.

eff me 5-9 looks like the 28th may be somewhat optimistic..... :0

davyK

dynamiteReady wrote:

I was like that until this gen...but I've now become quite set in my ways. One of the reasons I cancelled my Edge sub was I just got depressed looking at games that involved running around in 3D environments

Bayonetta was toight' though.

I daresay my narrow-mindedness has meant I've missed some gems, but frankly I haven't time to trawl through dross like, for example, God of War to find it- never have I been so disappointed with a seemingly universally admired game - made me realise I've probably gone a bit Radio 2.

JonB

Done the Secret and Extra levels on World 3 and 4 now.

Only 1 perfect score in there - mostly settling for 80+

davyK

i have a lot of very low scores in the later worlds - I'm guessing I'll end up settling for respectability rather than perfection this week....

hylian_elf

Davy, GoW a universally admired game?? You're listening to the wrong people! Once you have a 360, I'm sure us forumites can work together to list you the essential 5 games based on your tatse. God of War won't be among them. Bayonetta probably will.

Tempy

Depends on your idea of universally, it has a better Metacritic score than Bayonetta for example.

davyK

advice will be gratefully received

Moot_Geeza

The amended schedule, taking into account the two extra suggestions. Obviously there's no immediate rush, but it would be nice to get another 8-12 suggestions to complete the year (mainly so I know what I'm looking forward to). I'm sticking to the one week format for 8-bit games, and switching to a fortnight for beefier titles, going back down to a week for the 'wildcard' suggestions (Choose your Illusion, Atari 2600 score challenges etc), which should break things up nicely.

Some interesting games coming up:

Twenty eight (29/04, fortnight): Midnight Resistance (arcade, Megadrive, Amiga etc)
Twenty nine (13/05, fortnight): Super Metroid (SNES, various downloads)
Thirty (27/05, week): Rub Your Own Rhubarb: Retro Batman week (various)
Thirty one (03/06, week): Battletoads (NES)
Thirty two (10/06, week): Master System Week - Action Fighter, Teddy Boy and The Ninja
Thirty three (17/06, fortnight): Toki (Arcade, Megadrive, Amiga)
Thirty four (01/07, fortnight): Castlevania IV (SNES)
Thirty five (15/07. week): Free choice Parodius (various)
Thirty six (22/07, week): Scrolling Beat 'em up Free Choice (various)
Thirty seven (29/07, fortnight): El Viento (Megadrive)
Thirty eight (12/08, week): Atari 2600 High-Score Challenge Returns
Thirty nine (19/08, fortnight): Yoshi's Story (N64)
Forty (02/09, week): Rollergames (NES)

hylian_elf

Tempy wrote:

Depends on your idea of universally, it has a better Metacritic score than Bayonetta for example.

Damn, that a fact?! So many things wrong in this world, makes me sick.

Tempy

Yeah but I don't listen to the opinions of 90% of reviewers, and at the end of the day I only fully trust my own opinion. And that opinion is that Bayonetta is a better game than God of War, but God of War also has a first level that has rarely been bettered, and the whole game is downhill from the Hydra encounter. I still enjoyed the shit out of it, because it was gutsy.

davyK

Actually - yeah - enjoyed the hydra boss (was that the bit on the ship where you trapped the heads?) and then it turned into a mash-a-thon - at least it seemed to be that when I lost interest. Walk along - mash buttons - walk along. Didn't feel in control during the combat.

Really wanted to like it because it was so well made.

Now Viewtiful Joe - which could be accused of being similar (ignoring the looks) made me feel in control. I'm shit at it but I like it.

Scored 98 on 2-7 - think I missed a couple of red coins at the final jump when morphed into the little sports car....(think that's where they are - that level has several of those annoying flying shyguys carrying red coins that are so easy to miss).

hylian_elf

Yeah, it was the Hydra battle that sold it to me. It could have done with more big badass moments like that.

Anyway. Looking at the list, I think I'll have to dust off the Super Famicom and locate my Super Metroid and relive one of the best games ever. I'll aim for 100% items and see how long it takes.

Tempy

It should have totally been like SotC in that the majority of the game was just slaying awesome mythological creatures. The filler segments should have been full of Kratos tearing apart weak enemies with impunity.

davyK

Some suggestions for future weeks:

Vectorman (Megadrive) - played only fleetingly but looks rather good..

Actraiser (SNES)

Blackthorn (SNES + ?) - Flashback type game - I've cart of this - apparantly worth a few bob - never played it - should be easy to find the ROM. Supposedly very good.

Kirby's Dream Course(SNES) - ignore the Kirby branding - this is an original crazy golf style of game with power-ups and not a small amount of tactical thought - quite unlike anything else I've ever tried.

Moot_Geeza

I've always wanted to play Blackthorne, and nearly bought the 32X version in the mid-90's. I'd imagine that's worth a fair bit now. I was going to suggest Vectorman myself, I've played it up to the top-down train track section, but didn't really get on with it (despite following it closely in the build-up to release, as the Sega answer to DKC's graphical style). I definitely want to give it a proper go. Actraiser too, I've got that on VC. Yep, I'll probably end up adding the lot, great list.

Chakan on Megadrive perhaps? I've still never played that properly. Pulseman, Power Drive, Super Punch Out. Maybe a Treasure week? It's easy to get carried away thinking about playing/re-playing stuff like this.

davyK

yeah. I picked up Blackthorne when a video rental place was clearing out long time ago now - it is CIB and in excellent condition - must never have been rented out too much - just never got round to trying it over and above booting it up to check it worked. There were a few other now quite hard-to-find titles there for the taking that day but money was tight - there was a CIB Firemen and Human Grand Prix there too....

hylian_elf

I love Actraiser. Have it on SNES. Would be nice to revisit and reminisce about the great times I had with it.

Can I suggest Solstice II: Equinox on SNES? Not sure how easily accessed it is. Available on VC or anywhere? Maybe just emu it.

Moot_Geeza

Looks interesting, would be our first isometric title too. I played the first one for 30mins or so with Retrokings a few months ago - he's got the scores /10 written down, I quite liked it iirc.

davyK

That's one I had back in the day and traded it in - nothing to do with the game which was very nice - just wanted something else and that was at a time when I did a bit of trading - really nice music if I remember and it played like those isometric platform games such as Head Over Heels...

I'd say most 16bit ROMS are easy to come by nowadays.

mk64

omg. Just noticed midnight resistance is up after YI.

As one of the most die hard players of this game ever can I suggest you all dont play the MD version but somehow play the Amiga 500 version? Its the best by a mile.

If anyone needs any tips or help let me know, It was one of the first games i ever completed.

retroking1981

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Looks interesting, would be our first isometric title too. I played the first one for 30mins or so with Retrokings a few months ago - he's got the scores /10 written down, I quite liked it iirc.

We didn't actually score that one. One of those games that's impossible to fairly judge with such a short play time.

Moot_Geeza

I couldn't get Robocod to work on my Amiga emulator but I'll give it another go for Midnight Resistance. I was planning on playing the arcade version, are the home versions significantly enhanced?

@retroking: Ah, makes sense. What did we give Yoshi's Island?

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