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

Moot_Geeza

regmcfly wrote:

OK retro. Here's my top 3, in ranked order. I think 1 will be the one you'd like most. 1. Intelligent Qube - PS1 This is a game I first saw on an episode of Game Centre CX, and that I then had to play. It's a 3D puzzle game where you are trying to make cubes disappear, while making sure your character isn't pushed off the ledge at the same time. Even though it's not ostensibly Japanese it feels it, especially with the sound as you fall off the edge. I think when it clicks it's a real cracker, and has great classical music on the ost too. 2. Astro Boy Omega Factor - GBA The best GBA game no one played, and the wild, long forgotten Treasure title. For a GBA game it's completely stunning, and the boss fights are classic treasure. I think you'll enjoy it as a pick up and play beat em up, and the special moves are kind of interesting as sometimes you need them to navigate a level. 3. Choplifter - Master System You will probably most likely have played this, likely on commodore, but the master system one is based on the arcade port, which I think plays a little faster, looser and better. It's still flying about, picking up hostages, but I also like the big ol chunky master system graphics too!

Shortly after finishing it I thought Astro Boy was Treasure's crowning achievement. I've since reconsidered (the competition is fierce), but it's a wonderful game.

JonB

2. Astro Boy Omega Factor - GBA The best GBA game no one played, and the wild, long forgotten Treasure title.

Top of my Treasure list too, and was even in my top 10 best ever when we last did that (along with GBA Fire Emblem). I think it's pretty well known though.

It's one of a few GBA games I kept when I sold off all the rest, and still play it once every few years.

retroking1981

Cool cheers @regmcfly

If I can get hold of Intelligent Cube I'll go for that, if not defo Astro Boy.

Will post some for you tonight.

retroking1981

@regmcfly any no nos for you genre wise? Systems available?

Moot_Geeza

For Hunk's consideration:

Street Smart - Arcade/Megadrive

Not popular in the magazines of the day (the MD port at any rate). 46% in Sega Power iirc. Don't let the negative ninnies of the day fool you though, this is great throwback fightmas fodder. Spam the save states and finish it within half an hour or so. Would anyone be happy having spent £39.99 on this? Perhaps not, but price is irrelevant for retro fun. It's a rich man's Pit-Fighter. There's even a small amount of character stat boosting between rounds.

Wade Hixton's Counterpunch - GBA

Unabashed Punch-Out! clone, and a quietly fantastic little game. Does exactly what you'd expect it to do, and does so with aplomb.

Iridion II - GBA

Gorgeous looking/great sounding vertical shmup with above average gameplay. Video doesn't do it justice, this looks absolutely mint on a GB Micro screen.

Moot_Geeza

Also, can you pick me something to play alongside Streetfighter 2? I know the SCE version inside out, so I'd be reviewing the homebrew efforts rather than the game itself. Will definitely post thoughts in here though, but "man, this Streetfighter 2 game is great" won't be newsworthy

regmcfly

retroking1981 wrote:

@regmcfly any no nos for you genre wise? Systems available?

I'm open to anything, but I have mega soft spots for shmups, 2D platformers, fighters and brawlers. You may wish to stick to that template or deviate.
I emulate everything on my Vita or PC and have most consoles. So go to town.

hunk

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Also, can you pick me something to play alongside Streetfighter 2? I know the SCE version inside out, so I'd be reviewing the homebrew efforts rather than the game itself. Will definitely post thoughts in here though, but "man, this Streetfighter 2 game is great" won't be newsworthy

Any platform preferences?

Some random suggestions:

Game gear:
Gg Aleste
Gg shinobi

Megadrive:
Shinobi: Return of the ninja master
Yuu yuu hakusho
Alien soldier

Snes:
The firemen
Kirby's dream land 3

hunk

Iridion2 it is for me!

regmcfly

Shoulda picked the firemen. What a cool game

retroking1981

Here you go @regmcfly

Holy Diver - Famicom
Action platformer in the vein of Castlevania released exclusively in Japan back in 1989 by Irem. I played this a couple of months back, becomes very difficult towards the end, maybe too tough. Shame it never came out in the West. Shares the same title as a Dio album and apparently a few characters are named after rock artists but this is only referenced in the instructions, no cut scenes in this one.

Crisis Force - Famicom
Another Famicom exclusive and one I've not had a chance to play myself, its by one of the gods of 8-Bit... Konami. Did things the system was never meant to achieve because of Konami's VRC4 chip which came around long before we'd heard of Super FX. Quite a late release for the system in 1991, I've read it's pretty special.

Pirates of Darkwater - SNES
Side scrolling beat 'em up by Sunsoft from 1994. Played this briefly with Moot a couple of months back, seemed pretty good from what we played and we're both fans of scrolling beat 'em ups. Would be interesting to hear someone who shares out love of the genres opinion of it.

retroking1981

regmcfly wrote:

Shoulda picked the firemen. What a cool game

We done that on here a couple of years back, great game. I actually recorded the end sequence on an emulator at the time to test the feature out:

regmcfly

Konami colourful shmup? That's the one for me. Sounds like a cracking ost too.

Moot_Geeza

Was a good one that (Firemen).

I think I'll pick GG Shinobi, because I played it briefly a few weeks ago and spent the next hour lost in my own thoughts, trying to place one or two pieces of music in there that I recognised from other games. Or I might play Shinobi III, because I've never finished it and I have the lovely 3DS version. Or I might do both.

Moot_Geeza

RetroK, if you fancy the authentic experience I have Astro Boy and a GB Micro. Or you could borrow the cart for the Retron5.

Edit: If you don't find Intelligent Cube, just noticed it's your first choice.

hunk

Yuzo Koshiro did the music for all the shinobi games incl. the gg editions. Yuzo was da shizzle...

Moot_Geeza

I think it may have been reused from Revenge, but I want to solve it myself so no-one tell me pls. I was humming it for a while but it slipped my mind.

retroking1981

Moot_Geeza wrote:

RetroK, if you fancy the authentic experience I have Astro Boy and a GB Micro. Or you could borrow the cart for the Retron5. Edit: If you don't find Intelligent Cube, just noticed it's your first choice.

I'll borrow the cart if thats cool? Think I'm leaning towards this one a bit more but will get a copy of Intelligent Cube regardless. Might try both.

retroking1981

Moot_Geeza wrote:

I think it may have been reused from Revenge, but I want to solve it myself so no-one tell me pls. I was humming it for a while but it slipped my mind.

Michael Jackson wrote it.

hunk

Gg/ms Sonic zone 2.
Definitily a jackson tune.

davyK

Intelligent Qube is a great call. It's called Kurushi in PAL region and it's pretty rare. I have seen Kurushi twice in the wild and the followup called Kurushi Final once. First time I saw it , it was disc only but I picked it up anyhow. Second time was CIB and got that too. (So if anyone wants a disc only copy let me know). Kurushi Final seems to be even rarer - my copy is disc only.

It's a quite brilliant game btw.

retroking1981

Ah Kurushi, I remember that.

Haven't played it though so will still give it a bash.

davyK

For SNES:

Battletoads in Battlemanics. Proper sequel to the original (the MD version is just a remake). The difficulty is toned down to a sane level but it's still a toughie. It looks tremendous and is a riot in multiplayer (you can toggle if you can hit each other).

Kirbys Dream Course Kirby does crazy golf. Beautiful 16 bit graphics and a rather clever game.

Super Pang Splendid early port only let down by being one player only.

Will post some more later.

regmcfly

I recently played through Kirby golf on my 3DS. It's really more of a puzzle game, and it still holds up real well

Moot_Geeza

Moot_Geeza wrote:

I think it may have been reused from Revenge, but I want to solve it myself so no-one tell me pls. I was humming it for a while but it slipped my mind.

Derp. They're both from Revenge. I think I was drinking last time.

mk64

super pang is one of the hardest games i've ever played

Eric

Are they my games davy? In that case Ill take on Super Pang after what Mk 64 has just said!

Dark Soldier

Ah thanks for the invite here Moot but seeing what its about, I'll be no real help. My knowledge of retro is severely limited so I'd just be browsing retro sites trying to find stuff that fits.

Unless you all just want to play Super Metroid again

Moot_Geeza

No probs, I'll go back in the pot with Jon and DS can go back on the John with pot.

Dark Soldier

Lol

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