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

retroking1981

How's everyone getting on? Superb game this, up there with Prime for me (like most others) as the best of the bunch.

I've decide to bend the rules a tad for this @Moot_Geeza

I'm gonna skip out on playing Super again and play II: Return of Samus on the GB instead. II, Prime 2 Echoes and Hunters are the only games in the series I haven't completed so I thought this was a good opportunity for a bit of catch up.

Thoughts so far on II are a bit mixed. The graphics are amazing for the GB, the sprite on Samus in particular is much better than the NES game which I always thought looked a bit naff even back then.

I'm struggling to get my bearings with the game lacking a map screen. I'm also playing via the 3DS VC, do they not have digital manuals like the Wii ones?

Moot_Geeza

I thought Fusion passed you by too. How does that compare to Super?

retroking1981

Moot_Geeza wrote:

I thought Fusion passed you by too. How does that compare to Super?

It did initially, I only played it last year on the 3DS as I got it as an ambassador. It compares very well imo, definitely on a par with Super I'd say, it just lacks that wow factor for being more of the same.

So far I'd rate them:
1. Super
2. Prime
3. Fusion
4. Zero Mission (never completed the NES version)
5. Prime 3
6. Other M

Moot_Geeza

That looks like a quality series to me. I think I'll play Zero Mission next.

I've been tempted with Other M a few times as it's so cheap, but I should probably play at least two 'proper' Metroid games first.

retroking1981

Other M gets a lot of unjustified hate imo. It is a proper Metroid game at its core. From what I've read peoples main problems stem from the plot and the fact Samus is a 'yes sir' girl as oppose to a silent bad ass bounty hunter.

Let's hope Link never gets a voice eh?!?

Moot_Geeza

retroking1981 wrote:

Let's hope Link never gets a voice eh?!?

True. For all the gamers who moan that the lack of speech is aniquated there would be just as many claiming that the voice acting is wrong. I hold whatever button speeds the text up when I play Zelda anyway, always have. Yep, definitely hope they don't do that. I shudder at the thought of a wise-cracking Link.

retroking1981

Think of the voice Groose from SS would have had. In text it's fine but being spoken out loud it just wouldn't work imo.

retroking1981

Think about it he calls that catapult at the end the... wait for it... The Groosenator!

Moot_Geeza

Groose was quite a poor character in hindsight.

More Metroid for me tonight, I'm hoping to put another 90 minutes in because it's a lot longer than I thought it would be. Should get it done by the weekend.

I was thinking of adding Driver to the list eventually, as there's a good article on it in this month's Retro Gamer, and I've never really played it. If the disk isn't expensive (I'm assuming it's not) I can run it on my PS3. Not sure why that one passed me by tbh.

davyK

If I remember right Driver was in the category of "rough looking but very good"......so it may look less than pristine to 2013 eyes.

I can also remember sampling World's Scariest Police Chases on PS1 which wasn't bad either.

retroking1981

Driver is one of my all time favorites, good shout on World's Scariest Police Chases, that was very good for what it was (late budget PS1 release) only problem was it was ciminally short - only 10 missions if memory serves me right.

davyK

I'm feeling guilty as I should be concentrating on Super Metroid this week but I'm finding it hard to put Sturmwind down - I haven't enjoyed a shmup as much in years. The difficulty is down a tad to managable and is all the better for it. I also find many of the modern shmups' levels look pretty much interchangable and the whole bullet hell thing while very good sometimes is just a bit too full on - Sturmwind is bringing back dormant feelings of wanting to see the next level in me that I haven't felt in a long time. Pure enjoyment.

hylian_elf

Stop it Davy. You're making me want it even more. I can't afford to buy games for a bit, just spent a lot on my new DSLR and accessories. Played Dodonpachi last night. As much as I love it, I do want to try a non-danmaku shooter. Might get back to Sine Mora in XBLA.

davyK

I think there are stock issues at present anyhow (though I'm sure a burn-your-own solution is available by now).

Play-asia are out of stock but the developers Duranik believe that are plenty of copies - publisher redspotgames seem to be having logistics problems.

I'll be rotating my CRT again to have another crack at DDP - have the Saturn version and I find it pretty tough. Can't get past level 3 on 1 credit...

Dark Soldier

Just got the Varia suit. This game, man. Fluid shooting, proper platforming, drenched in atmosphere. This fucking game.

davyK

There's even something that is just so satisfying about running toward a door, firing, and running on through without stopping. Can't explain it.

Brooks

I started doing the La Mulana remake in the absence of any other compelling exploro-platformers. It's quite a bit harder than Super Met.

Jacuzzi_Jackson

davyK wrote:

There's even something that is just so satisfying about running toward a door, firing, and running on through without stopping. Can't explain it.

Haha definitely. Far more satisfying than it should be.

hylian_elf

It has to be used to get some of the hidden items. I can remember one, maybe it's the only one.

retroking1981

hylian_elf wrote:

It has to be used to get some of the hidden items. I can remember one, maybe it's the only one.

Yeah I remember that, isn't it at

Spoiler:

hylian_elf

Ok that's two! The one I was thinking of was

Spoiler:

Dark Soldier

Don't forget the few shinespark required upgrades too. You don't really need to open a door as you run, but its cool.

mk64

I don't own super. I do own fusion. Is it good enough to start/finish on this day and age? What's wrong with it?

Brooks

Fusion isn't bad. Main complaints as I recall are over-streamlining and regularity, though at least the setting - a space station - broadly accommodates that. Level design is generally dinkier and duller, whole thing feels markedly less organic and more talky-talky than Super, though the idea of a pursuing doppelganger was kind of cool. One could play worse, but it's not actually difficult to find Super in these days of emulation I'da thunk.

JonB

Yeah, decent level design but too hand-holdy as I recall. Haven't played it in a long time though.

mistercrayon

It has some neat mechanics (the survival horror/stealth type aspects which were reprised in zero mission are a highlight. I would say it misses some of what makes metroid cool though, specifically the brightness and the linearity, its very much: go to room x now to room y. Having said that there's some really attractive areas in the game and blue fusion suit looks quite cool.

hylian_elf

I didn't think Fusion was that good. Good, but not great. Super is far better.

mistercrayon

Just a thought, fusion's graphics might have had the original dark as fuck gba screen in mind when they were designed.

mk64

I plan to play on 3ds

Moot_Geeza

Thirty (week): Wholly Free Choice Batman

Choose your own retro Batman game(s) from the numerous titles (of varying quality) that have been released over the years.

Play and discuss, or simply reminisce.

Schedule:

(03/06, week): Battletoads (NES)
(10/06, week): Budget Master System Week - Action Fighter, Teddy Boy and The Ninja
(17/06, fortnight): Toki (Arcade, Megadrive, Amiga)
(01/07, fortnight): Castlevania IV (SNES)
(15/07. week): Free choice Parodius
(22/07, week): Scrolling Beat 'em up free choice
(29/07, fortnight): El Viento (Megadrive)
(12/08, week): Atari 2600 High-Score Challenge Returns
(19/08, fortnight): Yoshi's Story (N64)
(02/09, week): Rollergames (NES)
(09/09, fortnight): Actraiser (SNES, VC)
(23/09, fortnight): Grand Theft Auto (PS, PC)
(07/10, week): New Zealand story (various)
(14/10, week): Bitmap Bros free choice
(21/10, fortnight): Vectorman (MD, compilations)
(04/11, fortnight): PC Kid 2/Bonk 2 (PC Engine, VC)
(18/11, week): Wonderboy week
(25/11, week): Kirby week
(02/12, fortnight): Solstice II/Equinox (SNES)
(16/12, week): Fantasy Zone (MS)
(23/12, fortnight inc. Christmas break): Pinball free choice(06/01, fortnight): Blackthorne (various)

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