26 games you may or may not have played,

Thanksgiving break is pretty much already here. So you might as well chill with some games. Here's a suggestion of 26 games you may or may not have played, but might be interested in. Of course I'm not just going to throw them at you without any info whatsoever, so I've included links to gameplay of nearly all of the games I'm about to mention. I'll be reposting this in the text board just for the hell of it. Before you ask, I'm not linking to any roms. You should be able to find them easily enough just by typing the game name and "rom" in google. I've found some of the more obscure ones by dumb luck really.

Well, time to get this started (in the next post, that is).

Aoi Blink (aka Blue Blink) [TurboGrafx-16]

A pretty fun platformer that incorporates a sort of team element in which you have 2 invincible teammates and a vulnerable, but controllable leader (Changed between teammates at will). Your teammates are generally shuffled among a small group between stages and you have no real control over who you choose unfortunately. Fortunately, the members given are pretty much the best pick for the stage anyway. Everyone except the small girl has their own unique attack (instead she runs faster and jumps higher than everyone else), which your teammates use in tandem. The boss stages (accessed through gathering keys throughout stages) with Blink are a bit weak and at times a bit annoying, but the game as a whole is pretty fun. A colorful, smooth-playing, platformer with pretty catchy tunes. Don't expect anything fast paced, as it has a more laid-back style, but don't write it off as being too easy as it picks up relatively fast. Knowing japanese is not required to play, and frankly, it's a bit more interesting NOT knowing the real story and just kinda taking it as is.

(translation unavailable as far as I know)
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKouWj2nrpo

Battle Mania Daiginjou (AKA Trouble Shooter Vintage)  [Genesis]

Description: The sequel to Trouble Shooter really delivers. While the first was a pretty decent shmup in itself, it was kind of lacking and a bit overly cheap in some areas. BM2 never really has those moments but difficulty is slightly raised throughout the game instead. You change weapons with up and down now at the base, and if you change the set up on the title, Mania/Madison is now able to fire in 8 directions (fixed while button is kept down) instead of relying on Maria/Crystal. Generally all around better in terms of graphics, tunes, and difficulty. It's generally pretty standard shmup fare, so shoot'em up fans and even beginners alike should be able to pick it up with no problem and have fun in the process. In a strange change of pace, there are actually two different patches for this, one keeping the translation more literal, but the other alters it slightly to seem like a more official and slightly americanized and language-censored one. Both are available on the same site, though.

Translation patch: http://mijet.eludevisibility.org/BattleMania2/BattleMania2.html
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu3K6vY6lck

Chiki Chiki Boys [Genesis]

Description: A slightly enhanced port of the arcade game Mega Twins. Now with a shop at the end of levels to restock your magic and upgrade your gear. It's a whimsical little game that's not too long, but just right for a good time. There's not much more to say about it that isn't said by the game itself other than to watch your jumps at times (since there are 3 different heights (small, super, and normal jumps, which are controlled by holding down, up, or neither)) and you can hold onto walls for a brief moment before slipping. There's a nice variety in levels, and they're still pleasant to look at and play through. This even has water levels that don't piss the player off (mostly since they control like the flying levels). Great in graphics, music, and gameplay. This game really shows that the genesis isn't as dark and gritty as some games seem to make it.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9JoZzhrbLU

Dark Arms - Beast Buster 1999 [Neo Geo Pocket Color]
Description: It's tough to really put Dark Arms in a genre. The closest game I can really compare it to is Crystalis in terms of similar elements, but the game itself is not entirely like it. Essentially, you go around fighting bosses and powering up your weapons by collecting seeds, oums, and the souls of your enemies. You only start with a catcher gun, but it is the most invaluable weapon in your arsenal as it collects souls when dealing the final blow (although you can eventually make a specific weapon that also catch souls). You can kill enemies and bosses by using weapons (The catcher is illsuited for combat, doing extremely low damage), however you will not get the soul by doing so (aside from that one specific weapon mentioned earlier). As a result, you'll have to gauge how many shots you need to dish out then switch to the catcher at the last minute, finishing it off with some shots from that instead. As for the weapons, there is a pretty hefty variety of which you can use once you upgrade and gather oum and seeds. With weapons ranging from a machine gun that covers your body in steel, tentacle arms, lasers, exploding dolls, and more, this game has more firepower than your typical run and gun. Also, depending on the souls you feed your weapon, you can even alter its elements to fire, lightning, or ice (or just neutral) creating weapons more effective on certain enemies. Sadly, with all this depth in weapons, you cannot upgrade yourself. However, there are powerups scattered throughout the stages, with effects like making you faster for a short time or restoring your life. For a mostly bright platform like the NGPC, this is surprisingly dark and gritty in graphics and music, although you still manage to see things clearly and the music is actually catchy despite being spooky.
 
Gameplay vid: none that I know of right now, sorry.

Elemental Master [Genesis]

Description: An on-rails shmup that gets better as you play it. As you are on the ground, you need to look out for any hazards along the way such as lava and spines (and, IIRC, ice), although the character controls well so you shouldn't need to worry about that too much. You start out with a barebones double shot and the ability to fire backwards. You can also pick up an item that allows shadow doubles that also fire with you as long as you don't get hit while you have them. After beating the first boss in whichever stage you choose, you get the ability to swap weapons on the fly and use charge shots (your doubles only use plain old double shot though, too bad.) which you can also fire backwards. Beat the other bosses to get the rest of the different weapons and charge shots, then finish off with the extensive last stages after that. The game looks great and although the soundtrack is also good, it sounds like it should have had Sega CD audio. It's also kind of hard early on, especially some bosses, but as you get more weapons, it gets easier.

That being said, it's pretty enjoyable throughout.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srgwgbbNW2Q

Final Soldier [TurboGrafx-16]

Description: Another entry into the Star Soldier line, and a damn fine one at that, Final Soldier takes the old space shoot'em up formula and tosses in a nice dash of kickassery. This is because FS takes the old shmup weapon systems and gives you a choice of what kinds of weapons they actually are (from 3 different choices for each icon), making for a variety of firepower customization throughout stages. Lush and colorful environments, great music, and occaisonally tough bosses make this a fine example of a TG16 game. As for difficulty, it's kind of tough throughout with very few cheap moments here and there, but never as cheap as other shmups can get, as it concentrates more on fewer bullets but in patterns to make you keep alert, as it is possible to end up trapped and killed at times. Star Soldier fans, as well as fans of Compile and Treasure shmups should have a nice time with this one, but beginners might want to go for something a bit easier.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uc4_7Zdxs

Godzilla- Domination! [Game Boy Advance]

Description: If you like Godzilla, King of Monsters, and just generally like wrecking cities and destroying titanic beasts, then odds are you'll enjoy this. Whether you know about Godzilla or not doesn't matter, as the story plays a secondary role here, only supplied through reports from a cute newcaster (drawn by Matt Bozon) who appears in various sexy form fitting or rather loose outfits respective to the area. The gameplay is all around fun, destroy cities to gain power ups, and bash other monsters to increase your power meter, which lets you unleash some devestating super moves bringing you a step closer to a faster victory. Despite being on the GBA, everything is pretty detailed, even the smallest of things can get wrecked. The music isn't too shabby, and the control is spot on, despite you towering above buildings. There's a decent variety of stages to, as opposed to just a plain old city. Difficulty is never too bad, the team-up stages being the easiest and maybe the last battle being the hardest depending on how well you connect
your hits and dodge. So even if you've never played King of Monsters, it's pretty easy to pick up and a blast to play.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4TokIIJ2ek

Herzog Zwei [Genesis]

Description: While General Chaos was a fun as hell RTS, you could never really have full control over a player outside of the commando unit. Herzog Zwei fixes that. Playing like something of a cross between real time advance wars (in that you fight enemy units and capture their bases) and an overhead action game (solely in the fact that you, the leader, can change from a ground-bound mech to a flying jet), you fight alongside your units in your attempt to overpower enemy forces and take over the enemy bases. Building and monitoring your troops, along with fighting to keep yourself alive is no easy task, however it is easy to pick up and only hard to master. You can check a map at any time to get a sense of where you are and where you should be, and there are bubbles that pop up to inform you of constuction and danger. In terms of graphics, it's pretty much standard genesis fare, but the control and soundtrack are where it really shines. The soundtrack uses what you'd think of when you think Genesis music, but the melodies are great and never have that grating genesis sound some people complain about. Control is slick and fast, but surprisngly tight and responsive, regardless of whether you are in mech or jet form. The best part is that it's got optional 2-player to go head-to-head.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EO53h7nWEU

Iridion II [Game Boy Advance]

Description: -From video: "The game combines various elements from classic shmups like Gradius(Power-Up System), R-Type(Charge Beam) and Axelay(Weapons) and features an incredible Amiga-style soundtrack."- I can't really put it better myself. Not only is the gameplay great, but the bosses are interesting and sometimes tough, the environments are gorgeous and filled with various obstacles in gradius-style, and control is nice and smooth. If you played Iridion 3D, I can sympathize (unfortunately having played it myself), but even if you haven't, there's no reason not to play this if you're searching for a great shmup title. It's easy to pick up and the perspective isn't hard to get used
to either, especially with the training level to show you the ropes. Beginners and vets alike can enjoy this, seeing as how you pretty much just have to hate shmups to hate it.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oBLgk6RELo

Jackie Chan Adventures- Legend of the Dark Hand [Game Boy Advance]

Description: A pretty fun beat'em up with a bit (but sadly, not more) of the flair seen in the saturday morning cartoon. Going with less of the goofballness of the frog kicking, hadokening Jackie in Action Kung Fu, and more of the crafty Chan seen in the show, Jackie has to rely not only on combos but jump attacks, rolls, and backflips to keep one step ahead of his enemies. You can pick up weapons to smack and throw at enemies along with throwing enemies themselves, but outside of the latter, you'd probably only want to use the former if you want to keep some distance from foes in order to get at an item (Unlike the show, Jackie seems to have no problem with taking care of business here, able to toss thugs to their death in bottomless pits.). You can also acquire other skills through scrolls as you progress in the game, further increasing your already hefty number of moves. Sadly, you never get the talismans for use, which is a bit disappointing, but the scroll skills almost make up for it (well, no not really, but they are handy). There's also some platforming in the game, but unlike most beat'em ups, it actually works pretty well here. Difficulty is mostly average, never putting up too much of a challenge. Graphics are pretty good, the locales are interesting too, and although animations feel a bit slow at time, they're pretty much all fluid, which is a nice touch. Gameplay is pretty decent too, only getting better the more skills you get. Music is kind of weak though, but sort of catchy. Enjoyable regardless of your level of beat'em up experience.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QbnG1_QL1Q (note: vid is slower than actual game)

King Colossus (AKA Tougi Ou: King Colossus)  [Genesis]

Description: King Collossus has been compared to Zelda and Ys, however, I find that it is a bit closer to StarTropics (due to platforming in a zelda-ish environment). One might be tempted to liken it to Lagoon on snes, but it's not that similar. I get vibes of Shining Soul in this, due to the variety of weapons you can use and switch at will, along with the fact that you generally have to kill every enemy in an area to progress, but I think that might be stretching it a tad. Back on track, it plays like a standard action RPG with a bit of platforming at parts. Dungeons generally have some side passages which contain goodies for you to get, such as medical herbs or new gear, so it's best to leave no stone unturned. Don't worry about using a bomb or key, since there will generally be a monster further inside that has another. Spells are pretty handy, too, so use them when you can. You can save nearly anywhere, but when you die, it is game over. Graphics are somewhere between Beyond Oasis and Crusader of Centy. They aren't cartoony, but they aren't semi-realistic either, so you have a nice mix there. Control is decent considering you can move and jump in eight directions, but weapon hit area depends on what you use. Music is pretty funky in general, as the dungeon areas have a spooky beat to them, but everything fits, creating a nice medieval atmosphere overall. Difficulty is kind of tough though. Sure you gain levels pretty fast, but early on you better not get hurt much since you take damage pretty hard and deal pretty low. However, there is significant difference per level up though, so you actually get some pay off each time you do. Action RPG vets might enjoy this, but beginners might have a bit of trouble early on. Just save often, really, and you shouldn't have many issues with difficulty.

Translation patch: http://mijet.eludevisibility.org/KingColossus/KingColossus.html)
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb5F7tk3xGo

Little Magic [Game Boy Color] (Note: NOT the NES game (that's something different))

Description: Don't let the cuteness fool you. This little puzzle game actually gets pretty tough. I suppose it is sort of similar to Lolo and Sokoban, but it's a bit tougher than both. May must push an object to the proper place to open up an exit to proceed onward. However, there will be times where you cannot reach the place, and as a result, use what I gather to be bubbles to give it an extra push. While early on your only enemy is your own foolishness in placing the object in a spot you cannot move it from, later on you have to deal with crumbling bridges over lava, and a few critters that wander about. Graphics are what you think of in a puzzle game, fairly decent and colorful. Music is fitting, not anything spectacular really. There's a few cutscenes featuring May, which are somewhat amusing as she's cute as a button, but not much other than that. Gameplay is solid thoughout and control is not slippery, never making you accidentally push overboard. You'll really have to think before you act on the later puzzles. You also have the option to do a puzzle in any chapter on the main menu. There is also saving, as opposed to the SNES version which used passwords. The GBC version is a bit of a remix of the SNES version.  It's cuter and a bit more colorful, also, not as dark as the SNES version. It's easy to pick up and you'll learn as you do, so there aren't any tutorials, necessarily.

If you like pushing puzzle games, you'll enjoy this. If not, oh well. Mostly fun though, even later on.

Translation patch: http://www.romhacking.net/trans/29
Gameplay vid (SNES version, but same gameplay as GBC version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1afCnate1A

MetalGun Slinger [sic] [Game Boy Advance]

Description:  Pretty standard run and gun platformer stuff, but it's got a few twists. For one, you can roll forward and backward in addition to sliding, and jumping out of a roll lets you do a high jump or crouching into a shot lets you do a laying down shot forward or upward on your back. By killing demons and other beasties, you get badges and arts, which alter your gun's firing (sometimes), your super weapon (among such: a machine gun, a rocket launcher, and a few others), and the kind of art move you can use. You can enter certain passages and kill a generic "wanted" crook, even re-enter to try again if he gets away. As far as I know, there's no real point to doing this other than to get a black diamond, which once you get 4 of, raise your HP one star. In addition to standard platforming and crook nabbing, you'll occaisonally play endurance autoscroll sessions with a side character driving some vehicle, with a mid boss at the end. The bosses are pretty tough. They don't go down without a fight and you'd best use your moves well if you're to keep alive since they hit pretty hard. The music is okay, kind of FM like, really. The graphics are decent, not too bad, but not great, they look like an SNES conversion, despite being made for the GBA. The control takes a while to get used to, though. You go pretty fast and jump pretty high, but you fall a bit fast, and fall faster when you fire your gun in mid air, regardless of the direction you shoot. You can fire while running or keep firing while standing still and aim for a fixed kind of shot (you can't aim your super shots though). Difficulty is pretty average and depends more on how you plan to play (run and flip in guns a-blazin' or cautiously move around). Other than that it's pretty fun and requires no japanese to enjoy.

(translation unavailable as far as I know)
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLb__ngm_Cs (out of sync, unfortunately)

Ninja Five-O (AKA Ninja Cop) [Game Boy Advance]

Description: Taking elements from the original Shinobi and Bionic Commando, Ninja Five-O plays quite nicely. While your ninja character moves a bit slowly on foot and can't jump too high, he can slide to speed things up a bit, or he can swing around leaping to great heights and distances thanks to his extendable hook. But you've got to be sneaky at times, since this is a hostage situation. While on easy mode, you can accidentally kill a few hostages, but on normal, doing so will cost you some life, and will cost you an even greater chunk on hard, so be careful. If need be though, you can use your ninja magic to turn invincible to go for an upclose save with your blade or attack the entire screen without leaving a scratch on the hostages (either effect used depends on your magic bar). You'll need to plan your movements and strikes as well as keep on your toes for ambushes and sneak attacks. Bosses are never too hard, and most are fun to fight, as long as you catch onto their patterns. As for control, graphics, and sound, Ninja Five-o is like an arcade game that might have come out in the early 90's (in the best way possible). Control is tight, Graphics are as mentioned, very arcade-style, and have a very retro flair about them. Music is limited to a few songs used throughout the game, but they all sound great and are pretty catchy, exactly what you'd think of an older arcade. With Easy and Normal available at the start, fans of old-school titles and those who just enjoy platformers alike can pick this up no problem. Hard mode can really toss you for a loop though.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKU4upMDxjY (also out of sync)

One Piece (AKA Shonen Jump's One Piece) [Game Boy Advance]

Description: From the makers of Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure comes a game that's kind of similar and kind of not. One Piece takes the stylings of DBAA, and improves on the platforming, while ditching the pseudo-fighting game parts. In a way, it's a good thing, since levels are generally more refined. Luffy interacts more with his environments as well. His stretchy body also allows a few other skills like extendable punches and inflating himself to be launched out of a cannon (and later, reflecting certain projectiles). While DBAA was more concentrated on story, One Piece is more centered on action, specifically getting your bounty up. While essentially a "score", you get bonuses after it hits certain numbers (this unlocks new moves and life and super bar upgrades), although it is easily broken by "cheating" (It's pretty obvious how to after a certain point). As for graphics, the environments are pretty neat, and fit the island feel well. Main characters (your crew and bosses) are mostly animated pretty well, but generic enemies not so much. Music has a sweet island flair, and is sometimes a little jazzy. Control is nice too, and although you have a bit less room due to the bigger sprites than DBAA, you never feel cramped. One thing that's pretty neat is the boss variety. True to the show, each mid-boss and boss has their own unique schtick which can make them pretty neat and at times, a bit challenging. If you've played DBAA, you can probably take normal on easily, so why not try hard mode? If you haven't played DBAA, you may not want to go hard depending on your platformer and beat'em up experience. I can't say DBAA is better than this, or the other way around. They both do things the other is a bit weak on quite well, despite the few flaws of their own. A great compliment to DBAA, but mighty fine on its own too.

Gameplay vids:
Stage 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3chxABcbNU
Boss 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcWG_Qk0S_8

Panorama Cotton [Genesis]

Description: If you've never played Cotton, that's okay, considering this game plays a bit differently than standard Cotton games. Instead of traditional side scrolling shmup action, Panorama Cotton uses a 3D kind of gameplay instead, while retaining most of the elements from it's 2d cousins, even "tea time". The action is fast and mostly smooth, but you still need to be alert for obstacles. The only real other big difference is the life meter. There's no lives, instead you take hits. You can choose how you want it to work on the menu. IIRC, the only way to refill life outside of score (assuming you set it that way) is from inbetween stages and continuing after death. While you can't automatically start from where you died, checkpoints do exist and aren't too far apart, so once you hit one, it won't be much longer until the boss. Control is pretty smooth, regardless of your speed, although this is one of the few shmups I can think of where speed change is actually handy, also done conveniently in a set of 3 as opposed to 4 or even 6.
Graphically, it has that "slightly ahead of its time" feel. There are quite a few things that seem a bit weak like the checkered tiles, but everything is pretty colorful and big, a bit surprising for the genesis. Music is... fitting I suppose. Difficulty is never much of a problem as long as you stay alert, but shmup beginners might want to take this one with a bit cautiously. It gets a bit tough, but it's generally fun as you zip around and even find hidden paths.

(translation unavailable as far as I know)
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0m0t7SWKyI (Vid seems to be going slower than game. It might be using 50 FPS instead of 60)

Quackshot starring Donald Duck [Genesis]

Description: Before Maui Mallard, there was Quackshot. Quackshot may look a bit primitive compared to its more action-packed, more animated cousin, but it makes up for it in depth. When you get more items, you can move on in old areas. Everything is mostly bright and cheery, really bringing out the Genesis' potential pretty well. The ruins and dungeons are nicely detailed too, although never getting to "grimdark" levels. Donald doesn't have too many moves of his own, so he has to rely on his gun which fires plungers, popcorn, and exploding bubblegum to get where he needs to be. The plungers are a nice touch, particularly the second set onward, as you can use them as safety in case you miss a jump or even use them to get around certain areas instead of just going the way you might otherwise. They are also handy in that you can use them to stun enemies which can make them drop food, ammo, or 1-ups. There's a few boss fights, although nothing too hard to deal with. As for the stages, you mostly have what you might expect in a grand expedition title, a city, ruins, deserts, and so on. Each of them are amusing to playthrough though, despite being a bit on the cliche side. The music is pretty upbeat and pseudo-spooky at
times, but it all fits the title quite well though. The control is a bit laid-back, but it fits the feel of the game. You can slide continously, run, and if you eat a number of peppers, plow through enemies while invincible for a short while so it isn't exactly slow either. Unlike certain parts of the Lucky Dime Caper and Deep Duck Trouble games, difficulty is nice and easy, never getting too hard, although it does get just a little bit tougher as you progress. Platformer lovers and beginners alike can enjoy this.

Gameplay vids:
Duckburg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReqkwkGKi9k
Mexico (part 2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzlgdDKgbTk
Transylvania: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzlgdDKgbTk

Revelations: The Demon Slayer/Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible [Game Boy Color/Game Gear]

Description: As the second Megaten title to hit outside of Japan, it really shows Jack Bros what for. Going a more traditional, Dragon Quest-y route instead of the 3D dungeons, Revelations retains its Megaten roots quite well. You have the option to talk a monster into joining your party, along with summoning them to fight at your side in battle. Although, you can only have one of the same kind, encouraging you to get as many different and powerful monsters as you can. That's not to say some of the ones you have are flat out useless, as you eventually get access to the ability to fuse them into even greater monsters. You also gain two other non-monster allies (one with said fusing ability, and one who acts more as a mage). The story is a bit strange and, at times, a bit hard to follow, but you'll usually know where you need to go. There is benefit in doing some exploring though, as you can get some powerful hidden monsters by collecting certain items. As for battles, everything is pretty traditional, no real bells and whistles other than monster talking. Difficulty is fairly decent, and if you're pretty wise about getting good monsters, you'll be able to let them take care of any battle difficulties with ease. For a 1992 game, it's rather impressive, but it does show its age in some areas. The graphics aren't all that great, and the music, while catchy, has that early gameboy game feel. Control is a bit slow (without frameskip) until you get the flying ark, too. The game gear version looks and sounds nicer, and goes a tad faster, but it's all japanese, which can be a bit of a problem. This is a pretty good classic RPG if you like those sorts of things, however beginners might get bored a bit quick and potentially have some trouble with the early difficulty spike.

(translation unavailable for game gear version as far as I know)
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re1okKv4ZZ0 (much later in game, obviously) (ignore the intro)

Sylvan Tale [Game Gear]

Description: While this is compared to Zelda, it's a bit more like Monster World 2: Dragon's Trap with Zelda like elements in it. Unlike Dragon's trap, You are mostly a human, armed only with a sword, although you get a sword ability early on and another much later. This ability is essentially the game's "Power attack" as you'll be using it alot, especially during boss battles. Early on, you'll also gain access to your first form change. As opposed to gadgets, bombs, or things like that, you'll change form to one of 4 "animals": a turtle, mouse, mole, and merman (plus a "secret" fifth) to solve certain puzzles and proceed where your human form could not. This can be done at anytime as long as you have the forms to do so. Dungeons aren't too difficult, but enemies do make you think of how to approach them at times, as running in to hack and slash doesn't always work. The same goes with bosses, who can deal out some pretty nasty damage at times. Control is nice and smooth. Music is rather impressive, with great melodies. The composer also did
music for some Panzer Dragoon games. The game is gorgeous, really bringing the color out in the Game Gear. At times, with a little more detail, it looks like it could have easily been a Genesis game. Difficulty is never too bad aside from the endurances near the tail end of the game, but you should be fine as long as you use your fruit wisely. Fans of Zelda and Action RPGs in general are likely to enjoy this one, regardless of their experience. Although the game can be found pre-patched with relative ease, the link also includes a second patch to change the repetive menu loop to an actual song used in-game, so use it if you find the original menu song bothersome.

Translation and music patch: http://www.romhacking.net/trans/67
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkoeg7Q_y4s (much later in game, obviously) (ignore the intro)

The Tower of Druaga [TurboGrafx-16]

Description: Tower of Druaga pretty much defines "hardcore" game. It's hard, sometimes just plain cheap. There's only a few songs. Gameplay is primitive, and chances of you getting frustrated are extremely large. Thankfully, you have the option of unlimited lives (assuming you don't play on higher difficulties). So why would anyone in their right mind want to play this then? Well, it's strangely fun in a sort of masochistic way. That, and beating it feels like a real accomplishment. Compared to the original arcade version, this one isn't that bad either. In addition to a minor graphical update, you also have items and equipment to increase your abilities. As another bonus, you can also increase your stats further after each stage. Increasing your abilities makes the game much more tolerable, however, it's still kind of hard, even after all that. A translation exists to change the items and between-stage hints to English, although at times, they're still cryptic (if you thought la-mulana was bad about this, just wait until you see some of these). You'll want to listen to them though, as they yield chests when you finish the floor's task. Said chests yield items and gear for usage, and it's mandatory on one floor near the end. If you feel like getting your ass handed to you, but enjoy when games do so, then this is just the game to do so.

Translation patch: http://www.romhacking.net/trans/1104
Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwTpQWohypk

Uninvited [NES]

Description: There's actually very little to say about Uninvited that won't spoiler anyone who hasn't played it. In short, it's a point and click adventure from the makers of Shadowgate and Deja Vu. You find items which, depending on the effect, may or may not help you get past obstacles in order to beat the game. This is one of those games where exploration may be just as good for you as it may not be. Like SG and DV, things are not always as they appear, and you should use caution before you act. Not doing so could lead to less than favorable results. Graphics are a bit dated, but the older nature of them gives them a nice eerie feeling. Music is fitting, to say the least. Gameplay is what you'd expect from a point and click game, although through a d-pad and buttons instead. It's hard to really give the game a difficulty, since anyone can technically play it, as long as they are able to without getting spooked easily. If you prefer a nice, wholesome game without any of that fast-paced action, but still retains that heart-racing excitement you get from it, then Uninvited may be your cup of tea. Watch the video if you don't mind ruining the surprise, but it's far more fun to experience first hand.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Kcv04Bnp4

Valkyrie no Densetsu (Legend of Valkyrie) [TurboGrafx-16 and Arcade]

Description: Valkyrie's adventure is a rather interesting one. Despite being made right around the late 80's/early 90's (depending on the version), it shows off some pretty fancy visuals, effects, and some gameplay elements that would not be common for a while. The game plays a bit like a Commando-esque run n' gun, but you run on "hits" as opposed to lives. As a result, you won't lose some of your better weapon upgrades when hit. You can also buy weapon upgrades through wandering salesmen and a few magic spells, which have various effects. Environments are quite vivid and at times pretty impressive when you consider the hardware. Enemies are pretty generic, but have that amusing little Namco charm about them,. Bosses are pretty neat though, especially the huge lava boss. There's only a handful of songs, but they're pretty catchy. Valkyrie controls a little stiff,
but once you get a sense of how she moves and jumps, it's not too bad. As for difficulty, it's pretty easy to pick up and play. You don't need to know japanese for most of the game, except that there is a short quiz section later on. You might guess your way through it, but I'd recommend checking an FAQ, as getting questions wrong costs 1 heart each time you do so. There's also 2-player, where player 2 controls Xandra, a green... thing, although he controls just like Valkyrie. As for which version to play, it depends. There's all around better specs of graphics and music on arcade, however the TG16 version isn't boxed in and differs in some parts of levels, making the latter more of a remix. They aren't quite exactly the same so, hell, you might as well play both. The arcade version can be a bit cheaper at times though, but infinite continues (assuming you emulate) sort of makes up for it.

(translation unavailable as far as I know)
Gameplay vids:
Arcade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oPeLSTkIDI
TG16: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXuGQ6QZ3Xw

Wade Hixton's Counter Punch [Game Boy Advance]

Description: This is somewhat of a homage to both console versions of Punch-Out and Super Punch-Out. The fighting is a bit more similar to the first, while the characters are stranger than the second. Early on, matches drag on a bit since you lack super attacks, but once you get them, along with some other skills, you can turn the tide much faster in classic punch out style. Unlike most games where you would want to get straight to the action, some of the character interactions are actually kind of amusing, if you don't mind offbeat humor. The characters include a pimp, a shaman, a demon from hell, a gorilla, and more. Each also has a super attack of their own, but they can be dodged or cancelled with proper timing. This game has some nice animation. The boxers are huge, yet have just enough frames to be detailed but fast and fluid at the same time. Even the backgrounds fit well with the characters, making the whole thing seem more like a cartoon. The music has quite a variety, with each boxer having their own theme and style of music, a nice touch that gives each boxer and the area you fight in a real sense of atmosphere. Control can take a brief moment to get used to, but by the time the first fight ends, you should have the hang of it. Difficulty starts slightly above average, but gets easier with the more you unlock, and if you need a bit of help early on, hire one of the assist characters (preferably the mechanic). Boxing fans and beginners can both enjoy this, although the last bouts, particularly the final one, are a bit tough.

Gameplay vids:
Sweetness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFsmrFBUMYU
Gus Incubus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCPAOFbxNoA

Xexyz [NES]

Description: Xexyz is a platformer with very light exploration elements crossed with horizontal shmup action, reminiscent of gradius, but more simple. While walking around, you can pick up some weapons and a few items to use. The environments start out a bit average, but they get more interesting as you get further. Outside of boss battles, your shmup weapons are limited to a single one as you are unable to buy others while riding. However, you usually get an appropriate one to use for the stage anyway, so no big loss. Bosses are fought as you ride a flying platform, so its a bit of a cross between the shooting and action stages. Bosses are some creepy creatures that are surprisingly colorful for the NES. While you have a life meter, enemies and bosses hit a bit hard, but there are a few shops for life refill and weapon upgrades. Graphically, it's pretty standard NES fare. The music is pretty decent too, not anything heart pumpingly exciting or nice and mellow, but it's generally okay. Control is mostly spot on. Jumps are made even easier with the wing boot, especially with turbo-fire. Nothing gets too hard in this game, and it's made even easier with turbo fire, so even beginners to platformers and shmups can play this as long as they watch their jumps over the more tricky parts and dodge most shots. Experienced players might like it too, despite the game feeling a bit basic.

Gameplay vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QluCp9YzBzo

Yoshi's Cookie [SNES]

Description: Yoshi's Cookie is a pretty average puzzle game alone, but in the later levels of standard mode and versus mode, it can get rather intense. Puzzle mode is a nice training session too, and can be used for those laid-back days. In standard mode, you match lines of cookies to clear them in a format that's similar to a rubik's cube. When you don't clear in one shot, back up cookies fall from top and right. Overflowing ends the game, so combo-clear fast. Versus mode is quite different. Cookies are unlimited in a 5x5 grid, and you're fighting the other player and your own timer. You can play against the computer, but it's a cheating dick, because it nearly always pulls off high combos and weird effects just about every time. As a result, you are encouraged to play with someone else if you do versus. The effects I mentioned earlier are annoying as hell, and perfect for a versus match. As far as I know, there are only 3: "blind" (which flashes your tiles constantly), "slave" (which lets the other player swaps your tiles), and another that masks your center 3x3 grid with ? tiles. The computer pulls this off all the time (mostly blind and slave) making versus mode suck alone. It's pretty fun when you have 2 actual players though. Graphics are okay. Music is a bit weird, but I guess fitting of puzzle game involving cookies. Control is nice as you can control it similarly to puzzle league, but contolling an entire axis as opposed to just two tiles at a time. As a puzzle game, it's easy to figure out so beginners can enjoy this just as much as puzzle nuts. For versus, it just depends on who you play, really.

Gameplay vids:
1P: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjfaVyzW9fQ
VS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YerlmF8kBiw (GC version. Same concept but never came out outside of japan)

Zombies ate my Neighbors [SNES]

Description: Zombies Ate my Neighbors is part survival horror and part run and gun while tossing in a shelf of campy B Movies. Your main focus is less about killing the zombies, so much as clearing a path to save the victims in order to exit the stage. The victims are as important as your own lives and life bar, because if they all die, it's game over. As only the number of survivors carries over to the next stages, you are highly encouraged to save them all in every stage you can. You get a number of awkward weapons including: your basic squirt gun, soda pop bombs, a suped up weed whacker, and so on. But you do get a few REAL weapons such as a bazooka, a flamethrower, and a few others. The bazooka is extremely useful for damage and breaking down certain walls and doors. The downside is the really low ammo. In addition, there are also a few, but incredibly handy, items. The most invaluable is the first aid kit. Some other items are a pandora's box (which hits nearly every enemy onscreen, or one enemy alot), a monster potion (which transforms you into a nigh invincible beast), and some speed up shoes. ZAMN can be pretty hectic at times, but it's all about using everything at your disposal wisely and figuring out the best path to save victims. Odds are you'll likely game over the first time around, but that's what passwords are for. Graphics are pretty decent, nothing spectacular. Music has a nice eerie and campy feel to it, and works pretty well for each level it changes. Control is great. Not only can you move and attack in 8 directions, but the interface is easy to use and switch out items and weapons. You go pretty fast too, even without the speed shoes. Difficulty is progressive, but the entire game gets
easier the more you play and memorize locations of victims, weapons, and items. If you really need help, or just want to have a little extra fun, then go 2-player.

Gameplay vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDp6P_I7q2g

Well, that's the end.

I'll be back before christmas with 24 slightly less obscure games you may or may not have played, but might be interested in.

nice list playing Iridion II right now

Xexyz sucks, and Iridion II is pretty good. However, its pseudosequels (Nanostray series) are infinitely better.

And Zombies ate My Neighbors is one of the best games to play with a friend ever.

>>28
>I'll be back before christmas with 24 slightly less obscure games
But...those aren't obscure games you listed.

>>31
Some of them are. I mean, for fuck's sake, who the hell knows about Aoi Blink outside of a few people who don't speak japanese?

>>32
yo lo juge puto gringo Aoi Blink es un buen juego
muerte a los greengoes

>>33
Could you rephrase that? Possibly in Ebonics?

>>33
www.usingenglish.com

>>35
http://www.aerisdies.com/cats/cat870p1.html

>>35
muerte a los gringos!

Gringo (feminine, gringa) is a Spanish and Portuguese word used in Latin America to denote people from the United States, but in some cases it is also used to denote any foreign non-native speakers of Spanish (regardless of race), especially English-speakers.[1] Anglophones may consider the word pejorative, and dictionaries such as the American Heritage Dictionary classify gringo as "offensive slang", "usually disparaging", and "often disparaging....

yes and death to you too! you retarded wanabe don quixote hispanic buttboy!

>>38
vete a chingar a tu re puta madre gringito de mierda

>>38

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