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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Memories #23: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts


The first time I had ever heard of Super Ghouls'n Ghosts was through a special edition of one of Electronic Gaming Monthly's magazines. This particular issue each had a section devoted to the Genesis and SNES with a list of top 10 games for each. Among the SNES picks was Super Ghouls'n Ghosts. Due to space, they didn't go into detailed length on each game listed, but the difficulty of Super Ghouls'n Ghosts was mentioned. I'd read that EGM in 1998.

I wouldn't actually play Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts until early 2001. Long before GameStop became the king of video game retailers, some associated stores were called Funco Land and it was here that I found a copy. I kept that EGM issue within sight frequently and had begun to mark games on those top tens off the list as I collected them. Seeing as how Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts was only $9.99, I gladly parted with my money. Kinda wish I had a time machine. Not so I could warm my past self of what lay before him. So I could laugh out loud for about 30 seconds and then leave.

The less than stellar North American box art.
By the time I picked up Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, the game was about 10 years old. Even so, gaming in 2001 was a bit different than it is today. Word didn't spread as quickly about a game as it does in the times we live in now. It is no secret that Cuphead is a game that will shatter your happiness. The odds of anyone finding out how brutal that game is all on their own are extremely rare. I can tell you that discovering how ball bustingly hard a game is all on your own makes for quite the experience.

As I popped the game into my SNES, sat back and enjoyed some the 16-bit cut scene. "Another damsel that needs to be rescued? I've played dozens of Super Mario games. I got princess rescuing on lock." OK so I wasn't thinking that but I do recall approaching the game with some level of confidence. Said confidence was quickly obliterated.

Oh, joy! All the other areas of the game I'll
never get to see!
Right off the bat, Arthur felt so much stiffer to most characters I was accustomed to controlling in side scrolliners. What made it easier in a game like Castlevania is that Belmont and company weren't being swarmed by enemies. Zombies would constantly pop out of the ground, wolves would pounce from high ledges, ghosts would appear out of thin air to give chase. This was just the first stage and it felt like mass sensory overload. As if to rub salt into the wound, every death would bring up the map, screen, showing me that I had quite a ways to go.

How I spent most of my (alive) time in this
game: in my underwear.
I remember holding my controller in disbelief, thinking "How can the first level of a game be this difficult?" Mercifully, the game had checkpoints and after dying to wolves, zombies and ghosts, I came across something else that wanted dead: the freaking ocean. The first level of Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts has a nasty tidal wave section that I died on over and over and over and over again. I must have died more than 20 times but for some reason, probably sheer stubbornness, I pressed on and against insane odds, I managed to clear the first stage.

Stage two took place on a ship and had more those annoying ghosts I'd come to love from the first level. As if that wasn't bad enough the water level would rise as I progresed through the stage and wouldn't you know it, Arthur couldn't swim! Before I passed level 2, I died more than 30 times. The only reason I didn't throw in the towel was because it took me forever to pass the first level but somewhere between all those deaths, I must have realized that this game was not going to get any easier and that I didn't have the dexterity that this game clearly demanded, nor did I feel like investing the time to acquire it. I actually did manage to make it to the third stage but by the time I did, I was mentally drained and shortly after dying for the billionth time, I turned the game off.

I thought Stage 1 was a killer. Then I made
it hear and built up an even higher death count.
I wouldn't play Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts again until 2005 when I picked up the Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1 on the PS2. This compilation release also contained Ghouls 'n Ghosts, the predecessor to Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, but Ghosts 'n Goblins, the game that started the entire series. Playing Ghosts 'n Goblins was a real eye opener. Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts was originally released exclusively for the SNES, a home console. Ghosts 'n Goblins and was released in arcades. All of a sudden, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts quarter consuming difficulty made perfect sense. My time spent with the original Ghosts 'n Goblins showed me that it is a much, much, much much harder game than Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts could ever hope to be.

Its actually kind funny when I look back on my first experiences with Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Most of my time was spent dying in that game. And yet, for as much agony as the game cause me, I don't hate it. If I were to harbor any feelings of animosity towards a game in this franchise, it would probably be Ghosts 'n Goblins because despite the classic status it holds, it is full of plain bad game design. I think Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts a wonderful soundtrack, composed my Mari Yamaguchi (she also wrote the music to Mega Man 5 and the SNES version of U.N. Squadron/Area 88). The Map jingle (one I heard over and over thanks to dying so many times) is actually one of my favorite game jingles and the music for Stage 2 sounds so lovely. Maybe one day I'll return to Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. I think this might be one of the games in Capcom's demon world village franchise that I could actually finish.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Favorite Tunes #201: Rise From Your Grave

It is once again that time of the year, Halloween. This is when I usually present a round of spooky themed music. Horror is far from being my favorite genre in anything, but that hasn't stopped me from getting a kick out of some ghoulish music, especially of the gaming kind.

Stage 2 - Ghouls'n Ghosts (ARC)


Long before Resident Evil came along, Capcom had a whole different game of horror: the raged induced, controller throwing fit kind. Ghouls'n Ghosts, the second entry in the Ghosts 'n Goblins series is actually easier than the original game and it's SNES made sequel, Super Ghouls'n Ghosts. Despite owning just about every game in this series, I've never invested the time it takes to get better at them. I always like it when the game throws you a upbeat music piece to go with a hard game/tough level. This track is so dang hummable.

Rise From Your Grave - Altered Beast (ARC)


Before Sonic the Hedgehog came onto the scene, the Genesis port of this co-op was the pack in game for SEGA's 16-bit machine. I gave the soundtrack a listen recently and I was quite surprised at how well the music is. I never played much of Altered Beast but I always remember those cool transformations, which was a huge draw to this game for many. You can expect more jams from different versions of Altered Beast to pop up in the future here in Favorite Tunes.

Creeping through the Sewers Chrono Trigger (SNES)


Ah, Chrono Trigger, a 16-bit classic. Most of this game's score was handled by Yasunori Mitsuda but Nobou Uematsu and Noriko Matsueda also had a hand in this soundtrack. This is one of Uematsu's tracks and Halloween felt like the perfect chance to break it out.

Legendary Ghost - Cuphead (PC, XBO)


Yes, I know I used a song from Cuphead last week, but the game is still topical and I LOVE this soundtrack. The subtitle for Cuphead is "Don't Deal with the Devil." Words to live by. Cuphead's money fueled actions land him and Mugman into a world of trouble, filled with form changing bosses, perils run and gun action and one of this year's best game scores. If your parry game is on point, the Legendary Ghost will reward you with a skill upgrade that will make your journey slightly easier.

Dual Scream - Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)


No longer taking place in a single, huge mansion, Dark Moon takes you through numerous mansions for all kinds of ghost busting havoc. In his first quest, Luigin was given the Game Boy Horror to keep contact with Professor E. Gadd. In Dark Moon, he's given the Dual Scream, complete with a chiptune-like ringtone.

Vampire Killer (X68000 ver.)  - Castlevania Chronicles (PS)


In 2001, Castlevania Chronicles was released on the PS. This was an updated version of the Sharp X68000's Akumajo Dracula, which originally released in Japan in 1993. This marked the first time the game had ever seen a release outside of Japanese shores and it was a return to the more traditional, non Metroidvania style games. As a bonus, the game had multiple soundtracks, an arranged version and the original X68000 tunes. This is one of my favorite renditions of the classic Vampire Killer theme.

Favorite Tunes Database

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Super Mario Odyssey: And Now We Wait


October 27th is every much within our grasp. What is the 27th of October? To most, I'm sure it is just another Friday. However, for video game nerds, it is the Friday. For at long last, greatness will reign down upon us. I am of course talking about Super Mario Odyssey for all two of you that were not aware.

I was already planning to buy a Switch this year. Nintendo had a  really freaking good E3, with lots of gamers saying The Big N won the show.When Nintendo wowed us with that second trailer for Super Mario Odyssey, I didn't simply want a Switch. I needed a Switch. I needed to have that console/handheld hybrid in my home before October 27th so I could bask in what is very well looking like it is going to be the biggest Super Mario adventure for years to come. Thankfully, a co-worker was willing to sell me a Switch and I was able to avoid the hassle and not deal with bundles.

I've been loving my Switch since day one. I don't own many physical games for it outside of The Binding of Issac Afterbirth+ and Tiny Barbarian DX. I would love to have ARMS, Splatoon 2, Super Bomberman R, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle in my Switch library, but I opted to hold off on $50 $60 games because. The reason for this is due to me picking up my Switch in September. I bought a Pro controller with it so that was a hefty chunk of change to drop on day one. The release of Super Mario Odyssey was already beginning to creep up on me, and if I was gonna laid down $60 for any Switch game soon, it had to be this one.

You know those games that you're really super excited for? Yeah, picking up a game you want always makes you happy but those games you undoubtedly know are going to be special, filled with such wonder and amazement? Those games are the most difficult ones to wait for. Whenever you're hyped up about one of these games, time always seems to slow down to a crawl to torture you. As I write this, it is October 25th a little after 10PM and all day time has slowly ticked away. I've already got my copy of Super Mario Odyssey paid off and I'm going up to my GameStop for the midnight release. I'm off on Friday so my day is already mapped out. I'm rocking back and forth at my computer desk in anticipation, looking at my phone's Super Mario Odyssey themed wallpaper, grinning like an idiot. The wait for this game is killing me.

The wait for Super Mario Odyssey reminds me of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It was one of the first games I ever pre-ordered and the final three day wait of that game seemed like such a slog. I reserved my copy at Best Buy and when I went to school on Tuesday, I found out that some of my schoolmates had gotten their copies on Monday. Some had gotten them on Tuesday and I felt like I'd gotten shafted. Turns out pre-ordering at Best Buy was a blessing in disguise because Wednesday was the last day before Thanks Giving break kicked off. Wednesday was also the day Best Buy got their copies of Ocarina of Time in so that meant, I could spend days playing this game. That is exactly what I did. After spending several hours in my room, the first thing my dad asked me as if I could see anything other than a tiny green elf. Ahhhhh, such good times.

As the days have drawn closer to the release of Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo has revealed more and more of the game. I've intentionally avoided every morsel of info that Nintendo has given us because I want to experience of single thing about this game for myself. This game is going to plop Mario in huge, strange, exotic locals and I'm itching to roam through every one of them. I went to some of my favorite games this year without knowing a lot and I think my experience was enhanced greatly for that. For those that want to soak up everything about Super Mario Odyssey before release like a sponge, I've got nothing against that. Go nuts. Me, I want to go in and come out slack jawed surprised.

I want to roam the lands as a vicious T-rex. I want to dress Mario up as a chef. I want to climb atop the skyscrapers of New Donk City and leap off because why not? I took my sweet time saving Zelda in Breath of the Wild. I am in no rush at all to stop Peach from marrying Bowser. This is gonna be the kind of game in which stepping away from it will feel like tearing your arm off.

If you're thinking of getting a Switch and getting this game as a Christmas gift for a loved one, buy one now. Like, right now. Once the holiday season kicks in, trying to find a Switch will be just as difficult as it was earlier this year. Super Mario Odyssey much like Breath of the Wild is going to make the desire for a Switch for those that don't have one all the more enticing. Now if you will excuse me, I'm outta here to do some more painful waiting.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Favorite Tunes #200: Towards Another 200

Well, here we are, Favorite Tunes numero 200. Back when I was still trying to decided the direction I wanted my blog to take, I think I always knew in the back of my mind that video game music would play a large part in it. Heck, the name of my blog comes from a self compiled compilation album that I never got around to putting together. My love for video game music and video games in general is why I continue to do this. Originally, Favorite Tunes would consist of ten tracks per post to make things easier on myself, I trimmed it down to six. For special occasions like this one, however, I crank the number back up to what it was originally. So here are 10, count 'em 10 video game jams that range all across the board.

Undertale - Undertale (PC, PS4)


Undertale is another example of a worthwhile Kickstarter. This RPG is loaded with characters that burst with personality and turned based battles that are really fun. The soundtrack is a mix of modern and chiptune music, the later which uses multiple sound fonts from games like Mega Man X and Final Fantasy VI. The game's main theme, Undertale, is arranged many times over throughout the game and it never gets old.

Threatin' Zepplin - Cuphead (PC, XBO)


For a mere $20, you can own one of the most gorgeous, punishing, boss filled, run & gun games on your PC or Xbox One. (I'm really hopping this baby comes to other consoles). Cuphead is a living cartoon with a fantastic old timey jazz soundtrack. Sonic Mania, you've got some competition  for game soundtrack of the year because I loooooove jazz.

Super Sonic - Sonic Mania (PS4, XBO, NS, PC)

Wallpaper by NuryRush
Speak of the devil. (Heh). I have played through Sonic Mania numerous times since it released. While it isn't my favorite Sonic game (Sonic 3 & Knuckles still holds that title), it is an superb effort and joins the ranks of one of my favorites. One of the issues for console versions of Sonic Mania was that it lacked a button for super form transformations. Depending on the character you are and where you're at, accidentally triggering your super form could get you killed. This, thankully is no longer an issue. As much as I love Sonic 3 & Knuckles, it sucks that the super music is nothing but the short looping invincibility music. Sonic Mania has a whaling guitar arrangement of the game's main theme that is so dang good that I don't mind it replacing the normal background music.

Rito Village (Day) - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U, NS)


Music from Breath of the Wild has appeared many times in Favorite Tunes this year. The soundtrack may be more subdued compared to other games in the series but it still stands out in my mind. Players that arrived in Rito Village were met with a wave of nostalgia rushing over theme. The theme for Rito Village an arrangement of Dragon Roost Island from Wind Waker, a big fan favorite theme. The Night variation is cool but for me, make mine all Day every day.

Moon Song - Cave Story (NS)


The Switch version of Cave Story is the latest release in the game's 13 year history. It comes with all the features from Cave Story+ and a new arranged soundtrack by RushJet1, which is pretty rad, I must say. Moon Song is sad, yet beautifully soothing song that plays as you make you way up the Outer Wall, making it an area in the game you won't forget.

Mission 2 (Cilius Moon Weapon Factory) - Sol-Deace (GEN)


Released on other platforms such as the Sharp X68000 and the Sega CD under the original title Sol-Feace, the Genesis version was the first time I'd ever heard of this game. I saw a complete copy and the box art intrigued me. Without knowing anything about the game, I picked it up and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't anything ground breaking, but I was just glad I didn't walk out with a turd. What might surprise you if you've never heard of this game is that the soundtrack is done by the man that is mainly known for his work on Bandai Namco's Tales series, Motoi Sakuraba. Even on the Genesis version of this game's score is freaking awesome.

Daddy Mulk (Stage 1, 6) - The Ninja Warriors (ARC)


Fed up with the awful state the president has put the world in, Mulk builds to android ninjas and sends them out to end his existence. For years, the best version of the original Ninja Warriors was the Sega CD version, which was not only on a platform that not many owned, but this version also stayed in Japan. Hamster recently released The Ninja Warriors under the Arcade Archives line, which perfectly recaptures the original game's three screen format. If you want to play this game without coughing up a huge chunk of change for arcade cabinet or resorting to MAME, $7.99 on the PSN store can't be beat. Daddy Mulk is still one of the best first level songs, like, ever.

Step Into It! - Strider Hiryu (ARC)


He may be one of the many inaccurate representations of a Ninja, but Strider is still freaking cool. That sick scarf, that awesome blade and that astoundingly good stage one theme! Cows that are holy, it is SO good! CPS I soundtracks may sound a bit rough compared to CPS II soundtracks but Capcom's sound team was well versed in composing memorable scores. When one thinks of Strider, this is the theme that comes to mind.

Mute City - F-ZERO (Arranged album version)


You remember F-ZERO, don't you? It's that killer futuristic racing series that Nintendo refuses to bring back because Shigeru Miyamoto can't think of a new way for us to control Captain Falcon and company's racing machines. This particular arrangement of Mute City comes from a very old album titled, F-ZERO, a soundtrack that was released only in Japan with jazzy arrangements of all of the track themes. If you ever wanted proof that the Land of the Rising Sun gets all the cool stuff, well, here ya go.

Tea With Ellie - For Cyan City Act 1 - Sonic After the Sequel (PC)


If you have not played Sonic After the Sequel, well, first play Sonic Before the Sequel, then play After the Sequel. These are both excellent fan games with amazing soundtracks on par with official Sonic titles. This past August a DX version for After the Sequel was released with some improvements among them being the Drop Dash that was used in Sonic Mania. Falk was one of the composers for both Before and After the Sequel and I'd love to see him compose some tunes for an official Sonic game someday. This track in particular is one that I listen to on repeat. I love how the second loop of this song mixes things up a bit.

Favorite Tunes Database

Friday, October 20, 2017

Remix of the Week: King Dice (Cuphead)

If you aren't raging over Cuphead's brutality, you're jamming out to the incredible jazz inspired soundtrack. It was only a matter of time before Cuphead remixes and covers started cropping up but if you want to hear one of the very best, look no further than Loeder's 8-bit cover of King Dice's Die House theme. It's every bit as smooth as the original tune.


Super Mario Odyssey's Jump Up, Super Star! Available on iTunes


UPDATE: The song is now available on iTunes worldwide store for $1.29! Go get it!

Without a doubt one of the best things about this game (among many, I'm sure) is the super dance worthy, catch theme Jump Up, Super Star! When Nintendo exposed us all to that baby at this year's E3, we could not get enough of that jam. I'm surprised YouTube's replay button still works after I listened to that song over and over again. Well, the song is now up on iTunes Japanese store for 250 yen. That is roughly $2.20 in US dollars. If you know how to purchase music on iTunes Japanese store, you can get the song here. Hopefully the song will be available for purchase on digital stores outside of Japan.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Can We Talk About Pre-Order Culture?

I kind of feel like I'm sticking my hand into the lion's den with this one. It has become the bane of existence for many a gamer. The funny thing is, pre-ordering video games wasn't always in the sad, pathetic state that it wallows in today.

Once upon a time, pre-ordering was simply a means to make sure you got a game you wanted on day one. Sometimes you'd even get some cool physical stuff to take home with you for dropping some pre-order bones. Do you remember a game by the name of Viewtiful Joe? It was one of the Capcom Five that was to be exclusive to the GameCube (we all know how that business turned out) , released in 2003. Greatly looking forward to the game, I deiced to pre-order it and for doing so, I was given a Joe bobblehead. I could have gotten a Viewitiful Joe bobble, but the store was all out of those. Nevertheless, Joe is something that is still in my possesion, sitting atop one of my gaming shelves alongside a copious amount of other gaming memorabilia.

2003 also saw the release of Soul Calibur II. This was another game I pre-ordered (the GCN version because Link!) and to my surprise, when I picked up my copy, I was given an art book filled with the various weapons found in the game. Do they even give away art books with pre-orders anymore? They really should.

Getting something you can hold in your hand for pre-ordering a game is rare today, but you can still get something physical. My pre-orders of Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy and Metroid: Samus Returns netted me an Aku Aku and Samus keychain respectively. Aku Aku currently hands on the wall, protecting my desk and laptop. These things aren't anything huge, but they are something and I really do appreciate that you occasionally get a little something extra for a pre-order. More importantly, that something extra isn't something that is needed to enhance my enjoyment of a game, or rather, it isn't part of the game that I wouldn't have access to.

For many, many publishers, pre-orders are used as a means to push "bonus" content on consumers. This "bonus" content is usually in the form of character skins, missions, you know, stuff that you could have and should have been able to unlock in the game by playing. They call it "bonus" content, but in truth, it is content that was purposely withheld from the player. Unless you fork over some pre-order dough, you ain't getting the whole nine yards. It is sooooo important that publishers get your money when a game releases, that they've turned pre-ordering into one of the most despised things about modern gaming. You reward for pre-ordering is a chunk of the game given back to you.

Ubisoft revealed that the "bonus" content for the upcoming Assassin's Creed Origins is locked out to anyone that doesn't pre-order the game. They were quite blunt about it, too.


As much as this may come cross as a giant middle finger to fans, at least it is honest. Honesty, however brutal, coming from freaking Ubisoft of all companies.

Now, I could just be one of those guys that says "It doesn't affect me because I don't play Assassin's Creed," but I'd be at fault for doing so. This affects anyone that plays video games because the very same methods are being used on other games. Sonic Forces, a game I'm really looking forward to, has pre-order bonus content in the form of custom character outfits. This stuff should be in the dang game, but nope, its only for pre-ordering customers. Everyone gets the Shadow DLC regardless of whether they pre-order Sonic Forces or not so why do we have to pre-order for for more customization wear?

The cost of game development may have risen but not every game needs to have an over inflated budget. Cuphead manages to sell over 1 million copies in the first two weeks of it's release without any of the pre-order BS that is associated with many other games. Yes, the game costs $20, chump change for a game today, but Cuphead had some very high production values. Those hand drawn visuals didn't come cheap. At the same time, Cuphead serves as a reminder that your game can make bank without trying to force the player into pre-order shenanigans. StudioDHMR Entertainment put out a high quality product and people bought it. No locked out content required.

If you can wait to buy the latest chapter in the Assassin's Creed series, you should do so. Game of the Year Editions always come with all the DLC and what not and Origins will more than likely have a release down the road with everything packed in as it should have been from the get go. But humans are impatient by nature so I already know there are a host of people that just gotta have Origins when it drops. For every Cuphead that releases, there will be 10 plus Assassin's Creed Origins and gamers will just assume the position every single time.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Begging for Switch Ports is Stupid

It has come to my attention that some game publishers think we should beg for games to be ported to the Switch. By "some game publishers" I mean Bandai Namco. The very notion that gamers should have to port beg for Switch titles is absurd.

Bandai Namco encouraging gamers to plead to on social media for Project CARS 2 to receive a Switch port is downright laughable, especially after the crap they pulled with the original Project CARS on the Wii U. For those that are unaware, the first Project CARS was going to be on the Wii U and owners of that platform even threw money towards the game to make it happen on Nintendo's previous home console. When all was said and done, Bandai Namco cancelled the game, saying it was too much for the Wii U to handle. Bandai Namco also said that Project CARS 2 would not be on the Switch. This was before the system came out and started making a killing.

Now all of a sudden Bandai Namco wants us to do some free advertising for Project CARS 2. If we bombard the developers of the game, maybe the publisher will consider releasing it for the Switch. No, you are not reading that wrong. The publisher, as in the ones that can easily release the dang game on the Switch, want us, US to hound Slightly Mad Studios for a Switch Port of Project CARS 2. 



This whole situation reminds me of Dragon Ball Fighter Z. I cannot wait to play this game and it can run on the Switch no problem. The only thing stopping it from coming to the Switch is Bandai Namco. If Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 does well on the Switch, they might consider bringing DBFZ to Nintendo's console/handheld hybrid. Yes, even after the Switch has sold like crazy, we've still got publishers testing the waters. 

The Wii U could have used a good racing sim, but this this is the Switch we're talking about, a system that mind you, hasn't even finished out it's first year, is hardly starved for games. Between the physical releases and the stuff on the eShop as of this writing, there's a plethora of titles to choose from on the Switch. Switch owners aren't gonna die if Project CARS 2 never sees the light of day on the console.

Bethesda is bringing Wolfenstein and Doom, freaking Doom to the Switch. They see that the Switch is a money maker and they want some of that dough. The best part about those games coming to the Switch, aside from it making other third parties look inept, is that gamers didn't have to beg for them. That Switch money talks and Bethesda clearly likes the language it speaks. I'm not sure what Bandai Namco is on but I'm not begging for a Project CARS 2 port and you shouldn't either. 

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Zoned


As I was working on one of my Favorite Tunes post, I came across this album. The cover made it look like a soundtrack that came straight out of the 1980s. Naturally, my interest was peaked, so I took a look. Man, am I ever glad I did.

Zoned is a Sonic the Hedgehog based arranged album. If you like funk then you're in for a major treat because this album is heavily rooted in it along with electronica of the '80s variety. As a big lover of that era, I certainly approve of the direction of this album, but then, this is the usual style of Opus Science Collective (OSC), the ones behind this bad boy. This is the first I've heard of these guys and while I'm really late to the party on this one (it was released in December of 2016), I'll be keeping an eye on future projects from them.

The music featured on Zoned covers the Classic era of Sonic games. Of course, Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2 and 3 get love, but I gotta give OSC major credit for paying tribute to Sonic's 8-bit games. Sonic Chaos, and the 8-bit versions of Sonic 1 and 2 get arrangements on this album. Sonic Chaos' Turquoise Hill Zone even leads the charge at being track number 2. Throughout the album are bits from various interviews sprinkled in from the people such as Masato Nakamura. It doesn't interfear with the music as much as you might think and it lends itself well to the type of music.

Zoned is a name your price download so you can throw some money at them or get it for free. If you're unsure about downloading this one, as always you can listen to each track on Bandcamp before going through with a download. This one is worth taking up a tiny portion of space on your computer, though, so just download it already.

Zoned

Friday, October 6, 2017

Re-Releases You Should Play Part 4

Hoo boy, I did not mean for this series to be MIA for over a year, but looking at the date of the last post, and that's exactly what happened. Anyway, welcome (back) to Re-Releases You Should Play. In this fourth installment, we've got Mega Man, an SNK shooter that is not to be missed and freaking robot ninjas!

Aero Fighters 2 (ARC)


The NEO-GEO was a killer home console, powerful enough to deliver arcade perfect versions of coin-op SNK games. Unfortunately, the cost of the system ($650) and the games (usually $200) meant that very few people could actually afford it. Getting your hands on SNK games these days won't break the bank and that's a very good thing because they've made some outstanding titles. While the Samurai Showdowns and Fatal Furys may be the ones that pop into your mind first, Aero Fighters 2 is certainly one to pay attention to.

Known as Sonic Wings 2 in Japan, Aero Fighters 2 is an old-school shoot 'em up that isn't quite bullet hell, but there are times when there are a moderate amount of bullets on the screen to make you sweat. There are a total of 10 stages, more than most shooters (even for 1994), but the levels are pretty short so they never overstay their welcome. While not revolutionary by any means, Aero Fighters 2 gets tons of replay points by offering you a whopping eight playable characters to choose from, each with their own abilities. Robo Keaton is a beast when it comes to rapid firing, Hi-En has an aircraft that comes equipped with guided missiles, Mao-Mao is the speediest of the bunch, you get the idea. The cast of characters is also quite the diverse bunch. We've got ninjas, cyborgs, dolphins and apparently, even babies can pilot a fighter jet. They all have something to say after clearing a stage, giving them a bit of personality.

Aero Fighters 2 is good, retro SHMUP fun that isn't too frustrating. Hamster has brought it to the Arcade Archives line so you can play both the English and Japanese version of the game, Sonic Wings 2. Being an ACA title, you can also adjust the difficult settings, input scan lines and all the perks that come with ACA games. It makes for an excellent Switch title.

Available On: PS4, NS

Undertale (PC)


By now, pretty much everyone on the planet has heard of this game. It is a game that is popular to hate due to the toxic community, but you shouldn't let that deter you from playing it. Undertale is filled with loads of lovable characters, innovative combat and a story that you'll ponder long after you've completed it. You can kill every opponent you encounter or not harm a soul, leading to different endings. The soundtrack is a mix of modern music and chiptunes with a main theme that is arranged so often in different ways that you'll never tire of it. After being on PC for two years, Undertale finally got a console release.

Available On: PS4

Mega Man 9 (Wii, PS4, 360)


When Mega Man 9 was originally announced in 2008, it was no small thing. At this time, there had not been a brand new classic Mega Man adventure since 1997's Mega Man 8. The game was returning to it's 8-bit NES roots, which delighted fans that were turned off by the differences Mega Man 7 and 8's visuals style brought about. Mega Man plays the same as any other Classic title in the main line series. There are 8 Robot Masters to battle, you can go to them in any order you wish and after you emerge victorious, you get their weapon. This game actually has some of the most useful weapons of the entire Classic series. Black Hole sucks up enemies, Tornado Blow elevates Mega Man and blows enemies off screen and Laser Trident is a pretty damaging weapon, even capable of going through the shields of those pesky Sniper Joes.

While Mega Man 9 is pretty awesome for the most part, it isn't without it's faults. Sure, Mega Man games have always been designed to be tough, but this game really lays it on thick, a title too thick. There is an over reliance on spikes for difficulty and by "over reliance," I mean they are everywhere. Some enemies can come out of nowhere, catching you off guard, resulting in some cheap deaths. Mega Man 9 also wears it's love for Mega Man 2 on it's chest. Jingles are ripped straight from Mega Man 2 and the remove of the Slide and Charge Shot was done to make the game more in line with the second entry. This makes Mega Man 9 feel like it's trying to be another Mega Man 2, rather than it's own thing. But even though it might be trying to be another game, Mega Man 9 is still more than worth your time. After nearly a decade, Mega Man 9 was finally given a physical release in the form of the Mega Man Legacy Collection 2.

Available  On: PS4, XBO, PC

The Ninja Warriors (ARC)



The story goes that Mulk is sick and tired of the President's less than idealistic rule of the world. To combat this, he builds two robots, Ninja and Kunoichi and sends them out to eliminate the President. Mulk's approach may seem like overkill but the President is being a real jerk, what with issuing nation wide Martial Law and letting the military run wild. Dude pretty much has that well deserved shanking comin'. Besides, I'm not gonna turn down the chance to play as a pair of badawesome ninjas and robot ninjas, no less!

Other beat 'em ups occasionally let you arm yourself from time to time. In The Ninja Warriors, you always carry a weapon on you, kunai, meaning you always get to cut someone and there are no shortage of fools to slice and dice. For long range attacks, you have a limited amount of ninja stars. Unlike a lot of other games in the genre, you don't have eight way movement. Instead, you can only move left and right. This may seem a bit limiting but you do get some more attack and defense options. You can crouch for low attacks both with the kunai and shuriken. You can also block, a features most beat 'em ups don't even give you and this is essential for certain enemy types.

While pretty much all of the mooks head straight for you, which may lead you to get cozy in your attack style, but after a while, they get a bit smarter and change their approach. More often than not, you'll attack the dogs by crouching. Do this too often and they'll start leading their attacks by jumping. Do standard high attacks too much and soldiers will attack by crouching. Try to block everything they throw at you and the game will start sending out Kite Man wannabes, forcing you to get on the offensive.

The Ninja Warriors can be very repetitive, even by beat 'em up standards, but it is still an aboslute thrill to play. For 1987, the sprites look really dang good and it feels great to dish out cyborg ninja justice on the world's oppressors. There's nothing quite like the feeling of your kunai connecting with an enemy soldier, ending his pitiful existence. Hamster delivers some of the best arcade versions of old games, making the Arcade Archives versions of The Ninja Warriors the best one available. Move over Sega CD version, you've been replaced.

Available On: PS4