SNES Snapshots
Quick reviews of some other Super Famicom games
Appleseed
| Genre: | Platform |
| Reading ability: | Not Required |
| Developer: | Visit |
I'm not a huge fan of Appleseed, but I was looking forward to seeing what this game was like. As you can see from the game's screenshot, it's not that impressive. For a platform game, it is really uneventful. I lost my interest in this game real fast, and the gameplay graphics stink. Seeing Deunan in this game just made me smirk. This game is only for people who just have to play a game that involves this storyline. But in my opinion, Deunan and Briareos have seen better days.
Astro Boy
| Genre: | Platform |
| Reading ability: | Not Required |
| Developer: | Zamuse |
Oh boy! This game is made by Zamuse, the people who brought us Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie! So why can't I get into this game? Well for one thing, I've never been a big fan of Astro Boy, a.k.a. Tetsuwan Atomu in Japan. Nevertheless, this is a charming platform game and the playability does not have a steep learning curve.
Axelay
| Genre: | Shooter |
| Reading ability: | US Release |
| Developer: | Konami |
Here you have a beautiful side scrolling shooter every other level that's interrupted by horrible looking, pseudo-3D vertical levels. The further the sprites are in the distance, the flatter they look. Let's face it, Nintendo's 16-bit machine just wasn't meant for 3D, and Konami's attempt at it for Axelay is just embarassing to look at. Still, this game is a favorite shooter for many people. Aside from the "3D" levels, Konami does so much right with this game. Gameplay, ambiance, sound and graphics are all very well done. I especially like the "Continue" screen and the cold,haunting sound of the timer counting down.
The Japanese version of this game has a handy level select, just by pressing right or left on the directional pad at the title screen. This would be a good way to avoid the ugly vertical levels. Unfortunately, mine is the domestic version and apparently it does not give a level select. Nuts.
Cyber Formula
| Genre: | Racing |
| Reading ability: | Not Required |
| Developer: | Takara |
I was in a really cool video game store in Iidabashi in northern Tokyo called the Famicom Shop Clubhouse talking with the guy there for a long time. It was a really small store, yet cram packed with lots of neat stuff. But I didn't see any of the Super Famicom or Sega Saturn games I was looking for, and I felt a bit guilty for being in the guy's store for such a long time and not buyng anything. So, I decided to grab Cyber Formula for only 1,000 yen. I've seen a bit of the anime on TV syndication in Japan and I knew it was a racing game, so I decided to pick it up. It turns out to be not what I expected: an aniquated top-down view racing game kinda like the classic Spy Hunter, although not as fun. I think it might take a long time before I get into this game enough to write a full-size review. Oh well.
Fatal Fury 2
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Reading ability: | US Release |
| Developer: | SNK |
The Fatal Fury series was the fighting game that competed with the Street Fighter series. I never did get into Fatal Fury except for playing the first game on my friend's Neo Geo once. Looking at Fatal Fury 2 now, it's a bit of a let-down. Perhaps its because I don't have the sense of nostalgia for this game like I have for Super Street Fighter II. In the SNES version of this game, Mai's breasts don't bounce around, so naturally it can't be very fun to play. There are better incarnations of Fatal Fury and related SNK games on other systems, and I love my King of Fighters games for my Saturn and Dreamcast.
Ghost Sweeper Mikami
Joreishi wa Nice Body
| Genre: | Platform |
| Reading ability: | Not Required |
| Developer: | ? |
This game has Valis written all over it. But to be honest, I've never seen the anime Ghost Sweeper Mikami. However after playing this game for awhile, I'm convinced that one can enjoy this game without being familiar with the series. (But I'm sure it's even more enjoyable for those who know and like the series.) This game seems to be an entertaining platform game.
Lupin the 3rd
| Genre: | Platform |
| Reading ability: | Not Required? |
| Developer: | Epoch Co., Ltd. |
Lupin is everyone's favorite anime theif. I ran across the ROM of this game on the Net, and when I saw it I knew I had to download it and play it. Lupin the 3rd (or Rupan Sansei in Japan) was my wife's favorite anime show when she was a Japanese schoolgirl. Playing through this game a little has definitely made me want to find this game and buy it.
In this game, Lupin's girlfriend Fujiko is kidnapped and it's up to Lupin to save her. This is a cool platform game that requires problem solving skills rather than just jumping and shooting.
Marmalade Boy
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Reading ability: | Required |
| Developer: | Ban Dai |
This is a cute game based off of a cute anime TV show. It caters towards young high school girls and its episodes concern high school romance. How nice. Hmm... Japanese adolescents watch Marmalade Boy, American adolescents watch 90210. Who do you think are better off?
Mazinger Z
| Genre: | Platformer |
| Reading ability: | Not Required |
| Developer: | ??? |
Unfortunately, this game is apparently made for kids who are too young to distinguish a decent game from a bad game. Perhaps it's worth your money if you're a Mazinger fan. Perhaps.
Nobunaga's Ambition
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Reading ability: | U.S. Rlease |
| Developer: | Koei |
An incredibly popular game originally on the 8-bit NES/Famicom, Nobunaga's Ambition is a deep strategy game for Japanese history buffs and strategy game fans alike. Nobunaga is my favorite figure from Japanese history. Reading about his life is one of the reasons why I became so fascinated with Japan in the first place. He unified Japan and brought the country out of the chaos of war, and this game lets you do this.
Unfortunately, I bought mine used without an instruction manual, and I've had a difficult time finding a guide online. One of these days I'd like to figure out how to play this game.
Record of the Lodoss War
| Genre: | RPG |
| Reading ability: | Required |
| Developer: | ? |
It's only natural for a fantasy anime such as Record of the Lodoss War to be made into an RPG. From what little I've seen of it, this game looks pretty cool. I'm not a big Lodoss fan. But if I were, I'd definately play this game. The graphics are just incredible, as you can see. The introductory sequence was drawn out a bit too long, and I kept thinking "Just let me play, darnit!"
Sailor Moon Super S
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Reading ability: | Not Required |
| Developer: | Angel |
Imagine what it would be like if the Sailor Moon gang decided to have a free-for-all and start beating the crap out of each other for no good reason. That's what this game is like. I can't really see the big difference between this Super S game and the regular S game. Even some of the settings are identical. The one good thing about this game is that you can settle any "Who's the best Sailor?" debates with your friends. At least it's not as much of a waste as the Sailor Moon game for the Playstation. Now that one is lame.
Seiken Densetsu 3
| Genre: | RPG |
| Reading ability: | Required |
| Developer: | Squaresoft |
The graphics and music of this game are incredible, and the introductory sequence alone makes the Super Nintendo's abilities shine. I haven't really played this game much, but from what several people have told me, this game was a disappointment. But some really love this game, so to each his own.
Slam Dunk
| Genre: | Sports |
| Reading ability: | Some |
| Developer: | Ban Dai |
A friend of mine loves Slam Dunk. The show been released in Hong Kong where he's from, but not yet in English. So, I've never seen it. If I loved sports games and this show, then I'd probably love this game as well. The graphics and animation are great, but the SD characters took me by surprise.
Tekkaman Blade
| Genre: | Shooter/Fighting |
| Reading ability: | None |
| Developer: | Interbec |
Interbec, the company that brought us Patlabor, also brings us this weird game based on the famous Tatsunoko anime. It's a shooter, except you don't actually shoot, so in that respect it's more like a platformer without platforms, and then at the end of each level it turns into a fighting game with some Gundam style one-on-one mecha fighting, and... are you getting all this? Whatever. I caught a few episodes of Tekkaman Blade on Sunday morning when it was released on TV for English audiences with the onset of the wave of anime popularity. It seemed like an average anime at best. While not very interesting, at least it wasn't unwatchable like G Gundam. Apparently the Tekkaman mecha can't shoot; it can only swipe baddies with its spear or toss it boomerang style. I'm not sure that such gameplay really works for a forced-scrolling game.
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