Out of all of the big Nintendo franchises that are still running all the way to this very day, the one that I have had practically ZERO experience with whatsoever would be Fire Emblem. Not because I would think the games are bad, but I just never had too much of an interest in checking them out for the longest time. However, come 2020, during Fire Emblem's 30th anniversary, when they rereleased Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light for the Nintendo Switch, I decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to check out this series and see what it was all about.

So, as someone who was experiencing Fire Emblem for the very first time, I would say that I really enjoyed my time with this game. Sure, it does have its problems (or moreso my own personal gripes), and I guarantee future games in this series make this feel outdated, but again, for a first experience, I had a pretty good time with it.

The story is about what you expect from a game like this, but it works, and it certainly has more story then other games of the time, the graphics are pretty good, even if they could be a little better, the music is very catchy and memorable, the control and what you can do can be pretty awkward, but once you get a hang of it, it isn't that bad, and the gameplay, again, as someone who is playing one of these games for the first time, is pretty fun once you get the hang of it, and it definitely made me a fan of this series, even if it is on the much lesser degree then others.

The game is a tactical RPG where you control an army of soldiers, you move across a large map during your turn, fight enemies, gain experience from battles, level up, and gain new weapons and items from shops and towns you come across. In addition, you can also get new recruits from stages by either going to towns or having certain characters encounter them on the map, and since each character has their own individual class, stats, and advantages, you can experiment however you want with taking on what lies ahead.

Personally, I really liked this style of gameplay, and it felt really satisfying controlling my units and taking down enemies with precision, while also finding and equipping all this new stuff to take down other enemies. It may not be too new for those familiar with the genre, but it was very fun and rewarding overall for me. Not to mention, managing to keep certain units alive, like Ogma, Caeda, and Jaegan did help out quite a bit in making the journey feel more rewarding. However, this all didn't come without its own problems.

This game is very hard, which is nothing new for Fire Emblem (or so I have heard), but there are plenty of factors that make this installment pretty tough, not just because of enemy strength, pattern, or movement. For one thing, there is permadeath in this game, where if a character dies, they are dead forever, and yes, while this won't be getting old any time soon, and it certainly wasn't that new of a concept, it did happen quite a few times to me, and not only does it feel devastating when it happens, but it can also make things much harder down the road, with certain levels being much harder without certain characters. Thankfully, with the Switch version having save states, this wasn't too much of an issue, but it did have a lingering effect at points.

Not to mention, it can take a good while to figure out how to effectively fight enemies. Since each character has a different class and stats, of course, certain characters, weapons, and moves would have a much larger effect on certain units rather then others. It isn't all too clear right off the bat who is weak to what, so a lot of experimentation is required to even stand a chance at beating it, because if you don't know what you are doing, you will be FUCKED.

I myself have no problem with experimentation in games like this, and again, it felt really satisfying finding out who is weak to what and taking down some really tough enemies with this knowledge, and it made it all more fun for me overall. However, I can see this as being a problem with others, and by the time you find out what you are doing, you probably already lost five units, so that can put a damper on things. Once again, with the Switch version, this wasn't so much of a big deal, but it was still a factor present throughout.

Overall, for the start to Fire Emblem, and MY start with Fire Emblem, it holds up a lot better than I thought it would, and I had a pretty great time with it. Once again, I'm sure future games in this series make this entry feel obsolete in comparison, but as it stands right now, it is an experience I'm glad that I finally had.

Game #106

I mean... it's hockey. Do you like hockey? Hockey sucks, not gonna lie. He was our next lead that Wrestling told us about after he proved he didn't murder my Dad, so Soccer, Tennis, Baseball and I went ahead and went to where Ice Hockey is so that we could confront him about this.

We found him drying off after a big match that he had just finished against a similar opponent, and when he saw us approaching, I could see his face turn into a nervous expression, which gave me confidence we were getting close to solving this mystery. It took us a good while to squeeze any info out of him whatsoever, but when Soccer started getting serious, that's when true fear struck him. It was also then at that point where we heard a sound coming from a distant room behind Hockey, which he then reacted to with fear, signifying that we had found or culprit.

However, before we could get past him to confront the criminal, Hockey then summoned a group of goons to block our path, but I wouldn't turn back now, and neither would my comrades. They shot hockey pucks at us, which did do a number on us, but then Tennis and Baseball started firing back, which gave Soccer and I the opportunity to run past them to get to the distant room.

I was afraid of the safety of Tennis and Baseball, but when I looked back at them, they fought with confidence in their face, working together to take down their foe. So, with that being taken care of, Soccer and I then ventured to finally uncover the murderer of my dad.

Game #111

Following the massive success of the original Legend of Zelda, and yes, even the success of Zelda II, it was clear that Nintendo needed to pull a hat trick with a third installment to signify the series as one of their staple franchises. With the release of the Super Nintendo, and the incredible success of Super Mario World, it was all too clear where the series needed to go from here. So, after three years of development, Nintendo would then release The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

If you are familiar with the Zelda series, you would know that this game is one of the most beloved in the entire series, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games of all time. Personally for me, I also love it a great deal, but I wouldn't consider it to be THAT great. With that being said, it is an absolutely fantastic entry in the franchise, and without of doubt the best Zelda game in the series so far.

The story is standard for Zelda games, but then again, it works for this game and how it executes it, the graphics still hold up extremely well to this day, and are very appealing, the music is incredibly catchy, memorable, and iconic, the control is very solid, with no real problems with it whatsoever, and the gameplay is some of the best that 2D Zelda has ever offered up to this point.

Thankfully, this game returns to the top-down style of the original Legend of Zelda, and the gameplay mostly follows the same formula as that original game. It's an adventure game where you explore a vast world, fight monsters and traverse dangerous landscapes, take on numerous dungeons, fight bosses, and gather a wide assortment of items and upgrades to help you along the way.

All of this would become the staple formula for Zelda for a reason, as this formula was executed almost masterfully with this entry, and I absolutely loved replaying through it all. Exploring this vast, yet simple world, with so much more detail compared to the original game, finding all of the secrets throughout the land, seeing all the different landmarks and people throughout, and conquering all of these simple, yet demanding challenges with the dungeons and bosses. It is all so much fun to accomplish, all accompanied with a sense of freedom to explore the world around you, yet still having a bit of a helping hand with where you need to go next via the story text from NPCs, so you won't feel too completely lost the original Zelda.

As mentioned previously, this game would introduce the formula that most Zelda games after this would take after, where you have to hunt down three treasures of some kind, and then you are sent to a parallel version of the main world, where you then need to then collect more of a central artifact in order to finally take on the big evil, in this case of course being Ganon. Yes, it may be formulaic, especially compared to other games and later entries in the series, but again, it is executed almost perfectly in this entry, and there is a reason that it is still replayed all the way to this day, even with different alterations and playstyles used with the game, like randomizers and plenty of speedruns. Not to mention, many music pieces that would become staples in the Zelda series also stemmed from this game as well.

Now, I know I have been sucking this game's dick throughout the whole review at this point, but believe me, as I have eluded to, I don't think it is perfect, and I do have some issues with it, albeit small ones. First and foremost, while getting all of the optional items, Heart Pieces, and all that is usually pretty enjoyable, some of the little side minigames or whatever that you do in order to get these items can be pretty tedious and annoying. For example, there is this one side minigame in the Dark World where you are given 30 seconds to dig up this field, with there being a heart piece randomly placed in one of the dirt patches every time, so if you aren't lucky, you will have to keep digging... and digging... and digging... and DIGGING over and over and over again. It can get pretty annoying, and again, there are several instances of this in the game.

In addition, I'm not sure if it is just me, but sometimes, the game can become quite a pain when it comes to the amount of damage you can take all at once, with all the shit the game can throw at you either out in the overworld or a room in a dungeon. Again, that might just be a me thing, but that can become quite annoying at times. Other than that, the only other complaint I would have is that it can be a guide game at times, but that doesn't bother me in this instance.

Overall, it is an incredible third entry in this franchise, and a fantastic game in general. Sure, it can be annoying with some elements present in the game, but aside from that, there is a reason it is so fondly remembered as one of the best games in the entire series.

Game #112

Like I mentioned in my Bionic Commando review, Strider is one of Capcom's franchises that have been left to rot in comparison to some of their other bigger properties. Which is a shame too, because it is a series with a lot of cool ideas, coupled with a style and flair that I love in video games, and I wish that it was brought back at one point (again, of course, after the 2014 game). For what we did get though, it looks like a pretty solid series (with an exception or two in there), and the original Strider is no exception.

This was my first proper experience with the Strider franchise, and after playing it, I would say that it is a pretty solid first entry, and an overall really damn good arcade game. Sure, it has its problems, and it is probably outshined by sequels later down the road, but it is still worth playing today.

The story is very basic for this kind of game, but it is helped with story visuals and the presence of voice acting (even if both of these things are presented in the blink of an eye, and then they are gone), the graphics are very nice, the music is pretty well done and memorable, the control is alright, aside from one aspect I will touch upon in a second, and the gameplay is simple, yet very fun in execution paired with many elements the game presents.

The game is a 2D hack-and-slash platformer, where you move from left to right, defeating enemies, getting powerups, fighting bosses, and all the stuff you have probably seen plenty of times before, but what makes it pretty unique compared to others is the types of enemies, powerups, and bosses you run into throughout the game, with the enemies and bosses being pretty creative for the time. In addition, the powerups themselves have what you would typically expect from a game like this, but you can also gain robotic helpers, such as a robotic tiger and hawk, to help you take on what lies ahead.

In my opinion, the simple gameplay, coupled with ideas the game introduces with the enemies and powerups make this game really fun to play and very memorable. Not to mention, it is extremely satisfying to run through these stages as fast as you can, slashing through so many different goons, coupled with the extreme precision and skill you can pull off. Not too many other games (at least from this era) can replicate this kind of style and look.

Of course though, it isn't perfect, with plenty of elements that can be done a lot better. For instance, your movement and jumping in this game is pretty fucking awkward, with many different directions and ways you can jump around the screen. This is cool and all, but given how much this game throws at you, and with the precarious terrain you will most likely encounter, it can be pretty frustrating to control. This is also paired with the climbing mechanic you have in the game, which does help out a lot, yes, but it isn't all too reliable when I feel like it should be.

In addition, yes, this is an arcade game, and as such, it is pretty short, and they throw as much at you as possible to try to get money out of the poor kids that played this back in the day, and that can make the journey more stressful than it needs to be. It is doable, yes, and it is still fun, but it can be a bit of a hassle.

Overall, despite the awkward jumping/climbing and the cases of arcade syndrome, it is still a pretty solid game after over 30 years later, and it has me looking forward to what the rest of the series after this has to offer.

Game #115

When you think of the Sega Genesis, you may mostly think of Sonic the Hedgehog as the face of the system, but for a while, that wasn't the case. From 1988 to 1991, there were a slew of other games that were released on the system to represent the Genesis lineup, such as Golden Axe, Space Harrier II, and The Revenge of Shinobi. Sure, all of these games were good on their own (at least, I assume with most of them), but they wouldn't reach the same level of popularity that Sonic would bring to the system years later. One example of these games would be with the original pack-in game that came with the Sega Genesis, Altered Beast.

So, as the first thing people originally got with their Genesis back in the day, did it provide a good first impression of what the system could do? Well, yes... but not much else. The game itself is ok, and it has a pretty cool concept, with cool environments, creature designs, and ideas, but aside from that, everything else kind of holds it back from being a true classic in my eyes.

The story is very simple, while having, again, those elements that make it cool, the graphics are pretty good, the music isn't really all that special, the control is a little awkward, given your size and the rate at which you and the screen moves, but you can get used to it, and the gameplay does sound cool in concept, but upon execution, you can find better elsewhere.

The game is a 2D side-scrolling beat-'em-up, where you move from left to right in short autoscrolling levels, defeating enemies and bosses while gaining powerups along the way. That is pretty much the extent of the game's content, but what keeps you playing is what these powerups do. After gathering four of the same powerup in levels, you will transform into a new creature form (or an Altered Beast, you could say), such as a wolf man, a dragon, a bear, and a tiger man, where you are much more powerful, and you have a new set of abilities to use on enemies.

Now, I will admit, the game can be fun at points, and the concepts it utilizes are pretty cool and unique for the time. It does feel really satisfying to gain your beast form and then start to tear through the enemies in the stage. Not to mention, the fact that they give you a new beast form for each level keeps things interesting and fun, with you wanting to see what comes next and what moves you can pull off later.

With all that being said, there are a good handful of problems that keep the game from being too good for me. The stages are really short (and I mean REALLY short), which makes the game really short, the way the stage moves is strange, and not something I could really get used to, especially with how enemies spawn in and attack you, you can take damage very easily, there are no continues when you get a game over, which makes sense considering how short it is, and how it was an arcade game, but it is still a letdown, and the bosses either range from being way too hard or way too easy, especially whenever you are in your beast form.

I feel like the main issue that holds this game back really is just a lack of a consistent difficulty flow. It fluctuates from being too easy and too hard constantly, with the enemies that spawn, where they spawn, how fast they move, and how quickly the bosses can be taken out at points. Sure, this isn't too much of a big deal, but it does put things into perspective once you reach the end of the game.

Overall, while it has a lot of cool concepts and designs that makes it certainly memorable, the game itself isn't really one that I would want to revisit anytime soon, and if the core gameplay was more fine tuned and a little longer, then I would probably be singing quite a different tune.

Game #136

What would you consider to be the core fundamental of making a good video game? There are many different ways that many different people can answer that question, and all of them are valid in their own way. You could be looking for a compelling story or experience that will make you think about it for days afterwards. You could be looking for a challenge that will push you to your limits, only to then overcome them to gain an unbelievable sense of accomplishment. You could be looking for a way to connect with others on a mass scale to not only make new connections with others, but also make new memories that could last a lifetime.

For me though, there is one thing that I look for in video games more than anything else: fun. No matter what it may be, no matter what content it includes, and no matter what others think about it, if I get a great amount of fun out of a video game, I value that more than anything else. Sure, not all video games have to be fun to be considered good in my eyes, but all video games that I consider my favorites have provided me more fun and great memories than I could possibly describe. And when it comes to making a fun video game, it doesn’t matter what the concept is, or how complex it is, as one can clearly see with today’s subject: Tetris.

If you are even vaguely familiar with Tetris, you would probably already be aware of the reputation that it holds, and how it is considered to be not just one of the greatest puzzle games ever made, but one of the greatest games of all time. I wouldn’t go as far to say that it is one of the best games ever made, but in terms of great puzzle games, it is way high up there. It still holds up extremely well to this day, and while I wouldn’t consider it to be as great as many others say, I can still see why it is still a classic to this day.

The graphics don’t really matter too much for a game like this, but for what we have, it is pretty well done, the music is iconic as hell, and is a certified bop in most cases, the control is extremely responsive and works perfectly for this game, and the gameplay is extremely simple, yet still iconic and fun to this day.

The game is the definition of a classic puzzle game, where you take many different blocks of varying shapes and sizes and throw them down into a column, lining them up to where you can clear lines of the blocks out and get points, continuing to do this until you eventually lose. Once again, this is all extremely simple, and compared to puzzle games that we have nowadays, it could be considered outdated in some circumstances, but again, what makes this type of gameplay work, and why it has endured for so long, is because of its mastery of simplistic fun.

It is a game that anyone can pick up, play, and understand very quickly, and given how many points you can rack up, the music accompanying you the whole time, and how it ramps up difficulty as you keep going, it provides a very satisfying and addicting experience that makes you keep playing. Yes, you can say that plenty of other games before and since have also been able to achieve this, but this one has managed to do the same while reaching many different people on many different platforms, and doing so with no recognizable character for people to connect to, which is pretty impressive. This can further be seen with how many different platforms that the game has been released on, as well as the many different iterations that have been released for Tetris over time, such as Tetris Effect and Tetris 99, not changing the formula too much, but adding enough to introduce many new people to the classic gameplay, and making them fans in their own way.

In terms of my own personal thoughts about the game, I also consider it to be a lot of fun, and a great time waster when the opportunity strikes. However, there is a reason that the game isn’t rated five stars for me, and that is primarily just because… I just prefer other puzzle games over it. There have been many different puzzle games that have been released since that have been able to catch my interest and my attention more often and for much longer then Tetris, as I just find them to leave a more memorable experience. At least for me. Despite that, I still can see why Tetris got as big as it did, and why it used to be the best-selling video game of all time.

Overall, while it may be extremely simple for a puzzle game, its legacy speaks for itself, and it is still very fun to play even all the way to this day. If you haven’t at least tried Tetris at this point in your life, then honestly, I get it, but you should anyway.

Game #148

I mean... it's pinball. Do you like pinball? Pinball is pretty fucking cool. I first met Pinball some time after Soccer and I caught Golf and had him arrested for murdering my dad. At this point, a month had gone by since that arrest, but I still hadn't quite recovered from the events that occurred. It's not just something you can comfortably walk away from, y'know.

Tennis took notice of the fact that I hadn't really been doing so well ever since the ordeal, so he recommended that I go see Pinball, as he was one of the most highly praised therapists in town, and from what I have heard, his methods have worked wonders. I wasn't much for therapy, but I decided it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot anyway.

And I'm glad I did. Not only was Pinball extremely nice, but he was able to help me in recovering at a much quicker rate that I was expecting. It didn't take too many therapy sessions to do so either, which was surprising to say the least, at least from what I have heard. At the end of my last therapy session, Pinball did suggest one thing that I should definitely do: take a vacation. I had been so stressed out not just from my dad's death, but just from life in general, that he thought it would be beneficial if I just got away from it all for a bit, and just went and had some fun for a bit.

I decided to take his advice and do just that. It had been a long time since I have taken a proper vacation, so this is just what I need to get myself back in good spirits. So, I will soon set out on that vacation, and hopefully come back a changed man.

Game #150

While I wouldn’t consider it as great as future installments, and while it is definitely outshined by its remake, the original Metroid is still a classic of the NES library, and it still holds up somewhat to this day. And of course, Nintendo being Nintendo, after seeing the success of the original Metroid, they went right ahead to developing a sequel. Unlike the sequels to Nintendo’s other games, however, this one would be released after a five-year gap of no games (which, let’s be real, Metroid fans are pretty used to at this point), and it would be developed for exclusively for the Game Boy. Makes sense, considering the producer of Metroid 1 and 2, Gunpei Yokoi, was the main creator of the system in the first place. So, after plenty of time, Nintendo then released Metroid II: Return of Samus.

As a follow-up to the original Metroid, as well as the first handheld title in the series, it manages to do a pretty damn good job at improving on the formula of the original, as well as being a great game all in its own right. Sure, I wouldn’t say it is too great, as certain problems still linger, along with new ones popping up in this installment, but it is still a pretty good continuation for the series.

The story is similar to the first, while also changing it up to where it feels unique, and makes the player want to dive right in and eliminate every Metroid in sight, the graphics are Game Boy graphics, but the sprite work is some of the best that the system offers, and it holds up extremely well, the music (and by that, I mean like the two to three real music tracks in the game) is not only pretty good, but also provides a great sense of atmosphere that not too many other Game Boy games can provide, the control is pretty good, even if it still feels a bit stiff, and the gameplay improves upon the original while keeping the same style and flow as the original, which I appreciate for a game like this.

The game follows a pretty similar formula to that of the original Metroid, where you travel through numerous caverns in the planet SR388, defeating enemies and bosses, taking out every Metroid you can find, collecting new items and upgrades to make yourself stronger, with minor beats of storytelling also present to keep the player intrigued as they keep going, such as Metroid carcasses lying around the environment, as well as the many different mutations that the Metroids can take. The selection of items this time around is pretty good, bringing back a lot of the same powerups from the original, as well as adding more that will become staples in the series, such as the Space Jump, the Spider Ball, and the Varia Suit, and with these new items and upgrades comes new changes to Samus herself, which are a welcome change from the original. Not only is her suit upgraded to what would become her most iconic version, but also you can now crouch, aim up and aim down in this game, making taking on enemies MUCH easier, and more satisfying overall.

In addition, the bosses this time around are also pretty memorable. While there aren’t that many, with the Metroids taking center stage for most of the game, the few that we fight are fun to fight, while also providing a good amount of challenge, especially with the Queen Metroid at the end of the game, with her design being the best in the entire game. Alongside her, the many different Metroids that you fight in the game are definitely the highlights of the game in terms of designs, which are amplified with you being able to witness them “evolve” into these forms as you encounter them, making them a more menacing and memorable threat.

Finally, if there is one thing that I will give this game a lot of props for, it is how it guides the player through the game. While there are no waypoints or maps, the game is structured in a way to where you will never get truly lost whenever you maneuver through the caverns, and if you just dedicate enough time to exploration, you will find your way to finding the Metroids that you need to eliminate. Thankfully, this is also aided with how a lot of the upgrades and items aren’t too out in the open, so it still encourages you to search around and explore more, to benefit the most from what you could find in the caverns. Yes, it is still a bit of a guide game, but it isn’t quite as bad as the original, at least in my opinion.

Now, with all that said, some problems are fixed in this installments, and with those out the door, new problems arise, with my main new issue being the main method of progression through the game. As I have mentioned plenty of times, you need to eliminate all of the Metroids not only to beat the game, but to also explore more of the planet to find more items, upgrades, and Metroids. However, as you would expect, this gets extremely repetitive and tiring after a while. Sure, the new Metroids you encounter keep you on your toes and keep you guessing as you play, but that doesn’t stop the game from getting repetitive, even after encountering these new Metroids.

Not just that, but there is still the problem of where you cannot carry all items at once. Sure, there are plenty of improvements in terms of Samus’s arsenal, such as having the Long Beam, missiles, and the Morph Ball immediately from the start, but you still cannot hold the Wave Beam, Plasma Beam, Spazer Beam, and Ice Beam all at once. You can only have one, and considering how the entire game is about killing Metroids, there should only be one beam that you would need throughout the entire game, making most of the other beams worthless in the long run. There are other minor issues that I have with the game, such as me taking a lot of damage at once a lot of times in the game, but that is just a skill issue, not something wrong with the game.

Overall, while it does still have its issues, this is a great improvement over the original Metroid, and a great sequel and continuation of the series. With that being said though, you would still be better off playing the remakes of the game rather than the original, fan-made or official.

Game #151

I mean... it's skiing. Do you like skiing? Skiing is pretty relaxing. He was an individual I met when I decided to take a vacation from everything thanks to Pinball's advice. I decided to head up to, well, a ski resort, and he was one of the heads of said ski resort.

He took his job pretty seriously, making sure that every one of the guests had a great time, nobody got hurt, all the equipment was safe and up to date, and believe it or not, he also pays his employees well! That is something I never thought I would see too often. Either way, we didn't really interact that much, but with the few times I did interact with him, he seemed like a swell guy.

I went ahead and decided to stay up near this ski resort for about a month, just to really let every bad feeling and negative memory flow from my body. And, to my credit, it worked wonders. Since I didn't have to focus on real life responsibilities, and since I was away from all of the struggles of my home town, I slowly came to terms with my father dying, as well as just overall gaining a sense of peace that I hadn't had before.

By the time I decided to return home, I felt pretty good about myself, and was ready to take on what lies ahead of me upon my return. Although, on my way home, I looked at my phone and noticed quite a good number of phone calls from Tennis and Baseball, all in good succession. It all happened in the span of one day, but this was a few days ago, and I just happened to not notice. Not sure what that could've been about, but if they haven't called again after that, the problem must've resolved itself. We'll see once I actually arrive back home.

Game #168

At this point in the Street Fighter series, things haven’t been doing all too well in terms of the quality of titles. The original Street Fighter is a fucking mess that is practically unplayable by today’s standards, and as for Street Fighter 2010, while it wasn’t bad, it was definitely not gonna keep fans begging for more, and merely exists as a weird experiment for the franchise left to be forgotten. However, then, when the next release came along, all of that was going to change. Not only would this be the first Street Fighter game to be actually GOOD, but it would change both the series and the entire fighting genre as a whole, shaping it into what it would be for many years to come. That, of course, was all thanks to Street Fighter II: The World Warrior.

So, just to clarify if you weren’t paying attention, this is going to be a review of the ORIGINAL Street Fighter II. None of the other updated versions or remakes of the game will be brought into the mix, because 1. I have this theme going that I don’t wanna break just yet, and 2. Since it was the original that was mainly responsible for revitalizing the genre, I wanna give it more of the recognition that it deserves.

With all that out of the way, after replaying it for this review, the original Street Fighter II still holds up surprisingly well, even with the existence of all the numerous updates that Capcom has put out over the years. Obviously, it is outshined by said updates in numerous departments, and it does have several instances of fighting game syndrome, but even then, without all of those, the game is still very fun to play.

The story mainly depends on what character you play as, but it mostly remains the same, and what it does add for each individual character gives the game and the characters a lot more personality, the graphics and art style is still perfect for this kind of game, the music is fantastic and iconic, of course, the control and movement, while not being as refined as later updates, is still very responsive and fun to use, and the gameplay, while, again, not being as fast and frantic as later updates, still manages to be fun and satisfying regardless.

The gameplay is very similar to the original Street Fighter, only this time, it doesn’t suck a big fat hadouken. You take control of one fighter and face off against another, punching, kicking, and doing whatever else to lower your enemy’s health bar, until you either win or lose twice. Again, it is very similar to the original, and you all reading this are probably all too familiar with this style of gameplay, but what makes it so important is that this game NAILS this gameplay style almost perfectly, and that’s why it has been utilized in so many different fighting games over the years. It feels so fun and satisfying to properly face off against your opponent, landing many different hits and combos, while also properly dodging and defending yourself against your opponent. It’s simple for this entry, yes, but sometimes simplicity is all you need for a good experience. Also, after several stages in Arcade mode, you can also take on bonus stages where you can do things like destroy a car in order to get more points. It doesn’t really add anything too substantial, but it is a nice distraction from everything else.

Not to mention, the additions to this game in comparison to the original game also helped it get the fame it has today. There are a selection of 8 characters to play as, which isn’t that many compared to games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which has almost 80 fucking characters, but almost all of the characters you can use are very fun to control, learn, and kick ass with, with some of my favorites being Ryu (of course), Zangief and Chun Li. With all these different characters also comes their own pieces of story that you can see whenever you beat the Arcade mode as them, so that gives the game a good amount of replay value, unless you just wanna look up the endings on YouTube and not have to fight the same guys at least 8 times, which is understandable.The only character who I didn’t get into so much is Dhalsim, who is good, but I dunno, something about the way he moves and executes moves just didn’t really connect with me as much as others.

In addition, there are also a large amount of special moves that you can pull off with all of these characters, each of them being unique to their character and extremely satisfying to pull off and get a hit with, and there is also the introduction of combos to the fighting scene, which I don’t need to explain what they are to you, but what makes their first appearance so special is that this was a mechanic that was made ON ACCIDENT. I don’t know whether or not those circumstances are fantastic or extremely unprofessional, but I love it nonetheless.

Now, I know I have been singing this game’s praises this entire time, but like I said, it isn’t perfect by any means. This version is definitely outshined by its numerous updates, where not only does the game have a lot more content now, but it also looks better, plays better, and will generally give you a much faster and more entertaining experience. Again, it isn’t as if it makes the original version bad, but considering what all the updates do, there really is no reason to go back to playing this version of the game.

Also, this game suffers from a good bit of the fighting game syndrome, where there will be boss opponents you will face who seem damn near impossible to beat, moving really damn fast and being able to land so many hits, that you won’t know what hit ya until it is too late. This applies to the 4 hidden opponents in the game, as well as M. Bison himself right at the end. It is nothing that I would say is unbeatable, but unless you are using save states, you better prepare yourself when facing off against these guys.

And finally, this is more of a personal thing, but… I suck ass at Street Fighter. I didn’t grow up with the series as long as others, and every time I have played it, I have never been able to properly learn how to perform all the combos properly, or how to face off against every opponent individually. It even devolves down to the point where I just push random buttons and hope that I win, and that ends up getting me through matches somehow, which doesn’t feel gratifying whatsoever, it just feels sad. This does lower my enjoyment with the game to a degree, but overall, I still have a lot of fun with it whenever I do play it.

Overall, despite it being dated in comparison to newer versions, the original Street Fighter II is still a great fighting game, and what I would call the proper start to the Street Fighter series. Again, like I mentioned in the Street Fighter review, there is a reason why when people think of the first game in the series, they always lean towards this game rather than the original.

Game #172

After he was finished with making Altered Beast, Makoto Uchida went on to develop his next title, this time themed around action movies such as Conan the Barbarian. Rather then making yet another 2D-side-scrolling beat-’em-up, he wanted to make a game that could stand alongside Double Dragon and the Kunio-kun games. So, taking inspiration from, again, Conan the Barbarian, as well as wanting to make a game to compete against Dragon Quest (for some reason, I dunno), he and his team went on to make a beat-’em-up with a medieval setting, and a set of attacks that he compared to the original Street Fi- ok, hold on, we may actually be in trouble here. That sounds like way too much influence to combine into one, but nevertheless, after a short development time, they then released the original Golden Axe.

As I have mentioned previously, Altered Beast was an ok game, but it didn’t hold up too well upon revisiting, so, with this next title, did Makoto improve upon his craft and make a better experience? Eh… kinda? Again, Golden Axe isn’t necessarily a bad game, and it is an overall better experience then Altered Beast, with less issues then that title, but with the few issues that it does have, it is enough to hold it back from me considering calling it good. That being said, it does have enough of the standard beat-’em-up elements to make it not feel that bad, and I could see others getting into it if this was their first exposure to the genre.

The story is what you would expect from a setting like this, but it does have a little more to not make it too generic, the graphics and art style is serviceable, and it definitely gives those Conan vibes the main dev wanted, the music is good, although sometimes it can get a little annoying, the control is what you would expect from a beat-’em-up, and speaking of which, the gameplay is also what you would expect from a beat-’em-up.

You take control of one of three characters, each being basically the same, with little differences to make each stand out from the others, you move from left to right, defeating what feels like an endless supply of goons, get health and items along the way, and fight bosses. Again, pretty typical stuff for a beat-’em-up, with the special features the gameplay includes also being typical for beat-’em-ups. Animals that you can steal from opponents to ride on and do more damage with? Check. Bonus stages in between each level to gain even more health and items? Check. A special move you can pull off that damages everyone on screen as long as you have ammo for it? Check, check, and check!

All of that stuff is still enjoyable to a degree, but the main focus of the game, the combat, doesn’t carry the same amount of satisfaction or drive as a game like Double Dragon or Final Fight. It just feels more so clunky and like a gamble on if you are gonna be able to take out the enemy without them somehow breaking the combo to take you out. And really, the game is mainly banking on the medieval themes and settings to drive it forward, and while I will guess that was effective for a game like this at the time, it doesn’t really land as well nowadays.

The gameplay does differ, however, in terms of the various modes the game has. Aside from the main Arcade mode, there is Beginner mode, where you can play through the first couple stages to get a feel for the game before jumping into the main game, which seems pretty unnecessary, but I guess it does serve in, appropriately, helping out beginners with getting used to the game. There is also The Duel, a mode where you can either take on a bunch of one-on-one battles with groups of enemies from the game in a single arena, or you can fight another player to see who is truly superior. While it sounds like it could be fun on paper, it really isn’t all that exciting, and it doesn’t really give you any rewards for beating it, so it just seems like, again, a completely unnecessary feature. But, I guess it could be fun to battle it out with a friend… for one round, and then never touch again.

And of course, in good ol’ arcade fashion, this game suffers from arcade syndrome, even on the Genesis version of the game. Most of the game is doable when it comes to the difficulty, but towards the end of the game, it is painful to go through, with you having to fight very tough enemies while on platforms with not that much space to move around on, being able to fall off at seemingly every moment. This, coupled with the fact that enemies can just sometimes attack you and punt you off the edge with no warning or reason, makes the last few stages of the game lacking of any semblance of joy for the most part.

Finally, as one last complaint, the final boss is WAY too hard. It is fitting, having it be the hardest fight in the game, but I remember having way too much trouble actually taking this guy down. It seemed like, no matter what I could do, whenever I approached to attack, he would always manage to land an attack, whether it being a regular attack or one of those electric bolts he sends across the floor. In addition, you have to fight him alongside two skeleton enemies, which doesn’t sound that bad, but these guys get in the way CONSTANTLY throughout the fight, and they have an absurdly high health bar. Yes, you can kill them, but it takes a REALLY long time, and by the time you do, you are just thinking “come on, just let this be over, PLEASE”.

Overall, while the settings, ideas, and themes are endearing for 1989, it really doesn’t do anything to grab my attention or my recommendation, as a pretty generic fighter with no sense of gratification or reward, as well as brutally punishing in the later parts to the point where I almost gave up multiple times. Let’s just hope that the sequels improve on this more for me to actually consider it being somewhat good, and not just making me wish I was playing something else instead.

Game #178

Of course, Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos was a success, so Tecmo needed to cap off this success with a third installment. Because every successful NES game needed an NES trilogy, such as with Ninja Gaiden, Mario, Mega Man, Castlevania, Zel- uh… ok, ignore that last one, but anyway, you get the point. However, this time around, things would be a little different. Not only would there be a new producer at the helm of this title, but the game would also pull a Castlevania and be a prequel, taking place in between the first and second game, which actually means something in this instance since these games have more complex stories. Not too complex, but moreso then just “kill Dracula”. Either way, after a year of development, we would then be given Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom.

So, if I’m gonna be honest, I originally had really conflicted feelings about this game after replaying it, but I would still consider it a pretty good game at the end of the day. On one hand, it is still all of the great action and gameplay we have come to expect from this series for one final NES installment. On the other hand, it is without a doubt the most frustrating and hardest game in the original trilogy , making it my least favorite of the bunch without a doubt, for several reasons. Yes, the game is still really good, but I experienced plenty of hardships on my replay of the game that made me do a lot of thinking on what I should rate this game, and not in a good way.

The story is, once again, pretty complex and developed, helped again by the use of plenty of cutscenes, although some plot elements are cliche for this kind of game, such as the fake out death and the evil twin, the graphics are still really good, the music is once again very energetic and a great listen, the control is about as tight as before, although this time your jump is a little more floaty, which could be a problem for some, and the gameplay is still just as fast, frantic, and fun as before, although now with some really unneeded hindrances that bring it down for me.

The gameplay is exactly the same as the previous two games, where you proceed through many 2D side-scrolling stages, defeating enemies, getting weapons to aid you along the way, and defeating bosses that will test you in numerous ways. The foundation is still just as strong as it was for the first two games, and Tecmo knew this, so they only added little things to change up the gameplay. For one thing, now you can hang onto platforms from the bottom, adding a new level of versatility to the platforming, which is appreciated, and there are of course new weapons and upgrades to use, such as one that increases the range of your sword, which was without a doubt the most effective and useful of the upgrades. In addition, now you can gather these scrolls throughout the levels to increase the amount of ammunition you can carry for special weapons. Not sure why this was needed at all, considering it doesn’t change the gameplay that much, but hey, I guess it adds a way for the player to prove their skill, so I can’t be too mad at it.

What I can be mad about, however, is the difficulty. Now, this is no new thing, the Ninja Gaiden games have always been hard, but in this game… OH MY GOD. It is the most ruthless that they have ever been, with level designs, enemy placement, and obstacles being some of the most difficult on the entire NES, and honestly, after all this time, I completely forgot how hard it was. Now that I replayed it for this review, it makes the last two games look like the easiest games ever. That being said, however, with the power-ups and upgrades present, it isn’t unbeatable. It just takes a lot, and I mean A LOT, of skill, precision, and practice, and with enough time, you can make this game your bitch like it made you its.

Although, those aren’t the only reasons why this is the hardest game in the trilogy. Anyone familiar with the series already know this, but originally, when the game was made in Japan, it was actually made pretty easy in comparison to the previous two games. However, when it was brought over to be released in America, it was made much more difficult, by making the player take double the damage from enemies, and the worst change of the bunch: giving you limited continues. I mean, seriously, why the fuck was this changed for this game? The other two games were already hard enough with unlimited continues, and taking away that privilege makes things that much more painful. It doesn’t even make the game harder, it just makes things much more stressful, and I can definitely see it making new players apprehensive at wanting to try it out, so it really shouldn’t have been changed in the first place.

Now, with all that being said, I can’t rate this game any lower than I have it here. Trust me, I wanted to, given how much more difficult this game compared to the previous two, but honestly, that wouldn’t be fair, given how, again, it is still a pretty good game with the same great gameplay as previously, just now with the stakes raised so much higher than before. That didn’t stop me from beating the game twice in my lifetime, and it shouldn’t stop you either if you consider trying it for yourself. You just gotta get good, and I got good alright.

Overall, despite the ball-busting difficulty, the game is still a pretty good continuation to the series, and a more than serviceable way to end off the original trilogy on the NES. I just, you know, have to go to the hospital for my broken hands after being such a fucking master at this game, you know how it is.

Game #184