GearStrike
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While missing the improvements that later Puyo games would implement, this was a fantastic starting point for me as a kid with playing with my family at Thanksgiving.
Also the 2 Player VS Music goes hard as a motherfucker. Legit one of the hardest video game tracks ever composed.
Also the 2 Player VS Music goes hard as a motherfucker. Legit one of the hardest video game tracks ever composed.
1978
THE original shmup. Blast rows of aliens, shoot at a UFO occasionally, hide behind shields, things get faster the fewer enemies are on screen. Rinse and repeat until you lose all your lives.
In reality, this game is incredibly simple, but I'm giving it full marks just for its legacy and for having the cutest little alien sprites I ever done did see. I have a big soft spot and love for this game and I won't stop appreciating it.
In reality, this game is incredibly simple, but I'm giving it full marks just for its legacy and for having the cutest little alien sprites I ever done did see. I have a big soft spot and love for this game and I won't stop appreciating it.
1994
My favorite shmup and one of my favorite games of all time. Kingdom Grand Prix is a shmup that doubles as a racing game with branching paths, multiple characters with their own quotes/endings, and some ludicrously detailed backgrounds with speedy scrolling. A tight package from start to finish with a bumpin' soundtrack and a fun emphasis on both speed AND score. Top marks.
1999
Probably the most plain shmup that Raizing's made for me, personally. The scoring in this game is absolutely nutty in how it works, but that's hardly an appeal to me in a shmup a lot of the time. Everything from the aesthetics tot he music feels like a downgrade from their other works. That said the game's still pretty fun to play, just be warned that playing for score will make you tear your hair out.
2019
moon is one interesting little adventure game. It sets out on a mission to teach a player the value and understanding of loving one another through flipping RPG tropes on its head. Instead of hunting down monsters for EXP, you catch their souls to return them to their bodies as the "hero" of the world has senselessly killed them. How story plays out at the start I find a little sloppy, but the overarching narrative and interactions help carry a sloppy start into something truly special.
I'm very much a huge fan of the characters you run into with all their own quirks, accents, dialogue nuances, and even sleep schedules. You're always bound to find someone to like. My personal favorite is Burrn, the guy who sells you minidiscs of the music you'll find in-game. If you stand away from him long enough, he starts practicing his guitar solos (which is plot relevant!) and it's such a wonderful little attention to detail.
What I find amusing is the gameplay of this is very weak and the time limit being fairly poorly explained does hurt it a bit, but make no mistake this game is genuinely wonderful and is worth (most) of the hype its gotten over the years since its release. I think a lot of it holds up thanks to its puzzles and pacing being a nice easy-going stroll that doesn't require a ludicrous amount of planning or patience. Catching the required monsters takes a little effort and the feeling you get for seeing that "CATCH!" pop up, is beyond satisfying.
Writing this at the moment listening to the soundtrack whioch is as immense and varied as it is bizarre and, quite frankly, fucking insane. Everything from 90s hiphop beats and bass slapping solos to shamisen duets and...whatever the hell is going on in "Day of the Space Festival." The soundtrack does a lot to enhance the fact you're in a different world altogether and honestly adds to much texture by integrating some of the music into the areas with different instrumentation/styling.
moon is definitely a strange, unique game that offers a lot if you can stick through a fairly rough opening. Plus it's nice to have a game that's more about love than violence sometimes. Good vibes.
I'm very much a huge fan of the characters you run into with all their own quirks, accents, dialogue nuances, and even sleep schedules. You're always bound to find someone to like. My personal favorite is Burrn, the guy who sells you minidiscs of the music you'll find in-game. If you stand away from him long enough, he starts practicing his guitar solos (which is plot relevant!) and it's such a wonderful little attention to detail.
What I find amusing is the gameplay of this is very weak and the time limit being fairly poorly explained does hurt it a bit, but make no mistake this game is genuinely wonderful and is worth (most) of the hype its gotten over the years since its release. I think a lot of it holds up thanks to its puzzles and pacing being a nice easy-going stroll that doesn't require a ludicrous amount of planning or patience. Catching the required monsters takes a little effort and the feeling you get for seeing that "CATCH!" pop up, is beyond satisfying.
Writing this at the moment listening to the soundtrack whioch is as immense and varied as it is bizarre and, quite frankly, fucking insane. Everything from 90s hiphop beats and bass slapping solos to shamisen duets and...whatever the hell is going on in "Day of the Space Festival." The soundtrack does a lot to enhance the fact you're in a different world altogether and honestly adds to much texture by integrating some of the music into the areas with different instrumentation/styling.
moon is definitely a strange, unique game that offers a lot if you can stick through a fairly rough opening. Plus it's nice to have a game that's more about love than violence sometimes. Good vibes.
2001
It's like if someone at Sega decided to do another classic Sonic game, but have 4 playable characters, a visual overhaul, a killer soundtrack like usual, and on top of that make it short and sweet. One of the best vacation gifts I ever received and one of my all-time favorite games in general.
1998
An audio/visual feast of a platformer that packs so many gags and gimmicks that I wish it was so much better as a whole. I liked the original Tempo a fair bit, being very impressed on the hardware it was on. Super Tempo on the other hand, does even more thanks to the Saturn's hardware, but somehow the game feels a lot more drawn out, sluggish, and overall dull even with all the fun breaks between with visually stunning bosses and bizarre gimmick levels. A let down but one I'd still recommend due to the colorful nature of everything.
Legendary kusoge that deserves every bit of heinous recognition it gets. One of the most mean-spirited jokes in video game form. Legit recommend trying it yourself and reading the history of its development. I can't decide if I should score it low for being as hateful as it is or high because of its legacy and the impact it left.
1995
Fun soundtrack, insane cutscenes, and off-beat visuals/humor aside, there isn't a lot going in this game's favor that makes it worth playing through all the way. That said that opening cutscene gets me rollin' on the floor with laughter, so it does something right.
1998
An immensely cute and sassy Zelda-esque style adventure featuring a little purple haired samurai and a lot of goofy characters. The game hits the ground running, introducing all your mechanics and your main villain in a nice 5-10 minute opening. One of the core mechanics in this is the ability to absorb your enemy's abilities and use them yourself, which is both beneficial for combat and puzzle solving.
The game is quite slow and platforming is not its strong suit. It often likes to backtrack on specific events to do them multiple times which feels like padding more than actual progression, which I find very tedious.
However a lot of its frustrations and long stretches of running around are ammended by having fantastic presentation, (mostly) decent boss fights, and humor that's so immensely part of 1990s anime dub culture that it carries the game into its cult classic status. A unique little gem of a game that deserves a look if you need a fun action-adventure for a weekend.
The game is quite slow and platforming is not its strong suit. It often likes to backtrack on specific events to do them multiple times which feels like padding more than actual progression, which I find very tedious.
However a lot of its frustrations and long stretches of running around are ammended by having fantastic presentation, (mostly) decent boss fights, and humor that's so immensely part of 1990s anime dub culture that it carries the game into its cult classic status. A unique little gem of a game that deserves a look if you need a fun action-adventure for a weekend.
A pseudo-sequel/reboot of the original Brave Fencer Musashi with a new art direction and some really awkward, but charming, voice acting. The game's movement reminds me a lot of the original's slower pacing, however they rehaul the combat to make it a little more action-heavy with different skills you can obtain from enemies, new swords you can get from progression, and having a lock-on feature.
Where the original is more of a Zelda-esque style adventure, this one is a full on hack-and-slash adventure, and while slow paced and a little clunky, actually sets out to make a real fun adventure. Also it has a surf rock theme song, it rules.
Where the original is more of a Zelda-esque style adventure, this one is a full on hack-and-slash adventure, and while slow paced and a little clunky, actually sets out to make a real fun adventure. Also it has a surf rock theme song, it rules.
1995
My first video game alongside Sonic and Knuckles in 1995. I know this is a kids' game and is meant to be very simple to pick up and play, but this game does just...something different. With its atmosphere and style that puts it a notch above most other kids' games I've seen from the time and its stuck with me for it.
Legitimately a gorgeous and fascinating adventure that I wish I could play more of.
I just get horribly motion sick.
I just get horribly motion sick.
A big part of why I liked this one over Budokai 2 and 3 was the fact they re-did scenes from the show with the models and its neat. Gameplay and visuals definitely improve in later entries, but this one has a specific charm to it that I prefer it.