Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 10: Technos Collection
Going from Renegade, to Double Dragon, to this has been a nice uphill ride of it all as once again, this game improves on the previous one by quite a bit.
For a start the graphics are mostly better, the controls are overall cleaner, theres more moves to perform when fighting and levels feel snappier and quicker, despite there being a lot more of them than before. Its mostly an improvement.
However its still got its fair share of issues, while graphics are mostly better, theres now a lot more flicker around the place, the occasional bit of slowdown also rears its head at times. Difficulty the game is also harder overall and the lack of checkpoints and continues makes trying to clear out the game without save states a bit of a bugger.
I'll also knock the game for its higher emphasis on platforming... While for the most part its not too much of an issue, the engine clearly isnt designed fully around it so theres the odd moment where the jumping mechanics shit the bed and cause more grief than needed.
Still though, its overall a pretty decent beat-em-up for the NES and its surprising me since for ages I presumed I deathly hated all of the Technos stuff. Huh.
Going from Renegade, to Double Dragon, to this has been a nice uphill ride of it all as once again, this game improves on the previous one by quite a bit.
For a start the graphics are mostly better, the controls are overall cleaner, theres more moves to perform when fighting and levels feel snappier and quicker, despite there being a lot more of them than before. Its mostly an improvement.
However its still got its fair share of issues, while graphics are mostly better, theres now a lot more flicker around the place, the occasional bit of slowdown also rears its head at times. Difficulty the game is also harder overall and the lack of checkpoints and continues makes trying to clear out the game without save states a bit of a bugger.
I'll also knock the game for its higher emphasis on platforming... While for the most part its not too much of an issue, the engine clearly isnt designed fully around it so theres the odd moment where the jumping mechanics shit the bed and cause more grief than needed.
Still though, its overall a pretty decent beat-em-up for the NES and its surprising me since for ages I presumed I deathly hated all of the Technos stuff. Huh.
1988
Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 10: Technos Collection
Honestly as far as Arcade to NES conversions go, you could do a whole lot worse than Double Dragon. As a sort of spiritual sequel for Renegade, its certainly better in multiple aspects, the controls are better, the graphics are chunkier and the general flow of fights are mostly better.
Its still very much of the wiffly side with the punches and kicks though to the point where you'll mostly be relying on grabs, weapons, pits and jump kicks to get you across the levels... There also isn't really a lot here, four main levels, one or two annoying bits and not that many enemies... honestly I found most of the game until the last level to be a bit of a cakewalk and I think I died/game-overed more from accidentally falling down pits vs actually being beaten.
I will also say, Mode B, the weird attempt at a 1 v 1 fighting game... its terrible, its clunky and bad all-round.
Honestly as far as Arcade to NES conversions go, you could do a whole lot worse than Double Dragon. As a sort of spiritual sequel for Renegade, its certainly better in multiple aspects, the controls are better, the graphics are chunkier and the general flow of fights are mostly better.
Its still very much of the wiffly side with the punches and kicks though to the point where you'll mostly be relying on grabs, weapons, pits and jump kicks to get you across the levels... There also isn't really a lot here, four main levels, one or two annoying bits and not that many enemies... honestly I found most of the game until the last level to be a bit of a cakewalk and I think I died/game-overed more from accidentally falling down pits vs actually being beaten.
I will also say, Mode B, the weird attempt at a 1 v 1 fighting game... its terrible, its clunky and bad all-round.
I love me some metroidvania's so its kind of weird that ive never actually played through the actual two games that shape the genre, Castlevania or Metroid. So I decided to.... Play the GBA games. Go figure.
In general I don't hate Circle of the Moon, there's still a lot to like, exploration can be fun, the combat is meaty and the designs are interesting for the most part but overall it really feels like a game that all too often goes out of its way to waste time, either through its level design comprising mostly of looping staircases and mazes.... or through its card system that works entirely off the back of random loot drops.
Again, its not awful but its certainly a game that could have done with some better cleaner design.
In general I don't hate Circle of the Moon, there's still a lot to like, exploration can be fun, the combat is meaty and the designs are interesting for the most part but overall it really feels like a game that all too often goes out of its way to waste time, either through its level design comprising mostly of looping staircases and mazes.... or through its card system that works entirely off the back of random loot drops.
Again, its not awful but its certainly a game that could have done with some better cleaner design.
There's something just weirdly flat about this game. Everything works well, the graphics are decent enough and its not a horrible game to play.... But its also just so weirdly Polite? Nothings ever really fast enough, aggressive enough or pushy enough to actually leave any mark.
This also applies to the audio which is a mix of utterly forgettable and overly tame and again, polite thanks to the game refusing to actually use voice clips properly.
It all leads to a game that isn't terrible but merely 'exists' and once again, is way too polite to exist and of all the words I could use to describe anything associated with Nickelodeon, Polite really shouldn't be that defining word.
This also applies to the audio which is a mix of utterly forgettable and overly tame and again, polite thanks to the game refusing to actually use voice clips properly.
It all leads to a game that isn't terrible but merely 'exists' and once again, is way too polite to exist and of all the words I could use to describe anything associated with Nickelodeon, Polite really shouldn't be that defining word.
1993
The people who made this would later make the videogame based off Scarface and quite frankly thats funnier than anything else I can come up with.
1987
Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 10: Technos Collection
Before I begin this im going to note im cheating a little bit here. I don't actually own the Tecnos cart and given its currently out of print and sells for silly money, im probably never owning it. What I'm playing are the versions on the Double Dragon & Kunio-Kun collection on the switch, so take that as you will.
Onto the first and its like running into a brick wall difficulty wise, that first initial stage is so mean spirited and brutal to the point where it can feel like an impossible task to comprehend.
Once you get the hang of it though, and discover that spamming jump-kick is pretty much the main viable solution to all problems, the game does kick up into gear, even if fundamentally its still rather clunky and rough around all the edges and thats pretty much to be expected of a game that both launched an entire subgenre and an expansive franchise.
Before I begin this im going to note im cheating a little bit here. I don't actually own the Tecnos cart and given its currently out of print and sells for silly money, im probably never owning it. What I'm playing are the versions on the Double Dragon & Kunio-Kun collection on the switch, so take that as you will.
Onto the first and its like running into a brick wall difficulty wise, that first initial stage is so mean spirited and brutal to the point where it can feel like an impossible task to comprehend.
Once you get the hang of it though, and discover that spamming jump-kick is pretty much the main viable solution to all problems, the game does kick up into gear, even if fundamentally its still rather clunky and rough around all the edges and thats pretty much to be expected of a game that both launched an entire subgenre and an expansive franchise.
Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 9: Piko Interactive Collection 1
Its the last one of the Piko Collection, I had been putting this off for last but was it worth the wait? Honestly, even after putting in several hours, I'm not sure. This is another one of Piko's early acquisitions, a bootlegged title by Super Fighter Team, given a brand new translation and both physical and digital releases by Piko.
And its a pretty nifty game all things considered, taking a rather classic Chinese legend and throwing a turn based strategy RPG spin on it all. Its a rather fun, if slightly simplistic affair with a focus on the battles over anything else, there isn't really any exploration to do here. Just straight up battling from one scene to the next.
I will note the game feels weirdly balanced, some levels seem outright mean spirited at times but the game counters that by having all exp carry over from game overs so even if you have to grind a little through failure, its still very possible to push through the harder parts of the game with enough attempts.
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of other things to say about this, as a whole the game is a little too on the simple side and while that makes for some easy enough gaming, it does make it slightly feel like the McDonalds of tactics. Enough to satisfy but not enough to actually fix what you're after.
Its the last one of the Piko Collection, I had been putting this off for last but was it worth the wait? Honestly, even after putting in several hours, I'm not sure. This is another one of Piko's early acquisitions, a bootlegged title by Super Fighter Team, given a brand new translation and both physical and digital releases by Piko.
And its a pretty nifty game all things considered, taking a rather classic Chinese legend and throwing a turn based strategy RPG spin on it all. Its a rather fun, if slightly simplistic affair with a focus on the battles over anything else, there isn't really any exploration to do here. Just straight up battling from one scene to the next.
I will note the game feels weirdly balanced, some levels seem outright mean spirited at times but the game counters that by having all exp carry over from game overs so even if you have to grind a little through failure, its still very possible to push through the harder parts of the game with enough attempts.
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of other things to say about this, as a whole the game is a little too on the simple side and while that makes for some easy enough gaming, it does make it slightly feel like the McDonalds of tactics. Enough to satisfy but not enough to actually fix what you're after.
1994
Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 9: Piko Interactive Collection 1
As a spiritual sequel to Drakkhen this certainly clears the low bar of quality that game had, the controls are cleaner, the overall experience is much more tailored to consoles and as a whole its a better game thanks to moving away from clunky digital mouse cursors and onto a more action-rpg take.
As a whole this isnt... bad... but it does also feel like some of the aspects that made Drakken actually memorable were also lost in the process. Enemy designs are much more generic, levels look bland and the inherent weirdness that permutated through Drakken's design is just gone.
In its place is a rather competent but rather uninteresting hack and slash with map segments that just feel now out of place now all the weirdness has been removed.
As a spiritual sequel to Drakkhen this certainly clears the low bar of quality that game had, the controls are cleaner, the overall experience is much more tailored to consoles and as a whole its a better game thanks to moving away from clunky digital mouse cursors and onto a more action-rpg take.
As a whole this isnt... bad... but it does also feel like some of the aspects that made Drakken actually memorable were also lost in the process. Enemy designs are much more generic, levels look bland and the inherent weirdness that permutated through Drakken's design is just gone.
In its place is a rather competent but rather uninteresting hack and slash with map segments that just feel now out of place now all the weirdness has been removed.
2023
THE CHAMP.
IS.
HERE.
I know this is just a prelude for the collection coming out but hell yeah. I feel it. It feels good and we should all go on this absolute banger of a ride.
IS.
HERE.
I know this is just a prelude for the collection coming out but hell yeah. I feel it. It feels good and we should all go on this absolute banger of a ride.
2021
Theres a lot of games that aim for that 'Cozy' vibe but never really hit the mark, maybe the writing isnt very good, maybe they ask you to do too much busywork to get to where you want to be, maybe their message is muddled via control issues or through elements that dont fit.
This? This nails that vibe perfectly. A neat little calm shopping trip, filled with fun characters, exploration aplenty and neat little things here and there, be it conversations you didnt know you could have, phone numbers to dial, secrets to collect and friends to make.
Its all a very peaceful and rewarding little experience that ticks all the correct boxes. Is it on the short side? Sure.... But honestly I wouldnt have it any other way.
This? This nails that vibe perfectly. A neat little calm shopping trip, filled with fun characters, exploration aplenty and neat little things here and there, be it conversations you didnt know you could have, phone numbers to dial, secrets to collect and friends to make.
Its all a very peaceful and rewarding little experience that ticks all the correct boxes. Is it on the short side? Sure.... But honestly I wouldnt have it any other way.
2017
I honestly forgot this barely working pile of nonsense existed and I kind of wish I hadnt remembered it. Utterly incomprehensible with not a single redeeming moment to it.
2023
Look I already have Gang Beasts and I get why in some ways this is better, having the menu INSTANTLY plead with me to buy extra cosmetics and battle pass nonsense as soon as I get it is absolutely the first step in making me want to turn off and never pick it up again.
ITS A SPICY MEATABALL
1992
Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 9: Piko Interactive Collection 1
Im so sad I tell you, I really wanted to like this one, the idea of having a lemming-esque (or lost vikings) puzzler was a really nice one but it just lets itself down out of the gate with some incredibly awkward controls, just moving around feels stiff, let alone using items to get around.
Once you do get used to the controls though, the game has some interesting aspects, mixing up positioning and timing to jump and throw in order to get to the exit or item in each stage... that said its way too easy to accidentally overshoot, kill a person or lose essential items to the point where it feels like the game is actively taunting you.
Like I said, theres interesting moments but its all washed out by the controls, the speed of play and how easy it is to screw over a level. All I can say is thank goodness for save states.
Im so sad I tell you, I really wanted to like this one, the idea of having a lemming-esque (or lost vikings) puzzler was a really nice one but it just lets itself down out of the gate with some incredibly awkward controls, just moving around feels stiff, let alone using items to get around.
Once you do get used to the controls though, the game has some interesting aspects, mixing up positioning and timing to jump and throw in order to get to the exit or item in each stage... that said its way too easy to accidentally overshoot, kill a person or lose essential items to the point where it feels like the game is actively taunting you.
Like I said, theres interesting moments but its all washed out by the controls, the speed of play and how easy it is to screw over a level. All I can say is thank goodness for save states.
1993
Playing Through My Evercade Collection Part 9: Piko Interactive Collection 1
Maze like levels full of random collectables strewn around like troll dolls, parallax scrolling backgrounds that loop forever, music that flips between mobile midi and 'Damn good' and weirdly high quality animation for basic things. ITS EUROJANK TIME.
Honestly im at home here, I know for some people this sort of platformer is a nightmare but somebody like me who grew up with an Amiga, it feels like im stepping into a comfy warm bath. I had quite a bit of fun with this one, theres a generally good sense of speed across the levels and while its certainly a little clunky at time, it doesnt get in the way too much.
Maze like levels full of random collectables strewn around like troll dolls, parallax scrolling backgrounds that loop forever, music that flips between mobile midi and 'Damn good' and weirdly high quality animation for basic things. ITS EUROJANK TIME.
Honestly im at home here, I know for some people this sort of platformer is a nightmare but somebody like me who grew up with an Amiga, it feels like im stepping into a comfy warm bath. I had quite a bit of fun with this one, theres a generally good sense of speed across the levels and while its certainly a little clunky at time, it doesnt get in the way too much.