juliusaurus
Pros: An unsettling and strange entry in the Zelda series, but one of the most satisfying as well. It's essentially like the movie "Groundhog Day" but instead of repeating one day over and over again, you repeat three days, over and over again. Where at the end of the third day, the moon crashes into the earth, so you're constantly needing to play the ocarina to warp yourself back in time, to try and complete your mission to stop the apocalypse... It's pretty thrilling! And the story involving the puppet character of Skull Kid who has been possessed by the 'Majora's Mask' is a captivating one. With a whole new setting and cast of characters to experience too. They crafted the world of Termina in such a way that different events happen throughout the world at specific times on specific days, and your actions may even alter how those events play out. Dozens upon dozens of characters are involved with these events, where you help them out to complete tasks, earn new items or masks, and essentially help out their lives in significant and meaningful ways... Which, is also quite like the film, Groundhog Day... huh. It can get quite emotional! And to me, this is the meat of the experience, which is oddly enough, side content, but doing them is much more satisfying than any previous Zelda games' denizen interactions, and not just for the character and story developments, but also the rewards, such as several dozen different masks for you to collect that offer numerous functions.
And these masks are great fun! They have all sorts of different uses that help with standard gameplay or puzzle solving, some grant you abilities like faster speed, or give you attacks like blowing up on command. And also, they're just fun to wear, to change your appearance. But in part of the main campaign of this game, are the masks that transform you entirely into different beings, the Deku Scrub, the Goron, and the Zora. Each providing brand new toolkits and mechanics to experience the world differently, and tackle each of the four different dungeons with their unique gameplay. I love these transformations, it's exhilarating to roll around at the speed of sound as a Goron, or swim speedily through the seas leaping in and out of the water like a dolphin as the Zora. Essentially, all of these masks, transformations and non, provide the game with plenty of toys to play with, and are just entertaining in their own right. Standard Link is still of course your main mode of play, and this time around he's just Young Link, which is fine, he can also ride Epona, this time a young Epona, which is super cute and something I had wanted to do previously in OoT. All of the standard mechanics that made Ocarina of Time so great are back here, and feeling just as great as ever. Z-Targeting, a myriad of weapons and items, and another brilliant soundtrack by Koji Kondo (my favorite new song being the Astral Observatory, it's so heavenly). So there's enough there to where this still feels like a Zelda game through and through... However...
Cons: The timer... man, the timer adds a bit of a stress to this game that I feel conflicts with the spirit of adventure and exploration that Zelda is known for. And while, yes, adventure and exploration is all still here, and in spades, that ticking tock makes me less relaxed and feeling free to do so at my own pace. What's worse, is that this game provides so many fun new toys to play with, the aforementioned masks and transformations, but no sense of time to get to enjoy them to their fullest. So many new ways to play that could've been so much more enriching and satisfying... But, in addition to the stress of a clock, there's the world design, which feels far more restrictive. Yes, it's fun to roll around as a Goron, problem is that the overworld is so small, just a little ring surrounding the main town, and that's as big of a sandbox to play in as you're gonna get here. So rolling around, which would be fun in a massive traditional Zelda overworld, becomes less enjoyable when you can only spin around in a dinky donut shaped landmass... And same goes for the Zora, so much fun to blast through the waves, but, the sea you're able to swim in, is such a limited space, that I can never feel like I can explore like how I want to. It's an odd mix of extremely well made mechanics, but a limiting world and sense of time that keeps them from being the best they could be to me.
What it means to me: This was the first Zelda game my brother and I purchased (OoT was always a rent prior to this), so we were finally able to sink our teeths into a meaty Zelda experience. The immersion factor for this one is through the roof, never had a game's world felt so alive, as we'd keep up with the many different citizens of the land. And upon getting to that final boss, and collecting every mask to earn the Fierce Deity transformation, man, we were pretty satisfied! What an epic moment that was. Initially, I was pretty bummed adult Link from OoT wasn't in this, so seeing Fierce Deity essentially being the Adult Link of this game, was the ultimate goal... a little disappointing you could only play as him in boss rooms, but still, I NEEDED it, hah!
And these masks are great fun! They have all sorts of different uses that help with standard gameplay or puzzle solving, some grant you abilities like faster speed, or give you attacks like blowing up on command. And also, they're just fun to wear, to change your appearance. But in part of the main campaign of this game, are the masks that transform you entirely into different beings, the Deku Scrub, the Goron, and the Zora. Each providing brand new toolkits and mechanics to experience the world differently, and tackle each of the four different dungeons with their unique gameplay. I love these transformations, it's exhilarating to roll around at the speed of sound as a Goron, or swim speedily through the seas leaping in and out of the water like a dolphin as the Zora. Essentially, all of these masks, transformations and non, provide the game with plenty of toys to play with, and are just entertaining in their own right. Standard Link is still of course your main mode of play, and this time around he's just Young Link, which is fine, he can also ride Epona, this time a young Epona, which is super cute and something I had wanted to do previously in OoT. All of the standard mechanics that made Ocarina of Time so great are back here, and feeling just as great as ever. Z-Targeting, a myriad of weapons and items, and another brilliant soundtrack by Koji Kondo (my favorite new song being the Astral Observatory, it's so heavenly). So there's enough there to where this still feels like a Zelda game through and through... However...
Cons: The timer... man, the timer adds a bit of a stress to this game that I feel conflicts with the spirit of adventure and exploration that Zelda is known for. And while, yes, adventure and exploration is all still here, and in spades, that ticking tock makes me less relaxed and feeling free to do so at my own pace. What's worse, is that this game provides so many fun new toys to play with, the aforementioned masks and transformations, but no sense of time to get to enjoy them to their fullest. So many new ways to play that could've been so much more enriching and satisfying... But, in addition to the stress of a clock, there's the world design, which feels far more restrictive. Yes, it's fun to roll around as a Goron, problem is that the overworld is so small, just a little ring surrounding the main town, and that's as big of a sandbox to play in as you're gonna get here. So rolling around, which would be fun in a massive traditional Zelda overworld, becomes less enjoyable when you can only spin around in a dinky donut shaped landmass... And same goes for the Zora, so much fun to blast through the waves, but, the sea you're able to swim in, is such a limited space, that I can never feel like I can explore like how I want to. It's an odd mix of extremely well made mechanics, but a limiting world and sense of time that keeps them from being the best they could be to me.
What it means to me: This was the first Zelda game my brother and I purchased (OoT was always a rent prior to this), so we were finally able to sink our teeths into a meaty Zelda experience. The immersion factor for this one is through the roof, never had a game's world felt so alive, as we'd keep up with the many different citizens of the land. And upon getting to that final boss, and collecting every mask to earn the Fierce Deity transformation, man, we were pretty satisfied! What an epic moment that was. Initially, I was pretty bummed adult Link from OoT wasn't in this, so seeing Fierce Deity essentially being the Adult Link of this game, was the ultimate goal... a little disappointing you could only play as him in boss rooms, but still, I NEEDED it, hah!
Pros: Tighter design, more beautiful graphics, jaw-dropping soundtrack, this is one of those rare sequels that's bigger, and in many ways, better than its predecessor. This adventure is huge, and you're in enemy territory, danger is around every corner, every single mind blowingly magnificent corner. Just like in DKC1, immersion is a major factor to this title, you'll want to explore every little nook and cranny of each stage, as there are goodies abound, bonus rooms, and in this game, DK coins, which are well hidden and only super players can find them! I would say, what really separates this game from the first, is the sense of exploration, it's heightened ever so much, where each area has collectibles that count towards percentage. Bonus Rooms are more goal oriented, where each of them feels like a uniquely designed challenge reflecting the gimmick of the stage you're in. And this extra focus on collecting and exploration, really does fit well with the theme of the game, pirates!! I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but choosing the pirate theme absolutely fit this more adventure style of gameplay, where not only is exploration a bigger focus, but level design changed drastically as a result. Where DKC1 stages were more about speedily and rhythmically moving in one direction (often to the right), this game's stages and mechanics have you moving this way and that, to the right, upwards, downwards, to the left, ziggin' and zaggin, which makes more sense to hide secrets and collectibles abound in them. These are big sprawling stages, still with their own unique gimmicks to set them apart from one another, and always providing a spirit of adventuring in a dangerous world.
And just as DKC 1's animal buddies had mechanics pushing its theme of momentous forward movement, a lot of the animal buddies in this game, push the theme of adventure and exploration moreso. Newcomer Squitter the spider lets you create platforms in mid-air, which begs the player to create plaforms upwards to the side and everywhere, helping you explore your surrounding. Squawks the Parrot returns, but this time, you play as them, as you can fly, well, anywhere you'd like! Even old animal buddies have new moves that encourage experimentation and exploration, like Enguarde or Rambi's charge move to break through walls, or newcomer Rattly (Winky replacement) who has a greater focus on vertical movement. They all play great, and have top notch design!
Speaking of new characters, newcomer Dixie Kong is a standout in this game! She has so much style and personality, wearing a pink beret, with a long banana-shaped blonde ponytail. She uses her ponytail to slowly float across the stage or for safe landings. A very helpful ability considering how tricky the platforming can sometimes be. And it makes her a great character for beginner players, and in general, I prefer her over Diddy, as she's hardly slower than him, and provides the same weight class abilities. She's excellent, and it's always a fun time beating a stage with her as she jams out on the electric guitar. Certainly one of my favorite Kongs in the series. And the tag-team system is back in this game, but with a new ability where you can put your partner on your back, and toss them as a projectile, or to gain access to higher ground. It's the perfect ability for the stronger theme of exploration this game has.
The new archetypes for each area you explore ooze atmosphere, most of which express danger, such as pirate ship wrecks, lava rivers, mineshafts, swamps, killer beehives, haunted forests, trap ridden jungles, broken up amusement parks, damp dungeons, icebergs, and most memorable of all, thorny bramble bushes that climb towards the sky. Each of which look beautiful, and carry a tinge of sadness to them, they're all on enemy territory, Crocodile Isle, after all. And the music accompanying them, by David Wise, is mesmerizing, haunting, beautiful, and once again, spiritual. With the most popular new song being Stickerbush Symphony, to accompany the bramble stages. It's unbelievably good, like, best song in any game ever type of good. All of this is to say, you'll be sucked into this world, and it's not a lighthearted hoppy boppy jont, it's somewhat introspective, moody, and serious... Strangely enough.
Cons: For me personally, I do prefer the more nature oriented vibes of DKC1 (and later games in the series as well) as this game's world and atmosphere does have a more fantastical element to it. Just a preference thing, but eh... Y'know, I'm not a fan of gloomy, or... and I always get flak for this, I'm not into pirates, just not a fan. It's not my aesthetic. And given that this game carries one major theme throughout the adventure, if I'm not in that particular mood to experience those vibes, I'm not gonna want to replay this game as much. Whereas DKC1, in my opinion, has more variety in terms of tone, lighthearted, bright, dark, dangerous, that has me coming back to it more and more, and picking whichever stage fits my mood more easily. I feel like the nature vs. industry theme in that game fits more what I like as a person in general too. But objectively, DKC2 hits the mark it's aiming for perfectly, and I understand why it's so beloved. And again, I do love it, just not as much as the others. But in trying to be objective, this game is mostly amazing, but... for what cons I can try and muster up, one that really bothered me upon finding out about this sequel was...
... you can't play as Donkey Kong...
Yeah yeah, that's no big issue for most, but to me, we FINALLY got DK in a playable role with the prior game, and immediately he's cast aside. I wanted more DK!! But no, he's captured, oh well. You can't even play as him after you save him again. This one really did bug me as a kid, and even now, I wish DK played more of a role in this game. As cool as Diddy is... But also, now that both partner Kongs are lightweights in this game, the tag-team mechanics aren't as balanced. And I feel that makes less incentive to switch characters, as either you'll be playing as Dixie, the easier mode, or Diddy, the slightly faster more difficult mode. The game has you switch characters for Kong specific barrels, but it just feels so artificial to get you to switch, when otherwise I'd have no reason to. They'd later fix this issue in the sequel though, so that's good. But here... Eh, it's an awkward middle stage.
What it means to me: This was the most hype I had ever been for a video game up to that point. Donkey Kong Country 1 changed my world, blew my mind, and when I found out they were making a sequel, I scrounged every magazine article I could get my hands on, speculated about what new there could be with friends, and drew fanart during class, haha! I was beyond hyped, and when it came out, I was again, blown away by just how epic this game was! Sure, I was disappointed by some things, but overall, I was in love with Donkey Kong Country 2, and I still play it yearly, and listen to its OST religiously. It may be my least favorite DKC game of the five in the series, but it's still an amazing game in my favorite series, that I love. Sorry I gotta mark half a star, because it doesn't click with me in every facet, but this one means a heck of a lot to me.
And just as DKC 1's animal buddies had mechanics pushing its theme of momentous forward movement, a lot of the animal buddies in this game, push the theme of adventure and exploration moreso. Newcomer Squitter the spider lets you create platforms in mid-air, which begs the player to create plaforms upwards to the side and everywhere, helping you explore your surrounding. Squawks the Parrot returns, but this time, you play as them, as you can fly, well, anywhere you'd like! Even old animal buddies have new moves that encourage experimentation and exploration, like Enguarde or Rambi's charge move to break through walls, or newcomer Rattly (Winky replacement) who has a greater focus on vertical movement. They all play great, and have top notch design!
Speaking of new characters, newcomer Dixie Kong is a standout in this game! She has so much style and personality, wearing a pink beret, with a long banana-shaped blonde ponytail. She uses her ponytail to slowly float across the stage or for safe landings. A very helpful ability considering how tricky the platforming can sometimes be. And it makes her a great character for beginner players, and in general, I prefer her over Diddy, as she's hardly slower than him, and provides the same weight class abilities. She's excellent, and it's always a fun time beating a stage with her as she jams out on the electric guitar. Certainly one of my favorite Kongs in the series. And the tag-team system is back in this game, but with a new ability where you can put your partner on your back, and toss them as a projectile, or to gain access to higher ground. It's the perfect ability for the stronger theme of exploration this game has.
The new archetypes for each area you explore ooze atmosphere, most of which express danger, such as pirate ship wrecks, lava rivers, mineshafts, swamps, killer beehives, haunted forests, trap ridden jungles, broken up amusement parks, damp dungeons, icebergs, and most memorable of all, thorny bramble bushes that climb towards the sky. Each of which look beautiful, and carry a tinge of sadness to them, they're all on enemy territory, Crocodile Isle, after all. And the music accompanying them, by David Wise, is mesmerizing, haunting, beautiful, and once again, spiritual. With the most popular new song being Stickerbush Symphony, to accompany the bramble stages. It's unbelievably good, like, best song in any game ever type of good. All of this is to say, you'll be sucked into this world, and it's not a lighthearted hoppy boppy jont, it's somewhat introspective, moody, and serious... Strangely enough.
Cons: For me personally, I do prefer the more nature oriented vibes of DKC1 (and later games in the series as well) as this game's world and atmosphere does have a more fantastical element to it. Just a preference thing, but eh... Y'know, I'm not a fan of gloomy, or... and I always get flak for this, I'm not into pirates, just not a fan. It's not my aesthetic. And given that this game carries one major theme throughout the adventure, if I'm not in that particular mood to experience those vibes, I'm not gonna want to replay this game as much. Whereas DKC1, in my opinion, has more variety in terms of tone, lighthearted, bright, dark, dangerous, that has me coming back to it more and more, and picking whichever stage fits my mood more easily. I feel like the nature vs. industry theme in that game fits more what I like as a person in general too. But objectively, DKC2 hits the mark it's aiming for perfectly, and I understand why it's so beloved. And again, I do love it, just not as much as the others. But in trying to be objective, this game is mostly amazing, but... for what cons I can try and muster up, one that really bothered me upon finding out about this sequel was...
... you can't play as Donkey Kong...
Yeah yeah, that's no big issue for most, but to me, we FINALLY got DK in a playable role with the prior game, and immediately he's cast aside. I wanted more DK!! But no, he's captured, oh well. You can't even play as him after you save him again. This one really did bug me as a kid, and even now, I wish DK played more of a role in this game. As cool as Diddy is... But also, now that both partner Kongs are lightweights in this game, the tag-team mechanics aren't as balanced. And I feel that makes less incentive to switch characters, as either you'll be playing as Dixie, the easier mode, or Diddy, the slightly faster more difficult mode. The game has you switch characters for Kong specific barrels, but it just feels so artificial to get you to switch, when otherwise I'd have no reason to. They'd later fix this issue in the sequel though, so that's good. But here... Eh, it's an awkward middle stage.
What it means to me: This was the most hype I had ever been for a video game up to that point. Donkey Kong Country 1 changed my world, blew my mind, and when I found out they were making a sequel, I scrounged every magazine article I could get my hands on, speculated about what new there could be with friends, and drew fanart during class, haha! I was beyond hyped, and when it came out, I was again, blown away by just how epic this game was! Sure, I was disappointed by some things, but overall, I was in love with Donkey Kong Country 2, and I still play it yearly, and listen to its OST religiously. It may be my least favorite DKC game of the five in the series, but it's still an amazing game in my favorite series, that I love. Sorry I gotta mark half a star, because it doesn't click with me in every facet, but this one means a heck of a lot to me.
Pros: Peak video game design right here. The "sequel" to Super Mario World has you playing as Yoshi the dinosaur, as you stumble upon a Baby Mario, you and the rest of the Yoshi clan decide to bring this baby back to its parents, as well as save his baby brother Luigi, on an arduous hard fought journey through the entire island defeating Kamek's evil gang of nasty Koopas along the way.
This game is so well designed, so optimized, so perfect in my mind. Every move at Yoshi's disposal is useful, and useful all the time. Throughout the game's 48 levels you will be actively using every tool at your disposal to beat stages and collect all the goodies within them, tools such as the familiar tongue whip, where Yoshi can lick up objects and enemies, now in an upwards direction in addition to the side. Upon licking them up, Yoshi now has the ability to spit them out as a rolling projectile (not unlike Kirby's abilities), or swallow them whole if he can, which transforms whatever is in his mouth into an egg. These eggs trail behind you and are used as ammo for whippin' at other enemies, bosses, key items, objects, you name it. These eggs are a huge mechanic in the game, as it's how you interact with most of the world around you. A little aiming reticule pops up before you throw them, it's quick, it's seamless, and you can then whip an egg forward and watch it ricochet off walls, causing domino effects on enemies, and destroying or collecting other objects around you. It feels great, it's fun, and you just wanna keep doing it! Other moves at Yoshi's disposal are the flutter jump, a mid-air hover of sorts that, if you're good enough at performing it, you can hover for extremely long stretches, covering a lot of ground in the stages. Another new attack, the ground pound, lets Yoshi come crashing down from the air to demolish whatever is beneath him, such as stumps, poles, and enemies. And each of these moves, can be used at any time and in conjunction, and it, again, feels great! Like... Fluttering backwards shooting a shy guy carrying a red coin, then licking the coin grabbing it before it falls to the abyss, it's crazy! And it works, and it feels awesome! And it's especially useful for exploring these stages built specifically around these mechanics. There's even transformations for Yoshi to shake things up, where you can change into a helicopter, car (with extend-y wheels), mole tank, train, and submarine, each of which play well into the exploration item hunting level design! They're also just really dang cute, heh!
I also love the new health system, perhaps taking a page from Sonic's ring health system, and even inspiring regenerative health that would later permeate the industry. Upon taking a hit, you lose Baby Mario, who goes flying off of your back in a bubble, as a timer starts to tick. Timer hits zero, that's it, death! But, if you can recover Baby Mario, you're back to business! Yes, Baby Mario can be annoying, but isn't that sort of the point? You're punished for getting hit, and the better you are at the game, and knowing its mechanics, the faster you'll be able to get that baby back. Like, shooting the bubble that contains Baby Mario with an egg, will send the bubble careening downwards to you, and if you lick the bubble with your tongue it pops it, giving you Baby Mario earlier than if you'd have touched the bubble normally. Tricks and tips! You learn as you play, the game is constantly teaching you through this system. It works beautifully.
Level design is also spectacular, and promotes exploration, as searching every nook and cranny of each stage is a great change of pace from Mario games before it. Takes a page from DKC in removing the time limit and HUD, and boy do I appreciate that, because this is a beautiful looking game (the first time EAD would make an aesthetically pleasing game, in my opinion, I complained previously about the graphics in Super Mario World and Link to the Past... I didn't like them, haha!), backgrounds and animations are stunning, taking on a crayon/colored pencil or watercolor aesthetic. Levels are abuzz with activity, even the clouds wiggle with scribbled effects. And it all comes together to make really pretty looking areas. Seeing a flock of Goonies flying across the background as you're skiing down a wintery slope, is one such wonderful setting. Captivating stuff.
What I think may be what shines the brightest about Yoshi's Island though are the bosses, even the mid bosses. These are the most visually thrilling, action packed, and creative bosses I've perhaps seen from Nintendo, and especially on the SNES. They can be downright ginormous, filling the screen, or extending beyond, with wonderful Super FX visuals (or as the marketing called it then, "morphmation"). My favorites include Sluggy the Unshaven, Prince Froggy, Hookbill the Koopa, Bigger Boo, Naval Piranha, Raphael Raven, and by far the greatest final Bowser fight ever put in a video game, holy shit, that giant Baby Bowser. They're all incredible, with charming presentation, they get you thinkin' on your toes, and acting on your feet. This game put other gaming bosses to shame, and are still to this day my favorite bosses ever put in video games.
The story in this game may also have been the first time I ever felt an emotional connection to a video game story before. Returning baby Mario and Luigi home, a perilous journey that a group of unassuming dinosaurs sacrificed themselves for, the adventure meant something important, and in that final moment when you hear the classic SMB victory jingle, I swear I shed a tear, and certainly the credits music by Koji Kondo helped with that too. It's just... so beautiful. In fact, the entire soundtrack by Kondo may be my favorite work of his, well, next to Ocarina of Time. This game is just so, wow... It's an accomplishment, by far my favorite 2D Mario game, if you can count it as one, heh. Nah, yeah, this game is all Yoshi's, and it's most definitely his best game! Whew... What a game it is!
Cons: I guess, fine, if I had to come up with one con for this game, it's that Baby Mario has an annoying cry... But to me, even that's a Pro, as it incentivizes you to more quickly recover him. But fiiiiiine, babies are annoying, nobody likes crying!
What it means to me: This game was for a longest time, a rent, and one that glued us to the screen whenever it was rented. I recall playing it at home, I recall playing it at my grandma's, I recall trading the controller back and forth with my brothers, I was just mesmerized by every moment of this big adventure. And one Christmas out of the blue, my mom got it for us, a used copy sure, but it was such an unexpected gift years after the game had released, she remembered how much we loved this one! We had finally gotten Yoshi's Island for ourselves! Love this game dearly, with all my soul, Yoshi is adorable, and every time the little dinosaur buddy shows up in a game or movie or anything, my heart melts for a moment. This is the one game I even purchased for my girlfriend, where I suggested if she were to play any one game, this was the one to play. And she did! Was so much fun watching her learn the moves, overcome the challenges, and watch her beat it and enjoy it!! And now I have that wonderful memory tied to this game too! There's powerful emotions attached to this one, it's real special.
Yoshi!
This game is so well designed, so optimized, so perfect in my mind. Every move at Yoshi's disposal is useful, and useful all the time. Throughout the game's 48 levels you will be actively using every tool at your disposal to beat stages and collect all the goodies within them, tools such as the familiar tongue whip, where Yoshi can lick up objects and enemies, now in an upwards direction in addition to the side. Upon licking them up, Yoshi now has the ability to spit them out as a rolling projectile (not unlike Kirby's abilities), or swallow them whole if he can, which transforms whatever is in his mouth into an egg. These eggs trail behind you and are used as ammo for whippin' at other enemies, bosses, key items, objects, you name it. These eggs are a huge mechanic in the game, as it's how you interact with most of the world around you. A little aiming reticule pops up before you throw them, it's quick, it's seamless, and you can then whip an egg forward and watch it ricochet off walls, causing domino effects on enemies, and destroying or collecting other objects around you. It feels great, it's fun, and you just wanna keep doing it! Other moves at Yoshi's disposal are the flutter jump, a mid-air hover of sorts that, if you're good enough at performing it, you can hover for extremely long stretches, covering a lot of ground in the stages. Another new attack, the ground pound, lets Yoshi come crashing down from the air to demolish whatever is beneath him, such as stumps, poles, and enemies. And each of these moves, can be used at any time and in conjunction, and it, again, feels great! Like... Fluttering backwards shooting a shy guy carrying a red coin, then licking the coin grabbing it before it falls to the abyss, it's crazy! And it works, and it feels awesome! And it's especially useful for exploring these stages built specifically around these mechanics. There's even transformations for Yoshi to shake things up, where you can change into a helicopter, car (with extend-y wheels), mole tank, train, and submarine, each of which play well into the exploration item hunting level design! They're also just really dang cute, heh!
I also love the new health system, perhaps taking a page from Sonic's ring health system, and even inspiring regenerative health that would later permeate the industry. Upon taking a hit, you lose Baby Mario, who goes flying off of your back in a bubble, as a timer starts to tick. Timer hits zero, that's it, death! But, if you can recover Baby Mario, you're back to business! Yes, Baby Mario can be annoying, but isn't that sort of the point? You're punished for getting hit, and the better you are at the game, and knowing its mechanics, the faster you'll be able to get that baby back. Like, shooting the bubble that contains Baby Mario with an egg, will send the bubble careening downwards to you, and if you lick the bubble with your tongue it pops it, giving you Baby Mario earlier than if you'd have touched the bubble normally. Tricks and tips! You learn as you play, the game is constantly teaching you through this system. It works beautifully.
Level design is also spectacular, and promotes exploration, as searching every nook and cranny of each stage is a great change of pace from Mario games before it. Takes a page from DKC in removing the time limit and HUD, and boy do I appreciate that, because this is a beautiful looking game (the first time EAD would make an aesthetically pleasing game, in my opinion, I complained previously about the graphics in Super Mario World and Link to the Past... I didn't like them, haha!), backgrounds and animations are stunning, taking on a crayon/colored pencil or watercolor aesthetic. Levels are abuzz with activity, even the clouds wiggle with scribbled effects. And it all comes together to make really pretty looking areas. Seeing a flock of Goonies flying across the background as you're skiing down a wintery slope, is one such wonderful setting. Captivating stuff.
What I think may be what shines the brightest about Yoshi's Island though are the bosses, even the mid bosses. These are the most visually thrilling, action packed, and creative bosses I've perhaps seen from Nintendo, and especially on the SNES. They can be downright ginormous, filling the screen, or extending beyond, with wonderful Super FX visuals (or as the marketing called it then, "morphmation"). My favorites include Sluggy the Unshaven, Prince Froggy, Hookbill the Koopa, Bigger Boo, Naval Piranha, Raphael Raven, and by far the greatest final Bowser fight ever put in a video game, holy shit, that giant Baby Bowser. They're all incredible, with charming presentation, they get you thinkin' on your toes, and acting on your feet. This game put other gaming bosses to shame, and are still to this day my favorite bosses ever put in video games.
The story in this game may also have been the first time I ever felt an emotional connection to a video game story before. Returning baby Mario and Luigi home, a perilous journey that a group of unassuming dinosaurs sacrificed themselves for, the adventure meant something important, and in that final moment when you hear the classic SMB victory jingle, I swear I shed a tear, and certainly the credits music by Koji Kondo helped with that too. It's just... so beautiful. In fact, the entire soundtrack by Kondo may be my favorite work of his, well, next to Ocarina of Time. This game is just so, wow... It's an accomplishment, by far my favorite 2D Mario game, if you can count it as one, heh. Nah, yeah, this game is all Yoshi's, and it's most definitely his best game! Whew... What a game it is!
Cons: I guess, fine, if I had to come up with one con for this game, it's that Baby Mario has an annoying cry... But to me, even that's a Pro, as it incentivizes you to more quickly recover him. But fiiiiiine, babies are annoying, nobody likes crying!
What it means to me: This game was for a longest time, a rent, and one that glued us to the screen whenever it was rented. I recall playing it at home, I recall playing it at my grandma's, I recall trading the controller back and forth with my brothers, I was just mesmerized by every moment of this big adventure. And one Christmas out of the blue, my mom got it for us, a used copy sure, but it was such an unexpected gift years after the game had released, she remembered how much we loved this one! We had finally gotten Yoshi's Island for ourselves! Love this game dearly, with all my soul, Yoshi is adorable, and every time the little dinosaur buddy shows up in a game or movie or anything, my heart melts for a moment. This is the one game I even purchased for my girlfriend, where I suggested if she were to play any one game, this was the one to play. And she did! Was so much fun watching her learn the moves, overcome the challenges, and watch her beat it and enjoy it!! And now I have that wonderful memory tied to this game too! There's powerful emotions attached to this one, it's real special.
Yoshi!
2000
Pros: Massive 3D Metroidvania game, with huge interconnected worlds that you travel back and forth between. This game was the closest we'd felt to one seamless living game world, before "open world" gaming became a thing. Banjo-Tooie is a fantastic sequel to Banjo-Kazooie, especially as a sequel, it follows up the events of the first game wonderfully, carrying over so much from the first. Every move you learned in B-K, you still have, and you learn tons of new moves on top of them. Characters you've met, you now see what they're up to, and they're up to quite a lot! If you're familiar with B-K and enjoyed yourself, you'll get a lot out of Tooie!
The big new gimmick is that Banjo and Kazooie can now separate and split-up, and you can switch between the two for character specific moves, that grant you access to new areas or enemy/character interactions. Or possibly using both separately and together for puzzle solving and triggering key events. It really helps magnify the "Metroidvania"ness of these games worlds, which, yeah, you will be backtracking in and out of frequently. It's a different flavor of game than B-K was, where it was very satisfying to complete each world in one go. Can't do that here, and while I don't enjoy Tooie's method as much, there's still a lot to value in what it brings to the sense of adventure.
Mumbo is of course back too, but this time fully playable! Though he just acts as another key type of character for puzzles and gates. Meanwhile newcomer Humba Wumba does the transformations this time around. And each stage now has their own transformation, and each of them are more elaborate than the ones in B-K were. Favorites among them, a snowball that grows or shrinks depending on if you're rolling over snow, or on volcanic ground. A van, yeah, you can straight up be a van that drives around running over enemies (which is pretty fun, admittedly). But my favorite of all is the giant T. Rex, which is just an invulnerable powerhouse, roaring and crashing through anything you desire (also you can be a baby T. Rex! Good to have the cute alongside the badass). All's this to say, this game is packed with content, and in most cases everything feels contextual and fun, and worth doing (unlike... ahem... DK64), and on top of it all, you still get the charm and wit from Rare with these beloved characters! And along with that is the once again excellent soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope, with brand new stages comes brand new music, and it's all fantastic here! And of course, the visuals are top-notch, expect nothing less from Rare.
Cons: The backtracking is a big ask, and can wear you down... It's especially tiresome on replays, where unlike B-K, you don't really have a good sense of when to take a break or a breather. The game could really use a map. And generally, the tone is a bit less cheery, which ain't specifically a bad thing, but it's another element that can make the playtime grow wearisome.
What it means to me: Upon first completion of this game, I was blown away, to the point where I considered this game, to be the best game ever made. Yeah, I was that into it. In time, my views have softened on the game, especially upon trying to replay it. Banjo-Kazooie (the first game) does hold up much better design-wise, in terms of playability, pacing, and so much more, it's just the perfect game. But I will say, Tooie is still a magnificent sequel, and did everything, and does everything, I wanted a sequel to Banjo-Kazooie to do. And I can't fault it there, it's the game it needed to be for its time, a time before Open World games were a thing. And what a hell of a time it was!
The big new gimmick is that Banjo and Kazooie can now separate and split-up, and you can switch between the two for character specific moves, that grant you access to new areas or enemy/character interactions. Or possibly using both separately and together for puzzle solving and triggering key events. It really helps magnify the "Metroidvania"ness of these games worlds, which, yeah, you will be backtracking in and out of frequently. It's a different flavor of game than B-K was, where it was very satisfying to complete each world in one go. Can't do that here, and while I don't enjoy Tooie's method as much, there's still a lot to value in what it brings to the sense of adventure.
Mumbo is of course back too, but this time fully playable! Though he just acts as another key type of character for puzzles and gates. Meanwhile newcomer Humba Wumba does the transformations this time around. And each stage now has their own transformation, and each of them are more elaborate than the ones in B-K were. Favorites among them, a snowball that grows or shrinks depending on if you're rolling over snow, or on volcanic ground. A van, yeah, you can straight up be a van that drives around running over enemies (which is pretty fun, admittedly). But my favorite of all is the giant T. Rex, which is just an invulnerable powerhouse, roaring and crashing through anything you desire (also you can be a baby T. Rex! Good to have the cute alongside the badass). All's this to say, this game is packed with content, and in most cases everything feels contextual and fun, and worth doing (unlike... ahem... DK64), and on top of it all, you still get the charm and wit from Rare with these beloved characters! And along with that is the once again excellent soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope, with brand new stages comes brand new music, and it's all fantastic here! And of course, the visuals are top-notch, expect nothing less from Rare.
Cons: The backtracking is a big ask, and can wear you down... It's especially tiresome on replays, where unlike B-K, you don't really have a good sense of when to take a break or a breather. The game could really use a map. And generally, the tone is a bit less cheery, which ain't specifically a bad thing, but it's another element that can make the playtime grow wearisome.
What it means to me: Upon first completion of this game, I was blown away, to the point where I considered this game, to be the best game ever made. Yeah, I was that into it. In time, my views have softened on the game, especially upon trying to replay it. Banjo-Kazooie (the first game) does hold up much better design-wise, in terms of playability, pacing, and so much more, it's just the perfect game. But I will say, Tooie is still a magnificent sequel, and did everything, and does everything, I wanted a sequel to Banjo-Kazooie to do. And I can't fault it there, it's the game it needed to be for its time, a time before Open World games were a thing. And what a hell of a time it was!
1983
Pros: Really fun action of dodging projectiles and shooting incoming bugs and critters, as well as DK's rump! It's a decent mix of vertical shooter and platformer, and in the arcade especially, it can be pretty exciting! Great presentation in the arcade version too, much higher quality than the NES counterpart.
Cons: A far more limiting experience than either previous DK arcade games. It's just not as fun as pure platforming. DK himself feels kind of like an afterthought in this compared to the prior two games.
What it means to me: Took me a long time to even find out this game existed at all, and when I did, I was perplexed by it! Didn't properly play it until adulthood, where I enjoyed it at a great arcade spot, and now I really do appreciate it.
Cons: A far more limiting experience than either previous DK arcade games. It's just not as fun as pure platforming. DK himself feels kind of like an afterthought in this compared to the prior two games.
What it means to me: Took me a long time to even find out this game existed at all, and when I did, I was perplexed by it! Didn't properly play it until adulthood, where I enjoyed it at a great arcade spot, and now I really do appreciate it.
1995
Pros: An interesting twist on the Kirby formula, where Kirby rides different animal buddies to modify his copy abilities, it's kinda neat! The game takes from Kirby Adventure from NES for its basic structure, levels, worlds, copy abilities, and they're all made well enough, if not a little bit watered down with less content in general. But because there are fewer copy abilities than Adventure, the addition of Animal Friends help expand the few abilities that are in with new animal specific attacks. The animals themselves also feature their own useful abilities. Rick the adorable hamster has running and jumping prowess, Kine the fish can swim quickly and through currents, and Coo the owl can speedily soar through the sky. I quite enjoyed all these critters.
Cons: The pacing and level design isn't quite as engaging compared to other Kirby games to me. Also the music not quite as memorable. In fact... Get ready to hear the same few songs over and over, as each animal has a song that always plays whenever you ride them, and as good as those songs might be, it can get old by game's end, especially if you would like to hear different themes from each new world.
What it means to me: I love animals, and I especially love ridable animal buddies in games, such as the ones in the Donkey Kong Country series, so I was very happy seeing Kirby get his own group! This was also the first Kirby game I played where copy abilities were a thing, and naturally, I liked them a lot, hah! Don't have much else to add, thought it was a decent game, even if the levels didn't really excite me much.
Cons: The pacing and level design isn't quite as engaging compared to other Kirby games to me. Also the music not quite as memorable. In fact... Get ready to hear the same few songs over and over, as each animal has a song that always plays whenever you ride them, and as good as those songs might be, it can get old by game's end, especially if you would like to hear different themes from each new world.
What it means to me: I love animals, and I especially love ridable animal buddies in games, such as the ones in the Donkey Kong Country series, so I was very happy seeing Kirby get his own group! This was also the first Kirby game I played where copy abilities were a thing, and naturally, I liked them a lot, hah! Don't have much else to add, thought it was a decent game, even if the levels didn't really excite me much.
Pros: Adventure. This game honed in on what made people love Zelda on NES, and created an experience that set the formula for the future of the Zelda franchise for decades. Hyrule is still big, you still have tons of freedom of exploration and discovery, but the game guides you through a somewhat more linear approach of progression through a solid story and dungeons. The world feels alive, there's towns, characters, wildlife, and gorgeous music. And as you discover the story, you're put through challenging dungeons with great puzzles and action, cool new items (that hookshot changed the game, man, such a good new item), and then you get a BIG moment, in the reveal of a parallel world, the Dark World. The game is an absolute epic, and I feel the dungeons hold up best of all.
Cons: I hate the graphics, I hate the art style, I hate the sprites. I especially hate Link's sprite... And it's not just the pink hair, even though that's so weird of a thing, considering yellow and orange were available to use in the palette... But it's Link's clothing, not only does it look frumpy and odd, the green of the hat, is a different green from the green of the tunic. And I don't know if it's an OCD something or what, but it bothers me to no end, it literally makes me enjoy the game, this amazing game, far less, having to look at that ugly wonky-ass looking Link the entire time. It's not enough for me to dock this otherwise perfect game a full star, but half a star will do...
What it means to me: Didn't play this game until after OoT, so it was pretty cool going back to this one, discovering so much of what I loved in OoT originating here. Especially the music, Kakariko Village and Zelda's Lullaby, such wonderful tunes. I return to this games OST quite often, it's cozy and inviting, good nostalgic feels. And I do think this is a great game, I see why some folk claim it the best Zelda game.
Cons: I hate the graphics, I hate the art style, I hate the sprites. I especially hate Link's sprite... And it's not just the pink hair, even though that's so weird of a thing, considering yellow and orange were available to use in the palette... But it's Link's clothing, not only does it look frumpy and odd, the green of the hat, is a different green from the green of the tunic. And I don't know if it's an OCD something or what, but it bothers me to no end, it literally makes me enjoy the game, this amazing game, far less, having to look at that ugly wonky-ass looking Link the entire time. It's not enough for me to dock this otherwise perfect game a full star, but half a star will do...
What it means to me: Didn't play this game until after OoT, so it was pretty cool going back to this one, discovering so much of what I loved in OoT originating here. Especially the music, Kakariko Village and Zelda's Lullaby, such wonderful tunes. I return to this games OST quite often, it's cozy and inviting, good nostalgic feels. And I do think this is a great game, I see why some folk claim it the best Zelda game.
Pros: Impressive engine that resembles Super Mario World, which, in a way, made this Game Boy game feel more advanced than any 2D Mario game on the NES. It felt really beefy, lots of worlds, lots of variety within each world, unique enemies, unique bosses, etc. Impressive is the word I'd use for this game, they really put their whole ass into it. Also hey, this is the game that introduced the world to Wario, that's pretty big too!
Cons: Little things, again, this is one of those games that has little things that bug me... Firstly, when you grab a power-up, or when you get hit, losing your power-up, the collision feels... off. Other 2D Mario games would pause the game momentarily as you grab a power-up or get hit, so you really feel the impact of those moments. This game doesn't have that... and you don't feel it, and often you'll run through things, and it feels like nothin happened, yet something clearly did happen, if you know what I'm saying... It doesn't feel as good. Another thing, the music. On its own, it's a fun little ditty, a good decent song. Yes, that wasn't plural, it's one song... And they use that one song everywhere, and it does tend to get annoying. I know Mario World did the same thing with its one song, but Koji Kondo must've been on some magic stuff, cuz Mario World's different takes on its one song are so much better than whatever is done here.
What it means to me: ... oh boy, this one's rough. My older brother got this game for Christmas, I remember him shaking the wrapped present the night before and guessing that it could be it, and it was! And we enjoyed the game, enjoyed it for a few years even!... until one fateful day, when a bully on the bus, asked to see all the game boy games I had with me, and so he did, I let the kid look at my games, and then when I asked for them back, he didn't give me back this one, Super Mario Land 2... And I tried to get it back from him, and he wouldn't, even told the bus driver, they stopped the bus, they removed the kid from the bus, but he still, never gave back the game... And I never saw it again. Yeah, sad story here. Maybe that bit of trauma is why I've gotten so critical on the title all these years later. But hey, it's still a really good game.
Cons: Little things, again, this is one of those games that has little things that bug me... Firstly, when you grab a power-up, or when you get hit, losing your power-up, the collision feels... off. Other 2D Mario games would pause the game momentarily as you grab a power-up or get hit, so you really feel the impact of those moments. This game doesn't have that... and you don't feel it, and often you'll run through things, and it feels like nothin happened, yet something clearly did happen, if you know what I'm saying... It doesn't feel as good. Another thing, the music. On its own, it's a fun little ditty, a good decent song. Yes, that wasn't plural, it's one song... And they use that one song everywhere, and it does tend to get annoying. I know Mario World did the same thing with its one song, but Koji Kondo must've been on some magic stuff, cuz Mario World's different takes on its one song are so much better than whatever is done here.
What it means to me: ... oh boy, this one's rough. My older brother got this game for Christmas, I remember him shaking the wrapped present the night before and guessing that it could be it, and it was! And we enjoyed the game, enjoyed it for a few years even!... until one fateful day, when a bully on the bus, asked to see all the game boy games I had with me, and so he did, I let the kid look at my games, and then when I asked for them back, he didn't give me back this one, Super Mario Land 2... And I tried to get it back from him, and he wouldn't, even told the bus driver, they stopped the bus, they removed the kid from the bus, but he still, never gave back the game... And I never saw it again. Yeah, sad story here. Maybe that bit of trauma is why I've gotten so critical on the title all these years later. But hey, it's still a really good game.
1990
Pros: Massive adventure with TONS of variety. You never really could predict what the game would throw at you next, adventuring across islands, travelling in a submarine, visiting an alien ship, it was all very adventure-y goodness! The music, great, as one would expect from first party Nintendo, but what I think I loved most, was how much character and humor, CHARM, was in this game. Coming across a difficult puzzle (and this game had some real tricky ones!) was always accompanied by something with personality and color, to keep you engaged with its world.
Cons: Some puzzles are a bit too obtuse, and you may need to go to outside sources to pass through them (there is the infamous hidden message in a note you have to dip in water to read... a note that was real, contained in the physical copy of the game, where you had to actually in reality, dip the note in water to read. And this is either a really cool thing, or a really bad thing, depending how you play the game).
What it means to me: It's not usual that an NES game can hold my attention all the way to the end, for days on end, but this game was one of them! I first really got into it and played it on the NES Classic Edition Mini, and really, it's probably the highlight of that entire mini console experience. I fully enjoyed my time with this game, and I consider myself a fan. Would LOVE to see the series return one day, and would love even more if it got some recognition in Smash Bros, like... Playable Mike Jones perhaps?? Maybe? Tough sell when the game never released in Japan, I know...
Cons: Some puzzles are a bit too obtuse, and you may need to go to outside sources to pass through them (there is the infamous hidden message in a note you have to dip in water to read... a note that was real, contained in the physical copy of the game, where you had to actually in reality, dip the note in water to read. And this is either a really cool thing, or a really bad thing, depending how you play the game).
What it means to me: It's not usual that an NES game can hold my attention all the way to the end, for days on end, but this game was one of them! I first really got into it and played it on the NES Classic Edition Mini, and really, it's probably the highlight of that entire mini console experience. I fully enjoyed my time with this game, and I consider myself a fan. Would LOVE to see the series return one day, and would love even more if it got some recognition in Smash Bros, like... Playable Mike Jones perhaps?? Maybe? Tough sell when the game never released in Japan, I know...
1985
Pros: Big adventure filled with 8 worlds. Tough platforming challenges, variety of level types, useful power-ups, and cool secrets. Incredibly fun to speedrun through too!
Cons: The platforming mechanics are a bit stiff, the timer is annoying (as it is in most Mario games), and not being able to scroll the camera back from where you came to the left, is a bit of a bummer... Otherwise, I got no real complaints, I can play this game again and again and again.
What it means to me: Most likely my very first video game, as it came packaged with the NES, though too young to understand and play it well at the time. But as I discovered more and more about it, the more I loved it, and then to finally conquer the adventure and defeat Bowser at the end, saving the princess, I felt a sense of accomplishment I'd never felt with any other game. This one is special, it pretty much changed the world.
Cons: The platforming mechanics are a bit stiff, the timer is annoying (as it is in most Mario games), and not being able to scroll the camera back from where you came to the left, is a bit of a bummer... Otherwise, I got no real complaints, I can play this game again and again and again.
What it means to me: Most likely my very first video game, as it came packaged with the NES, though too young to understand and play it well at the time. But as I discovered more and more about it, the more I loved it, and then to finally conquer the adventure and defeat Bowser at the end, saving the princess, I felt a sense of accomplishment I'd never felt with any other game. This one is special, it pretty much changed the world.
1994
Pros: This has been my favorite game for most of my life. Just getting that out of the way now, haha! But there are so many qualities to this title that contribute to that. One, the immersive atmosphere. The sound design, music, visuals, effects, UI (or lack thereof) and level construction (hiding bonus rooms to encourage exploring), all work in tangent to heighten the sense of immersion in this game's world, which to me, is the most atmospheric game on the SNES. The first area is a great example of it, as it starts you off in a jungle with several layers of treetops all parallax and off into the distance, while butterflies flutter about the landscape, where as you traverse near the end of the level, day gradually and organically transitions to night. Creating a very natural living world. Then the very next level after that, you're in darkness, there's a thunderstorm, rain pours over the stage and every lightning bolt lights up the screen, and then as you get to the end of this level, the storm clears and, again gradually, the daylight comes back out and fills the stage. Nothing breaks the immersion, it's like one seamless world, and for 1994, this is just groundbreaking. And to help with the gameplay as well as immersion, they hide the HUD (the banana and life counter and such) and only show it the moment you grab a collectible, giving you a clear and up close view of your surroundings. Additionally, instead of power-ups or a healthbar for hitpoints, they have a tag-team system with a partner Kong, which not only also clears the HUD from the screen, it gives you a choice in how you want to play, and makes you feel like you're not alone on the adventure (also fun for alternating multiplayer)
Smooth and rhythmic platforming, that's the theme of the gameplay in this game, and what most mechanics in the game play up. The main mechanic you'll use most often, is a roll attack, which can be used to combo through enemies, which speeds you up as a reward, as well as letting you roll off of ledges, and jumping out of it in mid-air. This let's you save yourself over pits, as well as gain greater distance for long jumps. Several other mechanics in the game, like rope swinging, barrel cannons, minecarts, and, one of my favorite aspects of the game, animal buddies (Rambi the rhino, Enguarde the swordfish, Winky the frog, and Expresso the ostrich), create a sense of speed and progression, as you smoothly traverse forwards throughout the 40 stages in the game. The music composed primarily by David Wise and Evelyne Novakovic, and one excellent song by Robin Beanland, is also fantastic, probably the best music on the SNES next to the sequel. Atmospheric tracks, moody melodies, jazzy and upbeat or hauntingly beautiful, sometimes downright spiritual, it's my favorite OST in gaming history, for sure. Aquatic Ambiance being my favorite song in video games, period. It's heavenly, and impresses just as much as the incredible groundbreaking cgi graphics do. Which, probably goes without saying, but they're the big selling point of the game. Smooth animation, colorful and lively visuals, they are what put this game on the map in 1994. Not as cutting edge today, no way, but they still hold up with the "fractured realism" art style the game has going for it. And it sets this game and series apart from anything else that came before.
And the characters, I already mentioned the animal buddies, I adore them (Squawks the parrot too!). Animals are my livelihood, and the ones in this game are exactly the type of animal characters I enjoy most. Animalistic, very rooted in nature, and their gameplay inspired by real wildlife. Finding an animal crate in this game is such an exhilaration, and on top of that, not knowing which animal will be on which stage, if at all, adds to their fun and excitement when found! There's something so pleasing about these animals, they're power-ups for gameplay, but because they're living breathing characters that express personality, I care so much more about them than I would a mechanical vehicle, fire Flower, or weapon that another game would possess (I suppose I do have to thank Yoshi the dinosaur for them!). But there's also the cast of Kongs and Kremlings that add so much personality to the game, and make you care. Donkey Kong, a bit of a lazy but good hearted gorilla, somewhat immature as he dances and fools around, but ya gotta love him. There's his little buddy Diddy, the monkey, who's a go-getter hot shot of an ape who looks up to DK (I think of him as a bit of a Scrappy Doo to DK's Scooby Doo, but I've gotten some flak for that comparison, haha). There's Cranky Kong, the supposed original DK from the Arcade game, he gives you tips and tricks, but mostly rattles on about the olds days (gotta love him, he adds a ton of charm and humor to this world). And then there's Funky, a cool surfer Kong that lets you travel to different worlds you've already been to, as well as Candy, DK's girlfriend that lets you save your progress (she's not a great character, but hey, at least there's one lady among them). And then the Kremlings, a gang of humanoid mutant-like crocodilians, who are led by King K. Rool, are a great terrifying foe that captured DK's bananas which sets you forth on the adventure for the game. The final boss fight against K. Rool is incredible, with great music and a surprising final moment!
Cons: The other bosses in the game are basic, not very interesting, and have repeat fights later in the game, with the only difference being color palette and added difficulty. The collision masks can sometimes be confusing, where a platform starts or where it ends, and knowing exactly where your collision on your character is can be tricky too (especially for Winky the frog). Most often the game is pretty fair, but it has its moments where the difficulty ramps up to the point where you gotta put your most hardcore of hardcore game faces on, heh (the minecart stage among them, and my favorite stage, Snow Barrel Blast, which has you shooting from barrel cannon to barrel cannon during a screen obscuring blizzard, is perhaps the most difficult of all! I love it, but be prepared, it's tough!). The final world also is just a repeat of archetypes from previous worlds, instead of doing its own unique theme, and that's somewhat unfortunate too, as a volcanic theme would've fit perfectly, oh well. All in all, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives, and you'll have so much fun by the time the *final credits roll!
What it means to me: This game means everything to me, this is the video game that got me into video games! I was introduced to this game via the promotional VHS tape called 'Donkey Kong Country Exposed', where they delve into the making of the title. I saw that tape in the mailbox one afternoon and exclaimed "WHOA! It's Donkey Kong in CLAYMATION!" Little did I know about this new fangled thing called computer animation, heh... Watching that tape blew my mind, and later that year, playing the game blew my mind even further. It started a lifelong passion, it fed into my absolute love for nature and animals, and it's the reason why I became the Nintendo nut that I am today.
Smooth and rhythmic platforming, that's the theme of the gameplay in this game, and what most mechanics in the game play up. The main mechanic you'll use most often, is a roll attack, which can be used to combo through enemies, which speeds you up as a reward, as well as letting you roll off of ledges, and jumping out of it in mid-air. This let's you save yourself over pits, as well as gain greater distance for long jumps. Several other mechanics in the game, like rope swinging, barrel cannons, minecarts, and, one of my favorite aspects of the game, animal buddies (Rambi the rhino, Enguarde the swordfish, Winky the frog, and Expresso the ostrich), create a sense of speed and progression, as you smoothly traverse forwards throughout the 40 stages in the game. The music composed primarily by David Wise and Evelyne Novakovic, and one excellent song by Robin Beanland, is also fantastic, probably the best music on the SNES next to the sequel. Atmospheric tracks, moody melodies, jazzy and upbeat or hauntingly beautiful, sometimes downright spiritual, it's my favorite OST in gaming history, for sure. Aquatic Ambiance being my favorite song in video games, period. It's heavenly, and impresses just as much as the incredible groundbreaking cgi graphics do. Which, probably goes without saying, but they're the big selling point of the game. Smooth animation, colorful and lively visuals, they are what put this game on the map in 1994. Not as cutting edge today, no way, but they still hold up with the "fractured realism" art style the game has going for it. And it sets this game and series apart from anything else that came before.
And the characters, I already mentioned the animal buddies, I adore them (Squawks the parrot too!). Animals are my livelihood, and the ones in this game are exactly the type of animal characters I enjoy most. Animalistic, very rooted in nature, and their gameplay inspired by real wildlife. Finding an animal crate in this game is such an exhilaration, and on top of that, not knowing which animal will be on which stage, if at all, adds to their fun and excitement when found! There's something so pleasing about these animals, they're power-ups for gameplay, but because they're living breathing characters that express personality, I care so much more about them than I would a mechanical vehicle, fire Flower, or weapon that another game would possess (I suppose I do have to thank Yoshi the dinosaur for them!). But there's also the cast of Kongs and Kremlings that add so much personality to the game, and make you care. Donkey Kong, a bit of a lazy but good hearted gorilla, somewhat immature as he dances and fools around, but ya gotta love him. There's his little buddy Diddy, the monkey, who's a go-getter hot shot of an ape who looks up to DK (I think of him as a bit of a Scrappy Doo to DK's Scooby Doo, but I've gotten some flak for that comparison, haha). There's Cranky Kong, the supposed original DK from the Arcade game, he gives you tips and tricks, but mostly rattles on about the olds days (gotta love him, he adds a ton of charm and humor to this world). And then there's Funky, a cool surfer Kong that lets you travel to different worlds you've already been to, as well as Candy, DK's girlfriend that lets you save your progress (she's not a great character, but hey, at least there's one lady among them). And then the Kremlings, a gang of humanoid mutant-like crocodilians, who are led by King K. Rool, are a great terrifying foe that captured DK's bananas which sets you forth on the adventure for the game. The final boss fight against K. Rool is incredible, with great music and a surprising final moment!
Cons: The other bosses in the game are basic, not very interesting, and have repeat fights later in the game, with the only difference being color palette and added difficulty. The collision masks can sometimes be confusing, where a platform starts or where it ends, and knowing exactly where your collision on your character is can be tricky too (especially for Winky the frog). Most often the game is pretty fair, but it has its moments where the difficulty ramps up to the point where you gotta put your most hardcore of hardcore game faces on, heh (the minecart stage among them, and my favorite stage, Snow Barrel Blast, which has you shooting from barrel cannon to barrel cannon during a screen obscuring blizzard, is perhaps the most difficult of all! I love it, but be prepared, it's tough!). The final world also is just a repeat of archetypes from previous worlds, instead of doing its own unique theme, and that's somewhat unfortunate too, as a volcanic theme would've fit perfectly, oh well. All in all, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives, and you'll have so much fun by the time the *final credits roll!
What it means to me: This game means everything to me, this is the video game that got me into video games! I was introduced to this game via the promotional VHS tape called 'Donkey Kong Country Exposed', where they delve into the making of the title. I saw that tape in the mailbox one afternoon and exclaimed "WHOA! It's Donkey Kong in CLAYMATION!" Little did I know about this new fangled thing called computer animation, heh... Watching that tape blew my mind, and later that year, playing the game blew my mind even further. It started a lifelong passion, it fed into my absolute love for nature and animals, and it's the reason why I became the Nintendo nut that I am today.
1994
Pros: There's one word usually thrown around a lot for Earthbound, and games like Earthbound, and that word, I'm sorry, but it's the one that best encapsulates this game. That word is 'quirky'. And if any one video game gets to claim that word, it is Earthbound. Colorful, wacky, charming, big child-like imaginative adventure, with comfy music, kinda hippie vibes too. There was nothin' else like Earthbound, and it's still a jam of a game. Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo, travelling through a modern Americana parody of a world, fighting bizarre enemies you encounter on the overworld with traditional RPG gameplay. You just have to lose yourself to this game, open up to it, there's a lot of love in here.
Cons: The RPG gameplay is a bit archaic, I'm not really into the turn-based battling here... It can be a grind too. Also, as charming as the graphics are, I can't be the only one disappointed they didn't go with a clay model look? In 1995, I wanted more out of SNES graphics, what with Donkey Kong Country, Yoshi's Island, Clayfighter, Primal Rage, Earthworm Jim, etc etc, showcasing what the generation could pull off. But, in time, I've come to really love the simple Charlie-Brown art style, it's wonderful. And later on, the sequel to this game would improve the gameplay in most ways that I wanted anyhow, plus add even higher quality sprites and animations.
What it means to me: This was a game I was always aware of, ever since the Scratch-n-Sniff adverts in GamePro and Nintendo Power magazine, up to Smash Bros. 64, but I never really deep dove into playing all of it until the Wii U release. And, this was actually after I had already beaten the sequel, Mother 3. And I really did enjoy playing all the way through Earthbound, even though I don't think it was a better game than Mother 3, it was still a fantastic journey full of fun, charm, humor, and heart... Gotta love this quirky little game.
Cons: The RPG gameplay is a bit archaic, I'm not really into the turn-based battling here... It can be a grind too. Also, as charming as the graphics are, I can't be the only one disappointed they didn't go with a clay model look? In 1995, I wanted more out of SNES graphics, what with Donkey Kong Country, Yoshi's Island, Clayfighter, Primal Rage, Earthworm Jim, etc etc, showcasing what the generation could pull off. But, in time, I've come to really love the simple Charlie-Brown art style, it's wonderful. And later on, the sequel to this game would improve the gameplay in most ways that I wanted anyhow, plus add even higher quality sprites and animations.
What it means to me: This was a game I was always aware of, ever since the Scratch-n-Sniff adverts in GamePro and Nintendo Power magazine, up to Smash Bros. 64, but I never really deep dove into playing all of it until the Wii U release. And, this was actually after I had already beaten the sequel, Mother 3. And I really did enjoy playing all the way through Earthbound, even though I don't think it was a better game than Mother 3, it was still a fantastic journey full of fun, charm, humor, and heart... Gotta love this quirky little game.
1997
Pros: Unique worlds and levels using Donkey Kong Country 3 as a foundation. With a solid engine from Donkey Kong Land 2 as a base, every area and object is pretty readable and distinct, making it so you're never really confused in the world full of low res ACM animated black and white sprites! To separate itself further from DKC3, there's an extra mode at the end of the game, a Time Trials, where you race to the finish of a set of stages to earn clock items, which is a fun little bonus. Speaking of bonuses, there's even an entire card game of Memory in this little package, something that also wasn't in DKC3. This game did more to stand out than DKL2 ever did, and it's all the better for it!
Cons: The level design can be a bit uninspired, as you'll see repeated obstacles and platforms often enough, and kinda, eh, feels a little pasted together to be honest. But you get the variety you get from a typical DKC, which is still more than enough to keep things fresh until the end. One personal beef I have is that my favorite Animal Buddy, Ellie the Elephant, doesn't show up at all until the later half of the game, and even then, only in a couple of levels, where she's stripped away of most of her abilities from SNES... Eh, minor gripe, at least she's there anyway. Also, what's with the 1-up balloon sprite? Why is it still Diddy Kong's face from DKL2? C'mon, update that thing with Dixie's head... Yeesh! Heh... And a third thing, Kiddy Kong doesn't have his water skip ability, even though Nintendo Power said he did in this! What the heck, man!
What it means to me: This was a major hyped game for myself, it was the last of the line of DKC and DKL games to release, I was highly anticipating completing both trilogies in 1997, I even remember drawing fanart of this game on an envelope and sending it to Nintendo Power (it was never featured in the magazine... bummer). And when it came out, I was overjoyed, my dad bought me the game, which I'm very grateful for, and I recall him handing me the box and remarking how impressive the graphics were for the water. And y'know, they are pretty impressive, that water on the box is quite nice, isn't it?
Cons: The level design can be a bit uninspired, as you'll see repeated obstacles and platforms often enough, and kinda, eh, feels a little pasted together to be honest. But you get the variety you get from a typical DKC, which is still more than enough to keep things fresh until the end. One personal beef I have is that my favorite Animal Buddy, Ellie the Elephant, doesn't show up at all until the later half of the game, and even then, only in a couple of levels, where she's stripped away of most of her abilities from SNES... Eh, minor gripe, at least she's there anyway. Also, what's with the 1-up balloon sprite? Why is it still Diddy Kong's face from DKL2? C'mon, update that thing with Dixie's head... Yeesh! Heh... And a third thing, Kiddy Kong doesn't have his water skip ability, even though Nintendo Power said he did in this! What the heck, man!
What it means to me: This was a major hyped game for myself, it was the last of the line of DKC and DKL games to release, I was highly anticipating completing both trilogies in 1997, I even remember drawing fanart of this game on an envelope and sending it to Nintendo Power (it was never featured in the magazine... bummer). And when it came out, I was overjoyed, my dad bought me the game, which I'm very grateful for, and I recall him handing me the box and remarking how impressive the graphics were for the water. And y'know, they are pretty impressive, that water on the box is quite nice, isn't it?
1995
Pros: An epic and somewhat funny adventure RPG involving time travel and a bunch of fun characters (Frog, you have to love Frog at the very least, c'mon), and so much visual variety and effects that are extremely impressive for SNES, and even today, they look pretty cool! Of course, it's another JRPG where the music is just phenomenal, as you'll come across songs that either make you want to dance, or even cry. The battle system is more dynamic as well, as the battlefield is on the very same map you're traversing across, still turn-based, but when you come across an enemy on the map, you fight them then and there. It's pretty visually captivating! What I loved most of all, are the ever changing settings in this game, traveling from time periods to time periods to timelines altered due to affects of travel and change. (I kinda dug that race against the biker gang leader, Johnny, who's essentially a motorbike himself, in a dystopian city setting, heh, that's the kind of fun adventure with diverse mini-game-like gameplay that I appreciated the most in this game). The story is pretty detailed and engaging as well, though to be honest, I myself got lost in the details a bit. But even if you do, the vibes and charm keep you engaged.
Cons: Sigh... I'm not a JRPG guy, so, I wasn't really fan of the battles so much. One fight, I think it was against the two goblin dudes that became one monster (Masa & Mune, I believe)... and I just kept dying over and over and over. If you're someone who loves the grind and the strategy to be able to bypass this stuff without much issue, you'll have more fun, but I didn't. Great game, great vibes, but the nitty gritty battle gameplay, which is typical JRPG fare, nothin' crazy, is just again, not my thing.
What it means to me: Everyone talked up this game, like, everyone who played it. So, I had to give it a shot too! I put it on my SNES Classic Edition Mini (shhh, don't tell Nintendo!), and set out to play it! And y'know, it was a great time! Aside from my JRPG nitpicks, this was a grand epic adventure with tons of charm, great music, and memorable characters. I'll have to come back to it again, more prepared for the battles next time.
Cons: Sigh... I'm not a JRPG guy, so, I wasn't really fan of the battles so much. One fight, I think it was against the two goblin dudes that became one monster (Masa & Mune, I believe)... and I just kept dying over and over and over. If you're someone who loves the grind and the strategy to be able to bypass this stuff without much issue, you'll have more fun, but I didn't. Great game, great vibes, but the nitty gritty battle gameplay, which is typical JRPG fare, nothin' crazy, is just again, not my thing.
What it means to me: Everyone talked up this game, like, everyone who played it. So, I had to give it a shot too! I put it on my SNES Classic Edition Mini (shhh, don't tell Nintendo!), and set out to play it! And y'know, it was a great time! Aside from my JRPG nitpicks, this was a grand epic adventure with tons of charm, great music, and memorable characters. I'll have to come back to it again, more prepared for the battles next time.
1993
Pros: Dashing and wall jumping does feel pretty good, I'll give it that. Charging your blaster feels better than ever too, the effects of the blasts as they hit enemies are on point, you feel the impact of them. The bosses are all very tough, sometimes too tough, but again, it's Mega Man, trial and error is the name of the game, and either you like that, or you don't.
Cons: ...and I don't really like it. I recall the Launch Octopus boss being quite a pain in particular, with its myriad of tiny projectiles and whirlpool attacks. Just, ugh, alright, I'll keep doing this over and over until I get it right... That's Mega Man! And yes, it's improved over the NES games, the knockback isn't as bad, the field of view feels somewhat improved, but the issues are still there. There's still the inability to aim your basic blaster, there's still the enemy respawn issue, there's still knockback, there's still those level designs prior to bosses that take cheap shots at you. Not as bad, certainly, but enough to tell me, this still isn't my type of game. The game even starts you off forcing you to lose a fight, which, that sucks design-wise, I find that a poor teacher of mechanics, teaching a player by forcing failure. But in a way, it does teach the player early what type of game this is, and whether you'll like it or not.
What it means to me: I recall my older bro renting this game here and there, and he was a fan, most people are fans of this one. It is cooler too, this X guy looks far less dorky than NES Mega Man, for sure. In the end though, I didn't like this one enough to play the sequels, sorry.
Cons: ...and I don't really like it. I recall the Launch Octopus boss being quite a pain in particular, with its myriad of tiny projectiles and whirlpool attacks. Just, ugh, alright, I'll keep doing this over and over until I get it right... That's Mega Man! And yes, it's improved over the NES games, the knockback isn't as bad, the field of view feels somewhat improved, but the issues are still there. There's still the inability to aim your basic blaster, there's still the enemy respawn issue, there's still knockback, there's still those level designs prior to bosses that take cheap shots at you. Not as bad, certainly, but enough to tell me, this still isn't my type of game. The game even starts you off forcing you to lose a fight, which, that sucks design-wise, I find that a poor teacher of mechanics, teaching a player by forcing failure. But in a way, it does teach the player early what type of game this is, and whether you'll like it or not.
What it means to me: I recall my older bro renting this game here and there, and he was a fan, most people are fans of this one. It is cooler too, this X guy looks far less dorky than NES Mega Man, for sure. In the end though, I didn't like this one enough to play the sequels, sorry.