Steve's Obscure Super Famicom Games Thread

Ste' do you know that G2 is a follow up to an old Kemco / Zoom Japanese computer game know as.... yes, you guessed it Genocide. There are also mobile phone version as well.

Yakumo

 

HALLOWEEN EDITION

^ Yup, I was informed of that by someone else

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For the kid in me this will always be my favorite day of the calender year. Darkening days, falling leaves, that cold crisp October night air... it's hard to beat.

Appropriately, here are 3 "ghostly" SFC games...

Have a great Halloween


GEGEGE NO KITAROU (AKA "GHOST OF KITARO")



This game is very very strange! It's a scrolling shoot em up platformer -- best way to describe it. Based off the manga/anime you control a bloke who sprays bullets out of his hair. Doing the firing? The organism which takes shelter in Kitaro's do, of course. Bizarre? You betcha.

Unfortunately these bullets don't go full-screen. Kitarou has a shield to block projectiles with, and 3 special weapons he can call upon, but can only use once he's killed a ghost creature and captured its soul. The more souls you've swiped, the more specials you can use.

1 special is a short cane like whip that I find utterly useless. Another is a sandal-type thing that goes across the bottom of the screen and back. The third is the BFG of the game. Multiple electric blasts are emitted from Kitarou's body. Best saved for bosses.

There are 19 levels but each stage is VERY short. You deal with a few regular baddies (some can be rather tough) and then you tackle the guardian boss. Some levels have as little as 2 enemies before the boss encounter! What the hell!

The game reminds me a bit of a SNES Contra clone REALM in this regard: both games are highly imaginative with some truly bizarre monsterous creations, but the damn thing's just so hard, making it tough to enjoy.


blasted difficult-to-high-heavens REALM

Luckily there are two handy codes (one for level select, the other for unlimited specials) and with the latter I was able to "electro shock" my way through the game. What a shame it's so hard, because like Realm some of the later levels are really something else. Alas, even jedi game players probably won't ever see 'em without the aid of cheats.

Some bosses include: Frankenstein, a witch who can change you into small random objects, a vampire in the form of a giant bat along with his many tiny bat friends, a dark cave set against a waterfall where you square off with ten dragon heads, one at a time etc.

The game, even though Kitarou and friends are kiddy looking and no blood is featured, isn't exactly rated G. One boss, after you kill her, splits in half! Another impales an innocent bystander through the heart with her makeshift razor-hand!

Here's an example of how unfair the gameplay is. On certain levels there are very small platforms to jump on, but with spirits on you like bees on honey, it's so hard to avoid them. If hit, you'll fall to your death, thanks to the ridiculously small platforms. Another case-in-point: there are leaps of faith to be made where you can't even see the platform on the right until you jump, forcing the screen to stroll forward. In a game as hard as this, that's just wrong.

On the upside, the monsters as I mentioned are something else. Level 1's boss is something you might see in Hayao Miyazaki's work (Spirited Away specifically) The graphics are real cartoony and excellent. And the music? Solid. Oriental flare and gets rather creepy-ish at the right moments.



Another major plus: what is a super-hard 1 player game becomes an absolutely BRILLIANT not-so-rock-hard 2-player affair. The 2nd player controls a character who has a full screen fireball similar to Sagat's. With Kitarou blocking and the 2nd player firing away, the game takes on new life. It's been a while since I seen a game where 2 players made SUCH a drastic difference over the 1 player mode.

After each level there are pictures and JP text to advance the story.

GeGeGe no Kitarou is the kind of game that you want to like so badly because of all its quirks, but the difficulty/cheapness ruins it. Can't recommend it whole-heartedly, but as a $5-$10 buy (provided you have a sibling or friend into these old games) you won't regret it.


"Chip? Monterey? Gadget? Zipper?!"
"Hey bud wrong tree house wrong show!"
"Oh, er... love what you done with the place"

Here's a look at LEVEL 1

This 1st baddie takes several hits to kill and zips around like no tomorrow



Then this chick pops from out behind the tree. Don't be seduced...



For her true colors are soon revealed



Thinking he was friendly I approached the lard asking for a breath mint, preferably grape



That's the last time I go to the ****ing woods



----

GHOST CHASER DENSEI

Where are the ghosts, I've always wondered. It's a beat em up. 3 choices: all around guy, quick girl, or heavy duty robot. There are 6 or 7 different types of baddies, and each "race" has 2 or 3 spinoffs but uses the same sprite. These include the usual: bottom tier bums, the big boys, the fat boys, the annoying females, even large monsters (some of which are named "Monster" or "Creature" -- and who said creativity's dead in video games?)

2 Player mode is where it's at as you can perform awesome tag team moves with your power meter. You know how beat em ups have special attacks that take away your own energy a little bit? Here, you have a separate meter for those things, so doing 360 whirly kicks or flaming Dragon Punches doesn't sap you of health, ace. There is an amazing array of different special's at your disposal. The game's moveset is larger than your average beat em up, which makes it stand out.

Not much more I need to say except it's a good one. Again I'm not sure where the "spirits" are, as I don't see any ghosts here... except in the title and maybe one, and I wouldn't want to spoil that for ya.

Beat em up fans will like it.



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GHOST SWEEPER MIKAMI

One chases, the other sweeps. The world we live in. This game is what you might get if Splatterhouse, Castlevania, Ghostbusters and Sailor Moon all jumped into a melting pot. Sorta...

You control Mikami, a rather sexy-dressing lass, who must rid the levels of spirits with her trusty wand-ish stick. Along the way pots can be broken to reveal powerups such as food or weapon upgrades (projectiles)

But is it any good?

Let's go to the tale of the tape shall we...

LEVEL 1

Mikami starts at the local mall. Reminiscent of DAWN OF THE DEAD



Nothing creeps like crummy ole mannequins at night... except for window crashing zombies



Once that's sorted you go train-hopping. It scrolls splendidly


very Ghostbuster-esque wouldn't you say?
Don't get any ideas here, Samuel L...

The little details are what make games so fun. Here's a creepy visit with a passenger... (the paper can come alive!)


"Are you done with the funnies yet?"

Doors must be blasted down. And quickly! Watch out for them nasty hand thingies



Mikami can hang and swing herself up to reach new heights. Very cool


that Flash Kick will take out baddies too

Zombies? Check. Possessed duffel bags? Check. Boogeymen? Check



Finally we arrive at boss numero uno. His long arm attack reminds me of the ole cheap sticky long arm things you could buy at supermarkets for 25 cents back in the day



LEVEL 2

Watery bit level



A rock and some bats [You're fired -Ed.]



Oh, it's the house-at-the-end-of-the-woods bit. They're never good things, ar'they?



Maybe this is the exception... aw isn't she adorable? WHOA WHAT THE [snip -Ed.]



Attack her hands and bat away the spirits



WHO'S BAD!



I know it's deja vu but grab it and go!



LEVEL 3

Here you get shrunk down to size...



All sorts of evils come your way



And everyday things we don't think twice of


you will jump...

And duck



This mid-boss packs a deadly punch (or at least, a poison dart)


game over


I enjoyed Ghost Sweeper. It's old school platforming fun, controls well and the atmosphere is ace. Based off the manga/anime... no surprise as so many SFC games were based off some sort of manga or anime. At least this one wasn't hastily put together.

A worthy addition to your Super Famicom collection.


Kitarou Level 1
Ghost Sweeper Boss 1

 

This game is actually based off the 60's classic manga and anime series baring the same name created by Shigeru Mizuki.

 

SEND IN THE CLONES!

Whenever a successful formula is found, like Street Fighter II, rival companies clamor to clone it. Ever wonder why Mario Kart didn't have more imitators? Actually, there were quite a few clones... but most of them never made it past Japan. Today we look at five of 'em and see how they fare


ASTRO GO! GO!



More of an F-Zero clone, this game is simply nuts. If you're suspectible to motion sickness you may want to pass. Astro Go Go moves so fast your eyes feel like exploding due to the rapid processing of multi-technic colors and scrolling scenery. The graphics themselves aren't particularly impressive, but the speed makes everything look better than what they really are.

You have a choice of 5 racers, each having their own unique vehicle. SUPER PLAY shows you the way....



Unfortunately it's only 1-Player, and one look it's easy to see why. The SNES trying to handle this game, split-screen, without severe detail being stripped and lack of slowdown? Shyeah, right. Thus, lifespan is shorter. There is a Grand Prix mode where you race the other 4 drivers, and a time trial mode that saves your best lap and overall times. And... that's it.

The trickiest part may be the controls. You see, you can move the vehicle 360 degrees. That means, then, that most of us will spin out accidentally a lot until we get the hang of this. Why the 360 degrees control? In certain parts your guy will go left or right... or even INTO THE SCREEN! Observe the various directions, and keep in mind this all happens at an insane velocity:

The Great Leap Forward... and I'm not talking Mao Zedong



Landing on some lovely tiles you're warned to turn right



Diagonal bit (see the 871 KM!)



Flying left (891 KM! *falls over and twitches*)



Screaming DOWNWARD (at 896 KM!! *croaks*)



So, is it worth getting? Tricky, this. See, I can understand how one might dig this, but for me I never viewed it as a "real" game. It's more of a show-y off-y gimmick racer, that while is cool and fun in 15 minute spurts, doesn't offer much more. The controls get better as you work it out and memorize the layouts of the courses, but it's far too lightweight to be considered a "great racing title."

On a side note, this was scheduled a US release under the HORRIBLE name Freeway Flyboys

Oh and if you're wondering, Super Play slagged it with a 51% mark summarizing it as "Engagingly off-beat, but only for a matter of seconds. Then its true color as a lazy attempt to copy F-Zero will shine through, driving you to despair."

NEXT!




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BATTLE RACERS

Ah, did Banpresto milk these fella's or what? One in a long line of "Battle" SFC games, these titles all feature the same four blokes, namely, Ultraman the Great, Radar RX 'The Masked Rider,' Battle Knight Gundam F-91 and Earth Fighter Roah. They've done dodgeball, they've done soccer, now they're slugging it out in a charge-to-the-finish-line duel.



As you can see, since these are super bad robots they need no stinkin' go-karts or the like. Standard Grand Prix mode, Time Trial (which saves your best lap and overall times of course) and 2P mode. 2 players can battle it out in the Grand Prix mode, or a battle game where the objective is to capture a ball and enter 10 zones, deactivating them, one by one. Meanwhile, your opponent tries his damndest to knock the ball out of your clutches and begin his own 10 zone spree. There are (surprise surprise) four different specific battle courses.

Power sliding feels just great here. There's nothing like turning the corner without slowing down and brushing past a group of pillars -- speeding your way to the finish line


this provides a great rush of adrenaline

In the Grand Prix mode, there are 6 racers. Points are handed out much like Mario Kart


shameless huh

Capsules are strewn about the courses. They change colors every few seconds and range from health refills to projectile-based attacks (yes, you have an energy bar). 5 laps per course... some of which are very short -- 11 to 15 second laps are not uncommon! 4 cups are available, with the 4th having to be unlocked. Four courses 1st cup, five 2nd and six 3rd. (total of 15 initial tracks for the mathematically impaired)


Standard pits and water hazards are present

The game is fun and feels 'right.' I thought coming in, it was going to be a poor clone. It's a lot better than I expected. In fact, in the end I came away liking it a lot. Give it a shot

NEXT!


this sunlight effect is "greatness personified"


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KAT'S RUN

Ugh. What a disappointment. An all-girl racer released in summer '95 by ATLUS. 10 females to select from, and 10 cars. Sounds plenty promising, but ends up being just a dull me-too racer.



Standard 1 and 2 player modes. Courses work oddly here... the screen blacks out as you continue to race, then it lights up and you begin the next course. This means no little breaks in-between, and with the lame CPU AI you find yourself alone driving along the bland scenery. My victory was marked after 18 minutes of non-stop racing. I almost fell asleep.


Looks cool in'it? The real in-game graphics aren't this good nor the tracks, trust me

It's not worthless... but save your money. NEXT!


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RIDER'S SPIRITS
(Bike Daisuki: Hashiriya Damashii)

Here's another blatant Mario Kart clone. Yet, like Battle Racers, it's quite enjoyable and worth getting. You have 8 drivers to select from, each with pros and cons. GP, Time Trial, 2P. If you time it right after the 3, 2, 1 bit you can even get a speed burst.



The 2 Player mode is awesome. Two can play in GP mode, or race against one another just the two of you. You can also opt to include just two extra CPU opponent (total of four for those counting at home). Now that's the kind of customizable power that I love. But what about a 2P battle mode, a la Mario Kart? And Battle Racers?

It's a little different here, and it's pretty damn cool. Ever heard of a game called CHICKEN? Well, allow someone who has played it to explain it to you. This Will Smith bit here explains it all (with a cameo from Robin -- the black lady on the Howard Stern show). Rider's Spirits' Chicken Race mode is like that... closest biker to the edge wins. If you go over, you lose, however, unlike the bloke in the footage who claims he won though he went over... yet he didn't really win, did he? [Stop confusing the masses -Ed.]

Just let it be known, this mode though lasts 5 seconds, is a great little brake-at-the-last-possible-moment bit and works brill.

Here's EGM's take



Well done... NEXT!


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SD F-1 GRAND PRIX

You may remember the regular F-1 Grand Prix games on Super Famicom. Here's their Mario Kart clone version. Pick from 10 different animals each with their own stats


CHUCK E. CHEESE'S rejects...

There are many different camera angles to pick from. The default is Mario Kart style. But one allows you to make SD F-1 look just like their earlier F-1 games, from a bird-eye's view point



1P games include:

-GP Mode: first you race around bare track for 2 laps to be awarded a starting position (1-10). Then you start the race at your designated spot against the 9 rivals. Icons litter the course, collect enough to fill a bar and you can give yourself a temporary speed burst

-Crash Mode: None of this 2 laps positioning nonsense. Start out #10 and instead of speed-bar-filling-up icons you get regular weapon icons (projectiles, etc.) I much preferred this traditional Mario Kart mode over GP

-Time Trial: Duh. Keeps track of best lap and overall times

2P game (besides obvious GP and whatnot):

-Dog Fight: Pick one of (surprise surprise) four specific battle arenas, and it's a dog fight to the death. Goal is to zap other driver's energy to zero by blasting them with any means necessary. Groovy

Like Battle Racers, your guy has a health bar that is reduced any time he falls in a pit, rams into barriers or gets fried by the opposition. Unlike Battle Racers though, instead of finding health refills in capsules, SD F-1 has a healing section along the beginning of each track much like F-Zero


Mario Kart meets F-Zero?! Sure looks guilty...

And now, let us gawk at a flurry of pics


OK they TOOK Mario Kart & replaced it with furry animals


some tracks contain helpful arrows


lovely beach level... with a super jump bit


Northern Lights! Nice detail on the ice as well

Lava track is arguably the best in terms of oooh-factor


prepare for the super jump


over... blue tiles?! Hey, it looks pretty OK?


love how you can see it twist in the distance


avoid the muddy spots


lovely parquet flooring a la old Boston Celtics forum [That's stone -Ed.]


OK, TO SUM IT UP, WHAT'S GOOD?

I really like SD F-1, Rider's Spirits and Battle Racers. These games, as far as I'm concerned, are must-haves if you *love* Super Mario Kart (as I do)

Here's my ranking of today's games:

5. Kat's Run (quite meh, really)
4. Astro Go Go (not bad for what it is, but limited lifespan)
Tie. Rider's Spirits/Battle Racers (love these two)
1. SD F-1 Grand Prix (by a hair)

Of course, these clones are NAGA (not as good as) Mario Kart. But as alternatives, I'm sure you'll find at least one here you'll take a bit of a liking to. I know I did (three, in fact)


MOTION SICKNESS CITY -AKA- Astro Go Go (0:39)
Battle Racers (1:15)
SD F-1 Grand Prix (0:30)

 

I loved Ghost Sweeper Mikami. I did a feature on Retro Core about that game. As for the Mario Kart clones I actually liked Astro a Go Go once I sorted outthe controls.

yakumo

 

BTW Yakumo, I just found out you host http://www.segagagadomain.com/

I remember visiting your site in my Saturn days, I remember gawking at Welcome House on your site circa 2004. That year I managed to get a copy, along with the stickers.

Nice to see you still have it up and running. It was a shame when Dave's Saturn page went down earlier this year.

 

Ah, The dev page may make a return in the future :nod:

Yakumo

 

EGM vs. GAMEFAN

Welcome once again to another edition. Yes, there is a game beneath all this mess, and what an odd little game it is. If there was ever a BORAT character in the Super Nintendo world, this bloke would certainly qualify. But first, a topic near and dear...


Sunday, March 19, 2006



It was on this day that I made a 40 minute trek to reclaim bits and pieces from my childhood. If there was one thing I enjoyed more than playing with my gaming group in the early-mid 90's, it was reading the latest EGM-slash-GameFan.

I found a collector online who lives 40 minutes away and had a crap load of doubles. He invited me to stop by some day, pick out my favorite issues and buy.

And so it was on that warm idyllic Sunday afternoon that I began my odyssey. Nice house, nice neighborhood. We greeted at his front door and then he guided me to his garage, which had been transformed into a gaming dungeon. Arcade machines adorned the walls proudly and of course, a ton of boxes home to countless doubles.

I stifled through 'em looking solely for EGM and GameFan. Finally, I gathered 22 EGM's and 13 GameFans. I already had EGM '94, so I was looking for '92 and '93 (the 16-bit era) and luck be my day, he had doubles of Jan '92 through Dec '93, with only two issues missing inbetween



We layed it out and now it was pricing time. I feared the worst as he flicked through the issues. Bear in mind -- I only had $68 on me. 35 vintage hard-to-find issues in very good condition, not to mention highly sought after, especially the GameFans

Yeah, I was expecting the worst

"So," He started. "How much do you think would be fair for all this?"

Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out what I had.

"I got sixty-eight dollars."

I paused and anticipated his disappointment, or laughter.

... Maybe both

"Sounds good to me," He said, with a smile.

WOW. I almost did a double-take outta astonishment!

That made my entire week! $1.94 per issue it came out. You won't find a deal this good online, ever

I'm sure he knew he could have made double or triple what I paid. But, some people just want to see these things go to a good home. And I was lucky he was one of 'em

He helped carry the magazines to my car and then invited me to check out his game room upstairs. There he had his personal "untouchables" (fitting term for a man who just gave me a Gandhi-sized deal eh?) magazine collection, and they ranged from ELECTRONIC GAMES to VIDEO GAMES AND COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT. I mentioned I was looking for SUPER PLAY -- a UK Super Nintendo magazine held in high reverence within diehard SNES circles. He didn't have that one.

His game collection was equally stunning. A Dreamcast setup in arcade-like fashion was brilliantly displayed. He showed me his "Gamer of 2005" (or the like) plaque that he won at some gaming convention. This guy was TRULY hardcore.

While driving home on the freeway, I took a couple glances at the treasure that rested gently on my passenger seat... still in disbelief.

And now it's led to (pardon the pun) an issue I had planned to address from the very beginning of this topic:

EGM vs GAMEFAN

Which is better? Here's my 2 cents...


FACT: EGM covered way more SFC games than GameFan did

I hear all too often that GameFan was and is the best ever. Now don't get me wrong, I *LOVED* GameFan to death as a kid. I remember drooling at screenshots of SNES World Heroes 2. But after reading them some odd 12 years later... the memories proved better than the actual product.

EGM deserves more cred for their import coverage, which was, quite frankly, superior to GameFan's. Each month INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK highlighted numerous Super Famicom games lying in the wings, even the really obscure ones.



Godzilla: Kaijuu Dai Kessen, you recall, was the 1st game I highlighted in this topic, and it was thanks to EGM that I discovered this game way back in '94. Others include:

Bakuto Dochers
Basketball Dream: Dunk and Hoop
Battle Cross
Battle Master
Battle Racers
Firemen
G2
Ghost Chaser Densei
Go Go Ackman
Mickey Tokyo Disneyland
Miracle Girls
Pop'n Smash
Rider's Spirits
SD Hiryu no Ken
Spark World
Super Back to the Future II
Zen Nippon Wrestling Dash
etc.

Note that all these games have been highlighted somewhere in this topic. And I got EGM to thank for it. Any time I see someone pimp GameFan for its amazing import coverage, I grin because EGM did it even more, and never seems to be credited for such.



GameFan had ace screen grabs but their writing left a lot to be desired at times. They were often too "cute," though ironically that was why I loved them back in '93. They wrote like... well, like an enthusiastic 10-year-old, which was perfect when you were ten; it felt like it was your very own writing that went into the magazine.

Two examples:

Volume 1, Issue 8 page 69

Another option is picking from two games, Turbo Hyper fighting and um ... I can't remember. I'm sorry sometimes I forget... Oh wait! I remember now, it's Champion Edition! Oh yea baby! Capcom is awesome

Volume 2, Issue 2 Editorial

Welcome to the Editorial Zone. A place where I, a person crazy enough to make a video game magazine, gets to write whatever I want. So, this month let's talk about the three toed Wallaby, a lovable little mate from down unda... uh, hold on. What was that you guys? I'm a what? OK, OK, I gotcha.

Enthusiasm? Sense of Humor? No doubt. Professional? Not always. No question that helped made them so "hip" and refreshing, but it's a double-edged sword. I find GameFan has aged not-so-well -- EGM on the other hand is like a fine fine wine. Those legendary 300-plus page holiday issues are still as enchanting as they were twelve years ago

Don't mistaken me for ripping GameFan though, I like 'em dearly to this day.

Speaking of quality gaming mags, as some of you know I received 45 issues of SUPER PLAY a few weeks ago. I'm making my rounds with it as we speak -- I truly love the whole archive-ness of these great old magazines. It was quite an era.... quite an era...



It's a great kick to turn a page and run into an obscure SFC game... a few days ago I saw SANRIO SMASH and was delightfully thrilled. Super Play rated it 82% calling it "a surprise gem"



EGM... GameFan... Super Play... you gotta freakin' love it. Gaming mags in the US in my book have gone down the toilet since late 1997. I miss the days where you couldn't wait for them to come in the mail. They really do serve as a time vessel to much simpler and more innocent times...

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program....



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JUNGLE NO OUJA TARZAN is one of those SFC games you'll come across and be quite perplexed by its distinct look. Once you see it, you never forget it, even if you want to.

It's a platformer that doesn't do anything you haven't seen done better before, but its overall unique quirky-ness warrants a look. Tarzan does struggle from Kid Icarus-itis... namely, after landing on small ledges he's quite prone to slip, the git.

I mentioned earlier Tarzan would be the Borat of the SNES realm. Like Borat, he starts out in his (jungle-y) home at the beginning, but then takes his exploits to such locations as China, Las Vegas and even a haunted castle to name a few. Only instead of greeting the local folk with double cheek kisses and asking for sexy time he's greeting 'em with the good ole universal pop-to-the-jaw.

One big grip I have with the game is his plodding nature. Stopping and going with him feels clunky, and he doesn't jump a terribly long distance.

The music is worth noting as it is just as offbeat as the game itself. Very funky

And now, the mandatory screen shots

---

Ah it's a good day for a run



And branch-hopping



And swinging



Peace doesn't last long though... wouldn't be much of a game if it did eh


cool how the baddie's right foot is hidden behind that shrub

Angry his jungle's been invaded, Tarzan unleashes his might



This monkey acts as a spring



Hit the rock which causes it to slide taking out the villain



Some amusing animations abound



Even the baddies die in like-fashion



Uh-oh... wild life running opposite you is never a good thing



Don't you hate being right? Boss 1





And that's level 1. Next Tarzan heads to China it would seem. Here he is greeted by Hadoken-tossing monks. Just stand still and the fireball goes past you harmlessly.


you do a lot of this in the game, Tarzan's no Carl Lewis

These blocks are breakable, but beware of the occasional spike pit below (press L/R to scroll up/down to see potential hazards)



Advance slowly, stopping whenever he fires one, and then jump kick DAT ASS!



So much for homeland security eh



These cramped areas spell a little bit more trouble for Tarzan as it eliminates the jump kick



Beware the parts that are not breakable, as you'll see here



ow! Damn just missed it by an inch too



The tiger punch can be aimed downward, straight ahead or vertically



Tarzan does the Running Man to keep warm, the damn fool



I love how a rope is conveniently placed there by the baddies, haha




CLOSING THOUGHTS


A decent platformer made more interesting thanks to its strange character. Expect nothing more, nothing less. Playable, if unremarkable. Below the likes of Go Go Ackman and Ghost Sweeper and those, mind, are below DoReMi. If you're a numbers person, this would fall somewhere in that 6.5 out of 10 range (slightly above average but not quite "solid")

The epitome of a guilty pleasure, this one. Yes, indeed. In a similar vain to Super Back to the Future II


Jungle no Ouja Tarzan level 1 (1:00)

 

Steve: Superplay was called Powerplayer in Denmark. But it was the same as the English one, but in Danish. And I loved the magazine too, sadly they stopped making them after 1 year, and some extra issues. And I have them all, but I won´t give them out, and I wont throw them out either. Since they are precious to me.

 

Do you think anyone took the time to take old gaming magizines like EGM and scan the issues to digitally preserve them? That would be a great project. Who wouldn't want to be able to checkout those old magizines. I'd actually get some of them if I had the room, but that's why I think scanning them and putting them on the net for everyone would be awesome. Although it's probably illegal. Maybe these magizines outta offer to sell you a CD with the issues on them.

 

TANUKI

The raccoon serves as a good luck symbol to the Japanese (though Resident Evil folk may beg to differ). They love 'em some tanuki (raccoon)



So it's no surprise, then, to see this furry creature popping up in their video games. Pocky & Rocky comes to mind immediately as does the Ganbare Goemon games (Mystical Ninja in the west)


RACCOON RASCAL
(Araiguma Rascal: Raccoon Rascal)


4-hits are always sweet

A puzzler with a unique twist. Rather than being another Puyo Puyo/Tetris rip-off, you control a raccoon who must match 3 (or more) like-jars by way of arrangement. Keep in mind it's not like Tetris Attack. Here you're restricted by obvious obstacles whereas in TA you're free to move the cursor where you wish. It'll take you a few minutes to get the hang of it, but then the good times roll



The little squirrels pushing the jars down add a nice touch. As you can see, Rascal just connected 3 green glasses. Getting chains is quite tricky so it's double gratifying when you pull one off.

Rascal is an endearing little guy. When carrying a jar, he marches along erect holding the jar high above his head with his diminutive arms. And when he's not carrying one and moving, true to raccoon form, Rascal scampers low to the ground.



When Rascal has a jar he has the option of dropping it beneath him, or throwing it one column over. He can also jump and swipe jars high above his head; as well as pushing jars provided they're out in the open.


Leap and grab, now match 'em


atta boy

If a jar is dropped on Rascal's head, it results in this amusing animation



The 1 player mode is fine and dandy but like any puzzle game worth its weight (sans Tetris of course), the all-important two-player mode(s). Raccoon Rascal has three unique 2 player modes

The 1st is a side scrolling platform-y race-to-the-exit-as-fast-as-you-can split-screen affair, where jars are placed strategically to impede players' progress. This mode is a thrilling race-against-your-opponent-while-you-rack-out-your-brains kind of rush.

The 2nd is the full-screen cooperative mode. If you're not in a competitive mood this mode serves its purpose well


the other modes are fun but here's where it's at

The 3rd final option is the classic head-to-head split-screen mode. The 2nd player controls a boy named Sterling who bears more than a passing resemblance to Oliver Twist



We all know the story don't we. Boy meets raccoon. Raccoon bites boy. Boy challenges raccoon to life-or-death puzzle duel

Movie Trailer voice guy
It was a time of pain and destruction
It drove boy and raccoon to the brink of madness
NOW, their final battle commences

This is the story of the hard-working raccoon vs the lazy nappin' boy. Let's see how this new classic tale for future generations plays out...


Now Jimmy see here, the raccoon busts his nuts while the git naps
Now observe what happens and why hard work pays off


OK, so video games should not be used to teach life lessons...
Even Sterling has no clue how he won!


CLOSING THOUGHTS



SUPER PLAY, who was extremely tough on game scores, rated this one pretty highly, given their strict standards:

Graphics: 80%
Sound: 68%
Gameplay: 81%
Gamelife: 79%
Overall: 79%

saying "The cute shell hides a rock hard interior. The learning curve is not set perfectly, but when the going gets tough, it's tough with a capital T. I've probably played this as much as any other game this month and I am still only half-way through the levels. Extensive play reveals Puyo Puyo-like tactics which allows for many chain reactions; and the two-player modes are the icing on an already appetizing cake"

---

A puzzler that gets more awesome as you delve into its tactics and techniques. Somewhat meh at first but quickly becomes highly charming and effective


"TO THE STRIP BAR!"


Raccoon Rascal (2:49)

 

I have a Rascal plate :lol: No it's true ! I liked the game when it was out but these days there are so many other puzzlers out there. Still, the speech was cool.

Yakumo

 

Hmmmm Steve that puzzlegame is a Flipull/Plotting clone But well again, you can say I am abit nerdish, when it comes to puzzlers, but I know the game from a gameboy pirate cartridge that I have.​

 

TANUKI.... PART II

Tanuki's accurate translation is "raccoon dog." And according to Japanese folklore, they have shape-shifting powers. That certainly describes this next game perfectly.




POKO NYAN! HENPOKORIN ADVENTURE



This sucker had me chasing for some time. A friend told me last month Poko Nyan is even harder to find than Rendering Ranger (!). Dunno how accurate that claim is, but I trust his word. About a week later I found one CIB for just $50, a collector I know paid $150 for his not too long ago!

Gleaning from the box art, you probably could guess the genre... yes, platformer, thank you, you in the back.


Been curious since I saw this in EGM #66 Jan. 95

EGM wasn't kidding -- how very easy this game is. You can't die! The timer running out doesn't end gameplay, nor does any amount of hits from the bad guys. Being a popular anime with young children this game was created with them in mind. A four-year-old could beat this! The game has 15 levels and can be finished in 40 minutes, even sooner if you rush straight for the exit.


Doing his best Sonic impersonation

Not sounding good eh?

But wait -- what's this? The game's a RIOT?! Yes it is. Poko (I think that's his name) is such a likable chap, much like Rascal. The stages are beautiful, some ace set-pieces and even the enemies themselves are cute. Just take one look at the wild boar who, before charging, has a silly exclamation mark bubble pop over his head.



The set-pieces are awesome not just because of how they look but also how they come into play. Some have several platforms Poko can hop on, or hop down from. Down + jump makes Poko drop to the platform below. This becomes oddly fascinating in and of itself, as it's fun to knock off baddies from above. May not sound all that great, but you'd be surprised.



Some other cool ones:


Reminiscent of SNES Lion King


Looking a little sick there buddy


Looks like he's giving the finger...

These little things add a lot to the game's charm.

True to Japanese folklore, this tanuki has plenty of shape-shifting prowess!

(All forms can double jump, including Poko)

By pressing R, Poko changes into a high-jumping kangaroo.



Up + R? This bird-y thing with unlimited flight!



Down + R? This little runt!



He can do this (on the lesser baddies, mind)



You can switch to any form at any time, no limits. You can switch back to Poko by pressing R again, or whenever a baddie hits you. Adds a lot of extra life to the game.

The 15 levels are spread over 5 different "worlds" each guarded by one of the nasty foxes. These boss battles, like the rest of the game, are a cinch. The later ones have some cool powers though.

While the game is short, the key is to explore the levels rather than rushing to the end. There is also a point score where bouncing off consecutive baddies allots major points, so at least there's a point system.


That sends Poko soaring through the grapes


Groovy roller coaster multi-tier stage


Love the whale in the background


Platforming rule #162: must have water stage


Rule #163: ice too


More Northern Lights in SFC games


BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!


The stages, however short, are fantastic


A deceptively fun game


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Poko Nyan won't light any gamer's world on fire, but it's very charming and enjoyable. Scrolling is a bit herky-jerky at times, but not bothersome enough to really deduct the game for. Perfect for kids, and great for anyone whose still a kid-at-heart


Good stuff


Poko Nyan (0:43)

 

Hi steve I am loving the reviews of obscure SFC stuff but at the same time I hate you as I have spent a fortune this month getting all the games you have reccomended such as go! go! Ackman and rider's spirit. I appreciate the hard work you have put in and keep it up!

 

CHAIN CAN BE HARD

^ LOL, thanks.

 

CHAIN CAN BE HARD

"Chain" can be hard, and INTEC didn't stray far away from a much tried-and-true formula.

OTOBOKE NINJA COLOSSEUM is what you'd get if you cross female ninja's and Bomberman.

So, is it any good?


HOW TO PLAY

Instead of bombs you drop spiked capsules



2 seconds later, the capsule shatters, releasing 4 shurikens; North-South-West-East (if not blocked). OK, so it's pretty much like Bomberman's bombs right? Not so fast....



If a shuriken connects, it stuns the player for 2 seconds, but they're not yet eliminated



ONLY during a stunned state can the chain attack finish 'em off


"Y" for chain, "B" for laying spikes

So it's a little different, not much, but it is. Gone are the sad "dangit I accidentally killed myself in the 1st three seconds" syndrome. Plus, the chain attack is ace. It can be manipulated to curve around corners and, when prolonged, is quite an amazing sight not to mention really fun to control. More on this later...


PLAYING BY YOURSELF IS NO FUN...

The 1st world was very ho-hum and left a rather negative taste in my mouth. It was just so... bland.



I forced myself through, hoping things would pick up a bit. And it did at the 1st boss.



Shurikens hitting it does no damage. You have to first connect with the shuriken(s) and THEN send the chain ball at it. For regular enemies, shuriken is enough. For the tougher regulars, the ole shuriken-chain combo is called for


.... YES IT IS... SORTA

World 2 was a lot more interesting with more puzzles to solve instead of just laying spike capsules and high-tailing it. They're not yet mind-bending but it's still early. Here is the first "puzzle" you'll encounter:

To beat a stage you must clear every bad guy. Here, 3 unbreakable blocks halt your progress



Using your chain, pull 'em out 1 at a time



And again....



Now with 1 block left, you're able to push through it and unleash ARMAGEDDON



Like I said, not taxing but a lot more satisfying than the wide open. Later on, with teleports coming into play, they get rather perplexing


SPREAD OUT!

The next snow stage is very nice. I love little things like that creepy possessed-looking volcano face that rests in the middle of the screen launching fireballs without mercy... awesome. Watch the shadows of these on-coming flame balls and ski-daddle!



By the way, the 'cano mug reminds me of GAROKK from X-Men fame... in his rocky prison form


Garokk


THE BIGGER THEY ARE...

... the harder you fall! The haunted theme is the best. Contend with bats, vampires, ghoulish skeletons and super quick wolf-men. Check out this 2 by 2 screen level!





FOUR-PLAY

Feeling quite satisfied with the 1-player mode now, which went from meh to hey that's not-so-bad, the 4-player battle mode is the meat of any Bomberman clone. The 1-player mode was never anything more than a bonus, a frill, a silk hankerchief in the breastpocket of the game's velvet regalia


POWER HOUR

Power-up's are always important to these games. Otoboke has some of the coolest you'll find anywhere. A list of some:

-Drop more spiked capsules at one time
-Spiked capsules invisible when dropped
-Spiked capsules exploding after 1 second rather than 2
-Chain can break blocks, not just your shurikens
-Chain can PUSH spiked capsules around (very very evil powerup!)
-Speed up
-Speed down
etc.

Everyone starts with a full-screen chain and full-screen-travelling shurikens, not to mention the ability to drop two spiked capsules right off the bat. This makes it a bit more chaotic then, than Bomberman from the get-go


THE COLOSSEUMS

The powerup's are important but the battle zones make or break a game of this nature. So let's get right to it

#1



Your standard 1st stage. The snowmen are unbreakable and can be used defensively as shurikens cut through them not. The snowmen are pushable and your chain can pull far-away ones toward you. All but two battle zones have these movable barriers in some shape or form


#2



Each player has their own island waiting to be raided. The cool thing here is, unless you use the bridge points, chains cannot stretch across islands, eliminating "cheap kills." The Super Famicom barriers are a nice touch as well


#3



What would it be without a roof/tunnel-y stage? Can you locate the green player? Not here you can. This stage is full of Japanese culture -- from the roofing style to the TANUKI statues


#4



What else more could make it complete? Of course, the stage with multiple exit points. The green player enjoys a nice little blend-in advantage (see far right)


#5



The green bars restrict certain movement


#6

--->
notice the return of Tanuki

The green pool is aesthetically pleasing in a mystical, mythical fashion. All spike capsules are invisible!


#7



It's the super power war zone. Each player begins with 5 spikes! (don't worry, you can't fall through)


#8

--->

On 1st glance you wouldn't know the gimmick here. Play for a bit and arrows are soon revealed. Directs where shurikens travel? Nope. Directs where your CHAIN can go. A nice variation on top of a nice variation. The SFC barriers return


TAKE A SPIKE, PAL

When the clock runs down to 30 seconds, spikes crop up which if touched will stun you a la shurikens. Also, if you fall through the holes you'll lose




THE TIMES.... THEY'RE A'CHAINING....

Some of the cool things you can do with that ole chain ball...







WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?

Nothing is quite as sweet as lurking about the screen, waiting for others to do the dirty work. And when you find a stunned opponent, sending the chain ball twisting and curving some safe twenty feet away... makes for great enemies and Ooooh-I'll-get-you-next-round! battles!

The feeling of surviving by the skin of your teeth as the chain comes your way JUST as you recover from your slumber is a great high, and on the flipside, morally deflating


CAN I GET FRIES WITH THAT?

Otoboke lacks the finishing touches and is not nearly as customizable as the Bombermen games. There's no option for CPU AI -- the default is quite laughably horrible. There's no tag team option. Thankfully the rest is status quo -- pick between 2-4 players (from a character choice of four females), 1-5 wins and one of the any eight colosseums


WAITER, THIS SODA'S A LITTLE FLAT

Some negative marks:

Graphically weaker than the SNES Bomberman games, which were no visual tour-de-force's themselves. The music can get annoying at times. Control is a bit "stickier" than the BM games (due to, well, see below)

And my biggest grip: you can't readjust your position when "waiting." You know how you drop a bomb in BM, go hide in a safe corner and can face NSWE to ready yourself for your next movement? Here if you go in facing east, you can't turn west without moving out of your safe position. Maybe hard to understand in text, but you'll see what I mean if you play it. This forces you to have greater wherewithall to compensate for a flaw that shouldn't be there in the 1st place


CLOSING THOUGHTS


Colosseum at night

I like SPARK WORLD quite a bit, but it was a blatantly shameless clone. At least Otoboke tried to be a little different, and as such, is a more commendable effort. Despite the bad marks listed above, I like Otoboke Ninja Colosseum very much. Obviously NAGA (not as good as) Bomberman, but hey -- what is?


Otoboke Ninja Colosseum (1:15)

 

Those are some awesome reviews there Steve! :thumbsup:

You definately should make a website concerning all of these, or some sort of database! :typin:

 

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but I've recently started a tribute page to another fun, but underappreciated, SFC game that you might like, Jerry Boy. You can check it out here: http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/JBTribute/index.html

 

Steve, I don't know why you don't make your very own site devoted to these classis obscure Super Famicom games. I'm 100% sure it would be a very popular site !

Yakumo