It would be really nice if.......

It's been a good while since I updated this page. I haven't been playing Call of Duty, but in the light of that major blockbuster release I feel it is only right to discuss certain video games that have been lost to time or are not readily by conventional means. Other factors include unavailability due to legal issues, limited releases and the fact that certain games were never translated or made it to these shores.

With the announcement of Radiant Silvergun for Xbox Live arcade, you could say that anything is possible. Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade and PSN all have their fair share of classic re-releases. You could argue that complete remakes are a bad idea or the fact digital distribution is the devil, but I feel these games need a new lease of life in their original form regardless. For better or for worse, these are my choices.


Ninja Cop/Ninja Five-O (GBA)


Released in fairly limited numbers and not making much of a dent in the charts, Ninja Cop plays like Shinobi crossed with Elevator action. Rescuing hostages, taking out terrorists and swinging about like Spiderman, it absolutely kicks ass. The game looks like some kind of nineties throwback, and it plays perfectly on a handheld. Equally playable on a big screen, it's an absolute joy working through every stage, banks, warehouses, airports and then doing it all again in time trial mode. Ninja Cop. Cool name, classic game. Is it too much to ask for a DS/3DS remake?






Earthbound/Mother (SNES, GBA)


Ahhh. I've always been intrigued by the Mother series ever since I laid eyes on it. Complete with a sort of nineties America style, I always thought this RPG parody looked like a beautiful and intriguing game in various screenshots. I hate the fact that Earthbound on the SNES under achieved in the States causing the franchise to be barred from seemingly any further releases in the west. Were you all too busy playing Mortal Kombat at the time?
I've heard about licensing issues in regards to the soundtrack holding Earthbound back from being released here, but having played about half of Mother 3 in Japanese and toying with the absolutely fantastic fan patched translation, these games definitely need a new lease of life. Sort it out Nintendo, a translated Earthbound/Mother compendium for the DS would be fantastic. Give the series the attention it deserves. Stop teasing us with Ness cameos. Do you not want my money? I would buy two copies on day one.







Elevator Action Returns (Arcade/Sega Saturn/Playstation 2)


Sparks truly fly in this game, Elevator Action Returns is a perfect example of how to reinvigorate a franchise. The music, the sound effects, the awesome weapons, I love dropping in and out of this game in MAME. It's all about the little touches, like being able to shoot out lightbulbs and watch people fall down elevator shafts in flames. Released on the Sega Saturn in the nineties, it also appeared on the Taito Legends compilation for Playstation 2. I need to play this game in co-op, a HD XBLA remake however is long over due.






Super Metroid (SNES)


Controversial choice I'm sure, but personally I would like to see this game given a new lick of paint. Zero Mission was a fantastic update of the original NES game, but Hunters while technically impressive and fun in multiplayer, generally left me underwhelmed. With Metroid Dread in limbo, why not polish up Super Metroid making it 2.5D for the 3DS. There I said it.






Policenaughts/Snatcher (PC-98, Sega Saturn, PC Engine, Playstation)




I would absolutely love to lose myself in these two adventure games. Policenaughts seems to display an unbelievable amount of thought and attention to detail, whilst the protagonist in Snatcher reminds me of Deckard from Blade Runner. I wouldn't expect anything less from Hideo Kojima. Consider me sold.
An English translation of Policenaughts was announced for the Saturn but it never saw the light of day. Again I can only commend the effort people took on the fan translation patches for these games, however I would be eternally grateful if both of these titles were re-released on the DS/3DS in English complete with touch screen support. One day…....







Last Blade 2 (Neo Geo/Arcade/Dreamcast)


I've briefly spoken out on the resurrection of the 2D fighter before. Hardcore types would argue that it never went away, but since the release of Street Fighter 4, fighting games have been all the rage. Garou, KOF and Samurai Shodown have all been re-released on XBLA, but Last Blade hasn't had as much love. Shame really as it is one of my favourite weapon based fighting games. I've played it a lot on my trusty AES via multi cart and also in MAME. With an art style to die for and boasting some of the most beautiful 2D graphics I have ever seen, we need more of this swordplay on XBLA.






Balloon Kid (Game Boy)


Balloon Kid is so suited to the Game Boy it hurts. It also features some of the best music in any Game Boy game. Ever. I would very much like to see it on the GB Virtual Console that is currently being planned for the 3DS. Or a straight up remake for the 3DS. Either way I could play Balloon Trip mode for hours.






Metal Gear 2 (MSX, Playstation 2)


In the game, Solid Snake must infiltrate Zanzibarland, a heavily defended territory located in Central Asia, to rescue a kidnapped scientist and destroy the revised Metal Gear D. The game significantly evolved the stealth-based gameplay of its predecessor "in almost every way," introduced a complex storyline dealing with themes such as the nature of warfare and nuclear proliferation, and is considered "one of the best 8 bit games ever made."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_2:_Solid_Snake



If there's one thing I love, it's Metal Gear Solid. After failing miserably at Metal Gear on the NES and thoroughly enjoying Metal Gear Solid on the Game Boy Color, I would love to go back and play the foundations of which the legendary Playstation title is founded on. Released on the Japanese Virtual Console and translated to English on the bonus disc included with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (which is becoming expensive) it would be fantastic to be able to download this 8-bit classic in English on the Virtual Console. So there you go.

Happy gaming and thanks for reading,

Tom

Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA)

Its been a while, but I felt compelled to post about one of my favourite remakes of all time. Released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance, Metroid: Zero Mission is a retelling of the classic NES title Metroid. Updated from the ground up using the Metroid Fusion engine, Zero Mission sees heroine Samus Aran blast her way through the open ended caverns of planet Zebes, updating her suit and destroying the evil Mother Brain along the way. For those of you wondering, I am still yet to complete Super Metroid on the SNES (Don't close your browser in disgust!) but there is no doubt in my mind that fans of that game will enjoy this one.


Zero Mission's presentation is second to none. After the beautifully drawn stills that introduce the game, you are greeted to a title screen not too dissimilar to the NES original. The updated Metroid theme that plays when you boot up the cart is a thing of beauty and sets the game up perfectly. The trademark suspenseful chords coupled with THAT cosmic melody further cement it's status as one of the greatest video game themes of all time. Best enjoyed with headphones of course, the GBA speaker fails to do it justice.


Once started, Zero Mission delivers truly alien environments that are a joy to explore. Each part of the map feels organic and the bold cavernous backgrounds contrast from area to area. Again if you are familiar with Super Metroid, Prime etc. then you will know what to expect, ancient temples, canyons, hieroglyph-esque drawings, caverns, nooks, crannies and your other traditional Metroid sci fi interiors. A collection of suit upgrades allow you to progress further through said levels and you really get an increased sense of power with each new ability. Screwattack, icebeam, morphball and bombs are all present, plus more.
Later on in the game, you are stripped of all your abilities and for me personally, this is where the game really plays its cards. After losing your suit and all upgrades, you are left to evade the Space Pirates with only your weak emergency pistol. This segment of the game relies on stealth and will have you running around in sheer panic if detected. It's very rare that suspense and absolute panic are conveyed so well within a basic 2D setting, especially for a handheld console. Combined with some screen filling bosses and gorgeous storyboarding, Zero Mission is an excellent package and probably my favourite Metroid game.



Clocking in at just under two hours, Zero Mission has become a favourite among speed runners. Completing the game within a certain time limit unlocks various gallery stills of Samus in and out of her suit. The original NES version of Metroid has also been included on the cart for those who have never played it before. Although a little on the short side, Zero Mission is a classic case of quality not quantity and is well suited to the Game Boy Advance in that it is perfect to play in short bursts or for two hours straight. Finding every rocket and health upgrade will sure take you some time.


Overall the game bears all the classic hallmarks of a great Metroid game, complete with appearances from Ridley and Mother Brain along with the key elements of exploration and weapon upgrading that the series is renowned for. An audio/visual treat, Metroid: Zero Mission is one of the best games available for the Game Boy Advance.

Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Neo Geo)

With the release of Street Fighter 4 last year, fighting games have seen something of a resurgence as of late. Often reserved for the hardcore, SF4 and Xbox Live have most certainly bumped one on one fighting games back into the spotlight again. Joystick mania accompanied the release of SF4 and with a string of great releases on Xbox Live Arcade I began to take interest in a lot of games hitting the service. Marvel Vs Capcom 2, King of Fighters 98, Samurai Shodown II and Street Fighter 2 HD all found their way onto my Xbox. Accompanied by my Tournament Edition joystick, I've been dipping in and out of the aforementioned games a fair bit over the past year. As of late though, one game has had a lot more play time.

Garou: Mark of the Wolves was released in arcades towards the end of 1999. It is the final game in the Fatal Fury series, something I am not overly familiar with. I won't go into details about the plot seeing as this is a fighting game, but many people deem this game a masterpiece, and within good reason.
Garou features some of the most accessible gameplay mechanics in a fighting game. If you are familiar with the Fatal Fury/King of Fighters series (Terry Bogart features in Garou) then you will know what to expect. I find it difficult to go into detail about the core mechanics, but it is a deep fighting experience complete with plenty of replay value. I'm having a lot of fun simply trying out different characters, memorising moves and just kicking ass in general. It feels as fluid as it looks, and it looks stunning.


Often cited as one of the best looking games on the Neo Geo, Garou is no slouch in terms of graphics. The featured screenshots which I snapped in MAME don't do the game justice. From start to finish Garou is dripping with style and flaunts it's artistic flair at every opportunity. Every fighter is distinctively characterized and has their own interesting background within the story. The character sprites are pristine and the backgrounds and storyboards are bold and colourful. One of the main reasons I find myself returning to this game is partly due to the backgrounds, which change slightly with every round. Each background is full of life, with lots of stuff moving about and not one single hint of lag during matches. With fights taking place on a speeding freight train at sunset, a dense forest full of animals, a traffic jammed street, a bell tower, a marina and more, each stage is unique to the corresponding character. The music is also great and adds even more flavour to each fighter and their relative stage. Whether you enjoy fighting games or not, Garou is an extremely well rounded game which is accessible and as fun to play as it is to look at.



1999 also saw the release of Street Fighter 3: Third Strike, which is also an amazingly deep fighting game. Despite their differences, both Third Strike and Garou were probably viewed as the benchmark for 2D graphics at the time. They both stand up exceptionally well, even today. For me personally though, Mark of the Wolves wins every time. With around 14 characters, intricate stages, bold storyboards and a real sense of character throughout, I am constantly drawn to its beauty. It's little wonder Garou is often hailed as a masterpiece. If you fancy something different to Super Street Fighter 4, then don't hesitate to give this a go. SNK at their finest.

Super Sidekicks 3 (MAME)

The World Cup is upon us. I have only a passing interest in football and up until I discovered this gem of a series, gave football games a VERY wide berth.
A few months ago, I set up the Neo Geo and randomly found myself playing Neo Turf Masters out of curiosity (I only own a multi-cart at the moment). I was amazed at how accessible Turf Masters was, I couldn't care less about golf as a sport but I've poured a good few hours into the game since. Pristine sprites, memorable tunes and surprisingly deep arcade gameplay had me constantly coming back for more. With all the hype surrounding the World Cup, Super Sidekicks 3 has had me well and truly addicted for the past few weeks.

I discovered SS3 on the SNK Anthology disc I picked up for the Wii, but alas the lack of classic controller support meant that my hand began to ache after a few matches when using the Wii D-pad. I found the best way to enjoy the game if you don't own a Neo Geo is to play it in MAME with a Saturn USB pad. I plan on purchasing the AES cartridge when I have the money.
I've yet to spend time with the first installment of Super Sidekicks, but I found the second game also provides a great arcade kick about. The Smooth gameplay, simple control setup and truly beautiful 2D visuals within SS3 seal the deal though. There is more charm in this game than a thousand Fifas and Pro Evolutions, even the flamboyant celebration scenes (see below) are painstakingly detailed and look amazing.

SS and Turf Masters are two examples of how to do an arcade game based on sport. To state the obvious, the lack of emphasis on realism is insignificant. These games are accessible, beautiful to look at and to listen to. They also evoke feelings of nostalgia, timelessness, and provide sheer arcade enjoyment. I never had any interest in golf or football games, but both SS and Turf Masters are impossible not to love. What are you waiting for?

And so it begins.......

After seeing the gorgeous box art that accompanies Japanese Mega Drive games, I swiftly picked up a modded Sega Mega Drive console and a few games earlier this month.













I managed to purchase Japanese copies of Gunstar Heroes, Strider, Moonwalker and Batman. Box art is
bold and beautiful compared to their European/U.S counterparts, I'm sure you'll agree. The majority of cover art for the aforementioned regions is nothing short of terrible.
I'm guessing anyone reading this will have heard of the games mentioned above, Gunstar being classic run 'n' gun (developed by Treasure, reknowned for their amazing sprite work), Strider, Moonwalker and Batman being action platformers. I picked up Moonwalker out of curiosity, utterly bizarre but a good time waster all the same. I haven't played Batman due to the fact the cartridge won't fit in my modded PAL console. It also came in a significantly smaller case. I still have much to learn.

Happy gaming!