Battle Pinball J (Banpresto 1995)

Pinball games usually fall into two categories, those that aim to be as realistic as possible and those that try something new with the concept. Battle Pinball definitely falls into the second category which is a good thing since those games that tried to be realistic usually fail due to the limitations of the SNES hardware. The first thing you’ll notice about Battle Pinball is that it is unfortunately in Japanese but as long as you can live with some Japanese text in the intro that’s not a problem. From the looks of things evil aliens have invaded and it’s up to the robots to save the day. Other than that the rest of the game features no unreadable Japanese text so western gamers should have no problem playing it.

The reason for this lack of text is the fact that the game unfortunately seem to have no options but since it would have been hard to navigate due to the language barrier I won't’ complain too much about it. What are on offer are four very big and unique pinball tables each with its own cool theme. Your goal on each table is to battle the enemies roaming around the screen using your pinball as a weapon. Hitting certain targets or holes results in special attacks and overall the effect looks very cool. Each table is about three screens high but each screen is like a table on its own with flippers and goals. That means there’s no annoying scrolling and instead you shoot certain ramps or targets to propel your ball to the next screen. Each stage is packed with cool details and the themes are very unique too. One table is laid out like a city with buildings that can be destroyed and aliens lurking on a sport field. Other tables feature stuff like space and underwater locations. You can also access some bonus stages if you’re skilled enough and while these don’t look that impressive they do make a nice break from the main game.

 

Although Battle Pinball is one of the most interesting and entertaining pinball games I've played on the SNES it’s also one of the hardest and it takes a lot of skill and luck before you’ll start putting up high scores. That also makes it a bigger pity that the game has no battery backup to save those high scores. My only other gripe is that the ball can sometimes go through your flippers when the action gets too frantic but since this actually helps at times I guess it balances out. I can’t really comment much on the audio since most of the tunes are pretty forgettable and there isn't that much in the way of sound effects either. The controls are pretty much the same as any other SNES pinball game I've played before and all the features like nudging the table is present.

As it is Battle Pinball is definitely one of the better pinball games out on SNES and it’s a pity that it never saw a western release. As long as you can put up with the Japanese intro and high challenge then this should provide you with a few hours of entertainment.

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Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (Konami 1990)

Gamers familiar with the Castlevania legacy will know that it was the vampire hunter Simon Belmond that defeated the evil Count Dracula. Their paths crossed once again when Simon found out that he was cursed and had to go on another quest to destroy Dracula's body parts. Castlevania 3 goes back a lot further though and takes place 100 years before Simon's birth. 

Count Dracula is at full power and terrorizing the country with his army of darkness. This time it's Simon's forefather, Trevor Belmond who has to save humanity. He'll need all the help he can get though and during his adventure he will meet up with other characters to help him in his quest. Ghost Pirate Grant DaNasty, fellow hunter and mystic warlord Sypha and even Dracula's forgotten son, Allucard are willing to lend a hand once you find them. It's still going to be a long hard journey but history has shown who the victor will be.

Excellent as Castlevania 2 was the nonlinear, sprawling levels wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Konami has realized this and made some adjustments but didn't abandon the idea altogether. Now there are a total of 17 possible levels but you won't be playing through each and every one of them. Instead you'll have to make a choice between two levels every so often and this choice will determine what hazards you'll meet up ahead and which ally will join up with you. This gives the game some replay value while still keeping the levels engrossing.

In terms of gameplay Castlevania 3 is very similar to the first game. Levels are filled with tricks and traps while the enemies come at you thick and fast. You also have a strict time limit and only three lives at your disposal. There are passwords and continues when you die but you'll start from the beginning of the stage so don't think you can abuse them like in Castlevania 2. Even the restart points for when you lose a life is few and far between and it's frustrating to die during a boss fight and then having to replay halve the stage just to get back to where you were. The difficulty has definitely been upped since the previous game so once again it's a game of skill and reflexes.

The graphics in Castlevania 3 is pretty damn good and besides the varied and imaginative stages there are also loads of creepy critters to bash around with your trusty whip. While the first half of the game covers your journey to the castle through swamps, woods and even a sunken city once you reach Dracula's abode things become very familiar. Owners of the first game will play through it with a smile of nostalgia on their face. As far as the music is concerned I probably don't even have to mention that Konami has once again crafted one of the best soundtracks on the NES.

Great as the game is if you disliked the previous titles then this probably won't sway your opinion. Controls take some getting used to and the difficulty alone will give people gray hairs. The three new characters add some cool new touches to the series and bring a little variety to the platform formula. If you are a fan of the Castlevania series then this is obviously essential for your collection but even if you've never had the urge to grab a whip and go slay some vampires Mr. Belmond might just convince you otherwise.

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Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (1987)

After beating the evil Count Dracula back in Catlevania, the last thing Simon Belmond wanted to do is yet another quest. Unfortunately for him he finds that he has been cursed by Dracula and has to destroy the Counts five remaining body parts if he wants to be free. With only the words of a friendly spirit, Simon must now travel across the vast Transylvanian countryside, visiting towns and gathering items for his quest. Along the way you'll chat to locals, stock up on vampire slaying goodies and raise your levels. Each part of the Count you recover also gives you some new powers and if you're lucky you might just survive long enough for the final showdown.

Castlevania was an excellent game and it's no surprise that Konami decided to do a sequel. What is surprising is that they chose to make quite a few changes to the format and Castlevania II now plays much more like a role playing game than a platform title. The majority of the game is still that platform jumping ghoul slaying action that made the original such a hit but this time around instead of stages you have one big area to travel around and play through. This can be quite daunting and some areas also cannot be accesses without first solving some puzzles and getting the correct items. Towns are dotted along the way with churches to heal you and shops to stock up on garlic and holy water. You can also chat to the villagers for some handy clues, although some of them seem to like leading you down false paths. The English translation also appears to be quite dodgy which can make puzzle solving almost impossible at times.

The graphics hasn't improved that much over the original but some interesting new ideas has been incorporated. The most noticeable is that since large parts of the game takes place in the countryside and swamps you now have a day/night cycle to contend with. During daylight you can visit the towns and talk to villagers but during the night the monsters are out in full force and are even more powerful. The cycles are quite fast and it's sometimes annoying to wait around towns for morning before you can be healed or buy items. It also means that Simon never sleeps during his epic quest, a part of his cures perhaps? There are loads of locations but the main areas to look out for are the mansions where the body parts are stored. I found myself stuck way too often for my liking just because I couldn't find a location or couldn't unravel a cryptic clue.

 

The game is much easier than the original and even new players should have no problem getting into it. You can continue as much as you like and you even restart from the same spot that you died. The only penalty is that you lose all the hearts and experience you've collected but this is hardly a problem. The game also has passwords if you choose not to continue so the emphasis has switched from challenging arcade reflexes to more cerebral challenges. If you like the original though you'll still have fun with this one but if you like your platform games as a straightforward test of your reflexes you might want to reconsider.

The music is the usual excellent stuff from Konami and lives up to the great legacy of the original. The same spooky tunes and haunting melodies are present and there are quite a few memorable tracks. Sound effects are nothing special but in light of the excellent music this can be overlooked. The controls are exactly the same as the original with the same problems that the original had. You still get knocked backwards when touched by enemies so plummeting down bottomless pits is still a regular occurrence. The fact that you can continue eases the burden considerable though. Controls can occasionally still feel a bit stiff especially while jumping but if you are a fan of Castlevania you should be used to it by now.

With the new gameplay elements Castlevania can at times get a bit boring most noticeable when you stroll around not able to find the next path. The basic gameplay isn't that difficult but some of the more obscure puzzles will have you stumped. The gameplay at times feels a lot like Metroid and thus suffers from the same problems that such nonlinear gameplay emphasizes. If you're up to a huge quest though then give Castlevania II a try by all means just don't expect to breeze through it on your reflexes alone. Gripping gameplay and cool elements makes it a classic despite some of its more annoying features.

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Final Fantasy (Square 1990)

Chances are you've heard about a little company called Square. While Final Fantasy is not their only franchise, it is one of their best and with good reason. Not bad considering the creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi thought this was to be the last game he would make.

The world of Final Fantasy is in trouble. The elements are out of control and this causes all kinds of unpleasant things like the earth starting to rot and stormy weather. The legends tell of four light warriors that will come to save the day by defeating each of the four fiends and finding the four orbs. Now it's up to you and your party of light warriors to stop the chaos and save your world from evil.

Final Fantasy packs quite a few nice options like the ability to pick your party from a group of character classes like Fighters, Thief's, Mages and Black Belts. Each has their own weapon and armor capabilities not to mention spells. After proving your worth, your characters can also be promoted to Ninjas, Knights and Wizards. These features are very nice and were almost unheard of back then in console titles. The world of Final Fantasy is also quite large with a variety of towns and dungeons and you even get different modes of transport like Boats, Canoes and Airships.

Mostly, you'll be fighting creatures for money and experience. Fear not as there are also some puzzles to solve. Taking on the four fiends is no easy task as they reside deep in their dungeons and you can only save in a town or world map. This means you're on your own inside the dungeons so one false move can cost you your life. This means Final Fantasy is one of the most challenging RPGs out there and will really tax your skills. It sucks that you only have one save game slot though.

Combat takes place in turn based format giving you lots of time to plan your next move. All enemies have their own strengths and weaknesses and learning what weapon or spell works best on what monster will help you a lot. There are also lots of magical items and weapons that will make your quest a bit easier. The combat is cool and the only criticism I have is that if the creature you wanted to attack is already dead or has fled your character does not automatically move on to the next one but instead still tries to attack the absent creature.

You can buy a variety of items like tents, cabins and houses that will allow you to save and rest on the world map but once in the dungeons you are on your own. There are also items like healing potions and antidotes as well as potions to cure being turned into stone. For combat ailments like being blinded or paralyzed you'll have to rely on your white mages defensive spells. Seeing as you use so many potions and stuff it's a pity that you can only buy one item at a time. A simple slider or number input could have sped up the process considerable. The music by Nobuo Uematsu is a highlight and you definitely won't be reaching for the mute button. Control is easy and every button has a use.

I have been looking forward to playing this game for some time now and I must say I wasn't disappointed. What it might lack in graphics it more than makes up with in gameplay and this is one game that will take some time to complete. It's tough and challenging but still has that addictive quality that has you exploring every dungeon and town in sight. A very worthwhile addition to your collection and a game that comes highly recommended.

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Dragon Warrior (Chunsoft 1989)

The world of Alefgard was cloaked in darkness until a brave warrior used an item called the Ball of Light to drive off the forces of darkness. After this, a period of peace lasted for many generations until one day the Ball of Light was stolen by an evil wizard calling himself the Dragonlord. This resulted in evil flooding back into the world and monsters roaming everywhere. The people start looking for a hero to bring back peace again and it just so happens that you are a descendant of the original hero. Looks like it's time to go on a quest again.

It's about time that Dragon Warrior got an English conversion. This game came out way back in 1986 in Japan under the title Dragon Quest and it's only now three years later that the game reached western shores. Thankfully the game was given some minor graphical improvements but overall it still looks pretty dated. Unlike other Role Playing Games you play through the entire game by yourself and have no help from party members. You still have some weapons and items to use as well as magic spells to cast. The game reminded me a lot of some of the earlier Ultima titles with a similar world map and town layout. Your quest to retrieve the Ball of Light and defeat the Dragonlord ultimately boils down to finding items to allow access to his castle and gaining enough experience to survive the final showdown. There are very little puzzles in the game and most of the time you're just fighting random creatures or looking for a certain item.

The game has only a few towns and even less dungeons so it's pretty hard to get stuck or lost. There are a few obscure parts where you have to find an item that's quite well hidden but overall there's nothing here to really tax the brain cells. The gameplay is quite simplistic but that's hardly surprising for such an old game. The game has a bit more animations than the original and maybe a bit more color here and there but overall the game looks pretty much the same as the three year old Japanese version. Only a few sprites seem to have been changed here and there and as far as I can tell the game plays exactly the same.

The music in the game is quite good although a bit more variations in the tunes would have been nice. Don't even expect to hear sound effects though. Controls are the usual RPG fare although Dragon Warrior seems to like its menu system a bit more than other similar games. Where you usually just have to walk over stairs to go up and down in this game you have to stand on the stairs and then go into the menu to choose the "stairs" option. Likewise with doors that are locked. This can be pretty annoying at first but you'll soon grow used to it.

Playing as a single character instead of a group means you have fewer people to worry about but combat can also be a lot tougher. There is only one place in the entire game where you can save and this is at the castle. This means you have to trek all the way back there each time you want to switch off. Fortunately the gameworld isn't that big and you have a few items and spells to get you there faster. Dying also dumps you back here although you do lose some money as a penalty.

While Dragon Warrior doesn't come close to the Final Fantasy series it's still challenging and interesting enough to warrant a play. Hard-core role playing fans will enjoy the challenge although it has to be said that gaining levels takes quite a long time. The game is also quite slow paced and there is virtually no plot revelations or twists while you play. The game can also become quite tedious at times as you slog your way through armies of monsters to reach a location. A few more boss monsters, some new story elements and a few other minor improvements and Dragon Warrior could have been a classic. As it is, it is still a solid and entertaining title. 

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Conquest Of The Crystal Palace (Asmik 1990)

The citizens of the Crystal Palace were happy until their once peaceful homeland was conquered by an evil spirit and his undead minions. With their King  and Queen killed, their only hope was the young prince. Unfortunately he was only six months old at the time. Fortunately the palace guardian and keeper, Zapolis survived despite being turned into a dog. Now fifteen years later prince Farron and his trusty dog Zap must venture back to their home and defeat the warspirit once and for all.

I have to say I'm impressed with this effort from Asmik. They have taken a sound platform game and added a bit of role playing elements to shake things up. The graphics are quite good and features some nice details. Some levels such as the Gateway of Flame have nice effects like the lava. The main character has some nice animations and is also quite responsive to control. Levels also shy away from the run of the mill formulas and feature some originality for once. Besides walking about, slaying your foes and collecting the coins they leave behind, you will also come across a shop from time to time. Here you can replenish your health, buy some new weapons or even catch the wacky news. While fighting you can also call upon Zap to attack your enemies and he has his own life bar that can also be filled up again by buying some food at the shop.

The game only has five levels but they are moderately long and feature some really hectic boss battles. Some of these guys are really tough and having the right weapon for the job helps immensely. You start out with only a sword but can buy some projectile weapons along the way. These don't last long so must be used sparingly and preferably kept for the bosses.

Another highlight is the music which is surprisingly good for a NES game, especially one of this era. There are also some downsides, but luckily not much. Gameplay can be a bit frustrating at times with things hitting you all over the place, but with patience and timing you can easily complete the game. Dying is also a frustrating experience while fighting a boss as you have to travel all the way back to him to restart the fight, instead of simply starting the battle from scratch. The last level also features some particularly nasty maze like layouts that can cause much frustration. Don't let these criticisms put you off though. Conquest of the Crystal Palace is still an enjoyable game and one that stands out in the platform market due to the extra features.

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Battletoads (Rare 1991)

One thing's for sure, if I knew what was lying ahead when I started playing Battletoads I probably would not have bother playing at all. It's not that it's a bad game or anything, but later on it starts to get maddeningly tough. And not just mildly challenging, I'm talking pulling you're hear out, screaming at the screen, jumping on the gamepad tough. Death waits around every corner and one small miscalculation sends you back to the start screaming in frustration. Apart from all that it's actually a damn good game though.

The story involves a certain Dark Queen kidnapping one of the Battletoads and his girl while they are out cruising around. It's up to the remaining two, guided from their flagship by a vulture mentor, to descent to the surface of the planet and save their chums. Of course this isn't going to be easy and it will only be something like twelve long hard levels later that you'll get to confront the queen herself.

The graphics in Battletoads really is quite good. Although the overall colours might seem a bit drab it's the animation that really shines. Punching an opponent a few times causes you're hand to grow larger and deliver a devastating uppercut to finish him off. Run at an opponent and press attack and you'll turn into a battering ram. All these small animations add a lot of character to the game and can't help but laugh when you see an opponent being hammered into the ground and then kicked in the face with a giant boot. 

The locations that you'll be traversing are also quite varied. The backgrounds also contain their fair share of hazards. You won't be restricted to just beating up enemies either. Some levels have you speeding around on a hover bike avoiding obstacles and trying to keep up with the sheer speed at which the game runs. Others will have you hanging on the giant snakes that are moving through the caverns, while you try to avoid falling off or getting hit by giant spikes. There are also some underwater and flying levels included. The last level is the strangest in which you have to ascent a giant tower. The tower itself is round, so by walking left or right the background rotates. It looks quite impressive and this is one of the few times I've seen something like this in a game.

The sound is just as good and keeps in character with the game. Overall it's quite moody and eerie, but the sound effects are cartoonish and hitting an enemy around you can almost feel the blows. The gameplay is unforgiving and tough and only serious gamers with a lot of patience will ever complete this one. There will be times when you just won't be able to believe what the game expects you to do and you're arcade reflexes are going to have to be honed to perfection to even stand a fighting chance. Some of the later levels are a bit too rigid in what they expect you to do and this could lead to frustration as you miss that last jump by a few inches and have to do it all over again. Completing the game however gives you quite a feeling of achievement, but be warned if you're doing it all just to see the ending, prepare for an epic disappointment. This is one of those games that are for hardcore players only.

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