Final Fantasy Review

By Ryan Usher

The one that started a revolution. Everyone knows the name Final Fantasy. Whether they like the series or hate it, it's a name among gamers as well-known as the likes of Mario and Zelda. While today the series is well-known for its epic storylines, great music and mind-blowing graphics, few people remember the series' humble beginnings in 1987, the first smash hit by the then-small and unknown developing house called Square, which had only done games like Rad Racer and a few even less-remembered. The "final" in Final Fantasy is there because Hironobu Sakaguchi, who is today a game guru among the ranks of Yu Suzuki and Shigeru Miyamoto, was disenchanted with previous games he made and was ready to leave the business. This RPG was to be his last ditch effort, his "final fantasy".

Your team of four children compose the Light Warriors. The Four Orbs of the Earth no longer shine, and because of that, the Four Fiends of the Earth are slowly killing the world, cancerous tumors on the planet. It's up to you to destroy these baddies and breathe life into the world once more, and to break a 2000 year cycle of destruction wrought by the evil Chaos.

Graphics

Nothing special, even by the standards of the day, but as far as NES graphics go, it wasn't all that bad. The monsters are nicely detailed, but most everything else is rather plain.

6.0

Sound

The sound for this game is quite good for NES, and you'll be humming some songs in your head. Sound effects are blah, but again, it's NES and I'm unfairly weighing against later efforts.

4.5

Gameplay

A caveat to hardcore FF Fans who never played this game before: THIS GAME PLAYS MUCH DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER FF GAMES. After replaying it years later, I was completely stupified. Each enemy must be individually targeted, otherwise, the attack is for naught! Only certain character types can use magic, magic must be bought, and instead of MP, each spell level has a certain number of times it can be used, adding much challenge to those who like magic-users. The battles are mind-numbingly slow-paced as well. Playing through this game takes a saint's patience, indeed.

5.5

Modern Appeal

Certainly diverging from other FF games. If you want to see where it all began, go for it, but if you don't already like FF or RPGs in general, this game won't change you.

Purchase Price

I don't honestly know. I've seen it at FuncoLand for about $25-30, which isn't really too bad as long as the battery still works.

Total (not an average) : 6.5

Maniac Mansion Review

By Ryan Usher

A well known ancient PC game got its port to the NES ten years ago. Maniac Mansion, developed by LucasArts using the SCUMM Engine, is one of those old point and click games that were so popular in the early 90s. The game has a certain charm to it, and there are a number of different ways to play through the game, utilizing different characters and their unique talents.

The Characters

DAVE is Sandy's boyfriend, and the only character you're forced to bring. He has no special talents. His favorite song is The Boys are Still Back by Fat Patty.
RAZOR is a punk rocker and leader of the band Razor and the Scummettes. Her talent is Music, and that talent may come in handy later on for a particular aspiring musician you will meet inside. Her favorite song is No No Never Never Well Maybe Sure Ok by The Void.
BERNARD is the archetypal geek, glasses and pocket protector at the ready. He is actually one of the most useful characters, he is handy with tools and knows how to fix anything. He likes Comp-U-Nerd by The Rocket Scientists.
WENDY is prim and proper, and is an aspiring novelist. She is the only character who knows how to type. She jams with The Sonatina in G Opus.
SYD is also an aspiring musician. Decked in black and yellow, with shades, he looks to be a spy type. His skills are the same as Razor's, and it doesn't really matter which you pick. Syd enjoys Psychedelic Brie by Metalflake.
JEFF is a surfer dOOd. He is handy with tools, and can fix telephones. Bernard does that and more, so Jeff really isn't that useful. His theme is Surf Face by Goofy Feet.
MICHAEL is a photography student and can develop any rolls of film you may happen to find. He listens to Flashbulb Funk by Princess.

Graphics

For the NES this is about as detailed as they get. In my opinion Maniac Mansion has the best graphics of any NES game. There are tons of color variations and each room seems to have a different style. The little details are everywhere. Excellent job.

10.0

Sound

Most of the character themes are pretty good, but they can get a bit repetitive after awhile. You do have the option of turning their CD Players off but then you have nothing but silence to listen to.

8.5

Gameplay

Standard point and click fare. This game is more brainpower than it is reflex only in a few select situations is fast fingerplay required. The game does play slightly differently depending on the characters you choose and you can win with any combination. There are also multiple endings depending on how you do certain things. It's good for 4 or 5 plays to see everything.

Total (not an average) : 7.5

Final Fantasy III Review

By Ryan Usher

Final Fantasy III is bar-none my favorite SNES game of all time. From the time I first discovered it, to the day I held it in my hot little hands three agonizing months later, to today, four years to the day I discovered the game (April 11, 1997), it will always remain so. In 1999 it was re-released on the PlayStation in Square's Final Fantasy Anthology collection, but the original deal is far superior. With a perfect blend of herbs, spices, kickass storyline, beautiful graphics, awesome music and epic length, this game will always be ranked among the best RPGs of all time.

The game begins with Terra,enslaved by the evil Empire of Vector, who, with two other Imperial Soldiers, is seeking a magical creature known as the Esper, which was found in the mines of the coal town of Narshe. As the story unfolds, Terra and her friends must combat the tyranny of Emperor Gestahl and his insane lieutenant Kefka, while discovering their inner demons and destroying them before they destroy the heroes.

Graphics

For its day, FFIII had some stunningly beautiful graphics. To get the one drawback out of the way, character graphics are short and stubby when compared to the likes of Chrono Trigger's, however, a fair amount of character animation really brings the heroes and villians alike to life. That said, the environments are simply stunning as often as not, the best standouts being the Opera House, Narshe and the Phantom Forest. Monster graphics are large, colorful and wonderfully detailed, though static. Magic effects range from piddly (Ice, a two-second cold sweep) to magnificent (Ultima, a blue expanding blast of nuclear proportions).

10.0

Sound

Even against today's games, FFIII holds its own, and compared to other SNES games, this game was simply awesome in the sound department. Opening with a foreboding, overshadowing strings and bells and trumpets sets the mood for this wonderful adventure. The battle themes are not so great and can get to you, but that is one problem stacked against a hundred shining examples. The overworld themes are both excellent, conveying a perfect sense of the grand scale of the adventure awaiting you. The biggest, best, most notable piece is the famed Opera House theme, the Aria de Mezzo Caraterre, which would definitely rank as one of, if not the single best musical experience you would ever find on the console, complete with synthesized voice! The SFX are somewhat tinny, but it is not all that noticeable.

9.5

Gameplay

As far as RPGs normally go, this is your standard fare, with some notable exceptions. Twice early in the game, you are given a strategy, almost FFT-like battle scenario in which your party members are divided into groups that either position themselves for defense or try to move past the ever-advancing enemy units to attack the leader. There are not a few timed events which put a nice sense of urgency to certain matters as well. Battles are usually pretty fast-paced, especially when compared to the PlayStation versions.

8.5

Modern Appeal

I still play this game regularly to this day. 'Nuff said.

Purchase Price

Good luck, my friend. I had a bitch of a time finding this game four years ago. Even on the off-chance FuncoLand did have it, you're gonna pay in upwards of $60-$70 for it. You could also get the Final Fantasy Anthology on PSX, as it is easier to come across, but the SNES cart is a much better version. Your only real hope is to hit eBay and hope you don't get shafted.

Total (not an average) : 9.5

Final Fantasy II Review

By Ryan Usher

Final Fantasy II, known as IV in Japan, was the first really great game in the long-running series in my opinion. This ten-year old game sported, for its time, good graphics, excellent music and solid gameplay that was improved upon a hundred-fold for the next installment. Because it's unfair to compare this game to its predecessor, I'll leave FFIII out of this. You are Cecil, the captain of the Red Wings Airship Squadron of the kingdom of Baron, the most powerful nation in the world. Feeling that missions of petty theft and murder that his king commands him to complete are too much, Cecil rebels against his king and slowly discovers just how vast this evil is, and the consequences of it completing it's goal of acquiring the four Crystals of Earth.

Graphics

The graphics of FFII could rightly be called NES graphics with 16-bit enhancements. Graphically, not much really stood out and took advantage of the SNES's extra power, leading one to believe this game may have started development on the NES. The environments are large and colorful, but character graphics are very small and squarish. Monsters are large and have a fair amount of detail. Magic animations, for its time, were pretty nice, though some of the more complex ones create noticeable slowdown.

6.0

Sound

The sound for this game is quite good, and when compared to the graphics, it's much more apparent that the sound was developed with the SNES's far-superior sound capabilities in mind. While nothing really stands out, altogether it's a nice ensemble.

8.5

Gameplay

Not quite so varied as RPGs are nowadays, but it's still soild RPG fare. There are many places to explore, and there are three world maps! Certainly a very epic game, and definitely worth playing.

8.5

Modern Appeal

If you like traditional RPGs, there's not much to dislike about FF2. It's a regular RPG. No more, no less.

Purchase Price

I had an easier time finding this game than I did finding FFIII, but this was four years ago as well, and you would likely have to resort to eBay and pay $60-plus for it. Unlike FFIII, this game was and is an SNES-exclusive, for it was not re-released in the FF Anthology CD in 1999. If you can't stomach playing it on an emulator, good luck finding it.

Total (not an average) : 8.0

Chrono Trigger Review

By Weltall

"It's about time."

And so, Crono's mom wakes him up on the day of the Millenial Fair, thus setting into motion one of the greatest RPG adventures ever, Chrono Trigger. What would end up being the last great Squaresoft game on a Nintendo console (besides the co-developed Mario RPG), Chrono Trigger is the source of many fond memories from RPG lovers everywhere. Released originally in 1995, right in the daybreak of the 32-Bit era, Chrono Trigger spit in the face of snazzy new 3D visuals to give all of us one last shot at the remarkable 2D RPG we knew and loved. And Chrono Trigger can rightfully be called the pinnacle of 2D RPGs, for many reasons.

Starting with the story. A normal, quiet lad named Crono goes to the Millenial Fair, a raucous celebration in the Kingdom of Guardia to celebrate its 1000th year of existence. Balloons fly, runners race, Gato has metal joints, and Crono has an important rendezvous with Guardia's Princess Nadia, and ultimately destiny. Spanning at least a good 40 hours, the story and the gameplay combine to create an RPG unmatched in it's time.

Graphics

It didn't get much better than this. Only Mario RPG had graphics that surpassed the lush, vivacious, colorful worlds and times of Chrono Trigger. Different time periods each have their own distinctive look, from the jungles of 65,000,000 BC, to the rustic towns of 1000 AD, to the desolate, bombed out domes of 2300 AD. Character graphics are large and very well-animated. Enemies are equally well-done, and the large bosses are excellent. Battles take place right on the map, making for a seamless transition from exploring to ass-whipping. And small details abound. It's almost hard to believe this is only an SNES game.

Sound

Yasunori Mitsuda, the musical genius behind the masterful Xenogears soundtrack, debuts here, and the results are nothing short of perfection. Light, cheerful music in the friendly Guardia Kingdom, the jungle beats of the prehistoric era, the Eastern-sounding strings of Zeal, and of course the memorable Magus Battle theme. Every piece of music is flawlessly coupled with the appropriate scenes. Sound effects are also very good. Some Final Fantasy veterans might notice some samples directly taken from FFVI:)

Gameplay

Chrono Trigger adds a wonderful twist to standard RPG battle systems with the Tech system. Each character has their own techs they can use on their own, but some techs require pairing two, and sometimes all three characters for an attack dealing huge damage. Each character has their own magical element (ie Crono has Thunder spells, Marle has Water, etc.). Careful combining and strategy are needed to take down many of the boss foes. And perhaps the best thing, which we are STILL waiting for in all RPGs, you can see your enemies. That's right, NO RANDOM BATTLES!

Modern Appeal

IChrono Trigger was just re-released, with Final Fantasy IV, as a part of the Final Fantasy Chronicles set on the Sony PlayStation. The new version has added anime cutscenes drawn by none other than the legendary Akira Toriyama, known best as the creator of the wildly popular Dragonball Z anime. DBZ fans will instantly notice the style used in creating the new CT cutscenes. On the downside though, Chrono Trigger's PSX incarnate suffers from the same major problem the earlier Final Fantasy Anthology did, and that's the menacing load times of the PlayStation. It is recommended that you play the SNES cartridge version for the best experience.

Purchase Price

This is a rare gem indeed, the SNES version is. It will cost anywhere from $50-$80. The PlayStation version's MSRP is $39.99

Total score: 10.0

Nintendo has begun yet another GameCube Bundle promotion aimed at both jumpstarting the console's sagging sales, and attacking the bargain-hunter market Microsoft had cornered this holiday season with their sharp Xbox bundle. In addition to the Super Mario Sunshine bundle, which has been out for a few months, gamers looking to get some cubified love will now have the option to get their new machine bundled with either Resident Evil 0, Star Fox Adventures, Metroid Prime, or Mario Party 4, all of them the big hits for the console this past holiday.

Another huge incentive for the uncubed to jump on this deal is the insanely low price: All five bundles, including Super Mario Sunshine (previously $189.99 MSRP) have been reduced to sell at the base console's price, $149.99 MSRP. One might be led to assume that Nintendo will either no longer sell unbundled consoles, or will further reduce the price of them.

In addition to this, Nintendo is bringing back the Player's Choice line of games to counter XBox's new Platinum line and Sony's hugely-successful Greatest Hits line. Unfortunately, unlike Platinum and Greatest Hits titles, which retail for $20 and less, GameCube Players' Choice titles will be reduced only to $29.99, a full ten dollars more. So far only three titles have been announced for this promotion: Pikmin, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Luigi's Mansion.

It's not fair!

http://apnews.excite.com/article/2003020...R0UG0.html

I wanted to be the deputy of cheese! Okay, well actually it was King AND Queen of cheese, but this is pretty close! I challenge this person's right to the title! A duel at noon with none but a bag of cheesy bits and some kraft singles between us.

Mapel sends this with her good wishes. She thought it would be a good idea for me to be able to laugh at myself :)

And it's UUUUGLAY.

I got this from another forum:

There's a company in Finland that dubs animes into Finish and a lot of people think they do a horrible job. I think this clip speaks for itself.