14th May 2013, 5:15 PM
Super Nintendo
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Super Nova - $11, cart only. I know, it's a couple of dollars cheaper on ebay, but it's worth it to get it locally... and this isn't something I'd probably have bought on ebay, I think. Anyway, Super Nova is also known in Japan as Darius Force. It's the second SNES Darius game, and like the first one (Darius Twin), it's a SNES exclusive. I wasn't sure whether I'd like this one, because Darius Twin is a bit boring and Force cuts out one of that games' better features, the two player co-op mode (yeah, Force is 1p only. Too bad.), but... this game is decent! The game's quite challenging, and I'm dying CONSTANTLY, but still, it's good. Darius games all have a similar feel, and it's not my favorite kind of shmup around (I prefer Gradius by far...), but for a Darius game, this is good. As usual, you're off to fight the evil legions of space fish, as you try to save your planet. I expect more crazy endings, like the ones in Darius Twin... :)
One odd thing is that the SNES got two exclusive Darius games, while the arcade games (Darius 1 and 2) were on other platforms -- the first to TG16/CD (Japan only), and TG Super CD (Japan only) and Genesis for the second one (called "Sagaia" on consoles in the West, but it's Darius 2. What did Taito have against titling Darius games "Darius" here?)). Eh, it works.
Anyway though, Super Nova is still a Darius game, but it's better than I was expecting. Nice graphics, good music. Too bad for the removal of two player, though. Otherwise, this is good.
Atari 2600 - all cart only
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Riddle of the Sphinx - $2. From Imagic. I'll need to look up something online for how to play this one... seems okay though, maybe.
Cosmic Ark - $1. Another Imagic game, this is the sequel to Atlantis. The gameplay's completely different, though. One part is twitch-reaction direction pressing, the other moving around and abducting people without getting hit. The default game goes on a long time, you can get hit a lot before you finally lose. First impression is that it's okay, but Atlantis is definitely better.
Turmoil - $1. Fun, frantic shooting game.
--
Super Nova - $11, cart only. I know, it's a couple of dollars cheaper on ebay, but it's worth it to get it locally... and this isn't something I'd probably have bought on ebay, I think. Anyway, Super Nova is also known in Japan as Darius Force. It's the second SNES Darius game, and like the first one (Darius Twin), it's a SNES exclusive. I wasn't sure whether I'd like this one, because Darius Twin is a bit boring and Force cuts out one of that games' better features, the two player co-op mode (yeah, Force is 1p only. Too bad.), but... this game is decent! The game's quite challenging, and I'm dying CONSTANTLY, but still, it's good. Darius games all have a similar feel, and it's not my favorite kind of shmup around (I prefer Gradius by far...), but for a Darius game, this is good. As usual, you're off to fight the evil legions of space fish, as you try to save your planet. I expect more crazy endings, like the ones in Darius Twin... :)
One odd thing is that the SNES got two exclusive Darius games, while the arcade games (Darius 1 and 2) were on other platforms -- the first to TG16/CD (Japan only), and TG Super CD (Japan only) and Genesis for the second one (called "Sagaia" on consoles in the West, but it's Darius 2. What did Taito have against titling Darius games "Darius" here?)). Eh, it works.
Anyway though, Super Nova is still a Darius game, but it's better than I was expecting. Nice graphics, good music. Too bad for the removal of two player, though. Otherwise, this is good.
Atari 2600 - all cart only
--
Riddle of the Sphinx - $2. From Imagic. I'll need to look up something online for how to play this one... seems okay though, maybe.
Cosmic Ark - $1. Another Imagic game, this is the sequel to Atlantis. The gameplay's completely different, though. One part is twitch-reaction direction pressing, the other moving around and abducting people without getting hit. The default game goes on a long time, you can get hit a lot before you finally lose. First impression is that it's okay, but Atlantis is definitely better.
Turmoil - $1. Fun, frantic shooting game.