Lurker > tazzyboyishere

MM3 is in the lower half of the NES MM games for me. It's still great, but feels overly long and not a fan of a good few stages.

He's close to affiliate, idk if this is legal on Fandom, but I'mma just share his page if you wanna follow. Mostly does New Vegas challenge runs.

https://www.twitch.tv/evander_quill

#5. Mega Man 3 (1990)
Total Points: 49
List Appearances: 19
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/07616e0a.jpg

Write-up provided by NBIceman
At one point an unquestioned contender for the most well-loved game in the classic series, Mega Man 3 has fallen from grace a bit in some corners of the fandom because of a relative lack of polish. Level design, especially outside of the main 8 Robot Masters, is questionable, with the Wily stages being particularly underwhelming. Half of the weapons suck. Rush wasnt implemented particularly well. Hitboxes exist, sort of. Most of all, slowdowns are frequent and nearly intolerable. The game is just clearly unfinished, for which you can blame another short development cycle featuring such misadventures as someone tripping over a power cord and forcing Keiji Inafune to rebuild Top Mans stage from memory right at the finish line.

But through all of that, you can see that theyre starting to figure out what they want the series to be. Proto Man, Rush, and the slide are such cornerstones of the franchise that its sometimes easy to forget there were two games without them, and even if the stages didnt always land, theres an obvious burgeoning creativity to them that would lead to greatness down the line. And, of course, the music is awesome - I know some people whose opinions I respect call it the best of the era. Warts and all, Mega Man 3 never crosses the line into being unfun because the foundation is just so solid. The thing about the Blue Bomber on the NES is that even his rougher outings were still pretty damn good.

#3. Alex Kidd in Miracle World (1986)
Total Points: 5
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a3fdce91.jpg

#2. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (1989)
Total Points: 9
List Appearances: 4
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6c63685e.jpg

#1. Phantasy Star (1987)
Total Points: 10
List Appearances: 5
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/9/9eab70d8.jpg

#6/5/4. Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/0f9e8aec.jpg

#6/5/4. Shinobi (1987)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3ef3c128.jpg

#6/5/4. Golvellius: Valley of Doom (1987)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6ab9d779.jpg

#9/8/7. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a3d01523.jpg

#9/8/7. OutRun (1986)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3db42737.jpg

#9/8/7. Asterix (1991)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/7fae7111.jpg

#12/11/10. Wonder Boy (1987)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/9/928e765e.jpg

#12/11/10. Laser Ghost (1991)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/803d4308.jpg

#12/11/10. Black Belt (1986)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/06fef97d.jpg

#6. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (1987)
Total Points: 48
List Appearances: 21
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/9/90700d8a.jpg

Write-up provided by Snake5555555555
Like many classic NES games, Punch-Out emphasized memorization, reflexes, and pure fun. It wasn't this ultra-technical boxing sim, it focused on timing and patter recognition, making every fight as hard as you made it on yourself. The punches were clearly telegraphed and could be countered in your sleep eventually, but this simplicity offered a surprisingly high skill ceiling nevertheless. I hate to say, but it's DaRk sOuls!!!! What made this gameplay even more memorable though was its wacky cast of stereotypes all having distinct personalities and fighting styles. Again, it's another game that made me highly interested in the NES, it's so easy to pick up and play and run through the gauntlet over and over again - holding your breath hoping that your opponent reaches that coveted 9 count.

Solaris is quite cool, but I much prefer Star Raiders

Clementine
Cuphead
Wheatley

#7. Final Fantasy (1987)
Total Points: 40
List Appearances: 20
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3c4bad91.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
While Dragon Quest is the king of JRPGs in their home country, that title is comfortably held by Final Fantasy in the west. The first Final Fantasy has been remade, remastered, and reiterated in excess. It's one of the most revolutionary titles, not just for the genre, but for gaming as a whole. Being able to customize a team of adventurers allows for the chance to experience completely different playthroughs. The story, while fairly simple by todays standards, was unlike anything available on consoles in its era. It even has an unexpected plot twist for anyone somehow able to go into it blind today! The recent pixel remasters are a faithful and accessible way to experience this title, so I highly recommend giving it a whirl of you've somehow yet to play it yet!

#5. Yars' Revenge (1982)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/185f1d1b.jpg

#4. Solaris (1986)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a29577f7.jpg

#3. Asteroids (1981)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/f76628e3.jpg

#2. Combat (1977)
Total Points: 5
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/bca25659.jpg

#1. Adventure (1979)
Total Points: 7
List Appearances: 4
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/eee29bfc.jpg

BOARD 8'S TOP 10 ATARI 2600 GAMES

#10/9/8/7. Robot Tank (1983)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/d/d621146f.jpg

#10/9/8/7. Haunted House (1982)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/bc8e99a5.jpg

#10/9/8/7. Double Dragon (1988)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1bfcf44a.jpg

#10/9/8/7. Breakout (1976)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/0272bca6.jpg

#6. Pitfall! (1982)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1f01d382.jpg

#8. Contra (1988)
Total Points: 37
List Appearances: 19
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/64c3f004.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Contra is a tricky one to rate, since, at it's corest of forms, it's a brutally challenging experience, with limited lives and 1-hit deaths requiring a pretty high skill level to complete a playthrough. But using cheat codes, or even save states, allows lesser players such as myself to really experience the brilliant action gameplay this title is known for. It divides it's levels into a number of different gameplay types, each requiring a unique skill set and presenting fun action along the way. While the intense punishment for poor play is certainly a barrier to entry, the game does well to reward continued practice of its relentless action sequences. There are few things as satisfying as getting in the zone with Contra or it's many sequels.

#9. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (1989)
Total Points: 35
List Appearances: 14
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/29c273e4.jpg

Write-up provided by Snake5555555555
Though I do find Castlevania 1 more nostalgic, Castlevania 3 was admittedly an ambitious improvement in every way. Multiple playable characters with unique abilities (especially the introduction of Alucard) was a fun way to shake up the formula and add depth and strategy to an already compelling gameplay loop. Dracula's Curse offered a more open-ended experience. Levels branched out even more than before, with increased enemy density and occassionally unforgiving design; it was frustrating, but accomplishing. The exploration-heavy level design also hinted at the Metroidvania style the series would adopt. Also improved were the character sprites and backgrounds, doubling down on the Gothic horror aesthetic. It's one of the best games in the franchise even to this day and yet another NES essential.

#10. Mega Man 5
Total Points: 33
List Appearances: 20
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/48e0a7e1.jpg

Write-up provided by NBIceman
In comparison to the other NES Mega Man games, 5 has always felt a bit uninspired to me. Not bad, by any means. Just a little bland. Its that small town you stop in at the halfway point of your annual road trip vacation to stretch your legs for a few minutes, because its nice and clean and they have a couple of mildly interesting places to stock up on snacks that are slightly overpriced but novel enough to justify it because its a tradition now. You enjoy your time there because theres nothing *wrong* with it, but youre never outright excited about it because there are more interesting things happening before and after youre there.

I like Mega Man 5. I gave it a +2 vote for this project. The charged Buster is kind of overpowered and most other weapons are sort of dull, the Robot Masters themselves err a little on the silly side, endgame is too long and not very interesting, its probably a little too easy, and Ive never been a huge fan of the music. But its still Mega Man. Its even later-in-life-NES Mega Man, so theres a definite feeling of smoothness and polish to it. Its not even without its own little advancements - Beat, for example, is an enjoyable new inclusion. Its good. Its fun. Its just not why I planned the road trip. Theres nothing wrong with that!

#5. Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/d/d67bd0b8.jpg

#4. Prince of Persia (1989)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1dd96e9a.jpg

#3. Tetris (1984)
Total Points: 5
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/ad8f7994.jpg

#2. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1985)
Total Points: 6
List Appearances: 5
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/f124321c.jpg

#1. The Oregon Trail (1971)
Total Points: 7
List Appearances: 4
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/80bce2d0.jpg

BOARD 8'S TOP 10 PC (1980s & Prior) GAMES

#10/9/8/7/6. Summer Games (1984)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/871c6f4f.jpg

#10/9/8/7/6. Sid Meier's Pirates! (1987)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/bef0fd75.jpg

#10/9/8/7/6. Archon (1983)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/e69d9ac6.jpg

#10/9/8/7/6. A Mind Forever Voyaging (1985)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/0d308c49.jpg

#10/9/8/7/6. 3D Monster Maze (1981)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 1
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/2ac205bb.jpg

ATARI 2600 SIDE LISTS ARE DUE BY 8:00 PM CENTRAL TONIGHT

Will be announced after #7. PC list will be revealed shortly!

#11. Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
Total Points: 33
List Appearances: 18
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/9/9a885284.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Perhaps one of the most well-known "fun facts" in gaming is that Super Mario Bros. 2 was actually a title by the name of Doki Doki Panic in Japan before having character sprites swapped to a Super Mario aesthetic for Western release. Which is a shame, not necessarily because the original aesthetic itself was worthwhile in any way, but because the core mechanics of the game are quite fun to play with. Picking things up and throwing them adds a lot of depth to how one can approach levels. Many of the levels are quite memorable, each world having it's own mechanics. They do kinda run short on ideas with a few of the later stages being redundant, but there's a lot of diversity on display here. The boss fights are also great, arguably some of the best on the NES. The franchise would eventually go back to it's roots rather than continue expanding on many of the ideas brought up in this game, but this was for the better. Still, it would've been nice for the original IP to have gained some traction and provide further development of the unique mechanics. This is a fun game.

#12. Castlevania (1986)
Total Points: 31
List Appearances: 17
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/08252c0e.jpg

Write-up provided by Snake5555555555
The classic gothic horror side-scroller, kickstarting one of the biggest franchises in gaming. Castlevania deserves praise for not only establishing a test of skill and memorization that would define the "Nintendo Hard" formula, but for its monster-infested castle drawing on all manner of classic horror tropes, bringing the idea of horror games a step further into the mainstream. Technically impressive for its time, Castlevania pushed the NES early on with detailed backgrounds, haunting music, and smooth character movement, and hidden secrets and power-ups rewarded exploration, all together combining for an experience I actually still find rather essential and exciting nearly 40 years on. It's definitely one of the first games I always think of when the NES is brought up - it's addictive, challenging, atmospheric, and an essential, iconic part of the console's library that got me interested in playing and exploring NES & retro games in the first place over a decade ago when all I used to really know was modern games.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles (Sega Genesis)
-
Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
Monster World IV (Sega Genesis)

#13. Kirby's Adventure (1993)
Total Points: 31
List Appearances: 12
First-Place Votes: 3
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a736993e.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
While I would typically recommend playing either Nightmare in Dreamland or the now legally unobtainable 3D Classics version, I can't deny how grand this game truly is. It is huge compared to Kirby's Dream Land, and it uses that size to its advantage by creating deeper and more memorable levels. Kirby controls similarly, but is now able to use different powers from enemies you swallow, which becomes the defining variable to set Kirby apart from other 2D platformers. It's a bit undercooked in this rendition, as the powers themselves are rarely utilized to create unique platforming or combat encounters, but there are some levels where you can do cool things with Wheel or Laser. The other powers do have a tendency to share similar properties, but it can be quite fun to toy with them in spite of this. Plus, there's always the more interesting abilities such as Ball or UFO to inject life into the levels, though you unfortunately can't take UFO out of the level you acquire it in. Even though most of these powers are quite redundant, it LOOKS different, and this game LOOKS incredible. This is probably the best sprite-work on the NES and I'm not sure it's even close. Every level feels unique because of this and it's awesome to see how each piece comes together. And the music absolutely bangs too. But definitely go for the 3DS version if at all possible, the framerate will chug pretty bad on an NES.

The Arcade list was unfortunately not very popular. None of them got much, so I think it was wise to relegate them to this concept rather than giving them their own events.

PC SIDE LISTS ARE DUE BY 12:00 PM CENTRAL TOMORROW

I intend to announce that top 10 after #11 tomorrow. Until then, I'll hand out one more tonight.

#5. Final Fight (1989)
Total Points: 5
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/39457bb9.jpg

#4. Donkey Kong (1981)
Total Points: 6
List Appearances: 4
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a4892d98.jpg

#3. Space Invaders (1978)
Total Points: 7
List Appearances: 4
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/780dbcdb.jpg

#2. OutRun (1986)
Total Points: 8
List Appearances: 5
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3db42737.jpg

#1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1989)
Total Points: 10
List Appearances: 4
First-Place Votes: 2
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/63a73521.jpg

BOARD 8'S TOP 10 ARCADE (1980s & Prior) GAMES

#10/9. Rampage (1986)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c0fb66b3.jpg

#10/9. Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road (1989)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a22856a5.jpg

#8. Pac-Man (1980)
Total Points: 3
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4782c1dc.jpg

#7. Contra (1987)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 2
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a2cbd11d.jpg

#6. Ms. Pac-Man (1982)
Total Points: 4
List Appearances: 3
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/be83c587.jpg

Street Fighter II
Mortal Kombat
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Tekken 3

#14. Metroid
Total Points: 28
List Appearances: 15
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/87cbff3e.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
I recently played through the Atari 50 collection, and, if nothing else, seeing the types of games other developers were pumping out in the mid-1980s has given me a newfound respect for some of Nintendos more archaic titles. Metroid, for example, has gone from a game I found to be far too ambitious, to one that, while still probably being far too ambitious, manages to come together brilliantly given how hard development had to be in 1986. Few ongoing franchises as old as Metroid can claim to have seen few changes to their formula since they began. Mario, Zelda, Mega Man, Castlevania, etc. all have seen major shifts in design as theyve transitioned into grander scales in both technology and scope. Metroid, however, has a near-identical gameplay loop throughout each of its mainline releases, as recent as 2022. Its kinda crazy to think about how good the Search Action genre already was back in 1986.

The game itself is quite rough, as most games from the era are. It still uses a password system, theres no map and there isnt enough diversity in the color palette to allow for similar rooms to be easily distinguishable, the enemies can damage you on screen transitions, and theres a lot of grinding you have to do to replenish your resources after dying. These technical problems can get in the way, but if youre able to look past them, youll find yourself engaged with one of the most creative and unique experiences the hardware has to offer.

#15. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)
Total Points: 24
List Appearances: 11
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/d/d8e99d6d.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Zelda II is a relatively controversial entry within the prestigious Legend of Zelda franchise. Throughout the years, its gone from being one of the more hated entries in the series to gaining a bit of a cult following which respects its innovations. The sword combat in particular is far more involved than the simple flow of the original. Combat is notoriously challenging, as it asks you to learn enemy attack patterns while also expecting you to have the twitch reflexes required to know whether to crouch, jump, or move into an attack. Most every encounter is involved and deliberate. The lives system is among the more punitive ones from this era, as losing all your lives will send you back to the starting screen, regardless of if youre in a dungeon on the other end of the map. I think this is the main reason for the controversy, as there are many absolute gauntlets you will have to make it through on limited resources throughout the game. This rule mercifully changes at the final dungeon, where losing all your lives will only kick you back to the entrance. Its a very divisive type of challenge, but one which makes the game memorable if nothing else. It truly is some of the most exciting 1-on-1 combat on the NES, and its a shame we didnt get anything else in the franchise with a similar feel to this one.

Missile
Shovel

azuarc posted...

I'm assuming this is without the dude with the alts, too.

Yep, none of the MM games would have appeared yet if I hadn't removed those

Demon's Crest (Super Nintendo)
-
Contra: Hard Corps (Sega Genesis)
Mega Man V (Game Boy)

#16. Mega Man 4 (1991)
Total Points: 23
List Appearances: 11
First-Place Votes: 1
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/5b852d75.jpg

Write-up provided by NBIceman
Theres nothing special or revolutionary about Mega Man 4. It doesnt have the bevy of wacky development stories of its predecessors and most of its changes were more incremental refinements. But playing through it is just so pleasant. Its comfort food video gaming in the best way. Its Mega Man in full stride, backed by three games of experimentation and learning and building of confidence. Every bit of this game gives off an air of, Yeah, we know what were doing now.

Though I have more personal, nostalgic affection for Mega Man 2 that leads me to call it my favorite, I think 4 is where the series actually peaked. This is the formula perfected. Balanced weapons. Cool stages that mostly had memorable, enjoyable gimmicks and ALL had great music (this is my personal favorite Mega Man soundtrack). The introduction of the charge shot that was always good but never a crutch. None of the technical issues from prior games. Good Cossack/Wily stages that dont overstay their welcome. No frustration, all fun.

Boring writeup, I guess, but I dont know what more to say. Its just excellent.

#17. River City Ransom (1990)
Total Points: 22
List Appearances: 13
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/21bd7a06.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
Still the best brawler I've ever played. The shift from single-screen fights to an open-world is a welcome change of pace, relative to it's predecessor, Renegade. There's also the RPG-like progression mechanics which add some versatility to how you can go through the game. I also love the charm this game has like when I accidentally picked up an enemy and used him as a weapon, or the sign that says "Trash Pickup" with a trashcan that you pick up and throw at people. The world itself is pretty fun. I like the idea of an entire city overrun by teenage delinquents who are mostly pretty dumb and goofy. The fighting is also significantly smoother than in most brawlers of the 90s that come after it, if my memory serves me correctly. Not much else to say. Super fun game.

Before the next few reveals... ARCADE SIDE LISTS ARE DUE BY 10:00 PM CENTRAL

I intend to announce that top 10 after #14 tonight.

Pac-Man
Street Fighter II
Dance Dance Revolution
The Simpsons

Last one tonight

#18. Mega Man 6 (1993)
Total Points: 19
List Appearances: 12
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/27154626.jpg

Write-up provided by NBIceman
A delightfully quirky entry in the series and, Id argue, one that spent too long being somewhat overlooked and underrated. Mega Man lore is always good for a chuckle, but 6 might have my favorite with the newly formed World Robot Alliance organizing a straight-up anime tournament arc to find the strongest robot in the world before Wily stuff happens. Its a great setup for getting to go out and fight a centaur robot in a Greek-themed stage or Yamato Man in a Japan-themed stage.

Outside of the soundtrack, which I think is easily one of Mega Mans best, and maybe the ultra colorful stage visuals, 6 may not do anything amazing, but it does everything pretty well. The aforementioned Robot Masters mostly have interesting designs after some missteps in 5, the Rush suits were a nice twist on his abilities, and the endgame feels worthy of it being the closing of the book on the NES games. Im glad that its starting to get some retroactive recognition in recent years. Its hard to blame fans for having a bit of Mega Man fatigue for the sixth title in the franchise (especially because Id argue even the developers did), but Mega Man 6 showed that there was still plenty left in the E-Tank.

Lee
-

#19. Dragon Quest/Warrior III (1988)
Total Points: 19
List Appearances: 8
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/609d2c98.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
While I've only played the SNES version myself, this is a massive improvement from both 1 and 2. The combat is snappier and there is far more balance with the dungeons and battles. The way the story plays out was far more ambitious and involved too. There were a lot of moments where I was kind of stunned by the creativity on display for how to progress the plot. It felt quite fun to explore and progress through the world with my team. I do wish there was some sort of communication between the characters, and that the long-running plot thread of your father's whereabouts wasn't so intensely anticlimactic. But I have to acknowledge the age of the game in some of these lesser parts, as the spots it does well are a ton of fun. Never once had an issue of confusion either, despite it being a fan translation, which wasn't the case for DQ2 with it's official translation. Not sure what fans typically think of the NES official translation, but props to the crew who worked on DQ3!

Cheaters

#20. Ninja Gaiden (1988)
Total Points: 16
List Appearances: 13
First-Place Votes: 0
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/9/9a21ddaa.jpg

Write-up provided by tazzyboyishere
I didn't like Ninja Gaiden back when I initially played it over a decade ago, but returning to it recently was a fun experience. I remember hating the game for it's crushing difficulty, but it really doesn't get that way until 6-2 and everything after. The first five acts are some solidly designed platforming with fun, reflex-driven combat spliced in. 6-2 is certainly problematic in it's design, and the final boss is a bit too confusing to figure out at first, making the punishment of returning to 6-1 after losing your lives at any phase feel a bit much. Still, it's more fair than most games of the era, since you don't get kicked to the beginning of the game at any point (aside from losing in the first act, though it's pretty easy).

It's also the first action game, to my knowledge, to try its hand at complex storytelling. It's a fairly dull and cheesy story but the prospect was cool at the time I'm sure. There is some excellent talent on display with the use of detailed spritework to create a unique cinematography, which feels surreal to see on a system like the NES. Cutscenes can also be mercifully be skipped, so there's no excuse for any game to not allow for unskippable cutscenes after 1988.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80760776

noooooooo

Up

List topic will be going up tomorrow evening

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Mega Man X (Super Nintendo)

2B
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caps

MCR fucking owns

Cave
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