Post by: WindyMan on September 19, 2007, 05:14:40 AM
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=14432
Batter up? This week's surprising game is a classic baseball game with a self-describing name. The N64 sees some more love with a love-it or hate-it release; see which one our recommending staffer thinks it is. Also, a crappy Genesis shooter. Something for everyone, it seems!
You are authorized to view our Virtual Console recommendations. Begin!
World Class Baseball - TurboGrafx16
Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
1-2 Players
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Released: 12/1989
Click here for a video preview
Coming out of left field is this diamond of a baseball game. At its core, World Class Baseball is not unlike the simple arcade baseball titles of its era. However, what makes this game earn its moniker are the small details. The batting and pitching motions are surprisingly fluid. If you hit a home run, you'll see yor player wave his arms in the air from the top-down view as he heads for home plate. And my favorite, it you get hit by a pitch, your batsman will really look like he's hurting, even with a scant few frames of animation. It's a dandy, graphically.
But even better, it's well fleshed-out in terms of gameplay. You can change the rosters and lineups of all 12 teams in the game, including calling up farm prospects. You can call for defensive shifts and shore up to bunt. The game even keeps track of statistics and keeps you updated on changes from inning to inning. I think that's impressive, and as such it's more than enough to recommend this game to anyone that likes America's pastime. - Steven Rodriguez
Yoshi's Story - N64
Cost: 1000 Wii Points ($10)
1 Player
Controllers: Wii Classic, GameCube
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Released: 1998
Click here for a video preview
Yoshi's Story is truly one of the gems of the N64 library. It's a psuedo-sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and the gameplay remains largely the same. The largest difference is in the graphics department, where the hand-drawn pastel look from Yoshi's Island has been replaced by a bizarre, 2.5D "sewn" look. Baby Bowser has turned Yoshi's Island into a storybook, and the result is that everything looks plush, cardboard, or something in between. It's a wonderful aesthetic, complimented by the impressive texture effects. Yoshi's Story progresses in a strange, non-linear way. Each level is broken into several stages, and you only have to play through one of them to complete the level. The challenge comes from the fact that you do not clear a stage by getting to a goal. Rather, you seek out 30 pieces of fruit. Depending on your Yoshi's color, various fruits will give different scores. If you want the biggest challenge (and best score), try finding the 30 Melons which are hidden throughout each stage.
Yoshi runs through the stage in a giant loop, eating fruit and avoiding familiar enemies like Shy-Guys and giant fish. There are all sorts of interesting movement systems in the game as well, from a flying sea dragon to a bunch of zig-zagging smiling ... things. No matter which stage you pick in a given level, the amount of variety within that stage is staggering. Now, there are some stages which present cheap deaths, but hey—this is a 2D platformer. It's expected! But I can't recommend Yoshi's Story enough for its variable gameplay and incredible charm. - Zach Miller
Super Thunder Blade - Genesis
Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
1 Player
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
ESRB Rating: Everyone (Mild Violence)
Released: 1989
Click here for a video preview
Imagine playing the SNES version of Star Fox, only instead of an Arwing fighter you get to pilot a helicopter. That's the basic gameplay of Super Thunder Blade, a shooter played from the behind-the-tail view. Swarms of enemy helicopters, jet fighters, and tanks come into view on the horizon and shoot balls of firey death at you, and you need to avoid their shots while gunning them down with your own. Your machine guns and homing missiles fire automatically, so it's really just a matter of keeping your finger on the trigger and dodging the incoming attacks.
Trying to find a safe spot among all the sprites on the screen is difficult, especially because the advancing horizon scrolling is a bit jerky. (Mode 7 scrolling, this ain't.) As a result, it's very easy to die in this game. Truth be told, it's a little boring, too. There's not much in Super Thunder Blade to recommend it to anyone. So I won't! - Steven Rodriguez
Thanks to VG Museum for some of this week's classic screenshots.
Post by: Kairon on September 19, 2007, 06:15:47 AM
I changed my mind! I wanna buy Yoshi's Story again!
Post by: Ian Sane on September 19, 2007, 06:52:12 AM
I've never heard so much praise for that game in one paragraph before. Truly one of the gems of the N64 library? On the N64? Really? Yoshi's Story is one of the gems of a console that had Super Mario 64, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark and two of the very best Zelda games?
Post by: Kairon on September 19, 2007, 07:08:39 AM
Post by: Nick DiMola on September 19, 2007, 07:43:00 AM
Post by: NWR_pap64 on September 19, 2007, 08:23:16 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Zach is apparently the biggest fan of Yoshi's Story in the world.
I have to agree with Ian here. I honestly thought that the game was going to get at the very least a "Recommended for fans".
I'm sorry but as much as I liked Yoshi's story it is NOT a gem in the N64 library. Its a joke compared to the far deeper Yoshi's island. The game is too short and while the presentation is really good it might be too cute for some to tolerate.
I you guys should rethink how the VC games are reviewed and presented. I recall you pointed out that while Metroid was a good game much better games came after it so why wasn't the same step used when reviewing Yoshi's story.
Post by: Patchkid15 on September 19, 2007, 08:32:15 AM
Post by: LuigiHann on September 19, 2007, 08:34:13 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: pap64
I honestly thought that the game was going to get at the very least a "Recommended for fans".
I would have gone with "Recommended only to people who aren't fans."
Also, was Yoshi's Story marketed as a sequel to Yoshi's Island, or did people just assume that because it stars Yoshi?
Post by: MegaByte on September 19, 2007, 08:47:04 AM
Post by: Mashiro on September 19, 2007, 11:50:46 AM
Quote
I you guys should rethink how the VC games are reviewed and presented. I recall you pointed out that while Metroid was a good game much better games came after it so why wasn't the same step used when reviewing Yoshi's story.
QFT. Yoshi's Island: SMW2 is FAR supperior to Yoshi's Story so it should be not recommended =)
Quote
Yoshi's Story is truly one of the gems of the N64 library.
lies . . . lies lies lies. and more lies.
Quote
Yoshi's Story is truly one of Nintendos biggest let down games.
Fixed.
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on September 19, 2007, 12:26:21 PM
Good job guys, you managed to top Pale's Kid Icarus recommendation for everyone!
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on September 19, 2007, 04:10:19 PM
Anyway, Yoshi's Island is not *terrible*. It has good music and can be fun to play if you just feel like farting around or exploring for 30 melons. But it isn't a good $10 purchase.
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on September 19, 2007, 04:24:10 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: TheYoungerPlumber
I want to go on record as saying there was strong pushback from others on NWR staff about this Yoshi's Story recommendation. That said, this is Zach's honest-to-God opinion (although I'm flabbergasted) and I'd rather not muzzle those on staff who have bad taste--er...disagree with the majority. I do think we need second opinions for some of these recommendations, though.
Anyway, Yoshi's Island is not *terrible*. It has good music and can be fun to play if you just feel like farting around or exploring for 30 melons. But it isn't a good $10 purchase.
The memories I have about Yoshi's story include
1) A pounding headache
2) A lame final boss battle
Post by: that Baby guy on September 19, 2007, 04:43:19 PM
Post by: KDR_11k on September 19, 2007, 11:31:23 PM
Quote
I recall you pointed out that while Metroid was a good game much better games came after it so why wasn't the same step used when reviewing Yoshi's story.
Metroid isn't a good game by modern standards, it may have been impressive on the NES but it plays like crap compared to later games. No idea about Yoshi's Story but saying Metroid only got a bad grade because better games came after it is wrong.
Post by: UncleBob on September 20, 2007, 02:06:35 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: pap64
I you guys should rethink how the VC games are reviewed and presented. I recall you pointed out that while Metroid was a good game much better games came after it so why wasn't the same step used when reviewing Yoshi's story.
I think the difference is that we *knew* when a similar, better game was going to be released. Can anyone tell me when the next Mario Series game is going to be released on the VC?
I know there are a lot of people who were disappointed with Yoshi's Story - but can y'all say it is really a *bad* game? Or just a disappointment?
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on September 20, 2007, 02:09:20 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBobQuote
Originally posted by: pap64
I you guys should rethink how the VC games are reviewed and presented. I recall you pointed out that while Metroid was a good game much better games came after it so why wasn't the same step used when reviewing Yoshi's story.
I think the difference is that we *knew* when a similar, better game was going to be released. Can anyone tell me when the next Mario Series game is going to be released on the VC?
I know there are a lot of people who were disappointed with Yoshi's Story - but can y'all say it is really a *bad* game? Or just a disappointment?
I can say it is a bad game because it was, the game was extremely shallow and generic in about every way.
Post by: UncleBob on September 20, 2007, 02:13:26 AM
It's got a 60+% on Game Rankings. Spectacular? No. Horribly bad? Come on! Would you seriously stick Yoshi's Story in the same category as DK Jr. Math?
Post by: planetidiot on September 20, 2007, 02:46:50 AM
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on September 20, 2007, 02:56:03 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/199386.asp?q=Yoshis%20Story
It's got a 60+% on Game Rankings. Spectacular? No. Horribly bad? Come on! Would you seriously stick Yoshi's Story in the same category as DK Jr. Math?
At least DK Jr. Math didn't give me a headache.
Post by: UncleBob on September 20, 2007, 03:04:51 AM
After all, you're a woman and "Math is hard" for women.
Post by: Halbred on September 20, 2007, 08:32:57 AM
Ya'll are being awfully hard on it. The level designs are tremendous, there is an amazing amount of gameplay variety, and game's look is unique and charming. The only parts I don't really like about it are the (1) lack of background music (it's barely there), (2) the melon-crate minigame, and (3) finding that last freaking Melon in a level!
Like I think I said in the recommendation, the challenge is up to the player, which is another reason I like it. Yeah, you can cheese your way through, eating every piece of fruit in sight, and beat the game in an hour. Actually, you SHOULD, because then you play through it again, choose different stages for each level, repeat a few times, and unlock every stage in the challenge mode.
Yes, challenge mode, where you select a stage, then try and get the highest score. That's where I spend most of my time these days.
But I really think you guys should give Yoshi's Story another chance.
Post by: Kairon on September 20, 2007, 08:39:59 AM
Plus, Yoshi's sorta awesome.
Post by: Caliban on September 20, 2007, 08:57:33 AM
My bad purchase though was Super Thunder Blade...yeah I know, impulse buy.
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on September 20, 2007, 09:10:37 AM
Post by: KDR_11k on September 20, 2007, 08:01:28 PM
Heh, I have that game on the Megadrive Collection and I agree, it's baaaaad.
Post by: Caliban on September 21, 2007, 04:11:00 PM
