Author Topic: Virtual Console Mondays: March 19, 2007 (Read 16681 times)

WindyMan · « **on:** March 19, 2007, 02:30:00 PM »

Three new old games for you to look at this week.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=13166

All three games released on the Virtual Console this week are single-player affairs, so there won't be any classic multiplayer goodness for you. That's okay, because there are a couple of really good solo efforts in this batch.

We've got the details on the new games out now, as is what we do here at Nintendo World Report each and every week.

Excitebike - NES

Released 10/1985
1 Player
500 Wii Points ($5)
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube

For all of you Excite Truck fans who don't know the roots of Nintendo's Excite line of games, here's your chance to see them. Excitebike is one of the more awesome games of the NES era, simply because you can make your own tracks using 26 different types of ramps, obstacles and structures available for you to plop onto a blank track to your heart's content. Remember, your custom track is only exciting if you include a bunch of the 'H' ramps and the cooldown 'M' and 'N' arrows to keep your bike in overdrive without overheating.

Recommended for Everyone At $5, this is pretty much a must-own for any Wii owner. Although the track editor is the big pull, don't forget about the single player game, either. It's pretty tough, even if you can make people crash on the spot by cutting in front of them. Watch out, though: They can do the same to you. - Steven Rodriguez

Splatterhouse - TurboGrafx-16

Released 8/1990
1 Player
600 Wii Points ($6)
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube

This very simplistic beat-em-up game is mostly notable for its pseudo-gory graphics. The generic story has your character waking up in a haunted house with a "Terror Mask" stuck to his face, which grants him physical prowess to rescue his girlfriend. Oh yeah, and the mask also makes him look exactly like Jason from Friday the 13th. In gameplay terms, you'll be walking to the right and killing a ton of zombie-like enemies. Splatterhouse was a "rent, don't buy" game back in the old days, and it's even harder to recommend now.

Not Recommended Splatterhouse takes place on a single plane of movement, so it's not even as sophisticated as NES beat-em-ups like Double Dragon or Battletoads. Aside from standard punch and jump kick attacks, each stage has one or two sub-weapons which can be thrown or wielded for melee attacks with better reach than Rick's wimpy punches. The horror flick-inspired levels include a few (unfair, but shocking) surprises like enemies jumping out of nowhere, and the music is very appropriate. Unfortunately, Splatterhouse is too simple and repetitive to be fun for long, and you can see most of the game's seven levels in about half an hour. It's just not worth 600 points when there are so many similar, better games on Virtual Console (see: Streets of Rage, Comix Zone, Super Castlevania IV, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts). - Jonathan Metts

Beyond Oasis - Genesis

Released 1995
1 Player
800 Wii Points ($8)
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube

Beyond Oasis is another one of those late-generation 16-bit era games, which means it looks pretty darn nice. It's a colorful action RPG that sees Prince Ali find a golden armlet, then embarking on a quest to restore its elemental power, stop the bad guy and save the world. You run around and kill enemies with special combo attacks and different weapons, battle your way through simple dungeons and find new elements for your armlet. Once obtained, you can summon water, fire, shadow and plant spirits by hitting the appropriate environmental objects. Their special attacks can clear enemies and help solve puzzles, but take up magic juice as you use them.

Recommended for Everyone This game is definitely worth the points. Though it's a little on the short side, it's a very solid action game that has a great combat system. If you decide to go for it, be advised that the game supported the six-button Genesis controller, so if you want quick access to your item, weapon and map sub-screens you should use the GameCube or Wii Classic controller to play. You can still play it with the Wii Remote alone, of course. - Steven Rodriguez

Magus19 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2007, 02:54:01 PM »

I'll gladly take Exitebike, I spent alot of time playing this game at my friend's house on his pirate 90games cart. At the time we didn't really understand the concept of piracy... But now I buy all my games of course, even old games like on the VC and Ebay. I still have 1 or 2 multi NES games but it's only for collection purpose.

The game I wait for is Adventures of Lolo. I have a lot a good memories of that game and it's a perfect game to play little by little. This and SMB 2 are the only games I played with my mother, maybe I can get her to like the Wii with this game, I'll get my Father and Grand Father with Tiger Wood 07, I hope it's good.

EDIT: Where is Exitebike by the way? Does it appear for any of you?

Caliban · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2007, 03:06:03 PM »

Splatterhouse - RECOMMENDED FOR FANS. I'm lovin' it.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2007, 03:11:49 PM »

Kid Icarus recommended for everyone + Splatterhouse not recommended for anyone=does not compute

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2007, 03:57:48 PM »

Yeah, for all the fan hype Splatterhouse has received it has been getting bashed by everyone.

Frankly, though, I saw some footage of it and it looked pretty boring.

Kairon · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2007, 04:22:03 PM »

YES! Beyond Oasis! I've never played that game before, but FINALLY something has come out that will prevent me from giving in to my VC RPG urges and buying the non-recommended Sword of Vermillion or Double Dungeons!

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2007, 05:20:50 PM »

I can understand why Splatterhouse might have a cult-like following -- it has a lot of style for a game of that era, and it sort of paved the way for games like Resident Evil. But when I can name a handful of NES beat-em-ups that are more balanced, more complex, and more fun, not to mention the slew of SNES and GEN games in that vein, Splatterhouse just doesn't stack up very well. I don't take "Recommended for Fans" to mean "Recommended for Splatterhouse Loonies". Those people aren't going to listen to what I say anyway. I'm not recommending it for fans of the genre because there are multiple superior choices -- that's why I mentioned some alternatives directly in the write-up.

And I'm on record as standing in protest to the Kid Icarus recommendation. Realize that these articles are written by a variety of staff members. Most of them are not really contested because the recommendation is predictable or because the game so obscure that only one or two of us have played it anyway.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2007, 06:17:56 PM »

Henceforth, Jonny shall be banned from using Kid Icarus in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Brawl. And this shall be his penance for not paying proper tribute to the 8-bit forefathers.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2007, 06:25:04 PM »

I bought Splatterhouse for VC today and have never touched (nor really seen) the game before. I'm enjoying it, yes there are "better" brawlers out there but it still is a fun game, especially if you like the horror genre.

segagamer12 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:05:06 PM »

Yeah everyone has different opinions though. I had Beyond Oasis on Genesis and for me it wasnt that bad but not great. It was a good game but there are better games out there. SPlatterhouse I remember playingbut not liking. Excitbike I hated but played a lot just cuz we had so few games and everyone else liked it. Since I can't keep up with all the VC games anyways I cant afford to get any of these until I get caught up so Ill be holding off for a while.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2007, 07:15:07 PM »

People may have different opinions but it seems a game like Splatterhouse would fall under recommended for fans at the very least, it has a decent following (Heck I seen an old EGM review that gave it all 8s). That is where I would put game like Kid Icarus as well, and maybe Lost Oasis (I am hesitant to put any old RPG or action/RPG into recommended for everyone).

Pale · « **Reply #11 on:** March 20, 2007, 02:46:22 AM »

I am the source of the Kid Icarus recommendation and I still stand by it.

That game is awesome, sissies be damned.

Most peoples reason for not liking it is that it's "too hard" and I think that's the stupidest reason ever.

Caliban · « **Reply #12 on:** March 20, 2007, 03:35:59 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117
I'm not recommending it for fans of the genre because there are multiple superior choices -- that's why I mentioned some alternatives directly in the write-up.

Oh, when you guys recommend it for the fans it is in relation to the genre, ok. I apologize. I thought it meant just as it says "RECOMMENDED FOR FANS", confusion from my part.

Pale · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2007, 04:04:55 AM »

Recommended for Fans could mean a lot of things, but it'd be silly to recommend it to people that already like the game, IE fans of the original game. Instead it could mean fans of the genre, fans of retro gaming, fans of a specific feature set in the game, fans of the character in the game, etc. etc.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2007, 04:23:12 AM »

Most peoples reason for not liking it is that it's "too hard" and I think that's the stupidest reason ever.

If it's too hard for most it's not something that should be recommended for everyone.

Pale · « **Reply #15 on:** March 20, 2007, 05:19:31 AM »

I disagree completely KDR, for difficulty doesn't affect a games worthiness. I've never finished Kid Icarus, and I still love playing it.

Unbalanced difficulty maybe, but Kid Icarus is consistent and you can get better at it as you go, by learning patterns and the best time to make a run for it. You don't see people saying Ouendan sucks because only 5% of the population can beat Ready Steady Go on the highest difficulty.

vudu · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:21:27 AM »

Ouendan sucks because only 5% of the population can beat Ready Steady Go on normal difficulty.

Khushrenada · « **Reply #17 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:30:39 AM »

I've always thought Ouendan sucked because only about 5% of the population can beat Ready Steady Go on the easy difficulty.

Pale · « **Reply #18 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:33:28 AM »

Hah, alright. Well I'm sure a lot of people would say that if you think Ouendan sucks your opinion doesn't matter anyway.

vudu · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:45:10 AM »

Whatever. Point is I can't beat Ready Steady Go on the normal difficulty level. Which means I can't unlock the Hard difficulty. I can beat pretty much any other level in the game without too much effort but I can't even get to the first cut scene in RSG. That makes me sad.

Khushrenada · « **Reply #20 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:48:45 AM »

My opinion should matter the most since I still haven't even played the game yet. How can you disregard something like that?

Smoke39 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 20, 2007, 07:03:38 AM »

Difficulty asside, I thought Kid Icarus was kinda boring. I stopped playing after I got to the second dungeon or whatever they're called.

Neodymium · « **Reply #22 on:** March 20, 2007, 07:06:55 AM »

Splatterhouse > Excitebike.

Excitebike is NOT WORTH 5 dollars when Excitebike 64 could have been put up for 10.

PGC ..err.. NWR hates TG16.

Pale · « **Reply #23 on:** March 20, 2007, 07:11:15 AM »

We actually have probably the biggest Hudson fan/follower I've ever met on staff.

I haven't met many Hudson followers though...

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 20, 2007, 07:15:42 AM »

Please look at our previous VC Mondays and tell me again with all seriousness that we hate TG-16. We have given glowing recommendations to Bonk, Bomberman, Chew Man Fu, and others.

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